Mangini sees progress in ugly victory

Lewis likes Browns' commitment to run

Hamstring injury doesn't slow Jackson

Browns starting running back Jamal Lewis did not practice Thursday for the second consecutive day with a hamstring injury.

Lewis told a reporter Wednesday he would talk Thursday, but when the media entered the locker room, he headed for the door.

If Lewis can't go Sunday against his former team, the Baltimore Ravens, coach Eric Mangini may be forced to start rookie James Davis, a sixth-round pick from Clemson. He could also choose third-down back Jerome Harrison, removed from the injury report this week after a preseason knee injury.

Also missing Thursday were guards Floyd Womack and Rex Hadnot. Womack suffered an ankle injury Sunday at Denver and was replaced by Hank Fraley. Hadnot is still recovering from an Aug. 6 MCL injury.

Joe Thomas, one of six Browns captains.

Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Thomas and running back Jamal Lewis were selected on offense, linebackers Eric Barton and D'Qwell Jackson on defense and Pro Bowl return specialist Josh Cribbs and kicker Phil Dawson on special teams.

Dawson was selected for the third consecutive year. The only other player remaining on the team who served last year was center Hank Fraley.

Mangini said the captains will serve as liasons between he and the players and will meet weekly.

"It's good to know my teammates respect me that much," Jackson said. "I take pride in what I do, have fun with it. It's a great honor and I have to live up to that responsibility.

"There's a sense of pride in yourself and a sense of pride to get guys doing what they may not want to do. I've been here through the ups and downs. It's up to me to carry the torch this year."

Thomas, a two-time Pro Bowler starting his third season in the league, said it was ''something I've been working towards, leading by example and with a voice in the locker room."

Thomas believes the captains will be very influential with Mangini.

"Coach Mangini is definitely open to criticism and praise and input from the captains and players," Thomas said. "I think it's going to be an important job for the captains to give him that input, both good and bad."

Lewis also seemed honored by his selection.

"Over the years I've been on teams with a lot of great captains, people who I sat in the room with and actually put their name down because I felt like, 'This is the guy who should actually be out front. Somebody I could talk to if I needed to talk to them, a leader in all aspects,"' Lewis said. "I look at it in the same way. The majority of the guys had that kind of confidence in me. The guys I chose, those are the guys I felt I could depend on."

Lewis, who won the Super Bowl in 2000 with the Baltimore Ravens, said leadership is an important ingredient for a championship team.

"You need leadership upstairs, the coaches and all that," Lewis said. "But at the same time, you have to have leadership in the work force. It plays a major role."

Allen Patrick, an undrafted rookie running back from Oklahoma, was signed to the Browns' active roster. The Browns already have three running backs in Jamal Lewis, Jerome Harrison and Jason Wright, but Harrison left Sunday's game against the Titans with a rib injury. I'd guess this means he won't play against the Eagles Monday.

In college, Patrick had the unenviable task of replacing Adrian Peterson and never really met expectations. He has a long injury history as well. But, maybe he'll get some playing time before the season is over. Wright has been pretty bad this year and the coaches don't seem to have faith in Harrison.

Notes…
Jeff Schudel of the News-Herald does a real good job with his stuff. Here is his latest column, which is on Lewis not living up to his big talk.

It seems the anonymity of the Internet brings out the worst in people, particularly those who like to poke fun at sports columnists. Typically, though, the columnists never address the digs and criticism. That's why I like Pat McManamon. He does. Check out his post there for some "inside baseball" stuff you may find interesting. Now if only Phil Savage was a little more like Pat…

D'Qwell Jackson has become the story of the defense this season. He leads the NFL in tackles with 130. Patrick Willis of the 49ers is second with 117. Jackson is also something of a quote machine. Here he summed up his feelings on this season:

“When I’m here, you don’t think about it. When I’m home, you do think about it,” he said Monday before the players were given the last two days off. “Because I’m one of the guys that’s going to be here, it’s definitely going to affect me in someway or another.

“A lot of guys won’t be here next year.”

Whoever could a lot of those guys be? Well, check back here sometime before Monday night's game as we'll have some speculation.

Don't forget, we'll be having another chat for this Monday's game against Philadelphia.

