After trailing just 14-10 at halftime – it would have been 10-10 had defensive tackle Randy Starks not jumped offside, negating a fourth-down stop and giving the Cincinnati Bengals second life and a chance to score a touchdown – the Browns did nothing on offense in the second half and lost 31-10 Thursday night at Paul Brown Stadium.
 
As part of that, Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel, getting the start for the injured Josh McCown, played well in the first half but not at all after that.
 
But there is no doubt – absolutely none whatsoever — that he should start the rest of the season, even when McCown returns to health.
 
With the Browns, mired in a four-game losing streak and going nowhere at 2-7, it’s time to pass the torch to Manziel to let him play and make mistakes. It’s the only way he’s going to learn and develop. And as such, it’s the only way to find out if he can be a capable quarterback in the NFL.
 
Manziel is sure not going to learn anything – and the Browns are not going to benefit in any way, shape or form — by having him stand on the sideline and watch McCown, a 36-year-old quarterback who is 2-15 in his last 17 starts, guide the team to yet another defeat.
 
The season is lost. The page has turned to 2016, especially to the part about quarterbacks. It’s the position where the most crucial decisions must be made. Manziel is at least part of that conversation. McCown is not.
 
Let Johnny Football play and ride it out.