BEREA — Browns running back Montario Hardesty (calf), strong safety T.J. Ward (foot) and free safety Mike Adams (shoulder) will all sit out today’s practice in preparation for Sunday’s game against the Ravens.

But quarterback Colt McCoy, who suffered an elbow injury in Cincinnati, will be full-go.

Hardesty was prepared to start Sunday’s game in Cincinnati, but his calf muscle tightened up on him in pre-game warm-ups and he wasn’t able to play. Coach Shurmur said Hardesty didn’t re-injure the torn calf, just that it needs a little more time to heal.

He said he expects Hardesty to return to practice sometime this week.

Ward is still out today with his foot injury and will be replaced by Usama Young. But now, fellow safety Adams’ status for the Ravens game is uncertain because of the shoulder injury suffered in Cincinnati. If he can’t play, rookie Eric Hagg would most likely get the nod.

In other Browns news:

* McCoy is expected to participate fully despite pain not only in the elbow but his right shoulder.

* Right end Jayme Mitchell (ankle) will be limited, and the Browns will go with “right end by committee” said Shurmur. It included Auston English and Brian Schaefering in Cinci.

* Fullback Owen Marecic, who sat out last week’s game with his concussion, will return to practice today.

* Running back Peyton Hillis (hamstring) came through the Bengals game fine.

* Shurmur admitted the Browns really liked Ravens receiver Torrey Smith in the draft, where he was picked one spot ahead of Browns’ receiver  Greg Little in the second round. Would the Browns’ have taken him? “We knew he’d be a great receiver,” said Shurmur, adding that teams are always disappointed when a great prospect goes off the board.

I always try to stay positive about the Cleveland Browns. Occasionally I will lash out in a fit of frustration over Peyton Hillis(notes) because I miss the player we saw in 2010 or even criticize Greg Little(notes) and Montario Hardesty(notes) over dropped passes, but deep down, like every other Cleveland fan, it is just because I want them to succeed.

I usually agree with the decisions made by the front office regarding personnel decisions such as cutting Brian Robiskie(notes), the second round pick in the 2009 draft that never quite lived up to his potential. I was even excited when they signed Chris Ogbonnaya(notes) when everyone else was wondering who he was? He sure played well for the Houston Texans during the preseason. Look at his success for the Browns when Hillis and Hardesty missed games.

A decision I am having a hard time getting behind was when the Browns cut two-time Pro-Bowler Ryan Pontbriand(notes) on Tuesday, November 29. Pontbriand had been with the Browns since 2003.

He came under heavy criticism on November 13; when his snap hit the leg of Alex Mack(notes), disrupting the timing on kicker Phil Dawson’s(notes) 22-yard field goal attempt that cost the Browns the game against the St. Louis Rams. The kick itself was partially blocked.

Again, on November 27 against the Cincinnati Bengals, Pontbriand rolled the ball to holder Brad Maynard(notes) causing Dawson to miss a go-ahead 55-yard field goal. The Browns went on to lose 23-20. In itself, I have a hard time believing that even with a perfect snap, a field goal of that length would be a sure thing.

“Today, I lost a longtime teammate, Ryan Pontbriand,” Dawson wrote on Twitter. “He has been with me more than any teammate I have had. I will miss him. He is the best”

Regarded as one of the NFL’s best long snappers, Pontbriand will be replaced by an undrafted rookie from UCLA in Christian Yount(notes). Yount played seven games with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers until he was waived on October 25.

To me, this decision makes no sense. It can be argued half the roster has had bad games. Should the team cut Greg Little because he is dropping passes? How about Joe Haden(notes) for allowing opposing receivers to catch the ball and score touchdowns?

When the team lets go of a proven professional who for years has performed flawlessly in favor of a waived rookie, I have a hard time lending my support.

More Cleveland Browns Commentary from this Contributor:

Fan’s look: Who is Peyton Hillis anyway?

Cleveland Browns’ fans deserve better: A fan’s take

Browns fall to Rams, hit an all-new low: A fan’s reaction

Browns must win against Rams or face fan exile: A fan’s take

Former Browns’ WR Brian Robiskie quietly joins Jaguars: A fan’s take

Sources:

All data provided by NFL.com

Twitter – Phil Dawson (@phil_dawson_4)

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.

