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Like all of the Browns' officials, coach Pat Shurmur made it clear in a conference call Thursday that rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden has to beat out Colt McCoy and Seneca Wallace to be the team's starter in 2012.

I understand that the Browns want to make Weeden feel like he has to earn the job. But here's the reality of the situation: it's not his job to win. It's his job to lose.

The Browns will have a major problem if a first-round quarterback can't beat out McCoy.

When rookie minicamp begins for the Browns on Friday, Weeden will have to adjust to a new offensive system, more complex looks from the defense, and a different viewpoint when the ball is snapped.

At Oklahoma State, Weeden orchestrated a fast-paced, spread attack from the shotgun. With the Browns, he will be expected to take more snaps from under center.

While this doesn't seem like a challenging transition, Weeden will have to work on his footwork. The advantage is you don't have to take your eyes off the defense under center like you do when you catch the ball in shotgun.

Asked if he was looking forward to seeing Weeden under center, Shurmur said: "Yeah, I am looking forward to him executing as a quarterback, whether we are under center or in the shotgun, all of which happens in the NFL. I am looking forward to watching him operate.”

While Shurmur stuck with the party line that Weeden won't be anointed the starter just yet, most believe the Browns are looking for the 28-year-old rookie to play right away. Weeden would have to struggle in training camp and the preseason not to beat out McCoy.

“I’ll decide who the starter’s going to be when we play against Philadelphia,” Shurmur said.

BEREA, Ohio -- Browns officials insist there's "no story" with Colt McCoy a day after they were the ones who said they would discuss trading the now-supplanted quarterback.

"I haven't talked to one person about him," said general manager Tom Heckert, who rolled his eyes after third question regarding McCoy was asked Friday night. "There's nothing to talk about."

Actually, there's a lot to talk about. This is what happens when you use the 22nd overall pick on a quarterback. These are the questions you get when Brandon Weeden is answering questions at a Friday news conference like a mature, composed starter.

Here's my suggestion on what the Browns should do with McCoy -- absolutely nothing. I don't understand why the Browns would trade a quarterback in whom they just invested a full season of starts. If anyone should go, it should be current backup Seneca Wallace. Browns coach Pat Shurmur said last month that Wallace wouldn't be given a chance to compete against McCoy for the starting job, so I'm puzzled on why he should he be the one who stays.

There are instances where it would be a bad situation to keep a starting quarterback who just lost his job. Judging by his personality, McCoy wouldn't create any problems or disruptions.

The Browns are noncommittal on McCoy's future, which isn't a sign that he's sticking around. Asked if McCoy would be here for offseason minicamps, Shurmur said, "I plan on Colt being here on Monday as part of the offseason program. There really is no story right now. There really isn't. We drafted a quarterback to come in and compete with him at this point, and that's where it's at."

The Browns, though, were very strong in denying a report that said they told McCoy they wouldn't draft a quarterback in the first round.

"That's absolutely false," Heckert said.

Shurmur added, "We don't consult our players about what we're doing in the draft. I think it's ridiculous to assume that we would say those things."

It would also be ridiculous to assume the Browns drafted a 28-year-old quarterback to sit. Unless Weeden struggles mightily in training camp, he should be the starter this season. And the best quarterback on this roster to back up Weeden is McCoy.

The Baltimore Ravens are among three teams interested in Steelers free-agent quarterback Dennis Dixon, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The St. Louis Rams and Denver Broncos are also in the running for Dixon, who is not expected to return to Pittsburgh.

The Ravens have been inconsistent in how they've addressed the backup quarterback position recently. In 2010, Baltimore spent $3.8 million on Marc Bulger to have veteran insurance behind Joe Flacco. In 2011, the Ravens went with rookie sixth-round pick Tyrod Taylor.

One reason why the Ravens could go with Bulger in 2010 was the uncapped year, but it's definitely a major philosophical switch to go from a playoff-tested quarterback in Bulger to a raw prospect like Taylor. Of course, Baltimore hasn't needed a backup, because Flacco has never missed a start in his four-year career (64 straight, the third-longest current streak in the NFL). But the Ravens' playoff chances would get decimated if Flacco got hurt, and the team had to turn to Taylor for an extended period.

