Associated Press

4:10 PM Thursday, December 8, 2011

Who: Cleveland Browns (4-8) at Pittsburgh Steelers (9-3)

When: Thursday, 8:20 p.m.

TV: NFL Network

Opening Line — Steelers by 13 1/2

Record vs. Spread — Cleveland 3-8-1, Steelers 6-6

Series record — Pittsburgh leads 62-56

Last meeting — Steelers beat Browns 41-9, Jan. 2, 2011

Last week — Browns lost to Ravens 24-10; Steelers beat Bengals 35-7

Browns Offense — Overall (30), Rush 30), Pass (24)

Browns Defense — Overall (8), Rush (31), Pass (1)

Steelers Offense — Overall (11), Rush (18), Pass (9)

Steelers Defense — Overall (1), Rush (7), Pass (2)

Streaks, stats and notes

Steelers have dominated series over last decade and won 14 of last 15 meetings.

Pittsburgh WR Hines Ward needs 10 receptions to become eighth player in NFL with 1,000 career catches.

Cleveland LT Joe Thomas has not missed offensive snap in career after being taken with third pick in 2007 NFL draft.

Cleveland K Phil Dawson has seven field goals from 50 yards or more this season, one off NFL record shared by Morten Anderson and Jason Hanson.

Pittsburgh RB Rashard Mendenhall has 28 rushing touchdowns in first four seasons, tied with Hall of Famer Franco Harris for team record through four seasons.

Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger 5-1 on Thursday nights.

Steelers TE Heath Miller needs three receptions to surpass Elbie Nickel for most receptions by a tight end in team history (329).

Browns haven’t swept Steelers since 1988 season.

Pittsburgh and Cleveland have met on Thursday nights twice, each team winning on its home field.

Pittsburgh allowing 12.8 points per game at Heinz Field, second-lowest total in NFL.

Cleveland’s Joshua Cribbs has three kick return touchdowns against Steelers in his career, tied for league record for most return scores against single opponent.

“Browns offense is (pick one) putrid, abysmal, needles-to-eyeballs-bad. But trail only 10-0 at half,” Tweeted Cleveland Browns beat writer Tony Grossi after the first 30 minutes of Sunday’s game. Unfortunately for Cleveland fans, things didn’t get much better during the second half of play.

The Baltimore Ravens played ugly, ugly football, and still managed to defeat the Browns 24-10 on Sunday. A game recap and box score can be found here.

The game was over: When Baltimore RB Ray Rice(notes), who ran all over the Browns in both halves, answered a Phil Dawson(notes) field goal with a much more significant play. A plethora of Baltimore miscues coupled with a Dawson field goal had the Browns trailing the Ravens just 10-3 with under six minutes remaining in the third quarter. On the first play following the Browns kickoff, Rice sped down the field for 67 yards, a run that landed the Ravens down at the Cleveland six-yard line. That one play eliminated any momentum and confidence the Browns may have had following the field goal, and also resulted in the nail-in-the-coffin score.

The difference: There’s obviously not just one thing that separates these Ravens from these Browns. An inability to find the end zone has crippled Cleveland throughout the 2011 season, and it did so again on Sunday. A 52-yard completion to running back Peyton Hillis(notes) took the Browns inside the Baltimore six-yard line halfway through the third. Cleveland couldn’t come up with a game-changing play, however, as two Colt McCoy(notes) incomplete passes forced the Browns to settle for three.

The Ravens found themselves in a similar situation on the very next drive following Rice’s jaunt down the field. Baltimore needed only two plays to score six, a touchdown that put the Ravens up 17-3. In just a few minutes of play, we saw why the Ravens are a team that’s finishing the season with a winning record, and why the Browns are, well, the Browns.

Poor Colt: Every week, I feel as if I’m defending quarterback Colt McCoy to Cleveland fans demanding more from the young QB. The interception he threw at the end of the first half, one that resulted in three Baltimore points, was a horrendous pick, as bad a pass as he’ll throw all season long. Can you really blame him for trying to make that throw? His wide receivers and tight ends again hung him out to dry with numerous drops and by running incorrect routes. Any quarterback, especially one that has won at every level, is going to be at least a bit frustrated when dealing with such setbacks.

I’m not suggesting McCoy is definitely “the guy.” Anybody who claims that McCoy isn’t, however, is making quite the statement about those playing alongside the current Cleveland QB. Outside of top tier quarterbacks such as Tom Brady(notes), Aaron Rodgers(notes) and (maybe) Drew Brees(notes), I’m not sure there’s a QB in the league that could consistently win games with this particular offense.

