3 Big storylines for Browns in Monday Night battle against Bengals

Trick or Treat: To run or not to run with Nick Chubb

If you want another hot-button topic just mention Nick Chubb’s name. Half the Cleveland fan base wants to see Chubb given more carries and the other half believes that the Browns are running him too much because we’re in a pass-happy league these days. In the last two games, Chubb has only had 12 and 16 carries respectively. In 33 games under Stefanski’s coaching, Chubb has only carried the ball less than 12 times in five games out of 33. So, most times, Chubb is getting his carries.

However, the more glaring problem right now that fans are noticing is that Chubb is being left out in various on-field situations. Especially in short-yardage plays, it looks like he’s coming off the field. In several late-game scenarios, we often see the cameras zooming in on Chubb left standing on the sideline.

In this last game against the Baltimore Ravens, the team had moved the ball to the 40-yard line with just over two minutes to play. Instead of going to Chubb, the Browns had quarterback Jacoby Brissett go back to pass and instead get sacked twice. This ruined the opportunity at a makeable field goal to tie the game and turned into more of a miracle kick. The 60-yard attempt was ultimately blocked.

Despite the Browns being one of the best running teams in the NFL, the call by many to want to see Chubb carry the football even more is becoming a more popular opinion as this current losing streak carries on. While the league is more or less a pass-happy one, some of the best teams like the Philadelphia Eagles are still winning with the run game. The Browns aren’t winning but could again if they start giving Chubb more carries.