Johnny Manziel's first career NFL start didn't exactly go the way fans had hoped. The Browns were shut out 30-0 by the Cincinnati Bengals. Johnny Football completed 10 of 18 passes for just 80 yards and threw for two interceptions. He didn't have any impact with his legs either, rushing five times for only 13 yards.
Everyone knows that former starting quarterback Brian Hoyer has struggled over the last month or so. That is the main reason why head coach Mike Pettine went with Manziel last week. But at least the Browns were scoring a few points with Hoyer under center. Amid Manziel's disastrous game, concerns over his work ethic and preparation have arisen.
All of this begs the question: will the Browns bench Manziel and go back to Hoyer?
"Nope," wrote ESPN Insider Adam Schefter. "When you make the move to Manziel, which was what many people inside and outside the organization wanted them to do, you make the move for the rest of the season. This isn't quarterback yo-yo; this is football. And while it may be a long shot, this team is still chasing a playoff spot. Now you see why this team struggled to make the decision to go away from Hoyer and go to Manziel. Manziel is not ready to lead a team to the postseason, and the Browns haven't been in this position in recent memory. Manziel has the chance to be a good quarterback over time; he's got some strong qualities. But it's going to take time and patience, and the game of QB yo-yo isn't an option."
There you have it. Cleveland's playoff hopes, however remote, will live or die with Manziel under center. It seemed like an appropriate time to go with Manziel after Hoyer's recent struggles. But Schefter brings up an intriguing point.
"It's interesting that Hoyer was benched for the first time this season at Buffalo. Sure, Hoyer was having a bad game, but it was against the same Bills defense that also caused problems for Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers in back-to-back weeks. The Broncos and Packers never even thought about benching Manning or Rodgers in those games. But for the Browns, that loss to Buffalo marked the start of peculation in when Manziel would supplant Hoyer as the starter. Now, the genie can't be put back in the bottle. Time for Manziel to learn quickly and improve his game."
