I know I continue to harp on this, but I am disheartened by Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski refusing to announce Joe Flacco as his starting quarterback for Sunday’s home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

If he is actually considering starting rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson over Flacco, then the problems are far deeper than that. That belies common sense. Again, this season is not about developing a rookie quarterback. It is about winning. And Flacco, by far, gives the Browns the best chance to win. That’s obvious.

The Browns can do this. They really can. They can make the AFC playoffs — as a wild card albeit, but making the playoffs nonetheless — and even go beyond that and make a little noise. But it will happen only with Flacco under center.

Indeed, I have confidence in the offense making enough plays to win a game — that is, as long as Flacco is on the field and not on the sideline holding a clipboard.

Where the improvement needs to be made is with the defense. This is the group that is supposed to be carrying this team, and that has not happened at all the last two weeks.

Just name Joe Flacco as the starter for the rest of the season and be done with it. Why Kevin Stefanski is wasting his precious time playing mind games and word games regarding his starting quarterback is mind-boggling, and troubling.

Steve King