Cleveland Browns' Peyton Hillis a believer in the 'Madden Curse': Browns Insider

By Jodie Valade, The Plain Dealer

BEREA, Ohio -- Forget everything Peyton Hillis has said and done this season. Well, most of it, at least. He'd appreciate if you didn't remember the public missteps he had with Browns management about his contract renegotiations, the medical advice he took from his agent to skip a game when he was sick, and the closed-door meeting he had with teammates who reached out to the foundering running back.

And please, most of all, don't recall the many times Hillis proclaimed he doesn't believe in the Madden Curse.

Because he does.

"No doubt about it," Hillis finally admitted Thursday. "Things haven't worked to my favor this year. There's a few things that happened that made me believe in curses. Ain't no doubt about it."

Blame the first 14 or so weeks of this season on Hillis' picture on the cover of the "Madden NFL 12" video game. He finally feels healthy after a nagging hamstring injury knocked him out for five games at midseason, and it showed in his season-high 112 yards rushing Sunday in Baltimore.

He finally feels happy, an attitude that manifested in his cheerful, "Howdy!" to media in the locker room Thursday -- and in his declaration that he hopes this isn't his final game with the Browns because he wants to prove last season's 1,177 yards weren't a fluke.

"I really enjoyed my time playing in a Browns uniform, and I hope I can continue to be here," Hillis said. "I know these past couple games and this game, I'll play my hardest. I'm going to play my best, and people are going to see that I've still got it and I want to be here."

Hillis is performing not only for the fans he likened to a "second family," but for Browns management, who appear uncertain on whether they want the running back to return. Head coach Pat Shurmur declined to say Thursday whether the Browns intend to re-sign the soon-to-be free-agent Hillis. On three separate occasions, Shurmur was asked about the possibility of Hillis' return -- including point blank whether he wants Hillis back -- and each time Shurmur said that the decision will require off-season evaluation.

"I think, as we look at our roster and we look at building our team . . . we've got to consider everything," Shurmur said. "One thing you've seen about Peyton is that, in the last month or so, he's gotten himself healthy and he's performed well. I think that's the Peyton everyone was used to seeing a year ago."

Last week's 4.7 yards per carry against the Ravens was the highest mark for Hillis this season, surpassing last season's 4.4 yards per carry. He's averaged 105.5 yards per game the past two contests, bouncing back from just 25 yards in the most recent meeting against Pittsburgh, when he was also battling a hip injury.

"I just feel people can see, when I'm 100 percent, I am running hard," Hillis said. "I can do pretty good. That's what I want people to see. . . . I want people to see that I'm not a one-hit wonder."

Madden Curse or not, Hillis said this season has been a learning experience, but he believes "there's no such thing as accidents. . . . This is the way it's supposed to be."

"It's kind of funny how things worked out, but at the end of the day, I'm really happy with where I'm at," Hillis said. "I'm a truly happy person. When I look back on this 15, 20 years from now, I'm probably going to just laugh."

More than proving he can battle back from the Madden Curse, however, Hillis wants to use Sunday's game against the Steelers to show his appreciation for Browns fans who have continued to support him through his trying season.

"I'd love to come back here," Hillis said. "I'm a Cleveland Brown at heart. Ever since I've been here, I fell in love with the fans and the city and the people who live here. They've been nothing but 100 percent supportive. They're everything. When I talk to them, it's good to have a second-family backing like that. All I can do is go out there and do my best, and we'll see what happens."

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2011/12/cleveland_browns_peyton_hillis_11.html

Cleveland Browns left tackle Joe Thomas makes fifth straight Pro Bowl

By Tony Grossi, The Plain Dealer

Joe Thomas has it going now.

The Browns' left tackle earned his fifth straight Pro Bowl berth on Tuesday. He was named a starter. No other Browns player made the regular roster.

"It's a tremendous honor any time you can get named to the Pro Bowl," Thomas said. "For me to represent the Cleveland Browns for a fifth time is kind of hard to believe. It never gets old."

D'Qwell Jackson was named first alternate at inside linebacker and Josh Cribbs was second alternate at kick returner and third alternate as a special teamer.

Thomas is the first Browns player since Jim Brown to make the Pro Bowl in each of his first five seasons. Brown did it nine years in a row. The last to do it five or more times was Leroy Kelly from 1967 to 1972.

Thomas was the NFL's third overall draft pick in 2007. In that rookie year, Thomas started what has become kind of an obsession for him -- playing every offensive snap for the entire season. That streak has continued this year through 15 games.

"I try not to think about it too much," he said. "Crazy things can happen. But I do kind of pride myself in being a guy out there every play. As an offensive lineman, it's important for us to be out there, to be next to each other, every play and every game."

What's made Thomas' consecutive Pro Bowl streak more impressive is that the Browns have had terrible offensive teams and records since his rookie season. They were 10-6 in 2007, but the past four years have gone 4-12, 5-11, 5-11 and so far 4-11.

In August, Thomas, 27, signed a seven-year contract for a potential $84 million with $44 million guaranteed. At the time, Thomas was euphoric about the possibilities with a new coach on board, Pat Shurmur.

His optimism hasn't waned during one of the more difficult seasons of the team's expansion era.

"I see this thing heading in the right direction," Thomas said. "I see us developing young players. We're more competitive in every game. It's not going to be long when we're winning those 10-games plus on a consecutive basis."

Until that happens, other deserving players on the Browns will have to wait for Pro Bowl recognition. Thomas said he felt Jackson was deserving, along with center Alex Mack (who made it as an alternate last year) and defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin.

Jackson finished third in the fan vote and third overall among inside linebackers. He was named first alternate behind Baltimore's Ray Lewis and Kansas City's Derrick Jackson

Jackson wrote on his Twitter account: "I want to thank all the fans for their support voting me as 1st alternate behind Ray Lewis and Derrick Johnson. They are well deserving."

Jackson could have a higher honor awaiting him. He is a leading candidate to be named the NFL's comeback player of the year.

The drama over who made the Pro Bowl is actually more interesting than the game itself. It will be played Sunday, Jan. 29, in Honolulu.

Cleveland Browns' Colt McCoy might be good QB somewhere, but not in AFC North Division, executive says: Terry Pluto's Talkin'

By Terry Pluto, The Plain Dealer

ABOUT THE BROWNS . . .

I talked to an AFC executive whose team plays the Browns in some seasons.

"What's their problem?" I asked.

He said: "They have put together a decent defense. I really like the kid from Pitt [Jabaal Sheard]. He can be a big-time player. [Phil] Taylor and [Ahtyba] Rubin are good tackles, but they desperately need another defensive end. Get a guy who is pretty good over there, and Sheard can really make an impact. [Joe] Haden, [T.J.] Ward, and [D'Qwell] Jackson are very good. Our coaches really love Jackson."

"So it's not defense?" I asked.

"They can always get better, especially at linebacker," he said. "But what division do the Browns play in?"

"The AFC North," I said.

"Who are the quarterbacks?" he asked.

"Ben Roethlisberger, Joe Flacco, Andy Dalton, and . . ."

"And your guy," he said. "Does Colt [McCoy] even come close to comparing with them? Here's the problem -- you play six games against those teams, often in bad weather. I think you need a quarterback who is physically big with a strong arm."

"So you don't like McCoy," I said.

"Not in that division," he said. "I'm not saying it's easy to find one. Think of all the quarterbacks that Baltimore went through before Flacco -- [Kyle] Boller, [Trent] Dilfer, [Tony] Banks, [Steve] McNair, [Elvis] Grbac . . . I'm sure I'm forgetting some guys. Ben put Pittsburgh on the map for the Super Bowl. Dalton can play. Our coaches think Seneca [Wallace] is tougher to defend [than McCoy] because he's more mobile, but he's a backup. For years, the Browns have had a terrible offense and a quarterback problem. They usually go together."

"The Browns do have two first-round picks," I said.

"That can help them get a quarterback," he said. "But you have to be right. If they aren't sure [on a quarterback], then take two players who can really make an impact. Look at what [wide receiver A.J.] Green has done for the Bengals. When you play the Browns, you set your defense to stop [Peyton] Hillis. You can have a safety follow him, because no one in the passing game [quarterback or receivers] worries you."

