Across the pond at Wembley Stadium, Dillon Gabriel got the call to start for Cleveland against the Minnesota Vikings. He started the game 7-10 passing for 43 yards, leading the Browns on a 47-yard touchdown drive on their second possession of the game.
Gabriel tossed the second touchdown of his pro career, slipping the ball to rookie Harold Fannin in the left flat for a one-yard touchdown to take a 7-0 lead.
At the start of the second period on the NFL Network, it's a 7-7 tie in London with the 2-2 Vikings punting to Cleveland with 5:50 to play in the first half. Two running plays got the ball out to the Browns 39. The pocket collapses on first down and Gabriel took a sack.
On third and long Gabriel found Jerry Jeudy with a pass over the middle, thrown low but catchable. The ball squeezes through Jeudy's arms and it's overturned on review, forcing another punt, the team's fourth of the game.
Dillon Gabriel throws a TD in his first start 🇬🇧 @NFLUKIRE
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Browns coach Kevin Stefanski tabbed Gabriel as the starter after the team struggled to a 1-3 start under 40-year-old vet Joe Flacco. The team picked up the former Duck and Heisman Trophy finalist in the third round in April's NFL draft. Fifth-round draft pick Shedeur Sanders lurks on the bench.
Despite a long college career marked by accuracy and resourcefulness, Gabriel remains dogged by assumptions that he's too small and too short to win in the NFL. He hits Jeudy for six yards on a slant, setting up third and 8 at the two-minute warning, still 7-7.
The first-year pro connects on third and long, a yard short of the sticks on a nice out route. The Browns go and convert. Gabriel finds Jeudy for another first down to reach the Vikings 29. He hits tight end David Njoku for 28, ball down to the 9 as the clock reaches :20 to play in the first half.
On second and goal from the 9, Gabriel's pass is batted high in the air but falls out of bounds, a play that'll be dissected 20 times on Monday on the sports talk radio shows. A false start moves the ball back five.
Third and goal from the 14, Gabriel throws through the back of the end zone incomplete. A 31-yard field goal by Andre Smith gives Cleveland a 10-7 lead at the break after a 14-play, 53-yard drive.
Welcome to the NFL, kid.