CLEVELAND (AP) – Browns president Mike Holmgren will meet with Eric Mangini on Monday morning to discuss the coach’s future in Cleveland.

Mangini is 10-21 in two years with the Browns (5-10), who have shown some improvement this season but maybe not enough to satisfy Holmgren. Cleveland is 3-9 in games decided by 10 points or less and the Browns entered Sunday’s finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers (11-4) just 2-5 since upsetting the New England Patriots on Nov. 7.

Mangini has expressed confidence he has the Browns headed in the right direction, and on Friday said he was excited about being part of the team’s future. Holmgren kept Mangini this season despite the club’s 5-11 finish in 2009.

Amid a peppering of questions about his future with the Cleveland Browns, coach Eric Mangini told reporters Friday that bulldozing running back Peyton Hillis missed practice again Friday with a rib injury, and would be monitored closely leading up to Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“I’m optimistic he’ll play, but we’ll see,” Mangini said, adding that Hillis is still experiencing soreness. “Figured another day of rest would be good.”

Mangini said the Browns are not opposed to adding another running back to the roster on Saturday if Hillis’ status declines.

“We can still do something tomorrow, if need be,” Mangini said. The Browns’ second-year coach praised the work of backup Mike Bell, who rushed for 27 yards last week against the Baltimore Ravens.

“I thought he looked good (against Baltimore),” Mangini said. “I thought he had his best week of practice last week — and it translated. He’s had another good week of practice this week.”

Mangini acknowledged that the team might turn to Joshua Cribbs and the Wildcat to bolster a running game that’s relied almost entirely on Hillis, who has rushed for 1,164 yards with 11 touchdowns and been a revelation for a team in search of an identity on offense.

Mangini was asked if his uncertain future with the team weighs heavily as he prepares for the Steelers.

“I feel really good about this week … it’s been consistent,” Mangini said. “There is uncertainty with some things, but the guys have responded exactly the way I’ve asked them to. … You also want the guys to enjoy the week and appreciate the week … it’s the Steelers and the rivalry, and all those things.

“I think this organization has a tremendous future, a bright future, and I’m excited to be a part of that,” Mangini said.

Mangini was asked if he would agree to make sweeping changes to the coaching staff, if mandated by Browns president Mike Holmgren.

“With hypotheticals like that, I’d rather just sit down with Mike and see what he says,” Mangni said, adding that the two would likely meet Monday.

BEREA, Ohio — As the Cleveland Browns, his all-consuming pet rebuilding project, went through drills earlier this week, team president Mike Holmgren ventured onto the rock-hard practice field and called over kicker Phil Dawson for a chat.

With coach Eric Mangini standing only yards away, Holmgren, bundled in a heavy jacket to combat December’s biting cold, talked to other players and then with Gil Haskell, his longtime friend and one of the trusted advisers he brought to Cleveland.

Last year, Holmgren traded his whistle for an executive’s tie.

He might be about swap them again.

With the Browns perhaps on the verge of a coaching change, quarterback Seneca Wallace believes Holmgren is angling for a return to the sideline.

“I kind of do just because things probably haven’t turned out the way he wanted on offense and being an offensive guy, I think he still has that itch to come back to coach,” said Wallace, who played seven seasons for Holmgren in Seattle. “But at the end of the day, he’s going to make the right decision for the rest of the team.”

Yep, the Browns (5-10) could be getting a makeover. This one, though, might not be quite as extreme.

Mangini, given one reprieve by Holmgren last January, may not get a second as the Browns stagger to the finish of another disappointing season — their ninth with double-digit losses in 12 years. Cleveland has gone just 2-5 since a midseason upset of New England, and unless the Browns can stun Pittsburgh on Sunday, Mangini will close his second year with a four-game losing streak.

That may be enough for Holmgren to make a coaching change, assuming he hasn’t already made up his mind to replace Mangini, who will carry a 10-21 overall record — 2-9 vs. the AFC North — into Sunday’s regular-season finale.

When Holmgren last met with reporters on Nov. 2, he said he would wait until after the season before making a decision on Mangini. He also left open the possibility of a return to coaching.

“I’d be less than honest if I didn’t say I get fired up watching the games,” he said. “I mean I [coached] for too long not to react sometimes the way I do, but I also recognize what I was hired to do and that’s what I’m trying to do.”

Browns owner Randy Lerner brought in Holmgren to fix his franchise, which has undergone nearly constant change in the past decade.

If Mangini gets fired, the 62-year-old Holmgren, who won a Super Bowl with Green Bay and an NFC championship with Seattle, will quickly jump to the top of a list of possible replacements. There could be several other big-name candidates available, including Jon Gruden, John Fox, Bill Cowher and others.

But Holmgren simply packing up his belongings and moving down the hall to a new office would cause the least uproar for organization craving calm. Unlike previous years, there doesn’t seem to be nearly as much concern about the possibility — and potential likelihood — of change.

Maybe that’s because Holmgren is overseeing it.

