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November 30, 2015Here’s Every Last-Minute Browns Loss Since 1999
November 30, 2015Johnny Manziel should be used to being a controversial character in our sports world by now. He has been since he first started tossing footballs better than any Aggie before him in College Station, Texas. The instant success accompanied by an incredible amount of swagger led many in the NFL scouting community to be split on his capability of handling the transition to the professional level. Some thought the risks he took on the field would do him in with his small frame, while others thought the risks he took off the field were too great to ignore. Still, there were precious few who doubted his actual ability to throw the football.
Now, Manziel has done nothing to endear himself to the Cleveland faithful in his time with the Browns. He partied rather than study from the time he was drafted through his rookie season as noted by several media reports and the comments of the veteran players on the team last season. He made a grand gesture of going into a rehabilitation program for a couple months. But, he refused to open up about why he was in there, how it helped him, or what he planned to change in his life moving forward as a result. Now, he is perfectly within his rights to privacy, but it also did not build him the goodwill it could have.
In addition, after an entire season of remarks lauding a new Manziel who was working diligently to become a starting quarterback in the NFL, he flushed all of the built up good thoughts with two separate incidents. One involving reckless driving and a heated argument with his girlfriend. The other, days after he had finally earned the trust of the coaching staff who named him the starting quarterback, a video of him partying at a club during the bye week, which Manziel consequently lied about.1 Manziel has long lost his privilige to being given the benefit of the doubt.
While these issues are depressing and frustrating, they are also not cause for termination. In fact, from what I have seen, most of the argument about whether or not the Browns should part ways with Johnny Manziel fall into three camps: those who never wanted Manziel, those who have grown frustrated with Manziel’s antics the past two seasons to the point of just wanting him gone, and those who — while frustrated — still see the talent. I fall into the third camp.
If you want to see the opinions of one who falls into one of the first two camps, then WFNY’s Richard Pietro already has you covered with a fantastic outline of why he thinks the Browns should cut Manziel. Attempting to match wits with Pietro is a dangerous task to undertake. He is quite adept at finding the common ground and common sense among the arguments and coherently writing out his thoughts in a manner to make one nod their head along. But, this time around, he is inherently wrong.
Pietro wrote out 10 points on why he thought the Browns should cut Manziel, but they really boil down to three questions.
Can Manziel play in the NFL?
NFL teams and fans are willing to turn a blind eye to many things if the talent trumps the headaches as Dez Bryant, Ben Roethlisberger and many, many other athletes have shown. Thus far, the talent has not trumped the headache, but will it moving forward?
There is no question Manziel had great success at Texas A&M in winning a Heisman trophy, while leading some incredible comebacks (most notably the Alabama and Chick-Fil-A Duke games). And, there is also no question the offense he was running was the gimmicky college spread passing offense with enough options for the quarterback to run when the initial receiver wasn’t open. A point Pietro did not even mention was the presence of Mike Evans who is finding great success in the NFL as even professional cornerbacks struggle to cover him. So, there were undoubtedly questions which could not be answered before the draft about Manziel.
Additionally, it is always preferable to have a quarterback with good height and size. But, height and size is merely one variable and if you become too focused on these items, then you end up with Brandon Weeden as your starting quarterback. Manziel has large hands, which is why he is capable of flicking the ball so quickly while scrambling, which helps. He has exceptional agility even without his speed being at an elite level, which is why he is capable of moving in the pocket and evading the rush so well. Manziel also keeps his eyes downfield while moving behind the line of scrimmage, which is an absolute key component to force the defense to make decisions on how to react. And, he delivers the ball with touch and accuracy on most throws though he definitely can still improve on his initial drop back footwork.
As Peter King demonstrated while detailing out the work the Arizona Cardinals Carson Palmer put in to ready himself for a game against the Browns this season, study habits are a definitive part of the equation for a NFL quarterback. These study habits are the focus of quotes from Mike Pettine, John DeFilippo, Josh McCown, and many other veteran players who have lauded Manziel this season. By all accounts, Manziel has been putting in the work this season. His rookie season is a well-earned stain on his reputation and statistical career, but his sophomore year has been marked by a willingness to work hard and learn. Whether or not he is spending enough hours and is learning enough is a senseless debate for anyone outside the offices in Berea to have. All we can go by are the quotes and the results.
Oh, the results. Yes, Johnny Manziel has on field results to distract us away from the off field incidents. And, while they have not been perfect by any means, Manziel as acquitted himself well in his second season. In three starts and other associated play, he is completing nearly 60 percent of his passes for 7.3 yards per attempt with five touchdowns to two interceptions. And, by picking his spots more carefully, Manziel is averaging more than five yards per rush on just three rushes per game.
Furthermore, there has been visible growth on the field for Manziel. The starts against the Tennessee Titans and Cincinnati Bengals demonstarted he had a decent grasp of the offense in terms of commanding the huddle and working through the game. However, the bright spots of his play were still those moments when he broke the pocket and did Manziel-things.
