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Next up for the Detroit Lions is a road game against the Cleveland Browns in Week 6. Here's an early look at the Browns:
Cleveland Browns (3-2)
Schedule so far
Week 1 - vs. Dolphins - lost, 23-10
Week 2 - at Ravens - lost, 14-6
Week 3 - at Vikings - won, 31-27
Week 4 - vs. Bengals - won, 17-6
Week 5 - vs. Bills - won, 37-24
Reason for optimism
The Browns are on a three-game winning streak after opening the season 0-2. What changed? A big part of the turnaround involved starting Brian Hoyer at quarterback. He really fueled that winning streak, but he tore his ACL last week and is now out for the season. It's true that Brandon Weeden came in and led the Browns to victory against the Bills, but will the streak continue with him returning as the full-time starter? At the very least, I'm sure the Lions are pleased that they will be facing Weeden rather than Hoyer.
Reason for pessimism
At the same time, the Browns as a team have been much better as of late. Since trading Trent Richardson, they've gone 3-0. Getting Josh Gordon back from a suspension greatly helped, as he's caught 18 passes for 303 yards and 2 touchdowns in only three games. Also, Jordan Cameron has been outstanding at tight end, catching 33 passes for 396 yards and 5 touchdowns. If the Lions can't keep Gordon and Cameron in check, it could be a long day for the defense.
Storyline to watch
The top storyline for the Browns going into this game has to be the switch at quarterback because of Hoyer's season-ending injury. Going into last week, Hoyer was the clear starter at quarterback given how well he had played, but now Weeden has another chance to be at the top of the depth chart. If he struggles on Sunday, the crowd will let him hear it, and the Browns could have a tough situation on their hands at quarterback.
Additional info
For more on the Browns, check out Dawgs By Nature.