Mike Pettine Made the Right Move For Cleveland Browns By Starting Brian Hoyer
By Anthony Sciarratta
@ant_sciarratta
Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
The Cleveland Browns announced that they are starting Brian Hoyer this Sunday over rookie Johnny Manziel. The media and most Browns fans are high on Manziel, as he is an electrifying player who clearly made an instant impact last Sunday, completing five of his eight passes, and running in a touchdown after Hoyer was pulled from the game in the third quarter.
For a short debut, Manziel didn’t do half bad; no one knew what to expect, but his reputable play at Texas A&M and soaring popularity actually made him the favorite to start this week after the Browns have had their struggles with Hoyer as Cleveland’s signal caller. However, what fans don’t see is Manziel at practice. The bottom line is, he is a rookie and the Browns have a 7-5 record. Inexperienced play can hurt a 7-5 record, so Manziel would be the illogical choice and it is best that he sits, because he is in a position to learn. By being on the bench, Manziel will earn his spot in a starting role once the season ends.
Hoyer is 10-5 as a starter for the Browns; most NFL teams wish they had a starting quarterback with that record. If the Browns are to succeed, they need a veteran at the helm. They haven’t had this good of a start in a very long time, and Mike Pettine isn’t about to ruin it now.
The only reason that Manziel happened to play so well was because he was able to learn from Hoyer. There is a very clear difference of play between Manziel in the preseason and Manziel now. He should sit the rest of the season and learn what it is to be a quarterback in the NFL. Because of his immediate impact, many critics overlooked that he fumbled the ball and it was returned for a touchdown in the same game.
As upset as Browns fans probably are, Pettine made the right move for the organization. However, it is clear that the Browns see Manziel as the heir to Hoyer’s throne.
Anthony Sciarratta is a blogger for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @ant_sciarratta, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google
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