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A winning recipe for NFL teams has always been running the ball and playing defense well. The Browns have done that this season and did so once again in a 14-7 victory at the Minnesota Vikings. The win moves them to 3-1 and solidifies them as one of the best, if not the best rushing team in the NFL this season.
Today it was Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb teaming up for 169 total rushing yards on 35 carries with a touchdown. They needed to be solid because Baker Mayfield once again struggled. Mayfield has been off this season, and it didn’t get much better today as he went 15 of 33 for 155 yards and missed open receivers all game long.
The Browns defense was stout once again this weekend as they held star running back Dalvin Cook to just 34 yards on 9 carries. Kirk Cousins was held to just 203 yards passing on 20 of 38 with a touchdown and interception.
The lone first half points from Minnesota actually came on the opening drive of the game when Kirk Cousins completed 5 passes as the Vikings drove right down the field with no issues. Cousins would cap off the drive with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Justin Jefferson. It was a 15 play 75 yard drive that took 7:39 off the clock.
The Browns would try to answer with a 15 play, 57-yard drive of their own, but it would lead to a turn over on downs. That drive took 7:32 off the clock, as the entire first quarter included both drives.
Kareem Hunt had big plays in the second quarter which led the Browns to their only first half points. Down 7-0, the Browns needed several attempts to get in the endzone from the Vikings one yard line, but eventually A Kareem Hunt run would break the plain and get the Browns on the board. After a penalty gave them a closer look, the Browns went for two and got it to take a 8-7 lead with 1:19 to go in the first half.
After a three and out from the Vikings, the Browns got the ball back with under a minute to go. On 3rd and 20, with little time remaining, the Browns called for a simple halfback draw where Kareem Hunt took it for 33 yards and suddenly gave the Browns a chance to score. Mayfield connected on a 10-yard pass, and the next thing you knew, it was Chase McLaughlin connecting on a 48-yard field goal to make it 11-7 Browns after one half of a play.
The only points of the second half came midway through the fourth quarter on a Chase McLaughlin 53 yard field goal. If he hasn’t been the MVP of the special teams this season, I’m not sure who has. He has been clutch.
thanks to an awesome defense!