Crennel: No changes as of now

[Guest Moose Knuckle Ball Four]

Romeo Crennel isn't switching quarterbacks today.

 

Crennel, however, didn't rule out a change tomorrow, Wednesday or Thursday.

 

The Browns' offense is struggling, and Crennel knows he and his staff need to do something to fix it. Crennel said personnel issues, including the possibility of Charlie Frye replacing Trent Dilfer at quarterback, will be discussed in meetings between now and Wednesday.

 

"I think we are going to talk about it," Crennel said. "We are going to see what we feel like we need to do to help this team. We'll discuss it and come out next week (in Houston). Hopefully, we will show improvement."

 

The Browns have scored two offensive touchdowns in their last four games, and both of those came in a 38-second span in the fourth quarter of their 20-10 win over Chicago on Oct. 9. Yesterday's loss to Detroit came with recurring problems - penalties, sacks, turnovers and dropped passes.

 

The big plays that won the Chicago game were missing yesterday, and that seems to concern Crennel as much as anything else. Even as poorly as they played, the Browns still had a chance to win the game.

 

"Once it gets counter-productive or I feel that it's going downhill, then I think we'll probably look harder at (making changes)," Crennel said. "When I looked at the film today, particularly at that first drive where we moved the ball and put points on the board, I still feel like this team can make some plays. If we can make them in the first half, it seems to me that we should be able to make them in the second half.

 

"My dilemma is trying to figure out how to keep that energy and enthusiasm that we had in the first half going in the second half so that we can make a play in the second half. If we make a play in the second half, we win the game."

 

Dilfer said he "fully expects" to start next Sunday in Houston and is anxious to put the last few weeks in the past.

 

"As a competitor, you can't wait for the next opportunity to go out and redeem yourself," Dilfer said.

 

Said Frye: "My job right now is the backup quarterback. Trent is the starter."

 

If that changes, Frye would have some rust to shake off. He hasn't taken a game snap since the preseason finale on Sept 1.

 

Experience is another factor in Crennel's decision. Dilfer, a 12-year veteran, has been through the ups and downs of an NFL season before. His resilience and leadership are two of the reasons the Browns traded for him last March.

 

Asking an untested rookie to take the reins would be a hefty proposition, wouldn't it?

 

"That's hard to say," Crennel said. "If you look at what Charlie did in the preseason, you're encouraged by what you saw there. You have to look at the preseason with a jaded eye. Until we can put him in the game to see how he does under pressure it's going to be hard to say.

 

"I think he has made progress in his learning and he has been able to know the offense much better. He has been able to look at defenses and study game film. I think he's further along now than he was five weeks ago. Until you can put him in there, you can't say definitively."

 

No one envies Crennel's decision, and he knows a quarterback change is about more than just changing one player.

 

"At the quarterback position, all of that gets taken into consideration - the message that you send to the team, the message you send to your offense, the message you send to your defense, the message you send to the individual players involved at that position," he said. "The quarterback position, with that guy being the leader, you put him in charge. He's in charge, so you try to give him the benefit of the doubt and not make knee-jerk reactions."

[bigmark3333 11]

I would've been better off leaving Dilfer on the bench the past two weeks, the bum got me negatives both weeks. If he doenst come through this week against houston i dont know what ill do.

 

 

 

....running to the wire to pick up charlie frye

 

I have nobody else to play at quarterback and no depth to trade for one

[Brownsfan21 1]

I sure hope they give Frye a start. All we can do is get ready for next season anyways. Its not like we are going to the playoffs this year . At least Frye has a decent O line unlike when Couch and Garcia were here. The time is now for Charlie Frye and I think all of Cleveland is behind me on this one.

[duece2626 0]

I sure hope they give Frye a start. All we can do is get ready for next season anyways. Its not like we are going to the playoffs this year . At least Frye has a decent O line unlike when Couch and Garcia were here. The time is now for Charlie Frye and I think all of Cleveland is behind me on this one.

[bigmark3333 11]

I sure hope they give Frye a start. All we can do is get ready for next season anyways.  Its not like we are going to the playoffs this year . At least Frye has a decent O line unlike when Couch and Garcia were here.  The time is now for Charlie Frye and I think all of Cleveland is behind me on this one.

I would hope he can beat 73 yards and 3 picks. Dilfer has 6 TO's in the last 2 games!

 

On a side note, why wont the Browns throw the ball over 10 yards? Their recievers are decent and should be alowed to at least attempt to make plays.