Just another Cleveland Browns game decided in the final minute of play. Browns fans are certainly feeling much happier than they were exactly one week ago.

The Browns defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 14-10 on Sunday afternoon. A full game recap and box score can be found here.

The game was over: When Jags QB Blaine Gabbert(notes) threw two incomplete passes inside the Browns two-yard line during the final eight seconds of the game. The first, a ball thrown toward the left portion of the end zone, was broken up by Joe Haden(notes). Then, with just three seconds remaining, Gabbert dropped back to pass rather than handing the ball off to star RB Maurice Jones-Drew(notes). Gabbert had MJD relatively open near the right sideline, but instead chose to throw the ball over the middle. The pass was broken up, and the Browns had a much-needed win.

Inexcusable errors: Before praising the Browns (and I will), I must first mention two terrible mistakes made during the final drive of the game. Facing fourth and one with under 90 seconds remaining, Browns defensive tackle Phil Taylor(notes), who was otherwise great throughout the afternoon, jumped the gun and was correctly called for a five-yard penalty that gave the Jags the first down. Three plays later, the previously mentioned Joe Haden was flagged for pass interference inside the Cleveland 15-yard line. It was a needless penalty, as the ball was going to fall incomplete regardless of Haden’s miscue.

Both played very well outside of these moments, and both are still works in progress. These mistakes during the game’s most crucial drive just cannot happen, though, and you can be sure the team’s coaching staff will let the guilty players know exactly that on Monday.

Bounce back: Browns quarterback Colt McCoy(notes) was guilty of potentially the worst interception of his NFL career during the third quarter. With the Browns inside the Jacksonville six-yard line, McCoy threw a terrible ball directly at Jacksonville’s Dawan Landry(notes), who collected the interception and killed the drive. McCoy, like a veteran quarterback, put the mistake out of mind and took the Browns right down the field on the very next drive. The 12-play, 85-yard touchdown drive was capped off by a perfectly placed short pass to Josh Cribbs inside the right portion of the end zone.

McCoy and company are going to make mistakes during the final month and a half. There’s no question about it. Forgetting such mistakes immediately and moving on is exactly what winners do, and McCoy’s performance during this drive reminded those watching the game that he has thus far won at every level.

Browns MVP: Peyton who? Cleveland RB Chris Ogbonnaya(notes) finished with 115 rushing yards and a touchdown on 21 carries. He also, unlike a certain running back, fought through what appeared to be an injured hamstring during the fourth quarter. At this point of the campaign, I honestly see no reason to bring Peyton Hillis(notes) back. Once Montario Hardesty(notes) fully heels, the Hardesty-Ogbonnaya duo is one I want to see in the Cleveland backfield.

Overall: Fans could obviously complain about Pat Shurmur again handcuffing his own offense during a pivotal fourth quarter drive, or argue that the fourth quarter Phil Dawson(notes) FG ruled to be no good was actually inside the upright. There’s no reason for such discussions early Sunday evening. The Cleveland Browns have ended the three-game slide and, in all fairness, they should be 5-5.

I’ll take it.

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

• Browns enter red zone on Greg Little 11-yard catch. A touchdown here is imperative.

• Little throws good block on swing pass to Owen Marecic.

• Chris Ogbonnaya’s 6-yard run takes it to the 3. But Marecic is helped off the field with injury.

• On third down, Josh Cribbs scores TD by doing a quick 2-step hop to get both feet in just inside right pylon. Really good drive by McCoy to atone for his interception.

• Pumped up Phil Dawson drills ensuing kickoff out of the end zone for touchback.

• Sheldon Brown drops an interception. Joe Haden had one of those earlier.

• Great third-down throw by Blaine Gabbert. Twenty-eight yards on a line to Jason Hill to the Browns’ 37.

• Montell Owens bounces off Haden for 8 yards and first down at Browns 11.

• Gabbert misses Hill in end zone after Brown falls. Wide, wide open. Ball out of the end zone.

• Jags have third-and-8 at Browns 9. What to do? Gabbert desperately throws backwards out of bounds with Jabaal Sheard on his back. Josh Scobee’s 42-yard field goal makes it 14-10, Browns.

• The game could be iced by … Ogbonnaya? His 40-yard dash down the left sideline ends when he cramps up, but suddenly the Browns are in position to put the outcome out of doubt.

• Ogbonnaya sits out for a play, then returns to keep moving the pile. All those who thought he would outgain Jones-Drew and average nearly six yards a carry … yeah, sure.

