Pettine said, “Nothing is official so I don’t want to speak on that yet, but I am obviously aware that that report is out there”.
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As for Davis, he was the one who filled in for McCown on Monday night and nearly led Cleveland to a win.
McCown exited the contest in the fourth quarter and was replaced by deputy Austin Davis.
“I can not say enough positive things about Josh McCown, what he’s done for this football team and what he means to this football team”, Pettine said. McCown’s always getting hurt (his lingering rib injury was why the Browns dressed three quarterbacks), and no wonder: his line can’t protect him, and his running game is useless. The Ravens ended up topping the Browns 33-27, in a one score game. Not only did the Browns lose Monday night’s game to division rival Baltimore in the most Brownsian way possible, when their potential game-winning field goal was blocked and returned for the game-winning touchdown by the Ravens’ Will Hill, it appears they’ve also lost their starting quarterback. They have Johnny Manziel, who they tried to make the starter, but then videos of Manziel partying-after spending the summer in rehab-showed up on the Internet.
Defensive end Brent Urban, playing in his first career game, swatted the ball down with his left hand, and safety Will Hill returned it 64 yards for a Ravens win.
On a conference call on Tuesday, Pettine said, “I have a series of meetings scheduled”.
In his eight games this season, McCown completed 186 of 292 passes for 2,109-yards, with 12 touchdowns and four interceptions and his final quarterback rating was 93.3.
MCCOWN GOES DOWN: No one will ever challenge McCown’s toughness, but the 36-year-old quarterback finally succumbed to the pain after taking a hard hit in the fourth quarter. Unless the Browns ignore the performance by Austin Davis or throw Pryor into the fire, it’s Manziel’s turn.
NOTES: Pettine said CB Justin Gilbert is in the NFL’s concussion protocol after sustaining a head injury while returning a kickoff against the Ravens….
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In a league that touts its parity, the Browns’ consistent ineptitude is a remarkable accomplishment-especially when you consider that the team has consistently had its heart broken in the strangest of ways and when you remember all the mediocre (or worse) quarterbacks that the team has employed.
