Browns beat Raiders for third straight win

CLEVELAND (AP) — Walking through the wide doors of Cleveland’s locker room, Browns coach Eric Mangini was greeted by smiling faces.

“Congratulations, coach,” a team employee hollered at Mangini.

“Thank you,” he replied.

Once thought to be on his way out of Cleveland after just one season, Mangini may be staging a stunning comeback of his own.

Jerome Harrison rushed for 148 yards on 39 carries and the Browns won their third straight, 23-9 over the reckless Oakland Raiders on Sunday, extending a surprising streak that Mangini can use to strengthen his case to convince new Browns boss Mike Holmgren to keep him.

With consecutive wins over Pittsburgh, Kansas City and Oakland, the Browns (4-11) have their first three-game winning streak since 2007 and only their third since 1999. Holmgren, who last week agreed to become Cleveland’s team president, may have to factor Cleveland’s late-season surge into whether he retains Mangini.

When the Browns were 1-11, Mangini’s fate seemed to be sealed. There’s no telling now what his future could hold.

“I’m happy with the way things have been going,” he said. “I’ve seen progress from the group. It is a process. To see this is a real positive.”

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