3 huge Browns takeaways from Week 1 victory over the Panthers

2. Kareem Hunt being healthy is a huge boost for the offense

The Browns sorely missed Kareem Hunt last season in the nine games he was sidelined due to injuries. In Week 1, Hunt looked very healthy and was responsible for both of the touchdowns scored by Cleveland.

Hunt rushed the ball 11 times for 46 yards, including a 24-yard touchdown dash. This came nearly six game-time minutes after he caught a one-yard touchdown pass from Brissett after lining up at the fullback position. He finished with four catches for 24 yards and the score.

A game like Hunt had on Sunday is the exact reason that they didn’t acquiesce to his trade request from early August. They know how valuable he is to this club and that he is the perfect, complimentary player to Nick Chubb. If it were up to me, I would look to give Hunt an extension this season. Yes, I know that paying two running backs isn’t wise in today’s NFL, but when you have the best duo in the league, you keep them together for as long as possible.

Speaking of Chubb, he had a dominant game. He rushed for 141 yards on 22 carries, averaging 6.4 yards per carry. He hit the 100-yard plateau for the 23rd time in his career. In those games, the Browns are 17-6. It’s safe to say that the Brown should utilize Chubb and Hunt to their advantage until Watson arrives.

Not for nothing, the offensive line was fantastic all day long. They opened up holes for Chubb and Hunt to rush through and protected Brissett pretty well, allowing just one sack. This was with starting right tackle Jack Conklin and his backup Chris Hubbard. James Hudson III was great in their absence.