Following loss, Dilfer on hot seat

Cleveland's quarterback probably won't be demoted, but he needs to play better.
BEREA (AP) -- The disappointment Browns first-year coach Romeo Crennel is feeling following Sunday's ugly loss at Baltimore spreads from top to bottom on Cleveland's 53-man roster.
The way Crennel sees it, there's enough blame to go around -- particularly on offense -- that everyone's job is up for a detailed review.
And, everyone includes Browns starting quarterback Trent Dilfer.
Asked to clarify an earlier comment when he implied that a change at quarterback was possible, Crennel said, "We're looking at everything, and if we determine that a personnel move needs to be made, then we'll make a personnel move -- at whatever position it is."
Two hours later, perhaps concerned that his comments were being misconstrued, Crennel came back downstairs to the media room.
However, Crennel didn't clear up confusion over his earlier remarks, and again chose not to diffuse any speculation on the remote chance he'll bench Dilfer.
"I said that we would evaluate our situation and if personnel changes needed to be made, we would make them, at whatever position," Crennel said. "I did not specify any position or anybody, and that's what I'm leaving it at. OK?"
Discouraged
While it's almost inconceivable that Crennel would demote Dilfer after one shaky performance in favor of rookie Charlie Frye, he's not hiding his discouragement with an offense that crossed mid-field just four times against the Ravens. Cleveland's only points came on Phil Dawson's 24-yard field goal in the third quarter.
Dilfer wasn't surprised to hear that Crennel was analyzing every aspect of Cleveland's offensive woes, hoping to fix a unit ranked 30th in rushing and 26th overall in the NFL after five weeks.
The 33-year-old Dilfer also understands that his job is subject to the same evaluation given to any other spot.
"It should be," he said. "That's how it should be. Nobody should be safe at any position. I expect that."
Dilfer, on pace to pass for 4,000 yards, was asked if he felt Crennel still believed in him.
"I do," he said. "He's been very supportive of me privately and on the football field. I do believe he believes in me."
Taking a step back
The Browns (2-3), gutted following a 4-12 season in 2004, went to Baltimore with a chance to go over .500 for the first time in two years. But starting with Dilfer fumbling away the shotgun snap on their first offensive play, the Browns made silly penalties all over the field and never threatened to come back.
For the first time under Crennel, the Browns regressed.
"We took a step back, which is disappointing," Crennel said. "We are still trying to find out about this team. We have to retrace some ground that we thought we had improved on. We have to go back to the fundamentals and basics again."
Dilfer, too, was irritated with the way he played. He had wanted some revenge against the Ravens, whom he helped lead to a Super Bowl victory in 2001 before coach Brian Billick decided not to re-sign the veteran as a free agent.
On Sunday, Dilfer finished 16-for-30 for 147 yards, lost two fumbles, threw an interception and was sacked four times by a swarming Ravens defense that gave him little time to set up in the pocket.
Poor performance
The Browns' game plan coming in was to keep the ball in Dilfer's hands. Offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon didn't send in a running play until the second quarter, but by then the Browns were behind 13-0, a deficit that allowed Baltimore's defense to turn up the heat on Dilfer.
Crennel identified the offensive's sluggishness -- the Browns had just 186 total yards -- as the most disheartening aspect of a dismaying loss to an AFC North rival. However, Cleveland's offense wasn't much better a week earlier against Chicago, playing poorly for more than 57 minutes before Dilfer bailed out the Browns with two touchdown passes in a 38-second span for a 20-10 win.
Crennel said the coaching staff will spend the next two days assessing the sputtering offense -- and who plays on it.
"We haven't been very productive throwing the football the last two weeks," he said. "That's one area that we definitely have to look at. When you do that, you've got to look at production, look at the guy, the quarterback and receivers. Then we're going to decide what gives us the best chance."