• McCoy is sacked by Tyson Alualu and Russell Allen. Drive in trouble now.

• Jags are calling timeouts to try to force a field goal and a last-ditch chance to tie. They get their wish, and then some, when Phil Dawson is just wide right from 38 yards.

• Gabbert swings one to Drew Coleman for nine yards and Jones-Drew converts the first down as the two-minute warning arrives.

• Mercedes Lewis gathers in a 12-yard reception to get the Jags in Browns territory. Good pressure forces Gabbert to throw one away, but on second down he finds Lewis again on a crossing pattern to the 37. Third and four.

• Jarrett Dillard is stopped a yard short of first down, but Phil Taylor eases the pressure on the Jags by jumping offside on fourth down.

• From the 29, Browns blitz and Gabbert is short and inside to Lewis, who is be shadowed well by Scott Fujita. Third down with 57 seconds left.

• Jason Hill can’t make the grab over the middle, but Joe Haden is flagged for interference. There was a lot of contact on the play.

• Now at the 14, there’s plenty of time for Jacksonville. Pressure forces a throw out of bounds. Chastin West gets a square-out in front of Sheldon Brown at the five, and nearly breaks free for the score.

• Jones-Drew moves the entire pile three yards for first and goal at the 2.

• With clock running, Jones-Drew gets the ball again and this time the tackles form a wall he can’t break through. Last Jaguars timeout with eight seconds left. Do they dare run MJD again?

• Hill has Haden beat in the left corner, but Haden grabs his left hand and the ball comes free. Last play.

• Jones-Drew is the best option, right? But he’s in a wheel route and Mike Thomas is man-to-man on D’Qwell Jackson over the middle. The pass is a little behind and Jackson keeps pushing as the ball falls to the ground.

• Had them all the way.

BEREA, Ohio — The Browns are hoping Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew doesn’t do Sunday what he did against them last season.

It was almost exactly one year ago — on Nov. 21, 2010 — when Jones-Drew racked up a career-high 220 yards (rushing and receiving) against the Browns — including 75 yards on a backbreaking screen pass that helped finish off the Browns. Late in the fourth quarter with the Browns ahead, 20-17, Jones-Drew took the seemingly innocuous short pass and darted through a flurry of flailing arms until Joe Haden ran him down at the 1-yard line.

Jones-Drew plowed in from the 1 on second down for the go-ahead touchdown with 1:30 left and the Jaguars won, 24-20.

“Looking back on last year, we just didn’t make tackles,” Browns tackle Ahtyba Rubin said. “He kind of got away from us and had great vision and took it to the house. We have to get MJD to the ground this game and then we’ll be all right.”

Easier said than done for the Browns’ 30th-ranked run defense. The 5-7, 208-pound dynamo is fourth in the NFL this season with 854 yards rushing and first with 191 attempts.

“He’s a very rare combination,” defensive coordinator Dick Jauron said. “He’s got a body type that you don’t see a lot in this league. He’s definitely not small — that is not a small person. He’s short, very compact and very powerful. When you’re trying to tackle him, he doesn’t give you a lot of surface to hit. He has great pad level. He runs with a low profile, great balance and great power. Whenever you watch tape of him you see him run over linebackers, see him run over defensive linemen and come out the other side running.”

Jones-Drew rushed for 133 yards against the Browns last season, averaging 5.8 yards per carry. Of course, many of the Browns’ defensive starters from that game have been replaced, but the new crew is struggling, too. The Browns have allowed 568 yards rushing over the past three games, an average of 189 yards per game.

“[Jones-Drew] is a tremendous challenge,” Jauron said. “They do a real nice job scheming for him in the run game. He’s not just a runner, he’s a very big part of their passing game and he’s a terrific protector. This is an all-around football player. This is a real pro, this guy. He’s got the numbers to prove that he really plays well. We’ll have a tough time. We have our work cut out for us with this one.”

Linebacker Scott Fujita, who was out for the season with a knee injury last year when Jones-Drew lit up the Browns, is gearing up for the player Ravens defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano described earlier this month as “a rolling ball of butcher knives.”

“He’s one of my favorite backs in the league because he’s so good,” Fujita said. “I enjoy watching him play and I have for his career. He’s powerful, he’s explosive, extremely athletic and he’s difficult because he can hide. He’s hard to see over the pile, locate where he is. He’s got such great vision so he can stay hidden and then find the hole and just burst through it.”

