For a short period of time, the Cleveland Browns not only had a 7-0 lead over the Detroit Lions but felt like they could actually win the game with the way they were playing. It was (almost) all downhill after that. The Lions scored 20 unanswered points between the end of the first quarter and halftime. The Browns got a field goal early in the third quarter, but that was the end of the scoring and the continuation of the problems.
While this article is about QB Joe Flacco and Week 5 (frankly, every
NFL game seems to start with the QB or a coaching decision a vast majority of times), the quarterback was hardly the only problem. A big problem but not the only problem as the following also played big roles in the loss:
- Dropped passes at key moments
- Poor offensive line play against an elite pass rusher
- Problems with pretty much everyone on offense besides RB Quinshon Judkins
- Special teams failures
Among many questions Cleveland will need to answer this week before heading over to London for Week 5 versus the Minnesota Vikings is whether Flacco will remain the starting quarterback or if Dillon Gabriel will get his first start. For fans, “let’s see what we got with Gabriel” might seem like the right answer, but it is, for sure, the wrong time.
The Vikings defense is among the most, probably THE most, complicated in the NFL. Over the years, Brian Flores has taught his defense how to rotate into three different looks from the time the offense gets to the line of scrimmage and the ball is actually snapped. While Gabriel (or Shedeur Sanders or whoever the Browns might take in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft) will have to learn how to handle that uniqueness, it is not fair or appropriate for his first start.
Cleveland’s unique week also plays a role in not replacing Flacco with the rookie. While Minnesota takes a short plane ride from one island to another (this writer took a very similar one Sunday morning, it was less than an hour) between weeks, the Browns will travel across the pond with a seven to eight-hour flight in a couple of days. Based on the current schedule information (this writer is credentialed to cover the team’s week in London and the game on Sunday), Cleveland could be practicing only once in advance of Week 5, on Friday after likely arriving on Wednesday.
The team’s schedule in London is subject to change.
Neither of those things set Gabriel or the Browns offense up for success against the Vikings. Instead, Cleveland should once again hope that the veteran Flacco is up to the task of facing the complicated defense that Flores throws at quarterbacks and hope that his pass catchers catch those crucial passes, special teams doesn’t have huge lapses and the offensive line can play a little better, with the hope that Jack Conklin can play.
Immediately following the loss to the Lions, HC Kevin Stefanski was not ready to pull the plug on Flacco:
As Browns fans are used to hearing, Stefanski once again noted that “we all have to be better.”
Flacco’s time as Cleveland’s starting quarterback probably should have ended after the loss to the Baltimore Ravens, but putting Gabriel in as the starter in London is not the right move. If, like it did against Baltimore and Detroit, things go horribly wrong, getting the rookie quarterback in the game earlier in Week 5 does make some sense.
For now, it should be more Flacco and a whole lot of hope that he can play better and the play from the rest of the offense (besides Judkins) and special teams steps up as well.
