Steelers HC Mike Tomlin holds back nothing when it comes to his thoughts on Browns RB Quinshon Judkins
The Browns rookie is catching the attention of other AFC North teams.
The Cleveland Browns are what they are at this point in the season. They are a 1-4 football team with one of the NFL’s worst offenses. Cleveland has already undergone a quarterback change by benching and eventually trading veteran Joe Flacco to start rookie third-round pick Dillon Gabriel. Gabriel played turnover-free football in the loss to the Minnesota Vikings in London during Week 5, but the Browns again failed to score 20 points.
Cleveland’s next chance to score 20 will be against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 6, and they have allowed at least 21 points in three of their four games. The Browns’ best chance at offense the last couple of weeks has been rookie RB Quinshon Judkins. Despite missing the first game and being limited in his first and second appearances, the rookie from Ohio State is ninth in rushing with 347 rushing yards in four games.
Mike Tomlin is a fan of the player Quinshon Judkins
“This week, I mentioned their running game. I can’t say enough about what I’m seeing from [Quinshon] Judkins,” Tomlin said on Tuesday. “You know, this guy has played in four games [and] he started three. He had absolutely no training camp to speak of. And that really highlights what it is that we’re looking at, kudos to him and kudos to them for what he and they are able to produce. He’s a tough runner. He’s good inside. He’s got good patience, pick, and vision on interior running. He finishes off his runs with violence.”
Judkins crossed 100 yards rushing for the first time against the Vikings, when he ran for 110 yards with a long of 32. Since missing the first game due to when he signed his contract and having no training camp, Judkins has looked like the lead back with little trouble. Cleveland is only averaging 95.6 yards per game on the ground, and that’s among the league’s worst, but Judkins is helping bring that number up.
“He had a 60-yarder, or so, he got called back in London last week,” Tomlin stated. “That kind of highlights that I’ve seen this guy a lot. Obviously, we got a couple of his teammates from O State, and so I’ve seen a lot of his video, man. He is a complete back. He’s the type of guy who can wear a defensive unit down. Certainly fits their mold as an awesome replacement, if you will, for Nick Chubb, and I think it’s going to do nothing but get better with him and them.”
Tomlin said it well there with his comments around Chubb. Judkins looks like the perfect kind of replacement for Chubb, with his aggressive run style and ability to break away. In what looks like it could be an ugly season for the Browns, the rookie class is already showing a ton of promise, and it looks like a homerun. Judkins is right there at the top of the rookies for the Browns.
If Cleveland wants to pick up its second win and knock off the Steelers on the road, it’ll have to run the ball well. Cleveland knows it has a good defense to lean on, but it will have to try to build up some offensive success around their rookie quarterback and rookie running back in Pittsburgh.
Cleveland Browns News
Cleveland Browns may have to soon accept their big offseason move may not work out quite like they thought it would
The Browns picked up a slight win without lifting a finger on Monday night.
