5 Browns players who stepped up against the Packers

The Browns may have lost to the Packers but some guys did step up.

The Browns are in a rough spot at the moment. Currently 7-8, Cleveland went to Green Bay with a lot of their guys out and still nearly defeated the Packers. The team is far from bad and while some fans may be signing songs filled with doom and gloom, Cleveland is far from done.

The Packers’ loss showed the Browns some things they need to work on. It also showed who stepped up in big ways to help the effort. It’s not always great to talk about games after a loss but sometimes you can appreciate the effort a few key players put forward.

So we’re taking a moment to look at five players who I thought had a good game.

These are five Browns players who stepped up against the Packers.

M.J. Stewart

The former cornerback is now playing more of a safety role within the Browns secondary and has been a wonderful addition to the position group. After a 10 tackle game, two of which for a loss, it’s fair to say that Stewart should be getting far more reps at safety. He’s one of the team’s better tacklers and that’s an invaluable skill set for a defensive back.

Nick Chubb

After a few rough weeks of getting the ball going on the ground, the Browns were able to find a rhythm for the rushing game. No doubt the addition of Michael Dunn helped a bit, and the Packers defense was nowhere near as hostile as others the Browns have faced this year. It’s not always as easy as screaming “run da ball!”, because sometimes there’s just nowhere to run to. The Packers never stacked the box on the Browns and Chubb made them pay for that.

Michael Dunn

He’s no replacement for Jack Conklin but his involvement has made the Browns not miss Jedrick Wills at all. The team attacked the left far more often with Dunn and Bitonio anchoring the left side of the line. Bitonio and Dunn played great together and had real chemistry together that helped secure the Browns running game.

Rashard Higgins

Rashard Higgins is one of those players who are as inconsistent as they come. Yet, when he’s on, he’s very on. Targeted six times, Higgins caught a team-high five passes, tied with a team-high of 58 yards.

Anthony Schwartz

Three touches for 29 yards may not seem like much, but considering how ineffective the rookie has been all year, this was a huge day for the rookie. He came through twice on first-down conversions by rushing the ball and caught a five-yard pass for a touchdown as well. The first of his career.