Lions (0-8-1) at Browns (5-5)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland
TV: Fox
Tipico Sportsbook line: Browns by 91⁄2
Lions’ keys to victory: Detroit wants to run the ball on offense, finally having a breakout game from D’Andre Swift in Week 10. Swift’s 33 carries led to 130 yards, offsetting Jared Goff’s 114 yards passing on 25 attempts. The Lions’ defense has played better against the pass as opponents have run the ball almost at will (1,221 yards in nine games). Stopping the run will be the top job.
Browns’ keys to victory: Which team shows up in Week 11 is the biggest key for Cleveland. In Week 9, the Browns dominated on both sides of the ball in a decisive home win over the Bengals. In Week 10, the Browns struggled in all phases of the game and got blown out at New England. A strong rushing attack (1,541 yards) makes life easier for QB Baker Mayfield while Browns DEs Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney must make plays in the backfield regularly. Garrett leads the NFL with 13 sacks.
Matchup to watch: Lions LB Alex Anzalone vs. Browns RB Nick Chubb. Detroit’s leading tackler needs to contain Cleveland’s most important engine on offense. If Anzalone can help keep Chubb bottled up, the Lions could get their first victory of 2021. If Chubb controls the game, the Browns will control the game. Chubb was on the reserve/COVID-19 list last week and didn’t play. D’Ernest Johnson (5.3 yards per carry) proved a viable threat in Chubb’s absense.
Who wins? The Browns have controlled games against bad teams, while Mayfield plays best under adversity.
Browns, 28-17