Browns MVP: Rookie defensive end Jabaal Sheard(notes) continues to impress. He now has a sack and forced fumble in three straight games. The Cleveland pass defense seems to have a solid foundation. If the offense looked half as good as the team’s defense, Browns games wouldn’t be so painful to watch.

Overall: Just another completely missable game played by the 2011 Cleveland Browns. Thursday night’s game in Pittsburgh could be even uglier. All I want for Christmas is one more Browns win this season.

Even Santa can only do so much.

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

• Ricky Williams loses ball on a Chris Gocong strip. After unpiling several players, officials award Scott Paxson the ball at the Browns’ 32.

• Check that. Ravens challenge, and call is reversed.

• Joe Flacco’s pass down the right sideline is caught out of bounds by Lee Evans. Looked like he touched the pylon before going out of bounds, but Ravens don’t challenge that one. They punt.

• Browns go three-and-out and cap it off with a 35-yard punt.

• After Ravens punt, Browns’ offense has to punt after getting one first down on an interference penalty. Brad Maynard’s low kick is returned 68 yards for a touchdown by Lardarius Webb.

• Going to the no-huddle, McCoy finds Ogbonnaya and Watson over the middle of an indifferent defense to get in scoring position, then nearly gives up a pick-six to Danny Gorrer in a late pass to the sidelines.

• Fourth and 10 from the 22 (after another Little drop), McCoy has time against a four-man rush and hits Evan Moore for the touchdown. High snap on the point after — welcome to Cleveland Christian Yount — but Maynard gets it down and Phil Dawson converts.

• Onside kick fails and Alex Smith gets testy with a couple of Ravens.

• Rice gets four yards on first down and has 200 for the game. Stays for one more carry for four more yards and then heads for sidelines. He averaged 7.0 on 29 carries.

• Not enough time for Ricky Williams to reach 100 yards, but he’s past 70 at five yards a pop. Nice backup for Rice.

• Two-minute warning brings kneel downs and the final score.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

More Cleveland Browns Commentary from this Contributor:

Fan’s look: Who is Peyton Hillis anyway?

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

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

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

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

Sources:

All data provided by NFL.com

Twitter – Phil Dawson (@phil_dawson_4)

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

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

Some rivalries take decades to form. For the Cleveland Browns, the Baltimore Ravens, and the circumstances surrounding the two teams’ existence, the rivalry was instantaneous.

This Sunday, that rivalry is renewed as the Ravens visit Cleveland looking to solidify a playoff spot. The Browns would love to play the role of spoiler, a position they’ve often found themselves in recently. Here’s a look back at some of the more memorable games in this short but intense rivalry.

September 26, 1999 – Ravens 17, Browns 10

In this first-ever meeting between the two teams, the Browns played their most competitive game in their brief existence. Ultimately it was two rushing touchdowns by Ravens QB Stoney Case that proved to be the difference in this defensive struggle. Browns RB Terry Kirby provided most of the Browns offense with 126 total yards rushing and receiving.

October 21, 2001 – Browns 24, Ravens 14

It took more than two seasons for the Browns to find a way to beat the Ravens, but when it happened in front of a frenzied hometown Cleveland crowd, it was worth the wait. Three turnovers by the Ravens propelled the Browns to a much-needed win.

Browns QB Tim Couch did just enough against a stingy Baltimore defense, throwing for two touchdowns. When it was over, fans could finally put some demons to rest with the knowledge that their new Browns could actually win against the old Browns.

November 18, 2001 – Browns 27, Ravens 17

What’s better than beating the Ravens once in a season? How about a clean sweep? The Browns took care of business in Baltimore after their first win a month earlier. Again, it was turnovers that proved to be crucial.

Ravens QB Elvis Grbac threw four interceptions – three to Browns CB Anthony Henry and a fourth to Devin Bush that was returned for a touchdown. Tim Couch had a forgettable day as well, throwing three picks, but a late fourth-quarter touchdown sealed the victory.

September 14, 2003 – Ravens 33, Browns 13

This one was memorable for all the wrong reasons. Ravens RB Jamal Lewis ripped off touchdown runs of 63 and 82 yards on his way to a single-game NFL record of 295 rushing yards. Luckily, Adrian Peterson let the Browns off the hook when he broke Lewis’ record in 2007.

