CBSSports.com wire reports
Nov. 20, 2011

CLEVELAND — Colt McCoy took a knee on Cleveland’s sideline, closed his eyes and the young quarterback asked for some help from above.

This week, the Browns got it.

“There’s nothing wrong with praying,” McCoy said.

Jacksonville rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert’s pass into the end zone on the game’s last play was incomplete, allowing the Browns to escape with a 14-10 win over the Jaguars on Sunday.

As McCoy watched helplessly, Gabbert rifled a 3-yard pass high over the middle that was off the mark and caromed off wide receiver Mike Thomas’ outstretched hands, and the Browns (4-6) celebrated a win they nearly gave away.

“We deserved this one,” McCoy said. “Our team deserved this.”

Last week, the Browns lost 13-12 to the St. Louis Rams when Cleveland botched a snap and reliable kicker Phil Dawson missed a 22-yard field goal try. This one nearly ended under similar circumstances as Jacksonville’s final drive was set up by Dawson missing a 38-yarder that sailed over the top of the right post.

“Everybody played their hearts out and it’s about time it went our way,” said Browns linebacker D’Qwell Jackson, who covered Thomas tightly on the final play. “We knew it was up to us. Right there. We had to make the play and we did.”

McCoy shook off an apparent shoulder injury and threw a 3-yard TD pass to Josh Cribbs in the fourth to give Cleveland a 14-10 lead. But Dawson’s stunning miss with 2:49 left gave the Jaguars (3-7) a final chance and Gabbert, who had some good and bad moments, nearly pulled off the comeback.

“It’s not the ending we were looking for,” said Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio, who defended his use of the clock in the final minute. “It’s not the first time this year we’ve had the opportunity. We’re really looking for that breakout, game-winning drive. We had a chance for our quarterback to take us down. He took us down. We were knocking on the door. We just couldn’t close it out.”

Chris Ogbonnaya rushed for 115 yards and scored on a 1-yard run for Cleveland, ending a TD drought at home that lasted more than 158 minutes. The Browns had scoring drives of 87 and 85 yards, rarities in the offense’s first season under coach Pat Shurmur.

But Shurmur knows he can count on his defense, and the Browns’ didn’t disappoint.

“I did trust that we would get them stopped,” Shurmur said. “I trust our defense.”

The Browns appeared in control when Dawson booted his 38-yarder toward the goal post. However, the officials standing directly under the uprights ruled the high kick went wide right. Dawson argued that his kick should have counted, but referee Terry McAulay announced the attempt could not be reviewed because it sailed above the post.

“The way we saw it was part of the ball was outside of the outside edge of the upright,” said McAulay, whose crew had a few other tough calls to make.

Gabbert then drove the Jaguars down the field and Jacksonville caught a break when Browns cornerback Joe Haden was called for interference in the final minute on third down.

Maurice Jones-Drew was stopped twice inside the 5, and the Browns were fortunate when Gabbert’s pass on second-and-goal went off wide receiver Jason Hill’s chest in the back corner of the end zone with 3 seconds left. Haden believed he got a hand on Gabbert’s throw.

That set up a dramatic finale, and this one went Cleveland’s way, giving the Browns a much-needed win before their schedule gets rougher.

Jackson said he was ready for the pass.

“I anticipated the play and that’s a tough route to cover because he’s kind of going away,” Jackson said. “He came into my zone and I went with him. His arms went up, I saw that. I put my arms up. He didn’t catch it, that’s all I know and all that matters.”

Del Rio was asked why he didn’t hand the ball to Jones-Drew on the last play.

“You can make a case for doing that,” Del Rio said. “You can guess any number of plays when you don’t connect. We had two guys with the ball in the air in the vicinity – missed opportunities.”

McCoy completed 17 of 24 passes for 199 yards. And while his numbers were efficient, the second-year QB again showed he’s a gamer by staying in despite hurting his right shoulder. Afterward, McCoy said his shoulder was “OK” but didn’t know if he would need an MRI.

Shurmur doesn’t need any proof that McCoy, who was down on himself following a key interception near Jacksonville’s end zone in the third, can handle himself physically.

