National Football League

Coaches' Corner: Pettine makes right call with Manziel

Published Dec. 12, 2014 4:51 p.m. ET

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Cleveland Browns head coach Mike Pettine has finally pulled the trigger on Johnny Manziel, cutting the cord on Brian Hoyer.

Personally, I think the move is right on time. The last three weeks Hoyer has thrown zero touchdowns and seven interceptions. After three performances like that, it's time to make a change. With every team posting seven wins or more headed into Week 15, the AFC North is the toughest division in football.

This will be no easy task for the rookie QB as he faces three tough defenses in Cincinnati, Carolina and Baltimore.

Offensive  coordinator Kyle Shanahan will need Manziel's mobility and improvisation skills in order to elude pass rushers particularly Marvin Lewis's multifaceted defense where defenders have been known to blitz  from all over the field.

Ironically Manziel's play-extending capabilities is something that you cannot teach. If he can control the turnovers and be Johnny Football, he will drive defenses crazy.

Trust me, there's nothing that frustrates a defense more than when a guy has a skill set to evade rushers, scramble downfield and complete a pass when he was dead to rights.

This is right in Johnny's wheelhouse.

So why continue to lose with Hoyer? Now is the time for Johnny to make believers out of us all.

The first chapter comes Sunday: Bengals-Browns, 1 p.m. ET on FOX

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