It’s been a wild year for the Cleveland Browns at quarterback, but then again, isn’t it always?, Cleveland’s the eighth team since 1961 that has used at least four starting quarterbacks in a season. Starting QB No. 4 might be the good luck charm the Browns need to help get them to the playoffs.
The Browns signed 16-year veteran Joe Flacco on Nov. 20 and through two starts it looks like Flacco still has some gas left in the tank.
In Cleveland’s 31-27 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, Flacco was 26 of 45 for 311 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. All three of Flacco’s passing scores were at least 30 yards, making him the first Brown to do so since Brian Sipe back in 1980.
Flacco may be 38 years old with another birthday coming in January, but he’s finding the fountain of youth and looks to be in better physical shape compared to stints with the Denver Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Jets in recent years. Flacco knows his time in the NFL won’t last forever and he’s trying to soak in every last moment.
“It’s unbelievable to be out there,” Flacco said per Browns.com. “It’s really a unique experience. I can’t say it enough to have children that are of the age where they understand what’s going on and I’m going to remember these things forever. I’m just trying to stay in the moment and be as grateful as possible and keep getting better.”
Flacco’s return to relevance isn’t just a feel-good story, he’s on a team with an elite defense and playmakers on offense that can be formidable in the playoffs — if they get there. The Browns are currently 8-5 and have the No. 5 seed in the AFC, which would make them a wild card team.
While it’ll be hard to catch the 10-3 Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North, a playoff berth is very possible if Flacco’s able to keep the chains moving through the air. While Flacco’s been with Cleveland just a few weeks, head coach Kevin Stefanski has named him the starting quarterback for the remainder of the season.
Defensive end Myles Garrett said that Flacco has “a positive attitude and aura around him.”
“He still feels like he’s an outsider looking in, but he’s one of us,” Garrett said. “And as long as he continues what he’s doing, he’s going to stay one of us.”
Garrett went on to call Flacco’s performance “fantastic.”
“The man was sharp,” Garrett said. “He made the plays that he needed to make.”
Flacco will have to remain sharp if the Browns are to generate a playoff berth. Other teams are nipping at their heels and right behind them in the standings. There are six teams in the AFC with a 7-6 record, which is a game behind Cleveland. There isn’t much margin for error this season.
The Browns’ next test is against a 5-8 Chicago Bears team coming off a huge 28-13 win over the Detroit Lions.
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