The
Pittsburgh Steelers
had no problems getting by without
Ben Roethlisberger
in their latest game, but the franchise quarterback says he plans to play in the team’s potentially significant regular-season
finale in Cleveland.

The progress of a game on the opposite end of Ohio may determine how much.

A first-round bye is in sight for the Steelers with a victory over the Browns on Sunday and some help, but otherwise they’d
likely need to win three times on the road to make a return trip to the Super Bowl.

After suffering a high ankle sprain in a 14-3 win over Cleveland in Week 14, Roethlisberger played through pain in a 20-3
loss at San Francisco 11 days later, throwing three interceptions as Pittsburgh blew a chance to stay in the driver’s seat
for the AFC’s top seed.

Needing two wins and a Baltimore loss to win the AFC North and guarantee at least a first-round bye, the Steelers (11-4) rested
Roethlisberger in favor of
Charlie Batch
last weekend against St. Louis. Batch threw for 208 yards while Pittsburgh rode a 116-yard rushing performance from
Rashard Mendenhall
and a dominant defensive effort to a 27-0 win.

Baltimore held off a late rally by the Browns to win 20-14 that same day, but the division’s current leader – by virtue of
a head-to-head sweep of the Steelers – hardly has it easy in Week 17. The Ravens travel to Cincinnati, where a win would put
the Bengals in the playoffs as the AFC’s No. 6 seed and third qualifier from the North.

A Baltimore loss and Pittsburgh win would give the Steelers the No. 2 seed, and potentially No. 1 should New England falter.
But anything else leaves Pittsburgh as the AFC’s fifth seed with no week off, almost certainly requiring the defending conference
champions to win three road games to reach a fourth Super Bowl in seven years.

It was unclear early in the week if the Steelers would risk Roethlisberger for what amounts to a 50-50 shot at best at a bye,
but Thursday the recently named Pro Bowl passer said he’d give it a go.

“As long as I can deal with pain, I’ll be out there,” Roethlisberger said. “I don’t want to let the guys down, so I’ll do
what I can to be out there.”

Coach Mike Tomlin’s offensive coordinator agrees – to a point.

“I want him out there but not at the risk of injuring himself,” Bruce Arians said. “If he can’t move around and get out of
the way, there’s no sense in getting him out there.”

While the Steelers need help from the Bengals – offensive lineman
Trai Essex
said he “might peek a couple of times” at the scoreboard – they’re focused on the Browns (4-11), especially considering they
didn’t put the Dec. 8 meeting away until a 79-yard Roethlisberger-to-
Antonio Brown
touchdown with 2:52 left.

“Cleveland’s going to do whatever they can to put a damper on our season as much as possible,” Essex told the Steelers’ official
website. “They’re not having the year I’m sure they wanted to, but whenever we play against each other it doesn’t matter what
our record is, we’re going to get their best and they’re going to get ours.”

Roethlisberger isn’t the only quarterback to have sustained a potentially significant injury in the first meeting. Browns
quarterback
Colt McCoy
took a helmet-to-helmet shot from Steelers linebacker
James Harrison
late in the fourth quarter, a hit that drew Harrison a one-game suspension and opened the door to Cleveland’s coaching staff
receiving plenty of criticism.

McCoy returned to the game, but was later diagnosed with a concussion. The decision to send him back in led to the NFL instituting
a policy that requires teams to have a certified athletic trainer in the press box help medical staffs evaluate injured players.

One of the harshest critics of the Browns’ handling of the situation was none other than Harrison, who said last week that
Cleveland should be disciplined since he was docked one game.

As for his play, Harrison claims he’s lowered his target area. Browns linebacker D’Qwell Jackson isn’t so sure.

“Harrison is who he is and whether you fine him, you suspend him, he’s not going to change,” Jackson said.

McCoy, who missed the past two games, has not been medically cleared and is unlikely to return for the finale.
Seneca Wallace
figures to get the call again after throwing for 373 yards, two TDs and an interception in losses to the Cardinals and Ravens.

“We have to try to take advantage of every opportunity and make sure we do it at 100 percent,” Wallace said. “Do it at a high
level and minimize mistakes. Against teams in this division, we can’t give them easy ones.”

