Joe Flacco will start Sunday for the Cleveland Browns, who are turning to the veteran quarterback to keep them in the playoff chase. The 38-year-old Flacco is the fourth QB to start this season for the Browns (7-4). If Flacco plays well this week, he'll likely remain Cleveland's starter for the rest of this season.
Joe Flacco took the first reps in practice for the Cleveland Browns on Wednesday, and it could happen again for their game against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said Flacco was the backup quarterback this week, which would put the Super Bowl 47 MVP in line to start if rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson does not clear concussion protocol. “No reason to make any decisions just yet,” Stefanski said.
The Cleveland Browns are again in quarterback limbo. With rookie starter Dorian Thompson-Robinson in concussion protocol after taking a brutal hit in Sunday's loss at Denver, the Browns may make yet another switch and put their season — and playoff hopes — in Flacco's capable hands. Cleveland signed the 2013 Super Bowl MVP last week as protection in case Thompson-Robinson either flopped or got hurt.
When his teammate Kareem Jackson was suspended for a second time last week for the kind of hits the NFL is trying to get rid of, Denver Broncos star safety Justin Simmons lamented that the league lacked both consistency and clarity in its rules enforcement. Week 12 showed Simmons was spot on. In Buffalo's 37-34 overtime loss at Philadelphia, Bills quarterback Josh Allen was on both ends of some dubious decisions by referee Shawn Hochuli's crew.
Russell Wilson accounted for two touchdowns and Denver's defense produced three more takeaways and a safety in the Broncos' 29-12 win over the injury-riddled Cleveland Browns on Sunday. With their fifth consecutive victory, the Broncos (6-5) moved above .500 for the first time under coach Sean Payton. The Browns (7-4) missed out on a chance to match their best start since 1999 and they lost several starters to injury, including rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (head) in his first road start.