A knee and a need

By Steve King

The season-ending knee injury suffered by running back Nick Chubb was, when it happened, and still is, a devastating blow to the Browns.

That’s obvious. It goes without saying. He is the best running back in the NFL, and one of the very best the Browns have ever had. And that’s saying something, for they have four Pro Football Hall of Fame running backs.

But if there’s a positive in all this — and I really hate to use that phrase because losing Chubb is such a negative — it is that the Browns have dedicated the rest of the season to him. As such, then, the injury has galvanized them and allowed them to rally around one central theme, to play as hard, and as well, as they can so as to not besmerch his image and reputation.

In doing that, it has permitted the Browns to take some of the pressure off of this very pressure-filled season, especially with quarterback Deshaun Watson, as they try to take advantage of this star-filled roster and get to the playoffs, and hopefully far beyond that. Now they have something on which to hang their hat.

I am so anxious to see how it all plays out.

Who knows, but maybe — just maybe — this is exactly what the Browns needed.