Browns to Start Jason Campbell vs. Chiefs
After getting crushed by the Green Bay Packers 31-13 last week, the Cleveland Browns have decided to make another switch at quarterback and will start Jason Campbell in place of Brandon Weeden against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.
Weeden struggled against the Packers last week – completing just 17 of 42 throws for 149 yards – but his ineffectiveness at the position is nothing new. Although he hasn’t started every game for the Browns this year, Weeden currently ranks near the bottom of the league in completion percentage, yards per attempt and passer rating this season.
Browns head coach Rob Chudzinski stressed that the decision to make a change at QB is based solely on results.
“It really is about production and ultimately being consistent in that area,” Chudzinski said Wednesday, according to ESPN.com.
Campbell is already the third quarterback to start for the Browns this season and the 20th since 1999. It’s likely he won’t be Cleveland’s longterm solution at the position either, but he’s proven to be a solid game manager in the past and has some valuable experience that could help the Browns compete until the end of the year.
“One thing that I could do is try to be a leader,” said Campbell. “At the same time try to do my job to the best of my abilities. Not try to do anything to the extreme. Try to stay within the game and find your rhythm.”
Campbell has started games for the Redskins, Raiders and most recently the Bears in 2011. He has a respectable career quarterback rating of 82.4, but along with the numbers, the team likes what Campbell can do physically.
“I think looking at Jason, the things he brings to the table [are] his leadership, his experience,” Chudzinski said. “He’s been productive and successful in the league. Look at his arm strength, his mobility and those things, [then] tie in from a game-plan standpoint for what we need in this game.”
The Browns will certainly need Campbell to be sharp this weekend against the Chiefs, who are the only remaining undefeated team in the league and who are also ranked third in the league in pass defense, allowing fewer than 200 yards through the air per game. Of course, the Chiefs have benefited from the fact that three of their last four opponents have started a different quarterback from the week before, with Cleveland being the latest.
No matter who they put behind center, the Browns would still be an underdog against KC, but with Campbell they could have a better chance to win, or at least cover +7 points. However, considering Kansas City has the confidence, the momentum and home field this weekend, we still have to like the Chiefs to cover their end in this one.
Take Kansas City to cover -7 points on Sunday.
