Players claim they are not giving up meanwhile

[Herman M]

Cleveland Clowns? Browns, first-year coach Mangini seen as a joke by critics after 0-3 start

 

By Tom Withers (CP) – 2 hours ago

 

BEREA, Ohio — Now that the Detroit Lions have finally won, there's an open debate over which team is the NFL's worst, the lowest of the low.

 

Now that's a category where the Cleveland Browns can contend.

 

Their coach is under attack from all sides. Their fans are revolting against the owner. Their starting quarterback has been benched.

 

The Browns are down - and being kicked. Unnecessary roughness?

 

"Not really," Pro Bowl nose tackle Shaun Rogers said Thursday. "We're kind of bad right now."

 

Kind of? Winless after three games, outscored 95-29 - 61-9 in the past two games - and showing signs that they may have given up on first-year coach Eric Mangini and this young season already, the Browns are hoping to turn things around Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals, who are coming off an upset against Super Bowl-champion Steelers.

 

The Browns need a win. Badly.

 

"It's oh so important," Rogers said. "Not just to win, but to have a good showing. "

 

"I'd love to win, but I would just love to see us compete this week, really."

 

It's hard to imagine it getting any worse for the Browns, but with 13 games left, it could.

 

During an embarrassing 34-3 loss last week in Baltimore, Cleveland's defence gave up three rushing touchdowns in which the Ravens running backs went into the end zone untouched. The fact that not a single Browns player laid a finger on either Willis McGahee or Ray Rice led to outside speculation that the Browns had already quit on Mangini.

 

"No way," Browns guard Hank Fraley said. "Not in this locker room. "

 

"Guys aren't giving up. Guys aren't going out there not to win or to lay an egg or anything like that. The guys in this locker-room are all pulling for each other. We all want to win and turn this ship upright."

 

"We're 0-3, but the season hasn't been lost yet. There are a lot of games to be played."

 

Meanwhile, Mangini is beginning to get some heat.

 

Less than one-quarter of the way through his first season with the Browns, Mangini, who has fined players for breaking his team rules, is being brutalized by the national media. Columnists, bloggers, TV analysts, former players, they're all taking their shots at the coach once dubbed "Mangenius" by New York's tabloids.

 

He's viewed as more of a tackling dummy now.

 

 

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