The starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns is the sort of job Johnny Manziel intends to keep but following a 31-10 loss at the hands of Cincinnati Bengals, it is clear that coach Mike Pettine is weighing his options and might not consider Manziel a guaranteed starter in the coming games.
While speaking with reporters, the Browns coach said that it is time for him and the rest of the coaching staff to asses which pool of players is available before revealing that some big decisions will be made for the coming encounters.
“When we get in and get back from this time off, we will assess what pool of players are available and go ahead and make those decisions from there,” Pettine said. “This will be a good time to step away and reassess where we are moving forward.”
With a week off, the Browns will have enough time on their hands of prepare for the crunch encounter against Pittsburgh on November 15.
Starter Josh McCown might still not be able to make it to the match day squad after revealing this Tuesday that he had trouble breathing and sleeping because of a painful rib injury that affected his performance during Sunday’s loss.
The coaches were hoping to have McCown available for selection but the short week prevented him from making a return. So far, McCown has 1,897 passing yards and 11 touchdowns against four interceptions. And it was his absence that saw Manziel get the nod for a start.
Aug 18, 2014; Landover, MD, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel (2) prepares to throw the ball during warmups prior to the Browns’ game against the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports ORG XMIT: USATSI-180638 ORIG FILE ID: 20140817_ajw_sb4_329.JPG
However, it is clear that the young QB is not really in a mood to let go of the starting spot and admitted to it when asked by a reporter.
“Yes, absolutely,” he said. “We get a few days off now to refresh and get a break … come back, watch the film and then get ready to go for the following week.”
Manziel had a really good first half during which he threw for one touchdown and 128 yards. However, it was the second half where his inconsistent displays were on show where he went only 4 of 15 for 40 yards and was sacked on three occasions.
Without keeping anyone in the dark, Pettine admitted that Manziel was inconsistent even though he did some good things during the first half.
“I thought he did some good things, but I just thought in the second half, especially after we fell behind, he was just trying to make too many big plays instead of just taking completions,” he said.
Regardless, Manziel is pretty much satisfied with his overall performance and said that he did manage to do some good things while also regretting that his decision making at times left a lot to be desired.
However, the youngster is confident that he can be the team’s starting QB for the remainder of the season which means that if the coach changes his mind in the next few days, Johnny Manziel might find it hard to agree to his coach’s decision.
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