BEREA – Rookie running back James Davis has been following Jamal Lewis for much of his playing career.

The two played for the same school, Frederick Douglass High School in Atlanta, years apart and now find themselves on the same professional team.

According to Davis, Lewis set all the school rushing records and he broke them. ‘’I started three-and-half-years and Jamal started three, ‘’ Davis said. ‘’I got a little bit more playing than he did. He's always talking about that other (half) year.’’

Davis has opened his teammate's eyes with his performance thus far in training camp.  Lewis said that he believes he's going to be a ''special" player.

"I see a burst out of him and an aggressiveness out of him,’’ he said. ‘’We're from the same neighborhood back home, so he's got some fight to him. I just try to help him out as much as I can because I see the ability there.’"

The coaches see it as well as Davis' special team play has drawn raves from Coach Eric Mangini thus far, but the first-year Browns coach also likes one aspect of Davis' offensive game.

‘"James has done a really nice job. What I like about him is that he’s done it since the day that he got here.  He understands the importance of special teams,’’ Mangini said. ‘’There have been multiple drills where he is the first one down on special teams.  That’s what gets you noticed.’"

Dueling quarterbacks:  It's the battle of the summer and there's little escaping it.  To some it may even feel like a replay of last summer sans the coin flip.  But Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson are duking it out for the job of starting quarterback.  No one can obviously judge by a single day, but Anderson definitely had an advantage on the field Tuesday, hitting his receivers consistently and showing good judgment on more than a few occasions.  Brady Quinn not so much.

On more than one occasion Quinn put a reciever in a difficult position to make a catch.  While occasionally one of his playmakers, such as running back Jerome Harrison, would make him look good by leaping over a defender's back to make a play.  On one occasion defensive back Abe Elam, who the Browns acquired in a trade from the New York Jets, picked Quinn off, after he under threw his receiver.  Quinn has thrown three picks in two days.

Fitting right in:  Mohamed Massaquoi flashed his skills on the field Tuesday, literally catching everything thrown in his direction.  The rookie from the University of Georgia displayed sure hands and blazing speed, which he flashed after catching the ball as he ran away from defensive backs.  The rookie, who played with the Detroit Lions' Matt Stafford, could very well offer the most impact of any rookie. With Braylon Edwards the only sure-fire starter right now, Massaquoi and fellow rookie wideout Brian Robiskie have a chance to claim the other. 

Staying on the offensive side of the ball, even the casual observer has to like what they hear from rookie center Alex Mack, the team's first-round draft choice.  Mack has made his share of mistakes since camp opened.  A bad snap today cost him again as he had to run a lap around the team's expansive fields.  Mack, however, recognizes that it's a learning situation and part of the deal of transitioning from college ball to the NFL.

Defensively, Shaun Rogers returned to practice after sitting out the past couple of days with an undisclosed injury.  The svelte looking Rogers (he's reportedly dropped to 320 lbs. ) provided some impact during drills and in practice as he disrupted offensively flow on more than one occasion.  Of course, there was still some rust as Rogers committed an offsides penalty and found himself doing a lap – if you want to call it that.  He virtually tip-toed around the outskirts of the field drawing both applause and laughs from individuals in attendance at Tuesday's practice.

Something completely different:   Josh Cribbs not being back on any kick return teams.  He played on the kickoff teams.

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.

Ummm…sure the Northeast Ohio Browns media were in the locker room this afternoon, but it resembled something out of an episode of The X-Files.  Many players were mysteriously missing.  Yes, we know that the problem lies in the fact that they lost this past Sunday, but as one person in the room observed:  "You're here when you win and you want the love; where are you when you lose and it's not going to be as easy?"

Indeed.  But props to those who came around to talk.

Among the missing, however was wide receiver Braylon Edwards who looks to have gone on a media boycott since last week when a news report on WOIO (Channel 19) revealed that Edwards received a verbal warning after being stopped for doing 120-miles-per-hour in a 65-miles-per-hour zone a few weeks back in Avon Lake.  The report caused the Avon P.D. to issue a citation weeks after the fact. 

