Browns coach Hue Jackson denied a report from over the weekend that there is a "rift between him and the front office in the midst of their 1-19 mark and that it's growing," according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland PLAIN DEALER. Jackson believes Owner Jimmy Haslam III is "still in his corner." He said, "I know everybody will be thinking Jimmy's going to go throw me over in the river. That's not the case at all. He's been extremely supportive." Jackson said of his relationship with Exec VP/Football Operations Sashi Brown, who has final say over roster decisions, "We see a lot of the same things the same way, we talk the same language and that's a process within itself. And we're not going to let division happen." Jackson "declined to say" if he believes the team's rebuilding process is working. Jackson: "I can't be the judge of that. Do I think it can still work? Yes" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 10/3). CBSSPORTS.com's Jason La Canfora in the original report cited sources as saying that ownership last week "felt the need to have a conference call with the scouts and football operations staff." The sources added that there is "little trust between the coaching and personnel side." But the sources noted the calls were meant to give personnel a "vote of confidence of sorts that some are reading more like a harbinger of change." La Canfora noted the "fissures" between the front office and coaching staff are "no secret around the league, and those fissures continue to take a toll on the organization" (CBSSPORTS.com, 10/1).
WHICH WAY FORWARD? In Akron, Nate Ulrich notes Haslam has "vowed to stick to plans in the past, only to change his mind because of defeats and dysfunction." That is "why Jackson -- and the entire regime -- shouldn’t feel secure if the rampant losing continues." A quarter of the way through the schedule, this "feels like a critical stage in the season" (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 10/3).
