DawgTalkers.net Forums The Archives 2015 NFL Season Looking Back: Browns 20 Oakland 27 McCown Cleared; Set to Start

Browns QB Josh McCown cleared to return, set to start vs. Raiders
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Andrew Gribble
Senior Staff Writer
@Andrew_Gribble
Veteran to return to practice Wednesday

Josh McCown is out of the NFL’s concussion protocol and is set to make his second start of the season Sunday against the Oakland Raiders at FirstEnergy Stadium, coach Mike Pettine announced Wednesday.
McCown was injured at the end of Cleveland’s first offensive series of the season. He completed 5-of-8 passes for 49 yards and ran three times for 23 yards.
McCown will be on the practice field this afternoon when the Browns begin their on-field preparations for the Raiders.

http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/arti...d6-d8061180e40a

Does this mean that Pet & Flip think that JM is not ready yet?

Farmer is behind this somehow.

I would assume that it means that for right now, they think McCown gives us the best chance to win...

Well, I anticipated that. Don't approve, but expected that decision.

Disappointing but I understand the rationale.

Disappointing in that we'll be facing a team who's QB of the future is getting invaluable game reps. Heck, even Bortles, the second worst rookie QB next to Gabbert of the last 10 or so years, even looked good last week. Teams across the league are taking their lumps and getting their future guys reps for the long-term. So they can have sustained success. We are starting McCown so we don't hurt Thomas's feelings. LOL.

I'm ok with it, but that part kinda sucks. I just hope Manziel sees more game action this year.

Oh, he will.

I also understand the decision, for the most part.

McCown got injured in the first qtr. of the first game. Couple in the facts that our QBs always get injured and McCown apparently loves getting hit instead of going down, odds are in favor of Manziel seeing the field sooner rather than later.

OK with decision for now. I expect to see JF later. We have lots of QB work to do; many folks to coach up just to have a backup if McCown goes down.

I am not sure that McCown is a 100% lousy or that JFF is 100% the answer immediately.

Just going to fan up and root for me Browns . . . all of 'em.

Just win, baby!

Kind of torn on this because for it to happen, either McCown has to get hurt again or play poorly... neither of which I want to root for.

In unrelated news,Travis Benjamin will not be starting on any of my fantasy teams--league or daily contests.

Question is, how short has Johnny made McCown's leash?

well.....i wonder how this will effect the deep ball.

I don't think that I agree with this. However, as it now stands the starter comes back in, and the backup goes to the bench on a real positive note. I think that the next time we see Manziel, he will be in for good.

I think that if nothing else, the backup goes back to the bench with everyone a LOT more comfortable with his ability, and he gets to go back to watching and learning like he needs to be.

thats exactly how i feel. i think it takes for McCown to really have a meltdown in order to see Manziel again. i dont wanna see that because that means we will lose bad that day. but if thats what it takes......

i strongly disagree with this move. the browns organization sucks and always have since 99. they aint about winning or developing players properly. let the boy play smh.

If this is the case, then Manziel isn't the answer, so it doesn't matter.

IF he is the answer, before the season is out, he will take the job on merit. McCown is not a world-beater, so if Manziel cannot at least step up to his level, we don't need him and need to look elsewhere.

He's getting what he needs - time to learn and develop. Hopefully, he progresses rapidly.

he may only play one series again, so you never know

Personally, I don't see the point in playing him over Johnny. Not that Johnny is better right now, but I'd rather have him continue to progress/get comfortable

If I am correct McCowns first pass was a 40 yard strike to Dray(I think), and it hit him on the hands but was slightly overthrown. I am hoping that Flip calls more plays like that.

When is Johnny going to get the reps to take it on merit? They have such limited practice time now JM is not going to get reps with the 1's.

I do not agree with this move at all. We need to see what JM has. He has a lot of work to do, but actually playing is how he will get that experience.

Same place he got them to make the progress he made all offseason.
They do let him step on grass Monday through Saturday in this league, ya know

1

if thats the case, then that means the Browns FO are screwing us again. it doesn't mean that johnny is not the answer. i expect the browns to be the browns (aka f---ups).

It was happy for all sunday with Manziel, Weeden, Bortles and Teddy having decent games. Btw, Teddy got a +4.0 grade from PFF.

Back to our QBs. One thing hasn't been mentioned yet. This also gives Manziel some (maybe needed) rest on his throwing shoulder to fully heal or get "reloaded" again.

