No team wants its quarterback to be its leading rusher, so the Browns
know if they are to win a game this season they need to get Reuben Droughns
untracked.
Droughns struggled in two games and missed a third with an injury. He has just
59 yards on 25 carries, a terrible start for a back coming off consecutive
1,200-yard seasons.
The Browns rewarded Droughns in the offseason with a new contract, and Droughns
has said he needs to prove he deserves it.
The Saints bottled him up with aggressive play up front. Cincinnati's David Pollack almost knocked Droughns out of the game with a shot to his shoulder.
"That one shocked my whole body," Droughns said.
He missed the Ravens game.
If the Browns are looking for an opponent to get the running game going, Oakland
is a good one. The Raiders have given up 332 yards in two games, 4.5 yards per
carry.
Oakland bottled Droughns up pretty well last season - including stopping him
four times when the Browns had first-and-goal at the four-yard-line. Droughns
has not forgotten, which is why even though he's listed as questionable on the
injury report he promised to count him in for the game.
"I'm definitely motivated to go back out there and prove myself to them again,"
Droughns said.