Cleveland won its third preseason game in a row over the Detroit Lions at the Rubber Bowl in Akron, Ohio. Graham threw a touchdown pass to Jones on the team's second offensive play after receiving the opening kickoff, the first of three touchdowns in the first quarter. The second score came on a one-yard rush by Graham set up by several passes to Jones on the team's second possession. The third was an eight-yard run by Rex Bumgardner at the end of the quarter. Neither team scored in the second quarter, although Cleveland had two touchdowns called back because of penalties. A 41-yard rushing touchdown by Motley extended Cleveland's lead to 28–0 in the third quarter, and Brown rested his starters. With Cleveland's best players out of the game, Detroit scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter on a pair of two-yard rushes by Dan Sandifer and John Panelli. Brown put his starters back in the game following Detroit's second touchdown, and a Graham pass to Bumgardner sealed the 35–14 win.