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

RB Peyton Hillis feels '100 percent again,' expects to play Sunday in Cincinnati

By Mary Kay Cabot, The Plain Dealer

BEREA -- Browns running back Peyton Hillis participated in team drills today and expects to play Sunday in Cincinnati.

Ccoach Pat Shurmur said he is a game-time decision.

"I'm excited I feel 100% again,'' he said. "It's looking very positive for this game.''

Hillis took plenty of reps in practice today and is on pace to play for the first time since early on in the Oakland game Oct. 16.

"We're all shooting for this Sunday,'' he said. "I'm working my best to get out there, and I'm looking forward to the opportunity. I'm eager and excited about it."

On Monday, Shurmur had ruled Hillis out for Sunday's game,  but Hillis made such strong progress Thursday and today that he's expected to play.

Hillis said his recovery was hastened by a Platelet Rich Plasma injection in the hamstring about two-and-a-half weeks ago.

Running back Montario Hardesty is expected to start and share the running load with Hillis and Chris Ogbonnaya. Shurmur said that when all three are healthy, Hillis will start, Hardesty will be No. 2 and Ogbonnaya No. 3.

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2011/11/cleveland_browns_rb_peyton_hil_17.html

Cleveland Browns Will Be Facing A Mad Bengals Team Sunday

The Cleveland Browns travel to Cincinnati Sunday to face a Bengals team that has just dropped two games in a row. Now you have a pissed off Bengals team that may be underestimating the Cleveland Browns. It is funny how you have writers over at ESPN saying this is a serous mis-match between the Browns and Bengals too. Now you have some Bengals players thinking they are going to take there frustrations out on the Browns. Take a look at this article on-line where Cincinnati left tackle Andrew Whitworth is talking smack, you can see it here

Sometimes I think people don’t take the 4-6 Browns seriously.  The Browns should have defeated the Bengals in their first meeting September 11th. The Browns Defense was caught off guard.  This Sunday the Bengals will be facing a much tougher Browns defense. Cleveland’s defense is ranked number 5 in total yards, number one against the pass and 29th against the run. The Browns showed the ability last Sunday to stop the run against the Jaguars. The key to victory this Sunday against the Bengals will be if Cleveland’s defense can step it up and stop the rushing attack the Bengals throw at them.

Players like Phil Jackson and Rubin have been improving over the past two games. The Bengals may be in for a big surprise thinking they can take their anger out on the Cleveland Browns this Sunday. The Browns offensively continue to work hard on improving.  Last week they were able to move the ball and even scored a couple of touchdowns. Don’t forget the Browns had the lead over the Bengals in the first game. I look for this one to be a real dawg fight.

If the Cincinnati Bengals are thinking the Cleveland Browns are going to lay down in this game they are sadly mistaking. It is the Browns who may be taking their anger out on the Bengals after what happened in the first meeting.

http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/cleveland_browns_will_be_facing_a_mad_bengals_team_sunday/8316145

Browns Handling Hillis Situation Better

Written By:  Craig Lyndall

Two weeks in a row now the Browns have made their determination about Peyton Hillis’ status early.  I don’t have any inside information as to what is driving this, but the lack of distraction is welcome.  It helps protect the Browns first-year head coach who struggled with those communications earlier this season and it protects Hillis from himself.  I’d like to think that the Browns and Hillis’ people got their heads together and finally decided that a media silence combined with holding Hillis out until he is completely healthy was the way to go.  The way things were going Hillis was hurting himself trying to get back on the field.  He was hurting his ability to negotiate a new deal.  The Browns were hurting themselves by not adequately preparing the roster for Sundays.  It was just a mess that boiled over into conspiracy theories as fans picked sides.

Ultimately, all the added negativity was totally unnecessary.  In my uninformed opinion all of this was just typical NFL business but blown out of proportion.  Peyton Hillis wanted to be on the field to prove to the Browns that he deserved his contract.  The Browns wanted him on the field to help develop in the offense and so they could figure out how much he is worth.  The agent and the Browns were obviously far apart on the number, but that happens all the time.

So the Browns have let the perfect storm pass and are doing everything they can to make sure that it doesn’t come through again.

In an ideal situation, Peyton Hillis gets healthy.  He contributes the last few weeks of the season.  Of course the dream scenario would be helping Colt McCoy and the rest of the offense find a way to beat the Ravens and Steelers in back-to-back weeks to end the year.  Certainly that is too much to ask of one player.  As good as Peyton Hillis can be, he can’t single-handedly win those games for the Browns.  But if he contributed enough to help the team do it, it would be a whole different kind of perfect storm.  It would be one that could send Hillis and his agent home happy, not to mention every Cleveland Browns fan on earth.

It may not be likely, but I can never be accused of not dreaming big.

http://www.waitingfornextyear.com/2011/11/browns-handling-hillis-situation-better/

Phil Dawson certain that officials, not his right foot, missed on late field goal: Browns Insider

By Mary Kay Cabot, The Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- For the second straight week, an incensed Phil Dawson is convinced that the officials blew the call on a crucial field-goal attempt.

Last week, the Browns kicker was certain there should have been a penalty for pre-snap movement on his missed 22-yarder, and officials failed to rule it a blocked kick despite all parties involved insisting that's what it was.

This week, they called his 38-yarder wide right. He's certain it wasn't.

"It was good," he insisted. "The rule states that if the ball is above the upright, it's good. And that ball wasn't even close to being over the upright."

The pertinent part of Rule 11-4-1-c that Dawson was referring to is as follows:

"The entire ball must pass through the vertical plane of the goal, which is the area above the crossbar and between the uprights or, if above the uprights, between their outside edges. [Ed: boldface ours]

In a pool report, referee Terry McAuley said, "The way we saw it was part of the ball was outside of the outside edge of the upright."

Because the ball sailed above the 30-foot uprights, it wasn't reviewable.

"I'm a little confused," said Dawson. "If you can't review a play where the ball is above the upright, why would you ever need a review to begin with?"

After the officials signaled the miss, Dawson was livid on the sidelines. Instead of a 17-10 edge with about 2:50 remaining, the Browns were forced to cling to their 14-10 lead on that last defensive stand.

"I'm pretty fired up," said Dawson. "It's probably as upset as I've been in a long time. I think everybody knows how I felt about it."

