BEREA: To help cure what ailed them in the season opener, the Browns might be looking for some flash.

With No. 2 receiver Donte' Stallworth almost certain to miss Sunday night's nationally televised game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the availability of Browns receiver/Pro Bowl returner Joshua Cribbs becomes even more crucial.

Cribbs hasn't played since Aug. 18 after suffering a high ankle sprain against the New York Giants. But he proclaimed Thursday, ''I think I'm ready.''

''Ultimately, it's up to the coach,'' Cribbs said. ''But I've shown I've been able to move and it looks good for me, real good. I felt pretty good running routes and everything.''

Stallworth sat out the second consecutive day of practice with a quad strain suffered in pregame warm-ups against the Dallas Cowboys. Coach Romeo Crennel said Stallworth was doubtful, but was not ready to declare him out. A source said Stallworth's injury could threaten his season, but the Browns have addressed his condition only in regards to this week.

Crennel said Cribbs' role would not be restricted to either offense or special teams. ''It's all or nothing with Josh,'' Crennel said. ''If he plays, he plays.''

Cribbs said Crennel might give him a break from his usual role of gunner, now filled by rookie defensive back Gerard Lawson. First-year receiver Syndric Steptoe took over as the primarily returner, with Lawson also helping on kickoff returns.

''We have a lot of guys who have been showing up in my positions and have been doing a really good job,'' Cribbs said. ''Lawson, he's just like I was as a rookie, going down there and throwing his head in it.''

However those two don't bring the same spark as Cribbs.

''All the players realize how he's going to play the game and I think that they block better as a result of it,'' Crennel said of Cribbs. ''They don't want to be the one that lets their guy make the tackle.''

But Crennel agreed Cribbs might be more valuable on offense this week. That could mean the Browns might debut their ''Flash'' package that features Cribbs, the former Kent State quarterback, which they practiced extensively in training camp.

''Some things can be used depending on what he can do,'' Crennel said. ''If you cannot rep them in practice, you don't want to call them in the game.''

Asked how much of the ''Flash'' package would be available, Cribbs said, ''A lot of it. Coach is working me back in there, seeing how far I can go, seeing what I can do and what I can't. They're taking that information and running with it.''

In last season's 31-28 loss at Pittsburgh in which the Browns built a 21-6 lead, Cribbs stung the Steelers with his returns. He brought back a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter and had a 90-yarder in the first quarter that set up the touchdown that gave the Browns a 14-3 lead. He finished with 204 yards on four kickoff returns.

That helped prompt Steelers coach Mike Tomlin to put more starters on special teams this year.

''We had our issues in kick coverage and those two returns were a part of it,'' Tomlin said.

Cribbs said he doesn't expect to get that many chances this week.

''I'm counting on them kicking away from me,'' he said. ''I'm not sure they're going to open the game kicking it away. I think they're going to give me an opportunity and see how it plays out. If it looks like I might have a good game, I'm sure they'll start kicking away.''

As good as he feels, Cribbs doesn't want to shoulder the burden of energizing the Browns alone.

''I can be a difference,'' he said. ''But as far as THE difference, I'm only one guy.''

Braylon apologizes

Receiver Braylon Edwards tried to explain his remarks at a personal appearance Tuesday when he criticized Cavaliers star LeBron James for his lack of loyalty to Cleveland teams. James showed up Sunday at Cleveland Browns Stadium wearing a New York Yankees cap and fraternizing on the Cowboys sideline with owner Jerry Jones, receiver Terrell Owens and cornerback Adam Jones.

That prompted Edwards to say James ''is a guy from Akron who likes everybody but his hometown.''

''About the LeBron situation, LeBron is a good friend of mine. All I did was make a statement that was actually true,'' Edwards said. ''He's a Dallas Cowboys fan, which everybody knows, he's a New York Yankees fan, which everybody knows. It was a sarcastic joke and I will take that up with LeBron, if there's even an issue, which I don't think there is.''

McGinest fined

Browns linebacker Willie McGinest was fined $7,500 by the NFL for his hit Sunday on Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo that left Romo with 13 stitches in his chin. The league said he made helmet-to-helmet contact with Romo.

'The Express' honored

Sunday's pregame will honor the late Ernie Davis, the Heisman Trophy-winning running back who was drafted by the Browns but died of leukemia in 1963 before he ever played.

Attending will be former teammates Jim Brown, Ross Fichtner, Bob Gain, Jim Houston, John Brown and Dick Schafrath, and cast members from The Express, a movie about Davis opening Oct. 10. Hall of fame running backs Brown and Bobby Mitchell, who was traded to the Washington Redskins in 1962 for the rights to select Davis, will be the coin-toss captains and Mitchell will receive an award from the the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Brownies

WOIO (Channel 19) reported receiver Braylon Edwards was pulled over on I-90 at 2:23 a.m. August 29. His Benteley was clocked going 120 mph. Edwards was not cited because he had a sick passenger in the car. . . . Linebacker Kamerion Wimbley was limited in practice with a groin injury. . . . The Browns erected a statue of late owner Al Lerner outside the front door of their Berea headquarters. . . . Grammy nominee Brian McKnight will sing Sunday's national anthem.