CLEVELAND, Ohio — Notes, observations and some facts on the third quarter …

• Ben Roethlisberger is determined to take lead on first drive. After three runs, he’s throwing almost every down. In no-huddle mode, Ben completes passes of 12 yards to Heath Miller, 11 to Antonio Brown and 11 to Mike Wallace.

• A dropped interception at the goal line by Buster Skrine kept alive the Steelers’ drive. Skrine jumped when he didn’t have to and dropped the ball.

• Dimitri Patterson breaks up lob pass to Jerricho Cotchery in the end zone.

• Browns defense holds at the 11. Shaun Suisham’s 29-yard field goal ties score at 6.

• Troy Polamalu steps in front of Evan Moore for interception at Browns’ 43 with 8:22 to go. Seneca Wallace was drifting to the right and throwing off back foot again.

• This Isaac Redman is always spinning, like Montario Hardesty. Tough to lay a lick on him.

• Now Roethlisberger has Steelers back inside Browns 20.

• Jabaal Sheard guessed wrong and jumped offsides. Steelers at the 7. Redman plows in for a 7-yard TD run.

• Needing to up the tempo, Wallace connects twice with Cribbs for 11 and 21 yards, and then keeps it for 20 yards to Steelers’ 24.

• Ryan Clark blitz scores a sack of Wallace back to Steelers’ 31. Then a holding call on Alex Mack moves it back 10 more.

• Phil Dawson makes 49-yard field goal to cut Steelers’ lead to 13-9 after Mike Tomlin declined a 10-yard holding penalty on third down.

BEREA, Ohio — Forget everything Peyton Hillis has said and done this season. Well, most of it, at least. He’d appreciate if you didn’t remember the public missteps he had with Browns management about his contract renegotiations, the medical advice he took from his agent to skip a game when he was sick, and the closed-door meeting he had with teammates who reached out to the foundering running back.

And please, most of all, don’t recall the many times Hillis proclaimed he doesn’t believe in the Madden Curse.

Because he does.

“No doubt about it,” Hillis finally admitted Thursday. “Things haven’t worked to my favor this year. There’s a few things that happened that made me believe in curses. Ain’t no doubt about it.”

Blame the first 14 or so weeks of this season on Hillis’ picture on the cover of the “Madden NFL 12″ video game. He finally feels healthy after a nagging hamstring injury knocked him out for five games at midseason, and it showed in his season-high 112 yards rushing Sunday in Baltimore.

He finally feels happy, an attitude that manifested in his cheerful, “Howdy!” to media in the locker room Thursday — and in his declaration that he hopes this isn’t his final game with the Browns because he wants to prove last season’s 1,177 yards weren’t a fluke.

“I really enjoyed my time playing in a Browns uniform, and I hope I can continue to be here,” Hillis said. “I know these past couple games and this game, I’ll play my hardest. I’m going to play my best, and people are going to see that I’ve still got it and I want to be here.”

Hillis is performing not only for the fans he likened to a “second family,” but for Browns management, who appear uncertain on whether they want the running back to return. Head coach Pat Shurmur declined to say Thursday whether the Browns intend to re-sign the soon-to-be free-agent Hillis. On three separate occasions, Shurmur was asked about the possibility of Hillis’ return — including point blank whether he wants Hillis back — and each time Shurmur said that the decision will require off-season evaluation.

“I think, as we look at our roster and we look at building our team . . . we’ve got to consider everything,” Shurmur said. “One thing you’ve seen about Peyton is that, in the last month or so, he’s gotten himself healthy and he’s performed well. I think that’s the Peyton everyone was used to seeing a year ago.”

Last week’s 4.7 yards per carry against the Ravens was the highest mark for Hillis this season, surpassing last season’s 4.4 yards per carry. He’s averaged 105.5 yards per game the past two contests, bouncing back from just 25 yards in the most recent meeting against Pittsburgh, when he was also battling a hip injury.

“I just feel people can see, when I’m 100 percent, I am running hard,” Hillis said. “I can do pretty good. That’s what I want people to see. . . . I want people to see that I’m not a one-hit wonder.”

Madden Curse or not, Hillis said this season has been a learning experience, but he believes “there’s no such thing as accidents. . . . This is the way it’s supposed to be.”

“It’s kind of funny how things worked out, but at the end of the day, I’m really happy with where I’m at,” Hillis said. “I’m a truly happy person. When I look back on this 15, 20 years from now, I’m probably going to just laugh.”