Another thing Jones-Drew does well is run low — “lower than an ant’s belly” — Steelers defensive end Ziggy Hood said earlier this season.

“I’ve seen a few clips where his shoulder pads are literally a foot off the ground,” Browns linebacker Chris Gocong said. “You’ve got to get really low, too. He’s just a load.”

Jones-Drew is 7 inches shorter than last week’s featured back, St. Louis’ Steven Jackson, but cornerback Dimitri Patterson says that contrast is overrated.

“I don’t know why people call Jones-Drew little because he’s not little,” said Patterson. “He’s just short. He’s built like a ball. It’s hard to get your arms around him, and he runs so strong, with such confidence and with a purpose. He’s very explosive. He feels like he can score every time and that type of guy doesn’t come around a lot. He’s one of the most unique backs in the league.”

With the Browns’ troubles against the run, teams have running the ball an average of 37 times per game — and they’re expecting no less from Jacksonville.

“Until we get that fixed we’re going to keep having problems there,” Fujita said. “We’ve got to get as many hats on him as possible.”

Jones-Drew, whose running backs coach is former Browns running back Earnest Byner, doesn’t let up on the road. Over the past three seasons, Jones-Drew leads the NFL with 94.8 yards rushing per road game. This season, two of his three 100-yard games have come away from Jacksonville.

“He’s definitely the main focus for us,” said Usama Young, who will again replace strong safety T.J. Ward (foot). “As a defensive back, you’re looking and you don’t even see him sometimes. He just bursts out of there. He’s one of those backs you’ve got to wrap him up and we’re going to have to swarm to tackle him.”

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: mcabot@plaind.com, 216-999-4670

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

CLEVELAND, Ohio — On the surface of it, the Cleveland Browns’ AFC North might qualify as the NFL’s premier division.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are 6-2; the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals, each 5-2; the Browns, 3-4.

That makes the division teams a combined 19-10. Subtract the two games played thus far within the division — the Bengals’ 27-17 win over the Browns and the Ravens’ 35-7 rout of the Steelers, both in Sept. 11 season openers — and the teams are 17-8 in games played against foes outside the division.

Don Banks of Sports Illustrated’s SI.com, in his “NFL Midseason Report: 2011,” writes that the AFC North is tops, but… 

• BEST DIVISION — AFC North: The Steelers, Ravens and Bengals are all dangerous two-loss teams, and even last-place Cleveland is a competitive 3-4. The secret to the division’s success? It drew the weak NFC West and AFC South in the league’s scheduling format this year.

The Browns get a chance to enhance the AFC North’s reputation when they visit the AFC South-leading Houston Texans (5-3) on Sunday.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Browns coverage includes Jodie Valade’s story that Browns running back Peyton Hillis says this season has “been a humbling experience;” Tony Grossi’s Browns Insider; the Browns Insider weekly video show, with Dennis Manoloff, Tony Grossi and Mary Kay Cabot talking about the Browns; a Starting Blocks Browns vs. Texans poll; and, much more.

Post patterns

Defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin is playing at a Pro Bowl level, Steve Doerschuk writes for SportingNews.com.

Browns cornerback Joe Haden against Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson. By Bob Finnan for the News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal.

How about the Browns running a hurry-up offense? That, and Browns notes, by Fred Greetham for Scout.com’s Orange and Brown Report.

The Browns are second in the NFL in dropped passes, writes Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com.

Getting the football to the Browns’ playmakers. By Matt Florjancic for clevelandbrowns.com.

What the season has been like for Peyton Hillis. By Bob Finnan for the News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal.

Colt McCoy is playing better than he’s given credit for, writes Brian Murtaugh for the Bleacher Report.

Browns injuries update, by Scott Petrak for the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram and Medina County Gazette.

Facing Houston’s zone blocking, by Matt Florjancic for clevelandbrowns.com.

What do you want to see from the Browns against the Texans? By Craig Lyndall for WaitingForNextYear.com.

How the Browns-Texans game will play out, by John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.

Gary Kubiak isn’t a lock to remain as the Houston Texans coach, writes Steve Doerschuk of the Canton Repository.

The Cleveland Browns became another victim of the surprisingly successful San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, October 30 losing by a score of 20-10. The Browns fell to 3-4 on the season while the 49ers improved to 6-1.

Quarterback Colt McCoy(notes) finished the day completing 22 of 34 pass attempts for a total of 241 yards. He threw one touchdown and was picked off once.

