“I’m frustrated. I want to win. I don’t care how much time is on the clock. They’ve got their starters in. There’s a chance we can win.” That’s Myles Garrett after the Cleveland Browns‘ 32-13 loss to the New England Patriots. Clearly, that one quote summed up the entire game. The offense just couldn’t get it going despite a strong defensive performance.

Just a week before, Dillon Gabriel and his offense dismantled the Miami Dolphins 31-6. Fast forward to now, and it’s like they hit rewind back to their old habits. Which brings us to the real question: after losing three of the last four since taking over from Joe Flacco, how much longer does Gabriel stay as QB1?

It’s the question only Kevin Stefanski and his crew can answer. But still, heading into bye week before the New York Jets clash, the calls of Shedeur Sanders to start will only grow louder from here. The reasoning is pretty simple: Gabriel was supposed to be Stefanski’s safety net after Flacco struggled to succeed.

But as things stand, the Oregon Ducks product is struggling to light up the scoreboard. In the process, the Browns are already down to 6-2 after eight weeks and have generated 17 points or fewer for the seventh time in eight games. On top of that, Gabriel was consistently praised for taking care of the ball. Against the Patriots, however, that narrative shifted against him as well.

The quarterback completed 21-of-35 passes for 156 yards, racked up 2 touchdowns, but also threw two interceptions. That said, Sanders is expected to start at some point in this season. And if Dillon Gabriel’s struggles persist, expect the Colorado Buffaloes product to line up under the center sooner than expected.

To add another layer to it, Sanders was inactive against the Patriots due to back complications. Considering the Browns have a Week 9 bye, it’ll give him time to heal just before the Jets clash in Week 10 on the road. Whether he’ll start or not? Coach Stefanski might have the answer.

Kevin Stefanski stays firm with his QB decision

The quarterback issues persist in Cleveland. It was with Flacco during the first four weeks. It’s with Dillon Gabriel in the next four. And ahead of the Jets’ clash, everyone now has just one question: Will Stefanski pull the plug and start with Shedeur in Week 10? Well, it’s unlikely, and the HC is planning to stick with Gabriel for some more time.

“Yes, it does,” Stefanski said when asked if he would stick with Gabriel after the bye week, while also adding, “but I just want to make the point that we just have to be better in every area, and we’ll look at everything we do, including how we’re putting these guys in position to succeed.

“Are we doing enough? When I say looking at every position, are we doing enough with the quarterback position, do we need to do a better job, and I think I know the answer is yes.”

For the time being, Sanders is struggling with a back injury. The quarterback served as Gabriel’s backup for a couple of weeks, but was inactive against the Patriots on Sunday. But when it came to starting Shedeur, Stefanski made it clear the quarterback was just a small piece of the overall bye-week evaluation. That said, while Gabriel’s struggles are clear, the HC stays firm with his QB decision.