Lewis always burned the Browns, averaging 127 yards per game in his career against Cleveland. The Browns strategy for stopping him? They signed him away from Baltimore before the 2007 season, when he helped the Browns rack up their most wins in a season – 10 – since they returned in 1999.

September 12, 2004 – Browns 20, Ravens 3

Season-opening victories have been rare for the Browns since they returned as an expansion team. In fact, this 20-3 win over the Ravens marks the only time the Browns have won their first game of the season since they returned in 1999.

The defense carried the day in this one, sacking Ravens QB Kyle Boller three times and intercepting him twice. Browns QB Jeff Garcia threw for a TD and rushed for another while Browns fans rejoiced in their first and only season-opening victory since the team’s return.

November 18, 2007 – Browns 33, Ravens 30 OT

During the 2007 season, the Browns racked up 10 wins, including two against the Ravens. Perhaps none was more memorable than this overtime victory in Baltimore when kicker Phil Dawson saved the day with a game-tying and game-winning field goal.

The game was a close affair, with the lead changing hands four times. Josh Cribbs racked up over 300 return yards in the game, and safety Brodney Pool returned an interception 100 yards for a score. But it was Dawson’s late-game heroics that proved to be the difference.

Needing a 51-yard field goal to send the game to overtime, Dawson’s attempt was initially ruled no good. But after reviewing the kick, it was determined that the ball actually went through the uprights, bounced off the center support, and came back onto the field. The call was reversed, and the game went to OT, when Dawson was able to nail the game-winner.

The kick marked the last time Cleveland would manage a victory over the Ravens. They’ve lost six straight against Baltimore since this unforgettable win.

CBSSports.com wire reports
Nov. 20, 2011

CLEVELAND — Colt McCoy took a knee on Cleveland’s sideline, closed his eyes and the young quarterback asked for some help from above.

This week, the Browns got it.

“There’s nothing wrong with praying,” McCoy said.

Jacksonville rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert’s pass into the end zone on the game’s last play was incomplete, allowing the Browns to escape with a 14-10 win over the Jaguars on Sunday.

As McCoy watched helplessly, Gabbert rifled a 3-yard pass high over the middle that was off the mark and caromed off wide receiver Mike Thomas’ outstretched hands, and the Browns (4-6) celebrated a win they nearly gave away.

“We deserved this one,” McCoy said. “Our team deserved this.”

Last week, the Browns lost 13-12 to the St. Louis Rams when Cleveland botched a snap and reliable kicker Phil Dawson missed a 22-yard field goal try. This one nearly ended under similar circumstances as Jacksonville’s final drive was set up by Dawson missing a 38-yarder that sailed over the top of the right post.

“Everybody played their hearts out and it’s about time it went our way,” said Browns linebacker D’Qwell Jackson, who covered Thomas tightly on the final play. “We knew it was up to us. Right there. We had to make the play and we did.”

McCoy shook off an apparent shoulder injury and threw a 3-yard TD pass to Josh Cribbs in the fourth to give Cleveland a 14-10 lead. But Dawson’s stunning miss with 2:49 left gave the Jaguars (3-7) a final chance and Gabbert, who had some good and bad moments, nearly pulled off the comeback.

“It’s not the ending we were looking for,” said Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio, who defended his use of the clock in the final minute. “It’s not the first time this year we’ve had the opportunity. We’re really looking for that breakout, game-winning drive. We had a chance for our quarterback to take us down. He took us down. We were knocking on the door. We just couldn’t close it out.”

Chris Ogbonnaya rushed for 115 yards and scored on a 1-yard run for Cleveland, ending a TD drought at home that lasted more than 158 minutes. The Browns had scoring drives of 87 and 85 yards, rarities in the offense’s first season under coach Pat Shurmur.

But Shurmur knows he can count on his defense, and the Browns’ didn’t disappoint.

“I did trust that we would get them stopped,” Shurmur said. “I trust our defense.”

The Browns appeared in control when Dawson booted his 38-yarder toward the goal post. However, the officials standing directly under the uprights ruled the high kick went wide right. Dawson argued that his kick should have counted, but referee Terry McAulay announced the attempt could not be reviewed because it sailed above the post.

“The way we saw it was part of the ball was outside of the outside edge of the upright,” said McAulay, whose crew had a few other tough calls to make.

Gabbert then drove the Jaguars down the field and Jacksonville caught a break when Browns cornerback Joe Haden was called for interference in the final minute on third down.

