CLEVELAND, Ohio — Few things went right, obviously, for the 2011 Cleveland Browns during their 4-12 season.

Two rookie defensive linemen, however, did provide some optimism for the team’s future.

First-round draft pick Phil Taylor showed promise, playing alongside solid veteran Ahtyba Rubin.

Defensive end Jabaal Sheard, a second-round pick, was even better, emerging as one of the Browns’ few playmakers on either side of the ball.

Mike Wilkening of ProFootballWeekly.com writes the Browns rookie report, including:

DE Jabaal Sheard — Sheard finished his first NFL season in fine form, recording another sack and six tackles. Sheard led the Browns this season with 8½ sacks, the second-most by a Cleveland rookie since sacks became an official statistics. Like fellow rookie Phil Taylor, Sheard started all 16 games on the Cleveland defensive line.

DT Phil Taylor — The Browns’ first-round pick recorded 59 tackles and four sacks in 2011, showing considerable potential. He made two tackles in Week 17.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Browns coverage includes Tony Grossi’s story on Browns coach Pat Shurmur beginning his search for an offensive coordinator; video, by David I. Andersen, of Tony Grossi and Mary Kay Cabot discussing the offseason ahead for the Browns; a Starting Blocks poll asking what the most important offseason move for the Browns would be; “Bud Shaw’s Sports Spin;” and much more.

Goal to goal

The Browns’ problems lie with their offense. By Dave Hackenberg of the Toledo Blade.

The top job for Pat Shurmur is to bring back some hope for the team, writes Chad Conant for the Marion Star.

The Browns should keep Colt McCoy as their starting quarterback, Tom Misson writes for newsnet5.com.

Game-by-game review of the Browns’ season. A Bleacher Report slideshow.

Why the Browns shouldn’t pursue Peyton Manning. By Steve DiMatteo for the blog “Dawg Pound Daily.”

There’s not much to expect from a Mike Holmgren/Tom Heckert press conference, wriites Craig Lyndall for the blog “Waiting For Next Year.”

Browns players are still optimistic about the future, despite the 2011 win-loss record, writes Fred Greetham for Scout.com’s Orange and Brown Report.

Leave your comments on the news below.

Comment Below!.

At his season-ending press conference, coach Pat Shurmur said he will hire an offensive coordinator. He said he’d consider also allowing the coordinator to call the plays, something Shurmur did last season.

It was a mistake for team President Mike Holmgren to allow Shurmur — a rookie head coach — to also serve as the team’s offensive coordinator and play caller. Yes, Holmgren always called his own plays when he coached. Some head coaches still do it, Shurmur estimated that it’s “eight or nine.” But there are 32 teams, so the vast majority don’t.

This season, Shurmur probably fell into the same trap that snares many who are newly promoted. He tried to do both his old job and his new job.

He had been an offensive coordinator for two years in St. Louis before being hired by the Browns. He came to a new team. A losing team thin on talent. A team with Colt McCoy, a quarterback with only eight pro starts. A team preparing to radically change its offense.

Furthermore, there were no off-season practices or chances for Shurmur to build relationships with the players because of the NFL lockout.

Shurmur explained that he “couldn’t find the right guy” to be the coordinator last season, so he took the job himself. But he also said he knew that he’d hire a coordinator for 2012.

It seemed a strange approach, but that was the decision.

After a 4-12 record with an offense that ranked 29th, Shurmur and the Browns have taken the first step toward facing reality. The offense was not about to improve simply because the strategy was changed. It takes more than the West Coast approach featuring quick, short and mid-range passes to even raise the offense to mediocrity.

Shurmur likes to call the plays and indicated he still may keep that duty.

But it was encouraging to hear him say: “I want to get the best guy I can. If he’s outstanding at calling plays, hey, I want to win games.”

Former Minnesota head coach Brad Childress has been mentioned for the job. Shurmur praised Childress, whom he has known for years. But he declined to say if Childress (or anyone else) is a candidate.

