BEREA — Browns coach Eric Mangini can only delay the inevitable.

Eventually he’s got to name a starting quarterback and send him onto the field to face the Baltimore Ravens on “Monday Night Football” next week.

“I know where I’m headed, but I’d just rather talk about it on Wednesday,” Mangini said.

He did the same dance before the opener against Minnesota, refusing to announce a starter until the morning of the game. He went with Brady Quinn over Derek Anderson, and is expected to do so again. It’s not like he’s choosing between John Elway and Johnny Unitas.

Anderson replaced Quinn at halftime of a 34-3 loss at Baltimore in Week 3. Anderson gets credit for the season’s lone win, 6-3 over Buffalo, but that’s the lone bright spot.

He has the league’s worst passer rating (36.2) and has completed 43 percent of his passes for 4.4 yards an attempt with two touchdowns and nine interceptions. He has a microscopic 3.1 rating in the fourth quarter.

Anderson usually only talks to the media on Wednesdays and didn’t want to deviate Monday.

“I’m not talking,” he said with a smile.

Quinn is anxious for another chance. He’s started just six games in his three-year career and believes the benching after 10 quarters was premature.

He’s completed 60 percent of his passes this year for 5.31 yards an attempt, a touchdown and three interceptions. He hasn’t thrown enough passes to qualify for the league rankings, but his 62.1 rating would put him 28th. He led one touchdown drive.

“Looking back in the series that I had, I felt pretty comfortable with my decision-making with a couple of exceptions,” Quinn said Monday. “I would just try to go out there and get better and make something happen.”

Mangini said one of the reasons he didn’t name a quarterback was because he had yet to tell the candidates his choice.
“I have no idea,” Quinn said of Mangini’s decision before practice. “I’m looking forward to trying to get better today and I’ll take it day by day. That’s really all you can do at this point.”

No matter who’s been under center, the offense has been a disaster.

Anderson, who moves slightly faster than a tortoise, has the team’s only two rushing touchdowns. The three TD receptions have come from tight ends Robert Royal and Steve Heiden and fullback Lawrence Vickers. Joshua Cribbs has returned two kicks for scores.

The Browns’ seven total touchdowns are equal to the defensive touchdowns scored by the Saints (8-0). The Browns (1-7) have 78 total points compared with New Orleans’ 303.

Mangini is sticking with first-time coordinator Brian Daboll despite the appalling numbers. He thinks the Browns can clean up the mess themselves.

“I really believe there’s a lot of things we can do to make the offense more effective,” Mangini said. “The starting point for us is protecting the ball. We’re giving it away too often and it’s not purely in the form of interceptions.”

The Browns have lost 10 fumbles — three in their last game — in addition to the 12 interceptions. Their minus-11 turnover ratio is last in the NFL. Mangini said he instructed the scout team last week to constantly try to pry the ball loose.

“Almost to the point where it’s overkill because that’s the amount of emphasis you have to put on it,” he said. “The better we protect it, the more chances we have to score.”

Whoever starts at quarterback must find a way to get the ball to the wideouts. Starters Mohamed Massaquoi and Brian Robiskie, both rookie second-round picks, have combined for 10 catches in four games since the trade of Braylon Edwards. Quinn said he’s spending extra time with them.

“I think you have to,” he said. “Our offense is so young across the board. We just have to continue to try to build some chemistry and try to spend more time off the field together.”

Many of the players spent the weekend with family and away from the NFL. Not Quinn.

“I did watch some football,” he said. “I love the game too much.”

Contact Scott Petrak at 329-7253 or spetrak@chroniclet.com.

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