“Colt has taken some licks this year,” Shurmur said. “He bounced back well. He is learning to forget a bad play and move on.”

Gabbert was 22 of 41 for 210 yards, and Jones-Drew rushed for 87 yards on 21 carries.

Josh Scobee kicked a 42-yard field goal to bring the Jaguars within 14-10 with 5:39 left.

The Browns finally found their way into the end zone in the second quarter, when Ogbonnaya’s first career TD, a 1-yard run, tied it at 7.

It was Cleveland’s first touchdown at home since Oct. 2, a drought of 158 minutes, 15 seconds — or 2 hours, 38 minutes and 15 seconds, nearly the length of time it takes to play an entire NFL game.

“We’re starting to do things right,” McCoy said.

Jones-Drew powered up the middle for a 6-yard TD run, capping Jacksonville’s 92-yard scoring drive that devoured 9:32 off the clock. Jones-Drew dragged two defenders into the end zone and followed with a celebration designed to irk Cleveland fans by imitating the powder toss NBA superstar LeBron James started while he played for the Cavaliers.

Notes

• Browns rookie WR Greg Little had five catches for 59 yards.
• Browns WR Mohamed Massaquoi had two catches after missing the previous two games with a concussion.
• Jaguars LBs Clint Session, Matt Roth and RB Kevin Rutland left with head injuries. Del Rio provided no details on the injuries.

One measly yard proved to be too long for Jacksonville.
The Jaguars’ comeback came up short. They couldn’t take the final step.
Rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert threw an incomplete pass into the end zone on the game’s last snap, capping a curious sequence of plays by Jacksonville in the closing seconds and giving the Cleveland Browns a 14-10 win Sunday over the Jaguars.
Gabbert, who had some good and bad moments, threw behind wide receiver Mike Thomas in the middle of the end zone with the ball bouncing off Thomas’s outstretched hands, denying the Jaguars (3-7) a victory that was within reach.
“Plain and simple, I have to make a play,” Gabbert said. “I have to find a way for us to score. That’s on me. I have to learn from that and get better. At the end of the day, it’s my job to score a touchdown.”
After Browns kicker Phil Dawson missed a 38-yard field goal with less than three minutes left, Gabbert drove Jacksonville from its own 29 to Cleveland’s 5, helped along by a pass interference call against the Browns. But with the end zone and a thrilling victory right in front of them, the Jaguars got bogged down when they couldn’t afford to.
On third down, Maurice Jones-Drew picked up 3 yards and a first at Cleveland’s 2 with 33 seconds left. Coach Jack Del Rio elected not to use his only timeout, and by the time the Jaguars snapped the ball again, 20 seconds had elapsed. Jones-Drew then picked up another yard and Del Rio called time with 8 seconds left.
Del Rio said the play took too long to run.
“We were way too deliberate,” Del Rio said. “You get lined up in that situation for sure. It wasn’t a matter of the timeout after that play, it was a matter of how long we sat there to get that (first down) play off. It was not what it needed to be.”
On second down, Gabbert’s pass to the back corner of the end zone bounced off wide receiver Jason Hill’s chest with 3 seconds left. Browns cornerback Joe Haden believed he got a hand on Gabbert’s throw.
Then, on the final play, Gabbert couldn’t connect with Thomas, allowing the Browns to escape.
Gabbert wasn’t going to second-guess anything that happened. He just wants to learn from the experience.
“Hindsight is 20-20,” said Gabbert, who went 22 of 41 for 210 yards. “Everyone is going to have their opinion and think they have the best play to call, but it’s our job to go out and execute. We’ve got to put the ball in the end zone.”
Jones-Drew rushed for 87 yards and a 6-yard TD.
Del Rio was asked why he didn’t give the ball to his best player on the last play.
“”You can make a case for doing that,” Del Rio said. “You can guess any number of plays when you don’t connect. We had two guys with the ball in the air in the vicinity — missed opportunities.”
Jones-Drew didn’t second-guess the late-game decisions. He reasoned that wouldn’t change the final score.
“It hurts every time you lose, especially when you have an opportunity to win,” he said. “We’ve just got to keep working. Somehow, some way, the locker room has to get tired of losing. That’s on the offensive side. Ten points is not going to win the game in this league at all. Our defense has been good week after week. We’ve got to make plays.
“If you can’t make plays, there’s no need to be playing football.”
When the Jaguars moved inside Cleveland’s 10, quarterback Colt McCoy took a knee on the sideline, closed his eyes and the young quarterback asked for some help from above.
This week, the Browns got it.
“There’s nothing wrong with praying,” McCoy said. “We deserved this one.”
Last week, the Browns lost 13-12 to the St. Louis Rams when Cleveland botched a snap and reliable kicker Phil Dawson missed a 22-yard field goal try. This one nearly ended under similar circumstances as Jacksonville’s final drive was set up by Dawson missing a 38-yarder that sailed over the top of the right post.
“Everybody played their hearts out and it’s about time it went our way,” said Browns linebacker D’Qwell Jackson, who covered Thomas tightly on the final play. “We knew it was up to us. Right there. We had to make the play and we did.”
McCoy shook off an apparent shoulder injury and threw a 3-yard TD pass to Josh Cribbs in the fourth to give Cleveland a 14-10 lead. But Dawson’s stunning miss with 2:49 left gave the Jaguars (3-7) a final chance and Gabbert, who had some good and bad moments, nearly pulled off the comeback.
Notes: Browns RB Chris Ogbonnaya rushed for 115 yards and scored on a 1-yard run … Jaguars LBs Clint Session, Matt Roth and CB Kevin Rutland left with head injuries. Del Rio provided no details. … Jaguars TE Mercedes Lewis had 7 catches for 64 yards. … Jaguars S Dawan Landry intercepted McCoy near the end zone in the third. … Jacksonville’s TD drive took 18 plays, covered 92 yards and ate up 9:53.

