Cleveland Browns: Keys to victory against Bengals

Decision-making

The turnover battle has been a major factor in each of Cleveland’s first three contests. Already throwing seven interceptions, Kizer has had his share of rookie moments which have led to costly plays for Cleveland.

Turnovers deep in opponent territory have especially hurt the Browns, as scoring opportunities have been squandered and momentum has shifted dramatically as a result.

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Ultimately, the interceptions Kizer has thrown which have hurt the Browns so much have come due to poor decisions. The rookie holds on to the ball the second-longest among NFL quarterbacks, looking for receivers even after a play begins to break down.

This style may have worked for Kizer at Notre Dame, but the NFL is a much different story. In order for the 21-year-old to develop, he needs to learn when to throw the ball away and make a smart decision to keep a possession alive.

But it’s not just throwing the ball away that Kizer needs to work on. The Toledo native has also placed himself in dangerous situations on the ground. Solid decision-making also means knowing when to get down or get out-of-bounds, and avoid injury or the potential for a fumble.

This doesn’t mean that Kizer shouldn’t scramble, as this is one of his greatest assets. But decision-making at the quarterback position is key this week, as the Browns hope to see Kizer’s strongest performance yet.