Fresh off Cleveland's upset victory in Minnesota, Browns coach Rob Chudzinski announced Wednesday that quarterback Brian Hoyer will start in his second straight game when they play the Cincinnati Bengals this week.
That's good, because the entire city of Cleveland might have rioted otherwise.
Chudzinski essentially was just confirming the obvious Wednesday. The team also announced that Brandon Weeden (thumb) has been ruled out again this week, so it's not like the Browns had to choose between quarterbacks. Hoyer's play, not Weeden's health, might determine when Weeden gets back on the field again. Chudzinski admitted the quarterback choice will be a "week-to-week" decision. It sure looks like this Hoyer's job to lose.
Hoyer's performance in Minnesota was an upgrade over Weeden overall. Hoyer got rid of the ball quicker, which helped make his protection look better. Hoyer had more zip on his passes than we expected. He completed a number of "NFL" throws outside the numbers and showed better touch than Weeden.
But it's worth noting Hoyer had seven straight incompletions at one point. In eight straight drives, Hoyer led the team to no points and threw three interceptions. The Vikings would have won the game if Christian Ponder completed a routine pass with less than 4 minutes left.
In short: Hoyer was an upgrade, but his status as a local hero also is a "week-to-week" proposition.
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