BEREA, Ohio — Forget everything Peyton Hillis has said and done this season. Well, most of it, at least. He’d appreciate if you didn’t remember the public missteps he had with Browns management about his contract renegotiations, the medical advice he took from his agent to skip a game when he was sick, and the closed-door meeting he had with teammates who reached out to the foundering running back.
And please, most of all, don’t recall the many times Hillis proclaimed he doesn’t believe in the Madden Curse.
Because he does.
“No doubt about it,” Hillis finally admitted Thursday. “Things haven’t worked to my favor this year. There’s a few things that happened that made me believe in curses. Ain’t no doubt about it.”
Blame the first 14 or so weeks of this season on Hillis’ picture on the cover of the “Madden NFL 12″ video game. He finally feels healthy after a nagging hamstring injury knocked him out for five games at midseason, and it showed in his season-high 112 yards rushing Sunday in Baltimore.
He finally feels happy, an attitude that manifested in his cheerful, “Howdy!” to media in the locker room Thursday — and in his declaration that he hopes this isn’t his final game with the Browns because he wants to prove last season’s 1,177 yards weren’t a fluke.
“I really enjoyed my time playing in a Browns uniform, and I hope I can continue to be here,” Hillis said. “I know these past couple games and this game, I’ll play my hardest. I’m going to play my best, and people are going to see that I’ve still got it and I want to be here.”
Hillis is performing not only for the fans he likened to a “second family,” but for Browns management, who appear uncertain on whether they want the running back to return. Head coach Pat Shurmur declined to say Thursday whether the Browns intend to re-sign the soon-to-be free-agent Hillis. On three separate occasions, Shurmur was asked about the possibility of Hillis’ return — including point blank whether he wants Hillis back — and each time Shurmur said that the decision will require off-season evaluation.
“I think, as we look at our roster and we look at building our team . . . we’ve got to consider everything,” Shurmur said. “One thing you’ve seen about Peyton is that, in the last month or so, he’s gotten himself healthy and he’s performed well. I think that’s the Peyton everyone was used to seeing a year ago.”
Last week’s 4.7 yards per carry against the Ravens was the highest mark for Hillis this season, surpassing last season’s 4.4 yards per carry. He’s averaged 105.5 yards per game the past two contests, bouncing back from just 25 yards in the most recent meeting against Pittsburgh, when he was also battling a hip injury.
“I just feel people can see, when I’m 100 percent, I am running hard,” Hillis said. “I can do pretty good. That’s what I want people to see. . . . I want people to see that I’m not a one-hit wonder.”
Madden Curse or not, Hillis said this season has been a learning experience, but he believes “there’s no such thing as accidents. . . . This is the way it’s supposed to be.”
“It’s kind of funny how things worked out, but at the end of the day, I’m really happy with where I’m at,” Hillis said. “I’m a truly happy person. When I look back on this 15, 20 years from now, I’m probably going to just laugh.”
More than proving he can battle back from the Madden Curse, however, Hillis wants to use Sunday’s game against the Steelers to show his appreciation for Browns fans who have continued to support him through his trying season.
“I’d love to come back here,” Hillis said. “I’m a Cleveland Brown at heart. Ever since I’ve been here, I fell in love with the fans and the city and the people who live here. They’ve been nothing but 100 percent supportive. They’re everything. When I talk to them, it’s good to have a second-family backing like that. All I can do is go out there and do my best, and we’ll see what happens.”
Jauron back? Browns defensive coordinator Dick Jauron has already been a head coach in the NFL, but when asked Thursday whether he would like to return next season in his current position, he didn’t hesitate.
“I would love to do this again,” Jauron said. “Absolutely. I would obviously like to win a lot more games. To be in the NFL is an unbelievable honor and treat. . . . I really like it [being in Cleveland]. I like the old rivalries, I like the history. I’ve really enjoyed it. This is a great place to work.”
The Browns’ defense is 10th in the NFL, yielding an average of 330.5 yards per game.
Hardesty healthy but sitting: Last Sunday, for the first time in a long time, Montario Hardesty felt fully healthy. But the running back didn’t have a single carry.
Shurmur said Hillis’ resurgence is to blame.