More than proving he can battle back from the Madden Curse, however, Hillis wants to use Sunday’s game against the Steelers to show his appreciation for Browns fans who have continued to support him through his trying season.

“I’d love to come back here,” Hillis said. “I’m a Cleveland Brown at heart. Ever since I’ve been here, I fell in love with the fans and the city and the people who live here. They’ve been nothing but 100 percent supportive. They’re everything. When I talk to them, it’s good to have a second-family backing like that. All I can do is go out there and do my best, and we’ll see what happens.”

Jauron back? Browns defensive coordinator Dick Jauron has already been a head coach in the NFL, but when asked Thursday whether he would like to return next season in his current position, he didn’t hesitate.

“I would love to do this again,” Jauron said. “Absolutely. I would obviously like to win a lot more games. To be in the NFL is an unbelievable honor and treat. . . . I really like it [being in Cleveland]. I like the old rivalries, I like the history. I’ve really enjoyed it. This is a great place to work.”

The Browns’ defense is 10th in the NFL, yielding an average of 330.5 yards per game.

Hardesty healthy but sitting: Last Sunday, for the first time in a long time, Montario Hardesty felt fully healthy. But the running back didn’t have a single carry.

Shurmur said Hillis’ resurgence is to blame.

“As we’ve always talked about, if Peyton Hillis is healthy, he’s our starting running back,” Shurmur said. “I think, at this point, Montario’s coming back from an injury he had that limited him for quite a while. There’s no real reason.”

For his part, Hardesty said he’s ready to play when needed, and he has made sure his coach knows he’s healthy.

“He knows I want to play. He knows I’m 100 percent,” Hardesty said.

Quick hits: Quinton Spears returned to practice on a limited basis Thursday after suffering a concussion against the Ravens. . . . Quarterback Colt McCoy (concussion), receiver Jordan Norwood (concussion) and offensive lineman Tony Pashos (stomach illness) missed practice Thursday. . . . Steelers safety Troy Polamalu (knee) hasn’t practiced this week. . . . Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (ankle) participated fully in practice for Pittsburgh each of the past two days. . . . Linebacker James Harrison participated fully in practice after missing Wednesday with a neck injury.

Browns running back Montario Hardesty still hopes to salvage what’s left of his lost season.

“I definitely want to finish out these two games strong,” said Hardesty, who’s carried the ball in one of the past seven games because of his torn calf muscle. “I’ve been really frustrated with this calf injury. It really hindered me a lot this year, but I have two more chances to go out and play.”

Hardesty made the trip to Arizona and was active for the game, but stood on the sidelines and didn’t play. Meanwhile, Peyton Hillis rushed for 99 yards.

“The calf was sore last week,” said Hardesty. “I was ready if they needed me, but they didn’t.”

On Tuesday, Hardesty practiced full-go, and is hoping to see the field in Baltimore — against the Ravens’ second-ranked run defense.

“It feels a lot better” Hardesty said of the calf. “I got a lot of reps [Tuesday] and it felt good. Hopefully it will continue to improve throughout the week.”

Hardesty said he never dreamt the calf would cost him most of his season when he felt a twinge on Oct. 30 in San Francisco. He carried the ball 11 times for 24 yards at Pittsburgh on Dec. 8. But he emerged sore from that game and had to rest again.

“I’d love to have a chance to play against Baltimore and Pittsburgh,” he said. “Both are great defenses. We have to find a way to win these games.”

Two new players: As expected, the Browns placed linebacker Titus Brown on injured reserve with his right knee injury and tight end Alex Smith on IR with his shoulder injury.

To replace them, the Browns signed linebacker Brian Smith off their practice squad and signed tight end Dan Gronkowski as a free agent.

Gronkowski is the brother of Patriots’ tight end Rob Gronkowski, who has set the NFL record for TD receptions by a tight end with 15 this season. Their other brother, Chris, is a fullback for the Colts. Dan Gronkowski spent five games with the Patriots this season, with one start. He was waived Nov. 8.

“I stayed in Foxborough,” said Gronkowski. “I had an apartment with my brother and was training. It paid off I guess, I felt pretty good out there. I didn’t feel like I’d been out that long.”

Gronkowski (6-5, 255 pounds) a seventh-round pick of the Lions in 2009 out of Maryland, said he used his time off to get bigger, which should help his blocking.

“I definitely can help in that area,” he said. “I’m definitely built to be a blocker, a little heavier. In the next two games I’ll do what I can.”