Maurice Jones-Drew was stopped twice inside the 5, and the Browns were fortunate when Gabbert’s pass on second-and-goal went off wide receiver Jason Hill’s chest in the back corner of the end zone with 3 seconds left. Haden believed he got a hand on Gabbert’s throw.

That set up a dramatic finale, and this one went Cleveland’s way, giving the Browns a much-needed win before their schedule gets rougher.

Jackson said he was ready for the pass.

“I anticipated the play and that’s a tough route to cover because he’s kind of going away,” Jackson said. “He came into my zone and I went with him. His arms went up, I saw that. I put my arms up. He didn’t catch it, that’s all I know and all that matters.”

Del Rio was asked why he didn’t hand the ball to Jones-Drew on the last play.

“You can make a case for doing that,” Del Rio said. “You can guess any number of plays when you don’t connect. We had two guys with the ball in the air in the vicinity – missed opportunities.”

McCoy completed 17 of 24 passes for 199 yards. And while his numbers were efficient, the second-year QB again showed he’s a gamer by staying in despite hurting his right shoulder. Afterward, McCoy said his shoulder was “OK” but didn’t know if he would need an MRI.

Shurmur doesn’t need any proof that McCoy, who was down on himself following a key interception near Jacksonville’s end zone in the third, can handle himself physically.

“Colt has taken some licks this year,” Shurmur said. “He bounced back well. He is learning to forget a bad play and move on.”

Gabbert was 22 of 41 for 210 yards, and Jones-Drew rushed for 87 yards on 21 carries.

Josh Scobee kicked a 42-yard field goal to bring the Jaguars within 14-10 with 5:39 left.

The Browns finally found their way into the end zone in the second quarter, when Ogbonnaya’s first career TD, a 1-yard run, tied it at 7.

It was Cleveland’s first touchdown at home since Oct. 2, a drought of 158 minutes, 15 seconds — or 2 hours, 38 minutes and 15 seconds, nearly the length of time it takes to play an entire NFL game.

“We’re starting to do things right,” McCoy said.

Jones-Drew powered up the middle for a 6-yard TD run, capping Jacksonville’s 92-yard scoring drive that devoured 9:32 off the clock. Jones-Drew dragged two defenders into the end zone and followed with a celebration designed to irk Cleveland fans by imitating the powder toss NBA superstar LeBron James started while he played for the Cavaliers.

Notes

• Browns rookie WR Greg Little had five catches for 59 yards.
• Browns WR Mohamed Massaquoi had two catches after missing the previous two games with a concussion.
• Jaguars LBs Clint Session, Matt Roth and RB Kevin Rutland left with head injuries. Del Rio provided no details on the injuries.

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

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.

Helmet-flying, bottles-walloping, snap-deflecting, depths-plumbing — the Browns have done it all when it comes to losing.

They have lost 128 times in 12 full seasons since their return, or an average of more than 10 games per year. They are, as of this moment in time, 3-6 this year and 67-134 overall since 1999. Their winning percentage is .333.

Poor talent evaluation through many regimes is the biggest reason why. It is, however, inaccurate to say the cupboard was bare. It has been filled instead with cream pies and banana peels.

The Browns’ 10 Most Unbelievable Losses Since 1999 (With Two of Them This Season):

1. The Helmet Game — It is unassailable as the top entry, unmatchable in idiocy, unthinkable in execution. Dwayne Rudd’s celebratory helmet toss after he almost — but, oops, not quite — sacked Trent Green on the game’s last play, led to 315-pound lineman John Tait’s long ramble with Green’s lateral, an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Rudd, and a Morten Andersen field goal on a final, untimed play that gave the Chiefs a 40-39 victory in 2002.

2. It’s not over until it’s over — In 2001, the Browns’ sideline was a lovefest in Chicago, with new coach Butch Davis hugging players and equipment men high-fiving as they wheeled trunks to the apparent victors’ locker room. That would have been the Bears, unfortunately. Someone named Shane Matthews threw two touchdown passes in the last 28 seconds around a recovered onside kick to force overtime. The second TD was on a Hail Mary pass off a tipped ball. A pick-six off a tipped Tim Couch pass in OT won it, 27-21.

3. It’s not over even when it’s over, part two – Shades of Ruddgate! After the Browns committed pass interference on a Hail Mary play on the last snap, Detroit got another play on an untimed down in 2009. Quarterback Matthew Stafford had been hurt on the desperation heave, with his arm looking like it had been extruded from a pasta machine. But he used the timeout the Browns stupidly called after the penalty to recover well enough to send backup Daunte Culpepper off the field and throw his fifth touchdown pass. With the PAT, the Lions won, 38-37.

