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Joe Flacco Just Shattered a Browns Franchise Record

Joe Flacco just put his name at the top of the Browns' all-time record book.

By Jason Schandl

Dec 17, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco (15) throws a pass as
Dec 17, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco (15) throws a pass as / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
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Is Joe Flacco the greatest quarterback in the modern Browns era? In Browns history? Maybe in NFL History!?

Maybe that's over the top, but Browns fans can be excused for getting a little over-excited right now. This team has dealt with a ridiculous amount of adversity and has come out looking stronger than ever, now a near lock to make the playoffs.

And to Flacco's credit, he did just shatter a Browns franchise record in Sunday's win over the Chicago Bears.

Browns News: Flacco Sets Franchise Passing Record

Joe Flacco has thrown for 939 yards across his first three starts in Cleveland, setting a new franchise record. The previous record was held by Baker Mayfield, who threw for 875 yards in his first three starts. Baker's career-opening surge unseated Jeff Garcia, who had previously held the record with 822 yards through his first three starts.

Does this mean Flaccos is the best Browns quarterback ever?

Of course not. You can't compare modern yardage stats to players of past eras, and Flacco's surrounded by one of the most talented Browns teams we've seen in a while. But this record is a testament to just how perfect a fit he has been.

The Browns need a quarterback who can command a talented offense, take what defenses give him, make enough throws to keep them honest and avoid any crushing mistakes. And the 38-year-old Super Bowl champ does exactly that.

Flacco's three interceptions against the Bears were a little concerning, for sure, but he also threw for a whopping 374 yards, and kept his passer rating north of 75 for the third time in three games. For comparison, Deshaun Watson only had a passer rating above 75 in two of his six games this year.

I'm not trying to turn this into a Flacco-Watson argument — there are too many moving pieces to compare and that's really an entire article to itself. But one thing is abundantly clear:

For this moment in time, with this iteration of the Browns roster and this offensive system in place, Joe Flacco is exactly what Cleveland needs.

In other Browns news:

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