Johnny Manziel showed today why he should have been playing earlier
Note: Flashback Post
By Steve King
First things first: Give the Browns all the credit in the world for the way they played today in a 17-13 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.
They hung in there – but only by the skin of their teeth – in the first half, trailing 17-3. But the way they played after halftime was some of their best football of the year – on both sides of the ball.
That they didn’t win was disappointing, especially considering all the time it took the officials to spot the ball as the Browns moved to the Kansas City 18 but could not get off another play before the clock ran out.
The fact of the matter is, though, that they went toe to toe with the NFL’s hottest team over the last two months.
The Browns could have just gone through the motions, particularly when they dug a hole for themselves right away, but they never gave up. If they had played that way all year, then they would be far better than the 3-12 record they have as they prepare for their season finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers next Sunday.
Now about Johnny Manziel: He was very, very impressive. He did not win the game, so he wasn’t fantastic, but he almost single-handedly brought the Browns back with his legs. He wore himself out in doing that, which appeared to play a role in his poor passing performance. He ran like a veteran, but passed like a second-year pro who hasn’t had much playing time.
Nonetheless, he was exciting to watch. Actually, he was better than that. He was dazzling, even jaw-dropping at times. For almost all of the second half, a good Chiefs defense had no answer for him.
So with all that having been said, then, why in the world didn’t Browns head coach Mike Pettine play Johnny Manziel earlier in the season, as nearly everybody wanted him to do? If he had, then Manziel would be much further along in his development.
But again, Pettine’s ego and his determination to win his two-year battle with General Manager Ray Farmer – Farmer loves Johnny Manziel, and the coach abhors him – was more important to him that nurturing a first-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. That’s reprehensible. That alone is grounds for Pettine’s dismissal.
As it is now, Johnny Manziel would like more than just one more game this year to show what he can so. Even without that, he has proven he deserves a chance to come back next season and compete for the starting job – with the Browns, regardless of who the coach is.
Is he the franchise quarterback for whom the club has looked so long in the expansion era? No one can say that at this time.
But he’s in the running, which certainly was not the case after his nightmarish rookie season of 2014.
What will Manziel do against a Pittsburgh team that will have its back against the wall as it tries to scramble its way into the playoffs? It will be interesting to watch. You can bet Manziel will want to end the season on an up note. He could do that by performing well AND winning the game, putting a stake into the heart of the Steelers.
Cleveland Browns:
- “Trent Williams, still on Browns’ radar, would be ‘first tackle taken’ in 2020 draft even at 31, ex-NFL GM says” (cleveland.com)
- Paul Brown, Obie and Brownie (Browns Daily Dose)
- “Trent Williams ‘still on table’ for Browns, but a deal isn’t imminent” (CBS)
- “From Jim Brown To Johnny Football, Browns Hit Draft Extremes” (AP)
- “Baker Mayfield ranked 5th, Odell Beckham Jr. 7th in NFL merchandise sales” (WKYC)
- New 2020 Cleveland Browns Jerseys
We may earn an Affiliate Commission if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.
