Browns beat up physically and mentally


Associated Press

BEREA

His knees wrapped and other body parts undoubtedly aching from a Texas-sized beatdown witnessed by family and friends, Colt McCoy walked slowly to his locker.

Every step looked painful, every movement deliberate.

Before retrieving a few belongings from his cubicle and slinging a duffel bag over his shoulder, Cleveland’s second-year quarterback, who has proven his toughness but done little else to show he’s the long-term answer for the Browns, was asked if he was sore.

“I’ll be all right,” he promised.

The Browns may need more recovery time.

One day after a 30-12 thumping in Houston by the Texans, who thoroughly dominated Cleveland in every phase of the game, the Browns began picking up the pieces from a loss that only counted as one on their record, but seemed to carry greater weight.

“We all know what we can do,” said linebacker Scott Fujita, part of a defense that gave up 261 yards rushing. “But starting with me. I didn’t play well enough to help this team win, and collectively as a whole team, we didn’t do enough things to win this game.

“It’s frustrating. I’m not gonna sugarcoat it. The effort was there, but the execution certainly wasn’t.”

There was plenty of blame to pass around as Cleveland, which trailed 14-0 before taking its second offensive snap, lost for the fourth time in five weeks. And this one followed the same pattern as the club’s previous two road games, when the Browns made an early mistake and never recovered.

After Houston scored on its opening drive, Browns running back Chris Ogbonnaya, making his first career start and playing only because starters Peyton Hillis and Montario Hardesty were out with injuries, fumbled on Cleveland’s first play from scrimmage and Houston recovered.

Two minutes later, the Texans led 14-0. It may as well have been 140-0.

With no running game and a passing attack lacking much bite, points have been at a premium for the Browns, who have been outscored 58-6 in the first quarter and 90-15 in the first and third quarters combined.

That’s only one of the many problems facing first-year coach Pat Shurmur, who continues to preach patience to a Cleveland fan base tired of hearing that same message year after year.

During his weekly news conference, Shurmur usually spends a few moments — win or lose — accentuating some of the positives from Sunday’s game. This week was different. There wasn’t much to brag about.

“We need to be better,” Shurmur said. “I guess what you take from having worked through tough situations is you keep battling, and that’s the message.”

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