Quinn, Anderson still battling

BEREA — Neither Brady Quinn nor Derek Anderson has pulled ahead in the Browns’ quarterback battle, but the competition kicks into high gear tonight with the preseason opener in Green Bay.

“I think it reinforces the whole concept of why you have to let the body of work play out,” said Browns coach Eric Mangini. “They’re very competitive. They’re both making strides in different areas. As we talked about a long time ago, you have to really see who does separate themselves from the other one. When that time comes, it will be clear, and that’s why you wait to make a decision.”

It’s not just the fans and media who are scoring it even. Mangini truly hasn’t identified a front-runner yet.

“I see it as they’re switching,” he said. “One guy may have an outstanding period. I think D.A. [Anderson] had a really nice rack at the end of practice [Wednesday]. Brady has done the same things at different points, where a guy gets on, gets hot, gets the right plays and he’s firing. Then you may go to the next drill and it’s not quite as crisp as you’d like it to be.

“What I’m happy with is, some of the things that both of them are starting to recognize, certain defensive fronts, certain looks. Understanding, ‘OK, I have a problem here. Let me either change the protection. All right, I can’t change the protection, that’s not going to help me. Let me throw to my hot [receiver]. Let me adjust the play.’ That’s what I want to continue to see. They’ll have a lot of tools available to them, and I want to see them use those tools to help us.”

Mangini didn’t publicly declare a starter for the game, but informed the quarterbacks Friday who would start and how long each would play. He assured them that he’d flip-flop the order for next week’s home game against Detroit.

“It’s going to be equal in those games,” said Mangini. “I want to see what they can do. I want to see what both of them can do with live bullets.”

Quinn said he hopes to get the nod, but doubted either quarterback would read too much into who starts the first game. Likewise, Anderson said he wasn’t too concerned about it.

“Whatever Coach decides to do, I’ll get in there and play as long as he tells me to,” Anderson said. “I don’t know what it’s going to be. If it’s first, it’s first. If it’s second, it’s second. I have no control over it.”

Anderson started the Family Day scrimmage but threw a crucial interception at the goal line at the end of a promising 13-play, no-huddle drive. Quinn completed a 51-yard touchdown pass to Lance Leggett on his first play, but didn’t do much thereafter.

A few days later, Mangini listed their names side-by-side at first-team quarterback on his inaugural depth chart, saying, “Nothing’s really changed, I can promise you that.”

Although Quinn came into camp with some momentum based in part on the fact that Anderson missed the final three practices of minicamp with a calf injury, Anderson has gained steam the past week or so in practice. Playing loose and relaxed, he operated the no-huddle efficiently at the end of Wednesday’s session and hit Mike Furrey with a 50-yard touchdown pass at the end of a three-minute drill on Thursday.

‘Camp has been pretty good for me,’ said Anderson. ‘I’ve been throwing the ball really well, and I’m happy with that. When you’re throwing it well and your reads are good, good things happen.’

He said he’s been loving the no-huddle offense, which the Browns have practiced every day and will incorporate more into the offense.

‘I think I completed almost every ball [Wednesday in the no-huddle],’ Anderson said. ‘Just kind of gets in a rhythm for me. It’s something that has to be a weapon for us, and we have to execute in it. Most of the time it’s coming from the sideline. But obviously we can mix and match, call some. It just depends on what the situation is and how he wants to do it.’

Quinn said he also feels he’s having a good camp.

‘Our biggest thing right now is just overall fundamentals and those sorts of things,’ he said. ‘I haven’t really charted throws as far as statistically in practice, but I feel good with where I’m at right now and how I’ve progressed as the camp’s gone on.’

The problem with judging quarterbacks off the first preseason game is that the opponent usually pulls its starters after the first few series. But that won’t stop anyone involved with the competition from scrutinizing every move the two make.