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CLE |
PIT |
Browns to stay the course despite 1-15 season
PITTSBURGH (AP) The worst season in franchise history won't cost Cleveland Browns coach Hue Jackson his job.
If anything, owner Jimmy Haslam is doubling down on his bet that Jackson, general manager Sashi Brown and the rest of the front office are the right people to turn things around.
The revolving door that's been an offseason fixture since Haslam bought the team in 2012 is stopping, even after a 27-24 overtime loss to the backup-laden Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday that left the Browns an NFL-worst 1-15.
''Clearly not an acceptable year,'' Haslam said. ''Really since we bought the team, it's totally unacceptable performance, which as ownership we'll take the entire blame for.''
And not, Haslam stressed, Jackson or Brown, both of whom were brought in last winter to revive a team that's 15-49 over the past four seasons.
''Could not be more pleased with the job Hue and the staff are doing,'' Haslam said. ''You wouldn't think this was a 1-14 team with the way this team was out there battling (today). Really pleased with Hue and really pleased with our personnel group. I think we have the right people in place.''
If not the right results. At least, not yet. Their final game of 2016 looked an awful lot like the 15 that came before it: flashes of competence undone by questionable play-calling and occasionally bad luck.
The Browns fumbled inside the Pittsburgh 5 with a minute to go in regulation and had a first-and-goal at the Pittsburgh 2 turn into a field goal by Cody Parkey, extending the game.
Oh, and they had a potential pick-6 by Briean Boddy-Calhoun turn into a touchback when Pittsburgh's Darrius Heyward-Bey punched the ball out of Boddy-Calhoun's hands as he stretched for the goal line in the third quarter.
A touchdown would have put Cleveland up 21-7 in the third quarter.
Instead, the Steelers went right back down the field to tie the score.
And so it goes.
While the loss assured the Browns of the top pick in the draft this spring, it provided little solace after the Steelers responded to Parkey's field goal by going 75 yards in nine plays, the last a 26-yard touchdown lob from Landry Jones to Cobi Hamilton .
''We were coming here to win the game,'' Jackson said. ''We weren't coming here to get a No. 1 pick. Those guys gave it everything they had.''
Isaiah Crowell ran for a career-high 152 yards for the Browns, who have been playing football since 1946 (save for a brief three-year break from 1996-98) and never finished with a ''one'' in the win column.
Not exactly that Jackson envisioned when he took over last January.
''You can't sugarcoat this,'' Jackson said. ''It is what it is. I would hope we get a chance next year to earn a different type of record. That's where it starts. We're 1-15. I never would have thought that in a million years, but we are.''
Robert Griffin III passed for 232 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, but Cleveland missed a chance to beat the Steelers on the road for the first time since 2003. Griffin, signed to a two-year deal last offseason, said getting a chance to compete for the starting job in 2017 would be ''awesome.''
He also acknowledged that the broken bone in his shoulder suffered in September never fully healed, though he was quick to point out it did not have a significant impact on his play.
''You'd be naive to think a guy that breaks a bone in season is going to come back with a fully healed bone,'' Griffin said. ''The doctors felt I was healed enough to return to play ... but to say I was 100 percent healthy is a lie.''
Like Haslam, Griffin praised Jackson and his staff for doing what they could in a difficult situation.
''I think those guys are the right guys,'' Griffin said. ''I think in the offseason what those guys are going to do is give the Cleveland Browns the best chance to win going into next year.''
TERRELLE'S TIME
Cleveland wide receiver Terrelle Pryor caught seven passes for 94 yards to go over 1,000 yards on the season, heady territory for the converted quarterback.
INJURIES
Browns offensive lineman Cam Erving left with a knee injury and will be evaluated on Monday.
The Steelers already banged up defensive line took another hit. Ricardo Mathews left with an ankle injury and did not return. Rookie Javon Hargrave went into the concussion protocol in the second half. He was cleared and returned for one more series, but spent the rest of the game on the bench. Hargrave missed a game last month because of a concussion.
UP NEXT:
Browns: ''With the first pick in the 2017 NFL draft, the Cleveland Browns select.''
Steelers: Meet the Dolphins in the playoffs for the fourth time in franchise history and the first time since the 1984 AFC championship game.
---
For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL
Copyright 2017 by STATS LLC. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC is strictly prohibited.
