What once looked like an afterthought on the schedule, the matchup between the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns has turned into one of Week 4’s most compelling games. After the Browns dragged the Packers into the junkyard and let the Dawg Pound loose, their defense has re-established itself as one of the NFL’s most punishing units.

Even with the four-ring circus of a quarterback competition, defensive ringmaster Jim Schwartz has his group looking far closer to its 2023 form, when it finished as the league’s top defense. Some of Cleveland’s metrics look a little deflated after surrendering 41 points to Baltimore—despite allowing only 242 total yards and just 3-of-12 conversions on third down—but the Browns remain a top-five defense (#3 in Defensive DVOA) and a stiff test for Detroit.

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