Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb is being criticized for scoring a late touchdown to give the Browns a 29-17 lead. Cleveland made a series of disastrous plays and decisions after Chubb’s third touchdown of the day to lose the game 31-30 to the Jets.
Cleveland’s first mistake came when head coach Kevin Stefanski elected to kick an extra point instead of going for two after Chubb’s touchdown. A 13-point lead is much more vulnerable than a 14-point lead. A two-point conversion attempt was worth trying in hindsight.
Additionally, the Browns gave up a big touchdown pass on the ensuing drive to give the Jets a chance. Defenders in the secondary blew the coverage. You can’t get beat deep at that stage in the game with a two-score lead.
Lastly, Cleveland failed to recover an onside kick and allowed the Jets to drive down the field and score another touchdown. These are reasons we think the criticism of Nick Chubb far-fetched. A lot of folks deserve blame before Nick Chubb, a former Georgia Bulldog, who scored three touchdowns and was a big reason the Browns were in a position to win.
Here’s how the media, coaches and fans reacted following Chubb’s touchdown:
Commentary: Nick Chubb at fault?
Nick Chubb decided to run this in for a TD rather than slide down.
The Jets came back to win 31-30.
(via @Browns)pic.twitter.com/5LYhhE9yZz
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 18, 2022
A crazy look back moment in the Jets-Browns game: with 1:55 left in the game, Nick Chubb took a carry for 12 yards and a TD to go up 30-17.
The Jets had no timeouts left. If Chubb went down, the Browns could have run the clock.
Instead, the Jets pull off a miracle 31-30 win.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) September 18, 2022
New York Jets coach Robert Saleh
"I've never been so happy for a missed tackle in my life"
Robert Saleh was very happy to see Nick Chubb go into the end zone 😂 pic.twitter.com/hBmJ4XAk0x
— Jets Videos (@snyjets) September 18, 2022
Worthy of blame? Try the Browns defense and special teams
Damn you Nick Chubb. pic.twitter.com/YQOzmo5anK
— Dawgs By Nature (@DawgsByNature) September 18, 2022
The Browns’ defense allowed the Jets to score almost immediately after Nick Chubb’s third touchdown. Additionally, the Cleveland special teams failed to recover an onside kick.
It's not over! The Jets recover the onside kick!!!
📺: #NYJvsCLE on CBS
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/bDdH0uvRfp pic.twitter.com/4gYGaToIZl— NFL (@NFL) September 18, 2022
A historic collapse either way
The Browns should’ve won with a 13-point lead and less than two minutes remaining. Cleveland’s decision to not go for two to have a 14-point cushion came back to bite them.
Trailing 30-17 with less 1:55 on the clock, the Jets had a 0.3% chance of winning after Nick Chubb's 12-yd TD run.
The Jets late-game comeback goes down as the most improbable of the Next Gen Stats era (since 2016) based on the NGS win probability model.#NYJvsCLE | #TakeFlight pic.twitter.com/WkTiEAXrt8
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) September 18, 2022
NFL teams up by 13 with under 2 minutes left in the game won their last 2,229 games…
The fact that Nick Chubb is even a talking point today is insanity. #Browns
— WizKay (@WizKayTV) September 19, 2022
More reactions from Browns fans
In the final 1:55, the Browns:
– Missed an extra point
– Allowed a wide open 66 yard TD pass on a blown coverage
– Surrendered an onside kick
– Let Joe Flacco walk his team 53 yards for a winning score
– Threw an interceptionGood teams don’t do this. Coaches get fired for it
— Aaron Goldhammer (@HammerNation19) September 18, 2022
Let's not go blaming Nick Chubb for scoring. You can blame a lot of things, somehow, someway. Of all things, don't be blaming Nick Chubb for scoring.
— Ken Carman (@KenCarman) September 18, 2022
If you’re blaming nick Chubb for this L please block me #Browns
— Ja’waun Edwards (@JawaunOfficial) September 18, 2022
Most fans take Nick Chubb's side
Most Cleveland Browns fans came to the defense of Nick Chubb. It would’ve been understandable to expect him not to score if it would’ve made the game a one-score contest.
Far too many people have “blamed” Nick Chubb for not going down.. that’s just a nonsensical take that shouldn’t even be discussed.
— MoreForYouCleveland (@MoreForYou_CLE) September 19, 2022
Surprised this Nick Chubb scoring late thing has become such a big storyline/debate to today's catastrophic collapse by the #Browns.
Hear me out, it's fine to playfully question it or discuss it with friends, fine. Hypotheticals? Sure.
NICK CHUBB IS NOT THE REASON THEY LOST!
— Nick Camino (@NickCaminoWKYC) September 19, 2022
Feel horrible for Nick Chubb. HORRIBLE.
Not only does he bust his butt for 87 yards on 17 carries while fighting for every yard, now he's getting criticism for putting his team up 2 TDs with under 2 minutes left.
Give me a freaking break.
— Hayden Grove (@H_Grove) September 18, 2022
