The Cleveland Browns were totally dominated on Sunday by the Detroit Lions, losing 34-10 at Ford Field in Detroit. Browns quarterback Joe Flacco didn’t have his best game, either, and was actually pulled later for Dillon Gabriel.
No, Shedeur Sanders didn’t see any action in Sunday’s defeat, for those who might wonder. He was listed as inactive. After the game, though, Browns coach Kevin Stefanski was asked about the starting quarterback situation.
What Did Kevin Stefanski Say About Browns QB Role?
Taking questions from reporters after the loss, Stefanski was asked if there was a change in the making with Flacco being benched.
Stefanski, though, said that was not in the offing right now. But he didn’t give the Browns offense any room to brag, either. “That’s not our focus,” Stefanski said, per ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi. “We didn’t do enough on offense.”
As of now, Flacco is set to start in Week 5 while Gabriel and Sanders continue to wait for their opportunity.
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said he’s still not considering a QB change.
“That’s not our focus … We didn’t do enough on offense.”
— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) September 28, 2025
How bad was Flacco on Sunday? He was 16-of-34 passing for 184 yards and two interceptions against Detroit and its vaunted defense, led by Aiden Hutchinson.
Heading into Week 4, Flacco was ranked #32 based on PFSN’s Quarterback Impact (QBi). He had a QB Impact score of 57.5, which will likely get even worse once the numbers from the game against the Lions are taken into consideration.
Based on PFSN’s Offense Impact (OFFi), the Browns have the third-worst offense in the league. They have an offense impact score of 57.5, which is unlikely to improve following Week 4.
In mop-up duty, Gabriel attempted one pass, but it was incomplete. The Browns have been dealing with quarterback issues for some time. Of course, they have Deshaun Watson on a lengthy contract, but he’s still out of action. He, too, was listed as inactive for Sunday’s game.
They drafted Gabriel, who played college ball at Oregon, in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. As for Sanders? Cleveland drafted him in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Both young players are listed as second and third on the Browns’ QB depth chart at this time.
Flacco has been a solid starter in his NFL career. He’s proven himself time and time again, but Sunday’s start didn’t earn him any brownie points. Stefanski may be keeping his QB role just as it is after the defeat. Yet he’s going to have to get Flacco in better positions to succeed and get Cleveland some victories.
