Can Johnny Manziel Heat Up Steelers And Browns Rivalry?

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  • hawaiiansteel
    Legend
    • May 2008
    • 35649

    Can Johnny Manziel Heat Up Steelers And Browns Rivalry?

    Can Manziel Heat Up Pittsburgh Steelers And Browns Rivalry?

    by Craig Gottschalk



    The Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cleveland Browns rivalry….

    Before Ray Rice waving a Terrible Towel while exiting Heinz Field, before the AFC Championship Joe Flacco fumble that would seal a Pittsburgh victory, before a whiny John Harbaugh, before Joey Porter stepped on a Raven bus and wanted to fight Ray Lewis, before there was the Baltimore Ravens and the birth of one of the greatest rivalries ever in the NFL – there was the Cleveland Browns. Yes, there was a time that existed where the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cleveland Browns were hated and heated rivals.

    That rivalry virtually disappeared when Art Model crafted “The Move” and stole away his self and the rest of the organization in the middle of the night. All the hate that developed over the years towards the Brownies manifested itself into some sort of super hate monster when the Baltimore Ravens were pooped out on the other side of the Mason-Dixon line in 1996.

    But what of the ‘new’ Brownies?

    Such a negative explosion of reactions it was out of Cleveland, that the NFL almost seemed to submiss on bended knee to the Mistake By The Lake (probably the last time the NFL would ever do such a thing for anyone) and bring back the Cleveland Browns in 1999, just three seasons after “The Move.” The city of doom and gloom rejoiced, but the majority of Pittsburgh and Steeler Nation seemed indifferent to the whole thing. When the Browns moved, so did the rivalry. The reinstated Browns of 1999 was for intents and purposes an expansion team with new players and new coaches. They’ve never been good (73-151, .483) since their return to the NFL. Sure they had one promising season going 9-7 and squeaking into the playoffs. But they were defeated by the Steelers in a thriller, 36-33. Wahhh wahhh.

    The Steelers have essentially had it all over the Browns going 25-4 since ’99. Between essentially owning that team on the field for the last 14 seasons and the management being completely shoddy and suspect, it’s been hard as a Steelers fan and member of the AFC North to even respect a team like that. They are laughable at times with their personnel decisions, and certainly a three ring circus when on the football field (mostly). How does a rivalry become bred out of that? It really does it.

    However, it seems like there’s hope yet for a hatred so pure to befall upon the city of Cleveland and their beloved welcome mat of a football team.

    The acquisition and emergence of Johnny Manziel.

    Did you happen to just reflexively crush your can of Iron City just by reading that name like I just did? Never has there been a football player that has been so polarizing before even taking a snap in the NFL. There are two camps to this guy, those that love him, want to be him, party with him or like him, and make a mess of themselves in their pants when performing his trademark ‘making money’ hand sign (when actually it’s an homage to Drake) OR you loathe this guy like he kills kittens and little old nuns for a living. He is the douchiest of the douche, and you either love that about him (very well suited for Cleveland) or wish that he would plummet straight into a pit of fiery hell.

    For those looking for a catalyst to heat up (heck even BEGIN) a rivalry with the Browns – he’s perfect.

    Johnny loves the spotlight, and can’t help but have himself plastered all over the internet with some abnormally skinny and oversized breasted ladies or doing something rather dubious (ehh? ehhhhh? See what I did there?). It irritates the crap out of people and certainly many Steelers fans I encounter. Nothing would please me (and them) more than to have Jason Worilds tear around the outside the light up Johnny Wonny Football and send him into Week 2… or 3…. or 4. Or how about Cortez Allen take it a Manziel pass to the house for a pick six during his first offensive series as the Browns quarterback.

