CLEVELAND, OH — As the 2-1 Cleveland Browns prepare to depart for the Lone Star State to face the 1-2 Dallas Cowboys, following their 34-20 win over the Washington Football Team, one thing has become abundantly clear; they need to run their offense thru Pro Bowl running back, Nick Chubb.
Chubb, who finished second in the NFL in rushing with 1,494 yards and eight touchdowns behind rushing champion in Tennessee Titans RB Derrick Henry, looks to have picked up where he left off last year in rushing for 292 yards and four touchdowns thru the first three games of the season.
Already halfway towards surpassing his touchdown mark from last season with four, thanks to rookie head coach Kevin Stefanski and his emphasis on a zone-block running scheme and play-action, Chubb has a chance to establish himself as one of the NFL’s top backs in 2020.
Look at the moves the Browns made in the offseason in drafting former Alabama OT Jedrick Wills and signing former Titans OL Jack Conklin, and you can tell that the Browns were looking to establish an identity as a running team first and foremost.
With almost a quarter of the season already in, Cleveland boasts one of the top rushing attacks in the NFL, as they are tied for third with the Los Angeles Rams (170.3) and Chubb currently fourth in rushing behind Henry (319), Green Bay Packers RB Aaron Jones (303) and Minnesota Vikings RB Dalvin Cook (294).
Thanks to having a complimentary back to share the load in former Willoughby South standout and Toledo star Kareem Hunt, Cleveland also has one of the top rushing duos as they have both combined for five touchdowns so far.
As Chubb goes, so does the Browns and their offense. If they can continue to consistently stick to making him the main focal point on offense, both he and the Browns will gallop deeply into January, and hopefully, into the postseason.