The Cleveland Browns’ ugly loss to the New York Jets ended with a troubling sight.
Struggling running back Quinshon Judkins left the locker room in a walking boot, per Ashley Bastock of cleveland.com.
Judkins appeared to wince on the sideline during the second half but continued playing. His departure in a boot raises questions about his availability moving forward and whether an injury contributed to another difficult afternoon on the ground.
The second-year back finished with 44 yards on 14 carries, averaging 3.1 yards per attempt. He added three catches for just 6 yards. Judkins entered Sunday averaging 3.0 yards per carry through Cleveland’s first four games.
An injury could help explain some of his limited production against New York, although it remains unclear when he was hurt or how much it affected him. The extent of the injury was not immediately clear.
The concern extends beyond Judkins. Backup Raheim Sanders was also injured, leaving Cleveland with questions about two running backs as it prepares to host the Baltimore Ravens next Sunday. Dylan Sampson remains on injured reserve.
Browns Running Game Falls Short in Rainy Loss
The conditions at MetLife Stadium called for a dependable running game. The Browns could not produce one. Cleveland finished with 96 rushing yards, but 40 came from quarterback Deshaun Watson. Judkins and Sanders combined for 56 yards on 17 attempts, leaving the offense struggling to sustain drives in the rain. Watson was sacked eight times for a loss of 53 yards.
Browns coach Todd Monken spread the responsibility across the offense after the game.
“I hope like hell the rest the time I’m here we don’t have a game we have eight sacks,” Monken said after the loss. “It’s everything — it’s coaching, it’s playing, it’s getting the ball out of our hands, it’s protection. We all gotta take a big frickin’ bite of this because it’s not good enough,” Monken said.
Despite those problems, Cleveland had an opportunity to escape with its fourth consecutive victory. Watson connected with Denzel Boston for a 29-yard touchdown that gave the Browns a 12-10 lead with 6:15 remaining.
The defense then delivered another chance to take control, forcing a fumble that gave Cleveland possession in Jets territory. The Browns failed to pick up a first down or drain meaningful time off the clock before a mishandled punt snap handed New York a short field.
Braelon Allen scored on a 22-yard run three plays later, and Cleveland could not answer. The 17-12 loss dropped the Browns to 3-2, with the offense finishing at a season-low 198 net yards.
Browns Rookie KC Concepcion Enters Concussion Protocol
The Browns also face uncertainty surrounding rookie receiver KC Concepcion, who suffered a head injury following a hit from Jets safety Minkah Fitzpatrick in the first quarter.
“KC Concepcion is in concussion protocol after taking that hit from Fitzpatrick and slamming his head on the turf,” ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi reported.
Cleveland ruled Concepcion out just minutes after he left the field and headed to the locker room. Fitzpatrick was penalized on the hit after already drawing a facemask penalty involving Concepcion earlier in the possession. Monken declined to label Fitzpatrick a dirty player afterward.
“That’s just a bang-bang play. Minkah has been in this league a long time,” Monken said. “He’s not a dirty player.”
Concepcion must complete the return-to-play process and receive team and independent medical clearance. There is no fixed recovery timetable.
With Baltimore visiting on October 18, the Browns enter the week awaiting more clarity on their lead running back, his backup and a starting receiver.
Browns Get Bad News on Quinshon Judkins After Jets Loss