Rookie Dillon Gabriel will suit up for his second NFL start this week against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He had a fine first outing with the Cleveland Browns, throwing for 190 yards and one touchdown. However, Pete Prisco thinks Gabriel is in for a bigger performance this week.
“I think Dillon Gabriel’s gonna play much better,” Prisco said Thursday on CBS Sports HQ. “I think they’re gonna allow him to do more things in this game. If you look at the Pittsburgh defense, they’re 30th in pass defense.
“They’re giving up 260 yards per game, so there’s gonna be opportunities to take some shots down the field. I think the training wheels are coming off. I think Dillon Gabriel’s gonna throw for 250 [yards] and two touchdowns. And I might be a little low.”
The last time the Steelers played the Browns with a rookie starting under center was in 2023. Cleveland’s quarterback in that game was Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and they beat Pittsburgh. Thompson-Robinson didn’t have a stellar game, though. He completed 24 of his 43 pass attempts for 165 yards, zero touchdowns, and one interception.
That loss was more about the Steelers’ lack of offensive production, not Thompson-Robinson’s play. Prisco believes that Gabriel could be a big reason why the Browns win this game, though.
The last time the Steelers allowed a rookie quarterback to have a game like that against them was C.J. Stroud in 2023. In that game, Stroud picked the Steelers apart, throwing for 306 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions. The Houston Texans crushed the Steelers 30-6.
However, Gabriel and Stroud are very different players. Stroud was the second overall pick in his draft. Gabriel doesn’t have that pedigree. He was a third-round pick earlier this year.
It would certainly be different if Gabriel carved up the Steelers’ defense like Stroud did. Additionally, the Browns don’t have great pass catchers. Jerry Jeudy is their most proven wide receiver. David Njoku and Harold Fannin Jr. are solid receiving threats at tight end, but Gabriel doesn’t have much talent to throw to outside of them.
The Steelers’ defense has struggled this year, but it’s been better in recent weeks. Still, they allowed too many explosive plays against the Minnesota Vikings. Gabriel could theoretically increase his stats with some chunk plays, but that might not be the Browns’ best path to victory. They’ve got a solid run game. They’d probably be better off trying to center their offense around that. Gabriel having that big of a day might not translate to winning.
