The Cleveland Browns have yet to win a game during the 2017 NFL season, a scenario they were in last year. Coach Hue Jackson hopes to get things going with Deshone Kizer but the decision has not translated into wins. He opted to go with Kevin Hogan in the second half last week and saw a bit of improvement.
Now, he is left with a critical decision. He can stick to Hogan or give Kizer another chance. If he opts to go with the second-year player, the move could seriously damper the confidence of the rookie. Jackson plans to go through the game tapes and come up with a decision to determine who can more effectively quarterback for Cleveland moving forward.
Getting a win
Jackson pulled out Kizer in favor of Hogan against the New York Jets. The Browns still went on to lose, though the 24-year-old proved to be a bit more effective than the rookie. As pointed out by the Associated Press, Hogan has performed up to par when called upon. But will he be as effective if used extensively?
For now, Hogan may be a short-term solution. Jackson’s decision will depend entirely on his intent. If winning games is at the top of the list, he could try the former Stanford player for now and see how things pan out. If not, he can revert back to Kizer and hope the 21-year-old finally settles downplaying pro ball.
Wake-up call for Kizer
Though Kizer is touted as a promising rookie, delivering in his first year in the NFL is a pretty tall order.
He was given a rare opportunity to spearhead the Browns though there were some reservations on how that would turn out.
There is a process to follow and Kizer jumped ahead of the steps. With the Browns winless in five games, Jackson needs to tweak things a bit and that may include giving Hogan a chance to prove himself.
Hogan is technically wet behind the ears as well, even though he has been in the league a year longer than Kizer.
Against the Jets, Hogan completed 16-of-19 passes for 194 yards in one half. Could he do better playing an entire game? Jackson can only find that out if he gives the 24-year-old a chance.
Jackson sees Kizer as someone who has the potential to be a starter. However, he is a work in progress. The pressure may be too much for the rookie right now.
Hence, going a different route by trying Hogan may not hurt their chances moving forward.
Jackson has won only one game out of 20 tries in the two years he has been with the Browns. Cleveland cannot afford to let this NFL season go by without showing any improvement. If they replicate their failure from the 2016 NFL season, Hue Jackson could be losing his own job as well.