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It’s official, the Browns are “waiving” goodbye to Ryan Pontbriand(notes). After the bad snap heard ’round the world on Sunday (11/27/11) against the Bengals, he probably knew something like this was coming. He has been in a slump and has not been able to snap – no pun intended – out of it.

Speaking of the bad snap against the Bengals, Pontbriand said, “It was a bad snap – really bad. It was a very bad snap.” He also spoke of his slump, “I’m in a pretty tough slump right now and I’m just trying to work as hard as I can to get out of it. Unfortunately, in my position, I’m kind of in the spotlight when it comes to field goals. If I mess up, you know it. I’m just trying my best to get out of this slump.”

Too little, too late now. There was the bad snap against the Rams, then against the Bengals. There were others as well. Now, Christian Yount(notes) will replace Pontbriand.

Pontbriand had tenure with the Browns – nine seasons – , but his mistakes are just something the Browns cannot afford, especially as they are set to play games against the likes of the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers.

“Yount has appeared in seven games this season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after they signed him as an undrafted free agent in July. He was waived on October 25, 2011 after the Buccaneers activated their primary long snapper Andrew Economos(notes) from the physically unable to perform list. Yount appeared in 51 games at UCLA from 2007-10,” reports Ohio.com.

It will be interesting to see how Yount complements Dawson. There have been two games this season where missed field goals could have changed the game and bad snaps by Pontbriand cost the Browns those field goals. If that field goal against the St. Louis Rams had not been disrupted, the Browns could have likely won, and if the field goal would have been made against the Cincinnati Bengals, it would have at the very least led to overtime.

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.

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After nine seasons and two bad snaps that probably cost the Cleveland Browns two games, long snapper Ryan Pontbriand was waived today by the Browns.

Cleveland Plain Dealer reporter Tony Grossi writes how Pontbriand’s low snap in Cincinnati on Sunday cost the Browns, and two games earlier, Pontbriand’s snap caromed off the foot of lineman Alex Mack and disrupted a 22-yard field goal try which led to a loss to St. Louis.

There were several other long snaps off the mark for Pontbriand, some of which did not disrupt successful kicks. They were uncharacteristic of Pontbriand, whose precision and dependable long snaps earned him two trips to the Pro Bowl.

Was this a bad move by the Browns?

What do you think about the Browns releasing Ryan Pontbriand?

It’s often painful to be a Cleveland Browns fan.

The Browns seemed to be just one first down away from potentially beating the Cincinnati Bengals this past Sunday afternoon. Instead, a dropped ball, botched snap on a field goal attempt and a 51-yard pass play led to yet another loss for Cleveland, the team’s fourth defeat in five contests. It was the third time this season the Browns lost a game by a touchdown or less, and arguably the team’s third “should have won but didn’t” game of the current campaign. Looking ahead at the next five weeks, it seems as if Browns fans will again have to suffer through a long, long December.

3 final thoughts on Browns loss to Bengals: To punt or not to punt?

Many Cleveland fans, myself included, have yearned to see more aggressive play-calling from head coach Pat Shurmur during the fourth quarters of contests. There’s a difference between being aggressive and being foolish. Looking back at the game roughly 48 hours later, I still see no reason why Shurmur didn’t choose to have the Browns punt on the fourth and ten at the Cincy 37-yard line with roughly two minutes remaining. Attempting a 55-yard field goal with that much time on the clock and in not-so-perfect conditions is playing with fire regardless of the reliability of the kicker. Punting, on the other hand, would have run some time off the clock, pinned the Bengals back to at least their own 20 and put the game in the hands of Cleveland’s top tier pass defense. Kick the field goal there with 20 seconds on the clock, but not with 120 seconds left to play.

3 final thoughts on Browns loss to Bengals: The difference

Despite sweeping the season series, the Bengals still don’t seem to be all that different than the Browns. Both teams are young and both are prone to silly miscues on both sides of the football. The biggest difference between the two teams in November 2011 is the existence of a big-time playmaker on offense. The Bengals have A.J. Green(notes), a wide receiver capable of making highlight reel grabs when it matters most, during the final drive of a contest.

The Browns have nobody.

