DETROIT -- Analyzing four key moments from the Browns' 38-24 loss to the Lions.
- For the second straight game, the Browns got off to a hot start, and it had a little bit to do with both sides of the ball.
Already leading 3-0, the Browns picked up their first double-digit lead of the season thanks to a Jamie Collins Sr. interception of Matthew Stafford. The play was Collins' last of the game, as he left with a knee injury and didn't return, but it set up DeShone Kizer and the Browns offense deep inside Lions territory.
Three plays later, the Browns were in the end zone, and Kizer had his first touchdown pass since Week 3. He found Kenny Britt on a short pass, Britt made a defender miss and took it the rest of the way for the 19-yard touchdown, his second of the season.
The 10-0 lead was Cleveland's biggest advantage of the season.
- The Browns were about to pick up another first down when Seth DeValve caught a pass from Kizer and pushed toward the sticks. Nevin Lawson had other ideas, and the Lions defensive back made an incredible individual effort to make it six the other way.
Lawson ripped the ball from DeValve's hands, pounced on it, got up and ran it back 44 yards for a touchdown. The scoop and score gave the Lions their first lead of the game, 17-10, late in the second quarter.
DeValve found a little bit of redemption with a 35-yard catch in the second half that set up a Browns touchdown.
- The Browns rediscovered their running game in a big way to start the second half, and they picked up touchdowns on back-to back drives in large part because of it.
After an unfortunate sequence of events to end the first half, Cleveland put the ball in the hands of Isaiah Crowell, Duke Johnson Jr. and Kizer. The Browns went 85 yards on eight plays on their first series of the second half, which was punctuated by a Crowell touchdown run. The next went 80 yards on 10 plays and was capped by a Kizer keeper. All but 55 of the 165 yards on those possessions were gained on the ground.
The Browns blew away their previous season-high total and cleared 200 rushing yards for the first time since last year's season finale at Pittsburgh.
- Kizer's best performance of the season was put on hold when Quandre Diggs speared the quarterback after a throw late in the third quarter. And in turn, the entire game flipped, as the Lions finished with 21 unanswered points en route to the 14-point victory.
The good news: None of Kizer's ribs are broken and he was able to return for the final few minutes. The bad news: Cleveland couldn't move the ball with Cody Kessler under center, and the Lions offense capitalized on the momentum shift with back-to-back scores to break the tie and get the necessary cushion for a stress-free end to the game.
Kizer finished 21-of-37 for 232 yards, a touchdown and a late interception. He added 57 and a score on the ground.
