Johnny Manziel and Brian Hoyer didn’t make Mike Pettine’s decision any easier.

Manziel struggled to hit open receivers and added another gesture to his repertoire – a middle finger apparently aimed at the Washington Redskins’ bench – while Hoyer completed only two passes in five series. Neither the hot-shot rookie nor the nondescript sixth-year veteran looked ready to claim a No. 1 NFL quarterback gig, failing to live up to the big-time setting of a final audition in the Cleveland Browns’ 24-23 Monday night loss to the Washington Redskins.

Pettine has said he plans to announce his regular season starter Tuesday. His choices are Manziel, the No. 22 overall pick in the draft who completed 7 of 16 passes for 65 yards and an touchdown, and Hoyer, who was 2 for 6 for 16 yards.

And those stats were padded by series against the Redskins’ backups. In the first quarter – when Washington’s starters were in the game – Manziel was 2 for 7 for 29 yards, while Hoyer was 0 for 2. Manziel was even mocked by Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo, who performed the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner’s “money” gesture.

Manziel appeared to have a message of his own for the Redskins. He raised the middle finger of his right hand as he jogged away from the Washington sideline after a play late in the third quarter.

To be fair, the first two passes by Hoyer could be classified as drops by his receivers, but he also failed to move the team when an interception gave the Browns the ball at Washington’s 15 in the second quarter.

After a running play and two incompletions, including a pass high and through the hands of Andrew Hawkins in the end zone, Cleveland had to settle for a field goal.

Cardinals’ Dockett out for season

Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Darnell Dockett, one of the most durable players in the NFL over the past decade, tore the ACL in his right knee during practice and will undergo season-ending surgery.

The 6-foot-4, 290-pound Dockett has missed only two games in 10 NFL seasons.

Gronkowski close to return

Rob Gronkowski is participating in contact drills with the New England Patriots for the first time since his knee surgery.

The star tight end says he’s planning to be ready for the season opener on Sept. 7 against the Miami Dolphins.

Gronkowski tore the ACL and MCL in his right knee on Dec. 8 and underwent surgery on Jan. 9. He had been practicing on the side with quarterback Tom Brady during training camp.

Bills get good news

Bills receiver Sammy Watkins is day to day after tests confirmed a diagnosis of bruised ribs.

And Cordy Glenn returned to his familiar spot at left tackle during Monday’s team drills after missing the first three weeks of training camp with an undisclosed illness.

It was a pair of positive developments for the Bills, who experienced a scare after Watkins was hurt in a 19-16 preseason loss at Pittsburgh on Saturday.

Chiefs’ Charles suffers freak injury

The status of Pro Bowl running back Jamaal Charles remains in question after he missed Sunday night’s preseason game in Carolina because of a bruised foot.

When he was in the process of moving out of the Missouri Western dorms on Thursday night, he rolled his foot over a curb.

Analysts make statement

Two influential NFL voices – including CBS lead analyst Phil Simms, who will handle Washington’s Week 4 game – said they likely won’t use the term “Redskins” when discussing the franchise.

“My very first thought is it will be Washington the whole game,” Simms told The Associated Press.

In this Aug. 13, 2014 photo, a truck drives by an array of mirrors at the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System near Primm, Nev. The site uses over 300,000 mirrors to focus sunlight on boilers’ tubes atop 450 foot towers heating water into steam which in turn drives turbines to create electricity. New estimates for the plant near the California-Nevada border say thousands of birds are dying yearly, roasted by the concentrated sun rays from the mirrors. (AP Photo/John Locher)

John Locher