Said left tackle Joe Thomas: "I guess I didn't know the rule. The ref said, apparently if the ball goes straight over the goal post it's supposed to be good. From where we stood it looked like it went right over."

Dawson said he knows he'll probably get fined for speaking his mind.

"I hit it where I was aiming," he said. "I remember one like that against New England a long, long time ago and it was good. Fortunately our defense stepped up and made some plays at the end and we won and I won't get run out of town this week."

A week ago, the 13-12 loss to the Rams was decided when Dawson's 22-yarder was blocked by Rams defender James Hall after the snap went off Alex Mack's foot. Mack's foot was in the way because of pre-snap movement that went undetected. Elias Sports Bureau hasn't changed it to a block, despite Hall saying he blocked it with his forearm and the Rams confirming it on film.

"The execution [Sunday] was good," said Dawson. "It was a long week for us in that area. It was a good snap, good hold, good kick, good protection. I was proud that under those circumstances we held up."

Dawson was as grateful as anyone for the defense's goal-line stand, in which they stopped Jacksonville four times inside the 5 yard line.

"The good news is that we won the game and I get to keep my job another week," he said. "That's the life I live and those are some scary times."

Earlier in the game, a 40-yard Dawson field goal was turned down by the Browns when a Jaguars penalty gave the team a first down. It is the first time since Sept. 19, 2010 in which Dawson failed to make at least one field goal, snapping a franchise-best streak of 23 consecutive games.

Marecic concussion: Browns fullback Owen Marecic and Jaguars linebacker Clint Session both left the game with concussions after a fourth-quarter collision and didn't return. The Browns will re-evaluate Marecic on Monday. Jaguars defensive end Matt Roth also left the game in the fourth quarter with a concussion. ... Browns linebacker Quinton Spears left with a hamstring injury.

Rooting on his teammates: Browns safety T.J. Ward made an appearance in the locker room with a walking boot on his sprained right foot. He said he'll still be out "a couple of weeks."

Ward said he loved the goal-line stand at the end. "I wish I could've been out there," he said. "It was great."

Chance at redemption: Joe Haden's breakup in the end zone on the second-to-last play atoned for a 15-yard pass interference call on that last drive that moved Jacksonville to the 14.

"Yeah, that wasn't a PI," he said. "I was just being aggressive. They probably thought it was a little too much contact. But we ended up winning, so it's all good."

Haden also dropped a couple of potential interceptions.

"One of them hit me in my sternum. I've gotta work on my hands a little bit. Then another one, I jumped up and tried to get two feet in."

Another strong effort: Browns rookie defensive tackle Phil Taylor made a tackle and an assist on the goal-line stand, stopping running back Maurice Jones-Drew two straight times. Overall, he had a career-best nine tackles.

"You live for games like this that come down to the wire, and it feels great when you can come out with the victory," said Taylor.

The Browns held Jones-Drew to 87 yards and one touchdown.

"He's a tough back," said D'Qwell Jackson. "He runs in-between the tackles well. He's probably the best back we've faced. Once you get your hands on him, he runs extremely well backwards if that makes sense. He's always avoiding contact and he's so low to the ground it's hard to find him. he does a great job of getting extra yards."

Unhappy Jag: Jacksonville coach Jack Del Rio thinks the refs blew an interference call against Dawan Landry on a second-quarter pass to Chris Ogbonnaya in the end zone that eventually led to Ogbonnaya's TD run. He said the pass was tipped at the line by C.J. Mosely and challenged. He lost.

"Evidently they missed the call," he said.

Explained McAulay: "We had no definitive shot of it being touched by the player. There was a fuzzy shot that was possible, but then all of the other shots we just couldn't prove it and we have to see the ball touched by a hand before we can do anything with it."

Plenty of faith: Browns head coach Pat Shurmur believed in his defense at the end: "I did trust that we'd get them stopped, I really did," he said.

Extra points: Receiver Greg Little caught a team-high five passes for 59 yards, including a long of 22. He leads the team with 42 receptions for 438 yards, and leads all NFL rookies in receptions. ... Running back Montario Hardesty was inactive. ... Mohamed Massaquoi returned from his concussion and caught two passes for 19 yards.

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

Even by Cleveland Browns standards, these 10 losses were unbelievable

By Bill Livingston, The Plain Dealer

Helmet-flying, bottles-walloping, snap-deflecting, depths-plumbing -- the Browns have done it all when it comes to losing.

They have lost 128 times in 12 full seasons since their return, or an average of more than 10 games per year. They are, as of this moment in time, 3-6 this year and 67-134 overall since 1999. Their winning percentage is .333.

Poor talent evaluation through many regimes is the biggest reason why. It is, however, inaccurate to say the cupboard was bare. It has been filled instead with cream pies and banana peels.

The Browns' 10 Most Unbelievable Losses Since 1999 (With Two of Them This Season):

1. The Helmet Game -- It is unassailable as the top entry, unmatchable in idiocy, unthinkable in execution. Dwayne Rudd's celebratory helmet toss after he almost -- but, oops, not quite -- sacked Trent Green on the game's last play, led to 315-pound lineman John Tait's long ramble with Green's lateral, an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Rudd, and a Morten Andersen field goal on a final, untimed play that gave the Chiefs a 40-39 victory in 2002.

2. It's not over until it's over -- In 2001, the Browns' sideline was a lovefest in Chicago, with new coach Butch Davis hugging players and equipment men high-fiving as they wheeled trunks to the apparent victors' locker room. That would have been the Bears, unfortunately. Someone named Shane Matthews threw two touchdown passes in the last 28 seconds around a recovered onside kick to force overtime. The second TD was on a Hail Mary pass off a tipped ball. A pick-six off a tipped Tim Couch pass in OT won it, 27-21.

3. It's not over even when it's over, part two -- Shades of Ruddgate! After the Browns committed pass interference on a Hail Mary play on the last snap, Detroit got another play on an untimed down in 2009. Quarterback Matthew Stafford had been hurt on the desperation heave, with his arm looking like it had been extruded from a pasta machine. But he used the timeout the Browns stupidly called after the penalty to recover well enough to send backup Daunte Culpepper off the field and throw his fifth touchdown pass. With the PAT, the Lions won, 38-37.

