Dillon Gabriel got his first start of the season on Sunday in London against the Minnesota Vikings after the team decided to bench Joe Flacco. It was a challenging setting to have his first start as a rookie – an international game against a talented defense. Let’s look at what Gabriel did well in this matchup and how confident the team should be in him moving forward.
Gabriel completed 19 of his 33 passes for 190 passing yards and threw two touchdowns without any interceptions. His decision-making
stood out, and he made decisive throws throughout the game, even when he struggled with accuracy. It was uncertain whether the game would move too fast for the rookie, but he looked very confident.
One of the more encouraging parts of Gabriel’s performance was his mobility. He was able to escape pressure in multiple key moments in this game and extend plays with his legs. As he gets more comfortable running this offense, this skill will be a big asset for the Cleveland offense.
The biggest area of concern for Gabriel was his arm strength. He was not often asked to throw downfield in this game, but when he was, those throws were not some of his best. It will be challenging for the Browns to put up large numbers of points on the board in the future if they cannot push the ball downfield.
Let me know what you think in the comments – What did you like from Gabriel’s first start? What is your level of confidence in him?
