Cleveland Browns Dominant Win Highlights Season’s Frustrations

Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel runs to the locker room after his team defeated the 49ers 24-10 in an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2015, in Cleveland.

“One down, three to go”. I’m able to slow down all the protection stuff and make sure we have a guy on a guy and able to sit back there and know you’re protected. “They see a guy that is competitive, that wasn’t to win, goes out works hard on the practice field and then it carried over in the game”.

Quarterback Johnny Manziel played a big part in Sunday’s win, his second win of the season as starting quarterback. Some perspective is needed, which most fans are doing a good job at keeping, because looking good versus San Fransisco is a lot different from looking good against Seattle, Kansas City or Pittsburgh.

Notable: Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel finished 21-of-30 for 270 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He has only missed one game since 2010.

Manziel has found himself in negative situations seemingly every week since the Browns drafted him, so for him to hold himself accountable for a change and recognize his mistake was one of the numerous encouraging takeaways from Sunday. On the other side, if the Browns drop the next three and Manziel looks lost, that could be curtains for both Manziel and the entire front office, giving Pettine a new quarterback and maybe, more importantly, another chance in 2016.

Crowell might be right that running the ball more could’ve led to more victories earlier in the year, but it might be up to Manziel to lead the team to some wins to round out the year.

-PASSING DEFENSE: A minus. It was a season high in the NFL. On the ground, Isaiah Crowell rushed for 145 yards and two touchdowns in 20 attempts while Duke Johnson added 78 yards in 13 carries. Gabbert posted a passer rating of 96.4, but the 194 yards he racked up on 18 completions were harmless.

Key stat: 39. Combined receiving yards for Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith, the 49ers’ top two receivers, as the offense failed to get going.

-RUNNING DEFENSE: B. The 49ers were without their best runner, Carlos Hyde, who on Saturday was put on injured reserve with a foot injury. The 49ers were only able to run for 71 yards on 17 carries and 2 of those runs were for 26 yards, including a scramble from embattled quarterback Blaine Gabbert. Kicker Travis Coons had a field goal try blocked for the third straight week. Punt coverage faltered on Sunday, when the Browns allowed Bruce Ellington to escape on a 36-yard return.

What does this all have to do with head coach Mike Pettine you ask?

Manziel’s floater to the middle of the field was picked off by 49ers safety Jaquiski Tartt and returned 25 yards to help set up the next San Francisco drive before the first half ended. His unit got nine of them to set the tone for the game.