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December 3, 2014
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December 3, 2014
It’s now official: The Cleveland Browns are embroiled in controversy. Half the fan base wants to see Johnny Manziel start this weekend against the Colts. The other half wants Brian Hoyer to get one more shot to try and salvage a playoff year in Cleveland football. Even more than we know about the Browns and what they should do in this particular instance, we know how to handle a quarterback controversy here in Cleveland. We’re more expert at it than half the people on staff with the Browns, in fact, because we’ve learned so much over the years.
A bit about what we know…
1. NFL coaches are catalysts, but they don’t create controversies. Yes, they can be further exacerbated by flipping coins or by making incorrect choices, but nobody has ever sat Peyton Manning for Jim Sorgi, except when the playoffs were guaranteed and it could have the impact of keeping the Browns out of the playoffs. And while that was controversial in some circles both in Indianapolis and in Cleveland, it wasn’t a controversy created by a coach. Name me one coach who “caused” a QB controversy and I’ll show you a quarterback situation that dictated confusion or indecision for a coach.
The media doesn’t create a quarterback controversy.
3. Quarterback controversies can’t be decided based on fan reaction. Mike Pettine was asked today if he and the rest of the decision-makers considered the home fan reaction when they chose to stick with Brian Hoyer this week against Indianapolis. Pettine was smart when he said something to the effect of, “The Dawg pound prefers it when we’re winning football games,” before going on to proclaim that this decision was made for a variety of reasons having everything to do with the game of football. Now, I’ll grant you that the Browns’ decision-making process regarding Colt McCoy, and subsequent drafting of Brandon Weeden always seemed tinged with the stink of resentment over Colt’s father, Brad McCoy’s comments after the Browns mishandled his son’s head injury. Even then no matter how you look at it, the Browns aren’t guilty of making a choice based on fan reaction.
4. Quarterback controversies are usually born of more than just a struggling quarterback. I always want to preface this by saying that I can’t defend Brian Hoyer’s performances the last few weeks because I can’t. He’s played really badly. You know who has benefited from the controversy this week? Let’s just say that I think Joe Thomas isn’t getting asked about his horrendous game last week and Josh Gordon’s struggles are only being pointed out in the prism of Hoyer criticism. And again, the Browns offense needs to be better, starting with Brian Hoyer, but let’s remember how much his success has always depended on the rushing attack. That rushing attack has trended down all year long. 
So, while there is merit to changing quarterbacks to achieve different results and to present an advantage over an opponent, like most other times, QBs get disproportionate blame. My bromance with Kyle Shanahan isn’t exactly what it used to be, and Isaiah Crowell doesn’t have me cawing like a crow as much this week, but those things have been overshadowed because there’s a guy who takes every offensive snap from center called a quarterback.
5. There is usually no right or wrong in these things. You can always look back and decide that something was right, wrong or obvious, but it’s just not the case. There are a lot of self-fulfilling prophecies. One of the things that Burger and I talked about on the podcast this week was trying not to “stand on your record” as some kind of prognosticator or other “knower of things.” Nobody can predict the future and we’re all just making educated guesses based on what we think we know.
Being “right” or “wrong” is usually far shorter-lived a feeling than what some would have you think as they point to permalinked archives of things they can claim to have gotten right. Now that Brian Hoyer has seemingly fallen off the table, was it wrong to have him starting the whole season? Is Johnny Manziel a better choice right now? If he is, does that mean he should have been starting all along? These aren’t the kinds of issues where you can be 100% right or wrong and we’ve got to stop trying to be that. I mean, all the arguing we did over Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson produced a lot of bad feelings and the only people who can say they’re right today were saying that neither one of them could play a lick.
So even being right in the long run is painful and annoying, assuming you’re a Browns fan.
