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9 burning questions for Browns QB DeShone Kizer

Andrew Gribble

The rookie signal-caller prepares for his regular season debut




The methodical process DeShone Kizer followed to become Cleveland’s starting quarterback hits a major landmark Sunday at FirstEnergy Stadium.

Less than a week after he was officially named the Browns’ top quarterback, Kizer will make his first official start against the Steelers.

On the eve of the first NFL Sunday of 2017, ClevelandBrowns.com caught up with the rookie signal-caller.


CB.com: It’s been a bit of a journey to get you to this point. Where’s your head at as you go into your first regular season start?

Kizer: I’m pretty excited. I don’t think the nerves have really kicked in yet and I don’t think they will. This has been a very smooth transition into this position. Coach (Hue) Jackson has done a good job of throwing me into the fire but with a leash on me. By that I mean I was out there with the ones and I was able to create the relationships needed to go out there and be successful and have a little bit of chemistry while also seeing it from a third-string quarterback and second-string quarterback perspective. Now here, obviously it’s a quick transition compared to most but I think I’m ready.

CB.com: Was this something you truly envisioned the day you were drafted?

Kizer: Absolutely. The day I decided to go into the NFL, you start looking at all of the quarterback situations out there, all of the different things going on in the different organizations. For me, I always saw this was going to be really unique. If I could ever be in this position that I am right now this second, I was going to take full advantage of it. Obviously being from Northwest Ohio and being very close to this organization in terms of proximity, and also everything that went on at Notre Dame, being 4-8 and experiencing some losing and the things I’ve learned from that, I knew I’d be able to apply during a hopefully very successful run here in Cleveland.

CB.com: What kind of friends and family presence are you expecting Sunday?

Kizer: Quite a few. I’m doing a good job of letting my support system know that ‘hey, look, once we start getting ready for this first game, I can’t deal with too many distractions.’ The whole tickets conversation and everyone coming in wanting a piece of me before the game, it’s hard. I’m 100 percent locked in for this game.

CB.com: When did you start looking at Steelers film and how did you go about it this week preparing?

Kizer: When I was named the starter after the Tampa game officially was when I got ready for this. I knew there was a small chance I was going to play against Chicago so I put about two weeks of solid preparation with an understanding of the three-down stuff they do. I’ve been thinking about these first couple of games against division opponents for quite a bit. This last two weeks is when I actually locked in on the film.

CB.com: What’s the biggest difference preparing for an NFL game than what you did in college?

Kizer: They do everything and they do everything well. You’ve got to expect you’re going to see something that hasn’t been on film. You’ve got to expect a look from two years ago against a team that doesn’t even look like your offense is going to be a look they give you now. You’ve got to be able to do whatever you can to get ahead on that and see as many things you possibly can just so you can put it in the back of your head all the different things they do. In college, they have one look, one scheme and they do that well. Here, there’s 15 different looks and 30 different schemes they run that they’re going to be really good at. As a quarterback you’ve got to prepare for them all.

CB.com: What stands out most about the Steelers?

Kizer: They’re star-studded. Every position out there is one you recognize the name. From the defensive linemen, to the linebackers, to the DBs, everyone who is out there is a guy who has earned some respect in this league. In order to beat a team like that, you’ve got to understand they’re experienced. You’ve got to take what’s given. You can’t force anything through. You’ve got to be able to adapt to the looks they give you because with the talent they have, if you try to force something, they’re going to capitalize on it. The best thing you can do as a quarterback is limit the amount of balls that are in harm’s way.

CB.com: What have the last few weeks been like developing chemistry with the receivers and how do you adjust with three new guys in that room?

Kizer: It’s been interesting. This is a new situation for me. Typically for me, the locker room you step into on Day 1 is the locker room you leave with at the end of the season. To have my first experience of bringing new guys in has been pretty cool. I think you’ve got to do your best to stay on the track you’re on while also bringing some guys along with you and allow them to develop at the rate they develop at. I know I have three solid guys at the receiver position plus a very versatile running back who can step in and do some things at the receiver position and I’ve been able to create some great chemistry with since the day I stepped in.

CB.com: Tough week losing Myles Garrett to an injury, but what have you seen from the team as a whole and the optimism you have going into this game?

Kizer: When you’re 4-0 in the preseason and you’re showing what we’ve been able to put on film, I think everyone’s very confident. There’s a lot that’s happened since the offseason, from us bringing in new guys to the mentality change.