While McCoy’s numbers looked mostly positive he struggled maintaining control of the football fumbling four times during the game. Of the four only one was lost, which occurred on the opening drive, leading to a San Francisco touchdown.

With running back Peyton Hillis(notes) missing his second straight game due to a hamstring injury, the bulk of the ground game was to go to Montario Hardesty(notes). Unfortunately for the Browns, Hardesty got injured early in the game. Recent addition Chris Ogbonnaya(notes) was forced into the role of the primary back carrying the ball 11 times for 37 yards. Ogbonnaya also recorded five receptions for 24 yards.

Ogbonnaya may have been a smart pickup after all. He surely has had an impact in the last two games he has appeared in.

Leading the way for Cleveland receivers was Benjamin Watson(notes) with three grabs for 64 yards. Joshua Cribs logged 56 yards on two receptions including a 45-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter. Greg Little(notes), who had been making his presence known on the team in the prior weeks, netted four receptions for 28 yards. He is still in search of the elusive first professional touchdown.

On defense D’Qwell Jackson(notes) led the team with 10 solo tackles, while Ahtyba Ruben recorded eight of his own. Joe Haden(notes) netted 5 solo tackles, one assist, and a pass deflection.

Despite giving up 177 yards to 49ers quarterback Alex Smith and 134 yards to running back Frank Gore(notes), the Browns defense played a great game, especially in the second half, holding the 49ers to only three points.

It was definitely a tough loss for the Browns who are still struggling to learn an entirely new offense scheme. Their running game was limited to their third string running back that started the season on the practice squad for the Houston Texans. Their passing game still lacks a No. 1 receiver, yet they still managed to stay competitive with one of the better teams in the league.

The Browns may not become Super Bowl champions this season but they are gaining valuable experience that will surely enable them to be competitive starting next year. They will just need to fill in pieces to the puzzle through both the draft and free agency during the offseason to get them there.

More NFL Commentary from this Contributor:

Cleveland Browns’ future in the hands of McCoy, Little, and Hardesty: A fan’s look

Cleveland Browns squeak by a victory against Seattle Seahawks: A fan’s reaction

Cleveland Browns’ season rests on performance against Seahawks: A fan’s look

Sources:

All stats provided by NFL.com

Paul Rados is an avid Detroit Red Wings 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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CLEVELAND, Ohio — Dismal as the offense was all day, ineffective at moving the ball into the end zone or even advancing to within 20 yards of the goal line, the Browns’ defense didn’t notice.

Why worry about something you can’t control? The philosophy of this young and rapidly improving unit is to single-mindedly focus on its own objective — prevent the opposition from scoring.

So the fact that the Browns couldn’t manage a touchdown in Sunday’s 6-3 victory over Seattle meant little. So, too, did the fact that the Seahawks were down to their backup quarterback and lost their starting running back to a pregame injury.

Three points is still just three points. A goal-line stand, as the Browns had in the third quarter when Seattle failed to score from the Cleveland 2 on three consecutive plays, are still the kind of plays that win games.

“If the offense scores 100 points, we want it to be 100 to zero,” safety T.J. Ward said. “Every time we go out there we’re looking for a shutout. Defensively, we want people to fear us and know it’s going to be tough against Cleveland. You’re not going to get no easy points. We’re one of a kind.”

Rookie receiver Greg Little called his defense the “best in the league,” after holding Seattle to 137 yards in total offense.

According to the raw numbers, the Browns were seventh in the NFL before Sunday, and they lowered their average for yards allowed to 308.3 after their stifling performance. It’s a defense littered with youth — rookies Jabaal Sheard and Phil Taylor are line mainstays, while second-year players Joe Haden and Ward anchor the secondary — that improves each week.

Against Seattle, the key goal-line stand came at the end of the third quarter when the Seahawks had a first down at the Cleveland 2. First, linebacker D’Qwell Jackson stuffed running back Justin Forsett. Quarterback Charlie Whitehurst failed to connect with Michael Robinson on second down, and with Ward broke up a third down attempt to tight end Cameron Morrah.

“As a defense, we really thought they couldn’t score on us,” Haden said. “No matter what the score was, as long as they were out of field-goal range, we felt they weren’t going to score on us.”

The Seahawks did have their chances. Leon Washington returned a punt 81 yards to the end zone, only to have an illegal block bring the ball back to the Seattle 45.

