Winning consistently eludes Browns

[BernietheKid]

Winning consistently eludes Browns
Lack of big positive streak leaves team in 5-8 hole, Mangini's job on line
By Nate Ulrich
Beacon Journal sports writer

Published on Wednesday, Dec 15, 2010


BEREA: When Browns coach Eric Mangini discusses what it takes to build a winning franchise, he breaks the process down into steps.

First, the team needs to become competitive in every game. Next, it needs to begin winning those games. Last, it needs to start winning consistently.

In his second season with the Browns, Mangini is still having trouble conquering that final step, and it could cost him his job. The Browns won their final four games of the 2009 season, but Mangini's men haven't put together any notable winning streaks since. Instead, it's been one step forward, followed by two steps back.

''I believe that we're in that phase of trying to win consistently and that's part of growth,'' said Mangini, whose team has a record of 5-8 with three games left this season. ''And it is a part of growth of any team, any organization. It's the game-day component of it, and it's the day-in-and-day-out component of it. We all need to do that better in this phase.''

This season, the Browns have had a couple of two-game winning streaks snapped and spoiled in disappointing fashion. After beating the New Orleans Saints and the New England Patriots in consecutive weeks, the Browns suffered a heartbreaking,

overtime loss to the New York Jets. Then after edging the Carolina Panthers and the Miami Dolphins in back-to-back games, the Browns fell 13-6 to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

Now the Browns face a pathetic, worse-case scenario: They are in danger of finishing this season with four consecutive losses. That would be a complete turnaround from the final stretch of last season, but not in a good way.

So what must the Browns do to avoid being swept against their final three opponents, the Cincinnati Bengals (2-11), the Baltimore Ravens (9-4) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3)? Well, they could start by putting forth maximum effort, something Browns rookie cornerback Joe Haden suggested they lacked against the Bills (3-10).

''It looked like they wanted it a little bit more,'' Haden said of the Bills. ''They did a really good job. Their offense, their defense, they just played their hearts out. We didn't come out and play as good as we should have.

''It is upsetting just to come out and not play to the best of your ability. You played really well two weeks in a row, got two wins. You're feeling really good about it, and then you lose to a team that you feel like you can beat. It definitely hurts.''

This is Week 15. Shouldn't the Browns be past the point of suffering letdowns against also-rans like the Bills?

''You hoped to be,'' Browns center Alex Mack said. ''You hoped this late in the season you're able to focus in and really execute everything you want.
''You want to be successful. You want to do well. You see things in film that you could have done better. You missed some opportunities and it hurts.''

Despite the overwhelming disappointment from his team's recent setback, Mangini still believes the Browns can become a consistent winner. Getting there, though, is still easier said than done.

''Some of it is the experience of dealing with adversity and being able to fight through that,'' Mangini said. ''Being able to collectively say, 'OK, we are changing what's happening right now.' Another component of that is dealing with success. That's often hard, too, because there's often the exhale. You exhale a little bit like you can relax.

''Both of those things are things you have to be honest about and address and be aware of and be conscious of as you move forward. Some of it comes with experience, too, and maturity and growth, not just as individuals, but collectively. It's not just one bullet point that you can hit on and say, 'Hey, if we do this, it will happen.' ''
Mangini knows how to complete the process. But if the Browns don't finish strong in the next few weeks, he might not have a job in Cleveland long enough to prove it.
Roster moves

On Tuesday, the Browns signed defensive back Coye Francies to their 53-man active roster and waived defensive back Eric King, the team announced. The Browns also signed linebacker Eric Bakhtiari to their practice squad.

Francies has spent the past two weeks on the Browns' practice squad after being signed on Dec. 1.

Francies, who was drafted by the Browns in the sixth round (191st overall) of the 2009 NFL Draft, appeared in six games and compiled two tackles, one pass defensed and two special-teams tackles in a reserve role during his rookie season. He was waived by the Browns on Sept. 3, and he spent the 2010 UFL season with the Las Vegas Locomotives, helping them win the league championship.

Ohio.com - Winning consistently eludes Browns

[Sez.EJ]

Nate Ulrich.. your a master of the obvious.. Have you been watching the past decade++ ? Hello???... He must have asked his 3 year old what he should write about.

hmmm Do I seem annoyed?

Tired of losing..tired of the coaching carousel, tired of the management carousel, tired of rebuilding, and rebuilding, and tearing down, and rebuilding.. tired of always looking to next year.

.... but I'm mostly tired of people posting all the negativity in the season that has been the most enjoyable to watching a very very long time. It is totally refreshing to be in every game and having a chance to win.. even if we are still not very good and lack talent..to be in every game is really fun to watch.. losses are always heartbreaking. but it's all good... especially after the DA debacle that was last year. tired of all the whining about qb's and coaching changes..

We have a lot to be thankful for after last year.. and I believe a lot to look forward to... but not a coaching change and another rebuild.. while we are yet in the middle of another rebuild.. tired of going backwards..tired tired tired.

[Enigmatic Evil]

Sez I want to give you +1,000,000 for that post because it feels like I wrote it myself!

I am tired of the team losing but I have my feet on the ground enough to know that turning a team as bad as the Browns around will not happen overnight. We've made strides after ONE season and we should only get better from here.

I can understand that the fan base is frustrated to the point of completely lacking foresight but really the overreactions after each loss is bordering on complete absurdity.

Last year was not just an all time low for the Browns (for me anyway) but for me completely as a Sports Fan. Partially because I also had to endure the Toronto Blue Jay's losing over 70 of their last 100 games. To see how far the Browns have come since last season has been a lot of fun to me. Sure, Jake Delhomme has been shit behind center but Colt McCoy's surprise has really overshadowed that for me and I am hoping he can keep it going to close out the year.

A coaching change will not change our fortune like a lot of fans seem to want. How desperately do we want the Browns to stay cozy with the bottom of the garbage can of the AFC?

[Sez.EJ]

Thanks EE.. I think what I feel is what a lot of us long time fans are going through. Last year was the worst.. I think if I had to go through another year of DA I would have just thrown my TV out the window. Frustration .. understatement of the century.. I think I captured that well in my post.. .. It was actually cathartic just writing that above post... So here is to the future and many playoffs

[Neo]

Originally Posted by Sez.EJ

Tired of losing..tired of the coaching carousel, tired of the management carousel, tired of rebuilding, and rebuilding, and tearing down, and rebuilding.. tired of always looking to next year.

That pretty much "Sez" what every true,frustrated, Browns fan really feels. Great post.