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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BEREA — Browns quarterback Colt McCoy (concussion) has been ruled out of Sunday’s season finale against the Steelers, and Seneca Wallace will make his third straight start of the season.

McCoy seemed to hold out hope on Thursday that he might at least be on the sidelines for the game. But he still hasn’t been cleared medically for football activity.

Coach Pat Shurmur said McCoy improved as a quarterback as the season progressed, but declined to provide much of an evaluation of his season. He re-iterated that it will be done after the season.

It means McCoy will miss the final three games after suffering his concussion Dec. 8 against the Steelers.

Wide receiver Jordan Norwood (concussion) and right tackle Tony Pashos (ankle, illness) have also been ruled out. Pashos, who’s been suffering from a stomach ailment, will be replaced by Artis Hicks. Norwood will miss his second straight game with his concussion.

In other Browns news, linebacker D’Qwell  Jackson has been voted Browns Player of the Year by the local chapter of the Pro Football Writers of America. Safety Mike Adams has been voted the team’s Good Guy for the way he conducts himself with the media, in the community and with his teammates.

Adams, whose contract is up after this season, said he’d love to be back in Cleveland to be part of the winning seasons that are ahead.

BEREA — Despite a strong desire to come back and finish the season against the Steelers, Browns quarterback Colt McCoy hasn’t been cleared from his concussion to practice or play.

It puts an end to speculation about whether the Browns would start McCoy if healthy. It also means that Seneca Wallace will most likely get his third straight start to finish the season, and first ever against the Steelers.

“He’s trying to get back as quickly as he can,” said coach Pat Shurmur. “And he’s expressed that. He wants to get out there and get competing. He’s expressed that, sure.”

Shurmur said McCoy’s feeling a lot better and is lifting and running, but he’s still not passing the concussion tests, which are administered daily. He did not specify what the symptoms are.

“Colt’s around,” said Shurmur. “He was in all of the meetings [Wednesday] but he was not at the walk-through, no. He’s exercising, doing rehab, taking care of what he needs to do to get back healthy.”

McCoy hasn’t played since Steelers linebacker James Harrison drilled him in the facemask with his helmet on Dec. 8, causing the concussion. McCoy was sent back into the game two plays later because the medical staff didn’t see the hit.

It has proven to be one of the worst of 11 concussions suffered by eight Browns this season. McCoy is about to miss his third straight game, which would tie him with tight end Ben Watson. Watson was placed on injured reserve after suffering his third concussion of the season against the Steelers. Most of the other players have missed only a game or two.

But Shurmur said he’s not surprised that it’s taking McCoy so long to come back.

“Nothing surprises me,” he said. “Injuries are all different. The length of time it takes players to come back is all different, so I’m not surprised. I know there’s a process you go through and we’re taking him through that process just like anybody else that’s injured.”

McCoy hasn’t spoken publicly since the concussion, but might do so this week.

“He’s taking it pretty rough,” said Josh Cribbs. “He’s a gamer. He wants to be out there on the field, he wants to be battling with his team. It’s hard for him to look at it at home. It’s unfortunate. It’s very unfortunate.”

Said center Alex Mack, “I know he’s disappointed. He wants to be out here, he wants to work hard, but it’s important that he’s healthy. It’s taking longer than we want it to and it’s not what you want, but in terms of health, it’s important.”

Shurmur stopped just short of naming Wallace the starter, but said, “He’s taking all the reps and the longer it goes in the week, there’s a pretty darn good shot he’ll be the starter.”

What’s cooking: McCoy can’t be with the team on the field, but he certainly made his presents felt in the locker room on Wednesday.

McCoy gave all of his offensive linemen The Big Green Egg: The World’s Best Smoker and Grill. He also provided the charcoal and matching green coats.

“That’s pretty cool,” said left tackle Joe Thomas. “I’m really excited to put it together. I know a lot of guys are foodies on the O-line as you can tell by the bellies on a few of us. It’s pretty neat and it sounds like it’s a great Christmas gift for a lot of guys.”

