Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns run game stuck in mud in Miami

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — There was a sense of familiarity in the Browns' two worst losses of the season, against the New England Patriots and the Miami Dolphins. It's not even because both are AFC East teams.

"Their (defensive) line has similar body structure to the Patriots," receiver Amari Cooper said after Sunday's 39-17 loss to the Dolphins. "They have these big, tall guys. The Patriots were a good run-stopping defense and the Dolphins were, too, coming into the game, so it did feel similar in that aspect."

The Browns' 22-point loss in South Florida wasn't the worst loss of the season margin-wise. That actually was the 23-point loss they suffered on Oct. 16 to the Patriots.

However, within both of those games was a blueprint by the Browns' opponent to neutralize the one thing so many people didn't think could be completely neutralized. Both of those games demonstrated that it was possible to keep running back Nick Chubb contained.

"We knew that coming into here," left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. said. "We knew we were up for a test, and we failed in that aspect of running the ball. Kind of got behind the chains. It's pretty similar to (against the Patriots)."

Chubb ran for 63 yards on just 11 carries. Of those 63 yards, 33 came on his touchdown run in the fourth quarter that kept the Browns' hopes flickering by pulling them within 30-17 with 13:09 remaining.

The only game this season in which Chubb was held to fewer yards was by, you guessed it, the Patriots. He ran for 56 yards on 12 carries, the only other times previous to Sunday in which he has had less than 16 carries.

Part of the similarities between the Dolphins and Patriots comes in both personnel and scheme along the line of scrimmage. Both are 3-4 bases with defensive linemen not just tall — nose tackle Raekwon Davis stands 6-foot-7, while ends Christian Wilkins and Emmanuel Ogbah, who left with what is believed to be a season-ending injury, are both 6-4 — but also stout.

"It was similar base fronts, similar two-gapping guys inside," left guard Joel Bitonio said. "Bigger dudes, you know, inside. Box everything back. We just didn't execute well enough, you know, and then you get behind a little bit and then you get turned into a passing festival a bit and they got to tee off and you know do a little bit of a pass-rush drill on us. It was definitely tough but I think it comes down to execution, but there's definitely some similarities between them and what New England does."

The Browns ran the ball 24 times as a team, with another seven of those scrambles or sneaks by quarterback Jacoby Brissett, for 112 net yards. Again, the only time they ran it fewer times and for fewer yards came against the Patriots, when they ran it 18 times for 70 yards.

Game flow again dictated part of those touches. The Browns had 14 rushing attempts for 30 net yards in the first half, which ended with Miami taking a 17-7 lead on Trent Sherfield's touchdown catch with 32 seconds left before the break.

Five of Chubb's six first-half carries came over the Browns' first two possessions, both of which reached Dolphins territory. However, the fifth of those carries was a fumble caused by Miami defensive end Zach Sieler that his teammate, cornerback Xavien Howard, recovered at the Dolphins 29.

That was the first of back-to-back possessions in which the Browns reached Miami territory but scored no points. Their next one ended on a turnover on downs at the Miami 42 with 5:35 remaining in the second quarter and the Dolphins leading 10-7.

Miami outscored the Browns 29-10 the rest of the way.

"I mean, everybody knows they're explosive," Wills said. "That's what they do — they score, they put up points. So it's definitely tough when you get behind the chains, like you said, and you go to the sideline after a turnover on downs or something like that. It's tough. It's tough."

That only put more on the Browns' passing game, which led to a less-efficient Brissett than had been seen up until that point.

Brissett was 11-of-14 passing for 115 yards and a touchdown over the first 30 minutes. He finished 22 of 35 for 212 yards.

"I think that's part of our game is to be able to run the ball, and obviously we weren't as successful as we wanted to be in that area," Brissett said. "But I know the guys in that room, I know the guys up front, I know our coach, O-line coach, running back coach, quarterback coach, I know the coaches in that room. We are gonna go and watch the film and correct it and be better from it."

Contact Chris at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com.

On Twitter: @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Miami Dolphins keep Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns run game bottled up