How the Cleveland Browns got to Joe Flacco at quarterback

As we head into week 13 of the NFL season, I highly doubt that any Clevland Browns fan had Joe Flacco as the starting quarterback on their bingo card. After years of starting multiple quarterbacks in a season because of poor play, it’s finally because of so many injuries. After learning that Deshaun Watson was ruled out for the year, we finally see some improvements from Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and now we are likely without him for a week. 

At 7-4, the Browns control their own destiny into the playoffs, but they must find a way to win at least three more games before the end of the season. They have a few winnable games on the schedule, and even though this is on the West Coast, the Browns need to win this week vs. the LA Rams to solidify their playoff hopes. 

Not only are the Browns banged up on offense, but the defense could potentially be without a few stars as well. And even if a guy like Myles Garrett gives it a go, how healthy will he be? Buckle up and enjoy the journey of going from all the hopes in the world for a Super Bowl to Joe Flacco starting as our quarterback to keep our hopes alive for a wildcard. 

The Should Injury:

This whole mess started when Deshaun Watson was inactive vs. the Baltimore Ravens because of a shoulder injury from the week prior. I don’t think many fans saw the scratch coming, and that forced Dorian Thompson-Robinson into his first start which he wasn’t prepared for. 

Watson would miss four games (minus a few series vs. the Colts), and would eventually return vs. the Arizona Cardinals. Watson would play well vs. the Cardinals and then put together his best half of football as a Brown the next week in Baltimore, where he led the Browns to a comeback win. 

In the first half of that game Watson would take a hit that dinged up the shoulder, and we would eventually learn the next week that he would be sidelined for the remained of the year because the risk of a more serious injury was too high if he continued to play.