“He brings credibility to the whole organization,” said Dawson, who has seen his share of turnover in 11-plus seasons with Cleveland. “I think if you ask anyone, they would say the same thing. Guys are confident that he knows what he wants to do, and we’ll all have to wait and see what happens. But no one seems to be panicking or anything like that.”

Many Browns fans can’t bear the thought of another coaching change, but Wallace believes they should be comforted by Holmgren’s presence.

“He’s a person who is going to build a foundation,” said Wallace, who started four games this season. “I don’t think over the last couple of years there’s been a foundation. There has been a lot of turnover. And I think once you build that foundation and that type of mentality, it’s going to build for the future.”

Has he seen any part of the foundation formed?

“I saw a couple of bricks slide in place,” he said, “but there’s still a lot of building that needs to be done.”

Holmgren has spent the year evaluating Cleveland’s roster, which has been upgraded by general manager Tom Heckert — Holmgren’s first hire. Holmgren knows what’s needed and what’s not, a fact that would make his potential takeover as coach that much more seamless.

Cornerback Sheldon Brown, acquired in an offseason trade with Philadelphia, has faith that the Browns’ front office is getting things done.

“If they came back here and said, ‘Sheldon, we need you to play safety, nickel, dime,’ I believe that they know what they’re doing to get us to where we need to go,” he said. “I just believe in the plan.”

When Holmgren accepted Lerner’s offer to restore the Browns, he did so knowing it would be hard to shake the coaching bug. It’s all the former high school history teacher has known since becoming an assistant at his alma mater in San Francisco 40 years ago.

Holmgren has enjoyed his executive role, immersing himself into the daily business of the Browns with the same verve as he did as a coach. But shaking hands with season-ticket holders and charming suite holders doesn’t provide the same excitement as preparing a game plan to beat the Ravens.

He knew turning the Browns into consistent winners would take time, but patience has never been a strong suit.

“The problem is that I’m old, and the clock is ticking a little bit for me in this business,” Holmgren joked during an interview with The Associated Press in October.

He misses the game.

It might be time to get back in it.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

BEREA, Ohio — His destiny’s unknown and in team president Mike Holmgren’s hands. Eric Mangini could be down to his final days with the Browns.

He hopes his time in Cleveland isn’t over.

But if this is indeed the end, and only Holmgren knows for sure, Mangini’s last week began with two players stepping forward to say they hope he returns for a third season.

“

I have the utmost respect for him. I can’t say anything negative about him. You may find someone else, but I can’t. He’s treated me like a man from day one.

” – Sheldon Brown on Eric Mangini

“I have the utmost respect for him,” cornerback Sheldon Brown said. “I can’t say anything negative about him. You may find someone else, but I can’t. He’s treated me like a man from day one.”

Fullback Lawrence Vickers, one of the NFL’s most devastating blockers, cleared a path for his coach.

“I love Mangini,” Vickers said. “He’s a good guy, so I want him back. If not, I can’t do nothing about it. Like he tells us, life goes on.”

The comments were the most positive and public spoken by any Cleveland players this season in support of Mangini, whose record dropped to 10-21 with the Browns (5-10) following Sunday’s home loss to Baltimore. To this point, many of the Browns had either sidestepped questions about Mangini by saying, “It isn’t my decision,” or they were focused on the game ahead.

Not Brown and Vickers. They have Mangini’s back.

Cleveland’s season, which peaked with a Nov. 7 upset of New England, has been in steady decline. The Browns are just 2-5 since then, with losses at Buffalo and Cincinnati — both two-win teams at the time — providing the necessary ammo for Holmgren or any Mangini bashers to pass judgment.

Holmgren hasn’t spoken to the media since Nov. 2, when he said he would wait until after the season before making any decision on Mangini.

Brown, acquired in an offseason trade, played for Andy Reid in Philadelphia. He believes Mangini has the qualities to take the Browns to a higher level.

“He has all the intangibles,” he said. “He learned from one of the best [Bill Belichick]. Obviously he knows the plan. For us, it’s just going out and executing the plan. It’s not his fault when we give up touchdown passes. It’s not his fault when we throw interceptions. It’s not his fault when we fumble. The players control that.”

Mangini was grateful to learn that two of his players spoke highly of him.

One of the goals he has met since taking over the Browns has been filling his roster with high-character people who value team success over individual triumph.

The Browns have bonded.

“There’s a sense of community in this team and sense of purpose that doesn’t happen by accident,” he said. “We all want to win every week. There’s tremendous respect for each other. That’s going to continue to be here and it’s going to continue to propel us forward.”

For at least one more week.

The Browns will end the season by hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers (11-4), who will come to Cleveland on Sunday looking to win the AFC North. It’s one more chance for Mangini to show Holmgren how much his team has improved in Year 2. And while the record — the Browns finished 5-11 last year — has barely budged, Mangini’s confident significant strides have been made.

“We are seeing it on Sunday at 4 o’clock,” he said. “It’s not showing up in the ultimate category, which is to win games. That needs to continue to improve. But I think the progress is showing up every single week in the way we play, the style we play, the consistency — all those things are apparent.”

