CLEVELAND, Ohio — Browns quarterback Colt McCoy is determined to stave off the challenge from rookie Brandon Weeden for his starting job.

“I’m a competitor and I’m working harder than ever,” he told The Plain Dealer in an email. They were his first public remarks since Weeden was drafted No. 22 overall to become the Browns’ starter.

McCoy declined further comment, choosing to focus on the off-season program and the challenge he’ll get from Weeden. McCoy might be available next week when the team open its organized activities to the media for one of the three days.

On Monday, Weeden joined McCoy and Seneca Wallace in Phase II of the off-season program, which includes about an hour of work on the field each day, meetings and conditioning.

“I’ve already been bouncing ideas off of them,” Weeden told NFL Network’s Total Access Wednesday night. “I met both of them really for the first time on Monday and it’s been great ever since.”

 As for his approach to the quarterback situation, Weeden said, ‘hopefully I get to play sooner rather than later, but I’m going out and compete. That’s what I’ve done since day one. Colt’s a great player and Seneca’s a great player.”

   The Browns have consistently said that Weeden will have to compete for the starting job with McCoy and Wallace, but they’re aiming for Weeden to be their starter this season.

Browns coach Pat Shurmur told reporters after a Pro Football Hall of Fame luncheon on Monday that Weeden is “headed in the right direction” for the starting job, but that he believes McCoy can still win in the NFL.

“Colt McCoy is a gritty guy,” Shurmur told the audience. “I think Colt McCoy is a fine football player and can play quarterback in this league. They’re both guys (Weeden and McCoy) that I want on this team and I want to see them compete. The best one will play when we play Philadelphia in September.”

Shurmur said it’s possible that Wallace will stick around, too.

“I think there’s a case to be made that Seneca, Colt and Brandon are all (here) together,” Shurmur said. “We’ll see. I think that’s yet to be determined. We’re going to watch them all compete and interact, and we’ll see what happens.”

McCoy went 4-9 last season after the Browns ‘ top three running backs were injured for all or most of the season, and starting receiver Mohamed Massaquoi was slowed by a broken foot and concussion. Right tackle Tony Pashos also played injured all season.

The Browns repeatedly said after the 2011 season that they expect McCoy to look better in his second year in the West Coast offense, especially now that he’s got an offseason to learn it from the coaches.

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.

Read More: Tony Pashos (OL – CLE), Dimitri Patterson (DB – CLE), Peyton Hillis (RB – CLE), Kaluka Maiava (LB – CLE), Mohamed Massaquoi (WR – CLE), Jordan Norwood (WR – CLE), Shawn Lauvao (OL – CLE), Colt McCoy (QB – CLE), Owen Marecic (FB – CLE), Quinton Spears (LB – CLE), Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns

As the Cleveland Browns prepare for their regular season finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, they’re still hoping to get a few players healthy.

Wide receivers Mohamed Massaquoi (foot) and Josh Cribbs (groin) returned to full participation in practice on Thursday, joining fullback Owen Marecic (ankle), guard Shawn Lauvao (ankle) and cornerback Dimitri Patterson (hand), who returned to full participation on Wednesday according to Dave Bryan of Steelers Depot.

Bryan also said that defensive lineman Scott Paxon (hand, calf), running back Peyton Hillis (elbow), linebacker Kaluka Maiava (hand) and linebacker Quinton Spears (head) were limited in practice while quarterback Colt McCoy (concussion), wide receiver Jordan Norwood (concussion) and tackle Tony Pashos illness were all held out of practice.

For more on the Steelers, please visit Behind the Steel Curtain, SB Nation’s Steelers blog. For the perspective from the other side, please visit SB Nation Cleveland and Dawgs by Nature, SB Nation’s Browns blog.

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.

BALTIMORE (AP) — 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.

© 2011 STATS LLC

BALTIMORE, Md. — If you’re a Browns fan, you probably are wondering why you spent your afternoon before Christmas watching this game.

Not because your favorite team quit in the 20-14 loss at Baltimore.

But it was how they lost.

It was that disaster at the end of the first half.

