5 Cleveland Browns whose stocks jumped in Chargers thriller
4. Cleveland Browns Backs
If the Browns are going to make good on their goal of getting to the Super Bowl, they’re probably going to have to go against the grain in today’s NFL, by rushing to the title.
Yes, Baker Mayfield will eventually have to make some throws, but what Browns’ backs are achieving is remarkable.
Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt just don’t put the Browns in good field position early in downs, they pick up chunks of yards.
Chubb rushed for 161 yards with 144 of those coming after contact, according to PFF. The analytically oriented website also credited him with four explosive plays. His 52-yard touchdown run on the first drive of the second half was a memorable one.
Hunt rushed the ball 12 times for 61 yards and two touchdowns, while adding five passes for 28 yards
The Browns backs are so good, Stefanski almost needed to find a way to slow them down. With 7:24 remaining, the Browns took possession of the ball on their own 35.
Cleveland really needed one of their six-minute drives to burn clock so they’d be in position to win at the end. But these backs are so good, they were in the end zone after five plays.
Mayfield attempted one pass on the drive, a 13-yard completion to Hunt on the first play. The rest of the yards were picked up on the ground.