The Cleveland Browns have another big AFC game this Sunday at Cleveland Browns Stadium with the Jaguars and once again, have to make a decision as to who will be this week’s quarterback.
In a season the Browns have started four different quarterbacks through the first 12 games, it is not uncommon to enter another week with uncertainty at the position.
On Wednesday, Kevin Stefanski did not want to name the starting quarterback.
“We’ll make that decision at the appropriate time, but I want to see how this week goes,” Stefanski said.
Rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson missed last week’s game with a concussion, suffered against the Broncos. Joe Flacco started and played well in throwing for 254 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, but Stefanski did not want to name Flacco the starting quarterback for the Jaguars when asked on Monday with Thompson-Robinson in the concussion protocol.
Stefanski said that Thompson-Robinson is still in the protocol, but would be at practice and he wanted to see how the week played out. Flacco, Thompson-Robinson and P.J. Walker were all taking part in practice during the portion of practice open to the media. Flacco was taking the first turn in individual drills.
On the season, Deshaun Watson started six games a fracture bone in his throwing shoulder ended his season. Thompson-Robinson started three, P.J. Walker started two and played the majority of the Colts game and Flacco has started one.
In Flacco’s first start, the Browns took the opening kickoff and led the Browns 75 yards down the field for a touchdown and capped the drive with a 24-yard touchdown pass to Jerome Ford.
Flacco, who was the 37th different quarterback the Browns have had since 1999, was 4-of-5 for 65 yards on the first drive. He completed passes to Amari Cooper for 22- and 6-yards on the drive, as well as a 13-yard pass to Ford, besides the touchdown.
Flacco finished 23-of-44 for 254 yards with two touchdowns and one costly interception. His rating was 75.4. He was sacked twice, both in the final minute of the game.
Several veteran players were impressed with Flacco.
Anthony Walker was not surprised by Flacco’s performance.
“I mean this is a guy who’s done it at the highest level in the NFL,” Walker said before practice on Wednesday. “Yeah, seeing him do it on Sunday was just another walk in the park for him, obviously. I know he wants a couple plays back. We all do, but I thought he played really well.”
Flacco became the oldest Brown quarterback in history to throw a touchdown pass and he also threw to nine different receivers, a record for a Browns quarterback in his first game.
In the first half, Flacco led the Browns on two scoring drives for 10 points. A 75-yard touchdown drive and a 58-yard field goal drive. In the second half, Flacco had a 74-yard field goal drive and a 75-yard touchdown drive.
Flacco was 11-of-21 for 156 yards and a touchdown in the first half with a 92.6 rating. He had a 42-yard pass to Elijah Moore.
The Browns opening drive of the second half went for 74 yards on 15 plays, taking 7:34, but ended with a 24-yard field goal. The Browns did overcome two big mistakes on the drive as David Njoku stepped out of bounds before catching a 26-yard pass and Cedric Tillman was flagged for illegal formation on 1an 8-yard catch to Moore that was to the Rams eight-yard line.
Flacco had some really good moments, but one key mistake on the late interception put a big dent in the Browns hope of having a late comeback win.
“They just kind of matched everybody up and I was in the pocket a long time and it ultimately was just a bad decision,” Flacco said after the game. “I was late throwing that pass. I had time in the pocket, but lost track of the safety there.”
Walker said that Flacco brings a steady influence to the team.
“That command of the huddle, the guys feeling comfortable in the huddle with you and all that stuff,” he said. “You never want to take that for granted and that’s what he does. He brings that common presence to that huddle and I think the guys really believe in him.”
Safety Grant Delpit likes the leadership that Flacco brings to the team.
“He brings a veteran leadership, to throw the ball down the field a lot and make good decisions,” Delpit said. “So as a defense we got to have his back. He’s playing well like that, so we didn’t have it last game, so we going to get him this game.”
When Flacco started against the Rams, it was the third time in team history, that the Browns started four different players (Deshaun Watson, P.J. Walker, Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Joe Flacco) at quarterback in a season. The Browns also started four quarterbacks in 2008 (Derek Anderson, Brady Quinn, Ken Dorsey and Bruce Gradkowski) and in 1988 (Bernie Kosar, Mike Pagel, Don Strock and Gary Danielson).
Extra Points
Ward Practicing: CB Denzel Ward told reporters as he left the locker room during the open media session that he was going to practice on Wednesday. Ward has missed the last two games with a shoulder injury. Ward also said he was expecting to speak to the media on Thursday during the open media session, which is a positive sign that Ward is on track to play against the Jaguars.