4. Bottlegate -- Displeasure at an overturned fourth-down conversion in the red zone in the final minute on replay led to a long delay, while beer bottles, hurled by angry fans, decorated the turf. Had Quincy Morgan either (a) caught the ball or (b) not preened and made the "first down" arm signal, the Browns would have either (a) converted or (b) got the next play off before the replay official intervened. The Jaguars won, 15-10, in 2001. Post-game discussion was enlivened by the assertion of Carmen Policy, the Browns' president, that "those bottles are plastic. They don't pack much of a wallop."

5. Three-Ball, side pocket -- If you were scoring at home last Sunday, it went from long snapper Ryan Pontbriand, to the right foot of Alex Mack, to holder Brad Maynard, to Phil Dawson's instep, to wide left. The missed chip-shot field-goal attempt allowed the Rams to win, 13-12.

6. The Northcutt is the Deepest -- In the Browns' only playoff appearance since their return, they lost, 36-33, in early 2003 after leading the host Steelers, 24-7, with 3 minutes, 50 seconds remaining in the third quarter. Davis ordered a prevent defense, defensive coordinator Foge Fazio challenged Davis to a fist fight then and there (not really, but he should have), and Dennis Northcutt dropped a third-down conversion right in the breadbasket from Kelly Holcomb. It would have let the Browns run out the clock.

7. The "Bluto" Game -- In his second game as a Brown in 2004, new quarterback Jeff Garcia completed eight of 27 passes for a quarterback rating equal to the GPA of any member of the Delta House in "Animal House," including future Senator John Blutarsky -- 0.0. After suffering a safety with eight seconds to play, the Browns tried an onside kick from their own 20, on which Kellen Winslow Jr. broke his leg. The Cowboys won, 19-12.

8. Second Down, Second Chance -- Todd Peterson's field goal with 7:46 remaining in overtime came one play after Alvin McKinley blocked his 24-yard attempt. But because it was only second down and Pittsburgh's John Fiala fell on the bouncing football -- which never crossed the line of scrimmage -- the Steelers retained possession. Peterson's third-down kick gave them a 16-13 victory.

9. Time to panic? -- Holcomb threw for 400 yards and five touchdowns, and the Browns put up 48 points. Alas, Cincinnati put up 58. Davis resigned after the game in 2004, saying he had suffered a panic attack beforehand. Perhaps it was triggered by reflection upon his draft picks.

10. The Siesta Snap -- Backup Bengals quarterback Bruce Gradkowski caught the Browns asleep on a snap with 14 seconds left on the play clock and 41/2 minutes left in the game in this year's opener. The 41-yard TD gave the Bengals a 20-17 lead that they increased to 27-17. Browns coach Pat Shurmur charged the Bengals with illegal substitution on the play. It had all the substance of Policy's view of half-empty plastic bottles.

http://www.cleveland.com/livingston/index.ssf/2011/11/post_39.html

Browns Mohamed Massaquoi Says “I’m feeling good,” Can He Help McCoy?

The Cleveland Browns welcomed their wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi back to the practice field yesterday. Massaquoi who missed the past weeks suffering a head injury reported that he feels good. The Browns can certainly use another target for their young quarterback Colt McCoy to look for this Sunday when the Browns take on Jacksonville. Before going down with a head injury Massaquoi had 18 receptions for the Browns in 6 games for 239 yards and two touchdowns.

The Browns could certainly use someone who knows what the end zone looks like with the ball in his hands. Cleveland hasn’t been able to score a touchdown in the first quarter of any game they played thus far this season.  Hopefully Massaquoi’s return can help change that. Jacksonville has exactly been finding touchdowns at will either this season. This game could come down to whoever finds the end zone first. With Greg Little making improvements weekly and Massaquoi making his return, I am hoping the Browns can change their luck this week.

http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/browns_mohamed_massaquoi_says_im_feeling_good_can_he_help_mccoy/8152252

Cleveland Browns rule out RB Peyton Hillis for Week 11

The frustrating and strange season for RB Peyton Hillis continues. The Cleveland Browns announced yesterday that the running back will miss his fifth straight game when the Jacksonville Jaguars come to Cleveland to play the Browns.

During his press conference on Monday, Browns head coach Pat Shurmur told reporters that he expects Hillis back in the Browns lineup at some point this season and the franchise has no current plans to place the running back on the injured reserve list.”Peyton’s making progress and so we’re hopeful he can be back after next week, hopefully, we’ll see”, said Shurmur.

One Browns player which could be placed on the injured reserve list is S T.J. Ward. Ward has been in a cast for over a week. Ward is suffering from a foot injury, claiming he heard a “pop” during the Browns game against the Houston Texans. If tests show that Ward’s injury is more serious than first believed, the club expects to place Ward on the injured reserve list, ending his season.

Rams vs Browns :13-12 Loss Shows That Cleveland’s Offense Is A Comedy Of Errors

 

Barnum And Bailey couldn’t dream up of a better freak-show than the Cleveland Browns inept offense which once again stole the show in a 13-12 loss to the (2-7) St Louis Rams.

Fumble on a key punt return by kick returner/wide receiver Joshua Cribbs. Check

Botched snap on a potential game-winning field goal by long snapper Ryan Pontbriand. Check

Missed field goal by kicker Phil Dawson. Check

Four handoffs in the red zone—including a tight-end hand-off by tight end Alex Smith. Check.

Dedicated and loyal fan base at it’s wit’s end in Cleveland. Check.

The newly- minted “Factory Of Sadness” lived up to it’s name in another Browns dis-heartening loss.  There are some limits of what NFL fans can tolerate, but being a Cleveland Browns fan requires a immense about of patience along with a cast-iron stomach and heart, but after the Browns latest debacle at home, fans may soon want to start a Occupy Berea protest.

While Cleveland did show some fight and desperation on Sunday, the results were still the same, Browns quarterback Colt McCoy getting sacked and hit often, as the Rams would sack McCoy three times.  McCoy would finish the game by going 20-of-27 for 218 yards passing and a QB rating of 97.5

Cleveland would see the once dormant passing game come—briefly—to life highlighted by Browns wide receiver Greg Little’s 52-yard grab in the third quarter.  Little would finish with 86 yards receiving on six receptions.

