Quietly, there’s a pretty good story brewing in Cleveland.
Never mind that the Browns enter Sunday’s home game against the Jaguars having lost their past two games. They’re still in the thick of the playoff chase at 7-5, and they’re doing it with mirrors at quarterback, where they lost Deshaun Watson for the season with a fractured shoulder.
That has left the Browns having to rely on rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson and, more recently, 38-year-old Joe Flacco, who performed well in last week’s loss to Rams, against whom he completed 23 of 44 passes for 254 yards with two touchdowns and one interception just days after being signed by Cleveland.
Thompson-Robinson has completed 53.2 percent of his passes and has just one TD and four interceptions.
As of Friday, Browns coach Kevin Stefanski was being coy about which quarterback he was going to start Sunday, but the fact is this: The Browns winning with either one of them is a story.
If they were to make the playoffs, surviving the Watson injury, Stefanski should get strong NFL Coach of the Year consideration. Even with their injury situation, the Browns they have a 66.2 percent chance to make the playoffs, according to ESPN Analytics.
The Browns closing schedule after Sunday’s game against the Jaguars, who are almost certain to be without their starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence because of the high ankle sprain he suffered last week, is very manageable.
They play the Bears (4-8), at Texans (7-5), Jets (4-8) and at the Bengals (6-6), who are without their starting quarterback Joe Burrow for the rest of the season. It’s going to likely take three wins in those.
“I always feel good about this team,” Cleveland defensive end Myles Garrett told reporters this week. “We know exactly what the mission is. No one asked for the situation that we’re in, but we’re in it. [We] can’t complain, can’t moan about it. Just gotta go out there and put the work in and find a way to win.”
Flacco nearly gave the Browns a winning performance last week in a game that was 20-19 Rams late until they pulled away. The veteran QB, who most recently played with the Jets last season but was not re-signed even though he didn’t want to retire, was at home hanging with his family and working out when the Browns called for him to come in for an emergency workout.
Flacco was signed because Thompson-Robinson was in concussion protocol after being knocked out of the Browns Week 12 loss to the Broncos.
Most impressive about Flacco’s performance was the way he threw the ball down the field, showing his arm strength remains despite hit age. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Flacco’s 19 attempts over 10 air yards were the most by a Cleveland quarterback in five years. He completed eight of them.
“I made sure I kept my arm in good enough shape and all that other stuff,’’ Flacco said. “There’s definitely an element to it that’s like riding a bike. Just get back out there and start doing it. I think how I do it, it comes back naturally for the most part.’’
Flacco, with his calm demeanor and vast experience, seemed to have a calming effect on the offense.
“We have a guy who can run this offense,’’ Browns right guard Wyatt Teller told reporters this week of Flacco. “We have a guy who’s smart, his execution is there. He definitely took control of that huddle. He’s a fighter. He’s a dog. He was putting the ball where it needed to be.”
Though Stefanski remained mum on naming a starter, it will be a surprise if Flacco isn’t out there on Sunday, given the way he handled himself last week. Flacco is the fourth Cleveland quarterback to play this season after Watson, P.J. Walker and Thompson-Robinson.
“He brings a presence to the team,” said Browns receiver Elijah Moore, who played with Flacco when the two were with the Jets last season and had 83 receiving yards against the Rams, his best game of the season. “I feel like we just need more time.”