BEREA, Ohio -- The Browns know they need to get a running game going for them to have success this year. By trading Trent Richardson after just two games means the Browns need the slack picked up quickly.
Willis McGahee joined the Browns last week and had just one day of practice before playing against the Vikings. He expects a big difference this week against the Bengals.
"It's going to be a dramatic improvement this week," McGahee said. "I am going to have more than nine yards, don't worry about that.
"Something is gonna pop out," he said. "Whether it's a touchdown or a 100-yard game, I don't know, but something is definitely popping for me on Sunday."
Despite one day of practice, McGahee ended up carrying the ball eight times in his first game and even he was surprised by that.
"Just being here all week and showing the coaches that I can do it.," he said. "Being here (one day), I wasn't expecting that many carries (last week)."
McGahee said he's getting more and more comfortable with the offense and expects to be more productive in the near future.
"I feel a whole lot better," McGahee said. "I'm more comfortable. (Having an extra week) makes a difference. It just takes time."
McGahee said his first game was pretty much what he expected.
"It was pretty much what I expected," he said. "I've been home and haven't been playing football in six or seven months."
He's confident the running game will start to click sooner than later.
"We're going to come alive," he said. "It's a work in progress."
McGahee had a long run of nine yards.
Rob Chudzinski said he thinks McGahee is prepared to take on a bigger role.
"I expect he will improve and has improved," he said. "Just getting back out there and playing again, just from a physical standpoint getting back into it again, has been good for him and I think he'll continue to keep improving. Mentally, he's familiar with the system terminology, so that hasn't really been an issue, at all."
Offensive coordinator Norv Turner said the Browns have to get the running game going.
"There's no question," he said. "You definitely have to have balance or it will come back and get you."
The plan for the near future is to employ a running back by committee with McGahee, Bobby Rainey and Chris Ogbonnaya, but McGahee said he hopes to get to the point where he gets 15 to 20 rushes a game.
"(Ogbonnaya) is doing a great job, whether he's at fullback or tailback," he said. "I can't complain about that. But for me as a competitor, I like touching the rock. I think we're going to work well together."
McGahee is anxious to have a breakout game.
"I want to go out and do my thing."
McGahee was asked what he meant by that.
"I want to go out and get 100 yards with a couple TD's."
McGahee said he believes he still can carry the load. In 2011, when he played all but one game, McGahee rushed 249 times for 1,199 yards (4.8 avg.) and four touchdowns. In 2012, McGahee was on pace for 1,000 yards until he injured his knee and missed the final six games. In 10 games, McGahee had 731 yards on 167 carries (4.4 avg.) and also caught 26 passes for 221 yards.
"No doubt about it, I'm the last of a dying breed," McGahee said on his production. " I can say things, but no one will believe me until they see it."
