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Old 12-22-2013, 04:13 AM   #11
Brian Swartz
Grizzled Veteran
 
Join Date: May 2006
Detroit(1-4) @ Cleveland(4-1) -- Here's adding insult to injury. Well, we beat them in pre-season, didn't we? Another case of Johnson turning a short pass into a lot more sets up a quick field goal as we take the lead. Cleveland marches it back down, Jason Campbell to Jordan Norwood on a short pass to put us behind 7-3.

The Browns are committing to stopping Bush, and doing so, but that is allowing Stafford to do some work through the air. Another Akers kick early in the second quarter, and we close to one point. On the other side, since that first drive Campbell has done nothing passing the ball. Shayne Graham booms a 52-yarder that restores the four-point lead for the Browns, but we're on the road and hanging in there.

Then, a huge break as they fumble a punt return! Leshoure picks it up and takes it in from 14 yards out, and we take the lead 13-10 late in the first half!

Cleveland starts the second with a stellar drive, our defense off balance most of the way and then a 15-yd pass to Davone Bess beating the best coverage we could throw at him. Ryan Broyles escapes on a short route for a 59-yarder, nearly taking it all the way, and Bush finishes off the last few yards as we respond for a 20-17 lead midway through the third. This is turning into quite a good game.

Another long kick by Graham(54 yards on this one), and they tie it up at 20! Then ... Stafford goes down, and it looks like a big problem with his knee. Shaun Hill has to come on now, as Matt won't be back in this game.

When in doubt, throw it up and let Megatron catch it. Hill does just that on the final play of the third quarter, a 31-yard gain on third-and-long. We stall in the red zone, and Akers' 29-yard boot puts us in front by three, 12 minutes and chance left to play.

We get a stop and need to burn some clock. Bush loses 5, but Johnson bails us out again on third down. A punt follows, and we pin them deep ... Ansah gets some good pressure a couple times, and Houston tackles Bess a yard shy. We get it back and finally get some first downs on the ground to ice it.

We win on the road here against division-leading Cleveland, 26-20! A tough, much-needed win, and a costly one. Calvin Johnson(7-150) and Ryan Broyles(7-94) lead the passing attack, but it was the fumble recovery by Leshoure that really decided this game. Matt Stafford has injured his ACL rather severely, and he is done for the year. It'll be the Shaun Hill Show(9-12, 72 yds today) from here on out, for better or worse. Most likely worse.
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