Cleveland Browns counting on a faster offensive tempo against San Francisco

By Mary Kay Cabot, The Plain Dealer

SAN FRANCISCO -- Maybe the Browns just needed another trip out west to locate their missing West Coast offense -- one that's ranked 27th with only 16.2 points per game.

"It's the pink elephant in the middle of the room," said receiver Greg Little.

"We're all scratching our heads," said quarterback Colt McCoy.

"It's frustrating," said tight end Evan Moore. "It's not that hard."

But it has been for the Browns, and it won't be a trolley ride Sunday against the 5-1 49ers, especially without starting receiver Mohamed Massaquoi (concussion) and perhaps running back Peyton Hillis (hamstring). The 49ers are 11th in total defense -- second against the run.

"This will be the best defense we've played all year," said McCoy.

Not exactly what this points-challenged offense needs right now, is it? Consider some of these numbers:

• The Browns are 31st in the NFL with 4.3 yards per play;

• They're 29th with only 10 touchdowns;

• They're 31st with only 13 trips inside the red zone; and

• They've have been outscored, 34-3, in the first quarter.

But tight end Alex Smith indicated that a change of pace will be in store.

"We have a couple of things up our sleeves to try to try to get our tempo generated," he said. "It's not radically different. We'll just try to be fast-paced and keep the defense off it's toes. Until we get our tempo right, I don't think we'll have success."

Could the Browns be planning to open in the no-huddle to bust out of their first-quarter slumber?

"That's another aspect of it, but at the end of the day, it's about executing the plays as fast as we can," said Smith. "If we can pick up the pace, it will help us out a lot."

McCoy insisted that the current protocol, beginning with 15 or so scripted plays, is progressing just fine. "I think we're going to keep doing what we're doing," he said. "[But] the no-huddle has been a good part of our offense when we've got our backs against the wall. We work on it a lot in practice, so we'll see."

More than anything, McCoy said, it's a matter of this young offense continuing to hone the West Coast scheme.

"You go back and watch it from Joe Montana to Steve Young to anybody's who's run it, it's an offense where it's rhythm, it's timing [that makes it succeed]," said McCoy. "You get the ball out and let guys make plays -- and we're going to stick to that. It's what we do, and we're getting better week-to-week. The one positive from last week is that we stayed on the field for 40 minutes. Now we've just got to get in the end zone."

That type of ball control will be difficult against the 49ers' second-ranked run defense – which yields 74.7 yards per game. They're the only team in the NFL not to give up a rushing touchdown this season and haven't allowed a 100-yard rusher in 28 straight games, the longest active streak.

"We faced the best run defense last week [in yards per carry] and now we're facing the second-best," said running back Montario Hardesty, who churned out 95 yards against the Seahawks. "They defend the run very well with seven guys in the box. It all starts with their linebackers. They're tough, physical and fast to the ball, but we're up to the task."

Browns left tackle Joe Thomas gushed over the 49ers' front seven in general.

"There's big-time studs across the front, they're built to stop the run, and in my opinion they've got the best linebacker in the NFL in Patrick Willis," said Thomas. "He doesn't miss any tackles. You look at their guys on the outside, they're outstanding, They do everything you want out of a front seven, so it's going to be a great challenge for us."

He knows he'll get a tough battle from former Bengals right end Justin Smith, who leads the 49ers with an amazing 32 pressures.

"Justin is one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL," said Thomas. "He's been doing it a long time, he's extremely durable, he's big, he's fast, he's physical. He plays with a relentless motor. He's a guy that's going to be really hard to block. I remember playing against him my second game of my career [against Cincinnati] and it was a battle every single play."

But 32 pressure in six games? Can that be right?

"In Cincinnati, he didn't always have a lot of sacks, but he hit the quarterback all the time," said Thomas. "He's a guy who never quits. Even if he's blocked, he's still getting through at the last minute. He's good and underrated."

The 49ers have also held opposing quarterbacks to a 77.7 rating, fifth in the NFL, and they rank first in the league with 49 passes defensed. They're tied for third with 14 takeaways.

"Their defense is playing lights out right now," said Little. "With Mohamed out, I definitely want to take on the responsibility of being a bigger playmaker."

Josh Cribbs will replace Massaquoi in the starting lineup and second-year receiver Carlton Mitchell will see action on offense as well as special teams.

"We're fighting, we're clawing, we're trying to do everything we can to score points," said McCoy. "I can't tell you how hard we work. I've spent a lot of time with the receivers, and it's going to happen. We'll be ready this weekend and hopefully we'll start fast and play well."

 

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2011/10/cleveland_browns_counting_on_a.html

Tackle Joe Thomas doesn't think offensive line is tipping off plays: Cleveland Browns Insider

By Jodie Valade, The Plain Dealer

BEREA, Ohio — As the Browns' starting left tackle, Joe Thomas figures he has seen "every snap of every practice and every game" this season. He has studied how his offensive line plays, watched every tendency and every trend.

And Thomas would like to know what Oakland Raiders linebacker Aaron Curry says he spotted in film before Cleveland played at Oakland on Oct. 16.

Curry told Bay Area reporters that he has been studying film extensively since an Oct. 14 trade sent him to the Raiders from Seattle. And with his newfound focus on the intricacies of the game, Curry said he noticed that a Browns offensive lineman unwittingly betrayed whether the team was going to pass or run on most plays.

"One of the O-linemen from Cleveland, they gave it up every play, most of the time, I'd say about 70 percent of the time, whether it was run or pass," Curry told reporters. "They had no clue they were doing it, but I figured it out from just watching the film."

Thomas laughed when told of Curry's comments Thursday.

"He must be a wizard because after being there one day, he figured it out?" Thomas said. "He must be really smart. . . . I'm sure if a guy was leaning really far back or really far forward, maybe [he could see it]. But for one day? That is very impressive."

Thomas scoffed at the idea that Oakland's singular linebacker might have seen something in film that the Browns' legions of coaches and players who self-scout might have missed this season. The Browns, however, have played with a patchwork offensive line at times this season, with rookie Jason Pinkston filling in at left guard for injured Eric Steinbach, and right tackle Tony Pashos missing the first three games of the season with injury.

"If I would have noticed something, we would have taken care of it," Thomas said.

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2011/10/tackle_joe_thomas_doesnt_think.html

A fiery leader inspires a resurgent San Francisco 49ers: Tony Grossi's Scouting Report

By Tony Grossi, The Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The story goes that three NFL head coaches were talking at dinner one night at the annual league meetings in New Orleans in March. They were Jim Schwartz of Detroit, John Harbaugh of Baltimore and his younger brother, Jim, of San Francisco.

The topic was the impending NFL owners lockout and the effect it might have on the 2011 season. Schwartz opined that the league shutdown would kill hopes of any of the eight rookie head coaches having a good season. Jim Harbaugh listened to Schwartz and didn't say a word. The look on his face said, "Watch me."

That was part of the back story to the now-famous handshake Harbaugh gave Schwartz after his 49ers handed the Lions their first loss of the season two weeks ago, 25-19.

"Showed you."

The win improved the 49ers to 5-1 -- second-best record in the NFL. The Browns play Harbaugh's resurgent team Sunday in Candlestick Park.

Harbaugh's overly scrutinized handshake with Schwartz, which was more like a "get out of my way" shove in the back, played into Harbaugh's tough-guy image in the Bay Area. His predecessor as 49ers coach, Mike Singletary, was one of the toughest NFL players of his era, but he didn't win nearly enough to achieve the popularity Harbaugh has in his six games on the job.

Harbaugh had more going for him, too. Local fans had watched Harbaugh build nearby Stanford University into a national BCS championship contender in four years after inheriting an 0-11 program. Also, Harbaugh was recruited as Stanford's coach by 49ers icon Bill Walsh, who was consulting for the university at which he also formerly coached right up until the time he died from cancer.