"So if you were the Browns, you'd be looking for a quarterback," I said.

"In that division, they have no other choice," he said. "But don't force it. That is a team that needs impact players at a lot of positions."

http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/blog/index.ssf/2011/12/cleveland_browns_colt_mccoy_mi.html

Cleveland Browns' Seneca Wallace doesn't try to pass blame for botching clock management

By Mary Kay Cabot, The Plain Dealer

BALTIMORE, Md. -- Browns quarterback Seneca Wallace assumed full blame for calling a running play at the end of the first half instead of spiking the ball like coach Pat Shurmur wanted.

After getting to the Ravens' 5 with 34 seconds left in the half, the Browns botched the final two plays, failed to spike the ball and watched the clock tick down to zero without any points. It let the Ravens preserve their 17-0 halftime lead and proved extremely costly after the Browns mounted a comeback in the 20-14 loss.

"It was bad communication on my behalf," said Wallace, who called for the run play with 11 seconds left instead of spiking the ball. "At that point, it's not the head coach's fault. It's my job to make sure I get everybody on the right page. At that point in the game, the crowd is into it and it's tough. I'm not making any excuses. At the end of the day I've got to make sure we're in the right situation to get points out of it."

With 57 seconds left in the half, the Browns called their final timeout and had a second-and-1 at the 8. Peyton Hillis, who ran well against the Ravens' second-ranked run defense, plowed 3 yards for a first down at the 5 with 34 seconds remaining.

Wallace then found Moore on the sidelines for a 2-yard pass to the 3, but Moore didn't take the necessary step to be ruled out of bounds, and the clock fizzled to 11 seconds.

"Yeah, I thought I was out of bounds," Moore said. "I thought it was kind of a no-brainer. But apparently I was told after the play there's a rule -- you have to at least take a step forward to get out of bounds because if you don't, that means your forward progress is stopped and the ball is probably dead right there. So I could've done a better job of getting out of bounds in hindsight."

Once Moore realized the clock was still running, "we just hurried to the line, ran the play, and like I said, the result was no points, so obviously we could've done something better."

Moore wasn't the only one who thought the clock had stopped. It caught others off-guard, including running back Peyton Hillis.

"There's no doubt," Hillis said. "Especially in the kind of situation that we were in, everything being fast-paced, getting things on the run, getting the play on the run, stuff like that, and everybody's being sporadic or hectic to get to their spots, so I think that could have had a lot to do with it. I was caught in the moment. I wasn't really looking at the clock at that point."

While it was ticking down to 11 seconds, Shurmur was frantically yelling and motioning from the sidelines for Wallace to spike the ball.

"I would have never called a run in that situation with that much time," Shurmur said. "There was some communication there that didn't play through."

But Wallace had a better idea.

"The thinking was pop them and get an easy one and score a touchdown," Wallace said. "We'd just run a pass play and they might be playing a little soft thinking we're going to pass it again, [so] hit them with a running play.

"At that point I'm yelling something to the offensive linemen, trying to gash them and Pat was calling, 'Clock, clock, clock.' It's loud down there, everybody's into it and we didn't have that much time. So I called the 66T, a little running play, and we didn't get it."

Bam! Hillis was stopped for no gain and the clock struck zero.

"It was just my decision and I went with it," Wallace said.

Would there have been enough time after the run to get the ball spiked?

"I don't know," he said. "At that time your emotions, you're into the game, yeah, you're looking at the clock and it's like, 'Do we have time to do this?' At that time you can't second-guess what you want to do."

Moore said his mindset when he first caught the ball was "try to score, but [safety Bernie Pollard] was there so quick that that wasn't happening, so I was trying to shuffle out of bounds, and I didn't quite get there. No one person is to blame, but you just remove a few mistakes and I'd like to see what happens. You learn from it."

Even Hillis tried to grab a share of the blame.

"I should have gotten the ball in the end zone and enough said," he said.

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2011/12/cleveland_browns_seneca_wallac_2.html

Can Shurmur Afford to Let Seneca Wallace Win One For The Browns?

Another start for Seneca Wallace for the Cleveland Browns, is it to bad these starts are coming after the Cleveland Browns are at 4 & 10 or 4 & 9? Just think if Wallace was starting in the beginning of the season. Then Pat Shurmur may have been able to let Wallace win. It has been stated by many the Browns really don’t want to win at this point of the season. Many think the Browns are playing for draft position at this point.

Could there be any truth to that? I would think the Browns would want to win for the fans, or do they? Cleveland has some of the best fans in the league. The Browns have lost 10 or more games since their return 9 times. Can you imagine that?  9 Seasons with 10 or more losses in the last 12 years, man this is getting old. The Browns went out and hired a great football man in Mike Holmgren who in turn hired a great general manager in Tom Heckert.

Two good football guys right? Then Holmgren brought in Pat Shurmur to be the head coach which the jury is really still out on that one. So maybe just maybe there is some truth to playing for a draft position at this point in the season. Last week the Browns came out and the Cleveland Offense looked as though it was on fire. The Team moved the ball down the field and scored in less than 4 minutes. Either the team got lucky or someone slowed them down.

Scoring that easy a real football team would have put the knife in their opponent a little deeper. A real football team would have continued to score at will. The Browns didn’t do that. Either Arizona was real quick to pick up what the Browns were doing and were able to stop them or there is some truth to the Browns playing for a draft position. I think we can make a determination this week win the Browns take on the Baltimore Ravens. Nothing would make Cleveland fans happier than a Browns win over the Ravens. What a Christmas present that would be. If Seneca can move the team and the Browns defense has one of their best performances the Browns could make it interesting.

http://clevelandsports360.com/wordpress/can-shurmur-afford-to-let-seneca-wallace-win-one-for-the-browns/

Cleveland Browns: How Shurmur and Holmgren Must Adapt Their Plans for Success

By Samantha Bunte (Featured Columnist) on December 20, 2011

http://bleacherreport.com

As yet another disappointing season for the Browns nears its close, team president Mike Holmgren's long-term strategy, at one time affectionately dubbed "The Plan," now draws questions rather than praise.

The Plan, for many Cleveland fans, is no longer viewed as the road to redemption, but rather as a harbinger of doom indicating that the current Browns organization will be yet another failed experiment by front-office mad scientists who have lots of ideas, but can't seem to produce results.

The situation in Cleveland has become polarizing for many. There are those who are fed up already and think that only two years into The Plan's activation, the lack of results means it's a failure. There are also those who love the Browns unconditionally and are content to go along with whatever strategy the team implements without question.

Those of us in the middle have stressed patience, asking those who are already calling for yet another total overhaul to see this thing through according to the time table originally laid out by Holmgren and his assistants. 

But there comes a point when even those of us willing to wait it out have to acknowledge that thus far, we haven't seen the results we expected to see at this phase.

For the record, I fully support Holmgren's plan and am willing to give him the time he asked for to build a contender. It's worth noting, for those looking for a quicker fix, that Holmgren is looking to build a team that can produce for years, not just a one-year wonder. That takes more time. 

However, there are a few things that definitely need to change in The Plan in order for it to succeed. We can't expect everything Holmgren and his staff try to work perfectly. But we can expect them to adapt when things don't pan out using the original strategy. 

The Browns are a work in progress, as Holmgren has stressed repeatedly, and I have no doubt that he and his staff are adjusting along the way. But for my two cents' worth, there are four main areas where the Browns need to do some serious reevaluating based on how things have turned out thus far. 

1. Play-Calling

Nothing like starting off by stating the obvious. 

The Browns, and coach Pat Shurmur in particular, have been criticized all season long for poor play calling, particularly on offense. Much of that criticism has been well-founded. 

Some folks seem to think the play calling has improved as the season has progressed, while others think it hasn't moved an inch in the right direction. There is no way everyone will ever agree on that, but we can certainly all agree that whether there has been improvement thus far or not, there still needs to be a great deal more of it before the Browns can be anything resembling a viable contender. 

