{"id":1208,"date":"2015-11-08T22:56:49","date_gmt":"2015-11-09T02:56:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sullyonsports.com\/?p=1208"},"modified":"2019-06-26T16:51:52","modified_gmt":"2019-06-26T20:51:52","slug":"heres-johnny-it-should-be-manziel-time-in-cleveland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sullyonsports.com\/?p=1208","title":{"rendered":"Here’s Johnny: It Should Be Manziel Time in Cleveland"},"content":{"rendered":"

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While I don’t usually like writing about 2-7 football teams and I only really write about topics I find interesting, this is a very rare exception.<\/p>\n

With the circus and everlasting drama that has become the Cleveland Browns’ quarterback situation and the eternal craziness that surrounds new starter Johnny Manziel, this is a team and a state of affairs that is worthy of being addressed. \u00a0So let’s address it.<\/p>\n

Basically, you see,\u00a0what had happened was<\/a>, Browns starting quarterback Josh McCown was concussed\u00a0when he tried to helicopter over two Jets defenders in week 1 (that wasn’t the best idea). \u00a0He was replaced by backup\/lightning rod Johnny Manziel, and, put simply, Manziel did pretty well. \u00a0Manziel, known to that point in his NFL career for his drinking problems and extended stay in rehab to get them under control<\/a>, had struggled mightily in his one full game last season, throwing for just 80 yards in a 30-0 hammering at the hands of the in-state rival Bengals.<\/p>\n

Manziel threw for 182 yards in that game against the Jets, ending the contest with a touchdown and an interception. \u00a0He would get the start the next week due to the McCown injury and defeated the Titans in easily the best performance of his young career. \u00a0While he only put the ball in the air 15 times, he threw for two touchdowns, 11.5 yards per attempt, and, most importantly, did not turn the ball over. \u00a0But the Browns and head coach Mike Pettine decided to go back to McCown in week 3, and McCown rightfully kept the job after averaging 384.67 yards per game for the next three weeks.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, losing his starting job led to Manziel, at least in\u00a0one instance<\/a>, returning to drinking. \u00a0Of course, he shouldn’t win the starting job because he has difficulties handling a backup role, but this is simply the most likely reason why this occurred. \u00a0It’s a shame, but Manziel clearly has to learn how to handle failure, and part of his lack of success in the NFL has been caused by his inability to do so.<\/p>\n

But that was then, and this is now. \u00a0McCown’s performance took a step back after his ludicrously impressive three-week run, and he injured his shoulder in a week 7 loss to the Rams. \u00a0At this point, it was time for Manziel to step in again, and he would lead the 2-6 Browns into Cincinnati last Thursday night to play the team that ruined his debut a year ago. \u00a0How would he fare?<\/p>\n

The answer depends on your dissemination of his play. \u00a0While his numbers are thoroughly underwhelming (15-33, 168 yards, one touchdown), he did something that he failed to do last season: protect the football. \u00a0Cleveland would lose 31-10, but Manziel orchestrated a ten-play, 92 yard drive for the Browns’ only touchdown right before the end of the first half. \u00a0His second half was marked with inconsistency, but he was still able to protect the ball through his struggles.<\/p>\n

So why exactly is it time to give the keys to the offense to Manziel, even when McCown has clearly played better? \u00a0For one thing, youth is obviously on Manziel’s side (he is 22; McCown is 36) and at this point, Manziel has the higher ceiling. \u00a0The Browns fell to 2-7 with the loss on Thursday, and it became apparent a long time ago that they aren’t going anywhere in 2015.<\/p>\n

Letting Manziel play out the rest of the regular season serves a dual purpose; 1) the organization can figure out if Manziel can sustain his somewhat impressive play and 2) if Manziel fails, the team will realize this, lose, and probably get a high draft pick. \u00a0They could use that high draft pick on a quarterback (California’s Jared Goff and Penn State’s Christian Hackenberg are the two most highly-touted QBs in this year’s class) and move on from Manziel\/McCown.<\/p>\n

This is a point that was visited by Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport\u00a0on Friday<\/a>:<\/p>\n

Where he then proceeded to play so badly that the Buccaneers<\/a> cut bait after one year.<\/p>\n

Explain to me exactly how this somehow prepares the Browns for a bright future? Or any future?<\/p>\n

Of course, the team is presently led by Mike Pettine.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Oh yeah, that’s right. \u00a0Mike Pettine.<\/p>\n

Pettine has been consistently lukewarm toward his current starting quarterback’s style of play, and he is not overly appreciative of Manziel’s tendency of create plays outside the pocket. \u00a0When asked by reporters about his quarterback’s performance against Cincinnati, he responded in exactly the manner in which you would expect. \u00a0These are all\u00a0real quotes<\/a>.<\/p>\n

“No, I can’t (say he’ll play the next game)….\u00a0When we get in and get back from this time off, we’ll assess what pool of players are available and go ahead and make those decisions from there. This will be a good time to step away and reassess where we are moving forward.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

“It was just inconsistent….\u00a0He did some good things, but in the second half, especially after we fell behind, he was just trying to make too many big plays instead of just taking completions ….\u00a0It’s also a function of how well we play around him….\u00a0I don’t know if in the second half we played well enough around him for him to play well.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Pettine is absolutely correct in stating that Manziel was inconsistent. He is also correct in stating that the Browns were not good enough around him. \u00a0I wouldn’t say this play was good enough on Thursday night:<\/p>\n