So when Harbaugh resisted reportedly more money offered by Miami Dolphins owner Steven Ross -- and the chance to return as a hero to his alma mater, the University of Michigan -- long-suffering 49ers fans instantly fell in love. Harbaugh has given them reason to hope the team can return to league prominence after an eight-year playoff drought.

The 49ers are the lone quality team in the NFC West, which has for some time been regarded as the weakest division in the NFL. This year, the division has the second-worst record in out-of-division games -- 6-15. Four wins belong to the 49ers.

They have opened a three-game lead in the NFC West by playing the same physical style that Harbaugh fashioned at Stanford. Though Harbaugh espouses the Walsh-inspired West Coast offense, his brand emphasizes the tough running of Frank Gore, low-risk passing primarily to two tight ends and a swarming, 3-4 defense that suffocates opponents' running games.

Though quarterback Alex Smith has the highest passer rating of his seven-year career -- by far -- Harbaugh has him throwing and thinking less.

And yes, Harbaugh did hire an offensive coordinator. He's Greg Roman, the same man who helped develop Stanford's Andrew Luck into the next great NFL quarterback prospect. Roman, incidentally, calls the offensive plays for the 49ers.

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2011/10/a_fiery_leader_inspires_a_resu.html

Colt McCoy and the Cleveland Browns can grind together, but can they someday be great?

By Bud Shaw, The Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Colt McCoy swears he's progressing in Pat Shurmur's offense on a weekly basis, though Sunday he looked more like the quarterback as game manager favored by Eric Mangini.

McCoy even trotted out a corporate-speak slogan to capture what's happening on his side of the ball: "Stepping forward into growth" was how he put it. That unofficially gives the 2011 Browns a second title that many outside of Berea no doubt find difficult to decipher, the first being "West Coast Offense."

Eventually, the question needing to be answered is whether McCoy is a quarterback who needs every last piece in place to win consistently, let alone big, or whether he can lift the play of those surrounding him. The early exit polls suggest it's the former, but -- to be fair -- Sunday didn't sway the vote one way or the other. Not after tight end Ben Watson, wideout Mohamed Massaquoi and right guard Shawn Lauvao departed with injuries.

The Browns won a game in which McCoy handed off more than he threw, which was pretty much the favorite formula of the past regime. Montario Hardesty carried 33 times for 95 yards against a good run defense while McCoy started out scattershot, found some rhythm, threw a bad interception, converted 50 percent of his third downs and didn't get his team in the end zone.

"I thought he battled," Shurmur said. "He may be a little bit of a symbol of this victory. It wasn't pretty but he executed to get us where we needed to be to win this game."

That's the team-fan disconnect right there. As a first-year coach, Shurmur is reveling in the hard fight won by any means possible. You're tired of every inch gained on offense being so knockdown, dragout.

When does it get pretty? Pretty would be nice for a change.

The Browns' only scores Sunday came from 105 yards worth of Phil Dawson field goals. This was a throwback to the 2009 Buffalo game (Mangini's first win), only with less reason for frozen offense.

After the excitement died down, Shumur predicted bigger things to come. The safe presumption is he didn't mean someday soon winning a game in which the only scores come from 106 yards worth of Dawson field goals.

"I'd like to think at some point we're going to win some games by a bunch of points," Shurmur said.

What is he basing that on? Things he sees when breaking games down. A batted pass that could've been a big gainer. Details that change games in big ways and probably put you into full eye roll. He must realize he's not the first coach to tell you that. In fact, the only one who didn't was Chris Palmer, who couldn't. He recognized the light at the end of the tunnel as a "runaway train."

Shurmur has a more attentive audience in his locker room. He and McCoy had a chat during the week. Shurmur felt the need to remind McCoy the onus always falls on the coach and quarterback when the offense sags. The message?

"You gotta be able to take a punch," Shurmur said.

Unless he saw confidence sagging in his quarterback, that much we already know about McCoy. He can take a punch. Sunday proved he could clinch and counter, too. What we don't know is whether he's got any haymakers in him. There was one or two lonely throws downfield.

Not every game is going to pit him against Charlie Whitehurst and a Smurf running attack. The schedule gets tougher. McCoy's cadre of targets isn't talented enough or deep enough to withstand Watson and Massaquoi missing time.

There was a point early Sunday when Seneca Wallace would've been a reasonable option on any team other than one dedicating the season to finding out about McCoy, who needs every snap to not only tell the Browns if their quarterback search is over or ongoing but for -- shall we say – "stepping into growth."

In a way, Sunday's game called the bluff of those who want the Browns to run their way to glory. How'd you like them sour apples? Shurmur and McCoy will both tell you. Don't give up on the West Coast offense yet.

"We did a lot of nice things today," McCoy insisted.

"I don't know what fans should think," Shurmur said. "All I know is I see improvement for this team. ... I don't think we'll score 100 points in a game but..."

I know what you're thinking. No. He didn't mean for the season.

http://www.cleveland.com/budshaw/index.ssf/2011/10/colt_mccoy_and_the_cleveland_b.html

Cleveland Browns CB Joe Haden and RB Peyton Hillis questionable, LB Scott Fujita out

BEREA -- Browns defensive back Joe Haden (knee) and running back Peyton Hillis (hamstring) are both listed as questionable for the Seahawks, but linebacker Scott Fujita (concussion) has been ruled out,

Haden returned to practice today for the first time since suffering a sprained knee Oct. 2 vs. the Titans and lined up with the first team defense. He also moved and jumped well during the 15 minutes open to the media.

He said he'll come in tomorrow to test the knee and see if he feels ready to play. "We still don't know for sure until it'll be gametime. It's on me if I can go or not,'' said Haden.

Fujita has spent most of the week at home recovering from his concussion symptoms. He'll be replaced by Kaluka Maiava.

"I'm excited to show the guys I can make plays and have them count on me,'' Maiava said.

Hillis hasn't been seen at practice all week and has been working indoors with the trainers. If he sits, which appears likely, he'll be replaced by Montario Hardesty.  Newcomer Chris Ogbonnaya will serve as the third-down back.

Hardesty, who's had six dropped passes the past two games, dropped another easy one over the middle in practice today to draw the ire of coach Pat Shurmur.

Shurmur yelled for Ogbonnaya after the drop, and Hardesty came to the sidelines, dropped and did pushups. He knelt for a few plays while Ogbonnaya replaced him.

In fact, Shurmur was fired up today about several mistakes, and came down hard on his struggling offense in the 15 minutes open to the media. He said his demeanor was no different than any other day.

Also, defensive back Ray Ventrone sat out again with  his pulled hamstring, and offensive lineman Artis Hicks appeared to be limited.

Four other Browns are questionable: offensive lineman Artis Hicks (back),  right tackle Tony Pashos (ankle), cornerback Buster Skrine (hip) and defensive back Ray Ventrone (hamstring).

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2011/10/cleveland_browns_cb_joe_haden.html

Cleveland Browns President Mike Holmgren says talks with Peyton Hillis are at impasse

BEREA, Ohio — Browns President Mike Holmgren revealed Thursday that talks to extend Peyton Hillis' contract are at a standstill and that the team is set to let him become a free agent after the season.

"I don't think anybody pushed anybody against the wall on contract talks and said, 'We're done,' but right now, it's kind of quiet," Holmgren said. "Let's let Peyton play, let the dust settle and see what happens."

Holmgren indicated that the Browns are prepared to let Hillis become a free agent and then try to sign him on the open market. Another option would be to make him the franchise player, which would pay him the average of the top five players at his position for 2012 -- probably more than they would want to pay.

"Because of the nature of these types of negotiations, and if Peyton has a good year, he'll have opportunities now because you'll enter in free agency -- legitimate free agency," Holmgren said. "Are we going to be a player in there to try and keep him here? Absolutely. Absolutely. I told him that yesterday."

Holmgren said the two sides haven't cut off all communication, but they are in a holding pattern.

