As the Browns seek to nullify errors on offense, running back James Davis believes he can be a spark to get something going in Baltimore on Sunday.
James Davis rushed for 103 yards in 26 preseason carries this fall. Now, the second-year running back from Clemson hopes to get a chance to strut his stuff in a regular-season game against Baltimore on Sunday.BEREA, Ohio -- Peyton Hillis was the Browns' starting tailback in Game 1, and he fumbled.
Jerome Harrison was the starter in Game 2, and he fumbled.
As coach Eric Mangini continues to rail about his team's costly turnovers, is the sentiment rising to try James Davis next?
"I'm excited about the week. Coach told me to go out and have a good week of practice," Davis said Wednesday.
Davis also said that coaches -- Mangini and others -- deliver pretty much the same message every week.
But something is different this week.
Harrison, who had 11 and 14 carries in the first two games, declined to speak to reporters after the 16-14 loss to Kansas City on Sunday. Harrison did not practice on Wednesday because of a thigh injury.
Speaking of what Davis needs to do at practice to get some action Sunday against Baltimore, Mangini said, "Each week you look at the guys. If the guy is having a standout week in practice, you just view it as earning opportunities in the game. That's really how Evan Moore got his first chance. He stood out in practice, so he got opportunities in the game. It happened quite a bit last year. Marcus Benard [is another]."
Davis feels he is in the same situation now, especially with the offense looking in need of a spark.
"In my mind, that's kind of what I think of myself as when I'm out there," he said. "I kind of showed in the preseason I can be a spark. That's something I have to show in practice. I'm going to try to change stuff up differently -- gonna go out there early and I'm gonna go full out. I want to play."
Playing in Baltimore is another thing that's got Davis perked up. It was in Baltimore exactly a year ago -- in last season's third game -- that Davis last carried the ball in the regular season.
He came in after the Browns were down, 27-0, in the third quarter and carried five times for 10 yards. He also had a one catch for one yard. Davis already had suffered a shoulder injury in Game 1, but was mostly recovered by the Baltimore game. The following week, however, he re-injured the shoulder in a post-practice "opportunity period" and had to be shut down for the year following surgery.
Now Davis said he is 100 percent healthy and about seven pounds heavier than a year ago at 213 pounds. He said there's no question that he is the team's fastest player on offense.
"Definitely. I can pretty much tell," he said.
Davis admitted he was a bit awed as rookie playing the Ravens.
"When I played in this game last year, my thing was, I was a rookie and I wanted to see Ray Lewis come out," he said of the Baltimore linebacker's famous entrance to the field. "I had never seen it. ... So in the pre-game, I'm watching him the whole time 'cuz I was all excited to see it. Once I got in, he talked a lot on the field, and stuff. Now I feel I've played against one of the best linebackers in the league. I feel I'm more prepared now."
The Browns' running game never has been in the rhythm it had in the final month of 2009. Through two games, the team is averaging 88.5 yards a game and 3.6 per attempt. Although Hillis has two touchdowns, the two fumbles by him and Harrison have stunted advances by the offense.
"I don't know [the problem]," Davis said. "Teams probably prepare for stuff that we did at the end of last season. I think it's a different mindset. We're more balanced this year. It can be a hit or miss thing.
"Right now, we're just working on getting this running game going. Everybody's kind of talking about it. I'm hearing it from guys. I think it's a big deal. I think we definitely have to get better."
The Ravens are 17th against the run through two games. They allowed 62 on 11 attempts by the Jets' LaDainian Tomlinson and 78 on 23 attempts by Cinncinati's Cedric Benson.
"We showed some clips in the film and there's some holes in the defense," Davis said. "They're pretty tough with Ray Lewis in there, but I think we can run on that defense."
The Browns had 71 and 86 yards rushing in their two losses to Baltimore last season. Davis is unfazed by that lack of success. Besides, he was a rookie then, partially hurt in one game and not able to play in the other.
"Hopefully I can get plugged in," he said. "I'm going to go out this week and push the issue. I'm gonna work so hard, they're going to have to say, 'We've got to give that guy a shot.'"