| | Browns get third shot at Steelers
By John Clayton
ESPN.com
The Browns knew all season long that they were close to being a playoff team.
They played 12 games decided in the final minute, winning six of them. A field goal or a touchdown here or there could have made the difference in turning their 9-7 record into a possible 10-or 11-win season.
But what has to be scary is how close they are to being atop the new AFC North. That has to scare the Steelers. The Steelers swept the series against the Browns, but only by two field goals. Though it will be at Heinz Field, Sunday's playoff game figures to be close. The Steelers can't allow the fourth-year expansion team to steal this one.
|  | | The Steelers had a lot to celebrate against Cleveland in the regular season. |
In the first meeting, Sept. 29 in Heinz, kicker Phil Dawson had a chance to win the game with 13:10 remaining in overtime with a 45-yard field goal. He missed, and Todd Peterson won it with a 31-yard field goal less than six minutes later. It was Dawson's only miss in a string of 25 attempts.
On Nov. 3, the Steelers dominated the game but not the scoreboard. They had 391 yards to the Browns' 193. They had 25 first downs to the Browns' nine. They had 42:10 in time of possession. But a late Tim Couch pass to Quincy Morgan trimmed the score to 23-20, and the Browns even had a chance to tie or win.
Retaking possession with 57 seconds left, the Browns ran out of time, however. With no timeouts to work with, they were able to run only three plays before the clock expired on the Steelers' victory.
The Browns come to town this week with the unknown of how Kelly Holcomb will do replacing the injured Couch, who broke his right leg last Sunday. Holcomb releases the ball quicker than Couch and is a fan favorite.
But an even bigger difference in the Browns is at halfback. After that last loss to the Steelers, the Browns used their bye week to work up a new philosophy. Coach Butch Davis decided to run the ball with someone who had looked like he was destined to be a first-round flop. William Green averaged only 2.3 yards a carry during his first nine games. But now he's one of the hottest backs in football.
Over the past seven games, Green has 726 yards and five touchdowns. The Browns were 5-2 in those games.
The Steelers are banged up. Jerome Bettis will play with a sore knee. Cornerback Chad Scott has a broken hand. Linebacker Kendrell Bell re-injured the ankle that has been bothering him all season.
The pressure is on the Steelers. This could be their last home game in the playoffs. But the tougher part would be losing to a division rival who is finally starting to look like a playoff team.
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New York Giants at San Francisco 49ers: The Giants somehow won 10 games with an offensive line of unknowns and a thin receiving corps because of injuries. Yet they have a lot of confidence coming into this first-round playoff even though they lost 16-13 to the 49ers in the season-opener. In that game, halfback Tiki Barber played when he probably shouldn't have because of a sore hamstring. Lacking his typical burst, he gained only 29 yards on 15 carries. Kerry Collins moved the ball well through the air, but drives stalled in 49ers territory. Collins' 342 yards passing produced only one touchdown drive. Since then, Barber got healthy and finished with a 1,387-yard season. The line has improved dramatically. Rookie tight end Jeremy Shockey has emerged as a superstar. In the past seven games, he has 47 catches for 573 yards. The Giants hope to have Ron Dixon available. He has been idle most of December with a knee injury, forcing the Giants to use rookie Daryl Jones, who hasn't been a factor in the passing game. The 49ers have their own worries on pass defense. They gave up 219 passing yards a game and were particularly vulnerable on third downs. Making matters worse is that cornerback Jason Webster was carted off the field last Monday. He's listed as questionable. Niners center Jeremy Newberry isn't making things easier for the defense. He said repeatedly this week that his team was going to kick the Giants' butts. There are several interesting matchups. Niners linebacker Julian Peterson, who limited Tony Gonzalez of the Chiefs to one catch in a game earlier this year, covers Shockey. Scott Gragg, a former Giants, goes against N.Y. defensive end Michael Strahan. If Webster can't play because of his ankle, then struggling rookie Mike Rumph starts. What helps the 49ers defense is the return of free safety Zack Bronson, who has been out since Oct. 14 with a broken left foot.
John Clayton is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.
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Let The Games Begin