Cleveland Browns vs Pittsburgh Steelers: Film Room Session

Nov 15, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel (2) throws from the pocket against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the third quarter at Heinz Field. The Steelers won 30-9. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

It was another ugly defeat on Sunday for the Cleveland Browns as they fell 30-9 to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Browns were outplayed, outcoached and undisciplined in the lopsided loss. Cleveland committed 12 penalties for 188 yards, which is by no means the recipe for winning. The only bright spot in the loss was the continued progress of second-year quarterback Johnny Manziel.

Manziel took a huge leap forward in displaying his ability to beat defenses from inside the pocket, while also being a play-maker outside the pocket. Manziel showed great command of the offense and really played better than what the final score showed.

Manziel was impressive throwing the ball, with most of his completions coming from inside the pocket as his footwork and pocket awareness looked much improved from a week ago at Cincinnati. Head coach Mike Pettine also recognized Manziel’s improvements in his Monday press conference.

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“I just thought the improvement that he made from the Cincinnati game to this one, it was a leap,” Pettine said. “Given what he has gone through, you are just proud of the kid and happy for him.”

Browns offensive coordinator John DeFilippo utilized Manziel’s strengths by calling play-action fakes and bootlegs to move the pocket and create run-pass options. The Browns also used empty sets to spread the field for Manziel, and he responded by being efficient and taking what the Pittsburgh defense gave him.

On the day, Manziel completed 33-of-45 passes for 372 yards, which was a career high. His completion percentage of 73 percent was a huge improvement over his season average of 59 percent.

Manziel answered many of his critics big questions by having a successful day inside the pocket. He didn’t escape to early or to often, hung in against the rush or when the pocket collapsed, and made strong accurate throws. Manziel proved he has the arm to make every throw needed from an NFL quarterback.

A reason for his success was his improved footwork, as he had his feet set and underneath him to make quick, decisive accurate throws. He is more than ready to start for the Browns, and the team will get an extensive look at what kind of player Manziel is consistently over the last six games.

Manziel’s performance gives the team something to build on going into the bye week and beyond, so here is a breakdown of his performance.

Next: Manziel makes throws in the pocket