Tuesday 15 October 2013

Brandon Weeden to Remain Browns' Starting QB Despite Struggles

Brandon Weeden to Remain Browns
Brandon Weeden to Remain Browns' Starting QB Despite Struggles, Brandon Weeden had a forgettable performance in the Cleveland Browns' Week 6 31-17 loss to the Detroit Lions, but it wasn't enough to cost him his starting job. On Monday, Cleveland Browns head coach Rob Chudzinski stood behind Weeden and said he will still be with the first-team offense for at least one more week, according to Tom Withers of the Associated Press, via Yahoo! Sports.

Chudzinski hasn't given much thought to inserting veteran backup Jason Campbell into the starting lineup just yet, per Jim Corbett of USA Today:

Weeden's final numbers weren't all that terrible (26-of-43, 292 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions), but it was this ill-advised, fourth-quarter pick that turned him into a laughingstock in the NFL Twitterverse:

Chudzinksi's one-week endorsement of Weeden does little to settle the Browns' quarterback situation, which has been evolving since Week 1. Weeden began the season under center for Cleveland but was eventually benched for former third-stringer Brian Hoyer.

Hoyer guided the Browns to two straight wins and seemed to be strengthening his hold on the starting job, before suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 5 against the Buffalo Bills. So the team went back to Weeden in Week 6 with subpar results.

It's clear that Weeden isn't the answer in Cleveland as the franchise quarterback despite being taken in the first round of the 2012 draft. In 19 NFL games, Weeden has completed just 57.2 percent of his passes with 18 touchdowns and 22 interceptions. That's not to mention Monday marked Weeden's 30th birthday.

But in this case, Chudzinski has his hands tied with two less-than-stellar options in Weeden and Campbell. For now, he's doing the right thing in showing faith in the organization's high draft pick.

But Weeden should be on a short leash, and with two rough road matchups upcoming (at the Green Bay Packers and at the Kansas City Chiefs), he'll have to be in top form to make his case.

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