The best approach for Shurmur would be to follow the model he used to pick a defensive coordinator. He selected Dick Jauron, who had extensive experience as both a head coach and a defensive coordinator. It paid off quickly as the defense became the strength of the team.

The Browns have experienced growing pains with so many rookie offensive coordinators: Brian Daboll, Maurice Carthon, Terry Robiskie, Rob Chudzinski, Jeff Davidson and Bruce Arians became NFL offensive coordinators for the first time with the Browns.

All six of these men have been coordinators here since 2001.

Experience isn’t everything, but it does count for something.

You can expect the Browns to make significant changes to their offense in terms of new players at key positions — anything from quarterback to running back to wide receiver. A veteran coordinator is crucial at this stage of development.

Just look at what Jauron did for the Browns defense, whose ranking improved from No. 24 to No. 10 this season.

So it’s encouraging that Shurmur is serious about his search for an offensive coordinator, and he also should give the coordinator the play-calling duties.

Feel free to leave your comments below.

By Tom Withers,

Associated Press

9:18 PM Monday, January 2, 2012

BEREA — The growing pains were agonizing, the mistakes numerous, the progress difficult to spot.

The Cleveland Browns had another one of those seasons.

Losing, though, has its rewards in the NFL, which compensates its worst teams with high draft picks to help them get better. After going 4-12, the Browns, with one of the league’s youngest rosters, will have the No. 4 overall selection in April and Cleveland fans are already frothing at the chance to bring in a college star like Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III to be their savior.

As he packed his bags for the offseason Monday, Browns cornerback Sheldon Brown issued a warning to that line of thinking.

“My thing is, if you’re dependent on a draft pick to come in here and change your life, then you’re kidding yourself,” he said. “This game is too hard.”

It certainly has been for the Browns, who haven’t made the playoff since 2002. They’ve lost at least 11 games in each of the past four seasons and a minimum of 10 in eight of the past nine. Green Bay (15) won more games this season than the Browns (14) have won in the past three seasons — combined.

And consider this stat: The defending Super Bowl champion Packers outscored the Browns 560-218.

It was a turbulent first season in Cleveland for coach Pat Shurmur, who because of the NFL lockout didn’t have an offseason to install his new West Coast offense or get to know his team on the field. He made his share of mistakes, but Brown, who was previously with Shurmur in Philadelphia, is confident Browns president Mike Holmgren hired the right coach.

Shurmur has his detractors, but there’s no denying the Browns, who went 0-6 in the rugged AFC North, played hard for him.

Shurmur will discuss his rollercoaster rookie year today, and Holmgren and general manager Tom Heckert are scheduled to meet the media Thursday, when they’re sure to be grilled about the team’s quarterback situation.

Colt McCoy made 13 starts this season, but missed his final three games with a concussion. The Browns have a better sense of what McCoy is, and there’s a strong argument to be made for sticking with him in 2012 after investing so much time into his development. But if the Browns — particularly Holmgren — don’t think McCoy can take them to a Super Bowl, they may look for a starting QB in free agency, a trade or the draft.

Cleveland’s wild season included costly injuries, endless drama around running back Peyton Hillis, dropped passes, and tough losses. The Browns lost six games by seven points or less, dropping their final three by a total of 13 points.

Gotta run!.

BEREA, Ohio — Browns cornerback Sheldon Brown, who’s seen a lot in his 10 years in the NFL, held court on a getaway day Monday and said he’s not waiting for a college star such as Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III to come in and be the savior of this 4-12 team.

“I’m definitely not, and if you are, you’re crazy,” he said.

Brown stressed that one or two rookies — the Browns will have the fourth overall pick in the April draft and the Falcons’ first-round pick in the 20s, aren’t going to change the fortunes of this rebuilding team, at least not overnight.

“My thing is, if you’re dependent on a draft pick to come in here and change your life, then you’re kidding yourself,” he said. “This game is too hard. There’s too big of a jump to come from college and think that he’s going to come in … who does it? Maybe Randy Moss did it. So you already know the pattern. It’s not that.”

So what will it take for the Browns to compete in the AFC North, where their three foes are skipping off to the playoffs?

