The stage is set for a thrilling Week 3 matchup between the Cleveland Browns and the Green Bay Packers, and all eyes are on Browns quarterback Joe Flacco. The 40-year-old veteran is in the crosshairs of Packers star Micah Parsons, who’s looking to add Flacco to his impressive list of sacked QBs. Parsons has already logged 54 career sacks in 65 games, and he’s eager to take down Flacco, who’s never been on the receiving end of one of his signature takedowns.
Parsons made it clear that he’s got his sights set on Flacco, saying, “Man, really just getting after Flacco. I haven’t had Flacco yet. I need him, I want him. It’s time to go get him.” You can’t blame the guy for being confident – he’s a four-time Pro Bowler and one of the most feared defenders in the league. But Flacco isn’t intimidated, and he’s not surprised by the challenge ahead. When asked about Parsons, Flacco shrugged it off, saying, “Nothing really surprises me… I think you’re aware that pretty much anything can happen.”
Flacco’s got his work cut out for him, though. He’s coming off a rough Week 2 performance against his former team, the Baltimore Ravens, where he completed just 25 of 45 passes for 199 yards and a touchdown, but also turned the ball over twice. The Packers, on the other hand, are looking fierce, having given up just 15.5 points per game so far this season. To have any chance of success, Flacco will need to nullify the Packers’ pass rush, led by Parsons, with some quick throws and clever playcalling.
Despite the pressure, the Browns are sticking with Flacco as their starter, at least for now. Coach Stefanski came to his defense, saying, “We didn’t play well enough on offense, and we didn’t coach well enough on offense, and it’s never going to be about one person.” Flacco will need to bounce back in a big way if the Browns want to avoid an 0-3 start, something they haven’t done since 2017. As 7.5-point home underdogs, the Browns have their backs against the wall, but with Flacco at the helm, you can never count them out. Bring it on, Packers!
