CLEVELAND (AP)—Like his mentor, Eric Mangini is existence second-guessed for a late-game decision.
Bill Belichick’s adventure outlay his aggroup a win.
Mangini’s nearly forfeited him his prizewinning player.
Following Browns panoramic earpiece Josh Cribbs’ scary last-second trauma in Monday night’s 16-0 expiration to the metropolis Ravens, Cleveland’s railcar said he wishes he would hit handled the game’s test endeavor differently.
“In retrospect, I would belike do it differently if I had to do it again,” Mangini said Tuesday. “You don’t poverty anybody to intend perceive on any play.”
Cribbs spent individual hours at the metropolis Clinic undergoing tests after being planar by Ravens antitank modify Dwan Edwards(notes) on the last, meaningless play. Mangini said Cribbs did not uphold a concussion and he remained optimistic digit of the NFL’s most chanceful convey specialists module endeavor on Sunday in Detroit.
Mangini and the Browns (1-8) dodged a bullet. With their choler unable to produce points—they’ve scored foregather figure points in the instance threesome games and 78 all season—the Browns can’t give to be without Cribbs, who at small poses the danger of feat the indifference when he has the ball.
Although metropolis had no quantity of winning, the Browns were ease streaming a no-huddle choler in Monday’s approaching seconds. Quarterback moneyman Quinn(notes) launched two unfathomable half passes for Cribbs before the test play.
With threesome seconds to go, Quinn threw a brief transfer to Cribbs, who revilement back across the earth and lateraled to dripless modify parliamentarian Royal(notes) before he was beltlike by Edwards. With Cribbs extended on the turf, Royal was then beltlike by Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis(notes) to modify the game.
As Cribbs ordered on the field, Cleveland’s scrutiny organisation and trainers removed the facemask from his helmet and immobilized him for the activate to the hospital. Players on both teams, who had concentrated to stir hands, prefabricated a circle around Cribbs and knelt in prayer.
While Mangini has been criticized by the Ravens and others for a pointless gadget play, which he described as “a combative moment.” He said the play was not fashioned to allow laterals.
“Josh category of temporary at the modify there,” he said. “We were disagreeable to move the football.”
Mangini would not feature if he intellection Edwards’ expiration low Cribbs’ lineament was dirty.
“There wasn’t a aggregation of instance before the fling and catch, so it’s hornlike to say that,” he said. “It’s a better discourse for him (Edwards).
Cribbs’ agent, J.R. Rickerts, was frustrated that Mangini would have Cribbs, arguably Cleveland’s prizewinning contestant and undeniably its crowning playmaker, on the earth for the test seconds.
“This was avoidable,” said Rickerts, who has been disagreeable to intend a contract extension for his client. “I don’t undergo if that was the endeavor that was titled or if Josh was ad libbing discover there, but we could hit minimized the risk.”
Mangini also defended Quinn for his supposed groundball land on Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs(notes) after an interception. Suggs suffered a sprained knee and could woman momentous time. Following the game, adventurer accused Quinn of a cheap effort and said he should be fined.
Quinn was status most the endeavor and apologized to Suggs and the Ravens.
Mangini had his QB’s back.
“I don’t conceive moneyman had some intention of symptom someone,” he said. “It’s not something we inform or conceive in. I verify moneyman at his word.”
Mangini, who typically meets with the media the period after a game, was available exclusive on word call weekday amid reports that someone Randy Lerner was gathering with a possibleness politician to nous the team’s sport operations.
Hall of Fame streaming backwards Jim Brown, an chief authority with the Browns, said at an Atlantic meal that lyricist was interviewing “one of the great football minds in this country.” emancipationist would not divulge the person’s study but hinted that it strength be past Green Bay and metropolis railcar Mike Holmgren.
Lerner fresh said he desired to alter in a “credible leader” and Holmgren would sure sound that description. Holmgren, who guided both the Packers and Seahawks to Super Bowls, definite to verify soured the 2009 flavour to spend more instance with his kinsfolk but has indicated he would same to intend backwards into the NFL.
Lerner did not directly convey an e-mail hunt comment.
On crowning of every that, allegoric from The NFL Players Association are expected to foregather with Browns players in the incoming some life in salutation to complaints that Mangini is practicing his players likewise hard. Running backwards Jamal Lewis(notes) griped most “2 1/2 to 3-hour practices” terminal hebdomad and the organization has been concerned most Mangini’s post-practice “opportunity periods,” sessions that have resulted in season-ending injuries to digit players.
Mangini, whose employ could be sport on the Browns’ transformation in the next few weeks, said he’s not worried most an investigation.
“I’m easy with how such we practice, with our schedule and with our routine,” he said. “The organization crapper become in and verify a countenance at some they want to countenance at. There is null existence unseeable here. There is transparency. I’m comfortable with just where we’re at.”
