BEREA, Ohio -- In NFL preseason, nothing is as good or as bad as it seems. Then again, team deficiencies don't get magically corrected simply by turning the calendar to the regular season. 
As the Browns head into their final week of preseason practice, their injury list poses new hurdles for the coaching staff. Issues of sloppy play abound, while decisions on the makeup of the final roster wind down.
Here's a primer on frequently asked questions about the Browns with the season opener fast approaching.
1. What's with all the injuries?
Currently, seven key players could open the season unable to play or having played no more than a quarter in the preseason. This is a theme throughout the league. Blame it on the four-month owners lockout.
While the new collective bargaining agreement softened the practice schedule in the name of player safety, the dead period broke up the off-season training routine, leaving the players more vulnerable to injuries.
2. Is the depth at linebacker a concern that no longer can be ignored?
Yes. Weakside linebacker Chris Gocong hasn't played in a preseason game because of a neck stinger. Backup middle linebacker Titus Brown will miss a few weeks with a high ankle sprain. Those injuries leave Steve Octavien as the most experienced backup on the roster with 18 career NFL games.
The Browns need to bring in a linebacker who has experience in the 4-3 defense at more than one position.
3. How is the receiving corps breaking down?
Brian Robiskie probably held down a starting spot with a good outing Thursday night. When healthy, Josh Cribbs appears to be the other starter. Rookie Greg Little would join the mix in three-receiver sets.
Mohamed Massaquoi hopes to practice this week for the first time after reporting to camp with a fracture in his left foot. Carlton Mitchell's broken finger set him back a few weeks. Jordan Norwood has had his moments and Demetrius Williams is not out of the picture.
4. Are the special teams getting enough attention?
Three breakdowns occurred in Philadelphia. League-wide, kickoff units are still grappling with the controversial rules changes. The Browns have not used league record-holder Josh Cribbs at all and are still breaking in Richmond McGee, who has never punted in a regular-season game.
It's safe to say this area of the team will suffer from the philosophical differences of the new regime. The former coaches were obsessed with special teams. The present regime -- starting with President Mike Holmgren at the top -- simply devotes more time, energy and resources to offense and defense.
That's the way it's going to be. While special teams rarely win games by themselves, no matter how dominant (see: 2004-08 Bills, 2009-10 Browns), it's important to note that bad special teams can submarine a season (2010 Chargers).
5. Why don't the Browns run the ball more in preseason?
If the game in Philadelphia were played in the regular season, the Browns would have dialed the run more to stabilize an offense out of synch. Peyton Hillis looked like he could have had a big game smashing through the center of the Eagles' defense, but he carried only three times (for 18 yards).
"Believe me, there's reasons for doing what I'm doing," coach Pat Shurmur said. "We have the ability to run the football here. I'm trying to use the preseason as a way to develop the team, and you really need to develop the passing game as well as the running game. I think that's important for the preseason, especially for a bunch of guys that have only been together for less than a month."
6. Are there more problems on the offensive line than meets the eye?
When this unit struggles as it did in Philadelphia, everything on offense gets out of whack. Colt McCoy doesn't have the natural ability of Michael Vick to make plays on his own when his line fails him, so it has to be consistently good.
Left guard Eric Steinbach figures to open the season still nursing a back injury. Steinbach's absence enabled the Browns to force-feed rookie Jason Pinkston with the No. 1 unit. Pinkston has responded well enough for the Browns to commit to him to open the season.
Considering that right guard Shawn Lauvao played sparingly as a rookie, that puts two untested guards in the starting lineup. Lauvao, though, has had a very good camp.
7. How will the final roster shake down?
Here's one guess, with the caveat that we may see two to four new players added after the final cuts:
Specialists (three): Phil Dawson, McGee, Ryan Pontbriand.
Quarterbacks (two): McCoy, Seneca Wallace.
Running backs (five): Hillis, Montario Hardesty, Brandon Jackson, Owen Marecic, Armond Smith.
Wide receivers (six): Robiskie, Cribbs, Little, Massaquoi, Norwood, Williams or Mitchell.
Tight ends (four): Benjamin Watson, Evan Moore, Alex Smith, Jordan Cameron.
Offensive linemen (nine): Joe Thomas, Steinbach, Alex Mack, Lauvao, Tony Pashos, Pinkston, Branndon Braxton, John Greco, Steve Vallos.
Defensive linemen (eight): Jayme Mitchell, Phil Taylor, Ahtyba Rubin, Jabaal Sheard, Derreck Robinson, Marcus Benard, Brian Schaefering, Travis Ivey.
Linebackers (six): Scott Fujita, D'Qwell Jackson, Gocong, Brown, Kaluka Maiava, Brian Smith.
Cornerbacks (six): Joe Haden, Sheldon Brown, Dimitri Patterson, Buster Skrine, James Dockery, Ramzee Robinson.
Safeties (four): T.J. Ward, Usama Young, Mike Adams, Ray Ventrone.
Source:
http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2011/08/sorting_out_the_facts_as_the_c.html
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