How Many Points Can the Cleveland Browns Score Against the Lions?

The Cleveland Browns have had a tumultuous six weeks following a promising 3-1 start.

They’ve dropped four of six, including two very lopsided losses. Entering their Week 11 matchup against the Lions, NFL betting odds have them as 10-point favorites at home.

Cleveland’s offense has been struggling, though, so a dominant performance isn’t a guarantee.

Seemingly losing momentum in a tight division race, let’s see if a Week 11 date with Detroit can spark them to a strong finish.

Cleveland Browns Offensive Health

From an availability standpoint, the Browns are a shell of what they were when the season began. For starters, Odell Beckham Jr. forced his way out of Cleveland because he wasn’t happy with the situation.

Then there’s Baker Mayfield, who has only missed one game but has been battling injuries all season. Ahead of this matchup, he even admitted he’s never been more beat up, but he suits up every week anyway.

Running Back Nick Chubb missed two games due to a calf injury, missed the last game due to Covid-19, and his status is uncertain for this week because he’s still in Covid-19 protocols.

His running mate Kareem Hunt has missed the past four games dealing with his own calf injury.

Receivers Jarvis Landry and Anthony Schwartz are dealing with a knee issue and concussion, respectively. The line has also been banged up but seems to be the healthiest of the bunch.

Browns Offensive Performance

When it comes to putting up points, Cleveland’s offense has scored comparatively to the opposing defense, except for the Bengals game.

They’ve faced six teams currently in the top half (16th or better) in scoring defense. The Browns’ point totals in those games were 14, 14, 17, 10, 41, and seven.

Meanwhile, their games against teams in the bottom half of scoring defense resulted in outputs of 29, 31, 26, and 42. Another common denominator in these games (and the 41-point outburst against the Bengals) is that Nick Chubb was active.

The Lions Defense

Luckily for the Browns, Detroit allows the 30th most points per game, 28.9.

The Lions’ biggest weakness is the run, where they’re 30th in yards allowed and 29th in yards per rush. This bodes well for Cleveland, whose strength on offense is running the ball.

They’ve only held three teams to under 20, but two of them, the Ravens and Vikings, are also good rushing teams.

Their best defensive performance of the season was last week against the Steelers when they held them to 16 in a tie. However, the Steelers’ offense averages 3.4 fewer points per game and is not nearly as effective running the ball.

What to Expect

After holding the Ravens to 19, Detroit allowed the Bears to score 24. After holding the Vikings to 19, the Lions gave up 34 to the Bengals. After limiting Pittsburgh to 16, how much will the Cleveland Browns score on them?

Lions vs. Browns will be intriguing since a struggling squad will take on one seeking its first win. If I had to guess, I’d say the Browns score 31 points when they play this Sunday. I think this makes the Browns excellent candidates for BetMGM’s King of the Weekend in Week 11. So sign up for an account today and pick the six teams you believe will score the most points for your chance at $50,000.