I also think it's much more than only playing the vet "for" the vets. With all what's happened last year, Manziel lost (if he ever had) a lot of credit in the locker room. Look around, he's a dividing character and player, the 52 other guys in the locker plus all the coaches are only human too and I'm sure they're as divided about him as is this board, the media etc. That's how he has build his PR persona and celebrity status, by being that way. It's off putting and annoying as hell to many, maybe even Pettine himself. He sure doesn't seem to like Manziel or hasn't forgiven him for last season's disservice. He probably was the content of "textgate" and all the problems and media pressure he had to endure and go through, all the while knowing that this lazy brat didn't even bother to learn the playbook he had for over half a year. He even went as far and called him out, saying he should put his nose into the playbook more. What did Manziel do? He said "yes, I need to change, learn more bla bla". What did he do? Nothing. He lied and betrayed his team.

Manziel burnt a lot of bridges last year with the coaches and teammates. The only reason he's still on the team is because he was a high pick. Seriously, if he was a day 3 selection, he would have been cut in the offseason. It's easy for us to say: "he's improved", "there's upside" etc, but we're not part of the team. When you're part of a team, you have responsibility beyond your interests, especially as a QB. Manziel was all about himself last year, while talking "team" in front of cameras. I'm sure the locker room has picked up on that snake like behaviour. For how long has he promised to "learn more"?

And here we are and McCown getting the nod, because of the same Manziel shortcomings and we still have people being disappointed with that. You should be disappointed with Manziel, not Pettine. You have the offender-victim causality all mixed up.

Josh McCown is not good. This is not going to be fun.

I've been saying this. We, as fans want to see JFF get his shot. We want to see if he progresses into what we all hope he will be, or if we need to move on. Some might even suggest that's the best avenue this team could take in order to actually address our QB situation. I actually feel this way too.

But this coaching staff gets paid to win games. They get paid to put what they believe to be the best players on the field that give them the best chance to win.

I believe we also need to consider that JFF wasted last year. I saw absolutely nothing in his play last year to give me an indication he had learned anything from his coaches. One must also remember he left rehab in what, April? So his window for learning has been a short one.

I'm cautiously optimistic about the improvement he's made in that short period of time. However, at the same time, I can understand how the coaching staff probably feels he hasn't made enough improvement to hand him the reigns at this point.

I'm looking at it from the "what I want to see" side, to the "what's realistic to expect" side.

Memphis, this may turn into a popcorn eating thread, but I think a lot of fans can understand that while JFF has shown signs of improvement, he's a very long way from a finished product.

they asked joe who should start again? hehe

well i do hope for a win. im hoping to see some deep passes to benji.

it all starts if we can run the ball...

I almost think that the humility lesson is still ongoing. The team does not want to hand anything to Manziel without him completely earning it.

If Manziel continues to work hard and continues to improve, and stays clean, then I can see him getting a shot at the starting spot next year, if not sooner.

Not suprising, Another gutless decision from a gutless coach. I expoected nothing less.

McCown is a 36 year old loser, a bridge to no where...he started 11 games last year and won only 1 game...the rookie that took over in Tampa last year with the same supporting cast has already matched that number.

Hope your ready for another losing season, by the time they put Manziel back in, it will be too late for meaningful football...

all they have done is put out any fire Manziel had. All they have done is show Manziel that they reward good behavior and progress by forcing you to ride the pine. All Pettine has done now is hindered our Qb future growth for some bum loser 36 year old QB that will be lucky to win 1-2 games...

I swear i think this team tries to lose on purpose..its sickening.

I actually was enjoying McCowns play before he got injured.

As of now I don't feel he should lose the starting job over it.

It's out of my control.. And I really have no reason to get upset with his starting.. (yet)

All I want to see is the Browns 2-1 Sunday afternoon.

My theory (suspicion) is that they know McCown is only a bridge, I don't think they know that (and neither do we) Manziel has enough potential to win it all and are therefore positioning themselves I order to be able to get someone who they do believe has the potential to win it all.


Who would that be?

I dunno, haven't been able to watch the first three Buckeye games but at the end of last season I would've thought Cardale Jones, but we all know how that is going at the moment.

It'd be really great to see them commit to a guy rather than just hedge their bets for once.

Sheesh, glass MOSTLY empty, Knight??

I think the difference between 'meaningful' football and 'non-meaningful' football with this team is like comparing fresh crap with 1 day old crap. It's a bad team. I don't see this make or break the season situation with these 2 QBs that everyone else does.

I see benching Johnny as further development. And I dont' think it puts out his fire, I think it keeps it burning strong if not stronger.

And I agree with others, McCown will sacrifice his body and be out hurt soon enough. The guy seems so dense that he should be allowed to keep playing w/ concussion symptoms. Johnny will be playing again. And then Austin will . . .

YEP !! I am happy with the decision. If McCown plays to 75% of the level of his one drive versus the Jets then he is the right guy to start.

