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.

The Cleveland Browns have been a shaky team in 2011. The Browns have had a number of issues with injuries and some drama off the field with running back Peyton Hillis(notes). Those things have helped contribute to a sluggish 4-8 start for a team that some thought could pull off some surprises. One area that has hurt the Browns is the passing game. Cleveland is near the bottom of the league in passing yards and this is a critical final stretch for quarterback Colt McCoy(notes). The team will have to decide if McCoy is the guy they want to build around. Unfortunately for him, McCoy is dealing with an injury at the worst possible time this season. The team expects McCoy to play with his knee injury, but the short week could force plans to change.

McCoy sustained his injury early in the team’s 24-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on December 4. He displayed his toughness by continuing to play. However, it was clear the knee injury was bothering him after the game. McCoy had been limping and was later revealed to have a mild sprain. That is the kind of injury that could cause a player to miss a game, especially in a short week. The Browns have a Thursday night game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on December 8. At the current time, the team expects McCoy to play. But that could change depending on how he performs at practice.

For McCoy, finishing the season strong is essential. He hasn’t done a lot to prove that he can be the guy to lead the Browns for the long haul. With 14 touchdown passes and nine interceptions, his numbers in 2011 are not awful. Unfortunately, they aren’t the numbers the Browns need from a top quarterback. To make matters worse, McCoy has yet to win a game against a division opponent. He would be starting the Pittsburgh game with an 0-7 record in the AFC North. That is something that has to weigh heavily on everyone in Cleveland.

It is a long shot for the Browns to beat the Steelers. But if McCoy can play well in that game, he will send a positive message to everyone associated with the team. Playing just a few days after spraining his knee would say a lot about his character. Ultimately, McCoy will only keep the starting job if he wins games. But he can’t do that if he doesn’t play.

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CLEVELAND, Ohio — The reality of the Browns’ season begins right now, this Sunday in Cincinnati.

It’s the final six games, five of them against teams in the AFC North. Only two are at home.

We can learn much about this team.

Two games with Pittsburgh, two with Baltimore. One with the Bengals.

Combined, the three teams have a 20-10 record.

Cincinnati is an especially sore subject. The Browns began the season with a 27-17 loss to Cincinnati, the home opener for new coach Pat Shurmur. That was a game in which they were flagged for 11 penalties.

It also was a game in which the defensive unit looked like a bunch of guys standing in a circle at a bus stop, staring at some clouds when quarterback Bruce Gradkowski called a quick snap and lobbed a 40-yard touchdown pass to a wide open A.J. Green.

That was a demoralizing debut because the Browns looked ill-prepared.

Their record is 4-6, and the season has been rocky. The question is not if the Browns can finish with a winning record — or even .500. That would be a shock.

So what can we expect in the final six games?

“How about 2-4 with no blowouts, competitive entertaining games would be nice,” Austin Zeizing posted on my Facebook page.

The most recent time the Browns made the playoffs was 2002. Counting that season, they are 4-16 vs. teams in the AFC North during the final six games of seasons.

Overall, the Browns are 19-35 in the “Sad Six” dating back to 2002.

The sad six

“I’m sick of the ‘Oh we need to win for progress the next year,’ ” emailed Justin Heinzmann. “How did Eric Mangini win four straight to end the year?”

That was in 2009, when the Browns beat Pittsburgh and three teams with losing records. But at least it was a 4-2 mark in those final six games.

The only other seasons in which the Browns were better than 2-4 in the final six games were 2007 and 2002.

In the last six games of the season, the injuries pile up. The weather is usually awful. The team often is out of contention. The Browns players might not admit it, but too often they just wanted the year to be over and they played like it.

The Browns ended last season with four losses, three to the teams in their division.

This year, the Bengals, Ravens and Steelers are three of the NFL’s top six defenses.

For the Browns’ Colt McCoy, the final two losses to Baltimore and Pittsburgh were disturbing. Both were on cold, windy days on the shores of Lake Erie, and the rookie quarterback threw six interceptions compared to one touchdown.

