Browns Proving to Be so Much More Than Just QB Controversy

Since the Cleveland Browns drafted quarterback Johnny Manziel in the first round in May, seemingly the entire focus has been on the battle between him and incumbent veteran Brian Hoyer.

Manziel becoming the starter in-season was taken as a given by many observers of the team. It was a matter of "when" but not "if" Hoyer would fail, despite him leading the team to three wins last season.

But as we've seen through the first two weeks of the 2014 season, it's time to shelve the so-called quarterback "controversy" in Cleveland and focus on how this team is so much more interesting and complex than that one, tired narrative.

On the heels of an incredible second-half comeback against the Steelers in Pittsburgh last week—a three-point last-second loss that could be read as a moral victory for the Browns—came an actual victory. The Browns defeated the New Orleans Saints 26-24, their second home-opener victory since coming back into the league in 1999.

It wasn't pretty. In fact, at times it was downright ugly. But the Browns kept the game close with the Saints throughout, and in close games, it's what happens at the end that matters most. And the Browns controlled the end of the game, down to the final second.

Last week, the Browns came back from a 24-3 halftime deficit to score 24 second-half points, without the aid of wide receiver Josh Gordon, tight end Jordan Cameron and running back Ben Tate. This week, the Browns hung with a high-powered Saints offense—again, without that trio of important skill position players.

How? By doing the things we expected them to do this year, no matter the quarterback or personnel: play stout defense and run the football. Pass intelligently. Limit mistakes.

For the second straight week, the Browns had multiple sacks. Karlos Dansby and Paul Kruger both sacked Saints quarterback Drew Brees, and the defense as a whole combined for six hits on him. Browns safety Tashaun Gipson also notched an interception off Brees, which he returned for a touchdown.

It wasn't perfect, however. In the first half, the Browns gave up 57 receiving yards and a touchdown to dangerous Saints tight end Jimmy Graham and then seemingly failed to stop him in the second half. Graham finished the day with 10 catches on 13 targets for 118 yards and two touchdowns.

However, Cleveland's secondary quieted the rest of Brees' formidable receiving weapons. Their second-leading receiver on the day was Robert Meachem, with 37 yards, while Marques Colston was held without a single target, let alone a catch. Rookie nickel cornerback Justin Gilbert seems to be rapidly developing before our eyes.

The run game was yet again a heavily featured part of Cleveland's offensive game plan, especially with both Gordon and Cameron not on the field. The Browns rushed a total of 40 times with their two rookie backs. Terrance West had 19 carries for 68 yards and a score, while Isaiah Crowell rushed 11 times for 54 yards.

However, it was first the defense and then Hoyer that ultimately won this game for the Browns.

	Atts.	Comp.	Comp.%	Yds.	YPA	TD	INT	Sack
@ PIT	31	19	61.3%	230	7.42	1	0	3
vs. NO	40	24	60.0%	204	5.10	1	0	1
Total	71	43	60.7%	434	6.26	2	0	4

With just under nine minutes left to play and a one-point lead, the Saints appeared to be driving. However, after eating nearly six minutes off of the clock and on the Browns' side of the field, Brees was sacked by Dansby, putting the Saints out of field-goal range.

The ensuing punt, however, pinned the Browns back at their own 4-yard line. A 3rd-and-1 at Cleveland's 13 could have been a drive-killer; instead, Hoyer connected with receiver Miles Austin for a four-yard gain. Austin converted another third down, while a pass to tight end Gary Barnidge on fourth down kept the Browns' drive alive.

Austin again had another decisive catch, for 13 yards, before Hoyer threw the pass of the game: a 28-yard completion to a wide-open Andrew Hawkins with 15 seconds remaining. That led to Billy Cundiff's game-winning 29-yard field goal. The Browns were 2-of-3 on third downs in that drive and 1-of-1 on fourth down, all engineered by Hoyer's arm and his motley crew of receivers.

Hawkins, Austin and Barnidge featured heavily on Sunday, with Hawkins catching six passes for 70 yards, Austin six for 44 and a score and Barnidge four for 41 yards. Hawkins has proved to be Hoyer's preferred receiver through two games, with a total of 22 targets, 14 catches and 157 yards.

Hoyer isn't taking risks with the football, which makes sense for a run-first, defense-heavy team like the Browns. As such, he's not making mistakes, either. Hoyer completed 24 of his 40 pass attempts for 204 yards and a touchdown on Sunday. Most notably, however, is that Hoyer did not turn the ball over, nor did he in Week 1.

This type of team simply needs a quarterback it can trust, and that's Hoyer. That's why no one is calling for Manziel—though he did have three negligible plays on Sunday.

Instead, the focus can shift back where it belongs: on the Browns being run-first, defense-first squad and the fact that this approach has proven successful through two weeks, including the loss in Pittsburgh. The Browns are a football team, with "team" being their identity.

It's not about the Browns' quarterback—it's about the Browns.