As long as Roethlisberger’s been in Pittsburgh, matchups with Cleveland have typically been just that. The Steelers are 13-1
against the Browns with Roethlisberger starting, and he’s thrown seven touchdown passes without a pick in his last four visits
to Cleveland.

“You never want to lose to Cleveland,” Steelers safety
Ryan Clark
said. “When you are in this city, when you play for this organization, that’s a game you don’t want to lose.”

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

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

• On super-important first possession, Browns complete 3-and-out with a third-down swing pass to Peyton Hillis. Groans. Minus-3 yards. Punt.

• Ben Roethlisberger’s shovel pass to Hines Ward results in 3-yard loss on alert hit by D’Qwell Jackson. Nonetheless, Steelers celebrate Ward’s 1,000th career catch.

• Isaac Redman loses the ball on a hit by Chris Gocong. Eric Hagg recovers and refs tack on 15 yards on a facemask penalty. Browns have it at Steelers’ 43.

• Mohamed Massaquoi gets a first down with a catch at the 32. Peyton Hillis out with a knee injury.

• Wallace’s pass over middle a little behind Massaquoi, but catchable. Dropped at the Steelers’ 19.

• After a Wallace throw two yards out of bounds, Browns punt from the Steelers’ 34 with 10:11 to go.

• Buster Skrine’s pass interference against Jerricho Cotchery bails out Steelers. First down at 26.

• Redman coughs up another after a 22-yard gain, and it’s recovered by the Browns at their 39.

• After one first down, Wallace’s passes on second and third down are off mark and almost intercepted. One fourth-and-10 with 4:59 to go, Browns elect to punt.

• Ben Roethlisberger makes a big throw to Heath Miller for 11 yards and a first down at the Steelers’ 29. Browns use their last timeout with 2:44 to go.

• Steelers can’t close the game out on offense, as Roethlisberger’s third-down pass is knocked away by Joe Haden. Browns, with no timeouts, get one last chance after Cribbs fumbles the punt out of bounds at their 24.

• Evan Moore catches one for eight yards at the 32, clock runs. Cribbs drops a short dump pass, but that at least stops the clock. Is there any play that’s more than 15 yards downfield?

• On third down, Cribbs catches another dumpoff for a first down. But can’t succeed doing this.

• Sideline pass to Massaquoi … just four yards downfield … is dropped.

• Snow coming down heavily on second down. Moore catches it over the middle and runs out of bounds to the Browns 45.

• Just 41 seconds left … have to go downfield. Carlton Mitchell grabs his first reception for 18 yards, and Wallace spikes the ball with 22 seconds left at the Steelers 37. Pittsburgh calls their second timeout.

• Snowglobe conditions. Moore catches a pattern near the sidelines, but can’t get out of bounds. Ball is clocked with five seconds remaining at the Steelers 25.

• Last play is … delayed by the Steelers’ last timeout. Will Browns have some final trick play to end the season?

• Hail Mary sees Greg Little get his hands on the ball in the end zone, but the ball is knocked harmlessly to the ground. End of game. End of season.

Gotta run!.

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

• Browns win coin toss, receive, and punt after three plays, one a sack.

• Sheldon Brown holding penalty on third down gives Steelers a first down.

• On a third-and-1 inside handoff, Isaac Redmon gains 13 yards on an inside cut. Steelers drive to Browns’ 32. On fourth-and-3, Redmond beats D’Qwell Jackson on a circle route, but Ben Roethlisberger’s touch pass is too long. Mike Tomlin eschewed 49-yard field goal try with 24 mph wind.

• Seneca Wallace is sacked before he takes two steps on well-timed blitz by Troy Polamalu. Browns offense really humming. Six snaps, 14 yards, two sacks, two punts.

• Roethlisberger is being very careful not to hold the ball very long. As a result, his passes are not sharp. He’s in dink and dunk mode, like the second half of Dec. 8 game after his injury.

• Ahtyba Rubin storms in to bury Roethlisberger for a 9-yard sack.

• Jeremy Kapinos’ punt bounces backwards from the goal line. Browns take over at their 4, then have third 3-and-out in a row.

Gotta run!.

Browns quarterback Seneca Wallace will go out this season the same way he came in: determined to prove he should be the Browns’ starting quarterback.