It's possible that Coach Shurmur is to blame for the most part for the play calling snafus we've seen, but the man who hired him has to share some of the responsibility. It puts those of us who still support Holmgren but can't bring ourselves to throw our lot in with Shurmur in a difficult position. Can you blame one without blaming the other? 

In the end though, it doesn't really matter whose fault it is; only whether it is fixed. If that means the head coach has to go after next season, then so be it. If it's just a matter of continuing to learn and adjust, that's fine too, as long as we see serious improvement within the time frame laid out by Holmgren and his staff.

2. Risk-Taking

This goes both for the play-calling and for off-field decisions. On the field, we've seen the Browns play not to lose rather than to win on all too many occasions. It's a strategy that almost never works, and definitely won't ever win you a championship. The mantra that no one has ever made it big by playing it safe is as true in football as it is in life. 

And on top of that, the Browns also swing too far in the other direction at times, and take the most foolish of risks at the most foolish of times on the field. What we need is calculated risk taking. What we've gotten, at various times, is either total fear of taking a chance or kamikaze suicide missions. 

The Browns haven't been quite as bad about this off the field as they have on it, but there is definitely room for improvement. We haven't seen any colossally stupid risks in terms of contracts and such off the field, but we've definitely seen action (or rather a lack thereof) in signing players during the offseason that appears to err too much on the conservative side. 

3. Draft and Spend Wisely

First, a small caveat on the under-aggressive spending we saw last offseason: the Browns said that they were not looking to spend a lot on pricey free agents before the team was ready to move toward contending. It's a smart strategy.

As much as we all wish the Browns had a bona fide No. 1 receiver this season, it would have been foolish to throw a ton of money at a pricey free agent when the rest of the team wasn't ready. 

However, that strategy will need to change as the team evolves and improves, perhaps, depending on how the draft goes and what we're left with at the end of 2011, as early as next season. 

Holmgren has indicated that he will make that adjustment when it makes sense for the team for him to do so. For now, we'll have to trust him on that. 

As for the draft, I'll refrain from getting into the specifics of what the Browns need here. There are many, many mock drafts in my future this spring that will address that. For our purposes here, I'll say that I think the Browns have drafted pretty well since the Holmgren and Tom Heckert regime took over, but the next draft in 2012 will be the most make-or-break one of all. 

We've reached a bit of a tipping point now, at least in terms of what needs to happen in this offseason's draft. The Browns traded down in 2011 for multiple picks this year, and thanks to their not-so-stellar record this season, should have pretty good positioning on their own slots. 

The Browns have to make optimal use of the picks they've got, particularly because they have depth issues. No one should expect the Browns to fill all the gaps in the starting lineup through the draft, but they should be able to plug a lot of holes depth-wise as well as bring in talent that will pay off at a starter level in the future. 

4. Transparency

One of the biggest issues with The Plan is that nobody outside of the organization has much of an idea what exactly The Plan is. 

The Browns, and Holmgren in particular, have been frustratingly vague about their strategy. 

Obviously, full disclosure is not an option. No team is ever going to publicize their master plan, nor should they. 

However, the Browns could help themselves if they were just a touch more transparent about, well, just exactly what the hell they're doing. 

Being more forthcoming with the information won't win over those who are just furious with the way The Plan has gone so far, but it could restore the faith of those teetering on the edge and would certainly allay some frustration for those of us who are still willing to give it time, but could really use a little something in return for our patience. 

There is always a fine line between keeping your opponents guessing and giving fans a satisfactory explanation of what you're up to. I don't envy anyone in the position of having to find a level of transparency that balances the two. 

But the Browns can absolutely afford to be a bit more open with what they're doing, even if most of the explanations really are just lip service designed to placate the common fan.

Those who know the game well will always second guess their team's actions; it's part of the fun (or maybe the therapy, in the case of the Browns faithful). But even a few harmless (and essentially worthless) nuggets of information tossed to the masses will help get the casual fans who make up for the majority of their and every team's fan base off their backs. 

In the end, the only thing that will matter is whether The Plan works or not. But the Browns could help themselves out and save a lot of headache along the way if they made these sorts of adjustments to the way they carry out their strategy. 

One picture says it all…a frustrating loss

Week 15: The Browns Will Win If…

Original article posted on http://www.waitingfornextyear.com/

Behold, the Seneca Wallace era of 2011 Cleveland Browns football.  With Colt McCoy still waiting for the numbers 9 and 2 to disappear from his forehead, the Browns lackluster offense will be under the watch of the versatile veteran, Mr. West Coast offense himself, Seneca Isayha Wallace.

Wallace will take an offense that will be without tight end Ben Watson and fullback Owen Marecic (also out with head-related injuries) and attempt to rectify it from the dust of the three-point Thursday night outing against the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Many will point to the play which provided the Browns with a first-and-goal at the five yard line and romance the fact that it was a perfectly thrown pass from the hands of Sir Wallace. Others will scream from the mountaintops, pointing that Wallace should have been given the chance to play well before the nationally televised decapitation of McCoy.  Either way, you’ll get your chance at redemption as Wallace will face off against the NFL’s 23rd-ranked pass defense. On the road. Opposite of something called a John Skelton.

The Browns Will Win If…

Editor’s note: Similar to the past weeks, we have started things off with sharing some takes with our audience over at Still WFNY – please feel free to head over to Cleveland.com to partake. Also, we will lead things off, once again, with a take from Daniel Wolf from National Football Authority.

Dan: …Colt McCoy or Seneca Wallace (whomever starts at QB) can continue throwing the ball downfield to Evan Moore, Greg Little (if he doesn’t drop it) and any other receiver who wants to get open and catch the football—just like what was seen on the first drive against the Steelers. The Cardinals are giving up 242 yards in the air and their pass defense is weaker than their rush defense. Maybe the Browns get lucky and the Cards stack the box against Peyton Hillis and can get some passes completed over 10 yards down the field. Just watch out for rookie Patrick Peterson and don’t throw it his way please. Speaking of Peterson, don’t kick to him on special teams (EVER) or he will single-handedly beat the Browns.

Finally, how about stopping a running back and holding him under 100 yards for once this season? Beanie Wells is a beast of the running back but he is not shifty or super fast, just hit him hard and wrap him up the first time and Cleveland could squeak out a win against a Cards team that may be emotionally and physically spent after upsetting the 49ers last Sunday.

Rick: …they play a lot better than they have been? That sounds really basic and maybe even sarcastic, but it is really the only way that they are going to get any W’s the rest of the season. They will have to step up and stop the run, especially against a Cardinals team that is suddenly relying more on the running game than the passing game. Offensively, the line will have to block better (which is possible) the backs will have to run hard without getting injured (which may or may not be possible) and Wallace is going to have to be on target with his throws. Arizona is not a push-over, but it is a winnable game. If they were to win, it would be the best team this year Cleveland will have beaten.

Andrew: …Seneca Wallace is a much better QB than Colt McCoy is? I mean, I don’t know, I think the Browns match up much better with teams who struggle running the ball. At 23rd in the NFL, Arizona falls into that category. When you factor in how mediocre Arizona’s defense has been, you have to look at this game as a somewhat win-able one, don’t you? Well, you probably would if you hadn’t watched the Browns play football this year. But since pretty much everyone reading this has watched every Browns game this year, we all know the truth. The Browns are terrible, they are seemingly getting worse, and unrest among fans is higher than I can recall since the team came back. This hasn’t been a fun year, and a win against the Cardinals isn’t going to make anyone feel better. Having said all that, though, I still believe that if Seneca Wallace plays pretty well (not too conservative, but doesn’t turn the ball over), I think the Browns will have a chance to win this game. The Browns just have to somehow (SOMEHOW) figure out how to show improvement on the offensive side of the ball. Here’s to hoping Seneca can be that spark.

