The Great Lakes Classic features two teams struggling to finally escape futility.
UPDATED: 9:44 p.m.
Jake Delhomme looked comfortable in running a no-huddle offense for the Browns in the first half Saturday against the Lions at Ford Field.DETROIT -- Some postgame scribbles after the Browns fall to Detroit in the preseason's third game:
1. The last thing I'd thought I'd be writing after the third preseason game is what I like best about the Browns is their passing attack ... and what worries me most is the defense. But after seeing Jake Delhomme efficiently run the no-huddle offense while the defense just seemed slow and out of position -- I'm worried about the defense.
2. After the game, Eric Mangini said the 3-4 defense is "based on power,' adding they also need to be positioned correctly to make up for their lack of speed. It seems since the team returned in 1999, whenever they play on artificial turf, they look very slow. That was the case Saturday.
3. It seemed like a long night for most of the guys on the defensive front seven. The Lions opened a lot of holes, rushing for 154 yards in 26 carries. Yes, Jahvid Best had a 51-yard run, which does skew the stats a bit. But he also carried the ball only once. The rest of the Lions had 103 yards in 25 carries, a 4.1-yard average. In the first two games, the Browns allowed 2.6 yards on the ground -- but that changed Saturday.
4. The Browns have only one sack in the three games. They have been blitzing. Maybe these are not the type of blitzes they use in the regular season, but they are designed to pressure the quarterback. Marcus Benard overshot on a couple blitzes and was burned on inside gains -- but he was hardly the only one. Matt Roth made some very nice plays against the run, but it seems the Browns didn't use their outside linebacker much on the blitz -- and he is very effective in that role. Could be that will come in the regular season.
5. The Browns are using so many combinations of linebackers, it's hard to know if part of the defensive struggles is due to the changing personnel, or if it's a scary omen of what's to come.
6. Starting quarterbacks are 30-of-36 against the Browns. Some of it is due to the secondary. Veteran safety Abe Elam struggles in pass coverage. Fellow safety T.J. Ward is an impressive rookie, but still a rookie. The Lions threw the ball to their taller receivers over the Browns' defensive backs.
7. The Browns have been working Joe Haden to play physical coverage defense -- much like Sheldon Brown -- but also stay away from pass interference penalties. Haden has been flagged in preseason games and practice, and a young player does not want to be labeled as a guy the officials watch closely and flag often. Mangini thought Haden made progress in this area, and the rookie is a good tackler.
8. No one has said so publicly, but Tony Pashos has played so little in practice, no one is sure what he can do. He was injured most of last season, and again in training camp. They do need him to help at right tackle. But Pashos seemed slow and ineffective for much of the game. The Browns need help on the right side of the line because of age and injuries.
9. With Peyton Hillis showing lots of promise as a bullish running back who can catch passes, along with rookie Montario Hardesty coming back from his knee injury, Jerome Harrison has a lot of competition -- especially since he's fumbled twice (lost one) and just looked sluggish. He has only 72 yards in 23 carries (3.1 average).
10. Joshua Cribbs has caught eight passes in the last two games, thrilling the coaches who have been insisting the Kent State product is making major progress as a receiver.
11. How about the touchdown pass to blocking fullback Lawrence Vickers and the end around to rookie Carlton Mitchell for 26 yards? The offense was pretty creative. Guess who is the Browns leading preseason receiver? It's Hillis with nine catches. The power running games with Vickers blocking for Hillis continues to be impressive.
12. Here's the note that you've been waiting for: Since the Browns returned in 1999, they are 59-117 with five coaches. Yet they look like the Browns of Blanton Collier compared to the Lions, who are 50-126 in that span under seven coaches (including two interims).