“As we’ve always talked about, if Peyton Hillis is healthy, he’s our starting running back,” Shurmur said. “I think, at this point, Montario’s coming back from an injury he had that limited him for quite a while. There’s no real reason.”
For his part, Hardesty said he’s ready to play when needed, and he has made sure his coach knows he’s healthy.
“He knows I want to play. He knows I’m 100 percent,” Hardesty said.
Quick hits: Quinton Spears returned to practice on a limited basis Thursday after suffering a concussion against the Ravens. . . . Quarterback Colt McCoy (concussion), receiver Jordan Norwood (concussion) and offensive lineman Tony Pashos (stomach illness) missed practice Thursday. . . . Steelers safety Troy Polamalu (knee) hasn’t practiced this week. . . . Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (ankle) participated fully in practice for Pittsburgh each of the past two days. . . . Linebacker James Harrison participated fully in practice after missing Wednesday with a neck injury.
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.
BALTIMORE, Md. — Browns quarterback Seneca Wallace assumed full blame for calling a running play at the end of the first half instead of spiking the ball like coach Pat Shurmur wanted.
After getting to the Ravens’ 5 with 34 seconds left in the half, the Browns botched the final two plays, failed to spike the ball and watched the clock tick down to zero without any points. It let the Ravens preserve their 17-0 halftime lead and proved extremely costly after the Browns mounted a comeback in the 20-14 loss.
“It was bad communication on my behalf,” said Wallace, who called for the run play with 11 seconds left instead of spiking the ball. “At that point, it’s not the head coach’s fault. It’s my job to make sure I get everybody on the right page. At that point in the game, the crowd is into it and it’s tough. I’m not making any excuses. At the end of the day I’ve got to make sure we’re in the right situation to get points out of it.”
With 57 seconds left in the half, the Browns called their final timeout and had a second-and-1 at the 8. Peyton Hillis, who ran well against the Ravens’ second-ranked run defense, plowed 3 yards for a first down at the 5 with 34 seconds remaining.
Wallace then found Moore on the sidelines for a 2-yard pass to the 3, but Moore didn’t take the necessary step to be ruled out of bounds, and the clock fizzled to 11 seconds.
“Yeah, I thought I was out of bounds,” Moore said. “I thought it was kind of a no-brainer. But apparently I was told after the play there’s a rule — you have to at least take a step forward to get out of bounds because if you don’t, that means your forward progress is stopped and the ball is probably dead right there. So I could’ve done a better job of getting out of bounds in hindsight.”
Once Moore realized the clock was still running, “we just hurried to the line, ran the play, and like I said, the result was no points, so obviously we could’ve done something better.”
Moore wasn’t the only one who thought the clock had stopped. It caught others off-guard, including running back Peyton Hillis.
“There’s no doubt,” Hillis said. “Especially in the kind of situation that we were in, everything being fast-paced, getting things on the run, getting the play on the run, stuff like that, and everybody’s being sporadic or hectic to get to their spots, so I think that could have had a lot to do with it. I was caught in the moment. I wasn’t really looking at the clock at that point.”
While it was ticking down to 11 seconds, Shurmur was frantically yelling and motioning from the sidelines for Wallace to spike the ball.
“I would have never called a run in that situation with that much time,” Shurmur said. “There was some communication there that didn’t play through.”
But Wallace had a better idea.
“The thinking was pop them and get an easy one and score a touchdown,” Wallace said. “We’d just run a pass play and they might be playing a little soft thinking we’re going to pass it again, [so] hit them with a running play.
“At that point I’m yelling something to the offensive linemen, trying to gash them and Pat was calling, ‘Clock, clock, clock.’ It’s loud down there, everybody’s into it and we didn’t have that much time. So I called the 66T, a little running play, and we didn’t get it.”
Bam! Hillis was stopped for no gain and the clock struck zero.
“It was just my decision and I went with it,” Wallace said.
Would there have been enough time after the run to get the ball spiked?
“I don’t know,” he said. “At that time your emotions, you’re into the game, yeah, you’re looking at the clock and it’s like, ‘Do we have time to do this?’ At that time you can’t second-guess what you want to do.”
