After 13 games into his rookie year, Johnny Manziel will finally have a chance to lead the charge for the Cleveland Browns in what is considered a make-or-break game for them against division and intra-state rival Cincinnati Bengals.
Manziel, the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner, will make his starting debut for the Browns as he replaced veteran signal-caller Brian Hoyer, who struggled mightily in the last four games.
"I'm very excited to get out on the field with my teammates on Sunday and to have the opportunity to make the Dawg Pound proud," Manziel told the press prior to his first pro start.
Browns head coach Mike Pettine revealed that he was close in inserting Manziel into the starting lineup in last week's game against the Indianapolis Colts before he decided to stick with Hoyer, who has only thrown one TD score with eight interceptions during the stretch of three losses in four games.
"We are trying to get the offense to perform at a higher level," Pettine said of his rookie quarterback. "Johnny has worked very hard to earn this opportunity and it will be very important for every member of the offense to elevate their play for us to obtain our desired result."
Browns' decision to give the starting nod to Manziel, whom Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis a midget, will certainly add spice to their rivalry with the Bengals (8-4-1), who are clinging to a 1 ½ games lead behind the Bengals (7-6) and half game lead over Baltimore Browns (8-5) and Carolina Panthers (8-5).
Cincinnati will try to get back on the winning column after seeing their three-game winning streak snapped against the Pittsburgh Steelers 42-21 on Week 14. Their defense hasn't been their strength as of late, and a knee injury to Pro Bowl linebacker Vontaze Burfict certainly won't help their cause.
Live Stream, Stats & Highlights
Cincinnati Bengals vs. Cleveland Browns match will start at 1:00 p.m United Eastern Time live on Fox Sports. The game can also be watched on personal computers, smart phones, tablets and other mobile gadgets via Fox Sports Go and Sports Stream, while boxscore stats, play-by-play updates and full scores are available on NFL Red Zone.