Mangini’s supporters — and it’s a surprisingly sizable group — point to the Browns’ competitiveness all season. They’ve been in every game. They’ve pulled off shocking wins over the Patriots and New Orleans. And, they’ve had to withstand a rash of injuries, including high ankle sprains to all three quarterbacks.

Mangini’s detractors argue the Browns should have pulled out a few more games. They also question Mangini’s decision-making, clock management and ultraconservative tendencies on game day. In Sunday’s loss, the Browns wasted valuable time before settling for a field goal to end the first half, and then botched an onside kick to open the second.

Holmgren, who celebrated his one-year anniversary in Cleveland last week, has hinted at a possible return to the sideline. It’s not known if the 62-year-old has eliminated the coaching bug or if he’ll make a switch if one of his former assistants, such as Jon Gruden or Marty Mornhinweg, is available.

Or, Holmgren may decide to keep Mangini, and change Mangini’s staff.

Mangini said he has not discussed anything with Holmgren outside of “team-related stuff,” and that he isn’t curious about what his boss is thinking.

“I remember somebody telling me one time don’t worry about the future, it comes soon enough,” Mangini said.

By next Monday, things should be much clearer.

Until then, Vickers said the Browns will do what Mangini has preached.

“We want to keep fighting for our coach,” he said. “That’s the type of coach that he is. Hey, he coached us to finish, and that’s what we’re trying to do.”

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Ravens lead the Browns 10-7 in the second quarter.

With another dismal season ending in more disarray, the Cleveland Browns can’t win the AFC North title. 

However, they can help decide who does. 

Over the next two weeks, the Browns (5-9), who have long fought for respect and relevancy inside their rugged division, will get a chance to directly impact the order of finish at the top along with playoff seedings when they host rivals Baltimore and Pittsburgh. 

It’s a consolation prize of sorts for the Browns, possibly headed for a coaching change if Eric Mangini can’t pull off a
second straight magical late-season escape act. Mangini’s future could be resting on his team’s performance in the next two games, a final flurry to impress team president Mike Holmgren, who will weigh more than wins and losses when he determines the coach’s fate. 

At least one Cleveland coach feels Holmgren should realize that the Browns, who went 5-11 last season and have been plagued by key injuries this season, are vastly improved. 

“If they break it up,” said defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, “that would be dumb as hell.” 

The Ravens (10-4) and Steelers (10-4) could help Holmgren decide. 

Baltimore, coming off an impressive win over New Orleans last week, is tied with Pittsburgh for first place with the Steelers holding the tiebreaker if the teams win out. As long as Baltimore beats Cleveland on Sunday, the Ravens will clinch a playoff spot for the third straight season. 

It’s all in their hands. 

“It doesn’t get any better,” linebacker Ray Lewis said. “From day one, I’ve always talked about this journey we’ve been on, and now we find ourselves at a great place where we control our own destiny. We don’t need anybody to do this, to do that. All we have to do is go to Cleveland and win.” 

The Browns have dropped five straight to the Ravens, who won the Sept. 26 meeting 24-17. Cleveland grabbed a 17-14 lead in the fourth quarter before giving up 10 points in the final 9:13, when Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco threw his third touchdown pass to Anquan Boldin and Billy Cundiff kicked a 49-yard field goal. 

Baltimore felt fortunate to win. Its tenacious defense was shredded for 144 yards by Browns running back Peyton Hillis, whose breakout performance forever endeared him to Cleveland fans and put him on the NFL radar after two seasons of anonymity in Denver. 

Hillis found holes not thought to exist in Baltimore’s defense. 

They may be tougher to locate this time. 

“It won’t happen again,” Lewis said, dismissing Hillis’ day. 

The Ravens’ snarling, emotional leader wasn’t about to give Hillis an ounce of credit this week. 

“A blind cat will find a meal every once in a while,” he said. “We definitely aren’t coming in there to give him (Hillis) over 100 yards again. We’re definitely coming in to play a very physical football game. And let him understand that my son could’ve run through the holes that we gave him in Baltimore, and we just don’t do that. When we get back to Cleveland this weekend, it’ll definitely be a different outcome.” 

Baltimore could be facing a different Hillis. He missed practice on Wednesday with a sore left knee, but the powerplug back, who has accounted for nearly 40 percent of Cleveland’s offense, is expected to play. 

For the Browns’ sake, he’d better. 

Cleveland’s offense has been sputtering, scoring just 36 points in the past three weeks and failing to stay on the field. The Browns have gone just 6 of 32 on third-down conversions, a problem that rookie quarterback Colt McCoy inherited after taking the starter’s job from Jake Delhomme. 

During practice, the Browns made third down a No. 1 priority. 

“We’re just inconsistent,” said McCoy, who is 2-4 as a starter. “We make some plays, we do some things right and then at times something happens. Whether we miss a block, miss a throw or miss a catch, catch the ball behind the sticks, there are just so many things we can do a better job of collectively as a group. 

“We’ve got a lot of work to do with that.” 

