Yes, Brian Hoyer is slumping as of late. But also remember that Hoyer won all these games for Cleveland as well. They’ve greatly exceeded expectations, and find themselves in playoff position thanks to Brian Hoyer. However, we get it: Johnny Manziel drives ratings, page views, sports talk call-ins, social media buzz, Klout scores, Q Ratings, etc. etc. But Manziel is not the path to winning right now.
This is not a quarterback controversy. I understand the media need to create and then drive these narratives in order to get eyeballs on their product, but this is a very one-sided argument.
Normally I love to pick on the NFL punditocracy, at the times when they make meatball commentary. Well, there was nothing really meat-head about this exchange from NFL Monday QB on CBS Sports last night.
On Johnny Manziel and Brian Hoyer):
Trent Green: “We have to remember, (when Johnny Manziel entered the game), Buffalo had already taken Mario Williams out of the game. They had already taken Kyle Williams out of the game. They had already taken Marcell Dareus out of the game – so three of their top defensive linemen weren’t in the game on that touchdown drive that Johnny Manziel put together. Moving forward, it is crazy if Cleveland goes with anybody other than Brian Hoyer… They are right in the middle of the playoff race and you want to experiment with a guy that had one good series against a backup defense?”
Rich Gannon: “It certainly complicates Cleveland’s playoff run if you decide to make a change. But Brian Hoyer has struggled the last month. He has completed just 53 percent of his passes. He has thrown one touchdown and six interceptions… He has lost his mojo a little bit. Manziel comes in yesterday, (in his) first drive (he leads them on) eight plays, 80 yards (and a touchdown). He provided a spark. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Mike Pettine make the change.”
Steve Beuerlein: “I have been behind the microphone for a lot of (Browns games) this year and have watched Brian Hoyer up close. To be 100 percent perfectly honest and frank, he has not played well in a lot of those games at all. They have come away with the win in several games when they should not have won. But given the situation, I think you have to stick with Brian Hoyer. They are in the playoff hunt right now. Until they fall out and really get to the point that Hoyer is costing them significant games, I think you stick with Brian Hoyer. But you have a short leash with him now. Pettine made a major statement that he’s not afraid to go to Johnny Manziel down the stretch.”
(Update: it was made official Wednesday that Brian Hoyer will start)
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and writes The Sports Bank.net ,which is partners with Fox Sports. Read his feature stories in the Chicago Tribune RedEye edition. Listen to him on KOZN 1620 The Zone. Follow him on Twitter (@paulmbanks). His work has been featured in hundreds of media outlets including The Washington Post and ESPN 2