Quarterback Seneca Wallace lost track of the time. Rather than spike the ball at the Baltimore 3-yard line and at least kick a field goal, Wallace called a run to Peyton Hillis, who was tackled for no gain (and no points) as the clock ran out.

A frustrated Pat Shurmur looked as if he was ready to eat his plastic play-calling sheet.

“I never would have called a run in that situation with that much time,” said Shurmur, who then blamed himself for the “communication breakdowns.”

Wallace deserves credit for using his legs and strong arm for a beautiful 6-yard touchdown pass to Evan Moore, whose catch matched the athleticism of Wallace’s off-the-gallop throw.

But he also deserves the blame for not stopping the clock, regardless of what he thought the coach said — or what play he thought was called.

That mess cost the Browns three points.

Wallace did talk about “everyone not being on the same page … and it’s not the head coach’s fault.”

But he sounded and looked like a rookie, rather than a guy who has been in the league for nine years and played in 61 games.

But there was so much more to frustrate Browns fans.

Their team was behind, 17-0, at the half. They were poised to be humiliated by a team that has the NFL’s second-best home record (72-23) since 2000. But the Browns really did make this interesting.

Joshua Cribbs returned a punt 84 yards for a touchdown.

Sheldon Brown intercepted a Joe Flacco pass in the end zone to save a touchdown.

Wallace combined with Moore for that touchdown.

Hillis was outstanding, bulling his way for 112 yards of grit against a defense designed to stop him.

Could the Browns actually beat Baltimore for the first time since 2007? Could they give their beaten-down fans something good to talk about after a game? Or would it all be just another cruel tease?

Browns fans know the answer.

That was especially true as they had chewed up all their timeouts with 4:05 remaining. Wallace had some trouble with play calls and formations.

This stuff shouldn’t be happening in game 15, no matter who is the quarterback.

There also were a couple of bizarre play-calls, where you can fault the head coach.

Wallace threw an interception on a third-and-1 in the first quarter — it was a strange screen pass to Mohamed Massaquoi, who was 3 yards behind the line of scrimmage.

You need 1 yard. You have Hillis running over people and the blockers in high gear. Give him the ball.

In the fourth quarter …

I don’t even want to talk about the last part of the fourth quarter.

There was a silly pass to Hillis on a fourth-down play designed to go nowhere. Rookie Phil Taylor jumped offsides, denying the Browns one last chance to get the ball — it came after a timeout where the coaches warned the defense that Baltimore would try to entice someone in an orange helmet into a penalty.

In the end, the Browns dropped to 4-11, having lost 10 of their past 12 games.

Merry Christmas?

The new year and a new season can’t come fast enough for Browns fans, because this one has gotten to be very, very old.

BALTIMORE, Md. — 1. In the past two games, Peyton Hillis has carried the ball 50 times for 211 yards. Yes, he has looked like the Hillis who rushed and grunted and bowled his way to 1,177 yards last season. Baltimore set its defense to stop Hillis, and he still had 112 yards on 24 carries against a team ranked No. 2 against the run and allowing only 90 yards a game. This came after Hillis had 99 yards in the 20-17 loss to St. Louis.

2. After a season of controversy and injury misery, Hillis is finishing strong and reminding the Browns why, when healthy, he won’t be easy to replace. That will be especially true if the current Browns coaches can figure out how to use him effectively as a receiver. He was that a year ago, catching 61 passes. He has 21 catches this season. A free agent, the Browns should re-open talks to see if they can keep Hillis — without trashing their salary cap.

3. There are times when coaches make the game harder than is needed. The Browns took the opening kickoff and ran the ball right at the Ravens. On his first six carries, Hillis had runs of 6, 1, 3, 11, 5, and 4 yards. The blocking was excellent, especially from young guards Shawn Lauvao and Jason Pinkston, who have been improving the past few weeks.

4. With the ball on the Baltimore 30 and a third-and-1 situation, coach Pat Shurmur called for some type of strange screen pass to receiver Mohamed Massaquoi. Seneca Wallace was throwing into the wind and lofted a paper airplane of a pass that was picked off. In fact, the ball was intercepted 3 yards behind the line of scrimmage — remember, the Browns needed only a yard for a first down. If you want to pass in that situation, at least throw it to player who is in position to gain the 1 yard for the first down.

