Joe Flacco, Browns Offense Provide Enticing Preview In Preseason Finale

A noticeable round of applause echoed through Huntington Bank Field when the Cleveland Browns' first team offense took the field for the first their preseason finale with the Los Angeles Rams. The hand-wringing was directed at one player in particular, Joe Flacco.

Two years ago, the 40-year-old became something of Cleveland sports lore with a magical five-game stretch at the end of the season that boosted the franchise into the playoffs for just the second time in two decades.

It wasn't enough for the team to retain Flacco that offseason. This time around, the Browns desperation to fill out a quarterback room led them back to Flacco, and as fate would have it, he'll now start under center Week 1.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco before the game between the Browns and the Los Angeles Rams at Huntington Bank Field — Aug 23, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco (15) before the game between the Browns and the Los Angeles Rams at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Saturday served as a final dress rehearsal for the franchise, a chance for fans to greet Flacco at the stadium for the first time, before things get real in two weeks. And a chance for Flacco to work out any last-minute kinks with the first-team offense.

The unit's first series could have gone better. Dylan Sampson took the first handoff left for a four-yard gain to set the team up with a manageable second down. Flacco hit Jeudy on an out route, left, one play later, but the Pro Bowl wideout dropped it. Then Flacco found one of his favorite targets from 2023, David Njoku underneath, but he couldn't quite fight for the first down.

It was the second drive that put Browns fans in a time machine back to 2023. Flacco marched the Browns 44 yards on seven plays, for a touchdown. Jerome Ford got the drive started with three consecutive positive plays for the offense, catching a four-yard pass, then rushing for 11 yards and three yards respectively.

Sampson came in to spell Ford one play later and provided a highlight of his own, catching a pass from Flacco on an out route then spinning upfield to elude to colliding defenders for a 14-yard gain. That play set up a 15-yard strike from Flacco-to-Fannin Jr. to give the Browns a 7-0 lead.

the vet to the rook for the score#LARvsCLE on NFLN, @WEWS & NFL+ pic.twitter.com/SpqMoSyruQ
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) August 23, 2025

The operation was smooth. Flacco was decisive, completing 9-of-10 passes for 71 yards and a touchdown. The Browns' young skill players made some plays. It checked all the boxes of what Stefanski would want for his first-team offense, with the only blemish coming in the form of an unknown knee injury to Ethan Pocic.

Still, Stefanski sent the group back out for one more series, a seven-play, 35-yard drive that ended in another punt. He promised 20-25 plays for the ones. In reality, they got 17.

Of course, there's the context of the Rams bringing barely over half of their 90-man roster, which meant Cleveland's starters were essentially going against the Rams' third-stringers. Preseason evaluations are never an exact science.

Still, in what Stefanski was treating as the team's final run through before Week 1, the Browns offense got some productive work in – a far cry from last preseason when Deshaun Watson's shoulder soreness left Stefanski pivoting his plans to play the majority of his starts in the final preseason game.

That offense went on to be historically inept. At the very least, this offense is set up to get off to a better start than it did a year ago. Flacco's return adds even more intrigue to the situation.

Saturday's performance was enough of a tease to leave fans enticed by what could be on Sept. 7, and this season.

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