Cleveland Browns: 5 Players who will be key versus San Fransisco
By Leon West
5. Nick Chubb
First, we’ll get the most obvious choices out-of-the-way, and this one couldn’t be more apparent. Nick Chubb rushed for 20 carries, 167 yards, and three touchdowns on a defense that allowed just 60 yards per game through three weeks and held two of their first three opponents to under 25 yards rushing.
The #Browns highest-graded player on offense vs. #RavensFlock was none other than Nick Chubb. His 91.0 offensive grade and 91.6 rushing grade lead all RBs heading into MNF#chubbawubbahubb pic.twitter.com/ThKRMPHDoC
— PFF CLE Browns (@PFF_Browns) September 30, 2019
Chubb has 43 carries for 261 yards, and three touchdowns over the last two games. That’s good for six yards per carry, and the Browns will need every bit of Chubb to be elite this week.
The 49ers are only allowing 75 rushing yards and just a mere 283 total yards per game—good for third-best in the NFL. However, this is a battle of strength versus strength as Chubb is fourth in the league in rushing with 398 yards.
The offensive output against the Ravens began with Chubb getting into a rhythm. On the Browns’ first scoring drive there were six run plays, and four play-action passes culminating in a nine-yard touchdown pass from Mayfield to Rickey Seal-Jones.
The other four touchdown drives ended with Chubb or another member of the Browns’ backfield taking the ball in for the score. If Cleveland wants to establish an identity and impose its will on other NFL teams, it starts with Chubb. More on this later.