Deshone Kizer did exactly what he was asked to do today. He managed the game, he did not do anything terrible, and he kept the Browns in the game. They ultimately lost to a much better Steelers team, but no one can fault Kizer for how he played today. He is a very good player who seems to understand the NFL game, and he did not give the Browns a reason to bench him. In fact, he gave them a reason to keep starting him so that he can improve. This man looks like the future, and we have proof that the Browns have made a wise choice at quarterback for the first time in a long time.
The Browns are smart
Hue Jackson knows how to coach, and the head coach in Cleveland has done a very good job of teaching Kizer how to manage the game. This is an important part of their early development because Kizer needs to know how to get through a game regardless of whether it is good or bad. The Browns can expect him to improve, and it looks like he will not make too many bad mistakes during the season. This game was close at one point, and everyone in football pretty much agrees that the Steelers are a far better team. The Browns held on against the Steelers until they could not keep up, and we should be impressed that Kizer was a part of that.
They scored
The Browns scored more than once against a team that is much better than them, and they showed that they have the ability to put up points when they need to.
They are not stuck in the doldrums where we will wonder if they can score at all. The Browns can change around their offense to meet Kizer's needs, and they can continue to develop him so that he looks his best. Kizer is definitely worthy of the starting spot that he was given, and he may look like the rookie of the year by the end of the season.
A few tiny errors
The Browns made a few tiny errors that were pretty big plays in the game, and they mostly fell victim to the superb performance of TJ Watt. The Browns could not have made a game plan for this guy because he was so good against them and so unknown. However, he has shown that he alone can ruin a game for an opponent.
Perhaps the Browns would have had a better game if the Steelers had not drafted Watt, but the truth is simple to see. The Browns were not terrible. They played a good game in their division, and DeShone Kizer did not lose the game for them.
It is clear that this writer is rooting for the Browns and Kizer because it is nice to see this team do well. The Browns are an NFL fixture, and they should be relevant for all our sakes.