Ben practices: Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (ankle) participated fully in practice on Wednesday, and Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said he will potentially be able to play. Roethlisberger is still ailing from the high ankle sprain he suffered Dec. 8 when Browns defensive end Scott Paxson hit him legally. . . . Steelers linebacker James Harrison (neck), and safety Troy Polamalu (knee), receiver Mike Wallace (ankle) and linebacker LaMarr Woodley (hamstring) were limited.

Norwood not cleared: Receiver Jordan Norwood has also not been cleared to practice with his concussion. Norwood, who suffered the concussion in Arizona, sat out last week’s game in Baltimore. . . . Right tackle Tony Pashos sat out Wednesday’s practice with an illness and ankle injury, but Shurmur expects him back today.

Cribbs up for award: Cribbs has been selected as the Browns’ 2011 Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee. It recognizes a player’s off-the-field community service activities as well as his playing excellence. The three NFL finalists will be announced at a later date, and each will be present at Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis on Feb. 5 for the announcement of the NFL Man of the Year.

“We all know what he means to the community, and we all know what he can do on the field,” said Shurmur.

Cribbs was honored to be nominated.

“I just really want to show the guys how to conduct themselves off the field and do my duty as an athlete and as a human being,” he said. “Being in a position to give back, it’s just a must.”

Jackson honored: Linebacker D’Qwell Jackson was grateful to be voted a first alternate to the Pro Bowl.

“It’s definitely a great honor, but at the same time there’s a lot of guys on this team that are well-deserving of that award,” he said. “Ahtyba Rubin’s been playing lights out for us, a lot of young guys, Jabaal Sheard, Phil Taylor. Across the board, we’ve got a lot of young guys that are well-deserving. I’m greatly honored, but my focus right now is the Pittsburgh Steelers and getting a win before we take off.”

Cribbs was also happy to be named a second alternate as a returner and third as a special-teamer.

“I’ve got to do better if I want to make it,” he said. “We as a team do as well. If I deserved it, I would be first-team. It’s an honor still. It’s an achievement and it’s an honor. I’ve still got to do better to make first-team.”

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

mcabot@plaind.com, 216-999-4670

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

BEREA, Ohio — Colt McCoy is making progress from his concussion and still has a chance to start Sunday. But will the Browns start their second-year QB against James Harrison and the Steelers’ No. 1-ranked defense?

McCoy, who sat out games in Arizona and Baltimore, hasn’t yet been cleared to practice, but coach Pat Shurmur said Monday that if he’s able to practice on Wednesday “there’s a chance he can play.” But Shurmur was still unwilling to commit to McCoy, even if he gets the green light from the medical staff.

“I can’t cross that bridge yet,” said Shurmur. “We’ll know more Wednesday when we start practicing for the Steelers and then we’ll talk about it then. And I’m not trying to be vague. That’s the case.”

McCoy felt better last week, but not enough to make the trip to Baltimore. He did some physical activity, including using the elliptical machine, but apparently still had symptoms that prevented him from team practices.

Shurmur said McCoy has increased his activity this week, but wasn’t specific. The Browns are off on Tuesday and begin full preparation for the Steelers on Wednesday.

“Colt worked out [Monday] and was in all of the meetings,” said Shurmur. “He’s making improvement.”

If McCoy is cleared to start, will the Browns throw him back in there? Here are a number of things to consider:

1. He’d be going up against Harrison, whose helmet-to-helmet blow on Dec. 8 gave him the concussion.

2. Harrison was suspended a game for the hit, which cost him about $73,000. He spoke out last week, saying the Browns should’ve been fined for putting McCoy back in the game with a concussion. He’s probably not going to be in the holiday spirit this game.

3. Should the Browns risk McCoy so soon after the concussion — especially with the NFLPA still trying to decide whether or not to file a grievance against the Browns? A source said the union should make its decision the first week of January.

4. With nothing at stake for the Browns, should they just let McCoy rest and also avoid the second-guessing it will invite if he plays?

5. The Browns have said they’ve seen enough of McCoy to make a decision on whether or not he can be their quarterback of the future. If that’s the case, why play him?

6. Will one more game with Seneca Wallace help the Browns determine if the offensive woes this season can be attributed to a lack of playmakers and not so much the quarterback?

