Scouting Ahead: Browns Week 10 opponent, New England Patriots
By Colin Damms
Cleveland Browns: Coping without Chubb and Hunt
D’Ernest Johnson had himself a career night on Thursday Night Football a few weeks ago, lifting an offense destroyed by injuries to a much-needed win against an AFC opponent with a similar record.
Now he will be called on once again, with Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb once again both absent. Chubb was added to the team’s inactive list after testing positive for Covid-19 earlier this week.
He was a dominant force for the Browns in Cincinnati just days earlier, but will have to miss the next big road test for the team. In addition, rookie running back Demetric Felton will be unavailable.
The Browns do have two running backs on their practice squad, Brian Hill and Dexter Williams, with Hill being the most pro experienced of the two. He could be a serviceable backup, having played for a few years with the Bengals and Atlanta Falcons, but the focus will no doubt again be on Johnson.
The Patriots run defense has let up nearly 1,000 yards this season, but only 4 touchdowns. Especially in recent weeks their defense has become a formidable unit for opponents to crack, and was especially impressive against the Chargers on the road.
If the Browns get a win they’ll need more than a solid performance from Johnson, however. They’ll need their defense to continue to improve and build off another dominant display, but they’ll also need the leader of their offense to step up once again…