Delpit welcomes Ward back, if he’s ready to play.
“Anytime you have an all pro player like Denzel, you’re going to miss him,” Delpit said. “Just the stuff that he brings to the table, his leadership, his playing on the field is remarkable this year.
“So. if he’s feeling healthy, I don’t know if he’ll be back this week, but you can for sure use it.”
Ward leads the team in passes broken up with 10, despite missing two games. He also is tied for the team lead with two interceptions, along with CB Martin Emerson.
Walker Grateful for Awards: LB Anthony Walker was named the Browns nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year and also the Browns recipient of the Ed Courage Award.
“Yeah, thankful,” Walker said. “Obviously, my teammates, the organization for the nominations, the award getting awards, the Walter Payton Man of the Year. Obviously something just like I said, just very prestigious. You see growing up you see Super Bowls, you see NFL, nm, VP, all that stuff. But the man of the year is something that kind of sticks with you a little longer, that legacy that you want to leave in the community and stuff like that.
“So very thankful for that,” he said. “The Ed block Courage Award, obviously, not an award that you want to be up for, means you got hurt and you got to come back from injury. But I think I’m stronger from it and that’s a testament to my teammates, honestly. Me being here every day with those guys last year going through rehab, those guys really got me through, so I’m very thankful to those guys and for their nomination for that award as well.”
Cooper, Hurst, Hunt Miss Practice: The Browns had three players that did not practice on Wednesday, due to injury. WR Amari Cooper (concussion/ribs), RB Kareem Hunt (groin) and DL Maurice Hurst (calf).
In addition, there were several players not listed that were not seen during the part of practice open to the media, including S Juan Thornhill, K Dustin Hopkins, G Joel Bitonio, TE David Njoku and DE Myles Garrett. They might have been rest days for those players.
WR Marquise Goodwin (concussion) and Thompson-Robinson (concussion) are still in the concussion protocol, but were on the field on Wednesday. Goodwin was injured in the Cardinals game and has missed the last four games.
Both Goodwin and Thompson-Robinson were on the field in uniform during the part of practice that was open to the media.
Mitchell Designated for Return: Rookie CB Cameron Mitchell was designated for return from a hamstring injury and began practicing on Wednesday. Mitchell has been on injured reserve and missed the last four games. Mitchell was a fifth-round draft choice from Northwestern in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Mitchell appeared in the first eight games with one start. He sustained a hamstring injury and was placed on injured reserve on Nov. 7.
Browns Designate Cameron Mitchell to Return from IR
Wednesday, the Cleveland Browns designated rookie corner Cameron Mitchell to return from injured reserve.
Rookie corner Cameron Mitchell played well against the Arizona Cardinals, helping the Cleveland Browns to record a 27-0 shutout on the road. Unfortunately, the fifth-round pick suffered a hamstring injury in the game and the team placed him on injured reserve. Wednesday, the team has opened up the window for Mitchell to return to the active roster, designating him to return from the injured list. He now has 21 days to be activated or reverts back to injured reserve for the rest of the season.
In their two-game road trip, the Browns were limited at the corner position, jockeying between their fifth and sixth corner against the Los Angeles Rams. Mitchell had been out but the team was also without their top corner Denzel Ward, out with a shoulder injury. Both are set to return to the practice field to be evaluated for their potential availability, starting with the home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. While Ward is certainly the more important player, Mitchell does provide the team with options.
Mitchell has the capacity to play both on the boundary as well as the slot. He predominately played on the outside for Northwestern, but he’s gotten plenty of reps with the Browns inside. In the event that one of Ward, Martin Emerson Jr. or Greg Newsome II is out, Mitchell can play inside and allow the other to play on the outside. Newsome was out against the Arizona Cardinals, which enabled Mitchell to get those reps and have his best game of the season. Mitchell also saw action against the Tennessee Titans and Seattle Seahawks, the vast majority of which was from the slot.
In addition to being able to contribute in coverage, Mitchell has found on role on the Browns special teams. He racked up extensive experience in that role for Northwester and has immediately found a role for Bubba Ventrone’s coverage units with the Browns.
Mitchell’s designation along with Ward practicing means the Browns are getting closer to full strength. For a team that has been battling injuries all season, this is an opportunity to get some healthy bodies back. Particularly for the defense coming off their worst stretch of the season, this could give them an opportunity to return to the strong form they’ve shown for much of the year.