The Browns running game would also show faint signs of life as they were led by running back Chris Ogbannaya’s 90 yards on 19 carries.

Despite signs of hope and a brief flicker of promise shown by Cleveland, this was the 2-7 St Louis Rams and not against a top quality team like the (7-3) Pittsburgh Steelers or (6-2) Baltimore Ravens. When it mattered the most, the Browns sleep-walking offense would show once again that they are on life support.

Make no mistake, both Cleveland and St Louis are young and still in the process of growing and learning, but in the case of the Browns, the bone-headed penalties and mental mistakes are simply inexcusable for a team that was supposed to be “on the rise”

This game also shows once again that rookie head coach Pat Shurmur is not ready to be a NFL head coach as his conservative and predictable play-calling would cost the Browns a very winnable game against a otherwise inferior opponent.

While injuries are part of the game and Cleveland did not have starters Peyton Hillis, Montario Hardesty, Mohamed Massaqoui, Eric Steinbach and most recently T.J. Ward, there is still no excuse for why the Browns only amassed a mere total of 335 yards against a 2-7 team at home.

The Browns would also dominate the time of possession—32:27 to 27:33—and yet only score four field goals.  Cleveland has not scored a touchdown in 123 minutes at home, and are the only team in the NFL to not score a touchdown in the first or third quarter.

At 3-6, Cleveland is well below many of it’s own expectations—mainly due to a easy schedule—and running out of “new head coach” “new offensive system” excuses from a patient and loyal fan base that deserves more.  Browns fans surely cannot take solace of comfort in the fact that Cleveland is only one game better than the 2-7 Rams half-way thru the season.

In Cleveland, they have now witnessed a team that—literally—cannot seem to find it’s way to the end zone if provided a GPS, a glaringly obvious bad hire in head coach at Shurmur and a ego-maniac in the front office in president Mike Holmgren.

Is Cleveland the victim of it’s own lofty expectations? Is Colt McCoy really the answer at QB?

Only time will tell, and in Cleveland that is one thing in very short supply.

http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/rams_vs_browns_13_12_loss_shows_that_clevelands_offense_is_a_comedy_of_errors/8068138

Browns Defensive Coordinator Dick Jauron Not Happy

The Cleveland Browns run defense down right stinks, Jauran says he is not happy with the way the Browns Defense stops the run. Do you know why? Come a little closer I’ll let you in on a secret.  It is because they can’t stop the run. This is a defense that at one point in the season made it all the way to number two against the pass and fell to 30th against the run. Jauron should be happy, happy he still has a job that is. Jauron needs to get guys plugin the holes. The Browns are getting killed against the run and unless Jauron had some sort of premonition this past week the very same thing is going to happen against the Rams.

The front four of the Browns haven’t been very effective against the run pure and simple.  I really can’t see how Jauron is going to be able to change things in a week. The Browns may even have some problems in the secondary with out the services of T.J. Ward however Jauron may just luck out seeing how the Rams are just as bad as the Browns when it come to any kind of aerial attack.  Jauron has got to get his line backers to come up a little closer to the line to stop the run. A blind man could see that.

If Jauron’s run defense hasn’t learned anything new this week at practice then the Browns are in for another long Sunday afternoon again.

 

http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/browns_defensive_coordinator_dick_jauron_not_happy/8022049

Cleveland Browns' Phil Dawson puts one foot in front of all others in NFL

By Tony Grossi, The Plain Dealer

BEREA, Ohio — Another year of offensive doldrums for the Browns means that every field-goal attempt by Phil Dawson takes on unusual importance.

He has responded by making every field goal he has tried -- except for two that were blocked. The blocks occurred in the same game, and Dawson atoned by belting field goals of 52 and 53 yards -- the team's only points in a classic 6-3 win against Seattle.

That was the Browns' last victory but hardly Dawson's last hurrah. He followed with a 52-yard field goal in a 20-10 loss in San Francisco -- a tough place to kick, even on a windless, sunny day -- and then field goals of 50 and 51 yards in last week's loss at Houston.

While long field goals have become the season's most unforeseen trend, Dawson, 36, leads all kickers with six makes of 50 or more yards in six attempts. Counting a far-too-rare point after, Dawson's little right foot has accounted for 16 of the Browns' 28 points in the past three games.

When coach Pat Shurmur announced Thursday that Dawson had been sent home because of migraine headaches, a collective gasp from Browns fans was heard in the Internet and Twitter worlds.

"Now what?" they wondered. But the headaches are not expected to affect Dawson's status for Sunday's game against the St. Louis Rams.

Dawson entered this season having attempted only 19 field goals from 50 or more yards and making 11 in his 12 previous years with the expansion Browns.

The day before his migraines hit, Dawson struggled to offer a reasonable explanation for his sudden burst in power and accuracy.

"I'm just making them," he said. "I mean, I don't think I'm doing anything differently. I think when coaches show confidence and throw you out there, that gives you more confidence. When you only try one or two a year, sometimes you think this is a bigger deal than it really is. But when you're out there more, you kind of get used to it and treat it like any other kick."

Shurmur said he never flinches to call on Dawson for a long attempt.

"When I look over and I say, 'Punt or field goal?' and [Dawson says], 'Let's kick it' . . . I trust him," Shurmur said. "I never had the thought process where I didn't feel comfortable. He sets the mark, and when we get to that point, we kick it. That's how much I trust him."

Just think what the Browns would be without Dawson. And hold that thought, because it could happen.

Rather appropriately, Dawson became the first player the expansion Browns tagged with the franchise designation in February. Because a long-term deal couldn't be worked out, Dawson received a guaranteed one-year salary of $3.125 million -- the average of the top-five paid kickers the previous season.

Dawson sold his house, relocated his family and was emotionally prepared to move on to free agency after last season. The franchise designation surprised him, but he had little choice but to accept the deal.

The Browns have shown no interest in re-signing him to a multiyear contract. They would have had to act before a league deadline of Sept. 19 to do so. Dawson and two other players were the only three among 14 tagged by their teams not to get new contracts.

The Browns can retain Dawson in 2012 by franchising him again. But a new rule in the collective-bargaining agreement changes the compensation formula to the highest-paid player at his position during the past five years. That will lower the franchise numbers at every position. In other words, Dawson will have to take a pay cut to return if the Browns franchise him again.