R. Griffin III
3 QB 232 PaYds, 2 PaTDs, INT, 32 RuYds |
20
FPTS
|
|
L. Jones
2 QB 277 PaYds, 3 PaTDs, INT |
27
FPTS
|
Team Stats | ||
---|---|---|
Time of Pos | - | - |
1st Downs | 0 | 0 |
Rushing | 0 | 0 |
Passing | 0 | 0 |
Penalty | 0 | 0 |
3rd Down Conv | 0-0 | 0-0 |
4th Down Conv | 0-0 | 0-0 |
Total Net Yards | 0 | 0 |
Total Plays | 0 | 0 |
Avg Gain | 0 | 0 |
Net Yards Rushing | 0 | 0 |
Rush Attempts | 0 | 0 |
Avg Rush Yards | 0 | 0 |
Net Yards Passing | 0 | 0 |
Comp. - Att. | 0-0 | 0-0 |
Yards Per Pass | 0 | 0 |
Penalties - Yards | 0-0 | 0-0 |
Touchdowns | ||
Rushing TDs | 0 | 0 |
Passing TDs | 0 | 0 |
Other | ||
Turnovers | 0 | 0 |
Fumbles - Lost | 0-0 | 0-0 |
Int. Thrown | 0 | 0 |
Punts - Avg | 0-0 | 0-0 |
Return Yards | ||
Punts - Returns | 0-0 | 0-0 |
Kickoffs - Returns | 0-0 | 0-0 |
Int. - Returns | 0-0 | 0-0 |
Red Zone Eff. | 0-0 -0% | 0-0 -0% |
Goal to Go Eff. | 0-0 -0% | 0-0 -0% |
Safeties | 0 | 0 |
Passing | CP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT | FPTS |
R. Griffin III
10 QB
20 FPTS
|
R. Griffin III | 29/40 | 232 | 2 | 1 | 20 |
Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG | FPTS |
I. Crowell
34 RB
14 FPTS
|
I. Crowell | 19 | 152 | 0 | 67 | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||
G. Atkinson
25 RB
9 FPTS
|
G. Atkinson | 7 | 34 | 1 | 11 | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||
R. Griffin III
10 QB
20 FPTS
|
R. Griffin III | 5 | 32 | 0 | 19 | 20 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. Coleman
19 WR
4 FPTS
|
C. Coleman | 1 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Johnson
29 RB
0 FPTS
|
D. Johnson | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
Receiving | TAR | REC | YDS | TD | LG | FPTS |
T. Pryor
11 WR
9 FPTS
|
T. Pryor | 11 | 7 | 94 | 0 | 43 | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
C. Coleman
19 WR
4 FPTS
|
C. Coleman | 9 | 5 | 40 | 0 | 11 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
G. Barnidge
82 TE
10 FPTS
|
G. Barnidge | 5 | 5 | 40 | 1 | 15 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
R. Louis
80 WR
2 FPTS
|
R. Louis | 2 | 2 | 22 | 0 | 16 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
I. Crowell
34 RB
14 FPTS
|
I. Crowell | 4 | 3 | 16 | 0 | 13 | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
S. DeValve
87 TE
7 FPTS
|
S. DeValve | 1 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 12 | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
A. Hawkins
16 WR
0 FPTS
|
A. Hawkins | 5 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 10 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
R. Higgins
81 WR
0 FPTS
|
R. Higgins | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
R. Telfer
86 TE
0 FPTS
|
R. Telfer | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
D. Vitale
40 FB
0 FPTS
|
D. Vitale | 1 | 1 | -1 | 0 | -1 | 0 |
Defense | T-A | SACK | INT | FF |
C. Kirksey
58 ILB
|
C. Kirksey | 10-2 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Collins
51 OLB
|
J. Collins | 9-1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Davis
56 ILB
|
D. Davis | 5-2 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Haden
23 CB
|
J. Haden | 4-1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Taylor
21 CB
|
J. Taylor | 3-0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
B. Boddy-Calhoun
20 SS
|
B. Boddy-Calhoun | 3-0 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. Nassib
94 DE
|
C. Nassib | 3-0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
E. Reynolds
39 FS
|
E. Reynolds | 3-1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Meder
98 DE
|
J. Meder | 2-0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Schobert
53 OLB
|
J. Schobert | 2-1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
S. DeValve
87 TE
|
S. DeValve | 2-0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Vitale
40 FB
|
D. Vitale | 2-0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Thomas
73 T
|
J. Thomas | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
M. Burley
26 DB
|
M. Burley | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
E. Ogbah
90 DE
|
E. Ogbah | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
T. Carder
59 ILB
|
T. Carder | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
R. Griffin III
10 QB
|
R. Griffin III | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Shelton
