CLEVELAND — Sometimes, moments in sports just cannot live up to the hype.
All week long, Cleveland Browns coaches and players talked about a palpable buzz at the team’s training facility in Berea as the days ticked down to rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel’s first-ever NFL start, but Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals at FirstEnergy Stadium was anything but buzz-worthy.
Manziel completed only 10 of his 18attempts for 80 yards, was sacked three times for 26 lost yards, intercepted twice and rushed for 13 yards on five carries in the Browns’ 30-0 loss to the Bengals in front of more than 67,000 fans expecting to see a struggling offense pick things up and get points on the scoreboard.