Cleveland Browns: Joe Flacco Replaced by Rookie Dillon Gabriel
The Cleveland Browns (1-3) are changing starting quarterbacks.
Dillon Gabriel will start Week 5 in London against the Minnesota Vikings in place of Joe Flacco, the team announced Wednesday morning. Flacco will be the backup quarterback, while rookie Shedeur Sanders will remain the No. 3 quarterback, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
The Browns (1-3) struggled offensively again during a 34-10 loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 4, and Flacco has a league-high eight turnovers in four starts. Against Detroit, the former Ravens signal-caller was 16-of-34 for 184 yards with three turnovers — two interceptions and a lost fumble on an Aidan Hutchinson strip-sack.
In his 18th NFL season, the 40-year-old Flacco has completed just 58.1% of his passes with two touchdowns and six interceptions, and Cleveland has scored the second-fewest points in the NFL. Flacco also had a costly interception and fumble returned for a touchdown in his return to M&T Bank Stadium in Week 2.
Gabriel has been the No. 2 quarterback all season, and he replaced Flacco for mop-up duty in the fourth quarter against Detroit, as he did in Week 2 against the Ravens. The 24-year-old Gabriel was the 94th-overall pick in the draft after a six-year college career at Central Florida, Oklahoma, and Oregon.
The Browns had five quarterbacks at one point in training camp, but Gabriel won the battle to become Flacco's backup. Kenny Pickett was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders before the season, and Tyler Huntley was released by Cleveland before the Ravens signed him to their practice squad.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Jalen Ramsey and Calvin Austin II Could Miss Several Weeks
The Steelers (3-1) remained the frontrunners in the AFC North after their 24-21 victory over the Vikings in Ireland.
However, Pittsburgh may have lost a couple of starters for a few games. Starting defensive back Jalen Ramsey and starting wide receiver Calvin Austin II may be out several weeks, according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Austin injured his shoulder while making a catch in the fourth quarter on Sunday. He tried to alleviate concern about his injury by tweeting that he was "all good" after being taken to a hospital in Ireland.
Austin is second on the team among wide receivers with 10 catches for 139 yards and two touchdowns, behind No. 1 target DK Metcalf (15 catches, 261 yards, three touchdowns).
Ramsey has started all four Steelers games and made his presence known, intercepting one pass, breaking up four, and making 14 tackles.
Aaron Rodgers completed 18 of 22 passes for 200 yards and a touchdown on Sunday, as the Steelers built a 21-6 lead after three quarters, then held on for the win. Pittsburgh has a bye in Week 5 before hosting Cleveland in Week 6.
Cincinnati Bengals: Ja'Marr Chase Looks Forward to Matchup vs. Patrick Surtain II
The Bengals (2-1) will close out Week 4 by visiting the Denver Broncos (1-2) on "Monday Night Football."
The matchup will feature Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, who won the triple crown last season, and Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II, the league's reigning Defensive Player of the Year.
When they met last season, Surtain covered Chase on 36 routes during the game, and he made nine catches for 102 yards during a Cincinnati victory. The two have been dueling since their college days, when Chase was at LSU and Surtain played for Alabama.
"It's not somebody I need to be excited for, Chase said via Geoff Hobson of the Bengals’ website. "I've been seeing him my whole life. He's [a] really, really good, really patient, tall [6-2] corner and he's long, so you know that's the benefit of his."
Asked to evaluate last year's matchup, Chase said, "I still got 100 yards, so I don't care. You can't tell me he even stopped me."
The Bengals will be trying to bounce back from last week's 48-10 loss to the Vikings.
