Dillon Gabriel puts together efficient performance in first career win

The Cleveland Browns took down a struggling Miami Dolphins team in a 31-6 battle, the best the Browns have looked in a very long time.

The defense played incredibly, and the offense heavily relied on the run game to find success.

One interesting piece of the puzzle was rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel. It was the first win of the season for him, and while his statistics may not impress the average fan, he certainly passed the eye test with a solid performance.

The weather conditions were obviously not ideal, facing heavy rain and severe wind all day long. It was clear the game plan was going to be to run the ball early and often, and utilize the passing game in small doses.

Gabriel did just that, looking extremely efficient in a limited number of throws. He completed passes at a 72% rate, throwing for 116 yards. While those stats certainly won’t wow anyone, it was a steady outing from a quarterback who just needed a win in the NFL.

He threw a couple ugly passes, getting bailed out from near interceptions a few times. One was called back from a penalty, and one went through a defender’s hands, right into Jerry Jeudy’s for a nice gain.

Importantly though, Gabriel has yet to turn the ball over. That’s the key for him. His best attribute is his accuracy and decision making. His proven ability to read a defense and get through progressions is way ahead of a standard rookie.

The next step for Gabriel is getting more consistently involved. He needs to learn to be a key piece of the offense, not just an accessory to the run game.

The Browns ran the ball 33 times, compared to just 20 drop backs. While that can work against Miami in a rain game, it won’t work against high end opponents. Striking that balance is going to be key for Gabriel and the offense’s success.

It seems strange the Browns last two games with Gabriel he attempted just 52 passes against the Steelers, then just 18 against Miami. There has to be some balance there. If Kevin Stefanski puts him in a position to throw between 20-30 passes, with a nice run game, the Browns offense can finally get on the right track to finding some consistency.

Gabriel has proven when the offensive line plays well and the run game is working, he can help guide an offense down the field. If he wants to be a long-term piece of the Browns plan, he’ll have to prove he can lead an offense when everything isn’t going perfectly though.

After the game, Gabriel kept a calm demenor. He focused on getting back to work, and trying to build on the momentum in his interviews.

“I don’t want you to look at my expression and think I’m not excited. I am excited. But it’s important to build sustainability as well. Just going to build on that,” Gabriel said. “There’s a lot we will look back that is good in many areas and a lot of things you want to clean up. That’s what I’m excited about most. Guys are eager, guys want to be better. When you look at the areas of improvement, it’s encouraging. But winning is fun. Don’t get that twisted.”

Hopefully this won’t be the only win of Gabriel’s career, instead, it’s the start of a long and successful career in Cleveland.