4. Bottlegate — Displeasure at an overturned fourth-down conversion in the red zone in the final minute on replay led to a long delay, while beer bottles, hurled by angry fans, decorated the turf. Had Quincy Morgan either (a) caught the ball or (b) not preened and made the “first down” arm signal, the Browns would have either (a) converted or (b) got the next play off before the replay official intervened. The Jaguars won, 15-10, in 2001. Post-game discussion was enlivened by the assertion of Carmen Policy, the Browns’ president, that “those bottles are plastic. They don’t pack much of a wallop.”

5. Three-Ball, side pocket — If you were scoring at home last Sunday, it went from long snapper Ryan Pontbriand, to the right foot of Alex Mack, to holder Brad Maynard, to Phil Dawson’s instep, to wide left. The missed chip-shot field-goal attempt allowed the Rams to win, 13-12.

6. The Northcutt is the Deepest — In the Browns’ only playoff appearance since their return, they lost, 36-33, in early 2003 after leading the host Steelers, 24-7, with 3 minutes, 50 seconds remaining in the third quarter. Davis ordered a prevent defense, defensive coordinator Foge Fazio challenged Davis to a fist fight then and there (not really, but he should have), and Dennis Northcutt dropped a third-down conversion right in the breadbasket from Kelly Holcomb. It would have let the Browns run out the clock.

7. The “Bluto” Game — In his second game as a Brown in 2004, new quarterback Jeff Garcia completed eight of 27 passes for a quarterback rating equal to the GPA of any member of the Delta House in “Animal House,” including future Senator John Blutarsky — 0.0. After suffering a safety with eight seconds to play, the Browns tried an onside kick from their own 20, on which Kellen Winslow Jr. broke his leg. The Cowboys won, 19-12.

8. Second Down, Second Chance – Todd Peterson’s field goal with 7:46 remaining in overtime came one play after Alvin McKinley blocked his 24-yard attempt. But because it was only second down and Pittsburgh’s John Fiala fell on the bouncing football — which never crossed the line of scrimmage — the Steelers retained possession. Peterson’s third-down kick gave them a 16-13 victory.

9. Time to panic? – Holcomb threw for 400 yards and five touchdowns, and the Browns put up 48 points. Alas, Cincinnati put up 58. Davis resigned after the game in 2004, saying he had suffered a panic attack beforehand. Perhaps it was triggered by reflection upon his draft picks.

10. The Siesta Snap – Backup Bengals quarterback Bruce Gradkowski caught the Browns asleep on a snap with 14 seconds left on the play clock and 41/2 minutes left in the game in this year’s opener. The 41-yard TD gave the Bengals a 20-17 lead that they increased to 27-17. Browns coach Pat Shurmur charged the Bengals with illegal substitution on the play. It had all the substance of Policy’s view of half-empty plastic bottles.

BEREA, Ohio — Browns receiver Mohamed Massaquoi (concussion) returned to practice Wednesday and will decide later in the week if he’s healthy enough to play against the Jaguars on Sunday.

“We’re going to progress,” he said. “Each day I’m going to do a little bit more. And whenever I feel great to get back out there, I’ll get back out there.”

Massaquoi, who because of the concussion has missed two games and left another early, said he’s not too worried about another concussion because the Browns have been so careful with him.

“I feel confident the symptoms won’t come back,” he said. “I feel confident that concussions aren’t going to happen in the future, so I feel real good. Whenever you talk about concussions and the head, yeah, [it's a little scary] because you only have one brain, but we have great doctors and I feel great right now.”

Massaquoi suffered the concussion Oct. 23 against Seattle and sat out the following week in San Francisco. He returned Nov. 6 in Houston, but came out after feeling ill in the first half. He spent most of last week at home resting and sat out the Rams game.

“People say their head’s ringing or something like that, but it wasn’t that,” he said. “You just feel off. And until you feel like yourself, you put yourself at risk for another concussion or great danger just for future injury, so whenever you feel something, you’ve just got to shut it down.”

He said coming out of the Houston game was a combination of him not feeling right and those around him noticing he was off.

“When you’re in the moment, sometimes your adrenaline takes over so you really don’t know when something’s really triggering it,” he said. “But I think we have the best medical staff, training staff in the league and we handled it great.”

