Johnny Manziel lost out on the Cleveland Browns' Week 1 starting quarterback job, though the reason might not have much to do with Brian Hoyer. Manziel was unable to grasp offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan's playbook well enough to earn the role, according to NFL.com's Ian Rapoport, despite essentially playing Hoyer to a standstill during the Browns' first two preseason games.
Johnny Manziel still struggling with Browns’ playbook
Johnny Manziel will sit to the start the 2014 NFL season because he has yet to fully grasp the Browns’ playbook.
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Manziel has reportedly struggled with the playbook since coming from a spread system at Texas A&M. The Aggies didn’t use a playbook, so Manziel had trouble calling plays during the Browns’ preseason loss to Washington on Monday night, according to Rapoport. In college, Manziel rarely took snaps from under center, nor did he have to dictate protection schemes as he did Monday.
Browns players have noticed Hoyer's stronger command of the huddle, which wide receiver Andrew Hawkins explained to NFL Media's Aditi Kinkhabwala, via NFL.com:
“Andrew Hawkins told me weeks ago: You walk into the huddle and Brian Hoyer says something -- you don’t even question it, you don’t even wonder because the kid prepares so much,” NFL Media’s Aditi Kinkhabwala told “NFL AM” on Wednesday. “He’s put in so much time, you know he knows what he’s talking about.
“With Johnny Manziel, the people in the huddle are still helping him a little bit.”
Not much else separated the two competing quarterbacks through two preseason games. Hoyer went 8-of-20 for 108 yards during that stretch, compared to Manziel’s 14-of-27 for 128 yards and a touchdown. On Monday, both players struggled to hit receivers with accurate passes, Hoyer going 2-of-6 and Manziel going 7-of-16.
Manziel's behavior on and off the field also contributed to the decision to not go with the rookie for Week 1, according to a report from Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Cabot noted it was Manziel's "frat-boy partying spree" as well as the fact that he gave the finger to the Washington bench after he was sacked for a third time on Monday night.
How could Mike Pettine have stood in front of the meeting room and announced to his players that the rookie who lost his cool in Washington was their new fearless leader? Would he have announced it while handing Manziel his NFL fine letter?
If Manziel let Washington’s Brian Orakpo get to him, how would he have responded to all the bullying he’d receive in Pittsburgh, both on and off the field?
For now, however, new head coach Mike Pettine and the Browns apparently feel much more comfortable with Hoyer. The five-year veteran started three of the Browns’ four wins last season. With the reins in Hoyer’s hands, Manziel should have more time to become comfortable with an NFL offense.
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