Cleveland Browns: Best “one hit wonder” performances since 1999
2. Brian Hoyer’s first half of 2014
For a time in 2014, it looked as though the Cleveland Browns would make the playoffs. Not having done so since 2002, the Dawg Pound waited anxiously for each Sunday in 2014. After 11 games the Browns sat alone atop the AFC North, with a record of 7-4.
Everything looked to be going smoothly for the franchise after a last-second win over the Atlanta Falcons. Josh Gordon had just come back from suspension, the future was looking up, and the Browns had immediate success on the back of hometown hero, Brian Hoyer.
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Hoyer, who some fans had anointed Hoyer the Destroyer at that time, was looking like a possible franchise option during this period. Although a career backup, Hoyer was having the year of his life in Cleveland, and if nothing else, he could be a good mentor to rookie Johnny Manziel.
The next game, Cleveland was staring down the barrel of the playoffs. They would travel to Buffalo to take on the Bills on November 30th, at which point the cries to play Manziel would become too loud for the coaching staff to bear.
After Hoyer’s second interception of the game, head coach Mike Pettine pulled him, in favor of the young Manziel. Although Manziel would make some progress on getting the Browns out of their hole against the Bills, it would be too little too late.
Then, everything just went downhill for Cleveland. They lost out of the season, finishing 7-9 and missing the playoffs yet again. Manziel would be reprimanded for drug and alcohol abuse issues, and Hoyer would never again return to himself from the first half of that season.
Brian Hoyer, the hometown hero, could not sustain success in Cleveland. Whether due to pressure from Manziel, or Hoyer simply losing his touch, he could not lead his city to the promised land, even when everything was looking up.