With Colt McCoy idle again on Wednesday, Jake Delhomme got set to start his third straight game.
View full sizeJake Delhomme said he felt much more comfortable in his second game back from his sprained ankle, and is looking forward to another start Sunday against Buffalo. "Those other 10 sets of eyes in the huddle have to believe in the guy calling the plays," he said Wednesday. "I felt a lot better last [week]."BEREA, Ohio -- With rookie idle again Wednesday, quarterback Colt McCoyJake Delhomme is gearing up to start his third straight game -- and hoping for his third straight victory -- Sunday in frigid Buffalo.
"I don't have a lot of experience in [snow], but I think if you think about it too much, then you're kind of doing yourself a disservice," Delhomme said. "You've just got to go out and play and adjust accordingly.
"We're going to practice in it, obviously, the next few days, but you have still got to go out and play. It's just like in rainy weather; it's different and you've just got to go out and do it."
Delhomme said he won't necessarily try to be more careful because of the conditions. Sunday's forecast is calling for freezing rain, snow and a high of 34.
"Like I said, don't try to be anybody you're not, run the offense, let things happen, get the ball in the playmakers hands and who knows?" he said. "If the weather's bad and if there's a slip or a missed tackle, something short can turn into something big."
Delhomme knows Peyton Hillis and the running game -- especially against the Bills' 32nd-ranked run defense -- can be his best friend in adverse weather.
"I think that's got to be what teams in this region have to be built for," he said. "I think this team toward the end of last year, obviously on their four-game stretch, really ran the ball extremely well. That's what you have to gear up to. There's no doubt."
Delhomme knows he dodged a bullet when Miami's Nolan Carroll dropped an almost certain pick-six at the end of the Browns' 13-10 victory, but he still felt better than he did the week before, during the Browns' 24-23 victory over the Panthers.
"I felt I saw the field pretty good," he said. "I felt very happy with the run checks that I had to do during the game.
"They weren't giving us a whole lot, we didn't have a whole lot of chances to take shots. They were playing close to the vest."
Delhomme, who found Ben Watson 10 times for 100 yards, completed 70 percent of his passes with one TD and no interceptions for a 97.3 rating. It was an upgrade over the previous week, when he came under heavy fire for his two third-quarter interceptions.
"There were extreme nerves [against Carolina] ... because I hadn't been out there and we were doing our no-huddle and as a quarterback, you want to be right," he said. "Those other 10 sets of eyes in the huddle have to believe in the guy calling the plays. I felt a lot better last [week]."
Making improvement: McCoy (ankle) walked through the locker room without his walking boot on Wednesday and might return to practice on a limited basis later this week.
"I wouldn't say it's a slam dunk but I'd say it's a possibility," said Mangini, who added that McCoy is working under controlled conditions with the trainer.
Five other Browns were idle Wednesday: linebackers Eric Barton (shoulder), Titus Brown (head) and Scott Fujita (knee), tight end Evan Moore (hip) and defensive lineman Shaun Rogers (ankle, hip). Four Browns were limited: defensive lineman Kenyon Coleman (knee), receiver Josh Cribbs (foot), guard Floyd Womack (knee) and cornerback Eric Wright (knee).
Mangini said he's optimistic Cribbs will be able to play some on offense this week instead of just returning kicks and punts.
Feeling McDaniels' pain: Mangini, who was fired from the Jets in 2008 after a 9-7 season, sympathized with his former New England colleague Josh McDaniels, who was fired by the Broncos in his second season.
"It's never a fun thing to see," said Mangini. "He's a guy that I've known for a long time and I've been in that spot. I know how hard Josh worked, I know how smart he is and I know him personally.
"You get to know a lot of head coaches around the league; Josh, I just happen to know better."
He said he'll call McDaniels eventually "to see if there's any way I can help."
Hillis, who was completely overlooked by McDaniels last year and then traded to the Browns, said he didn't see the firing coming.
"I thought Josh McDaniels was a great man," Hillis said. "He seemed real down to earth and like he really cared about his players. As far as my playing time, I have no idea. I left it up to coach McDaniels and I'll leave it at that."
Royal kudos: Delhomme credited tight end Robert Royal for a fine game in Miami.
"He didn't get enough credit for what he did, being able to play so much," said Delhomme. "Evan [Moore] was out of the game early on and Robert really hasn't played a whole lot.
"Just his demeanor and communication in the huddle was key. He's a veteran and there's just a sense with him, a confidence, and he was able to see certain coverages and things of that nature to help other guys. When we were doing no-huddle, there wasn't 'What do I have on this?' Because of having played here for so long, it was, 'Hey, I have this.'"