The Detroit Lions– Cleveland Browns week four matchup is already heating up. Lions offensive coordinator John Morton had recently said that the Browns might not have seen a run game like theirs. Naturally, this statement called for a response from the Browns. When asked for his reaction to Morton’s jab, star defensive end Myles Garrett offered a perfect retort, turning the tables right back on the Lions:

“He’s entitled to his opinion. He hasn’t seen a defensive front like ours…we have the privilege to see who’s right.”

The Detroit Lions are riding on a high horse after getting one of their biggest wins since Dan Campbell became coach. They return home to play the Cleveland Browns. However, the Browns this year are a huge challenge, unlike last season. Even though their offense is struggling, their defense is the best in the NFL and is especially good at stopping the run.

Myles Garrett reminds the Lions of the Browns’ recent defense

The clash between the Detroit Lions and the Cleveland Browns is shaping up to be a classic “strength-on-strength” game. If one were to look at the stats, the Lions are clearly in the lead with a score of (2-1). The team has taken down the Chicago Bears and the Baltimore Ravens after their initial stumble against the Green Bay Packers in Week 1.

On the other hand, the Cleveland Browns recorded their first win this season last week. But what makes them a tough read for the Lions? Well, it’s the team against whom they won. The Browns pulled off a major upset in Week 3, rallying from behind to beat the Green Bay Packers 13-10. Yep, you read that correctly! It’s the very team against whom the Lions won during their first week.

Myles Garrett, during the conference, said that their week 4 match shall be a battle of ideologies, elaborating on the point, he said, 

“I think our D.C. also has some things to say, and we have to be the ones to put it into action.”

Another reason not to take the Browns lightly is that team’s offense has sputtered, averaging a league-low 15.3 points per game. The Browns’ tenacious defense currently leads the entire league in both total defense and run defense. 

Considering their performances in all three matches till week 3, the team has racked up 11 sacks, totaling 80 yards lost, and has recorded 19 tackles for loss. That is consistent, game-wrecking production. The engine of this dominance is the defensive line, featuring superstar Myles Garrett, veteran Maliek Collins, and disruptive rookie Mason Graham.

The Browns’ defense is not just something that we are praising; the Lions’ head coach, Dan Campbell, has publicly acknowledged the immense challenge. 

He said, “This defense, I’ve already mentioned, I think is the best that we will have faced,” he added, “Green Bay was damn good, but this defense is really good, man. So, we’ve got our hands full over there.”

The team has perfectly strategized a mix of fronts, blitzes, twists, and movement to confuse and overwhelm opposing offensive lines. The true danger for the Lions is that this isn’t being done by a singular player but almost every player on the defensive front, making the prediction of what comes next a tough task. This depth and complexity have resulted in the Browns’ defensive line being one of the most feared fronts in the entire NFL.

Despite possessing what many consider the league’s most terrifying defensive front, the Cleveland Browns head into Sunday’s showdown with the Detroit Lions as clear underdogs. The burning question hanging over the matchup remains a simple one: Can their top-ranked defense achieve their second win on Sunday, September 28th, 2025?