The stadium was only about half-full at the start, and when the Bengals went up 27-3 on Jeremy Hill’s 1-yard run, fans who stayed through halftime headed to the exits in droves. If Manziel can at least impress, he could remain the starter for the remainder of the season. It was a good opportunity for them, and I thought the other guys raised their level, which was what we needed with the guys out that we had out today to raise the level around the rest of the football team.
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Manziel is 1-2 as a starter this season. But for some reason, he has not been given more than 2 consecutive starts all season long. Otherwise, the season has been pretty bad for the Browns, as they have been outscored by 11 points a game on average-the worst margin in the league. He claimed trust was “lost in buckets and regained in drops”, and I highly doubt two weeks was enough time for him to believe all those drops were regained.
I honestly could have given this ball to any player in a Bengals’ uniform as everyone had extraordinary games but AJ Green’s impact was just too important not to give notice too. He completed 25 of 38 passes for 230 yards with one interception. Pettine could turn to Johnny Manziel, who spent his 23rd birthday on the sideline as a backup to Davis.
Manziel looked on helplessly from the sideline as the Browns suffered a crushing loss to the Ravens last Monday night and a blowout loss to the Bengals this past weekend.
“I haven’t spoken to the quarterbacks yet”, Pettine said. “They have chemistry. That is what you strive for”.
Cincinnati needed a complex scenario to clinch a playoff berth this week, and even if that doesn’t happen, the Bengals are still poised to make the postseason for the fifth season in a row.
I say all of this because it goes to explain why Manziel is back.
The move that Carroll made four years ago by starting then rookie Russell Wilson over free agent signee Matt Flynn is often referenced as the right way to do business and helped the team get to a pair of Super Bowls.
Receiver Brian Hartline declined to speak to reporters after the game “because I want to keep a job”.
It was admirable for Cleveland to try and hold Manziel accountable, especially since his latest blunder was one of his worst yet. We’ve got to be playing well around our quarterback. It is Cleveland’s most lopsided loss since December 24, 2005, when the Pittsburgh Pirates shut them out 41-0.
Pettine has won just two of his last 17 games, and already had a conference with the owner last month about what he could do to stop this free fall from happening.
A 2-10 record with four games left to play will test the strongest of relationships, but the Cleveland Browns are anything but strong after losing seven straight games, including three consecutive against AFC North Division opponents.
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With McCown done for the season, and this team nowhere near contending, the time is now for the Browns to evaluate what they have in order to decide whether to move on from Manziel and take a new franchise quarterback in the coming draft.
