Step One: Win Out...

Tour2ma

Anybodies' guess right now, Chris... If there are any tea leaves to be read, you'd have them I'd think.

@gftchris said:
Well, I don't think that'll be a challenge...

Agree... I like our chances that Cinci loses to Denver, but that's the game we would need them to lose and then rise up to beat PTG in Week 17.

But if they lose to us and Denver then what do they have to play for in PTG?

But but but but but...

Which brings us back to "Step One".

JAFBF

10-6 just won't do it, we don't really have any Tie breakers in our favor outside of the Division.

Lot of Teams would have to falter as well, just don't see it.

We've still got too many problems, I mean seriously, we just started our 4th Center this past week - and our run game showed it.

WalterWhite

I think the run game opens up with Johnny starting because the defense will be spread out.

bbedward

@jafbf said:

10-6 just won't do it, we don't really have any Tie breakers in our favor outside of the Division.

Lot of Teams would have to falter as well, just don't see it.

We've still got too many problems, I mean seriously, we just started our 4th Center this past week - and our run game showed it.

10-6 can definitely do it, we just need to get there.

Opal312

It's improbable but not impossible. We can surely win out. a challenge I hope the team is up for.

Mudfly

yep. It will be a tall order for a rookie QB to win his first 3 games out. Especially against 2 division rivals fighting for playoff spots.

If he does it, he will be the first.

Of course, he IS Johnny Football, so who better to break the mold.

The Italian DawgPound

Pettine has a tremendously difficult choice to make this week as far as who is going to be the starter on Sunday.

I'm backing him up whatever he chooses. No second guessing here. His choice is my choice.

I trust him 100%.

bbedward

@the-italian-dawgpound said:

Pettine has a tremendously difficult choice to make this week as far as who is going to be the starter on Sunday.

I'm backing him up whatever he chooses. No second guessing here. His choice is my choice.

I trust him 100%.

Ditto. If by some odd chance he picks Brian I'll be behind him. Seems like it's gonna be johnny though.

Mudfly

it's not a difficult choice if you watched the last 2 games....really...is it?

The Italian DawgPound

@mudfly said:
it's not a difficult choice if you watched the last 2 games....really...is it?

Well, it's true that Hoyer played poorly in the last four games. And that led us to a 1-3 record that is hurting our playoff chances considerably.

It's also true that a QB change is a point of no return. You don't come back from that easily.

So I'm scared to throw away all the improvements made this season.

Vagitron

Hoyer isn't very good BUT what makes anyone think manziel is the answer? I'm not saying he's a bad qb but he's still a rookie with less than half a game of NFL experience. Its late in the season and its not like he has a cannon. I guess at this juncture it can't hurt but I also wouldn't expect him to set the world on fire, not yet at least.

bbedward

@vagitron said:
Hoyer isn't very good BUT what makes anyone think manziel is the answer? I'm not saying he's a bad qb but he's still a rookie with less than half a game of NFL experience. Its late in the season and its not like he has a cannon. I guess at this juncture it can't hurt but I also wouldn't expect him to set the world on fire, not yet at least.

Because we don't know that he isn't yet. We do know that Hoyer isn't.

This is a damn good football team, If we could just get back to an efficient offense this team would be very scary.

The Cysko Kid

@vagitron said:
Hoyer isn't very good BUT what makes anyone think manziel is the answer? I'm not saying he's a bad qb but he's still a rookie with less than half a game of NFL experience. Its late in the season and its not like he has a cannon. I guess at this juncture it can't hurt but I also wouldn't expect him to set the world on fire, not yet at least.

We know that Hoyer isn't the answer. And we know he doesn't have to rape girls to get his

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The Cysko Kid

This was not made for Ben Roethlisberger...I think...but you gave me the half a chance I was looking for to use it.

ITHIKA

No way we win the wild card there are 7 teams ahead of us either with a better record or tied record and better conference or beat us head to head. Winning the division is laughable as well.

Code Win

PLAY THE MIDGET

Loyalty

Faded said:

Manziel may not have a cannon, but his arm isn't bad. At his pro day, Kurt Warner was there doing commentary, and it was obvious he didn't show up just to gush over Manziel. He was impressed in spite of himself, though. At one point he said ""His deep balls: great touch, great trajectory. If I looked at the starting quarterbacks in the National Football League, 20 of the starting quarterbacks can't do those things."

Manziel's arm is an NFL caliber weapon. Just remains to be seen whether he can hang in, make the reads, and find the guys to throw it to...

The last part will not happen overnight. I am fully expecting more bad plays than amazing plays over his first 16-19 starts. Give him the rest of this season to get up to speed and an off-season to prep. Come in as 'the guy' next year and watch him continue to grow.

LogicIsForSquares

If Manziel gets in there and wins out (I have my doubts because the guy is a rookie), the city will be in full fledged Johnny Mania.

tml1138

@vagitron said:
Hoyer isn't very good BUT what makes anyone think manziel is the answer? I'm not saying he's a bad qb but he's still a rookie with less than half a game of NFL experience. Its late in the season and its not like he has a cannon. I guess at this juncture it can't hurt but I also wouldn't expect him to set the world on fire, not yet at least.

Didn't Ben lead the Steelers to all wins in every game he started his rookie year? They went like 15-1 that year? So what the hell, why not Johnny? They didn't know what they had in Ben at the time, same as the situation now. We don't know he's the answer, but there's no reason we can't be optimistic in thiking that he is the answer.

JAFBF

@tml1138 said:
Didn't Ben lead the Steelers to all wins in every game he started his rookie year? They went like 15-1 that year? So what the hell, why not Johnny? They didn't know what they had in Ben at the time, same as the situation now. We don't know he's the answer, but there's no reason we can't be optimistic in thiking that he is the answer.

If he did, you're forgetting this is Cleveland, where we have a penchant for setting all the wrong kind of records.