OK, Browns fans, admit it. If I came to you before the season and said the Browns would start off 2-3, you would be content with that. Most prognosticators had Cleveland as a .500 team this season, and starting 2-3 is right in that neighborhood.

So why is the Dawg Pound growling so much? Well, the angst from this season isn't about the losses. It's about how the Browns have lost.

There was the defensive gaffe in the season opener, when Cleveland wasn't lined up and essentially gave the game-winning touchdown to the Bengals. There was the special teams slip-up this past Sunday, when the Browns weren't prepared for a fake field goal and handed an easy touchdown to the Raiders.

The unsoundness of the Browns' play has been disturbing, especially when it's under someone who is in his first NFL head coaching position. It's hard to get a team to believe in a new direction when the Browns have only been able to beat two winless teams this year (the Dolphins and Colts). But the bigger problem is how the Browns have beaten themselves.

First-year coach Pat Shurmur said he isn't surprised by the frustration from the fan base. "I’ve lived this before and coached for 10 years in Philadelphia, two years in St. Louis," Shurmur said during his Monday news conference. "I get it. I understand it and it’s about winning football games. Our focus is getting this team ready to play the Seattle Seahawks and being 3-3. That’s the focus. I’m not surprised by any reaction to anything. I anticipate it quite frankly.”

If only the Browns players could be as prepared on the field. In the first game of the season, a quick snap by the Bengals led to a go-ahead, 41-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter -- all of which happened before the Browns' defense broke its huddle. Defensive coordinator Dick Jauron said Cleveland's cornerbacks will no longer huddle during games. Problem fixed.

This past Sunday at Oakland, the Browns were burned on a fake field goal by the Raiders, who jumped out to a 24-7 lead late in the third quarter. Shurmur acknowledged that the Browns sold out for the block attempt, which left tight end Kevin Boss uncovered. He said it was his "responsibility" to make sure the players are prepared the next time. Another problem fixed.

But what happens when another unexpected situation occurs? The Browns need to play smarter, and everyone in the locker room is smart enough to know that the team is close to a crossroads in the season.

Will these Browns be like the 2007 team that started 2-3 and finished 10-6? Or will they be like the 2008 one that began 2-3 and ended at 4-12? There's no time to waste in getting this team back on track. The gap between the Browns and everyone else in the AFC North could quickly become as large as Lake Erie by the way the Ravens, Steelers and Bengals are playing these days.

Cleveland fans are desperate for wins, a franchise quarterback and fewer plays that will cause them to throw things at the TV (if they're anything like Colt McCoy, they'll miss the screen).

It's been a rough initiation for Shurmur. At his Monday news conference, he had to shoot down the possibility that his starting running back could get traded and he had to address another offensive player complaining about how he's being used.

“He’s doing a great job with [the distractions],” cornerback Sheldon Brown told reporters, via the Chronicle-Telegram. “He’s been a pro. He understands what’s going to come along with the head-coaching job. There’s only one thing important in this league. No matter how you do it, the bottom line is you have to win. So I think he’s doing a tremendous job handling that and keeping us focused on the task at hand, that’s staying together as one unit and as a team.”

Shurmur also had to answer nine questions Monday regarding McCoy. Is he having trouble throwing the ball downfield? Does he do a good job of recognizing blitzes? Is he struggling with hot routes? Does he think McCoy has lost his confidence?

McCoy has completed fewer than half of his passes in three of five games this season, which has been a major factor in dropping the Browns to 27th in the NFL in scoring (18.2 points per game). Either McCoy is struggling to run the offense, or Shurmur is struggling to call the right plays for McCoy.

"I think he’s a young player working through what it takes to be an NFL quarterback," Shurmur said. "I think his confidence level is high. He’s disappointed we lost, there are plenty of things he needs to work on and that’s what we’re going to be about.”

The Browns can rebound Sunday with a winnable game against Seattle. They're playing at home. They'll likely be playing against a backup quarterback.

But as everyone has learned this season, it's not about whether the Browns can beat the other team. It's about whether the Browns can avoid beating themselves.