Crennel disappointed
Zac Jackson, Staff Writer 12.03.2007
Over the last six weeks or so, the Browns players have had no official business on day-after-game Mondays at the team's training facility in Berea.
That changed this week in the wake of a disappointing 27-21 loss in Arizona. And when Romeo Crennel met with his team Monday afternoon, he let them know -- again -- how disappointed he was in the penalties, turnovers and mistakes that led to the loss in Arizona.
But he also reminded them there's still plenty to play for.
"We're still in decent position," Crennel said. "The thing that we have to do is play better football. If we play better football, we'll give ourselves a chance. But nothing is given in this business. You have to play every Sunday and you have to play good every Sunday. With these next four games, if we play good we'll give ourselves a chance.
"I think this team has some resiliency. They have shown they can bounce back. They've shown they will fight to the end, just like they did in the game Sunday down there on the goal line. These guys will fight. We just have to get them to be more consistent and not give yards away, give plays away like we did yesterday."
The Browns turned the ball over four times and were penalized 10 times for 77 yards, including a delay of game for kicking the ball, a horse collar tackle, an unnecessary roughness on a hit out of bounds and a head butt that cost them 15 yards on the final drive.
"We just didn't play smart football," he said.
Even so, the Browns were in it all the way through the dramatic ending, when Kellen Winslow jumped over two defenders to make a catch in the endzone but was ruled out of bounds. They kept fighting, but Crennel said they kept beating themselves.
"We drove it down with two minutes and had a chance to win the game," Crennel said. "Depending on some people's interpretation, that's a catch, a catch and a force out. From my standpoint, we can't put ourselves in that position. Let's do the things earlier in the game so it doesn't come down to that one play.
"If we had played good football for the entire game and it comes down to one play, then I could say the way we fought was good. But we didn't play well enough early and I want us to play better early, so it doesn't come down to one play."
HOW THEY STAND -- The loss dropped the Browns to 7-5 and back into a tie with the Titans for the AFC's second Wildcard spot. The first potential tiebreaker between the Browns and Titans is AFC record; currently the Browns are 5-4 and the Titans 4-4 against AFC opponents.
The next tiebreaker would be record in common games. The Browns lost to Oakland, beat Houston and are 1-0 against the Bengals with one to go. The Titans beat Oakland, beat Houston twice and lost to the Bengals.
Both teams still play the Jets.
The Titans host San Diego this week, the finish at Kansas City, home against the Jets and at Indianapolis.
ON THE MEND -- Crennel said there's a possibility starting nose tackle Ethan Kelley will return this week after missing the last two games with a knee injury, but it's still too early in the week to know for sure.
Jamal Lewis said he took a shot to the ribs on his touchdown catch late in the second quarter Sunday, when he hurdled Rod Hood and was hit by Gerald Hayes as he crossed the goal line. Lewis said he experienced some pain and left the field before halftime as a precaution. But he returned and played in the second half and said Monday he didn't anticipate any problems.
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