5. The same principle is true for that fourth-quarter pass to Hillis. It was a critical fourth-and-5 play with 4:05 left. It was a sideways pass that went for no gain. To gain 5 yards on a pass, a receiver usually should be at least 6 yards beyond the line of scrimmage.

6. While Seneca Wallace (19-of-33, one touchdown pass, one interception, 66.1 rating) had some nice moments, he didn’t play much better against Baltimore than Colt McCoy (17-of-35, one touchdown, one interception, 63.0 rating) in the 24-10 loss earlier in the season. Wallace did have that mess at the end of the first half where he lost track of the clock and cost the Browns a field goal.

7. Massaquoi caught two passes for a grand total of 17 yards. He was targeted five times. He has only 29 catches this season. Yes, he had a concussion earlier in the year, but he has been healthy for several weeks. But he just looks lost out there. In 2009, the Browns took two receivers — Brian Robiskie and Massaquoi — in the second round, and it appears neither is an NFL starter. Robiskie was waived by the Browns, claimed by Jacksonville. He has battled some injuries and has yet to catch a pass for his new team.

8. Injuries to Ben Watson and Alex Smith have meant more time for tight end Evan Moore, who caught five passes against Baltimore. He has 30 catches this season and is tied with Joshua Cribbs for the team lead with four touchdown catches. Moore has played about 35 percent of the snaps this season.

9. Jayme Mitchell has started the past two games at defensive end and has one assisted tackle. Don’t ask me to explain it. But after a good start in the first few games of the season, Mitchell has been almost invisible on defense, and the Browns do need to find another starting defensive end for next season.

10. This 20-14 loss dropped the Browns’ record to 4-11, the final game being Jan. 2 at home against Pittsburgh. If they win, that would make them 5-11 for the third consecutive season. Since they returned in 1999, the Browns best back-to-back seasons were 7-9 (2001) and 9-7 (2002). Those were years three and four after expansion. Since then, they have lost at least 10 games in eight of the last nine years.

11. Since the Browns returned in 1999, they have drafted or signed only six players who have made the Pro Bowl. Two of them are special teams — Joshua Cribbs (a non-drafted free agent) and long-snapper Ryan Pontbriand. Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow made it once … and probably won’t again, certainly not in Cleveland. Alex Mack made it last season. The only legitimate star player drafted since 1999 is Joe Thomas, who has been to four Pro Bowls.

12. In that same span, Baltimore has drafted nine Pro Bowlers. Several have been true stars: Chris McAlister, Jamal Lewis, Ed Reed, Todd Heap, Terrell Suggs, Haloti Ngata and while Joe Flacco is close to that category. Only Lewis (No. 5 in 2000) was higher than a No. 10 pick. Yes, Ravens General Manager Ozzie Newsome has been destroying the Browns on draft day, including that Ngata/Kamerion Wimbley deal in 2006. Until the Browns put together at least three strong drafts in a row, they remain the worst team in their very strong division.

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.

BEREA, Ohio – Colt McCoy still hasn’t been cleared to practice since suffering a concussion on Dec. 8.

“He was here this morning,” coach Pat Shurmur said. “Did a little physical activity.”

Still, Shurmur would not official name Seneca Wallace the Browns starting quarterback in Baltimore on Saturday.

“Not yet, but it’s going to come soon, I’m sure,” he said.

Shurmur has been reluctant to say whether McCoy has seen a head trauma specialist, as tight end Benjamin Watson did after his third concussion of the season.

“You can’t say he hasn’t seen one,” the coach replied. “He’s been evaluated just like Ben, by all the proper people. They’re all doctors. No real difference.”

In other pre-practice news:

* Receiver Jordan Norwood (concussion), linebacker Ben Jacobs (concussion) and safety T.J. Ward (foot) won’t practice, Shurmur said. The following players will be limited: cornerback Joe Haden (thigh), receiver Mohamed Massaquoi (foot), and defensive tackle Scott Paxson (hand, foot).