Massaquoi said he’s not sure why it’s taking him longer to recover from this concussion than it did for him to recover from James Harrison‘s knockout shot last season in Pittsburgh.

“Each case is different,” he said. “You address each one individually.”

Hardesty jogging: Running back Montario Hardesty (calf) sat out Wednesday’s practice but jogged outside and worked with a trainer. He ran at a good speed, but might sit out Sunday.

“I want to play, but I’m not gonna come back till I’m good and ready to play,” he said. “The steps that we’re taking right now, the progress has been good, so we’re gonna keep doing the same things.”

Ward to be back: Browns coach Pat Shurmur said the news was good on safety T.J. Ward when he had his sprained foot examined Monday.

“What we found when we took the cast off is he’ll be back,” Shurmur said. Ward had another cast put on will soon progress to a walking boot.

Got away with one: The Browns’ double-reverse that resulted in a 21-yard pass to Seneca Wallace should have been ruled illegal because there were two forward passes. The first exchange was supposed to be a handoff but Josh Cribbs took the snap and flipped the ball forward to Wallace, who then pitched it to Colt McCoy. McCoy then threw the pass to Wallace.

“We knew it when we watched it,” said Shurmur. “We practiced the play. The first exchange between Josh and Seneca was practiced as a handoff. Three times last week we handed it off and in the game it got flipped. That’s a rule, we know the rule.”

On Robiskie: Former Browns receiver Brian Robiskie was limited in practice for the Jaguars on Wednesday with a pulled hamstring. He was inactive for the one game the Jaguars have played since they acquired him Nov. 2.

Extra points: Rams defensive end James Hall told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Wednesday that got a piece of Phil Dawson‘s missed field goal. The Rams said they haven’t yet heard from Elias Sports Bureau on whether it will be changed to a blocked kick in the official stats.

BEREA, Ohio — If Pat Shurmur had it to do all over again, he’d do it almost exactly the same way.

The Browns’ first-year head coach staunchly defended his strategy at the end of Sunday’s 13-12 loss to the Rams, running the ball six straight times in the red zone and setting up a field goal instead of trying to pass for a touchdown.

The Browns lost after Phil Dawson’s 22-yard field goal attempt was deflected by James Hall with 2:10 left following a snap that went off Alex Mack’s foot.

“No. I’ll go to the well with what I did,” said Shurmur. “And I’ll go to the well lining up to kick the field goal, making them use timeouts and leaving them nearing two minutes to try to drive and beat us. I’ll do that again.”

He said he thinks quarterback Colt McCoy understood his decision to rely on the foot of old-reliable Dawson to win the game. Dawson had made 16 of 18 field-goal attempts this season before the final attempt Sunday, with two blocked.

“I’d do it again that way because I think you can run the football in the end zone as well,” he said. “We were having some success with some of the schemes we were running and making yards with the backs we had in the game. Just because you run the ball doesn’t mean you’re giving up.

“We’re all aware they ran the ball here last year and had success. There are reasons for it. The clock runs. You shorten the game. [Rams coach] Steve [Spagnuolo] took a timeout because he wanted to preserve time.”

He said going for the field goal was a no-brainer.

“You have a chance to score and go ahead, you do that,” he said. “Then you kick to them and play defense. There’s no decision there, I don’t think. I mean, I think that’s what you do.”

He said the Browns’ 0-3 mark in the red zone leading up to that point played into the strategy at the end. The Browns had thrown a few passes to the end zone that were unsuccessful.

“I was going to run the football there and I wanted to run plays that would keep the clock running,” he said.

The only thing he probably would’ve done differently is call a timeout once he was told by his staff on the sideline that tight end Alex Smith was in the game at fullback for an ailing Owen Marecic on a second-and-goal play at the 9.

Shurmur called a handoff to Marecic, and once he discovered it was Smith, he felt it was too late to do anything about it. Smith, who said he can’t ever remember taking a handoff, fumbled the exchange, with Josh Cribbs recovering. If Cribbs hadn’t done so, the focus would’ve been on that miscue. As it was, the play went for a 2-yard gain.

“I knew who was in the game, and I chose not to stop the play,” said Shurmur. “And partly because I couldn’t get to an official and then I couldn’t get to Colt to communicate [because the helmet radio was cut off by then]. Alex knew he was getting the ball and Colt knew he was giving it to him and they’re football players. You run a lot of plays in the game that the backup has to execute that he may not have done.”

Should McCoy have called a timeout?