Dixon, 27, the No. 3 quarterback last season for Pittsburgh, has made three career starts in his four seasons with the Steelers. He has a 2-1 record, with one touchdown and two interceptions. Dixon's first start came against the Ravens in 2009, when his interception in overtime set up the winning field goal.

Here are the backup quarterback situations for the rest of the AFC North:

BENGALS: Cincinnati is set with journeyman Bruce Gradkowski. When Andy Dalton was hurt in last year's season opener, Gradkowski rallied the Bengals to a 27-17 win at Cleveland.

BROWNS: At this point, the Browns are going with Seneca Wallace, the team's backup for the past two seasons. But the depth chart could get moved around if Cleveland drafts a quarterback in the early rounds. If the Browns don't take a quarterback, Wallace won't be competing with Colt McCoy for the starting job, the team said.

STEELERS: Besides Ben Roethlisberger, the only quarterbacks on the roster are Troy Smith and Jerrod Johnson. The Steelers likely will bring back Byron Leftwich or Charlie Batch. The favorite to return is Leftwich, who reportedly drew interest from the Colts.

Gary Horton of Scouts Inc. broke down the top six needs remaining for each of the AFC North teams. You'll need an Insider subscription to view the entire post, but here's a glimpse of the top three needs:

CINCINNATI BENGALS

Horton's top three needs: Cornerback, guard and safety.

Horton on cornerback: The starters in 2011 were Leon Hall, who will be coming off an Achilles injury, and 32-year-old Nate Clements. When Hall went down, Adam Jones filled in, but none of these three make you comfortable in man coverage. Newly acquired free agent Jason Allen will help, but there is a lot of work to be done here.

Hensley's comment: I wouldn't put cornerback as the top need because the Bengals added Allen and re-signed Jones. Allen is an upgrade over Kelly Jennings. Guard is the bigger concern. If the season started today, the Bengals' starting right guard would either be Otis Hudson, Clint Boling or Anthony Collins (who would shift over from tackle).

CLEVELAND BROWNS

Horton's top three needs: Quarterback, wide receiver and running back.

Horton on quarterback: Right now, their options at QB are starter Colt McCoy and veteran backup Seneca Wallace, but nobody expects it to stay that way. With two first-round draft picks, they will almost surely pick a QB with one of them.

Hensley's comment: You could make a strong argument that quarterback, wide receiver or running back should rank as the No. 1 need. My top need for Cleveland is right tackle. The Browns can at least start McCoy, Greg Little, Mohamed Massaquoi and Montario Hardesty at those other positions. Right tackle was a weak spot for the Browns last season with Tony Pashos and Artis Hicks, both of whom are now gone. The Browns' starting right tackle at this point is Oniel Cousins, a third-round bust from Baltimore.

BALTIMORE RAVENS

Horton's three needs: Inside linebacker, left guard and safety.

Horton on inside linebacker: The Ray Lewis era will be ending soon, and the Ravens need to find his replacement. Jameel McClain was re-signed, and he can play inside or outside, but a three-down linebacker who can play solid pass defense is sorely needed.

Hensley's comment: Left guard is the biggest need on the team, and it's not even close. The Ravens couldn't keep Ben Grubbs and failed to sign Evan Mathis. The fallback option is Jah Reid, a backup offensive tackle last season. Going from a Pro Bowl guard (Grubbs) to a converted tackle (Reid) is a major step down.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Horton's top three needs: Offensive tackle/guard, nose tackle and running back.

Horton on offensive tackle/guard: Center Maurkice Pouncey is the only stable starter on this unit. Veteran tackle Max Starks is coming off an ACL injury and T Willie Colon can't stay healthy, though the coaches hope he can get through a full season at RT with young Marcus Gilbert moving from RT to LT. There is also a big hole at left guard. The Steelers need to get at least one, and maybe two, starters up front.

Hensley's comment: You can't really disagree with this assessment. Left guard Doug Legursky is a backup who performed admirably when Chris Kemoeatu was benched. Gilbert has a good chance of succeeding on the left side, but it's hard to depend on Colon at right tackle with his injury history. The Steelers' options are limited because there is no depth. Jonathan Scott, who has struggled mightily, is the top backup at tackle, and there's no reserves at guard with Trai Essex (free agent) and Jamon Meredith (not tendered as a restricted free agent) off on the roster.

