Johnny Manziel won his first game as a starter on Sunday against the Titans while filling in for injured starter Josh McCown. Manziel was 8-of-15 for 172 yards and two touchdowns in the victory, and after the game, head coach Mike Pettine was non-committal about the starting role going forward.
When asked if McCown would get the job back when he returned, Pettine said, “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. I’m not going to speak on that one.”
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Here are three reasons Pettine would be wise to keep playing Johnny Football.
Upside
Where’s the upside in playing McCown? A look around the division should make it clear to Pettine that the Browns, despite the great win, are not winning the AFC North. The other three teams all made the playoffs last season, two of them (Ravens and Steelers) have Super Bowl winning quarterbacks and two of them have elite wide receivers (Bengals and Steelers). McCown might make them a little more respectable sure, but that translates roughly into a worse draft pick.
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Manziel is the future – or maybe he isn’t – but now is the time to find out the answer. The NFL knows what McCown is; Manziel’s book isn’t written.
McCown’s Past
Speaking of knowing what McCown is, the narrative needs an adjustment. McCown is a journeyman backup with a reputation as a “game manager.” That should read “below-average starter” instead. McCown’s career record as a starter is 17-33, and he’s thrown 59 interceptions to 61 touchdowns in his career.
When the Buccaneers signed him to be their starter last offseason on the strength of a Marc Trestman-aided five-game stretch of brilliance, he rewarded them with a 1-11 nuclear meltdown in which he failed to stave off the immortal Mike Glennon. He threw 14 picks and 11 touchdowns. As it was said before, the NFL knows what McCown is. When stereotypes are cast aside, that means the NFL knows McCown isn’t anything more than a backup.
Entertainment Value
Let’s be honest, football is about entertaining as much as it is winning. In this sense, Manziel is a bigger name, draws more eyeballs, and has a circus element to him. That’s not what I mean when I invoke entertainment value, however. Manziel is more entertaining than McCown on the field.
Manziel has more playmaking ability with his legs, and even though his decision-making is erratic, he’s capable of making electric plays like his two bombs on Sunday to Travis Benjamin. Speaking of Benjamin, he and Manziel have developed some chemistry together that is promising. Cleveland’s offense is devoid of playmakers, so if Manziel can make things happen they have an obligation to let it ride.
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