7. Has Wallace moved the offense well enough the past two games to earn him another start? He’s 0-2 in his two starts with an average of 12 points a game.

Wallace reiterated Monday what he said after the 20-17 overtime loss in Arizona on Dec. 18: the job should be McCoy’s if he’s healthy.

“Like I said before, I would’ve loved to have been able to try to help this team out longer … but coaches made the decision at the beginning of the season to have Colt as the starter,” said Wallace. “If he’s healthy enough, I feel like he should come back and finish the season like he did.

“If I was the leader of this team at the beginning of the season and got knocked out and had a chance to come back and play, I’d want to finish the season out.”

How much would Wallace like to bounce back from the Ravens loss?

“I’m excited regardless,” he said. “I don’t care who it is, if it’s Pittsburgh or the St. Louis Rams. You’re playing football. We can go out and compete another time. That’s the opportunity we love to go out and play football.”

Wallace is coming off a 20-14 loss to the Ravens in which the offense scored just seven points. He completed 19 of 33 attempts for 147 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He made two crucial mistakes: an interception on the opening drive and letting the first-half clock run out deep in Ravens territory without getting at least a field-goal attempt.

As for the interception, Shurmur said, “there was a little bit of heat inside. Seneca flushed to his right. We have to make sure we’re smart with the football. I have to do a better job of getting protection where he doesn’t get heat up the middle. I’ll take responsibility for that. But we can’t turn the ball over there.”

Shurmur said he needs to do a better job of communicating to Wallace to get the ball spiked at the end of the half. But Wallace took responsibility.

“It’s not all [Shurmur's] fault,” he said. “If you’re a man, you’ve got to take responsibility for what you do on the field. … He’s going to try to back us because he’s the head coach. But at the end of the day, we get on the field and we’re playing between those lines, we’ve got to take responsibility for what we do out there.

“So yeah, it was a communication error, but at the same time, it’s not 100 percent his fault.”

What injury? Browns linebacker Kaluka Maiava suffered a broken left hand on the opening kickoff of the second half in Baltimore. But he’ll play with a cast Sunday. He said he broke a little piece of his index finger and that it won’t require surgery.

It won’t be the first time he’s dealt with this kind of injury.

“I told the doctor I think I’ve been playing with a cast on my hand since my junior year in high school,” he said. “Every year I had something on my hand.”

Extra points: Shurmur said he’ll ask the NFL for clarification on why Evan Moore wasn’t ruled out of bounds on the second-to-last play of the first half. Moore was told he needed to take a step forward out of bounds. Shurmur seems to think he was out. … Pro Bowl teams will be announced Tuesday, and Shurmur said several Browns are deserving. He declined to say who. … Remember, the Steelers game has been moved from 1 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. Sunday as a result of flex scheduling.

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

The Cleveland Browns suffered another disappointing heartbreak against the Baltimore Ravens on Christmas Eve (12/24/11). The end of the first half certainly has fans scratching their heads. Why the Browns did not attempt a field goal is beyond comprehension. Browns’s coach Pat Shurmur looked like he was going to explode when the team did not go for a field goal.

Shurmur is saying that he is responsible for the communication breakdowns that happened throughout the game. However, speaking of the particular play at the end of the first half, Shurmur said, “I never would have called a run in that situation with that much time.”

Seneca Wallace took the field as quarterback for the game because Colt McCoy is still out with his concussion. Wallace really looked a lot better last week. He had a few good passes in today’s game, like the excellent touchdown pass to Evan Moore, but he seemed far less confident in this game than he did in the Arizona game.

Wallace has been in the NFL for nine seasons, but he really seemed to be carrying a rookie confidence around with him today. This is the thing that the Browns do not need, especially when playing a team with the talent of the Ravens.

Going into the second half with no points on the board looked really terrible. Then, finally Josh Cribbs saved the day by running an 84-yard touchdown off of a punt. It was a truly remarkable play. This play was not a game-saver, but it definitely re-energized the Browns and gave the fans a little hope and confidence.

Should we even discuss the fourth quarter? Specifically that play where Wallace passed to Hillis when they should have just kicked the ball. This was another head-scratching play that is becoming all too characteristic of the Browns.

