The Cleveland Browns announced earlier this week that they will be starting Johnny Manziel over Brian Hoyer. Hoyer was the starting QB for the Browns for the first 13 games of the season, so my only reaction to this is, why?
Hoyer has led them to their best start since 2007 and has the chance to take them to the playoffs for the first time since 2002. His numbers haven’t been the best over the past few weeks, but why bench him now and take the risk of things not going well with Johnny Manziel? The Browns would possibly be wasting a game that they desperately need to make a run for the playoffs. Benching the QB that has put them in this position just to start a guy that has only nine attempted passes in his short NFL career doesn't seem like a logical decision.
In week 13 when they brought Manziel in to try to save the game when they were down 20-3 in the fourth quarter, he didn't do that bad. He went 5 for 8, 63 yards and rushed for 13 yards and a touchdown. The next week came and they went back to Hoyer when they played the Colts. If they would have just let Manziel start last week against the Colts, I wouldn't have had such a problem with this. No offense to the Browns, but I don’t think that anyone was giving them a real chance to beat the Colts. If Manziel would have started that game, it was likely the outcome would have been the same, but playing Manziel would have given us a better understanding of what he could do in a NFL game. Now with just three weeks left to play in the season and with the Browns’ back against the wall, it seems they want to try to throw a “Hail Mary” to make their way into the playoffs.
These actions are going to cause other distractions on and off the field. It’s happened before. At the beginning of the season, offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan tried to add Manziel into some different offensive packages. Following that come-back win against the Saints, CBS posted an article that seemed to try to exaggerate the tension between Hoyer and Manziel. Yes, Hoyer did say that he was unhappy, but he never said that he was mad at Manziel. Hoyer only stated that he didn't like the fact that he had to come off the field. You can’t blame the guy; he’s a competitor and he was saying what any competitor would say. Even head coach Mike Pettine really didn't have a problem with the way Hoyer reacted by saying in the post game interview, "...knowing the competitor he is he probably wasn't real thrilled with having to come off the field. But that's the nature of who he is, as he should be."
Then there is the report from the Bleacher Report, leading into their game against Jacksonville, which referenced that Hoyer might not sign with the Browns after this year if Manziel is there. Hoyer himself came out and said that he never talked to the reporter and that he is more focused on the upcoming game.
This supposed tension within the Browns organization gives others the ammunition they need to drive a wedge into the team. Earlier this week, right after the Browns named Manziel the starter for their game against the Bengals, the Bengals head coach, Marvin Lewis, tried to stir up some trouble of his own by calling Manziel a “midget.” Lewis has since come out and apologized for his statements, but it still seemed to be a way to get to not only Johnny Manziel but to the Cleveland organization as a whole.
With all of this drama, there seems to be very little, if any, benefit to starting Manziel with only 3 weeks left in the season. The false reports, the backhanded comments, and the pressure of a rookie QB trying to lead a team to the playoffs will only serve to divide a team that needs to come together if they have any hope of making the playoffs.
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