Browns hope to avoid stumble

Associated Press

CLEVELAND

It’s a new era for the Cleveland Browns.

Isn’t it always?

They’re starting over, yet again. No NFL team has made as many false starts as the guys in the logoless orange helmets.

Today, the bedeviled Browns, who have spent most of the past 12 years losing their way toward the bottom, will open the 2011 season against the Cincinnati Bengals under Pat Shurmur, their fifth coach since 1999, third in four years and a man who before this summer had no head coaching experience — at any level.

Shurmur’s won’t be the only debut. The Browns will unveil a new West Coast offense, a realigned 4-3 defense and quarterback Colt McCoy will become the 10th QB to open the season for Cleveland since ’99.

McCoy’s performance as a rookie has renewed hope in Cleveland, where optimism can dry up quickly.

“There’s a lot of excitement,” McCoy said. “We’re really excited about getting started. Now it counts.”

The Bengals, too, have changed their stripes.

For the first time since 2004, Carson Palmer is not their quarterback and it doesn’t appear he’ll be coming back anytime soon. Disgusted with the team’s general lack of direction following a 4-12 season, Palmer approached Bengals owner Mike Brown and asked to be traded with four years left on his contract.

Brown refused. Palmer dug in his heels, and the awkward standoff continues with no end in sight. So when the Bengals take the field Sunday, Palmer, who has led them to their only two winning seasons in 20 years, may be walking a golf course somewhere in pseudo retirement.

Rookie Andy Dalton, tabbed as Palmer’s heir apparent when he was drafted in April, will start. The Bengals, who also have a new offensive scheme, will also get their first regular-season look at wide receiver A.J. Green, a talented first-round pick who has to fill the Grand Canyon-sized cavity left by the departures of Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens.

For the Browns, season openers have been previews of trouble.

They’ve lost six straight and gone just 1-11 in their first game since ’99. Shurmur, who spent the past two seasons as St. Louis’ offensive coordinator, doesn’t want to put too much emphasis on the opener, but he knows a good start can lead to good things.

“It’s important if you’re going to string some victories together that you get the first one,” he said. “I do know a loss in the first game is only fatal if you let it be because it’s a long season.”