Russell Wilson’s benching in Pittsburgh has been one of the biggest storylines of the week. After another sluggish performance and continued offensive struggles, the Steelers finally decided to make a change, signaling that even established veterans aren’t immune to accountability. That decision now casts a spotlight on Cleveland, where Joe Flacco has looked every bit as shaky as Wilson, and maybe even more so at times.
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The Browns are in a very similar situation. Like Pittsburgh, they brought in a veteran to stabilize the position while grooming young talent, but instead, they find themselves saddled with one of the league’s least efficient quarterbacks through three weeks.
Cleveland’s rookie options, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, remain largely untested, but they represent hope for the future if Flacco can’t turn things around. Gabriel already got his feet wet in mop-up duty against the Ravens in Week 2, throwing his first touchdown, while Sanders continues to wait for his chance.
The analytics paint a grim picture. Both Flacco (37.8) and Wilson (33.4) rank in the bottom five in QBR, with their efficiency and turnover rates dragging down offenses that have otherwise shown flashes of competitiveness. Against the Packers in Week 3, Flacco completed 21 of 36 passes for just 142 yards with one interception and no touchdowns, good for a 55.6 passer rating.
The Browns’ offense, for most of the game, was nonfunctional, rushing lanes closed, the passing game sputtered, and the offensive line crumbled without Dawand Jones. The lack of protection is a problem, but Flacco’s immobility has only amplified it, with the veteran looking overwhelmed against pressure.
This follows a Week 2 disaster in Baltimore, where Flacco turned the ball over twice in a homecoming to his old stadium. One of those turnovers led directly to a Ravens touchdown, and another was returned 64 yards for a score.
Those kinds of mistakes can crush a team’s momentum, and Cleveland is already showing signs of frustration, having failed to top 20 points in either of their first two games. In fact, they’ve now failed to reach that benchmark in 16 of their last 19 contests.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski, however, has been firm in his public support for Flacco. After the Ravens loss, he quickly shut down speculation of a quarterback change, saying “No” when asked if the team was considering a switch. “I don’t think we did good enough. I think that collectively as a team, we as an offense, we as the coaching staff, all of us didn’t do a good enough job,” he added.
On Monday, he doubled down, reaffirming that Flacco would remain the starter as the Browns prepare to face the Detroit Lions, a team boasting the NFL’s third-ranked defense.
#Browns Kevin Stefanski said he’s sticking with Joe Flacco going forward despite the tough sledding. He was without 2 starting tackles
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) September 21, 2025
That matchup could be a nightmare scenario for a struggling quarterback, particularly given Detroit’s ability to generate pressure and force mistakes.
On one hand, Stefanski is trying to project stability, giving his veteran a chance to rebound and hoping the offense finds its rhythm. On the other hand, with Gabriel already showing poise in limited action and Sanders’ potential still hanging over the conversation, it’s hard to ignore the possibility of a switch if things continue to unravel. After all, Pittsburgh showed with Wilson that no quarterback is untouchable when the results just aren’t there.
For now, Joe Flacco keeps his job. Stefanski is betting on the veteran’s experience, hoping he can at least steady the offense while the rookies develop. But the margin for error is shrinking by the week.
If Flacco delivers another turnover-heavy, low-scoring outing against Detroit’s elite defense, the Browns may be forced to follow the Steelers’ example and hit reset at quarterback.
