Veteran throws 3 TD passes and Browns clinch unlikely spot in playoffs in the AFC
CLEVELAND (AP) — Joe Flacco has turned a seemingly cursed season into a charmed one.
Cleveland‘s quarterback for just over a month, Flacco passed for 309 yards and three touchdowns and the Browns clinched an unlikely playoff berth — just their second since 2002 — despite numerous injuries this season with a 37-20 win over the New York Jets on Thursday night.
The Browns (11-5) are assured of a wild-card spot and still have a chance to win the AFC North and maybe the conference’s No. 1 overall seed, something that seemed unfathomable just weeks ago as major injuries piled up.
But things have changed since Flacco arrived.
The 38-year-old quarterback improved to 4-1 as a starter with the Browns, who plucked the Super Bowl 47 MVP off his couch in New Jersey last month to hopefully rescue their season. He’s done that and more.
In the final minutes, Browns fans chanted “Flac-co! Flac-co!” to a quarterback they once reviled with Baltimore and now revere.
“You don’t know how many of these moments you’re going to get,” Flacco said. “I’m going to remember this for the rest of my life.”
Flacco threw two TD passes to Jerome Ford in the first half as the Browns built a 20-point lead over the Jets (6-10), who chose not to re-sign the 15-year veteran after he spent three seasons with them – and
The Cleveland Browns unleashed an incredible 37-20 win over the New York Jets on Thursday night Football.
During Thursday night’s win, Browns QB Joe Flacco is already within 72 yards of passing Johnny Manziel Brown’s career total, as per Jason Lloyd of The Athletic. “In case you were wondering, Joe Flacco needs 72 yards to pass Johnny Manziel for 31st on the Browns’ all-time passing list”
Flacco moved up to 33rd in just five games, even after being the starting quarterback for less than a month. Manziel with 1,675 passing yards is No. 31 on the team’s all-time in Browns franchise history.
Manziel started eight games for the Cleveland Browns between 2014 and 2015 and made 14 appearances for the Browns in his two seasons in the NFL.
Seemingly, Flacco’s surpassing his records is clearly encouraging. Commenting on Flacco’s performance, Manziel wrote on X on Friday, “Some records were meant to be broken.”
Flacco was signed by the Browns in November and has led Cleveland to four wins in his five games as the starter. On Thursday’s game against the Jets, he had a two-touchdown performance to clinch the Browns’ second playoff berth in 21 years.
Since joining the Browns, he managed to throw for 1,307 yards and 10 touchdowns, posting four straight games with 300+ passing yards.
Eventually, Flacco was not able to pass Manziel’s mark on Thursday, but he needs 60 more yards to do so. Easily to be locked if he plays any meaningful time in the Browns’ season finale against Cincinnati.
