Cleveland Browns Make Massive Mistake Starting Josh McCown over Johnny Manziel

The Cleveland Browns made a huge mistake by starting Josh McCown over second-year quarterback Johnny Manziel in Week 3 against the Oakland Raiders.

It was a move that many expected head coach Mike Pettine to make, but it was the wrong decision for the future of the Browns' franchise. They haven't had a potential long-term option at the quarterback position in a long time, but Manziel began showing that potential this past offseason. He finally translated it onto the field in an NFL regular season game last week when he led the Browns to a victory over the Tennessee Titans.

During the game against Tennessee, Manziel looked much more comfortable than he has in a long time. He completed eight of his 15 passing attempts for 172 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.

At 22 years old, playing with confidence is something that Manziel needed the Browns' support in doing. Seeing the type of game that he came through with in Week 2, the Browns needed to get behind him and show him that they had confidence in his ability to become a starter. By going back to a 36-year-old quarterback that offers them no hope for the future did exactly the opposite of instill trust in their young quarterback.

Pettine has made mistake after mistake when it comes to the quarterback position over the past couple of seasons. Brian Hoyer was a solid all-around quarterback, but Manziel desperately needed playing time as a rookie. The only way for a young player to develop is by playing and learning the game, which is exactly what the Browns haven't given Manziel a chance to do.

Looking ahead at the next few seasons, the Browns cannot afford to continue playing in mediocrity. By sticking with McCown, they are admitting that they will play Week 3 in mediocrity with a quarterback that has no potential to be under center for more than a year or two.

It will be interesting to see how long it is before Manziel sees the field again following his latest benching.

Cleveland simply cannot afford to keep making these massive mistakes at the quarterback position. There is a possibility that McCown is the better player at this exact moment in time, but he doesn't have a chance to lead the Browns to the playoffs. Manziel has the talent to lead them to a postseason in the next couple of years and developing him should be the primary focus for the next few weeks.

All of that being said, the Browns have continued disappointing their fans and this was just the latest in the huge mistakes that they have made. Manziel is the most talented player currently on their offense and they aren't giving him a chance to grow and improve as a player after an impressive showing last week. Once again, it just goes to show why the Browns have been at the bottom of the NFL for so long.