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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gotta run!.

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

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

• So far, ironman Chris Ogbannaya has played every offensive snap for Browns.

• Emmanuel Stephens makes a tackle for Browns. He’s the backup left end.

• Matt Schaub hangs in vs. D’Qwell Jackson blitz and connects with Owen Daniels for 12 yards. Big-time QB play.

• Behind a monster block by Lawrence Vickers on Scott Fujita, Arian Foster runs 19 yards for a touchdown. Seven plays, 71 yards.

• Thomas Clayton relieves Ogbannaya and runs for 4. Colt McCoy is later hit as he throws on blitz by Quintin Demps. Painful to watch.

• Jacoby Jones breaks a punt return to the left for 50 yards.

• Finally, a Browns defensive turnover. Mike Adams’ big hit deflects Matt Schaub pass for Owen Daniels and D’Qwell Jackson intercepts. Browns take over at their 42.

• Facing fourth-and-2 at the 50, Browns call time after letting clock run down to 1:06. Then a first down on Evan Moore 6-yard catch.

• McCoy is intercepted by Demps. Looks like a Pick 6, but McCoy makes a TD-saving tackle at the Browns’ 23. Unnecessary roughness call on Shawn Lauvao moves ball to Browns 10 with :02 left. Texans kick field goal for 24-3 lead.

Thanks for reading! .

Ohio.com reporter Nate Ulrich takes on the role of a professor as he grades the Browns’ performance on Sunday against Seattle.

The Browns snapped their two-game losing streak. That’s the good part. Here’s the rest:

OFFENSE: D

Quarterback: D. Colt McCoy completed 20-of-35 passes for 178 yards with an interception. He continued to struggle with accuracy, as evidenced by his passer rating of 59. However, he managed the game well at times, helping the Browns convert 12-of-24 third downs and hold possession for 42:56.

 DEFENSE: A

Linebackers: A-. Chris Gocong moved to strongside linebacker with Scott Fujita (concussion) inactive and finished with one of the team’s three sacks, two quarterback hits and four tackles. Middle linebacker D’Qwell Jackson had five tackles and was credited with one fumble recovery.

Ulrich writes how defensive coordinator Dick Jauron deserves the most credit because it was his defense that won this game.

More Browns

Protecting Colt McCoy has been an issue.

Defensive coordinator Dick Jauron has the Browns among defensive leaders.

Pat Shurmur defends his quarterback Colt McCoy.

Kicker Phil Dawson won the game despite thigh bruise. 

What are your opinions.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For more Cinesport video, go here.

Not much else going on in the NFL world today.

 OAKLAND, Calif. — Notes, observations and some facts on the second quarter …

• Montario Hardesty relieves Peyton Hillis. Colt McCoy makes good pass to Josh Cribbs on third down. Cribbs makes good move on safety Tyvon Branch to extend play for 23 yards.

• From the Raiders’ 16, Browns line up Hillis as a fullback in front of Hardesty. Good McCoy play-fake. He’s got Hillis open underneath. McCoy hits Greg Little at right corner. Little slips at the 1.

• Another good McCoy play-fake results in 1-yard TD toss to Alex Smith. Very, very nice TD drive in 3 minutes, 10 seconds.

• Jacoby Ford does a tightrope run down the right sideline, evading last-gasp pushout attempts by Phil Dawson and Buster Skrine for 101-yard kickoff return. Play survives replay review.

• Quentin Groves devoured Josh Cribbs on a kickoff return of 20 yards. Wow, Raiders are fired up.

• Nice 20-yard gain on short pass to Hillis nullified when two Browns are in motion at same time. McCoy makes another good pass, perfectly leading Greg Little on a quick slant for 12 yards and a first down. Big play to get out of the shadow of the goalposts.

• Nice run by Hardesty for six yards. Browns now mixing up pass and run nicely.

• Raiders pass rush snuffs out Browns’ drive at the 47.

