CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Browns held off the Texans on Sunday, 10-7, to improve to 6-3 and remain in the thick of the hunt for a playoff spot. Here are three quick thoughts:
1. Browns were supposed to be built for these games
Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt both broke 100 yards rushing on Sunday. That was what we all expected, right?
With Chubb and Wyatt Teller back, and with the Texans featuring the worst run defense in the NFL (159.5 yards per game against), the table was set for the Browns. Add in windy and potentially rainy weather and some folks made bold predictions.
It didn’t happen like that.
It was a struggle for much of the game.
The Browns had a rough time running against a Texans defense crowding the line of scrimmage in the first half. Chubb averaged 2.8 yards per carry and Hunt 4.5 in the first half.
But the run game started to be imposing in the fourth quarter. Chubb broke off an 11-yard run to end the third quarter and the Browns ran on 10 of the next 11 plays. Hunt gained important yards on the Browns' final drive before Chubb’s 59-yard run clinched the win.
Should we be concerned that the strength of the Browns' offense took so long to get up to speed? Maybe. The important thing here is that the Browns won.
But it has become clear that nothing will be easy for this team in 2020.
It’s going to be hard. Like the Bengals never really going away kind of hard. Or like the Raiders somehow rushing for 200 yards kind of hard.
Or like your running game needing a big fourth quarter to push back the worst run defense in the league kind of hard.
The Browns have six wins. They’ve outscored opponents only 197-141 in those wins.
Get used to Sundays like this.
2. First down blues
The Browns had big trouble on first down against the Texans. Everything started out fine. They averaged 7.1 yards per play on first down during the opening drive.
But they averaged just 2.5 yards the rest of the half. That led to numerous third-and-long situations, and the Browns have had issues with third down all season, converting on just 40.6 percent of them (ranked 22nd). On Sunday, they were 2-of-6 on third downs in the first half.
Back-to-back 11-yard runs by Chubb to end the third quarter and begin the fourth rescued a second half that began with the Browns averaging 2.2 yards per play on first downs.
Thanks to those big runs and a 19-yarder by Hunt, the Browns averaged 5.2 yards per play on first downs in the second half.
They also improved on third down, converting 4-of-6 in the second half, none bigger than Chubb’s 59-yard run.
3. You’re going to hate this but it deserves credit for creativity
Pharaoh Brown was with the Browns for two seasons before being cut this year.
Do you think he was going to forget that?
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The Link LonkNovember 16, 2020 at 04:45AM
https://www.cleveland.com/browns/2020/11/its-official-nothing-will-be-easy-for-the-browns-in-2020-3-quick-thoughts.html
It’s official, nothing will be easy for the Browns in 2020: 3 Quick Thoughts - cleveland.com
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