This will be McCoy’s baptism against Baltimore’s defense, players he has watched on TV for years. He knows all about Lewis and Ed Reed and Terrell Suggs. Now, he’ll get to know them up close and personally. 

McCoy has shown pinpoint accuracy as a pro — he’s completed 66 percent of his passes — and a knack for making plays. He has also had some moments of uncertainty in the pocket. 

The Ravens prey upon the indecisive. 

Lewis has studied McCoy’s tendencies, and believe it or not, came away impressed. 

“You definitely see the rookie mistakes, but you also see the potential,” he said. “He really moves around with the ball way better than people might think. His delivery is great on the ball. To see his development, you’re really seeing him slow down and really trying to read the game. 

“It’ll be a challenge because he’s unpredictable. But we’ll definitely go in there and try to pressure.” 

There’s enough pressure already in Cleveland. 

Mangini is under fire — again — and if Holmgren has already made up his mind to make a switch, Sunday’s outcome may not matter. Earlier this week, Mangini was asked what’s like to be on the proverbial “hot seat.” 

“My seat’s been hot for about three years,” joked Mangini, fired by the New York Jets after the 2008 season. “I’m pretty comfortable in that seat.” 

It’s going to heat up even more if the Browns don’t win another game, but Mangini likes the fact that he and his players get to see how they measure up to the division powers. 

“I really like the way that it’s set up this year, playing division opponents at the end,” he said. “We have a chance to
continue to make progress as a team, and we can do it against the two top teams in the division. They’re playoff-bound — or arguably playoff-bound — and it’s about as good a test as you can get.” 

And one he can’t afford to fail. 

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

CLEVELAND — With another dismal season ending in more disarray, the Cleveland Browns can’t win the AFC North title.

Advertisement

However, they can help decide who does.

Over the next two weeks, the Browns (5-9), who have long fought for respect and relevancy inside their rugged division, will get a chance to directly impact the order of finish at the top along with playoff seedings when they host rivals Baltimore and Pittsburgh.

It’s a consolation prize of sorts for the Browns, possibly headed for a coaching change if Eric Mangini can’t pull off a second straight magical late-season escape act. Mangini’s future could be resting on his team’s performance in the next two games, a final flurry to impress team president Mike Holmgren, who will weigh more than wins and losses when he determines the coach’s fate.

At least one Cleveland coach feels Holmgren should realize that the Browns, who went 5-11 last season and have been plagued by key injuries this season, are vastly improved.

“If they break it up,” said defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, “that would be dumb as hell.”

The Ravens (10-4) and Steelers (11-4) could help Holmgren decide.

Baltimore, coming off an impressive win over New Orleans last week, is a half-game behind Pittsburgh for first place with the Steelers holding the tiebreaker if the teams win out. As long as Baltimore beats Cleveland today, the Ravens will clinch a playoff spot for the third straight season.

It’s all in their hands.

“It doesn’t get any better,” linebacker Ray Lewis said. “From day one, I’ve always talked about this journey we’ve been on, and now we find ourselves at a great place where we control our own destiny. We don’t need anybody to do this, to do that. All we have to do is go to Cleveland and win.”

The Browns have dropped five straight to the Ravens, who won the Sept. 26 meeting 24-17. Cleveland grabbed a 17-14 lead in the fourth quarter before giving up 10 points in the final 9 minutes, 13 seconds, when Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco threw his third touchdown pass to Anquan Boldin and Billy Cundiff kicked a 49-yard field goal.

Baltimore felt fortunate to win. Its tenacious defense was shredded for 144 yards by Browns running back Peyton Hillis, whose performance endeared him to Cleveland fans. Hillis found holes not thought to exist in Baltimore’s defense.

They might be tougher to locate this time.

“It won’t happen again,” Lewis said, dismissing Hillis’ day.

Baltimore could be facing a different Hillis. He missed practice on Wednesday with a sore left knee, but the powerplug back, who has accounted for nearly 40 percent of Cleveland’s offense, came back Thursday and is expected to play.

For the Browns’ sake, he’d better. Cleveland’s offense has been sputtering, scoring just 36 points in the past three weeks and failing to stay on the field. The Browns have gone just 6 of 32 on third-down conversions, a problem that rookie quarterback Colt McCoy inherited after taking the starter’s job from Jake Delhomme.

During practice, the Browns made third down a No. 1 priority.

“We’re just inconsistent,” said McCoy, who is 2-4 as a starter. “We make some plays, we do some things right and then at times something happens. Whether we miss a block, miss a throw or miss a catch, catch the ball behind the sticks, there are just so many things we can do a better job of collectively as a group.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do with that.”

This will be McCoy’s baptism against Baltimore’s defense. He knows all about Lewis and Ed Reed and Terrell Suggs. Now, he’ll get to know them up close and personally.

McCoy has shown pinpoint accuracy as a pro — he’s completed 66 percent of his passes — and a knack for making plays. He has also had some moments of uncertainty in the pocket.

The Ravens prey upon the indecisive.

Lewis has studied McCoy’s tendencies, and believe it or not, came away impressed.

