Browns studs and duds Week 1: Cade York an instant legend

Stud: Nick Chubb, RB

While Deshaun Watson is suspended, the Browns are going to have to lean heavily on the ground game — and Nick Chubb is just fine with that. He played well from the start, showing an amazing second effort on the first drive when facing a third-and-three to pick up the first.

He kept dishing out punishment on the Carolina defenders and had 79 yards on 12 carries heading into the half — including a beautiful 25-yarder during their second scoring drive.

Chubb kept going in the second half, finishing with 141 yards on the day. He didn’t score a touchdown on the day but was instrumental in the huge win.

Dud: Jacoby Brissett, QB

Jacoby Brissett is expected to start in place of Watson but his first outing left a lot to be desired. His first drive ended on a turnover on downs when he threw an incompletion on both third-and-three as well as fourth-and-three.

On the third-down play, Amari Cooper was running free as his man slipped on the route but Brissett missed him by a couple of yards. He was then short and to the outside when trying to hit Donovan Peoples-Jones on fourth-down

Later, Brissett overthrew Kareem Hunt on third-and-five on the second drive — and Hunt had a touchdown if he was hit. Brissett was bailed out that time thanks to Jaycee Horn holding Cooper, and then got bailed out when he threw a terrible pass into the end zone that was picked off by Xavier Woods — but C.J. Henderson was guilty of an egregious pass interference.

Still, he missed far too many open players and while it didn’t doom them against Carolina, not every team they face during the first 11 games will be as forgiving of leaving touchdowns on the field.

Had it not been for a questionable roughing penalty on the final drive and the blatant pass interference from Henderson, Brissett’s accuracy issues could have cost them this game.