CLEVELAND (AP) —
Colt McCoy
took a knee on Cleveland’s sideline, closed his eyes and the young quarterback asked for some help from above.

This week, the Browns got it.

“There’s nothing wrong with praying,” McCoy said.

Jacksonville rookie quarterback
Blaine Gabbert
‘s pass into the end zone on the game’s last play was incomplete, allowing the Browns to escape with a 14-10 win over the
Jaguars on Sunday.

As McCoy watched helplessly, Gabbert rifled a 3-yard pass high over the middle that was off the mark and caromed off wide
receiver
Mike Thomas
‘ outstretched hands, and the Browns (4-6) celebrated a win they nearly gave away.

“We deserved this one,” McCoy said. “Our team deserved this.”

Last week, the Browns lost 13-12 to the St. Louis Rams when Cleveland botched a snap and reliable kicker
Phil Dawson
missed a 22-yard field goal try. This one nearly ended under similar circumstances as Jacksonville’s final drive was set up
by Dawson missing a 38-yarder that sailed over the top of the right post.

“Everybody played their hearts out and it’s about time it went our way,” said Browns linebacker D’Qwell Jackson, who covered
Thomas tightly on the final play. “We knew it was up to us. Right there. We had to make the play and we did.”

McCoy shook off an apparent shoulder injury and threw a 3-yard TD pass to Josh Cribbs in the fourth to give Cleveland a 14-10
lead. But Dawson’s stunning miss with 2:49 left gave the Jaguars (3-7) a final chance and Gabbert, who had some good and bad
moments, nearly pulled off the comeback.

“It’s not the ending we were looking for,” said Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio, who defended his use of the clock in the final
minute. “It’s not the first time this year we’ve had the opportunity. We’re really looking for that breakout, game-winning
drive. We had a chance for our quarterback to take us down. He took us down. We were knocking on the door. We just couldn’t
close it out.”

Chris Ogbonnaya
rushed for 115 yards and scored on a 1-yard run for Cleveland, ending a TD drought at home that lasted more than 158 minutes.
The Browns had scoring drives of 87 and 85 yards, rarities in the offense’s first season under coach Pat Shurmur.

But Shurmur knows he can count on his defense, and the Browns’ didn’t disappoint.

“I did trust that we would get them stopped,” Shurmur said. “I trust our defense.”