Obviously this rookie class has been showing some good things on film. I think our confidence is exactly where it needs to be to go out and get wins. You’ve got to have a little bit of swagger and this team has that.

CB.com: How important would it be to get some wins early in the season and build some momentum?

Kizer: You always want to go 1-0 each week, but we all know when you play three of your first four games against division teams, you’ve got to try to pull out a couple of wins from those. If we can go out there and continue doing what we’ve been doing for the last two months or so and continue to have that success, I’m sure we’ll be able to turn that over into some consistency.

http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/arti...medium=referral

I’m impressed with Cleveland Browns rookie QB DeShone Kizer
His ability to handle blitzes and make throws shows he’s fearless, though not perfect

BY DOMONIQUE FOXWORTH

This year, like last year, I decided to break down the Week 1 coaches film and evaluate a rookie quarterback’s first start. Predictably, the Cleveland Browns lost, but I was awed by their rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer.

According to Browns head coach Hue Jackson, hope is what Kizer gives the Browns. Based on the game plan Kizer was expected to execute, faith is what Jackson gave Kizer. You might think Jackson showed he had faith when he named Kizer the starter. But every coach has to name somebody the starter, which doesn’t mean they have confidence in their starter (see the Houston Texans’ Tom Savage).

Last season’s Week 1 rookie quarterback darling, Carson Wentz, won and had impressive statistics. But when I watch the film, I realized the Philadelphia Eagles didn’t have a lot of faith in him to sit in the pocket and make decisions. The Eagles won because of defense, special teams and great O-line play. The passing plays they called had Wentz leave the pocket or make basic reads between two options.

That was far from the case in Kizer’s first start. His offensive game plan was indistinguishable from that of most NFL veterans. The offense wasn’t simplified. There was no great running game for him to rely on. He didn’t run any bootlegs or sprint-outs. He sat in the pocket, surveyed the field, and made good decisions.

PRESNAP READS

On the first play of the game, the Pittsburgh Steelers were in cover 4 and rather than work the zone-beating combo on the left, Kizer threw an incomplete to the single receiver side on the right. He probably assumed the Steelers would be in a run-stopping defense, but he was wrong. That might have been the only time he seemed confused. They went 3-and-out on that series. On the next offensive series, Kizer found himself in third and 11. Backed up in their own territory, many teams would concede the series, call something conservative like a screen pass, then punt. Kizer dropped back, checked the safeties, determined they were in 2-deep, recognized that it was man coverage underneath, and delivered a perfect strike to tight end David Njoku for a first down.

GOOD AGAINST THE BLITZ

His stats against the blitz were almost identical to his stats when not facing a blitz, which is uncommon, especially for a rookie in his first start. The Steelers blitzed him from everywhere. He never appeared surprised or flustered. Kizer showed a complete understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of his protections. Even experienced quarterbacks get confused by the Steelers’ deceptive zone blitzes. Even when the Steelers showed blitz in the A gap away from the O-line’s slide protection, Kizer repositioned the back closer to the line and pointed out his responsibility, snapped the ball, scanned the field and completed the pass.

FEARLESS

Kizer was fearless in the pocket, showing patience and a willingness to take a hit to complete a pass. But his fearlessness has its drawbacks. Like a lot of young quarterbacks, Kizer doesn’t know when to give up on a play. He was sacked seven times and hit five other times, in part because he often held onto the ball for too long waiting for someone to get open. And though he would prefer to stay in the pocket, he is a good athlete and ran the ball effectively. But he needs to learn to slide.

NOT PERFECT

I was really impressed with Kizer’s mental maturity Sunday. And he made some difficult throws, though he was inaccurate at times. The accuracy issue isn’t a huge concern. Even Hall of Famers miss a couple of open receivers each week. He did make two pretty bad throws. One was intercepted and the other should have been.

Overall, Browns fans should be ecstatic. DeShone probably won’t have a season like Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott did last year, but it’s not because he isn’t good enough. With continued development, consistent play and an improved supporting cast, you’re looking at a Pro Bowl-level talent. I could be overreacting to one statistically mediocre game, but DeShone showed more command and football IQ than several starting veteran quarterbacks. So, I am gonna go ahead and buy a little stock in Kizer before the price gets too high. Next Sunday, he and the Browns go into Baltimore to face the Ravens, who are coming off of a shutout of the Cincinnati Bengals, where they made Andy Dalton look like the worst quarterback in the league. If Kizer performs well against the Ravens, in Baltimore, I am going to convert my entire portfolio over to Kizer stock.

http://theundefeated.com/features/foxwor...-deshone-kizer/

Wow. Nice to read something like that once in a while.