“The guys here have to step their game up to another level because they’re experienced,” said Brown. “When you lose close games, you can go back and maybe point to one or two drops, or one or two miscues. When things like that happen, I bet you go back and you say ‘ah, [it was] a young player [who] hadn’t been in that situation. Hadn’t experienced it.’ Well now he’s experienced it and he won’t do it again.

“Most rookies, anyway, they get hurt because they get tired and they don’t understand the speed and the strength of this game at the professional level. So I’m never sold on high draft picks.”

Brown said he’s not spewing lip service when he says the Browns are close to being a good team. They lost six games by seven points or less, and went down to the wire most games with their division rivals, although they finished 0-6 in the division for only the second time since 1999.

“We’re very close,” said Brown, who went to the playoffs with the Eagles six times, including one Super Bowl. “It’s one or two plays each game. You just have to find the playmakers and they just have to understand the sense of urgency and make the play.”

But don’t Browns fans hear the same thing every year?

“I didn’t tell you this last year,” he said. “I thought we were way off last year, from a lot of other things we were having to deal with. You can say whatever you want to say, but I do believe that and I came from an organization where we’d start 0-4 — sometimes 0-3 — and we were one or two plays out, and we found a way to start making those plays. Then we’d run off eight in a row, and then the people that were laughing, they don’t seem to laugh any more.”

Brown is convinced coach Pat Shurmur — who took a critical beating by some fans and media this season — is the right man for the job.

“I think he did a tremendous job, dealing with being a head coach for the first time,” said Brown. “Everybody thinks it’s an easy job, everybody wants to sit in a room and say, ‘I can do this better, I can do that better.’ He dealt with the situations the best he could, and he kept this football team fighting. For me, that’s how I judge a head coach.

“If a football team goes out there and competes week in and week out, through thick and through thin — and it was very thick this year — but we didn’t quit. So that tells me that the leader is in place and the guys believe in him and they will fight. If you put a football team out there that’s giving up 40 points, scoring nothing and they’re quitting, that tells me that the leader in place is not the guy.”

Can he make the jump in year two?

“He can definitely make a jump,” said Brown. “But the most important thing is that the players have to make the jump. And the players have to make the plays.

“I think this coaching staff is in place for a while. The worst thing that I’ve known of the history of the Browns is, one or two years and they want to blow it up. People want to think that it changes in one or two years. There’s a process that you have to go through in this league and you have to be patient to do it.

“The coaching staff did the best [they could] with their knowledge of the players, not having an off-season to really get to know the guys. They put them in the best positions that they knew how to make plays on the field, and I think it’s heading in the right direction.”

As for the defense, which finished 10th overall, Brown is certain it’s on solid footing.

“Anytime you have a [middle] linebacker like D’Qwell Jackson, your foundation is in place,” said Brown. “Anytime you have a starting defensive tackle — and I’ve played with some good ones — like Ahtyba Rubin, motor doesn’t stop, intense guy, angry player, studies, and he brings the young guys like Jabaal Sheard and Phil Taylor along with him, it’s in place. You’ve got Joe Haden, T.J. Ward, young players in the secondary, the foundation is in place.

“We had to go through the growing pains of being young, but the foundation is in place and I think it’s going in the right direction.”

While losing teams such as the Rams and Bucs fired their coaches Monday, other Browns agreed that this is a 4-12 team on the rise.

“My rookie year I played for Green Bay and we were 6-10 and there wasn’t a whole lot of turnover on that roster,” said tight end Evan Moore. “They had a lot of young guys that they let grow up in that system and look at them now. Granted, that team has a lot of talent and I believe we do, too. We have a lot of young guys I think are only going to get better.

“I think it goes without saying that a foundation needs time. Guys need time to mature and I think we have the makings here of something that could be pretty impressive if guys are given time to mature.”

Said kicker Phil Dawson: “We were in a lot of games. It’s death by inches, though. How are you going to look at that? Are we that close, or is that just the nature of the league? It depends on your personality, how you’re going to view that.