WR Greg Little(notes) has the potential to be that type of player, but he’s not there yet. Little was guilty of several drops on the afternoon, including one during Cleveland’s final meaningful drive. Being without a game-changing playmaker is something that has plagued the Browns for several seasons, and it’s a problem that must be dealt with during the upcoming postseason.

3 final thoughts on Browns loss to Bengals: What could have been

Cleveland fans are feeling a different kind of frustration as December 2011 nears. It’s not the Browns being 4-7 that has fans banging their heads against walls, desks or whatever they may find. It’s the fact that Cleveland could honestly be a 7-4 team right now. In Week 1, the Browns lost due to a quick snap and touchdown pass from Bruce Gradkowski(notes) to the previously mentioned A.J. Green. A botched snap just a few weeks ago cost the Browns a certain win against the Rams. This past Sunday, Cleveland was possibly one first down away from victory.

Imagine a 7-4 Browns team, one having the confidence of a 7-4 football team, looking at a schedule that includes two games each against the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers. We’d be saying that Cleveland was just two “upset wins” and a victory over lowly Arizona away from a playoff berth. That’s the difference between these Browns and a squad that will be playing meaningful January football. A truly good team wins in each of the scenarios mentioned in the previous paragraph. The 2011 Browns just aren’t at that level, and it’s why they’re destined for another losing season.

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The Cleveland Browns will visit the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. It’s the second and final game between the two teams this season. The Browns fell to the Bengals in the season opener.

It’s not the Browns vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, but the battle of Ohio has had its moments in the past, especially this one thanks to former Bengals coach Sam Wyche.

But the Browns also have a rivalry with the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens are the actual team that moved from Cleveland to Baltimore.

So which rivalry is the biggest for the Browns?

 If there is a good time for the Browns to sneak into Cincinnati — where they have won once in the past seven years — one might think it would be this weekend.

The Bengals, 6-4 and surprise playoff contenders, are coming off tough, seven-point losses to division rivals Pittsburgh and Baltimore, and they have their second meeting against the Steelers at Heinz Field next week.

So this is a sandwich game for them and sometimes that makes it easier for the opponent in the middle to score an upset.

Except that the consecutive division losses left the Bengals angry, not worried about their season slipping away.

“Guys are angry and upset and want to go out and prove the team we are,” left tackle Andrew Whitworth told Cincinnati media this week.

A year ago in Cincinnati, one bad play led to a meltdown, and one bad game led to a 10-game losing streak. That character flaw was purged through the banishment of receivers Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens and quarterback Carson Palmer.

This new Bengals team is young and talented. The roster is studded with 11 former first-round draft picks, counting cornerback Leon Hall, who is out for the year with an Achilles injury.

Coach Marvin Lewis never doubted his team could contend, even though it was breaking in a new offense with rookie quarterback Andy Dalton and rookie playmaking receiver A.J. Green without the benefit of the usual off-season NFL camps because of the owners lockout.

But it took a five-game winning streak for most others to take the Bengals seriously.

The consecutive losses to Pittsburgh (7-3) and Baltimore (7-3) hurt the Bengals in division tiebreakers. Baltimore is 3-0 in division games and still has two against the Browns; Cincinnati is 1-2.

The possibility of both AFC wild cards emerging from the AFC North is real, though. As of today, Pittsburgh is the No. 5 seed and Cincinnati No. 6.

If you consider 10 wins as the ticket to the playoffs, the Bengals need four in their last six games. They have one left against each of their three division rivals, starting Sunday, and home games against Houston and Arizona, and a road game at St. Louis.

They are not willing to concede the division title just yet, either.

The Bengals have not yet had a game against a division foe with their dynamic duo of Dalton and Green playing a full four quarters together.

They beat the Browns by 10 in the season opener with Dalton missing the second half, lost to the Steelers by seven with Green missing the second half, and lost to the Ravens by seven with Green missing the whole game. Green’s hyperextended knee injury probably will keep his playing status in doubt the whole week. The Bengals want him healthy for the final month.

And if you think their present is bright, consider their future. They have two No. 1 picks in the 2012 draft and possibly two more in 2013 — thanks to the trade of Palmer to Oakland.

TONY GROSSI SCOUTS THE BENGALS

Kickoff: Browns at Cincinnati Bengals, 1 p.m. Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati.

Bengals’ record: 6-4.