Coach Romeo Crennel had little problem calling what wide receiver Braylon Edwards is enduring currently a slump.  He's more concerned, however, with getting Edwards' problems corrected. Right now the wideout has five receptions for 46 yards.  Gee, think those fantasy football wonks who have him on their rosters are a bit miffed?  You betcha.

It’s always troubling when a player goes through times like he is going through, when he is dropping balls that we need him to catch. We are trying to do everything we can to help get him out of his slump. A lot of times as a receiver, focus on the ball is one of the things. We have got numbers on the ball and we’ve got colors on the ball to try to improve his focus so he can relax and make some of those plays that we saw him make last year.

Crennel also recognizes that in order for the Browns to succeed offensively, the team has to be able to run and throw the ball.  They've not looked particularly good doing either as their massive 8 points per game average shows, thus far.  You could argue that it all begins with the running game, but more often than not, this team passed the ball to set up the run last year.  No consistency in the passing game equals no consistency in the run game.

I think that this team is a better offensive team when we can have balance, when we can run the ball and throw play-action passes and drop back and throw the ball. Once a team becomes one-dimensional, then the defense can load up on it. Our ability to be balanced helps the offense. As the game progresses and things happen, you adjust and adapt to what you feel at that time and you go with it, Crennel said.

Some good things on both side of the ball for Family Night.

 First up, the offense is starting to get into rhythm – that was at least the case Friday night.  It may be me but Jamal Lewis looks faster and more powerful.  He hit holes quickly, broke some arm tackles.  Now granted this wasn't full contact, but nonetheless he impressed.

Braylon Edwards plays as if he wants to top last year's spectacular numbers.   Granted it's just practice right now, but when you're diving for balls as he did Friday night that says a lot about your desire.  He pulled in a 47-yard beauty from Derek Anderson.  I doubt that the Edwards that initially showed up in Cleveland several seasons ago would have done that. 

Anderson is also showing that he's developing chemistry with Donte Stallworth as the duo hooked up for a couple of nice receptions, one of them came with Anderson scrambling, lookign for an open man and finding Stallworth for a 13-yard gain on the sideline.

 Defensively, Eric Wright stepped up with a nice performance that included a pick of a Brady Quinn pass that should have never been thrown.  Rooking linebacker Alex Hall continues to impress as he had a sack in the controlled scrimmage.

As good as the Browns first-team offense looked in some cases Friday night, I was more in awe of the crowd that showed up; more than 26,000 screaming, jacked up fans attended the practice session.   After rookie Beau Bell saw that he had the mone quote of the night:  "They told me this was a football town, and they proved it right here.  This was just a practice; I can't wait for the games."

Today felt like a pro football training camp – hot, sticky and a sun beating down so ferociously you felt as if you were the main dish at a Thanksgiving Day turkey dinner – and that's just how I felt.

But that sizzling, sultry air the Browns looked to get some serious work done.

Offensively, observers couldn't help but notice a package of plays that that unity worked on that revolved around kick returner-wide receiver and former Kent State Golden Flash, Joshua Cribbs.

They showed a number of plays that had Cribbs taking a direct snap, running an option and throwing the ball.  While Rob Chudzinski's offense flashed a little of this last season, Cribbs said after practice that they are looking to implementing it more this year.  He suggested that it will go a long way toward helping to keep opposing teams off balance defensively.

 Indeed, that would add some more wrinkles to the Browns' O, but what that unit really needs is for Cribbs, or another receiver, to step up and claim the No. 3 spot in that corps.  With Joe Jurevicius out until at least the start of the season, the Browns will need someone with soft hands to fill that role.  Cribbs, should he develop some consistency (he dropped a couple of balls in practice Tuesday), could fill that spot.

From what I've seen in the practices I've been to thus far, the offensive line possesses the potential to be dominating.  Courtesy of explosion off the ball, the O-line opened holes for all of the running backs to waltz through.  Jamal Lewis showed an impressive mix of power and speed.  Jerome Harrison showed some breakaway speed as did Jason Wright.  Rookie free agent Travis Thomas (Notre Dame) made the most of his limited opportunities.

Defensively, Brandon McDonald, the second-year cornerback who made Leigh Bodden expendable in the off season blanketed almost every receiver he covered and Mike Adams grabbed an interception off a pass tipped by wide receiver Travis Wilson.  Although they're not allowed to touch the quarterbacks, on some plays it was obvious that the defensive line at bare minimum would have forced a bad pass.