By Tom Withers
The Associated Press

BEREA, Ohio - One day after being embarrassed in Pittsburgh, the Browns announced a new class for their Legends Club and had rookie tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. speak about his season-ending broken leg for the first time. Cleveland players of past and future.

It's better than focusing on the current Browns.

"I wouldn't want to be a player or coach today," said former Browns running back Mike Pruitt, named to the team's Legends Club on Monday.

Five weeks into the season, the 2004 Browns aren't playing much differently or any better than the Cleveland teams from 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 or 2003.

New season, chronic problems. The Browns (2-3) don't seem to be getting better.

Under quarterback Jeff Garcia, the offense remains inconsistent and unable to get anything but field goals from Phil Dawson.

The Browns have not scored a touchdown in the first half.

Cleveland's defense didn't put any pressure on Ben Roethlisberger, the Steelers' rookie quarterback from Findlay, Ohio, and a Miami University product, and reverted to some bad habits - missing tackles, biting on fakes.

The special teams again had little impact.

"We're not playing well together right now," said coach Butch Davis, who was still fiery 24 hours following the loss. "It's the bad plays that are killing us. It's a penalty, a turnover. We're not good enough right now to overcome bad mistakes."

Among the Browns' many shortcomings in Sunday's 34-23 loss was their inability to convert on third downs.

Cleveland went just 2-of-12 in those crucial situations, continuing a trend that's showing no signs of improving.

The Browns are a woeful 15-of-63 (24 percent) on third down this season, an NFL-low and a fact Davis referred to as his team's "biggest problem."

Equally troubling is a lack of chemistry between Garcia and any of his wide receivers. On Sunday, he was forced to scramble on nearly every snap from Pittsburgh's relentless blitz. Garcia and his targets didn't improvise, adjust and make big plays like Roethlisberger, making just his third pro start, and the Steelers did.

"We've got people still trying to learn how to play together," Davis said. "It just hasn't gotten into sync."

Davis intimated that Garcia, 34, has become gun shy dropping back to pass behind an offensive line that was still missing injured right tackle Ryan Tucker.

Although he has shown a willingness to run if he has to, Garcia appears scared to stay in one spot.

"The quarterback has to have confidence that the last time he got hit was an aberration," Davis said. "He can't be skittish. He has to sit in the pocket and make throws."

Roethlisberger did have that luxury. For some strange reason, the Browns only blitzed the rookie QB four times in the entire game. And when Cleveland did apply pressure, Roethlisberger either stepped up to make throws or ran from trouble and avoided a sack.

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