• Jason Campbell hurts shoulder or collarbone on 7-yard scramble. He leaves and Kyle Boller comes in to convert a fourth-and-1 sneak. Browns defense now inspired by presence of Boller. D’Qwell Jackson and Phil Taylor have tackles for losses. Raiders punt at two-minute warning.

• After punt, Browns take over at their 9 with 1:48 to go. McCoy’s second-down pass is dropped by Hardesty. McCoy’s third-down pass is almost intercepted. Should have just handed off three times. Geesh.

• Browns flagged for 12 men on defense after Ahtyba Rubin snuffs out screen pass to Darren McFadden.

• Boller’s passes are “just a bit outside.” Browns force punt with 42 seconds left when Jackson trips up McFadden on third-down run.

Gotta run!.

  Tennessean reporter Jim Wyatt writes how former Cleveland Browns coach Chris Palmer is the offensive coordinator for the Titans.

Palmer was the Browns’ head coach from 1999-2000 and that time as the team’s coach taught Palmer a few lessons.

“If I ever take an expansion job again,” he said, “shoot me.”

 Palmer was fired after going 5-27. In 2002 under Butch Davis, the Browns made the playoffs.

“It is really overrated starting a franchise up,” Palmer said.

“But people forget Cleveland was in the playoffs in its fourth year, so I think that was a tribute the players and the people that started the organization. Cleveland is a good football town.”

In the article, Palmer says he regrets he didn’t get more time as head coach, but he said he has no hard feelings.

“You always wish you had more time,” said Palmer, who is in his first year with the Titans. “I would like to live longer than I am going to, but that’s not going to happen.”

More Cleveland Browns

Running backs coach defends Peyton Hillis . . . Bob Finnan of The News-Herald writes about Hillis and his supporters.

The Browns wonder if they can keep Hillis and D’Qwell Jackson, writes CantonRep.com reporter Steve Doerschuk.

Previewing the Titans on Cleveland.com.

Leave your comments on the news below.

There is the quick update of the day.

BEREA, Ohio (AP)—At one point, the Cleveland Browns weren’t sure D’Qwell
Jackson(notes) would ever return.

He’s back. Better than ever.

Jackson, who missed 26 consecutive games the past two seasons after tearing
chest muscles, is off to the best start of his NFL career. On Thursday, the
likable linebacker was named the AFC’s defensive player of the month for
September, an honor Browns coordinator Dick Jauron deemed “richly deserved.”

In Cleveland’s first three games, Jackson, a second-round pick in 2006,
recorded 30 tackles and 2 1/2 sacks. He was also credited with defending a pass,
forcing a fumble and recovering another while helping the Browns (2-1) get off
to their best start since 2002.

As is his way, Jackson accepted the award with typical humility.

“It was very special,” he said. “I gotta take it in stride. A lot of guys
told me congratulations. I mean I worked extremely hard, but this is the first
step.”

Jackson’s comeback has been remarkable.

After leading the Browns with 188 tackles in 2008, Jackson tore his left
pectoral muscle while making a tackle in a game against Pittsburgh. The injury
was so severe that he ripped the muscle from the bone, leaving the Browns no
choice but to place him on injured reserve for the final 10 games of the season.

Jackson dedicated himself and worked hard to get back into shape, and
everything seemed in place when he arrived for training camp last summer. But
Jackson’s world came crashing down when he tore the right pectoral muscle in
practice and he wound up missing the entire 2010 season.

He was back at square one, his career hanging by a thread.

But while others had their doubts about his future, the 28-year-old always
believed he would come back and play at a high level. He has embraced his new
role as the middle or “Mike” linebacker in the Browns’ new 4-3 defense, a
scheme perfectly suited to his ball-hawking talents.

Unlike in the 3-4, Jackson doesn’t have to fight off blocks from guards,
allowing him to roam more freely and make tackles.

While others questioned if he could lead a defense again, Jackson’s belief
never wavered.

“I never doubted it,” he said. “As long as I could get the opportunity
and I was healthy, that’s all I could ask for. Right now, I’m playing well. I
can always get better, but for me I’ve said more times than once, it’s more
important for me to get wins. I’ve been around here, it’s been tough.