"No one has called off negotiations. No one has said, 'OK, let's wait until the end,' " Holmgren said. "It's still kind of in that floating area where you're waiting for a phone call, or you're going to make a phone call, or whatever. But in the meantime, I talked with Peyton yesterday."

"We talk weekly, and I said, 'It's important that you just kind of go out there and do the best that you can do, get healthy, I'm rooting for you and, selfishly, for the team, certainly.' I like him. He's a good guy, so that's where it is."

He said he stressed to Hillis -- who missed practice Wednesday and Thursday with a pulled hamstring suffered in the Raiders game -- that the best way to increase his value is to play well.

"I have always encouraged players in this situation -- I've had any number of players in this type of category -- 'Now what has to happen is you have to have a great year to reach these goals. It's to your benefit. It's to the club's benefit.' And there we are."

He added that he had no intention of trading Hillis by Tuesday's deadline. Hillis is in the final year of a deal that pays him $600,000 this season.

"There's no way I'm trading Peyton Hillis," Holmgren said. "There's just no way that was ever going to happen. Why would I do that? Why would I trade one of our best players? I wouldn't do it."

He added that "the drama of his sickness and injuries and all that kind of stuff" didn't help the situation.

Holmgren declined to give details of just how far apart the two sides are, but he acknowledged, "We tried to sign an extension, and there was a difference of opinion. Now, was everyone trying? Yes, from their point of view, we were all trying to get something done. But it didn't happen, or hasn't happened, so there you are."

The starting point in negotiations by Hillis' agent, Kennard McGuire, was extremely high, a league source said. But then the two sides exchanged proposals, and McGuire's asking price came down some. Still, it wasn't anywhere near what the Browns were willing to pay, and the two sides remain far apart.

Now, Hillis is suffering from the pulled hamstring, and it's uncertain when he will be back. He ran in the pool on Thursday, but his availability for Seattle is unknown. As it is, he has rushed for 211 yards and is on pace for 675 this season -- 502 fewer than he had last year.

Regarding the impasse, Hillis' agent said, "I have no comment."

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2011/10/cleveland_browns_president_mik_10.html

Madden Curse Strikes Peyton Hillis

By GB Bongiovanni

A “We told you so” might be in order for the fans of the Cleveland Browns and Peyton Hillis. Last off-season it was up to you, the fan, to select which NFL player will most likely be injured with the Madden Curse for the 2011-2012 NFL season.

A vote for your favorite player meant they were one step away from ending the season on the IR. We tried to explain you need to vote for the person you wanted hurt the most, but you didn’t listen.

When a player is put as the cover of the Madden video game he almost always becomes injured that season…see for yourself.

The 2001 Madden NFL cover featured Tennessee Titans running back Eddie George, who led his team to the Super Bowl the previous year. He was constantly hampered by multiple injuries and saw his rushing average sink to an all-time low.

The 2002 cover of Madden NFL featured Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper, who the previous year made his NFL debut and took his team to the NFC Championship Game. In 2001 the Vikings struggled, and then Culpepper missed the last five games with a knee injury.

The 2003 cover of Madden featured St. Louis Rams running back Marshall Faulk, and during the next season he was bothered by an injured ankle as his rushing total dropped under the 1,000-yard mark after four straight seasons of 1,300 or more yards.

The 2004 cover of Madden NFL featured Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick. The Falcons quarterback suffered a fractured right fibula in a preseason game one day after Madden NFL 2004 hit store shelves; he played in only five games that year.

The 2005 cover of Madden featured Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis, who did not record a single interception that season and sat out the final game with an injury as the Ravens just missed the playoffs. The next season he missed 10 games as he suffered a torn right hamstring.

The 2006 cover of Madden featured Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb. After he was selected for the 2006 Madden cover, McNabb said that the injuries associated with it “might be a trend, but I don’t believe in the curse at all.” McNabb suffered a sports hernia in the first game of the 2005 season and missed the final seven games of the season.

The 2007 cover of Madden NFL featured Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander, who was fresh off a Super Bowl appearance. Three weeks into the 2006 season, Alexander broke his left foot and missed his team’s next six games.

The 2008 cover of Madden NFL featured Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback Vince Young. The Titans quarterback hurt the quadriceps in his right leg during the Titans’ fifth game of the 2007 season and didn’t participate in Tennessee’s game against the Houston Texans the following week. Young’s problems extended off the field as his mental stability was questioned, and he would lose his job to Kerry Collins.

The 2009 cover of Madden NFL featured New York Jets quarterback Brett Favre, who was injured and continued to play while his team missed the playoffs. The next season he had his best year statistically at the age of 40, but his injuries sustained at the end of the season have caused him problems during the 2010 season.

The 2010 cover of Madden NFL who featured New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees who played the season with a with a fracture and a torn meniscus in his left knee.

And now the 2011 cover of Madden NFLfeatures Peyton Hillis who has now been ruled out with an injured hamstring that could have him sidelined for an unaccountable time. Reported by ESPN, Cleveland’s running back, who since the season started has been involved in controversies surrounding contract negotiations with the Browns and his decision to sit out a game with strep throat, is again at the center of a mini-mystery surrounding an injury he sustained in Sunday’s game at Oakland. Hillis is nursing a strained left hamstring, an injury Browns coach Pat Shurmur said happened on a carry in the first quarter of Sunday’s 24-17 loss to the Raiders. An MRI taken Monday confirmed Hillis’ injury.

GB Bongiovanni is a syndicated sports writer and owner of The Penalty Flag Sports Blog.  Some of his accomplishments include the launching of The Penalty Flag (TPF) which is syndicated by many online sources including Yardbarker.com, FoxSports.com and 100+ other sites. He can be contacted at GBBongiovanni@gmail.com and found on Facebook.

http://thepenaltyflagblog.com/madden-curse-strikes-peyton-hillis

Everyone is overreacting to Browns' struggles - Comment of the Day

By cleveland.com

In response to the story Cleveland Browns' Pat Shurmur: Peyton Hillis is not on the trading block, cleveland.com reader cmac181 thinks fans and media are overreacting. This reader writes,

"Here we go again. Not even halfway through the season and once again we're calling for people's heads. What did you expect? That one of the youngest teams in the league with a new coaching staff installing new schemes on both sides of the ball would be lighting the league on fire 5 games into their first season? Fans and local media are overreacting. The truth is that the Raiders needed two special teams plays to win that game. Sunday's game wasn't so bad that we need to be scrap the team all over again. Winning takes time and this team is very early in its development. Chill out Browns fans and stay the course for once."

Josh Cribbs wants back on special teams, says his role on offense 'very insignificant'

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Josh Cribbs made it clear after the loss to Oakland that he wants to re-focus on special teams because his role on offense is "very insignificant."

Cribbs had five passes thrown his way and caught two for 30 yards, including a 23-yarder on a TD drive in which he used a nifty spin move for extra yards.

"I'm very insignificant on offense, so I need to be out there heavily on all special teams," said Cribbs. "I got the ball only twice, so that's insignificant right there. Snaps, it's insignificant. I want to help my team win. You get the ball to your athletes. I feel like where I'm an asset on this team is special teams and I want to re-focus on what got me into this league."

Cribbs added, "I want to say stuff, but I don't want to be a problem. I'll play [more] special teams because I'm not getting the ball."

He said he wouldn't want to change things "if I was making more of an impact" on offense. Instead, he'd like to get back to covering kicks and punts. He said he felt helpless watching the Raiders' Jacoby Ford score on a 101-yard return.

"I make tackles on special teams," he said. "I led the team every year when I was on coverage and I'm a dynamic special teams player. I don't remember a touchdown being scored on us being out there. I feel like we have enough receivers on offense to get things done. My touches this game are insignificant to the value I can bring to special teams."

He said he'll see if the coaches will be willing to put him back on coverage. Cribbs was the No. 3 receiver this week as rookie Greg Little was elevated to a starting job. Little finished with a team-high six catches for 72 yards, and came a yard shy of his first TD.