With Colt McCoy officially ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Steelers, Wallace will make his third straight start, and he indicated it shouldn’t have taken so long for him to get his chance.

“At the end of the day, I can control what I can control,” he said. “Yeah, I get frustrated that, hey, I feel like I deserve a shot or I want a shot. But at the end of the day, it’s just a matter of making sure I lead my teammates in the right direction. The rest will take care of itself.”

Asked if he should he have a chance to compete for the starting job next season, Wallace said: “Maybe so. I don’t know. I’ll let you guys evaluate that.”

Before the season, Wallace, who had just signed a new three-year deal worth $9 million, told The Plain Dealer that he’d do everything he could to beat out McCoy for the starting job in camp.

“I still want the opportunity to go out and be able to play myself, so I’m not just going to sit back and watch,” he said then. “I’d rather go out there and play.”

During an interview Thursday on FM/92.3, Wallace said it’s been “very tough” for him to sit all season.

“Do I feel like things always are fair? No. And that’s just the way it is. . . . It was Pat [Shurmur's] decision to give Colt an opportunity, and that’s what it was.”

A nine-year pro, Wallace reiterated what he told The Plain Dealer in June — that he wasn’t going to share all his knowledge of the West Coast offense with McCoy because he wanted to beat him for the job.

Asked during Thursday’s interview how much mentoring he’s done with McCoy this season, Wallace said: “Not much. Not much. That was Jake [Delhomme's] deal. He did a lot of some stuff with him last year. But that’s not my thing. It’s just one thing I don’t do. I came in with the mind-set I wanted to compete, whatever case that was.”

Wallace said he’d answer any questions McCoy might have about the West Coast offense, but he wouldn’t offer unsolicited help.

Also during his radio interview Thursday, Wallace changed his tune a little about the botched ending of the first half in Baltimore. Instead of assuming full blame for not spiking the ball as he did after the game, he put some of it on Shurmur. He said the players looked over to the sideline after tight end Evan Moore wasn’t ruled out of bounds and the clock was ticking down.

“I don’t know if Pat was ready to have his next call, or whatever the case may be,” Wallace said. “It was just a miscommunication between us, at that point.”

Jackson, Adams honored: The local chapter of the Pro Football Writers of America voted linebacker D’Qwell Jackson as the Browns Player of the Year, and safety Mike Adams was voted the winner of the Good Guy Award for his cooperation with the media and for the way he carries himself in the community and with his teammates.

“I guess it means a lot,” Adams said, laughing. “It also means you guys are slipping because I’ve been here for five years and you finally got it right. I commend you guys for finally getting it right. I appreciate it. It’s an honor. I always try to tell the truth and tell as much as I can without giving any secrets away. I try to be as honest as possible, straightforward and just try say what I’m feeling, and I guess a lot of people respect that.”

Adams, who’s contract is up after this season, said he’d love to be back with the Browns.

“It’s my first choice, but I have to embrace change if change happens,” he said. “I’ve been around this business a long time. I’ve seen guys I never thought would get released get released. I think I did a good job this year. I definitely think I showed I’m a starter and I showed that I can make plays, get my team lined up and make the right calls.”

He said the Browns have given no indication they want him back.

“There’s been no numbers, no contract talk,” he said. “But that’s OK because I didn’t want it to mess me up mentally.”

But he wants to be around when the good times roll.

“When we went 10-6, that feeling was like no other — and we didn’t even go to the playoffs,” he said. “I want to experience that here again.”

Hicks to start: Artis Hicks will start Sunday at right tackle in place of Tony Pashos, who has been out all week with a stomach issue. Pashos has also been battling an ankle injury.

“People always remember what they saw last, so you always want to leave your best stuff out there,” Hicks said.

He’s gearing up for outside linebacker James Harrison, who lines up all over.

“In their nickel packages, they’ll move him inside, he’ll come over, he’ll rush on the right side. When you have a guy like that who’s capable of creating havoc, you want to get him moved around and try to get matchups with him all game.”

Hicks said he won’t get hung up on trying to get revenge on Harrison for his hit on McCoy on Dec. 8.

“All I focus on is what’s happening right now in front of me,” he said.

Injury update: Several key Steelers are probable, including quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (ankle), safety Troy Polamalu (knee), Harrison (neck), center Maurkice Pouncey (ankle) and receiver Mike Wallace (ankle).

