I am not willing just yet to give up totally on rookie DeShone Kizer.

If I had to bet money on it, I would say he’s not the franchise quarterback the Browns so desperately need.

But that percentage of “no” is less now – in some cases, much less — after the way he played in Sunday’s 30-16 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium. He was 18-of-31 passing for 268 yards while also rushing for his team’s only touchdown of the day. Without question, it was one of the Toledo Central Catholic High School product’s best performances of the season.

But it could have ended – should have ended – a little more positively than that.

When the Browns trailed 23-9 late in the third quarter, Zane Gonzalez had missed a very makeable field goal and wide receiver Corey Coleman had dropped a touchdown pass. Add the three points from the field goal and give the Browns four more points for the TD instead of the field goal they had t o settle for, and they would have been right in at that juncture with only a 23-16 deficit.

And when the Browns scored a touchdown on Kizer’s three-yard scramble on fourth down with 6:57 remaining in the fourth quarter to cut it to a real margin of 23-16, those missed opportunities loomed even larger.

Yes, I know things don’t work that way – the NFL is a bottom-line, production-based business – but in evaluating a quarterback, especially a rookie one whose every move means something, it certainly has to be taken into consideration.

And I’m sure that Browns head coach Hue Jackson, who was hired to rebuild the team by first finding a quarterback, will do just that.

While we’re talking about Jackson, I need to point out once again that his play-calling leaves a lot to be desired at times, especially with his bailing out from the run way too early and in situations where the obvious choice is to run. Late in the third quarter, the Browns, who had been having success with the ground game on the drive and even in the game overall at that point, eschewed the run on a third-and-one play and instead tried to pass. The call failed miserably as Kizer was sacked, ending a hopeful march and forcing a punt.

C’mon, Hue.

Jackson has to understand that a running attack is a tremendous help to a quarterback, particularly a rookie. So when the coach is evaluating Kizer and that play, he has to take the blame for it not working.

In any event, Kizer made a nice comeback from his disappointing effort last Sunday – especially late in the game — in a 19-7 to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Since Jackson has said he will continue to play Kizer for the rest of the season, I am anxious to see what the rookie does next Sunday when the 0-11 Browns travel to meet the resurgent Los Angeles Chargers (5-6).