Drive chart: Summarizing Johnny Manziel’s first CFL possessions
Nobody is certain how it will end but the Johnny Manziel era in Hamilton has begun.
His tenure officially started with 3:36 remaining in the second quarter in relief of incumbent starter Jeremiah Masoli. He played the majority of the second quarter and the entire third quarter and was 9 of 12 passing for 80 yards and no touchdowns or interceptions. He was sacked twice.
Check out the plays here.
DRIVE #1
3 for 3, 28 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT
He promptly completed a nine-yard pass to the wide side of the field to sophomore receiver Jalen Saunders on an out pattern on his first attempt before completing a 12-yard pass on a scramble. He would throw another completion before getting sacked on a third-down gamble on his own 45-yard line.
DRIVE #2
1 for 2, 7 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT
His second possession ended in the same way, with a turnover. After Manziel corralled a high snap, he threw a pass into the flat which was bobbled for an incompletion. The following attempt was caught over the middle on a screen pass, but was fumbled and led to a Toronto Argonauts touchdown two plays later.
DRIVE #3
0 for 0, 0 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT (8 yards rushing)
With time running out, his final possession before the half consisted of a hand-off and an 8-yard run out of bounds.
DRIVE #4
1 for 2, 6 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT
Manziel’s opening drive of the second half began at the Hamilton 13 yard line after a booming punt from Argos kicker Ronnie Pfeffer pinned Hamilton deep. He was rushed quickly on his first drop and narrowly avoided a sack. His second pass was completed for a six-yard gain but the Ticats were forced to punt.
DRIVE #5
4 for 5, 40 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT
Although still well into his own end, Manziel’s next possession started in better field position, at the 29 yard line. An inside hand-off on first down set up a second-down and seven where the newcomer delivered a pass on a hook pattern for a first down.
With a new set of downs, he was flushed out of the pocket, scrambled and found an open Damarr Aultman for a 29-yard gain. After a keeper for a gain of three and a completion int Argos territory, he found another first down with a five-yard completion. He continued to use his legs as Hamilton drove the field but it got him in trouble when he took an intentional grounding penalty that cost 22 yards.
A third-and-13 gamble on the Argos 33 yard line went nowhere as Manziel took a sack and turned the ball over.
As for Masoli, he had an up-and-down first half, completing 8 of 13 passes for 115 yards and a touchdown but threw a pair of interceptions.
Manziel signed with the Tiger-Cats on the eve of training camp after a negotiation process that spanned well into last season.
