PALM BEACH, Fla. — After missing out on Robert Griffin III, Browns coach Pat Shurmur said Tuesday at the NFL owners meetings that the Browns are proceeding with Colt McCoy as their starting quarterback.

“We’re moving forward with Colt — with the understanding that there’s going to be some competition to make sure that we put the right guy on the field,” Shurmur said during the annual AFC coaches breakfast. “At this point, Colt is our quarterback. I’ve said it all along — we’re looking forward to him getting better and being our guy.”

Whether or not that competition comes from a rookie quarterback who will press McCoy in training camp remains to be seen. The Browns will attend Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill’s Pro Day on Thursday, Shurmur said, and they’ll bring him to Cleveland for a pre-draft visit, a league source said.

General Manager Tom Heckert has also said he likes Oklahoma State quarterback Brandon Weeden, who could be a candidate for the team’s second first-round pick, the 22nd overall. Browns President Mike Holmgren said last week that the Browns have looked at about 10-12 quarterbacks this off-season, including free agents and draft prospects.

“I think you go into this always doing something to address that position group if it makes sense,” said Shurmur. “With 13 draft choices now, the addition of the four compensatory picks, we’ll have the ability to do a lot of things. I wouldn’t say that we’re definitely going to make changes at the quarterback position, but I’d say there’s a chance.”

Although backup Seneca Wallace covets the starting job, he’ll begin the off-season No. 2 on the depth chart at best.

“When we line up and do things, Colt McCoy will get the first snaps,” said Shurmur. “We’re going to look at them competing to get better. I wouldn’t say much more than that.”

He said his commitment to McCoy is to “do everything I can to get him better in the off-season so he can perform at a high level. I really believe he has a chance to be a fine player in this league. I want to see him have an off-season. I want to see him be able to execute with some detailed knowledge of what we’re doing. It takes a while for a guy to learn how to play quarterback in this league, even if they’ve been very successful at the college level.”

Heckert echoed Shurmur’s sentiments.

“It doesn’t mean we’re not going to take somebody, but we’re fine with Colt as our quarterback,” he said. “Hopefully we’ll get better players around him, which will help. You hate to give up on him without giving him every chance.”

But Heckert cautioned, “we don’t want to force anything. If somebody better comes along — that’s how it is at all positions — we’ll do it. But let’s see how he is. We expect Colt to be a lot better this year.”

Shurmur said he’s talked to McCoy about the Browns trying to trade up to draft Griffin. “Colt’s fine,” he said. “His state of mind is good. Players are wired that way. They’re always aware of who’s coming in to compete with them.”

He also discounted the notion that McCoy lacks sufficient arm strength.

“He’s got plenty of arm to make the throws necessary to win in this league,” Shurmur said, adding that it’s erroneous to think McCoy regressed last season.

“I think he made great progress a year ago,” he said.

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

Whatever one thinks about Shurmur’s coaching in Cleveland, rest assure the new OC will just follow in the same channel as Shurmur, unless he has the freedom to call his own plays.

Cleveland needs an OC who is creative, dynamic, and able to scheme a fascinating offense with the players on the roster. In the WCO, there should never be a question about getting 3 yards on 3rd down, or going for it on 4th and one.

This is a QB-driven league, but you also need ground-pounders to keep defenses honest. It used to be that the run was used to set up the pass; it’s now reversed.

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.

BEREA — Colt McCoy was absent again from practice because he wasn’t cleared to return by Browns doctors.

 Today was the 21st day since McCoy played in the Dec. 8 game in Pittsburgh after suffering a concussion on a vicious hit by Steelers linebacker James Harrison.

 McCoy’s practice status routinely has been the first question asked of coach Pat Shurmur at his daily press briefing. Shurmur consistently has declined to elaborate on exactly what symptoms McCoy is experiencing.

