Getty DeShone Kizer played a clean game despite taking a beating.
The Browns hung around with the Pittsburgh Steelers on the opening Sunday of the season, and learned that there might just be a bright future ahead with DeShone Kizer.
It wasn’t an ideal start for the Browns season, but it was hardly Kizer’s fault. The Browns had their first punt of the season blocked for a Steelers touchdown, but the Browns didn’t waver and responded well.
Kizer himself started mistake-free, mostly working underneath routes. He started 6-7 passing, and scored his first career TD on a one-yard run.
In the second quarter, Kizer looked a little more like a rookie. He finished the first half 9/14 passing for 73 yards, and was sacked three times. Still, Cleveland hung around with the Steelers in the first half, and only a late TD separated the teams.
The pressure was an issue for Kizer. He was sacked seven times in his NFL debut, but to his and the Browns credit, they did not turn the ball over.
Kizer hit Coleman in the final minutes for his first career passing TD, and successfully converted a two-point conversion to cut the lead to three. They fell short and lost, 21-18, but it was an inspiring effort to start the season.
Kizer finished 20-30 passing for 222 yards and a touchdown, and rushed five times for 17 yards and a score.
The Browns look revitalized with a new quarterback, and should improve on last season’s 1-15 finish.