Now we know for sure; the Browns offense looked good last week because the Lions defense is awful.

The Browns that lost, 16-7, to the Bengals today looked a lot like the Browns of the first nine games; they had trouble moving the ball on offense and they did not stop the Bengals from running the ball. Carson Palmer threw only 24 passes and completed 13 for 110 yards, but he did not have to throw the ball because the Bengals ran so effectively.

The Browns did not turn the ball over, but they dropped enough passes, at least five in critical situations, to stall drives without turning the ball over. On one drive late in the game Greg Estandia dropped a pass and three plays later Jerome Harrison dropped one.

As the game went along the Browns lost four starters on defense - safety Brodney Pool, end Kenyon Coleman, nose tackle Shaun Rogers and linebacker Kamerion Wimbley. The injuries to Pool (concussion) and Rogers (ankle) are the most serious.

The Browns can expect the last five opponents to copy the Bengals; blitz and don't worry about the consequences and run the ball down the throat of the Browns defense. That's what the Bengals did, and the Browns were powerless to stop them.