Moore said his mindset when he first caught the ball was “try to score, but [safety Bernie Pollard] was there so quick that that wasn’t happening, so I was trying to shuffle out of bounds, and I didn’t quite get there. No one person is to blame, but you just remove a few mistakes and I’d like to see what happens. You learn from it.”
Even Hillis tried to grab a share of the blame.
“I should have gotten the ball in the end zone and enough said,” he said.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: mcabot@plaind.com, 216-999-4670
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.
That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.
BALTIMORE — 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.
That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.
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.
Nobody doubts the Browns’ young defense has had its shining moments.
Goal-line stands in Pittsburgh and Arizona the past two games were two of them.
But there have been some clunkers that have elicited flashbacks of previous defensive “Seasons From Hell”, too. And the first game on Dec. 4 against the Baltimore Ravens, whom the Browns play on Christmas Eve, was the stinkiest egg laid by this group.
“It left a bad taste in all of our mouths,” said defensive tackle Phil Taylor.
That was the game in which Ray Rice ran for a career-high 204 yards and averaged 7.0 yards per carry. Ricky Williams chipped in 76 yards as the Ravens rushed 55 times for 290 yards.
It was reminiscent of the Browns getting gashed for a then-NFL record 295 yards rushing by Jamal Lewis in a 2003 game. The Ravens totaled 343 yards rushing in that one.
Rice, a humble man, credited his career game to execution, to his offensive line and to the wet weather conditions that inspired the run-first, run-often Baltimore game plan.
The Browns’ explanation for what happened is a little more technical. But cornerback Sheldon Brown broke it down in easily understood terms.
“They won the front battle,” he said. “They won the line of scrimmage. Anytime a running back can get to the second level, it’s gonna be tough on anybody else trying to make that tackle. And that’s what they did, create holes to get him to the second level.”
Baltimore’s huge offensive line knocked the Browns out of their gaps, and the diminutive Rice — who’s 5-8 — made the secondary miss.
That game plunged the Browns to 31st against the run, their lowest ranking of the season. They were 31st out of 31 teams in the expansion season of 1999 and 32nd in 2004.
All the coaches have lamented “gap integrity” in defending the run. Current defensive coordinator Dick Jauron is one of the best at explaining exactly what that means.
“Everybody’s got to do their job on every play,” he said. “People have to stay in their gaps. But it’s not easy.
“You’ve got two 300-pound men trying to knock you out of that gap. And then it expands. It doesn’t stay in one spot. The play will move and as it stretches, there’s a lot of things going on. You don’t know before the snap which way it’s going or how they’re going to block it.
“In a one-gap scheme [such as Jauron's], it’s pretty clear at the snap where you belong. And it’s very, very difficult to play it and stay in that gap. The offenses are good, the people are huge and strong. It’s what makes the game so competitive and hard to play.”
Besides the linemen, Baltimore pummeled the Browns with 260-pound fullback Vonta Leach. Linebacker Chris Gocong said linebacker Kaluka Maiava took on 22 lead blocks of Leach in that game.
And then there’s Rice, who runs like every play will decide his next meal. In his case, it might. He’s one of several NFL running backs playing out the last season of their rookie contracts, hoping to secure a long-term deal either from their current team or a new one in free agency.
“I’ve worked for everything I got in my life,” Rice said. “Nothing was given to me. I’m still under contract, so why would I complain about something I’m not up for? After this season is over, me and my agent will deal with it accordingly.
“My stats will take care of itself. I look at what other guys got, but that’s not going to determine the outcome of my season. I want to have a great year. Obviously the ultimate goal is to win.”
Rice ranks fifth in the NFL with 1,086 yards rushing and is second among all backs with 71 receptions.
“He may be a little guy but he runs better than most backs twice his size,” said linebacker D’Qwell Jackson.
Rice doesn’t think it will be as easy for him this time — even though this game is in Baltimore with the Ravens hoping to complete an 8-0 home season and maintain first place in the AFC North ahead of Pittsburgh.
“They obviously want to finish their season on a high,” Rice said. “We know that. They’re a prideful organization. They can play the role of the spoiler. We’re gonna try to the best of our ability not to let that happen this week.”
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.”
Browns coach Pat Shurmur declined to commit to quarterback Colt McCoy as the starter when he’s recovered from his concussion.
