The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Watson starting for Texans, Kizer sitting
Offense moved faster with Hogan behind center; Jackson might be trying to avoid draft comparison
There are many ways to analyze the timing of Jackson’s decision to bench Kizer and make Hogan starting QB.
There are several ways to analyze the timing of Coach Hue Jackson’s decision to bench DeShone Kizer and make Kevin Hogan the starting quarterback for the Browns’ game in Houston on Oct. 15.
One is Hogan earned the start by outplaying Kizer last week against the Jets, which he clearly did. Kizer started the game and put zero points on the board. He was benched at halftime. Hogan replaced him and threw two touchdown passes.
The offense moved at a faster pace with Hogan at quarterback. Hogan’s play made it obvious how Kizer is still learning every time he takes a snap.
Another theory is Jackson made the move this week to avoid setting up a contrast between Kizer and Texans rookie quarterback Deshaun Watson. The season has been embarrassing enough for the Browns.
Watson is having a fabulous rookie season. He has thrown 12 touchdown passes and four interceptions.
“DeShone Kizer is on our team. Deshaun Watson is on their team. We can’t all of a sudden flip them. ” – Browns coach Hue Jackson
He also has two rushing touchdowns and is second on the team with 179 yards on the ground,
Kizer has thrown three touchdown passes and nine interceptions. His passer rating of 49.5 is dead last among NFL starters. Watson ranks seventh at 100.7.
The Texans took Watson with the 12th pick — the pick that originally belonged to the Browns. The Texans traded Cleveland their first pick in 2017 — pick 25 overall — and their first-round pick next year to move up to 12 so they could take Watson.
Sashi Brown, executive vice president of football operations, used the 25th pick on safety Jabrill Peppers, who has been slow to react in pass coverage and timid as a punt returner.
Jackson got testy in the buildup to the game with the Texans when asked whether he would have stayed at 12 and taken Watson if the choice had been his.
“It doesn’t matter,” Jackson said. “He’s in Houston. It doesn’t matter for this reason: whether we did or didn’t, that’s not the point. The point is we’re getting ready to play the Houston Texans in Houston.
“You guys can say whatever you like. I get it. I get the second guessing, the questions and all of that. You’re entitled to do all of that. DeShone Kizer is on our team. Deshaun Watson is on their team. We can’t all of a sudden flip them. So why are we having this discussion?”
Brown has the final say in the draft and the final say in the 53-man roster. But as head coach, Jackson gets to form the depth chart from the players Brown chooses, which means the decision to switch to Hogan was Jackson’s.
This gives conspiracy theorists something to snack on. By deciding before playing the Texans that Kizer would benefit from observing Hogan from the sideline, Jackson is sending a message to Brown: Hogan, picked 162nd overall by the Chiefs in 2016, is better than the quarterback Brown picked.
Meanwhile, the quarterback the Browns passed on is having a Rookie of the Year season with the Texans.
Would Watson have 12 touchdown passes and a 100.7 passer rating with the Browns? Probably not. There is no wide receiver as skilled as DeAndre Hopkins on the Browns roster. Hopkins has 35 catches for 363 yards and
five touchdowns. The Browns receivers combined have six touchdown catches.
A carpenter is only as
good as his tools, and in cruel irony, Brown’s quarterback pick hasn’t looked good because Brown didn’t give Kizer quality tools to work with.