Thanks for reading! .

Plain Dealer’s Cleveland Browns beat writer Mary Kay Cabot hosts News and Notes with Colt McCoy, Peyton Hillis, D’Qwell Jackson, and Greg Little before they play the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

What are your opinions.

Eight games, eight wins. The Baltimore Ravens achieved perfection at home for the first time, and now they’re looking to add to that ledger in the playoffs.
Joe Flacco threw two touchdown passes, and the Ravens beat the bumbling Cleveland Browns 20-14 on Saturday to move one step closer to winning the AFC North.
Ray Rice ran for 87 yards and caught a TD pass for the Ravens (11-4), who led 17-0 at halftime and held on.
“I have never been perfect at home in 16 years of football. That’s amazing,” Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis said. “As good of teams we’ve had here, we’ve always found (a way) to lose one or two here or there. I think this year we really made a focus on taking care at home. This is the result, us being able to go 8-0 and being able to be sitting where you want to sit at the end of the day.”
The Ravens would win the AFC North by defeating Cincinnati on the road next week. That would also give Baltimore a first-round bye and a home playoff game — two if New England loses next Sunday at home against Buffalo.
“It’s big, man,” linebacker Terrell Suggs said. “We are at our best when we are at (home) and our fans are rocking. So we definitely need a home playoff game, by any means necessary.”
Flacco went 11 for 24 with touchdown passes to Rice and tight end Ed Dickson. He also had a 33-yard run.
Josh Cribbs had a career-high 84-yard punt return for a TD for Cleveland (4-11). But the Browns generated very little offense and were guilty of questionable play calling, bad clock management and untimely penalties in their fifth straight loss.
Cleveland saved the worst for last. Having already burned their three timeouts, the Browns lined up on defense after the two-minute warning with the Ravens facing a fourth-and-2 at the Cleveland 37.
It appeared obvious that Flacco and the Ravens were merely hoping to draw the Browns offside.
As the play clock moved close to zero, Cleveland tackle Phil Taylor jumped across the line of scrimmage to give Baltimore a first down.
“It was the first hard count and we stayed onside,” Taylor said. “The second time, I just jumped. Of course you feel bad, but you just got to move on.”
Said Flacco: “I don’t know if I’ve ever been in position for that to happen. It’s never worked.”
The Ravens then ran out the clock on their eighth straight win over the Browns, including two this month.
“We knew this would be quite a challenge for us,” Cleveland quarterback Seneca Wallace said. “We’re playing the Ravens at home, and they’re playing for everything. I should have played better, and I should have made better decisions.”
Wallace went 19 for 33 for 147 yards in place of Colt McCoy, who was out with a concussion. Peyton Hillis ran for 112 yards, but Cleveland’s offense mounted only one decent drive.
The Browns took the opening kickoff and moved from their own 26 to the Baltimore 30 behind the power of Hillis, who gained 30 yards on six carries. But on a third-and-1, Cleveland inexplicably went to the air, and Lardarius Webb intercepted Wallace’s pass for Mohamed Massaquoi.
Flacco immediately threw deep for Torrey Smith, who drew a 60-yard penalty for pass interference on Mike Adams to set up a 5-yard touchdown pass to Dickson.
Later, a 29-yard throw from Flacco to Smith led to a 48-yard field goal by newcomer Shayne Graham, signed in the middle of the week to take over for the injured Billy Cundiff.
After another Cleveland punt, Flacco directed an 82-yard drive that gave Baltimore a 17-0 lead. Rice slipped behind linebacker D’Qwell Jackson on the right sideline, caught a soft pass in stride and sprinted into the end zone to complete a 42-yard scoring play.
That made Flacco 5 for 5 for 94 yards and two touchdowns on third down.
Cleveland moved deep into Baltimore territory late in the first half, thanks in part to a 30-yard pass interference call against Chris Carr. But with the clock inside 10 seconds and the Browns without a timeout left, Wallace handed off to Hillis instead of spiking the ball, and Hillis went nowhere.
Wallace took the blame, and so did Browns coach Pat Shurmur.
“I need to communicate it better, OK?” Shurmur said.
Time expired before Cleveland could get off another play, and the Browns headed to the locker room after being held scoreless in the first half for the second time this season. The other time it happened was also against Baltimore.
Graham kicked a 43-yard field goal in the third quarter to make it 20-0.
The Browns finally scored when Cribbs took a punt on the right sideline, escaped an arm tackle and broke toward the center of the field before outrunning three defenders into the left corner of the end zone late in the third quarter.
“I was wondering where all the defenders were,” Cribbs said. “I saw all the great blocking around me. From there, it was easy. It was just a walk in.”
Cribbs also contributed to Cleveland’s next touchdown, catching a 23-yard pass from Wallace as part of an 80-yard drive that ended with a 9-yard TD throw to Evan Moore midway through the fourth quarter.
The Browns forced a punt, but on a fourth-and-4 from the Cleveland 45 with 4:03 left, a pass to Hillis did not produce the necessary yardage.
Taylor’s jump across the line of scrimmage soon followed.
NOTES: Ravens KR David Reed hurt his left knee and declared himself out for the season. Also, Baltimore OT Marshal Yanda (chest) and CB Cary Williams (concussion) did not play in the second half. … Shurmur said the Browns sustained no serious injuries. Cleveland closes the season next Sunday against Pittsburgh.

