In London, England, the Browns gave Dillon Gabriel his first NFL start, and he didn’t disappoint. However, the team couldn’t pull off the win, falling 21-17 in the final seconds against the Minnesota Vikings on a Carson Wentz touchdown pass to Jordan Addison.
As for the Browns, all eyes were on Dillon Gabriel, who led the offense efficiently and threw two touchdown passes. Still, the real star for Cleveland was another rookie, Quinshon Judkins, who recorded his first 100-yard rushing game, finishing with 23 carries for 110 yards, along with two receiving touchdowns. The former Ohio State standout is slowly emerging as a key piece for Kevin Stefanski’s squad.
But in the end, the most important thing -the victory- slipped away. The Browns fell to the Vikings and now, under Dillon Gabriel’s leadership, sit at 1-4 at the bottom of the AFC North, potentially heading toward a high draft pick in 2026.
Dillon Gabriel surpasses Joe Flacco’s touchdown total in a single game
After four dreadful weeks with Joe Flacco leading the Browns’ offense, head coach Kevin Stefanski decided to give rookie Dillon Gabriel a chance. Gabriel, who earned the backup spot after a tough preseason competition, didn’t disappoint in his debut.
In his first start, Dillon Gabriel completed 19 of 33 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns – one to Harold Fannin Jr. and another to David Njoku. For the first time all season, the Browns’ offense finally showed life – thanks not only to Gabriel’s arm but also to Quinshon Judkins’ 110 rushing yards.
With this performance, Dillon Gabriel has already surpassed Joe Flacco in touchdown passes this season. The 18-year veteran had just two touchdowns in four starts, while Gabriel now has three – two from Week 5 and one from Week 2 against the Baltimore Ravens.
Next week, the Cleveland Browns will visit Aaron Rodgers’ Pittsburgh Steelers in what will be Dillon Gabriel’s first divisional matchup – a major test, as the pressure continues to mount and the name Shedeur Sanders looms behind him.
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