Browns win toss, defer choice

PITTSBURGH — The Cleveland Browns called “tails,” won the coin toss prior to today’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field, and deferred their choice to the second half of play.

The Steelers have elected to receive the ball and the Browns will defend the South end zone in the first quarter.

The Browns are in their all-white uniforms with brown numbers and letters, as well as orange-and-brown stripes down the sides of the pants. The Steelers are in their black jerseys with gold lettering and stripes on the shoulders, white numbers, gold pants and black helmets with the “Steelers” logo on the right side.

Lewis, Hardesty to start

PITTSBURGH — Cleveland Browns quarterback Thaddeus Lewis, running back Montario Hardesty and defensive back Buster Skrine will start today against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field.

Lewis will start in place of Brandon Weeden and Colt McCoy, both of whom suffered right-shoulder injuries in the team’s loss to the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High last Sunday. Hardesty will go for Trent Richardson, who injured his ankle while blocking for McCoy against the Broncos. Skrine will replace Brown after the 11-year veteran suffered a concussion at Denver.

Prior to Sunday, Brown had played 175 straight games since being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2002, a mark that was fifth-best among active defensive players.

The Browns ruled out Weeden, McCoy, Richardson, Brown and tight end Jordan Cameron (head) on Friday’s injury report. They deactivated offensive lineman Jarrod Shaw and linebacker Adrian Moten on Sunday morning.

Defensive lineman Ishmaa’ily Kitchen has battled a calf injury for the past two weeks and was listed as “questionable” on Friday’s injury report, but is active for the game.

The Steelers deactivated quarterback Byron Leftwich, wide receiver David Gilreath, cornerback Justin King, linebacker Marshall McFadden, defensive end Al Woods, defensive lineman Hebron Fangupo, and nose tackle Alameda Ta’amu for the game.

Emmanuel Sanders will start at wide receiver in place of Mike Wallace and Kelvin Beachum will play at right tackle for rookie Mike Adams. Wallace (hip), Adams (ankle), cornerback Curtis Brown (ankle) and McFadden (abdomen) were ruled out on Friday.

Game Recap: Broncos 34, Browns 12

DENVER — The Denver Broncos extended their winning streak to 10 games and kept alive their hopes of a potential No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs with a 34-12 victory over the Cleveland Browns at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on Sunday evening.

The Broncos (12-3) scored 17 straight points at the start of the second half to build their three-score advantage over the Browns (5-10).

Denver kicker Matt Prater converted a 41-yard field goal attempt which gave the Broncos a 34-12 lead over the Browns with 1:55 left to play in regulation.

Second-year Browns wide receiver Greg Little caught a six-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Colt McCoy and closed the Denver advantage to 31-12 with 7:56 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Little caught a pass on the left side of the field and extended his arms to get the ball across the goal line for the score. It was Little’s third touchdown of the year and McCoy’s first of the season.

McCoy entered the game after starting quarterback Brandon Weeden suffered a right shoulder injury earlier in the second half. After initially being listed as “questionable” for a return to the game, Weeden was downgraded to “out” during the 10-play, 80-yard drive.

Denver fullback Jacob Hester rushed for a one-yard touchdown and extended the Broncos’ advantage over the Browns to 31-6 with 12:11 left to play in the fourth quarter. The two-play, 19-yard drive was set up by a Browns turnover and aided by a pass interference penalty.

After the Browns’ defense forced a Denver punt, Joshua Cribbs fumbled the return and the Broncos recovered at the Cleveland 19-yard line. On the first play after the turnover, Browns defensive back Buster Skrine was penalized for pass interference in the end zone, which moved the ball to Cleveland’s one-yard line.

Prater converted a 27-yard field goal attempt and extended the Broncos’ lead to 24-6 over the Browns with 14:53 remaining in regulation. Prater’s kick capped off an eight-play, 39-yard scoring drive that took 3:22 off the game clock.

On the strength of three Peyton Manning touchdown passes, the Broncos held a 21-6 lead over the Browns after three quarters of play.

Denver wide receiver Eric Decker caught his second touchdown pass of the game from Manning and the eight-yard score extended the Broncos’ lead over the Browns to 21-6 with 4:33 remaining in the third quarter.

