Doubt from Browns fans 'lights a fire' in Brandon Weeden

Jim Corbett | USA TODAY Sports

BEREA, Ohio – Brandon Weeden has heard the Cleveland sports talk radio chatter insisting he is the Browns quarterback of the present – until next April when the team drafts its future face of the franchise.

This is the latest the reinvigorated 3-2 Browns have been in first place since 1995.

How long they remain atop the AFC North – where they are tied with the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals – hinges on Weeden.

The quarterback drafted 22nd overall in 2012 was sidelined by a sprained thumb after Cleveland's 0-2 start but has come full circle as Sunday's starter against the Detroit Lions.

Questions linger whether Weeden can disprove his many doubters who insist the Browns' postseason hopes disappeared with quick-firing sparkplug Brian Hoyer. After leading the Browns to two straight wins, the Cleveland native suffered a season-ending torn anterior cruciate ligament early in last Thursday night's 37-24 win over the Buffalo Bills.

Weeden came off the bench and performed admirably. Now he's primed to silence his critics permanently.

"I've never really been in a situation where I've been doubted like this – and it lights a fire, motivates me to get into this building before anybody, study at night more than anybody because I want to prove everybody wrong,'' Weeden told USA TODAY Sports on Wednesday. "I want to prove to everybody that I can be the guy to lead this franchise to the places we want to go.

"If I'm worried about making mistakes, I'm making it harder on myself. So I just want to go out, have fun, just let it rip, and try to make the plays to help this team win. I have confidence in my ability and in everybody on this football team. So when I do it, hopefully, everybody will come back and say, 'I can't believe we doubted him.'''

Browns fans have doubts about Weeden's ability to ditch the methodical minor league pitcher still ticking within.

"I hope Brandon proves me wrong,'' said long-time Browns fan Breanna Makowski, 33. "If he can give us a reason to be hopeful, that would be great. Brian Hoyer came in and gave us reason to hope. It's hard to be hopeful when you get crushed every time as a Browns fan.

"Brandon's been too slow to get rid of the ball. Hopefully, he learned from watching Brian.''

Makowski sounds a lot like Browns coach Rob Chudzinski, who insisted Wednesday the ball must come out quicker than the 4.3 seconds Weeden has averaged on his release.

"It's just a point of emphasis. It's something that he'll work on, and I think he'll get better at,'' Chudzinski said.

Drafted in the 2002 second round by the New York Yankees, Weeden chases the biggest save of his crossover career – proving he can be the closer the Browns thought they had in Hoyer over this season's last 11 games.

Weeden learned first hand about closing from Yankees icon Mariano Rivera, whom Weeden met in 2002 when the legendary reliever was on a three-game shoulder rehabilitation stint in the Gulf Coast League.

"Mariano hung out, would tell stories – one of the most gracious guys I've ever met,'' Weeden said. "He taught us how to come to work each and every day.''

Did Weeden learn anything from Rivera about the mindset it takes to close?

"A little bit,'' he said. "My last year in baseball, I was a reliever. I was a starter my first four years. It's a lot different mindset.''

Weeden, who turns 30 on Oct. 14, knows he's on the clock to make the most of this second chance.

"There's times when I can get the ball out quicker, take the pressure off the guys up front,'' he says. "Ninety percent of my focus today in practice was one hitch and getting the ball out quick.''

When Weeden came off the bench against Buffalo, the Browns were down 7-0. It took him some time and a pep talk from running back Willis McGahee to shake off the rust of not practicing in nearly three weeks.

"We were already behind, we were like, 'Just relax, calm down, everything will be all right, we're here for you,''' McGahee said. "He completed some balls that were big for us. From what I've seen, he's the guy.''

Weeden just has to be that guy who continues to trust in his playmakers, especially emerging third-year tight end Jordan Cameron and second-year receiver Josh Gordon, whom Weeden hit for a perfect 37-yard touchdown strike against Buffalo.

"I didn't have a tight end at Oklahoma State so having a guy like Jordan has helped for sure,'' Weeden said. "Jordan and Josh, they definitely make a quarterback's life easier. They're guys who create a lot of mismatches. They're guys who are bigger target guys who can really go get the football.

"When you have two guys like that, especially a tight end and Josh puts a lot of stress on cornerbacks, having two guys like that along with the rest of the guys we have, we have some weapons. It's fun playing quarterback when you have guys like that.

"I go on-line and research and look back at the history of the Cleveland Browns. They've been heartbroken so many times -- John Elway and The Drive (1986 AFC Championship game). I went to the Firestone golf tournament. Fans were saying, 'Take us to the playoffs. Playoffs, baby.'

"They're great fans here.''

They're dying for a quarterback who can lead them to the postseason for the first time since 2002.

"My family is in town, and we went out to dinner both nights (this weekend),'' Weeden said. "People were excited. The town is just lit up, it's excited. Rightly so, we've won a few games in a row here. It's fun getting the perspective of the fans."