"Greg has been going good, he's stepped up a lot," said Cribbs. "We have capable receivers. My two catches aren't significant enough."

He said he wasn't being critical of the coverage units.

"We have capable guys, they've been making plays all year," he said. "I just feel like I can help rally the guys to make it even more powerful. Those guys are great, but they're young. I can add some experience on there and help them create more plays."

He finished by saying, "I ain't got to ask. I'm a vet, I just do. I'm on [special] teams. Get somebody else out [as a receiver]."

Full story: http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2011/10/cleveland_browns_josh_cribbs_w.html

Cleveland Browns Vs Oakland Raiders – Matchup Between Former Arkansas RB’s Peyton Hillis and Darren McFadden, A Match In Hog Heaven.

When the Cleveland Browns and Oakland Raiders step onto the field on Sunday, fans will immediately notice that the game with have an un-mistakable Arkansas flavor to it.

Former Arkansas Razorback running backs Peyton Hillis of the Cleveland Browns and Darren McFadden of the Oakland Raiders will be going head-to-head in a critical matchup between two teams hoping to stay in the AFC Wild Card hunt.

McFadden, currently leads the NFL in rushing with 519 yards rushing and three touchdowns. Hillis ranks 32^nd with 197 yards and has scored two touchdowns.

While Hillis is embroiled in a contract controversy in Cleveland and a time-share with emerging running back Montario Hardesty, McFadden is the lead back for the Raiders and despite being in a time-share with running back Michael Bush, McFadden is the dominant weapon on offense in Oakland.

Back in their days in Fayetteville, McFadden was the lead back along with—current Cowboys running back, Felix Jones—and Hillis was the fullback and occasional fullback for the Razorbacks.

McFadden would rush for 4,955 total yards (4,590 yard rushing, 365 yards receiving) and rush for 43 total touchdowns (41 rushing, two receiving) and set various SEC rushing records, such as most rushing yards ever by a Razorback freshman with 1,113 and fifth most rushing yards all-time with 1,647 yards during his sophomore year.

As a true freshman, Hillis would rush for 240 yards and score eight total touchdowns (six rushing, two receiving)

In his sophomore year, Hillis would serve as the primary blocker for McFadden during his breakout sophomore season and would tally 947 all-purpose yards and score seven touchdowns.

For his career at Arkansas, Hillis would accumulate 2,227 total yards (967 yards rushing, 1,197 yards receiving, 213 kick return yards and 257 yards on punt returns.

And since both Razorback running backs have entered the NFL, Hillis and McFadden have found recent success.

McFadden, 24, who rushed for a combined 856 yards in his first two years in Oakland would rush for 1,157 yards in 2010 and has rushed for a total of 3,050 yards—2,013 yards rushing and 1,037 yards receiving— along with 19 total touchdowns, 15 rushing and four receiving.

Hillis, 25, who would spend the his two years on the Denver Broncos bench—behind Knowshon Moreno, Cornell Buckhalter and Ryan Torain—would have a mere 347 career yards rushing before being traded to Cleveland for quarterback Brady Quinn and a sixth-round pick in 2011 and a conditional pick in 2012.

Hillis would have a breakout year in Cleveland and rush for 1,177 yards and score 13 total touchdowns, 11 rushing, two receiving in 2010. Hillis would also be second on the Browns in receiving with 477 yards.

For his NFL career, Hillis has accumulated a total of 2,249 total yards—1,574 yards rushing, 675 yards receiving and 199 yards in kickoff return yardage.

Both backs are tough, versatile and have a knack for being physical inside runners with the ability to explode to the edge.

When the natives of North Little Rock(McFadden) and Conway(Hillis) square off on Sunday you can bet that there will be proud yells of “Wooo, Pig, Sooie” echoing from from proud Razorback fans and alumni everywhere.

http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/cleveland_browns_vs_oakland_raiders_matchup_between_former_arkansas_rbs_peyton_hillis_and_darren_mcfadden_a_match_in_hog_heaven/7437217

Cleveland Browns C Alex Mack and CB Joe Haden questionable, both will make trip to Oakland

BEREA -- Browns center Alex Mack and cornerback Joe Haden are both questionable for the Oakland game and both will make the trip today.

Mack (appendectomy) returned to the practice field and worked some with the first team offense today, meaning  there's more of a chance he'll play.

Haden (sprained left knee) still trained inside, meaning he's more likely to sit out. Haden has not been seen by the media all week.

Coach Pat Shurmur  acknowledged that Mack is closer "although both could play, neither could play. I think that's where we're at.''

Mack underwent an appendectomy on Oct. 3, but said this week he wants to play Sunday  -- less than two weeks after the surgery. He said it would depend on how much pain he was in and how the small incisions have healed.

Mack worked with the first team during the short period of practice open to the media. If he can't go, Youngstown native Steve Vallos will replace him. Vallos also took some first-team reps during the open part of practice.

"(I'm feeling) better everyday,'' said Mack. "We'll take it one step at a time. This is where we wanted to be right now. The final decision will still be Sunday. Whether I play or not, I want to make sure it's the best choice for our team and the best choice for me.

"We want to make sure the person who can do the best job can play Sunday.''

Mack started feeling sick on Saturday Oct. 1, but played in the Titans game the next day. He threw up the morning before the game and needed I.V. fluids to be able to play.

If Haden is ruled out, he'll be replaced by Dimitri Patterson, who started 10 games for the Eagles last season. Patterson will then move inside on passing downs, with rookie Buster Skrine stepping in on the outside.

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2011/10/cleveland_browns_center_alex_m_5.html

Patricia Modell, Wife Of Former Cleveland Browns Owner Art Modell Dead At 80

Patricia Modell wife of the former owner of the Cleveland Browns Art Modell died today.  She was 80.  Mrs. Modell had been hospitalized for around five months. Art Modell who moved the Cleveland Browns from Cleveland to Baltimore was married to Patricia since 1969. Mrs. Modell was pronounced dead around 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon, the Baltimore Ravens announced after being contacted by Modell’s son.

Patricia Breslin Modell was a popular television actress before being married to Art Modell.

During a 22-year acting career, Patricia Breslin Modell performed on the New York stage, in motion pictures and on television. She starred in the “People’s Choice” television series with actor Jackie Cooper and played the role of Meg Baldwin in the soap opera “General Hospital.” She also played Laura Brooks on the prime time soap opera “Peyton Place.”

Among her many television other roles, she was a regular on “Twilight Zone,” ‘’Alfred Hitchcock Presents,” ‘’Perry Mason,” and “Maverick.” She retired from acting after getting married to Art.  Patricia Modell is survived by her husband, two sons, John and David, and six grandchildren.

For many Clevelander’s this has to be said news. Pat Modell did lots for the Cleveland area when the Modell’s owned the Cleveland Browns.

Will We See More Evan Moore?

As expected (hoped?), the Cleveland Browns and head coach Pat Shurmur are using their extended time away from the playing field to do a bit of tinkering with rotations and play-calling.  While the obvious benefactor thus far is wide receiver Greg Little who was promoted to starting “X” receiver alongside Mohammed Massaquoi (replacing Brian Robiskie), another weapon for Colt McCoy will likely come in the form of additional snaps for tight end Evan Moore.

Moore, who had seen a considerable drop in snaps and targets over the past two games – leading to a bit of frustration following the loss to the Titans – appears to be in line for a reversion back to usage rates akin to the first two weeks of the season.  Given Shurmur’s words following Monday’s practice, it appears that not only will Robiskie see a decrease in snaps due to Little’s promotion, but the Browns could in turn use wide receivers even less than they have to this point. 

Truly, it comes down to pure math and the fact that the team would like to keep tight end Ben Watson on the field as much as possible.  See for yourself.

If Watson is a “three-down” receiving threat and the Browns will implement a three-receiver rotation between Massaquoi, Little and Cribbs, until the league allows the Browns a legal 12th man on offense, this leaves two on-field spots that will have to be shared by a receiver, Moore and a running back of choice – Peyton Hillis, anyone?

