The Browns can’t get back home, and out of the western part of the United States quick, soon enough.

They left a couple weeks ago with a head of steam and a 7-3 record. They were rolling along, right where they needed to be.

They returned Sunday night with a 7-5 mark after two horrible losses, games in which they played very poorly down the stretch when the game was on the line.

After losing 31-12 to the Denver Broncos last weekend, they fell 36–19 to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. They abandoned the run too quickly again on offense, they looked slow and disorganized on defense and they didn’t play well on special teams, missing an extra point. It all added up to a disaster.

The only bright spot was the play of veteran quarterback Joe Flacco, who got his first start on Sunday. Sure, he threw a costly interception at the end of the game, but overall, he gave the Browns probably their best quarterback play from start to finish of the season. If that’s what he can do when he’s rusty, then I’m anxious to see what he can do when he gets some more practice time under his belt.

Flacco should start the rest of the season, regardless if Dorian Thompson-Robinson returns to health. Flacco gives the Browns the best chance to win, and they have to have that. Again, this is not about developing a rookie quarterback, but rather this is about trying to make the playoffs.

It has to get better for the Browns, because it can’t get much worse than it was the last two weeks.

Steve King