"We'll see. I'll find out in February. I'm done trying to predict," he said of his future with the Browns. "I thought I was done last year, and here I am. I'm just gonna finish this thing out, and if I make it through February without that, then I'll know I'll be a free agent and I'll tackle that and see what happens."

Kicking for the Browns has had its hardships in the expansion era. The historically bad offense and lack of winning routinely disqualify Dawson from gaining Pro Bowl recognition. Within the culture of NFL kickers, he's cast as somewhat of a sympathetic figure.

"It does get old every week, hearing the same thing from my competitors," he said. "They'll have extremely complimentary stuff to say, stuff about how I deserve the Pro Bowl."

No player has suffered the franchise's losing syndrome more than Dawson. In that regard, he is bonded to the rest of us. He feels the anger as it cranks up a notch year after year.

"[The fans are] obviously scratching their heads," he said. "They just want to see improvement. I don't blame them. The guys that have been here a while understand that. We try to communicate that to some of the newer guys."

Like most everyone else, Dawson had hopes of seeing a real turnaround this year. He's at a loss to explain the season's downward trend.

"I think I've kind of given up trying to figure out how this team works," he said. "We have good guys in here, and guys are working hard, so at some point, it's got to translate on the field."

Until the winning starts, Dawson has the usual seasonal challenges of kicking in Cleveland to keep him motivated. Plus some individual goals. He currently ranks 10th all-time in field-goal accuracy at .833. In the top 10, only Matt Stover and Ryan Longwell have more field goals made than Dawson, so he would like to surpass their percentages.

Also, he has his sights set on Lou Groza's franchise record of 1,349 points scored. Dawson is at 1,110. He will need a new contract -- and a burst of extra points -- to catch "The Toe."

 

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

A Browns Fan's Reaction To Sunday’s Game Against Houston

 

Do you agree with this fan???????????????????????????

Rizzo Has A Near Heart Attack Talking About The Browns

Host Tony Rizzo of the Really Big Show in Cleveland had a REALLY BIG nervous breakdown talking about his team.

I mean if you gave this guy a gun and brought him to a Cleveland Browns practice there is 0 and I mean 0 doubt that Tony would start poppin folks.

Tony Rizzo has a near breakdown talking about the Cleveland Browns

Buyer’s Remorse? Should The Cleveland Browns Have Second Thoughts On Pat Shurmur?

by Robert D. Cobb

After watching the (3-5) Cleveland Browns latest “performance” on offense against the (6-3) Houston Texans in a 30-12 defeat, it may be safe to say that there is some serious consternation coming from the Dawg Pound.

The Browns would once again look inept and utterly clueless on offense as they would only muster a total of 172 yards of offense, Houston running backs Arian Foster and Ben Tate would outgain the entire Cleveland offense by themselves in rushing for a combined 239 yards.

Cleveland would once again fail to protect quarterback Colt McCoy as he would be sacked four times and other than a late touchdown pass to wide receiver Joshua Cribbs would struggle mightily.

McCoy would finish the game by going 14-of-22 for 146 yards and one interception.

What may have been the biggest head-scratcher for Browns fans was the questionable play-calling—and mainly the decision—to run the ball against the fifth-ranked Texans run defense which was without linebacker Mario Williams.

The choice to stick to the run while down by 21 points in the fourth quarter—on the road, no less—would prove to be a horrendous blunder on the part of Cleveland—and most notably head coach Pat Shurmur.

While injuries are a part of the game in the NFL, there is no excuse for the Browns to only be able to gain a total of 33 yards on the ground—with or without Peyton Hillis and Montario Hardesty—Shurmur’s play-calling in Houston was inexcusable and flat-out atrocious.

If that is the case then consider that Houston was able to score 30 points on the Browns so-called “seventh-ranked” overall defense without All-Pro wideout Andre Johnson.

It is time to face the cold hard facts about Pat Shurmur and the Browns—is that neither of them are ready to be in their current position.

Before being hired by Cleveland, Shurmur was the offensive coordinator in St Louis and was widely hailed for the development of Rams quarterback Sam Bradford.

Let’s be clear that Bradford had—and still—has more talent around him in St Louis than McCoy does in Cleveland.  Bradford and Shurmur also had the luxury of playing in the weakest division—the NFC West.

When hired, it seemed that Cleveland had finally turned a corner in terms of philosophy by hiring an offensive-minded coach to bring them out of the Stone-Age smash-mouth doldrums of the past and into the wide-open West Coast spread offenses of the 21^st century.

The days of Eric Mangini and Brian Daboll and their brand of inept play-calling and conservative ball-control, run-first offense of were supposed to be gone, and in was supposed to be the new quick-striking, dynamic West Coast passing attack under Shurmur.

All throughout training camp and even during the pre-season, an insurmountable buzz was building about the Browns being sleepers, Cleveland was going to score points and that McCoy was supposed to be the next coming of Aaron Rodgers.

Mohamed Massaqoui was supposed to “breakout”—due to it being the so-called magical third season for wideouts.

How the way things were “supposed to go” in Cleveland, you could have sworn that Shurmur was the second coming of Bill Walsh and that Massaqoui was the heir apparent to Jerry Rice.

What a difference a year makes.

At this time last year, running back Peyton Hillis was the toast of Cleveland, McCoy had won the hearts of Browns fans by leading the Browns a 3-5 record highlighted by upsets over New Orleans and New England.

In 2011, McCoy had been the victim of horrible play-calling a bad offensive line and lack of weapons on offense.

With due respect to Browns wideouts Greg Little, Mohamed Massaqoui, Joshua Cribbs and Jordan Norwood.

But seriously?

Cleveland needs to overhaul the entire offense next year at wide receiver and either go after one of the premier wide receivers in free agency or go after one of the top prospects in the 2012 NFL Draft.

Your wide receivers lead the league in drops. Check.

The Browns are seventh in QB sacks allowed with 21. Check.

The Browns so-called attempt of a NFL offense—for the lack of a better word—is atrocious.

No quarterback—other than Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler—has been under such duress as McCoy has in 2011.

It is unfair to try and place this on McCoy’s shoulders when he is simply executing the playcalls from an in-over-his-head rookie head coach who refuses to hire an offensive coordinator in Shurmur.