The Broncos faced a first-and-goal from the eight-yard line after an illegal formation penalty, and Manning found Decker on the left side of the field. The receiver then fought his way through a pair of Browns defenders for the score.

With the scoring pass, Manning now has 72 career games with at least three passing touchdowns, which ties him for first all-time with former NFL quarterback, Brett Favre.

Browns kicker Phil Dawson converted a 53-yard field goal and cut the Broncos’ lead to 14-6 with 11:09 remaining in the third quarter.

Dawson’s 53-yard make was his longest of the season and the sixth from at least 50 yards this year. Since the start of the 2011 season, Dawson has converted 12 field goals of at least 50 yards.

Earlier in the nine-play, 45-yard drive, Trent Richardson passed Pro Football Hall of Famer, Jim Brown, for the most rushing yards by a rookie in Browns history. Richardson broke the record, which was set in 1957, with a nine-yard run.

With two first-half touchdown passes from Manning, the Broncos held a 14-3 halftime lead over the Browns.

Decker caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from Manning and extended the Broncos’ lead to 14-3 over the Browns with 12:40 left in the second quarter.

On third-and-nine from the Browns’ 10-yard line, Manning took the shotgun snap and looked to his left, where he found Decker dragging his route along the back of the end zone. Even with Sheldon Brown in coverage, Decker went up in traffic and pulled in his team-leading 10th touchdown pass of the season.

The Broncos’ second touchdown drive of the day covered 80 yards in 15 plays and took 6:55 off the game clock.

With a touchdown pass on their opening drive, the Broncos led the Browns, 7-3, after the first quarter of play from Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

Manning threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas and gave the Broncos a 7-0 lead over the Browns with 12:10 remaining in the first quarter.

On third-and-four, Manning took a shotgun snap from center Dan Koppen and threw the ball deep down the left side of the field for Thomas, who ran underneath the pass and caught in as it got past the outstretched arms of Brown.

Manning drove the Broncos 80 yards in eight plays and took 2:50 off the first-quarter clock.

The Browns answered when Dawson converted a 27-yard field goal attempt and cut the Broncos’ lead to 7-3 with 4:35 remaining in the first quarter of play. Dawson’s 27th field goal of the season and 303rd of his career capped off a 14-play, 63-yard drive that took 7:35 off the first-quarter clock.

Game Recap is presented by Giant Eagle, the Official Supermarket of the Cleveland Browns.

Prater hits from 41

DENVER — Denver kicker Matt Prater converted a 41-yard field goal attempt which gave the Broncos a 34-12 lead over the Cleveland Browns with 1:55 remaining in regulation at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

Earlier in the game, Prater converted a 27-yard field goal attempt.

Little catches TD pass from McCoy

DENVER — Second-year Cleveland Browns wide receiver Greg Little caught a six-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Colt McCoy and closed the Denver advantage to 31-12 with 7:56 remaining in the fourth quarter of play from Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

Little caught a pass on the left side of the field and extended his arms to get the ball across the goal line for the score. It was Little’s third touchdown of the year and McCoy’s first of the season.

McCoy entered the game after starting quarterback Brandon Weeden suffered a right shoulder injury earlier in the second half. After initially being listed as “questionable” for a return to the game, Weeden was downgraded to “out” during the 10-play, 80-yard drive.

Hester rushes for touchdown

DENVER — Denver fullback Jacob Hester rushed for a one-yard touchdown and extended the Broncos’ advantage over the Cleveland Browns to 31-6 with 12:11 remaining in the fourth quarter from Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

The two-play, 19-yard drive was set up by a Browns turnover and aided by a pass interference penalty.

After the Browns’ defense forced a Denver punt, Joshua Cribbs fumbled the return and the Broncos recovered at the Cleveland 19-yard line. On the first play after the turnover, Browns defensive back Buster Skrine was penalized for pass interference in the end zone, which moved the ball to Cleveland’s one-yard line.

