Nightmarish debut for Manziel
This time the agent was right.
Erik Burkhardt was concerned his client was getting thrown into the fire way too early.
The results suggest someone should have listened to Burkhardt.
Johnny Manziel, with just four practices under his belt with the Alouettes was handed the start Friday night against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, his former team. It was painful, as the 50-11 final score might indicate.
Manziel’s night started with a completion, a short pitch to a crossing Benny Cunningham that got blown up by Adrian Tracy, who dumped him for a five-yard loss.
It only got worse after that.
On the very next play, Manziel lost middle linebacker Larry Dean, who had lined up amongst the giants on the Hamilton defensive line. When Dean dropped back in coverage he was invisible to Manziel, who was locked in on his receiver. Dean deftly stepped in front of the pass and the Ticats had a much-needed takeaway.
It wouldn’t be their last. Hamilton running back Alex Green eventually turned that takeaway into a touchdown and then after a two-and-out on Montreal’s next possession and a blocked punt by the Ticats that was returned for a touchdown, Manziel was right back on the field this time down 21-0.
Again it didn’t get any better.
Manziel did finally help his team to a first down avoiding a sack and getting the first down on an interference penalty against the Tabbies.
He appeared to have escaped more trouble on the very next down dodging defenders and then passing/pushing a pass over a defender to a wide open Tyrell Sutton. Unfortunately Sutton wasn’t expecting the ball and wound up tipping it right into the hands of Jumal Rolle for the second pick of the night.
In the first half alone Manziel threw four picks, something he had never done in college or the NFL. You can hardly blame him for the Sutton tipped ball, a pass Sutton should have caught but Manziel has to take responsibility for the other three.
Manziel finished the night 11-for-20 for 104 yards and those four picks. His longest completion was 31 yards to Eugene Lewis Manziel was replaced by Vernon Adams Jr., the man he replaced as the starter, to begin the fourth quarter.