Kirk: … they want to ruin their chance at a Top 5 draft pick. Yep, I said it. For that reason and the fact that Seneca Wallace is starting, I would actually be surprised if the Browns didn’t manage to win. While Seneca does not have the long term potential that the Browns have been trying to confirm or deny from McCoy, he is everything you want a backup to be. He’s a veteran presence with play-making ability and knowledge of the offensive system. If he avoids the painful interception, he’s got a good chance to win. One of his best weapons, tight end Ben Watson, won’t be playing, but the Browns haven’t been targeting him much lately anyway. Maybe this is a week for Evan Moore to break out. How about a good running game from Chris Ogbonnaya? I’m tired of waiting for Hillis and Hardesty to put up a good game. Obie has been the only one to rush for 100 yards this season, and he’s been effective on third down. Defensively, if the Browns exhibit that first half pressure on Kolb and/or force turnovers like they did against the Steelers, they’ll blow the Cardinals away. Joe Haden has had some rough breaks late in games recently. He can send quite a message if he shuts down Fitzgerald. If they don’t shut down Beanie (or Stephens-Howling), though, none of the other stuff matters.

TD: … Wow. I don’t even know what to say anymore on these. Sure, you need to stop Larry Fitzgerald and you can’t let Beanie Wells beat you, but offensively, lets see what Seneca Wallace does with his first chance to lead the team for four quarters. He certainly couldn’t do any worse than what Colt McCoy has been doing. The problem is, Wallace has the same lack of weapons that McCoy has. Im actually not happy considering the Tebow/Brady game is on at the same time and we can’t see it in Cleveland now.

___________________

But wait…that’s not all.

With a take from the Internet’s most-read Arizona Cardinals fan, we have NYMagazine’s Will Leitch; creator and former editor of Deadspin, author of various sports-related books such as God Save the Fan and the recently released Are We Winning: Fathers and Sons in the New Golden Age of Baseball. He’s the man behind one of the best sports profiles of 2011 and the reason AJ Daulerio has a Cardinals-based buzzsaw tattooed on his ass.  His thoughts can be found below.

“During my lifetime as a fan of the St. Louis/Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals, the following men have played quarterback for my beloved Big Red: Cliff Stoudt, Stan Gelbaugh, Tony Sacca, Chris Griesen, John Navarre and Tim Rattay. For several years, the primary quarterback option was Tom Tupa, who is a punter. So are you telling me I am supposed to be worried that John Skelton is the starter for the foreseeable future? (Because our team actually tries to HELP people with concussions, unlike SOME teams.) Please. The Arizona Cardinals barely even need a quarterback. Just let Larry Fitzgerald play every position. By the way, it is not for nothing that the Cardinals finally found some success after years of pain once they changed the design of their helmet. Have you considered the Cleveland Mauves?

Will This Be Peyton Hillis Last Season With The Cleveland Browns?

Posted by LG on December 14, 2011 at 9:18 am

Peyton Hillis hasn’t contributed  much to the Cleveland Browns offense this year. As a matter of fact some think Hillis has been offensive to the Browns  much of this season. Hillis has 7 games under his belt this season and only has 346 yards rushing the football.  Hillis has 101 rushing attempts and only a 3.4 yard average per attempt.  One big reason I feel Hillis is doing so poorly is the loss of Lawrence Vickers as his main blocker. Last year it was Vickers who busted holes open so Hillis could run through them, this season nobody on the Browns has that type of blocking ability.

Hillis came into this season hoping the Browns would give him a contract extension. To me it looks as though the Browns front office knew exactly what they were doing in this case. Hillis just may end up being the one hit wonder that Cleveland certainly doesn’t need to pay large sums of money to. Hillis has three  games left this year and I don’t see him being able to go out there and run like the Hillis of old. As sad as it is to say, Peyton Hillis could very well be moving on once the season is over.

Peyton Hillis should have begged the Browns to keep Lawrence Vickers on the Cleveland Browns roster.  For Hillis has done very little without him…

http://clevelandsports360.com/wordpress/will-this-be-peyton-hillis-last-season-with-the-cleveland-browns/

Concussion-Gate continues for Browns

BEREA, Ohio — The fallout whether the proper procedures were followed after Colt McCoy was hit by James Harrison, was the prime topic with Pat Shurmur at his briefing with the media after Monday's practice.

Chris Mortensen of ESPN said on Sunday's pregame shows that initially the medical staff didn't administer the standard Sports Concussion Assessment Tool2 (S.C.A.T.2) test on the sideline before McCoy returned after missing two plays. Players are prohibited from returning to the game once they've suffered a concussion. Shurmur said McCoy didn't show any symptoms until after the game.
Shurmur said he was unaware of what ESPN reported, but stood by his answer repeatedly that the Browns followed proper procedures.

"The sideline procedure is to determine if a player can play," Shurmur said. "We followed them. Hopefully, that clarified that.

"Our medical staff works with the players and determines if the player can play," he said. "They work with them and talk with them. That's what they do."
Shurmur answered most questions the same way in the briefing that was dominated by the topic.

"We followed all of the proper medical procedures," Shurmur said. "I don't know what was reported other than what you're telling me now.  I don't know what the report was, but I'll find out."

Shurmur was asked if the Browns administered the S.C.A.T. 2 tests to McCoy.
"There's a process you go through when there is concussion -like symptoms," he said. "We follow the guidelines strictly so I'm very confident that that happened.
"We followed all the proper medical procedures," he said. "We follow all the protocol medical procedures.

"If a player is able to play it is important he plays, but I do not want to put a player at risk and will not play him if there is a risk."

Shurmur said he wouldn't have done anything differently.

"I said it today and I feel like we followed the procedures," he said. "(McCoy) was deemed ready to play."
Shurmur was asked if he feels it's unfair he's getting all the fallout on the subject.
"I'm not angry about holding the bag," he said. "I'm the head coach of the team and trying to get them ready to play."

Ben Watson and Owen Marecic have been removed from two games, including the Steelers game with concussion-like symptoms. Mohamed Massaquoi and Scott Fujita had also been removed from games this season with concussion-like symptoms, as well.

There has been talk about having an independent doctor or neurologist on the sideline just to check for concussions.

"I think there are going to be procedures and changes. There are changes all the time," Shurmur said. "I'm for whatever is for the safety of the players."
Joe Thomas thinks it would take some of the pressure off of the training staff.
"It would help," Thomas said. "Trainers have some many things going on at the same time."

Tony Pashos agreed. "I have no fault with our medical staff," Pashos said. "We had injuries going on with several guys at the same time. (Trainer) Joe (Sheehan) had held out some of our key players back. Owen and Ben were a big part of our game plan and they were held out."

Sheldon Brown feels the Browns training staff is one of the best in the NFL.
"They are one of the best training staffs that I've been around, hands down," he said. "They don't care if you're a free agent or a first-round pick."

Cribbs said the Browns trainers do a great job in deciding who should be allowed to play. "I feel like they go above and beyond," Cribbs said. "Last year, I had a concussion and I wanted to play, but it's a serious matter. Our training staff is one of the best."  Cribbs said sometimes players don't report concussion symptoms.
"I think it happens frequently because a lot of guys don't report concussions because they want to play," he said. "It's a serious matter."

Some of the players weren't surprised McCoy was back in the game. "Colt's been hit hard a lot and it is very understandable that he goes back in the game," Thomas said. "I think it is a case-by-case basis. "Sometimes, a guy gets hit really hard and is not hurt," he said. "Sometimes, a slight hit and a guy is out for weeks."
"Colt's a gamer," Cribbs said. "He took a shot and was woozy, but he wanted to play. That's football."

Pashos and Evan Moore were in the huddle after McCoy returned.
"He was pretty gung ho," Pashos said. "I'm not a professional. The guy I saw was pretty ready. I'm not evaluating anybody." "He stepped into the huddle and called the play," Moore said.

Shurmur isn't sure if McCoy will be able to play against the Cardinals. He was not at practice for concussion-like symptoms and was not in Berea when Shurmur met with the media. "We're hopeful he'll be back but we're following the procedures, but won't know until he comes back out here," he said.  "I've had good conversations with him."

http://www.foxsportsohio.com/12/12/11/Concussion-Gate-continues-for-Browns/landing_browns.html?blockID=625122&feedID=3725

Don Cockroft project a Kardiac thrill for Browns fans: NFL Insider

By Tony Grossi, The Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Anyone who experienced the Kardiac Kids of 1980 still equates Christmastime with the climax of that remarkable Browns season.

