Top 10 Plays Of The 2018 Browns Season
Before we turn over everything to these “playoff” teams, I figured we could run back one more Browns blog (before the incoming blog on their head coach choice). For once, the Browns had a ton of awesome plays on the season! There were about six-to-eight plays that I ended up leaving out, but I am satisfied with these ten. The criteria I used to select everything factored in the significance of the moment and the skill involved in the play.
#10: (Week 12, @ Cincinnati) Damarious Randall intercepting the ball and then handing it to Hue Jackson
This play is on the list solely because of how memorable of a moment this will be in Browns’ history for years to come. It was one of the final plays to close the book on Hue Jackson and a nice tip of the cap to the fans who had to put up with Hue’s nonsense. Shout out to Randall, who has only been a Brown for about a year now, but definitely #GetsUs.
#9: (Week 12, @ Cincinnati) David Njoku’s failed leap and push into the endzone
The win in Cincinnati was a blast and the fun was in large part due to this absurd touchdown by David Njoku. The fact he thought he could leap into the endzone from the five-yard was hilarious. He is an athletic player, but that was a big-time failed attempt. Despite the inability to score on the first effort, the rest of the team pushed him over the goal line. The play is even better because of a fantastic call by play-by-play man Kevin Harlan.
#8: (Week 16, vs. Cincinnati) Jarvis Landry’s double reverse bomb to Breshad Perriman
Jarvis Landry had a failed wide receiver pass a few weeks prior to this game, so you know he was itching to get another shot. This was a fucking dime. The play speaks for itself (another great call by Freddie Kitchens).
#7: (Week 12, @ Cincinnati) Nick Chubb touchdown reception over the helmet of the Bengals defender
The last play from this game on the list, Nick Chubb makes his debut with a ridiculous catch on an underthrown wheel route pass from Baker Mayfield. He might not be the polished pass-catcher that Saquon Barkley is, but Chubb is so versatile and made his best catch of the season on this play.
#6: (Week 4, @ Oakland) Nick Chubb’s 41-yard tackling breaking touchdown run
Chubb is already one of the best running backs in the NFL at gaining yardage after contact. This run is a great example of 1) his ability to take a hit and 2) why the Browns needed to fire Hue Jackson. He had two massive touchdown runs in this game and would still get a max of three carries the following three weeks until John Dorsey traded Carlos Hyde. Ridiculous.
#5: (Week 1, vs. Pittsburgh) Josh Gordon’s double toe-tap game-tying touchdown
Sigh…
#4: (Week 15, @ Denver) Jabrill Peppers’ game-winning sack
That aggressive ass Williams family drew up an amazing blitz for Jabrill Peppers against the Broncos in primetime on the road in Denver. Peppers exploded out of the secondary like a canon and gave the Browns’ defense their signature moment on the season.
#3: (Week 10, vs. Atlanta) Nick Chubb’s franchise record 93-yard touchdown run
Nick Chubb… what a pick. Not only is he an absolute tank, but Chubb has top-notch acceleration and speed, especially for his size. The fact this guy didn’t really get a full workload until Week 7 is still a crime. He might have been the best rookie running back in the NFL if he had a full season.
#2: (Week 14, vs. Carolina) Baker Mayfield’s scramble and deep ball dime touchdown to Jarvis Landry
Anyone calling this play “lucky” can kindly piss off right now. Baker is insanely accurate and placed this ball exactly where he intended it to go. It was a great catch and even better pass from the rookie quarterback. What a stud.
#1: (Week 3, vs. Cleveland) “The Baker Special”
Is this the most electric play in terms of skill? No. Is this the most iconic play of the season? Yes. This was Baker’s “welcome to stardom” moment. The call from Joe Buck in a primetime game. The strut. The crowd reaction. This was one of the best moments for Browns fans since their return in 1999. When this team starts winning more games, we will look back on this moment being the one that kicked off the Baker Mayfield era.
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I’ll be back with more Browns content when they hire their new head coach. Until then, Go Browns.