Couch, Holcomb couldn't make enough plays

Butch Davis will name the starter for next week only after seeing a doctor's report.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
CLEVELAND -- Not even the return of quarterback Kelly Holcomb could rescue the Cleveland Browns from a sloppy performance against the NFL's only winless team.
In Sunday's loss, Browns starter Tim Couch threw two interceptions against the San Diego Chargers that resulted in 10 points.
Couch's first pickoff came in the second quarter when strong safety Kwame Lassiter stole the ball at the Cleveland 38 and raced untouched into the end zone. The only touchdown of the first half gave San Diego (1-5) a 13-0 lead.
"He kind of rolled down and I didn't see him there," said Couch, who completed 13-of-24 passes for 102 yards. "I was trying to get the ball to [wide receiver] Quincy [Morgan] and he just read my eyes. He made a good play."
Late in the third quarter, with the Browns (3-4) trailing 20-6, free safety Terence Kiel made a similar play on a pass intended for wide receiver Kevin Johnson at midfield. Kiel's pickoff set up Steve Christie's 42-yard field goal for a 17-point lead.
"I didn't play well, absolutely not," said Couch, who is 2-2 after replacing Holcomb. "I tried to do too much and got us into trouble.
"We were not very consistent," Couch added. "We did a lot of things to hurt ourselves and [San Diego] took advantage."
Dropped passes
Couch wasn't helped when Morgan and running back Jamel White dropped passes in the first half.
Browns coach Butch Davis said he won't name his starting quarterback for Sunday's game at New England until the team doctors determine how healthy Holcomb is.
On Sept. 21 in San Francisco, Holcomb led the Browns to a 13-12 victory over the 49ers while playing with a broken bone in one leg and a sprained ankle in the other.
"It's not quite 100 percent [healthy] yet, but it feels good enough to go out there," said Holcomb, who completed 11-of-19 passes for 90 yards. "It felt pretty good to just get in there and compete."
Holcomb said he was concerned about how much it would hurt if his aching legs were hit.
"It's a little sore," said Holcomb, who indicated he could start the next game. "That's coach's call."
Davis admitted that "there was still some concern about sticking him out there today because he's still not 100 percent. Because of mobility, there are things that you can't do with him. We would have been absolutely horrified and sick if he had got hit and hurt."
Teammates accountable
Holcomb suggested his teammates need to join him at looking in the mirror for the responsibility of the loss.
"We came out in the first half and didn't have much energy," Holcomb said. "We kind of picked things up at the end of the third quarter, but you have to play 60 minutes. You can't play just 15.
"It seemed like everybody was just waiting around for somebody else to do something, to come up with a big play. Everybody needs to take it upon themselves that 'I'm gonna go out there and do my job,' " Holcomb said.
A week after Browns tailback William Green ran for 145 yards against the Oakland Raiders, he was limited to 65 yards on 14 carries before being held out with a shoulder injury.
Davis said Green was speared on a tackle.
"He didn't have 100 percent strength in his arm," Davis said. "We'll have to have him examined."
Green's struggles were partly a result of the patched-up offensive line that lost starters Jeff Faine (center) and Shaun O'Hara (left guard) last week.
Left tackle Barry Stokes reinjured an aching ankle in the first half, sending Joaquin Gonzalez into the game to join substitutes Melvin Fowler and left guard Chad Beasley.
Stokes was flagged for an illegal formation, Beasley for holding and right tackle Ryan Tucker for a false start.
Though no one in the locker room seemed ready to voice an opinion on the Couch-Holcomb debate, running back James Jackson said the team was inspired by the cheers Holcomb received when he entered the game.
"That gave the rest of the team a spark. He completed that first pass and the rally started from there," Jackson said.