It was a matchup of rookie quarterbacks selected in the first round of the NFL Draft six months earlier when the Browns played the host Detroit Lions on Nov. 22, 2009 at Ford Field in a matchup of 1-8 teams going absolutely nowhere.

And they – the quarterbacks, that is — didn’t disappoint.

The Browns’ Brady Quinn, taken with the No. 22 overall pick, had his best game as a pro, completing 21 of 33 passes for 326 yards and four touchdowns, including three in succession in the first quarter to Mohamed Massaquoi, Chansi Stuckey and Josh Cribbs as Cleveland raced to a 24-3 lead and appeared headed to a blowout victory. He was not intercepted. His quarterback rating was a soaring 133.1.

But Detroit’s Matt Stafford, the No. 1 overall selection, was even better. In fact, it was the breakout game for him in what has turned out to be a very good career.

He was 26 of 43 attempts for 422 yards and five touchdowns, including the game-winner on a one-yarder to Brandon Pettigrew on a quick slant as time expired. That tied the game at 37-37, and reliable Jason Hanson kicked the extra point for the win.

That TD came just 5:44 after Quinn threw a two-yard scoring pass to Michael Gaines, followed by a conversion run by Jamal Lewis, to give the Browns a 37-31 lead.

Stafford has been the Lions’ franchise quarterback ever since. The Browns are still looking for theirs after Quinn – and countless others – have flamed out.

The Browns will try again to find their franchise quarterback with the No. 1 overall choice in the draft in a week.

Speaking to the Detroit media on Tuesday as the Lions began their offseason strength and conditioning program, he had some words of advice for whomever the Browns tab — Josh Allen, Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen or Baker Mayfield.

“I think that all you can do is just be yourself,” said Stafford, who signed a fat — $160 million — contract extension last year that could well enable him to finish his career with the Lions. “Just go in there, work hard and show those guys in the locker room what you’re all about. And whatever it is that you’re about, it’ll come out and they’ll either accept you or they won’t and then you go play and let the chips fall where they may.

“I think if those guys do that, they’ll be successful. All those guys are super talented. You watch them in college football and they did a great job for their teams. Up here, they need to just go out there and have fun and let it fly.”

Stafford was asked about next week’s draft, during which there may well be a number of deals as quarterback-needy teams jockey for position to get one of the passers the Browns don’t pick.

“All of the trades and movement and all that kind of stuff is really interesting to me,” he said. “But as far as who goes where, I don’t care. I just hope those guys all have the best career they can have.”

The Browns hope that their guy, especially, has the best career he can have.