Kevin Stefanski gives firm statement on the QB position going forward after Dillon Gabriel’s bad showing against Patriots
Things just weren’t good enough for the Browns on offense once again.
The Cleveland Browns have hit the bye week portion of their schedule after their Week 8 loss to the New England Patriots. Cleveland trailed just 9-7 at halftime, but the Browns ended up losing 32-13 in a game that was decided in the third quarter. New England blanked Cleveland 21-0 in that frame, putting the game away for good.
Coming off another poor offensive performance, head coach Kevin Stefanski had no choice but to answer questions about the quarterback position.
Kevin Stefanski says Browns will stick with Dillon Gabriel coming out of the bye week
“When I say look at everything, when you lose like this, you have to look at everything,” Stefanski said after the loss. “Every position, everything I’m doing. It’s frustrating for where we are as a team. Every position you have to look at. But let me say that with a young quarterback, you understand there’s going to be ups and downs.”
The last part there says it all—and he’s right. You’re going to take lumps with a young quarterback, and the Browns are well aware of that. Gabriel finished 21-of-35 passing for 156 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions against the Patriots. They were the first two interceptions of his career, coming in his fourth start.
The most concerning issue with Gabriel has been the offense’s inability to move the ball downfield through the air. Gabriel has surpassed 200 passing yards just once in his four starts—and that came when he threw 52 passes for only 221 yards in a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers a few weeks ago. The offense has problems all around—from the offensive line, to the receivers, to the scheme and play-calling at times. But that doesn’t mean poor quarterback play gets a pass, and the Browns are still seeing too much of it.
Bailey Zappe served as the backup against the Patriots due to Shedeur Sanders being inactive with a back injury that popped up late in the week. It’s not considered serious, and Sanders is expected to be fine. If Gabriel continues to put this same level of quarterback play on the field week after week, the Browns may have to make a change to see what they have in Sanders. Cleveland has two first-round picks next year, and quarterback remains at the top of their list of needs—until proven otherwise.
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