“I’m going to cross that bridge when they’re both healthy,” said Shurmur. “Right now, until Colt’s healthy, we’re going to go with Seneca.”
Asked specifically if McCoy will start Saturday against the Ravens if healthy, Shurmur said, “If Colt is OK — when Colt is OK — we’ll talk about that,” said Shurmur. “How’s that? Good answer?”
He said McCoy is improving, is day to day and hasn’t yet been cleared to practice. He also said he’ll know more today about his availability.
But his refusal to name him the starter when healthy marked at least a slight departure from Friday, when he was asked the same question and he said: “Yeah, he’s our starting quarterback at this point. We can try and create whatever from that, but at this point, he’s not playing and Seneca is.”
So, did Shurmur see enough from Wallace in the 20-17 overtime loss to the Cardinals to want to see him again against the Ravens and maybe even the Steelers?
Shurmur spoke in glowing terms of Wallace following his performance in Arizona, one in which he completed 18 of 31 attempts for 226 yards, including a 76-yard touchdown pass to Greg Little. Wallace also fumbled at the Browns’ 5 with seven minutes left in regulation.
“I thought for the most part, especially early in the game, Seneca executed well and got us in the end zone twice,” said Shurmur. “The first drive was really good. We found a way to mix it up with the run and pass.
“We had some possession throws and a deep ball. We had some good explosive runs.
“That’s what you want it to look like — the whole game. I don’t think it’s an indication necessarily of one or the other [Wallace or McCoy], but that’s what you want it to look like.”
He acknowledged McCoy has “done the same thing. In the last few weeks we’ve done that — drive the ball down the field. I wouldn’t say that’s just significant to Seneca. When you call a play, you’re supposed to get yards, and when you get close, you’re supposed to score.
“When you have a chance to make big plays, my thoughts go right back to the first drive. That drive reminds me of the first drive we had against the Bengals.
We were effective running it, we got a couple big plays, then we had a long touchdown pass to finish it. That’s what you want your first drive to look like, to get points right off the bat.” He also added he’d like to see McCoy finish the season if he can.
“It’s important for all your players to make it through the year and compete up until the end,” he said. “You especially want your guys who made the opening day roster to make it all the way through.”
Shurmur indicated some players seemed to pick up their games with Wallace at the helm, and pointed out that there was only one dropped pass.
“I don’t know about him in there compared to Colt,” he said. “I’m constantly evaluating our players as we try to put together a plan to win games. There were some guys who probably showed up and flashed a little better than they have in the last couple weeks. Guys that have made some plays that I was glad to see. Greg [Little] made some plays this week, didn’t drop the ball, I think that’s a step forward. Peyton Hillis ran the ball extremely hard, played the whole game and is no worse for wear, so that’s good.”
He agreed with tight end Alex Smith, who said last week that McCoy will be “night and day” in the West Coast offense when he has an off-season to work in it. “I think there’s some insight there,” said Shurmur. “I think the longer you’re involved with anything, the better you get a feel for what you’re doing.”
Wallace had the benefit of a 99-yard game by Hillis, and McCoy has been without Hillis most of the season. When the running back has been in there, he’s been mostly banged up. When he did have a 94-yard game with McCoy as starter, the Browns beat the Colts.
Wallace faced the Cardinals’ 21st-ranked defense (now 20th), while McCoy in the previous four weeks faced the No. 1, No. 3, No. 5 and No. 6 defenses.
The most recent time the Browns faced the No. 21 defense — St. Louis on Nov. 13 — Little tied his season high with six catches for 82 yards — including a 52-yarder.
Wallace, who is 6-13 as a starter, did show speed and scrambled away from the blitz to find Little singled up on a linebacker for the long touchdown. He also made quick decisions and got rid of the ball quickly. The tempo was good, but he managed only two first downs in his final four possessions and never got past the Arizona 47 in five drives after making it 17-7 in the third quarter. Also, he didn’t have to contend with an Ed Reed or a Troy Polamalu.
A truer comparison between Wallace and McCoy would come against the Ravens’ No. 3 defense and the Steelers’ No. 1 defense.
And that might come whether McCoy is healthy or not.