“You definitely see the rookie mistakes, but you also see the potential,” he said. “He really moves around with the ball way better than people might think. His delivery is great on the ball. To see his development, you’re really seeing him slow down and really trying to read the game.

“It’ll be a challenge because he’s unpredictable. But we’ll definitely go in there and try to pressure.”

There’s enough pressure already in Cleveland.

Mangini is under fire — again — and if Holmgren has already made up his mind to make a switch, today’s outcome might not matter. Earlier this week, Mangini was asked what’s like to be on the proverbial “hot seat.”

“My seat’s been hot for about three years,” joked Mangini, fired by the New York Jets after the 2008 season. “I’m pretty comfortable in that seat.”

It’s going to heat up even more if the Browns don’t win another game, but Mangini likes the fact that he and his players get to see how they measure up to the division powers.

“I really like the way that it’s set up this year, playing division opponents at the end,” he said. “We have a chance to continue to make progress as a team, and we can do it against the two top teams in the division. They’re playoff-bound — or arguably playoff-bound — and it’s about as good a test as you can get.”

And one he can’t afford to fail.

CLEVELAND – With another dismal season ending in more disarray, the Cleveland Browns can’t win the AFC North title.

However, they can help decide who does.

Over the next two weeks, the Browns (5-9), who have long fought for respect and relevancy inside their rugged division, will get a chance to directly impact the order of finish at the top along with playoff seedings when they host rivals Baltimore and Pittsburgh.

It’s a consolation prize of sorts for the Browns, possibly headed for a coaching change if Eric Mangini can’t pull off a second straight magical late-season escape act. Mangini’s future could be resting on his team’s performance in the next two games, a final flurry to impress team president Mike Holmgren, who will weigh more than wins and losses when he determines the coach’s fate.

At least one Cleveland coach feels Holmgren should realize that the Browns, who went 5-11 last season and have been plagued by key injuries this season, are vastly improved.

“If they break it up,” said defensive co-ordinator Rob Ryan, “that would be dumb as hell.”

The Ravens (10-4) and Steelers (10-4) could help Holmgren decide.

Baltimore, coming off an impressive win over New Orleans last week, is tied with Pittsburgh for first place with the Steelers holding the tiebreaker if the teams win out. As long as Baltimore beats Cleveland on Sunday, the Ravens will clinch a playoff spot for the third straight season.

It’s all in their hands.

“It doesn’t get any better,” linebacker Ray Lewis(notes) said. “From day one, I’ve always talked about this journey we’ve been on, and now we find ourselves at a great place where we control our own destiny. We don’t need anybody to do this, to do that. All we have to do is go to Cleveland and win.”

The Browns have dropped five straight to the Ravens, who won the Sept. 26 meeting 24-17. Cleveland grabbed a 17-14 lead in the fourth quarter before giving up 10 points in the final 9:13, when Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco(notes) threw his third touchdown pass to Anquan Boldin(notes) and Billy Cundiff(notes) kicked a 49-yard field goal.

Baltimore felt fortunate to win. Its tenacious defense was shredded for 144 yards by Browns running back Peyton Hillis(notes), whose breakout performance forever endeared him to Cleveland fans and put him on the NFL radar after two seasons of anonymity in Denver.

Hillis found holes not thought to exist in Baltimore’s defense.

They may be tougher to locate this time.

“It won’t happen again,” Lewis said, dismissing Hillis’ day.

The Ravens’ snarling, emotional leader wasn’t about to give Hillis an ounce of credit this week.

“A blind cat will find a meal every once in a while,” he said. “We definitely aren’t coming in there to give him (Hillis) over 100 yards again. We’re definitely coming in to play a very physical football game. And let him understand that my son could’ve run through the holes that we gave him in Baltimore, and we just don’t do that. When we get back to Cleveland this weekend, it’ll definitely be a different outcome.”

Baltimore could be facing a different Hillis. He missed practice on Wednesday with a sore left knee, but the powerplug back, who has accounted for nearly 40 per cent of Cleveland’s offense, is expected to play.

For the Browns’ sake, he’d better.

Cleveland’s offense has been sputtering, scoring just 36 points in the past three weeks and failing to stay on the field. The Browns have gone just 6 of 32 on third-down conversions, a problem that rookie quarterback Colt McCoy(notes) inherited after taking the starter’s job from Jake Delhomme(notes).

During practice, the Browns made third down a No. 1 priority.

“We’re just inconsistent,” said McCoy, who is 2-4 as a starter. “We make some plays, we do some things right and then at times something happens. Whether we miss a block, miss a throw or miss a catch, catch the ball behind the sticks, there are just so many things we can do a better job of collectively as a group.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do with that.”

This will be McCoy’s baptism against Baltimore’s defense, players he has watched on TV for years. He knows all about Lewis and Ed Reed(notes) and Terrell Suggs(notes). Now, he’ll get to know them up close and personally.

McCoy has shown pinpoint accuracy as a pro — he’s completed 66 per cent of his passes — and a knack for making plays. He has also had some moments of uncertainty in the pocket.

The Ravens prey upon the indecisive.

