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After four weeks of Joe Flacco failing to get the Cleveland Browns’ offense moving, Kevin Stefanski had to make his first big call of the season: bench the 18-year veteran and give Dillon Gabriel his first NFL start. And it happened far from home – in London, England.
Shedeur Sanders shares bad haircut blunder for Browns’ London game
Dillon Gabriel, a third-round pick in the latest NFL Draft, had been part of a four-way quarterback competition in Cleveland. He eventually secured the backup spot, and it was only a matter of time before his opportunity came. He saw limited action in Week 2 vs. the Baltimore Ravens and Week 4 vs. the Detroit Lions, but this time, the rookie finally got his shot.
Gabriel’s first start came against the Minnesota Vikings, and for the first time all season, the Browns’ offense showed real rhythm. The rookie threw two touchdown passes, while fellow rookie Quinshon Judkins rushed for over 100 yards – his first such game in the NFL. Still, the Browns fell short, 21-17.
Kevin Stefanski knows Dillon Gabriel still has things to improve
It was clear Kevin Stefanski wanted to see what he had in his young quarterbacks. Dillon Gabriel got his chance and performed fairly well – 190 passing yards and two touchdowns – but the Oregon Ducks product still has room to grow, according to his coach: “There were some good things, some rookie things to certainly clean up.”
Gabriel’s final stat line: 19-of-33 (57%), 190 yards, 2 touchdowns, and no interceptions. However, the rookie failed to capitalize on a fumble recovery and a missed field goal that could’ve sealed the win. There’s still plenty for him to work on – and the pressure isn’t going away, especially with Shedeur Sanders waiting right behind him.
On the other hand, Kevin Stefanski knows the Browns need to learn how to close out games: “We need to do a better job closing out,” the HC said. “That’s an offensive thing, defense, special teams, coaches, players – you name it. We’ve got to be at our best in those moments, and we were not.”
The Minnesota Vikings stole the game from the Cleveland Browns with a Carson Wentz touchdown pass to Jordan Addison with 25 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Next up, Cleveland faces another tough challenge – the Pittsburgh Steelers, in a divisional showdown in the AFC North.
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