-
Jake Trotter, ESPN workers author
BEREA, Ohio – Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson mentioned his second profession begin will probably be “night time and day” from his first two months in the past.
“I now know what to anticipate,” he mentioned Thursday. “I am not going on the market for the primary time, I am not going on the market with huge eyes anymore.”
The Browns named Thompson-Robinson their starter for Sunday’s recreation towards the Pittsburgh Steelers after Deshaun Watson was misplaced for the season with a fracture in his pitching shoulder. Watson injured the shoulder throughout final Sunday’s 33-31 win over the Baltimore Ravens.
Thompson-Robinson began the primary assembly towards the Ravens on Oct. 1 in Week 4 whereas Watson was coping with one other shoulder harm, a rotator cuff pressure. Nonetheless, Thompson-Robinson was unaware he was beginning till Watson’s pre-match warm-up decided he couldn’t play only a few hours earlier than kick-off.
Thompson-Robinson threw three interceptions and had 4 sacks because the Ravens received 28-3.
Thompson-Robinson mentioned he discovered quite a bit from that have and famous he feels higher ready for the Steelers.
“I now know what it takes to be an NFL quarterback, not only a faculty quarterback,” he mentioned. “I believe I’ve taken the subsequent step.”
The Browns drafted Thompson-Robinson with a fifth-round pick of UCLA, the place he was a five-year starter. He impressed in the course of the preseason, incomes the No. 2 job behind Watson after the Browns traded quarterback Joshua Dobbs to the Arizona Cardinals.
However after the loss to the Ravens, the Browns elevated P.J. Walker to the beginning position whereas Watson recovered. Walker received two straight video games as Cleveland’s main quarterback, however threw a important interception late within the loss to the Seattle Seahawks on October 29.
After Watson’s season-ending harm, the Browns determined to offer Thompson-Robinson one other likelihood.
“That was a tricky scenario he was in,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski mentioned of Thompson-Robinson’s first begin towards the Ravens. “I believe it is essential to have a full week of preparation this week, figuring out he’ll be the starter.”
The Browns face the Steelers in one other key AFC North matchup. Each groups are 6-3 and a half recreation behind the first-place Ravens (7-3) within the division.
“You must win,” Thompson-Robinson mentioned. “It is a recreation you must win. Not only for this week, however for our future, what we’re attempting to perform and the targets we’re attempting to attain. So it is a massive competitors. Finally, if I’m going on the market and comply with my guidelines, I will be high quality.”
