Retired NFL coach calls Cleveland radio station to discuss Browns' Joe Flacco

Longtime NFL coach Al Saunders couldn't resist calling into Cleveland sports radio station 92.3 The Fan on Thursday as he heard the station's morning show discuss if the Cleveland Browns would or wouldn't start Joe Flacco at quarterback for Sunday's home game versus the 8-4 Jacksonville Jaguars. 

"I had to pull over and stop at a rest stop to call you guys," Saunders said while making a journey through Northeast Ohio, as shared by Ben Axelrod of Awful Announcing. "There is no decision here. I coached Joe Flacco in Baltimore. When the Browns signed Joe, I sent [Browns general manager] Andrew Berry and the coaching staff [a text] and said what a great move that was. Because the time to win for Cleveland is now." 

Saunders served as a senior offensive assistant with the Baltimore Ravens during the 2009 and 2010 seasons when Flacco featured for that franchise. As for Flacco, the 38-year-old completed 23-of-44 passes for 254 yards with two touchdowns and an interception in last Sunday's 36-19 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. According to Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports, the Super Bowl XLVII Most Valuable Player is on track to start against Jacksonville over rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson and backup PJ Walker.

"At 7-5 and you’re going into the stretch run of the season, [Thompson-Robinson] is a great young prospect, and you can’t teach experience," Saunders continued. "And Joe Flacco, his personality, his demeanor, his ability to run an offense in that short period of time was incredible. He’s the perfect guy for the Cleveland Browns to capitalize on where they are in a playoff hunt." 

As of Thursday afternoon, the ESPN Football Power Index gave the Browns a 65.4% chance to make the playoffs. At that same time, oddschecker listed Cleveland as a three-point favorite against a Jaguars team that may be without star quarterback Trevor Lawrence (ankle) this Sunday.