The Cleveland Browns' "aggressive" pursuit -- as team president Mike Holmgren described it -- to move up to get Robert Griffin III suggests Cleveland isn't comfortable with its current quarterbacks.

So, after failing to get RG3, what's Plan B? Based on what Holmgren is saying, the Browns will turn to the same quarterbacks who received a vote of no confidence after Holmgren detailed how they attempted to trade three first-round picks for RG3. While the Browns could still draft a quarterback, it seems like there is a good chance that the Browns' 2012 quarterback battle will be between Colt McCoy and Seneca Wallace.

"The next step is the draft pick that we were going to use to move up there, now we have again," Holmgren said in a conference call with Browns season-ticket holders. "So the other plan we had talked about was to use those picks to make our football team better immediately this year, get starters with those draft picks at other positions this year and to help our quarterbacks who are now existing on the team -- or anybody else who would come onto the team -- better because we’ve surrounded that [quarterback] position with better players.”

For all of those McCoy supporters who want to see what he can do with a stronger supporting cast, you might get your wish. That is, if he beats out Wallace. Or a rookie taken in this year's draft.

Asked by a season-ticket holder if McCoy can become a franchise quarterback, general manager Tom Heckert said, “We do think Colt has a big ceiling. Obviously, it’s my job to get him better players surrounding him.”

It's important to remember that the Browns aren't going to give the job to McCoy like last season. Wallace will have as good of a shot at starting as McCoy.

"I think it's a little bit unfair to write those guys off right now," Holmgren said, "and I'm not willing to do that."

» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

FALLING

1. Cedric Benson's ball security: The Bengals running back had been one of the most reliable players in the NFL this season when it came to holding onto the ball. That was until Benson lost his first two fumbles of the season Saturday. And both came at a costly time -- in the fourth quarter. Fumbling has been a disturbing trend lately for Benson, who has put the ball on the ground five times in the past two weeks. Benson hadn't fumbled in his first 12 games this season, which totaled 222 carries.

2. Browns' football intelligence: The low point of coach Pat Shumur's rookie season came Saturday in Baltimore, where the Browns looked more like a Pop Warner team than an NFL one with mental gaffes at the end of the first half and at the end of the game. Veteran backup QB Seneca Wallace cost Cleveland three points when he decided to run the ball in the red zone with 11 seconds left in the first half and no timeouts. Then, rookie first-round pick Phil Taylor jumped offside on fourth down with two minutes left when it was obvious the Ravens were looking to draw the Bengals offside.

3. Ravens coverage teams: Special teams is supposed to be the expertise of coach John Harbaugh, but the Ravens have been struggling in that area all season. The latest lapse came when the Ravens allowed the Browns' Josh Cribbs to return a punt 84 yards for a touchdown. It jumpstarted Cleveland's second-half rally and underscored Baltimore's problems in covering kicks. This marked the third time this season the Ravens have given up a return for a touchdown (two on punts and one on a kickoff). The Ravens hadn't allowed multiple touchdowns off punt returns since 2002.

RISING

1. Ravens' dominance in the AFC North: A week after finishing perfect at home for the first time in franchise history, the Ravens are looking to go undefeated in the division for the first time in their existence. Baltimore, which is 5-0 in the division, is looking for the second AFC North title in team history when it wraps up the regular season at Cincinnati. Since realignment in 2002, only three teams have finished undefeated in AFC North play: the 2002 Steelers, 2008 Steelers and 2009 Bengals.

2. Steelers' pass defense: Pittsburgh roughed up Rams quarterback Kellen Clemens, who was held to 91 yards passing on nine completions. While crushing Clemens won't impress many, the Steelers have been shutting down quarterbacks for the past two months. The NFL's top-ranked pass defense has given up two touchdown passes in the past six games. The Steelers haven't allowed a quarterback to record a passer rating over 87 since Tom Brady on Oct. 30. The amazing part is pass-rushers James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley haven't played a full game together since Sept. 25 at Indianapolis.

3. Bengals' pass rush: Few defenses have pressured quarterbacks like Cincinnati recently. Over the past three games, the Bengals have recorded 13 sacks and 29 quarterback hits. The problem for offenses is that you can't shut down the pass rush by shutting down one player. During this three-game span, 11 players have recorded at least a half sack. The only player with more than 1.5 sacks is defensive end Jonathan Fanene (three sacks). The Bengals rank third in the NFL in sacks with 44.

