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The Cleveland Browns’ defense has been the NFL’s brick wall against the run through three weeks. But Detroit Lions offensive coordinator John Morton doesn’t sound intimidated. In fact, he’s welcoming the challenge.
“I don’t think they’ve seen a run game like ours yet,” Morton said as quoted by the Detroit Free Press. “And we have patience. We stick with it. I think that’s the biggest thing.”
Lions’ Ground Game in Full Force
The Lions head into Week 4 ranked fourth in the league in rushing at 149 yards per game. Behind the thunder-and-lightning combo of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit has been relentless on the ground.
Just look at Monday night’s win in Baltimore:
- 38 rushing attempts
- 224 rushing yards
- 4 rushing touchdowns
That’s not just efficiency, that’s dominance, and Morton knows it.
Browns’ Elite Rush Defense
On the flip side, the Browns are allowing a league-low 57.3 yards per game on the ground. They’ve held every opponent under 90 rushing yards, including:
- Cincinnati Bengals (46 yards)
- Baltimore Ravens (45 yards)
- Green Bay Packers (81 yards)
That’s three top-tier offenses, all bottled up by Cleveland’s defensive front.
Clash of Styles
This sets up an irresistible Week 4 storyline: Detroit’s top-5 rushing offense vs. Cleveland’s No. 1 rushing defense. Morton insists the Lions won’t abandon the ground game, no matter how tough things get early.
With Montgomery grinding between the tackles and Gibbs bringing burst and creativity, Detroit believes they have the formula to finally crack the Browns’ armor.
“We have patience,” Morton said. “We stick with it.”
Sunday at Ford Field, we’ll find out if the Lions’ run game is every bit as unstoppable as Morton thinks, or if the Browns defense can prove once again that nobody runs on them.
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Don Drysdale
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