Browns to start Joe Flacco Sunday

Joe Flacco (Keith Allison, Wikimedia Commons)

The Cleveland Browns will have a familiar face at quarterback on Sunday when they play the Los Angeles Rams. When they play in southern California, they will start 38-year-old veteran Joe Flacco of Audubon, New Jersey.

Cleveland needed to improve their quarterback depth when DeShaun Watson of Gainesville, Georgia broke a bone in his throwing shoulder in a 33-31 Cleveland win over the Baltimore Ravens on November 12 and would be out for the rest of the season. After fifth round pick Dorian Thompson-Robinson was unable to throw a touchdown pass in a 13-10 Cleveland win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on November 19, the Browns signed Flacco to their practice squad on November 20. There was some speculation that Flacco might start on November 26 against the Broncos, but the Browns rewarded Thompson-Robinson for his victory against Pittsburgh. Thompson-Robinson did throw a touchdown pass to Harrison Bryant, but Cleveland lost 29-12. In the game, the Browns rookie suffered a concussion on a hit from Broncos linebacker Baron Browning, and was considered unfit to play.

It is interesting that the Browns are going with Flacco in Week 13 instead of P.J. Walker of Elizabeth, New Jersey. Walker has played six games this season and was instrumental in Cleveland victories over the Indianapolis Colts and San Francisco 49ers.

However it is Flacco that the Browns are going with at this time. The Voorhees, New Jersey native is joining his fourth NFL team. He was previously with the Baltimore Ravens (from 2008 to 2018 and won a Super Bowl), the Denver Broncos (2019), and with the New York Jets (2020 to 2022). The one thing to watch regarding Flacco is his mobility. He has been sacked 378 times in his career. It will be interesting how long Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski stays patient with Flacco before making the switch to Walker, who has proven he can be effective for Cleveland at the quarterback position.

Despite the issues at quarterback, the Browns are in the thick of things in the AFC North. They are at seven wins and four losses, and are tied for second with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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