BROWNS Players say don't blame Butch

After a week of rumors, the coach turned his focus to ending a losing skid.
BEREA (AP) -- For now, the TV news trucks and cameras have fled, off chasing some other big story. After days of hysteria revolving around the Cleveland Browns, things have calmed down considerably.
And the coach at the center of it says he's at peace with whatever might happen.
Butch Davis has stopped worrying.
"Thanksgiving sometimes puts life in perspective," he said.
Davis was relaxed Friday as he discussed Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals, a matchup that will cap a bizarre week in which he was reportedly close to being fired, resigning, leaving for the University of Florida's coaching vacancy and working out a financial settlement to get out of the final three years of his contract.
He acted much differently on Wednesday when a flustered and agitated Davis defiantly deflected questions about his uncertain future.
"It's not easy," said Davis, who was asked about the 180-degree change in his demeanor.
"It's because I have a great deal of faith in God and when stuff gets tough, you just turn it over. I have a strong wife and an awesome son. That what's important."
Owner supportive
The Browns (3-7) could be playing to save Davis' job as they attempt to snap a four-game losing streak. Cleveland owner Randy Lerner wants to keep things intact, but he has grown tired of losing.
Earlier this week, team president John Collins reiterated that Lerner fully supports Davis, who has three years remaining on his contract, and that the club intends to keep Davis.
But if the Browns, who beat the Bengals 34-17 earlier this season, drop their fifth straight game, Lerner's support could weaken to the point of making a coaching change before the season ends.
As one of just two starters left from Cleveland's 1999 expansion team, Daylon McCutcheon has seen it all with the Browns. This week was another low point in a pro career overflowing with them.
"It's disappointing," McCutcheon said. "It's frustrating. I had such high hopes for this group this season. I feel like we have the talent to win but we just have not put it together to get it done. For whatever reason, we just haven't built the chemistry to bring it all together."
Two years ago, the Browns made the AFC playoffs and it appeared that Davis had things going the right way. But since then, the club is just 8-18 while being plagued by the usual costly injuries and gut-wrenching losses.
Although McCutcheon feels he has improved, and that the club's defensive secondary has gotten better, he's not happy with the overall picture.
"We're not winning football games, and that's all that matters," he said. "I'm tired of it. It's been downhill. We didn't make the playoffs last year and we're at this point now."
Usual injuries
The Browns have been beset with injuries. They lost playmakers Kellen Winslow Jr. and Courtney Brown early on and in the past two weeks the right side of their offensive line. On Sunday, Kelly Holcomb will make his first start of the season at quarterback, replacing Jeff Garcia, who has an injured shoulder.
But while the injuries made things tough, McCutcheon refuses to use it as an excuse.
"Every year we've ended the year with 12 guys on IR [injured reserve]," he said.
McCutcheon wasn't the only Browns player to say that Davis has been receiving too much criticism for the team's many woes. And it's not just the coach's job that should be on the line.
"Everybody keeps talking about, Butch, Butch, Butch," he said. "But when you're not winning games, they look at everybody. You can only put so much on the coach."