“No, because Alex knew he was getting the ball,” said Shurmur. “They did it all right except for the exchange.”

Shurmur said it’s not true that McCoy isn’t allowed to audible in that situation. “He’s the quarterback,” said Shurmur. “But in that situation we were trying to run the football.”

So why not take a knee?

“Because you can pop a run,” he said. “You can score on a run play just as well as on a pass play. I was not trying to not score, OK? What I was trying to do was run the ball and score, and if we didn’t, the advantage to doing that was the clock was running, we were forcing them to use their timeouts. If we didn’t get the touchdown, then we were in position to kick a field goal and go ahead and that’s what I was trying to do.

“The defense was playing extremely well. I felt confident that if we kicked the field goal and went ahead, then we’d have an outstanding chance to win the football game.”

In the first half, McCoy threw to tight end Jordan Cameron in the end zone and the pass was knocked away, and another to tight end Evan Moore near the goal line in which Moore was flagged for a facemask. A pass intended for Cribbs was tipped at the line.

“There was times when we got down there before the half and threw it and we didn’t make it, right?” said Shurmur. “We took a shot Evan and you got a facemask, which backed us up and made the field goal. All those things that happen during the game, that plays into a little bit the way the strategy at the end as well.”

Shurmur said the loss hurt him as much as it did the fans.

“I’m just like every other person in the city of Cleveland that woke up this morning disappointed that we lost, all right?” he said. “I feel the same frustration. I’m disappointed, but not discouraged. I feel it. I’ve lived it. I’m from this region. I’m not from Mars. I just happen to be in a position right now to help inspire a bunch of guys to go win a game that will make our fans extremely proud.”

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

The Cleveland Browns were hoping to end their two-game losing streak on Sunday, Nov. 13, with a victory over the 1-7 St. Louis Rams. Instead, the team sent its fans home empty-handed again after Phil Dawson(notes) missed a 22-yard field goal that would have put Cleveland in the lead at the two-minute warning. The Rams won 13-12.

The Browns actually made some plays against the Rams that many people in Northeast Ohio have been waiting for them to make. Much-maligned head coach Pat Shurmur was aggressive with his play-calling and often caught the Rams’ defense off-guard.

One play lined up backup quarterback Seneca Wallace(notes) as a receiver on the right side of the field with Colt McCoy(notes) as a receiver on the left side. Josh Cribbs was under center and took the snap. Cribbs handed the ball off to Wallace, who appeared to be running an end-around, but then he gave the ball to McCoy. Wallace streaked down the sideline, and McCoy passed him the ball for the 21-yard reception. It was one of the best plays I’ve seen drawn up this season, and the Browns deserve credit for pulling it off.

Cleveland remained aggressive throughout the game. Shurmur rushed Cribbs out of the wildcat formation three times, and also skillfully used Greg Little(notes) to open up the Rams’ secondary.

However, once the Browns would drive deep into St. Louis territory, Shurmur became conservative with the play-calling. I can only remember the Browns throwing into the endzone once in the game, which isn’t good enough considering how well the team moved the ball. Colt McCoy had a great game, and I think the Browns wasted his hot hand by not passing more when the team was deep in Rams’ territory.

Late in the fourth quarter, Cleveland was in the red zone again and had a chance to seriously hurt St. Louis. With the ball on the Rams’ seven-yard line and just under three minutes left in the game, Shurmur elected to run Chris Ogbonnaya(notes) on third down. I understand he was trying to drain the clock and position the team for the game-winning field goal, but Shurmur had the chance to bury the Rams.

I think he should have let McCoy take a shot at the end zone in hopes of getting the touchdown. If the Browns put six on the board there, it would have forced Rams quarterback Sam Bradford(notes) to take his team nearly the full length of the field for the winning score instead of getting into field goal range. Instead, the Browns ran the ball for a three-yard gain, and we all know what happened from there.

Despite the heart-breaking loss, the Browns did some good things on Sunday. But when a passionate fan base has had to go through such painful defeats, those positives get lost in translation. When I left the stadium on Sunday, there was an empty and hopeless mood in the air. Even on the train where people are usually talking about the game, it was quiet and rather depressing. When one fan tried to cheer people up, they could only respond briefly before lowering their heads again. One lady sitting nearby was nearly in tears.

“There’s always next year. That’s all we ever say,” she said. “I can’t do this any more.”