That doesn't explain Edwards' woeful start to the begining of the season that he needs to place in context for Cleveland Browns fans.  The guy has five receptions for 46 yards in two games.  That's borderline pathetic.  His teammates, especially quarterback Derek Anderson hasn't lost faith in him, however.

(I'm going to) keep plugging along, keep throwing him the ball. I've got confidence in him he's going to catch it. Just keep working. He's going to be fine. As much as (everyone) keeps drilling him about it, he's going to be all right.

He's working. We had a good work week last week. Every day after practice we were getting balls and catching it and feeling really good about it. We're going to continue to do that and he's going to be all right.

Of course, it would help if the Browns had a dependable receiver to work in with Edwards and tight end Kellen Winslow.  Donte Stallworth was supposed to be that guy.  If you spent any amount of time in training camp you could see that offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski had a nice package that included short passes in space to give Stallworth room to work in place.  The wide receiver said he would like to return for Sunday's contest against the Baltimore Ravens.

I’m hoping that I can get out there. I don’t want to be out there and let my pride get in the way of me thinking I can go out there and can’t and in reality hurt the team more than I would like to. It’s a matter of me being able to contribute as opposed to being out there and injurying myself again or hurting the team at all.

'Just Another Game'

Is this what free agency have wrought?  A couple of media members did a double take in the Browns locker room when Shaun Smith downplayed the importance of this Sunday night's Browns-Steelers game that's being televised nationally on NBC (WKYC Channel 3)

"It's just another game.  We're trying to get better and trying to get a 'W'," Smith said. "I know it's a big rivalry as you guys (the media) make it, but to us it's just another game on the schedule that we have to go out and play and try to make something happen."

I'm willing to give Smith the benefit of the doubt on this one for not wanting to give the Steelers any bulletin board material.  But in this part of the NFL universe, he could have at least acknowledge the importance of the game on some level.

Sean Jones out

As reported in Marla Ridenour's blog post earlier, Sean Jones is out because of knee problems and will have arthroscopic surgery on it in the hopes of remedying the problem.   It will fall to backup Mike Adams to help fill the void in the defensive backfield. He said he's up to the responsibility.

"I'm ready for the challenge.  I'm out there getting everything right. I'm looking at film for anything and everything, so I'll definitely be ready." 

He'll have his word cut out for him with having to deal with Hines Ward and Heath Miller.

Just a Little Recognition

Browns center Hank Fraley recognizes that this game goes beyond being "just another game" in that he believes that it's still a rivalry.  More importantly, however, he understands the predicament the Browns could find themselves.

"It's been a long time for us to be at the top and here's a chance to be there.  We go 1-1 for the season and 1-0 in our division. It's a big game for us.  They're going to be up for it; we're going to be up for it.  It's going to be exciting Sunday Night Football."

From the Other Side

Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger left his team's opener with an injured shoulder this past Sunday and didn't practice today. 

"Today has been a good mental day for me watching and learning about the blitzes and the new plays we put in, so that will be a very above-the-shoulders productive day today, so we'll take it one day at a time," he said in a conference call with reporters.

Browns fans shouldn't count on Roethlisberger not playing.  His coach, Mike Tomlin, said there's little dobut he will.

- Browns Coach Romeo Crennel has always struck me like a bear in appearance and demeanor.   With respect to the latter, he only growls when necessary and in private.  But that hibernation-like demeanor kind of leaves me wondering whether he can ultimately hang on to the confidence of his players.

Take today's press conference for instance:

"We are trying to get ready to play the game we have on Sunday night. It’s a big game for us because we lost the last one and we need a win and it’s the Pittsburgh Steelers who are right down the road. We haven’t done very well against those guys since we have been here so I think that adds more importance to it. It’s going to be critical that we play good. We have to play good to have a chance because they are a pretty good team as you saw last week and what they were able to get done. Our guys will accept the challenge and step up. We are going to work and we are going to fight and we will see what happens. "

The words don't exactly inspire.  Then again, it's the media so he doesn't have to inspire us.

