Browns bench rookie QB DeShone Kizer after scoreless first half
— -- CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Browns benched rookie quarterback? DeShone Kizer after a scoreless first half against the New York Jets.
The team said the move was not injury-related.
Kevin Hogan took over for Kizer and guided the Browns to their first lead of the season. His 21-yard touchdown throw to David Njoku ended a 10-play, 75-yard drive and gave the Browns a 7-3 lead.
The Browns first lead came after 275 minutes and 37 seconds of game time.
Kizer went 8-for-17 in the first half for 87 yards. He also was involved in two red-zone turnovers. On third-and-goal from the 3, he and Isaiah Crowell did not connect on a pitch off a surprising option play.
Later, Jets safety Marcus Maye cut in front of a third-down throw at the goal-line to Seth DaValve and intercepted the pass.
Those turnovers were the fourth and fifth for the Browns in the red zone this season, an NFL high. Kizer also had thrown four interceptions in the red zone, also an NFL high.
The move still was surprising in that Jackson had insisted he would stick with the rookie through the ups and downs when he named Kizer the starter.
Jackson had praised Kizer's play in a loss in Indianapolis, and said aside from a couple errors was "lights out" in a 31-7 loss to the Bengals.
Hogan relieved Kizer in Baltimore after Kizer suffered a migraine. He also replaced Kizer late in the loss to the Bengals, but Jackson vowed after the game that Kizer was still the team's quarterback.
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