Dilfer will start Sunday

[Guest Moose Knuckle Ball Four]

Trent Dilfer and the Browns offense got a vote of confidence from their head coach Wednesday.

 

Romeo Crennel said no personnel changes will be made this week, giving the players who have been there for the Browns another chance to play - and get things fixed - Sunday in Houston.

 

Crennel had left open the possibility of making changes Monday, including at quarterback. But as the players returned to work Wednesday to begin on-field preparations for the Texans, the coach said no changes will be made.

 

"We're going to stay the course with what we've been going with," Crennel said. "I think we need to give guys the benefit of the doubt and that's what we're doing. It will give us a chance to right the ship."

 

Crennel's decision to stick with Dilfer as the starting quarterback means the Browns' coaching staff thinks the problem is a lack of execution, not a lack of capable players.

 

Though Crennel said the discussion of changing quarterbacks was "serious," he and his staff decided the best course of action was to let Dilfer and the offense work through a slump that's seen the Browns score two offensive touchdowns in the last four weeks.

 

"The guys feel like Trent is leader," Crennel said. "He's done it before and they think he can do it again.

 

"Trent will tell you that he hasn't done as well as he wants to. He never points a finger at anyone else. (But) I've told you before that it's rarely ever one guy's fault. There are always other factors involved."

 

Those factors include receivers making plays, linemen opening holes for Reuben Droughns and a consistent running game that helps the Browns finish drives.

 

The Browns were 0-for-8 on third down conversions last week and have scored one touchdown in nine red zone tries on the season. A dropped pass by Antonio Bryant on a third-and-16 play in the fourth quarter last week killed a Browns' drive that had reached midfield and forced them to punt.

 

Dilfer has turned the ball over eight times in the last three weeks.

 

"You can't let your confidence be affected," Dilfer said. "You have to keep working on the things that you do well. Part of the red zone offense is getting opportunities. The more opportunities we get, the more we will capitalize on them.

 

"We just need to play better. It's hard for a play-caller to mix it up when he's not getting enough opportunities. As players, you have to give play-callers more of an opportunity to mix it up. We weren't able to do that when we missed converting on third down."

 

Rookie wide receiver Braylon Edwards said he thinks sticking with Dilfer is "what we should do. I don't think that just because things get bad you run away from somebody...Trent knows he has our support.

 

"We're just a hair off on every play. It's a missed block here, a dropped pass here, a misread there. We're one play away. Every play it seems like is one inch from being something great. We just have to put it together."

 

Crennel said Edwards still won't start, but his role will expand. And Crennel said he'll be watching how his players battle through these tough times.

 

"How a person handles adversity says a lot about who they are," Crennel said. "We are finding out about who is getting up and fighting back."

 

Said Dilfer: "As a competitor, you can't wait to redeem yourself."