But even the casual observer of the Browns-Steelers rivalry have to raise an eyebrow when it comes to this statement Crennel made about the longstanding feud:

“I can’t speak for before I was here, but since I have been here they have been able to beat us and basically play better. Even when it looked like we had a chance we haven’t been able to finish. We are going to have to see if we can get off to a good start and then see if we can finish a game."

Again, not inspiring.  However, I will give Crennel credit for cutting to the chase on one issue: team defense.  Maybe the so-so way in which he delivers his message is coming from a coach who knows that didn't get everything worked out in the pre-season.  While the offense can claim some legitimate near misses on several plays. The defense was never close with the Dallas Cowboys being able to run and pass at will.  Realistically, the Cowboys should have scored more than 40 points and Crennel knows it.

“I don’t think you can say anybody played well. Shaun (Rogers) was able to get some push in the pocket in the second half a little bit, but when you give up almost 500 yards of offense there’s not much that can look good.”

Let's see how the Browns deal with this one.  Donte Stallworth, wide receiver, is questionable for the game with a groin injury.

The injury occurred during pre-game warmups.  Syndric Steptoe started in his place.

You guys watched it; it wasn't pretty. I won't continue the pain here.

Romeo Crennel proved true to his word. While the third preseason game is the one where first teamers see the most action, Crennel said in a recent practice that he wouldn't be telling them when they were coming out of the game – primarily because he thought it mad them in a hurry to get in and get out.

Quinn, starting for Anderson, opened the third quarter and began to march the team down the field until stalling no a fourth-and-two play that resulted in an incompletion to running back Jerome Harrison that almost saw him throwing from his backside.

Quinn's third possession doesn't bode any better.  Again three and out with ineffective blocks courtesy of the right side of the line leads to Quinn getting splattered to the turf on his tookes.

The Browns just succeeded in making Dan Orlvosky look Favre-esque twice on the Lions first possession of the second quarter.  And Kevin Smith brought back memories of Barry Sanders with a 35-yard touchdown run where no one really laid a finger on him.

Hmmm…Quinn begins to get into a rhythm, dinking and dunking the ball around when he finally throws an intermediate pass, it's dropped by Travis Wilson.  Quinn and company finally break the scoring drought to go make the score 13-3.  They blew a golden opportunity to score a TD by imploding near the goal line.

On the next drive he once again looked to get something going, but incompletions and near picks undo it.  Phil Dawson salvages it with a 53-yard field goal.  Overall Quinn is up and down on the drive, but at the same time he can't be completely blamed

First drive:  All of a sudden Jon Kitna looks like a junior Fran Tarkenton (for those of you under 40, look him up).  He completes two third and eights on the drive after scrambling away from pressure.  The good news is the Browns are getting pressure; the bad is that Kitna is evading it.  The run defense also looked good with Shaun Rodgers making a couple of stuffs. After it looks as if the Lions will march in for a score courtesy of those two scrambles, the Lions settle for a field goal.

It should be noted that the Browns are missing Brodney Pool and Sean Jones in the secondary.

This is for all of those 10-13 year old girls out there who couldn't wait to see Brady Quinn get a chance to play.  Sorry, but given that two of his most potent weapons – Jamal Lewis and Braylon Edwards – aren't playing, I don't have great expectations.

Quinn's first drive: An inauspicous occasion.  Offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski allows him to go deep to start and he overthrows the ball.  He hits on a two-yarder to Kellen Winslow and misses Donte Stallworth on a short out route.

Lions take a 6-0 lead.  Browns again bend but don't break, but there's something troubling about watching receivers get three yards beyond DBs on pass plays.  They do only give up just one significant run.  Shaun Rodgers already has four tackles and has plastered the Lions Kevin Smith on most of them.

Quinn goes three and out and misses Donte Stallworth on a short pass.

Jon Kitna's apparently got his work in for the day…he's pulled for Dan Orlovsky.  You get time off in the preseason when you go 9-for-11 for 98 yards.