Then, with two minutes to go in the game, Phil Taylor just had to go offsides. The Browns had one more chance to actually do something, but him going offsides completely eliminated their chances of a last ditch effort. Had he not gone offsides, the Browns would have had two minutes (I know not much, but at least it would have been something) to at least attempt to score a touchdown.

The Browns will take on the Pittsburgh Steelers for their last game. If they expect to add another win to their record, they are going to have to stop with the careless mistakes and put forth more focus.

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

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

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

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

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

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

But it was how they lost.

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

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

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

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

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

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

That mess cost the Browns three points.

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

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

But there was so much more to frustrate Browns fans.

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

Joshua Cribbs returned a punt 84 yards for a touchdown.

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

Wallace combined with Moore for that touchdown.

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

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

Browns fans know the answer.

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

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

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

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

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

In the fourth quarter …

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

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

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

Merry Christmas?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

When the Cleveland Browns take on the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday, December 24, 2011, they will be doing it with Seneca Wallace at quarterback. There is a good chance he will play the role of QB in the final game against the Pittsburgh Steelers the following week as well.

Colt McCoy is still out because of the concussion he sustained due to the head on collision courtesy of James Harrison. He is still having recurring symptoms from this injury and until he is fully recovered from this injury, it is simply not safe for him – or the other players – for him to be out on the field. McCoy will not travel with the Browns either. He will stay home and rest and focus on recovering.

Since Wallace is going to be taking over the role of quarterback for the remainder of the season, he has to start acting like a starting quarterback. According to his teammates. He is falling into the role well.

“I think he’s more vocal in the locker room and on the field,” said Joe Thomas, a left tackle for the Browns. “When you’re the starter, you’re the coach on the field, not only calling plays but getting everybody lined up correctly, making sure the formation’s are correct, the personnel is right. You’re kind of the designated rah-rah guy. When things are going south, you’re the guy that needs to stand up and get everybody in a positive direction.”

Wallace has acknowledged that he is just the backup quarterback and that he is afraid to overstep his boundaries. However, he needs to lose this mentality as it could hold him back. He is not the backup at this moment. He is the starter for the remainder of the season and he needs to think like a starter. He has played in nine NFL seasons and has earned his time on the field.

In the Arizona game, Wallace showed that he has what it takes to make plays. He definitely gave the Browns some new energy. The only thing the Browns need to work on right now is keeping that energy throughout the entire game because that energy definitely faded by the end of the third quarter. If Wallace can keep throwing good passes and keep his men energized, the Browns just might have a chance to defeat the Ravens.

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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The Browns will not be disciplined by the NFL for their handling of the Colt McCoy concussion injury in Pittsburgh on Dec. 8, according to league spokesman Greg Aiello.

The Browns put McCoy back in the game without testing for a concussion.

The NFLPA has not decided whether to file a grievance against the club, said union spokesman Carl Francis in an email reply.

The incident spurred two changes in league protocol. Teams were notified on Wednesday that starting with this weekend’s games:

* A certified athletic trainer paid by the NFL will monitor the game from an upstairs booth and will notify both teams’ medical staffs if it feels an injured player needs special attention. The trainer will not have the authority to remove a player from a game, but will provide information to a medical staff that might not have seen the hit or injury absorbed by a player.

The Browns contended McCoy was not given the sideline concussion test because he displayed no symptoms and their overtaxed medical staff did not see the hit by Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison.

* Team medical staffs will be able to use cell phones during games to obtain information relating to the care of an injured player. This will not be limited to concussion injuries.

McCoy has not been cleared to practice 13 days after suffering the concussion on the hit.

Harrison returned to practice on Wednesday and delivered another shot on the Browns. He believes they should be disciplined for their handling of McCoy. 

“If he was hurt so bad I don’t know why they let him back in . . . two plays later,” Harrison told the Associated Press. “Something should be done to them I would think. I got a game, what should they get?

Another sit-down: Quarterback Seneca Wallace had a sit-down with running back Peyton Hillis last week.

