Cleveland Browns Week 10 defensive takeaways

The Cleveland Browns are now 0-9 following Sunday’s 38-24 loss to the Detroit Lions. Despite the losing effort, the Browns put up a fight for the majority of the game and improvements were obvious.

The Cleveland Browns offense finally found some rhythm on Sunday and rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer looked comfortable. The team is coming off perhaps the most stressful week of the season due to the flurry of reports suggesting the Browns whiffed on a trade at the deadline. However, the team put together the best performance they have all season and even had a lead at one point.

Defensively, the team allowed the most points this season in giving up 38 to the Detroit Lions. The offense finally played a competent game and put up 24 points, but the defense just couldn’t find a way to stop Detroit when it mattered.

There were several takeaways from this game on the defensive side of the ball. It begins with how impressive defensive ends Emmanuel Ogbah and Myles Garrett were playing together. Ogbah’s seen more opportunities with Garrett inserted in the lineup, and he certainly hasn’t shied from taking advantage of them. The two are providing Cleveland with a pleasant spark in games, and opposing quarterbacks are no longer excited to play against this Browns defensive front.

Linebacker Jamie Collins made a great play intercepting a pass from Detroit quarterback Matt Stafford, though it wasn’t all good news. Collins, who Cleveland traded for at last year’s deadline, injured himself on the play and is out for the season with an MCL injury. Replacing him will be a difficult task, but it will without a doubt open up opportunities for others to step up.

Among others, the Browns run defense has been the saving grace in what has been another disappointing season. But the Lions were able to exploit them on Sunday, rushing for 87 yards on 15 attempts by their running backs.