CLEVELAND, Ohio — When you glance at the final statistics from the Browns’ 31-6 victory over the Dolphins, Quinshon Judkins’ line doesn’t immediately jump off the page: 25 carries for 84 yards at just 3.4 yards per carry. But anyone who watched the game knows those numbers don’t tell the full story of his impact.
“I don’t care what that box score says because I was here watching the game. ... Anybody who saw Quinshon Judkins run the ball today knows that this was a dominant performance by him and by this Browns running game as a whole,” said podcast host Dan Labbe on the latest Orange and Brown Talk episode.
What made Judkins’ performance special wasn’t just the raw yardage — it was how he gained those yards, the way he wore down Miami’s defense, and most importantly, his three touchdowns that sealed the victory.
Film analyst Lance Reisland identified a critical strategic shift that helped unlock the running game: “All three touchdowns were a form of counter. The power and two variations of counter trey was very exciting to see. So it’s good to see them kind of get back to what they have had a ton of success with. It was great to see all those gap schemes brought back today.”
This return to gap schemes — where guards pull and create movement at the point of attack — represented a significant adjustment from previous weeks when the Browns had primarily relied on zone concepts. The counter plays, where offensive linemen moved in one direction before the play developed in the opposite direction, repeatedly caught Miami’s defense off balance.
Perhaps even more important than the schematic changes was Cleveland’s commitment to running the ball even when it wasn’t always producing big gains early in the game.
“And they still stuck with it. And I think that’s important,” noted Browns beat reporter Ashley Bastock. “In Pittsburgh, they weren’t trailing by a lot and they got away from the run fairly quickly. And I thought it was important that they stuck with it.”
That commitment paid dividends as the game progressed. Judkins began finding more space, culminating in his explosive 46-yard run that showcased his ability to make defenders miss in the open field. The coaching staff also showed creativity by deploying Judkins in the Wildcat formation for several snaps, resulting in two of his three touchdowns.
Against the NFL’s worst run defense (allowing 168.5 yards per game entering Sunday), the Browns did exactly what they needed to do: establish dominance on the ground, control the clock, and wear down their opponent physically.
While the passing game remains a work in progress, this commitment to the run game provided a blueprint for how Cleveland can win games going forward. For a rookie running back still finding his way in the NFL, Judkins’ performance demonstrated why the Browns have such high hopes for his future — regardless of what the final stat line might suggest.
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