The Deshaun Watson-less Cleveland Browns are down to the bare bones at the quarterback position heading into Week 13’s cross-conference clash at the Los Angeles Rams
The Cleveland Browns will start veteran Joe Flacco at quarterback this weekend against the Los Angeles Rams if rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson remains in concussion protocol.
Flacco, 38, would become the fourth play-caller the Browns have started this season, something the organization has not done since 2008 when they went 4-12. Before that, it had only happened once in franchise history, during the 1988 season, when they did make the playoffs with a 10-6 record before narrowly losing 24-23 to the Houston Oilers in the AFC wild-card game.
They will hope to overcome these injury issues to achieve something similar 35 years later if Flacco takes to the field. Cleveland are 7-4 and third in the fiercely competitive AFC North.
Deshaun Watson
After missing the first 11 games last season through league suspension, the expectation was that Watson would at least play more than during his debut season in Cleveland. However, injuring the rotator cuff in his throwing arm in Week 3 against the Tennessee Titans eventually ended those hopes.
Despite returning in Week 7 and then playing Weeks 9 and 10, he eventually underwent season-ending surgery on a shoulder fracture. That means he played six games in 2023, the same amount as a year ago
Dorian Thompson-Robinson
With Watson out for Week 4, Thompson-Robinson stepped in hours before kick-off to start against the Baltimore Ravens and make his NFL debut. It was far from a dream start as he threw three interceeption in the 28-3 loss.
PJ Walker then replaced him for their next game after a Week 5 bye week. However, the rookie who impressed enough in preseason to beat out Josh Dobbs for a roster spot, got another chance to start after Watson’s surgery. Thompson-Robinson has started each of Cleveland’s previous two games but exited the last one with a concussion and is questionable to start Week 13.
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