Davis still downcast after loss

Coach Butch Davis was still dejected Monday from the setback.
BEREA (AP) -- One day after yet another painful loss for his Cleveland Browns, coach Butch Davis was still hurting.
Of the 26 losses Davis has had to endure since becoming an NFL head coach, few have agonized him more than Sunday's 23-20 overtime setback at Denver.
"It was a tough and disappointing loss," an unusually downcast Davis said at his Monday news conference. "It was as tough and disappointing as any loss in the three years that I've been here."
A good account
Despite losing three starters to season-ending injuries in their loss last Monday night to St. Louis and despite playing without both of their starting cornerbacks, the Browns (4-10) gave the Broncos all they could handle.
Following the game, the season full of losses, injuries and controversies caught up with Davis, who fought back tears while addressing his team.
"He was emotional. He was tearing," safety Earl Little said. "That meant a lot to us. The way we went out and played, hurt all of us. To see coach show his emotion, showed he's a true Brown. He wanted very badly for us to win the game."
Struck by flu
Davis had spent the week preparing the undermanned Browns, who on top of having 12 players on injured reserve, were struck by the flu bug before the game.
At one point, Davis thought he was going to be without starting wide receivers Quincy Morgan and Andre' Davis, whose 35-yard TD reception in the fourth quarter tied the score at 17.
"We had a half dozen guys who could have called [off] for the whole game, and said, 'We're not going to the playoffs. You guys handle,' " he said. "Quincy was sick as a dog all week long. He threw up and was in bed with chills and fever.
"Andre' couldn't even make it through pregame warmups. He couldn't breathe or swallow. We talked seriously about making him one of the inactives. We had a lot of guys who were playing largely on heart."
Determination
The Browns' gutsy effort made Davis proud. But more importantly, Cleveland's determination appears to show that Davis' players respect him and want to win for him.
There had been speculation in recent weeks that Davis might be interested in leaving the Browns to pursue the coaching vacancy at Nebraska.
However, Davis quieted those rumors last week, saying he wanted to end his career with the Browns. He's still got work to do, he said, and he's not pleased with how this season has unfolded.
"I'm disappointed greatly in the season," Davis said. "I feel bad for the players -- how hard they are fighting -- and I feel bad for the fans, the city. Nobody wanted the season to turn out this way this one has and I feel bad for them."
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