 Although Shurmur would not rule out McCoy from the season-ending game Sunday against Pittsburgh, it’s obvious he will not play. It means he missed the final three games after his concussion — longer than any player on the Browns this year with the head injury. Tight end Benjamin Watson also missed the last three games, but he was placed on injured reserve following his third concussion of the season.

 Shurmur said he didn’t think there was anything about McCoy’s concussion injury that would suggest long-term concerns.

 ”He’s getting better every day,” Shurmur said. “Every injury’s different. Every rehab’s different.
 
 ”He’s been good. He’s been anxious to get out there and play. He knows there’s a process to go through. He looks fine. I don’t ask him every moment how he’s feeling.”

 In other pre-practice tidbits:

 * Shurmur said receiver Jordan Norwood (concussion) and right tackle Tony Pashos (stomach virus) would not practice.

 * Pressed on the future with the Browns of running back Peyton Hillis, Shurmur would not say that he absolutely wants him back.

 ”I think it’s important that we investigate everything,” he said.

 * Shurmur called Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III a “tremendous player” and admitted he is interested in watching him in the Alamo Bowl tonight.

 ”Yeah, once our day is over, I’ll find a way to watch that game,” he said.

BALTIMORE, Md. — Spoiled eggnog. Lumps of coal in your Christmas stocking. Brutal time management at the end of the Browns’ first half.

‘Tis that kind of season.

An upset bid by the Browns against the Baltimore Ravens was sabotaged by two major blunders — one at the end of the first half and one at the end of the game.

They were the bow and ribbon on a 20-14 victory gift-wrapped to the team despised by Browns fans. It kept the Ravens (11-4) in first place in the AFC North Division, a tiebreaker ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers with a game to go.

The Browns (4-11) ring out this rookie season of coach Pat Shurmur on New Year’s Day against headhunter James Harrison and the Steelers (11-4).

A loss by the Browns next Sunday would assure them no worse than the No. 5 spot in the draft. Nos. 3 and 4 also are possible with a loss.

For the third game in a row, the Browns played hard and threw a scare into the heavily favored home team. This time, they were done in by hard-to-fathom mental errors.

“We’ve got to play a little smarter in some of the critical situations,” Shurmur said.

The embattled head coach will be the lightning rod for the brownout in the first half, but quarterback Seneca Wallace rightfully took the blame.

The Browns handed off to Peyton Hillis from the Ravens’ 3-yard line with time running out and no timeouts left. Hillis, who had 112 yards on 24 carries, was stuffed for no gain. The Browns came away with no points after using their last timeout with 57 seconds left at the Ravens’ 8.

“At that point, it’s not the head coach’s fault,” said Wallace, a nine-year veteran. “I’ve got to make sure we’re in the right situation to get points out of it.”

Confusion abounded — as usual — when tight end Evan Moore was ruled down by forward progress on a first-down pass to the 3 before he stepped out of bounds.

The Browns were lethargic in getting back to the line of scrimmage. With the game clock ticking under 20 seconds, Shurmur was signaling — and imploring — for Wallace to spike the ball to stop the clock. Wallace made a split-second decision to call an inside run to Hillis instead.

“I would never have called a run in that situation,” Shurmur said.

Pressed on why Wallace didn’t just spike the ball, the coach said: “I need to communicate it better, OK? Let’s just leave it at that.”

Wallace acknowledged he heard Shurmur yelling “Clock, clock, clock,” but the loud crowd noise affected his decision-making.

“I didn’t want to yell ‘Clock, clock, clock’ and have somebody jump offsides. We didn’t know what we were in. It was a tough situation. I should have handled it better,” he said.

The botched opportunity preserved the Ravens’ 17-0 lead at halftime. It should have deflated the Browns, but they came out more angry than embarrassed.

“We still had a job to do,” said linebacker D’Qwell Jackson, who was victimized in the first half on Joe Flacco touchdown passes of 5 yards to tight end Ed Dickson and 42 yards to running back Ray Rice.

The Browns prevented Rice from taking over the game in the second half. They forced three Baltimore punts and a long field goal in four possessions. Rice, who hit the Browns for 204 yards rushing in the first meeting earlier this month, was held to 39 yards in the second half and 87 for the game.

