Browns: 5 players who impressed against the Los Angeles Chargers

The Browns had five big performances against the Chargers.

The Browns had a heart-breaker of a loss on Sunday. The team was besieged by bad play-calling, bad injuries, bad officiating, and other tough breaks that make it hard for a team to walk away victorious. While some truths were revealed in the game that needs to be addressed, the Browns showed they are a good team.

They just suffered some horrendous mistakes on the defensive side of the ball that would have hurt this team regardless of who they played against and regardless or not if the refs blew calls.

The Browns had a few names step up and those are the guys we want to focus on today. The guys who really showed what they can be if given a shot.

These are the five best performances for the Browns against the Chargers

Rashard Higgins

He didn’t have an overall great day with regards to numbers, but Rashard Higgins is always able to pop up at the right moment to snag a much-needed ball. I’ve been saying for weeks that Rashard Higgins needs more reps, as he’s only playing about 50% of the game. Especially with Jarvis Landry out, Higgins is vital. He’s Mayfield’s second most reliable target behind Landry and that should be utilized. Raw talent (or whatever Odell Beckham has left) is no replacement for good chemistry. Mayfield clearly trusts Higgins more than most, and it’s time the team utilizes that.

David Njoku

David Njoku had arguably the best game of his career against the Chargers. He was targeted seven times, caught all seven passes, and was able to score a touchdown as well. It’s one of those rare games where you see what Njoku could’ve been. In year five, however, we know this isn’t Njoku taking over a game but Mayfield finding him open. Which isn’t the same thing. One is a guy making himself open, the other is him finding himself open. He was the latter on Sunday.

Blake Hance

He may never be an All-Pro guy, but Blake Hance had a solid game on Sunday. His last few outings for Jedrick Wills were largely up and down, but you could definitely point to the constant yo-yo-ing of him in and out of the lineup. It’s hard to get the chemistry going with that situation. Hance did a great job considering he was facing off with Joey Bosa, an elite NFL defensive player, most of the game. Fans should feel far more confident with him at left tackle should Wills need more time off.

Nick Chubb

Nick Chubb rushed for 161 yards on just 21 carries and Kevin Stefanski had him sit out the second to last drive of the game. Someone needs to start smacking Stefanski with wet noodles because it’s obvious Chubb and Kareem Hunt aren’t on the same level, and Hunt would need to get on a mountain just to see Chubb’s level. Please stop staying these two are “equals” or that they’re “1a and 1b”. Chubb is the best runner in the league and Hunt is…there.

Baker Mayfield

He completed over 70% of his passes, moved the ball seamlessly, threw a touchdown and converted a great two-point conversion, and never turned the ball over once. Yet, he’s the reason the team lost? He’s not even in the top 70 reasons why the Browns lost. Anyone who says otherwise is as Sean Salisbury stated earlier.