Hoyer or Manziel vs the Colts on Dec 7, 2014

The Browns are 7-5 and in a good spot still. When the Browns finished the first half of the season at 5-3, I felt that the two-game differential between wins and losses was huge for Cleveland.

It was obvious that the schedule for the last half of the season would be tougher than the first half. That's why I thought that if the Browns went 4-4 over the second half of the season, it would be a better accomplishment than the 5-3 start.

9-7 may not put a team in the AFC playoffs this year, but if Cleveland could be 8-7, going into the final game at Baltimore, Cleveland could still be in the conversation for the playoffs. Most likely, the Browns would need to finish at least 9-7, and then get some help with the tie-breakers. Losing to Houston and Buffalo hurts Cleveland with tie-breakers.

It's possible that the math could line-up so that the Browns could be eliminated from the playoffs after the 15th game even with an 8-7 record. But a lot of playoff contenders will beat each other up in December.

Cleveland could lose their next two games, both at home, versus Baltimore and Cincinnati, which would mean a three-game losing streak, but at 7-7, the Browns could still be in the playoff picture by winning their final two games, on the road at lowly Carolina and Baltimore.

The Browns have not lost two in a row this season.

The Browns offense has been hit hard by injuries. Josh Gordon has played two games, and he has played well at times, but Cleveland is still without TE Cameron, and the Browns do not have enough high quality pass catchers to compliment Gordon.

The Browns running game continues to struggle. Without a running game, Hoyer is asked to pass too much. Because of injuries to the offensive line, Hoyer is under pressure often. Hoyer is not as mobile as Manziel.

Manziel may be the Browns' best running option with designed running plays or scrambling on pass plays.

Manziel's mobility can extend passing plays so that Browns receivers can break free from defenders.

Manziel will make mistakes, including bad ones. And this could lead to losses in the next two games.

But at 7-7, fans should not throw in the towel for the season. At Carolina is winnable.

At the start of the season, nobody expected the Browns to be 8-7 and with a chance to make the playoffs if the Browns win their final game at Baltimore.

If Cleveland's running game was consistently pounding out 120 to 150 yards per game, then I would consider riding out the season with Hoyer.

But Hoyer's stats in the past few games are poor. Again, that could be due to the lack of offensive weapons, but this is why I think starting a more mobile QB like Manziel may help.

Even if Manziel scrambles for a 4- to 6-yard gain, that's better than throwing an incomplete pass or taking a sack and then having third and long.

Browns receivers may get open more often if the play is given more time due to Manziel's mobility.

The Browns played mediocre football in October and November against mediocre teams. When the Browns played better teams like Houston and Buffalo, the Browns lost easily.

The Hoyer-led offense has not been scoring 30-plus points per game. If it had, then I would leave Hoyer in.

Counting last Sunday's game vs Buffalo, four of the final five games for Cleveland will be played against teams with winning records.

This is a lot different than the stretch of football earlier this fall when four of the five opponents were probably the four worst teams in football: Tennessee, Jacksonville, Tampa Bay, and Oakland. Cleveland defeated three of those four teams, but the wins were underwhelming. The games were too close, especially the home games vs TB and Oakland.

I'm guessing that the Browns will need to score at least 30 points this Sunday at home against Baltimore, and I think that Manziel gives the Browns' struggling offense the best chance to do that.

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