Cleveland Browns quarterback Josh McCown (13) outruns Baltimore Ravens defensive end Lawrence Guy (93) in the first half of an NFL football game, Monday, Nov. 30, 2015, in Cleveland.
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Pettine refused to name his starter for Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals, saying: “I don’t want to head down this slope”.
McCown broke his collarbone in Monday night’s last-second loss to Baltimore, an injury that will cost him the final five games this season and re-open more quarterback chaos in Cleveland.
“It’s a tough one to wrap your brain around”, Browns coach Mike Pettine said.
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Travis Benjamin will likely see plenty of targets from quarterback Austin Davis this Sunday, as the Browns will likely be trying to play catch up with the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Ravens had looked set to suffer an agonizing late defeat as Cleveland kicker Travis Coons stepped up for what would have been a game-winning 51-yard field goal with the last play of regulation.
Pettine would not say if Davis would remain the starter if McCown is out. The Ravens blocked that kick and returned it for a touchdown as time expired.
Veteran left tackle Joe Thomas added, “I thought he came in and did a nice job”. The Browns could easily be preparing to move on from the troubled quarterback by trading or releasing him once the season is over. “We’ll take everything into consideration and then make the decision that’s best for the team moving forward”. One thing’s sure: He isn’t doing enough great things on the field to make the Browns ignore his other activities, and lying to the team about it should seal his fate as a future franchise quarterback for the Browns.
Davis completed 7 of 10 passes – he went for 6 for 6 on the scoring drive – for 77 yards.
And since Manziel was demoted to 3rd-string because of the incident, Austin Davis replaced McCown.
On a conference call on Tuesday, Pettine said, “I have a series of meetings scheduled”.
Stats aside, watching McCown play this season was a relief after so many years of paltry play at the quarterback position.
He was fourth in the National Football League in rushing with 814 yards and was on pace for his first 1,000-yard season since 2013.
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