The team appears to be struggling with Moore and his lack of run-blocking; they do not want his insertion into a formation to signal to the opposition that a pass play is on its way.  This is where Alex Smith comes in – a superb blocker, Smith just leaves a lot to be desired in terms of receiving and (apparently) tackling.  The issue becomes whether Shurmur and his offense should pay the best players which could lead to the highest rate of success (i.e. Smith in run situations), or attempt to create mismatches which can lead to even bigger plays if executed correctly.

Splitting Moore out wide is an obvious option, negating any real liability on the blocking front and – more often than not – providing a mismatch with a small defensive back lined up across from the 6-foot-6-inch end.  Making Moore a part of two-end sets could provide a linebacker in coverage or confuse the opposing defense into thinking a pass is coming and allow for Hilis to do his thing on an unsuspecting front seven.  Throw motion into the mix and look out as Shurmur and Colt McCoy should have options galore, especially when teams combat No. 89 with a nickel back.

Naturally, Moore’s bread-and-butter resides in the red zone.  Unfortunately, it’s getting into said zone that has become a bit of an issue as of late.  Save for a huge drive against the Miami Dolphins and the garbage time touchdown to Watson against the Titans, it will be nearly three weeks since the Browns have had a successful, elongated drive.  Recall, both scores prior to Watson snag were huge field goals by Phil Dawson, both coming from way outside the 20-yard line.

Alas, whether Shurmur does have plans in place to get his playmakers involved or if this is merely coachspeak fueled by reporter questions remains to be seen.  The Browns will get back to work for the next several days before boarding the cross-country flight to Oakland where they will take on an emotionally-charged Raiders team; playing in the black hole will not help matters much.  Here’s hoping that Moore’s frustration last week comes with an ultimate reward.  That reward: a head coach who realizes what he has in his players and is willing to admit mistakes and make the necessary changes even if said change involves the demotion of a third-year, high-second-round receiver from The Ohio State University.

With fans fretting, it's time for Pat Shurmur and Cleveland Browns to focus on winning: Bud Shaw

By Bud Shaw, The Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The first month of the Browns' season began with a scattering of empty seats and ended with a full scale fourth-quarter evacuation in a lopsided loss to Tennessee.

In other years, Sunday's bye would've still come too early, disrupting the daily rhythm from which improvement flows and leaving too long of a grind on the back end. Not this season. This break was welcome, but its benefits will last only if the Browns make the re-start a fresh one by deciding to call an end to the extended preseason on display the first four games.

That's what it was, right? If not, forget what former general manager Phil Savage said about Browns' fans expecting rain clouds even on sunny days. Woe really is you.

If the first month wasn't about seeing which players fit into Pat Shurmur's version of the West Coast offense, then you are left to face difficult questions -- beyond what exactly is Shurmur's version of the West Coast offense. It begs tough questions about the new head coach, Colt McCoy, Peyton Hillis, Evan Moore's usefulness outside the red zone and whether Brian Robiskie has pictures of somebody.

Shurmur is 2-2 as a rookie head coach. So to be fair it's not as if winning has been mutually exclusive to the ongoing auditions, unofficially titled, "So You Think You Can Play."

Shurmur's record isn't the issue. Eric Mangini -- the old flame your parents made you stop seeing went 1-11 before winning as many games as Shurmur. It's just that too many curious decisions and play calls have given pause to wonder. Not just about the organizational mission but about having a green head coach serving a dual role as offensive coordinator, too.

You can sell patience to a fan base only so long. It's a harder sell to one given so few reasons to believe since 1999. The empty seats are evidence. But you can do it, as Mangini proved. You just can't sell a season as a glorified tryout, especially when so many don't seem to buy the offensive philosophy at the heart of it.

People understand the lockout disrupted the Browns' schedule and stunted their growth. Nobody ever bought into the magical powers of Camp Colt as some sort of football Hogwarts. They get it. They're not expecting to win the division, not even a division with one good team in Baltimore.

They can see Shurmur has a mandate to play the young guys. They saw this team do nothing much in free agency. If they didn't grasp what was happening when Tom Heckert passed on wide receiver Julio Jones for an interior lineman and a No. 1 next year, they should've got it when, in the second round, he drafted a raw and talented wideout who missed his final year of college football.

So spare the lecture about people being unrealistic. They understandably need to see more promising signs over the next 12 weeks.

• That McCoy is the right quarterback.

• That the West Coast offense can fly when the wind kicks up and the snow blows. That it can bring you back from a big deficit against Pittsburgh and Baltimore.

• That Hillis, who fits well in the WCO, is in the team's plans. (To that end, it would help to hear from team president Mike Holmgren for the same reason Mark Shapiro tried to deflect criticisms about the Indians' direction over the years. Holmgren can bring a lot to the discussion. He won with this offense in a bad climate, after all. Not to mention, he made Hillis a public issue.)

No one expects immediate answers. Fewer have hung hopes high for a winning season. But it's hardly unfair to expect more cohesive approach to game planning and use of personnel than we saw in the first month.

The Browns' youth is a disadvantage. It's also mitigated in part by a schedule that includes Oakland, Seattle, San Francisco, St. Louis, Jacksonville, Cincinnati and Arizona. They're going to be in a number of winnable games. The bye is behind them.

So, hopefully, is the exhibition portion of their season.

http://www.cleveland.com/budshaw/index.ssf/2011/10/with_fans_fretting_its_time_fo.html

Cleveland Browns Announce New Rules for Game Attendees

Cleveland, Ohio – Following the recent controversy regarding the ejection of Rob Stipe from Cleveland Browns Stadium for excessive standing, the Cleveland Browns organization announces new rules that will be in effect for all game attendees going forward. These new rules are aimed at providing a safe and secure game environment for families and the elderly and improve the acclaimed Browns fan experience.

“The Cleveland Browns have a long history of providing a safe and secure family experience at Browns football games, and we provide that fan-friendly experience via rules,” said Neal Gulkis, vice president of media relations. “As we strive to improve the fan experience for our valued NFL ticket holders, rules governing fan behavior will continually be revised. In order to provide a pleasant experience for our proud Cleveland Browns fans, the organization announces new rules attendees must conform to while attending a game at Cleland Browns Stadium.”

Persons attending games at Cleveland Browns Stadium must adhere to the following new rules:

• In order to protect our fans with sensitive eyes, fans are prohibited from wearing excessive amounts of orange. Orange shirt or pants will be permitted, however fans cannot wear all orange. Clothing will also be evaluated to ensure that it is not “too bright.”
• To protect fans with sensitive ears, fans will only be allowed to clap five times per play. Additionally, security personnel will be monitoring for fans that are clapping “too loudly.”
• Fans will be allowed a maximum of five “high fives” per exciting play. In the event of a fourth down completion or a touchdown, fans will be permitted seven “high fives.” In the event of a truly exciting play, fans are encouraged to express their enthusiasm via tweeting or posting on their Facebook wall.
• Any fan questioning what a exactly a “Brown” is will be escorted off the premises immediately for failure to properly respect hall of fame coach Paul Brown and the proud Browns heritage
• During gameplay, should the Cleveland Browns struggle, fans are prohibited from booing the team or asking for a refund for the price of Cleveland Browns game tickets. Furthermore, fans are prohibited from criticizing team management and shall refrain from any discussions regarding a decade of missing the playoffs.
• Fans attempting to start a “wave” will be shot on site.
• Only fans that have become drunk due to drinking beer purchased at the stadium will be allowed to remain. Any fans attempting to enter the stadium visibly drunk will be denied entry. In the event of drunkenness being the result of a combination of beer consumed while tailgating and beer purchased at the stadium, security will be given the option of weighing how many beers were purchased at Cleveland Browns Stadium, and their ability to purchase more, when deciding to eject said attendee.
• In order to push the branding of the “Dawg Pound” seating section, all fans in said section are required to celebrate plays via a “fist pound.” Any fans celebrating via high fives, hugs, etc in the “Dawg Pound” section will be removed from the stadium.
• The only sport franchise apparel permitted will for the Cleveland Browns. No other team apparel, including the Ohio State Buckeyes apparel, will be permitted.
• Fans are prohibited from waiving at the camera in an attempt to get on television.
• Fans are required to follow the instruction on the jumbo-tron. Anyone observed not “making some noise” when prompted to do so via the jumbo-tron will be given a written warning. Should an attendee be observed disregarding the jumbo-tron a second time, they will be escorted from the premises.
• Fans will be prohibited from calling the play before it happens. Nobody likes “call the play before it happens guy.”
• A close cousin of “call the play before it happens guy,” “second-guess every coaching decision after the fact guy” will also be removed from the stadium and will forfeit his NFL football game ticket.
• In the event the Cleveland Browns win, fans are prohibited from giving any fans of the opposing team a hard time.
• Fans are prohibited from criticizing the referees. And questioning of their eyesight, allegiances or manliness will not be tolerated.
• Any fan attempting to “Go H.A.M.” will be required to prove that they are, in fact, hard as a motherfucker.
• Fans are prohibited from buying the franchise and moving it to a different city.
• Any fans wishing to paint their faces and or bodies must obtain previous approval from the Cleveland Browns and pay a $25 body painting fee.
• Any signs with misspellings, intentional or not, shall be confiscated immediately.
• Fans taller than 6’2” or who otherwise impair the view of the field of persons sitting behind him/her will be required to pay a $25 tall tax.
• All flags must be purchased from the official Browns megastore, and if not must be approved by the Browns Flag Approval Committee a minimum two weeks before the game at which the flag will be displayed. A fee applies, even when flags are rejected.
• Fans are prohibited from cheering too optimistically before important plays in case the Browns fail to score and people become too disappointed.
• In the unlikely event tourists from out of town (or even state) attend the game, locals must allow them to sit wherever they want, oblige thanklessly with any photo requests and make frequent mentions of the awesome quality of Browns Stadium concessions to encourage them to purchase as much food and drink as possible.
• References to local competitor, the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame, are forbidden.
• If a fan observes another attendee breaking any of these rules he or she is required to immediately alert security. Cleveland Browns Stadium is proud to be the first stadium in the NFL to make “If you see something, say something” not just a recommendation, but the law.

The Cleveland Browns thank their proud and supportive fans, who are the best in the NFL, for their understanding as we attempt to implement these new rules. These rules are in addition to the already implemented Browns Fan Code of Conduct.  The Cleveland Browns appreciate fans understanding as the Cleveland Browns organization continues to provide the best fan experience in the NFL.

Go Browns!

###

The Cleveland Browns are a member in good standing of the National Football League.

http://www.brownsgab.com/2011/10/07/cleveland-browns-announce-new-rules-for-game-attendees/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BrownsGab+%28Browns+Gab%29

All the talk of Peyton Hillis and his contract/strep throat is the Browns' fault: Bill Livingston

By Bill Livingston, The Plain Dealer

The game is faster, the players bigger, the collisions more violent today than ever in the NFL. Yet the players were tougher in the old days, say the players of the old days.

Former Browns Hanford Dixon and Bob Golic criticized current Brown Peyton Hillis, who said he could not play against Miami almost two weeks ago because he had lost 10 to 12 pounds while battling strep throat.

Said a former NFL lineman I know, who never played with the Browns: "I played with strep throat, too. They gave me IVs and told me to go get 'em. I lost significant weight, too."

It's unclear how mucking it up in the line translates to taking the hits Hillis takes. It seems like he takes at least three (a couple of tacklers and the ground) on every carry and often a lot more. His punishing running style is perfect for a blue-collar town that has seen its favorite team outmuscled by hated rivals like Pittsburgh and Baltimore for years.

Simply as a physical issue, it really doesn't work to call Hillis soft after watching him butt into a knot of Indianapolis players, then bounce off them and race to the end zone for the clinching touchdown in the second game of the season, or to watch him take hit after hit, churning forward, legs driving, in search of extra yards last season as the feature back in the anemic Browns offense.

It does work, however, if critics graft the modern pathologies of greed and selfishness onto the story -- an option that grew more attractive after Hillis' agent said he advised him not to play in the Miami game. Mike Holmgren, Brown supremo, said weeks ago that he was "trying like crazy" on ESPN's "Mike and Mike in the Morning" to get Hillis, who is playing for the four-year minimum of $600,000, to agree to a contract extension. Nothing has been finalized.

It seemed like a very odd thing to say, given the shift to a more finesse, short-passing offense, given the restored health of promising running back Montario Hardesty as a player who could share the load and given the often dismal histories in this city of players too soon rewarded with big contracts. That would include Grady Sizemore, Fausto Carmona, and Reuben Droughns.

The timing of Holmgren's comments were a disconnect with the reality of the offensive planning, other than Hillis has very soft hands that allowed him to catch 61 passes last season.

But there is no disconnect with Hillis' game. He has shown no evidence of malingering, so it is hard to believe he refused to push himself because the big rush to sign him stalled.

The belief here is that Hillis realizes the value of his presence, even if he was mainly a decoy, and that he missed the game because he was really ill. Also, while no one is 100 percent healthy in the NFL, severely diminished playing capacity will be punished severely by today's better athletes.

A more ridiculous theory floating around is that Hillis is a victim of the "Madden Jinx" ever since he became popular enough to be voted onto the cover of the John Madden video game for this season. Perhaps the circumstances that made Hillis such a force will not be repeated with the new regime. Perhaps he is only a very good player, not a game-changer. Perhaps the Browns simply don't have enough talent around him. Each argument has some truth to it.

It also would have helped, with a whole bye week for this slur on Hillis to smear its way along, if new coach Pat Shurmur, after the Miami game, which the Browns won, had said something more emphatic than: "Peyton was sick. That was my understanding." But that is what Shurmur said, not "Peyton was sick and should have stayed in bed."

Holmgren's premature disclosure of his plans for Hillis set the terms of the debate. Shurmur's comments did little to change it. This is a controversy the Browns' front office brought on itself.

Link: http://www.cleveland.com/livingston/index.ssf/2011/10/all_the_talk_of_peyton_hillis.html

Three Reasons Why the Cleveland Browns Need Terrell Owens

AUTHOR: Kate Arhar

You read that correctly – these are three reasons why the Cleveland Browns need Terrell Owens. Before you stop reading or start a campaign to get me committed to an institution, just hear me out.

As Browns fans, we have always had our share of highs and lows and this season has been no different. Games we think should be an easy victory become a comedy of errors and an embarrassment. Games that we saw on the schedule this summer and knew, just knew, we were going to lose become wins. At 2-2 going into the bye week, fans in general are okay with the record, but are completely unhappy with the way the team performed to earn that record. Fans are looking for some sign that their hope of seeing some progress this year is not misplaced; some sign that this team is on the right track. And I think signing Terrell Owens would help solve a few of their current problems. Or at least take our minds off of them.

1) Colt McCoy doesn’t have a true No. 1 wide receiver. Owens still has skills, can still run routes and catch passes, and would most likely still demand double coverage from defenses.

One of the things that I believe about this season is that the front office needs to evaluate Colt McCoy and decide if he is our quarterback of the future. I think we can all agree on that. What we can’t seem to agree on is the criteria being used to complete that evaluation. While I can argue that his stats and the team’s record are not the most important things, they are hard to ignore. We have a group of young receivers learning a new offensive scheme after a shortened preseason. They are struggling to get separation, run routes, block, and most importantly catch passes. Is this McCoy’s fault?  If we had some magically amazing wide receiver on the field would Colt look better? Would he BE better? That is the question.