“We had a long talk,” said Wallace. “I just told him don’t get discouraged and don’t ever lose the happiness you got from playing football. Don’t let the media, whatever else, take away from what you love to do. Just make sure you come out and have fun with it.”

Hillis went on to have the highest-yardage rushing game of his star-crossed season. Hillis ran 26 times for 99 yards and one touchdown in Arizona.

He said he felt healthier than at any point since Week 2, in which, coincidentally, he produced similar numbers — 27 rushes for 94 yards and two touchdowns — against the Colts.

Wallace and Hillis have bonded because if the Browns are going to make anything of the remaining games at Baltimore and home against Pittsburgh, they are going to have to be the main cogs on offense.

Wallace will make his second start on Christmas Eve in place of McCoy.

“I don’t want to overstep my boundaries,” he said. “I understand if somebody has to step up and speak their mind and say what they have to say, if it’s for the best of the team, you’ve got to do it.”

Hillis said the Wallace talk hit home. It was: “Just go out and enjoy football, enjoy the game, the guys you’re around, because any game can be your last. Every game’s precious.”

Hillis might have only two games left in a Browns uniform. His contract expires after the season. General Manager Tom Heckert recently said of re-signing Hillis, “That’s another one we’ll have to decide once the season’s over.”

Injury roundup: Besides McCoy, six other Browns did not practice on Wednesday — linebacker Ben Jacobs (concussion), receiver Jordan Norwood (concussion), safety T.J. Ward (foot), receiver Mohamed Massaquoi (foot), defensive lineman Scott Paxson (hand, foot) and cornerback Joe Haden (thigh). . . . Coach Pat Shurmur said the team has discussed shutting down Ward, who will miss his seventh consecutive game.

Now batting: Josh Cribbs’ recurrent groin injury will result in possibly more kickoff return opportunities for Buster Skrine, Shurmur said. Skrine had a 32-yard return in Arizona after Cribbs’ injury acted up.

Skrine was the lone returner when Arizona kicked off in overtime, but Jay Feely’s kickoff sailed into the end zone and went as a touchback.

Skrine is hoping to have some returns in Baltimore. The Ravens signed veteran Shayne Graham as a temp for Billy Cundiff, who has a calf injury and hasn’t practiced for the third week in a row. Cundiff is second in the AFC with 42 touchbacks.

Cribbs, who still may get some returns in Baltimore, has not had a return over 37 yards in six games. He hasn’t had a kickoff return for touchdown in 32 games.

“We’re doing what we can to get him blocked up so that we can get those,” Shurmur said.

Precinct report: Fan voting for the Pro Bowl ended on Monday. Joe Thomas finished fifth among AFC tackles, D’Qwell Jackson placed third among inside linebackers, and Cribbs was third among kick returners. Voting among coaches and players — which comprises the other two-thirds of the vote total — is completed today. Pro Bowl teams will be announced on Tuesday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cleveland Browns’ performance this season hasn’t generated a wave of optimism for the team’s future.

But, there are glimmers for the 4-10 team.

Craig Lyndall writes for the blog “Waiting For Next Year” that rookie defensive end Jabaal Sheard leads the Browns with 7 1/2 sacks. He notes that the number matches Marcus Benard’s team-leading total from last season.

Benard’s 2011 season was shortened by injuries he suffered in a motorcycle accident.

Lyndall writes that maybe, just maybe, the Browns will be able to get a consistent pass rush next season from their defensive ends:

Assuming Benard is healthy and back in a (white) Browns uniform next year, the Browns might have that dangerous D word.  Depth.  Jayme Mitchell has had a very uneven season including trips to the doghouse.  24-year-old Emmanuel Stephens has seen time for the Browns in his second year in the league after being undrafted out of Ole Miss.  Brian Shafering has seen time in his third year and Oklahoma rookie Auston English has played a bit as well since Benard has been out.

None of those guys are superstars and the Browns’ rushing defense has left a lot to be desired this season, but they are certainly young.  If they can continue to improve and bring back a healthy and sleeker Marcus Benard back to camp, the Browns might just have some real potential to be dangerous rushing the passer without lots of stunts and blitzes.

