DROUGHNS Browns back rushing to goal

Reuben Droughns is closing in on 1,000 yards rushing for this season.
BEREA (AP) -- Slimmer and speedier than a year ago, Reuben Droughns has quickly moved to the cusp of hitting a big, round number for the Browns.
Coming off a 166-yard performance against Miami on Sunday, Droughns has rushed for 868 yards in 10 games, leaving him just 132 yards shy of becoming Cleveland's first 1,000-yard rusher since Kevin Mack and Earnest Byner in 1985.
The nearly 20-season drought is the NFL's longest.
"I understand the streak the Browns have been on," he said. "I definitely want to give something back to the fans, and hopefully we can do it real soon."
Droughns could get to 1,000 this Sunday at Minnesota.
And if he does, he doesn't plan to stop at 1,001.
Now that he's hit his stride, Droughns is confident he can become the only Browns back other than Hall of Famer Jim Brown to eclipse 1,300 yards in a season.
"With those offensive lineman," said Droughns, raising on his toes to peer over a huddle of reporters toward the offensive linemen's corner of the locker room, "I really do believe so."
Confidence soaring
Droughns' confidence is soaring following his most productive game in his first season with Cleveland.
Last Sunday, he ripped off a 75-yard TD run the first time he touched the ball and finished with a season-high 30 carries as the Browns were able to build a big lead and then use Droughns to protect it.
A fullback in Denver before he busted loose for 1,240 yards last season, Droughns still runs with a blocking back's mentality. More often than not, he'll take on a tackler head first rather than run around one.
On his zigzagging 75-yard TD run, Droughns, who at 215 pounds is 10 lighter than he was with the Broncos, didn't have the speed to run away from Dolphins cornerback Sam Madison, who caught him after about 50 yards.
So Droughns applied the brakes to elude Madison, then made another cut before coasting into the end zone.
"I just wish I could have beat him to that corner," Droughns said with a customary chuckle.
Endeared by fans
His bubbly personality and ability to blow up defenders has endeared Droughns to Browns fans, who haven't seen a runner as good as him since the days Mack and Byner ran wild.
"I hope the fans like me," said Droughns, a two-year starter at Oregon, who scribbled "Give Oregon A BCS Bid" on a T-shirt he wore Wednesday. "I try to give everything I've got every week."
He has become popular with Cleveland's improved offensive line, too. Center Jeff Faine said the unit almost considers Droughns one of its own.
"He can move the pile," Faine said. "You love blocking for a guy like him, because you know he's running as hard as he can."
Questions trailed Droughns when he arrived in Cleveland in a trade in March.
Could he be an every-down back?
Could he duplicate his 1,000-yard season?
Was he just a product of Denver's running-back friendly system?
Struggled early
The jury was still out early on, and the Browns seemed reluctant to use him. Droughns rushed for 331 yards in his first five games, averaging 17 carries.
But in the past five games, he's picked up 537 yards and has gotten the ball about 21 times a game.
A year ago, he had a similar stretch when he picked up at least 100 yards in six of seven games.
"I think running backs do get in grooves," Browns coach Romeo Crennel said. "Whether he's in that zone or not, I don't know, but I like where he is right now. Reuben has been playing the same way ever since we started giving him the ball more."
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