BEREA, Ohio (AP)—When asked what he thought about the execution of his offense, colorful Tampa Bay coach John McKay once sarcastically said, “I’m all in favor it.”

His Buccaneers of the 1970s were dreadful. The Cleveland Browns are worse. With just five offensive touchdowns, the Browns have eclipsed McKay’s 1976-77 Bucs (7 TDs)—regarded as one of the sorriest squads in NFL history— for the fewest points in a 15-game span since 1950.

Cleveland’s scoring Sahara is magnified by the fact no Browns wide receiver has scored since Nov. 2, 2008, and no Browns running back has crossed the goal line since Nov. 17 of last year. Cleveland’s offense isn’t very effective. It’s highly offensive. In the wrong manner. “It’s been a work in progress,” tight end Robert Royal said. “We’ve made small steps.”
 
According to STATS LLC, the Browns’ 8.7 scoring average is the third lowest since 1950, behind only Tampa Bay in 1977 (7.4) and Atlanta in 1974 (7.9). At least they’ve got something to shoot for in this sinking season. Statistically, the Browns have already bottomed out. They are ranked 32nd in points scored (78), total yards per game (214.3) and yards passing (116.2). Incredibly, there are 14 teams averaging more yards rushing per game than Cleveland is gaining through the air.

The Browns haven’t scored a touchdown in three straight games, and during Monday night’s 16-0 loss to Baltimore, they failed to cross the Ravens 45. Cleveland’s offense is beyond bad. Still, embattled coach Eric Mangini extracted some positives—minuscule as they were—from the most recent defeat, which dropped the Browns (1-8) to 0-4 in the AFC North.

He praised quarterback Brady Quinn’s ability to handle a no-huddle attack, which had the Ravens confused during the first half, Yet it only resulted in a 0-0 tie at halftime. But Quinn overthrew Royal on his third pass of the third quarter and the interception was returned for a TD by Baltimore’s Dawan Landry. The score was all the Ravens would need against a Browns team that would have to average more than 36 points per game the rest of the season just to match New Orleans’ point total (331) so far.

Turnovers have doomed the Browns, and unless they clean up their mistakes, Mangini’s first season in Cleveland could be his last. “Nothing affects outcome bigger than give-away, take-away ratio,” he said. “There’s been a bunch of times where we’ve been on the negative side of that. It affects outcomes. It affects production. It stops drives, all those things. That’s something that I think we should be better at and you have to be better at. You have to.
 
The differential in points based on turnovers is significant. It’s hard to win that way.” And it’s hard to win when you don’t have any playmakers. Mangini’s decision to trade both Kellen Winslow and Braylon Edwards has left the Browns without any legitimate offensive weapons. Two years ago, the duo was instrumental in Cleveland having one of the league’s most potent offenses.

Their departure has left the cupboard bare. Mangini was not about to admit he was wrong in trading one, or both, of them. “When you make the decisions, you make the decisions that you think are best,” he said. “I think we’ve had plenty of opportunities to score. I think we’ve had plenty of opportunities to move the football. I don’t think those opportunities will go away. There have been a lot of different reasons why it hasn’t happened, but the important thing is addressing those and getting those fixed.” There may be hope on the horizon.

This Sunday, Cleveland visits equally incompetent Detroit. The Browns and the Lions (1-8). Oh, my. Detroit’s defense is allowing a league-high 29 points per game, which is the Browns’ combined point total in their last five games.

Cleveland has scored in double digits just three times this season, and would seem to have a good chance of making it four inside Ford Field. “We just have to execute,” running back Jamal Lewis said. McKay couldn’t have said it any better.

The Cleveland Browns today placed tight end Steve Heiden and punter Dave Zastudil on injured reserve, the team announced. In addition, the club was awarded wide receiver Jake Allen off waivers from Green Bay and linebacker Arnold Harrison off waivers from Pittsburgh.

“Steve and Dave worked extremely hard this year, and you don’t like to see anyone’s season end prematurely because of an injury,” said Browns Head Coach Eric Mangini. “They both provided a veteran presence that will not be easy to replace.” Heiden appeared in seven games with six starts this season, recording 10 receptions for 73 yards with one touchdown.
 
Zastudil registered 49 punts for a 44.7-yard average, including a net of 39.1, with 25 punts inside the 20, a figure which ranked second in the league.

Originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Packers on May 2, 2008, Allen spent the entire 2008 season on Green Bay’s practice squad. He spent the first seven weeks of this season on the Packers’ practice squad before being elevated to the 53-man roster on October 27. He then saw action in one contest while being inactive for two others. The 6-4, 196-pound Allen was a three-year letterman at Mississippi College (2005-07) in Clinton, Miss., and is a native of Laurel, Miss.

Originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Steelers on May 2, 2005, Harrison appeared in 28 regular season contests with two starts in four seasons, totaling 12 tackles on defense and 22 tackles on special teams. He saw action in eight games this season, recording seven tackles on special teams. A four-year letterman at the University of Georgia (2001-04), the 6-3, 241-pound Harrison is a native of Augusta, Ga.

-Browns coach Eric Mangini talked today about how after the Browns played on Monday night the team now must turn around quickly and prepare for the Detroit Lions.

- The team practiced inside today as they prepare to play indoors this week.

- Lot of good sound on the pod cast page as you can hear from Josh Cribbs who talks about the scary moment he went through Monday night at the end of the contest. Cribbs did not practice today but he and coach Mangini both seem optimistic that he will play on Sunday. Cribbs said he felt like he had whiplash more then anything else.

- Brady Quinn also talked about the hit he put on Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs. Quinn said he was fined by the NFL for the hit, but he continues to say how bad he feels that the hit occurred. He also talks a little about the team’s game plan to throw the ball short.

- Shaun Rogers talked about facing his old team. He doesn’t sound like a man looking to get revenge.

- Lot of questions where asked to all the players about LeBron James coming out and playing football. All seemed to think it would be interesting to see. But Rogers looked right into the cameras and said that LeBron is a great athlete but not a football player. Rogers went on to explain that because of how physical the game of football is you have to condition your body for it. But after thinking about it Rogers said James playing tight end would be real interesting. When coach Mangini was asked where he’d play him, he said tight end, wide receiver, heck maybe even outside linebacker.

- Mangini also talked a ton about the Lions and what problems they may give the Browns. He is a big Matt Stafford fan as well as a Calvin Johnson fan. Mangini said that Johnson can win the game on one play.

- He also expects Lions coach Jim Schwartz to blitz a ton just as he has in the past when he was a defensive coordinator.

- A lot has not been said about this but Kaluka Maiava played a superb game on Monday. Mangini acknowledged that this morning as he thinks the way Maiava played was an encouraging step in the rookie’s development.