Those two games started the real doubts about McCoy’s long-term future with the Browns.

Those also were his No. 7 and No. 8 pro starts, and he was playing for a perpetually losing team that sensed its coach was about to be fired.

Joe Maylish emailed: “I’m not concerned about who they beat as much as McCoy’s ability to play in bad weather and Greg Little emerging as the [team's] No. 1 receiver . . . and improvement in the running game as we saw last week. We all want to see progress, but these three areas will [affect] how they approach the draft in April.”

Yes, this also is the time of year when the hearts of Browns fans turn to spring — and the NFL Draft.

A list of five

But there are six games still left, and here are five things I would like to see from the Browns:

•1. McCoy performing well in the cold weather and under the onslaught of these defenses. The offensive line must keep McCoy from ending up in the hospital, but the quarterback also has to not rush into contact or hang on to the ball too long.

•2. Phil Taylor to play hard as he did in the last two games against some rugged offensive lines in this division. The rookie can be a big-time defensive tackle if he makes an Ahtyba Rubin-type commitment.

•3. Shurmur to show some creativity on offense and for his team to stay disciplined, organized and motivated in games with the Steelers and Ravens, where it could get ugly.

•4. Little to show he can make plays against these defenses. How about someone else giving hope as a receiver?

•5. Someone to show he can consistently run the ball. Do we see Peyton Hillis or Montario Hardesty again for more than two games? Is Chris Ogbonnaya for real?

Notice that I didn’t pick a record.

Jerry Lee Boatner emailed: “Would love to get one against the Steelers, but would not be shocked if they lose all six. Hillis could win the fans back with big games against Baltimore and Pittsburgh.”

If the Browns actually finish 6-10 . . . that means they end 2-4 . . . it will be only the second time since 2005 that they have won at least six games.

Yes, it has been that bad . . . and the Browns do have a chance in these last six games to show things are indeed getting at least a little better.

On Sunday, Nov. 20, the Cleveland Browns finally ended their three-game losing streak with a 14-10 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Chris Ogbonnaya(notes) rushed for 115 yards and a touchdown to lead the Browns.

In the days preceding the game, I thought the Jaguars would take advantage of Cleveland’s struggling run defense. I fully expected to see them to unleash Maurice Jones-Drew(notes) on the Browns and ride him to a close low-scoring victory. Instead, the Jaguars put the ball in rookie Blaine Gabbert’s(notes) hands and trusted him to lead the team against one of the NFL’s best pass defenses. Needless to say, Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio has some questions he needs to answer in Jacksonville this week.

The team’s decision to ride Gabbert probably cost the Jaguars a chance at beating the Browns, and I’m perfectly fine with that. It was a victory Cleveland fans desperately needed after blowing last week’s game against the Rams.

Meanwhile, I thought the Browns did an excellent job involving multiple players in the passing offense. Quarterback Colt McCoy(notes) completed passes to seven different receivers on Sunday, including a 51-yarder to undrafted rookie Jordan Norwood(notes). McCoy managed the game well against a stout Jaguars defense, and he definitely deserves credit for leading the Browns to victory.

Ogbonnaya also did an outstanding job as the Browns’ featured tailback. In last week’s game against the Rams, he showed some signs of breaking out, but I didn’t know what he’d do against the Jaguars. As it turned out, Ogbonnaya gave the Browns the running game they’ve been missing since Peyton Hillis(notes) and Montario Hardesty(notes) got injured. If he keeps playing well, I don’t think Hillis will get his job back when he returns.

Finally, the Browns’ defense deserves credit for its performance, especially in the fourth quarter. There were moments when it felt like the Jaguars were going to deliver another heartbreaking loss to the Browns, but the defense stood tall. With Jacksonville just one yard away from the game-winning touchdown, Gabbert’s pass into the end zone was broken up, and Cleveland sealed the victory.

