Johnny Nightmare: Manziel's first game as a starter is awful

So this is what we waited for so breathlessly?

Johnny Manziel finally got his first career start for the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, and the first half was a debacle. The second half wasn't much better. Now we know why the Browns waited so long to give him a shot. The Browns lost to the Cincinnati Bengals 30-0 and you'd be hard-pressed to find a single Manziel highlight.

There were plenty of lowlights, though. Manziel's first career NFL interception, on a pass that he waited way too long to throw. That won't work in the NFL.

Shortly after Manziel threw that one, he threw another across the middle that went off his receiver's hands to linebacker Rey Maualuga, but that was wiped out due to penalty. No worries, Manziel threw another pick that counted late in the half, when he was scrambling around and tried to make a play to the end zone, and it was easily picked off by Adam Jones.

The first half was brutal for Manziel and the Browns. They trailed 20-0 and Manziel was 4-of-9 for 22 yards. He finished the game 10-of-18 for 80 yards, with two picks. Manziel also rushed five times for 13 yards.

It's not that surprising that Manziel would have some rookie mistakes in his first game as a starter, but wow.

The good news is, it can only go up from there for Manziel. Probably.