* Rookie Buster Skrine will continue to get reps at kickoff return in Baltimore, Shurmur said. Skrine had a 32-yard return in Arizona after Josh Cribbs’ groin injury acted up. Browns kickoff returners got an early Christmas present this week when the Ravens signed Shayne Graham to possibly replace Billy Cundiff on Saturday. Cundiff, second in the AFC with 43 touchbacks, has a calf injury and has missed three of his last five field goal attempts.

* Shurmur said he expected newly signed tight end Dan Gronkowski to be force-fed as a run-blocker in Baltimore because of the loss of Watson and Alex Smith to season-ending injuries.

“We’re getting him ready to play,” Shurmur said. “We feel we’ll teach him the gameplan, not the system.”

BEREA, Ohio — Cleveland Browns coach Pat Shurmur said Friday he never would have sent quarterback Colt McCoy back into the game Thursday night at Heinz Field if he had known McCoy had a concussion.

The problem was the Browns (4-9) did not see any symptoms from McCoy until after the game, Shurmur said. Still, everyone watching couldn’t miss the vicious hit McCoy took.

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison used his helmet to smash into McCoy’s facemask. Harrison was penalized for roughing the passer after delivering the devastating blow, which knocked McCoy to the ground and sent him to the sideline with about six minutes left in the fourth quarter.

Two plays later – or about 3 minutes, 50 seconds of real time – McCoy re-entered the game on first-and-goal at the Steelers’ 5-yard line. On third down, he threw an interception into the end zone that proved to be a major turning point in the Browns’ 14-3 loss.

Shurmur said McCoy told him he was ready to return to action. The medical staff did, as well, Shurmur said. Tight end Benjamin Watson [stats] and rookie fullback Owen Marecic suffered concussions earlier in the game and had been ruled out.

“If (McCoy) would have shown symptoms of a concussion, then I wouldn’t have put him back in the game,” Shurmur said. “It would have been out of my hands anyways because I would have been told (by the medical staff) he can’t go back in the game. †If he had the symptoms, he wouldn’t have gone back in the game – absolutely not.”

In a case like McCoy’s, medical personnel are supposed to use the NFL’s “sideline assessment concussion tool” to determine whether the player has suffered head trauma. The tests include making the player repeat words or numbers, evaluating his balance and other physical signs and asking him five questions: What month is it? What is the date today? What is the day of the week? What year is it? What time is it right now?

Shurmur said the Browns’ medical personnel followed the proper protocol while assessing McCoy. Shurmur said McCoy complained about his left hand, which was bruised as he was hit by Harrison, but the medical staff didn’t detect symptoms of a concussion – loss of consciousness, confusion, amnesia, abnormal balance or pupillary response, dizziness, headache, photosensitivity, nausea, vomiting and dizziness – from McCoy until after the game.

In McCoy’s postgame news conference, a Browns employee asked that the lights on the television cameras be turned off. But even after the Browns’ flight landed in Cleveland early Friday morning, a team spokesman told the Beacon Journal that McCoy did not have a concussion.

When asked by email if the NFL will look into the way the Browns handled McCoy’s injury, league spokesman Greg Aiello wrote, “We will discuss it with the team.” When asked what the penalty would be for the team if it violated rules about handling concussions, Aiello wrote: “We are not going to speculate on that. It is premature.”

Brad McCoy, Colt’s father, reportedly was not pleased with the way the Browns dealt with his son’s situation. On Friday morning, the elder McCoy told Cleveland.com that Colt didn’t remember anything after Harrison’s big hit and that Colt never should have re-entered the game.

“I can understand a dad’s feeling in this matter,” Shurmur said. “I’m the father of a son (Kyle) who plays quarterback (for St. Edward). I get it and I wouldn’t want my son in harm’s way if he was showing those symptoms. I understand that. We were not aware of that at the time. As far as us evaluating him, we didn’t see that. I understand the thoughts. I understand it extremely well. The McCoys are terrific people who love their son and want the best for him. I get that.”

Shurmur said he doesn’t expect McCoy’s bruised left hand to keep him from playing in the Browns’ next game, Dec. 18 at the Arizona Cardinals (5-7). McCoy is still being evaluated for his concussion, Shurmur said.

