Browns’ Chubb, Hunt Combo Overwhelms Steelers, 17-29

Ric Kruszynski/Cleveland Browns

CLEVELAND — Career days, combo backs, and conversion efficiency made the Cleveland Browns unstoppable as running back Nick Chubb and wide receiver Amari Cooper each rallied for over 100-yards against the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night. 

A culmination of team contribution led the Browns to a sizable victory, spearheaded by the team’s tandem running back system, featuring Chubb and Kareem Hunt. 

Chubb gashed the Steelers’ defense for 113 yards and a touchdown, becoming the player who holds the most 100-yard rushing games since 2018.

“If you can’t slow down Chubb you can’t beat this group. We didn’t get it done,” said Steelers’ head coach Mike Tomlin.

Chubb did not act alone in dismantling Tomlin’s Steelers. Steaming off a Steelers’ missed field goal attempt, Browns’ backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett began his 220-yard, two touchdown campaign with an 11-yard end zone pass to Cooper late in the first quarter. 

“He’s everything as advertised,” said Brissett when asked about the wide receiver.

The Steelers quickly tied the game with a three-minute, 75 yard touchdown drive punched in by second-year running back Najee Harris. Expectations for a bounce-back, high production game was high for Harris after a slow start to the 2022 season for a player that produced a top-5 rushing campaign in his rookie season. Despite the touchdown, Harris would finish the night with 56 rushing yards, merely a slight improvement from his past two contests. 

Browns’ David Njoku responded to Harris’ score with a seven-yard touchdown catch of his own, highlighting the tight end’s career game in total receptions. Njoku broke his career best seven-receptions Thursday night after hauling in nine catches for 89 yards. Kicker Cade York would miss the extra point attempt, leaving the team to settle with a 7-13 lead. The Steelers would answer with a one-yard rushing touchdown off the legs of quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, ending the half at 14-13.

The second half would prove disastrous for Pittsburgh, never regaining their lead after losing it to York’s 34-yard field goal in the third quarter. They found no answer to the Browns rushing duo, as the pair racked up 174 total yards by the conclusion of the game. They would score only once more, a 34-yard field goal off the foot of kicker Chris Boswell late in the fourth quarter, already long after Chubb had extended the Browns' lead to 23 points earlier in the quarter.

“It’s the combo of us. It’s hard to stop both of us in any game, we keep each other fresh,” said Chubb after the game. “At the end of the day it’s coming from Kareem and me and the o-line, and we’ll get the job done.”

It’s a job in which Chubb and company have been tasked with since his arrival in Cleveland, a city no stranger to the team’s quarterback carousel. As of recently, Chubb’s longest-tenured quarterback Baker Mayfield was shipped to the Carolina Panthers following a blockbuster trade that led to the Browns’ acquisition of quarterback Deshaun Watson. Brissett has since started in place of the signal caller amidst Watson’s 11-game sexual misconduct suspension.

“He is vocal, he’s a playmaker, and when he does play he’s going to make it for us,” said Chubb

Pittsburgh has also been privy to quarterback questions following a season that witnessed the retirement of championship quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. After a poor showing by Steelers’ Trubisky four nights ago at home, concerns surrounding the quarterback’s job security have risen amongst fans clamoring for first-round pick Kenny Pickett to acquire the starting gig.

Despite the loss, Tomlin has shown no indication to start the rookie.

“I think Mitch made some plays, but we all collectively came up short,” said Tomlin. “Winning is our business, I wasn’t looking to be impressed, I was looking to win the game.” 

The loss for the Steelers and the win for the Browns will bring up more questions in the coming days in regards to each team’s respective quarterback situations. Pickett’s presence will continue to loom over each game that Trubisky plays in, regardless of the quarterback’s quality of performance. If Brissett manages to continue to perform as a team leader and win games, Browns’ management will have to come at a crossroads on deciding to ride the hot hand or start a fresh Watson.

The Browns will travel to Atlanta to play the Falcons next Sunday.

The Steelers will return home to face the New York Jets next Sunday.