Cleveland Browns fullback Malcolm Johnson (44) sacks San Francisco 49ers quarterback Blaine Gabbert (2) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2015, in Cleveland.
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Defensively, the 49ers yielded 481 yards and 28 first downs in Johnny Manziel s return as the Browns roller-coaster quarterback. With the Browns heading toward another off-season house-cleaning, Manziel could end up as trade bait, but more performances like he had in Week 14 would make it more hard for the Cleveland GM, whomever it is, to consider that possibility.
Manziel’s teammates were impressed with his game.
Johnny Football finally accepted some blame.
Crowell was the main force behind the Browns’ third touchdown when his 54-yard run to the 5 set up a 3-yard touchdown run for a 17-3 lead with 8:53 to play.
The quarterback’s health was a question mark after he was sacked nine times, the highest number allowed by any team this season, and the highest number in 49ers’ franchise history.
“We know (Manziel) is agile in the pocket”, 49ers Ahmad Brooks said. It was a win we earned.
Manziel was back on the field after being benched two games by Pettine for partying during Cleveland’s bye week after he had promised not to be a distraction.
“I figured after the little deal they did in pregame that was going to be it. So I kind of exhaled and was trying to find my rhythm”, he said. I still have a lot to prove. I feel bad about that today.
After struggling in the second half against the Bengals, Manziel threw for 372 yards against the Steelers and followed with 270 and a win over San Francisco.
Now, Manziel needs to take responsibility to keep his nose clean off the field.
One of the people who is most certainly not happy about all the attention that Manziel gets in the media is Terry Bradshaw, and he was not shy about letting that known on Sunday. Manziel was fun to watch, not just because of his occasional scramble, but because of his arm to rifle passes to receivers down field. There he saw that the 49ers had left tight end Gary Barnidge wide open down the seam for what would have been a big play. That’s when he had his temper tantrum.
Pettine wasn’t upset with the QB’s heated response.
“Wow”, Dawson said when told of the fans’ reaction. “It would bother me more if he just “whatever” and walked off. If it’s towards himself over frustration from doing something bone-headed, I have no problem with it”.
Another top receiver, Brian Hartline, ended up had to leave the game in the third quarter.
The 49ers did nothing well.
Tartt made the first interception of his career, returning it for 25 yards, and also recorded eight tackles in San Francisco’s loss to Cleveland.
“It’s getting better”, Manziel said. Through the first three quarters, before some garbage-time drives against a soft-prevent Browns’ defense that didn’t matter, Gabbert and offensive coordinator Geep Chryst worked together to unleash (sarcastic terminology) a raucous 76 yards of passing excitement and 98 total net offensive yards. Rookie kicker Travis Coons had a kick blocked for the third straight week.
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So, as I see them, I’m generally thankful that seasoned and wise observers of the game can write “film room” type articles to explain to me why the Cam Erving was supposed to drop back five yards and whiff at that blitzing linebacker instead of, say, dropping back two yards and just falling face-first on the ground in the hopes of tripping him. Then the first-year coach attempted an audible autopsy on why his 49ers (4-9) played such a poor football game.
