Anderson is Browns starter — for now

He was better on third down plays against Baltimore and got the nod from Eric Mangini.

By TONY GROSSI

THE Plain Dealer

BEREA — Brady Quinn’s star-crossed tenure as the starting quarterback of his boyhood favorite team lasted all of three weeks.

Quinn has been replaced by Derek Anderson for Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Quinn, who grew up in Dublin, was the eighth quarterback to open a season for the Browns in 11 years. Now he’s the sixth one to be benched for reasons other than injury.

But, wait. There’s no guarantee this will be the last change. There’s still Brett Ratliff.

In making the announcement, coach Eric Mangini said Anderson would start “this week.” He would not elaborate when pressed on how long Anderson will have the job.

Asked if the quarterback position is now on a week-to-week basis, Mangini said: “What I’m looking for is for us to improve offensively. I’m not by any stretch saying it’s been all Brady. That’s not the case at all. I just think Derek did some things that were positive [on third-down conversions], and we need to improve in that area, and I think he can help us improve in that area, and that’s really what the decision is based on.”

Anderson relieved Quinn in Baltimore after the Browns trailed at halftime, 20-0. The offense was 0-for-4 on third downs in the first half. Anderson was intercepted on his first third-down play, but came back to convert 3-of-4 on his next series.

Apparently, that was enough to win a job that he couldn’t capture in four months of Mangini’s quarterback competition.

“I think he did a nice job with the third-down conversions last week, which is an area we obviously need to improve,” Mangini said. “I think that will also help us defensively, being able to sustain drives. He worked hard throughout the process, made a lot of progress. At the time I made the decision with Brady, it was based on the information I had. Giving Derek this opportunity, I think, has the potential to help us offensively.”

Anderson threw three interceptions in his one half of play in Baltimore. Mangini stressed those turnovers must be “eliminated.”

Anderson shrugged them off as a product of desperation in an unwinnable situation.

“We were down 30,” Anderson said. “Hey, whatever I can do to try to give these guys a spark, give us some energy, get guys some balls.”

The Browns are 32nd in total offense, 31st in scoring and 0-3 in the first year under Mangini.

They have lost nine in a row dating to last year — the second-longest losing streak in the NFL — and have scored one offensive touchdown in that span.

Players took yet another quarterback change in stride.

“Coach Mangini made a decision that he felt was the necessary action to be taken,” receiver Braylon Edwards said.

Receiver/returner Josh Cribbs said: “I trust in the coach’s decision. We have to. We’re all in. He’s our leader, and we’re going to follow behind him.”

Running back Jamal Lewis said: “We’ve been playing with both of them for the last so many months, since the end of July, so I don’t think it makes that much of a difference. We just have to do what we have to do to go in and help whoever’s in there, help them out and do our job. That’s it.”

Quinn said he was “obviously disappointed and frustrated” with Mangini’s quick hook.

“I want to be playing. I want to be starting,” he said. “That’s the case, I’m sure, with a lot of guys in the league. If you don’t feel that way, you shouldn’t be in the league. Right now, I’m trying to do everything I can to help my teammates, whether it’s Derek or anyone else, and do the best we can.”