True, sad but encouraging all wrapped up in a single sentence.

I had to quit reading after that paragraph. LOL...unreal.

Quit reading the article because you didn't like one paragraph? How objective of you.

Some people will never understand QB play, no matter what... The same for Wr's...

By the way, I think Colemon is proving me wrong... hope he continues. :-)

What kills me is that the guy is probably getting paid to write that crap. There were all kinds of analysis and breakdowns of Wentz early last year showing how he would go through his progressions.

I like Kizer, but he is not as advanced as Wentz was when it comes to reads.

Did anyone watching see Kizer's progression throughout the game? Did he start strong (aside from the first drive) get hit a couple times and then fall apart? Did he do nothing and then turn it on late in the game? Was he just a steady-eddie throughout? Did he get flustered or panic at any point?

How did his throws and just the "look" of his game change throughout the game?

I don't have the stats in front of me, but I don't think he got worse as the game went along. He did lead us to that late TD drive, but I have the feeling that he made some good throws and some bad throws throughout the game. Same can be said of his reads............although they were much too slow for the duration of the game.

Overall, I thought he played pretty good for his first start. He has a chance to be a good qb.

IMHO I think he looked pretty consistent throughout. As you've probably read, he had several brain farts when he should have thrown the ball away, or taken off running. He wasn't destroyed by the INT, and his late scoring drive was executed nicely. There were some accuracy issues, and he had a wide open receiver (Louis) down the seam that he didn't see when he threw the INT. He never fell apart, and he took some tough shots and got up and kept playing. Good, even keel demeanor, commanding, and seemed to do a good job reading the D pre-snap, and checking out of the play if he saw something he didn't like. A couple penalties hurt him, putting him in 2 & 3rd & long. Overall I give him a C grade for an NFL QB, and a B+ grade for an NFL Rookie QB starting his first game.

I like DK a lot and really feel he can be successful and our starting QB for a long time. However that being said, I hope someone tells him to throw the ball away rather than take those hits. He has to learn when to do this or he will get hurt and that's the last thing we want to see happen. Teach him Hue, he's your pupil and so far you've done ok.

I liked what I saw,far from perfect but very promising...Yet he has an uphill path, no RB's, no TE's, very bad WR's and probably very bad field position, with the new bend but don't break D..

With this type of team a prototypical pocket passer, game manager QB will not work. Only chance for success is a gunslinger QB

High risk/ High reward

I think he has talent. We can all see that. At least I think we all can. LOL

I think it's going to come down to two things:

1. Accuracy. He is going to be have become more accurate. I think this is achievable w/the good coaching he is receiving from Hue and Lee.

2. He is going to have to make better post-snap reads and make them much more quickly. That's the tricky one and it has been the downfall of many qbs.

Nice call, bonefish.

Yes he does, and I'm really enjoying the communication I see on the sideline between him & Hue. Good stuff. That will definitely help him grow.

Good point about Kize and Hue talking when he came off the field. You could almost tell by Hue's face that he was "teaching." Thought that was cool.

Here's what I said about the 2 QB we were most closelyt associated with pre-draft.

I guess I would be OK with him or Kizer at 32/33. My fear is that we do something truly idiotic and take a QB with #1 ... or even #12. Either of these guys will need time to develop. Neither is, IMHO, a day 1 starter ..... or maybe even a year 1 starter.

Yep, just didn't see Kizer as a day 1 starter.

I have to admit that Kizer has impressed me. I figured that he would struggle badly on this team, especially as a day 1 starter .... and while he's not perfect .... he has really impressed in many ways, and if miles farther ahead of where I would have thought he'd be when he was drafted.

Thanks Vers and Cal,

I really want to go back and watch. I want to see how he handled getting hit, and the pressure of the game (especially when things weren't going our way). Him being consistent and not panicking is a huge plus, imo.

I just keep thinking back to other QBs that would get rattled and then would fall apart. There were many, but RG3 is the most recent and most dramatic example. He'd start out the game looking great, get hit a couple times, and then would start getting happy feet and taking off all the time. It's no exaggeration that you could see his game falling apart in front of your eyes.

Agreed on both those points Vers. He'll need continued good coaching and WR's that run correct routes AND catch the ball when it's right there for them!!

I thought the same thing and was at the game and able to see the secondary very well.

