DETROIT — Just five days after being embarrassed on national television by the Giants, the Browns have something to prove this afternoon, both to themselves and the rest of the football world.
Cleveland takes on the Detroit Lions in the annual “Great Lakes Classic’’ at Ford Field, where anything less than a solid performance could set off a panic that lasts the rest of the preseason.
“We’re gonna try to do better than Monday night — and I think we will,’’ said Browns coach Romeo Crennel, whose team is 0-2 in exhibition play. “The guys are focused and they’re back down to Earth after what happened.
“I want to see smart football. I don’t want to see the mistakes I saw on Monday night.’’
If nothing else, Cleveland will have a drastically different look against Detroit (2-0), which is one of six NFL teams without a loss.
Browns starting quarterback Derek Anderson (concussion), running back Jamal Lewis (hamstring), safety Brodney Pool (concussion), linebacker Willie McGinest (groin) and return ace Joshua Cribbs (high ankle sprain) will miss the game with injuries suffered in the 37-34 loss to New York.
That means Notre Dame golden boy Brady Quinn will make his first professional start at QB, while Jason Wright takes Lewis’ spot as the featured back.
Quinn, for one, is not concerned about the team laying another egg.
“We’re a down-to-earth, hard-working team,’’ he said. “We know we’ve got a lot of tough things ahead of us. We’re going to try to take anything one day at a time. If anything, that was good for us to not look too far ahead because New York was a tough team. Now, we’ve got Detroit.’’
The game also marks the return to Motown for Browns nose tackle Shaun Rogers, as well as the first chance for Lions cornerback Leigh Bodden to face his former team. The players were traded for one another March 4.
While Rogers immediately was installed as a starter in his new town, Bodden is serving as Detroit’s third corner, but has received a good deal of praise from defensive coordinator Joe Barry of late.
“I think we got a heck of a football player with him,’’ Barry said. “He’s come right in, he’s fit right in and, gosh dang, I think it was awesome that he was here all offseason. Brian (Kelly) and Travis Fisher are our starters, but I’ve considered Leigh a starter since we’ve gotten him.’’
Bodden is also happy with his new digs, which came about when he demanded a new contract from Cleveland following last season, but was rebuffed.
“It was a load off my shoulders to get traded and get a new deal,’’ he said. “I just want to play football and that’s what I can do here.
“It’s going well for me, but it’s just new. I’m still trying to figure out the ins and outs of the system, figuring out where your help is and when it will be there. But I’m happy and I’m looking forward to going against (the Browns) in a different setting.’’
Whatever plays out today, though, won’t mean a thing once Cleveland’s regular season begins.
The Browns may be the lone AFC North Division team without an exhibition victory, but they remain focused on getting a win when it actually counts in the standings: Sept. 7 against the Dallas Cowboys.
“As a first group, I thought we played excellent in the first game against the Jets, and if you say, ‘Boy, we’re going to win the Super Bowl because of that,’ you’re wrong,’’ tackle Joe Thomas said. “We executed very poorly in the game against the Giants, and if you say, ‘We’re going to lose every game, watch out,’ I think you’d be wrong, as well.
“No one on this team is going to get too high or too low about what happens in the preseason.”
Brownie bits
A limited number of tickets — ranging from $50-$120 — are available for today’s 4 p.m. matchup. Seats are available at the Ford Field box office or through TicketMaster.
(bullet) The game also marks the homecoming of Browns defensive back Jereme Perry, who has never played a pro game in Michigan. Perry played high school football at Saginaw Buena Vista, then attended Eastern Michigan University.
(bullet) Cleveland’s preseason loss to the Giants drew a 10.7 rating and a 16 share on WJW-TV 8, according to overnight ratings reported by Mediaweek. The game went head to head with the Olympics on WKYC-TV 3, which attracted a 16.6 rating and 27 share. For comparison’s sake, the local New York broadcast on WWOR-TV 9 only received a 2.5/4.
Contact Brian Dulik at 329-7135 or sports@ohio.net.

TODAY

WHO: Cleveland at Detroit
TIME: 4 p.m.
WHERE: Ford Field
TV/RADIO: Channel 3; WMMS 100.7-FM, WTAM 1100-AM

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