It is almost laughable at times at the excuses that the Cleveland sports media and “media outlets” try to make for the Browns and their pathetic offensive woes, but when your team has failed to score a touchdown in the first and third quarters of an NFL game, there really is nothing more to say.

Browns fans can even try to come up with the excuse that they were victims of the lockout and have struggled to learn the nuances of the West Coast offense under a rookie head coach.

Nice try, but look at Jim Harbaugh and the (7-1) San Francisco 49ers

There is plenty of blame to go around but after watching the Browns latest “shibacle” in Houston, the Browns ownership in Randy Lerner needs to be called out for hiring an ego-maniac in Mike Holmgren who in turn hired a glorified—and inexperienced—quarterback caddie Pat Shurmur.

The front office should be held accountable for refusing to go into free agency to fill holes in key areas such as offensive line, wide receiver and defense when they had the chance following the lockout.

In Cleveland there is a saying that the Browns have been re-building since 1964, after today, there is a growing legion that misses the “glory days” of Mangini.

Only In Cleveland.

http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/buyers_remorse_should_the_cleveland_browns_have_second_thoughts_on_pat_shurmur/7912837

Cleveland Browns spell their running game 'Ogbonnaya' vs. Houston

By Mary Kay Cabot, The Plain Dealer

HOUSTON, Texas -- Amid all the controversy surrounding Peyton Hillis, in the face of injuries to Hillis and Montario Hardesty, Houston native Chris Ogbonnaya will strap a underperforming running game on his back Sunday and try to carry the Browns to victory against his former team.

With Hillis ruled out Saturday with his pulled hamstring and Hardesty officially ruled out Friday with his torn calf muscle, Ogbonnaya will make his first NFL start against his hometown team -- one that had him on its practice squad less than three weeks ago.

"I look at this league and crazy things happen for a reason," he said. "Crazy things happen all the time and so that next person in line just has to be prepared, ready to step up and be ready to go when that opportunity presents itself."

For his part, nothing fazes coach Pat Shurmur anymore. He's watched all three of his top running backs go down for all or parts of this season and is matter-of-fact about starting Ogbonnaya and playing Thomas Clayton, who was signed as a free agent on Tuesday.

"Let me say this, I love my job," said Shurmur. "I love the profession and I really do enjoy the challenges of trying to put together a team that's going to win a game on Sunday. I think that's the part that stimulates me.

"Nothing is surprising in this business and I've kind of made the promise to myself that nothing will surprise me. You put it together the best you can with the guys and they've had three great days of practice. ... I hope we can go out and put together an effort where the results are winning."

With both Hillis and Hardesty expected to miss at least a couple of weeks, Ogbonnaya will be relied upon to try to rejuvenate the league's 29th-ranked running game, one that's averaging 87.6 yards per game.

"It's terrible and tough with guys going down, but it's part of football and I'm just going to work as hard as I can to get back," said Hardesty, who injured the calf early in last Sunday's game in San Francisco. "I didn't know the calf was that important. I thought it would be maybe a couple of days. I honestly thought it was going to be a little less than what it was."

On the bright side, Ogbonnaya and Clayton have come in with great attitudes and work ethics and are hungry to prove they belong in this league.

"I think they've displayed a sense of professionalism that's good," said Shurmur. "That's what you need when you bring in guys and try and get them up to speed quickly. I appreciate that and again, I hope they can go out and perform well."

The two newcomers have been a breath of fresh air for players who have grown weary of Hillis' erratic behavior. The captains group -- of which Hillis is a part -- talked to Hillis on Wednesday to try to get him to re-focus on football. In addition to confronting him about things like getting married on a Tuesday instead of getting treatment and launching football from midfield to the crossbar despite being inactive with a hamstring injury, they wanted to extend a lifeline to a "player who was drowning," as one described it.

"It's been tough, but I think the two running backs we've got, they do a great job, and I'm excited to see Obi get some more carries and to see what he can do when he's the featured back for a full couple of games," said left tackle Joe Thomas. "We had Thomas a little bit last year and I think the guys respected him and thought he did a pretty good job when he had his opportunity. I think overall everybody's really excited to see what he does on Sundays in front of the bright lights."

Ogbonnaya, who also spent 2010 on the Texans' practice squad, will face a stout Texans defense ranked sixth against the run, allowing an average of just 97.4 yards per game.

"I think there is a little irony [in starting against the Texans], but it's part of this league and you've just got to be ready to play," he said. "They've got a great front seven and we've really got to be on top of our game, make sure we're making the right reads as runners and our O-line is blocking about as well as they can."

Ogbonnya, who rushed for 37 yards on 11 carries last week in relief of Hardesty, keeps in touch with many of his former teammates.

"I've got good memories. Great people. Great teammates. Great coaches," he said. "A lot of my good friends are there. I spent nearly two seasons there and so it's gonna be fun to go against them. A lot of great friends on defense like and it'll be a good opportunity for us to get better as a team and hopefully come out with a win."

One of Ogbonnaya's good friends, defensive end Antonio Smith, promises to show no mercy. He's tied for seventh in the AFC with 4.5 sacks this season and leads the team with six tackles for a loss.

"No, no slack at all," said Smith. "He might get a little bit extra, just because he is my boy."

Smith hopes his buddy excels with the Browns, but not this Sunday. "I'm happy for him," he said. "I'm an underdog fan, so if he makes his claim for the Browns, I'm more happy for him. He's my boy, but we've got to hit him. I think he'd understand though. Don't you think?"

Clayton, who spent two games on the Browns' active roster last season, is also looking forward to playing time. He'll spell Ogbonnaya, play some on third down and also play on special teams.

"This is what you play the game for," he said. "I'm a downhill runner. I'll go between the tackles or take it outside, whatever they ask me to do."

Quarterback Colt McCoy, who spent four years with Ogbonnaya at Texas, is looking forward to him having some help this week from Clayton.

"At halftime [Ogbonnaya was] gassed -- and he's on special teams, he's the personal protector in punt. So the guy played almost every play. By the end of the third, fourth quarter when we started to making a run, he's gassed.

"I think getting Thomas caught up to speed where he can come in and protect a little bit, run the ball, I think that'll help us this week."

Things can't really get much worse at the position. Or can they?

