After a 32-13 loss to the Patriots dropped Cleveland to 2-6, head coach Kevin Stefanski tiptoed around the quarterback question before ultimately committing to Dillon Gabriel for Week 10.
He emphasized that a young passer will have ups and downs and that the staff must do more to help him, a message that landed on a day when Myles Garrett authored a five-sack masterpiece while the offense sputtered and closed with an intentional grounding safety. It wasn’t a new storyline, and it came from late last month, but it set the table for what needs to change after the bye.
Priority No. 1, per Gabriel, is getting Jerry Jeudy involved early and often. Jeudy had zero catches on two targets against New England, and Gabriel acknowledged the plan is to feed him sooner in games.
When asked if the play-caller change came with assurances that he’d be featured, Jeudy’s answer was telling: “We’ll see on Sunday,” as relayed by Zac Jackson of The Athletic.
So how does Gabriel flip the switch? Start with the first 15 plays. Script Jeudy touches that require minimal read time: quick outs, speed ins, slants off RPO, and glance routes versus soft quarters.
Use motion and stacks to free him from press, condense splits to create two-way goes, and sprinkle in orbit/jet action to stress leverage before the snap. On third downs, live in bunch with option routes and shallow cross concepts that manufacture separation, not hero-ball go routes.
Pair that with under-center play-action off inside zone to slow linebackers and create windows on digs and crossers where Jeudy thrives. In the red zone, put him in reduced splits for whip and pivot routes, or run slot fades against flat-footed safeties, high-percentage, confidence, and building targets.
Browns QB Dillon Gabriel said it remains a priority to get the ball the Jerry Jeudy earlier in games and more often. Had no catches on two targets vs. Patriots. pic.twitter.com/H25WMjg8HL
— Scott Petrak ct (@ScottPetrak) November 5, 2025
Protection and rhythm matter just as much. A heavier dose of early down quick game keeps Gabriel on schedule and reduces long-developing, sack-prone concepts. Lean on the run to earn second-and-short, then call shot plays from the same looks so Jeudy’s double-moves aren’t telegraphed.
There’s evidence that Gabriel can execute the plan, even if it’s from earlier this season. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin called Gabriel’s “timely processing” a “super power,” and the rookie’s first start featured poise, two touchdowns, and no turnovers, despite third-down issues and a run-heavy script that actually helped him settle.
Coming out of the bye against the 1-7 Jets, the blueprint is simple: script Jeudy early, keep the ball moving with motion and stacks, and let Gabriel’s processing take over. If Cleveland sticks to that, Jeudy stops being a ghost and starts being a problem for defenses again. If not, the silence on the stat sheet and from Jeudy will only get louder.
