Browns’ win gives Mangini reason to smile

Associated Press

BEREA

Eric Mangini spent Sunday night at home hanging out with Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy and their fuzzy friends.

Instead of watching the Chicago Bears and New York Giants or breaking down game tape of another Cleveland loss, Mangini had a pleasant visit with his mom, and then the Browns coach and his kids got to cozy up in front of the TV for a movie starring “The Muppets.”

“So much more fun,” Mangini said. “It just feels a lot nicer.”

The Browns finally gave him something to smile about.

After three straight punch-in-the-gut losses to open the season, Cleveland hung for a 23-20 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, a victory that wasn’t assured until the final minutes when the Browns handed the ball to workhorse Peyton Hillis and were able to run out the clock.

For the first time this season, Mangini didn’t spend his Monday news conference lamenting what might have been. There were no regrets about interceptions or fumbles or other stupid, self-inflicted mistakes. There were no major injuries to address.

The Browns (1-3) played their most complete game of 2010, and came away with a much-needed win.

Mangini felt is was also much-warranted.

Their record wasn’t showing the progress Mangini felt the Browns had made. Now, by knocking off the defending AFC North champions, they’ve got proof that they’re getting better.

“It was important to me because they deserve to win,” Mangini said of his players, many of whom were part of a 1-11 start last season. “Over the first three weeks, there was no sense of woe is me.”

Mangini never sensed his team would quit, but with a daunting schedule ahead — the Browns play Atlanta, Pittsburgh, New Orleans, New England and the New York Jets in the next five weeks — he knew it was important to get a first win before things snowballed.