DawgTalkers.net Forums The Archives 2015 NFL Season Looking Back: Browns 10 Bengals 31 Browns preparing to start Johnny Manziel at Bengals

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000...ziel-vs-bengals



Two days away from battling the undefeated Bengals, the wandering Browns are turning the offense over to Johnny Manziel.
BROWNS AT BENGALS

When: Thursday, Nov. 5, 8 p.m. ET
TV: Watch on CBS or NFL Network
Sign up for free to play TNF Challenge

Browns' Mack won't waive no-trade clause
Epic race for bye ahead in AFC

With veteran passer Josh McCown dealing with a painful rib injury, NFL Media's Rand Getlin reported Tuesday that Cleveland is preparing to start Johnny Football for Thursday night's tilt with their AFC North rival, per a source briefed on the team's plans.

Manziel played a handful of snaps in relief of McCown at the end Sunday's loss to the Cardinals, his first on-field action since guiding the Browns to a 28-14 win over the Titans in Week 2.

Manziel was given a full week to prepare for Tennessee, but Thursday's task is a tall order for the second-year passer: Rolling into Cincinnati to face an AFC heavy on a short week.

Teams typically stage a practice and a walkthrough before Thursday night tilts, barely enough time for Manziel to get a handle on the game plan.

The positive for the Browns is the fine work of first-year coordinator John DeFilippo, who has milked solid performances out of McCown and Manziel when most wrote off both quarterbacks before the season.

Still, Manziel's critical second season now takes a challenging turn. The Browns are shorthanded on offense and a wild mess on defense. Rolling out an inexperienced passer doesn't help. Unlike last year's fellow rookie starters -- Blake Bortles, Derek Carr and Teddy Bridgewater -- Johnny has barely seen the field.

Still, he must do what all backups are asked to do in a pinch: Ignore the white noise and produce with blinders on. While some might wonder if Manziel is being set up to fail, this also represents a prime opportunity to shift perceptions about his up-and-down career on the national stage. It's you're move, Johnny.


=======================================


So they own't play him after he gets the majority of practice snaps the week before, so they decide to play him on a short week of preparation against an undefeated team on a national stage?

Pettine must really, REALLY hate Manziel.

Just, wow.

Literally the only week of the entire season where this would be a horrible decision.

Last week was the week to do it. Really dumb.

yep. agreed.

Seems like if the Browns can make a bad decision, they do it.

You've got the link, keep this one refs and kill mine.

Unreal, what a horrible time for a start. Oh well, lets go Johnny!

we should've started him against the cardinals.

man....the bengals D gonna start the money sign rampage again.....we're gonna get crushed. on national tv.

To be fair, I think McCown's body parts are just falling off at this point. Not like they really have any other option (except playing McCown when he is too hurt play, but they would never do that).

So the excuses for him are already in? If anything, the extra reps in practice with the first team last week are supposed to be helpful for this, right?

Manziel was drafted in the 1st round to face the Bengals, Ravens and Steelers twice a year. He was on the bench for most of his 1.5 YEARS now with the Browns. If he isn't ready by now, he never will. Stop the excuses. He gets his chance and he doesn't need to win all by himself. A young QB can look good or promising even against strong competition.

That's what I want to see from Johnny. No heroics, more discipline, ability to make standard throws, play within himself, minimize turnovers. That would be a start

LOL.........I wrote this on another thread this morning:



So, a few hours later the Browns announce that Johnny is starting. I yi yi yi....

your boy pettine. great decision.

Grow up, Swish.

He isn't "my boy." I was bashing him long before any of you were. You even made fun of me for it. So, don't start rewriting history.

i don't remember clowning anybody over pettine.

what i do remember though, is when he was hired my reaction being "who?"

He may not get us a win if he starts/plays but from just the little I've seen of him in the preseason and regular season, I really don't think he's going to be destroyed like he was last season.

I think he keeps plays alive and plays MUCH smarter.

Starting Manziel against the Bengals buzz saw TWICE in two seasons....lmao


Goodnight sweet franchise.

So....
Does anyone think Travis Benjamin will have a good game now?

I really think this is an ignorant move. They destroyed Johnny last year. That was one of worst beatings we have ever taken. Why in the heck do you start him on a short week?

The only justification I can come up with is that McCown is so beat up that he can't possibly play. If that is the case, I take back the ignorant comment. If not, I think it is extremely ignorant and I wonder if the coaching staff got another call from the guys upstairs about whom to play????

Pettine has been so resistant to the idea of starting Johnny up to this point that I have to believe he considers it the only option.

Johnny took the majory of reps last week. Although not many he will get all the reps this week. I think its a good week to start Johnny. Bengals will do exactly what they did last year against him. Its up to Johnny and the Browns to be ready to counter-punch.

The kid was embarrassed against the Bengals last year, there couldnt be great motivation for this one.

