The Detroit Lions racked up 90 points and 937 yards over the past two weeks while appearing to be an unstoppable offensive unit.
The high-flying Lions will now be tested by the NFL’s top defense over the first three weeks of the season when they host the Cleveland Browns on Sunday afternoon.
Detroit (2-1) outclassed the Baltimore Ravens 38-30 behind 224 rushing yards on Monday night. But no team has been tougher to run against than the Browns (1-2), who are coming off a 13-10 win over the Green Bay Packers.
Cleveland leads the NFL in rushing defense (57.3 yards per game) and has shut down Cincinnati’s Chase Brown (43 yards on 21 carries), Baltimore’s Derrick Henry (23 yards on 11 carries) and Green Bay’s Josh Jacobs (30 yards on 16 attempts).
“This is our style of football, our brand of football,” Browns defensive tackle Shelby Harris said. “Attack — get up there and making things a living hell for the offense. And that’s what we did (against the Packers) and what we need to do every week. If we want to play winning football every week, this is what it needs to look like.”
The Lions will test Cleveland’s sturdy defense with the potent David Montgomery-Jahmyr Gibbs combo.
Montgomery rushed for a career-high 151 yards against the Ravens and Gibbs chipped in with 67. Both players rushed for two touchdowns.
Montgomery was a big difference-maker as he broke loose for a 72-yard run (the longest offensive play in the NFL this season) to set up a touchdown and later scored on a 31-yard run.
“We know the kind of back he is, and we feel like he can do everything for us,” Detroit coach Dan Campbell said. “The one-two punch with he and Gibbs, we think is what makes both of those guys pretty special.”
Quarterback Jared Goff isn’t too shabby, either. He’s completed a league-best 77.9 percent of his passes for 761 yards, seven touchdowns and one interception. He’s tied for second in passing scores.
Cleveland ranks fourth in passing defense (147.0) and features elite pass rusher Myles Garrett (tied for second with four sacks), but Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski still has fears about defending Goff.
“He was the No. 1 overall pick for a reason,” Stefanski said of the Los Angeles Rams’ selection in 2016. “He’s really, really talented. He can make every throw. You can see off the tape how intelligent he is. They put a lot on his plate in terms of pre-snap decisions and checks and those types of things. … So, he’s outstanding.”
Goff is impressed with what he’s seeing from the Browns.
“They are sound, they play hard and they rush hard,” Goff said. “Obviously, Myles is a big part of that. They are really good in the back end. They’re kind of good at every spot and that’s what these defenses typically are and they are no different.”
The Lions racked up seven sacks against Baltimore with defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad notching a career-best 2 1/2. That output came against elusive two-time MVP Lamar Jackson, and now Detroit gets to take aim at 40-year-old Joe Flacco.
Flacco has been intercepted four times while throwing for 631 yards and two touchdowns. He has been unable to ignite an offense that ranks 30th in scoring (15.3).
Rookie running back Quinshon Judkins was superb with 94 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries against Green Bay.
Star cornerback Denzel Ward (shoulder) was one of three Browns to miss practice Wednesday. The others were defensive tackles Mike Hall Jr. (knee) and Harris (hamstring). Right tackle Jack Conklin (elbow) was limited after missing the Green Bay game.
Four Lions missed practice: left tackle Taylor Decker (shoulder), running back Sione Vaki (groin), safety Daniel Thomas (forearm) and Muhammad (knee).