Leave any suggestions in the comment box.

D’Qwell Jackson must feel as though he’s stuck in a never-ending
film loop, one in which the Cleveland Browns make the same mistakes
over and over until the final whistle signals the end of yet
another defeat.

Such was the case Saturday, when the Browns bungled their way to
a 20-14 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

“We’ve been in some close ones, and today told the story of the
season,” Jackson said. “We fought for three quarters, the offense
was able to move the ball, we put the ball in the end zone, and we
still had a chance at the end.”

That’s when Cleveland (4-11) made its most glaring error.

Down 20-14 with no timeouts left, the Browns lined up on defense
after the two-minute warning with the Ravens facing a fourth-and-2
at the Cleveland 37.

It appeared obvious that Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco was
merely hoping to draw the Browns offside. And right on cue,
Cleveland rookie tackle Phil Taylor jumped across the line of
scrimmage to give Baltimore a first down.

The Ravens (11-4) then ran out the clock on their eighth
straight win over the Browns, including two this month.

“We jumped offside and we didn’t give ourselves a chance,”
Jackson said. “It’s hard to do.”

As soon as the flag dropped to the ground, Jackson grabbed the
rookie to offer him some advice.

“He said, `Hold your head up.’ It’s tough,” Taylor said softly
in a sullen locker room. “It was the first hard count and we stayed
onside. The second time, I just jumped. Of course you feel bad, but
you just got to move on.”

Taylor wasn’t the only one with a mistake to lament. Jackson got
torched on a touchdown pass from Flacco to Ray Rice. The Browns had
to use their first-half timeouts early because of personnel issues.
And quarterback Seneca Wallace, after driving Cleveland to the
Baltimore 3-yard line, curiously called a running play instead of
spiking the ball as time expired in the second quarter.

“It seems that it’s the 15th time I’ve said this, (but) the guys
played extremely hard,” Cleveland coach Pat Shurmur said. “I told
the guys for us to win these close games here in the AFC North,
we’ve got to play a little smarter in some of the critical
situations and that will help make the difference. That’s where
we’re at.”

Flacco threw two touchdown passes and Rice ran for 87 yards to
help the Ravens finish 8-0 at home.

Josh Cribbs had a career-high 84-yard punt return for a TD for
Cleveland. Wallace went 19 for 33 for 147 yards in place of Colt
McCoy, who was out with a concussion. Peyton Hillis ran for 112
yards, but Cleveland’s offense mounted only one decent drive.

The Browns took the opening kickoff and moved from their own 26
to the Baltimore 30 behind the power of Hillis, who gained 30 yards
on six carries. But on a third-and-1, Cleveland inexplicably went
to the air, and Lardarius Webb intercepted Wallace’s pass for
Mohamed Massaquoi.

Flacco immediately threw deep for Torrey Smith, who drew a
60-yard penalty for pass interference on Mike Adams to set up a
5-yard touchdown pass to Ed Dickson.

Later, a 29-yard throw from Flacco to Smith led to a 48-yard
field goal by Shayne Graham.

