CLEVELAND -- Cleveland Browns quarterback Brock Osweiler was given the opportunity to start the team’s second preseason game after leading the first-team offense onto the field during the first game against the New Orleans Saints, but the results were much the same.
Despite having a better completion percentage than in the first game against the Saints, Osweiler failed to move the Browns into the end zone, or even scoring position in the first two series of the game. Following the second series, the Browns turned the offense over to rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer.
Osweiler completed six for his eight throws, but gained just 25 yards. One of Osweiler’s two misses came on a tipped ball at the line of scrimmage, which resulted in an interception.
“No frustration yet,” Osweiler said. “Certainly, we are striving every, single drive to put points on the board, so the fact that we are not, absolutely, that is upsetting, but at the same time, you still have to look at the good that is taking place and there is good.
“We do have plenty of room to grow as an offense, and I think all of us know that. Nobody is shying away from that and we are going to come back to work hard this week because we know we need to improve.”
Facing a second and 17 after a false start penalty on rookie offensive lineman Rod Johnson, Osweiler fired a pass in the direction of first-year running back Matthew Dayes, but right defensive end Olivier Vernon got a hand in the passing lane and deflected the ball into the air, where left defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul corralled it for the interception.
“I took my five steps, I threw on time,” Osweiler said. “It looked like Corey Coleman won on the outside on the route that he was running.
“It was just a great play by the defense. Sometimes, unfortunately, they win. Those guys are very talented on the other side of the ball as well, and I think one of their good players got a hand up and was able to tip the ball and make a great play for their team.”
The only pass Osweiler threw that resulted in a Browns first down was a nullified play when the Giants committed an illegal contact penalty.
In two preseason starts with the Browns, Osweiler is 12 of 22 for 67 yards with no touchdowns and one interception.
“I think it is important as far as a confidence standpoint,” Osweiler said of scoring early in games. “I think it is very important for the starting offense, whoever that is, to go out there against Tampa Bay and put together scoring drives because that is going to give you a really good feeling going into Week 1.
“You really have to look at what you are doing in practice, as well as the games because practice is extremely important during training camp, but you are exactly right, as an offensive unit, we would love to go to Tampa Bay, start building some momentum, start building some confidence, put together scoring drives, protect the football and eliminate the penalties, and that is certainly what we are going to strive for.”