Prater converts 27-yarder

DENVER — Denver kicker Matt Prater converted a 27-yard field goal attempt and extended the Broncos’ lead to 24-6 over the Cleveland Browns with 14:53 remaining in regulation at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

Prater’s kick capped off an eight-play, 39-yard scoring drive that took 3:22 off the game clock.

Browns trail after three quarters

DENVER — On the strength of three Peyton Manning touchdown passes, the Denver Broncos held a 21-6 lead over the Cleveland Browns after three quarters of play from Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

Denver wide receiver Eric Decker caught his second touchdown pass of the game from Manning and the eight-yard score extended the Broncos’ lead over the Browns to 21-6 with 4:33 remaining in the third quarter.

The Broncos faced a first-and-goal from the eight-yard line after an illegal formation penalty, and Manning found Decker on the left side of the field. The receiver then fought his way through a pair of Browns defenders for the score.

With the scoring pass, Manning now has 72 career games with at least three passing touchdowns, which ties him for first all-time with former NFL quarterback, Brett Favre.

Browns kicker Phil Dawson converted a 53-yard field goal and cut the Broncos’ lead to 14-6 with 11:09 remaining in the third quarter.

Dawson’s 53-yard make was his longest of the season and the sixth from at least 50 yards this year. Since the start of the 2011 season, Dawson has converted 12 field goals of at least 50 yards.

Earlier in the nine-play, 45-yard drive, Trent Richardson passed Pro Football Hall of Famer, Jim Brown, for the most rushing yards by a rookie in Browns history. Richardson broke the record, which was set in 1957, with a nine-yard run.

With two first-half touchdown passes from Manning, the Broncos held a 14-3 halftime lead over the Browns.

Decker caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from Manning and extended the Broncos’ lead to 14-3 over the Browns with 12:40 left in the second quarter.

On third-and-nine from the Browns’ 10-yard line, Manning took the shotgun snap and looked to his left, where he found Decker dragging his route along the back of the end zone. Even with Sheldon Brown in coverage, Decker went up in traffic and pulled in his team-leading 10th touchdown pass of the season.

The Broncos’ second touchdown drive of the day covered 80 yards in 15 plays and took 6:55 off the game clock.

With a touchdown pass on their opening drive, the Broncos led the Browns, 7-3, after the first quarter of play from Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

Manning threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas and gave the Broncos a 7-0 lead over the Browns with 12:10 remaining in the first quarter.

On third-and-four, Manning took a shotgun snap from center Dan Koppen and threw the ball deep down the left side of the field for Thomas, who ran underneath the pass and caught in as it got past the outstretched arms of Brown.

Manning drove the Broncos 80 yards in eight plays and took 2:50 off the first-quarter clock.

The Browns answered when Dawson converted a 27-yard field goal attempt and cut the Broncos’ lead to 7-3 with 4:35 remaining in the first quarter of play. Dawson’s 27th field goal of the season and 303rd of his career capped off a 14-play, 63-yard drive that took 7:35 off the first-quarter clock.

Decker catches second TD pass

DENVER — Denver wide receiver Eric Decker caught his second touchdown pass of the game from Peyton Manning and the eight-yard score extended the Broncos’ lead over the Cleveland Browns to 21-6 with 4:33 remaining in the third quarter of play from Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

The Broncos faced a first-and-goal from the eight-yard line after an illegal formation penalty, and Manning found Decker on the left side of the field. The receiver then fought his way through a pair of Browns defenders for the score.

With the scoring pass, Manning now has 72 career games with at least three passing touchdowns, which ties him for first all-time with former NFL quarterback, Brett Favre.

Dawson hits from 53

DENVER — Cleveland Browns kicker Phil Dawson converted a 53-yard field goal and cut the Denver Broncos’ lead to 14-6 with 11:09 remaining in the third quarter of play from Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

Dawson’s 53-yard make was his longest of the season and the sixth from at least 50 yards this year. Since the start of the 2011 season, Dawson has converted 12 field goals of at least 50 yards.

Earlier in the nine-play, 45-yard drive, Trent Richardson passed Pro Football Hall of Famer, Jim Brown, for the most rushing yards by a rookie in Browns history. Richardson broke the record, which was set in 1957, with a nine-yard run.