Daily Dawg Tags: Johnny Manziel takes small step forward
Spanning the virtual globe to bring you the latest news about the Cleveland Browns and the NFL – these are your Daily Dawg Tags for Tuesday, Dec. 22.
Cleveland Browns:
Johnny Manziel takes another small step forward in Seattle
"The Cleveland Browns, to the surprise of no one, had another day to forget against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. The Seahawks rolled over the Browns in winning their fifth consecutive game, hitting 30 points for the fourth consecutive game, and clinching yet another playoff appearance. The Browns? Not so much. The defense continued its season-long struggle to do something – anything – to stop the opposing offense. The Browns allowed 182 rushing yards, the eighth time this season the defense has allowed more than 150 rushing yards to a team."
Cleveland Browns: John Greco latest player lost for season
"The Cleveland Browns lost another member of their starting offensive line on Sunday as guard John Greco suffered a knee injury that will force him to miss the final two games of the season. Greco went out of Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks on the opening drive with what the team believes is a MCL injury. While the team does not believe Greco will need surgery, he is done for the final two games, joining guard Joel Bitonio who is on injured reserve with an ankle injury. With Greco out we should see plenty of Cameron Erving over the final two games as the Browns are quickly running out of options at the guard spot."
Johnny Manziel has won over Joe Thomas, who acknowledged his ‘rookie year was so abysmal’ (NEOMG)
"Left tackle Joe Thomas, one of Johnny Manziel’s biggest critics last season, is a convert this year. Coming from a player who’s blocked for 14 of the Browns’ 24 starting quarterbacks since 1999, that’s saying a lot. “What I’ve noticed is his sense of urgency this entire season,” Thomas said Monday, a day after the Browns lost 30-13 to the Seahawks to fall to 3-11. “I think he understood that his rookie year was so abysmal and the level of commitment he showed in his rookie year was insufficient for an NFL quarterback.”"
Johnny Manziel continues upward trend for the Cleveland Browns (Factory of Sadness)
"As the losses mount up, Browns’ fans have been looking toward 2016 NFL Draft for the last month and a half. Clevelanders love draft day, and this year will carry some extra excitement because the Browns figure to own a top three pick. Naturally, there’s a big continent that would like to see a quarterback selected in the first round. But the recent play of Johnny Manziel‘s play is making it hard to justify taking a quarterback so high, especially since nobody in this year’s crop of college signal callers stands out above the rest."
Joe Thomas: Pettine’s comments on Wilson meaningless to game (ESPN)
"Joe Thomas threw cold water on the notion that Mike Pettine’s (accurate) pregame assessment of Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson had any affect on the Cleveland Browns’ 30-13 loss on Sunday."
NFL News:
Charles Woodson announces he will retire following 2015 season (FanSided)
"One of the most illustrious careers in NFL history will be coming to an end shortly. Oakland Raiders defensive back Charles Woodson announced on Monday that he will be retiring following the conclusion of this current season. Woodson, one of the greatest players to ever don a uniform, is currently in his 18th NFL season and this is his second stint with the Oakland Raiders."
Giants wideout Odell Beckham suspended one game (NFL.com)
"The New York Giants’ uphill battle to win the NFC East just grew steeper. Star wideout Odell Beckham was suspended one game for multiple violations of safety-related playing rules during Sunday’s crushing 38-35 loss to the Carolina Panthers, the league announced Monday. NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reports Beckham was planning to appeal Tuesday, but there is no officer available for a hearing until Wednesday. Beckham repeatedly tangled with Panthers cornerback Josh Norman on Sunday, with the wideout drawing four total penalties including an unruly three personal fouls. Beckham was fortunate that game officials didn’t eject him long before the final whistle."
"Deflategate isn’t going away just yet. NFL Network’s Lisa Kraus Edwards reported Sunday the league would weigh footballs before, during and after Sunday’s game between the Tennessee Titans and New England Patriots. It was the first time this season that footballs were tested at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, home of the Patriots and the origination point of the Deflategate scandal that gripped the NFL during the offseason."