After another Cleveland punt, Flacco directed an 82-yard drive
that gave Baltimore a 17-0 lead. Rice slipped behind Jackson on the
right sideline, caught a soft pass in stride and sprinted into the
end zone to complete a 42-yard scoring play.

That made Flacco 5 for 5 for 94 yards and two touchdowns on
third down.

Cleveland moved deep into Baltimore territory late in the first
half, thanks in part to a 30-yard pass interference call against
Chris Carr. But with the clock inside 10 seconds and the Browns
without a timeout, Wallace handed off to Hillis instead of spiking
the ball, and Hillis went nowhere.

Wallace took the blame, and so did Shurmur.

“I need to communicate it better, OK?” Shurmur said.

Time expired before Cleveland could get off another play, and
the Browns headed to the locker room after being held scoreless in
the first half for the second time this season. The other time it
happened was also against Baltimore.

Graham kicked a 43-yard field goal in the third quarter to make
it 20-0.

The Browns finally scored when Cribbs took a punt on the right
sideline, escaped an arm tackle and broke toward the center of the
field before outrunning three defenders into the left corner of the
end zone late in the third quarter.

“I was wondering where all the defenders were,” Cribbs said. “I
saw all the great blocking around me. From there, it was easy. It
was just a walk in.”

Cribbs also contributed to Cleveland’s next touchdown, catching
a 23-yard pass from Wallace as part of an 80-yard drive that ended
with a 9-yard TD throw to Evan Moore midway through the fourth
quarter.

The Browns forced a punt, but on a fourth-and-4 from the
Cleveland 45 with 4:03 left, a pass to Hillis did not produce the
necessary yardage.

Taylor’s jump across the line of scrimmage soon followed.

NOTES: Ravens KR David Reed hurt his left knee and declared
himself out for the season. Also, Baltimore OT Marshal Yanda
(chest) and CB Cary Williams (concussion) did not play in the
second half. … Shurmur said the Browns sustained no serious
injuries. Cleveland closes the season next Sunday against
Pittsburgh.

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

BALTIMORE — Notes, observations and some facts on the first quarter …

• Browns use tight end Dan Gronkowski in first short-yardage situation. Peyton Hillis converts third-and-1 — just barely.

• Evan Moore makes nice grab for 11 yards with Wallace being chased to the right. Hillis follows with an 11-yard blast up the middle to the Ravens’ 39.

• On third-and-1, Mohamed Massaquoi lines up in a deep slot to the right. Wallace throws weakly for him while backpedaling. Lardarius Webb intercepts at the Ravens’ 32. Even if he catches it, it’s 2 yards short of first down.

• Joe Flacco rears back and throws long for Torrey Smith, who beats Joe Haden. Underthrown ball. Mike Adams interferes. Sixty-yard penalty to Browns’ 4.

• On third-and-goal from the 5, Flacco beats a blitz and connects with Ed Dickson, who beat D’Qwell Jackson in the end zone.

• Greg Little with a nice high grab for a first down. Then Wallace goes deep for Massaquoi and it’s not even close to far enough. No air.

• Massaquoi runs 8-yard out route on third-and-10. Punt.

• After one first down by Ray Rice, Ravens get 29 yards on Flacco dumpoff to Smith crossing. Moved from own 8 to Browns’ 47 in five plays.

• Ricky Williams with a 14-yard run.

• Ahtyba Rubin follows with a 10-yard sack.

• Shayne Graham 48-yard field goal is good.

There is the quick update of the day.

The Browns will not be disciplined by the NFL for their handling of the Colt McCoy concussion injury in Pittsburgh on Dec. 8, according to league spokesman Greg Aiello.

The Browns put McCoy back in the game without testing for a concussion.

The NFLPA has not decided whether to file a grievance against the club, said union spokesman Carl Francis in an email reply.

The incident spurred two changes in league protocol. Teams were notified on Wednesday that starting with this weekend’s games:

* A certified athletic trainer paid by the NFL will monitor the game from an upstairs booth and will notify both teams’ medical staffs if it feels an injured player needs special attention. The trainer will not have the authority to remove a player from a game, but will provide information to a medical staff that might not have seen the hit or injury absorbed by a player.

The Browns contended McCoy was not given the sideline concussion test because he displayed no symptoms and their overtaxed medical staff did not see the hit by Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison.

