Sunday’s game between the Lions and Browns is a matchup of two teams that are coming off impressive Week 3 wins.
Cleveland (1-2) pulled off the upset of the week after recording a 13-10 win over the previously unbeaten Packers. Detroit (2-1) won its second straight game after going to Baltimore and leaving with an impressive 38-30 win over the Ravens.
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The Lions need a win in order to keep pace with the Packers and Vikings in the NFC North. Conversely, a Browns win would make the AFC North race even more interesting given the recent struggles of both Baltimore and Cincinnati.
Here’s how you can follow the action in real time, along with a breakdown and a prediction for Sunday.
Where to watch Browns vs. Lions live
When: Sunday, Sept. 28 | Time: 1 p.m. ET
Where: Ford Field — Detroit, Michigan
TV: Fox | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
Follow: CBS Sports App
Odds: Lions -9.5; O/U 44.5 (via FanDuel)
Browns vs. Lions: Need to know
The roar restored. Questions were looming about the Lions’ legitimacy as a true NFC title contender following their toothless Week 1 loss to the Packers. Detroit has responded emphatically, drubbing the Bears by 31 points in Week 2 and winning in convincing style in Baltimore last Sunday.
A big reason for the Lions’ resurgence is Jared Goff and the running back duo of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. Goff paces the NFL in completion percentage, while Montgomery and Gibbs recently became the first duo in history to each score rushing touchdowns in the same game 11 times.
Detroit’s prolific pass rush. Back from injury, Aidan Hutchinson looks like his former pass-rushing self with two sacks so far. He’s been one-half of a menacing pass rushing duo that also includes 30-year-old Al-Quadin Muhammad, who leads the team with 3.5 sacks.
One glaring weakness. The Lions’ Achilles heel on defense has been third down. The unit is 30th in the NFL in third-down efficiency as opponents have converted on exactly half (17 of 34) of their third-down attempts. If Cleveland is going to make this a game, they’ll have to exploit this clear weakness.
An obvious strength. The Browns may 30th in the NFL in scoring, but they’re eighth in the league in red zone efficiency. Cleveland needs to get inside the red zone more, however, as they have had just seven trips inside the 20-yard-line.
A new weapon in Cleveland. The Browns’ offense has received a recent spark from rookie running back Quinshon Judkins. After missing the team’s season-opener, Judkins ran for 61 yards on 10 carries in Cleveland’s Week 2 loss to Baltimore. He had an impressive 94 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries in last week’s win over Green Bay.
Browns vs. Lions prediction, pick