NFL Spin Zone
Fansided

Josh McCown Perfect, Johnny Manziel Impressive for Cleveland Browns

By Zac Wassink

facebooktwitterreddit

There is no quarterback controversy affecting the Cleveland Browns this August. If there was one, however, veteran Josh McCown would be ahead of second-year pro Johnny Manziel after the first preseason game of the year; just how head coach Mike Pettine and his staff drew it up.

ALSO ON SPIN ZONE: Who Is The NFL’s Worst Starting QB?

All eyes were on the team’s offense as the Browns hosted the Washington Redskins on opening night of the 2015 National Football League preseason, and Cleveland fans who were understandably concerned about the previously mentioned McCown and Manziel had to like what they saw. Both quarterbacks flashed athleticism when the occasions called for such scrambles, both found the end zones in their own ways, and both, for the time being, quieted doubters who had already written off the Cleveland offense before it had played a meaningful down.

Manziel will get the headlines because of his name and the superstar persona that he has attempted to shed since his disastrous rookie campaign, but it was McCown who unquestionably had the best night of any offensive player on the field. The 36-year old who has been tasked with holding down the fort until Manziel or a QB to be named later is ready to take over the reigns of the Cleveland offense went a perfect 5-for-5 for 33 passing yards and a touchdown pass, leaving no room for any questions about who will be starting under center the next time the Browns take the field.

McCown’s two best plays included a throw that will not show up in a box score. The Browns were at midfield with 9:50 left in the first quarter when McCown launched a deep bomb down the left sideline for Travis Benjamin. Benjamin had a step on Washington cornerback Chris Culliver, and the two got tied up as the ball sailed harmlessly to the ground. There was no hesitation by the referee to throw the flag for pass interference, a 35-yard gain that was, statistically speaking, the most impressive play made by either McCown or Manziel

McCown was just getting started. A pair of completions put the Browns inside of the Washington 10-yard line, and McCown lined up in the shotgun for a second-and-goal from the 3-yard line. Rookie offensive lineman Cameron Erving was beaten right off of the snap, but McCown did well to spin out of trouble and remain on his feet as he looked for an open target inside of the end zone. He eventually spotted a wide open Travis Benjamin in the right corner of the end zone, and McCown made no mistake in depositing his final pass of the evening for six points.

Enter Johnny Time. Manziel received a loud ovation from the Cleveland faithful as he jogged out onto the field to unofficially kick off what he and the Browns will hope to be an incredible redemption story, and it was clear from his first pass from scrimmage, a screen that was blown up at the line, that offensive coordinator John DeFilippo wanted to keep things simple for the 22-year old who has eliminated the Johnny Football nickname from his reputation as much as he possibly could.

Manziel was, in his limited work, as Pettine, DeFilippo and others within the Browns have advertised him to be since he returned from a long stint in a rehabilitation facility. His passes were crisp and, for the most part, accurate. He astounded some posting on social media with a 5-step drop and with the confidence that he displayed while making his reads. The Redskins gifted Manziel and the Cleveland offense with a short field after a turnover on a punt return, and the Browns responded with the play that you are going to see over and over again on SportsCenter.

Somewhere lives a cynic who will, upon seeing Manziel’s journey to the end zone, point out that he merely reverted to all that he knows in scrambling for 12 yards and a score. It has been made clear that Cleveland coaches do not want to strip Manziel of the natural talents that made him a Heisman Trophy winner, and he read the situation and the Washington defense perfectly before breaking up the middle and then expertly using a block to finish off the remaining five yards of what was one of the easiest jogs Manziel will make as a pro.

More from Cleveland Browns

Two plays that were overall forgettable to the naked eye stood out as examples of how Manziel has grown from even half of a calendar year ago. The first came on the final snap of his first series on the field when he rolled out of the pocket to evade a pass-rusher on a third-and-6. Rather than force the ball down the field or try to make the play on his own, Manziel followed the instructions that he has received during practice sessions and film work and he checked down to running back Terrance West for a completion that did not pick up the first down.

Manziel and the Browns were again facing a third-down situation, this time closer to midfield, with under four minutes left in the first half. Erving had his second miscue of the evening when he was flagged for holding as Manziel kept the play alive with his legs, and the QB then, with nowhere left to run, chucked the ball out of play and lived to fight another day rather than attempt to force a pass when nothing was available.

These both, on the surface, seem like minor incidents that would not otherwise warrant mention if not referencing a young quarterback still trying to find his feet in the NFL. Think back to his two starts last December when Manziel appeared skittish, unprepared and downright lost. That version of Manziel threw ugly passes off of his back foot, lacked the poise that one would hope to see from a starting quarterback and failed to remember that not every offensive drive is going to be successful. The best in the business learn that a failed series is not a complete loss.

Manziel was far from perfect on the night. His worst moment came late in the first half deep in his own territory when he stared a wide receiver down from the snap and nearly threw what could have been a pick-six. Neither Manziel nor McCown would realistically be making a pass in that scenario in a regular season game, though, and August is the time for those mistakes to be made, evaluated in film review and then corrected. In the end, both McCown and Manziel took positive steps against the Redskins.

McCown remains the starter, and that is not changing anytime soon so long as he remains healthy.

Next: Manziel Getting Over Brian Hoyer Mistake

More from NFL Spin Zone

Home/Cleveland Browns