No one expected the Browns to do much of anything against the undefeated Bengals and the Browns did not disappoint during the 31-10 defeat.
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At the half, we had a pretty tight game at 14-10. The Bengals starting their season 8-0, looking like a slightly upgraded version of the year before each time, is a lot more meaningful.
He scored the Bengals first touchdown midway through the first quarter when he caught a 9-yard pass over the middle from Dalton and bulled over Browns’ safety Tashaun Gipson.
On the other side of the ball, the Browns need their second-year quarterback Johnny Manziel to try and get something going as they are struggling to match the firepower of the Bengals.
Manziel’s first career start came past year against the Bengals.
In McCown’s absence, Manziel completed 15 of 33 passes for 168 yards and one touchdown. “We are appalled that Commissioner (Roger) Goodell and the Cleveland Browns are allowing Johnny Manziel to start in tonight’s game just weeks after multiple witnesses were forced to call 911 over a domestic violence incident with his girlfriend”. If we can keep him healthy, he’s got the talent and he can’t be rattled. Instead of mocking him this time, they chased him around before ultimately shutting him down in the second half.
Manziel definitely looked better – at times – last night and showed that there is something to build on. He took good care of the football, however, and didn’t throw a single interception.
He commanded a methodical, time-consuming drive in the first quarter that saw Isaiah Crowell break off his biggest run of the game (13 yards) and five different receivers catch passes.
Travis Benjamin has not caught a touchdown since Week 3 (reminiscent of last season) and has just 10 receptions for 95 yards over the past three games.
One of the primary reasons the Steelers have been able to generate more pressure has been a schematic change made to the defensive front.
The Brown’s offense is often heavily criticized.
The Bengals not only won the game last night, they looked good doing it. Andy Dalton connected with tight end Tyler Eifert for three touchdowns as the Bengals cruised to their eighth win of the season.
“We’re supposed to stop them and we didn’t”, Desmond Bryant told cleveland.com after the game. “If we can do these things then we make winning a higher probability”. There’s a couple of balls that we want him to make from in the pocket, but you can’t argue with his production. The killer play was a 25-yard end around for a touchdown by Mohamed Sanu.
“It’s really cheatin’ to have someone like that run down the field”.
Of course, this being Cleveland, Bowe’s performance has to include a few manufactured nonsense.
The Browns fell to 2-7 in Johnny Manziel’s second start of the season. Manziel had just guided a 92-yard touchdown drive, and the Browns were in the game. We have to continue to come out.
Lewis certainly had his guys ready for the national stage. Yes that means you DC Jim O’Neil. Those nine receiving scores are the most of any player – Odell Beckham Jr., Rob Gronkowski and Larry Fitzgerald all have seven.
The Seattle Mariners and Tampa Bay Rays have completed the first significant trade of the offseason, a six-player swap that sends infielder Brad Miller, first baseman Logan Morrison and pitcher Danny Farquhar to Tampa Bay for pitchers Nathan Karns and C.J. Riefenhauser, and minor league outfielder Boog Powell.
Rookie fourth-round pick Ibraheim Campbell started for Whitner.
CB Joe Haden (concussion) was inactive Thursday. Had saved himself the embarrassment of being physically accosted all night by the football by, oh I don’t know… catching it, Manziel might have a significantly better night.
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It’s tough to do that consistently in the pros, and although he couldn’t argue with Manziel’s early success, Pettine said the Browns would prefer if the 22-year-old would make more plays from the pocket. One thing he excels at is extending the play.