The Browns in the playoffs,

Dave Logan leapin',

Doug Dieken blockin',

DeLeone a hikin' ...

The Twelve Days of a Cleveland Browns Christmas was the No. 1 hit on every radio station in town as the Browns pulled out last-gasp wins seemingly every Sunday. As the team caught fire, the city fell in love.

Don Cockroft, the kicker on that magical team, has completed a four-year project that produced "The 1980 Kardiac Kids -- Our Untold Stories." The 672-page volume, co-authored by Bob Moon, includes more than 650 photographs and a DVD of the Twelve Days song produced by Cockroft's son, Matt.

The entire package, tipping the scales at 5.6 pounds, is a veritable encyclopedia of that special team and season that lifted the spirit of Cleveland during typically rough economic times.

Cockroft also sought memories from fans who lived the season. He said he received about 350 emails during his work on the project.

"And I would say one-third or more were people saying they remembered The Twelve Days of a Cleveland Browns Christmas most," Cockroft said.

The Kardiac Kids a-winnin',

Darden interceptin',

Newsome a-catchin',

Both the Pruitts' moves.

The staying power of that season is now 31 years and not letting up.

"I think in our efforts to win games, it brought such a hope to the city of Cleveland and Browns fans," Cockroft said. "That was a very difficult time. I think it was just a miraculous season. Dave Logan said we just caught lightning in a bottle.

"I talk to fans who were at the '46 games, when [the Browns] all started, and I ask if there was any season that compared [to 1980] in excitement and drama. Everybody agrees that season was absolutely extra special."

The book wasn't supposed to be so large and encompassing, but Cockroft got lost in it during 140 hours of recorded interviews with every living player and coach. In the book, players talk vividly of the throng of some 10,000 fans who descended on Cleveland Hopkins Airport following the conclusion of a 17-14 win in Houston on Nov. 30. (I was among them and can still envision fans pulling their cars off the freeway, locking their doors and sprinting to the concourse to greet the Browns' return home.)

"What was amazing is we just went one game up in the division race [with that win]," Cockroft said.

Alzado attackin',

Brian Sipe a-passin',

Don Cockroft kickin',

On a Rutigliano Super Bowl team.

The Super Bowl never came, of course.

In a playoff game on an Arctic day on the Lakefront, Brian Sipe's ill-fated pass, intercepted in the end zone by Oakland's Mike Davis, sent the Raiders to the AFC Conference Championship in San Diego the next week. Had the pass on second down been thrown "to the blonde in the mezzanine," as Sam Rutigliano frequently recounts, Cockroft would have trotted on for a chip-shot field goal to win the game.

"There were no guarantees," Cockroft said. "Up till then, I was 17 for 17 in my career with PATs and field goals with games on the line. I don't think I would have been 17 of 18."

Cockroft doubts that the incredible fever pitch of that season could be duplicated by anything short of a Super Bowl championship for the modern-day Browns.

"I don't think it will ever be the same because of the connection with the players in those days," he said. "We shopped in the shopping malls and our kids went to school with their kids. So I don't think it will ever return in that regard. But I truly believe something spectacular would absolutely occur if the team won a championship."

The book and DVD, priced at $54.95, is available at thekardiackids.com. A schedule of book signings can be seen on facebook.thekardiackids.com.

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2011/12/don_cockroft_project_a_kardiac.html

Will Colt McCoy Demand Trade After Father’s Rant?

A franchise quarterback has got to be protected and it certainly appeared after Colt McCoy suffered a vicious helmet to helmet hit from James Harrison recently that the young quarterback was not. The Browns’ medical and training staff has a lot of questions to answer.

His father was clearly not pleased and made that known with his recent statements, “He never should’ve gone back in the game. You could tell by the rigidity of his body as he was laying there. He was nauseated and he didn’t know who he was. From what I could see, they didn’t test him for a concussion on the sidelines. If he took another blow to the head, we could’ve been talking about his career here. And I certainly didn’t think he’d be out only a play. It would’ve taken my high school trainer longer than that to determine if he was okay after a hit like that.”

It sure seems like he wants his son to leave the team and Colt now has to be wondering can he ever trust the medical and training staff again, after they did so little to protect him in the team’s loss to the Steelers, 14-3. Maybe, it is time to head back to Texas to become the backup for Tony Romo or Matt Schaub next season.

http://www.sportsreport360.com/blog/2011/12/will-colt-mccoy-demand-trade-after-fathers-rant/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+SportsReport360+%28Sports+Report+360%29

Steelers Vs. Browns: 3 Things To Watch

For the second time in three seasons, the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers will be squaring off in a late season Thursday night matchup on NFL Network. Unlike their matchup in 2009, which featured a reeling Steelers team against a Browns team that had been gradually improving in recent weeks, this week’s matchup features a Steelers squad that has been gaining steam all season long against a Browns team that has regressed in recent weeks.
Despite their recent struggles, the Browns will undoubtedly be inspired by the memory of their 13-6 upset victory in 2009 and be determined to put up a challenge against their division rivals.

3 Things To Watch

1. Joe Haden vs. Mike Wallace: After being gashed for over 200 yards by the Baltimore Ravens’ Ray Rice, the Browns’ run defense will undoubtedly be looking for some redemption this week against the Steelers. If the Browns load the box in an attempt to slow down the Steelers’ powerful Rashard Mendenhall, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger may attempt to exploit the Browns with deep passes to Wallace, the Steelers’ explosive breakaway threat who has supplanted Hines Ward as the Steelers’ primary receiver.
Browns cornerback Joe Haden will need to ensure that Wallace does not use his speed to slip past the Browns’ defensive backs for a touchdown. If Haden is consistently able to shut down Wallace on his own, the Browns will be able to use safeties against the run in an attempt to limit Mendenhall.

2. The Steelers’ Blitz vs. The Browns’ Offensive Line: Dick LeBeau, the Steelers’ wily defensive coordinator, conjures up blitzes that attack opposing quarterbacks from every direction imaginable. Although standout linebacker Lamaar Woodley won’t be active on Thursday night, the Steelers still boast one of the league’s best corps of linebackers. James Harrison, Lawrence Timmons, and James Warrior will look to get to Browns quarterback Colt McCoy early and often on Thursday evening. The Browns’ offensive line will need to be adept at picking up LeBeau’s crafty blitzes and give McCoy time to throw.
Rookie offensive lineman Jason Pinkston will be returning to the stadium in which he played his home collegiate games, and Browns fans should hope that the friendly confines of Heinz Field will motivate him to play his best game of the season. If the Steelers succeed in pressuring McCoy on a regular basis, he will need to make plays with his feet or it will be another long week for the Cleveland offense.

3. Colt McCoy vs. The Doubters: After yet another disappointing offensive performance, McCoy has been savaged on Cleveland sports talk radio this week. There is growing doubt among some Browns fans about his potential to be the Browns’ quarterback of the future, and sentiment that the Browns should use one of their two first-round picks in the 2012 NFL Draft to select a new quarterback is becoming stronger with each frustrating week of offensive ineptitude. McCoy could take a big step towards silencing the doubters with a solid performance this week at Heinz Field, the stadium in which he made his first professional start last season.
Last year, McCoy threw for 281 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception in a loss to the Steelers. Perhaps the memories of his debut will motivate McCoy to deliver another standout performance that will give the Browns’ long-suffering fan base reason to believe that he can still be the franchise quarterback that the Browns have lacked since their return to the league in 1999.

Prediction: This game will be closer than most people expect. Expect the Steelers to wear down the Browns’ defense with a steady diet of Mendenhall rushes and use one big pass play to Mike Wallace to break the game open in the second half. Weather predictions call for snow, which should make the kicking game even more interesting than it already is at Heinz Field. The Steelers will win 20-10.

http://www.footballnation.com/content/steelers-vs-browns-3-things-to-watch/11752/

Time is running out for Colt McCoy to pass his Cleveland Browns audition: Bill Livingston

By Bill Livingston, The Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Pittsburgh used to be called "Hell with the Lid Off," but then the steel industry declined and, apparently, the infernal torments relocated to the hearts and minds of Browns players and fans.