“In my little world, if my plant foot misses the spot by a quarter-inch, I miss the kick. That will probably tell you how I look at it. Everybody looks at themselves critically and figures out how they can improve. If we do that, now these close games are coming out in our favor. Hopefully that’s the way guys respond to it.”

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

Leave any suggestions in the comment box.

Cold. Windy. Miserable. That about sums up my experience at the Cleveland Browns game on Sunday, January 1. In addition to a good dose of Cleveland winter, the Browns unfortunately fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers by the score of 13-9.

Coming into the game I honesty was not expecting much. A win against the Steelers would be a fantastic way to end a mildly disappointing season while a loss would guarantee a better draft pick. (Am I really justifying a loss here?)

I was looking for a competitive football game, and based upon the final score it would appear the win could have gone either way. When taking a look at the final stats, the Steelers played poorly but the Browns were simply awful.

Quarterback Seneca Wallace completed just 16 of 41 attempts for a total of 177 yards on the day. He threw no touchdowns and was picked off once.

On the other hand, Joshua Cribbs had a career game netting seven receptions for 91 yards. Unfortunately, that was the lone bright spot for the Browns. For one of the only players that is passionate and wants to be on the field as much as possible, embraces and interacts with the fans, and genuinely loves Cleveland, he deserved all of his success in the game. I just wish it were enough to contribute to a win. One guy cannot do it all.

Peyton Hillis, who may have played his last game in Cleveland, carried the ball 10 times for 30 yards.

For the Steelers, Ben Roethlisberger was only marginally better than Wallace going 23 for 40 for 221 yards. His decision to play with a lingering sprained ankle did not make much sense, especially with the playoffs right around the corner.

Isaac Redman racked up 92 yards on 19 carries and a touchdown. As the only touchdown of the game, it broke up the field goal battle between Phil Dawson and Shaun Suisham.

Dawson was 3-3 on the day hitting from 26 yards, 45 yards, and 49 yards on the day. Suisham was 1-1 in extra points and 3-2 in field goals hitting from 19 yards and 29 yards.

When all was said and done, the Browns fell yet again and finished the season with a 4-12 record. But in true Cleveland style—Just wait until next year!

More Cleveland Browns Commentary from this Contributor:

The Cleveland Browns’ experience: A fan’s take

Cleveland Browns lose to Cardinals in OT, QB debate begins: A fan’s reaction

The benefits of being a die-hard Cleveland Browns fan this season: A fan’s perspective

Cleveland Browns prepare for tough game against Baltimore Ravens: A fan’s view

Cleveland Browns release Pro Bowl veteran Pontbriand in favor of rookie Yount: A fan’s reaction

Sources:

All data provided by NFL.com

Paul Rados is an avid Cleveland Browns fan and a Featured Contributor for the Yahoo! Contributor Network. Follow him on Twitter @PSRados or leave him a message on Facebook. For a complete look at his freelance work please visit his Blog.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

Leave your comments on the news below.

Read More: Troy Polamalu (SS – PIT), Seneca Wallace (QB – CLE), Phil Dawson (K – CLE), Isaac Redman (RB – PIT), Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns

The Pittsburgh Steelers scored 13-straght points and maintain a 13-9 lead over the Cleveland Browns heading into the fourth quarter.

Pittsburgh opened the half taking the ball down to the the Cleveland 11-yard line before having to settle for a Sean Suisham field goal and then finally cracked the end zone for the first time when Isaac Redman ran the ball seven yards for six. The play capped a seven-play drive as the Steelers took advantage of good field position after Troy Polamalu intercepted a Seneca Wallace pass.

Seneca Wallace bounced back and moved the Browns into the red zone on their next drive by throwing to Josh Cribbs and then running the ball himself for 20 yards. But after taking a sack on third and long, the Browns settled for a 49-yard field goal by Phil Dawson.

Redman has handled the running back duties admirably for the Steelers, putting up 70 yards on 17 carries. Wallace leads the Browns with 44 yards rushing but has completed just 7 of 20 passes for 102 yards.

For more on the Cleveland Browns, go to Dawgs by Nature. You can also head over to SB Nation’s main NFL hub at SBNation.com/NFL.

