Tim Boyle and the Detroit Lions gave the Cleveland Browns a game, but the Browns dragged out the win.
The Browns are back above .500 at 6-5 after scoring all their points in just one quarter.
Cleveland played down to its opponent on Sunday, but a win is a win:
It wasn't pretty but it's a W
Thank you, Nick Chubb!#Browns 13 Lions 10 pic.twitter.com/7i7NC45H4R
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) November 21, 2021
The Lions moved to 0-9-1, as Boyle threw for just 77 yards and two interceptions.
D’Andre Swift continued his impressive sophomore campaign, as he set a new career-high with 136 rushing yards.
Swift did so on 14 carries while Nick Chubb‘s 130 rushing yards came on 22 rushes.
Unfortunately, Baker Mayfield did not take advantage of a very weak Lions defense.
He completed just 15 of his 29 passes for 176 passing yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions.
There are not a lot of positives about the victory against the last winless team of the 2021 NFL season.
Here are the three things we learned:
1. The Browns Were Able To Drag Out An Ugly Victory
The Browns did not score in the second half of the 13-10 win.
They did not sack Boyle at all on Sunday and committed 10 penalties.
On the bright side, Cleveland shut out the Lions in the first half.
Just one Lions drive lasted more than five plays.
That seven-play drive by Detroit went for just 38 yards at the end of the first half.
Then in the second half, the Browns defense allowed just one hiccup: the 57-yard rushing touchdown to Swift.
Meanwhile, here were some of the highlights for the Browns:
- One Browns rushing touchdown by a wide receiver (Landry, 16 yards)
- One Browns receiving touchdown by a running back (Chubb, five yards)
Cleveland held onto its field goal lead near the end of the contest with a Detroit three-and-out.
Then, Chubb and D’Ernest Johnson rushed the Browns into a victory with a nine-play, 42-yard drive to end the game.
2. The Browns Can Make Use Out Of The Wildcat
The first score of the day in Cleveland was an impressive Wildcat touchdown:
Jarvis Landry out of the Wildcat! 🔥 @God_Son80 #Browns
📺: #DETvsCLE on FOX
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/So4aom7mys— NFL (@NFL) November 21, 2021
Mayfield had just made two strong passing plays to his tight ends to end the first quarter:
- 21 yards to David Njoku
- 20 yards to Austin Hooper
Then, Landry showed amazing athleticism, as he ran for the touchdown.
After faking left, he showed off the wheels for the score.
Near the end of the first half, the Browns made it a two-possession lead.
It seemed like Cleveland was going to be able to run away with the game.
However, Mayfield and the offense were unable to keep the scoring going in the second half.
3. The Cleveland Offense Needs Improvement
Here is how the Browns finished the day on offense:
- 22 first downs
- 5.5 yards per passing attempt
- 5.1 yards per rushing attempt
- Two turnovers
- One sacked allowed
The 22 first downs were the Browns’ highest since Week 7.
Unfortunately, Cleveland turned that into just 13 points.
Mayfield averaged 8.1 yards per attempt heading into this game, but he was a lowly 5.5 in this contest.
The offensive line was strong for the rushing attack and allowed for a time of possession of 34:57.
Overall, it was not a good day for Browns football, but a win is truly a win in these circumstances.
NEXT: Emily Mayfield Calls Out Browns Team, Rips Players