“We’ve got a lot of young guys and we want to keep the wins going to gain
more confidence for my younger players. There’s going to be adversity at times,
but we’re only going to be as good as the leaders on the team.”

Jackson is clearly one of them.

Browns first-year coach Pat Shurmur didn’t know much about Jackson when he
got the job in January. All he knew of Jackson, the player, was that he had an
injury-riddled past. He didn’t know anything about D’Qwell Jackson, the man, the
community activist, who always seems to have time for anyone who asks.

Shurmur knows Jackson is special.

“Just being around him you see those things and you get a feel from a guy
who gets things and he gets it,” he said. “The world makes sense to D’Qwell
and he understands the process of being a pro and he’s a talented guy. When you
tie all that together then I’m glad to see he’s having the success he is.”

During training camp, Browns linebacker Scott Fujita(notes) predicted big things
from Jackson.

From afar, Fujita, who joined Cleveland last season, admired Jackson’s game.
Now that he’s seen it up close, he’s even more impressed.

“I’ve respected him for a long time, watching him on film over the years
and kind of respecting his style of play,” Fujita said. “I always saw that the
systems that were here in the past just weren’t suited for his body type and his
skill set. This was a good opportunity for him and it’s nice to see him shine at
this point of his career.”

On top of his injuries, Jackson has had to deal with contract issues.

The Browns signed him to a one-year, $4.75 million deal loaded with
incentives before the lockout. It was a business decision and the team’s way of
saying, “Show us.”

Jackson’s doing just that and seems to be in line to receive one of the
contract extensions the Browns are giving some of their young core players. The
team has locked up Pro Bowl offensive tackle Joe Thomas(notes), defensive end Ahtyba
Rubin(notes), tight end Evan Moore(notes) and linebacker Chris Gocong(notes) to extensions in the
past month.

The club may want to see more from Jackson, but it appears he has done
enough.

He’s leading on and off the field, and doesn’t want to do it anywhere but in
Cleveland.

“I don’t want to move,” he said. “I don’t want to pick up and leave and
go somewhere else and start all over. This is where everything has happened.
It’s where I’ve been hurt, I’ve been successful. So it would mean a lot to stay
in Cleveland.”

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

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Prior to this season, the Cleveland Browns had started each of their previous eight seasons with 0-3 or 1-2 records.

Not that a 2-1 record — which the Browns take into Sunday’s home game against the 2-1 Tennessee Titans — is much reason to anticipate a ticker tape parade down E. 9th Street in early February, but even modest success requires numerous contributors.

That’s what the Browns are getting thus far, expecially, it seems, on defense. One of the players coming through for coordinator Dick Jauron’s 4-3 defense is cornerback Dimitri Patterson, who was signed by Cleveland as a free agent prior to the season.

Mike McLain of the Warren Tribune-Chronicle writes about Patterson:

Each week he has the difficult task of being the nickel back, which means he covers the slot receiver that’s often aligned inside the split end.

The Browns have tried many players at the position in recent seasons, but most haven’t stayed in town for very long. Patterson could be different. Although he had limited experience playing nickel prior to joining the Browns during training camp, Patterson has taken to the challenge with ease.

“It’s one of those things where it’s not an easy position to play. That’s number one,” Patterson said. “Number two is I didn’t have a lot of experience playing it. I would take a lot of reps in practice when I was in Philly. I knew I could do it. It was a matter of getting an opportunity. Coming here and being familiar with this scheme definitely helped.”

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Browns coverage includes Browns Insider, a half-hour video about the Browns featuring The Plain Dealer’s Dennis Manoloff, Tony Grossi and Mary Kay Cabot; Grossi’s report on linebacker D’Qwell Jackson being named the AFC defensive player of the month; Grossi’s story on some of the differences between Jauron and former Browns’ defensive coordinator Rob Ryan; Cabot’s Browns Insider, highlighting tight end Evan Moore; Grossi’s report that the Browns have extended the contract of linebacker Chris Gocong; a Starting Blocks poll on the Browns-Titans game; a feature with videos and old PD game stories highlighting successful quarterbacks in Browns history. 