The Browns appeared in control when Dawson booted his 38-yarder toward the goal post. However, the officials standing directly
under the uprights ruled the high kick went wide right. Dawson argued that his kick should have counted, but referee Terry
McAulay announced the attempt could not be reviewed because it sailed above the post.

“The way we saw it was part of the ball was outside of the outside edge of the upright,” said McAulay, whose crew had a few
other tough calls to make.

Gabbert then drove the Jaguars down the field and Jacksonville caught a break when Browns cornerback
Joe Haden
was called for interference in the final minute on third down.

Maurice Jones-Drew was stopped twice inside the 5, and the Browns were fortunate when Gabbert’s pass on second-and-goal went
off wide receiver
Jason Hill
‘s chest in the back corner of the end zone with 3 seconds left. Haden believed he got a hand on Gabbert’s throw.

That set up a dramatic finale, and this one went Cleveland’s way, giving the Browns a much-needed win before their schedule
gets rougher.

Jackson said he was ready for the pass.

“I anticipated the play and that’s a tough route to cover because he’s kind of going away,” Jackson said. “He came into my
zone and I went with him. His arms went up, I saw that. I put my arms up. He didn’t catch it, that’s all I know and all that
matters.”

Del Rio was asked why he didn’t hand the ball to Jones-Drew on the last play.

“You can make a case for doing that,” Del Rio said. “You can guess any number of plays when you don’t connect. We had two
guys with the ball in the air in the vicinity – missed opportunities.”

McCoy completed 17 of 24 passes for 199 yards. And while his numbers were efficient, the second-year QB again showed he’s
a gamer by staying in despite hurting his right shoulder. Afterward, McCoy said his shoulder was “OK” but didn’t know if he
would need an MRI.

Shurmur doesn’t need any proof that McCoy, who was down on himself following a key interception near Jacksonville’s end zone
in the third, can handle himself physically.

“Colt has taken some licks this year,” Shurmur said. “He bounced back well. He is learning to forget a bad play and move on.”

Gabbert was 22 of 41 for 210 yards, and Jones-Drew rushed for 87 yards on 21 carries.

Josh Scobee
kicked a 42-yard field goal to bring the Jaguars within 14-10 with 5:39 left.

The Browns finally found their way into the end zone in the second quarter, when Ogbonnaya’s first career TD, a 1-yard run,
tied it at 7.

It was Cleveland’s first touchdown at home since Oct. 2, a drought of 158 minutes, 15 seconds – or 2 hours, 38 minutes and
15 seconds, nearly the length of time it takes to play an entire NFL game.

“We’re starting to do things right,” McCoy said.

Jones-Drew powered up the middle for a 6-yard TD run, capping Jacksonville’s 92-yard scoring drive that devoured 9:32 off
the clock. Jones-Drew dragged two defenders into the end zone and followed with a celebration designed to irk Cleveland fans
by imitating the powder toss NBA superstar LeBron James started while he played for the Cavaliers.

Notes: Browns rookie WR
Greg Little
had 5 catches for 59 yards. … Browns WR
Mohamed Massaquoi
had 2 catches after missing the previous two games with a concussion. … Jaguars LBs
Clint Session
,
Matt Roth
and RB
Kevin Rutland
left with head injuries. Del Rio provided no details on the injuries.

© 2011 STATS LLC

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Beginning 10 a.m. Tuesday, the Browns will finally have a chance to improve their roster through trades and free agency, but they’ve been cautioning fans for months not to expect an overhaul in what promises to be a frenzied week.

“We won’t go gung-ho in free agency,” General Manager Tom Heckert said recently. “Our philosophy is to build this team through the draft and that’s what we intend to do.”

On Tuesday, teams can make trades, sign drafted and undrafted rookies, and begin negotiating with free agents. They can start signing free agents — their own and others’ — Friday at 6 p.m.

As of Monday afternoon, the Browns weren’t expecting to make any trades, and were hoping to land two or three key free agents.

“We’ve been talking about our plan, the players [we want to pursue], for a long, long time,” Browns President Mike Holmgren said on the team’s radio show on WKNR. He said the team hopes to add “certain free agents that can come in and make an impact with us right away.”