It sure would be nice, wouldn’t it?  Sheard and Benard could have weekly meetings at the QB.

The Browns play the Ravens (10-4) in Baltimore on Saturday.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Browns coverage includes Mary Kay Cabot’s report that quarterback Colt McCoy, who suffered a concussion on Dec. 8, is improving but his status for Saturday is uncertain; Tony Grossi’s podcast, talking about the Browns; Dennis Manoloff’s interview on Starting Blocks TV, where he says Browns’ fans shouldn’t place more value on draft positioning than on winning games; a Starting Blocks poll, asking Browns fans whether they’d prefer for the Browns to post upset wins over the Baltimore Ravens and/or Pittsburgh Steelers, or for the Browns to lose one or both games to enhance their draft positioning; and much more.

Goal to goal

Five things learned from the Browns’ 20-17 overtime loss to the Cardinals in Arizona on Sunday. A Bleacher Report slideshow.

Individual Browns’ player notes, from Scout.com’s Orange and Brown Report.

Running back Peyton Hillis ran with the football like he did in 2010. By Matt Florjancic for clevelandbrowns.com.

Colt McCoy’s status remains unclear, and Browns notes, by Fred Greetham for Scout.com’s Orange and Brown Report.

Seneca Wallace filling in at quarterback gives the Browns a perspective on evaluating Colt McCoy. By Vic Carucci for clevelandbrowns.com.

Peyton Hillis’ return to health provides a spark, and a Browns notebook, on FoxSportsOhio.com.

Whose stock is rising or falling after the loss at Arizona. By Mike Wilkening for ProFootballWeekly.com.

Finding some positives in the Browns’ offensive effort against Arizona, by Brian Murtaugh for the Bleacher Report.

What’s better and what’s worse about the 2011 Browns compared to the past couple seasons. By Mike Wilkening for ProFootballWeekly.com.

ABOUT THE BROWNS’ COACHING . . .

1. I’m glad Mike Holmgren settled the question about Pat Shurmur returning as coach in 2012. At this point, the Browns don’t need another coaching change. But they do need to make some changes in how the coaching staff is set up.

2. Yes, some successful head coaches such as Sean Peyton (Saints), Mike McCarthy (Packers) and Andy Reid (Eagles) call their own plays. But I still wonder if it’s wise for coaches to do that. Bill Belichick, Eric Mangini and Romeo Crennel were all successful defensive coordinators, yet none of them held that job when they became head coaches. Yes, they had a lot of input into the defensive preparation — and may have even called a few formations during a game, but overall, they gave the job to the coordinators.

3. There have been some examples this season of when the Browns didn’t seem to be aware of what was happening on the field. In the opener, the defense fell asleep and no player or coach called a timeout before what became a 41-yard touchdown pass to the Bengals’ A.J. Green. If Shurmur were not the offensive coordinator, would he have noticed the confusion and called a timeout? Who knows? But someone in authority needed to do it.

4. The same was true during the 13-12 loss to St. Louis when it was clear Shurmur wasn’t sure who was at fullback — fullback Owen Marecic or tight end Alex Smith. It was Smith, because Marecic was injured. Smith received a handoff for the first time in his seven-year pro career and he fumbled. Was the confusion because Shurmur was doing two jobs? Maybe not. But when you are doing two jobs and there is confusion, it’s a legitimate question.

5. There has been some discussion of adding an offensive coordinator, but the head coach still calls the plays. Some teams have that system. I prefer the coordinator as the play-caller, and the head coach as the big-picture guy who deals with officials, watches the game for decisions on field goals, timeouts, punts and the rest.

6. And the Browns absolutely, positively must do something about the special teams. Not all of this is the fault of coach Chris Tabor, but some of the blame must fall to the first-time special teams coach. The Browns have allowed two touchdowns on returns for the first time since 1999. Three field goals have been blocked. When snapper Ryan Pontbriand fell apart, no one could put the Pro Bowler back together. The return teams have been just OK. Joshua Cribbs ranks 21st in punt returns, sixth in kickoff returns — and no kicks or punts returned for a touchdown.

