The Bills played just Tyrod Taylor and EJ Manuel at quarterback in their second preseason game Thursday night against Cleveland.
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The Cleveland Browns continue to downplay the idea that there is a quarterback competition taking place with the team. We get very individualized in the preseason. We want to push it across midfield. Don’t want to get too wrapped up in the big picture stuff.
The Cleveland Browns haven’t really opened the door for Johnny Manziel to be their starting quarterback to open this season, and there’s a long way to go before that’s a possibility. If Manuel could become the quarterback the Bills thought they were drafting, Buffalo would be playoff bound. Manziel was sacked once and rushed three times for 19 yards. He only led the first team offense to three points in the first half after Travis Coons made a 41-yard field goal with 21-seconds left in the first half. That’s something that we need to work on. Our protection wasn’t what it should be. That (the Bills) was a pretty good front we were going against. We’re in a results business, and unfortunately, he had the one tipped interception which was unfortunate.
Buffalo clearly has a better defense than the one the Redskins trotted out in the preseason opener.
I think were in good position, Thomas said after the game.
We’ll have much more on this game throughout the day tomorrow. With the guys we had injured, with a new coordinator, teams really havent built a book on us over past years. He led Cleveland on a 96-yard touchdown drive that included a 37-yard completion featuring some trademark Johnny Football scrambling.
McCown wasn’t pleased with his performance Thursday, which included a jammed right ring finger that needed an MRI. Still, Browns coach Mike Pettine is sticking with McCown.
Williams is out multiple weeks after undergoing what Ryan called a “sensitive” procedure.
A wide gap earlier in the offseason, when Manziel was just getting back from rehab and McCown was taking command, was fair. He said everything is fine, but cautioned something could flare up overnight.
So McCown is still “firmly” the projected starter, as Pettine has said time and again. “To me, that comes down the road”.
The Browns are gearing up for the dress rehearsal game August. 29th in Tampa, and McCown is expected to play into the third quarter. The 36-year-old veteran was under constant duress from Buffalo’s vaunted defensive line and, on top of the interceptions, took three sacks during his 7-of-10, 57-yard night.
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“I’m not going to sit here and talk about trying to stir up a quarterback controversy”, Pettine said the game.
