After helping lift the Cleveland Browns to their first win of the season, running back Nick Chubb told reporters on Wednesday that he prides himself on his ability to create yardage where there appears to be none. Asked about his ability to break tackles, and the predicament that defenses face in needing to get multiple players to the ball, he explained that it is part of the team’s identity for him to pick up yards the hard way.
“That is part of our offense,” Chubb explained about breaking free from defenders. “Everyone knows we are a run-first team. It is not a secret, and that is what we pride ourselves on. The O line does a great job up front. After that, it is up to me and Kareem to break tackle and get the extra dirty yards. I think that is something we both do well.”
The two-headed monster of Chubb and Hunt has only recently become the focal point of the Browns’ offense. Now the team is looking to utilize two running back sets to fully exploit every advantage against opposing defenses, who are more experienced in guarding against a single back, or none at all.
Given the dominance of pass-first offenses in the NFL, Cleveland’s unorthodox two running back approach may be their ticket to success in 2022, especially in the absence of their newly acquired franchise quarterback. Interim starter Jacoby Brissett has played serviceably well in Week 1 with the benefit of the team’s new-look running game, and with some luck could continue improving as the season continues.
The Browns’ offense will continue to develop along with him, and with the advent of this new two-back strategy, could only be in the infancy of its success heading into their matchup against the New York Jets. Nothing will come easy to this Cleveland squad in the competitive AFC North, but if they play to their strengths and mitigate any weaknesses on their roster, the sky is the limit for what they could achieve this year.