Most recent game: Lost to Ravens, 31-24, on Sunday in Baltimore.

Coach: Marvin Lewis, 66-73-1, ninth season.

Series record: Bengals lead, 40-36.

Most recent meeting: Bengals won, 27-17, Sept. 11, in Cleveland.

League rankings: Offense is 18th overall (19th rushing, 17th passing), defense is sixth (third rushing, 11th passing) and turnover differential is plus-1.

Offensive overview

Coordinator Jay Gruden’s West Coast offense has operated relatively efficiently considering rookies Andy Dalton and A.J. Green are holding down two of the most important positions. Green is so good at going up for jump balls that it may have spoiled Dalton. Without Green (knee) last week, Dalton put one up for Andre Caldwell and it was intercepted. Overall, Dalton has made good decisions and has gotten the ball out quickly. The Bengals are No. 3 in fewest sacks per pass play – a credit to Dalton and the offensive line. Of late, Cedric Benson has lost some carries to Bernard Scott. Cincinnati’s pass-run ratio (55-to-45) is slightly more balanced than Browns’ (57-to-43).

Defensive overview

How’s this for depth? Each of their eight defensive linemen has at least one-half sack. And when first-round cornerback Leon Hall was lost with an Achilles tear, they were able to choose among two other first-round picks as his replacement, Adam Jones and Kelly Jennings. And the other starting cornerback, Nate Clements, is also a former first-round pick, who replaced free-agent defector Johnathan Joseph, yet another first-round pick. So the depth up front and quality in the secondary help coordinator Mike Zimmer avoid reckless blitzing. Most impressive part of the unit is its clampdown against the run. It’s No. 2 in allowing only 3.4 yards per rush. That figure drops to 3.2 when you subtract a 59-yard run by Ray Rice.

Special teams overview

What a year for kicker Mike Nugent. He’s 18-of-19 in field goals and has 28 touchbacks on kickoffs – besting his previous season high of nine. He had three touchbacks in the first meeting. Punter Kevin Huber is 22nd in gross average (44.0) and 15th in net (39.3). Brandon Tate is 13th with a kickoff-return average of 24.3. Adam Jones went 63 yards with a punt return first time he touched the ball this season, but hamstring and groin injuries since have kept him out of that role. Bengals have had a better drive-start average in nine of their 10 games.

Players to watch

• Receiver A.J. Green: Second to Greg Little among rookies with 41 catches and first with 635 yards and six touchdowns.

• Quarterback Andy Dalton: Only rookie QB with a winning record, his 79.6 passer rating edges Colt McCoy for 20th. His problem has been six interceptions thrown in the fourth quarter.

• Running back Cedric Benson: Always a tough foe for the Browns, his 39-yard TD run clinched the first meeting and gave him 121 yards for the game. He’s down this year, averaging only 3.8 yards per run with 634 yards rushing.

Injury report

WR Green (knee) missed Sunday’s game at Baltimore and is day to day. DE Carlos Dunlap (hamstring) will be limited.

Small world

Former Browns include safety Chris Crocker, quarterback Bruce Gradkowski and running back Cedric Peerman. . . . Cornerback Nate Clements is a native of Shaker Heights and played at Ohio State. . . . Kicker Mike Nugent played at Ohio State. . . . Offensive lineman Mike McGlynn attended Austintown Fitch High School. . . . Team President Mike Brown is the son of Browns Hall of Fame coach Paul Brown.

By Nate Ulrich

Akron Beacon Journal

BEREA

Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy has absorbed some brutal hits this season, including the shot he took Sunday from Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Daryl Smith.

Despite the scare, McCoy won’t be sidelined, coach Pat Shurmur said. That’s good news for the Browns (4-6), because McCoy has had two of his best games in the past two weeks, and Shurmur is looking for his young quarterback to keep improving.

“I think there are some areas where he’s exerting himself more,” Shurmur said. “I thought starting the year that Colt was a rookie.

“This is going into Week 12, and I think he’s had the benefit of those other games he has played. There are some areas where I see he’s getting it. Then there are other areas where we’re still working.”

On second-and-goal from the Jaguars’ 7-yard line, McCoy threw a pass to running back Chris Ogbonnaya in the back corner of the end zone, and safety Dawan Landry was called for pass interference. After the play, McCoy rose to one knee but had to be helped up by left tackle Joe Thomas.

