The Cleveland Browns pulled off one of the most surprising upsets of the 2025 campaign so far in Week 3 when they handed the Green Bay Packers a surprise 13-10 defeat. Things won’t get any easier for them in Week 4, though, as they have a meeting with another high-powered NFC North squad, the Detroit Lions.
In their season-opener, the Lions suffered an ugly loss to the Packers, but they have responded with a pair of resounding victories over the Chicago Bears and Baltimore Ravens. And while they have certainly taken note of Cleveland’s big win over Green Bay, Detroit’s offensive coordinator, John Morton, recently made some comments that struck a nerve with Browns’ defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz.
Jim Schwartz Fires Back at John Morton’s Comments
One of the keys to the Browns’ victory over the Packers was their ability to dominate the line of scrimmage on the defensive side of the ball. Green Bay’s quarterback, Jordan Love, was under pressure all day long, and star running back Josh Jacobs struggled to get anything going on the ground, as Cleveland’s defensive line wreaked havoc all game long.
That gave the offense just enough time to put more points on the board than the Packers, and in the process, the Browns’ winning formula was created. However, in Morton’s opinion, it’s going to be tough for Cleveland to replicate that formula in Week 4, as he bluntly said, “I don’t think they’ve seen a running game like ours yet.”
There’s no doubt that the tandem of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery offers the Browns another challenge, but they did slow down Jacobs, while also keeping the Baltimore Ravens’ run game quiet in Week 2, even though they suffered a 41-17 loss. With that in mind, Schwartz quickly fired back at the notion that Cleveland isn’t prepared for Detroit’s run game.
“We’ve faced some good running offenses,” Schwartz told reporters. “Green Bay was running the ball really well, so was Baltimore. Cincinnati was more of a pass-game offense. It’s one of the major things we have to do is stop the run. Two different running backs, you got to protect your edges.”
“Then there’s a lot of passes that are just extensions of the run game. A lot of screen game, a lot of quicks. Even the checkdowns are sort of an extension of the run game. So, our ability to play run defense, our ability to tackle in the open field, you know, that’s a major part of this game plan going forward.”
Browns Looking to Pull Off Second Straight Major Upset in Week 4
Getty ImagesCHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – AUGUST 08: Head Coach Kevin Stefanski reacts during the second half of an NFL Preseason 2025 game at Bank of America Stadium against the Carolina Panthers on August 08, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images)
The Browns know that if they are going to win games in 2025, it’s going to be because of their defense. That was the case in Week 3 against the Packers, and if they want any shot of beating the Lions in Week 4, their defense is going to have to deliver the goods again, particularly when it comes to slowing down Gibbs and Montgomery on the ground.
Of course, it’s also worth noting that Detroit has a deadly passing attack, which is going to make things all the more difficult for Cleveland in this matchup. However, if the team can execute its game plan for the second straight week, it could shock the world again. Kickoff for this game is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET, and all eyes will be on the Browns to see if they can replicate their Week 3 magic.
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