Upon Further Review will be combined for all teams today:

CINCINNATI BENGALS

Thumbs up: Pass rush. While wide receiver Jerome Simpson made the highlight of the year with his flip into the end zone, it was the Bengals' pressure up front that made the biggest impact. The Bengals sacked Cardinals quarterback John Skelton five times. This pressure played a factor in Skelton throwing three interceptions.

Overheard: “We started off really strong but they really came on there at the end. But we have some guys here that are hungry for the playoffs, and we were able to settle down and stop them at the end.” Defensive tackle Domata Peko on the Bengals winning 23-16 after holding onto a 23-point lead.

CLEVELAND BROWNS

Thumbs up: Peyton Hillis. The Browns running back is playing like many envisioned entering this season. Hillis powered his way in between the tackles for 112 yards rushing against the Ravens and the NFL's second-ranked run defense.

Thumbs down: Seneca Wallace. The veteran backup looked more like a rookie when he decided to run the ball with 11 seconds remaining in the first half instead of throwing it or spiking the ball to stop the clock. The Browns, who were at the Ravens' 5-yard line and without timeouts, watched the final seconds tick off the clock and went into halftime without any points.

Overheard: "In this game, sometimes you go through learning curves that you don't want to go through. Unfortunately, it happened." Browns cornerback Sheldon Brown on the Browns' 20-14 loss at Baltimore.

BALTIMORE RAVENS

Thumbs up: Ray Rice. The Ravens running back continued his success against the Browns with 135 total yards. His 42-yard touchdown catch -- he beat D'Qwell Jackson on a wheel route -- showed he can be a threat as a receiver outside of catching dump-off passes.

Thumbs down: Dropped passes. Tight end Ed Dickson bobbled two passes from Joe Flacco and wide receiver Torrey Smith couldn't hold onto a third-down pass in the fourth quarter, all of which allowed the Browns to mount a second-half comeback. Dickson and Smith are faster than the veterans they replaced (Todd Heap and Derrick Mason) but they lack the same consistency.

Overheard: "I've never been perfect at home in 16 years of football, and that's amazing because as good of teams as we've had here, we've always found a way to lose one or two, here or there. But I think this year, we really made our focus on taking care of home. This is the result of it: being able to go 8-0 and sitting where you want to sit at the end of the day." Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis after the 20-14 win over the Browns.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Thumbs up: Rashard Mendenhall. The Steelers running back picked up his game in Ben Roethlisberger's absence, finishing with 116 yards rushing on 18 carries. He also had a 35-yard catch-and-run in the first quarter to set up a field goal.

Thumbs down: Marcus Gilbert. The rookie right tackle provided the only smudge in a dominating 27-0 rout of the Rams. He was benched at the start of the game by coach Mike Tomlin for missing a meeting during the week. Other than this mistake, Gilbert has developed into a reliable starter in his first NFL season.

Overheard: "Had we had six or seven days, we probably wouldn't have played him in San Francisco. The collateral damage coming out of a game like Monday night, on a short week, we made the decision pretty early that we weren't even going to attempt to try to work him in." Steelers coach Mike Tomlin on why he rested Roethlisberger (high-ankle sprain) and started Charlie Batch last Sunday.

BALTIMORE -- The Cleveland Browns are making this way too easy for the Baltimore Ravens, who lead 17-0 at halftime.

Already down by 17 points, the Browns made a head-scratcher of a decision to end the first half. On second-and-goal at the 3-yard line, the Browns chose to run the ball in the final seconds without any timeouts.

Peyton Hillis was stopped for no gain with about five seconds remaining. The Browns didn't even attempt to line up to spike the ball to stop the clock. I'm not sure if there was enough time to do it, but the Browns didn't even try. Beyond that, it was just a poor decision by coach Pat Shurmur, who should have either thrown the ball in that situation or kicked the field goal.

It was the second bad play call of the game. On the opening series of the game, the Browns drove into Ravens territory by running the ball and faced a third-and-1. Instead of running Hillis in between the tackles again, Cleveland decided to pass and Seneca Wallace was picked off. The Ravens converted the turnover into their first touchdown.

