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Watch: Top five Nick Chubb plays from 2018 season with Browns

Here is a look back at Nick Chubb’s top five plays from the 2018 season with the Cleveland Browns.
Credit: Gregory Shamus
Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb rushes the ball in the second half against the Atlanta Falcons at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio on November 11, 2018.

CLEVELAND — Of all the rookie running backs who have played for the Cleveland Browns since their founding in 1946, no one rushed for more yards than Nick Chubb, as he set the franchise single-season record in a 26-18 win over the Cincinnati Bengals at FirstEnergy Stadium on December 23.

Chubb rushed for a game-high 112 yards on 19 carries, which gave him 972 yards heading into the season finale against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on December 30.

Chubb broke the old mark for rushing yards by a rookie that was set by Trent Richardson during the 2012 season. Richardson rushed for 950 yards on 267 carries, while Chubb eclipsed his yardage total on 84 less attempts.

Chubb finished the 2018 season, one in which he was seldom used in the first seven games, with 996 yards and eight touchdowns on 192 carries. Chubb had 11 20-yard runs, four 40-yard bursts and 47 first-down conversions.

Limited in his role with coordinator Todd Haley calling the plays over the first half of the 2018 season, Chubb rushed for 788 yards and five of his eight touchdowns on 140 carries under Kitchens. After the changes in the coaching staff, Chubb averaged 5.63 yards per carry and became a contributing member in the passing game as well.

Here is a look back at five of Chubb’s best plays from his rookie year.

5. Chubb shows patience against Chiefs

Chubb was patient in waiting for his opportunity to get extended playing time, and he displayed that virtue on a second-quarter touchdown run against the Kansas City Chiefs at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland on November 4.

Chubb ran to the left of the formation after taking the handoff from rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield, shuffled from right to left three times, and then, turned upfield before breaking through a tackle at the goal line for his fourth rushing score of the season.

Although a two-point conversion pass from Mayfield was intercepted in the end zone, the Browns cut the Chiefs’ lead down to a single score, 14-9, with 6:29 to play in the first half.

4. Chubb scores 63-yard TD

Chubb struggled to find carries over the first three weeks of the 2018 season, but he made the case for a steadier work load when he made the most of his first touch against the Oakland Raiders at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on September 30.

On first-and-10 from Cleveland’s 37-yard line after the Raiders missed a field goal, the Browns called a counter right, and Chubb ran it in for the score.

Before Chubb got the ball, the Browns pulled left guard Joel Bitonio and tight end Orson Charles to the right side of the formation to help open up a hole in Oakland’s defense, and the rookie rusher got through the gap with ease.

Following the initial burst of speed, Chubb shrugged off a tackle attempt from linebacker Tahir Whitehead, and after stepping out of the grip of the veteran defender, hustled down the right sideline and into the end zone for the go-ahead score.

3. Chubb does it again

On Chubb’s third carry of the game in Oakland, he scored from 41 yards out and gave the Browns a 42-34 lead over the Raiders with 4:20 remaining in the fourth quarter.

On second-and-four from Oakland’s 41-yard line, Mayfield took the shotgun snap from center JC Tretter and quickly gave the ball to Chubb as he ran behind Bitonio and left tackle Desmond Harrison.

Able to get away from Oakland’s initial defensive pressure, Chubb broke three more tackles before getting free and ramping up to full speed at the 31-yard line. With a downfield block from wide receiver Rashard Higgins, Chubb motored his way into the end zone for the touchdown.

2. Chubb pins touchdown catch against back of defender

The Browns struggled to convert turnovers into points for much of the 2018 regular season, but the opposite proved true in the second quarter of their AFC North Division showdown with the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati on November 25.

After generating their first turnover of the game when defensive back Damarious Randall corralled his team-leading third interception, Chubb was on the receiving end of a 14-yard touchdown pass from Mayfield.

On third-and-three from the Cincinnati 14-yard line, Mayfield took the snap from Tretter and looked toward the left side of the formation for an open receiver, where he found Chubb breaking free behind the coverage of a Bengals defensive back.

Chubb jumped at the four-yard line to try and corral the ball, which he ended up pinning against the back of safety Brandon Wilson while falling backwards to the ground in the end zone.

The Mayfield-to-Chubb touchdown gave the Browns a 28-0 lead over the Bengals with 2:25 to play in the first half, and they went on to pull out a 35-20 victory over their in-state rivals.

1. Nick Chubb sets franchise record

More comfortable with his expanded role, Chubb became a more productive back for the Browns after the midseason coaching staff upheaval, and certainly, he showed that in a 28-16 victory over the Atlanta Falcons at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland on November 11.

On second-and-10 from the Cleveland eight-yard line with 8:45 remaining in the third quarter, Chubb took a handoff from Mayfield, rushed behind the blocks of right guard Kevin Zeitler and tackle Chris Hubbard and quickly got into the second level of Atlanta’s defense.

Chubb high-stepped his way out of a tackle at the Cleveland 22-yard line and sprinted his way up to the 45, where wide receiver Antonio Callaway was frantically waving for him to go left so he could finish off a block.

Chubb sprinted the final 50 yards into the end zone for the touchdown before dropping the ball to celebrate with his teammates, and the Browns did something Atlanta could not do on the play, as they tackled him before he reached the sideline.

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