The Browns won this game by executing a solid game plan that kept them from being one-dimensional. Hopefully, the team will be able to repeat its performance next week in Cincinnati.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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CLEVELAND, Ohio — Some pregame scribbles as the Browns prepare for the Rams this afternoon:

1. Unless you are a Browns fan, this sounds strange — but this is a huge game for Pat Shurmur and the team. Because you are a fan, or at least care about the team, then you know why. You know that the Rams are 1-7, and if the 3-5 Browns can’t beat a 1-7 Rams team in Cleveland…then what?

2. The Browns average 14.9 points, ranked 29th in the league. The Rams are dead last at 12.3. Quarterback San Bradford leads the league in sacks and hits. It doesn’t matter that your top two running backs (Peyton Hillis and Montario Hardesty) are hurt. Ditto for receiver Mohamed Massaquoi and safety T.J. Ward. Who knows how long right tackle Tony Pashos (ankle problem) will last? Despite all that, you still have to find a way to win at home.

3. Some of the pressure is on defensive coordinator Dick Jauron. He knows the Rams do one thing well — hand the ball to tailback Steven Jackson. He knows his defense has been shredded by the run, especially the last two weeks. In games at San Francisco and Houston, the Browns gave up a combined 421 yards for a 5.9 average.

4. Can it be that these guys have been on the field too much? Jabaal Sheard has played 92 percent of the snaps, fellow defensive end Jayme Mitchell has been out there for 89 percent. As for the tackles, it’s 85 percent for Ahtyba Rubin and 67 percent for Phil Taylor. Mitchell and Sheard are in the top 15 of snaps played by defensive ends, as is Rubin among the top 15 of defensive tackles.

5. Jauron has defended his defense by saying he is less interested in rushing yardage than yards per carry. He wants it to be about 3.8. It’s at 4.4, and that’s stinks, too. OK, it’s 19th, but looks worse than that after what has happened the last few weeks.

6. Here is a shocking stat: The Browns have run for 657 yards, opponents are at 1,152. Yes, after eight games, it’s as if every runner they face is Jim Brown.

7. Here comes Jackson and Jacksonville’s Maurice-Jones Drew in the next two games, so the defense knows exactly what is coming their way.

8. After having nine tackles and looking very good in the first two games, Taylor has drifted. In the last three games, the first-rounder has three tackles. A good guess is he’s finding the NFL a tougher place than he imagined.

9. This is a big game because the defense must not embarrass itself against the run. It’s big because the offense has scored only two touchdowns in the last three games. It’s big because fans want something to watch, and this team has yet to score a touchdown in the first and third quarters. That’s 16 total quarters, or four full games. That’s just painful.

10. I hear Joshua Cribbs was chastised a bit by the coaches for hinting that he may have a bigger role in the offense. Maybe it’s all a setup — the Browns want the Rams to think Cribbs will get the ball more, and the Browns really plan to do more of the same.

11. Why do more of the same? I think Cribbs will get the ball more. I wouldn’t care if the Rams know it. Cribbs ran the ball 75 times out of the Wildcat in the last two years, gaining 447 yards. That’s a 5.9 average. This year, he has carried the ball once. When in the Wildcat, the world knew what was coming.

12. It’s doesn’t have to be the Wildcat, it just has to be something with Cribbs. That’s what fans are looking for, something different on offense, something that says, “Yes, we know there is a problem and we’re working at it.”

13. Here’s the deal: This has been a frustrating season because of the lack of offense, the injuries to Hillis and Hardesty and two consecutive road spankings. But they also have two games at home that they should be able to win — and push the record back to 5-5.

14. After a 7-1 home record in 2007, the Browns are 9-21 at home … and 8-22 on the road. Somehow, they need to at least be in the vicinity of .500 at home.

15. Normally, I am terrible when it comes to picking games. But I’m 6-1 this season, only missing the opening loss to Cincinnati. I have the Browns winning today. But please don’t bet on it!

CLEVELAND, Ohio — As Pat Shurmur gears up Sunday against his former Rams team — who have slumped to 1-7 — Browns linebackers coach Bill Davis assures impatient fans that the Browns’ first-year coach is the right man for the job.