If you like reading our blog, remember to bookmark it.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — One of these days, the crowning achievement of a Browns season has to be about more than making life difficult for a hated rival. But with the spoiler role the only one remaining, they at least deserve credit for embracing it.

In a stadium where Steelers fans wore their colors and waved their Terrible Towels with impunity, the Browns quieted the intrusion with a solid half defensively and two Phil Dawson field goals to lead 6-3 at the intermission.

Pittsburgh’s best-case scenario was to play hobbled quarterback Ben Roethlisberger long enough to get a lead, keep an eye on the Baltimore-Cincinnati game and maybe run in backup Charlie Batch. The Browns didn’t let it happen, at least not in the first half.

I wouldn’t jump to too many conclusions about what playing hard all the way to the end means for a losing team. It doesn’t always mean they’re playing for the coach. In fact, Mike Holmgren has made it clear Pat Shurmur’s job isn’t in jeopardy.

Players play hard in these situations for a lot of different reasons, including their own job security.

A year ago, the Steelers blew the Browns out in a similar situation, 41-9. The Browns knew Eric Mangini was gone, as were many of the players Mangini brought in.

A win over the Steelers hardly puts a bow on this season, not with the Browns finishing 5-11 for the third consecutive year. Two years ago, they helped ruin the Steelers’ season. That one had more riding on it.

If they can win this one, they can only inconvenience the Steelers. But if you get the chance, why not?

If anybody needs tickets to games, remember to click the tickets link at the top.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The only big name on the inactive lists of the Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers is LaMarr Woodley.

Woodley has battled hamstring problems of late. He didn’t play in the first meeting Dec. 8 in Pittsburgh. Jason Worilds will start for Woodley. Headhunter James Harrison mans the other starting linebacker spot.

The Browns inactives are: Receiver Jordan Norwood, quarterback Colt McCoy, receiver Rod Windsor, defensive back James Dockery, center Steve Vallos, defensive tackle Kiante Tripp and right tackle Tony Pashos.

Artis Hicks will start for Pashos. Oniel Cousins may also play.

Other Steelers inactives: Running back Mewelde Moore, linebacker Chris Carter, center Doug Legursky, defensive end Al Woods, offensive tackle Jamon Meredith and receiver Arnaz Battle.

Coordinator news: ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported the Browns indeed will hire an offensive coordinator in 2012. It’s a story Cleveland-area media reported months ago when Browns President Mike Hollmgren first said a coordinator was in the offing for next season.

Mortensen speculated on ex-Andy Reid assistant coach and Minnesota head coach Brad Childress as a leading candidate. Childress’ name has been circulated in previous local reports, along with that of Mike Sherman, former Holmgren aide in Green Bay.

Childress and Sherman are represented by Bob LaMonte, who controls the Browns’ executive front. LaMonte is a long-time friend and business associate of Holmgren, and also represents General Manager Tom Heckert and coach Pat Shurmur.

One longshot candidate who is outside the LaMonte inner circle is Karl Dorrell, who is part of the lame-duck coaching staff of the Miami Dolphins.

Feel free to leave your comments below.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Scribbles in my Browns notebook during halftime of Sunday’s game…

1. It was great to see Ahtyba Rubin sack Ben Roethlisberger in the first quarter. It was his fifth of the year, an excellent total for a defensive tackle. He was the 190th pick in 2008 by Phil Savage, his second-best pick in his four years with the Browns behind Joe Thomas. Rubin has played 86 percent of the snaps this season, ranking No. 2 among all defensive tackles. He has been flagged for only one penalty.

2. Jabaal Sheard sacked Roethlisberger in the second quarter. That gave the rookie from Pittsburgh 8.5 this season, the most by a Brown since Kamerion Wimbley had 11 in 2006. Sheard also has forced five fumbles. He was a second-round pick, and has played like a first-rounder. He has been on the field for 90 percent of the snaps this season, so he has been extremely durable.