Colt McCoy will not play in the game against the Arizona Cardinals as he continues to recover from the concussion he sustained in the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Owen Marecic – a Cleveland Browns’ fullback – will also not take part in the Cardinals’ game due to a concussion.
Seneca Wallace will quarterback in McCoy’s place. He made two plays in the Steelers’ game after McCoy sustained the hit that was responsible for his current concussion.
Eddie Williams will take Marecic’s place at fullback for the Cardinals’ game. He was signed off the Browns’ practice squad.
“I saw [McCoy] this morning,” Browns’ coach Pat Shurmur said. “He’s still having some symptoms [including headaches], and that’s why we sent him home. I wouldn’t know exactly how to characterize it, but we’ll talk about him, obviously, next week when we get back.”
It is critical that McCoy take off the necessary time to fully recover. First and foremost, if he was to get a second concussion prior to a full recovery from this one, the consequences could be very serious for him. Second, if he is unable to play at 100 percent, he is not helping himself or his team, and he is putting himself at risk for further injury. Being a dedicated athlete, it is hard to sit on the sidelines, but right now, this is the best thing he can do for himself, his health and his team.
The Arizona game will mark Wallace’s 19th pro start. The nine-year veteran, made four starts last season and went 1-3.
“I’m anticipating that Seneca’s going to go out and execute efficiently and I think we saw Colt do that at times this year,” said coach Shurmur.
This will certainly be an interesting game. Hopefully the rest of the team will play well and remain healthy, and those who are injured will quickly recover and be ready to tackle the Ravens and Steelers in the final two weeks of the season.
R. Elizabeth C. Kitchen is a lifelong Browns fan who grew up in a household of Browns’ fans. She was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio and still lives there. Regardless of the trials and tribulations the Browns have been through, she remains loyal, albeit honest about her home team. Follow Rose on Twitter@Rose_Kitchen
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Although the Pittsburgh Steelers
are tied atop the AFC North, winning the division won’t be easy.
Facing the Cleveland Browns
in two of their final four games, however, should help their hopes.
The surging Steelers look to win for the eighth time in nine games and continue their dominance over the sputtering Browns
on Thursday night at Heinz Field.
Pittsburgh’s only blemish in its last eight games – a 23-20 loss to Baltimore on Nov. 6 – put a dent in its chances of winning
a fourth division title in five years. The Steelers (9-3) are tied with the Ravens atop the North, but having been swept by
their archrivals, Pittsburgh must finish with a better record to win the division.
Cleveland (4-8) could have helped the Steelers on Sunday with a home game against Baltimore, but not surprisingly came out
with another sluggish performance and lost 24-10, dropping to 3-18 inside the division since 2008.
Pittsburgh, meanwhile, put together one of its best performances of the season Sunday, beating Cincinnati 35-7 for its third
straight victory. Ben Roethlisberger
threw for 176 yards and two scores to Mike Wallace
, Rashard Mendenhall
had two touchdowns and James Harrison
collected three sacks to lead a defense that held the Bengals to a season-low point total.
“These are the games that are going to put you in place to make your run,” linebacker
James Farrior
said. “We’re just trying to keep up in the division.”
The Steelers appear to have a good chance to keep pace with Baltimore.
Pittsburgh, which finishes its season at Cleveland, also visits NFC West-champion San Francisco and hosts two-win St. Louis.
The Ravens still have games at San Diego and Cincinnati and home contests against Cleveland and winless Indianapolis.
Neither team appears to have a difficult remaining schedule, but given the Steelers’ history with the Browns, they may have
an edge.
Pittsburgh has won 14 of 15 against Cleveland and seven in a row at Heinz Field since a 33-13 loss in 2003. It has won the
last three in Pittsburgh by an average of 20.7 points.
In the two meetings last season, the Steelers outscored the Browns 69-19, with Roethlisberger passing for 537 yards with five
touchdowns and an interception and Mendenhall scoring three TDs. The defense had 10 sacks and five interceptions.
Making matters worse for the Browns, the Steelers are playing well and are healthy – something Cleveland can’t claim.
Pittsburgh has held its last two opponents to single digits and forced eight turnovers during its winning streak after only
getting four in its first nine games.
