Browns underdog to winless Houston

Some of the Cleveland players are taking it as a slap in the face.
BEREA (AP) -- Talk about unnecessary roughness. Even the oddsmakers are piling on the scuffling Cleveland Browns.
For Sunday's game, they're listed as 2-point underdogs to the Houston Texans. THE HOUSTON TEXANS!
Yep, the boys out in Las Vegas think the NFL's only winless team, which hasn't led for a second this season and has dropped seven straight games dating to a 22-14 loss against Cleveland in the 2004 finale, can actually win one.
"We'll take it," Houston quarterback David Carr said of being favored. "We'll take whatever confidence we can get at this point."
Some of the Browns aren't taking the underdog role very well.
"I take it personal," said kicker Phil Dawson. "I'm a Cleveland Brown, that's who I am, and anytime my team is questioned or criticized or anything like that, I take it personally. And I think if more guys around here would do that, we'd be all right."
Browns sliding backward
After a respectable start, the Browns (2-4) are sliding backward -- fast. They've lost two in a row, have failed to score an offensive touchdown in 15 of the past 16 quarters and quarterback Trent Dilfer is barely holding onto his starting job.
On top of that, Gary Baxter, the club's top coverage cornerback, is out for the season with a torn pectoral muscle.
As coach Romeo Crennel grossly understated at his Wednesday news conference: "We're in the midst of adversity."
A loss to the terrible Texans, who have lost by an average of 17.5 points per game and are last or next-to-last in the league in virtually every important statistical category, would plummet the Browns into a deeper hole.
Line is an insult
Dawson says Cleveland's players should view the gambling line as a slap in the face, an insult they can channel into motivation.
"Hopefully some guys in this locker room will use that," said Dawson, a perfect 10-for-10 in field goal tries. "I don't think anybody has paid much attention to it. But at this point, if some guys in this locker room need a little incentive to go out there or need a little extra energy that coach referred to, maybe they can use that."
Following Sunday's loss to Detroit, Crennel said there was little enthusiasm or energy on Cleveland's sideline in the second half. He couldn't understand the apathy since the Browns were ahead 10-7 at halftime.
"Guys on the team need to be into it, and they need to be excited about where they are," Crennel said. "And we weren't quite there, and that was somewhat disappointing to me. We have to work on that and get that level of enthusiasm to stay constant throughout the game."
Searching for spark
Crennel is searching for a spark. But despite saying for the second straight week that he might make personnel changes, Cleveland's first-year coach has decided to remain with the status quo.
"I'm going to stay the course," he said. "We need to give guys the benefit of the doubt and that's what I'm doing. It will give us a chance to right the ship. We'll see if we can do that."
Dilfer has thrown six interceptions in the past three games, and in Sunday's loss he recorded a 22.4 rating. The 12-year veteran has endured plenty of hard times in the past and he's eager to atone for his mistakes.
Dilfer has blamed much of Cleveland's offensive problems on an overall lack of execution. As a reminder to keep his focus, he has a sign taped to the wall next to his locker that says: "Execution Is The Key."
"I'm chomping at the bit to get back out there and redeem myself," he said.
Getting ready
Crennel will let others concern themselves with Sunday's linescore, point spread and over/under. He's solely focused on getting his team ready, and he knows if the Browns aren't careful, they could become Houston's first victory.
"I would hate to go down there and be their first win," he said. "This is the NFL and things do happen. Hopefully, that won't happen to us."