Other thoughts at halftime:

• Bad first half for Cleveland linebacker D'Qwell Jackson. He allowed both touchdowns in pass coverage -- a 5-yarder on a back-shoulder throw to Ed Dickson and a 42-yarder to Ray Rice on a wheel route.
• Rice is enjoying another great day at the expense of the Browns. He has 49 yards rushing and 48 yards receiving.
• Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco has a 133.7 rating in the first half. He has completed 8 of 12 passes for 105 yards and two touchdowns. You can also factor in a 60-yard pass interference penalty on Mike Adams. Rookie receiver Torrey Smith ran past Adams and Joe Haden on the Ravens' first offensive snap.
• Hillis has been running hard against the Ravens, gashing one of the best run defenses for 68 yards in the first half. But the large deficit takes him out of the game plan if the Browns want to play catch-up. But who knows what Shurmur is thinking these days?

A look at how the quarterbacks around the division fared Sunday and Monday:

Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals

Stats: 15-for-26 for 179 yards, no touchdowns and one interception.

Sunday at Rams: The rookie second-round draft pick had an average performance. His second-quarter interception took points away from the Bengals at a time when they really needed them. Dalton also didn't throw a touchdown pass for the first time in 11 games. He didn't have to do too much in the second half, when the running game got on track.

QBR: 51.0 (20th among quarterbacks this week)

Grade: C-plus

Seneca Wallace, Cleveland Browns

Stats: 18-for-31 for 226 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions and one fumble.

Sunday at the Cardinals: Wallace was looking good for the first three quarters, completing 13 of 20 passes for 179 yards. But he struggled after throwing a 76-yard touchdown to Greg Little. In the fourth quarter and overtime, Wallace went 5 of 11 for 47 yards and had a costly fumble. He failed to come through in the pressure situations.

QBR: 55.3 (18th)

Grade: C

Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens

Stats: 23-for-34 for 226 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Sunday at Chargers: Flacco's hot-and-cold season turned chilly once again. He was very inaccurate at times, overthrowing open targets in the flats and over the middle. Flacco threw two bad interceptions, ones where the defenders didn't have to move much to pick them off. His best pass was throwing into a tight window for a 15-yard touchdown pass to Ed Dickson.

QBR: 63.1 (16th)

Grade: C-minus

Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers

Stats: 25-for-44 for 330 yards, no touchdowns, three interceptions and one fumble lost.

Monday at 49ers: Roethisberger would get an 'A' for effort, but his performance was far from spectacular. He was extremely limited with a left ankle injury, which caused him to be off target on passes over 10 yards. Outside of the injury, Roethlisberger made some questionable decisions, throwing into coverage too many times. His four turnovers (three interceptions, one fumble) cost the Steelers the game.

QBR: 24.6 (24th)

Grade: D

Thoughts on the Cleveland Browns' overtime loss to the Arizona Cardinals:

What it means: Different quarterback, same result for Cleveland. In Seneca Wallace's first start at quarterback this season, the Browns (4-10) suffered a fourth-quarter meltdown, losing in overtime after leading by 10 points with 8 1/2 minutes left in the game. It marked Cleveland's seventh loss in eight games including its fourth straight. This also secured the Browns' fourth straight season with double-digit defeats.

Fourth-quarter collapse: Holding a 17-7 lead in the fourth quarter, the Browns let the Cardinals score the final 17 points. On the series after Beanie Wells scored a 1-yard touchdown, Wallace was sacked twice, fumbling deep in Cleveland territory on the last one. Jay Feely's 33-yard field goal tied the game in regulation and his 22-yarder in overtime won it.

Wallace fades: In starting for the injured Colt McCoy (concussion), Seneca Wallace started strong, completing 13-of-20 passes for 179 yards in the first three quarters. His 76-yard touchdown to Greg Little put the Browns up 17-7 -- their biggest lead since Week 2 against the Colts. But Wallace struggled in the fourth quarter and overtime, going 5-of-11 for 47 yards including a costly fumble.

Running strong: Peyton Hillis, who wasn't on the injury report this week, showed what he could do when healthy. He gained 99 yards on 26 carries and scored his first touchdown since Sept. 18 at Indianapolis. Hillis set the tone early with 35 rushing yards on the opening series that ended with his touchdown, a rare fast start for the Browns this season.