Lewis has studied McCoy’s tendencies, and believe it or not, came away impressed.

“You definitely see the rookie mistakes, but you also see the potential,” he said. “He really moves around with the ball way better than people might think. His delivery is great on the ball. To see his development, you’re really seeing him slow down and really trying to read the game.

“It’ll be a challenge because he’s unpredictable. But we’ll definitely go in there and try to pressure.”

There’s enough pressure already in Cleveland.

Mangini is under fire — again — and if Holmgren has already made up his mind to make a switch, Sunday’s outcome may not matter. Earlier this week, Mangini was asked what’s like to be on the proverbial “hot seat.”

“My seat’s been hot for about three years,” joked Mangini, fired by the New York Jets after the 2008 season. “I’m pretty comfortable in that seat.”

It’s going to heat up even more if the Browns don’t win another game, but Mangini likes the fact that he and his players get to see how they measure up to the division powers.

“I really like the way that it’s set up this year, playing division opponents at the end,” he said. “We have a chance to continue to make progress as a team, and we can do it against the two top teams in the division. They’re playoff-bound — or arguably playoff-bound — and it’s about as good a test as you can get.”

And one he can’t afford to fail.

BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Colt McCoy barely blinked as he tried to insist that it was just another day for the Cleveland Browns.

The rookie didn’t fool anyone. This was hardly routine.

Stepping way out of character, coach Eric Mangini named McCoy his starting quarterback for this week’s game at Cincinnati (2-11) and for the remainder of this season — home games against AFC North big boys Baltimore and Pittsburgh. McCoy, who hasn’t played since spraining his left ankle on Nov. 21 at Jacksonville, has been entrusted with Cleveland’s offense for three games that could determine Mangini’s future.

‘It’s no landmark day,” McCoy said before practice Thursday. ‘Today is the day that, now I know I’m the starter. I gotta go out and play and go out and get better and I gotta go out and help us win.”

After checking McCoy’s mobility for a final time on Wednesday, Mangini decided to put him back in the starting lineup ahead of veteran Jake Delhomme, who struggled last week in a loss at Buffalo.

Mangini said it was his call to go with McCoy, but that he consulted with team president Mike Holmgren before making it official.

‘I felt like he’s earned this opportunity and I want to give it to him,” Mangini said. ‘I want to see how he continues to grow. This is by no stretch just throwing a young guy in for the sake of throwing a young guy in. If I didn’t think that he could go out and lead us and be successful doing that, then I wouldn’t make this decision. But I do feel that way and I feel strongly about it.”

While Mangini’s decision will please the majority of Browns fans, it’s not known what affect it could have on Holmgren, who intends to wait until after the season before deciding whether to bring his coaching staff back. The Browns (5-8) have been wildly erratic this season, and Holmgren wants stability.

Mangini, though, isn’t playing McCoy to appease his boss. He said he’s playing him because he believes McCoy gives his team the best shot of winning.

‘It’s not just a function of trying to get him his letter or anything like that,” Mangini said. ‘He’s earned this. I wouldn’t put the team in a position and all the guys in a position where we’re playing a guy just to play a guy. We’re all trying to win games.”

McCoy only received his original chance because of injuries to Delhomme and Seneca Wallace. But forced to play on Oct. 17 at Pittsburgh, he showed a toughness and poise that seemed to surprise the Browns, who weren’t sure what they had after the former Texas star struggled in training camp and the preseason.

McCoy passed for 975 yards and three touchdowns while going 2-3 as a starter before getting hurt. He’s determined to make the most of this second chance.

‘I never looked for someone to name me the starting quarterback,” he said. ‘I just need to go out there and play. There are a lot of ways I can get better, there are a lot of things I can improve on and that’s what I’m going to do the rest of the year.”

And a good reason why, is because Delhomme’s comeback season crashed.

The 35-year-old signed with Cleveland hoping to revive his career, but a severe ankle injury and his inability to keep the Browns’ offense moving consistently led to the switch. As reporters waited to speak with McCoy, Delhomme dressed quietly for practice nearby.

‘I’m going to work my tail off and always be ready,” he said. ‘You just have to take it in stride. That’s what I believe. That’s how I work and that’s what I’ll do.”

Mangini said Delhomme handled the news with typical class.

‘He couldn’t have been more professional, couldn’t have been more supportive not only of Colt, but of the whole team,” Mangini said. ‘Colt is incredibly lucky to have someone like him in the building at this part of his career, because you can’t ask for a better team player than Jake Delhomme.”

At this point, the Browns shouldn’t be shocked by another spin of Cleveland’s quarterback carousel. Since Delhomme was injured in the opener, the Browns have made four changes at their most vital position. Delhomme made four starts, Wallace made four and McCoy is going on his sixth.

The Browns are hoping they don’t have to shift again. But the way this season has evolved, nothing can be ruled out.

McCoy’s moxie has won over Cleveland fans and his teammates.

‘He’s been a winner at every level and he’s cool and confident,” running back Peyton Hillis said. ‘And when you’re confident, it tends to lead to good things. He’s shown some good things, of course he’s young and has to learn. He’ll be in the fire a few times before he can really get it, but I think the first few times against real quality opponents, him doing so well is a really good thing.”

