Daily Dawg Tags: Johnny Manziel to start Sunday

Spanning the virtual globe to bring you the latest news about the Cleveland Browns and the NFL – these are your Daily Dawg Tags for Wednesday, Dec. 9.

Cleveland Browns:

Cleveland Browns: Johnny Manziel to start on Sunday

"The Cleveland Browns announced on Tuesday that quarterback Johnny Manziel will return to the starting role when the club hosts the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday at FirstEnergy Stadium. A day after several media outlets reported that Manziel would take over for Austin Davis, who had taken over for the injured Josh McCown, Cleveland head coach Mike Pettine made it official. “Johnny will be our starting quarterback on Sunday,” Pettine said. “He’s been solid in the building over the last couple of weeks and we are hopeful he takes this opportunity to continue to build on the progress he’s made on the field throughout the season. The goal for every game is to go out and win, and Johnny needs to show that he can put us in position to do so during these last four weeks of the season.”"

NFL Power Rankings: Cleveland Browns holding steady

"The Cleveland Browns are currently a hot mess in every sense of the phrase. The Browns have lost seven in a row, nine of their past 10 games, 15 of their past 17 games, and 13 consecutive games in the month of December. Cleveland has fallen to 26th overall in offense and 32nd in rushing. On defense, the club is 29th overall and 31st against the run. In addition, the defense is currently on pace to give up 462 points – which would surpass the amount the team gave up in the expansion year of 1999. And just to add to the fun, head coach Mike Pettine acknowledged on Monday that the Browns are a house divided when it comes to figuring out how to fix the problems that continue to plague the team."

2016 NFL Mock Draft: Browns take Paxton Lynch No. 1 (Factory of Sadness)

"With four games left to play in the 2015 NFL season, many fans are already looking toward 2016, and so is Bleacher Report’s “NFL Draft Scout” Matt Miller. Johnny Manziel still has a chance to prove himself as a franchise quarterback, but Miller doesn’t think Johnny Football is going to pan out, because he prognosticates the Browns to select Paxton Lynch with the No. 1 overal pick. The author makes a point of stating that this is what he thinks teams will do when the draft commences this spring."

Not much of a drum roll for Johnny Manziel’s return (NEOMG)

"In re-naming Johnny Manziel his starter, Browns head coach Mike Pettine offered that his young quarterback has been “solid in the building over the last couple weeks.” This isn’t far removed from the scouting report that describes your prospective blind date as having “a good personality.”  It’s not unimportant. It might even be true. And it certainly beats the alternative. But it’s not the loudest drum roll. In Manziel’s case, it also doesn’t exactly suggest love at second sight for Pettine either."

Mike Pettine’s plea for Browns togetherness may be too late (ESPN)

"The scene has played out over and over in Cleveland. A coach hits the point of feeling besieged and fights back in the only way possible — by saying a team’s dismal record is not only about coaching. As Mike Pettine pointed out Monday, discontent is simply the fallout from losing. Losses fuel internal discussion and debate about how players are used and decisions are made. Fingers are pointed. A coach feels cornered. Pettine’s Monday might have been worse than his Sunday, with questions galore about so many elements of a 2-10 season and a 37-3 loss. One can also imagine that Pettine walked out of whatever meetings were held and said to himself: Geez, guys, it’s not just me."

NFL News:

Report: DeMarco Murray doesn’t think Chip Kelly kept his promises (FanSided)

"Even though the Philadelphia Eagles pulled off the big upset on the road against the New England Patriots and are still in the NFC East playoff race, things aren’t all smiles for the Eagles. One person in particular that doesn’t have much of a smile these days is running back DeMarco Murray. Murray, who signed a large deal with the Eagles as a free agent in the off-season, has not had the same production for the Eagles that he had in his prior season with theDallas Cowboys. Despite not having the same production, Murray isn’t happy with his head coach Chip Kelly, and believes that Kelly has broken promises to him. According to Ed Werder of ESPN, Murray thinks Kelly hasn’t held up his promises in the recruiting process and that he’s not a fit in Kelly’s style of offense."

NFL Playoff Picture: Can Carolina be stopped? (NFL.com)

"What a difference a year makes. At this time last autumn, the Panthers were 3-8-1. Today, they roam as the NFL’s lone unbeaten jewel. Surging toward home-field advantage in the NFC, Carolina’s storybook season is a league-wide reminder that blowing up the machine isn’t always the answer. It was just a few years ago that every Ron Rivera press conference was a referendum on his job status. Today, Carolina’s coach faces a more enviable question: Can his Panthers turn 12-0 into a perfect season? It’s completely possible with two games left against the flat-liningFalcons plus tilts vs. the Giants and frisky Bucs. None of those teams are playing near the level of Carolina, a club with no obvious weakness heading into Week 14."

Despite win in Week 13, 49ers special teams still a concern (Niner Noise)

"The San Francisco 49ers pulled out a victory in overtime against the Chicago Bears atSoldier Field, 26-20. It was refreshing to finally see quarterback Blaine Gabbert throw a ball past the first-down line in finding wide receiver Torrey Smith for the game-winning 71-yard touchdown. The 49ers offense did enough (291 total yards, 170 passing and 121 rushing) and the defense made some key plays, namely the pick-six by safety Jimmie Ward, who jumped Bears QB Jay Cutler’s screen pass, for his first career interception and TD. The unit that struggled, and almost cost the 49ers the game, was the special teams. The Bears ran a punt back for a TD only to luckily be called back for a hold on the return. Then kicker Phil Dawson had his first extra point blocked of the season."