As he spoke to reporters Monday, Browns coach Hue Jackson said he was "in the midst" of deciding between DeShone Kizer and Kevin Hogan as his starting quarterback for Sunday's game against the Titans. The decision will be made by early Wednesday, Jackson said, when the team begins its preparations for Tennessee in earnest.
Asked what would go into his decision if he were to make Hogan the starter for a second consecutive game, Jackson said it would be because he felt the second-year player still gave the Browns the best chance to win.
"I haven't obviously finished the thought process to that, but that is what it would be," Jackson said. "If I still thought that he would give us the best chance to be successful and if I looked at the tape and thought some of the issues that he had weren't self-inflicted, then that would be the reason. I am in the middle of doing all that and working through all that."
Hogan, in his NFL starting debut, threw three first-half interceptions, including a pick-six, and finished with 140 yards and a late touchdown pass to Seth DeValve. He led the Browns to an early field goal but nothing else until the late score.
Jackson was adamant that Kizer gleaned plenty from his sideline experience Sunday and will come back a better quarterback because of it. He expects two areas of his game to elevate whenever he returns.
"He will be a little bit more team-protecting in situational football things. I think he will understand that better and really what it does to your team as you are in those situations," Jackson said. "No. 2, I think he will demand more from the guys that play around him because I think he understands that every play matters and every play is a difference between having a chance to win or lose a game. Not that I don't think he was trying to be that, but when you are young and you are trying to make sure you are on top of the game plan, let alone making sure that guys are lined up correctly but then making sure guys are in the right spots for you play, after play, after play, that is a lot of responsibility.
"I think he sees now how critical every opportunity is that you get. I think he will be on top of those things."
-- The Browns came away relatively injury-free from Sunday's loss, Jackson said.
Wide receiver Kenny Britt, who was inactive for a second straight week, wasn't fully back to speed because of lingering issues with his groin.
"I wanted to make sure exactly that he was totally healthy before we put him back out there," Jackson said. "That is exactly what played into that."
-- Rookie safety Jabrill Peppers put the blame on himself for Will Fuller IV's 39-yard touchdown catch in Sunday's second quarter.
Peppers said he and cornerback Jamar Taylor were playing two different coverages, allowing Fuller to find plenty of space en route to the end zone.
Jackson said communication errors have plagued the defense through the first six weeks, and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is working hard to get it fixed.
"We just had a miscommunication and it turned into a touchdown," Peppers said. "It was a big, explosive play. That is unacceptable in our defense and that is unacceptable in this league. We have to keep pushing and pushing, over-communicating, make sure that everyone is on the same page because when we are all looking at what we are supposed to be as a defense, we are really tough to move the ball on."