In the meantime, Harrison, who gave Browns wide receivers Josh Cribbs and Mohamed Massaquoi concussions last season, could be fined or even suspended for crushing McCoy.

The league issued an explanation that states “when a passer is outside the pocket area as in the case of Cleveland quarterback Colt McCoy (Thursday) night, he is still afforded the protection of Rule 12, Section 2, Article 13 (3), which prohibits defensive players from using their helmet against a passer who is in a defenseless posture, including by ’forcibly hitting the passer’s head or neck area with the helmet or facemask, regardless of whether the defensive player also uses his arms to tackle the passer by encircling or grasping him.”’

Ohio.com columnist Marla Ridenour writes how if 1990 was the Browns’ “Season From Hell,” then what the heck is this season.

How bad is it?

The 2011 Browns can’t catch a pass. They can’t stop the run. They don’t have any playmakers on offense. They don’t have a quarterback who can make them competitive this year in the AFC North. They didn’t handle the weather conditions, even though the temperature at kickoff was 54 degrees.

Ridenour writes how Colt McCoy was so bad that on the Browns’ last series before halftime, he could have been intercepted on four consecutive plays, one nullified by penalty. But cornerback Jimmy Smith finally came through for the Ravens, picking off McCoy’s pass for Mohamed Massaquoi and returning it 32 yards to set up a Billy Cundiff field goal.

McCoy tried to remain positive, which is what a leader is supposed to do. But he’s sounding less believable every Sunday.

“We are a group that’s growing and maturing,” McCoy said. “We are facing a lot of different struggles each week. I think it’s important for us to keep our heads together and keep plowing through it and know that there is something bright at the end of this thing.”

More Cleveland Browns

Pittsburgh linebacker LaMarr Woodley will return on Thursday against the Browns (ESPN.com).

The Browns were outnumbered (The News-Herald).

Ray Rice ran over the Cleveland Browns (CantonRep.com).

Ravens run over the Browns (TribToday.com).

CINCINNATI, Ohio — Browns coach Pat Shurmur has challenged quarterback Colt McCoy to carry his team through the AFC North gantlet that begins Sunday against the 6-4 Bengals.

“I’m looking for him to lead the charge in terms of ‘show improvement and win the game’ and I think that’s what we’re looking for as we go forward,” said Shurmur. “The way I look at it, we’re 4-6 and we’re trying to win this game as we push into the second half of this season. Hopefully we get on a roll here and then we can do something beyond January 1. We’re putting all our efforts into beating the Bengals and Colt is no different.”

The Browns have given McCoy this season to prove that he can be the quarterback of the future — and what a better way to do that than against five AFC North foes in the next six games, including three in 12 days.

“We’re going to find out how good we are because we know how competitive our division is,” said Shurmur. “In the next few weeks, we’re going to find out where we’re at.”

Fortunately for McCoy, the running game missing most of the season is showing signs of rebounding. Montario Hardesty will return after missing three games with a torn calf muscle and Peyton Hillis expects to play after missing five games with a pulled hamstring. In addition, Chris Ogbonnaya is coming off back-to-back games of 90 and 115 rushing yards.

The trio will try to rock the Bengals’ third-ranked run defense.

“It helps when you can run the football,” said McCoy, who’s probable with a sore right shoulder. “The defense has to respect that. Then all of a sudden you get some gimme throws here and there and you get in a rhythm.”

The Browns have gotten better in recent weeks at protecting McCoy and picking up the blitz. Rookie left guard Jason Pinkston is improving each game and Ogbonnaya, who will serve as the third-down back vs. the Bengals, is strong in blitz pickup. They’ll need to be on point against an aggressive Cincinnati defense, one that’s 10th in the NFL with 26 sacks. The Bengals are on pace for 42, which would be the most in coach Marvin Lewis’ nine seasons.

“Cincinnati has a really good defense,” said McCoy. “They do a lot of different things. They come after you, they play a lot of different coverages behind their pressures. I really have to do a good job myself of having my eyes right, knowing where the traps are, knowing where the coverages are going to be because it’s never the same. They’re very well-coached and they’re always in the right spot and they’ve gotten home a lot.”

