Crennel’s job may be on the line Sunday

BEREA (AP) — Romeo Crennel can’t erase Cleveland’s rough start. He can’t make the silly penalties, dropped passes, turnovers or his team’s 0-3 record go away.

If he was on a golf course, the Browns coach could pull out another ball, re-tee it and use his mulligan — a do-over.

“We’re not playing golf,” Crennel said Thursday. “It’s football.”

And it’s starting to get a little heated for Crennel, whose fourth season in Cleveland wasn’t supposed to go like this.

Coming off a surprising 10-win season when they just missed the playoffs, the Browns were expected to do big things in ’08. However, heading into this Sunday’s game at winless Cincinnati, Crennel’s club has scored an NFL-low 26 points, is tied for first in penalties and is embroiled in a quarterback controversy.

Irate callers on local sports talk radio are demanding Crennel’s head, and there have been widespread, unsubstantiated rumors that former Pittsburgh coach Bill Cowher recently purchased a home in the Cleveland area. Browns general manager Phil Savage didn’t help matters by labeling a Week 2 game against Pittsburgh “almost a must win.”

Uh-oh, Romeo.

Crennel’s in the crosshairs.

“You never wish that on anybody,” said kicker Phil Dawson. “We’ve all been there, but as a player you feel responsible. We’re the ones who go out there and make penalties and fail to execute and don’t win games. Coach really stands tall and takes it on his own shoulders and we respect that a great deal.

“It’s hard because we love RAC [Crennel’s initials and nickname] and we feel responsible for the heat he is taking.”

With the Browns in a funk, Crennel’s relationship with Savage has come under added scrutiny. Both insist their bond remains strong, and Savage offered support for his coach during a radio appearance on Thursday.

“There’s enough blame to go around,” Savage said. “That starts with me. All of us can do a better job. Romeo’s not the kind of man who’s going to beat the drum and say I did that to help us win. He’s big enough to take the blame and big enough to handle the situation we’re in right now.

“As long as the team plays hard for Romeo and they have a belief in him, then I don’t think we have an issue. We just need to win a game.”

Crennel, 20-31 since joining the Browns in 2005, understands that criticism comes with the territory.

“I’ve said it all along, if you win, your chances of staying are better,” he said. “If you lose, then that’s part of this business.”

Crennel went just 10-22 in his first two seasons as the Browns went through a painful rebuilding process that began paying dividends last year.