Cleveland Browns Offense: Only Eric Mangini Has the Answers

The first two preseason games are in the past, and the beleaguered fans of the Cleveland Browns have something to look forward to.

That doesn't mean you should start planning for the playoffs yet, but it does mean Browns fans might get to see something they haven't really seen the last several years: an offense that can score touchdowns.

Jake Delhomme looked great versus Green Bay, and held himself together through the miscues versus St. Louis. The accuracy is much better than the last two years already, and the Browns have shown the ability to score touchdowns.

New faces will definitely change the way a team's offense looks, but between the better accuracy of the current quarterbacks on the roster and the emerging running game, this is a team that could build itself into a powerhouse in another year or two.

Team President Mike Holmgren said after he took the job that he didn't want to wait five years before this team was ready for a Super Bowl run. That's a great attitude to have, but it's not going to happen this year unless a few miracles happen.

That being said, Holmgren and General Manager Tom Heckert are aggressively changing the components of the team, and assuming the upward trend being shown to the fans continues, it's not a crazy thing to think this Browns team will make the playoffs in 2011.

Once you get into the dance, anything can happen.

But what about the Browns' offense in 2010.

Brian Daboll is still the offensive coordinator with a lot to prove after last year's borderline criminal playcalling. Yes, the talent was atrocious, but calling for plays that went backward on third and 17 is not how you win games.

Holmgren added one of his former assistants, Gil Haskell, to help Daboll develop. To say Daboll is more in the hot seat than head Coach Eric Mangini would be a fair statement.

Mangini has shown a lot of changes since Holmgren came in, all of them good if you really break it down. Mangini has stopped doing all the little things wrong as far as public relations go, and the "walking on eggshells" mentality that pervaded the Berea training facility in 2009 is gone.

Mangini has given everyone a good reason to be more confident in his team and his coaching ability as 2010 moves forward, and the only secrets being kept are the ones involving the playbook.

Will we see the Cyclone offense?

Will the Browns develop a true aerial attack?

Only Mangini has those answers, and like a good head coach, he's being crafty in what he does and doesn't show in the preseason.

Week One is approaching, and there's more reasons than ever to believe this team will be a lot more fun to watch than in seasons past.