Manziel or Hoyer: Who should start for the Browns?

The first time Mike Pettine had to pick a starting quarterback for his Cleveland Browns, the decision to go with Brian Hoyer over rookie Johnny Manziel wasn't a difficult one. It was clear back in August that Manziel, the former Heisman trophy winner, just wasn't ready.

And for most of three months, Hoyer proved Pettine right.

But now the quarterback competition is back on after Pettine benched Hoyer in the fourth quarter of the Browns' 26-10 loss to Buffalo on Sunday. Yes, Hoyer has led the Browns to seven wins in 12 starts and has Cleveland in playoff contention.

And yet, the Browns offense was struggling and needed some sort of spark. They needed more speed, more unpredictability. That's what Manziel was able to provide in leading the Browns on an 80-yard touchdown drive in his first significant action since August, a drive he culminated with a 10-yard touchdown.

The decision Pettine and his staff will make this week will likely be much more difficult than the one they made back in August, and the stakes are even higher.

All things Browns: Latest Cleveland Browns news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

Pettine said Sunday evening that he'd like to make a decision by Wednesday, in order to sufficiently prepare for next week's game against Indianapolis, so this won't be a snap-by-snap battle like we saw in August.

But let's look at what Pettine will be considering as he makes his biggest coaching decision of the season:

The case for Hoyer: Hoyer is one of biggest reasons the Browns are even in the AFC North playoff race at all. He's been a steadying presence for an offense that is lacking super stars and still has a superior command of Kyle Shanahan's offense than Manziel.

Hoyer also has the respect of his teammates and his coaches for the way he approaches his job as the Browns' starting quarterback. He's mature and professional, a man who spent enough time as a back up to Tom Brady in New England to appreciate every detail that goes into being a successful starter.

"I feel like this is my team, and this is my job," Hoyer said.

If Hoyer gets to keep his job, his chemistry with No. 1 receiver Josh Gordon should only improve, and he would also get a boost if tight end Jordon Cameron is able to return in December after missing the last month because of a concussion.

The case against Hoyer: Pettine could confidently stand behind the trite coaching phrase that Hoyer "gives us the best chance to win" since August, because Hoyer was, by far, the safer decision for the Browns.

Though the offense under Hoyer was rarely exciting, Hoyer was rarely the reason the Browns lost games.

But after throwing six interceptions in the last four games — including five in the past two weeks — it is impossible to say with any confidence that Hoyer is truly the Browns' best option. If he isn't consistently leading touchdown drives, and he's turning the ball over routinely, what sort of chance does that give the Browns to make the playoffs?

Hoyer, whose contract with the Browns expires after this season, was especially hard on himself after his three-interception game in Atlanta — a game the Browns won because of his stellar final-minute drive to set up a field goal — and now, after Sunday's benching, his confidence has to have taken a major hit.

"Just keep pressing on. I'm not making the decision," Hoyer said. "I'm never going to hang my head and feel sorry for myself."

The case for Manziel: The Browns have always wanted to be able to evaluate Manziel in live game action this season, to get a feel for what sort of progress their rookie first-round draft pick is making. There was never a perfect time to do that — not with games that were close and still mattered, and not with hope that Hoyer would be able to rally the Browns.

Manziel gives the Browns' offense an element of speed and the ability to scramble and throw on the run that Hoyer just can't provide. Shanahan could dig out the read-option pages of his playbook for Manziel and give the Browns' final four opponents something new to plan for.

Manziel certainly wasn't ready to be the starter in September, and he admitted that Sunday evening, saying he would have played differently had he been called into full-time action months ago.

With the benefit of a full week's worth of first-team snaps, Manziel's grasp of the game plan and the intricacies of things like the snap count — what he messed up on Sunday in Buffalo — should only improve.

The case against Manziel: Manziel's second series in Buffalo should give Browns' coaches pause. For as efficient he was in leading an 80-yard touchdown drive, he was equally inept backed up deep in their own territory, including mishandling a premature snap — the ball came early because of a miscommunication about the snap count — that led to the ball on the ground and rolling into the end zone. Officials ruled that Manziel's arm was moving forward so it was an incomplete pass, not a fumble, but it was still a costly error. His fourth-down throw on the next play came up one yard short of a first down.

Pettine told USA TODAY Sports recently that his biggest concern about Manziel was playing him before he was ready. Pettine was acutely aware of quarterbacks who had been forced to play too soon only to be benched, citing the struggles of E.J. Manuel in Buffalo (where Pettine was the defensive coordinator last year), and Geno Smith with the Jets.

If the Browns still truly believe in Manziel as their long-term answer at quarterback, that move needs to come when he has a full command of the offense and the full support of the locker room.

Follow Lindsay H. Jones on Twitter @bylindsayhjones.

JOHNNY CLEVELAND: MANZIEL AND THE BROWNS