    It is my belief that Manziel is the very thing that will kick off a rivalry between these two teams. He is the antithesis of Steeler Football. His airtime will rival that of LeBron James, and Steeler Nation will loathe every moment of his screen time and relish every failure and bone crushing hit received. For a change, Steeler Nation will look forward to a very punishing game against the Browns, rather than an assumed W in the column. On the other side of the fence or flaming lake, the Browns fans will love Johnny for every wink, money gesture, and venture to the bathroom. And they will hate us for hating the beloved savior (like so many a Browns rookie QB before him). The pot is ripe with ingredients for a special kind of rivalry that revolves around one 21 year old (going on 17). And that’s just fine with me.

    The Steelers and Dick LeBeau will not shy away with going after this guy from the first snap onward. This is a faster and younger defense that has the potential of being very good, and being very good at making Manziel suffer two times every season for the next six years…. or at least until he’s washed up in a couple of years and shipped off to somewhere else in the NFL.

    [URL]http://nicepickcowher.com/2014/07/14/can-manziel-heat-pittsburgh-steelers-browns-rivalry/[/URL]
  • Eich
    Legend
    • Jul 2010
    • 7043

    #2
    I'm going with an emphatic, NO.

    Comment

    • birtikidis
      Hall of Famer
      • May 2008
      • 4628

      #3
      As of right now, I don't think anything can save the browns. Just such a poorly run franchise.

      Comment

      • K Train
        Hall of Famer
        • Jan 2014
        • 3685

        #4
        Its possible....but he may end up heating it up as much as colt mccoy did

        Comment

        • The Man of Steel
          Pro Bowler
          • Dec 2009
          • 2236

          #5
          Freaking Johnny Meatball. Again, before anyone gets too excited about Meatball just check out the 2 games he played against LSU.
          Obviously the standard is the standard.

          Comment

          • Shawn
            Legend
            • Mar 2008
            • 15131

            #6
            You all are talking crazy. Manziel isn't Colt McCoy. He is one of the greatest college playmakers at QB...ever. And he has enough confidence and ability that the transition won't be as difficult as some make it to be. He is the next great hated, and will cause headaches for the Steelers for years to come (unless he ends up cracked out or in prison...both possibilities). Get this guy a WR and it's going to be on. Personally, I am looking forward to it...about time to get the rivalry heated up again.
            Trolls are people too.

            Comment

            • K Train
              Hall of Famer
              • Jan 2014
              • 3685

              #7
              Originally posted by Shawn
              You all are talking crazy. Manziel isn't Colt McCoy. He is one of the greatest college playmakers at QB...ever. And he has enough confidence and ability that the transition won't be as difficult as some make it to be. He is the next great hated, and will cause headaches for the Steelers for years to come (unless he ends up cracked out or in prison...both possibilities). Get this guy a WR and it's going to be on. Personally, I am looking forward to it...about time to get the rivalry heated up again.
              Ive been a long time fan of his. It still really remains to be seen.

              The good:
              - He has excellent pocket awareness
              - He has fantastic ball placement
              - Decent arm strength and downfield accuracy
              - Top notch acceleration

              The bad:
              - He has the physique of a 14 year old
              - He may just want to be famous
              - He told the browns to buzz off when they said tone it down

              One of the greatest college playmakers of all time means nothing, it means nothing especially when the odds are stacked agaisnt you due to size as well. Tebow may be the single greatest college player EVER and he is built rock solid, and we saw how that went. He may very well translate to the pros and be able to take the beating but he doesnt have mike evans to bail him out anymore (and Mike Evans did way more of that than many care to admit)

              I personally think he has made it way to obvious that hes going to fail and be a big time bust that he will probably succeed lol

              Comment

              • birtikidis
                Hall of Famer
                • May 2008
                • 4628

                #8
                Originally posted by Shawn
                You all are talking crazy. Manziel isn't Colt McCoy. He is one of the greatest college playmakers at QB...ever. And he has enough confidence and ability that the transition won't be as difficult as some make it to be. He is the next great hated, and will cause headaches for the Steelers for years to come (unless he ends up cracked out or in prison...both possibilities). Get this guy a WR and it's going to be on. Personally, I am looking forward to it...about time to get the rivalry heated up again.
                The problems isn't necessary Manziel. It's the team. It's a train wreck. They get something going and then it's a race to see how they can mess it up. I do think Gilbert and Haden are going to be a rough tandem to throw on, but I don't see them scoring points.