A year ago, Pittsburgh was the game in which Colt McCoy got his first start, right there by the rivers' confluence. He fared at least as well as Daniel (his real first name) in the lions' den and became another hope/hype for the future.

Thursday night, McCoy returns to Pittsburgh. The lions are big favorites.

McCoy has not looked like he's the answer to the ongoing quarterback crisis. Sports Illustrated's Peter King gave him a "D" grade recently. Reader email is divided, but more and more wonder when McCoy will show something.

It is true what McCoy lacks: a stable of play-making wide receivers, separating from defenders like celebrities from spouses; an All-Pro offensive line, allowing patterns to be timed by sun dial; a running back able to hit 'em where they ain't or in the mouth, as the occasion demands.

The fact is, however, that nobody has it all, although Troy Aikman came pretty close when he was winning three Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys in the 1990s.

But when you look around the league, the Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger is playing behind a patchwork line.

Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Tom Brady are playing at near-historic levels because they have to. Their defenses resemble O.J. Simpson after, as Detective Nordberg in "The Naked Gun," he fell from the upper deck of Dodger Stadium, was flattened by a steamroller, and marched upon by the University of Southern California band. You know, sort of the Chris Gocong position, after Ricky Williams ran over him last Sunday.

Brady had a wide receiver in Deion Branch who was only special in Bill Belichick's system. He was a dud in Seattle. The Browns picked up Brady's starting guard, Joe Andruzzi, as a free agent in the Romeo Crennel era, then decided he couldn't play after two seasons.

But Browns fans keep thinking a football utopia is required for judgment to made about a quarterback.

Certainly, McCoy has been the victim of almost criminal neglect in the laughable assertion in the off-season that either Pat Shurmur could coach up the returning wideouts or that the West Coast offense would allow McCoy to run the "Open sesame" play, and defenses would be powerless to stop it.

At least some blame for the failure goes on Peyton Hillis and his ego, injuries and alarming free fall from Madden video trendiness.

And yet ... one remembers that Bernie Kosar's receivers -- Webster Slaughter, Reggie Langhorne and Brian Brennan -- made exactly one Pro Bowl among them with the Browns (Slaughter in 1989, although he also was honored with Houston in 1993). Kosar had better protection than McCoy, but he was also far less mobile. After the trade of Earnest Byner and Kevin Mack's trouble with the law, he did not have a powerful running game at his disposal.

In each of the three seasons in which the Browns reached the AFC title game, tight end Ozzie Newsome never had 500 yards in receptions. Still, Kosar showed enough in short order to become the franchise's building block. Kosar could throw deep, but he was also adept at the intermediate pass, the 15-yard comebacker or the so-called skinny post.

Forget stretching the defenses with the bomb. No one respects even the mid-range pass with the Browns, both because receivers can't get open on such routes and because McCoy seldom throws such balls.

Kosar had a gambler's mentality, always looking for the big play. McCoy has been in a short-pass offense since high school. He was programmed in the Big 12 at Texas to dink and dunk. Even his short throws are too often behind the receiver or he has to wait for the ball.

In the NFL, a passing league despite the aberration that is Tim Tebow, the game is won and lost in the pocket. Running the shotgun, although McCoy has familiarity with it, is counterproductive over the long haul. It makes running the ball difficult. The inside handoff to the running back can fool them only so many times.

Running the hurry-up offense for 60 minutes is worse. Does anyone really want to send this Browns defense out on the field, time after time, after quick three-and-outs?

The Browns need to look for a quarterback in the 2012 draft when they have the picks to get a good one. Stanford's Andrew Luck would cost too much to move up to the first pick, but Baylor's Robert Griffin III or USC's Matt Barkley might be there for a probable 4-and-12 Browns team.

It's too soon to say McCoy can't play, period. He isn't as inaccurate as Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn. He doesn't make as many bad decisions as Charlie Frye.

This, however, is known as being damned by faint praise.

http://www.cleveland.com/livingston/index.ssf/2011/12/time_is_running_out_for_colt_m.html

Shurmur tries to explain the inexplicable

BEREA -- Trying to make sense of the Cleveland Browns is much like trying to explain the attraction of Dancing With the Stars. Some things simply do not make sense. With the Browns, the bottom line coming off Sundays embarrassing loss to the Ravens is this reality: Baltimore is a team that has been built for years to a style, system and approach. The Browns keep re-creating their style, system and approach. Baltimore should be better. Baltimore is better. And, again, Josh Cribbs is right there is a big gap between the top teams in the AFC North and the Browns. A big gap. That the Browns are (again) trying to close the gap does not mean the gap does not exist. It does. The Browns reward? A Thursday night trip to Pittsburgh, where further humiliation is not merely possible, but likely. Because Pittsburgh, like Baltimore, is a team built for years to a style, system and approach -- and the Steelers are playing for first place in the AFC North. Pittsburgh is better than the Browns. And they should beat the Browns, badly. Especially because the Browns also are beat up. Running back Peyton Hillis has a hip strain, quarterback Colt McCoy a knee sprain and right tackle Tony Pashos an elbow strain. All are day to day. Somehow coach Pat Shurmur has to explain this mess. His explanations fell back on the usual and predictable comments. We need to find a way to be more productive and consistent, he said. We just need to do a better job, he said. If this were an easy thing then everybody could do it, he said. Just keep pushing. Keep pushing. At least Shurmur hasnt done something ridiculous like put a tree stump with an axe in the locker room, something ex-Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio did one year to remind his team to keep, as he said, chopping wood. That move led to his kicker cutting himself with the axe when he missed the tree. So Shurmur hasnt done that, which is something. Shurmur did, though, refer to some rolled eyes from the media when he said the Browns situation will turn when you least expect it. Which was said with a bit of a lighthearted tone, but still was an interesting thing to notice. The Browns and Shurmur are going through a brutal season. Fans have actually started taking notice and are not showing up or are leaving early. And when they listen to the comments following the game, they hear Colt McCoy talk about a touchdown drive late in the game being the touchstone they take to Pittsburgh. McCoy was sincere, as is Shurmur, but the words smack of the desperation that oozes from the field. The Browns have some players -- Jabaal Sheard, Joe Thomas and DQwell Jackson come to mind -- but they are a long way from a good team, and some of what happens prompts head-scratching, starting with the constant emphasis on the six-to-eight yard pass that seems to be the staple of the offense. Colt McCoy seems to be playing with little confidence, and with almost no help. Some might question the Browns play-calling after a long pass to Hillis gave the Browns first-and-goal at the 5. But on second down, Shurmur called a touchdown, McCoy threw a touchdown. Except Evan Moore dropped it. A huge chance to cut a 10-0 deficit to three was blown, because of a dropped pass. Shurmur has been criticized for not using Moore more (write that three times real fast), and he uses him and he drops a critical throw. McCoy now is a quarterback on an island. His running backs have let him down, with Hillis the hugest letdown this side of Heavens Gate. The highlight of his season was flying to Arkansas on an off day to get married. Sunday he caught a 52-yard pass and wound up hurting his hip. Add in receivers who are dropping the ball with regularity and McCoy has nobody to look to. Shurmur can call any play he likes, but its chances of success are, at best, a coin flip. Add McCoys limitations in arm strength and seeing the field and a good defense salivates. Baltimore jumped a half dozen out routes and came close to several interceptions -- some of which could have been a touchdown.The Steelers are salivating. And Pittsburgh will not wallow Thursday night, as theyve proven over and over when they play the Browns. If the Browns dont compete, the Christmas Eve massacre or the Thursday night freezeout in Pittsburgh the next season will be repeated. The Ravens also exposed the Browns defense for the mirage that it is. No team that cannot stop the run wins games, and the Browns are giving up 151 yards per game rushing. Thats more than half the total the Browns are gaining as an entire offense (290.7). Joe Flacco has never lost to the Browns (7-0). Ben Roethlisberger has gone 13-1. Even rookie Andy Dalton is 2-0 with Cincinnati. Colt McCoy? Hes 0-7 against the AFC North. Shurmur had nothing to do with the previous 12 seasons, but when a fan base has dealt with a team that has had two winning seasons since 1999 and has won five, five and four games the past three seasons its not going to be patient when change was supposed to produce a better offense and a better team. The Browns have four games left to salvage something. The rolled eyes following that statement belong to the long-suffering fan base.

