Raiders: Oakland to face Browns QB McCown.
Derek Carr had been looking forward to facing fellow second-year quarterback Johnny Manziel on Sunday in Cleveland, but that won’t happen. The Browns said Wednesday that they’re going with former Raiders QB Josh McCown, who was cleared from the NFL’s concussion protocol earlier in the day.
Carr was glad to see that Manziel, who became a friend at the NFL Combine, threw for two touchdowns in Cleveland’s win over Tennessee on Sunday.
“I thought he did a great job,” Carr said. “I always keep up with the guys from our class. I was rooting for him.”
Manziel said he was disappointed to hear the news.
“I’m not going to sit here and say that I love the decision,” he told reporters.
McCown said he feels for Manziel.
“I’ve been on both sides,” he said, looking back on his 12year career. “I’ve been the guy in front with a first-rounder waiting in the wings and people waiting on that guy to play and wanting that guy to play.”
That guy was JaMarcus Russell, in Oakland. McCown shared playing time with the 2007 No. 1 overall pick, starting the first three games and the last six, finishing 2-7. He completed 111 of 190 passes for 1,151 yards, 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
Manziel started Sunday because McCown was injured when he tried to dive into the end zone in the opener, and was hit in the helmet and sent flying in a helicopter fashion. He did well that first drive, taking the team 90 yards in 17 plays, and he can see why people think the headfirst dive was a little foolish. But …
“I think part of why I’m still around is because I don’t give up easily,” he said.
Cleveland head coach Mike Pettine said basically that his quarterback doesn’t lose his starting job because of injury.
McCown has “done everything we’ve asked of him in the offseason and so far this year,” Pettine said. “He’d earned the right to be our starting quarterback. We feel that he gives us the best opportunity to win on Sunday. That was truly the basis for the decision. There are a lot of exterior factors, but for coaches, it’s very bottom line.”
The Browns are willing to give up some big-play possibilities — Manziel had 50- and 60-yard touchdown passes to Travis Benjamin — for more consistency and fewer turnovers.
Cleveland offensive coordinator John DeFilippo, who was Carr’s quarterbacks coach last year, obviously had a big role in the decision.
“I love Flip,” Carr said. “He was huge in developing me … in helping me learn what it takes to compete at this level, physically and mentally. I can’t say enough good things about him.”
McCown, now with his seventh NFL organization, also offered praise to DeFilippo, with whom he worked during his season with the Raiders.
“To see Derek from last year to this year and see the steps he’s made, obviously there was a great foundation laid there by Flip,” McCown said. “We’re thankful to have Flip in the situation we’re in, both for myself and developing Johnny. Based off of the success and the steps that Derek took last year and where he’s progressing this year, it makes us even more excited to have Flip here.”