                Comment

                • legend of polamalu
                  Backup
                  • Aug 2012
                  • 297

                  #9
                  I think if the Browns didn't draft him, he would of fell to the 2nd round...to the Browns!

                  Comment

                  • SteelCrazy
                    Legend
                    • Aug 2008
                    • 5049

                    #10
                    I hope he can get it heated up again. I love to hate the Browns more than I do the Ravens. It would be nice to hate them once again.
                    2019 Mock

                    1. ILB
                    2. CB
                    3. ILB
                    4. S
                    5. CB
                    6. ILB
                    7. S

                    Comment

                    • steeler_fan_in_t.o.
                      Legend
                      • May 2008
                      • 10281

                      #11
                      No...hope that helps
                      http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/k...to_Mike/to.jpg

                      Comment

                      • NorthCoast
                        Legend
                        • Sep 2008
                        • 26636

                        #12
                        What will be interesting is if things don't go immediately well for Manziel whether he would be too headstrong to take coaching advice to change his game if necessary...

                        "Johnny Manziel is one of the top signal-callers in the 2014 NFL Draft class, but Manziel struggled during his time at Texas A&M when he had to face the LSU Tigers. Recently, LSU safety Craig Loston revealed the strategy that his team used when they faced off against Manziel and it could be a concern for NFL general managers.

                        “Our plan was to try to keep him in the pocket, make him beat us from the pocket,” Loston said, via Yahoo! Sports. “We did a pretty good job of keeping him bottled up throughout the whole game… he caught us in a couple of errors, but I think our D-line did a great job of collapsing things around him and forcing him into some pressure throws.”

                        This is obviously troubling because teams in the NFL will attempt to keep Manziel in the pocket as well, and their secondaries will be able to feast on the forced throws and mistakes that Manziel would get away with at the collegiate level.

                        There is also the concern about Manziel’s size and playing style at the next level, because he won’t be able to take the hits that he took in college with NFL-sized defenders.

                        Manziel will be one of the most controversial prospects over the next couple of months leading up to the draft, so it will be interesting to see how teams ultimately grade him, but we would still expect him to be a top ten pick despite any concerns that will surface."
                        Last edited by NorthCoast; 07-14-2014, 09:58 PM.

                        Comment

                        • The Man of Steel
                          Pro Bowler
                          • Dec 2009
                          • 2236

                          #13
                          "In two games vs. LSU, reigning Heisman Trophy winner completed 45 of 97 passes (46.4 percent) for 500 yards, one touchdown and five interceptions. In two losses to the Tigers by a combined score of 58-29, Johnny Football rushed the ball 29 times for 72 yards (2.5 yards per carry) and no touchdowns."
                          Obviously the standard is the standard.

                          Comment

                          • Shawn
                            Legend
                            • Mar 2008
                            • 15131

                            #14
                            And what did he do the rest of his career including against Alabama? So, what we know is Manziel needs improvement in the area of being a pocket passer, that he struggles when a D keeps him from freelancing. All stuff everyone on the planet knew coming into the draft.
                            Trolls are people too.

                            Comment

                            • The Man of Steel
                              Pro Bowler
                              • Dec 2009
                              • 2236

                              #15
                              Originally posted by Shawn
                              And what did he do the rest of his career including against Alabama? So, what we know is Manziel needs improvement in the area of being a pocket passer, that he struggles when a D keeps him from freelancing. All stuff everyone on the planet knew coming into the draft.
                              Just a guess but I'm gonna say that every defense in the NFL right now is probably better than LSU's or Alabama's was. He's been hyped by the media as the next big thing and I'm just saying that he's human and he can be game planned for successfully by most NFL DC's.
                              Obviously the standard is the standard.

                              Comment

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