Once again, it was a Sunday filled with pain and disappointment for Cleveland Browns fans’
In what felt like a must-win game against the Miami Dolphins, the Browns were embarrassed, getting carves up on the ground and through the air en route to a 39-17 loss.
Despite the lackluster showing from Cleveland, a few players still had good days, and perhaps if these players can build on their performances, the Browns can have a respectable end to the season.
Donovan Peoples-Jones
Peoples-Jones continued what has been the best stretch of his career with a 5-catch, 99-yard day.
He started his day off with a bang, making a twisting catch on the sideline on the game’s very first play.
Brissett bomb on the first play of the game!
📺: #CLEvsMIA on CBS pic.twitter.com/IStrKGcI1g
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) November 13, 2022
Peoples-Jones stood out for the rest of the game, and he seemed like the only Browns’ wide receiver that could get open on a consistent basis against the Dolphins, who held Amari Cooper to just three catches for 32 yards.
DPJ has been a bright spot for Cleveland so far this season, and fans can hope that Peoples-Jones’ success will translate when Deshaun Watson returns in what will be a very long 21 days for the Browns’ faithful.
Grant Delpit
It has been a rough season for the third-year safety from LSU, but he may have played his best game yet against Miami.
Delpit finished the game with 10 tackles (6 solo), and one of them was a TFL.
not going anywhere!! 🙅♂️ Jordan Kunaszyk & @realgrantdelpit in on the play
📺: #CLEvsMIA on CBS
📱: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/RA9UfKui7v— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) November 13, 2022
Delpit still struggled at times in coverage, but that’s to be expected against a team like Miami, who boasts two of the best wide receivers in the NFL with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
Delpit has been the recipient of a lot of criticism this season, but if he can build off of this game, perhaps he can become a long-term part of Cleveland’s secondary.
Nick Chubb
Another week, another appearance from Nick Chubb on this list.
Much to the annoyance of Browns fans Chubb finished the game with only 11 carries, but on those 11 carries he proved once again that he is the NFL’s best running back, posting 63 yards and a touchdown.
Chubb did have a fumble in the game, but he made up for it when he broke through tacklers to give Cleveland their second and final touchdown of the game on a 33-yard scamper.
Good luck trying to bring down Nick Chubb 😤
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/frLc5TBbYl
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 13, 2022
Cleveland couldn’t utilize Chubb like they normally do because they found themselves in a sizeable deficit as early as the second quarter, but feeding Chubb was still the Browns’ most effective form of offense and if they want to win their next two games, letting Chubb cook is their best strategy.
Takeaways
Overall, it was a terrible day for the Browns, but these players, and a few others, were silver linings.
If the Browns can win one of their next two they aren’t completely dead in the playoff hunt, but if they hope to give Deshaun Watson a chance to make a postseason run in his first year in Cleveland, they will need to split the next two at a minimum.
NEXT: Fans React to Browns' Loss To Dolphins
that was a thumping.
I salute those trying to see good in bad. Remaining positive is important. But reality based is also important. We are playing with our second string QB who basically has Cooper to throw to. If you shut him down then we run Chubb which is great. He should get more runs (+20/game). But it´s also very predictable. The Baker Mayfield mess and the failure to see the suspension of Watson coming plus the bad play calling, the lack of depth at receiver, the bizarre collapse of the Browns defense – who were great last year. All this points to bad management. We got the players. But big mistakes are being made upstaris. I stand with Myles on this one. We have to get going in the right direction!