7. The best unit has been the defense. The main reason is its young talent. But it also helps that veteran Dick Jauron, an experienced head coach and defensive coordinator, is in charge of the defense.

8. One of the issues Shurmur will have to face next season is dealing with players who speak out to the media about not getting the ball enough. Losing also brings complaints, and players feel they can speak out more when there is a rookie head coach.

ABOUT THE BROWNS . . .

1. Make of this what you will: Profootballfocus.com ranks Joe Thomas No. 1 and Tony Pashos No. 6 among all offensive tackles in their “pass blocking efficiency” ratings. It says Thomas has allowed three sacks, one quarterback hit and 15 hurries in 527 pass-blocking snaps for a 97.2 rating. Right behind him are the Bengals’ Andrew Whitworth and Tennessee’s David Stewart. Atlanta’s Tyson Clabo is No. 4, followed by Tyson Smith of Dallas and then Pashos.

2. So why has Colt McCoy taken such a pounding? The website ranks guard Shawn Lauvao at No. 55 and guard Jason Pinkston at No. 69 in terms of pass blocking. Center Alex Mack ranks 12th, so the guards have been the trouble spots, as was right tackle when Pashos was hurt as Artis Hicks and Oniel Cousins filled in.

3. A month ago, I wrote about Eric Steinbach coming back strong from his back surgery and the Browns expecting him to return to left guard. That would allow Pinkston to provide depth at right tackle. I’d still like to see the Browns sign a solid offensive lineman or take one in the first three rounds of April’s draft. Linemen are like starting pitchers — you think you need only five, but usually a few are injured.

4. It’s possible Seneca Wallace will look better than McCoy in the West Coast offense when the Browns play in Arizona today. The Cardinals rank 21st in defense, 23rd against the pass. But they have played well lately, beating Dallas (19-13) and San Francisco (21-19). But they obviously don’t compare to Pittsburgh (ranked No. 2), Baltimore (No. 3) and Cincinnati (No. 7) in defense. Pittsburgh is No. 1 against the pass. A fairer test will be if Wallace also plays the final two games against Baltimore and Pittsburgh — especially if those are meaningful games to the powers in the AFC North.

5. I’m not reading much into the vague answers from Holmgren and Tom Heckert about McCoy. They were probably vague because they won’t know what to do about the quarterback situation until the off-season when they see who is available in the draft and free agency. I would be shocked if they traded some of their higher picks to move up and draft a quarterback. But I would expect them to draft a quarterback at some point.

ABOUT THE INDIANS . . .

1. The reason for the additions of Felix Pie and Aaron Cunningham is the Tribe’s lack of outfield depth at Class AAA. It’s possible Cunningham can make the big-league roster — he is out of minor-league options. He has 1,156 Class AAA plate appearances, hitting .304 (.869 OPS) with 32 homers. He is mostly a doubles guy, and a right-handed hitter who is good with the glove in right and left field. The Tribe likes that he has a .906 OPS against lefties in his minor-league career.

2. Like Cunningham, Pie has been a highly regarded prospect. But Pie turns 27 in February, and Cunningham is 25. Both have struggled to hit in the majors. The outfield at Class AAA Columbus was Jared Head, Chad Huffman, Ezequiel Carrera, Travis Buck and Tim Fedroff. None are considered prime prospects.

3. The Indians have had serious talks with Mike Cameron, the former Gold Glove outfielder. Cameron, who turns 39 next month, batted only .203 with nine homers and 27 RBI in 237 at-bats last season between Boston and Florida. He hit .245 (.754 OPS) with five homers in 133 at-bats after the All-Star break. Why Cameron? He could provide depth in center in case Grady Sizemore‘s physical problems continue.

4. The Tribe also has talked to Andy LaRoche, who is a career .226 hitter (.642 OPS) in 1,180 big league at-bats. He is mostly a third baseman. At 28, he could fill that spot at Class AAA. Cameron and LaRoche will probably receive minor-league deals if they are signed.

