After returning to Huntington Bank Field for the first time in almost a month, the Browns claimed their second win of the season with a 31-6 victory over the Dolphins.
They utilized the run game as they battled against the rain and windy conditions and made key defensive plays to limit the success of the Dolphins. Cleveland intercepted three passes from QB Tua Tagovailoa, including one pick-6. The complementary football continued, as special teams created the first turnover of the game.
“Four takeaways and 21 points off those takeaways, that’s really the story of the game,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said. “I thought there were some really good things out there. I thought the guys fought from minute one to minute 60. So, really proud of the effort there. Got to learn from this one, definitely things that we can clean up – offense, defense and special teams – but the way those guys were flying around, really, really proud of that effort.”
Here are three main takeaways from the Browns 31-6 over the Dolphins.
Browns find success with run game led by Quinshon Judkins
With the rainy conditions at Huntington Bank Field, the Browns relied on RB Quinshon Judkins in the run game to move the ball downfield. And Judkins delivered, as he finished the game with 25 carries for 84 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. The Browns finished with 104 net rushing yards on the day.
“It’s something that we worked very hard on to make sure that we got Q and our runners into the second level as much as we could because we knew that they would make some yards,” Stefanski said. “So, there were some things that we blocked at really well. If you block it up well for Quinshon, he is going to make a lot of yards.”
Judkins also broke through for a key explosive play in the second quarter. As Judkins found the running lane through the defense, running for 46 yards and into the end zone for his first touchdown of the day.
Then, on the Browns next offensive possession after Cleveland marched down into the red zone, Judkins took two direct snaps to try and punch in the touchdown. In the Wildcat formation, Judkins took a direct snap and bobbled the ball, but held onto the ball and took off up the middle and into the end zone for a 3-yard rushing touchdown.
“It was really a conversation with me, Coach (Mike Bloomgren) and Tommy (Rees) on Thursday night when we thought it was potentially going to be 60 MPH winds,” Stefanski said. “And we talked about it might be just get some single-win football going. So, we drew up a couple of plays.”
Early in the fourth quarter, Judkins completed the hat trick as he scored his third rushing touchdown of the day. He took the direct snap and ran up the middle for a 2-yard touchdown.
With his three touchdowns, Judkins became the first Browns rookie to score three rushing touchdowns since Travis Prentice on Oct. 8, 2000, and the first Browns player with three rushing touchdowns in a game since Nick Chubb on Sept. 18, 2022.
“My job at the end of the day is to run the ball, protect the quarterback, do everything in my power, just go out there and do my job,” Judkins said.