BEREA, Ohio – An unexpected winning streak prevented Cleveland Browns coach Eric Mangini from being fired after last season. It may take another one to save him again.

Mangini’s future could hinge on the outcome of Cleveland’s final three games, an intra-division stretch beginning Sunday at Cincinnati (2-11) and ending with home dates against Baltimore and Pittsburgh. This stretch against AFC North teams will be Mangini’s last opportunity to convince team president Mike Holmgren that he has the up-and-down Browns (5-8) on the rise.

However, even a three-game sweep may not prevent Mangini from being swept out. He knows that in the NFL’s brutal, bottom-line business, change can be unavoidable despite progress.

“Sometimes,” he said, “that happens.”

He would know. Mangini was fired by the New York Jets after going 9-7 in 2008, a promising season that fell apart as quarterback Brett Favre’s(notes) right arm failed.

Mangini dodged Holmgren’s axe last January following a 5-11 first season that concluded with a four-game winning streak. The flourish was enough to persuade Holmgren, a former coach who appreciated the difficulty of installing a new system in just one year, to give Mangini a second try.

A third isn’t assured.

It’s not debatable that the Browns are better than they were a year ago. Despite a freakish rash of injuries to three quarterbacks, they’ve been in every game and have already matched last season’s win total. They’ve upset New Orleans and New England, two of the NFL’s elite teams who haven’t lost since being shocked by Cleveland.

But what could damage Mangini’s case for a third year is a 3-6 record in games decided by less than seven points, and that the Browns have seemingly regressed in recent weeks, falling to a low point last Sunday with an ugly 13-6 loss at Buffalo.

The next three weeks could dictate Cleveland’s future, but Mangini doesn’t believe Holmgren will place any more emphasis on them.

“I think what’s going to carry a lot of weight is the whole season, the progress the team’s made, the performance in all three phases,” Mangini said. “I’d imagine it’s not a short snap shot, it’s a comprehensive look at where we are and what we’ve done and the areas that there’s been progress in, the areas that there needs to be more progress in. That would be my anticipation.”

Holmgren is waiting until after the season before assessing Mangini and his staff. He may have already made up his mind, and if so, Cleveland’s last three games may be nothing more than a chance to further evaluate rookie quarterback Colt McCoy(notes) and the roster.

Holmgren will look deeper than wins and losses. His focus will be on significant improvement, and whether Cleveland’s players believe in their leader.

Mangini, who named McCoy his starter for the last three games, was asked if the Browns have advanced enough to warrant his return.

“I haven’t done that kind of math, because to me, I feel good about the things we’ve done and the direction of the team,” he said. “There are steps that you go through in any growth process and we’ve taken a lot of those steps. We need to continue to take that next step, which is winning consistently.

“You’d love to be able to accelerate that as quickly as possible, but when you are trying to do it and build it for the long term, you have to do it the right way. It has to grow and be strong on all levels in order for it to be sustainable over time. I think we’ve made a lot of good strides there.”

Mangini said he and his staff have not been given any mandate about how many wins it will take for them to stay. For now, it’s prepare to play.

“It’s win this game, deal with the next game, deal with the next game and then deal with whatever the situation is when the time comes,” he said.

Defensive co-ordinator Rob Ryan has grown accustomed to the uncertainty that comes with the end of any season that doesn’t include a post-season. But the way the outspoken and animated Ryan sees it, there’s no denying that Mangini has improved the Browns.

“C’mon, man,” Ryan said. “When we first got here there weren’t many believers. It’s obvious, our football team is a good football team. I believe what we do here and I know our players do — and that’s all that matters.”

Last year, several players said they would play hard down the stretch for Mangini. That may not be the case this time around.

“I ain’t thinking about it,” return specialist Joshua Cribbs(notes) snapped when asked about Mangini’s future. “I can’t think about that. I’m thinking about my own future and getting healthy.”

Mangini’s job isn’t the only one on the line over the next three weeks.

For players, it’s a time to put more quality plays on film to use in contract negotiations or to impress coaches.

“We’ll all be judged, from Eric all the way down to the last player on the roster,” said linebacker David Bowens(notes), who also played for Mangini in New York. “People say I’m an Eric supporter, but I’m a loyal player to whomever I play for. For the last four years, I’ve gotten to know Eric very well, but we’ll all be judged on how we perform, how we play and how we finish up in the face of not making the playoffs.

“That’s going to show a lot of character for a lot of people.”

And for Mangini, it may show his destiny.

BEREA, Ohio – Cleveland Browns coach Eric Mangini says he understands the brutal, bottom-line nature of business in the NFL, and that sometimes, change is unavoidable.

Mangini feels good about the improvement the Browns (5-8) have made this season, and said he has enjoyed his first year working with team president Mike Holmgren and general manager Tom Heckert. Holmgren is waiting until after the season before he evaluates Mangini’s second season in Cleveland, and he will certainly factor in more than Cleveland’s record.