JMM doesn't stop learning because of this. In fact hopefully he continues to learn. Hopefully in 3-4-5-6-7 games JMM will be the guy that gives us the best chance to win and will start totally on ability.

The guys saying this was a gutless coaching decison - wow. Not withstanding that Pettine has got more balls than most of the coaches we've had here since 1999 combined .... this was the TOUGH decision ... the EASY decision was letting JMM start. Hard to fathom how you think this was gutless.

I'm fairly certain that this is exactly why we got McCown in the first place.

...to nowhere though. When they signed McCown, they probably considered Manziel a wild card, ab afterthought at best. There were even reports that they considered cutting him. He was a mess, didn't learn the playbook, locker didn't like him. I don't think anyone from the Browns thought he'd ever become their franchise QB, so McCown clearly was not signed to bridge the gap to him. He was simply a stop gap signing.

Rumor was when Manziel was coming out in the draft, Jerry Jones really liked him and was thinking of drafting him. Since Romo is hurt maybe we could trade Manziel to Dallas.

Reading between all the lines, here's where I think we are:

1. Manziel was drafted last year to be the team's franchise QB.

2. Instead of getting a franchise QB, the Browns got an immature, entitled punk of a kid who really only cared about himself. On top of being a punk, he didn't work hard, earned zero respect in the locker room, and found solace in some type of substance abuse.

3. Because of that very disastrous rookie season, coaches and players alike wrote Manziel off. Justifiably so.

4. A new coach combined with a new QB always gets a grace period. Manziel burned Pettine's grace period.

5. Manziel hit rock bottom.

6. Browns stood by him. Why, I'm not sure.

7. Manziel comes into this season with no respect, trust, or like from his teammates or coaches. A likely insurmountable mountain to climb out of. Even if he appears a changed man, it is often too hard to repair lost trust and respect.

8. Browns sign McCown to be the starter. Pettine lost his grace period and needed a starter. This was the best they could do. If Manziel showed up to camp sober, then he could mentor him as well. But that was way down McCown's list of duties.

9. Manziel starts behaving the way he should have his rookie season in camp. Makes incremental improvement in his mental game, physical game, and work ethic.

10. But like most rookie QBs (which Manziel essentially still is) they are not ready to start their rookie years. Most first round guys start right away even though they are not ready because the coach has a grace period and the QB is the future and the organization is willing to take their lumps. Some first round rookies get in after their rookie season starts but mostly all get in the first year. Organizations take their lumps and their crappy records and start drafting talent the next year to put around the QB (see: Raiders).

11. Because of Manziel's actions, he did not afford the Browns or Pettine this opportunity.

12. So Pettine has to adjust. He has no grace period. He keeps talking about a plan in place for Manziel. I think the plan is to have McCown start, have a good record, and let Manziel continue to sit on the bench and learn with the hope they can turn to Manziel next year or even the year after.

13. If Manziel didn't blow his rookie season last year and allowed Pettine to have his grace period we wouldn't be in this position.

14. The positive sign is if last year's Manziel was behaving and playing like this year's Manziel, I think most would be excited about the future.

15. But Manziel altered the plan with his actions and this is where we sit. Sucks. But it is what it is. All we can do now is hope for continued improvement from him and to see enough before going into next year's draft. I feel like if we finish with a terrible record, we are drafting a QB. If we finish middle of the pack with McCown or some combination of McCown / Manziel, we'll ride these same two guys next year with no clear cut future for this franchise.

This was all created by Manziel's actions. Man, I just depressed myself.

The best we can hope for is this all takes care of itself organically. I'm not rooting for McCown to get hurt or play bad, but the best thing that can happen for the Browns is one of those two things, then Manziel comes in, plays well, and we have our guy. We finish middle of the pack and start building a team around him.

But Manziel really screwed Pettine. Big time. And he screwed us fans and now we have to pay for it. We can go ahead and carry a grudge and burn him at the stake or we can move past it, forgive, and let him prove that he is the guy.

The best possible outcome for the Browns is he becomes the franchise QB. That allows you to start drafting a team to put around him. Imagine going into the draft with the QB situation resolved.

Man, that was a lot of rambling.

or maybe, he has done enough to impress during the off season with his new attitude, then did his job as a back up admirably, they then realized that it would likely benefit him to sit and watch and learn from mcowns mistakes for a few more games. Honestly it's not the worst idea in the world. He is m ore focused this year than last, so the sideline watching will benefit him more. It worked for rodgers didnt it? Keep in mind, JFF is still young , he would just be entering his Sr year in college this year. Now, had he not owned his mistakes and entered rehab, he would be bagging groceries right now.