DawgTalkers.net Forums The Archives 2015 NFL Season Looking Back: Browns 24 49ers 10 Here's Johnnnnyy!

He may be about the only weapon left on offense this week depending on what Flip decides to dial up (know he is considered unpredictable by some).

What do you expect to see him do, what will he do well?

Not being confrontational with this one: For those who wanted him played "to see what we have" in him, what is it you will see or need to see to confirm him as a starting QB here, or what buries the issue? I want to watch the game and look for what you say is vital.

I would like to win this thang as well.

Did someone hack Bard's account? I could understand it..lol
Oh and Happy Birthday Bard!, if it really is you..lol

Pettine and Flip have both said "we feel like we know what we have in Manziel as a football player".

How do we interpret this?

I think it means they don't feel he is good enough. If I had to guess, Pettine would have preferred to start Davis the rest of the season, but he was given orders not to. That's what I also suspect his "tough decisions" comment was about. And why he's talking about no unity within the organization.

Of course, it could mean they do believe he's good enough, but in order for him to achieve his full potential, they need to give him some tough love or he'll just squander it.

I think it's the former. Could be the latter. I would probably put the percentages at 90/10.

I hate this team.

There's still three days and some change for him to mess up, display his immaturity and get benched again.

Let's not get all crazy, you JF bandwagon'ers lol.

Hopefully Benjamin is healthy and ready to go. That Manziel to Travis connection early on looked potent (or lucky).

I think that they have a good idea what Manziel can do on the field, but off the field is still a major concern. I would guess that they feel they can win with Manziel, as long as he gets his head, and life, right.

Likely nothing. Who is he even throwing to? Jennings? Moore? EJ Bibbs?

Pasztor blocking up front. Yikes.

I can't believe there are still four more of these things to go.

I guess when I look at players like Ray Rice, Greg Hardy, Arron Hernandez, ect I am not that concerned with Johnny's off the field actions

Johnnys out of the Dawg house, that's a start.

I will say I am more excited to watch this game than last week's game.

it doesn't sound like he will play... from what I'm reading with fantasy football

I believe you speak for the many of the rest who give a Damn !!!

I will let you know what the Stadium is like Sunday compared to last week.

Please do, Billy. You observations should make interesting reading. We can only hope they are positive....

Not that I know for sure, but something popped up on facebook last night saying that Pryor will probably play on Sunday.

What's that mean? Hell if I know!

Pryor and Bowe maybe?

I want to see the first and could care less (almost impossible!) about the latter.

I would like to see us erupt one time for a game. Let johnny go after them, work the middle, license to scramble, and cut them loose. Fewer middle runs, flags, and two-yard passes.

Call a different game, hopefully play a different game. Like to see us get after them with some different receivers. Paying Bowe has been like feeding strays.

I hope Johnny shows up ready to play. He's been in the dog house, since his best game. I think he will be hungry.

They need to work Pryor in somewhere. There's no film on him, get creative. He' big and fast, exploit that.

I agree. Work the middle seams and air it out some.

I hope Manziel displays a competitiveness and chip on his shoulder and plays lights out.

I would love to go into the draft feeling comfortable that Manziel can be that guy, then sell of the top pick for a ransom, if possible.

I would rather get a truly elite pass rusher ..... and there just happens to be one sitting right at the top of the draft who can be a real difference maker in the NFL. It doesn't hurt that he's a Buckeye either.

I am tired of trading great for a couple of "pretty good". (or worse) I want great players, who make those around them better.

I know he will get franchised so it is a moot point, but give Von Miller all the money. All of it.

Man, imagine him and Bosa on the same D ......

the question is ytown, do you want to blow 1 pick or 3.

Don't be surprised, whether it is via Free Agency or Draft, if we invest significant resources in that Secondary, first. I fully expect a top-flight Cornerback to be brought aboard, one way or another.

Beyond that, yes, we REALLY need a pass rusher & a beastly thumper with big-time instincts at ILB.

As high of a premium this defense put on being able to run solid man coverage, I wouldn't be shocked if we went via FA & Draft.... like 2nd or 3rd rounder, or something.

On offense, we just need a big ole WR and to figure out what the heck is ailing our Run game. With QB play not getting any better than we had this year, just the other two things would elevate this offense's effectiveness to where we could hang better.