Two series later, Whitehurst finally connected on a big play, a 38-yarder to Sidney Rice along the right sideline. Rice had a wide-open field ahead of him, but lost his balance and stepped out of bounds at the Cleveland 9.

“I didn’t realize how close I was to the sideline,” Rice said. “I was trying to get some extra yards and I went out of bounds.”

Minus starting linebacker Scott Fujita (concussion) and with Haden playing for the first time in two weeks because of a knee injury, the Browns will take it.

“When you hold a team in the NFL to three points, that’s outstanding,” Browns coach Pat Shurmur said. “Outstanding.”

For more Cinesport video, go here.

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

• Chris Ogbannaya takes a dump-off and leaps through a defender for the first down. Then Montario Hardesty receives a flare pass and rumbles 16 yards to the Seahawks’ 36.

• On third-and-9, Brian Robiskie slips before Colt McCoy’s pass arrives.

• Phil Dawson from 53 yards. It’s up … it’s floating … it’s good. First time in his career Dawson has two field goal over 50 yards in same game.

• Browns defense forces punt in three plays. Josh Cribbs has made some tackles in kick coverage, but hasn’t been able to impact the game on returns.

• McCoy just gets the ball to Evan Moore for a first down. Moore jumps up and flashes a demonstrative “first down” signal.

• McCoy’s finest play of the day: escapes massive pressure, picks way through traffic and slides to a first down — 12 yards.

• Browns get another first down on 6-yard carry on third down by Ogbannaya.

• Now Montario Hardesty runs for 15 to the Seahawks 13. Kam Chancellor wraps up Hardesty, lifts him up and plants him to the ground. But Hardesty holds on.

• Seahawks burn all three timeouts before Dawson 24-yard field goal try. Seahawks block another won. Still 6-3, Browns.

• Two ineffective plays set up third-and-10 for Seahawks, and Joe Haden is called for interference on Sidney Rice at the Seattle 31. Whitehurst may have to rely on penalties … he has 92 yards passing at this moment.

• A overthrow on first down is followed by a screen to Washington for five yards. Three-man rush on third down and a first-down catch is dropped by Ben Obomanu. Fourth-down pass is caught by Doug Baldwin, but he’s called for a push-off. Another call in favor of the Browns. Fourth again and 15 with 2:27 left. Pass for Mike Williams is deflected by Joe Haden — Williams was triple-covered on the play.

• With 2:22 left, the Browns can’t run the clock out without a first down. Hardesty for three more yards … he has 95 yards on 32 carries — a full day’s work. Two-minute warning.

• A third-down personal foul by Red Bryant — who blocked two field goals — puts the game out of reach. Browns go to 3-3 before next Sunday’s trip to San Francisco.

Read More: Scott Fujita (LB – CLE), Peyton Hillis (RB – CLE), Joe Haden (DB – CLE), Cleveland Browns, Seattle Seahawks at Cleveland Browns, Oct 23, 2011 12:00 PM CDT

The Cleveland Browns final injury report of the week came out on Friday afternoon with few surprises for those who read the reports coming out of Friday morning’s practice. Of note, though, are status updates for Peyton Hillis, Joe Haden and Scott Fujita regarding Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks.

Hillis has been dealing with a hamstring injury as of late, even missing a portion of last week’s game after originally tweaking it in the third quarter. The Browns’ star running back didn’t practice at all this week, but he’s listed as questionable for this weekend’s game and will probably end up being a game-time decision.

While Hillis at least has a chance to play, Fujita has been ruled out for this weekend’s game. Fujita suffered a concussion against the Oakland Raiders and was sent home by Cleveland head coach Pat Shurmur earlier in the week. The news on Haden is a bit better as he was able to participate in some of Friday’s practice after being held out Wednesday and Thursday with a knee injury.

Transcript from Cleveland Browns coach Pat Shurmur press conference 10-21-11

(Opening statement)- “You didn’t notice three guys out there, Peyton Hillis, Ray Ventrone and Scott Fujita. At this point the only one I’m ruling out is Fujita. Everybody else on this team is available and we’ll decide later.”

(On how Joe Haden looked in practice)- “He looked good, he practiced throughout. I thought he looked great.”

(On if Haden is a go for Sunday)- “As I said, I’m not ruling anybody out at this point. He practiced and he’s available.”

(On if Haden would start or be brought back slowly)- “If Joe’s a go, he’ll be available the whole game and we’ll play him as much as we need him and we feel is right.”