Offensively, the Steelers are averaging 116.3 rushing yards in their last three games after averaging 86.3 in their previous
three.
“It’s getting closer to the playoffs and it’s time for us to get better,” said Wallace, who leads the Steelers in receptions
(58), receiving yards (977) and receiving TDs (8).
Pittsburgh did play the final three quarters Sunday without LaMarr Woodley
because of a tender left hamstring, but part of that decision had to do with the team up 28-7 at halftime. He is expected
to play Thursday, and again could find himself on the sideline with his team up big.
The Browns had little luck moving the ball Sunday against Baltimore’s vaunted defense, finishing with 233 yards, including
59 on the ground. Cleveland’s defense also couldn’t stop the run, allowing the Ravens to rack up 290 rushing yards.
“You have to have thick skin and a short memory, and you move on,” coach Pat Shurmur said.
The Browns, 30th in total offense (290.7 yards per game) are preparing for a similar brand of football, however, from the
Steelers, who are first in total defense (273.8), and running the ball with more consistency.
“It’s going to be real tough,” cornerback
Sheldon Brown
said. “Both are physical football teams and you know they’re going to have a physical presence throughout the contest.”
It will likely be even tougher with Colt McCoy
playing with a right knee sprain.
McCoy was injured Sunday on a hit by Ravens defensive end Arthur Rhodes. Although he missed only one play, the injury was
initially considered severe enough to keep him sideline for this game. He is now expected to start, but his mobility will
likely be limited.
McCoy, 0-7 within the division, has thrown for fewer than 200 yards in three straight games, but hasn’t received much help
– Cleveland leads the league with 35 dropped passes.
He also might be without Peyton Hillis
again after the running back strained his hip against Baltimore. Hillis rushed for 45 yards on 12 carries and caught a pass
for 52 yards in his second game back after missing five straight with a hamstring injury.
Although the Pittsburgh Steelers
are tied atop the AFC North, winning the division won’t be easy.
Facing the Cleveland Browns
in two of their final four games, however, should help their hopes.
The surging Steelers look to win for the eighth time in nine games and continue their dominance over the sputtering Browns
on Thursday night at Heinz Field.
Pittsburgh’s only blemish in its last eight games – a 23-20 loss to Baltimore on Nov. 6 – put a dent in its chances of winning
a fourth division title in five years. The Steelers (9-3) are tied with the Ravens atop the North, but having been swept by
their archrivals, Pittsburgh must finish with a better record to win the division.
Cleveland (4-8) could have helped the Steelers on Sunday with a home game against Baltimore, but not surprisingly came out
with another sluggish performance and lost 24-10, dropping to 3-18 inside the division since 2008.
Pittsburgh, meanwhile, put together one of its best performances of the season Sunday, beating Cincinnati 35-7 for its third
straight victory. Ben Roethlisberger
threw for 176 yards and two scores to Mike Wallace
, Rashard Mendenhall
had two touchdowns and James Harrison
collected three sacks to lead a defense that held the Bengals to a season-low point total.
“These are the games that are going to put you in place to make your run,” linebacker
James Farrior
said. “We’re just trying to keep up in the division.”
The Steelers appear to have a good chance to keep pace with Baltimore.
Pittsburgh, which finishes its season at Cleveland, also visits NFC West-champion San Francisco and hosts two-win St. Louis.
The Ravens still have games at San Diego and Cincinnati and home contests against Cleveland and winless Indianapolis.
Neither team appears to have a difficult remaining schedule, but given the Steelers’ history with the Browns, they may have
an edge.
Pittsburgh has won 14 of 15 against Cleveland and seven in a row at Heinz Field since a 33-13 loss in 2003. It has won the
last three in Pittsburgh by an average of 20.7 points.
In the two meetings last season, the Steelers outscored the Browns 69-19, with Roethlisberger passing for 537 yards with five
touchdowns and an interception and Mendenhall scoring three TDs. The defense had 10 sacks and five interceptions.
Making matters worse for the Browns, the Steelers are playing well and are healthy – something Cleveland can’t claim.
Pittsburgh has held its last two opponents to single digits and forced eight turnovers during its winning streak after only
getting four in its first nine games.
Offensively, the Steelers are averaging 116.3 rushing yards in their last three games after averaging 86.3 in their previous
three.
