Manziel might 'pronounce' play wrong, but Browns would have his back

We still don't know which quarterback Cleveland Browns head coach Mike Pettine will choose in Week 14 as the 7-5 Browns fight for a playoff spot in a game against the Indianapolis Colts.

But if the choice is highly touted but roundly unpredictable rookie Johnny Manziel, his Browns teammates will be ready to support him.

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Via the Cleveland Plain Dealer, receiver Travis Benjamin said a switch from Brian Hoyer would mean that the players would have to raise their games collectively, knowing that with Manziel everything might not be perfectly clean.

"We just figure, as receivers, we have to work more," Benjamin said. "If Johnny comes in the huddle and he pronounces the play wrong, we've got to make sure we correct it. We've got to make sure we correct him. Offensive linemen, tight ends, all the receivers, all the running backs, we've just got to make sure we've got to be in form when he's in the game."

It's December. Has he not figured out how to "pronounce" plays by now?

[Tale of the Tape: Brian Hoyer vs. Johnny Manziel]

No matter — either way, Benjamin, like many of his teammates are, is occasionally in awe of the rookie's playmaking ability.

"Johnny is a baller, no matter what," Benjamin said. "Ready or not, you put him in the game and if he doesn't make the play with his arm, he'll make the play with his legs. Running backs, receivers, tight ends and linemen also have to come together and help him and make sure we have limited mistakes so we can push Johnny to get the edge on people."

That said, Browns players find themselves in a slightly awkward situation. They support Hoyer, who has helped them get into a position of contention, just on the outskirts of the postseason field. And yet he has struggled of late while Manziel energized the team in Sunday's loss against the Buffalo Bills — unable to rally the team but able to plant a seed in everyone's head: Should Pettine have inserted Manziel a bit sooner in the loss?

"It's no Team Johnny or Team Hoyer," Benjamin said. "We just, as a team, as a unit, want the best for the offense. Even though they go with Johnny or go with Hoyer, we as a receiver group know we still have to catch the ball and we still have to block."

Still, there is this sense of wonder that surrounds the rookie, even if he still has his warts. Even his Browns teammates appear to be enchanted by the Manziel spell a bit.

"I was excited to see him get a chance to show the league what he can do," Browns defensive end Billy Winn said. "He went out there and made everything come to life."

And we'll soon find out if Pettine goes with the kid and his magic wand.

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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! Follow @Eric_Edholm

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