This is the Johnny Manziel that Browns fans hoped for last summer.
Manziel looked comfortable Thursday night against the Buffalo Bills, best exemplified by a 37-yard strike to Darius Jennings on the move.
However, head coach Mike Pettine emphatically denied Manziel's performance catapulted him past Josh McCown after the veteran struggled miserably Thursday. McCown went 7-of-10 for 57 yards, throwing two interceptions to rookie cornerback Ronald Darby.
"Josh is firmly the No. 1," Pettine said during a postgame press conference. "I'm not going to sit here and stir up a quarterback controversy."
When asked about the team's depth chart, Manziel deferred to his head coach, saying: "I'm leaving that up to coach Pett. I'm happy to get two quarters tonight."
The former Heisman Trophy winner went 10-of-18 for 118 yards and a touchdown, finding Shane Wynn for a 21-yard score. But it was all for naught as the Bills foiled a valiant comeback, defeating the Browns 11-10.
Manziel also rushed for 19 yards on three carries, looking like a more polished player entering his sophomore season.
