Browns switching QBs and Ravens reeling: 5 things to know about Week 5 of the NFL season

By Andy Scholes, CNN

(CNN) — The Cleveland Browns’ list of starting quarterbacks since 1999 grows to 41, bye weeks begin, the Baltimore Ravens are spiraling, Josh Allen eyes history, and the Dallas Cowboys face a must-win.

Here are your five things to know about Week 5 of the 2025 NFL season.

Browns change QB for London game

After just four games, the Browns are making a quarterback change – but it’s not to Shedeur Sanders. Instead, the team announced that rookie Dillon Gabriel, a third-round pick, will start Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings in London.

Gabriel isn’t your typical rookie. He played six years in college at UCF, Oklahoma and Oregon, piling up experience along the way. The Browns are turning to him after Joe Flacco struggled through the first month of the season, leading the NFL with eight turnovers.

With the move, Gabriel becomes the 41st starting quarterback for the Browns since 1999. Yes, 41. Here’s the full list:

Tim Couch, Ty Detmer, Doug Pederson, Spergon Wynn, Kelly Holcomb, Jeff Garcia, Luke McCown, Trent Dilfer, Charlie Frye, Derek Anderson, Brady Quinn, Ken Dorsey, Bruce Gradkowski, Colt McCoy, Jake Delhomme, Seneca Wallace, Brandon Weeden, Thad Lewis, Jason Campbell, Brian Hoyer, Johnny Manziel, Connor Shaw, Josh McCown, Austin Davis, Cody Kessler, Robert Griffin III, DeShone Kizer, Kevin Hogan, Baker Mayfield, Tyrod Taylor, Case Keenum, Nick Mullens, Jacoby Brissett, Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, PJ Walker, Jeff Driskel, Jameis Winston, Bailey Zappe … and now Gabriel.

Kickoff is set for 9:30 a.m. ET Sunday, so Browns fans will need to wake up early to see Gabriel’s debut.

Bye weeks are here…

For the first time this season, we unfortunately won’t have a full 16-game slate. The Atlanta Falcons, Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers are on byes this week. All 32 teams will get a bye between Weeks 5 and 14, with Week 13 (Thanksgiving week) being the only exception.

Ravens reeling

Things have gone from bad to worse in Baltimore. The Ravens lost again Sunday, this time getting rolled by Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, 37-20.

Lamar Jackson tweaked his hamstring in the loss and is now listed as doubtful for this week’s matchup against the 1-3 Houston Texans. Since 2018, the Ravens are 4-10 without Jackson.

Both teams had Super Bowl aspirations, but a 1-4 start would put those hopes on life support. Since 2000, only four teams have recovered from 1-4 to make the playoffs.

AFC East showdown

Sunday night brings a big one: the Buffalo Bills vs. the New England Patriots. It’s a perfect measuring stick for the Pats and second-year quarterback Drake Maye, who gets to test himself against reigning MVP Josh Allen.

Allen has shredded most of the AFC East in his career, but the Patriots have given him more trouble than anyone else. He’s just 8-5 against New England as a starter.

History could be on the line, too. If Allen throws and runs for a touchdown, it would mark the 46th time in his career he’s done both in a game – breaking his tie with Cam Newton for the most all time.

Cowboys-Jets

The Cowboys’ roller-coaster season now takes them to New Jersey for a matchup with the winless New York Jets.

Dallas is coming off a bizarre stat line: the first team in NFL history to score 40 points at home with zero turnovers … and not win. Entering Sunday, teams were 300-0 in that situation. The Cowboys? They settled for a tie with the Packers.

Dak Prescott’s career record now sits at 77-48-1 through 126 games — almost identical to Tony Romo’s 78-48 mark at the same point. Different eras, same result: no Super Bowl.

If the Cowboys want this season to be any different, they can’t afford to lose Sunday.

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