BROWNS Holcomb, Cleveland ready to face Lions

The quarterback will play his first game since being named the starter.
DETROIT (AP) -- While Cleveland's Kelly Holcomb has beat out a top draft pick making much more money, Joey Harrington's job as the quarterback of the Detroit Lions is secure ahead of Mike McMahon.
Detroit coach Steve Mariucci said Harrington has to do more than just show up for practices and games, however.
"Everybody has to earn their job and keep their job, at every position," Mariucci said. "You reevaluate as you go, that's just sports. Joey is a heck of a quarterback with a big upside and I feel very good about Mike too. We have the youngest pair of quarterbacks in the league with those two guys.
"But from the get-go, I said Joey is No. 1, Mike is No. 2 and Ty Detmer is No. 3. It may stay that way, but could things change? Of course, anything can change."
Speculation over
Harrington, last year's No. 3 pick, will start against Holcomb when the Browns play the Lions in an exhibition game tonight at Ford Field.
Coach Butch Davis ended eight months of speculation on Sunday when he picked Holcomb as his starter over Tim Couch, whom the expansion Browns made the first selection in 1999 and gave a seven-year, $59 million contract.
Holcomb, a 30-year-old career backup, was inundated with well-wishers after the move was announced.
"There's been a bunch of phone calls. I got to the point where I wasn't answering the phone anymore," he said. "My voice mail had 17 the other day and that's not including the house. My wife is with the baby so she wasn't answering all those calls."
Different situation
A quiet minority is calling for Mike McMahon, a fifth-round pick in 2000, to have a shot at unseating Harrington. Harrington, who signed a six-year deal worth $36.5 million, said he doesn't sense any sort of controversy.
"People think about it more on the outside," he said.
McMahon, who started seven games during his first two seasons, excites some because of his athletic ability and strong -- if not accurate -- arm.
Despite knowing Harrington has the job he wants, McMahon said it is not hard to stay focused and motivated.
"I think I can win football games and if I get a chance to play this year, I want to prove that to the league," McMahon said.
Other worries
While Cleveland has settled on a No. 1 quarterback, it has not fixed everything on defense.
Davis said he was "disgusted," with his defense after Green Bay beat the Browns 38-31 last week.
"The tackling was about as poor as I've seen," Davis said.
The Browns should get some help tonight because defensive end Courtney Brown is expected to play for the first time since having offseason knee surgery.