As the Browns offense took the field for their opening drive against the Jaguars, QB Deshaun Watson pitched the ball back to RB D'Onta Foreman, who took off running up the left side of the field.
He broke a tackle from Jaguars LB Foyesade Oluokun and continued to run before he was tackled after an 8-yard gain.
After only being on the field for one play in Week 1 against the Cowboys, Foreman finished Week 2 with 14 carries for 42 yards, with six carries in the first quarter.
"Ran hard; first play of the game ran hard, I think 8-yard gain," head coach Kevin Stefanski said of Foreman's performance. "He's a bigger back, has good vision, runs behind his pads. He is a player that I think will get better with more time in our scheme and as we have more time around him."
Foreman had it on his mind that he wanted to show both his teammates and coaches how he could help the Browns in the run game. So, when he took the ball and sprinted up the field on the first play, he held onto that mentality to show what he could with the ball in his hands.
"It was definitely satisfying to be able to get those opportunities and not only just get the opportunities, but also play well," Foreman said. "Definitely things I could do better, but I think I played pretty well. So, it was definitely satisfying to be able to go do that."
Check out photos of the team working to prepare for their game this week against the New York Giants at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) and Cornerback Tony Brown (38) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson (94) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Running back Jerome Ford (34) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Cornerback Greg Newsome II (0) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Running back D'Onta Foreman (27) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (6) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Offensive tackle James Hudson III (66) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Linebacker Devin Bush (30) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (54) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Tight end Geoff Swaim (84) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
`51 during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Running back Gary Brightwell (35) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Wide receiver James Proche II (11) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (23) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Running back Jerome Ford (34) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Safety Grant Delpit (9) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Cornerback Tony Brown (38) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Running back Royce Freeman (28) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Offensive tackle Lorenzo Thompson (69) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson (72) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Running back D'Onta Foreman (27) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (23) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Linebacker Devin Bush (30) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Linebacker Michael Barrett (48) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (17) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Offensive guard Germain Ifedi (65) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson (72) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Defensive end Za'Darius Smith (99) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Running back Gary Brightwell (35) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Long snapper Charley Hughlett (47) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Offensive tackle Lorenzo Thompson (69) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Cornerback Greg Newsome II (0) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Offensive tackle Lorenzo Thompson (69) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Running back Jerome Ford (34) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Tight end Jordan Akins (88) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Linebacker Michael Barrett (48) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Defensive tackle Siaki Ika (62) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Linebacker Winston Reid (59) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Tight end Blake Whiteheart (86) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Tight end Jordan Akins (88) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Running back Gary Brightwell (35) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Defensive tackle Jowon Briggs (97) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Linebacker Luji Vilain (98) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Tight end Cameron Latu (82) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Wide receiver Jaelon Darden (16) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Tight end Geoff Swaim (84) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Foreman said throughout the week leading up to Week 2, both Stefanski and offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey told him that they would get him more opportunities in the game against the Jaguars. He mentally prepared throughout the week that whenever his number was called, he would make the most of his time on the field.
On the Browns first offense drive, Foreman totaled five carries. As the Browns marched down the field, they utilized Foreman in a number of first-down scenarios. The first came on the first play of the game. More followed as the Browns moved downfield. Another scenario came when Cleveland was in the red zone. As Foreman ran the ball up the middle for one yard, he fumbled and recovered the ball. However, it set up QB Deshaun Watson for a 1-yard touchdown on the next play of the game.
Foreman believes that his skillset as a running back is versatile, and he can excel in different situations.
"I think that's something that I just want to put out there on film," Foreman said. "I'm more than just a short yardage type of guy. I can catch the ball out of the backfield. First and second down I could be efficient and get us into manageable third down to whether we can still run it with me, or we could throw it like, however y'all want to do it. So, I think my thing is just being efficient. If I can be efficient on first and second down, we're in a manageable third down again, I can get another opportunity."
As Foreman has acclimated to the offensive style since signing with the Browns during the offseason, he's built a strong relationship with his position coach, Duce Staley.
From the early days of the offseason program and training camp to the injury Foreman sustained at the Greenbrier and his return to the field, he said Staley has helped him through the different highs and lows.
"He's always been in my corner and just pushing me to stay on the right track," Foreman said. "Like the first game, I didn't really play much in the first game, and he just came to talk to me and told me that my opportunities were coming, just to make the best of them. Also, him knowing me as a person, and me knowing him, being here in OTAs, I think he knows how to come and talk to me and know how to get the best out of me. So, it's been great. I think our relationship is perfect."
As they prepare for Week 3 against the Giants and beyond, the Browns will look to incorporate their run game into the flow of their offense. In the first two weeks of the season, the Giants gave up a total of 326 rushing yards on 61 carries to the Vikings and Commanders. They've allowed 16 total rushing first downs this season.
The efficiency not only in Foreman's ability to run, but also the Browns run game as a unit, is an important factor in their progress. Foreman believed the Browns' first offensive drive against Jacksonville was one of their best drives as an offense with how they ran the ball and passed the ball. He saw a high level of efficiency that allowed them to operate and create a rhythm.
The ebb and flow of either running the ball or passing the ball can be attributed to the flow of a game and the best way to attack a particular opposing defense. However, Dorsey said they want to be able to run the football and sees how Foreman's skillset can benefit the Browns in the run game.
"He's a heck of a running back," Dorsey said. "He's physical. He plays fast. He hits the hole hard and there's going to be a place for his style of play within our system. So, we'll continue to try to get him involved, try to get all those guys involved. It's just, you got to be careful because it's like if you're spread too thin there, then no one gets in that rhythm. So, we just got to make sure that we've got a rotation that allows those guys to stay in a rhythm and yet, still take advantage of what they do. And I think all those guys have some very good skill sets."