The third Ravens punt was returned 84 yards by Josh Cribbs for a touchdown. It was his first return TD of any kind in 32 games and his first with a punt since the 2009 season opener.

Still, the Ravens were in control with a 20-7 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Flacco tried to put the game away on his first drive of the final quarter. After two first downs, he faced third-and-7 from the Browns’ 33. Instead of safely dumping off, he went for the home run to Lee Evans single-covered by Sheldon Brown. Brown intercepted in the end zone.

“The play before, I bit on the short route. The coordinator probably saw it and came after me,” Brown said.

Wallace then moved the Browns 80 yards in 12 plays. He got the touchdown rolling right and throwing to Moore in the corner. With 8:22 to go, the Browns were back in it.

The defense forced another Baltimore punt. After one first down, the Browns faced third-and-5 at their 45. Wallace barely escaped a blitz by Ed Reed and threw short for Hillis.

On fourth down, the Browns sent two receivers in the middle of the field and Hillis flared out in the left flat. Wallace saw coverage in the middle and threw to Hillis, who was quickly covered up for no gain.

After three defensive stops of Rice, Baltimore pondered fourth-and-2 at the Browns’ 46 at the two-minute warning. When the Ravens sent their offense back on the field, most everyone knew Flacco would try to draw the Browns offside with a hard count. If that didn’t work, he would call time and the Ravens would punt.

“Come on, you guys can figure it out,” Flacco said.

As the play clock ticked down to two seconds, rookie tackle Phil Taylor jumped offsides. And that was the ballgame.

Taylor immediately was consoled by defensive teammates.

“In this game, sometimes you go through learning curves that you don’t want to go through. Unfortunately, it happened,” Brown said.

“Today told the story of our season,” Jackson said.

Not the greatest story ever told.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: tgrossi@plaind.com, 216-999-4670

On Twitter: @Tony Grossi

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’ BOSS BACKS SHURMUR

BEREA (AP) — Browns president Mike Holmgren said Wednesday that Pat Shurmur will “absolutely” be Cleveland’s coach in 2012.

Holmgren was asked about Shurmur’s status during a press conference triggered by quarterback Colt McCoy’s concussion and the team’s controversial handling of his head injury during a Dec. 8 loss at Pittsburgh. Shurmur has had a tough first season with the Browns (4-9), who have had numerous injuries and their fair share of controversy.

Holmgren called Shurmur “a very competent young head coach who will be here for a long time.”

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Weren’t calamity and dysfunction in Berea supposedly put on notice when the Big Show arrived? Now that nickname feels more ironic than anything.

Big Show? Mike Holmgren gave up the stage and his claim to the marquee when he decided he wasn’t going to return to the sidelines. Coaching is what he did best. Did he have to become the mystery man behind the curtain?

Didn’t owner Randy Lerner deem the need to overhaul the organization’s credibility almost as important as fixing the endlessly flawed football operation? Isn’t that why Lerner gave some consideration to the idea of hiring Mark Shapiro once upon a time?

Even if Cleveland sports fans don’t recognize it, Lerner saw how the Indians have done it right under Shapiro; how they dealt professionally and directly with issues; how Shapiro always showed support for his manager when the criticism came in an avalanche.

In which instance have the Browns shown even the slightest inclination in that direction under Holmgren? His tenure has created more issues than it’s resolved.

There was a wasted year with Eric Mangini. Now a season spent with an overwhelmed coach in a dual role, and a kid quarterback running for his life with no receivers to bail him out. That’s Holmgren’s watch in brief.

In this latest episode, a ESPN report cast aspersions on the Browns’ medical staff and head coach Pat Shurmur over the handling of Colt McCoy’s concussion. The father of the quarterback basically leveled both, saying high school trainers he knows would’ve handled it better and that his son had no business returning to the field.

