It was in his third start with the Cleveland Browns that Dillon Gabriel earned his first NFL victory as a starting quarterback, leading the team to a 31-6 win over the Miami Dolphins. However, the rookie out of Oregon didn’t put up impressive numbers – he threw for only 116 yards through the air, and it was the other rookie, Quinshon Judkins, who really carried the team to victory.
Judkins rushed 25 times for 84 yards and three touchdowns, but of course, the quarterback is always the one under the microscope. Dillon Gabriel continues to fail to convince, even though he has been Kevin Stefanski’s preferred choice since the preseason. In his debut, he threw two touchdown passes, but against Pittsburgh and Miami, he failed to record a single score.
The defense once again carried the load – it remains the unit with the most talent on the Browns. Tua Tagovailoa was intercepted three times, including a pick-six by Tyson Campbell, and Cleveland didn’t allow a single Miami touchdown.
Doubts remain about Dillon Gabriel’s talent
Even though the Browns’ two current quarterbacks – rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders – are leading the offense, neither of them has a guaranteed spot for next season, especially since Cleveland will have two first-round picks in the upcoming Draft.
Josina Anderson, NFL insider for 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland, gave her take, suggesting that while Gabriel has been treated fairly, questions still linger about whether he’s the long-term answer: “The process has been very fair to [Gabriel]. The question still goes back to, is he the long-term solution? When he’s on the field, is this the QB that will inspire motivation and confidence that you want? I’m not sure.”
Gabriel was selected in the third round of last year’s Draft – a surprise to many analysts, who projected the Oregon quarterback to go in the fifth round or later. Meanwhile, Shedeur Sanders, once considered a first-round talent, ended up falling all the way to the fifth round.
The Browns remain a true spectacle – and for good reason. Since their return to Cleveland in 1999, they’ve had only four winning seasons, and in that time, they’ve been arguably the most dysfunctional franchise in the NFL.
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