The Cleveland Browns have rookie Johnny Manziel and Brian Hoyer battling to start this season for head coach Mike Pettine and the two players are close following the Monday night football game in week 2 against the Washington Redskins and that game also saw the QB give the middle finger to the Redskins sidelines after getting taunted by some players, including Brian Orakpo.
According to ESPN.com, Manziel and Hoyer are close in their race to start for the Browns this season and the game on Monday night did not clear much up in that battle. Manziel has been impressive as a rookie at times, but he has also been overmatched and his middle finger to the Redskins did not sit the right way with Mike Pettine after the game. Both Hoyer and Manziel struggled early in the game and each player suffered some drops from receivers in the first half.
The Browns eventually lost the game, but naturally the biggest story was Manziel and his middle finger. Hoyer did not do much to get the job either, as he went just two for six in the first half of the game for 16 yards and Manziel wasn't much better, going 2-for-7 for 29 yards the first half and now the next game will be very big to see who ends up starting for the Browns this season. Manziel ended up seven for 16 in the game for 65 yards and he had one touchdown, while Connor Shaw ended up going eight of nine with 123 yards and a touchdown.
Manziel and Hoyer have been battling all preseason for the job and the Browns have been coy about what will happen. Hoyer has the inside track on the starting job and this latest incident from Manziel could change things a bit. The Browns are coming in after a 4-12 season and they have Manziel as a first round pick with plenty of attention on him. Manziel has shown flashes of what he did in college, but he also has plenty to work on as he tries to win the starting job. Manziel played two series in the third quarter after playing in the first half and he was able to get a touchdown on one of those drives.
Manziel and Hoyer are fighting hard and the team is also looking at what will happen with Josh Gordon. The team is hoping that Gordon will play this season, but he is facing a suspension and he could be a huge impact for Manziel or Hoyer. The team is looking like it will pick Hoyer for now, but that could change depending on how things go in Week 3 and the team will be home for the first time in that game. The team is playing the Rams and the Bears and then they will open the season in Pittsburgh for Week 1 of the season.
