What a game for David Njoku this past Thursday night.
The Cleveland Browns tight end hauled in 9 passes for 89 yards and a touchdown.
Many feel it may be his best game as a Brown so far.
His Pro Football Focus score, seen in this tweet, reflects as much.
David Njoku had an 89.6 PFF grade vs the Steelers.
That was the third highest single game grade of his career 😤
57 of his 89 receiving yards came after the catch 💨 pic.twitter.com/T4YduGcFmY
— PFF CLE Browns (@PFF_Browns) September 23, 2022
I can’t get over how good David Njoku was last night. Probably his best game ever.
— Offseason Chopz (@Pchopz_) September 24, 2022
That’s the kind of game Browns fans have been wanting to see from Njoku on a consistent basis.
There’s a reason the Browns took him in the first round of the 2017 draft.
Sure, different front office personnel drafted him.
But fan expectations remain high.
That constant production from the former Baylor Bear just hasn’t come yet.
However, could Njoku’s performance against the Steelers on Thursday be a sign of things to come?
Red Zone Threat
At 6’4, 247-pounds, there’s no reason not to look Njoku’s way inside the 20.
Last season, Njoku saw only eight red zone targets.
So far in 2022, he’s already been targeted five times in that area of the field.
His touchdown catch Thursday night shows exactly why he should be targeted more inside the opponent’s 20.
Brissett throws a beautiful ball that only Njoku could catch.
With Njoku’s size and athleticism, Pittsburgh safety Terrell Edmunds was helpless in stopping it.
David Njoku made this touchdown look easy 😅pic.twitter.com/R5ea5603WD
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) September 23, 2022
If Brissett continues delivering throws like that, expect more balls tossed Njoku’s way in the red zone.
He is too big for most defensive backs and too quick for linebackers to stick with.
Kevin Stefanski, Brissett, and the Browns offense attacked those mismatches up and down the field all night long.
Defenses are keyed in on Cleveland’s backfield as well as Amari Cooper in the passing game.
Njoku should be able to continue to get the ball in those mismatch situations.
Moving the Chains
Njoku’s damage didn’t just come in the red zone, however.
Pittsburgh’s defense struggled to keep a body attached to him throughout drives.
Njoku is a huge reason the Steelers defense couldn’t seem to get off the field.
This third and two situation Cleveland faced on Thursday shows exactly how dangerous he is in their offense.
David Njoku for a first down #Browns pic.twitter.com/EctPMavryz
— Pro Football Culture (@proftblculture) September 23, 2022
We know the issues he presents against man coverage.
Even with quicker defensive backs on him, Njoku has the speed and size to pick up yards regardless.
Levi Wallace gets David Njoku just short on third down. Browns converted 4th down with a QB sneak #Browns #HereWeGo pic.twitter.com/Bo8p4WZbGq
— Pro Football Culture (@proftblculture) September 23, 2022
Thursday, though, proved Njoku can help carve up zone looks as well.
As seen in the following clip, Pittsburgh gave Cleveland some Cover 1 looks throughout the evening.
Njoku did well to find the soft spots and simply sit down while Brissett located him.
They did this a number of times to pick up first downs and tire Pittsburgh’s defense.
David’s catch-and-run ability was on full display as well.
David Njoku first down on a TE screen #Browns pic.twitter.com/WTD3WKPE0I
— Pro Football Culture (@proftblculture) September 23, 2022
That allowed Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt to ice the game behind that stout offensive front.
Sustainable?
So long as Stefanski doesn’t outsmart himself, Njoku should continue being a staple of Cleveland’s passing game.
He didn’t do anything fancy or crazy in Thursday’s win.
He beat guys in man coverage, found the soft spots against the zone, and most importantly, he caught the football.
Plus, he’s proven this year to be reliable when counted on to run block.
David Njoku bouncing the safety out of the club. Becoming a common occurrence over the past three seasons. pic.twitter.com/GhtYQWZOfI
— Cory (@fakecorykinnan) September 20, 2022
The Browns bet on these kinds of performances happening regularly when they inked a four-year, $56 million extension with Njoku back in May.
So far, that gamble is paying off, and I expect it to continue to do just that.
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