Five seems like a good place to stop, although I’m sure you can list plenty more in the comments. In the end, the most trite thing that anyone can say about a controversy is undoubtedly still the truth. If you have a quarterback controversy it’s because you don’t have a quarterback. In the case of the Browns and Johnny Manziel, you hope it’s only a matter of timing, and that’s all the more reason why none of this should be really controversial. I don’t know anyone who wanted Brian Hoyer to be the Browns’ long-term solution. I mean some have dreamed that he could go Kurt Warner for the Browns, but even then, that’s rooting for a pleasant surprise. Almost 100% of the people I have talked to simply wanted a solidifying stop-gap while the Browns find the forever guy, whether that be Johnny Manziel or someone else.
28 Comments
The sense of entitlement Cleveland fans think they have with the Browns reeks of a consistently bad team that has never won anything. When they do win, it isn’t because of one factor. When we finally have a quarterback that leads the team to victories, his inconsistent play means that we have to immediately ask for his benching in favor of the sexier pick, who has never proved anything. Then again, he probably can’t unless he sees the field. I prefer to just let the guys getting paid to make these decisions to make them while all the bozos on Twitter and calling into to sports talk radio shows keep quiet and watch the (expletive) game.
Despite the fact that the Eagles got Chip Kelly and the Browns didn’t, I’m not sure I quite understand the notion that “the media doesn’t create QB controversies.” Where do these controversies exist? In the media – however you want to describe “media.” Without the media, there is no controversy. So, maybe all the media does is provide the base for the kids to stack the Legos upon, but it’s pretty tenuous to say that Pringles doesn’t create the addictive potato chip-like crisps that we crave fortnightly simple because it’s the people in white lab coats and hairnets in the factory that actually do the work.
Well, in fairness, I was banned from Tony Grossi’s Twitter account after he publicly tweeted the Browns had hired Kelly when they didn’t. I called him out because he later tweeted that Browns fans were ridiculous for accusing the media for misreporting facts when he himself misreported facts. The media plays a vital role in creating controversy when it benefits what they have to say. Good media stays neutral, reports the news, and writes editorials about current topics without trying to destroy the team and their decisions.
here’s the thing about your rushing stat chart. Hoyer NEEDS a strong rush game to be effective. therefore, no run game = bad Hoyer. Manziel might be capable of helping the rushing game with his mobility (we don’t know until we see it for more than 2 drives).
anyways, QB controversies begin with bad QB play and can end with good QB play. when we get good QB play, the controversies will end.
I’ve been through QB controversies. This? It doesn’t really feel like one at all. Maybe I’m missing it, but I don’t see the extremism from past controversies. Sure, people have opinions, but I think the vast majority of fans understand the pros/cons of both guys. They also understand that Hoyer hasn’t played so well as to change the franchise’s plans for the future and Manziel hasn’t shown coaches enough to change what’s happening now.
If there’s one refrain that I keep hearing from both sides, it’s your regular Cleveland pessimism that whatever choice we go with will end up being wrong.
We’re all banned from Tony Grossi’s Twitter account.
Kosar-Philox-Vinnie being a 9.5 of 10, Manziel-Hoyer is a benign 4 of 10 I’d say. Couch-Holcomb being a 7/10.
I watched Jason Campbell throw over 60 times a game last year. I should just keep quiet and watch the game? Nah, I think I’ll speak my mind on occasion. This isn’t Russia? Is this Russia?
” If you have a quarterback controversy it’s because you don’t have a quarterback.”
Truest of true.
“Browns’ decision-making process regarding Colt McCoy, and subsequent drafting of Brandon Weeden always seemed tinged with the stink of resentment over Colt’s father, Brad McCoy’s comments after the Browns mishandled his son’s head injury.”
I dub this the Statement of “Huh?” You’re saying Holmgren/Heckert used a first rounder in part to avenge statements of the father of a previous third rounder. Craig, you’re this site’s rational guy. Stay with us, friend, let’s keep the conspiracy theories at least within a wounded duck pass of the facts. Holms could barely be bothered with the local media or Randy. He didn’t change draft strategy and franchise direction due to an angry quote from an injured player’s daddy four months earlier.
In Soviet Football League, backup quarterbacks are immediately sent to the Gulag to avoid so called controwersy
Or hyping the teams up to sell a few more tickets. Way to take Tony the paper tiger on!
Cleveland media just sucks, I only go to the blogs. Pluto…dead to me , and he’s the only one who has a clue…Livingston…dead …MKCLOL!
