Johnny Manziel improving on field, needs to prove it off

Johnny Manziel had his best game as a professional and plenty to be excited about, despite the lopsided loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was one of the few bright spots in the game for the Cleveland Browns going 33/45 for 372 yards and a touchdown, showing marked improvement in critical areas even just from the week before against the Cincinnati Bengals. As important as his success in that game is for his professional aspirations, the next two months off the field may prove just as critical.

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The Browns finally have their bye week, which gives them two weeks to prepare for their rematch with the Baltimore Ravens. In addition to getting a chance to recover from the bumps and bruises of the season and extra time to practice and try to improve on some of their deficiencies. It also means the team will probably get around 5 days off from everything, to do whatever they want.

After a relatively poor performance on Thursday night last week, Manziel went home to Texas to be a captain for the Texas A&M game. He wound up being featured in the New York Post and having to explain himself to the media.

The fact is Manziel knows he is going to be scrutinized for his behavior, yet he puts himself in these situations anyway. Between going to rehab and now two questionable off field situations this year, the mere appearance of impropriety on Manziel’s part puts his future in question.

The next two weeks could set the tone for what Manziel is going to do. Time off away from the team and always an opportunity to make a potential misstep in his recovery. There will always be temptation, so Manziel has to make the decision what is truly important to him – his brand of football or his brand of fun. Right now, the two are mutually exclusive.

Against the Steelers, Manziel was substantially more effective in the pocket – an issue that was brought up rightly by Pettine. He attacked the issue and really worked to improve it.

Now, he needs to be substantially more effective when it comes to off field decisions and giving reasons for the team to trust him and trust in the fact that he can be reliable. If he can bring that same kind of diligence in improving that, it could go a long way.

Browns wide receiver Travis Benjamin echoed the sentiment.

Browns head coach Mike Pettine should start Manziel the rest of the year. As much as it is about developing him on the field and seeing how much he can grow into the position, it is also an audition off the field and it starts now. Even though Manziel has not done anything illegal (and that cannot be stressed enough), everything with Manziel and the concept of being a professional starting quarterback goes down to judgment and decision making.

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Appearance matters. The Browns need a quarterback, but they also need someone reliable. They cannot have someone that is constantly causing distractions and having to explain actions off of the field.

This is Manziel’s opportunity to work on showing it. If he is unable to do it, it may well be his third strike as it relates to being in consideration for the starting quarterback spot next year and beyond. If he cannot get through the next two months without an issue, it is incredibly difficult to believe he can go through the entire offseason unsupervised without one.

The Browns should be targeting a quarterback currently, but Manziel is showing why he should be retained and why the Browns should not give up on him. He has talent and he has shown he can improve. If Manziel can add that element of maturity and truly focusing on the goal of being a professional, he can go a long way in redeeming himself as well as the investment made in acquiring him.

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The Browns’ fanbase has been more than willing to buy into Manziel as a quarterback. Now, the question is whether Manziel is truly willing to match that commitment in working to become one. The next two months may go a long way in answering that question.