Following a bitter loss to the Colts, the Cleveland Browns will play the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. Here’s some of the latest buzz:
Manziel a ‘nightmare’
Set to start this Sunday, Johnny Manziel got some praise from his fellow teammate, Donte Whitner.
“You see him being Johnny Football,” Whitner said, describing him as a “nightmare” to defend against.
He said, “You don’t see him trying to duplicate anybody’s quarterbacking style, just sitting in the pocket. If something’s not right, you see him using his instincts and his intangibles, breaking the pocket. That’s where I can see growth.”
Meanwhile, both receiver Josh Gordon and tight end Jordan Cameron are available.
“I think he’s got enough, he’s got what we need right now to move forward and pull off these last three wins,” Gordon said, via NFL.com. “He’s willing to do anything, extend a play, and make something out of nothing. That mindset isn’t in everybody. A lot of guys will quit, take a sack or throw the ball away. That’s not what he does.”
Hoyer ready to support
After losing his starting job for presumably the remainder of the season, QB Brian Hoyer said he'll support his teammate.
“Obviously, to start 13 games you don’t want to be told with three games left that it’s being taken away from you,'' said Hoyer, according to Cleveland.com. “It hurts, but I'll be here to support Johnny. I think, for some reason, there’s this misconception that Johnny and I don’t get along.”
Hoyer said that he and Manziel “were were joking about it the other day. I like Johnny. Johnny’s a good guy, and this is just a situation we’re in. I‘ll be there to support him. Any questions he has, and in the same sense I’ll be ready to play too because you’re only one play away. I’ve been in this position before. So, I'll stay ready.”
He also lauded the first-year player out of Texas A&M.
“Yeah, Johnny’s a good football player,'‘ Hoyer added. ”You don’t win the Heisman Trophy as a freshman for not being a good football player. You don’t get drafted in the first round if you’re not a good football player. It’ll be good for him to get to practice this week, and then get a chance to go out and play.”
Cundiff injured
Browns kicker Billy Cundiff might not play against the Bengals on Sunday.
He has a right knee injury and didn’t practice on Friday.
“As of right now, I think we’re just going to take it day to day,” Cundiff told the News-Herald & The Morning Journal. “All injury questions will go to the head coach.”
Cleveland has until 4 p.m. on Saturday to make a roster change. They might have to cut another player to make room on the 53-man roster.
Cundiff has been criticized for missing a field goal try in each of the past five games.
“We have plans,” coach Mike Pettine said. “We had brought some guys in. We'll make a choice from there if it’s necessary.”
Gordon likes change at QB
Receiver Josh Gordon said he ran incorrect routes in his first game back after his return from a 10-game suspension, adding that he’s still trying to learn the team’s playbook. He also only caught two balls for only 15 yards against the Colts last Sunday.
There’s been criticism that Gordon isn’t performing up to par due to a lack of effort. He shot down speculation that he’s playing not up to standards because he wanted to see Hoyer get demoted.
“There’s no reason why I would even think or do something like that,” Gordon said, via NBC. “It’s like trying to throw a game on purpose. Nobody wants to do that, if you like a guy or don’t like a guy. I love Brian. He’s been here since I first got here just about. He was my quarterback last year. He’s a competitor. Nothing wrong with him. I’ve never even played with Johnny. That’s crazy to think that.”
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