The Cleveland Browns had another very bad, no-good day on Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens.
But the Browns found at least one thing on offense to potentially feel good about amid the rubble of a 41-17 defeat.
One week after rushing for just 49 yards and averaging two yards per carry, the Browns were able to rush for 114 yards and average 5.2 yards per carry against the Ravens.
The effort was led by rookie Quinshon Judkins, who made his debut and posted 61 rushing yards on 10 carries, which included
a 31-yard run that is by far the longest run from a Cleveland running back through the first two weeks of the season. It is also the longest run since Jerome Ford’s 66-yard burst against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 16 of the 2024 season.
Judkins added three receptions for 10 yards to give him a team-high 71 yards of offense. That makes two weeks in a row where the Browns have been led by a rookie running back, as Dylan Sampson had 93 combined yards in Week 1. Sampson also added a touchdown reception in the fourth quarter from quarterback Dillon Gabriel, the first NFL touchdown for both players.
Together, Judkins and Sampson have combined for 28 percent of Cleveland’s offensive yards this season, which is a nice start for a team that looks like it is going to have to fight for yards all season.
The Browns are heading back home for a Week 3 game against the Green Bay Packers with questions surrounding whether they should stick with veteran Joe Flacco at quarterback or turn the offense over to rookie Dillon Gabriel.
But no matter who lines up behind center in the coming weeks, they should be able to count on Judkins and Sampson to be active parts of the offense.