I wonder if McCown is hurt really bad or if this came from the top to see what we got.

Nope.

Where the Browns are at right now, whoever they put back there is likely to get destroyed Thursday night. McCown, Manziel, Davis, Brian Hartline, Josh Cribbs, Spergon Wynn, Tim Couch, doesn't matter.

The point is the team is taking every opportunity to shatter this guy's confidence before he even takes a snap. All of the "I've got my helmet on coach, and they're getting the paddles out for Josh!" "Nope, we're leaving McCorpse out there rather than put you in the game" last week... the not keeping him in after the Tennessee win, the starting of McCown (who has played better than any of us expected I am happy to say) over Manziel despite McCown's open acknowledgement that "eventually the team will want to see what they have (in Manziel)" all points to the coach outwardly saying "I don't want you in there, I don't have any confidence in you."

Hell, even Bortles has improved while his organization has shown support for him despite his historically awful rookie year. This team has basically done the opposite with Manziel. No doubt, his actions last year are the reason why he is in the place he and we are in now, but piling on and holding grudges from the organizational (FO and/or coaches) end is doing nothing but setting us back. The team has acknowledged a real and marked change in Manziel's behavior and preparation, but are treating him as would a scorned spouse, making him relive the guilt of past transgressions day after day instead of constructively moving forward.

This.

Making the right decision at the absolute wrong time.

Sports Radio in Columbus says he's officially starting....

Well, you speculate that Pettine or the org are "piling on/holding grudges". Did the thought ever cross your mind, that maybe Manziel is still lazy or simply can't execute or memorize the standard plays enough, reverting back to his "game" of "improvising"?

You can hate on Pettine and Joe Thomas all you want, but these guys see him and McCown in practice every freaking day, maybe it's simply more than "I don't like that guy". It's a pretty thin argument to resort to. I think it's much more probable that he simply looks awful in practice, when a HC on the hot seat in more comfortable with a beat up McCown instead of playing and appeasing his GM/owner by playing Manziel.

Do you really believe in the conspiracy theory that the whole world doesn't recognize Johnny's talents and the Browns are holding him back for whatever reason? The same team that spent a 1st&3rd on the guy? Makes exactly ZERO sense to me. If he was any good, he would play by now. Simple deduction tells me that he must really, really suck.

I was listening to 92.3 the fan today and I don't think McCown CAN start. They said he's even having trouble sleeping, from getting hit so much from the last game.

It surely may seem like it's a bad time to start Manziel, but he is our backup, and our starter doesn't seem up to starting whatsoever, so it's Johnny's time, for better or worse.

-Go Johnny Go!!!

Our starter didn't seem up to finishing either but that didn't stop them.

I don't mind that Johnny is starting, even though it's not ideal in a short week. I will root for him. I just hope it isn't a repeat of last year. I was at that game, and it was brutal. I was bitter for a long time after that.

I like your post.

If our O line can protect him, perhaps things will be okay. If not, my best advice for everyone is to start drinking early (just the fans, not Johnny!)

Match up of the game
Manziel vs the Bengals 4 man pass rush.
Should be intresting

Next man up...hope he is ready.

You're talking about Davis, right?

I would think Johnny has a little revenge on his mind for extra incentive.

They did that last Sunday.

[img:center][/img]

I know a lot of people wanted to still see Johnny, I pretty much lost the last tiny bit of care after his latest incident.

Hopefully he lights it up, so we can then increase our trade demands to maybe a 6th round pick...

JMO

Yeah, it would suck if we found out we have a QB for the future. Don't get me wrong, I don't have confidence in JFF. But if he happens to light it up, I would hope that is the beginning of the answer at QB, not trade away something this franchise has been missing for so long.

Until the suspension for drinking alcohol or beating a girl or whatever comes... he's like a Josh Gordon minus the being proven part. Get your hopes up, he'll smash them with stupidity and immaturity.

He belongs in rehab, not on a NFL roster with people needing to rely on him and having to be professional - but this is all JMO, and I understand if it's a bit cold stoned.

He needs some success. They certainly don't have a lot of film on him. Last year was awful beyond words; a DC will want that again.

That "league wrecking" thang . . . good week to start. It IS what a Number Two do, er, does.

Give 'em a jolt, JM.

Our offense is like a knife at a gunfight. Hope he can get some vertical. Defense would be nice. If we crack Dalton early, hard if that, then we can be in it.

Don't take sacks, work hard.

If he looks average, say completing high 50-low 60's completion percentage with 1 TD/1 INT, do you start him the next game?

Yes. If only to trade him. And get ready for it (next game) during bye.

JMC has been punished a bunch. Even if by his choice, each new injury may get closer together like a spiral don on the curve. But we need to play hard.

1) This worked well the last time we tried
2) Pettine may be the biggest dolt we've had at HC in quite awhile
3) lol

So regardless of whether or not he shows potential, he's trade bait for next year regardless?