Manziel to start for Browns against 49ers

However, ESPN reported Monday that Manziel would be back in the starting lineup for the Browns, who were throttled 37-3 by the Bengals for their seventh straight loss Sunday.

It wasn’t Davis’ fault as Cleveland lost two more wide receivers with injuries and the Browns were unable to move against a Cincinnati defense intent on pitching a shutout. “It’s an added preparation for the incoming team”. They’re also closing in on an AFC North title and can clinch the division next week with a win at home over Pittsburgh. “I felt that we did that”.

Manziel has shown development while going 1-2 in three starts, but his antics have made it challenging to assess him as a future quarterback.

They’ve yet to win a playoff game with Dalton, their red-haired, rifle-armed QB, but Cincinnati is determined to end that streak and appear to have all the ingredients to make a Super Bowl run. He’s thrown for 963 yards and five touchdowns with three interceptions. But Green got tripped up by cornerback Tramon Williams, who was completely overmatched against the Bengals star wideout. Pettine doesn’t trust Manziel as far as he can throw him.

Davis was 25-of-38 passing for 230 yards with no touchdowns and an interception against the Bengals in his first since he joined the Browns in September. Since there isn’t a bye week to get in the way, coach Mike Pettine should expect a more mature-acting Manziel.

Whether it is Manziel at quarterback or Austin Davis, there doesn’t seem to be much that the Browns can do to turn things around over the season’s final four games.

St. Louis suffered a 27-3 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. “That’s where we are with it”, Pettine said, via USAToday.com. If you take away his 1999 run to the Super Bowl where they lost to the current franchise he directs, Fisher has a 2-4 postseason record.

I say all of this because it goes to explain why Manziel is back. They’ve been told every year that it’s going to get better.

Receiver Brian Hartline declined to speak to reporters after the game “because I want to keep a job”.

Barnidge and Benjamin are capable of making big plays, and together they’ve scored more than half of Cleveland’s offensive TDs this year. “But it’s done, it’s over with”. Those are all things that get factored into it, but we have to be very accurate in identifying what we are doing well and what we are not doing well. The Browns are 2-15 in their past 17 games under Pettine, who earlier this week expressed disappointment at his team’s status and said he may soon have discussions about what’s next with owner Jimmy Haslam.

If Manziel is able to come out in the final four weeks of the season and put up consistent production while staying out of trouble, Cleveland could give him another chance next season. “We’re going to come in every day, prepare relentlessly like we do, we’re going to coach our players hard and we will see what happens”.