Sunday is the Next Game of the Rest of the Season

Once Marty Pettine announced that Johnny Manziel would start at home vs the 49ers, I feared a draft-undermining victory.

But there is hope.  The 49ers season-long stats don't tell the story, as they just took the Chicago Bears to overtime and beat them.  Blaine Gabbert isn't Colin Kaepernick, nor is he the same guy he was last season.  (I don't know how many of you grasp this, but believe it or not, young quarterbacks tend to improve...just sayin...)

Fantasy gurus are pointing to Shaun Draugn as a cheap sleeper because the Browns run defense is so bad, but I need to point out: Draughn wouldn't make the Bengals roster.

And upon further review, now that I've sifted through the opinionated and prejudiced disinformation, Austin Davis played a hell of a game vs a top contender last Sunday, and warrants further consideration as a starter.  And if you disagree with that, you're not thinking clearly.

However, Johnny did what he did to the Steelers, presents more upside, and needs this chance to prove himself.

Whether he's the better player right now or not, however, his teammates know that he might just represent a new era for this team.

For many of them, it could be their last chance to play in the NFL, roll the dice on the ground floor of something special, or (more commonly) to put something on tape for their next contract...whoever pays it.

Brian Hartline's comments on the psychology of some of the veterans weren't lost on me.  They're playing for nothing, and the fear of an injury nags them.

But look at Brian himself.  Do you see any quit in him?

Still, Grover Pettine would be wise to play the first and second year players more during these last 4 games.  These are the guys who will fight hard to the bitter end, because they're still trying to prove they shouldn't be cut in training camp next year, and that they belong in the NFL.

Let Dansby, Whitner, Starks, D Bryant, Hartline, and even that 30 year old cornerback park it more so the young guys can make their bones.

But I doubt that Grover Pettinenheimer will see it that way.  

Anyway, there's an undeniable sense of excitement with Johnny Manziel, and it will infect the whole team.

I know Josh McCown, and he'll be egging it on.  I absolutely love that guy, and they need to keep him around for as long as they can (even if it means his next contract as a position coach).  This guy checks his ego at the door.  This guy wants everybody around him to succeed.  And he'll be in Johnny's ear all the time (and know when to back off, too).

I smell a Browns victory this Sunday.  I'm doing all I can.  I've started making Johnny my starter in my 25 cent Draftkings tournaments, and using Duke and Travis too.  I can't bring myself to actually bet against the Browns, but THEY should find my little stabs at money sufficient to make sure at least 2 of those guys fail miserably.

I've avoided Gary Barnidge so far, so he might go for 150 yards.  The Browns might even win anyway, but I've done what I could.

Look, I can't cover everything! I couldn't take the defense!  I just couldn't!  So here's how I think it might go, based on my fantasy picks:

Barnidge collects 8 catches for 130 yards and no touchdowns.  Manziel throws for 220 yards and no touchdowns and gets sacked 4 times.  Benjamin is completely shut down.  The defense scores 2 touchdowns.  Special teams scores a third.

THEM.

Seriously, trying to think with my brain here and ignore THEM, I believe Manziel is a good almost-sleeper pick in this specific game.

Manziel and Benjamin are a lethal combination, and I can't believe that  Duke Johnson won't be used more in this game.  I didn't take Barnidge, but that's only because I found other tight ends with big upsides much cheaper.

The x-factors are numerous: Crowell (or maybe just the blocking) has improved lately.  There's an outside chance that Marty Pettinegrove will let Terrelle "just fake a cut and go for the the end zone" Pryor in for one or two plays...even obvious ones...though I doubt it...

Anyway, I've put my quarters on Johnny, Travis, and Duke to get THEM to intercede, but really, maybe a win wouldn't be so bad.

Because if Johnny Manziel wins this one, and maybe even upsets another team in the meatgrinder on deck, wouldn't that answer the quarterback question?  Would the Browns NEED the first overall pick?  (But like I said, there's Connor Shaw, the guy ahead of him, and another guy anyway...Some cretin predicted a weak qb crop, but that's idiocy--the Browns could draft 3-5 and STILL get a stud  qb.)

Yeah, I confess: I like Johnny.  I didn't at first.  Then I wasn't sure.  Then I was hopeful.  Then he threw for 370 yards vs the Steelers.  Now I think we got our franchise guy.  And an excellent insurance policy in Austin Davis, and Josh McCown through retirement if they have the brains to do it.

You heard me!  That includes YOU, Black Cloud!  Manziel looks like our franchise qb to me and I don't CARE if he likes to party!  

Black Cloud, you know as well as me political correctness is bullshit.  His going to rehab now looks like a mistake, because now he's not allowed to be human any more!!!

In today's NFL, Kenny Stabler would never have had a chance.  We might never have heard of Brett Favre.  And a WHOLE BUNCH OF other superstars we haven't heard about yet, for that matter it's bullshit. 

Note to other readers: Black Cloud is a permabasher.  He is very intelligent, but doesn't have Browns OCD like me, but I guess he's read my blogs and deemed me an apologist or something because I try to leave the bashing to everybody else (since that's well-covered) and focus on the positive stuff (which is almost completely ignored).

So he's prone to dismiss anything positive coming from me, including about Johnny Manziel...no matter what.

Sorry: Anyway I'll come all the way out of the closet here:

I believe that the Manziel-led Browns WILL not only beat the 49ers, but also upset another contending team for a 2-2 record in the final 4 games of this season.

This could (but might not) save Mike Pettine's job.  But it WILL show that Johnny Manziel is for real, and could save Ray Farmer as well.

Again, for the fifth time, I repeat: Austin Davis is NOT  a bumb! Josh McCown has been a stud.  And I color Manziel as more a Wilson than a Brees, but I'll take that.

So there is my neck stuck out.  I don't feel much fear, though: What could Russell Wilson do with Gordon and Pryor?