Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel took the blame for taking six sacks in Sunday’s 23-9 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The third-round choose was battered all through the afternoon at Acrisure Stadium.
Gabriel confronted fixed stress from Pittsburgh’s protection, getting hit 16 instances complete. He accomplished 29 of 52 passes for 221 yards with out a landing because the Browns fell to 1-5.
After the sport, Gabriel stated he must launch the ball sooner to assist the offense keep away from unfavourable performs.
“I feel on the second, there’s issues that I can assist to do to attempt to get it out as fast as attainable, simply so we’re not within the unfavourable on first and second down. So issues, you realize, we acquired to study from,” Gabriel stated within the post-game media convention (h/t Scott Petrak of the Chronicle Telegram).
The Steelers’ protection dominated from begin to end. Cornerback Jalen Ramsey recorded two sacks, whereas linebacker Nick Herbig added two extra. Pittsburgh’s stress by no means let up as they saved Cleveland out of the tip zone for the complete recreation.
Browns teaching workers shares blame
Head coach Kevin Stefanski defended retaining Gabriel. He by no means thought-about inserting backup quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who watched from the sideline.
“He is a tricky child. We have to maintain him clear. Clearly, when the sport turns into the way it turned a two-score recreation, you need to drop again, and that is a tricky staff to drop again versus,” Stefanski stated within the post-game media convention. “He saved battling. Wasn’t for an absence of effort by him or by anyone. Made some performs, however we simply acquired to be higher.”
Stefanski added that the teaching workers shares duty for the safety points.
“We all know this child’s robust. We all know he is robust. He’ll hold combating. We simply acquired to round him, make some performs. We acquired to educate him up,” the coach stated.
Sanders was elevated to backup after the Browns traded Joe Flacco to Cincinnati. The rookie has but to play in a regular-season recreation, however may see motion if Gabriel’s struggles proceed. The Browns have failed to attain greater than 17 factors in 11 straight video games.
Gabriel’s efficiency in his second profession begin raised extra questions than solutions. The Browns want higher safety and faster choices from their rookie quarterback transferring ahead.