Heading into Thanksgiving Week, the Lions will face the Cleveland Browns at Ford Field on Sunday in a matchup of teams hoping to give their season a boost.
Through nine games this season, the Browns’ have put up some solid defensive performances. In their most recent game on Monday night, they held the Ravens scoreless through the first half, allowing just 10 points as a defense.
A primary piece of that defense is defensive tackle Shaun Rogers, who was traded to the Browns before the 2008 season after playing seven seasons with the Lions. Rogers will make his first regular season visit to Ford Field as a Brown.
The 6-4, 350-pound tackle has been known as a dynamic force on the defensive line and on special teams. Since his first season in 2001, Rogers has blocked 16 combined field goals and extra points, the most of any active player in the NFL. Three of those blocks have come this year.
With guard 
Ramirez said that Rogers’ unique combination of size and athleticism is what sets him apart from other defensive tackles.
“He’s a rare defensive tackle. There’s not many defensive tackles that big who have the type of strength he does that can still be as agile and be able to get off the ball and be explosive, and make quick moves on a dime,” he said.
“With his ability to do all those things, you really have to focus on him on the inside. We’re just going to have to be patient and be able to work with each other and make sure we stay on him.”
OTHER DEFENSIVE PIECES
Although Rogers will be a factor in the Lions’ game plan, Offensive Coordinator Scott Linehan is wary of giving too much attention to a single player. Doing that may open the door for other Browns’ defenders to step up and make plays.
“Shaun is obviously one of the premier defensive linemen in the league—people in Detroit know of him very well,” he said. “But I think it gets a little overrated that you’re game-planning a player. Many do that and some of those other guys on that defense are going to sneak up and make a play.”
One of those players is outside linebacker Kamerion Wimbley. Playing in a 3-4 system, Wimbley splits his time between rushing the passer and dropping into coverage. This season he leads the Browns in sacks with 5.0 for 41 yards, and is looking for his second-straight season with a double-digit sack total.
His contributions in the pass rush have also allowed the Browns, who have a total of 19 sacks, to surpass last season’s sack total of 17.
Linehan sees Wimbley as a definite threat on defense.
“He’s big, he’s rangy, he can cover, he can rush. He’s got some sack production this year,” he said. “Talk about a talented player and a guy that really fits what they’re doing system-wise there.”
Quarterback
“He’s a good player. He’s a big, tall, strong, fast guy who can get after the quarterback or drop into coverage and he still knows what he’s doing. He’s a little bit of everything,” he said.
THE BROWNS' SECONDARY
The Browns’ secondary, with players like safety Brodney Pool and cornerback Eric Wright, has talent in young playmakers with ball skills. Pool, with three, and Wright, with one, have all of the Browns’ interceptions this season, and they are tied for the team lead in passes defensed with eight.
Stafford says the strength of the Browns’ secondary is that they don’t give up a lot of big plays, which will force the Lions to take what the defense gives them to move the ball down the field.
“They play a lot of 2-deep and try to make you beat them slowly, but surely, down the field with drives,” he said. “It really doesn’t put those guys out on an island that much so you don’t really know as far as man-to-man how great they are. Within their scheme they play really well.”
Stafford is hoping for success against that secondary through continued personal progress. After his five-interception outing at Seattle, Linehan thought that Stafford made progress in his play at Minnesota, where he cut down his mistakes and did not throw any interceptions.
Linehan is optimistic that he will continue to improve, and sees the relationship between Stafford and wide receiver
“They really were making progress prior to both of them being nicked up, but there are no excuses now," said Linehan. "We’ve got to go out and those two guys have got to get their timing down where they can be a big combination, where they are going to be hard to beat when they start putting it together.”
A LOOK AT THEIR QB
The Lions’ defense went toe-to-toe with the high-powered Minnesota offense last week, holding them to their second-lowest point total, 27, for a second time this season. They’ll look to execute even better against the Browns, who certainly possess enough weapons to put points on the board.
Continuity has been an issue all season for the Browns as they’ve battled through personnel changes, transactions and injuries.
Brady Quinn had his first start since Week 3 this past Monday night against the Ravens. With that personnel change, Defensive Coordinator Gunther Cunningham says the Browns have experienced much the same scenario as his own defense.
“They have everything you need in their arsenal to have a good offense but I’m sure what’s happened to them is some of the same things that’s happened to us on defense,” Cunningham said.
“When you’re not set in your personnel and you have to make changes, the timing of playing a team scheme and playing together is real difficult.”
Despite that fact, the Lions primary concern is executing the game plan and stopping their offense.
“It’s not so much about what they do, it’s much about what we do,” defensive end
Through his career Quinn has shown to be a smart quarterback when it comes to taking what the defense gives him, so the Lions could expect short passes if deep routes are covered. If the Browns establish the run it may open up the passing game, allowing Quinn to air it out more.
A SOLID RUN GAME
Though the Browns have been working to find cohesiveness in their passing game, the running game has shown it can produce.
Jamal Lewis leads the team with 385 yards rushing on 108 carries. He recorded his 36th-career 100-yard game at Buffalo in Week 5. Jerome Harrison has also seen carries, rushing for 254 yards including a 121-yard game against Cincinnati.
“We know they definitely can run the ball,” linebacker
Early success of the run game could be attributed to two-time pro-bowl left tackle Joe Thomas, so possibly look for the Browns to favor his side. Along with the running game, Thomas and the offensive line have had good protection for their quarterbacks.
“I think the line is protecting pretty good and they’ve played some good teams, and they played a lot of teams with all-out blitzes,” Cunningham said.
“The line is steady and they do a great job in the run game. They time up everything. Their combination blocking schemes are real good.”
CLEVELAND WIDE-OUTS
The Browns receiving corps is young but talented. The starters, Joshua Cribbs and rookie Mohamed Massaquoi are explosive in the open field.
After the Browns traded Braylon Edwards, Massaquoi stepped into the No. 1 spot. He has shown to be a reliable target, leading the team with 358 yards on 20 catches. As a returner, Cribbs has game-changing ability, which is why he cannot be left alone at wide receiver.
Because Quinn does a good job of taking what the defense gives him, Massaquoi and Cribbs could take the short passes and turn them into big gains.
“In the passing game, some of the timing is off, but when you rotate quarterbacks and receivers, that’s going to happen,” Cunningham said.
“It’s still difficult to spot problems that they’re having on offense because the tape doesn’t show it.”
One more thing the defense could expect out of Cribbs is his ability to line up at quarterback in the wildcat formation. Being alert will be key because he can run and pass out of the formation.
While both receivers are big-play threats, seven-year veteran Mike Furrey, who leads the team with 21 catches, is a good possession receiver. Another veteran, Robert Royal, may see more time at tight end because Steve Heiden was placed on the injured reserve earlier this week. Royal is averaging 11.1 yards a catch and has one touchdown.