3. You know it’s a bad year for the passing game when Seneca Wallace threw an 10-yard pass to Josh Cribbs and I said, “That’s a nice throw and catch.” But it was third-and-11, and the Browns still had to punt.

4. Then again, Wallace was sacked when he was trying to hand off to Peyton Hillis.

5. In the second quarter, the Browns finally got a first down — and it was a 15-yard pass from Wallace to Jordan Cameron. It was his sixth catch of the season as tight ends Ben Watson and Alex Smith are injured.

6. Cribbs made a tremendous tackle on a kickoff. He leads the team in special teams tackles.

7. Wallace scrambled 27 yards — the Browns’ longest gain of the half — to set up a field goal by Phil Dawson.

8. Wallace completed passes of 23 and 14 yards to Cribbs to set up another field goal by Dawson, giving the Browns a 6-0 lead.

9. Peyton Hillis had 21 tough yards on seven carries as Pittsburgh has loaded up the line of scrimmage and is daring the Browns to throw.

That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.

BEREA — Browns quarterback Colt McCoy (concussion) has been ruled out of Sunday’s season finale against the Steelers, and Seneca Wallace will make his third straight start of the season.

McCoy seemed to hold out hope on Thursday that he might at least be on the sidelines for the game. But he still hasn’t been cleared medically for football activity.

Coach Pat Shurmur said McCoy improved as a quarterback as the season progressed, but declined to provide much of an evaluation of his season. He re-iterated that it will be done after the season.

It means McCoy will miss the final three games after suffering his concussion Dec. 8 against the Steelers.

Wide receiver Jordan Norwood (concussion) and right tackle Tony Pashos (ankle, illness) have also been ruled out. Pashos, who’s been suffering from a stomach ailment, will be replaced by Artis Hicks. Norwood will miss his second straight game with his concussion.

In other Browns news, linebacker D’Qwell  Jackson has been voted Browns Player of the Year by the local chapter of the Pro Football Writers of America. Safety Mike Adams has been voted the team’s Good Guy for the way he conducts himself with the media, in the community and with his teammates.

Adams, whose contract is up after this season, said he’d love to be back in Cleveland to be part of the winning seasons that are ahead.

That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.

BEREA — Colt McCoy was absent again from practice because he wasn’t cleared to return by Browns doctors.

 Today was the 21st day since McCoy played in the Dec. 8 game in Pittsburgh after suffering a concussion on a vicious hit by Steelers linebacker James Harrison.

 McCoy’s practice status routinely has been the first question asked of coach Pat Shurmur at his daily press briefing. Shurmur consistently has declined to elaborate on exactly what symptoms McCoy is experiencing.

 Although Shurmur would not rule out McCoy from the season-ending game Sunday against Pittsburgh, it’s obvious he will not play. It means he missed the final three games after his concussion — longer than any player on the Browns this year with the head injury. Tight end Benjamin Watson also missed the last three games, but he was placed on injured reserve following his third concussion of the season.

 Shurmur said he didn’t think there was anything about McCoy’s concussion injury that would suggest long-term concerns.

 ”He’s getting better every day,” Shurmur said. “Every injury’s different. Every rehab’s different.
 
 ”He’s been good. He’s been anxious to get out there and play. He knows there’s a process to go through. He looks fine. I don’t ask him every moment how he’s feeling.”

 In other pre-practice tidbits:

 * Shurmur said receiver Jordan Norwood (concussion) and right tackle Tony Pashos (stomach virus) would not practice.

 * Pressed on the future with the Browns of running back Peyton Hillis, Shurmur would not say that he absolutely wants him back.

 ”I think it’s important that we investigate everything,” he said.

 * Shurmur called Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III a “tremendous player” and admitted he is interested in watching him in the Alamo Bowl tonight.

 ”Yeah, once our day is over, I’ll find a way to watch that game,” he said.

If anybody needs tickets to games, remember to click the tickets link at the top.

Joe Thomas – a left tackle for the Cleveland Browns – will be heading to his fifth straight Pro Bowl. He will also be starting for the game. Josh Cribbs and D’Qwell Jackson have been named as alternates.

