BEREA, Ohio — Browns coach Pat Shurmur cautioned that tonight's preseason opener against the defending Super Bowl champion Packers might not look like a sneak preview of February's Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis.
"To start the year out against the Super Bowl champs will be a good gauge," Shurmur said. "I know they're not going to come in here and flop around. My sense is we're going to find we have a long way to go."
The Browns, who will play their starters for one quarter, will face a Green Bay team that's returning 10 starters on offense and 10 on defense, although some of their defensive starters might not play tonight. They'll face the Super Bowl MVP in quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the runner-up for NFL Defensive Player of the Year in linebacker Clay Matthews.
They'll face a top-10 offense and the league's second-stingiest defense (15 points per game). The Packers' defense finished second in the league with 47 sacks, including 13 1/2 by Matthews.
"I'm going to see how they respond in this game," said Shurmur. "You're looking at a situation where 90 players and 20 coaches have gotten together for the first time for two weeks. I told them, 'Make it as hard on us as we can to decide on who the 53 guys are going to be.' I hope a lot of guys show up and make plays. That's what we're looking for."
Browns quarterback Colt McCoy warned that the Browns' edition of the West Coast offense -- one that's had a total of 11 practices together -- might not look as polished as Green Bay's, a top-10 finisher in each of the past four seasons.
"We're still installing some plays and looking for consistency," McCoy said. "The biggest thing wide-receiver wise is we haven't really developed a rhythm with everyone. Some guys get nicked up, they miss a couple practices, then they come back, another guy gets hurt. So it's been a challenge. But I will say this: The receivers are working their tails off and there's a lot for them to learn."
The game marks the debut of second-round pick Greg Little, a receiver who hasn't played since 2009 because he was suspended last season at North Carolina. Over the first two weeks of camp, Little has made substantial improvement.
"I wouldn't be surprised at all [if I started]," Little said. "But if I don't start I'm perfectly fine with that, too. I've only been in this thing a couple of weeks. I'm just happy to be here, happy to be getting into a game again. But I hope that I do get early reps because you want to compete against the better half."
The Browns will also get a good look at new running back and former Packer Brandon Jackson, who will see action as a third-down back with the starters and as the featured back with the second string.
Jackson is excited to team with Peyton Hillis.
"It brings more confidence and more of a competitive edge to the game," he said. "Peyton had a great year and he's on the cover of Madden. I'm coming in with a Super Bowl ring and five years of experience. The backfield is going to be great this year. I feel it."
The game also marks the debut of the Browns' two new starting rookie defensive linemen, No. 1 pick Phil Taylor at tackle and No. 2 pick Jabaal Sheard at right end.
"I'm excited about it but I'm humble, too, because it's a big learning step for me," said Taylor, who is catching up after a four-day holdout. "I'm going to take all the coaching I had last week and this week and go in and play hard every play. I think I'm coming [along] real well. I've got the defense down pat and it's just getting the little things better."
Sheard, who has been learning from four-time Pro Bowl tackle Joe Thomas every day in camp, will try to muscle past Packers two-time Pro Bowler Chad Clifton and sack the Super Bowl MVP.
"That'd be awesome," Sheard said. "I'll have to count on the rest of my D-linemen to hold up with Joe Haden back there and that would be great. My mom will be at the game, my family will be there. That would be just crazy, [against)] the Super Bowl champs."
Shurmur admitted he's excited for his NFL head coaching debut.
"I'm trying not to show it, but it's down in there," he said. "I wouldn't call it anxiety or being nervous. For us, this is very fun to go out there and compete and see how good we are."
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