OK, so what do the Browns – specifically, head coach Hue Jackson and Executive Vice President of Football Operations Sashi Brown – do now?

 

Those are the two guys making a decision on which quarterback will start in the third preseason game, against the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday night. As Jackson said, the starter for that Bucs game likely will be the man under center for the regular-season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 10.

 

There was little separation – if any — between veteran Brock Osweiler and rookie DeShone Kizer heading into Monday night’s nationally-televised game against the New York Giants at FirstEnergy Stadium. Based on what happened in the first half with the first-teamers, when they pretty much split the reps, with Osweiler playing the first two series and Kizer the final three, there still appears to be little – if any – separation.

 

I keep hearing about the value of Osweiler’s experience. And while that is usually a big asset. I’ve yet to see it play out in the preseason. He was terrible in the opener against the New Orleans Saints, and he was OK – not great and not terrible, just ho-hum – against the Giants, completing 6-of-8 attempts for 25 yards and an interception. After Jabrill Pepper’s 31-yard punt return to the New York 39, Osweiler, winding up like a baseball pitcher as he always seems to do, thus telegraphing his passes, had a throw tipped and picked off to end the scoring threat.

 

Will he ever correct that passing motion? It doesn’t appear so. As such, can the Browns really use him against ball-hawking Pittsburgh in the opener? I’m not sure they can.

 

Kizer was 4-of-6 for 40 yards and bulled in one yard for the only touchdown of the first half to provide the Browns with a 7-3 lead.

 

But Kizer held onto the ball too long, getting sacked three times. You know that if he plays the opener, the Steelers will come after him with everything but the kitchen sink. In that regard, then, can the Browns really use him in the opener? I’m not sure they can.

 

So instead of finding the best man for the job, this quarterback battle has turned into a contest to see which guy has the fewer defects.

 

That’s not good.

 

We’ll wait to see what Jackson says – Brown won’t speak publicly on the issue right now – but in the meantime, I’m going with … Kizer. I’ll tell you why in my next post.