BEREA, Ohio — The Browns are back home after a West Coast road trip that saw them drop both their games to the Broncos and the Rams. Now, with AFC Jacksonville Jaguars up next, the Browns have a decision to make about who will start at quarterback. However, they aren't ready to do that just yet.
Rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson left in the third quarter of the Broncos game after taking a hard hit, which was a short time later discovered to have given him a concussion. Recently signed veteran Joe Flacco was not yet on the active roster, so P.J. Walker entered the game with Thompson-Robinson ruled out.
The following week, Thompson-Robinson worked through concussion protocol while the team practiced at UCLA ahead of the Rams game. He made progress, but there were no skipping steps through concussion protocol, and he was unable to clear before the game. With the Browns having named Flacco the backup for that game, he made his debut in orange and brown in L.A.
A hot start for Flacco saw the quarterback push the ball down the field for an opening drive touchdown, a wide-open shot to running back Jerome Ford. As the game went on, Flacco looked sure of himself and the offense, moving the ball well for much of the game, airing the ball out on some deeper passes while making good decisions in the short game as well. He threw for 254 yards and two touchdowns and found a solid connection with his former teammate Elijah Moore. An untimely interception took the Browns out of what could have been a go-ahead scoring drive late in the game.
Flacco, 38, who played a solid game for Cleveland after nearly a year away from football, said that taste made him eager for more.
"I think anytime you get a little taste of playing football, you want to keep that going for as long as possible," Flacco said.
Whether he gets more of that playing time as a Browns starting quarterback remains to be seen, with head coach Kevin Stefanski declining to make a decision on the quarterback situation at this time.
"We'll make that decision at the appropriate time, but I want to see how this week goes," Stefanski said Wednesday.
Thompson-Robinson remained in concussion protocol on Wednesday but was able to return to practice in a limited fashion. He took some passes behind Flacco and ran through individual drills. The Browns will continue monitoring the rookie quarterback to see how he continues progressing throughout the week. The team sees the young quarterback's potential and likes what he can offer the offense when he's healthy. They're also keen on developing his skill set.
But the Browns do have another option in Flacco. The 16-year NFL veteran and once Super Bowl MVP has a proven track record. He can manage a game, lead teams to wins, and make sound decisions when they matter. Sunday's game against the Rams showed he has plenty left in the tank and that he could help this team offensively without a doubt, as they also believe Thompson-Robinson can.
That's why, with the rookie getting closer to being cleared to exit the concussion protocol, the Browns now have a decision to make: Stick with the veteran who may have some physical limitations but just played a strong game for the team or go back to the rookie who seemed to be finding his own just as he sustained injury against the Broncos and whose ceiling is believed to be high.
With Thompson-Robinson not quite cleared yet, that decision is on hold.
"I think we’ve got to see how it goes. I think that's what’s important in this situation. Dorian obviously hasn't cleared just yet, but he's going to practice, so I want to see how it looks," Stefanski said.
If the decision is Thompson-Robinson, there's plenty of confidence he can help them break their two-game losing streak.
"I think Dorian continues to get better. We've talked about him, just think back to preseason, got better throughout the preseason, I think has gotten better throughout this season. I think we've all seen his skillset and know what type of player he is, but I think he's working very hard to continue to improve as this season wears on," Stefanski said.
If the decision is Flacco, Sunday left a positive feeling around the veteran as well.
"We trust in our coaches, we trust in our staff to get the quarterback prepped and ready for the game. And with Joe, he’s a vet and we know he’s got a feel for the game, basically just has to learn the playbook, just different terminology for him so we expect him to make the plays that he makes," said tight end Jordan Akins.
While fans wait to see which quarterback they'll be cheering on come Sunday, the Browns aren't letting that decision consume them but rather finding a way to get back to winning with the Jags coming to town.
“I think for us we really have to, as you've seen throughout this season, you really have to worry about the week you're in and focus on the week you're in. And that's really what we're going to do. We talk every week, it’s ‘how do you win this game?’ That's what you're focused on," Stefanski said.