Davis should know. He has a track record of breaking in first-time head coaches — seven in all — and knows what makes a good one. His newbie list dates all the way back to Bill Cowher in 1992 and includes former Browns coach Chris Palmer in 1999. Two of Davis’ first-timers went on to coach in Super Bowls — Pittsburgh’s Cowher and Arizona’s Ken Whisenhunt.

“What I love the most about Pat is that he’s himself through and through and that first year is the hardest for those guys to be themselves because there’s all kinds of pressure,” said Davis, who’s known Shurmur since their days together at Michigan State in 1990-91. “Pat is the same Pat I knew way back. He’s very logical, steady, a very intelligent football mind.

“He hasn’t wavered. He hasn’t changed in a loss as opposed to a win. And those are all of the leadership qualities I’ve seen in the guys that have succeeded in this business. The ones that don’t are the ones that are either trying to be someone they’re not or they’re way up or way down. So we’ll weather the storm.”

But first, Shurmur must overcome a rash of injuries and other obstacles faced so far in this 3-5 season. Sunday, the Browns will be without starting running backs Peyton Hillis (hamstring) and Montario Hardesty (calf), starting receiver Mohamed Massaquoi (concussion) and starting safety T.J Ward (foot).

The good news is the Browns expect all to eventually return. The bad news is they’re not sure when.

But injuries are only a fraction of the challenges Shurmur has faced:

• He was thrust into his first season as a head coach with no off-season because of the lockout, while implementing new offensive and defensive systems.

• His star running back Hillis has been embroiled in controversy all season long, from rocky contract talks to strep throat-gate to his mid-week marriage to his teammates having a meeting to help get his head on straight.

• Linebacker Marcus Benard made it safely through the bye week only to crash his motorcycle the first day back and be lost for the season.

• Several players have gone public with frustration over not getting the ball enough or their role on the team.

“Pat’s done a great job handling everything,” said linebacker Scott Fujita. “Obviously he’s been dealt an interesting hand, starting with the lockout. He never made any excuses for that. And he’s had some drama throughout the course of the season that most coaches — much less first-time head coaches — wouldn’t have to deal with. Things like that, he’s handled it extremely professionally.

“He keeps guys focused, he keeps guys with their eye on the prize — and that’s just trying to get better and win games and that’s all you can do in this situation.”

At times, Shurmur — a perfectionist — shows his frustration, particularly the Monday after a loss. He’s certainly come under heavy fire from some fans and media. But he’s never wavered.

“I’m really enjoying it, believe it or not,” he said. “I probably don’t show it. I’m enjoying the interaction with the coaches, I’m enjoying working with the players, I enjoy the process. I’m a very impatient guy. I don’t enjoy the results yet. I think the people around me need to just tell me to keep going and relax, but I don’t tend to listen to that very well.”

Tight end Ben Watson, who played six seasons in New England, said most NFL head coaches have to contend with off-field controversy, but that the lockout was unique.

“The biggest difference for coach Shurmur this season is that we didn’t have an off-season,” said Watson, who’s second on the team with 25 receptions. “I would imagine that was a weird way to start your career — being locked out. When you’re a rookie head coach, you need all off-season to get to know your players, and we’re still all learning each other.”

Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo, whose team was expected to contend, also wasn’t able to get his new offensive scheme installed properly under new coordinator Josh McDaniels. The Rams are 31st with 12.5 points per game and the Browns are 29th with 14.9.

“Both teams are kind of fighting through the same thing going through this season,” said Spagnuolo. “Hopefully as this season goes on, we’ll get better and better.”

Rams quarterback Sam Bradford attributes his development as a rookie last season to Shurmur, then the offensive coordinator. Bradford set NFL rookie records for completions (354) and attempts (590), while his 3,512 passing yards were second-most by a rookie in league history.

“Pat taught me a lot, not only on the field, but off the field, how to be a leader, how to handle certain situations,” said Bradford. “[He stressed] the way I handled myself, the way the guys saw me, my body language in the huddle and on the sideline. I used to be a guy that got up and down, kind of rode the emotions of the game. I think Pat taught me to be a little more even keel and let the guys always see me in a positive light.”

