Browns owner 'sick' about state of team, but won't fire Mangini

Published: Nov 02, 2009 at 02:38 AM

BEREA, Ohio -- Cleveland Browns coach Eric Mangini believes his process for turning around the team will work despite a horrid first half of the season.

The Browns dropped to 1-7 following Sunday's 30-6 loss in Chicago. Afterward, owner Randy Lerner said he was "sick" about the state of his team, a feeling Mangini said he shares with his boss. Mangini said he and Lerner share the same vision for improving the Browns.

Mangini added he had a positive phone conversation with Lerner on Monday morning, and he feels he still has Lerner's support.

"I've never gotten a feeling otherwise in all of my conversations with Randy," Mangini said.

Mangini and his coaching staff will spend the bye week evaluating and analyzing every aspect of the team. He has no plans to change offensive coordinator Brian Daboll's duties and will use the time off to decide whether to start quarterback Derek Anderson or Brady Quinn when the Browns play Baltimore on Nov. 16.

Anderson had a 10.5 rating on Sunday and was replaced late in the fourth quarter by Quinn, who began the season as Cleveland's starter but was benched after 10 quarters.

Lerner also told the Cleveland Plain Dealer and Akron Beacon-Journal following Sunday's game that he would like to bring in a "strong, credible, serious leader" to help run his team.

Lerner did not expand on who that person might be or if that person currently worked for the Browns. He recently brought in former Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar in an unspecified consulting role.

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