“It’s getting closer to the playoffs and it’s time for us to get better,” said Wallace, who leads the Steelers in receptions
(58), receiving yards (977) and receiving TDs (8).
Pittsburgh did play the final three quarters Sunday without LaMarr Woodley
because of a tender left hamstring, but part of that decision had to do with the team up 28-7 at halftime. He is expected
to play Thursday, and again could find himself on the sideline with his team up big.
The Browns had little luck moving the ball Sunday against Baltimore’s vaunted defense, finishing with 233 yards, including
59 on the ground. Cleveland’s defense also couldn’t stop the run, allowing the Ravens to rack up 290 rushing yards.
“You have to have thick skin and a short memory, and you move on,” coach Pat Shurmur said.
The Browns, 30th in total offense (290.7 yards per game) are preparing for a similar brand of football, however, from the
Steelers, who are first in total defense (273.8), and running the ball with more consistency.
“It’s going to be real tough,” cornerback
Sheldon Brown
said. “Both are physical football teams and you know they’re going to have a physical presence throughout the contest.”
It will likely be even tougher with Colt McCoy
playing with a right knee sprain.
McCoy was injured Sunday on a hit by Ravens defensive end Arthur Rhodes. Although he missed only one play, the injury was
initially considered severe enough to keep him sideline for this game. He is now expected to start, but his mobility will
likely be limited.
McCoy, 0-7 within the division, has thrown for fewer than 200 yards in three straight games, but hasn’t received much help
– Cleveland leads the league with 35 dropped passes.
He also might be without Peyton Hillis
again after the running back strained his hip against Baltimore. Hillis rushed for 45 yards on 12 carries and caught a pass
for 52 yards in his second game back after missing five straight with a hamstring injury.
Quarterback Colt McCoy used the handrail as he gingerly walked down the steps Monday, the lingering result of a weekend encounter with Baltimore’s merciless defense.
McCoy’s right knee is sprained.
The Browns, on the other hand, appear broken.
One day after being flattened by the Ravens, who rushed for 290 yards in a 24-10 thumping of Cleveland that wasn’t nearly that close, the Browns (4-8) began assessing the extensive damage from a defeat at the hands one of the AFC North’s co-leaders.
There’s little time for review. The Pittsburgh Steelers, undoubtedly smelling brown and orange blood in the water, are next — on Thursday.
“It’s quick,” Browns coach Pat Shurmur said of the short turnaround.
Sadly, it won’t be painless.
“It’s going to be real tough,” cornerback Sheldon Brown said. “Both are physical football teams and you know they’re going to have a physical presence throughout the contest.”
Shurmur did not sugar coat Sunday’s rout, which dropped the Browns to 3-18 inside their division the past three years and prompted wide receiver Josh Cribbs to conclude that there’s “a big gap” in talent between Cleveland and the North’s top teams. That may have already been evident, but the drubbing may have left a collective mark on the Browns’ organization and fans.
The Browns couldn’t stop the run, and they couldn’t run it themselves. They dropped five more passes, increasing their league-leading total to 35. And, they once again had a special teams breakdown as Baltimore’s Lardarius Webb returned a punt 68 yards for a TD in the fourth quarter.
Still, Shurmur insisted he believes his young team is growing, and he’s determined to help them develop.
“It’s just like everything you do, you just keep plugging ahead, and this thing will turn when we least expect it,” he said.
There’s a chance the Browns may have to face the Steelers without McCoy, who was injured in the first quarter of Sunday’s game.
McCoy was backpedaling to throw a screen pass when he was hit low by Ravens defensive end Arthur Rhodes. McCoy fell awkwardly, and for a moment, appeared to be in bad shape. He limped to the sideline but only missed one play before coming back and finishing the game.
Shurmur said McCoy does not have any structural damage and believes he will be able to play against the Steelers.
“He’s probably just sore,” Shurmur said.
And he has every right to be mad at a few of his teammates.
McCoy, who is 0-7 in games against division opponents, isn’t getting much help from his receivers. They can’t hang on to the ball, and the biggest offender is rookie wide receiver Greg Little, who has had six drops in the past two weeks and 11 this season.
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).
