BEREA, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – The Browns are off and running in 2022.
They have racked up 572 rushing yards through the first three games of the season – the most yardage on the ground through three games since 1958 according to the team.
“I think it is a combination of a couple of things. We have good players. I think we have good scheme,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said. “We are going to run into some really tough defenses. We get that. We get that it is not going to be clean early at times but just going to keep plugging away.”
The success running the ball has led to their 2-1 start, thanks mostly to Pro Bowler Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt and one of the best offensive lines in the game.
Chubb bullied the Steelers for 113 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries.
“We beat them up pretty good,” running back Kareem Hunt said. “I remember one time I got tackled. He's like, ‘You guys be running that thing hard.’ It wears them down and we can keep it up once we put consecutive plays back-to-back like that and just keep attacking them.”
The score for Chubb came with 9:29 to play in the fourth quarter to put the Browns in front 23-14 on fourth-and-goal from the 1 that saw him follow guards Hjalte Froholdt and Joel Bitonio to twist his way across the goal line.
Cleveland racked up 171 yards on the ground against a tough Steelers front.
“It is AFC North football at its finest,” Stefanski said. “They are a very, very stout front. We knew it was not going to be easy and was going to be tough sledding throughout, but I thought it was a heavyweight fight in that regard.”
Chubb is 13 yards against the Jets shy of three straight 100-yard games to begin the season.
Dialed in – Quarterback Jacoby Brissett and receiver Amari Cooper have rectified whatever prevented them from connecting in Week 1.
Cooper finished with seven catches for 101 yards, including an 11-yard touchdown to give the Browns an early 7-0 lead Thursday night. Cooper has caught touchdowns in two straight games, marking the first time a Brown has done so since Rashard Higgins Weeks 5-6 of the 2020 season.
“That is a product of a lot of work,” Stefanski said. “I know you guys leave after individual period [of practice], but I can promise you, they get a ton of work off to the side, both during an offensive period and when it is special teams, they are over there and Amari is running full-speed routes. That is a product of hard work with those guys.”
Cooper became the first Browns receiver since Josh Gordon in 2013 to record back-to-back 100-yard receiving games Thursday night. Gordon did it in four consecutive contests.
As for Brissett, who has completed 66.3% of his passes for 596 yards, four touchdowns and one interception through three games, Stefanski was asked if the quarterback has exceeded expectations.
“I wouldn’t characterize it [that way],” Stefanski said. “I would just tell you what I see in the games is what I see in practice.”
Brothers for life – Hunt and Steelers quarterback Mitchell Trubisky swapped jerseys following Thursday night’s game.
“Oh, yeah, man. We go way back,” Hunt said. “Like elementary school, pee-wee football, middle school, high school basketball.”
Like the seven-on-seven games they used to play growing up, Hunt helped the Browns get the best of Trubisky and the Steelers Thursday night rushing for 47 yards on 12 carries and catching three passes for 14 yards.
“It means a lot,” Hunt said of the win. “Growing up, the Steelers had our number every time we played them. So the tables have turned. We're trying to make sure we keep collecting wins against those guys and everybody in this division.”
Fast start – This is the third consecutive year under Stefanski the Browns start 2-1.
Prior to Stefanski’s arrival, the team went 2-1 four times – 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2011.
They’ll look to begin 3-1 next week at Atlanta for a third straight year as well.
Injury report – LB Anthony Walker out for the season with torn left quadriceps, LB Jeremiah Owusu Koramoah’s groin injury is believed not to be concerning following an MRI; DT Taven Bryan suffered a hamstring injury; S Ronnie Harrison also suffered a hamstring injury which occurred during warmups.
Up next – Three-day weekend; practice Monday