(On if Montario Hardesty fills in for Hillis does he feel better about it knowing Hardesty has the Miami game under his belt)- “Yeah, I’m glad Montario has had an opportunity to get experience, I think that’ll help him. Then, Chris Ogbonnaya will be up as well and that would be how we would go with it.”

(On Hardesty dropping a pass today in practice and what is going on with that)- “He dropped the ball and we don’t want him to drop the ball. We work on catching. You get what you emphasize and we’ve worked on him catching the football, that’s what’s going on.”

(On establishing the running game early)- “I think it’s important that we maintain balance and a balance in my mind is efficiency running and throwing throughout the game. I think it’s fair to say we need to be able to run and pass early.”

(On how he can check the progress with the guards in practice)- “I’ve talked about everybody on offense playing better and so in terms of charting progress, it’s important that we watch every play. We always grade every play and it’s important whether they’re run blocking or pass blocking that they get better. I don’t want to point out just the guards, but I think it’s important that they, like everybody and we’ve talked a lot about the quarterback. He as well as everybody on this team needs to improve and we chart it, we work on it and we emphasize it.”

(On if Hardesty get most of the carries or if he would split carries with Ogbonnaya if Hillis is not able to go)- “We have plays for all the backs so we’ll use them in the ways we see fit.”

(On what Hillis did today)- “He wasn’t at practice and he’s been working with the trainers inside.”

(On if Fujita is at home)- “I’ll have to check with that, I did not see him this morning. I think so.

(On if practice did not go smoothly today because it looked like he was fired up)- “No, I thought it was an excellent practice. There’s a lot of practice that you folks don’t see. I think my demeanor was very similar to a lot of practices.”

(On if he could explain the difference between a no-huddle offense and a two-minute offense)- “The difference between in the two-minute you’re racing the clock as well as trying to get the ball down the field. In the no huddle there’s no time issue that you need to deal with. That would be the difference.”

(On how Jabaal Sheard has been playing since switching sides)- “I think Jabaal’s done a nice job and I think his steady improvement really took a jump when we moved him over to the left side. I’m pleased with where he’s going.”

BEREA — Browns defensive back Joe Haden (knee) and running back Peyton Hillis (hamstring) are both listed as questionable for the Seahawks, but linebacker Scott Fujita (concussion) has been ruled out,

Haden returned to practice today for the first time since suffering a sprained knee Oct. 2 vs. the Titans and lined up with the first team defense. He also moved and jumped well during the 15 minutes open to the media.

He said he’ll come in tomorrow to test the knee and see if he feels ready to play. “We still don’t know for sure until it’ll be gametime. It’s on me if I can go or not,” said Haden.

Fujita has spent most of the week at home recovering from his concussion symptoms. He’ll be replaced by Kaluka Maiava.

“I’m excited to show the guys I can make plays and have them count on me,” Maiava said.

Hillis hasn’t been seen at practice all week and has been working indoors with the trainers. If he sits, which appears likely, he’ll be replaced by Montario Hardesty.  Newcomer Chris Ogbonnaya will serve as the third-down back.

 Hardesty, who’s had six dropped passes the past two games, dropped another easy one over the middle in practice today to draw the ire of coach Pat Shurmur.

Shurmur yelled for Ogbonnaya after the drop, and Hardesty came to the sidelines, dropped and did pushups. He knelt for a few plays while Ogbonnaya replaced him.

In fact, Shurmur was fired up today about several mistakes, and came down hard on his struggling offense in the 15 minutes open to the media. He said his demeanor was no different than any other day.

Also, defensive back Ray Ventrone sat out again with  his pulled hamstring, and offensive lineman Artis Hicks appeared to be limited.

 Four other Browns are questionable: offensive lineman Artis Hicks (back),  right tackle Tony Pashos (ankle), cornerback Buster Skrine (hip) and defensive back Ray Ventrone (hamstring).

By MIKE KEATING

The Review

The Cleveland Browns will attempts to even their record when they host the Seattle Seahawks in Cleveland Browns Stadium Sunday.

The Browns (2-3) and Seahawks (2-3) have one significant tie-in.

Mike Holmgren, the current Cleveland team president, was Seattle head coach through 2008. He also was Seattle’s general manager early in his tenure.

“They only have eight players remaining on coach (Holmgren’s) last team,” Cleveland head coach Pat Shurmur noted at his press conference.

Seattle backup quarterback Charlie Whitehurst could get the starting nod to run the offense, which features a no huddle. Tavaris Jackson, the regular, is recovering from a pectoral injury. Seattle has been susceptible to a strong pass rush, allowing 20 sacks.