Gronkowski said he’s happy for Rob, who’s having blockbuster season.

“My brothers and I, we’re all best friends and we root for each other,” he said. “When he does good, it makes us all feel good and I mean, he’s a great player and I say that he’s learned everything from me. He set records this year and stuff and he’s an amazing player and he’s just going to get better.”

Brian Smith was signed by the Browns as an undrafted free agent out of Notre Dame, but waived at the end of camp. In Week 12, he was signed to the practice squad.

“It’s a blessing to be back and I’m just the kind of guy that stays resilient, keeps working at it, and when I get my shot I’m going to take full advantage of it,” said Smith.

Concussion update: Browns fullback Owen Marecic practiced Tuesday and is expecting to play in Baltimore despite suffering his second concussion in four weeks on Dec. 8 in Pittsburgh. He said no one has discussed shutting him down for the season.

“It never really came to my mind,” he said. “I can’t speak for anybody else, but it never came up in conversation.”

Marecic said he changed helmets in hopes of preventing another concussion. Eight Browns players have suffered 11 concussions this season.

In other concussion news, receiver Jordan Norwood and linebacker Ben Jacobs both sat out Tuesday with theirs. With Norwood likely to sit, Carlton Mitchell figures to get some playing time.

“I think there’s definitely a chance,” said Mitchell.

Other injuries: Cornerback Joe Haden sat out practice with a thigh bruise, but said he’ll play in Baltimore. . . . Safety T.J. Ward (foot) also sat out, but is still hopeful he can play Saturday.

Read More: Kerry Rhodes (S – ARI), Sean Considine (DB – ARI), Tony Pashos (OL – CLE), Dave Zastudil (P – ARI), Artis Hicks (OT – CLE), Brandon Keith (OT – ARI), Shawn Lauvao (OL – CLE), Colt McCoy (QB – CLE), T.J. Ward (DB – CLE), Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals are playing their best football of the season and they will look to continue their winning ways this Sunday against a struggling Cleveland Browns team. Fortunately for the Cardinals, it appears they will have most of their starters healthy and ready to go for Sunday. Beanie Wells is reportedly healthy and ready to go for Arizona, while quarterback Colt McCoy will miss the game with a concussion.

Here is the full injury report from Friday:

Cardinals:

• Did Not Participate In Practice: S Sean Considine (foot)
• Limited Participation: T Brandon Keith (ankle), QB Kevin Kolb (head), LB Joey Porter (knee), WR DeMarco Sampson (ribs), P Dave Zastudil (biceps)
• Full Participation: LB Clark Haggans (hamstring), TE Rob Housler (shoulder), S Kerry Rhodes (foot), RB Chris Wells (knee)

Browns:

• Did Not Participate In Practice: RB Owen Marecic (head, ankle), QB Colt McCoy (head, left hand), DT Brian Schaefering (ankle), S T.J. Ward (foot), TE Benjamin Watson (head)
• Limited Participation: WR Joshua Cribbs (groin), RB Montario Hardesty (calf), G Artis Hicks (shoulder), G Shawn Lauvao (ankle), T Tony Pashos (ankle), LB Quinton Spears (hamstring)
• Full Participation: DE Jabaal Sheard (forearm)

For more on the Cardinals, head on over to Revenge Of The Birds.

By Alex Boeder

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Dec 14, 2011 – Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy was sent home before Wednesday’s practice with a headache as he was held out of practice again. McCoy sustained a concussion following a hit by Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison in Week 14.

McCoy was not checked for a concussion on the sideline during the game, which has put Cleveland under the microscope since the game. On Wednesday, Browns President Mike Holmgren said that McCoy was not checked for a concussion because he did not exhibit any signs of a head injury, via the Associated Press.

“He didn’t display any signs of a concussion,” Holmgren said during a nearly one-hour news conference.

Meanwhile, three other Browns also did not practice on Wednesday: wide receiver Joshua Cribbs (groin), running back Owen Marecic (head) and tight end Benjamin Watson (head). Four others were limited in practice: guard Shawn Lauvao (ankle), tackle Tony Pashos (ankle), linebacker Quinton Spears (hamstring) and safety T.J. Ward (foot).

The good news was that running back Montario Hardesty (calf) and defensive end Jabaal Sheard (forearm) participated fully in practice on Wednesday.

Read More: James Harrison (LB – PIT), Colt McCoy (QB – CLE), Cleveland Browns

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