Man did Holcomb look like Dan Fouts as a back up!
“there is no right or wrong”
I found this article to be highly entertaining for all the right reasons, great insight without all the usual low blows and haymakers.
I think the coach of the “80 russian hockey team got sent to the Siberian League for benching Tretiak in the third. That or he was killed.
I know mediocrity when I see it. Please see my avatar for my Jersey that I am wearing Sunday.
Pay close attention: I said the sense of entitlement. You can voice your opinion all you want. Should the Browns listen? Not really. The only way they listen is if you and 40,000 other people just stop showing up on Sunday, and we all know that ain’t happening. Spouting off on sports talk radio and booing during a game should have no effect on what a team does personnel-wise. Good teams don’t operate that way.
Colt was shown the door because he and his father embarassed Holmgren who, according to former players, was notorius for holding grudges and taking petty revenge.
I don’t think he changed draft strategy 100%. I think Holmgren was always infatuated with drafting quarterbacks and wanted to improve the position, regardless of Brad McCoy’s statements.
But, I think the whole organization never forgot that whole ordeal and Mary Kay Cabot talking to Brad McCoy. I bet if you got a quiet moment with MKC she’d tell you she feels they resented her for that story too.
I think it “tinged” the whole thing, including the crowning of Brandon Weeden after a QB “competition.” Arguing over Colt McCoy and Mike Holmgren feels so very meaningless now, but I absolutely think this level of pettiness isn’t below Mike Holmgren and I think the Brad McCoy concussion comments always colored the way the organization viewed Colt thereafter.
Now, if Colt McCoy was better than, you know, Colt McCoy, they wouldn’t have had that luxury, which ties right back into the QB controversy post…
Not quite true, although people forget the controversies more quickly because as between two good quarterbacks the outcome is usually good. Two examples: Simms and Hostetler, and Rivers and Brees.
You are right. Don’t remember the Giants one being when they were both competent but wasn’t paying much attention either. To Rivers-Brees I’d add Montana-Young.
Montana / Young, Smith / Kaepernick…….
I remember about this time two years ago I was really super excited to watch Thad Lewis start a meaningless late season game against Pittsburgh. Recent bad QB play notwithstanding, Hoyer/Manziel seems like kind of a nice problem to have.
not buying it without actual facts, given that Dad McCoy’s comment was a nothing and Holmgren’s QB search was such a something.
I will say this: I watched Holms interact with his QBs during summer training camps. Colt’s rookie year Holmgren spent lots of quality time with him, chatting and pointing and sweet-nothings. Then Weeden’s rookie year I was sitting right by Weeds and Colt while they stretched and chatted first thing in the morning. Holms walked over to them both, greeted Weeds, hand on Weeds, chatted up Weeds. Totally ignored Colt who was standing right next to him. Fair competition – hah! I already knew who was starting. I just don’t think it was at all related to a protective Brad comment made to a reporter the previous year.
Gotta hear both sides.
Well, lets see if Hoyer plays better against Indianapolis than Colt McCoy did against Indianapolis. I think it is safe to say McCoy is far better than Weeden, and that alone should have gotten Holmgren canned. I have a very bad feeling that McCoy is better than Hoyer right now, which is quite scary.
Hoyer has been aweful lately.
And QB Controversy doesn’t mean the team has no QBs. The Montana vs. Young controversy was one where a team had two HOF QBs. I understand though, that QB controversy everywhere else means no QB, like Vick or Geno Smith controversy…
Hey, I want the Browns to win badly and make the playoffs. However, while I truly hope I am wrong saying this, the Colts most likely will blow the Browns out with Hoyer starting. I really think he is going to stink it up, and he will play like he did the last few weeks. Hoyer is not a Super Bowl caliber QB. Manziel may not be either. But I think Manziel will end up being much better than Hoyer.
Unfortunately, I thought Quinn was better than Anderson. Ooops, my bad. However, it is obvious that Hoyer was outplayed by Manziel in Buffalo.
What exists is a coaching decision. The media makes the controversy.