Common ground
Browns, Falcons set for ‘heavyweight’ run battle
ATLANTA —Falcons coach Arthur Smith knows what to expect from a Browns offense that revolves around Nick Chubb’s powerful runs.
“They’re coming to mash you,” Smith said.
Smith wants the Falcons’ rushing attack led by Cordarrelle Patterson to mash back.
Chubb, the NFL’s leading rusher, and Patterson, who ranks third, will be in the spotlight in what Smith expects to be a “heavyweight fight” of running games on Sunday. Patterson is listed as questionable with a knee injury. He had limited participation in Friday’s practice after resting his knee on Wednesday and Thursday.
This will be Chubb’s first NFL game played in his home state. The Cedartown native previously played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium during his college career at Georgia.
Chubb says the Browns’ run-first offense wears down defenses.
“Things start to open up,” Chubb said. “I can’t really see them getting tired, but at the end of the game things do start opening up a lot easier.”
Browns quarterback Jacoby Brissett says the Browns’ running game is no secret.
“I mean, yeah, teams know we’re going to run the ball and we still run the ball,” Brissett said.
The Browns (2-1) and Falcons (1-2) are the league’s only teams to score at least 26 points in every game.
“Everybody sees the tape; it’s going to be a really physical game on Sunday,” Smith said. “They’re going to try to run Nick Chubb 500 times and we got to stop him, and we’re going to try to run the ball and play our game, too.”
Brissett has disproved doubters who believed the Browns couldn’t win until quarterback Deshaun Watson returns in December from his 11-game suspension for alleged sexual misconduct. Brissett threw two touchdown passes in the Browns’ 29-17 win over the Steelers on Sept. 22.
Patterson, formerly a wide receiver and return specialist, has set career rushing highs in two of the Falcons’ first three games, including his 141 yards in last week’s 27-23 win at Seattle.
Browns All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett will miss the game after suffering a sprained shoulder, strained biceps, cuts and bruises when he lost control and flipped his Porsche in a one-car crash after practice on Monday.
More than a receiver
Second-year Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts made fantasy players happy when he had five catches for 87 yards last week. Pitts had only four catches for 38 yards in the first two games.
Smith said the tight end’s value is based on more than his catches, pointing to his work in the running game.
“He’s really becoming a complete player,” Smith said.
Offensive roll
Watson will claim the starting job when he returns in December. Brissett is making a case he should be starting for some team, if not Cleveland.
The 29-year-old Brissett has exceeded expectations, leading the Browns to a pair of wins while completing 74% (43 of 58) of his passes in the past two games. Brissett has developed chemistry with wide receiver Amari Cooper and he’s spreading the ball around to make all of the Browns’ playmakers happy.
Brissett believes the Browns’ offense can be even better.
“The reasons why we haven’t scored on every drive has been us,” he said. “It’s been things that we haven’t (done) and we’re still trying to correct.”
Depth of run game
Chubb has had strong support from backup Kareem Hunt as the Browns lead the NFL in rushing. The Falcons rank fifth with quarterback Marcus Mariota providing help for Patterson.
Mariota and Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson are the only quarterbacks with two rushing touchdowns this season.
Busted-up Browns
In addition to Garrett, the Browns had four other defensive starters miss practice this week.
End Jadeveon Clowney (ankle), cornerback Denzel Ward (ribs, back), linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (groin) and tackle Taven Bryan (hamstring) were also sidelined.
Browns linebacker and captain Anthony Walker Jr. suffered a season-ending quadriceps injury against Pittsburgh.
With Garrett and Clowney hurting, the Browns may need to rely on some rookies, including end Alex Wright.