The Cleveland Browns are coming off their second win of the season, and the first win of Dillon Gabriel’s career, dominating the Miami Dolphins 31-6. Unfortunately for the rookie quarterback, the win didn’t shift the narrative around him. Fans and media members are still criticizing Gabriel for his lack of big plays, and for not really being a factor in the results of the three games he’s started.
Against Miami, the quarterback only completed 13-of-18 passes for 116 yards, and rushed for 12 yards. In his defense, though, Cleveland didn’t ask him to do much. Playing in rainy, windy conditions, the Browns were able to lean on defense, special teams, and a strong rushing attack. While that got Cleveland the win, it didn’t answer any questions about Gabriel.
The Browns will now go back on the road, and face off against the New England Patriots in Week 8. The Patriots should be a much tougher challenge for Cleveland than Miami, but they will also give Gabriel the opportunity to rewrite the narrative surrounding him.
Patriots will likely force the Browns to lean on Dillon Gabriel
Unlike the Dolphins, who have the worst rushing defense in the NFL, New England is only allowing 77.1 rushing yards per game — third best in the NFL. That means the Patriots will likely stack the box, and commit to stopping Quinshon Judkins. If New England is successful, the Browns will have to turn to Gabriel’s arm to score points.
The good news is the Patriots' pass defense isn’t as daunting as their rushing defense. New England allows 235.7 passing yards a game, which ranks 24th in the NFL. The Pats are even worse in yards per attempt allowed, giving up 8.0 passing yards over attempt, the 30th-worst rank in the league. That means there will be room for Gabriel to have success through the air, and also to have some explosive passes, something that’s been lacking in his three starts.
The rookie quarterback could certainly use a big game on Sunday, because the heat has been turning up on him after just three starts. Fair or not, Cleveland is starving for a franchise quarterback, so every snap Gabriel takes is being viewed through the lens of whether he’s the guy or not. It also doesn’t help that one of the most popular players in the league is behind him, awaiting his own opportunity.
In recent weeks, there have been numerous reports that Shedeur Sanders has made significant strides behind the scene, and could find his way into the starting lineup soon. With the Browns having a bye week in Week 9, an underwhelming performance from Gabriel on Sunday could open the door for Cleveland to hand things over to Sanders during the bye. If Gabriel wants to prevent that, he needs to take advantage of a struggling pass defense.