* Team medical staffs will be able to use cell phones during games to obtain information relating to the care of an injured player. This will not be limited to concussion injuries.

McCoy has not been cleared to practice 13 days after suffering the concussion on the hit.

Harrison returned to practice on Wednesday and delivered another shot on the Browns. He believes they should be disciplined for their handling of McCoy. 

“If he was hurt so bad I don’t know why they let him back in . . . two plays later,” Harrison told the Associated Press. “Something should be done to them I would think. I got a game, what should they get?

Another sit-down: Quarterback Seneca Wallace had a sit-down with running back Peyton Hillis last week.

“We had a long talk,” said Wallace. “I just told him don’t get discouraged and don’t ever lose the happiness you got from playing football. Don’t let the media, whatever else, take away from what you love to do. Just make sure you come out and have fun with it.”

Hillis went on to have the highest-yardage rushing game of his star-crossed season. Hillis ran 26 times for 99 yards and one touchdown in Arizona.

He said he felt healthier than at any point since Week 2, in which, coincidentally, he produced similar numbers — 27 rushes for 94 yards and two touchdowns — against the Colts.

Wallace and Hillis have bonded because if the Browns are going to make anything of the remaining games at Baltimore and home against Pittsburgh, they are going to have to be the main cogs on offense.

Wallace will make his second start on Christmas Eve in place of McCoy.

“I don’t want to overstep my boundaries,” he said. “I understand if somebody has to step up and speak their mind and say what they have to say, if it’s for the best of the team, you’ve got to do it.”

Hillis said the Wallace talk hit home. It was: “Just go out and enjoy football, enjoy the game, the guys you’re around, because any game can be your last. Every game’s precious.”

Hillis might have only two games left in a Browns uniform. His contract expires after the season. General Manager Tom Heckert recently said of re-signing Hillis, “That’s another one we’ll have to decide once the season’s over.”

Injury roundup: Besides McCoy, six other Browns did not practice on Wednesday — linebacker Ben Jacobs (concussion), receiver Jordan Norwood (concussion), safety T.J. Ward (foot), receiver Mohamed Massaquoi (foot), defensive lineman Scott Paxson (hand, foot) and cornerback Joe Haden (thigh). . . . Coach Pat Shurmur said the team has discussed shutting down Ward, who will miss his seventh consecutive game.

Now batting: Josh Cribbs’ recurrent groin injury will result in possibly more kickoff return opportunities for Buster Skrine, Shurmur said. Skrine had a 32-yard return in Arizona after Cribbs’ injury acted up.

Skrine was the lone returner when Arizona kicked off in overtime, but Jay Feely’s kickoff sailed into the end zone and went as a touchback.

Skrine is hoping to have some returns in Baltimore. The Ravens signed veteran Shayne Graham as a temp for Billy Cundiff, who has a calf injury and hasn’t practiced for the third week in a row. Cundiff is second in the AFC with 42 touchbacks.

Cribbs, who still may get some returns in Baltimore, has not had a return over 37 yards in six games. He hasn’t had a kickoff return for touchdown in 32 games.

“We’re doing what we can to get him blocked up so that we can get those,” Shurmur said.

Precinct report: Fan voting for the Pro Bowl ended on Monday. Joe Thomas finished fifth among AFC tackles, D’Qwell Jackson placed third among inside linebackers, and Cribbs was third among kick returners. Voting among coaches and players — which comprises the other two-thirds of the vote total — is completed today. Pro Bowl teams will be announced on Tuesday.

Thanks for reading! .

Running low on time today, i’ll be back tomorrow hopefully with some more news.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Browns knew it was going to be a long afternoon when Ray Rice gashed them for 30 yards on his first play of the game. They didn’t know it was going to be this humiliating or embarrassing.

By the end of the first quarter, he had 75 yards. By the end of the half, 107. By the end of the game, a career-high 204. By then, the Browns were soggy, beaten up and red in the face.

“We got slaughtered,” said defensive lineman Scott Paxson. “They kicked our butt up front. We’ve just got to swallow it and move on.”

Rice became the first player to rush for 200 yards against the Browns since Pittsburgh’s Willie Parker gained 223 on Dec. 7, 2006. The team’s 290 rushing yards were the most against the Browns since they surrendered 303 vs. the Steelers that day.

