Advertisement

How brilliant are Browns? They unleashed Terrelle Pryor at QB in another tough loss

The Robert Griffin III era in Cleveland lasted all of one game before he got hurt. His replacement, Josh McCown, barely gutted out Week 2 while suffering multiple injuries. Plan C, rookie Cody Kessler, opened his first career start on Sunday with a false start.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, right?

Browns rookie QB Cody Kessler needed a little help in his first start (AP).
Browns rookie QB Cody Kessler needed a little help in his first start. (AP)

Full disclosure: The original headline of this story harped on that desperate theme. But we can admit that the move to insert Terrelle Pryor, the QB-turned-WR, back at his former position was a masterstroke by Browns head coach Hue Jackson. Yes, he was semi-forced to do so against the Miami Dolphins with Kessler forced into starting Sunday’s game. Pryor had a few shaky moments early but was mostly brilliant.

The Browns lost in classic Browns fashion. After strip-sacking Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill in the final minute, Browns kicker Cody Parkey missed a potential game-winner at the end of regulation — why not let Pryor kick it, for crying out loud? Then the Browns deferred in overtime and eventually watched the Dolphins finish them off in OT. Of course.

But Pryor was brilliant. He finished 3-of-5 passing for 35 yards, rushed four times for 21 yards and a TD, and caught eight passes for 144 yards.

He became the third NFL player since 1960 to have 20 or more passing yards, 20 or more rushing yards and 100 or more receiving yards in a game, and the first since 2001.

This is what Jackson, who is very creative and multiple with his packages, felt he had to do to be competitive. He was right. Pryor was a thorn in the Dolphins’ sides all game. Even with rookie wideout Corey Coleman injured, the Dolphins had a lot of trouble stopping Pryor no matter where he lined up.

In the first half, Pryor was everywhere — at QB, at receiver and even playing one snap at safety. In the second, he replaced an injured Kessler for a bit and looked good at quarterback, just like he did as a college star at Ohio State.

Kessler wasn’t awful, all things considered, but Pryor was brilliant. And so, too, was Jackson transitively.

– – – – – – –

Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at edholm@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter!