Heading into the draft there were questions about Brandon Weeden’s age leaving teams to make different decisions than they might when considering a typical rookie quarterback.
Through five games, Weeden has shown one clear similarity with many of the more traditionally aged rookie signal callers. He’s throwing too many interceptions. Weeden has thrown nine picks already this year, tied with Matt Cassel for the most in the NFL, and his picks have really hurt the team in four of the five losses. Whether it is a matter of being a bit older or not, Weeden, who turns 29 this Sunday, has zeroed in on what he needs to do in order to cut the picks out of his game.
“It’s an ego thing and I think I just need to get rid of the ego and take what they give me and move on and not be as stubborn,” Weeden said, via Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “Just throw the football away and move on.”
Weeden’s failure to do that against the Giants was very damaging. On a third-and-one inside the Giants’ 30-yard line late in the second quarter, Weeden waited too long to try a pass to Josh Gordon. He wound up throwing too high for Gordon, Stevie Brown picked off the pass and the Giants scored 17 points from there to the half to grab a 27-17 lead that they wouldn’t relinquish the rest of the way.
Weeden’s had some good moments through the first five weeks, but it takes a mountain of positive plays to overcome two interceptions a game. It won’t be easy to cut out the negative plays, but Weeden and the Browns don’t really have any choice.