February 14, 2020 6:41 AM EET
CLEVELAND -- Rookie quarterback Cody Kessler will be the Browns starter this week and the foreseeable future. Mack Strong Jersey Store .How long that is could be up to him.Kessler, who returned to practice a few days ago after being sidelined since Oct. 23 with a concussion, will start Sunday as the winless Browns (0-8) host the Dallas Cowboys. Kessler has shown steady progress and Browns coach Hue Jackson wants to find out if he can be Clevelands long-term QB.That is why he is playing, Jackson said Friday. Because I need to know.Jackson is going back to Kessler after starting Josh McCown last week in a loss to the New York Jets. McCown had a solid game, but at 37, hes not going to help the Browns beyond the next few weeks and Jackson must get a longer look at Kessler.The Browns have two first-round picks in next years draft, and the way theyre headed they may have No. 1 overall. But before they reach the offseason, they have to figure out if Kessler can be the answer to their nearly two-decades-long search for a franchise quarterback.I dont want to just say if he does great that doesnt mean that were not going to draft a quarterback because I think youve got to always have quarterbacks, Jackson said. Youve got to keep taking shots until you have the guy that you feel is going to do what you need done. But you need to know whats on your team, and the more Im around guys, the more that I see them in different situations and play under duress and stress and pressure, the more Im going to know about them.So this is an opportunity for Cody to demonstrate that. But more so than that, its an opportunity for him to go out with his teammates and help them get a win.Kessler, who has made five starts, suffered a concussion late in the first half two weeks ago at Cincinnati. He was cleared through the NFLs head injury protocol earlier this week and practiced for the first time on Wednesday. Hes eager to start again but isnt looking beyond the Cowboys.Whatever happens moving forward, I just prepare the same way and approach it as an opportunity because you never know how many you are going to get, he said. My process and my preparation has been that and to prepare as the starter every week. To get another chance, another opportunity this weekend is exciting for me, and I am just going to continue to take it the same way and treat it the same way.Kessler will match up on Sunday against Dallas rookie Dak Prescott. The two young QBs have been friends for a few years after attending quarterbacks camps together. While Prescott is enjoying success and on a team leading its division, Kessler is stuck with the Browns, who are rebuilding and face a long road ahead to contention.Still, Kessler said he wouldnt trade places.I love it here, he said. There is nowhere else I would rather be. I love that, the underdog mentality. ... As a competitor that is what you want. You want a challenge. You want something that is not given to you, but you have to work for. This team has been through a lot, and it is awesome to be a part of it. This front office and the coaching staff and the players and guys in this locker room have been great to me and the other rookies.Kessler, who has completed 89 of 133 passes for 947 yards and four touchdowns, will have a new target this week as rookie Corey Coleman will return after missing six games with a broken hand.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL href="https://www.chinacheapjerseys.net/geoff-schwartz-jersey-store/" target="_blank">Geoff Schwartz Jersey Store . A forerunning sled crashed into the worker Thursday at the Sanki Sliding Center. The unidentified worker broke both legs and was airlifted to a nearby hospital. Dennis McKinnon Jersey Store . Robinson finished with 17 points, all but two in the second half, and Lawson had 14 after halftime and finished with a game-high 11 assists as the Nuggets handed Dallas its first home loss in eight games this season. J.J. Hickson led Denver with 22, and Kenneth Faried added 10 points and 10 rebounds. https://www.chinacheapjerseys.net/frank-nesser-jersey-store/ ;. The news was first reported on Gonzalezs Twitter account and confirmed by the Rockies. Gonzalez has a six-week window before position players have their first workout at spring training in Arizona. WASHINGTON -- Bryce Harper looked simply bewildered during his first three at-bats against the Phillies, all ending in swinging strikeouts. He came through big in his fourth plate appearance.Harper hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift the Washington Nationals to a 3-0 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday night.Harper whiffed repeatedly against Phillies starter Jerad Eickhoff. He then provided the games only scoring against Patrick Schuster, who threw a wild pitch, issued a walk and gave up the homer without recording an out after replacing fellow reliever Luis Garcia (1-1).I was thinking to myself, `well, you struck out three times. Hit a homer and everybody will forget about that, Harper said. Look what happened.Nationals ace Max Scherzer gave up four hits in 6 2/3 scoreless innings, and struck out eight to increase his NL lead to 251.Shawn Kelley (2-2) recorded the final out of the eighth and Mark Melancon pitched ninth for his 40th save as Washington won for the fifth time in six games.Ben Reveres single with one out in the eighth started the winning rally against Garcia, who was recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley before the game. Daniel Murphy walked before Harpers heroics.The 2015 NL Most Valuable Player starred at the drive down the right field line before punctuating the drama with a bat flip.That was a dramatic home run, National manager Dusty Baker said. It just shows how strong he is mentally after you strike out three times and hit a home run. He had a rough night going up to then.Facing a 3-1 count against Schuster, Harper had one objective in mind.I was kind of shocked he threw it over the middle of the plate, Harper said of Schusters curveball. I was swinging no matter what anyway, to tell you the truth. If it had been in their dugout I probably would have swung at it.Eickhoff essentially matched Scherzer, keeping Washington off the scoreboard over six innings. He gave up five hits and struck out five.Tied for the NL lead with 16 wins, Scherzer won each of his previous four starts with 32 strikeouts and a 2.45 ERA in that stretch. He entered Saturdays matchup 3-0 against Philadelphia this season. Cairo Santos Jersey Store. The Cy Young contender wasnt special throughout -- he hit two batters -- and labored at times with long innings. He also got clutch outs when needed.With two runners on and one out in the first, Scherzer induced back-to-back infield pop-ups. He struck out Tommy Joseph to end the third with two runners in scoring position.I didnt think (Scherzer) was at his best tonight, Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. He had a ton of pitches. He looked like he was struggling with command and we just couldnt take advantage of it.Philadelphias defense kept the game scoreless in the fourth. Jose Lobatons single with runners at first and second sent Clint Robinson around third. Center fielder Odubel Herreras throw bounced to home, where catcher Cameron Rupp shielded the plate and tagged out Robinson.TRAINERS ROOMPhillies: 3B Maikel Franco pinch-hit in the seventh inning after sitting out the previous two games with a sore right thumb.Nationals: RHP Joe Ross, on the disabled list since July 3 with right shoulder inflammation, threw 60 pitches during a simulation at Nationals Park Saturday. (Joe) had good velocity. ... Changeup looked like hed never been out, manager Dusty Baker said.STRASBURG SPEAKSNationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg made his first comments since leaving Wednesdays start with a strained flexor mass in his right elbow. Strasburg passed on projecting a timeline for his return before or during the postseason.I cant make that claim, he said. Theres still pretty much a month left in the season. Im just trying to get back healthy. Hopefully were still playing baseball.BLANK CHECKSaturday marked the third time the Phillies were shut out by the Nationals this season and the 10th time they were held scoreless overall.UP NEXTPhillies LHP Adam Morgan (2-9, 5.90) faces LHP Gio Gonzalez (10-9, 4.40), who allowed six runs and eight hits in three innings in his last start on Monday against the Braves. ' ' '
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