Browns defensive coordinator Dick Jauron, former head coach of the Bills and Bears, has been impressed with Shurmur.

“Coach does a great job of relating to the team, of getting the team ready to play,” said Jauron. “He makes quick decisions. He makes the right decisions. I’m very impressed by him, his preparation, how he addresses the team and how he leads them.”

The last thing he needs in this turbulent season is to lose to a 1-7 team.

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy talked with the media following practice on Wednesday about the team as they prepare for the game against the St. Louis Rams at Cleveland Browns Stadium Sunday.

Welcome to today’s Halloween edition of SBTV, hosted by the frightening Chuck Yarborough, with Dennis “Boris” Manoloff as the special guest. Today, Dman talks Cleveland Browns football in light of Sunday’s 20-10 trick that was no treat for Cleveland fans who watched the San Francisco 49ers manhandle them on the West Coast.

Patient and loyal Browns fans have been waiting since 1964 for a winner. Shoot, they didn’t quit loving the Browns even when they didn’t even HAVE the Browns, after Art Modell absconded with the team to Baltimore, and they’re not about to give up yet, at least according to today’s Starting Blocks poll, asking whether it’s time to raise the white flag.

So says Dman. But he also says that the team hasn’t made it easy. Part of the problem is quarterback Colt McCoy. He doesn’t look comfortable back there. But it’s not all on McCoy, in his first (and maybe only?) year as the team’s starting quarterback. Dman acknowledged that it’s tough to criticize a line anchored by perennial Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Thomas and Pro Bowl-caliber center Alex Mack. But that didn’t really stop him. The line has been porous at best, giving McCoy little or no time in the pocket, and there’s not a playmaker in the receiving corps.

That, plus injuries to running backs Peyton Hillis and Montario Hardesty, has made life less than fun for new coach Pat Shurmur, who’s got to feel like Linus waiting for the Great Pumpkin.

Tune in to SBTV tomorrow when Browns writer Mary Kay Cabot adds even more ghoulish analysis.

Q: You played basketball for a couple of years at Stanford before focusing solely on football. What basketball skills have you found useful in transferring to football?

A: I think a lot of the footwork and using your body position, those are a huge translation from basketball to football. ‘–My sophomore year in college, I realized that in basketball, I’m not that unique. I’m like every other guy. Everyone’s this tall, everyone’s this big. And in football, I realized I had something different that could separate me from other people.

Q: The knock on you is that you’ve been hurt a lot, that’s why you went undrafted in 2008. Can you remember the most recent time you haven’t been hurting from some kind of injury?

A: Right now. That knock . . . this is football. You can put my list of injuries next to anybody’s in this locker room, and it wouldn’t be any different than anybody else. It’s funny how that becomes a stereotype. For instance, I’ve had one concussion and everyone focuses on that. There are guys on this team who’ve had five, and no one talks about that. It’s funny how my name keeps getting thrown in with that.

Q: You had a really bad injury in 2005 when you dislocated your hip during a game. Did you ever see replays of that, or is that something you avoid and try to forget?

A: At the time when it happened, yeah. That was a long time ago. There’s no residual effects from that. One of these guys showed me an article that said I had knee problems. I’ve never hurt my knee in my life. That’s what I’m talking about. I had some injuries in college, but that’s water under the bridge.

Q: You played for San Francisco coach Jim Harbaugh for one year at Stanford. What do you remember learning from him?

A: He’s an emotional guy. A very good coach. Knows the game. Gets guys to want to play for him. And he does a really good job of taking advantage of another team’s weaknesses and playing to his team’s strengths. Everyone he has, he learns his roster really well and plays to each of those guys’ strengths. That’s why they’re 5-1.

Q: You earned a masters in sociology at Stanford. What do you hope to do with that?

A: It was in sociology, but it was called organizational behavior. It’s almost like business without the econ, looking at it from more of a psychological perspective. I did pre-law before that, so I’ll maybe go to law school one day. I’d say the football thing is already working out, though.

