In a season of carnage at the quarterback position across the league, no team brought the former Super Bowl MVP in for a workout before Cleveland gave him a shot in mid-November.
That includes New York, a club he played for from 2020-2022 — one that desperately needed a solution at QB while ranking last in the NFL in passing scoring and 31st in passing yardage in the wake of Aaron Rodgers’ Achilles injury.
Those Jets just fell to Flacco in their third game since being eliminated from playoff contention.
Meanwhile, he is 4-1 as the starter for a team that’s now 11-5. He’s thrown for 1,616 yards and 13 touchdowns since Dec. 3, becoming the first player in NFL history to have 250-plus passing yards and two-plus passing TDs in each of his first five games with a club, per NFL Research.
“I’m just so fortunate to be on this team,” Flacco told Garafolo regarding his current four-game streak of performances with 300-plus passing yards. “We have a bunch of guys hurt and we’re still a really talented group. Kevin is calling a hell of a game every week. As a quarterback, you just get the ball to guys. It’s all about them winning and getting us in the right spot, so that’s what it is.”
Flacco wasn’t entirely flawless Thursday. Along with a stagnant second half, he had a rough moment while trying to sneak a second-quarter throw past Jermaine Johnson II in the backfield, only to see it tipped up and caught by the linebacker for a pick-six.
It was a mistake that marked his ninth turnover in just five games.
That’s something to keep an eye on as Cleveland aims to progress deeper into January. For tonight, though, it was but a blip in an otherwise vintage performance.
The Browns are officially in the playoffs, still with an opportunity to wrest the AFC North from another of the QB’s former team, the Ravens, and even an outside chance at the AFC’s No. 1 seed.
Cleveland’s defense has been a world-beater all season, but for the last part of its playoff-clinching push, the team owes a debt of gratitude to Flacco — the 38-year-old veteran no one else wanted and now no one wants to face.
“It’s a great story,” Stefanski admitted. “I know you guys love this story. But I’m just happy for Joe. I’m happy for him having this success. Being a part of a football team. He’s got something left in the tank.”