Kessler gets a shot at Browns’ QB job
Cody Kessler will be given the opportunity the rest of the season to audition for the role as the Browns’ franchise quarterback.
With the club winless in eight starts, it’s not like they’ve got anything to lose.
Kessler will be making his sixth start of the season. The 23-yearold has completed 66.9 per cent of his passes for 947 yards with four touchdowns and one interception, but veteran journeyman Josh McCown started last week with Kessler sitting out due to a concussion.
There had been speculation all week about who would start Sunday.
“(Kessler) has some moxie, some poise and he has demonstrated that. He has done some good things in games, but you have to do it over a number of opportunities to really know that it is truly there,” said coach Hue Jackson on Friday.
“That is why I need to keep playing him to evaluate this and to know what we see is right and for sure. I will not get to know these things if I do not play him. It is best to let us find out.”
Kessler will face the Cowboys and if he is anywhere near as successful as fellow Dallas rookie Dak Prescott, the Browns may finally have found a bonafide No. 1 quarterback. If not, it’s back to the draft board.
“I look at it as another opportunity. It’s exciting,” Kessler said. “That’s all you can really ask for, as a player, is opportunities.”
MCCOY SAYS LET’S ROLL
A decision on whether running back LeSean McCoy can play Monday won’t come until Saturday.
But Bills coach Rex Ryan was preaching a sermon of hope Friday.
“I’m thinking he’s going,” said Ryan.
McCoy has been limited in practices but Ryan believes there will be no limits by Monday. “We’ll see how the thing plays out. He looks full go to me.”
McCoy is seconding the notion. “I feel better today than in the past,” said McCoy, who has been a major contributor offensively with 598 rushing yards, including six touchdowns. “Mentally, I feel great ... Just getting over that step of, ‘If I make this hard cut, will I feel it?’ I did it (Friday), different runs. So I’m ready to roll.”
The Bills had better pray he does roll, or Buffalo’s playoff hopes will soon again roll out of reach.
AIN’T LOVE GRAND
The NFL is often accused of taking the fun out of the game. So, when Seattle safety Earl Thomas hugged an official after returning an interception for a touchdown, he was flagged. Officials are untouchables. But even the league couldn’t help but laugh this one off. Friday it announced Thomas wouldn’t be fined for trying to get the official to join his happy dance. The announcement comes one day after Thomas’ teammate Richard Sherman suggested that the officials are too quick to throw flags, and that the league wants players to be joyless robots.
ONE FOR THE BOOKS
How good is Julio Jones? Perhaps the best ever. At least he’s headed that way.
NFL director of football communications Randall Liu notes Jones’ 465 catches are more than any other player through the first 75 games of a career.