Browns’ Pettine staying cool with his future in jeopardy
With the losses piling up and heat intensifying around him, Browns coach Mike Pettine is keeping cool.
When a reporter pointed out Thursday that his team has gone just 2-14 in its last 16 games, Pettine interrupted.
“Thanks for reminding me of that, by the way,” Pettine playfully quipped.
Pettine’s future could be in jeopardy with the Browns (2-9) stuck in the middle of one of those slides that has taken down Cleveland coaches before. They’ve lost six straight and suffered one of the most gut-wrenching defeats in recent memory Monday night, when the Ravens blocked a field goal on the game’s final play and returned it 64 yards for a touchdown.
The loss — and some questionable clock management decisions by Pettine in the closing minutes — brought further scrutiny to the coach in his second year and his staff. Pettine understands that his job could be hanging in the balance of Cleveland’s final five games.
“I feel very upset about the record and that’s on us,” Pettine said. “We own it. This is a bottom-line business and where we are isn’t good enough.”
Pettine said he has weekly conversations with owner Jimmy Haslam about the status of his team. Nothing is ever held back.
“Anybody that knows me and anybody that knows Jimmy Haslam knows our conversations are always blunt,” Pettine said. “The time is so valuable during the season that when we get into a conversation we hit topics head on, there’s no dancing around them.”
There’s no sidestepping that the Browns are a mess.
Their defense has not played close to expectations. The offense hasn’t run the ball the way Pettine had promised. There have been costly injuries, and general manager Ray Farmer has made bad decisions in evaluating talent and filling the roster.
Pettine knows he could be running out of time to correct the problems.
“The question is, do we have a plan to fix it? Is it fixable?” said Pettine, who had the Browns off to a 7-4 start before a five-game losing streak last season. “I feel like we do. I’m full speed ahead committed to getting this fixed here in Cleveland. I know the results aren’t anywhere they need to be. But that doesn’t mean we’re not making strides, we’re not getting it set up, that it can be done.”
Revis not expected to play: Darrelle Revis was sidelined again for practice as he recovers from a concussion and it appears unlikely that the New York Jets cornerback will play against the Giants on Sunday.
Revis was injured at Houston on Nov. 22 and has not practiced or played since.
Coach Todd Bowles says Thursday that it’s “more than likely that he won’t play.” Since being hurt, Revis has come to the team’s facility for treatment and then been sent home. He hasn’t even attended meetings.
Marcus Williams, Revis’ backup, is also uncertain with a sprained knee. He didn’t practice for the second straight day, and Bowles says Williams will be a game-time decision.
Rams to start Foles again: Case Keenum has not been cleared to play as he recovers from a concussion and the St. Louis Rams will start Nick Foles at quarterback for the second straight week.
Coach Jeff Fisher says that if Keenum is cleared on Friday, he would be the backup against the NFC West-leading Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.
Foles threw three interceptions, one of them returned for a touchdown, in a loss at Cincinnati last week.
Keenum landed hard on the back of his helmet near the end of a loss at Baltimore two weeks ago, but was in the game for two more plays. He was diagnosed with a concussion after the game.