Thanks in no small part to the running game, McCoy has played much better the past two weeks, completing 72.5 percent of his passes.

“Things are coming together for us a little bit,” said McCoy. “Everyone is becoming a little bit more comfortable. We’re doing some things better, we’re getting lined up better, we’re running routes better, we’re running the football a little better and when you put all those together it allows you to feel more comfortable out there. The last two games I felt like the receivers have especially done a good job. They’re starting to not think about things and play fast.”

Rookie quarterback Andy Dalton has received high praise for the Bengals’ 6-4 record this season, as McCoy has taken heat for the Browns’ 4-6 mark. But their stats are very similar:

• McCoy is completing 59.6 percent of his passes for 21st in the NFL and Dalton is completing 59.3 percent for 23rd.

• McCoy has passed for 2,181 yards for 20th in the NFL and Dalton has passed for 2,239 for 18th.

• McCoy’s rating is 79.2 for 22nd in the NFL and Dalton’s is 79.6 for 21st.

• McCoy has thrown 11 TDs and seven INTs and Dalton has thrown 15 TDs and 12 interceptions.

The major difference is that Dalton’s No. 1 receiver, rookie A.J. Green, has caught six TD passes and McCoy’s, Greg Little, has yet to catch one.

“[Dalton's] probably about where they thought he’d be,” said Shurmur. “He’s doing a very good job. They’re doing what fits for their team. They’re very good at running the football, they’re very physical up front, they’ve got some outstanding playmakers and they’ve got a young quarterback they’re developing. They keep him out of harm’s way in some ways because they can run the football and they don’t ask him to do a lot of very heroic things. But you can see his playmaking abilities show up in the stuff they’re asking him to do and I think that’s a credit to them.”

The Browns contend their record could just as easily be 6-4 as well.

“Yeah, I mean, you think of two plays,” said left tackle Joe Thomas. “The first game of the season against Cincinnati, if they don’t throw that touchdown pass before we line up, we may win that game. Take one from them, give it to us. If we get the field goal two weeks ago, we’re 6-4 and they’re 5-5. I’m sure every team in the NFL can say that. We’re right there and we feel like we’re making the right progress.”

In addition to a full complement of running backs, McCoy also has receiver Mohamed Massaquoi back and is developing timing with his other receivers. Cribbs has caught three TD passes in four games and leads the team with four.

“Colt is coming into his own,” said Cribbs. “They’ve opened up the playbook for him a little bit and allowed him to spread the ball around to different receivers and Colt loves it. He’s fitting well in the system, he knows what the coaches want and who they want to catch the ball. All of these division games are a great chance for him to prove what he can do.”

Sitting out: Defensive end Jayme Mitchell has been ruled out with his ankle injury.

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

Ohio.com reporter Nate Ulrich gives out his grades when it comes to the Cleveland Browns. And the Browns did well. 

Ulrich gives the offense a B (minus) and an A to the running backs. That’s easy because Chris Ogbonnaya had 21 carries for 115 yards. And it was the first 100-yard rushing performance by a Browns player since Peyton Hillis ran for 108 yards in December of 2010.

Wide receivers: B. Rookie Greg Little led the team with five catches for 59 yards. Cribbs had three receptions for 20 yards, including the team’s lone touchdown catch. Jordan Norwood made the play of the game when he caught an 8-yard pass over the middle, then broke free and used a juke move on safety Chris Prosinski to turn it into a 51-yard gain. Norwood’s 43 yards after the catch helped set up Obonnaya’s 1-yard touchdown run. Mohamed Massaquoi came back after missing two of the previous three games with symptoms related to a concussion and added two catches for 19 yards.

The defense earned a grade of B (plus). The secondary played well. Cornerback Joe Haden dropped two interceptions in the third quarter, and cornerback Sheldon Brown dropped another in the fourth quarter.

Coach Pat Shurmur earned a B.

More Cleveland Browns

This time close was enough for the Browns (The News-Herald).

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Cincinnati Bengals offensive lineman says Browns will have to pay (Cincinnati.com)

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