Stefanski wise to call on Chubb late

There were two minutes to play, the Browns were clinging to a 13-10 lead over the Lions and facing third-and-3 on the Cleveland 27 on a chilly, drizzly Nov. 21 at FirstEnergy Stadium.

The twominute warning gave head coach Kevin Stefanski and offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt extra time to ponder what to call on what might be the most crucial play of the game — maybe the season if it went wrong and the Lions, with two timeouts in their pockets, got the ball back and rallied to win their first game of the season.

Who should Stefanski trust with the ball in such a critical situation — one that might normally call for a short pass, maybe to a tight end?

Stefanski chose Nick Chubb over Baker Mayfield, and Chubb responded, running off right tackle for the first down and more.

Chubb got a key block from Jarvis Landry and picked up 11 yards before being pushed out of bounds at the Cleveland 38.

Fans chanted “Chubb! Chubb! Chubb!,” and cornerback Denzel Ward, part of the defensive effort that held Detroit to 77 yards passing, said he was yelling Chubb’s name right along with the fans.

“With all those decisions, you talk about a lot of things,” Stefanski said in his post-game news conference.

“You talk about different plays, different run schemes, different pass schemes. I just felt it was the right scheme based on the way they were playing us on defense.”

From there, the Browns ran out the clock with two more first downs on the ground before Mayfield kneeled twice to end the game after the Lions exhausted their timeouts.

The Browns are now 6-5 in the tightly bunched AFC North with a game in Baltimore on Nov. 29, the bye, and then a home game with the Ravens on Dec. 12.

The Ravens, without Lamar Jackson, beat the Bears, 16-13, on Nov. 21 on a 3-yard run for touchdown by Devonta Freeman with 22 seconds remaining to stay in first place in the AFC North at 7-3.

Stefanski was wise to call Chubb’s number on the pivotal third down play.

Chubb was on the reserve/COVID-19 list from Nov. 9-19. He embodies Stefanski’s “smart, tough, accountable” mantra.

Instead of weakening as the game progressed, though his COVID symptoms were mild, Chubb just got stronger. He had 62 rushing yards on 12 carries through three quarters. He carried 10 times for 68 yards in the fourth and rode the “Chubb! Chubb!” chants like a California surfer riding a wave.

“It definitely feels good, but it’s not all me,” Chubb said. “It starts with guys up front blocking and opening holes. It’s definitely a team effort.”

The Browns are 16-5 when Chubb rushes for 100 yards or more.

Landry embodies the “smart, tough, accountable” mantra, too. Landry has been unhappy with the scant number of passes thrown in his direction, but he scored the Browns’ first touchdown on a 16-yard run on a broken play.

Landry limped off the field with a knee injury in the third quarter and did not catch another pass after that, but he returned to the lineup to throw the block on Chubb’s 11-yard fourth-quarter run.

“Jarvis is tough. He wants to win,” Chubb said. “He was a little banged up. He has been all season. He goes out every week and plays his heart out. It says a lot about the person he is. A lot of guys on our team are like that.”

Mayfield was 15 of 19 passing for 176 yards. He threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Chubb. He looked uncomfortable all day and threw two interceptions.

Mayfield chose not to be part of the postgame interview session. That is unusual for him. Even after losing he doesn’t duck reporters, but he did this time.

The Lions did not fold. It will take a better effort from the Browns to beat the Ravens.

Maddeningly, the Browns committed five more pre-snap penalties — three encroachment/offsides penalties on defense plus a false start (Wyatt Teller) and illegal shift on offense. They were penalized 10 times in all for 82 yards.

“The pre-snap penalties when we’re jumping offsides is unacceptable, on the offensive side of the ball as well,” Stefanski said.

The defense atoned for an abysmal effort against the Patriots, albeit against an inferior opponent. Still, they were gashed for a 57-yard touchdown run by D’Andre Swift, the Lions’

leading rusher. They held the Lions to 5 of 13 on third down (38.5 percent) after the Patriots were 9 of11 on third down last week.

The Browns have much to clean up — especially the pre-snap penalties — before they step into the purple cauldron in Baltimore known as M&T Bank Stadium. But at least when they return to team headquarters on Nov. 22 they will be working off a win and not a defeat.