Who's Better than Nick Chubb?
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Because of the clunky and underwhelming nature of the 2022 Cleveland Browns season, it's easy to overlook the fact that Nick Chubb set career marks for rushing yards with 1,525 yards and 13 touchdowns. It's disappointing the Browns weren't in position to do more with that season for Chubb but doesn't diminish how great he is. PFF ranked him the top back in the league.
Here is Trevor Sikema's reasoning.
"Chubb takes the top honor here for his consistency. He’s never posted a rushing grade below 80.0, and his most recent grade of 90.7 in 2022 was a career high. Along with being one of the most physically gifted backs, he regularly forces missed tackles at one of the highest rates in the NFL and ranks near the top in yards-per-carry average."
There was all kinds of criticism for not giving Chubb the ball more. The Browns didn't have a second viable option, so it made it look that much worse when Chubb wasn't out there. The offensive line didn't play well as a group for most of the second half of the season. Chubb's rushing average tied for a career low at 5.0 yards per carry, tying his 2019 mark when he had 1,494 yards rushing.
It's a testament to Chubb's talent and preparation that so many things around him struggled and yet he continued to thrive. And there's reason to believe that Chubb might have the best year of his career in 2023.
If Deshaun Watson plays like the franchise quarterback they paid him to be, it will make Chubb's life easier. Additionally, the Browns plan to spread defenses out, which could allow Chubb to face lighter boxes. His combination of strength and speed is problematic against stacked boxes, but if teams have fewer players to defend the box, his ability to make opponents miss could allow him to find plenty of running room.
The direction of the offense may reduce the amount of carries Chubb has slightly, but may replace some of those carries with receptions. Against the Pittsburgh Steelers in week 18, Chubb only carried the ball 12 times. However, he caught five passes. Those 17 touches produced a total of 122 yards and a touchdown. That works out to 7.1 yards per touch.
There are going to be games where the Browns need to pound the ball with Chubb 25 times in a game, but being able to reduce the amount of hits he takes while achieving a high level of efficiency is going to save his body for what the Browns hope is a postseason run. The better Watson plays, the more Chubb will see great opportunities to create yardage regardless of how they get him the ball.
