ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) -Brady Quinn is quickly forgetting the worries he had this offseason of whether he had a future in Cleveland.
The present is what matters now.
The second-year quarterback and former star at Notre Dame is being called upon to salvage what’s left of the Browns’ season and dwindling playoff hopes.
With Derek Anderson sent to the bench two weeks ago, Quinn prepares to make his second career start, and first on the road Monday night when Cleveland (3-6) plays the Buffalo Bills (5-4). It’s a midseason matchup with plenty at stake between two teams that began the season expecting to be playoff contenders.
The Bills have lost three straight and four of five, looking nothing like the team that got off to a 4-0 start.
ve quit.
Into this mess enters Quinn, who didn’t know his status in February after Anderson signed a three-year contract as reward for a solid season.
“I’d be lying if I told you that thought didn’t cross my mind,” Quinn said, regarding his future. “But at some point I kind of gained the perspective that I just needed to make sure that every day I came to work I got better … whether it was for Cleveland or another team.”
Turns out it’ll be for Cleveland, the franchise the native Ohioan grew up rooting for, and a team that selected him 22nd overall in the 2007 draft.
“It’s kind of still a little bit surreal,” Quinn said. “And I’m just caught up in all the grunt work and everything I feel I need to do for each game.”
Quinn looked every bit ready in making his debut in another prime-time game, going 23-of-35 for 239 yards and two touchdowns in a 34-30 loss to Denver on Nov. 6. A win, though, is what counts for Quinn and the rest of the team’s waning morale.
“Losing creates a lot of frustration on everybody’s part,” Browns coach Romeo Crennel said. “Part of the job is to be able to handle those frustrations and try to get the guys focused on the task at hand.”
, including last week’s 20-10 loss at New England.
“You can say, `Oh no, (the attitude) is not different. But it is. It’s completely different,” defensive tackle Kyle Williams said. “We are trying to get out of a rut right now. We are trying to get some momentum back because we have seven games left to get to the playoffs.”
Buffalo’s offense under Trent Edwards has taken several steps backward from a unit that played with great efficiency during the first month, in which it generated three consecutive fourth-quarter comeback victories.
Edwards is flailing, having produced nearly as many turnovers (five interceptions and two fumbles) as scoring drives (three touchdowns, five field goals) in his past three games. The running attack has been pedestrian, managing 90 yards in its past two games combined.
The defense has been too banged-up to make a significant difference. Buffalo is minus its top pass-rusher, Aaron Schobel (left foot), nickel cornerback Ashton Youboty (foot), and could be without its most versatile defensive back, safety Donte Whitner (separated shoulder), who is questionable.
“We all have to play better. There’s no finger-pointing. There’s no down-talking,” offensive tackle Langston Walker said. “We’re not out of the hunt. We’re not 0-for-whatever. We’ve still got a winning record.”
ar, when the Browns beat Buffalo 8-0 in the midst of a blizzard in Cleveland.
Quinn remembers watching from the sideline, and joked the Browns should, perhaps, revisit that game plan, because it wasn’t much use in near whiteout conditions last year.
What’s different this time around is that Quinn will be the one calling the plays, having earned his long-awaited chance to finally show what he can do in the NFL.
On draft day, Quinn waited as 21 players were selected ahead of him before the Browns swung a trade to select him. And it took him nearly 20 months to finally get a shot at playing.
“I think more than anything else, it was a test of patience,” Quinn said. “If anything, it allowed me to have confidence in my ability to come right in and play well, and be whatever this team needs me to be.”
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