Cleveland Browns: 3 Matchups to watch vs. Texans in Week 2

Cleveland Browns matchup to watch No. 1: Run game vs Texans defense

This past week in Kansas City, Browns running backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt only ran the ball 21 times combined. Last season when the Browns played the Texans they combined to run the ball 38 times.

Chubb had 126 yards and Hunt had 104 yards. Chubb’s late run, where he ran down the sideline and then stepped out of bounds at the one-yard line to help secure a Cleveland victory was the highlight of that game. But the Browns really controlled that game by running the ball while Baker Mayfield only threw the ball 20 times that game.

If Cleveland decides to chuck passes all game this time around, I’ll be very surprised. I expect the Browns to focus more on establishing Chubb and Hunt in this game as they did in last season’s win over Houston.

In the Texans and Jags game, Jacksonville only had 76 yards rushing, mostly because the Jags quarterback was throwing his arm out by throwing the ball 51 times. I don’t see that happening in this game Sunday.

If Browns coach Kevin Stefanski knows anything about game planning, he’ll let Chubb and Hunt do the dirty work and grind out a win. I don’t think it’ll be a 10-7 Browns victory like a year ago. Mark it down now that Chubb and Hunt each score a touchdown in this game. With Chubb’s recent fumble as well, I look for Chubb to clear 100 yards easy on Sunday. That screen action to Hunt will be there all game long as well.

If Stefanski continues to remind the players of the 1-0 to 0-1 matchup, I fully expect that record to be 1-1 for both teams after 60 minutes of action.