What's next: The Browns play at Baltimore on Dec. 24, their final road game of the regular season.

Thoughts on the Arizona Cardinals' 20-17 overtime victory over the Cleveland Browns at University of Phoenix Stadium in Week 15:

What it means: The Cardinals improved to 7-7 with an overtime victory that kept alive their playoff hopes. Arizona would have been eliminated from postseason contention had it lost because Detroit defeated Oakland. Patrick Peterson's 32-yard punt return in overtime proved pivotal as Arizona won for the sixth time in seven games following a 1-6 start to the season. A winning season remains a possibility for Arizona.

What I liked: Quarterback John Skelton led a touchdown drive right before halftime and again when the Cardinals switched to a no-huddle offense after falling behind 17-7 in the second half. Receiver Andre Roberts continued a strong run late in the season, catching the touchdown pass late in the first half. Second-year outside linebacker O'Brien Schofield collected sacks on back-to-back plays, forcing a turnover on the second one. That put the Cardinals in position to kick the tying field goal, erasing that 10-point deficit. A challenge from Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt changed O'Brien's second sack from a sack and incomplete to sack and forced fumble, with Arizona recovering at the Cleveland 5. This was a huge reversal for the Cardinals. Skelton set up the winning field goal by finding a wide-open Larry Fitzgerald for a 32-yard gain on third-and-6. Skelton finished with 313 yards passing.

What I didn't like: The Arizona defense, though improved in recent weeks, gave up a seven-play, 76-yard touchdown drive to open the game. Peyton Hillis ran effectively against the Cardinals on this drive. The Cardinals also had trouble containing Browns quarterback Seneca Wallace, who scrambled and found Greg Little open for a 76-yard touchdown. Penalties against Jeff King and Nick Eason in the return game forced Arizona to start two drives deep in their own territory. Poor red zone execution, specifically a botched shovel pass that led to a sack on first-and-goal from the 5, contributed to the Cardinals settling for the tying fourth-quarter field goal when a touchdown would have given them the lead.

Milestones: Beanie Wells scored his 10th rushing touchdown of the season. He joined Tim Hightower (2008) and Donny Anderson (1973) as the most recent Cardinals players to reach that mark. Tight end Todd Heap also passed a milestone, passing Hall of Famer and ex-St. Louis Cardinals Jackie Harris for 11th on the NFL's all-time list for receptions by tight ends.

What's next: The Cardinals visit the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 16.

For some reason, Tom Brady vs. Tim Tebow is attracting more attention than John Skelton vs. Seneca Wallace heading into Week 15.

Skelton is getting the start for Arizona while Kevin Kolb continues his recovery from a concussion suffered against San Francisco last week. It's possible all four Week 15 games involving NFC West teams will feature at least one backup:

• Seattle at Chicago: The Bears are without Jay Cutler. Caleb Hanie starts for him. Chicago is 0-3 and averaging 11 points per game since Hanie took over as the starter.
• St. Louis vs. Cincinnati: Kellen Clemens is expected to start for the injured Sam Bradford behind center for the Rams. Clemens was not even on the Rams' roster until the last couple of weeks. Bradford's injured ankle had him back in a walking boot and missing practices. He's doubtful.
• Arizona vs. Cleveland: Skelton gets the start for Kolb. NFC West alumnus Seneca Wallace starts for the Browns' injured Colt McCoy. Skelton has done a good job picking up yardage with his feet. He's big, strong and tough to take down. Wallace is fast and athletic enough to moonlight at wide receiver as needed.
• San Francisco vs. Pittsburgh: Nothing seems to keep the Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger from playing. He practiced on a limited basis Friday after resting his injured ankle previously during the week. Charlie Batch would start for Roethlisberger on Monday night, if needed.

Consider it a testament to Tarvaris Jackson's toughness and recuperative powers for his injury status to barely merit a mention. Seattle's starter suffered a partially torn pectoral muscle in Week 5 and missed only one game.

» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 15:

Forget about running the ball: The San Francisco 49ers own the NFL's longest ongoing streak of games without allowing an individual 100-yard rusher. The streak dates to Ryan Grant's 129-yard game for Green Bay in Week 11 of the 2009 season. The 49ers' Week 15 opponent, Pittsburgh, hasn't allowed very many, either. Baltimore's Ray Rice (twice) and Houston's Arian Foster are the only players to rush for 100-plus yards against the Steelers since the 49ers' streak began. We should not expect much from Frank Gore and Rashard Mendenhall on Monday night, in other words.

Keep an eye on that fourth quarter: The 49ers are allowing only 14 points per game. That would be the second-lowest average allowed in franchise history if sustained over the season. Opponents have scored 42.3 percent of their points against the 49ers in fourth quarters, however. The 49ers have allowed 27 fourth-quarter points in their three defeats this season. Their past eight opponents have scored only 104 points, or 13 per game, but they scored half of them in fourth quarters. Can the 49ers finish against the Steelers?

Riding the Marshawn Lynch train: Lynch rushed for 573 yards in 12 games with the Seattle Seahawks last season. He has 969 yards in 12 games this season. While Lynch managed only 44 yards on 17 carries against Chicago in his Seahawks debut last season, his hard-nosed running gave Seattle a needed edge in an upset victory. The way Seattle won that game -- with tough defense, a big back and an efficient quarterback -- showed how coach Pete Carroll envisioned winning games. Can the Seahawks do it again?

Nothing comes easy: The Arizona Cardinals are tied with Denver for the most games decided by seven or fewer points this season (10). Fifteen total point separated Arizona from its opponents in the four games won with John Skelton as the Cardinals' primary quarterback. The opponent this week, Cleveland, has played close games against the Cardinals' NFC West rivals. The Browns beat Seattle by three (6-3), lost to St. Louis by one (13-12) and played the 49ers relatively close in San Francisco (20-10). The Browns' likely starting quarterback, Seneca Wallace, started four games last season. Two were decided by a total of four points.

Shuffling lines: The St. Louis Rams head into their game against Cincinnati having started nine players on their offensive line, tied for second-most in the NFL this season. The Rams and Seahawks are the only teams in the league without any offensive linemen starting all games at the same position, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Seattle has weathered the turnover fairly well, but facing the Bears' Julius Peppers without injured left tackle Russell Okung could be problematic.

Browns quarterback Colt McCoy missed Monday's practice, which doesn't come as a surprise. The Browns have to be extremely careful with McCoy's head injury after reports say the organization mishandled the situation.

It also wouldn't be a surprise if the Browns decided to sit McCoy in Sunday's game at Arizona because of the intense scrutiny surrounding this situation. Seneca Wallace would replace McCoy, who has made 21 straight starts.

Browns coach Pat Shurmur maintains his team's medical staff followed NFL guidelines when quarterback Colt McCoy was cleared to go back in Thursday's game at Pittsburgh despite a concussion. But a union source told ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen that the team didn't administer the proper tests until Friday morning.

The controversy surrounding McCoy's concussion has been the latest off-the-field distraction in a season to forget, from Peyton Hillis' contract situation to Josh Cribbs' unhappiness with his role on the team.

Browns starting running back Peyton Hillis has been ruled out for Sunday's game at Houston after aggravating a hamstring injury. According to a report in The Cleveland Plain Dealer, Hillis is probably on his way out of Cleveland.

Barring a major turnaround in behavior and performance, the Browns are prepared to let Hillis go elsewhere when he becomes a free agent at the end of this season, sources told The Plain Dealer. "It's one thing after another, and what's been out there isn't even the half of it," the source told the paper.

This isn't surprising news considering Hillis couldn't have handled his contract situation any worse. He went public over his lack of a contract, missed a game because of strep throat over the advice of his agent, failed to show up for a scheduled appearance at Halloween party for children and got married last Tuesday in Arkansas instead of getting treatment at the Browns facility for his injured hamstring.

"Of course we're going to be a little upset if Peyton's not in there getting his treatment," Browns quarterback Seneca Wallace told The Plain Dealer.

This comes following a report on Yahoo! Sports that said eight veteran players summoned Hillis for "an intervention-style, air-clearing session designed to restore his focus."

Last season, Hillis was the centerpiece of the Browns' offense, producing 1,654 total yards and scoring 13 touchdowns. This season, he's on pace for 574 total yards and four touchdowns.