Since taking over as the Browns starting quarterback last Oct. 17, McCoy has only played in 12 games, thrown 12 touchdowns — and has exactly four wins as a pro.
“Colt is such a young player that, in my mind, he is almost a rookie,” Cleveland coach Pat Shurmur said Tuesday. “That’s why I believe his improvement — from where he is now to where he will be — can be great.”
So do McCoy’s teammates, which is why the Browns head into their bye week with a 2-2 record and a solid situation under center. They return to action in Oakland on Oct. 16.
Though there are myriad questions about Cleveland’s new West Coast Offense, few of them pertain to McCoy, who has shown a grasp of the system that exceeds his 78.7 passer rating, 984 yards and six touchdowns in 2011.
“It’s exciting for me to see all the progress he’s made from week to week since last season,” four-time Pro Bowl tackle Joe Thomas said. “Colt has all the intangibles and he’s a great quarterback. I also know it’s going to take a big hit to take him down.
“I really think he’s got everything you need to be successful in the NFL.”
McCoy set team records with 40 completions and 61 attempts Sunday, though those numbers came in a 31-13 loss to the Tennessee Titans in which the Browns fell behind early and threw more than usual.
The 6-foot-1, 250-pounder also threw for a career-high 350 yards with one touchdown and one interception, but was quick to point out how meaningless those numbers were because they occurred in a decisive loss.
“I’ll be the first to tell you I’ve got a lot to work on and improve on, but it’s a process,” McCoy said. “I feel like I’m doing a pretty good job, getting a good feel for the pocket, but it’s hard to evaluate your play after you lose because that’s the only thing on your mind.”
Losing is also something McCoy has to learn, seeing as he has already dropped as many games with the Browns as he did in his four-year career at the University of Texas. He became the winningest quarterback in NCAA history while compiling a 45-8 record with the Longhorns, but is 4-8 in Cleveland.
“I hate losing,” the native Texan said. “But I also believe the attitude of our team is slowly starting to change, and that’s going to get us somewhere eventually.”
Of course, “eventually” could come this season, next year or even after McCoy hands the job to the Browns’ next great hope at the position.
Team president Mike Holmgren and Shurmur have expressed concern that McCoy puts too much responsibility on his shoulders as it is, so the quarterback’s reaction to multiple bad seasons could be an issue going forward.
“He’s a guy who is very hard on himself and very critical of his own play at times, but he’s very confident as well,” Shurmur said. “I think that’s what pulls you through as you’re trying to improve.
“I also think we’re on the same page and (that relationship) will even get better as we move ahead. I feel good about the direction the team is going and the way Colt is growing with it.”
McCoy said he would spend some time during the bye week honing his fishing skills, but also planned to study game films and his playbook. And true to his nature, he even tried to motivate some reporters before heading out of the locker room.
“Nobody is hanging their heads because we got beat,” McCoy said, breaking into a smile. “Come on guys, the sun is shining, it’s a beautiful day. Let’s enjoy it.”
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