The Cleveland Browns have named DeShone Kizer as the Week Eight starting quarterback for their game against the Minnesota Vikings in London this Sunday, making this the rookie’s sixth start as a professional signal-caller. However, the question everyone has this week is not who starts the game, but rather who will finish it?
For most of the season, Head Coach Hue Jackson has played quarterback carousel with Kizer, Kevin Hogan, and Cody Kessler. Jackson has even elected to start Hogan for a game, which lasted for all of one week after Hogan threw three interceptions en route to a 33-17 loss to the Houston Texans two weeks ago. Jackson has been quick to yank Kizer out of games after one or two mistakes in favor of his two backups, saying that his main priority is to win football games right now. Understandable for a coach that has went 1-22 in his first year and a half with the Browns. But with wins not very likely for Hue this early into the rebuild, his one shot at saving his job might have been showing his knowledge as a “quarterback guru”.
For Jackson, the end might be near due to the lack of inconsistency at the position he is praised for knowing so well.
His quick decisions to pull Kizer from close games haven’t done anything but kill whatever confidence the Notre Dame product has had in games. Kizer seems to gain more and more trust in himself during as he marches down the field, but also keeps the thought of him being benched due to one mistake in the back of his mind. If a drive doesn’t end in points, Hue pulls the plug on his “ride or die” mentality with Kizer again and leaves the rookie wondering what he needs to do to be allowed to finish one game. In fact, Kizer hasn’t finished a full game since Week Three against the Indianapolis Colts.
On the other side of the spectrum, Kessler and Hogan haven’t won games for Jackson. The two have combined for four touchdowns and six interceptions, proving the production isn’t that great when Hue goes to his backup plans. Though Kessler appeared to give the Browns the best chance to win this year during their latest game against the Tennessee Titans, he faltered late and didn’t produce a single touchdown for the Browns. Hogan is leading Cleveland quarterbacks with four touchdowns this season, but his five interceptions overshadow any good he has done. It is for these reasons that both are going to be good backups in their NFL careers.
Three quarterbacks, yet no progress to show for any of them.
Back when Hue Jackson arrived in Cleveland in early 2016, he told everyone to trust him. When he signed Robert Griffin III, he said to trust him. When he drafted Cody Kessler in the 3rd round last year, he said to trust him. And when he drafted DeShone Kizer with the 52nd pick in this year’s draft, he said to trust him.
Quite frankly, no one can trust Hue Jackson anymore.
So when Kizer trots out to the field in London, let’s hope Jackson can have enough patience to give him a full game. Not only to show flashes early but to also show what he can do after a mistake is made because yes, a mistake will be made. If Kizer gets enough time to work, this could do wonders for him and the team. And if by some chance the Browns win the game with Kizer under center, it could be enough to start swaying Jimmy Haslam towards the “Keep Hue Here” side of the coaching security meter.
If Kizer gets pulled during any point of the game and the Browns don’t come back to the States with a victory, it could be the final straw for Hue Jackson.
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