Last Sunday may have been the Browns best win all year.  They beat the Jags in a game they had to have.  It was not their cleanest game by any means, but they got it done and in December, that's all that matters.  Well done!

It was good to see the Browns play like a veteran team.  There were no stupid behind the back double reverse calls on offense that kill drives and games.  They made the plays that had to be made on both sides of the ball and on special teams, while facing a team that wanted this game just as badly.

Remember a few years ago when the owner was quoted, "We need an adult in the room." ?  The reference was to the on and off the field maturity level they perceived from Baker Mayfield and traded him a short time later. Of course that stuff is subjective, and honestly it was uncalled for in a professional setting.  Sure Baker had his moments that were not his best, but I suspect a lot of that was due to the immense generation gap between Baker, the owner, and the coaching staff.  The next move was to sign a guy with a highly checkered past and guaranteed him a kings treasure.  A move that has yet to pay dividends.

Enter Joe Flacco.  38 years old, Superbowl Champion and MVP.  The Browns got him off his couch after no one else wanted him, and honestly I don't think the Browns did either.  But under these extraordinarily tough circumstances, they had no choice.  They worked him out, agreed to sign, and then tried hard not to play him in favor of a rookie draft pick.  Then, at the end of their very short rope, they decided to give him a go.  And guess what?  After running Baker out of town, dumping a few QB's for nothing, and the rest of their newly drafted and freshly chosen cast of QB characters one by one got hurt, failed with some doing both, Old Man Flacco has been by far the best.  Finally, a football adult!

Flacco is a grown man that's done all there is to do in the NFL over many years.  He's the oldest QB playing right now, and has been a starter, a backup, a clip board holder, cut, released, uninvited, mocked  -  and a champion.  He makes the Browns offense look calmer and more cohesive than any one player has in years.  He's smart, has a cannon arm and is a leader.  It's impossible for these players not to look at him as such, as many played "him" in Madden, or watched him growing up. He's brought a sense of order to a tough situation.

There's no drama, no lawyers, no social media nonsense and there are no excuses.  He has a job to do, and by his own words, there is still more to do and to learn.  He's come here humble, professional and prepared.  If Stefanski and the front office is smart, they should get out of Flacco's way and let him do what guys with champion pedigree do - WIN!  Joe Flacco is a leader, and I don't think the organization knew that they just wanted a healthy body.  Plus, he's pretty much the only champion on this roster.  He's been where no one running this team has ever been.

It's the irony of Browns ironies.  Sign and draft a bunch of guys that were never gonna win the games you needed to for various reasons, then reluctantly put a guy in you really wish you didn't have to and he gets it done. Seems in the end the owner was right, we did need an adult in the room and now we have one kind of by accident and luck.  Joe Flacco right now is making the front office look good for finding him, but even that has a large double edge.  The further we go with Flacco, the worse half of 240 million guaranteed dollars out the window looks.

How far can Flacco take the Browns?  He took the Ravens all the way in a different time. But the great gift Joe Flacco has given the Browns is this.  With his age, story,  demeanor, unassuming way, skill level and incredible professionalism, plus his gratitude for this last big opportunity.  He is going to make a lot of Browns fans want to cheer for the Browns again. 

All of that, is how adults act and what adults do.