Goal to goal

We’ll find out more about the Browns when they play the Titans, Bob Frantz writes for the News-Herald and Lorain Morning Jounral.

The Browns and other AFC North teams have had balanced play-calling in their first three games, Jamison Hensley writes for ESPn.com.

Kind words for the Browns in Sports Illustrated’s SI.com power rankings.

Peyton Hillis and Montario Hardesty give the Browns a 1-2 running back punch, Stephanie Storm writes for the Akron Beacon Journal.

Linebacker D’Qwell Jackson is a key to the Browns defense, and other Browns notes, by Fred Greetham for Scout.com’s Orange and Brown Report.

Cleveland Browns Team Report on USAToday.com.

Tennessee running back Chris Johnson, averaging 2.1 yards a carry, and the Titans’ offensive line aren’t in sync. By John Glennon of the Tennesseean.

Wide receiver Damian Williams becomes a key player for the Titans after teammate Kenny Britt’s season-ending knee injury. By Jim Wyatt of the Tennesseean. 

Thanks for reading! .

Update at 12:17 p.m.

BEREA — Browns linebacker D’Qwell Jackson was named AFC defensive player of the month.

He’s the first Browns player to win the awared since safety Eric Turner in December of 1994.

Jackson leads the Browns with 30 tackles and has added 2.5 sacks, one pass defensed, one forced fumble and one recovery.

Making his fast start more sweet is the fact that Jackson missed the previous 26 games because of almost identical injuries to two pectoral (chest) muscles.

Jackson was said to be a perfect fit in the center of the Browns’ new 4-3 defensive system, and he is living up to that. Teammate Scott Fujita, who predicted Jackson would have a great year, Tweeted congratulations to Jackson this morning with the hashtag ToldYaSo.

That’s all for today.

Leave any suggestions in the comment box.

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

• Mike Nugent’s 47-yard field goal makes it 13-0, Bengals. Browns would be advised to show something on offense on their next possession.

• Josh Cribbs fields Nugent’s fourth kickoff eight yards deep. He returns it 51 yards to the 43. After a first down, Montario Hardesty runs for seven yards, and then for five more.

• From the 34, Colt McCoy’s play-fake freezes entire Bengals defense. Three guys are open and McCoy, rolling right, chooses the tough throw across his body. He just gets it there in time to Benjamin Watson to beat cornerback Leon Hall for the TD.

• Finally, some life. Defense looks fired up, too. Marcus Benard and Brian Schaefering combine for sack of Andy Dalton.

• Joe Haden with his third breakup on third-down rope from Dalton for Jerome Simpson. First Bengals punt. On the return, Browns commit their eighth penalty, holding on Sheldon Brown.

• On third-and-7, McCoy does well to avoid a sack and scrambles for a first down. There’s a Peyton Hillis sighting. Runs for 17 yards.

• With Thomas Howard chasing him, McCoy throws on the run deep for Mohamed Massaquoi and connects for 56 yards to Bengals’ 5. McCoy falls hard after the throw.

• On third down from the 2, McCoy puts the ball only where Evan Moore can get it on a quick, inside slant, beating Hall again. It’s 14-13, Browns, after one of the worst first quarters in memory.

• On Phil Dawson’s ensuing touchback, Browns get their ninth penalty as Kaluka Maiava is called for lining up behind the kickoff line.

• A.J. Green called for interference when pushing off Haden. Haden is dominating the matchup.

• D’Qwell Jackson sacks and strips Dalton. Bengals Andre Smith falls on the fumble at the 9. On third-and-23, Bengals hand off safely. Browns’ second timeout is with 2:57 left.

• Browns waste good field position and punt after three plays. Another clunker by Richmond McGee of 30 yards.

What are your opinions.