He identified receiver, defensive line and cornerback as positions the Browns have identified, “but we will not go wholesale in free agency.”

Of the Browns’ 15 unrestricted free agents, there are several they’d like to re-sign and others they’ll let walk. Heckert traded for defensive end Jayme Mitchell last season and has already made it clear he wants him back. Mitchell, who was overlooked last season by coach Eric Mangini, is penciled in as the starting left end and is a better fit in the new 4-3.

The Browns will also try to re-sign cornerback Eric Wright, who was tendered in off-season, but is now an unrestricted free agent under the new collective bargaining agreement because of his four accrued seasons.

Wright, who’s coming off a tumultuous 2010 season in which he received death threats, has said he’d like to return. It’s not known if the Browns intend to pursue starting safety Abe Elam. If not, there are a number of good safeties available, including the Eagles’ Quintin Mikell, who was signed by Heckert as an undrafted free agent out of Boise State in 2003. Mikell, a great special teams player, went on to start for the Eagles at strong safety the past four seasons. In 2009, he made the Pro Bowl.

Some Browns not expected back include linebacker Matt Roth and fullback Lawrence Vickers. Roth has said he wants to play in a 3-4 and Vickers became expendable when the Browns drafted fullback Owen Marecic out of Stanford.

Defensive end Robaire Smith, another unrestricted free agent, said earlier this month that he’d like to re-sign with the Browns and is recovered from the spine bruise that landed him on injured reserve last season. Smith said reports of the injury being career-threatening were overblown and he feels as good as ever. Whether or not the Browns re-sign the 12th-year pro depends on their medical evaluation.

The Browns restricted third-year tight end Evan Moore in the off-season and would like to keep him. They would receive a second-round pick in 2012 if he signs elsewhere. They have yet to hear from kicker Phil Dawson, whom they franchised in March. If Dawson leaves, the Browns would receive two first-round picks in return.

Some big-name free agents who might fit their needs in addition to Mikell include Vikings receiver Sidney Rice, Vikings defensive end Ray Edwards, Panthers defensive end Charles Johnson, Bengals cornerback Johnathan Joseph, Chargers safety Eric Weddle, Ravens safety Dawan Landry and Colts safety Melvin Bullitt.

Rice underwent hip surgery last season and didn’t play until November, but had a sensational 2009, with 83 catches for 1,12 yards and eight TDs en route to the Pro Bowl. Edwards had eight sacks for the Vikings and Johnson had 11.5 for the Panthers.

Weddle, Landry and Bullitt are all starting-caliber safeties in their prime.

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Now that the NFL lockout is over, here are some of the Cleveland Browns stories you may have missed — or would like to re-visit – from The Plain Dealer and on cleveland.com over the past several weeks.

Take a look at what PD Browns beat writers Tony Grossi and Mary Kay Cabot reported, what columnists Terry Pluto, Bill Livingston and Bud Shaw had to say, and more.

Meanwhile, keep updated on Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Browns coverage here.

Browns and more Browns

Today, Monday, July 25, Grossi analyzes who the winners and losers are in the new contract between the NFL and its players.

The Browns are considering their options as free agency is about to begin, Cabot writes today.

Common sense prevailed in the settlement, Shaw writes today.

The contract agreement is good news for the Browns, who have no excuse to not build toward playoff contention, Pluto writes today.

Grossi today analyzes the Browns’ roster and needs now that the lockout is over.

Livingston comments today that the lockout leaves the Browns further behind other teams in their season preparation.

Today’s Starting Blocks poll asks “Which top free agent should the Browns pursue?”

“Terry Pluto’s Talkin’ ” about the Browns’ offense on Sunday (yesterday).

Sunday’s edition of “Hey, Tony,!” the weekly feature in which Grossi answers readers’ questions.

Grossi wrote on Saturday that Browns president Mike Holmgren was optimistic the players would agree to a new labor deal in “the next couple days,” as proved to be right.  

Grossi wrote on Saturday, too, that first-year Browns coach Pat Shurmur’s plans were being delayed by the lockout.

