"Wasted 4 weeks": Ryan Clark rips Joe Flacco as Dillon Gabriel outperforms vet QB in debut game

The Cleveland Browns promoted rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel to the starting role for the Week 5 clash in London against the Minnesota Vikings, dropping veteran Joe Flacco to the backup role.

Despite starting just his first NFL game, Gabriel has made an impression on former Super Bowl-winning safety Ryan Clark. The former Pro Bowler-turned-analyst ripped Flacco while praising the rookie quarterback during the Browns game.

"The Browns wasted 4 weeks with Joe Flacco starting at QB. Dillon Gabriel should have started week 1!"

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The rookie got the role after Flacco failed to impress as the starter after four weeks. With the Browns' defense being disciplined against the Vikings, Gabriel has been assured with his passing.

Gabriel had completed 17 of his 30 attempts for 146 passing yards with two touchdowns with less than a minute left in the game and the Browns leading 17-14.

However, his first start of the season ended in defeat as the Vikings made a late comeback in the fourth quarter with less than a minute remaining on the clock to claim a 21-17 win.

The rookie quarterback finished by completing 19 of 33 passing attempts with 190 yards and two touchdowns. While Gabriel wasn't outstanding on his first start, he showed glimpses of his potential in the Browns' Week 5 loss.

Dillon Gabriel's strong start not enough to secure a win for Browns against Vikings

Although Dillon Gabriel gave a good account of himself on his first start for the Browns, the rookie claimed it wasn't a "moral victory" as the team lost on the Vikings' final drive of the game.

"Yeah, I think there's something to build on," Gabriel said. "No moral victories whatsoever but there's always a process and the more time you spend around anyone, you're going to get more continuity … and us as a unit coming together and getting comfortable as a unit."

Gabriel's performance will give Browns fans a glimmer of hope for the future, especially after the team had struggled with Flacco as the starting quarterback for the first four weeks.

About the author

Chaitanya Prakash is an editor who covers US Sports at Sportskeeda. His first brush with sportswriting was in 2012 when the greatest football manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson, bid farewell to the beautiful game.

Although having started out professionally as a cricket writer in 2022, Chaitanya's curiosity and indiscriminate interest in all sports in general eventually introduced him to America's favorite pastime.

While Chaitanya's favorite player from the current crop is the dynamic Venezuelan Ronald Acuna Jr., his all-time favorite, however, is Pedro Martinez, for his self-belief and consistency. He also rates Jose Bautista's iconic bat flip in 2015 as his favorite moment in baseball history.

Chaitanya specializes in reporting on technical aspects of the game or analyzing patterns behind specific plays. He also likes pondering over players' self-assessments following the conclusion of a game as it helps him get an idea of how they think about the sport in general.

When not cheering for his favorites across sports, Chaitanya likes being transported to the past through a good war documentary or a historical documentary in general.

Know More

Cleveland Browns Nation! Check out the latest Cleveland Browns Schedule and dive into the Browns Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.

Edited by Chaitanya Prakash