55 NT
|
D. Shelton | 1-2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
X. Cooper
96 DE
|
X. Cooper | 1-1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
T. Williams
22 CB
|
T. Williams | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
I. Campbell
24 SS
|
I. Campbell | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
Kicking | FG | LG | XP | PTS |
C. Parkey
3 K
0 FPTS
|
C. Parkey | 1/2 | 34 | 3/3 | 6 |
Punting | NO | AVG | IN20 | LG |
B. Colquitt
4 P
|
B. Colquitt | 4 | 47.5 | 1 | 51 |
Kickoff Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
M. Alford
15 WR
0 FPTS
|
M. Alford | 2 | 30.0 | 36 | 0 |
Punt Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
M. Alford 15 WR
0 FPTS
|
M. Alford | 3 | 8.7 | 17 | 0 |
Passing | CP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT | FPTS |
L. Jones
3 QB
27 FPTS
|
L. Jones | 24/37 | 277 | 3 | 1 | 27 |
Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG | FPTS |
D. Williams
34 RB
20 FPTS
|
D. Williams | 23 | 67 | 1 | 17 | 20 | ||||||||||||||||||||
F. Toussaint
33 RB
3 FPTS
|
F. Toussaint | 3 | 14 | 0 | 12 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Ayers
15 WR
10 FPTS
|
D. Ayers | 2 | -12 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
Receiving | TAR | REC | YDS | TD | LG | FPTS |
E. Rogers
17 WR
6 FPTS
|
E. Rogers | 6 | 6 | 61 | 0 | 19 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
C. Hamilton
83 WR
11 FPTS
|
C. Hamilton | 4 | 3 | 54 | 1 | 26 | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
D. Heyward-Bey
88 WR
4 FPTS
|
D. Heyward-Bey | 4 | 1 | 46 | 0 | 46 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
D. Ayers
15 WR
10 FPTS
|
D. Ayers | 12 | 5 | 44 | 1 | 15 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
D. Williams
34 RB
20 FPTS
|
D. Williams | 4 | 3 | 27 | 1 | 17 | 20 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
F. Toussaint
33 RB
3 FPTS
|
F. Toussaint | 2 | 2 | 24 | 0 | 15 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
J. James
81 TE
1 FPTS
|
J. James | 3 | 2 | 16 | 0 | 14 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
R. Nix-Jones
45 FB
0 FPTS
|
R. Nix-Jones | 2 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
Defense | T-A | SACK | INT | FF |
S. Davis
28 SS
|
S. Davis | 8-1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
M. Mitchell
23 FS
|
M. Mitchell | 7-1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
R. Shazier
50 ILB
|
R. Shazier | 7-1 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
L. Timmons
94 ILB
|
L. Timmons | 5-1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Burns
25 CB
|
A. Burns | 5-3 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
B. Dupree
48 OLB
|
B. Dupree | 5-2 | 1.0 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
W. Gay
22 CB
|
W. Gay | 4-1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
R. Cockrell
31 CB
|
R. Cockrell | 3-1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. McCullers-Sanders
93 NT
|
D. McCullers-Sanders | 3-2 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Jones
95 OLB
|
J. Jones | 3-0 | 1.0 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
L. Walton
96 DT
|
L. Walton | 3-0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Heyward-Bey
88 WR
|
D. Heyward-Bey | 2-0 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Hargrave
79 NT
|
J. Hargrave | 2-0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
T. Matakevich
44 OLB
|
T. Matakevich | 2-0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Maxey
62 DT
|
J. Maxey | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
F. Toussaint
33 RB
|
F. Toussaint | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
R. Nix-Jones
45 FB
|
R. Nix-Jones | 1-1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Moats
55 OLB
|
A. Moats | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Dangerfield
37 SS
|
J. Dangerfield | 0-1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
Kicking | FG | LG | XP | PTS |
C. Boswell
9 K
0 FPTS
|
C. Boswell | 0/0 | 0 | 3/3 | 3 |
Punting | NO | AVG | IN20 | LG |
J. Berry
4 P
|
J. Berry | 8 | 46.0 | 2 | 64 |
Kickoff Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
C. Hamilton
83 WR
11 FPTS
|
C. Hamilton | 3 | 14.7 | 19 | 0 |
Punt Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
E. Rogers 17 WR
6 FPTS
|
E. Rogers | 3 | 5.0 | 10 | 0 |