Colt McCoy was happy to get back on the practice field Tuesday and erase the memory of his two interceptions in his first preseason outing. Missing a practice is something he never did before.
With Browns President Mike Holmgren keeping a close eye, rookie quarterback Colt McCoy was back at work Tuesday after missing Monday's Browns practice in Berea with a sprained right thumb. "That was the first practice I ever missed," McCoy said.BEREA, Ohio -- The low point of Colt McCoy's rookie training camp?
No, not throwing two interceptions in his first NFL exhibition game Saturday in Green Bay. Those weren't fun, of course, but playing 16 snaps against the Packers made him feel like a quarterback again.
Banging his right thumb on the helmet of a teammate? No, that happens. What Cleveland quarterback hasn't done that?
No, the low point -- by far -- came on Monday when McCoy was instructed to sit out practice to give the thumb another day to heal. He stood glumly as President Mike Holmgren gave him a little pep talk from his golf cart.
"That was the first practice I ever missed," McCoy said.
Ever? At any level of football?
"Ever," he repeated.
So McCoy couldn't wait to get back on the field on Tuesday. He needed to erase the memory of the interceptions.
"You don't like to throw interceptions. But the one thing I admire about Brett Favre is the way he responds to those things. He shakes them off and keeps going," McCoy said. "For me, that's the thing I have to do. Especially in the situation that I'm in.
"I'm learning. The games are really the reps I get. I can't let something get me down. Just got to show my teammates and coaches that, 'hey, that happened, I won't make that mistake again and I'm ready to go.'"
The first interception at the end of the first half was the one that McCoy heard loads about. The Browns were in field-goal range at the Green Bay 17 with 37 seconds on the clock. On first down, McCoy and receiver Johnathan Haggerty read the coverage. Haggerty faked a slant inside and converted it to a fade route.
Haggerty was double-covered. McCoy's throw was short and easily intercepted.
"We had points [a sure field goal] on the board," said coach Eric Mangini. "We had an under [receiver] coming free. So, hit the under and move to the next play. You're not in a situation at that point where you have to take a chance to push the ball into double coverage.
Colt McCoy's best moments in Saturday's preseason game against the Packers was when he used his legs to earn first downs for the offense. The bad parts were his two interceptions. "It was good to get in the huddle and run more than three or four plays in a row," he said. "I've just got to build on it and play better this week." "Sometimes guys want to make a play and maximize their opportunity, but in trying to make a play, you can actually make a play for [the opposition]."
After making his point, Mangini shrugged off McCoy's boo-boo.
"He has historically made good decisions in college and he's a conscientious kid. He could have been a little bit excited, a little bit nervous, a lot of confidence. All of those things," he said.
McCoy admitted he was fired up to play in Green Bay. The hallowed Lambeau Field venue is as good as it gets in the NFL. He wouldn't have been human not to feel some butterflies.
"For the most part, I felt I moved the ball and executed what was called," he said. "But, that was the first [preseason game]. It was good to get in the huddle and run more than three or four plays in a row. I've never done that [here]. I've just got to build on it and play better this week."
In his first exhibition game, McCoy completed five of 10 passes for 25 yards. He converted two third-and-long situations with scramble runs up the middle for gains of 13 and 12 yards. He was pleased with those because he recognized the coverage and took advantage of the seam left open for him.
It's all part of the learning process for the Texas Longhorn turned NFL greenhorn.
The next time he takes the field, Saturday in Cleveland Browns Stadium, McCoy will oppose his college rival from Oklahoma, Sam Bradford, the presumed savior of the St. Louis Rams and No. 1 pick of the NFL draft.
They split their two meetings in the fabled Red River Shootout, but Bradford is the one with the $50 million contract guarantee and the likely one to be behind center when the real season starts next month.
McCoy is locked in a battle with Brett Ratliff to make the Browns' roster as the No. 3 quarterback.
"A lot of people have told me it's going to be different your first year, it's going to be a struggle at times," McCoy said. "For me, I just try to stay upbeat as much as I can. Sometimes you're down. Sometimes you're discouraged. But as a leader, as the quarterback, you can't show those emotions. You've got to be the level-headed guy that's ready to work every day."
That's where McCoy was on Tuesday, back at work. After two hours of practice, and another 30 minutes of signing autographs, McCoy trudged off the field carrying the shoulder pads belonging to Jerome Harrison.
He was smiling and feeling good again.