Browns Still Without Starting Quarterback; Mangini Undecided

NFL News - September 1st, 2009 - Written by Scott

Cleveland Browns coach Eric Mangini is still up in the air about who will be the Browns starting quarterback. Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson remain in a battle for the job and neither one has stepped out in front according to the head coach. Mangini stands behind what he has said all along that there is no timetable on naming a starter. Although, time is starting to run out with their season opener against the Minnesota Vikings on September 13.

Mangini was pleased with both of his quarterback's performance in the Brown's win over Tennessee on Saturday. Brady Quinn had a solid outing against the Titans. Quinn started the game and completed 11 of 15 passes for 128 yards in just four series of work. He also threw the team's only preseason touchdown pass, a 20 yarder to Braylon Edwards. Anderson, who played only two series, went 7 of 11 for 77 yards, but made two questionable throws and was sacked on a play that killed a potential scoring drive.

Normally, during game four of the preseason, starters are usually in for one or two series. Although it is Anderson's turn to start, Mangini isn't quite sure how he will use his quarterbacks Thursday night against Chicago. Both quarterbacks are getting equal reps during practice and Mangini feels that there are some positives with having the quarterbacks rotate with the first and second team offense.

"You get guys working with a lot of different people," he said. "Over the course of the weekend there were a couple of different quarterbacks hurt in games and now the No. 2 guy goes in and who knows how long he's going to be in? Maybe he hasn't gotten that kind of work, so now you have to radically transition to that person. I think the upside with working with a lot of different people was there is always uncertainty. There are always injuries and hopefully we won't have any but usually during the course of the season there is."
Mangini is hoping the situation he had in New York will help him with making this crucial decision. He had to be patient in his first season with the Jets while Chad Pennington and Kellen Winslow battled it out. Mangini said that there was no drop off in rhythm while either Quinn or Anderson was in the game. Establishing continuity is an important issue with any offense and revolving quarterbacks could make this tough to achieve. However, according to wide receiver Mike Furrey, there is no drop off when either quarterback is in the game.

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