Romeo Crennel Refutes Lewis and Cribbs – Insists Browns Players Did Not Quit

Cleveland Browns Coach Romeo Crennel has denied that his team ‘quit’ on him last Thursday night after blowing a 13-point lead against the Denver Broncos.

Crennel told the media at his press conference Wednesday: “It seems like the word ‘quit’ has taken a life of its own and grown a little bit bigger, and now the Browns are quitters and the coach has lost control of the team and there’s division in the locker room, and that’s not the case.”

The beleaguered head coach has been in the hot seat over a 3-6 record so far this season. But Crennel vowed all of his players “are going to play and play together. Whether we play good enough remains to be seen. You don’t quit if you have the ball at the end of the game with a chance to win.”

It is not that the Browns quit against Denver when the defense gave up 21 points in the fourth quarter, but “guys didn’t play as smart as they needed to play in critical situations,” Crennel said.

Reporters inside the Browns practice facility in Berea say the players have been worked a bit harder this week in preparation for the Monday Night game against the also struggling Buffalo Bills in Buffalo.

Romeo Crennel hopes more focused, intense, work this week will smarten up a few players, specifically, Brandon McDonald, the cornerback beaten badly by Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall on several long passing plays.

However, critics of the Browns coaching staff wonder aloud why McDonald was left out there by himself to defend the taller, stronger, and more versatile Marshall.

Don’t be surprised if Brandon McDonald does not start on Monday, and if Browns once rising star wide receiver Braylon Edwards spends time on the bench for his hand-eye/hands-football coordination and foot-in-mouth disease. (These problems may all be head-related and not expected to lead to staph.)

Running back Jamal Lewis accused his teammates of quitting after the 34-30 loss to Denver, adding, “some people need to check their egos at the door and find some heart to come out here and play hard.” Most Browns media members and fans believe he was referring to Braylon Edwards — although Jamal would not name specific players.

Romeo Crennel also said he spoke with both Jamal Lewis and running back/receiver Joshua Cribbs — who agreed with Jamal on some team members quitting.

Crennel said neither man actually saw anyone quit.

Following the press conference, Jamal Lewis spoke of how his former team, the Baltimore Ravens’ 2000 Superbowl team, all pulled in the same direction from the top down to the players.

Thanks for reminding us, Jamal. The whole reason Art Modell moved our Browns team (which began in Cleveland in 1946) to Baltimore was to do something he felt he could not do in Cleveland — win a Super Bowl.

The players in Baltimore did not sweat the small stuff, but each did his job, Lewis said, adding that if everybody on the Browns took that approach, “we’d be all right.”

Crennel also insisted, “When you say the team quit, you’re saying I quit. I know I’m not a quitter and my players don’t quit.”

That may no longer matter. The Cleveland media and Browns fans have begun to debate whether the sputtering Browns should go back to the drawing board and start over in 2009 from the top to bottom with a fourth regime since “coming back” in 1999.

Cleveland Browns owner Randy Lerner has been “strangely silent” about the Browns and its future, more than one media member has remarked.

Hang on tight, Browns fans. The next few months could be a wild ride.

[tags]cleveland browns, romeo crennel, nfl[/tags]

Tags: braylon edwards, jamal lewis, joshua cribbs, Romeo Crennel

---------------

If you enjoyed this post, please consider sharing with your friends: