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Browns Twitter reacts to Gabriel's first start, loss to Vikings

October 5, 2025
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Sunday’s loss to the Vikings was a brutal one for the Cleveland Browns.

They didn’t get blown out like they did against Baltimore or Detroit. Instead, much like they did in Week 1 against Cincinnati, the Browns dropped a very winnable game in London. Cleveland won the turnover battle, two to zero, and sacked Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz three times while holding a lead for nearly the entire fourth quarter. In the end, though, it was the Vikings’ offense that came through, putting together an efficient 10-play, 80-yard drive to take a 21-17 lead with under 30 seconds remaining. That final touchdown would prove to be the difference-maker in this one, and the Browns are now 1-4 as a result.

The late collapse by Cleveland’s defense spoiled what was otherwise a solid day for Browns’ rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel in his first-ever NFL start, and an impressive showing for several of the team’s other selections from April’s draft.

Let’s take a look at how Browns fans are taking the loss to Minnesota.

The loss itself

The Browns are a small handful of bounces away from being 3-2 right now, but the unfortunate reality is that undisciplined football has put Cleveland where it’s at right now. Winning the turnover battle doesn’t matter quite as much when you manage to rack up ten penalties for 78 yards over the course of the day, or convert just three of your 15 third down opportunities. Dropping another game because of self-inflicted wounds this early in the season hits hard, obviously.

Dillon Gabriel’s debut

Dillon Gabriel didn’t light the world on fire, and that’s reflected by his stats: 19-of-33, 190 yards, and two touchdowns. The rookie quarterback clearly gives the Browns’ offense a floor that they weren’t getting out of Week 1 starter Joe Flacco, though. Gabriel has already thrown for more touchdown passes this season than Flacco had through four starts, and he kept the ball out of harm’s way on Sunday. It was a solid, if unspectacular, first NFL start for the third-round pick from Oregon.

The rookies

The Browns’ other 2025 rookies aside from Gabriel got plenty of run on Sunday, and through five weeks, one thing has become clear for the Browns: Andrew Berry hit it out of the park in April. Quinshon Judkins was the star — the second-round pick and former Ohio State Buckeye had his first 100-yard day in the NFL — but the Browns got yet another great performance from Carson Schwesinger on defense, and Harold Fannin Jr. gave the Browns an early lead with his first NFL touchdown.

This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Browns Twitter reacts to Gabriel’s first start, loss to Vikings

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