Beacon Journal sports writer

POSTED: 10:56 p.m. EST, Nov 01, 2009

CHICAGO: Browns running back Jamal Lewis never envisioned closing out his career on one of the league's worst teams.

But Lewis said Sunday after a 30-6 loss to the Chicago Bears that he believes this is his last year, despite having another season remaining on his contract that's scheduled to pay him a base salary of $2.4 million in 2010. Brought in by former General Manager Phil Savage in 2007, Lewis turned 30 on Aug. 26.

''I think this is it, I think this is my last year,'' Lewis said. ''The way this looks, I had a good run.

''When I talk, I mean what I say. I think you all know that from me. I've done what I've needed to do. Just really trying to help. Just do my job. Do what I do. That's run the football. Try to put something together. Try to help win.''

The Browns are 1-7 and have lost 13 of their last 14 games. Lewis leads the league's 31st-ranked rushing attack with 349 yards (3.6 yards per carry) and has not scored a touchdown. He's reached 1,000 yards in all but one of his healthy seasons.

He knows this will be a tough way to go out.

''It would be, but at the same time I stuck my neck out, you know what I mean?'' Lewis said. ''I wanted to come in and help and do what I could do. Even though I knew the consequences. I knew what we had and what we were going to do it with. Because we do have new people coming in, new coaches and a new staff, there's a lot that goes with that. I just wanted to come in here and help. Do what I could do. But I don't know what's going on. In the past, where I've been . . . that's never happened. It's just a different style of play. I don't know what to say.''

Lewis rushed for 69 yards, his second-highest total of the season, trailing his 117 in the Browns' lone victory at Buffalo. His 4.3 yards per carry was his second-highest average, bettered only by 5.2 against the Minnesota Vikings. His effort against the Bears moved him into 21st on the NFL's career rushing list with 10,456 yards, passing Eddie George and Tiki Barber.

But he's becoming increasingly baffled about what the Browns' offense is trying to get done.

''At the beginning of training camp, working as hard as we did, buying into everything that's going on, buying into the system, that's what needed to happen,'' Lewis said. ''I think that everybody bought in. That's when you did have a real clue as to where we were going and what we were trying to do. But then once things start going, week after week after week after week, it seemed like a blur.''

About that fumble

Lewis and quarterback Derek Anderson disagreed on who was responsible for a fumbled exchange early in the second quarter that was credited to Anderson and set up a Bears field goal.

''I don't think I had the ball,'' Lewis said.

''I felt like he got it clean from me,'' Anderson said.

************************************************

Foul words?

Bears quarterback Jay Cutler approached the Browns' bench in the fourth quarter after the Bears failed to score on fourth-and-goal at the 1, when linebacker Kamerion Wimbley deflected Cutler's pass. Cutler exchanged words with Browns defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, who waved his play sheet at him.

Cutler was sacked four times, matching a season-high by the Browns, and roughed up even more. Wimbley was called for roughing the passer on a helmet-to-helmet hit in the second quarter that drew blood.

''I got hit on the chin and I bit my tongue,'' Cutler said of Wimbley's hit. Asked if he was swallowing blood the whole game, he said, ''It stopped around the middle of the fourth quarter.''

Nose tackle Shaun Rogers planted Cutler late in the third quarter after a 32-yard completion to Johnny Knox.

''Shaun Rogers is a big guy and every time he hits you, it counts for two,'' Cutler said.

Asked about Cutler's barking at Ryan, defensive end Robaire Smith said, ''That's Cutler. It is what it is. I ain't got no response to that.''

Ryan raved about Cutler Friday and Cutler had nothing negative to say about Ryan after the game.

''I like Rob and I think he's always liked and respected me,'' Cutler said. ''I've always respected him. He's a great competitor, a great coach, one of the best defensive minds in football. He had a good plan and mixed a lot of things up for us. I've always enjoyed playing against him.''

************************************************

Mangini on Quinn

Browns coach Eric Mangini waited until his team trailed 30-6 with 3:02 remaining to insert quarterback Brady Quinn, who completed 1-for-3 for 9 yards in relief of Anderson.

Asked about the timing, Mangini said he wanted to ''give [Quinn] some reps, get him in there, let him work.''

''I thought we actually moved the ball at points earlier, then Mohamed [Massaquoi] had the fumble, Steve Heiden had the fumble,'' Mangini said of the second half under Anderson, who completed 4-of-8 for 63 yards after halftime. ''We were moving the ball relatively effectively compared to what we had done earlier.''

*********************************************

Lineup changes

Free safety Brodney Pool, who missed a key tackle on receiver Donald Driver's 71-yard touchdown in last week's 31-3 loss to the Green Bay Packers, was benched and Mike Adams started in his place. Pool played on passing downs and came up with his third interception of the season and 10th of his career, the play surviving coach Lovie Smith's challenge.

''I don't care about starting, really,'' Pool said. ''I wasn't happy with it. I want to be out on the field with them.''

Rex Hadnot took over at right guard for Floyd Womack. David Bowens moved to inside linebacker, replacing rookie Kaluka Maiava, with Nordonia High School graduate Jason Trusnik taking Bowens' spot outside.

It marked the first start of the season for Hadnot, who suffered a torn medial collateral ligament in his left knee on Aug. 6. Trusnik had a team-high and career-best eight tackles and his second sack of the season.

***************************************

Barton, Wright hurt

The Browns were without both starting inside linebackers after Eric Barton suffered a shoulder injury late in the first half and did not return. It was not known if it is serious enough to threaten his streak of playing in 92 consecutive games dating back to the 2003 season.

That pressed special teamer Blake Costanzo into action and left Bowens to make the defensive calls. The Browns lost linebacker D'Qwell Jackson to a season-ending pectoral injury Oct. 18 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Costanzo got the nod over draft picks Maiava and David Veikune.

''Both guys are core play-callers,'' Mangini said of Barton and Jackson. ''I thought David Bowens did an outstanding job coming in to call the defense, there were multiple adjustments. As a group I thought defensively this was one of our better games in terms of overall communication and David was a huge part of that.''

Cornerback Eric Wright went out with a shoulder injury late in the third quarter, making a tackle after Johnny Knox's 32-yard reception to the Chicago 10, but returned a few snaps later.

***************************************************************

Brownies

Kicker Phil Dawson returned after missing five games with a right calf injury, but his extra point in the third quarter was blocked by defensive lineman Israel Idonije. It was only the fourth extra point blocked in Dawson's 12-year career. . . . The Browns have been outscored 61-9 the past two games. . . . Asked if he was disgusted or ticked off at the state of his team, Mangini said, ''You can choose any of those emotions and they'd fit.'' . . . The Bears celebrated Walter Payton day on the 10th anniversary of the hall of fame running back's death.

Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her Browns blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/browns/. Follow the Browns on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ABJ_Browns.

.