“It’s a tremendous honor any time you get named to the Pro Bowl,” said Thomas. “For me to represent the Cleveland Browns for a fifth time is kind of hard to believe. It never gets old.”

Many are surprised that Thomas, let alone any of the Browns, made it into the Pro Bowl. With their record this year. This may give the Browns some confidence though and this could help them heading into the Pittsburgh Steelers’ game.

Thomas will get a chance to play with the best in the league again in Honolulu. He will join tackles, Jake Long of the Miami Dolphins and D’Brickashaw Ferguson of the New York Jets.

Joe Thomas has been a dedicated member of the Browns’ team over the last five years. He has been a starter and while the Browns’ offense has faltered on many occasions, he continues to go back out there and give it his all. He will need to maintain this level of play for the AFC team in the Pro Bowl. Of course, he will have more help with this set of teammates, but he is also competing against the best of the best. The Pro Bowl truly is a whole other level of play.

On quarterback for the AFC, they will have Tom Brady of the New England Patriots, Philip Rivers of the San Diego Chargers and Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The AFC wide receivers will be Wes Welker of the New England Patriots, A.J. Green of the Cincinnati Bengals, Mike Wallace of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Brandon Marshall of the Miami Dolphins.

The AFC is looking pretty solid. Looking at the NFC, the matchups are pretty even and Thomas and his teammates have a definite chance to bring a win.

R. Elizabeth C. Kitchen is a lifelong Browns fan who grew up in a household of Browns’ fans. She was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio and still lives there. Regardless of the trials and tribulations the Browns have been through, she remains loyal, albeit honest about her home team. Follow Rose on Twitter @Rose_Kitchen

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

If you like reading our blog, remember to bookmark it.

Cleveland Browns perennial Pro Bowler Joe Thomas was once again named a starter in the Pro Bowl.  Thomas if the first Browns player since Jim Brown to make the Pro Bowl in his first five years.

Feel free to leave your comments below.

The Pittsburgh Steelers can’t afford a loss to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, but the Browns can feel better about themselves, especially during the offseason, with a victory.

Ohio.com reporter Nate Ulrich does this Q and A with Scott Brown, who covers the Steelers for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Q: What’s the latest injury update on quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who missed the Steelers’ most recent game with a high-ankle sprain suffered Dec. 8 against the Browns?

A: Coach Mike Tomlin didn’t give a lot [Tuesday during his news conference]. He said he’s hopeful that Ben Roethlisberger and a couple other injured Steelers, center Maurkice Pouncey and outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley, will play. But he’s very noncommittal when it comes to Roethlisberger. When asked if he will practice him Wednesday, he said that they’ll see, so not a whole lot of clarity when it comes to who will play quarterback for the Steelers. Although he did say if any of the injured guys are healthy and ready to go, they will play, which indicates they’re not gonna just sit Ben and give him another week to get healthy. Basically, if he’s cleared by the medical staff and thinks he can go, thinks he’s OK on the ankle he injured earlier this month, he’ll play against the Browns.

Ulrich also asks Brown how wasJames Harrison’s helmet-to-face mask hit on Browns quarterback Colt McCoy viewed in Pittsburgh?

A: As far as the hit, the Steelers are pretty tight-lipped about it. It’s something that’s been a point of contention, the way the league has come down on them in their eyes since that Harrison hit in the Browns game last year in October, when he knocked out [wide receiver] Mohamed Massaquoi and got fined $75,000 for it. They’ve been pretty vocal ever since then through the end of the season about how they thought the league was targeting them and targeting James Harrison. They’ve kind of changed their tune, and they’re not talking about it as much.   

More Cleveland Browns

Rushing with the Steelers (Post-Gazette.com).

Joe Thomas makes another Pro Bowl (Cleveland.com).

Does Joe Thomas deserve the Pro Bowl nod (Cleveland.com)?

Despite the rivalry, two fans fall in love (Cleveland.com).

These Browns/Steelers fans enjoy the ride (Cleveland.com).

Mike Tomlin bring own approach (Tribune-Review.com).

Comment Below!.