That’s a double broadside shot at the organization, the response to which should’ve come from Holmgren on behalf of the team medical staff and the head coach Holmgren hired. Instead, to answer that criticism — or, more accurately, to not answer that criticism — the Browns trotted out Shurmur Monday to reiterate that procedure was followed after James’ Harrison’s hit knocked McCoy out of the game.

Did that procedure include the league’s sideline concussion test? Shurmur wouldn’t say yes or no. So it’s understandable if you took that as a no. If there weren’t enough evidence — beyond a vicious helmet-to-facemask hit — to administer the test, well, that’s one explanation. Not a great one mind you. But it’s one.

If trainers were overwhelmed by multiple injured players, as right tackle Tony Pashos seemed to suggest, concussive hits still have to take precedent. But, at least that would be a second explanation.

The Browns medical staff has done right by other concussed players. Trainers deserve more than the benefit of the doubt. They deserve clarity. If they followed protocol, do them a favor. Check off each step followed. Or let them explain for themselves.

Was McCoy tested more extensively Thursday night after the game when the Browns’ own PR staff asked the TV people to turn off the camera lights on McCoy’s behalf? Is it true they waited until the next morning to administer the concussion test, after he flew on a plane back to Cleveland and after a night’s sleep?

Was there any danger in that? If not, it can only help the Browns to explain what they knew and when they knew it. The Browns’ inadequate, contradictory response only made it look like they were trying to get their stories straight.

Don’t confuse this with Holmgren not wanting to address a contract situation, or the performance of a first-year head coach. This isn’t about placating the media. Head injuries are serious matters. Players’ welfare is at stake. Much less importantly, so is the organization’s image.

If the Browns wanted to withhold comment until after the NFL and NFLPA officials were done with them Wednesday, Holmgren was the guy to deliver that message in support of an overwhelmed coach, if nobody else.

Shurmur actually said one of Monday’s questions would be better directed at the medical staff. No kidding. Quickly asked if reporters could talk to the medical people then, Shurmur said what amounted to, um, uh, er, maybe … yes, maybe someday.

This would be laughable if the issue weren’t so serious, and if we hadn’t seen this sort of unintentional comedy of errors out of Berea for so long.

On Twitter: @budshaw

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cleveland Browns were off on Sunday, following their 14-3 loss to the Steelers on Thursday night in Pittsburgh.

That doesn’t mean all was lost for the Browns over the weekend.

Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com notes that the Browns are making strides in at least one area:

The bad news is that the Cleveland Browns (4-9) clinched last place in the AFC North as well as their 10th losing season in 12 years since rejoining the NFL.

The good news is that the Browns moved up one spot on the draft board to No. 6, inching past Jacksonville after the Jaguars won Sunday.

Actually, the “expansion-era Browns” have clinched their 11th losing season in 13 years. But who’s to nit-pick, with optimism surging just four months prior to April’s draft!

Hey, even the Atlanta Falcons lost on Sunday. The Browns own Atlanta’s 2012 first-round pick. Unfortunately, the Falcons are one of four teams with an 8-5 record, better than 21 of the league’s 32 teams.  

Cleveland, which has lost eight of its last 10 games, visits the Arizona Cardinals (6-7) on Sunday. Arizona began the season 1-6, but is 5-1 since.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Browns coverage includes Mary Kay Cabot’s story that Browns coach Pat Shurmur defends how the team handled Colt McCoy’s injury — which proved to be a concussion — in the moments after McCoy took a helmet-to-helmet hit from Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison, though Shurmur wasn’t specific about sideline testing of McCoy; Bill Livingston’s column that the Browns deserve criticism for how they handled McCoy’s injury, but Shurmur’s response appears to have been proper; a transcript of Shurmur’s Monday press conference; a report that Harrison doesn’t think the NFL should fine him for his hit on McCoy; video by David I. Andersen of Shurmur talking with the media following Monday’s practice; Tony Grossi’s weekly chat about the Browns; Mary Kay Cabot, on Starting Blocks TV, saying that the NFL is investigating the Browns’ handling of McCoy’s concussion; and much more.