The lockout forced the NFL to cancel the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Grossi reported on July 21.

The Browns need to be aggressive in adding talent when the lockout ends, Pluto wrote on July 19.

On July 18, Grossi wrote about the new book authored by Browns quarterback Colt McCoy and his dad, Brad. A highlight is McCoy telling his teammates before his first NFL start, against the Steelers in Pittsburgh: “If you want to be scared, be scared. I’m not…”

Issues addressed in Grossi’s July 17 “Hey, Tony!” include the readiness of the Browns’ front office once the lockout ends.

Grossi talks about the Browns on the July 15 edition of Starting Blocks TV.

Returner-receiver Josh Cribbs talks about the rapport among the Browns offensive players at “Camp Colt IV.” A July 13 report among those filed by Cabot from the informal Browns workouts hosted by McCoy in Austin, Texas.

Linebacker Scott Fujita talks about the Browns defense going to the 4-3. A July 12 story by Cabot from the workouts in Texas.

Colt McCoy compliments his teammates on the players-only workouts, Cabot wrote from Austin on July 11.

The Browns’ first draft pick, defensive lineman Phil Taylor, enjoys “Camp Colt IV,” writes Cabot from Texas on July 11.

Defensive end Robaire Smith wants to re-sign with the Browns, reported Cabot on July 10.

The Browns will have a combination of problems once the lockout ends, Grossi wrote on July 7.

Running back Peyton Hillis is making sure he’s prepared for the 2011 season — not letting his appearance on the cover of Madden 12, or the lockout, deter him. A June 25 feature story by Cabot.

Colt McCoy credits his teammates for the success of the first three player-organized workout camps, Cabot wrote on June 24.

Coach Pat Shurmur says the Browns have the foundation to be a good team, Cabot reported on June 20.

The Browns once explored the possibility of former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel as their coach, wrote Grossi on June 11.

The Browns won’t pursue free agent wide receiver Plaxico Burress, according to a source, Cabot reported on June 7.

It seems that linebacker Matt Roth feels he won’t remain with the Browns, Grossi wrote on June 5.

The Browns have big tight ends who can catch the football. From the June 5 “Terry Pluto’s Talkin.’ “

Fullback Lawrence Vickers is baffled by the Browns taking another fullback, Owen Marecic, in the fourth round of the draft. A report by Grossi on June 4.

Grossi’s May 29 edition of “Hey, Tony!” includes several questions that remain relevant weeks later.

Locked out from trying to catch on with a team, undrafted rookie free agents try to remain hopeful. A May 22 story by Bill Lubinger.

A May 20 story by Cabot about rookie wide receiver Greg Little, a second-round Browns draft pick.

The May 14 “Terry Pluto’s Talkin’ ” includes notes on the Browns new West Coast offense. 

A May 12 report by Cabot on the Browns’ second players-only camp.

The Browns conducted the draft with a long-term approach, Pluto writes.

Grossi’s May 7th analysis of how the Browns’ AFC North rivals did in the draft.

In the aftermath of the Browns’ draft-day trade, on May 4 Grossi looks at how previous Browns’ draft-day deals have worked out.

Colt McCoy says that his shoulder feels as good as ever, reports Cabot on May 2.

General manager Tom Heckert stuck to his principles in how he conducted the draft, Pluto wrote on May 2.

Video on May 2 of Mike Holmgren, Tom Heckert and Pat Shurmur summarizing the draft. By David I. Andersen.

Comments on the Browns’ draft by Shaw on April 30.

Grossi’s April 30 report on the Browns’ busy final day of the draft.

An April 30 story by Cabot on fourth-round draft pick Jordan Cameron, a tight end.

Cabot’s April 29 story on a Browns’ second-round pick, defensive end Jabaal Sheard. 

The Browns pick Jabaal Sheard and Greg Little in the second round. Details in Grossi’s April 29 story.

Defensive tackle Phil Taylor was drafted by the Browns when he should have been – in the first round – writes Pluto on April 29.

Grossi’s April 28 story sums up the Browns’ first day of the draft, as they make a major trade that leads to their pick of Phil Taylor in the first round.