Dillon Gabriel hasn’t delivered the spark the Cleveland Browns were hoping for when they named him the starter, fueling growing calls for him to be benched in favor of Shedeur Sanders.
The Browns lost to the Steelers 23-9, falling to 1-5 this season. The Browns have not scored more than 17 points in 11 consecutive games, dating back to last season. Gabriel completed 29 of 51 attempts for 221 yards. He averaged just 4.3 yards per attempt. Gabriel was sacked six times.
Gabriel and the Browns’ offense once again looked lifeless against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. Cleveland was held to less than 50 yards of offense in the first half until its final drive, which ended with a field goal.
Gabriel dinked and dunked but rarely looked downfield. Even in a late-game situation needing two scores, Gabriel opted for mostly short passes. It left Browns fans unimpressed with the rookie during his second start.
“Dillon Gabriel is as average as average gets. No need to play this out. He’s not an NFL winner. Never will be,” one fan said.
“Dillon Gabriel is not the future,” another fan said. “I’ve seen enough honestly.”
Gabriel’s struggles naturally led to loud calls for Sanders to get a look.
“I don’t get it… Dillon Gabriel is straight buns, so why isn’t Shedeur Sanders getting at least one quarter?” a fan said.
“Bro Gabriel is trash. Backup of the future. We know this. Get Shedeur in there so we can see what he’s got,” another fan added.
Browns QB Dillon Gabriel Doesn’t Get Help From Pass-Catchers
Gabriel wasn’t a game-changer, but he also didn’t get help from his pass-catchers. The Browns had multiple key drops.
“Drops. Dumb penalties. Archaic offense. Just an absolutely putrid product,” a fan said.
Another added, “You’re watching this game and thinking Gabriel is the problem? He’s looked pretty poised under constant pressure, making throws and had several bad drops.”
Some noted that the drops might have been due to the Browns’ receivers being put in compromising positions.
“Dillion Gabriel has been throwing hospital balls all game. Those drops are what happen when the receivers aren’t trying to get killed by one of those bad balls,” a fan said.
Shedeur Sanders ‘Likely’ to Play for Browns This Season
The Browns will give Gabriel, their third-round pick, a few more chances to prove himself. But after a 1-5 start and losses piling up, Cleveland may be tempted to see what Sanders can do sooner rather than later.
“When the time comes for Sanders to start a game — and that’s very likely to happen at some point this season — the Browns will maximize his skillset and design it specially around his best traits and the plays he likes best,” Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot said. “Perhaps the thing the Browns are most eager to see when he gets his chance: how his exceptional arm talent plays out on the field. He has an uncanny knack for delivering a catchable ball, and a natural feel for when to put some extra heat on it or loft it over a defender.”
The Browns have two more games against the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots before their bye week.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Browns Urged to Bench Gabriel for Shedeur Sanders After Steelers Loss appeared first on Heavy Sports.