“They just flat out whupped us up front,” said linebacker D’Qwell Jackson. “It wasn’t anything special. The front line, the defensive line, the linebackers, we didn’t get it done. They embarrassed us.”

Rice opened the scoring with a 6-yard TD run at the start of the second quarter and then stuck the dagger in with a 67-yard blast to the Browns’ 6 just after Cleveland had pulled to within 10-3 in the third quarter. That set up a Ricky Williams TD that increased the Ravens’ lead to 17-3.

“I missed that tackle,” said safety Mike Adams, who played with a shoulder injury. “I could’ve made that tackle, coming down wide open. I want to see where my angle was.”

The defense stopped Rice for no gain on fourth and 1 on the Ravens’ first drive. Chris Gocong and Phil Taylor got credit, but Jackson looked to be there, too. But the floodgates re-opened on the next drive when Rice pumped out runs of seven, 14 and 10 yards on the first three plays. He wound up with 48 on that drive alone, including the 6-yard score.

“It was a slap in the face today,” said Jackson. “A lot of guys put a lot of time into it and to give up that many yards — Ray is an extremely talented back and they have a good team. They came to play tonight and we had no answer for it.

“It wasn’t complicated runs, but we just couldn’t get off blocks and we weren’t making enough plays. I just want the guys to know that this is not acceptable at all.”

The Ravens’ dominance spoiled spirited efforts on the parts of rookie Jabaal Sheard and Paxson. Sheard had strip-sack for the third game and a tackle for a loss, and Paxson forced and recovered a fumble, but it was reversed.

“I’ve just got to find a way to make better plays,” Sheard said. “I missed a few plays out there.”

Said Paxson: “We knew coming in that Ray Rice was their stud. We knew that not only did he run the ball out of the backfield, but he was a check-down guy, a screen guy. We did know that, but we couldn’t stop it.”

That’s because Rice hit the rewind button at halftime.

“I knew I was over 100 yards at halftime,” he said. “Coach [Wilbert] Montgomery said ‘you know what, let’s start all over.’ So when I came back out, I had a carry for nine or 10 yards. I came back to the sideline and he said ‘you got ten yards’, meaning that we started all over again because it was a new half.

“Once he knew I was getting closer to that 200-yard mark, he did let me know when I needed like four yards. I was like ‘I need to get these four yards before it eats me alive.’”

When the game was briefly close in the third quarter, Rice knew another big play was needed.

“We had to make a play then and there,” he said. “Then we were up by two scores. That’s the difference. That was the turning point in the game.”

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

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

• Greg Little suffers drop on first play of the game. Short pass.

• Peyton Hillis running hard early. Gains of 7, 9 and 8 yards. Good lead block on one by Owen Marecic.

• Hillis’ running sets up third-and-2 from Ravens’ 39. From there, Colt McCoy’s pass is batted in his face by Haloti Ngata. Browns punt to set up field position. Christian Yount’s first long snap is a tad high. Got the first one out of the way.

• Jayme Mitchell blown off the line of scrimmage on Ravens’ first play. Ray Rice runs through giant hole, makes one move, and tackled after 30-yard run.

• On third-and-1, Ricky Williams gets the call. Twelve-yard run. Everything is through the Browns’ right defensive side.

• Joe Flacco completion sets up fourth-and-1 from Browns 26. Handoff to Rice. He burrows real low but can’t push the pile. D’Qwell Jackson, Ahtyba Rubin, Phil Taylor on the stop.

• Jordan Norwood has catch of 11 yards. Unhappy with tackle, he flips ball at facemask of Bernard Pollard and gets penalized.

• Dannell Ellerbe blows up attempted screen pass to Chris Ogbonnaya. Away from ball Arthur Jones levels McCoy. McCoy stays down with a right knee injury and has to leave. Welcome, Seneca Wallace.

• Wallace completes a 4-yard pass and Browns punt. Perfect snap.

• Rice takes a quick toss and runs for 14 yards. Then 10 more on an iniside handoff.

• Flacco shows some mobility, throwing on the run and completing pass for nine yards. Sets up another fourth-and-1 for Ravens at Browns’ 21. Flacco sneaks it over for first down.

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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.

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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.

Gotta run!.

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

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