It still feels odd to talk about quarterback Joe Flacco as a member of the Cleveland Browns after all the years he would beat them with the Baltimore Ravens. The former Super Bowl MVP is playing the best football maybe of his entire career since joining the Browns in late November.
Cleveland was looking to cash their ticket to the postseason and Flacco had his fourth straight game with 300 or more yards to make sure they got the win. Flacco had never thrown for 300 or more yards in three straight games at any point in his career until this year with the Browns.
You couldn’t write a more exciting story than what has happened with Flacco this season with Kevin Stefanski and the Browns. The head coach and quarterback are in perfect synchronization right now and they continue to have so much success.
Let’s take a look at my five major takeaways from Flacco’s post-game media availability after the big win.
Flacco loves the atmosphere in Cleveland
“You know, it’s really cool. I’ve. I haven’t been a part of a game, really. I haven’t played in a game where every stadium has these LED lights now, so you could just turn them off and turn them right back on and coming out of the tunnel with whatever. I don’t know if people had their iPhones going or if they gave them. I mean, it was really cool, unbelievable atmosphere. So, yeah, to get it done in front of the home crowd, to actually get ourselves into that next step of the season definitely made it extra special.”
Browns fans have always been some of the best in the league despite all of the losses they have had in the past couple of decades. But this year they have had an opportunity to do something special and the fans have enjoyed watching the veteran do things they haven’t seen in Cleveland before. The atmosphere was insane in Cleveland on Thursday as everyone knew what was coming with a win.
Flacco loves how the city has embraced him since he got to town
“I mean, just put yourself in that position. I mean, you can’t deny it. I said it from the very beginning. I mean, the city has been unbelievable. My teammates have been unbelievable in terms of just embracing me onto this football team. So it’s all been great and it makes it that much more special to be able to come in here and play some good football.”
The passion the fans have for their Browns cannot be understated and when you win they will love you unconditionally. Flacco and his head coach have figured out how to make this work with the personnel they have and the sky is the limit with this team if they play to their ability.
The veteran goes into autopilot on the field to do whatever it takes
“I mean, you just lose control of yourself a little bit in the moment. It’s an unbelievable game. The crowd out there was just amazing. When you’re in the arena like that and you just have all those people and you’re doing it with your teammates and I don’t know, you’re pushing towards a win to get you into the playoffs. Like I said, I think you kind of lose control of yourself a little bit, but it’s just so much fun.”
The way Flacco has thrown the ball on the run and gotten out of sacks has been crazy to watch. You think about him as a statue back there and though he isn’t a runner he has extended plays like I didn’t think he could do. The touchdown to Jerome Ford after he got hit in the face before scrambling was as good of a play that has happened this year.
Flacco is soaking in every moment as his kids watch him play well
“Yeah, I mean, you don’t know how many of these moments you’re going to get. Not too many people get the opportunity to have kids as old as mine and that understand what’s going on—get to witness this. And I think it’s cool for them, but ultimately it’s really cool for me. I’m going to remember this for the rest of my life. And anything that you get to do with people that you love, especially your children, they just make everything that much more special.”
Plain and simple Joe Flacco is a family man and as he has said his kids are now old enough to understand what is going on. Seeing his family with him in the stadium with pride on their faces only made the win and this wild ride that much sweeter.