Cleveland Browns' Peyton Hillis concedes season has been 'a humbling experience'

By Jodie Valade, The Plain Dealer

BEREA, Ohio -- A year ago, Peyton Hillis wore cowboy boots and an aw-shucks grin whenever he spoke in a corner of the Browns' locker room.

He talked about wrestling hogs and pulling pick-up trucks for workouts back in his tiny Arkansas hometown. He endeared himself to Cleveland fans with his brash running style, and surprised opponents with his physical rushing performances.

These days, the Madden NFL 12 cover boy has to face hordes of cameras and reporters to defend missed charity appearances, missed games with injury and illness, whether he'll sign a contract extension and whether he's still accepted by his own teammates.

Nothing is off-limits, as the 25-year-old Hillis even is asked about his abrupt midseason marriage on the team's off-day last week.

Hillis' announcement that he expects to play Sunday against the Houston Texans after participating in his first pain-free practice -- though limited -- since he strained his left hamstring three weeks ago earned only a handful of questions on Thursday. Instead, how the face of the Browns' franchise has been handling his newfound celebrity, and the missteps he's made as the Browns lost four of their first seven games was the bulk of the focus.

These days, Hillis speaks in the center of the locker room, where media crush around. He's still coming to grips with his cover-boy world.

"It's been a humbling experience," Hillis said. "It's been a whirlwind coming from where I was to where I'm at now. I'm trying to grasp the whole situation and trying to deal with it. It's still a learning process and I'm trying to do the best I can."

Hillis has learned the hard way that public perception is a difficult beast to control. He was criticized when he sat out a game with strep throat, complaints that were exacerbated when he later said he did so at the advice of his agent. Lurking all season has been his unsettled contract extension status, something he said he no longer wants to address with media.

His latest slip was a missed Halloween party Monday for the Cleveland Boys and Girls Club. Hillis apologized again Thursday for what he said was a "miscommunication" with his management, explaining that after finishing treatment for his hamstring injury at 4:30 p.m., he didn't know where he was supposed to be for the party an hour later.

"I didn't know how big a deal it was until the next day," Hillis said. "I feel terrible about that. I still say that's not any excuse. When there's kids involved, you should be there for them."

On other topics, Hillis tried to dispel any negative perceptions:

• On not playing Sunday in San Francisco: "Now that I look back at it, it was too soon, no doubt. I wanted to play and I wanted to get out there. ... I was really excited to go and I probably let my emotions get too high."

• On his marriage last week: "I've always been a guy on the down-low about things. I try to get things done that I want to get done. It was something I really wanted to get done."

• On his relationships inside the locker room: "Me and the teammates are great. There's never been a problem there from my point of view. ... Guys in the locker room, they understand a lot of situations. And other situations they probably don't understand, you talk about it with them, then they understand."

• On whether Browns fans still support him: "The fans have always been great to me. They're great fans. You owe them the world, you try to do the best you can for them, and that's what I've been trying to do lately."

Hillis said he likely pushed his injured hamstring too hard in practice last week when he was back for Wednesday before sitting again. Now, he said his strength and flexibility felt good after Thursday's practice. If it were Sunday, "I could go," he said.

"[But] I'm glad it's not Sunday," he added. "I'd rather have a couple more days to rest and get my mind right."

As controversy has followed him, the Browns' running game has struggled. They're 29th in the NFL with 87.6 yards per game, and last week lost Montario Hardesty to a torn calf muscle. Head coach Pat Shurmur said he's planning on using newly signed running back Thomas Clayton in Houston.

Shurmur, for one, doesn't think Hillis' absence the last two games and most of a third with the hamstring injury and his off-field drama has affected his relationship with teammates.

"The team wants all of the guys to be in there playing all the time," Shurmur said. "I think the team understands that as the season goes on, things happen. I don't see there being any problems between Peyton and his teammates."

But if there are problems with fans, it's something that does concern Hillis.

"I'm human. You get down on yourself when you let people down that care about you or you care about them," he said. "It's been an interesting process for me, but nothing I can't handle and nothing I'm not getting better from."

Because, he said, at the heart of everything is this: "I don't want to let nobody down. That's the last thing I want to do. I just want to go out there and do my best."

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2011/11/cleveland_browns_peyton_hillis_8.html

How Peyton Hillis won Cleveland -- and is losing it: Bill Livingston

By Bill Livingston, The Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Has anyone in this city lost so much goodwill so quickly and in such uncertain circumstances as Peyton Hillis?

Wednesday, the Browns' running back apologized for missing a Boys and Girls Club appearance on Halloween, assigning blame to miscommunication with his "management," which in Hillis' case is his brother, Kyle. Even with that overdue gesture, Hillis is not the same player who won Browns fans' hearts last year, either on or off the field.

At least he did not say he had the miscommunication with LeCharles Bentley, the former Brown who set up the Boys and Girls Club appearance. Bentley has tried to give back to his hometown, even after his Browns career lasted one snap in training camp due to a freak injury. A career-ending staph infection followed.

Hillis is dealing with health issues and a public-relations problem. Certainly, the latter should have been addressed more quickly. LeBron James' merry band of maladroit handlers bungled their PR moment more memorably by far, but Hillis had never before had the same baggage as a player who had not given his all. For his part, Hillis says he will try to make up the missed appearance.

Hillis has played in four of the Browns' seven games so far this season, after emerging as a punishing running, catching and hurdling feature back on last year's team. More than a cult figure, Hillis embodied a give-no-quarter style of play that could have flickered across the nation's Philco and Admiral television sets in black and white in the 1950s, as the ground grew hard and harsh winds off the lake discouraged anything fancy.

He seemed to have pressed the fast-forward button on his career. A seventh-round draft choice by Denver in 2008, he was the fullback for Darren McFadden and Felix Jones in the backfield at Arkansas. Hillis came to the Browns in the Brady Quinn trade. Overnight, he became the fulfillment of former coach Eric Mangini's offensive primitivism. He was such a fan favorite nationwide that he is on the "Madden 2012" video game's cover this season.

Just as quickly, the blossoming talent has withered.

Hillis has been sidelined by medical problems that, while troublesome, are not as readily quantifiable as torn ligaments or broken bones. Strep throat and a hamstring pull have been the culprits. The hamstring injury is not that hard to figure, given his heavy musculature.

