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Browns bench rookie QB DeShone Kizer, bring on Kevin Hogan

Everyone knew the Cleveland Browns would go through some growing pains with rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer. After an awful first half against the New York Jets, Kizer took a seat.

There was no injury reported for Kizer, but Kevin Hogan started the second half. Kizer had two terrible turnovers in the first half, including one in which he stared down a receiver and threw a pick.

Cleveland Browns quarterback DeShone Kizer didn't start the second half of the team's Week 5 game. (AP)
Cleveland Browns quarterback DeShone Kizer didn’t start the second half of the team’s Week 5 game. (AP)

Kizer was 8 of 17 for 87 yards in the first half. He was shown on the sideline with a baseball hat on as the second half started, with no indication he was hurt or having a recurrence of the migraine headaches that briefly sent him to the sideline in Week 2. Hogan immediately led the Browns on their first touchdown drive of the game, in Cleveland’s first possession of the second half.

The Browns eventually fell 17-14 to the Jets and are now 0-5.

Coach Hue Jackson stressed patience with Kizer, but it had to be hard watching the Browns go into halftime trailing 3-0 at home against a terrible Jets team. Jackson needs time to turn things around, but the Browns need to show some progress to buy him time. There have been no signs the Browns are getting better.

Kizer has clear physical tools, but he was considered a bit of a project coming out of Notre Dame. He won the job in preseason, but he has not played well to start the regular season. No matter how much Jackson stressed patience, he can’t afford to keep losing, especially after dropping another game to the Jets at home.

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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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