Tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET the NFL preseason continues as the Detroit Lions (1-0-0, preseason) travel to Cleveland to tangle with the Browns (1-0-0) in Week 2 preseason action from FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland. The game can be live streamed here. Lions fans can tune into the action on WXYT 97.1 while Browns fans can do the same at 98.5 WNCX.
Both the Browns and Lions are coming off of home victories in week1 of the preseason, with Detroit defeating the New York Jets 26-17, and Cleveland toppling the St. Louis Rams 27-19.
Both teams are coming off of rough 2012 campaigns. The Browns were 5-11-0 last year, finishing in last place in the AFC North while the Lions were an even worse 4-12-0 and finished dead last in the NFC North after enduring an eight-game losing streak.
The Lions ended an 11-year playoff drought in 2011 when they made it to the postseason but lost to the Saints in the wildcard playoffs, but started another possible drought last year. Meanwhile, the Browns haven't appeared in the playoffs since 2002 when they lost a wildcard game to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Even worse news for the two teams is that they've combined for just three playoff appearances since 2000, and haven't won a single one of them.
2012 was a lost season for the Lions as with talents like Calvin Johnson on offense and Ndamukong Suh on defense, the team still managed to flop and miss the playoffs. Now, fourth-year coach Jim Schwarz's job may be in jeopardy if the team doesn't perform this year.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford is looking to bounce back after going 435-for-727 for 4,967 yards but having just a difference of three between his touchdowns and interceptions with 20 and 17, respectively. The Lions are hopeful the addition of Reggie Bush will help them bounce back in 2013.
Still, the organization has showed faith in Stafford who threw for 41 touchdowns and had 16 interceptions in the 2011 season, as they signed him to a three-year extension to up his deal to a five-year pact worth $76 million.
Meanwhile, the Browns will be led under new coach Rob Chudzinski in 2013 and look to put their past woes behind them. Norv Turner has been brought in to run the offense this season, and he will look to get 2012 first-round pick Brandon Weeden on track. In his first year with the team, Weeden went 297-for-517 for 3,385 yards. What was troubling about Weeden's performance is that his 17 interceptions outnumbered his 14 touchdowns.
Weeden had a good preseason opener, where he orchestrated two consecutive scores on back-to-back drives.
If the Browns can right Weeden, will look to use wide receivers Greg Little and Josh Gordon as weapons to go along with running back Trent Richardson, who had 11 touchdowns and 950 yards on 267 attempts in his rookie season last year.
Both these teams are looking to put away their terrible recent histories, and embark on this season with hopes of a brighter future.
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