Keidel: Pro Football Meets Johnny Football

losangeles.cbslocal.com ^ | May 9, 2014 10:05 AM | Jason Keidel

[BenLurkin]

But what happens after the fall? When, to paraphrase John Facenda, the game becomes a duel in the rain and cold November mud? When the wind whips in from Lake Erie, and the monstrous arms of Big Ben and Joe Flacco fling the ball through the ornery winter snow? While Johnny Manziel falls face-first into the muck, crunched by Geno Atkins or Brett Keisel?

Brian Hoyer is getting the cosmetic decency of the starting job in May. But anyone with a pulse knows you draft Johnny Manziel to start Johnny Manziel. He’s too famous, too fabulous, to squat on the pine. Especially in Cleveland, a town that lost its soul when LeBron James took his talents to South Beach, and hasn’t won an NFL title since 1964.

That’s not to say he can’t play or play well. No player has ever burst into the NFL with more moxie and celebrity than Manziel, who also enters the league with the best handle in history: Johnny Football.

...

Many of us wanted to see Manziel plucked by the Dallas Cowboys, the sport’s most famous and dysfunctional team and the draft’s most compelling figure. Jerry Jones, who adores the spotlight, actually drafted by need. Go figure.

Cleveland has needs, too. They need a lot more than Johnny Manziel. Do they even need Johnny Manziel? Can a team build from the ground-up with a player people expect to walk on water?

Johnny Football is a long way from Texas. But for the first time in a long time, the Browns matter. They’ve already sold 1,200 season tickets since last night. They’re all there to see Johnny Manziel win. Will they stick around if he loses?

[BenLurkin]

The Browns need to find a coach and stick with him, find a QB and stick with him, find an offense system and stick with it, and stay innovative on defense.

[BenLurkin]

Pfft! Nobody is worried about the Bengals.

The only threat the Cincinnati poses to the Browns — is when the Bengals steal Cleveland’s place at the bottom of the division.

[dfwgator]

The keys to Manziel’s success will be his leadership abilities and how his teammates respond to him....If he has good leadership capabilities he will be successful.

[latina4dubya]

Several weeks ago Johnny Football shot a 79 at Pebble Beach!

yep--my nephew works there :)

[FredZarguna]

[I say this as someone whose father took him to see his first Steeler game up on “The Hill” in 1961.] You should check your assumptions: Cincy’s defense in 2013 was better than both the Ravens’ and the Steelers’.

[luckystarmom]

And one of them, Moke Evans, said Johnny should have gone first.

[Mike Darancette]

Manziel needs tall receivers like he had at A&M. Cleveland did the right thing by passing over Lee in the 2nd round.

[Mike Darancette]

Funny that two other players from A&M were drafted ahead of him.

Evans made Manziel that much better.

[Milton Miteybad]

Could be that "Johnny Football" (I still have a hard time using that moniker in reference to anybody but Unitas) got a soul-shattering wake-up call when the No. 1 pick in this year's draft beat his time in the 40 at the NFL Combine by nearly .2 seconds. Here he was, the Heisman-winning Johnny Football, as fleet of foot as any QB in the SEC, utterly smoked in the 40 by a defensive lineman, although a pretty good one.

Now, Johnny has probably tied quite a few on since that slap in the face, and he may have forgotten about it by now.

But that memory will come flooding back about 45 seconds after he steps onto the field for the first time.

[Rockpile]

Tom Brady was drafted in the 6th round. Pick number 199.

[Rockpile]

Couple of years ago I saw one of the best signs ever in the stands while watching a Browns game .............

Cleveland
Rebuilding since 1964

[Cyman]

Johnny is going to be shifted to WR and will take over for Josh “Drug Test”Gordon. That is why they passed on Sammy Watkins

[lee martell]

Some would put the struggling Lolo Jones in that category as well style over substance.
“Look at her! As pretty as she is, she deserves at least one gold medal, or maybe her own talk show.”

[twister881]

Cleveland: The Elephant Bone Yard of QBs

[fso301]

If Manziel can avoid the big hit, he’ll probably do okay. If Cleveland doesn’t already have a running game, I don’t see Manziel’s presence on the field opening ruing lanes. If there’s no running game, defenders will shut him down.

[achilles2000]

Thanks! Nevertheless, I don’t think anyone would say that those drafted ahead of him were all more talented players ;-)

[CharlesWayneCT]

You were almost right, Danica has only won a single race.

On the other hand, she has been top 10 for the season multiple times and has taken top 5 in a ton of races. I think most of us would be very satisfied with being one of the 10 best in our profession.

[achilles2000]

You are right, but that’s true for any QB. Manziel will probably modify what his freewheeling style in the NFL, especially if the Browns have a defense, which A&M lacked entirely (How do you score 42 points on Alabama and lose? It’s easy with the A&M defense.). Still, he has better vision, reactions, and anticipation than anyone I’ve ever seen. He’ll probably get away with more than the typical QB, and it will be interesting to watch.

[alarm rider]

Amen to that. Cleveland and Oakland are the black hole for QB’s.

[Delta Dawn]

Crennel is a good assistant coach, he is terrible as a head coach.

I will say this about Manziel. He is one of the best thinking quarterbacks to come out of college in a long time. If he stays healthy, he will be in the hall of fame someday.