Browns passing offense had less room to work with due without their top back
The pain that was felt throughout Northeast Ohio when Cleveland Browns star RB Nick Chubb was taken out in Week 2 of the NFL season was palpable. What many fans deemed was a dirty hit by Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick took away the heart of the Browns offense.
Even in a passing league, Chubb was that important to the team.
Chubb has been so explosive that he still leads the NFL over the last three years in big runs (20+ yards) despite missing all but one game of the 2023 season. He did so despite regularly facing 8-man boxes the last few seasons.
Last year, with Jerome Ford and Kareem Hunt getting most of the carries, Cleveland not only slipped out of the top 10 in rushing yards but also had less space in the passing game. Unlike with Chubb, defenses did not load up the box to stop Ford and Hunt:
% of RB runs into loaded boxes
84% – SF
81% – CHI
80% – TEN
78% – BAL
77% – NO
77% – HOU
76% – GB
76% – PIT
76% – DEN
75% – LV
74% – ATL
73% – DET
73% – NYJ
70% – CAR
70% – MIN
69% – SEA
68% – IND
67% – DAL
67% – PHI
66% – JAX
65% – MIA
65% – NYG
65% – BUF
65% – LAC
64% – ARI…— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) May 4, 2024
Down in the bottom third of the league in loaded boxes, teams weren’t scared of the Browns run game. Despite starting five quarterbacks, defenses did not have to worry about Cleveland’s run game dominating the proceedings which made things even more difficult on the quarterbacks.
With Chubb set to return at some point in 2024, with a new contract, and the hope that Deshaun Watson is healthy and productive, the Browns offense should see more loaded boxes on runs and more space for Watson to operate in the passing game.
Are you surprised, despite the mostly poor QB play all season, that teams didn’t just load up to stop the Browns run game last year?
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