CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – While the NFL rushing title is highly unrealistic, there is a milestone within running back Nick Chubb’s grasp – finishing the season with 1,500 yards.
He would join Jim Brown as the only players in franchise history to achieve the feat.
“It is something I haven’t done yet so from that perspective it would be nice,” Chubb said Wednesday. “Overall, I just want to go out there and win.”
Chubb trails Raiders rusher Josh Jacobs, who has 1,608 yards through 17 weeks, by 160 yards but needs 52 yards against the Steelers to hit 1,500.
“Who knows? I am kind of far behind it, but anything can happen,” Chubb said. “For me, just do what I always do. Go out there and just play my best.”
Chubb will have to churn out the necessary yardage against the Steelers’ seventh-ranked run defense which is allowing 106.5 yards per game on the ground this season.
POTW – Browns punter Corey Bojorquez was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week Wednesday.
Bojorquez averaged 46.8 yards on four punts in Sunday’s 24-10 win over the Commanders including dropping two punts inside the 10 – one at the 4- and another at the 5-yard line.
Bojorquez also boomed a 64-yard punt, the longest in Week 17 leaguewide.
This is the third AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honor for the Browns this season. Bojorquez joins kicker Cade York in Week 1 and receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones in Week 13 in winning the award.
Strong Steelers – Pittsburgh finds themselves a win over the Browns and some help away from clinching a Wild Card berth.
It’s an impressive feat for a franchise in transition and that started the year 2-7 but have won five of six.
“They play good complementary football,” Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said. “Just looking at them across the board, offensively I think they are playing really well. I think the young quarterback is doing a nice job. They have playmakers on the perimeter, tight ends, running backs and you name it. Defensively, Watt is back, and he looks the same to me. He is affecting games.
“I have a ton of respect for what they do from a schematic standpoint. Good football players. It is going to take a complete game to try and win this one.”
Sunday night in Baltimore, rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett led a last-minute game-winning drive to beat the Ravens and to stay alive in the Wild Card race.
“[He] Has played well in big moments,” Stefanski said. “They are a little bit different than the last time we played them because he is just a little bit different. A really, really good young player.”
Quote of the day – “I mean it's a big rivalry game. It’s Brown Steelers. It’s tough cause I'm still thinking about [Bills safety Damar Hamlin].” Tight end David Njoku when asked about the chance to knock the Steelers out of the playoffs this weekend.
Injury report – DNP: CB Denzel Ward (shoulder), RT Jack Conklin (ankle), RB D’Ernest Johnson (shoulder), DE Jadeveon Clowney (rest), WR Amari Cooper (rest/hip), DE Myles Garrett (rest)
Up next – Practice Thursday.