However and FWIW, one of either Donovan or Zegura commented on the radio Monday morning that the safety was baiting him in to throwing to Louis. He commented that DK saw the coverage and the safety and wisely chose NOT to throw to Louis. Not what I saw...but interesting to hear from guy(s) like that.

Of course they also stated that he should have thrown the ball away rather than trying to do what he did.

I would say that the article above was spot-on in regards to Kizer. Factoring in it being his first start and playing against the cheap-shot artists, he showed a reason to be very hopeful and that he has a lot of work to do.

To my eyes he was quite poised throughout and never fell apart at any point. I didn't see panic and wouldn't say steady-Eddie throughout either. He was less-than-steady when he should have thrown the ball away a few times...and more-than-steady on darn near ever throw he made. Yes...he missed some, but usually not by much...sans the int. He had a completion to Coleman where the ball was too low for YAC...he brings that up two feet and that's a huge gainer. His sideline throw to K Williams was damn close to a TD. The Britt drop and the blocked punt and early field position appeared to not phase him.

I didn't really see a change in his game throughout but have read some respected folks' comments that such a thing did actually happen.

Thanks, Willie. I certainly didn't notice the safety, it's a good point. Interesting you didn't see an issue from your seat.

I just saw the "lowlight" of KB dropping the pass. There was no one around him and he would probably still be running if he caught it. I don't blame Hue for saying what he said and saying it out loud. He's making them accountable as he should. We should have won this game. It's time to stop the dumb mistakes.

You can't say that we should have won the game. Well, you can..........but, Pittsburgh was taking a knee at the end of the game. How do you know they couldn't have scored again?

We lost. The woulda, coulda, shoulda junk is what losers have to resort to. Hopefully, we'll start winning and have to listen to how we were lucky to win. LOL

Former NFL cornerback Dominique Foxworth wrote this article. It is nice to see something positive written about one of our young QBs. I will wait and see before I buy any Kizer stock.

I will say that Kizer accomplished one big thing that I didn't think that he would. He lived through Pittsburgh. He odds still aren't good of living through this week though if his processing speed hasn't improved.

My buddy standing next to me saw the same thing I did. We talked about it in the morning on the drive home...THEN...heard what we heard on the radio and it surprised both of us.

Disclaimer: I'm starting to question if I heard that on the radio or read it in the Plain Dealer. Was doing both at the same time...not driving. If it was gleaned from the paper, it would hold less water than if it were from Donovan or Zegura. My $.02 But I know it wasn't a comment from one of the regular guys/hosts on the 850 talk shows.

This is true. Someone posted Kizer's All-22 on here earlier (I don't remember who it was, but thank you!).



The play that involves the interception starts at 19:05 in the above video.



The picture above shows Kizer just as he reaches the top of his dropback. From what I can see, he never even looked at Louis. He was locked on to the other receiver (I am not sure who it is).

As you can see, Louis is wide open. A good throw towards the pylon and it is an easy touchdown.

The play is shown again from the endzone camera. After the play fake Kizer does not even look at Louis (for sure).

It's a rookie mistake that Kizer will hopefully learn from.

When those guys get some time together, hopefully the target/open WR - who was open but only for a brief moment - will cut towards the corner of the endzone where he would have stayed wide open. He stayed on his route which allowed the S to provide cover. Both Louis and the interceptor were on the same side of the field and Kizer could have been looking at them both...no way to "know" whether Kizer saw Louis open for a moment without asking Kizer himself.

I only watched the first play [from both angles] and it was interesting for a few reasons:

--The intended receiver [I think it was Coleman] was bracketed and was not open.

--S. Coleman got beat easily w/a simple outside-in move.

--No way could Kize get the ball to Louis [I think that who was running open] because he was rolling right and that was a long throw across his body.

--Kize made his initial read and only looked at his check-down guy [Crow] who was also covered.

I think I'll watch the rest of that video later. I wonder if someone will start making videos like this that really show you what happens on a play? That would be cool because it has become increasingly difficult to watch games [if you want to learn] on TV.

Yeah, All-22 makes evaluating way easier.

With GamePass, how long does it take for the games to be available to watch?

Are they condensed?

I think they are on the next day like 7:00am, and it says 45 minutes on their website.

I don't know looks like Louis was open to me.

I hope we can see those videos for every game. Not only are they good to get a look at Kizer but also the pass pro from two different angles.

Things happen so fast on the OL I can't break it down. That video gives me the chance to look at the job each position does on every pass play to see what went right or what broke down.