In a season of overwhelming disappointment on and off the field, the Cleveland Browns provided a glimmer of hope Sunday and have an opportunity to perhaps change the outlook for the offseason. It made sense, they had a multi-million dollar investment in Manziel and if he was going to be another bust they needed to know be hire the 2016 NFL Draft.
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But one fact also applies: Johnny Manziel played his best overall game as a Cleveland Brown in Sunday’s win over San Francisco.
The defense sacked San Francisco quarterback Blaine Gabbert nine times – the most by a Browns defense in more than 22 years. Remarkably, more than one player from the 49ers (4-9) suggested their problems may have stemmed from overconfidence.
That was the take offered by offensive tackle Joe Staley and linebacker Ahmad Brooks on Sunday, in the immediate aftermath of San Francisco’s worse-than-it-sounds 24-10 defeat. “We got the win last week and maybe we got a little big headed”. On Monday, in his weekly news conference in Santa Clara, Tomsula offered a tepid, dissenting view.
“Just a good feeling”, Browns coach Mike Pettine said.
Life won’t get any easier next week as the 49ers host the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 15.
Left guard Alex Boone’s right knee injury is not believed to be serious, but it likely will sideline him for the last three games of the season, a league source confirmed Monday. It’s everybody. It’s collective. I didn’t do a good enough job and make sure everybody was prepared.
“We are going to coach our tails off”, Pettine said. Against the other 11 teams they have played this year, they totaled just 10. “We’ve all learned how important it is to be very thorough with concussions and I appreciate the care the Browns have provided for me”. “I tell the guys all the time, ‘When you win, there is an overreaction, and when you lose, there is an overreaction.’ When you had the streak that we had of losses, that overreaction, there is a multiplier to it. People are driving by the building to see if it is on fire”.
Asked if he remained committed to his coordinators and other assistant coaches, Tomsula delivered an emphatic “Yes”, and left it at that.
The 49ers defense surrendered 481 yards, marking the first time in franchise history that at least three opponents have racked up 480-plus yards. The 49ers offense was invisible, totaling barely 100 yards after three quarters thanks to way too many sacks allowed and no running game.
It was technique things more than mental as I see it right now.
“We’ve got to get back on the horse and continue to get better”, he said. In that scenario, were it to happen, the forgone conclusion by some that owner Jimmy Haslam would clean house and start over becomes a critical decision for the future of the team.
Martin and Daniel Kilgore, the team’s 2014 starting center, alternated at center early on against the Browns.
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The Browns showed a lot of positive signs on Sunday against the 49ers.
