The Cleveland Browns‘ offense is in big trouble, and it’s clear they need to step up fast. After two disappointing games to start the season, fans were already worried about the struggling offense’s performance. Interestingly, Joe Flacco is also under scrutiny for his performance in his previous 2 appearances. In both games, against the Cincinnati Bengals and the Baltimore Ravens, he threw modestly, combining for 489 yards. The Browns’ front desk is now very vocal about how low its offensive ceiling is. Head coach Kevin Stefanski also expressed his displeasure, stating that the handcuffed offense is unable to capitalize.

Although Stefanski has rejected any change in the center regarding the QB discussion for now, if they continue this negative trajectory, he might consider it more seriously soon. “Certainly we have not scored enough points in the last couple of games. It’s really incumbent on us as a team to play complementary team ball,” he said in a press conference. Surprisingly, he appreciated RB Quinshon Judkins’s efforts after the Ravens’ victory. “I thought he did a nice job with what we asked him to do…I think he’s certainly capable of doing more,” Stefanski said, via Camryn Justice.

During Week 1 with the Bengals on September 7, the offense of the Browns struggled badly (16-17). Andre Szmyt, the kicker, missed two key kicks, including an extra point and a 36-yard field goal. Joe Flacco had two interceptions, one of which dismissed a potential game-winning drive of the Browns. The defense performed fairly well, but the offense failed to score enough, and they lost the game due to their own mistakes. Big issues in performance were demonstrated through poor execution and consistency.

During Week 2 on September 14, against the Baltimore Ravens, the offense appeared to be even worse (17-41). The inability of Joe Flacco to move resulted in two turnovers and prevented the Browns from scoring after they reached Baltimore’s territory on the field. Their sole score was a lucky touchdown after a pass had deflected off a Ravens cornerback. Rookie Dillon Gabriel displayed promise after he demonstrated the ability to carry the sharp touchdown drive in garbage time, and many people are questioning why he is not starting over Flacco. Amidst all these offensive struggles, Judkins has been a shining ray of light for the Browns so far.

Quinshon Judkins bridging the gap in Browns’ offense

Rookie running back Quinshon Judkins has rapidly impressed with the Cleveland Browns since he signed his contract on September 6. He made his first start in Week 2 against the Baltimore Ravens after only 2 full NFL practices. He showed promise in his performance with 20 offensive snaps (27% of the total of the team) and made a good impression. Judkins ran 10 times in his first game, with 61 yards, and took three passes, 10 yards. His impressive performance has compelled the front office to provide him with further opportunities.

“Obviously, we’ll get him in here, get a lift, get treatment, see how his body’s feeling. But I think he’s certainly capable of doing more, and we’ll treat it just like we did last week—we’ll see how he comes through the week and make those types of decisions as the week goes on,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said on Monday.

The Browns placed high trust in the rookie as they ran 65 percent of their plays through him. Judkins is an Ohio State graduate and was considered to be a versatile player with the capability of playing all three downs in the NFL. Hence, the Cleveland Browns decided to draft him. The Browns relied on Jerome Ford against Baltimore primarily on third downs in place of Judkins and rookie Dylan Sampson, although such snaps might change to Judkins as he gets experience.

The Week 3 game will be significant to Judkins, since he will have an entire week of practice. The solid Green Bay Packers team will be playing at the home of the Browns, and Judkins will be expected to play a bigger role.