Can Cleveland Browns keep Baltimore Ravens' relentless rush in check?

By Mary Kay Cabot, The Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Colt McCoy was enjoying a beautiful Thanksgiving evening until he flipped on the TV and witnessed the Ravens' defense sacking the stuffing out of 49ers quarterback Alex Smith nine times and making mincemeat out of premier back Frank Gore.

That was without linebacker Ray Lewis, who has missed two games with a foot injury and is questionable for Sunday's game.

"We've got a lot on our plate this week, a lot to handle," the Browns' quarterback said. "They're really good up front and they've pressured more than anybody we've seen. We understand they're a tough test for us and we've certainly got to be ready."

The Ravens' nine sacks -- which helped snap the Niners' eight-game winning streak -- tied a franchise high and catapulted them to the top of the NFL with 38 on the season. They're also tops in the league with 16 forced fumbles and second with 10 recoveries.

"You have to trust your guys," said McCoy. "You have to trust your running backs. You have to trust your offensive line to pick up the protection and you have to trust your guys to get open. We're excited about the challenge."

Fiercest among the Ravens' attackers is linebacker Terrell Suggs -- also known as Sizzle -- who owns the Browns. His 12 sacks against them are the most by any defender in league history and the most he has against any team. He has three multi-sack games against the Browns and has also forced seven fumbles -- his most against an opponent.

"Yeah, he's pretty good," said left tackle Joe Thomas, who will see plenty of Suggs. "It's the same thing every year when we play them. He's been doing it as well as anybody since before I got in the league, so it's always a good challenge."

The Ravens move Suggs around a lot, trying to create mismatches. Last week, he had three of the Ravens' nine sacks and has nine this season, tied for seventh in the NFL.

"They try to get Terrell Suggs on one of us, a running back, being that's a favorable matchup for them," said Montario Hardesty, who will return to action after missing the past four games with his calf injury. "We've got to know where he's at and move our protection to account for him."

One of the keys, said center Alex Mack, is for McCoy to make lightning-quick decisions.

"We need to run our offense well, know which guy we're blocking and then get the ball out," said Mack. "When you hold the ball and try to make things that aren't there, a couple of the sacks [against the Niners] came from that. If the ball gets thrown, there's no sack. It's hard to block everybody all day long."

Mack knows he'll have his hands full with two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, who has five sacks.

"From an eyeball's perspective, you can see he's enormous, so I mean he's a big guy with a lot of power and then he also moves well, which is a bad combo," said Mack.

All the pressure up front enables safety Ed Reed -- the notorious Browns killer -- to wreak his havoc on the back end. Reed picked off McCoy twice last December in a 20-10 Ravens victory and has 10 interceptions against the Browns -- more than against any other team.

"Ed Reed in my opinion is the best safety in football and one of the best safeties ever," said tight end Evan Moore. "His ability to the play the ball in the air and play physical too, he's about as good as it gets at that position.

"He's a threat in all phases. He can defend the pass, defend the run, he can blitz, he can do it all."

McCoy knows full well that he has to account for Reed on every play. He threw three interceptions in that game, his lone start against the Ravens, and earned a 27.0 rating.

"You can't get caught sleeping and trying to throw a quick route and not know where he is," McCoy said. "For me as a quarterback, that's obviously the first importance this week."

The Browns hope to counter with a healthy running game, bolstered by the return of Peyton Hillis and Hardesty. Hillis pounded the Ravens for 144 yards in the first meeting last year, but was held to 35 in the second meeting.

"We know that we have to approach this game with an aspect of being physical and aggressive and getting ready to go out there and hit them in the mouth, because you know that they're going to bring it, too," said Hillis.

The Ravens remain wary, despite Hillis' down season.

"He has a lot of pride, a lot of heart," said defensive end Corey Redding. "A lot of fight is going to come out of that man. So, whenever he straps on the pads, it's going to be war. He knows it, we know, so the best thing to do is go out there with the mindset of stopping it."

Added Suggs: "Everybody knows he is Peyton Hillis; he has the Madden cover. He likes to have good games against good defenses. I expect for the juggernaut to be up in there and try to run down some walls."

But there's no secret as to what the Ravens' game plan is.

"[McCoy] can obviously run. He can get the ball downfield," said Redding. "[We watched him] become a young Colt to a stallion -- a young guy to a big man. He's a very tough football player and he'll bring a lot of things to the game.

"We have to attack him and attack him early and get after him early and often. We have to take away his read, and when the ball is in the air, challenge him."

Tony Grossi’s Four Things on Ravens-Browns

• 1. The complete team? League leaders in quarterback sacks and average per rush on defense. Strong running game, yet capable of the quick strike with deep receiving threats and a quarterback able to put the ball on the money. Kicking specialists able to neutralize dangerous returners. If this isn’t the Ravens’ year to return to the Super Bowl, you wonder when it is.
• 2. Peyton Hillis and Josh Cribbs: Hillis has a chance to salvage something from this soap opera season with a big finish. He’s healthy and excited, and needs some big games to recapture interest in upcoming free agency. Cribbs took unwarranted flak all week for saying he’s “fed up” with losing. His intimation of unhappiness with his roles painted a bull’s-eye on himself. Plays from these two fellas would be very much appreciated by their teammates.
• 3. Why no letdown: The Ravens’ three losses have all come on the road to sub-.500 teams (at the time). Counting on a letdown Sunday is wishful thinking. There’s a reason the Ravens, Steelers and Bengals rarely, in recent years, lay giant eggs in Cleveland. Those division teams usually are locked in playoff races with each other and they know picking up an easy division win here is an absolute must to reach their destination. Nine times out of 10, the division team that loses here blows its playoff chance. The three rivals are 8-2 vs. Browns in Cleveland the past four seasons.
• 4. The streak: The Browns have yet to defeat a division rival with Colt McCoy at quarterback. They’re 0-2 vs. Cincinnati, 0-2 vs. Pittsburgh and 0-1 vs. Baltimore.

  — Tony Grossi

• http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2011/12/can_cleveland_browns_keep_balt.html

Browns' Cribbs: 'I'm tired of losing'

BEREA, Ohio (AP)

The losses have been piling up, one on top of the other, for seven seasons. Josh Cribbs doesn't know how many more he can handle.

The Browns aren't winning, and Cribbs' frustration has reached a boiling point.

"I am fed up," he said. "I'm tired of losing. Everybody in this locker room, they'll say they're tired and they want to win every game. I want to win this year. Everybody says we're building, we look good. I don't really care about the building process because I want to win now. I'll worry about next year next year.

"I want to win now."

In recent days, Cribbs has expressed disappointment that the Browns (4-7) seem to be stuck in the same cycle of losing. Cribbs, who has been with the club since 2005, vented like never before following Sunday's 23-20 loss in Cincinnati. On the verge of saying something he might regret, Cribbs stopped himself before a member of the team's media relations staff stopped questioning.

"I really need to stop talking now because I don't want to say anything that I shouldn't," he said at the time.

The same thing happened Wednesday when he wouldn't directly answer if he's happy with the way he's being used.

"Uh," he said with a long pause. "I just won't answer that."

Cribbs seemed to be alluding to bigger problems - either with his role in Cleveland's offense or with the team's coaches.

On Thursday, Cribbs reiterated his disgust with losing - the Browns are 38-69 since he joined them - and said his comments or refusal to answer certain questions should not be interpreted that he's unhappy with the opportunities he's getting or that he wants out of Cleveland.

"That doesn't mean I want to leave," he said. "I am sick and tired of losing, like everybody is. And I think I have to start saying that. Me being sick and tired doesn't mean I want to leave. It doesn't mean anything. It means I want to win. So we want to focus on trying to win because I'm tired of losing. It's not like I wasn't tired of losing before, but I'm really tired."

Browns coach Pat Shurmur isn't concerned with Cribbs, or any of his players, voicing their weariness over the club's current state.

"I don't have a problem with guys feeling that way," Shurmur said. "He wants to win and that's OK."