5. LaRoche, Pie, Cunningham, and infielder Jose Lopez (also signed to a minor-league deal Friday) were all considered promising young players at some point in their careers. But they all have flopped in their chances in the majors. The Indians are hoping one of them suddenly figures it out — and they are adding some experience at Class AAA. And none of this is very exciting to Tribe fans. The hope is they find someone such as Jack Hannahan, who made the team a year ago when invited on a minor-league deal — and helped all season. Others such as Buck and Adam Everett made the team, but didn’t last.

6. Meanwhile, free agents Josh Willingham and Mike Cuddyer signed elsewhere. Tribe fans wanted them to sign here. Never was going to happen. If the Indians make a significant addition with a right-handed hitter, it will be via a trade, not free agency.

7. Tribe manager Manny Acta is in the Dominican Republic, where he will watch Ubaldo Jimenez and Fausto Carmona pitch in winter ball. Both wanted to do it, and both didn’t pitch last winter. Both had bad regular seasons. Jimenez had always pitched in the Dominican before, and believes it helps him prepare for the majors. Carmona pitched winter ball in 2010, before his solid 13-14, 3.77 ERA season. Because he threw 210 innings in 2010, the Tribe decided he should skip the Dominican League after that season.

8. Who knows if pitching winter ball will help either guy, but they think it matters. The Indians believe having assistant strength coach Nelson Perez spending the entire off-season in the Dominican Republic to work with Jimenez, Carmona, Carlos Santana and some of the other Tribe Latino players will make a positive impact.

ABOUT THE CAVS . . .

1. After watching the Cavs’ 91-87 preseason victory at Detroit, you can see why the Cavs made Kyrie Irving the No. 1 pick in the draft. The point guard from Duke had five turnovers and forced some poor shots (4-of-14 from the field), but he was able to drive to the rim and pick up fouls. He was 13-of-15 at the foul line, finished with 21 points and looked comfortable running the offense. He is only 19 and played a mere 11 games at Duke, so there will be some frustrations as he learns the pro game. But there is reason for excitement.

2. Coach Byron Scott talked about why he started Ramon Sessions over Irving, and how he wants Irving to earn the job. But another factor is the Cavs asked Sessions to do a few things in the off-season in terms of conditioning, and he came to camp in perhaps the best shape on the team. He also has made a commitment to defense, which has been of little interest to him before this season.

3. Sessions is a valuable player because he can drive to rim, almost at will. In 38 starts for the Cavs, he averaged 14.5 points, 5.9 assists and shot 44 percent from the field, 80 percent from the foul line. He also led the Cavs in free-throw attempts. The Cavs see situations in the regular season where Irving and Sessions can play together. Sessions led the Cavs with six assists against Detroit.

4. Tristan Thompson has impressed in practice with his defense, rebounding and shot-blocking. He is trying to model his hustling style to that of Anderson Varejao, and the two big men have spent a lot of court time together. The Cavs believe Thompson can become an elite offensive rebounder. His problem will be shooting. Thompson had eight points (including two thunder dunks) Friday night.

5. Lost in the debut of Irving and Thompson was a strong performance by Samardo Samuels, who had 15 points. He was a factor inside, and will push for playing time at power forward. The Cavs may also use him as backup center in some games.

6. While he had a poor shooting game (0-of-7) against Detroit, Alonzo Gee led the team with six rebounds. The Cavs said along with Sessions, Gee had shown the most improvement from a season ago — based on practices. We’ll see if that carries over into the regular season, but Gee could see quite a bit of time at small forward behind Omri Casspi. Gee started 34 games at small forward last season, averaging 8.0 points and 4.3 rebounds in 26 minutes, shooting 46 percent.

7. By cutting Baron Davis under the “amnesty” clause, the Cavs still have to pay him about $24 million over the next two seasons. Mo Williams (traded to the Clippers for Davis) earns $17 million over the next two seasons. Add it all up, and Cavs owner Dan Gilbert paid $7 million (the difference in the two contracts) for the Clippers’ No. 1 pick that became Irving.

8. The Cavs are about $7 million under the salary cap. With Antawn Jamison in the final season of his $15-million deal, the Cavs can be about $22 million under the cap next summer. While some fans may focus on the cap room being used for free agents, the Cavs believe it also is very valuable in a trade because it allows them to take back a big contract in a deal.