While the Cleveland Browns’ offense continues to sink deeper into chaos, Joe Flacco is lighting it up just a few hours south in the Queen City. In his debut, the veteran quarterback tore apart the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense and walked out with a win. And now, as the trade details trickle out, the frustration across Cleveland feels heavier than ever.

Turns out, there was more calculation behind that decision than emotion. While talking to Rich Eisen, Tom Pelissero revealed why GM Andrew Berry decided to make that trade.

“Barry wanted to evaluate rookie QBs. ‘they wanted to see the rookie quarterbacks once they benched Joe Flacco sooner than they had planned to bench Joe Flacco It was obvious that he was not going back in the lineup And if at some point Dylan Gabriel had see they’d seen enough of him. They were gonna go to Shadour Sanders next,’” Pelissero said.

So, essentially, Berry didn’t want to delay what he thought was an inevitable transition. But that move, while logical on paper, has clearly backfired in real time. And here’s where it gets even trickier. The Cleveland cleared about $2 million, gained a slightly better draft pick, and started stacking trade capital. Yet, the irony?

The way things are going, they may not need to move up at all, because their record might just hand them a top-five pick, anyway.

Meanwhile, the offense looks completely lost. According to the PFSN Offense Impact metric, the Browns sit at 31st in the league with a flat-out F grade. That says it all. The post-Flacco offense hasn’t found rhythm, chemistry, or leadership. The play-calling feels off, the quarterback rotation looks messy, and the once-promising setup now feels like a rebuild in motion. And now the frustration boils over.

Andrew Berry faces heat as Joe Flacco impressed

The moment Joe Flacco’s move to the Queen City became official, chaos followed. Longtime radio voice Tony Rizzo couldn’t hold back.

“Fire them all. Let’s clean it house,” he shouted on air, his voice cutting through every living room in Cleveland. Then came the gut punch. “Cleveland deserves better. We deserve competence.”

His outburst echoed exactly what most fans were already feeling, disappointment wrapped in disbelief. The decision-makers inside Berea are now under the microscope, and the trust feels broken. Letting go of a former Super Bowl MVP when the offense is gasping for life?

And across the division? Flacco looks reborn. Against the Steelers, he went 31 of 47 for 342 yards and three touchdowns, leading the Bengals to a 33-31 win. The Jungle roared, and social media exploded. That performance was enough for longtime radio host Tony Rizzo to call for Andrew Berry’s job.

It’s not often that one game swings public opinion this hard, but in Cleveland, this one did.

The frustration isn’t just about one player, it’s about years of inconsistency and leadership that feels out of sync. And with the Browns sitting at 1-5, the anger has turned into exhaustion.

Still, there’s time to change the story.

Cleveland must settle its quarterback carousel and fix its offensive rhythm fast. Otherwise, the AFC North won’t wait. And meanwhile, Cincinnati just might keep winning behind Joe Flacco’s veteran calm.