Cleveland rookie tackle Phil Taylor, defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin and middle linebacker D’Qwell Jackson must stop the inside game of Seattle running back Marshawn Lynch. Sidney Rice, who came over from Minnesota, brings a veteran presence to the Seattle wide receiver corps.

“They’ve found a way to move the ball and score some points the last game and a half,” Shurmur said.

Shurmur noted cornerback Joe Haden (knee) and running back Peyton Hillis (hamstring) are mending, but it will be a game-time decision on whether or not they will play. Outside linebacker Scott Fujita (concussion), however, is expected to be replaced by Kaluka Maiava.

The Browns have become a passing team. They have thrown the ball 217 times and ran it 122 times. Starting quarterback Colt McCoy has fired eight touchdown passes and only delivered three interceptions, but he has been sacked eight times.

“I think it’s important that you run the ball efficiently, but I think it’s important that you score points,” Shurmur added. “You’re always wrestling with maximizing both (running and passing).”

Chris Ogbonnaya, who most recently played with Houston, was signed to add running back depth.

“I think he’s a good zone runner, he’s good in pass protection and he catches the ball well,” Shurmur said.

The Cleveland offense has only made eight plays covering 20 or more yartdds, ranking last in the National Football League. The Browns threw more deep balls against Oakland last week, showing a willingness to become more vertical with their passing game.

“We took a couple of (deep) shots to try to change the game a little bit and that’ll always be a part of what we do,” Shurmur added. “We’ve got to hit on them.”

Rookie wideout Greg Little is being groomed to be that big-play wideout. Mohammed Massquoi, the other starting wideout, is averaging 13.2 yards a catch to lead the Browns.

Seattle’s 4-3 defense is led by free safety Earl Thomas, McCoy’s former college teammate at Texas, and strong safety Kam Chancellor.

“I think their safeties are very good,” said Shurmur, who added. “Thomas is very disruptive. Whether he’s playing the deep ball or close to the line, he’s very physical. (Chancellor) has long arms and does a good job jamming the receivers.”

The Browns need to start faster and improve on special teams. They have failed to score in the first quarter in four games and their special teams gave up 14 points to Oakland last Sunday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — We’ve heard a lot about Cleveland Browns running back Peyton Hillis having a so-so 3.6 yards per carry.

We’ve even heard what Hillis’ average rush would be without his long run, a 24-yard touchdown jaunt when he bounced off a pile of players to virually lock up the Browns’ 27-19 win over the Colts in Indianapolis.

Those who continue to refer to that, ponder this, for example: Take away Jim Brown’s 46-yard run that set up a touchdown and his 23-yard dash that set up a field goal, and he ran for 45 yards in 25 carries (1.8 yards per carry) in the Browns’ 27-0 NFL championship game win over the Baltimore Colts in 1964.

Not to compare Hillis to Brown, obviously, but that proves what folly it is to subtract a player’s long runs. Why not subtract the two 5-yard losses Hillis had against the Cincinnati Bengals because of Browns’ mess-ups?

Hillis and Montario Hardesty this season have run behind an offensive line featuring just two reliable players: left tackle Joe Thomas and center Alex Mack. And, with a rookie fullback, Owen Marecic, still trying to find his way.

More bad news for Hillis and Hardesty is that Mack, recovering from an appendectomy, may not play on Sunday when the Browns (2-2) visit the Oakland Raiders (3-2).

The Browns must figure out who they are on offense, Jamison Hensley writes for ESPN.com. And since, after four games, Hillis is — according to an ESPN stat — one of the two toughest backs in the league to tackle, Hensley writes to give him the ball:  

….averaging nearly one yard less per carry than last year. But he’s still running hard. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Hillis is tied with Maurice Jones-Drew for the most yards after contact (2.8) among running backs with at least 50 carries. Hardesty has shown flashes as a backup, but Hillis is the more proven commodity. Ignoring him in the offensive game plan is only hurting the offense.

Stop the QB

A boost to Browns’ hopes in Oakland would be for Raiders’ quarterback Jason Campbell to revert to his lesser form.

A Bleacher Report slideshow features six keys to victory for the Browns against the Raiders. Among them is how the Browns handle Campbell.

In the following excerpt, Starting Blocks doesn’t agree with the claim that the Browns have been “pretty good against the pass,” because they have, indeed, given up a “handful of big plays.” Regardless, Samantha Bunten writes for the Bleacher Report:

Essentially, while Campbell has done a respectable job, he also is far from infallible.

