Austin Davis to start for the Cleveland Browns

Nov 30, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Austin Davis (7) scrambles in the second half against the Baltimore Ravens at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Ravens won 33-27. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

NFL Media’s Rand Getlin was first to report that Austin Davis, not Manziel, will start against the Cincinnai Bengals for the Cleveland Browns this Sunday. This should be of no surprise to anyone regarless of this situation. Pettine was justified in sitting Manziel but make no bones about it, he never liked or wanted to draft Manziel.

He actually wanted to start McCown for the rest of the season before he announced Manziel would. But the footage of Manziel partying during the bye-week was what he needed to get McCown back in there. And now he’s even more justified as Austin Davins, promoted to 2nd-string above Manziel for Monday night played pretty well for the time he was out there.

Pettine told the NFL Media, “Austin took advantage of his opportunity on Monday night,” Pettine said in an article posted to the team’s web site. “He was prepared, played well and put us in position to win. He’s been great in the quarterback room all season and he has earned the right to start on Sunday. We expect him to play well.”

Pettine said that Manziel is not done for the season and could see the field at some point this year. But he has to say that because Jimmy Haslam may intercede at some point on Manziel’s behalf. Manziel is Haslam’s pick and he certainly wants to see what the young quarterback can do.

The Browns are going nowhere and this is the time for evaluation for football teams. Pettine being determined to not play Manziel so the organization can see what he can do may end up getting him fired. It’s also possible that Pettine knows he’s going to get fired anyway and just plain wants to do things his way until he’s gone.

Being a defensive guy, it certainly doesn’t help that he Browns defense is so bad right now. They have the highest paid defense, a defensive-minded head coach and still have one of the worst defenses in the league. And even though Manziel gave him plenty of help, Pettine has gone out of his way to not make Manziel feel like a part of the Browns’ plans.

This isn’t to say Pettine is wrong because he was given a quarterback he never wanted. And sticking to his guns for what happened with Manziel during the bye-week isn’t bad either. But when a defensive coach doesn’t have a good defense, isn’t winning and isn’t allowing the organization to evaluated a young, 1st-round quarterback, that means something.

It usually means the coach is on his way out and wants to give his guys opportunities to put something on tape.

It would be shocking to see Pettine on the Browns’ sidelines again in 2016.