CINCINNATI — Cam Taylor-Britt is lucky Jerome Ford didn’t have a clear view of the jumbotron on Sunday.
Otherwise, the Bengals corner might not have caught the Browns running back from behind, and that 66-yard run by Ford on the first play from scrimmage would have been a touchdown.
“I didn’t see the Jumbotron when I looked up,” said Ford, who ran toward the west end of Paycor Stadium during the game (the Bengals’ big video board is on the east side). “It wasn’t where I thought it was going to be, so I didn’t know where they were coming from, and I feel like I ran into them. But I was really surprised, disappointed in myself.
Ford may have been upset about not scoring, but he put the Browns in fantastic position on this play and others throughout the afternoon.
Cleveland simply failed to capitalize in a 24-6 loss.
Ford finished the game with a game-high 92 rushing yards on 11 carries, scoring Cleveland’s only rushing touchdown in the third quarter. He also caught all five of his targets for 39 yards, giving him 131 yards from scrimmage.
It was Ford’s best rushing game of the season and the third best day of his career.
“I think our running game has really improved over the last few weeks and Jerome is a big part of that,” right tackle Jack Conklin said. “He stepped in when Nick (Chubb) got hurt and he’s doing a great job.”
For the second straight season, Jerome Ford was given a larger role in Cleveland due to an injury to Chubb.
Last year, he had to do more as Chubb suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 2 against the Steelers, an injury that required two surgeries and major reconstruction. The Browns also brought back Kareem Hunt last year to carry the load.
But without Hunt this season, Ford carried most of the running load through the Browns’ first six games, while Chubb remained on the Physically Unable to Perform list while returning from his knee reconstruction.
After Ford was inactive in Weeks 7 and 8 due to a hamstring injury, he was able to play in Cleveland’s final seven games, including Sunday’s loss at Cincy.
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But once again, he was asked to take on more of the floor load after Chubb broke a bone in his left foot during Cleveland’s 21-7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs last week. Chubb was placed on injured reserve, effectively ending his season.
So what is Ford’s philosophy that once again helps the team overcome Chubb’s absence?
“I feel like every day you come into the building to work like you’re number one and you’re getting ready for your opportunity,” Ford said. “When the time comes, your jersey is called, and they rely on you to play, you have to go out there and play.”
Ford certainly took advantage of this opportunity on Sunday.
On the 66-yard run, he took advantage of a nice block from Conklin, as well as receiver Elijah Moore to find an opening. Cincinnati linebacker Germaine Pratt still had a clear shot to beat Ford, but missed a tackle. Ford was off to the races.
“I got a good block from the tackle,” Ford said. “The guy who hit the hole, overplayed, got trapped inside and it was an arm tackle. Blocking the O-line, blocking the wide receivers, always the ones that initiate a run.
Unfortunately, the drive came to a halt on the goal line as fellow running back D’Onta Foreman fumbled the ball on an early Cincy 1 field goal rush attempt.
After the game, Ford wasn’t bitter about the crucial mistake.
“We’re not even 10 minutes in, five minutes into the first quarter, so we’ve just got to keep our heads up,” he said. “We have a lot of football to play. Our venue is going to get a call to go out there and do a play. So just make sure we stay ready. It’s football. We will make mistakes.
Besides the 66-yard run, one of the most memorable plays of the day was Ford’s 4-yard run at 5:53 in the third quarter.
The score capped an 11-play, 70-yard drive in which the Browns converted on two third-down plays and Jerry Jeudy drew a DPI call on another to keep the series alive.
On the TD run, Ford made good use of blocks from center Ethan Pocic and right guard Wyatt Teller.
“The offense, everyone hits on the same page, you’re all on the same page,” Ford said. “Hit full blast and get the ball to wide receivers, get in and get people out. Without them, we don’t do anything on the field and they did a great job in the running game.
But Ford was also impressive earlier in the drive as Cleveland got its first conversion on third down.
Facing third-and-6 at their 34, quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson rushed to his left and backed across the field toward Ford near the midfield logo.
The running back stood up and made the contested grab against linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither at the Browns’ 46 to get a first down.
“Jerome, as we’ve talked about before, he continues to make big plays for us, both in the passing game and the running game,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said. “I thought he made a really incredible play in that scrimmage with Dorian throwing to his left. Ford went up and got the ball and he continues to give us a spark.
With those five catches, Ford was the second-leading pass receiver in an offensive struggle for Cleveland, behind tight end David Njoku’s eight catches for 66 yards.
Thompson-Robinson struggled to get the offense going, finishing with 157 yards on 20-of-34 passing, two interceptions, five sacks and a 45.8 completion rating.
“Jerome made some big points, which helped us,” Thompson-Robinson said. “But ultimately we lost that game because of turnovers and I was able to do a better job in that situation.”
In a disappointing 3-12 year, with an offense that seems to have never really taken off, Ford’s performance over these last two games will be something to pay attention to.
With Chubb in a contract year and now out due to injury, the future of the room remains in flux. What Ford does in the coming weeks could very well help determine its future prospects.
So is he trying to prove he can be the No. 1 pick in the NFL?
“Not really,” Ford said. “I’m just going over there. I’m a cog in a big machine and I’m just trying to make the machine work. And no matter what, I have the opportunity to show that I am a good equipment. I’m doing my best to do it.”
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