Toward the end of a 41-17 blowout against the Baltimore Ravens, the Cleveland Browns inserted third-round rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel into the lineup in place of Joe Flacco. Gabriel led a scoring drive, going three of three for a touchdown, but that performance didn’t change the Browns’ mind about who their starting quarterback will be moving forward.
According to Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski, Flacco will be starting this week against the Green Bay Packers. So far this season, Flacco has
thrown two touchdowns to three interceptions and has posted a 70.1 passer rating. For perspective, the only preferred starters who have posted a worse starter to the year are Cam Ward (69.5) and J.J. McCarthy (67.2).
Meanwhile, the Packers’ Jordan Love ranks fourth in the league with a 120.0 passer rating, only behind Lamar Jackson, Justin Herbert and Jared Goff.
The Packers are also playing very good defense, allowing just 31 points over two games. The only teams that have allowed fewer over two games this year are the Los Angeles Rams and Atlanta Falcons, who each got to play one of Ward or McCarthy in Week 2. Green Bay’s point differential right now is +23, ranking only second behind the Indianapolis Colts, who haven’t so much as punted once going into Week 3. The Browns’ point differential is -25, which ranks third-worst in the NFL behind only the Chicago Bears (-34) and Miami Dolphins (-31).
I get not feeding Gabriel to the wolves in his first start, but a 40-year-old shouldn’t have to endure what Flacco is going to feel on Sunday.
