Page 19 - Aruba Today
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SPORTS A19
Wednesday 23 September
Manziel’s first win complicates Browns quarterback situation
TOM WITHERS In this Thursday, Aug. 13, 2015
AP Sports Writer file photo, Cleveland Browns
BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Johnny quarterback Johnny Man-
Manziel’s antics have the ziel (2) scrambles during an
Browns in a jam. This time, NFL preseason football game
a positive one. against the Washington Red-
Browns coach Mike Pet- skins in Cleveland.
tine said Monday that
Manziel’s first career win Associated Press
on Sunday over Tennessee
has Cleveland’s coaching 90-yard drive before he
staff considering maybe got drilled in the helmet
keeping him as their start- diving into the end zone.
ing quarterback even if Pettine said last week that
Josh McCown returns from McCown would have likely
a concussion. played against the Titans if
Manziel threw two long he had practiced just one
touchdown passes to wide day, but he suffered a set-
receiver Travis Benjamin, back on Friday.
the second an improvised Manziel’s performance
50-yarder with 2:52 left to was personally satisfying for
seal a 28-14 victory. the former Heisman Trophy
Although his statistics (8 of winner, whose bad rookie
15 for 172 yards) weren’t season was followed by a
great and he fumbled stint in rehab.
twice, Manziel led the He has been a fixture in U.S.
Browns (1-1) to the win and tabloids since the Browns
that may be enough to selected him in the 2014
move him ahead of Mc- draft, repeatedly photo-
Cown, who sustained a graphed while partying in
concussion in the season Las Vegas. In November,
opener and remains on he was involved in an al-
the sidelines. tercation at a downtown
Until McCown is cleared to Cleveland hotel where he
play, Manziel will start for lived.
the Browns, who host Oak- But he’s worked hard at
land this week. But that getting himself turned
could change. around both on and off the
“To me, it’s a positive con- field, and Pettine has been
versation because you impressed by his growth.
have a young quarterback “Johnny has made a lot of
that’s been through a lot, progress in the right direc-
that has gone out and led tion,” Pettine said. “Still a lot
his team to a win,” Pettine of things to get cleaned,
said. but we certainly feel like
“We were all able to en- the arrow is up.”q
joy it last night. I’m proud
of him because if you had
said back early in the off-
season if this was going
to happen, I think a lot of
people would have said
pretty slim chance.”
McCown may give the
Browns the better chance
to win, and Pettine and his
coaches have to weigh
that against getting the
22-year-old Manziel play-
ing time to see if he can be
their long-term answer at
quarterback.
Sticking with Manziel might
be an easier choice if Mc-
Cown, who signed a three-
year, $14.5 million deal
in March, hadn’t shown
promise while guiding
Cleveland on a 17-play,
