Just when it seemed like Nick Chubb and Jerome Ford were getting some rhythm going together in the backfield, everything fell apart in Week 15 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Chubb not only fumbled on a rush, but also had a pass meant for him picked off on a check down pass from Jameis Winston. It was just a bad performance from him all around, but to add to an already poor performance from the former All-Pro, he got hurt in the third quarter against the Chiefs.
A foot injury, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, is what sidelined Chubb on the play, and he was ruled out for the contest because of it. Any lower body injury to Chubb is going to be concerning, so it makes sense that the team played it safe and ruled him out because of the foot injury.
Browns injuries mount in Week 15 disaster vs. Chiefs
Chubb wasn't the only Browns player who suffered an injury in the Week 15 contest. Shelby Harris suffered an injury to his elbow, Myles Garrett was dealt a blow to his left eye that had him literally writhing in pain on the field, and Martin Emerson Jr. went into the blue tent and into the locker room with a potential concussion.
Read more: Myles Garrett eye injury against Chiefs adds pain to disastrous Browns season
The most concerning of these all is of course the Chubb injury. If the foot injury is in any way connected to his recent knee surgery, that's bad news for his recovery and attempt to vamp back up to 100 percent for Cleveland. He's been a shell of himself since returning to action in Week 7, but that's to be expected after his second major knee reconstruction.
In a losing season, it's fair to ask whether the team will just shut him down after this injury. There's no sense in risking further injury to him, and ahead of a free agency year for him, it'd be best to allow him to get to 100 percent in earnest so he can get a fair shot at a good contract with Cleveland.