NFL: 7 biggest surprises through Week 2
By Bryce Olin
6. Brian Hoyer
The Cleveland Browns are only 1-1 in their first two games, but things are looking better in Cleveland, and their backup quarterback isn’t THE story in the NFL anymore. Although at this point, you’re a pretty terrible person if you don’t wish Manziel was the top NFL story anymore. Just saying.
The Hoyer-led Browns have looked pretty good in their first two weeks. In Week 1, the Browns lost on a game-winning field goal against the Pittsburgh Steelers. In Week 2, the Browns were on the other end of the game-winning field goal, stunning the New Orleans Saints as time expired.
So far this season, Hoyer has completed 41 of 73 pass attempts for 434 yards and two touchdowns. All right, so Hoyer isn’t the next Peyton Manning or Tom Brady, but he’s far better than he played in the preseason and looks like a completely different quarterback.
With Cleveland’s decent defense, Hoyer doesn’t have to be great. He just has to hit the open guys and convert a few third downs. Hoyer doesn’t need to make big plays down the field or risk turning the ball over. The Kansas City Chiefs played that way all last season and made the playoffs. Cleveland doesn’t quite have the playmakers like Jamaal Charles and Dwayne Bowe, especially with Josh Gordon suspended.
Hoyer still has 14 games to really mess this whole situation up and make the fans beg for Johnny Football, but for two weeks, Hoyer’s looked like a functional quarterback, not great but functional.