Post patterns

Cleveland.com’s Browns history database includes Plain Dealer stories on every regular season and playoff game in Browns history through the 2010 season. It was 47 years ago today, Dec. 12, 1964, that the Browns clinched the Eastern Division title with a 52-20 rout of the Giants in New York. That paved the way for the Browns’ last NFL championship, when they stunned the Baltimore Colts, 27-0, at Cleveland Stadium that Dec. 27. The Plain Dealer’s Chuck Heaton wrote about the convincing win over the Giants and the title-game victory over the Colts.

Safety T.J. Ward and wide receiver/returner Josh Cribbs are working through injuries and hoping to play against Arizona, Matt Florjancic writes for clevelandbrowns.com.

Whose stock is rising and falling for the Browns after the loss at Pittsburgh, by Mike Wilkening of Pro Football Weekly.

James Harrison talks about his illegal hit on Colt McCoy. By Gerry Dulac for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Looking at the final three weeks of the Browns season. A Bleacher Report slideshow.

Browns notes by Scott Petrak for the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram and Medina County Gazette.

The concussion controversy continues. By Fred Greetham for Scout.com’s Orange and Brown Report.

The Browns don’t look good in the controversy over Colt McCoy’s concussion, Daniel Wolf writes for the National Football Authority.

The Cardinals — the Browns’ opponent on Sunday — are making a remarkable turnaround, Paola Boivin writes for the Arizona Republic.

BEREA, Ohio – Colt McCoy’s father heavily criticized the Cleveland Browns on Friday for allowing the quarterback to return to Thursday night’s loss to Pittsburgh after a vicious hit that left him with a post-game concussion.

“He never should’ve gone back in the game,” Brad McCoy told The Cleveland Plain Dealer. “He was basically out [cold] after the hit. You could tell by the rigidity of his body as he was laying there. There were a lot of easy symptoms that should’ve told them he had a concussion. He was nauseated and he didn’t know who he was. From what I could see, they didn’t test him for a concussion on the sidelines. They looked at his [left] hand.”

The quarterback also bruised his left hand on the play.

McCoy’s father added that Colt didn’t remember anything about the game after the helmet-to-helmet hit by Steeler linebacker James Harrison, saying, “I talked to Colt [Friday] morning and he said, ‘Dad, I don’t know what happened, but I know I lost the game. I know I let the team down. What happened?’ “

Browns coach Pat Shurmur defended the team’s handling of the injury.

Shurmur said McCoy didn’t show any symptoms of a concussion until after the game. The quarterback left the game for two plays, then returned.

Shurmur said he was confident the Browns’ medical staff followed the NFL’s strict guidelines on head injuries when they assessed McCoy on the sideline. McCoy told Shurmur “he was ready to go” before going back in. Shurmur was adamant that if McCoy had been symptomatic “he would not have gone back in the game – absolutely not.”

Shurmur said McCoy did not show any signs of having a concussion until he was leaving the locker room.

League spokesman Greg Aiello was asked in an e-mail if the Browns followed protocol.

“We will review it with the team,” he responded.

BEREA, Ohio — Quarterback Colt McCoy might have been the most notable Browns player injured against Pittsburgh on Thursday, but he wasn’t the only one.

Three other Browns players left the game against the Steelers with injuries, and all will be re-evaluated Monday in an effort to determine their status for the Browns’ game at Arizona on Dec. 18.

Josh Cribbs suffered a groin strain in the first quarter, but Browns head coach Pat Shurmur said Cribbs showed “good strength” when evaluated Friday. Owen Marecic and tight end Ben Watson left the game with concussions. McCoy displayed concussionlike symptoms after the game — it was later determined that he did, indeed, suffer a concussion — and all players with head injuries will be reassessed next week. Additionally, McCoy suffered a bruised left hand on the hit by Steelers linebacker James Harrison that resulted in the concussion.

