Cleveland Browns' Eric Mangini can make a case to keep job by winning

Sources say Browns President Mike Holmgren likes Mangini and wants to see him succeed. But if Holmgren decides he wants to start over with his own people and with a West Coast system, a Browns losing record would be the perfect excuse to do it.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — Browns coach Eric Mangini knows the best way to keep his job is with a strong finish in the final three games, beginning with Sunday's visit to the 2-11 Bengals.

The Browns would like to see Mangini beat the Bengals -- who have lost 10 straight -- and then have solid outings at home against the Ravens and Steelers. But Browns President Mike Holmgren hasn't given him the exact number of victories he needs to survive.

"No, we haven't talked like that at all," Mangini said. "I don't expect to have those conversations. It's not how we're going to operate as a staff or as a group. It's: 'Win this game, deal with the next game, deal with the next game and then deal with whatever the situation is when the time comes.' "

NFL Network's Jason La Canfora reported Thursday night that "it will likely take a strong finish for Mangini to keep his job and that evaluations are ongoing." He also reported that league sources identified two potential candidates to replace Mangini as ESPN analyst Jon Gruden and current Panthers coach John Fox, who is in the midst of a 1-12 season.

A Browns spokesman declined to comment on the report, saying that Holmgren will not address the topic until after the season. Holmgren said after the bye week that he will evaluate Mangini after the season and then make a decision. He said wins and losses would not be the sole criteria.

Sources say Holmgren likes Mangini and wants to see him succeed. But if Holmgren decides he wants to start over with his own people and with a West Coast system, a Browns losing record would be the perfect excuse to do it. The top brass didn't look happy after the loss in Buffalo last week, where the Browns lost, 13-6, to the Bills, who entered the game 2-10. Nor did they look pleased after the Browns lost, 24-20, in Jacksonville despite six takeaways by the defense.

"Sometimes [change] happens, where it's not necessarily right or wrong, it's just different," Mangini said. "The great thing about this situation is that the end goal with Mike [Holmgren], [GM] Tom [Heckert] and myself is exactly the same. It's to win, to build an organization that's special, to build an organization that Cleveland deserves and has been waiting for. How you get to the goal, there are a lot of different paths."

The Browns likely will shake up the offensive coaching staff (the Browns are averaging 18.1 points per game, 30th in the league). It won't necessarily have to be a West Coast system, just something more effective than the 2010 edition. Good games from rookie quarterback Colt McCoy against three AFC North foes could help maintain the status quo.

"Believe me, in a perfect world, you want to have one quarterback that's there every single week," Mangini said.

Mangini said he doesn't know if the Browns have shown enough progress this season for Holmgren to keep him around. At one point this season, the Browns were one of the hotter teams in football, beating the Saints, Patriots and almost knocking off the Jets. Since then, the Saints (6-0) and Patriots (5-0) have gone undefeated.

"I feel good about the things that we've done and the direction of the team," Mangini said. "There are steps that you go through in any growth process, and we've taken a lot of those steps, but we need to continue to take that next step, which is winning consistently. When you're trying to build it for the long term, you have to do it the right way. I think we've made a lot of good strides there."

Mangini said he's relished the input he's received this season from Holmgren and Heckert.

"That's been tremendous for me personally," Mangini said. "I've really been a part of one family tree for a long time, and it's kind of like when you get married. You get exposed to all of your wife's customs, family and traditions and it's like, 'Oh, OK. I'll celebrate that holiday. That's cool.' "

Can the blended family continue to co-exist?

"Yes, it's like the Brady Bunch," Mangini said with a laugh.

Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan said he's not worried about his future.

"I like it here in Cleveland," Ryan said. "We don't want to move. We shouldn't have to if we go out here and take care of business like we should. However it comes out, I'll be great with it. When I first got in the league I'd be scared [senseless], but not now. Now it's like, 'Please, there is nobody better.' I don't care. I'm going to coach my [tail] off, I'm going to prepare our team. I'm going to prepare it better than anybody else does on Sunday. I've been doing that all year now; we can look that up; that's documented."

He said it's obvious the Browns are much-improved and on the right track.

"I think this is a different team now from when we first got here," he said. "There weren't a whole lot of believers other than me and a couple other guys probably. I'm usually pretty optimistic. I think it's obvious, our team is a good football team."