Brady Quinn Visits Dr. Andrews, Might Not Start Against Colts

Despite proclamations that he PLAYS TO WIN THE GAME, Brady Quinn still isn't a lock to be the Browns starter when they take the field Sunday against the Colts. Romeo Crennel benched Quinn three quarters into last Sunday's debaclement against the Texans, but apparently, that was only temporary; he wanted to give Sparky Anderson a chance to lead the team to victory.

It didn't happen -- not even close, really -- and Crennel declared Quinn still had the job during his weekly press conference. Um, maybe not. Quinn headed to Alabama today to see orthopedic specialist Dr. James Andrews about the broken index finger on his throwing hand.

For an athlete, visiting Dr. Andrews is akin to Joe Six-Pack minding his own business and seeing the "Faces of Death" truck pull up. There's a good chance you're about to get some bad news.

Before news of the visit to Andrews broke Monday night on ESPN, coach Romeo Crennel reiterated in his afternoon press conference Quinn would start Sunday against the Colts. Now, it appears that's up in the air pending the exam.

For some reason, Quinn told local reporters that the injury didn't affect his performance Sunday, but the dulcet tones of Peter King's voice had him later admitting otherwise:

Quinn revealed to SI.com's Peter King in a phone interview later Sunday night that the damaged tendon impacted his release. King wrote in his Monday Morning Quarterback column that Quinn told him the injury "makes it doubly difficult to spin the ball with the kind of rotation he usually has coming out of his right hand."

So what does this all mean? Not much, really. The Browns are still awful -- even if the players support Crennel -- and 2008's a wash. It would be nice if Quinn could play out the season so somebody in the front office knows whether he's the long-term answer. But if he's sidelined with an injury, Anderson will again be under center, and the team will presumably still try to trade him this offseason. And Quinn will go into '09 as the Browns' quarterback. The real question, I think, is who will be the head coach.