Mangini said he hasn’t been given any mandate on the number of wins he needs to keep his job. He feels the Browns have made positive steps this season but that they still need to win more consistently. On Thursday, Mangini named rookie quarterback Colt McCoy his starter for the rest of this season.

Browns’ rookie quarterback Colt McCoy is 2-3 as a starter in the NFL. (Amy Sancetta/Associated Press)

Colt McCoy barely blinked as he tried to insist that it was just another day for the Cleveland Browns.

The rookie didn’t fool anyone. This was hardly routine.

Stepping way out of character, coach Eric Mangini named McCoy his starting quarterback for this week’s game at Cincinnati (2-11) and for the remainder of this season — home games against AFC North big boys Baltimore and Pittsburgh.

McCoy, who hasn’t played since spraining his left ankle on Nov. 21 at Jacksonville, has been entrusted with Cleveland’s offence for three games that could determine Mangini’s future.

“It’s no landmark day,” McCoy said before practice Thursday. “Today is the day that, now I know I’m the starter. I gotta go out and play and go out and get better and I gotta go out and help us win.”

After checking McCoy’s mobility for a final time on Wednesday, Mangini decided to put him back in the starting lineup ahead of veteran Jake Delhomme, who struggled last week in a loss at Buffalo.

Mangini said it was his call to go with McCoy, but that he consulted with team president Mike Holmgren before making it official.

“I felt like he’s earned this opportunity and I want to give it to him,” Mangini said. “I want to see how he continues to grow. This is by no stretch just throwing a young guy in for the sake of throwing a young guy in.

“If I didn’t think that he could go out and lead us and be successful doing that, then I wouldn’t make this decision. But I do feel that way and I feel strongly about it.”

Pleasing the fans

While Mangini’s decision will please the majority of Browns fans, it’s not known what affect it could have on Holmgren, who intends to wait until after the season before deciding whether to bring his coaching staff back. The Browns (5-8) have been wildly erratic this season, and Holmgren wants stability.

Mangini, though, isn’t playing McCoy to appease his boss. He said he’s playing him because he believes McCoy gives his team the best shot of winning.

“It’s not just a function of trying to get him his letter or anything like that,” Mangini said. “He’s earned this. I wouldn’t put the team in a position and all the guys in a position where we’re playing a guy just to play a guy. We’re all trying to win games.”

McCoy only received his original chance because of injuries to Delhomme and Seneca Wallace. But forced to play on Oct. 17 at Pittsburgh, he showed a toughness and poise that seemed to surprise the Browns, who weren’t sure what they had after the former Texas star struggled in training camp and the pre-season.

McCoy passed for 975 yards and three touchdowns while going 2-3 as a starter before getting hurt. He’s determined to make the most of this second chance.

“I never looked for someone to name me the starting quarterback,” he said. “I just need to go out there and play. There are a lot of ways I can get better, there are a lot of things I can improve on and that’s what I’m going to do the rest of the year.”

And a good reason why, is because Delhomme’s comeback season crashed.

The 35-year-old signed with Cleveland hoping to revive his career, but a severe ankle injury and his inability to keep the Browns’ offence moving consistently led to the switch.

As reporters waited to speak with McCoy, Delhomme dressed quietly for practice nearby.

“I’m going to work my tail off and always be ready,” he said. “You just have to take it in stride. That’s what I believe. That’s how I work and that’s what I’ll do.”

Typical class

Mangini said Delhomme handled the news with typical class.

“He couldn’t have been more professional, couldn’t have been more supportive not only of Colt, but of the whole team,” Mangini said. “Colt is incredibly lucky to have someone like him in the building at this part of his career, because you can’t ask for a better team player than Jake Delhomme.”

At this point, the Browns shouldn’t be shocked by another spin of Cleveland’s quarterback carousel. Since Delhomme was injured in the opener, the Browns have made four changes at their most vital position.

Delhomme made four starts, Wallace made four and McCoy is going on his sixth.

The Browns are hoping they don’t have to shift again. But the way this season has evolved, nothing can be ruled out.

McCoy’s moxie has won over Cleveland fans and his teammates.

“He’s been a winner at every level and he’s cool and confident,” running back Peyton Hillis said. “And when you’re confident, it tends to lead to good things. He’s shown some good things, of course he’s young and has to learn.

“He’ll be in the fire a few times before he can really get it, but I think the first few times against real quality opponents, him doing so well is a really good thing.”

BEREA, Ohio — Browns rookie quarterback Colt McCoy will start Cleveland’s final three games this season, starting Sunday vs. Cincinnati.

McCoy sat out the past three games with a high ankle sprain, but after he looked good in practice on Wednesday coach Eric Mangini decided to move him back into the starting lineup ahead of Jake Delhomme. It’s unusual for Mangini to announce his plans at quarterback, but he felt McCoy has earned the opportunity.

McCoy, who only received a chance to play this season because of injuries to Delhomme and Seneca Wallace, went 2-3 in five starts. The Browns are 5-8.

Mangini said McCoy was “excited and determined” when he was told about starting.