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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

More Cleveland Browns Commentary from this Contributor:

The Cleveland Browns’ experience: A fan’s take

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

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

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

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

Sources:

All data provided by NFL.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Steelers convert fourth-and-1 and get to Browns’ 14. But Jabaal Sheard’s 13-yard sack and Shaun Suisham’s 45-yard field goal miss keeps game scoreless.

• Seneca Wallace hits Jordan Cameron for 15 yards. First Browns first down. Peyton Hillis gets another on runs of 9 and 2 yards.

• From the 31, Wallace accelerates on a keeper and is tripped up at the Steelers’ 4. His fumble disallowed when ruled down by contact. Browns go backwards, but Phil Dawson’s 26-yard field goal makes it 3-0.

• Jayme Mitchell buries Ben Roethlisberger just after a 1-yard throw. Browns finally on to his dunkathon.

• At the 2-minute warning, Wallace’s 23-yard pass to Josh Cribbs takes Browns to Steelers’ 41.

• Cribbs again for 14 yards to the 27. A jump ball in end zone for Evan Moore against Ryan Clark falls incomplete.

• Dawson’s 45-yard field goal makes it 6-0.

• Roethliserger throws over Joe Haden and Antonio Brown makes over-shoulder catch for 40 yards down to Browns’ 14.

• After Brown makes another catch at Browns’ 1, Steelers use their last timeout at :11.

• Roethlisberger throws too far on lobs for Brown and Hines Ward. After Pat Shurmur ices Suisham, chip shot field goal of 19 yards is good, killing shutout bid, 6-3.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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