Could the Browns be peaking?

Veteran linebacker Willie McGinest says if they are, this is the time.

MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS

BEREA — Jamal Lewis has rushed for 569 yards in the past five games. Safeties Sean Jones and Brodney Pool, severely criticized in September and early October, now are silencing the doubters. Last week, the Browns defense posted its first shutout in two years — and coach Romeo Crennel didn’t care if it came in a blizzard.

There are signs the Browns might be, dare we say, peaking?

That suggestion came from 14-year veteran linebacker and co-captain Willie McGinest after Sunday’s 8-0 victory over the Buffalo Bills. It might be heresy were it not from the mouth of McGinest, who owns three Super Bowl rings.

“We’re trying to give our city and ourselves something to be proud of,” McGinest said. “It took some time. We’ve got a new system, new coaching staff and a lot of new players, but we’re starting to jell. If we’re going to start peaking, this is the time. We want to do it in December, when it counts.”

Not surprisingly, Crennel hesitated to endorse McGinest’s notion.

Asked whether the Browns are jelling, Crennel said, “I think the team understands the position that we’re in. There is more focus, more intensity from everybody to do what’s right, to try to make the right choices and right decisions so that we can give the team the best chance to win.”

With the Browns on their third coach, sixth starting quarterback and seventh offensive coordinator since the team returned in 1999, he will admit continuity might finally have taken a foothold.

“I think that the continuity that we’ve brought to the program is beginning to pay dividends by showing up in the win-loss record,” Crennel said. “If that continuity can continue, hopefully we’ll get better.”

Crennel’s players hope for the same. The offense has building blocks for the future in left tackle Joe Thomas, left guard Eric Steinbach, receiver Braylon Edwards, tight end Kellen Winslow and either Derek Anderson or Brady Quinn at quarterback. It exploded out of the box in Anderson’s first start of the season, a 51-45 triumph over the Bengals in Week 2.

The defense, while still short on star power, needed time to develop cohesion because of the addition of defensive linemen Robaire Smith and Shaun Smith and linebacker Antwan Peek, Pool’s elevation to starting free safety, a new nose tackle in Ethan Kelley and rookie Eric Wright taking over at cornerback.

“Everybody’s getting more comfortable with each other,” Jones said. “We’re all on the same page toward the latter part of the season and that wasn’t happening in the beginning. If this team stays together over the years, we’re going to be that much better.”

Edwards has noticed the improvement on the other side of the ball.

“The defense has tightened it up and come together as a whole,” Edwards said. “You’ve got a lot of new guys over there. Guys know each other now and understand who they’re playing with. It’s making it a lot easier.”

Peek said the defense has shown improvement, even though the stats don’t bear it out. The Browns remain last in the league, giving up 378.4 yards per game.

“Every time we touched that field, we got better as a defense, no matter if we gave up points or whatever,” Peek said. “As far as believing in each other, I don’t think it’s changed any.”

Peek said the coaches’ decision to simplify the game plan has played a role in the improvement. He said that of late, the Browns have been trying things in practice and throwing out what doesn’t work.