3 Takeaways from Browns' Week 11 Win

After losing four of their previous six games, the Cleveland Browns hosted the winless Detroit Lions on Sunday afternoon. It was a perfect opportunity for the Browns to get back on track and start building some momentum for the rest of the season.

However, Cleveland didn't deliver the type of performance that its fans had hoped for. The Browns pulled out a 13-10 win at FirstEnergy Stadium, but there's still room for improvement as they continue to battle for a playoff spot in the AFC.

Cleveland scored all 13 of its points in the first half, while Detroit's 10 points were all scored after halftime. The Browns held the Lions to 245 total yards and forced two turnovers in a solid defensive showing that helped them hold on for the victory.

Here are three takeaways from Cleveland's Week 11 win.

Nick Chubb had missed three of the Browns' previous five games, including their Week 10 loss to the New England Patriots after he was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list. But whenever the running back is on the field for Cleveland, he takes the offense to another level, like he did Sunday.

In the second quarter, Chubb scored the Browns' lone touchdown of the game, hauling in a five-yard pass from Baker Mayfield to stretch their lead to 13-0. He finished with 22 carries for 130 yards and two receptions for 14 yards as he powered a Cleveland offense that otherwise had a bit of a down day.

Chubb also came through when the Browns needed him most. They were trying to protect their 13-10 lead late, taking over at their own 20-yard line with 2:29 to go. On that drive, Chubb ran the ball five times and picked up three first downs to close out the game.

"It definitely feels good, but it is not all me," Chubb said, per Ashley Bastock of Cleveland.com. "It starts up front with the guys like Joel [Bitonio] blocking for me and opening up holes. It is definitely a team effort."

But Cleveland's running game is much better when Chubb is out there, especially with Kareem Hunt (calf injury) still sidelined. Chubb once again proved how much of an impact he can make with yet another impressive performance.

In Week 10, Mayfield struggled, passing for only 73 yards, one touchdown and one interception. But that was against a strong New England Patriots defense. It was expected that Mayfield would fare better when going up against the Lions, even though he's been playing through numerous injuries.

Instead, Mayfield completed a season-low 51.7 percent of his passes (15 of 29) while passing for 176 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, marking the first time he's been picked off twice in a game this season. In fact, it was his first multi-interception game since Week 6 of last season (playoffs included).

Mayfield didn't speak to the media after the game. Then, his wife, Emily, posted a since-deleted message on her Instagram story in which she said Mayfield's teammates should "take the hint and get tougher," according to Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com.

There had already been drama surrounding the Browns offense this season regarding Mayfield's lack of passes to Odell Beckham Jr., who is now with the Los Angeles Rams. Now, Mayfield's struggles are continuing and the offensive problems don't seem to be solved.

Regardless, Mayfield likely needs to play better if Cleveland is going to have a strong finish to the season, even if that means he needs to sit out a week to get fully healthy. Because on Sunday, the Browns won in spite of their QB's lackluster showing, and that won't always happen.

Even though the Browns are 6-5 and wouldn't be in the playoffs if the season ended today, they have only two fewer losses than the Baltimore Ravens, who currently lead the AFC North at 7-3. So the battle for the division title is still wide-open among all four teams, including Cleveland.

Over the next three weeks, the Browns are going to have a pair of opportunities to gain substantial ground. In Week 12, they go on the road to face Baltimore. And after a Week 13 bye, they'll face the Ravens again in Week 14 in Cleveland.

If the Browns want to keep their AFC North title dreams alive, they likely need to fare well against the Ravens. The Browns' final six games are all against teams that are .500 or better, so they're going to have to step up and beat some quality teams in order to get to the playoffs for the second year in a row.