McCoy’s throwing shoulder was hurt, and it became more obvious in the third quarter after he was sacked by linebacker Paul Posluszny on third down.

McCoy got up slowly and ran off the field with his right arm hanging at his side. When he reached the sideline, he whipped off his helmet and threw it.

Still, McCoy didn’t miss a snap. He will practice all week in preparation for Sunday’s road game against the Cincinnati Bengals (6-4), Shurmur said.

“He got banged around a little bit and, yeah, it was his shoulder,” Shurmur said. “But he’s fine. We didn’t go through any major evaluation of him, so he’s fine.

“Don’t ask about the MRI. I don’t think he had one. I don’t think he needs one.”

McCoy pinched a nerve in his right shoulder during the 2010 BCS National Championship Game, the final game of his college career.

He said the injury lingered and bothered him throughout last season, when he was a rookie with the Browns.

Shurmur said he doesn’t know if McCoy’s current injury is related to his old one. However, Shurmur is certain McCoy has grit.

“I’m gaining a very strong appreciation for how tough he is,” Shurmur said.

“And that really is the cornerstone of what makes a good football player.”

The Cleveland Browns don’t have a running back controversy, but just for kicks, if everyone was healthy, who would you start at running back on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals?

Is it obvious the choice would be Peyton Hillis? He only rushed for over 1,110 yards last season, but Hillis has not been on the field much this season, and he may have played his last game with the Cleveland Browns. Plus, fair or not, Hillis’ heart passion has been questioned.

There’s Montario Hardesty. He was often injured in college and he’s often injured in the pros. But since we’re pretending everyone is healthy, Hardesty is averaging 3.3 yards per carry and he hasn’t scored this season.

What about Chris Ogbonnaya? He was picked up late in the season and he was unimpressive in his first game (28 yards on 13 carries). Things, however, have changed in his last two starts.  After going for 90 yards on 19 carries (4.7 yards per carry) against St. Louis, he totaled 115 yards on 21 carries and a touchdown against Jacksonville.

So which back is your choice?

If everyone was healthy, who would you start at running back on Sunday?

When it comes to poor statistical outputs, the Seattle Seahawks set a new standard against the Cleveland Browns. The game got progressively worse for the offense on Sunday (Oct. 23), and it showed just how bad this Seahawks team is if the situation sets itself up like this.

In Cleveland, the Seahawks only managed to score three points on the day. The team managed just nine first downs, and had the ball for just over 17 minutes of game time. That means that Cleveland had the ball for almost 43 minutes, showing just how much work the Seahawks defense had to do to keep the game close. That makes it even more remarkable that the defense held Cleveland to just six points. Or maybe it just shows how bad Cleveland really is when compared to a team other than the Seahawks .

Breaking down the individual statistics doesn’t make things look any better, especially since Tarvaris Jackson(notes) and Marshawn Lynch(notes) were unable to play on Sunday. This might be the last time that anyone hears fans chanting for Charlie Whitehurst(notes) to enter a game this season, and quite possibly the last time that chant comes during his career. A 97 yard passing performance on just 12-of-30 passes is nothing to write home about, and he had ample opportunities to get it done against the Browns.

The running game was no better for Seattle, and the opinion gets even worse when taking into consideration that the Browns have one of the worst run-stopping defenses in the NFL. The team could muster only 65 net rushing yards on 17 carries for an average of 3.8 yards per attempt. Not good enough against an average opponent, and certainly nothing that could get the job done against a good opponent. Let’s not mention how bad this Browns team is, because that will just depress anyone claiming membership in the 12^th Man campaign.

Next up for Seattle will be the Cincinnati Bengals, another Ohio team looking to rebuild by beating up on a Seahawks team that is trending in the wrong direction. 137 total yards against the Browns? That’s enough to make even the most die-hard of Seahawks fans put their head in their hands and weep.

More From YCN :

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References:

Seahawks_2011_Stats

Seattle_Seahawks_Roster

Seattle_Seahawks_Schedule/Results

*Ryan Christopher DeVault is a lifelong fan of the Seattle Seahawks that continues to hold out hope that the team is heading in the right direction with a new coach, a weak NFC West, and some great young players on defense.

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