2) The Browns don’t want to invest big money right on a free agent wide receiver. Terrell Owens can be had at a reasonable price (Let’s face it, he isn’t working in the NFL right now so I’m guessing he’d jump at league minimum).

I understood why the Browns didn’t spend big money on a wide receiver from the free agent market. You need to have receivers who work well with the style of your quarterback. Can they run the long routes like Randy Moss or Chad Ochocinco? Can they catch a pass in the backfield and use their running ability to turn it into an 80-yard TD run like Josh Cribbs or Calvin Johnson? Different receivers have different skill sets and they need to compeiment the quarterback. Until this team makes a determination on Colt McCoy, spending big money doesn’t make sense.

3) The Peyton Hillis contract negotiations – or lack thereof – is a distraction for the team. Owens is the king of playing to the media, causing controversy, and taking it all in stride. Let him be the focus of the talk and let Hillis get back to playing football.

Peyton Hillis strikes me as a very down-to-earth guy. I don’t think he enjoys all the talk and speculation about his recent illness or the progress of his contract talks. I think it is affecting his time in practice and how many snaps he is seeing during a game. With someone like Owens on the team, someone “larger than life” who soaks up the attention and knows how to handle it, focus would shift away from the “Wampus Cat” and he could get back to just playing football.

I think that Owens could use his powers for good and serve as a media target. True, in his younger days he caused some issues in Philadelphia and Dallas, but I didn’t hear of any issues when he was in Buffalo or Cincinnati. I believe we are close enough to both of his last two teams that we would have heard about issues here in Cleveland. If he really has grown up, his experience in dealing with the media is just what this team needs.

So. What have you learned here today? Sometimes, you have to really shake things up to make a change. Sometimes, you have to be bold and try something different to get a different result. Sometimes, someone can come up with an idea that sounds crazy at first, but, if you let it sink in, you’ll see that there is some sense in what she is saying.

For the record, I started out this post as a tongue-in-cheek poke at the people who are suggesting some really crazy things this week. But now? I kind of like the idea.

Cleveland Browns coach Pat Shurmur views Colt McCoy as 'almost a rookie'

BEREA, Ohio -- Pat Shurmur views Colt McCoy much the same way he did 2010 Rams No. 1 pick Sam Bradford last season.

"[McCoy's] a young player and in my mind almost a rookie," the Browns head coach said Tuesday. "And so his improvement can be great from practice to practice and game to game. I think [he can improve] a lot."

Likewise, McCoy isn't looking at this season as an extension of 2010 -- when he went 2-6 -- because he had to start all over in a new scheme with no coaches all off-season.

"I don't think that much about last year because we're in such a new offense, new system, new coaches," he said. "I'm taught different things. I'm taught how to do things differently scheme-wise. I'm just focusing on this year and the four starts I've had. I think that's the way my coaches coach me. I think that's the way they see me."

McCoy was aware that Shurmur considers him almost a rookie.

"Right, exactly, and that's how it is," he said. "You look across the receiver room, nobody has been in the West Coast in that room. You look at the tight ends, nobody's been in the West Coast except Alex Smith in Tampa Bay. In a sense, we're all learning -- with a rookie quarterback. We've got a lot of room for improvement."

Heading into the bye weekend, McCoy carries a 78.7 QB rating -- No. 24 in the league. He's completed 100 of 172 attempts for 984 yards, with six touchdowns and three interceptions. He's been sacked only six times, but heading into the Titans game, he was tied for first with Chad Henne for most hits after the throw, at 21. He was knocked down another five or six times by the Titans.

His 984 yards are 17th in the NFL, his six TDs are 12th and his 58.1 percent completion percentage is 23rd.

"I'll be the first to tell you that there's a lot of things you can work on, improve on," he said. "It's a process. The guys are working very hard and I know our coaches are working really hard. We've just got to re-group, stay together and keep fighting."

McCoy said the offense is upbeat despite scoring only 13 points against the Titans.

"We're 2-2 going into the bye week," he said. "We've got a chance to make our season or let something slip by again. We'll get out of here after tomorrow and kind of rest, heal up and re-group. Nobody's head is down. We got beat. We didn't play like we wanted to. But the sun's out today and we had a good day."

After the first quarter of the season, the Browns' offense is 25th in scoring at 18.5 points per game. The pass offense is 18th, averaging 235.2 yards.

"I don't think anything has been a disappointment," McCoy said. "We're playing together for the first time. We practice hard. I believe in the guys, I know the receivers and the running backs and the linemen believe in me and the line's doing a nice job.

"When we put it all together, we give ourselves a great chance. But when you're playing a good team, we're not good enough to overcome [mistakes]."

Shurmur said he wouldn't describe McCoy's start in negative terms.

"He's very hard on himself ... but he's very confident as well and I think that's what pulls you through as you're trying to improve."

McCoy said the bye week is a good time for the offense to re-evaluate and adjust.

"What are some plays that we were kind of high on that haven't worked as well?" he said. "Who's the best receiver on what route? What's our best protection? What's our best run schemes? I think the ceiling is tremendously high. I believe that. We've just all got to continue to get to know each other and just move on."

Shurmur admitted he's concerned about the hits. "We focus on it and try to eliminate it," he said. "Let's hope I never have to call 61 passes again."

Left tackle Joe Thomas said McCoy has impressed with his ability to absorb punishment.

"He's a really tough kid," said Thomas. "There's a reason he played all those snaps in college and got all those wins. It's going to take a big hit to knock him out. He's been really impressive from that standpoint."

Thomas said he's already seen McCoy improve greatly in the new scheme.

"I feel like he really did make a nice jump already," said Thomas. "He's a natural leader. He's got all the intangibles and he's a great quarterback. He's got everything you need."

McCoy said he'll stick around here for a few days to study some things, "then I think it's always good in a bye week to get away for a couple days to clear your mind and obviously get a head start on Oakland."

Haden, Cribbs resting: Cornerback Joe Haden and receiver Josh Cribbs sat out Tuesday's practice with their sprained knees, but Shurmur said he's hopeful they'll be able to play Oct. 16 in Oakland. Linebacker Titus Brown (ankle) was idle.

Quick healer? Shurmur said one of the first things center Alex Mack asked for after his appendectomy on Monday was his grade sheet from Sunday's game. He said it's too early to speculate if Mack will be ready for Oakland.

Thomas wasn't that skeptical. "I think even if we didn't have a bye he would've played this weekend," said the lineman.

From: http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2011/10/cleveland_browns_coach_pat_shu_9.html

Cleveland Browns coach Pat Shurmur: Peyton Hillis 'needs to play most of the time'

BEREA, Ohio -- Pat Shurmur insisted Monday that Peyton Hillis' carries are not being limited because of his contract negotiations and acknowledged Hillis "needs to play most of the time."

The Browns have been trying to extend Hillis' contract, but the two sides remain far apart.

"Absolutely not," said Shurmur of limiting Hillis' reps to devalue him. "I think it's a non-issue. The game changes as the score changes, and a lot of times that involves throwing it."

Hillis, who sat out last week's game with strep throat and flu-like symptoms, carried the ball only 10 times for 46 yards in the 31-13 loss to the Titans and caught five passes for 23 yards. Montario Hardesty ran the ball seven times for 22 yards and caught five passes for 49 yards. But Hardesty also dropped four short passes, including several over the middle.

Shurmur conceded Monday that he needs his star running back to be more involved.

"I think it's important," he said. "I think he played 50-some snaps. I think 55. I think Hardesty played in the 30s and then there were times when they were in there together. It's important [he plays most of the time]. And I think Peyton will get and should get more snaps and carries."

He stressed that Hillis suits the new West Coast offense and the Browns aren't trying to diminish his role.

"I think Peyton Hillis fits extremely well," he said. "I think it's important he touches the ball and he did.

"We got to the point where we got the ball for the first time in the third quarter, it was 24-6, we're moving the football and it quickly turned to 31-6. And so then the ratio of whether you run it or throw it starts to change significantly. But he was having success running the ball, and he did fine."

