The Browns?! Joe Flacco?! PLAYOFFS?! What is going on?
The Browns have had, on paper, a nightmare season. Starting right tackle, out for the season. Diamond in the rough backup star right tackle, out for the season. Nick Chubb, the best back in the NFL, is out for the season. Starting QB Deshaun Watson is out for the season. Lockdown CB Denzel Ward has missed multiple games. I could go on and on, yet the Browns currently sit at 8-5 in prime playoff positioning after beating the Jacksonville Jaguars by a score of 31-27. They’re currently in second place in the AFCN.
Joe Flacco has played two games with the Browns. In both games, he’s played very well. There’s even been some sports media personnel throwing out the word “elite” for this past Sunday’s play. The veteran QB commanded the offense with confidence and swagger as he racked up 300+ yards and three touchdowns. Flacco carved up the Jacksonville defense with ease. He had a good rhythm going with David Njoku, who finished with 6 catches, 91 yards, and 2 TDs on the day. Amari Cooper did Amari Cooper things, catching seven balls for 77 yards. Flacco’s third TD of the day came on a short pass to David Bell, who then evaded defenders and ran 41 yards for his first NFL touchdown.
Per usual, the Browns defense did its job extraordinarily well. They forced four turnovers. 3 interceptions by Trevor Lawrence (2 from Martin Emerson), and they forced a fumble and recovered it as well. Lawrence struggled to get anything going. Don’t let the stat sheet fool you; two of his three TD passes came on an extremely short field after the Browns unfortunately turned the ball over in minus territory. The Jaguars offense struggled to cross midfield most of the game. The pass rushers racked up four sacks, with an uncounted sack from Myles Garrett stopping a Trevor Lawrence two-point conversion attempt. Constant pressure, constant aggression. Browns fans are loving it.
Who would’ve thought, after missing 5+ vital starters for the season and being on QB#4 for the season, that the Cleveland Browns are in prime playoff position? Does Flacco have another magical playoff run in him? If so, it’ll be to the benefit of his longtime rival. Here’s to hoping.
All stats are provided courtesy of NFL.com.
John Zimmerman