On defense, though.... we're a mess. We need a LOT of work. We've made a lot of investments in our defense and we've swung & missed on most all of them recently. That means we have big old, nasty, rotten holes in our roster that need to be gutted and replaced, and we pretty much have that in every position group. I think only Safeties are solid.... maybe DT's if Shelton gets stronger and improves his techniques. The rest is U-G-L-Y.

We do seem to have a lot of holes on our defense.... but imagine if we had one, just one, guy that could beat his guy man to man to get pressure consistently... and a fast, solid run stuffing MLB....

Those two things would cover up a lot of our other deficiencies or at least make them less glaring..

Good post bard.

I think all of us who love the Browns - and those who don't can get the F off the board - hope Manziel shows promise. Ever since I saw him beat Alabama I've liked him. He can win. I hope he does for us, I'd love to see him play well and be a QB for us in 2016 and beyond.

Here's the one thing I hope above all others:

If Manziel is to start for the remainder of the season, please game-plan in accordance to his skill set. Give him some basic parameters, then turn him loose. Let him audible. Design him some roll outs, and see what happens. USE his ability to improvise to your advantage- instead calling an entire game like you would for some drop-back pocket-passing QB.

I see it this way: when you buy (draft) a product as unique as Manziel, you know what you're getting. If you're not prepared to use him according to his individual features, then you shouldn't have drafted him in the first place.

If this is truly Manziel's 2016 audition, then open the playbook wide. Treat him like he's a true starter, and don't coddle him. Don't hamstring him with a restrictive game plan that stifles what makes him unique. It's the only way you'll have any clue as to what you have. If he's going to be riding the neighborhood with the big kids, you have to take the training wheels off.

He may succeed or he may fail. But at least he'll be doing it in a setting that leaves it up to him.

I'd watch games like that.
Even if we lose.

We gotta run a more vertical passing attack with Johnny. Thats his skill set. He is probably the best deep ball thrower I saw in college since Carson Palmer. That will also open things up for stuff underneath with the screen and run game.

I'm not certain the OC can "plan" for him. Planned plays depend on each and every of the other 10 players doing the right thing in order for that play to be successful. So far they haven't been able to do that with any consistency. Plus, planned plays are more easily recognized by the opposition.

So rather than plan I suggest giving him freedom. Freedom to allow him to act on what he sees as an opportunity. Instead of insisting he remain in the pocket and take what the defense gives him at all times, give him the freedom to create, to ad lib, to extend plays. I think that's the way to get the best out of his skill-set.

I just hope Manzel plays a good close game win or lose.
Injury free.

It's a day to root for the steelers against the bengals.

I never root for the ravens even if they play the Cowboys.

Thanks, lampdogg. I was impressed with what I saw today. Not sure he is all we need, but he looked better and looked focused. He threw good stuff. Hist mechanics were chaos, but he made some good throws.

I would love to draft a QB after we use the number one for a glaring need.

I can agree with all of that. If we are embarking on this grand experiment finally "to see what we have" in JM, then we dang well better know the questions for which we are seeking answers. He needs disciplined play and some leeway. The lack of Cam Erving helped a bunch today IMO.

Last couple games, Flip is throwing in some middle of the field routes and they have worked. Get the game plan together to attack the areas he has avoided in our losses.
Other teams have beaten us with stuff he has refused or neglected to run. Many choices haven't worked but get called regularly. Give JM a workable attacking offense.

I'll give him credit...
He does make mistakes but he learns from those mistakes quickly. Doubt we see that ugly cross-body throw anytime soon again.

No kidding!

The way JFF was slipping out of sacks today, I'm not sure if it'd matter much. He's certainly elusive. It's just a shame that NFL defenses are just way too disciplined and keep their positions. There were a few plays that JFF would find his way out of the pocket and 9ers were still playing zone, fairly indifferent to what just happened. In College those plays would be touchdowns as safeties would pounce on those situations. But we also knew that his would happen. I'm just really glad he also understands that and doesn't rely on it.

I like Brady Quinn's remarks today regarding JF being JF - "he's like a wet bar of soap" hahaha. People were just slipping off him.

I thought he made some great throws today. The one across his body was duck ball and I figured it was going to be INT'ed, but all in all and even coming from a JF hater - I thought he played well. Extended plays when they needed to be extended and etc.

That seven yard run he had was one of the most impressive seven yard runs I've ever seen. Started, stopped, changed directions, ran sideways, ran backwards. Crazy.