Hillis made it clear Sunday that he wants more runs. Last season, he averaged 17 rushes a game, and carried the ball 15 or more times on nine occasions. He finished second on the team with 61 receptions for 477 yards, which led to questions as to why Hardesty was getting so many passes his way. Hardesty had nine balls thrown to him and he caught give. Hillis was targeted six times and caught five.

"Take it up with the coach," Hillis said after the game. "I'm just running the plays that he tells me to do. I'm just riding the tide and waiting my chances and opportunities and trying to get things done when I can."

Shurmur said neither Hillis nor tight end Evan Moore, who also questioned his lack of opportunities -- targeted twice, one catch -- approached him with their concerns.

"Neither one of them said anything to me about it," Shurmur said. "I will say this. Everyone in that locker room is disappointed that we lost and I think skill players, guys that touch the ball, there's something about their nature where they want it all the time. I think that's something good.

"I think we all know that when we don't get everything that we're looking for, there's certain ways to handle it. It's very hard for me to say beyond that."

Shurmur said it's not a case of Hillis no longer being the focal point of the offense.

"He's a terrific player," said Shurmur. "He's a big part of what we do. And again, if I were here a year ago and I could have felt all this, I might have a different answer. The running back in any offense, especially ours, is a very important piece and he needs to touch the football."

Shurmur also addressed the report Sunday by ESPN's Adam Schefter that some of Hillis' teammates wondered if his unresolved contract situation was a factor in sitting out the Dolphins game. A source confirmed for The Plain Dealer that some players felt that way.

He said he didn't hear any complaints first-hand, and would've preferred to see names attached to the report.

"I have expressed to the team that I would prefer that we keep business in house, and I think that's hard to do," he said. "And I can't really control how the team feels about certain situations other than we're constantly talking about being very professional, about doing your job and doing those types of things. So until somebody said so and so said it, it's very hard for me to comment beyond that."

He stressed that Hillis "was sick. I'm not trying to talk around it. He was ill and he looked ill."

The few players in the locker room Monday supported Hillis -- who's also come under fire from former Browns for not suiting up.

"I don't take these sources to be very credible," said rookie receiver Greg Little. "I just think that's coming from very thin air. I don't think the [report] is true. I think Peyton is a big enough competitor to want to come out and play every weekend."

Said linebacker Titus Brown, who saw how sick Hillis looked that morning: "If Peyton were able to play, he would've played. He loves this team just like everybody else on this team."

Source: http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2011/10/cleveland_browns_coach_pat_shu_8.html

Well…At Least Pittsburgh Lost

Colt McCoy Sets 2 Cleveland Browns Records And Loses

Posted by LG on October 2, 2011 at 8:30 pm.

Colt McCoy had his first 300 yard game (350) and set two Cleveland Browns franchise records today and still failed to get the Browns a touchdown in the first quarter of play. This is the fourth game in a row the Browns quarterback failed to score a touchdown for his team in the First quarter of play.   The Browns offense sure could us a little help. Mike Holmgren cannot be thrilled with what he has seen thus far this season from his young Cleveland Browns team and their new west coast style offense.

McCoy is able to move the Browns between the thirties, whenever he gets his team into the red zone the Browns offense just sputters. One has to wonder if this is the Browns lack of skilled receivers or the Browns inability to give McCoy time to execute. The young McCoy was one of the winningest college quarterbacks of all time. McCoy has to be getting frustrated with the fact his team can’t score. McCoy knows you’re not going to win games in the NFL without putting points on the board.

Colt McCoy completed 40 of 61 passes today, this in itself could be part of the problem. Why the heck did McCoy have to throw so many passes? The said part is out of 40 completions McCoy only had a 5.7 yard average.  McCoy never once looked as though he would stretch out the Titans defense. The Browns fell behind early and McCoy had no choice but to throw the ball. Whoever is calling the plays for the second year quarterback should consider surrendering the job to someone else.

That someone else could be Mike Holmgren. Yeah you heard me right, Mike Holmgren knows how to win football games and Holmgren knows you’re not going to win football games the way the Browns played today. The Cleveland fans have been waiting to see a winning team for a long time now. What they saw today was a complete breakdown both offensively and defensively.

We did see a young quarterback who would win football games if they came down to a player having heart. McCoy showed he has plenty of that. He may not have a receiver that can break away and get open to help him, but he has the heart of a champion and I sure hope the Cleveland Browns don’t ruin another career of a young quarterback they way they did with others in the past.

Holmgren help this kid out. Either call the plays or get him someone to throw the ball to……

Browns Prepare for Defensive Struggle vs. Titans

Written by Bradley Ross
on September 30, 2011

The Browns will face off on Sunday against one of the league’s best defense through the first 3 weeks of the season.  The Titans are 2nd in points allowed and 1st in yards allowed so Colt McCoy and company will face tough sledding.  The Browns counter with also having one of the top defenses which ranks high in net yards per pass and points allowed.  While both defenses are stellar, the Offenses  both have had their struggles, especially running the ball.  Like the Dolphins game, this definitely figures to be a close one and one where the outcome is the most divided by analysts.

Browns Offense:  The Browns have seen their fair share of offensive struggles this year.  McCoy has been hit-and-miss and teams have loaded the box against Hillis.  The protection for both of these players has also been very mediocre overall, but that may change.  Tony Pashos may be back from injury this week and could help to open holes for Hillis and let the Browns use TEs more in the passing game.  The Browns best bet in the passing game is spreading the ball around a lot.

Titans Defense: This Defense is really good at all levels.  The front 7 are holding opposing RBs to 3.1 ypc.  Their DTs are doing a solid job of eating up blockers and penetrating into the backfield.  This is letting the LBs and Safeties make some nice plays.  Courtland Finnegan is having a great season and is shutting down opposing #1 WRs and have limited the damage done by TEs.  They have the ability to shut down the Browns TEs and Hillis, their two biggest threats on offense.

Titans Offense:  This Offense was struggling even before Kenny Britt went down for the season.  Chris Johnson is having a terrible season, but the problem rests up front with the offensive line.  Their line has been one of the worst in football at making sure the RB gets positive yards and ~1/3rd of their total carries are stopped in the backfield.  Hasselbeck has been very reliant on Britt and Nate Washington who have been stellar, but after them their next receiver has only 38 yards on the season.

Browns Defense:  The Browns defense has been performing great, led by D’Qwell Jackson who was voted the AFC Defensive Player of the Month who will wreak havoc against Johnson and Hasselbeck.  Haden has also been a monster and the only CBs who have been better at shutting down WRs this year than Haden are Nnamdi Asomugha and Darrelle Revis.  The Browns front 4 have been living in the backfield and making life difficult for QBs.

This game is going to come down to injuries.  Tony Pashos may be back for the Browns but his status is up in the air.  The same goes for the Titans’ Pro Bowl safety Chris Hope.  Another big question on the injury front is how much will the Britt injury hurt them and will any WRs step up?

Prediction:  Titans 23, Browns 20

As a Browns fan, its hard for me to predict 3 wins in a row unless this team is just dynamite.  Even with Pashos coming back, Hope is a better player and has more of an impact.

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Written by Bradley Ross
Bradley Ross was born and lived most of his life in Shaker Heights, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland. He grew up with a passion for sports and Cleveland teams, instilled in him by his father. He is currently studying Business/Journalism at Cuyahoga Community College and plans on transferring to the Ohio State University in the winter with an expected graduation date of 2013. He is currently a Staff Writer for the Tri-C Voice Newspaper, which was a recipient of an award for the best non-daily newspaper at a 2 year college (northeast region). He runs multiple blogs off of the blogger platform including The Take By The Lake, a sports blog. Sports is his passion and he enjoys being able to write about them and cover them. He also enjoys improvisational humor, long walks on the beach, and writing in the 3rd person. Follow him on Twitter @BRoss_Voice.