Sunday’s Game
Cincinnati Bengals (9-2) vs. Cleveland Browns (2-8)
When: 1 p.m.
Where: FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland
TV: Ch. 19, 45
Radio: 700-AM, 1290-AM, 95.7-FM, 102.7-FM, 104.7-FM
It seems at the beginning of every other week the Cincinnati Bengals don’t know which quarterback they will be facing the next game.
That was the case once again this week as they began preparations for Sunday’s game at Cleveland, where the quarterback carousel continues with a third new starter.
The Browns (2-9) officially announced Austin Davis as starter Wednesday to replace injured Josh McCown, but the Bengals (9-2) don’t seem to mind the lack of clarity entering the week.
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Johnny Manziel, who started against the Bengals on Nov. 5, has been in the doghouse since lying to the Browns about a video showing him partying in Texas during the bye week — just days after he was named the starter for the remainder of the season. When McCown went out with a broken collarbone in Monday night’s 33-27 loss to Baltimore, Davis came in and completed 7 of 10 passes for 77 yards and a touchdown.
“We know they are struggling at that position right now,” Bengals cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick said. “Their starter is beat up. They don’t know who is going to be the backup. And, they may make a change in this game, so no matter who they put out there, we just have to be poised and stay with the program we’ve got going on and not let it deter from what our job is.”
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Davis, 26, will be making his ninth career start and becomes the 24th different quarterback to start for the Browns since 1999 — the 15th to go against the Bengals in 26 matchups during the Marvin Lewis era. He started eight games for the St. Louis Rams in 2014, throwing for 2,001 yards and 12 touchdowns with nine interceptions, and signed a two-year deal with Cleveland in September.
Monday was Davis’ first appearance for the Browns, and he nearly led them to victory before the Ravens blocked a last-second field goal and returned it 64 yards for the game-winning touchdown.
“His number got called, he went out and played well,” Browns coach Mike Pettine said in a conference call Wednesday. “He’s a guy that’s been into it all year. He’s been an asset in the quarterback room, on the practice field and I just felt that how he played warranted going with him to start.”
Davis said in his conference call Wednesday that he wasn’t sure he had earned the start after Monday’s performance, but called it “an honor” and said he hopes to make the most of it, whether he is able to establish himself as the starter from here on out or not.
He enters his first start facing the No. 1 defense in the league, as the Bengals allow 17.5 points per game.
“I think every opportunity you get to play you’re always being evaluated and graded on performance,” said Davis, who walked on at Southern Mississippi and ended up breaking most of Brett Favre’s records there. “Every chance you get, you cherish it, and you try to play well, and if things happen that way, great, but if not, there’s not a whole lot you can control other than playing well.”
Pettine confirmed Manziel would have been the starter had it not been for the trust issues, but said he tells his players, “You lose (trust) in buckets, you gain it back in drops.”
Davis isn’t on any kind of leash, Pettine said, but acknowledged that if Davis struggles Sunday and the Browns need to make a change, Manziel is still an option.
The Bengals have prepared for other teams with injuries or questions at quarterback, including Buffalo and St. Louis turning to backups midweek. Oakland’s Derek Carr exited with an injury in the second quarter against the Bengals and T.J. Yates replaced Brian Hoyer in the Houston game.
“The record says it hasn’t affected us, so we’re just going to keep playing our game and it doesn’t matter who’s out there,” safety George Iloka said. “They have their playbook, their system. … They’ll have a few wrinkles here and there. Obviously, the quarterback, whoever it is, will have their own different style, but the plays are the plays. If you go from there, study and adjust on the fly during the game, you’ll be alright.”
Bengals cornerback Adam Jones said it’s no more of a comfort to the secondary knowing they are facing quarterback who was originally third-string. The Browns actually average slightly more passing yards than the Bengals with 261.5 yards per game, and they have the same six interceptions but five fewer touchdowns (18).
“There are no slouches really in this league,” Jones said. “You might catch one every blue, blue moon, but for a guy to be around and stick around for five or six years, obviously he has quite some ability to be in this league because if he couldn’t play, he wouldn’t be here.”
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