Pettine publicly challenged Manziel to learn how to play within the structure of the offense though, and he did so against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Manziel was noticeably reading the defense better and finding the receivers in the cushion of the defense. He was somewhat helped by the Steelers playing an umbrella zone, but a quarterbacks job is to read the defense and take what is available. He did so against the Steelers to the tune of 372 yards, and his day would have looked even better if a couple of his passes were not dropped in the end zone or his near touchdown rush had broke the plane.
Sure, Manziel set the bar awfully low for himself, but there is demonstrable proof he is rapidly improving as a quarterback, and he possesses talent and skills none of the other quarterbacks on the roster will ever obtain. Apologies to Austin Davis and Connor Shaw, but the truth can sting. And, even Josh McCown will admit he is not a long-term answer at quarterback. Heck, he cannot even stay healthy enough to be a short-term answer at quarterback.
Can the Browns handle Manziel?
Mike Pettine is an old school, no nonsense, straight-shooting coach. Johnny Manziel is a hard-partying, TMZ front-page lifestyle, ad libbing type of quarterback. What could go wrong?
Seriously, the odd pairing is either the best thing that could have happened to Manziel’s career or the worst. Thus far, I am going to side with the best even though it has not yet led to positive results for the Browns. Without being inside Berea, it is difficult to know the exact happenings, but the trajectory seems to be on the correct course though needing some corrections along the way. And, even Pietro has called Pettine the “adult in the room” for his handling of Manziel.
Pettine resisted throwing Manziel to the wolves as long as he could during a rookie year in which the coach knew his quarterback was throwing away. He also did not chastise Joe Thomas or other players who publicly were berating his habits likely knowing the quotes would have more oomph to them coming from respected peers.
In the offseason, Manziel began his stint in rehab directly after a three-day retreat by the Browns leadership. Perhaps it was coincidental, but the odds of Manziel cancelling a huge Vegas Superbowl party on a week’s notice and going into rehab right after the retreat seems to indicate a likelihood there was at least a suggestion given.
Then, throughout the season, Pettine has been encouraging when it has been warranted, but has been blunt about the areas Manziel needs to improve upon as well. And, through the latest demotion, Pettine has shown he has enough backing with the Browns leadership group to make harsh reactions when they are needed.
Ultimately, it is the responsibility to Manziel to respond to the direction and correction from Pettine and his staff. On the field, he certainly has. Whether or not he will respond to what the Browns believe he needs to do off the field remains to be seen.
Is Manziel worth the trouble?
I do not know. If anyone tells you they do know and there is not a question, then they are fooling themselves or lying to you.
What I do know is how I would proceed from here if I was in charge. I would monitor Manziel’s work ethic at Berea and have an intern/video assistant/etc. in charge of monitoring social media for his outside of Berea habits.
Also, every Friday, I would have quarterback coach Kevin O’Connell drill him on the playbook for the week. Ensure he is still studying to be the starting quarterback even though he is likely to be inactive on gamedays and make sure he understands it is the expectation. No, the demand.
After a two week suspension that is being called a demotion, I would reinsert him as the starting quarterback. But, only if he had aced two successive tests from those O’Connell Friday sessions. So, the two week demotion becomes permanent if he doesn’t put the work in (and then we can discuss cutting or trading him this offseason). If he does put the work in and keep his nose clean, then we get a four game run out of him to close the season in which to further evaluate.
Hey, we might end up cutting or trading him anyway, but the Browns are too desperate for talent (particularly at quarterback) to simply give up now. Besides, we are 2-8, what do we possibly have to lose?
- Kudos to Mary Kay Cabot who was the one to dig up the song research that uncovered the lie. [↩]
112 Comments
Also wonderful.
Bromaster General
Exactly, which is why I outlined it as such above.
Confused why he’s active tonight though. He should be inactive IMO
B-bro!
I mean, do I even need to guess what that B stands for in RGB? I think it’s obvious
I saw that. Makes little sense all things considered. Bigger news though? I don’t see Bowe on the inactive list! Tonight’s the night folks!
Both you and Richard did well to lay out your points. Really has made for interesting reading going back and forth between the two. One day perhaps you’ll present your sides in a “Who Should Ride On the Lead Float in the Super Bowl Victory Parade” debate”.
All Browns fans is the correct answer there (we’re gonna need a bigger float).
Even Gruden was lambasting Bowe and he loves everybody.
Really
Great
Bro
It’s hard to make a decision from the outside looking in. That being said, I would be inclined to build an offense that worked with Manziel’s strengths. Personally, I don’t care what he does off the field. If he’s showing up, putting in the work, and winning games, whatever he does off the field is between him and the arresting officers. Johnny has the talent to be a winning quarterback. Give him some additional weapons based on his style of play, and a head coach that understands the NFL is a BUSINESS, and Johnny Football could excel in Cleveland. Manziel has to understand it’s a business, and that wherever he goes it’s going to come down to this bottom line: Just Win, Baby, WIN!