Shurmur wants players who are passionate and refuse to accept losing. Shurmur is confident that Cribbs' anger is directly tied to the losing and not him being selfish.

"You want guys that are disappointed," he said. "I used to help coach my son's little league baseball team. You see kids strike out all the time. You can work with the guys that throw their bats because they're angry. They care. Guys that just drop their bat and walk back, no big deal, then those are tougher guys to get better. If it's truly I'm angry because I didn't succeed or we didn't win you can work with that because they care. The ones that don't care, those are the ones that are tough to reach."

There's no doubt Cribbs cares, but it's not always certain if he's talking about the team or pushing a personal agenda.

Before he received a new three-year, $20 million contract from the Browns last year, Cribbs, who holds the NFL record with eight kickoff returns for touchdowns, used his popularity with Cleveland fans to convince the club to pay him.

He may be using a similar tactic to have his role expanded in Cleveland's offense, but as Shurmur pointed out, Cribbs is getting plenty of chances to shine.

"His role is heavy on special teams and in the case of Josh, we use him quite a bit," Shurmur said. "He had the second most reps of the receivers. He's got more catches (29) and more yards (358) at this point in the season than he had all of last year. So that's that."

Shurmur said he's willing to speak with any player who has a gripe about anything.

"We handle it man-to-man behind closed doors and if I see something then I'll call him in," Shurmur said. "If they have an issue then they'll come see me."

Cribbs, though, said he has not spoken to Shurmur about any issues involving playing time.

And, he has no plans to.

"It's not about my role," Cribbs said. "It's about winning games. That's all what it was ever about. I let the coaches coach. I can't give you what you want. It's just about winning. Things that I need or might want to talk about with coach - that's between us. Other than that, contrary to what people might say or think or try to take from what I'm saying, people are assuming or just putting words in my mouth, but it's about winning."

Part of Cribbs' frustration lies in the Browns' inability to break him free on a long kickoff return. He hasn't taken one the distance since Dec. 20, 2009, and with the league's new kickoff rules, teams have been able to kick the ball away from Cribbs or keep him penned in.

But losing is what's eating at him most.

Cribbs has played on only one winning team since signing with the Browns as an undrafted free agent. Like a Cleveland fan, he's grown impatient.

"I hear them talk every day," he said. "I run into them on the street. It hurts me not to win for them. That's my ultimate motivation. Cleveland is built around it's sports teams, and when we win, the city wins. When we don't win, the city feels down.

"So we need to win, plain and simple."

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/Cleveland-Browns-WR-Josh-Cribbs-says-Im-sick-and-tired-of-losing-120111

Cleveland Browns waive long snapper Ryan Pontbriand

By Tony Grossi, The Plain Dealer

BEREA, Ohio -- Long snapper Ryan Pontbriand, whose errant snaps cost the Browns legitimate chances at victory in two of their past three games, was waived on Tuesday.

He was replaced by Christian Yount, an undrafted rookie from UCLA who appeared in seven games with Tampa Bay. Young was waived on Oct. 25 when the Buccaneers' regular snapper was activated from an injury list. Also, the Browns ended the seasons of linebacker Scott Fujita (hand) and defensive end Emmanuel Stephens (pectoral) by placing them on injured reserve.

Pontbriand's low snap in Cincinnati on Sunday cost the Browns a fair shot at a go-ahead 55-yard field goal with 1:55 left. The botched snap caused Phil Dawson to miss, giving the Bengals the ball at their 45. The Bengals won, 23-20, on a short field goal seven plays later.

Two games earlier, Pontbriand's snap caromed off the foot of lineman Alex Mack and disrupted a 22-yard field goal try against St. Louis with 37 seconds remaining. The kick was partially deflected and the Rams won, 13-12. After that game, Pontbriand said he went home and made 150 long snaps to get the memory out of his mind.

Several other long snaps off the mark caused Pontbriand's swift demise. Some did not disrupt successful kicks, but they were uncharacteristic of Pontbriand and became points of concern internally.

Pontbriand admitted after the Cincinnati game that he was fighting a terrible slump. His precision and dependability had earned him two invitations to the Pro Bowl from AFC coaches. In eight years prior to this one, Pontbriand had only one bad snap that caused Dawson to miss a kick, an extra point.

In his ninth season, Pontbriand, 32, had the second-longest tenure on the Browns to Dawson. Drafted in the fifth round in 2003, he was the last remaining player from the four Browns drafts headed by former coach Butch Davis.

In other moves announced on Tuesday, the Browns:

• Promoted linebacker Benjamin Jacobs and defensive end Brian Sanford from their practice squad.

• Signed to their practice squad linebacker Brian Smith, defensive back David Sims and defensive lineman Ayanga Okpokowuruk. Smith was with the Browns in training camp and released at the final cut.

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2011/11/cleveland_browns_waive_long_sn.html

Game Time Changed

As a result of NFL flex scheduling, the Browns game against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, December 4, at Cleveland Browns Stadium has been changed to a 4:05 p.m. kickoff (Eastern Time). The game was originally scheduled for 1:00 p.m.

In defeat, Peyton Hillis provides Cleveland Browns with glimpses of old power

By Jodie Valade, The Plain Dealer

CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Like an old-time villain, Peyton Hillis swaggered out of the locker room at Paul Brown Stadium adorned in head-to-toe black. Black shirt, black pants, black sports coat. On his feet, a pair of black-and-white cowboy boots.

It was the Peyton Hillis of old.

The Hillis who shot to stardom last season with 1,177 rushing yards was known for his quirky training habits that included pulling pick-up trucks, his brute-force running style in piling up yards, and his penchant for cowboy boots with any type of off-field attire. The Arkansas native's Southern style paired with his thick accent was a constant reminder of his humble roots.

So it made sense that in his first game back since sitting out five with a hamstring injury, he'd try to recapture the Hillis of old.

The Madden NFL 12 cover boy has had a tumultuous season in his first year as a featured back. He missed five games and most of another with a pulled hamstring. He sat another game with strep throat, earning criticism for taking the medical advice of his agent. He traveled out of town mid-week to get married instead of receive treatment for his hamstring injury.

He had an intervention-type conversation with other Browns. And he's had contentious contract renegotiations with management while trying to manage his newfound celebrity status after appearing on the cover of the popular Madden video game.

All the while, he's more often worn flip-flops and sneakers instead of cowboy boots.

Sunday, in the 23-20 loss to the Bengals, Hillis had a chance to start all over again. It wasn't spectacular, but it was a start. He logged 65 yards on 19 carries after originally being ruled out earlier in the week.

Hillis said his recovery from the hamstring injury was aided by a plasma-rich platelet injection, a type of therapy that is thought to aid in muscle repair. He practiced Friday for the first time since he aggravated the hamstring injury in a practice three weeks ago, and passed his pre-game warmup test Sunday afternoon.

However, running mate Montario Hardesty did not. Hardesty felt pain in his torn calf muscle during warmups, so Hillis ended up shouldering the bulk of the load.

"I don't think it's a setback, it's just something I've got to work through," Hardesty said. "I just wasn't ready to go out there and go full, 100 percent on it."

After Chris Ogbonnaya was on the field for the first snap, Hillis slid into the role he held in his breakout season last year. He started slowly, but his presence was enough to keep Cincinnati off-balance enough that QB Colt McCoy had more room to throw.

"Especially early," McCoy said. "I felt like we were moving the ball at will, pretty much."

Hillis wasn't sure what to expect, but was encouraged as the game progressed. In the second quarter, Hillis had 29 yards on five carries, an average of 5.8 yards per carry. Throughout, the former college fullback displayed his blocking skills.

"It's tough when you don't know how things are going to go until you get in the rhythm of things," Hillis said. "Things started going well toward the middle of the game and toward the end. I expect big things. I expect to progress and I'm looking forward to next week."

It wasn't spectacular, but it was a start.

"He did surprisingly well as far as timing and making the right cuts," left tackle Joe Thomas said. "I think he'll be really happy watching the tape."

It's not exactly the cowboy boot-wearing Peyton Hillis of old, but it was a step toward recapturing it.

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2011/11/peyton_hillis_provides_some_gr.html