Browns' Hue Jackson mulls return to play-calling duties

Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson told reporters that he might need to get involved to provide a spark to his ailing offense.

Jackson watched as the Browns' offense struggled during Sunday's 26-23 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He then alluded to possibly taking over play-calling responsibilities from offensive coordinator Todd Haley, who was hired after the Pittsburgh Steelers did not pick up his contract after last season.

"I feel like I have to and I want to," the 53-year-old Jackson said. "That's what I know, so I'm not going to continue to watch something that I know how to do keep being that way, and that's just the truth. I mean, that's nothing against anybody in our building. I just think that's what I do and I think I need to be a little bit more involved."

The Browns (2-4-1), who have lost two in a row, produced just 305 yards of total offense and went 3-for-14 on third-down attempts. Those numbers came on the heels of posting 317 total yards and converting 6-of-16 attempts on third down in the previous week.

"Trust me, I'm not trying to create any issue here," Jackson said. "But I think if the offense is not playing well and we haven't over a period of time, being a head coach and an offensive guy who's done this, I think I have every right as a head coach to jump in here and see if I can help, and assist, and get this thing to where I think it needs to because we need to be better on offense. And if that's my specialty, then I need to be involved more and I will be."

Jackson is no stranger to calling plays, although the Browns posted just one win in 32 contests during the previous two seasons with him at the helm in that capacity.