The Browns are effectively out of playoff contention, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t competitive. The wins this season against the Ravens and Steelers prove that.

Against another team that appears destined for playoff qualification on national television – this time the Broncos – Cleveland put together another impressive performance in the first half. Jameis Winston was pretty flawless without his pick-six, David Njoku grabbed two touchdowns and Jerry Jeudy performed in front of his former fan base. Oh, and Jerome Ford found life despite going up against Denver’s harrowing front seven.

Ford’s successes came at the expense of another prominent Browns runner – longtime starter Nick Chubb. At the end of the second quarter, Chubb remained largely anonymous, failing to get a rush at 12:32.

All of this leaves viewers pondering a similar question: What’s going on with Chubb?

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Is Nick Chubb injured?

Chubb struggled to see much of the field in the second quarter of Monday night’s contest and fell behind Jerome Ford in the snap count. In Cleveland’s final few drives, it was Ford, not Chubb, who received the lion’s share of playing time, leading some to believe Chubb may have had an undisclosed injury.

Browns coach Kevin Stefanski quickly dispelled such notions, telling sideline reporter Lisa Salters that Ford was simply a better fit for now.

Based on her performances in the first 30 minutes of the competition, you can definitely see Stefanski’s point. Chubb picked up just 11 yards on six carries, including 10 on one run. In comparison, Ford gets 39 yards with the same number of carriers. Only time will tell whether Stefanski will continue to rely on the Ford in the future. He openly expressed his love for Chubb, even calling the four-time Pro Bowler his “favorite player on the team” after the Browns beat the Steelers last week.

Still, the NFL is a results-oriented company. If Stefanski and Co. believe Ford is their best bet to secure a victory over the mighty Broncos, then it’s hard to imagine them continually putting the ball in Chubb’s hands.

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