– Jodie Valade

Although Madden cover boy Peyton Hillis didn’t practice Thursday because of a lingering hamstring injury, it seems the Cleveland Browns haven’t given up on him just yet.

On Wednesday, Hillis practiced for the first time since getting hurt in the Browns’ Oct. 16 game at the Oakland Raiders, suffering the injury on only his second run of the game in the first quarter. Most recently, he sat out of Cleveland’s 6-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, a game where backup running back Montario Hardesty rushed for 95 yards.

Hardesty could be the short-term answer as long as Hillis is injured. But, coach Pat Shurmur told reporters Wednesday that Hillis is the Browns’ guy. With that said, if he is able to return from his injury, Hillis will most likely get the nod over Hardesty for Sunday’s game at the San Francisco 49ers.

Shurmur, however, described Hillis as being a “little sore” and the team will “back him down” as it prepares for Sunday’s game. Shurmur says he’s hopeful Hillis, whose messy contract situation and injuries have sabotaged his second season with Cleveland, will be able to play against the 49ers.

Deciding between Hills and Hardesty could have ramifications beyond Sunday’s game. Hillis hasn’t received a contract extension after rushing for nearly 1,200 yards and 11 touchdowns last season. Talks between the Browns and Hillis have been put on hold, but sticking with Hillis would show that the team still has some level of interest in him. Hillis is scheduled to become a free agent at the end of the season.

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Hillis also had strep throat earlier in the year. In four games for the Browns, has 60 carries for 211 yards and two touchdowns, whereas Hardesty has 73 carries for 238 yards and no touchdowns.

Besides Hillis, kicker Phil Dawson, who made two field goals beyond 50 yards last week despite a bruised right thigh, will practice. Dawson was limited Wednesday.

Starting wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi and tight end Benjamin Watson were kept out of practice for a second straight day as they continue to recover from concussions sustained last week. Their status for this week’s game against the 49ers is uncertain.

Right guard Shawn Lauvao was back at practice after missing one day with a knee injury.

One interesting tidbit: In Hillis’ four starts, the Browns are 1-3. In Hardesty’s two starts, the Browns are 2-0.

The Seattle Seahawks could not take care of business against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday (Oct. 23), and the loss drops the team to 2-4 on the season. This game was nothing short of embarrassing, as the Seahawks offense could only manage to score three points. That isn’t going to get it done; even playing against what should have been one of the worst teams in the NFL. Instead, the Seahawks take that moniker away from the Browns and allow the Cleveland fans to enjoy a .500 record once again.

The box score is not pretty at all, with the Seahawks posting only 137 total yards. Maybe it was the team missing starting quarterback Tarvaris Jackson(notes), running back Marshawn Lynch(notes), and the officials making some bone-headed calls, but all the Seahawks had to do was get seven points total to win this game. Seven points would have been enough to win, and it’s ridiculous to blame the game’s outcome on anything other than the 11 guys on offense.

Another great performance by the Seahawks defense got wasted , including five sacks, an interception, and two blocked kicks. The only other thing Seahawks fans could have asked for is one less penalty from Red Bryant(notes), because it would have allowed Charlie Whitehurst(notes) one more chance to go deep with Sidney Rice(notes). Maybe that penalty with about a minute left in the game simply saved Whitehurst from throwing another interception or getting hurt on yet another sack.

It’s hard to keep the faith in this team, especially with what seem like weekly coaching blunders from Pete Carroll. Through Week 7, the Seahawks now sit at 2-4, three full games behind the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West. Time is running out on the 2011 Seahawks , and it doesn’t seem like the team even gets it. The current roster cannot do anything right on offense, and it is clear that it is time to look for a big name offensive player in the 2012 NFL Draft.

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References:

Seahawks_2011_Stats

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*Ryan Christopher DeVault is a lifelong fan of the Seattle Seahawks that continues to hold out hope that the team is heading in the right direction with a new coach, a weak NFC West, and some great young players on defense.

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