Cleveland Browns quarterback Austin Davis (7) scrambles in the second half against the Baltimore Ravens at FirstEnergy Stadium.
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Pettine is only committing to Davis, who went 3-5 in eight starts for St. Louis last season, as his starter for this week. Throughout the year he has battled with the enigmatic Johnny Manziel, and when fit, has started the majority of games.
The coaching staff kept him glued to the bench Monday night, even after Josh McCown left the game with a season-ending collarbone injury.
In blocking the potential game-winning field goal Monday night as time expired and returning it for a game-winning, 64-yard touchdown, the Ravens only really affected one of the two races that will matter at season’s end.
After Matt Schaub’s pass was intercepted, and the Browns moved past the Baltimore 35-yard line, Travis Coons had the chance to kick a field goal to hand Cleveland their third win of the season. “I just felt given the circumstances with where he had placed him and what we had done as a result, Austin was above him and played well and deserves this opportunity”. And with the Browns likely to be picking high in the draft next year, they need to know if they need to invest yet another first-rounder in a quarterback. Manziel was being punished for reportedly lying to the team about when a video of him partying took place.
Pettine said his decision to play Davis and not Manziel – recently demoted for breaking a promise to Cleveland’s coaches to behave during the bye week – had nothing to do with punishing one player but rewarding another. With McCown injured and Manziel having lost the trust of the team, who is under center come Sunday? This means that Cleveland has played at least three quarterbacks in a season for an insane four straight seasons.
McCown went 1-7 as a starter but made quite an impression in his first season in Cleveland. He completed 63.4 percent o his passes for 2,001 yards, 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
No matter who starts, the Browns might seek depth at the position for the final five games.
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“I don’t because I don’t think our guys are strangers to that”, Pettine said.