BEREA — Quick slants on the Browns prior to Sunday morning’s practice …

 * I’m concerned that Brian Robiskie might have taken a step back after going 0 for 1 in the Detroit game. And Mohamed Massaquoi might be coming back this week. It’ll be interesting to see if Robiskie is still lining up with the first team at today’s practice.

 * Linebacker D’Qwell Jackson and Titus Brown are having very good camps. You wish there was a way to get both MIKE linebackers on the field together.

 * On his best day, Greg Little is the team’s best receiver. But that showboating has to stop. I liked the way coach Pat Shurmur got in Little’s grill after punting the ball into the stands following a touchdown catch.

 * Ahtyba Rubin is always hustling.

 * I think the Browns finally found a young tackle with potential to develop into a good starter in Branndon Braxton.

 * I’m sure that No. 1 pick Phil Taylor is doing a good job against the run. But he looks like a two-down player to me and won’t be on the field on sure passing downs. Maybe I’m missing something, but I don’t see any pass rush there.

 * Having an offensive-minded head coach calling the plays is going to be such a blast of fresh air, even more so when the games start to count.

 * The new NFL kickoff rules are absurdly bad. The other new rule requiring all scoring plays to be reviewed is equally inane. To clarify, a play has to be called a touchdown (or safety, etc.) on the field for it to be automatically reviewed. The reason Shurmur had to challenge Evan Moore’s play in the end zone was because it was ruled “no catch” by the official on the field. Yet Moore’s first touchdown — which had no controversy whatsoever — was revewed for almost 2 minutes. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

Gotta run!.

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

• Tight end Alex Smith and fullback Owen Marecic drop passes on Browns first series. That’s two miscues in two games for Marecic.

• Jabaal Sheard strips Jahvid Best of the ball and does a good job corralling it while on the ground at the Lions 34.

• Colt McCoy hits Greg Little for 12 and Josh Cribbs for 7. On third-and-1 from the 2, McCoy sprints to the right and fires to Evan Moore. Very decisive play and virtually unstoppable. So refreshing there not to see an inside handoff.

• The touchdown had absolutely no hint of controversy, yet it was reviewed by replay, delaying the game needlessly. This is another dumb rule change this year. Every scoring play is automatically reviewed by the official upstairs. But every play is not supposed to need the confirmation of the referee. Yet referee Mike Carey had to take two minutes or so to go under the hood and confirm the TD.

• Phil Dawson’s kickoff bounces out of the end zone for a touchback. Take that, rules-makers.

• On a pitchout to Aaron Brown, D’Qwell Jackson gets in a good lick. Knocked Brown for a 1-yard loss.

• Browns D-line getting effective pressure on Matthew Stafford, forcing two scrambles and tossaways. But on the third-down stop, Dimitri Patterson is called for holding. Stafford then hits tight end Brandon Pettigrew for 27 yards, and from the 4, Nate Burleson pogo-sticks up over Mike Adams to haul in a TD just before getting both feet down in front of the end line.

• Buster Skrine is handling the kickoff returns as Cribbs concentrates on offense. Skrine gets upended head over heels by Erik Coleman at the Lions 20.

• The Browns are doubling Ndamukong Suh with Tony Pashos and Shawn Lauvao whenever possible. This backfired when tight end Alex Smith missed left end Cliff Avril coming wide, and Avril sacked McCoy.

• Richmond McGee has two bad punts. The first was helped by a favorable bounce. The second went out of bounds at the Browns’ 43 — a 29-yard effort in the dead of a summer night.

• Burleson makes another good catch down the right sideline over Joe Haden, getting both feet down nicely, good for 29 yards.

• Browns defense holds Lions to a short field goal when one Stafford pass goes off the hands of Derrick Williams and the other is defended well by Kaluka Maiava against Pettigrew.

• Jason Pinkston replaces John Greco at left guard.

• Suh chases McCoy to the right sideline. McCoy knocks over a member of the chain gang and offers a hand.

• McGee responds with a beauty on his third punt. A true 57-yarder downed at the Lions 8.

There is the quick update of the day.