But Browns center Alex Mack played so soon after his appendix was removed this season that you wondered if a baseball catcher's chest protector wouldn't have been prudent. Many fans know that the Rams' Jack Youngblood played on a broken leg in the Super Bowl after the 1979 season. Bernie Kosar, the last Browns quarterback who was a consistent winner, has a hockey player's dentition today because he refused to wear a mouthpiece, fearing it would hamper the audibles he called at the line of scrimmage.

Even Terrell Owens, a world-class prima donna, participated -- and played well -- in the only Super Bowl he ever reached with the Eagles, only seven weeks after breaking his leg and snapping an ankle ligament.

In what amounts to a combat sport, Hillis has sat on his stool in the corner. It has not won him the admiration of former players, and it would be no surprise if it did not have something of the same effect in the locker room now.

It is really not fair for any players to question the physical courage and desire to play of another, though. The example of Chicago quarterback Jay Cutler comes to mind. Criticized by -- of all soft-nosed ex-players -- Deion Sanders after leaving last season's NFC Championship Game, Cutler was found to have suffered a torn medial collateral ligament in his knee. He could not possibly have played.

The biggest problem with Hillis is that the missed games, as well as the missed charity event, coincide with a contractual impasse. Missing a charity event for disadvantaged children is not advisable anyway, but it is far less so in such a situation. Hillis simply presses a lot of hot buttons for ordinary people, who are up against far worse than his unextended $600,000 contract.

That's even though Browns president Mike Holmgren said early in the season that he was "trying like crazy" to sign Hillis for the long term. It was the first thread in a web of controversy that is now supported by suspicion and innuendo.

This is a trap both the Browns' front office and Hillis could have avoided. If there is estrangement, neither has profited from it. If there is escape, both should avail themselves of it quickly.

http://www.cleveland.com/livingston/index.ssf/2011/11/how_peyton_hillis_won_clevelan.html

Report: Browns Offer to Hillis Guarantees $3 Million

With contract discussions between the Cleveland Browns and Peyton Hillis still ongoing, reports are now circulating that the team has offered the running back a three-year contract extension that would be worth $16.5 million, with $3 million guaranteed.

WOIO’s Tony Zarella, sports director of Cleveland’s 19 Action News, is reporting that the Browns’ offer is very similar to that of linebacker Chris Gocong, who signed a three-year extension a little over one month ago. The version offered to Hillis would pay the running back $4 million in the first year, $4.5 in the second and $5 million in the third with a signing bonus of $3 million that would be fully guaranteed.

The discussions appear to be at an impasse due to the guaranteed portion of the contract with Hillis looking for anywhere up to $10 million.  The Gocong deal guarantees the linebacker roughly $8 million and appears to be the starting point for both parties with the player feeling he should be compensated more, and the team feeling the contrary.

Hillis is in the final year of his rookie contract, paying him $600,000. He rushed for nearly 1,200 yards in 2010, but has been marred by injuries through much of 2011.

http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/report_browns_offer_to_hillis_guarantees_3_million/7805527

Cleveland Browns running back Montario Hardesty is out for multiple weeks

By Mary Kay Cabot, The Plain Dealer

Berea -- Just when Browns running back Montario Hardesty was getting his swagger back, he suffered a torn right calf muscle against the 49ers and is expected to miss a minimum of two weeks.

"Yes, it will be games," said Browns coach Pat Shurmur. "It will take him a little time to heal up from this injury. I can't tell you how many. It's very, very doubtful he'll play this week. He's in a boot at this point."

The Browns are hoping Hardesty can make it back in a couple of weeks, but it could take longer depending on the severity of the tear and how fast he heals. Shurmur described the injury as "a moderate tear of the medial gastrocnemius" muscle, which is the large muscle in the calf. Full recovery can take as long as six to eight weeks.

The Browns are expecting running back Peyton Hillis to be back from his pulled hamstring this week and be ready for Sunday's game in Houston, but his return is not certain. Hillis practiced last Wednesday, felt sore and sat out the next two days, and missed the San Francisco game. He stood at midfield in a warm-up suit before the game, launching passes toward the goalpost with quarterback Thad Lewis.

Just in case, the Browns will work out running backs in Berea on Tuesday. Among them will be Thomas Clayton, who was on the Browns' practice squad last season and was active for two games. He carried the ball once for zero yards. Clayton was a 2007 sixth-round pick of the 49ers out of Kansas State.

"We'd like to have a guy that can come in that's going to be able to be up and running here in a couple days," said Shurmur. "Typically, those are guys that have some NFL experience.

The Browns also have Chris Ogbonnaya, who was signed off the Texans practice squad Oct. 18 and will be looking forward to facing his former team. Ogbonnaya was pressed into service Sunday and played almost every down, in addition to special teams.

"I commend him for the job he did," said Browns tight end Alex Smith. "The game's not going to stop and wait for anybody, so whoever's up, let's get going."

In reality, the Browns are counting on Hillis to make it through the week and carry the load in Houston.

"We're hopeful," said Shurmur. "He's day to day. So we'll see how he progresses."

Hillis pulled the muscle early in the Raiders game Oct. 16 and has missed the past two games. All told, he's played in only three full games this season, so a strength of the team has become a liability. The Browns were supposed to have Hillis, Hardesty and third-down back Brandon Jackson sharing the load this season. Instead, Jackson was lost for the season to a turf toe injury on Aug. 19 against the Lions, and now Hillis and Hardesty are both ailing.

It's why Ogbonnaya was suddenly the featured back Sunday after less than two weeks with the team.

"Our list of runners has increased," said Shurmur. "We like to think we can still run the football. Whoever's running the ball, whoever's lining up at tailback, will have that opportunity. We've sustained some injuries, and we've had our first, second and third guy get hurt. We just have to keep playing, and I told the team this, too: Once you make the first excuse, it's a slippery slope. There are no excuses."

The Browns also have Armond Smith on the practice squad and Josh Cribbs willing to do anything that's asked of him. Earlier this season, he said not to rule him out playing in the backfield.

"Josh can do a lot of things," said Shurmur. "That'd be a good choice."

But, he added, "We have to go down [to Houston] with a plan to try and beat them, regardless of who's playing."

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2011/10/cleveland_browns_running_back_21.html