Joe Flacco’s tenure at QB
When the Browns first signed QB Joe Flacco to the practice squad on Nov. 20, the Browns had lost QB Deshaun Watson for the season to a shoulder injury and had been through three starting quarterbacks with rookie QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson and P.J. Walker. Flacco brought a level of experience that was needed for the final stretch of the season, and he played an integral in getting the Browns to the playoffs.
Dating back to his first game at starting quarterback in Week 13, Flacco threw for over 300 yards in four of the five games he started in the regular season. He finished the regular season with 123 completed passes for 1,616 yards, 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also led the Browns to four consecutive wins from Week 14-17 and clinched a playoff berth for first time since 2020.
Saturday was not the ending they had hoped for though. Flacco finished Saturday’s game completing 34-of-46 passes for 307 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Flacco’s two picks in the third quarter on back-to-back offensive drives that the Texans both returned for touchdowns. Flacco said that on the first interception he was trying to throw the ball away.
“Today, you’re trying to throw the ball away, you’re not trying to make a bad decision, but at the end of the day, you have to be able to live with sacks,” Flacco said. “And I think on that drive, we had overcome a second-and-long from a holding, and in the back of your head, you’re like, ‘OK, we got over that one, let’s not get back in that position.’ And you almost let your guard down a little bit. And like I said, I think you have to realize that sometimes sacks aren’t bad things.”
As Flacco stood at the podium following the loss, he was grateful for his time in Cleveland and the chance to play football once again this season.
“I think I was so fortunate to become a part of this team,” Flacco said. “It’s a special group. And I know a lot of people can say that, but it really is. To be given a chance to do this with those guys, I’m super grateful for it.”