Browns name Austin Davis, not Johnny Manziel, as starter Sunday vs. Bengals

His choices are Austin Davis, who replaced McCown on Monday, and Johnny Manziel, who was demoted from starter to No. 3 last week.

The team announced that they will start second-year quarterback Austin Davis against the Cincinnati Bengals this weekend. With McCown potentially out of the picture for the Browns lost season, Davis is looking to be the answer for the remaining games.

Prior to Week 12, Manziel had been named the season starter, but social media pictures of the quarterback partying in Texas ended that idea.

“These are two players that we both want to see play is the bottom line”, Pettine said.

Pettine and coordinator John DeFilippo last week left open the door for Manziel to start again this season. “Make the decision for this week that’s best for the team”, he said. I was saying, ‘If we get a block and it bounces my way, I’m going to take it to the end zone.’ Luckily it did. After a couple weeks of practice, the Browns signed Davis to a two-year contract extension – as sure an indication as any that they wanted him to be part of their future. And in the Browns’ heartbreaking Monday night loss to the Baltimore Ravens, McCown was injured and unable to continue.

“Really good job by him”, center Alex Mack said. As a result, the team placed him on injured reserve, designated for return.

Prior to his injury, Gronkowski had six catches for 88 yards, including a 23-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady with 11:24 left in the first quarter.

“I was desperate and frustrated at the same time”, Hill said.

Pettine added he’ll make the final decision on how to proceed at quarterback, not the front office. This means that Cleveland has played at least three quarterbacks in a season for an insane four straight seasons.

In his limited opportunities in relief of McCown this season, Manziel has shown significant on-field progress from his disastrous rookie year.

Davis completed 7-of-10 passes for 77 yards, leading the Browns on a game-tying drive that was capped with a 42-yard touchdown pass to Travis Benjamin.

According to multiple reports, the Browns will bring back Terrelle Pryor as a wide receiver and he could serve as the third quarterback on the 53-man roster as well.

Coons was 18 for 18 this season, but his kick was low, allowing Urban to get a hand on it. As Hill sprinted down the sideline, Browns fans, some of whom came to the game with brown paper bags over their heads, felt more disgust. He faced Cincinnati last month and completed 15 of 33 passes for 168 yards and a touchdown in a 31-10 loss but was more encouraging in his next game against the Steelers, when he threw for a career-high 372 yards.