Detroit Lions Week 4 Recap and Review: Big Win Against an Elite Defense
- Chad Marriott
- Sep 28
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 30
The Detroit Lions came into Week 4 as heavy favorites against the Cleveland Browns, and that narrative fit the final score of the Lions 34-10 win. While the Lions controlled the game most of the way, the Browns did jump out to an early 7-0 lead following a Lions three-and-out. The Browns defense gave the Lions some problems. They've now started the season 1-3 despite not allowing any team to surpass 300 yards of offense in a single game. The Lions had over 900 yards combined over the last two games (500 against the Bears and 400 against the Ravens). Today, they finished with 277.
The Lions got the job done. The issues with the offensive line from Week 1 are all but gone. The same can be said for the defensive line with Aidan Hutchinson's dominant performance. Another major takeaway is the improved play of the special teams, continuing a trend of week-to-week adjustments from this coaching staff. The only negatives from this game are the injuries and the odd Jared Goff to Jameson Williams struggles.
Detroit Lions Week 4: Offensive Line, Jared Goff, and Jahmyr Gibbs
The Lions knew the Browns defense would present more problems than the Chicago Bears or Baltimore Ravens. Still, they held up better than in Week 1. They managed to rush for 109 yards, including 91 yards and a touchdown from Jahmyr Gibbs. See below for some additional context on the significance of this offensive line and running back production.
Goff continues to show his improvement in improvisation. While he didn't complete all of the attempts, the growth is clearly there. Goff could cement himself as a top-five quarterback if he continues this current trajectory. His 16-for-27 completions with two touchdowns (both to Amon-Ra St. Brown) and an interception don't completely tell the story of how well he played.
Detroit Lions Week 4: Aidan Hutchinson, Kerby Joseph, D.J. Reed, and the Defense
The Browns aren't an offensive juggernaut, but Aidan Hutchinson's continued improvement should excite fans. Today, he had two sacks and a strip fumble. He would have had an additional strip sack if not for a penalty. Hutchinson looks like he is back to the player he was a year ago. It took a few weeks. Completely reasonable for a player who missed nearly a year with a severe leg injury.
D.J. Reed, who left early with an injured hamstring, had an excellent game (1 interception). His play is on par with Kerby Joseph (1 interception) and Brian Branch. Additionally, Jack Campbell doesn't draw headlines or make highlight plays. He just gets the job done. The Lions linebacker trio of Campbell, Alex Anzalone, and Derrick Barnes consistently gets the job done without much recognition. Grant Stuard, Trevor Nowaske, and Zach Cunningham have also come up big for the Lions.
Detroit Lions Week 4: Special Teams and Coaching
The Lions had some special teams issues in Week 3 against the Ravens, and, much like the major issues from Week 1, the team cleaned them up. Jack Fox had some excellent punts, all inside the 20. Jake Bates had the wildest 58 field goal (2/2 in the game), and Kalif Raymond takes the biggest prize with a 65-yard punt return for a touchdown.
Time and time again, Dan Campbell has shown that he is an excellent coach. Helping Dave Fipp tighten up the special teams and his constant effort to give confidence to his players exemplifies why Campbell is one of the best in the business.
Detroit Lions Week 4: Jared Goff to Jameson Williams
The Lions clearly wanted to get Jameson Williams more involved this week. However, Williams dropped two passes and caught two passes on eight targets. Williams' ability to open up the offense and create a deep threat makes him valuable to the Lions. Long term, the team needs this combo to work. Before today, they had been clicking like never before. Against Chicago, he had 108 yards. Williams has a total of 10 receptions through four games. Perhaps his three-year $83 million extension has something to do with it. Regardless, just let it happen. He's good, and Goff is good. It'll happen.
Detroit Lions Week 4 Verdict
The Lions are 3-1. That's the most important thing. The health, as is always the case in football, could become an issue. Both Reed and Terrion Arnold left the game today. Look for updates on that throughout the week. The offense performed better against the Browns than the Ravens, Packers, and Bengals. The defense continues to improve as Hutchinson gets comfortable. The special teams also look better. All signs point to success.
The Lions have the Bengals (no Joe Burrow) next week. Then, they have the Chiefs and Buccaneers before their bye week. Before the season started, this stretch was viewed as a gauntlet. Defeating Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs is never easy, and the Lions would be wise to avoid overlooking the Bengals as they fight for their season. The Buccaneers are likely circled on their schedule after losing to them in 2024. Campbell and company will need to make sure they take it week-to-week.
Overall, the Lions Week 1 woes feel like they happened years ago in a different dimension. The Lions remain Super Bowl contenders despite any preseason chatter, coaching changes, or overreactions.
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