Nick Chubb left Monday’s game during the second quarter against the Steelers with a gruesome knee injury, sending oddsmakers’ prospects for the Cleveland Browns 2023 season into a nosedive.
Entering Week 2, the Browns were -230 to reach the postseason at DraftKings.
After the game, which ended in a heart-breaking 26-22 loss to Pittsburgh, the sportsbook dropped Cleveland’s playoff odds to -145.
Their chances of taking home the AFC North fell from +200 to +330.
Already a long shot to make a deep playoff run, the Browns’ odds to play in the Big Game went down even further, going from +900 to +1200 to win the AFC and from +1800 to +2200 to win the Super Bowl.
Cleveland is reportedly interested in Kareem Hunt and Cam Akers to fill the void left by Chubb’s injury, although Stefanski said Monday that he’s likely to use Ford, as the team’s primary running back in the meantime.
Chubb was on his way to his second straight strong game of the 2023 season, running for 64 yards on 10 attempts before being carted off the field early in the second quarter.
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed the news to reporters after the game that Chubb suffered a significant knee injury and expected to sideline him for the rest of the season.
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The Chubb injury was yet another blow for a perpetually cursed Browns franchise.
The sixth-year running back and four-time Pro Bowler had been the Browns’ leading rusher every season and the NFL’s second-leading rusher since 2018 behind Derrick Henry.
The Browns are currently three-point favorites for Sunday’s game against the Tennessee Titans at 1 p.m. in Cleveland.
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