BEREA, Ohio -- On Monday morning, a worker on East Fourth Street in downtown Cleveland was still incensed that Browns coach Romeo Crennel stuck with Derek Anderson when he struggled through the first three quarters Sunday at Cincinnati.

"He went with a lousy quarterback in a must-win game," he said, not caring that the Browns prevailed, 20-12.

That young man will be no happier today.

General Manager Phil Savage threw his support behind Anderson and Crennel yesterday, saying now was not the time to make drastic changes. The injury-plagued Browns are 1-3 with a bye this weekend before playing host to the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants on "Monday Night Football" Oct. 13.

Savage denied the team seriously considered a switch to backup Brady Quinn, which seemed to contradict Crennel and executive adviser Jim Brown, the latter on a national radio show.

"I've talked to people around the league, people who have been in this business for a long time, and you don't go blowing things up after a couple games," Savage said. "You're not going to be successful in this league doing that.

"It's not been any thought of changing quarterbacks, changing the coach, or any of that. That's not the thing to do at this juncture of the season. You've got to give the people a chance to pull themselves out of the situation. We all put ourselves in this spot and we're the ones who have got to pull us out of it."

Apparently "blowing things up" doesn't including sending Charlie Frye to Seattle last season, the first time a starting quarterback had been traded after Week 1 in league history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

As for considering a quarterback change, highlighted by Crennel's comment eight days ago that "we'll definitely try to get the other guy ready" and announcing Anderson as the starter Wednesday, Savage said the meetings he was involved in after a Sept. 21 loss at Baltimore were more general.

"I never walked out of a meeting thinking that there was any serious consideration about making a switch," Savage said. "Basically every backup in our building needs to be ready. I don't know how it was framed, but obviously it created a stir. Derek is an easy target. I think our issues went a little bit deeper than the quarterback position."

Later, when discussing Anderson's control of the huddle, Savage said: "I would love to see D.A. and Braylon Edwards and Joe Thomas take more ownership of this football team. They're our future."

Savage was more critical of Crennel, although he wouldn't give the coach a bye week grade.

"It's a heckuva struggle when you start off 0-3 and people are pulling at you in a lot of different directions. It's important to have a head coach who's going to stand in there and who is man enough to take some of the criticism," Savage said. "Some of 'em he's brought on himself, there's no doubt about that. As long as the players play hard for him, I don't think we have any issues at that position."

Asked to elaborate on what criticism Crennel brought on himself, Savage said, "The field-goal tries in the first couple of games, the clock situation before the half against Pittsburgh."

But the town is in an uproar about not turning to Quinn, the 22nd overall pick from Notre Dame in 2007. After throwing 29 touchdown passes, going 10-5 as a starter and making the Pro Bowl last year, Anderson has seen his rating slip to 49.9. He has completed just 49.6 percent, a number Savage thinks is skewed by 10 to 12 dropped passes in the first two games.

After the 0-3 start, there were rumors that Anderson had lost control of the huddle. Savage acknowledged it's not the calmest of groups when receiver Braylon Edwards and tight end Kellen Winslow are included.

"Last year when he took over, the feedback we got from players is that they like the way he handles the huddle," Savage said of Anderson. "You could bring in Dan Fouts and with Kellen and Braylon you're going to have some extra activity there. That's just their personality, that's part of what makes them good players.

"I don't think we have any issues with D.A. being a leader or non-leader. He was voted a team captain and I think our team is behind him; they like him, they want to see him do well. He's very popular in the locker room."

There are several factors at play in the Browns' quarterback drama. Savage gave Anderson a three-year, $24 million contract Feb. 29. Either Quinn or Anderson will likely be traded, with the Kansas City Chiefs already rumored to be interested in Quinn.

But for now, Savage is trying to quiet any controversy.

"I think we have great confidence in D.A.," Savage said. "I think the players in the locker room have confidence in D.A. That's why we're in charge of trying to run the team. If we were going to go by everything outside people thought -- be it the media, the fans -- probably half the things that were done would never have happened. You've got to believe in what you're doing and believe in the people you have.

"We feel we have two who have a future in this league. It's a delicate balance to handle, because of some of the extraneous things that go on at the position. But in our minds, D.A. still gives us our best chance to win."