I felt awful as the lady expressed her heartache, but there was nothing I could say. I think Browns fans want to see the team go for it. They need to see the coaching staff take risks, and when that doesn’t happen, it’s almost worse than a blowout defeat. At least in those situations, you know there wasn’t a chance to win. But victory was there for the taking, and the Browns gave it away.

Cleveland’s passionate fans deserve more from their team. Browns’ management needs to know that. Watching the team lose games like this is getting old.

A native of Northeast Ohio, Derek Ciapala grew up in a family of Cleveland Browns’ fans. He has been following the Browns since 1987 and still hopes to see the team play in the Super Bowl one day. You can follow him on Twitter @dciapala.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Rams lost to the Cardinals last week because of a blocked field goal — and they returned the favor Sunday against the Browns.

Replays showed Rams defensive end James Hall — who also flinched before the snap to cause a disastrous chain of events — apparently got his left hand on Phil Dawson’s 22-yard field goal attempt and caused it to veer wide left by about six inches.

“I thought the ball coming off my foot still had a chance to go in,” said Dawson. “I was surprised when I saw it heading left.”

The kick — ill-fated from the start — would’ve given the Browns a 15-13 lead with about 2:10 remaining. Instead, the Rams escaped out with a 13-12 victory.

It was Hall who applied the double-whammy — not only getting a piece of the ball, but also bobbing his head early and causing the Browns’ line to move. When Hall flinched, Browns’ linemen Brian Schaefering and Alex Mack both reacted and stepped to the right early. Two-time Pro Bowl long-snapper Ryan Pontbriand rushed his snap, and it went off Mack’s right foot, which normally wouldn’t have been there yet.

Holder Brad Maynard — one of the best in the league at that job — managed to get the ball down after it bounced toward him — albeit with the laces facing Dawson.

Dawson, whose timing was now off, still managed to hit it well enough to go through — until Hall got his left hand on it. Hall plowed through after defensive tackle Gary Gibson drove guard Jason Pinkston to the ground, and made the play with his back to Dawson.

Afterwards, Dawson was furious at the refs for missing Hall’s head-bob, which set off the chain of events and ultimately cost the Browns a shot at the victory.

“Usually the snap is first and all the movement follows,” said Dawson. “You get this [flinch] by the defense and we react and then here comes the snap, now the leg’s in the way. So, it’s either offsides, or it’s a false start on us. It’s one or the other.”

Regardless, Dawson would’ve had another attempt.

“I was screaming at the official,” he said. “I said, ‘it’s either defense in the neutral zone or false start. It can’t be nothing.’ He said ‘we have a guy watching. I said, ‘apparently not very well.’”

Dawson said the Browns will most likely sent the tape into the NFL office, but of course, it’s too late.

“We’ll probably get an apology, but that doesn’t change much,” he said. “I’d just like to hear their explanation.”

Dawson said he was trying to be extra quick because “it was a short game-winner. They had gotten off the edge pretty close on one before. The tradeoff when you’re trying to be quick is there’s no time to digest anything.”

Dawson, who had made all four of his attempts before the final one, lamented, “the most hated words for me is chip shots. ‘Oh, this is just a chip shot.’ Only guys that have lined up to kick in this league know there’s no such thing.”

The Browns have had two other field goals blocked this season, both in the 6-3 victory over the Seahawks — although this one does not technically go down as a block.

“After I took my second step I was thinking, ‘Are we going to abort this or are we actually going to try to kick it?’ Brad did an awesome job,” said Dawson. “All of a sudden there’s the ball. I tried to all of a sudden swing my leg under it.”

Pontbriand, who may have slightly double-clutched because of the pre-snap movement, assumed full blame despite how it all transpired.

“It was an inopportune time, and I pretty much cost our team the victory,” he said. “It’s pretty tough to handle. I just know it was a bad snap and I messed up at a very terrible time.”

Pontbriand said the fact that the snap went off Mack’s foot is no consolation.

“If that’s the case, I still don’t feel any better about it,” he said. “I can play better than that and it should never have come close and I cost the team the victory. It’s on me. I have a narrow window to snap. That’s my job. And this is my fault.”

He added, “everything felt fine until I saw the ball out of my hands and it was almost immediately wobbly and I don’t even really know which way it went. I wasn’t perfect and we need to execute as a team and I’m the one who starts that play and I need to do a better job.”

Maynard summed up the feeling of the entire unit.

“This is one of the lows of my career right now,” he said. “We let the team down.”

Plain Dealer staff writer Dennis Manoloff contributed to this report.

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

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