We know the Browns have had trouble defending the run, but they’ve actually been pretty good against the pass, a handful of big plays ceded notwithstanding. While they’ve yet to shut down a top-notch quarterback, they have successfully contained the passing game of other QBs who are in the same ballpark talent-wise as Campbell.

The only problem is that Campbell is on a hot streak right now, stringing together a series of good passing performances thus far in 2011, making him harder to stop.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Browns coverage includes Tony Grossi’s story that the Browns still hope that cornerback Joe Haden (sprained knee) and center Alex Mack (appendectomy) will be able to play against the Raiders, although both again didn’t practice today; Mary Kay Cabot’s report that a league source says the Browns will continue to pay injured defensive end Marcus Benard; and, much more.

Goal to goal 

Cleveland Browns Team Report on USAToday.com.

Rookie cornerback Buster Skrine will have a much more important role if Joe Haden can’t play. By Fred Greetham for Scout.com’s Orange and Brown Report.

The Browns’ Colt McCoy and other AFC North quarterbacks have not produced much out of the shotgun formation this season, Jamison Hensley writes for ESPN.com.

Browns kick returner-wide receiver Josh Cribbs talks about the Raiders’ kickers. By Chris Pokorny for Dawgs By Nature.

Defensive lineman Auston English gets promoted from the practice squad, by Matt Florjancic for clevelandbrowns.com.

A key Browns-Raiders matchup, by Mike Wilkening for Pro Football Weekly.

Browns and Raiders injury report, from the Akron Beacon Journal.

Coach Pat Shurmur says Peyton Hillis will get most of the carries against the Raiders. By Chris Pokorny for Dawgs By Nature.

The Raiders are not overlooking the Browns, writes Jerry McDonald for the San Jose Mercury News.

From the Raiders’ standpoint — their keys to victory against the Browns. By Sean O’Leary for the Bleacher Report.

BEREA — Browns coach Pat Shurmur continues to not rule out cornerback Joe Haden and center Alex Mack for Sunday’s game in Oakland. But the reality is the two key starters will have gone two weeks without practicing by the weekend.

 Neither Haden (knee) nor Mack (appendectomy) will practice again today. That leaves only Friday’s practice — typically devoted mostly to special teams — before the team departs for Oakland.

 ”It’s too early to speculate on whether they will play,” Shurmur said.

 ”Some coaches have a hard and fast rule if they’re not there on Friday then they can’t play. Each one is different and I’ll kind of hold off. There’s a chance if they can’t practice on Friday they can still play, I will say that.”

 If Haden doesn’t play, Dimitri Patterson would take his spot at left cornerback. Buster Skrine would play there when Patterson moves inside to cover the slot receiver.

 Defensive coordinator Dick Jauron said, “It would be a big blow, obviously, (if Haden can’t play). There’s no way around it. He’s important to us.”

 If Mack can’t play, Steve Vallos would slide between young starting guards Jason Pinkston and Shawn Lauvao.

 ”Vallos has played a lot of football and I really like him as a center,” Shurmur said.

 On other matters:

 * Shurmur had no update on the condition of defensive end Marcus Benard, but he did say he expected him to be released from the Cleveland Clinic today.

 * Shurmur praised Oakland running back Darren McFadden.

 ”It’s hard to find something he’s not good at. When you start listing the best running backs in the league and how they’re playing, it’s hard not to include him in your top five,” he said.

With or without cornerback Joe Haden, the Browns will have their hands full on Sunday against the Oakland Raiders.

Even if cornerback Joe Haden is able to play on Sunday, the Browns will have to deal with a host of wide receivers.

Unlike most teams, the Raiders don’t consider any of their six wide receivers as No. 1. Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee writes how coach Hue Jackson has this theory:

“We all just go out there and run whatever’s called in the huddle,” Heyward-Bey said. “Everybody’s out there running their routes to win.”

Running back Darren McFadden leads the team with 15 receptions. Rookie Denarius Moore leads the Raiders in receiving yards (199) and touchdown receptions (two).

Quarterback Jason Campbell said communication and patience are important with such a young group, writes Jones. And on Sunday, the Raiders plan to use more offensive sets featuring different groups of receivers.

Terrelle Pryor set to join the Oakland Raiders . . . More stories on Raiders owner Al Davis . . . The Raiders are concerned about the Cleveland Browns.