Starting in Week 2, when they lost standout running back Nick Chubb for the season, the Cleveland Browns have been severely impacted by injuries this season. It appeared to be the kind of terrible luck that their supporters are accustomed to.
But the squad has a history of finding ways to win, even against teams who may not have had a chance to win, and recently, 38-year-old quarterback Joe Flacco has emerged as their hero.
Even though Flacco, whom they signed in November, hadn’t played yet when he got to Cleveland, he had already helped the team win two straight games.
He thanked the Browns for giving him another opportunity to play in the NFL, according to SiriusXM NFL Radio, and stated that he had not received any calls from any other teams before to joining them.
“Just appreciative of the chance these guys have given me.”
Although Flacco has never made the Pro Bowl, he established himself as a reliable quarterback for many years. He led the Baltimore Ravens, an underdog, to a Super Bowl championship against the San Francisco 49ers years ago.
His numbers in three games with the Browns aren’t very noteworthy—he has thrown five interceptions and only a 57.9 percent completion rate—but he has 939 passing yards and seven throwing touchdowns.
Three of those interceptions occurred on Sunday against the Chicago Bears, a game the Browns lost by the slimmest of margins when Justin Fields, the quarterback for Chicago, almost completed a Hail Mary touchdown throw on the last play.
The Browns, who are presently in fifth place in the AFC, have a difficult schedule to finish the regular season because they have games against the Cincinnati Bengals, Houston Texans, and New York Jets.
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Fans React To Today’s Joe Flacco News
This season, the Cleveland Browns have started four different quarterbacks: Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco, P.J. Walker, and Dorian Thompson-Robinson.
Strangely enough, in his sixteenth season in the league, Flacco has been the best of the bunch.
In his two starts, he has thrown for 565 yards and five touchdowns with just two interceptions.
But up until today, he has been a member of the practice squad.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the 38-year-old quarterback and the Browns have reportedly finalized a one-year deal that guarantees him a position on the active roster for the remainder of the season.
Although this announcement didn’t surprise supporters, it seems strange that Flacco would lead the Browns into the 2023 postseason considering his previous playing career with the Baltimore Ravens and the amount Cleveland paid Watson two summers prior.
The transaction was completed in less than a week following Flacco’s 31-27 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 14 of the NFL.
Following the game, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski stated that Flacco, who had thrown for 311 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception in the victory, had earned the starting job for the remainder of the season.
Although the agreement is justified, it is strange considering Flacco’s advanced age and the Browns’ realistic prospects of winning the playoffs.
With an 8-5 record, Flacco will lead the Cleveland team in their push for a playoff berth.
This will be Flacco’s most games played in a season since his one and only season with the Denver Broncos in 2019. If he ends the season as a starter.
Additionally, Flacco will be making his first postseason appearance since playing for the Ravens in 2014 if the Browns advance to the playoffs.
