Despite Manziel having two solid outings, McCown still has the inside track for the job.
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Johnny Manziel made several splashy plays during the Cleveland Browns’ lone touchdown drive in the 11-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night, which induced flutters of optimism about the maligned quarterback. He fought through limited support – a real issue for the Browns in 2015, regardless of quarterback – to make throws like the NFL’s best athletic passers do. He then connected with rookie Bronson Hill for the 2-point conversion to complete a late rally by the Bills (1-1).
When asked about a timetable on his recovery Coach Rex Ryan said this was not something he wanted to discuss yet until preliminary reports were in, but that he is hoping this isn’t something that’ll set them back too far. He doesn’t want to give the Colts any edge.
“The things that stopped us were my mistakes”, McCown said. “Until the league makes us tell them we can go right up there and say we’re not going to say anything”. The touchdown toss, by the way, was a lovely one and a flawless pass from Johnny to his receiver Shane Wynn.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel (2) takes the field prior to a preseason game against the Buffalo Bills at FirstEnergy Stadium.
“We’ll evaluate both guys”, Pettine said. “I’m not going to have my actions just be based on that. Sure, but that is not my call”, Manziel said.
“Would I like to be in there with the ones?”
I try to capitalize on any opportunity I get in this game, Wynn said, smiling.
McCown did nothing to lock up the starting gig. If he keeps proving his potential, Manziel will be the starter and hopefully lead Cleveland to a playoff bid. Following McCown’s two-interception night, the gang from NFL.com puts McCown under the microscope in one of the four takeaways from the game.
And the right ring finger McCown jammed against the Bills won’t interfere with his status.
So McCown is still “firmly” the projected starter, as Pettine has said time and again. I openly wondered if Manziel was even the best backup candidate for the Browns among Connor Shaw, Thaddeus Lewis – and even Terrelle Pryor. After an unusual sequence, the Bills found the end zone.
McCown’s longest drive was 75 yards, when he went 5-for-5. He added 41 yards rushing before giving way to Manuel, who finished 9 of 14 for 111 yards. What happens when you get two teams decimated by injury looking for answers at the quarterback position?
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Everything, more so than everyone, is begging the Browns to reconsider their quarterback competition. He required help getting up, and didn’t bend his left leg while slowly making his way to the locker room alongside team doctor Les Bisson and trainer Shone Gibson. Safety Jordan Poyer will have to follow concussion protocol before returning to practice … Wood, an undrafted free agent out of Notre Dame, appeared in five games split between Houston and New England in 2013.