Other injuries included an ankle sprain to right guard Shawn Lauvao and a sore left ankle for right tackle Tony Pashos, who has been hobbled by that injury all season.

Running back Peyton Hillis started despite a hip injury that listed him as questionable for the game, but backup Montario Hardesty had significant playing time as well. Hillis had 10 carries for 25 yards, while Hardesty had 11 carries for 24 yards. And Chris Ogbonnaya recorded the longest Browns gain on the ground — 28 yards — despite just two carries.

Shurmur said he doesn’t envision any of his running backs getting all the carries in the final three games of the season.

“I don’t think any of them, at this point, can go a whole game,” Shurmur said.

– Jodie Valade

Associated Press

BEREA

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.

CINCINNATI – It was kind of a touchy subject around the Cleveland Browns this week.

No one really wanted to talk about what happened the last time the Browns and Bengals played. On their way to what looked like a win in the season opener, the Browns were stung by a quick-snap play that resulted in a 41-yard touchdown pass from Bruce Gradkowski to A.J. Green in the fourth quarter.

The Bengals went on to win, 27-17, ruining the debut of Pat Shurmur as coach of the Browns.

It will be a chance to gain some revenge today for the 4-6 Browns, while also providing the opportunity to play the role of spoiler. The Bengals are 6-4 and entertaining playoff hopes.

“Not bitter, anxious,” Browns receiver Josh Cribbs said of the approach to today’s game. “We’re ready to get out there and show what we can do. Show how we’ve improved and both teams have improved. We feel like we’ve improved a lot, and we know they’ve improved, but we’ll see on Sunday who improved the most.”

Shurmur has learned a lot about being a head coach in the 10 weeks since the first game. While the record might not indicate it, Shurmur believes that the Browns have made steady improvement.

“I feel like I’m 10 games better in my own mind,” Shurmur said. “There are things I’ve learned through this season. I think our team is 10 games better, and from that standpoint that’s about where I’ll leave my evaluation of it.”

The Browns will need a good game from quarterback Colt McCoy. The Bengals defense is third in the NFL against the rush, allowing 88.6 yards a game on the ground.

“I feel like Colt’s coming into his own,” Cribbs said. “Coach has opened up the playbook for him a little bit and allowed him to spread the ball around to different receivers, and Colt loves it. He’s fitting well into the system, and it’s kind of getting to the point to where he knows what the coaches want to see, the looks they want and the guys they want to have the ball.”

Running back Montario Hardesty, who missed the last three games with a calf injury, is expected to return to the lineup for the Browns. He’ll split carries with Chris Ogbonnaya, who rushed for 115 yards last week against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Browns have had trouble moving the ball consistently on the ground. It won’t be easy against a defense that plays an aggressive style against the run.

“They’ve got some outstanding players,” Shurmur said. “They’re a very good defense for a reason. Their scheme is outstanding, they’re very solid against the run, they make a commitment to stop the run and then when they know you’re going to pass it they try to get pressure on the quarterback.

“To me that makes for a good defense. When they get matched up one-on-one, whether it’s the rusher on the blocker or the cover man on the receiver, they can hold their own.”

It will be important for the Browns to shore up their defensive holes against the run. The defense is allowing 139.3 rushing yards a game, which should open the eyes of Bengals running back Cedric Benson. Benson has 634 yards and four touchdowns on 167 carries. Bernard Scott has added 263 yards on 74 carries.

“They’re both different styles of runner,” Browns linebacker Scott Fujita said. “You’ve got Benson, who’s more of an inside-the-tackles type of guy. The other guy is more of a bounce out. He gets to the edges type of guy. It gives you a lot to prepare for.

“They’re both really good at what they do. This is a team that’s committed to running the ball, so it’s no different than any other division game. We’ve just got to be ready for 30-35 carries on the ground. That’s just the way it’s been for us.”

The most important thing for the Browns is making sure to get out of the defensive huddle on time.

mmclain@tribtoday.com