The Cleveland Browns may face their toughest challenge yet in the Detroit Lions offense, but defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz believes their up for the challenge

The Cleveland Browns defense deserves all its flowers for how dominant its been through these first three weeks of the season. In fact, in Week 3, it was the herculean efforts of the defense that won the Browns their first game of 2025. 

Now, a Week 4 matchup with the Detroit Lions and their juggernaut offense awaits on Sunday. It's arguably the biggest test Cleveland has faced so far this season, and their offensive coordinator John Morton knows it. 

Ahead of Sunday's clash between elite units, Morton was asked about the Browns boasting the best run defense in football, which is holding opponents to just 57 yards per game and just 2.3 yards per carry and expressed some lofty confidence. 

"I don't think they've seen a run game like ours," Morton said. 

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He's certainly got a point. Detroit's dynamic duo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery is averaging 143 yards per game, good for fourth most in the NFL. The Lions 5.0 yards per carry average ranks seventh in football. 

The Lions run game certainly presents it's fair share of challenges, but Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz isn't one to back down from a challenge. 

He pushed back on the notion that they're ill-prepared for Detroit's ground attack. 

"We’ve faced some good running offenses," Schwartz said in response to Morton on Thursday. "I mean, Green Bay was running the ball really well, so was Baltimore. Cincinnati was more of a pass game offense. So, you know, it’s one of the major things we have to do is stop the run."

The Browns held the duo of Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, to a combined 36 yards on the ground in Week 2. They also limited Josh Jacobs – who rushed for over 1,300 yards last season, to 30 yards this past weekend, so it's not like they haven't been challenged on the ground at all to this point. 

Schwartz has every reason to stand up for his group. Now, that show of confidence doesn't mean he doesn't respect Detroit's running back tandem. 

"Two different running backs, you got to protect your edges," he added. "You got to defend all 53 and a third, particularly with Gibbs. And 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.”