The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Hue Jackson giving Kizer six weeks to impress
Jackson made the right call after the Browns’ implosion against the Jaguars when, despite four turnovers by his rookie quarterback, he announced DeShone Kizer will start the next six games and play all four quarters in each game as long as he can stay healthy.
“Where we are right now, I need to continue to see him,” Jackson said. “Let’s let him play this thing out. As long as he’s healthy, let’s keep putting him out there. I want to walk away from this season knowing exactly what DeShone Kizer is, top to bottom.
“I think he deserves that. I know this is all tough for him. Week in and week out, it’s the consistency he has to keep chasing. He just has to keep working at it.”
Kizer started nine of the first 10 games. He was benched twice mid-game. He has thrown five touchdown passes and 14 interceptions. Those are obviously horrid numbers, but he can’t be dumped into the trash bin just because of that.
Jackson has to finish the season with Kizer. If the Browns finish 0-16, 2-14 or whatever, and still don’t come away with a good read on Kizer one way or the other, the season will be a complete waste.
Then there is the Kessler-Hogan factor. Cody Kessler and Kevin Hogan, the Browns’ backup quarterbacks, should never start another game as long as they are in the NFL. That could be six more weeks for both players.
carries.
“I get to look at the pictures; I get to see the matchups,” Jackson said. “I get to see that it’s not happening as well and the game is slowly going the other way. You have to make a decision on how you’re going to best win this game. I think, to a man, to a player, they would tell you that we weren’t running the ball very well, and the throws we had that were sitting there.”
I believe Jackson gives up on the run quickly because he feels such pressure to win one game. But that puts an unfair burden on Kizer to save the day with an inferior receiving corps.
The result is always another loss.