Billy Cundiff's recent struggles
- If you include the 60-yarder he left short against the Falcons, Browns kicker Billy Cundiff has missed a kick in five straight games. Cundiff pushed a 40-yarder wide right against the Colts in a game Cleveland lost, 25-24.
- "I just didn't make it," Cundiff said Sunday in the locker room. "I think it's much simpler just to say what I have all along. At the end of the day, it comes down to me being responsible for making kicks, and I just didn't make it."
- Said coach Mike Pettine: "In a game like that, you get opportunities for points, you have to be able to take advantage of those short fields and make field goals when you have to."
- Cundiff said he will go back to the film room and look at some technique things for why he's had a run of missed kicks. Cundiff said he actually feels mentally stronger than he did at the beginning of the season.
- Pettine said he and general manager Ray Farmer have not yet thought about making a move at kicker, but in their weekly meeting addressing the roster, Cundiff's missed kicks will be among the topics they discuss.
Ryan Seymour shows something at center
- Barring an injury, it looks as if Seymour has secured the starting center position for the rest of the season. The 24-year-old Vanderbilt alum sealed off a block that freed Isaiah Crowell's 9-yard touchdown run in the second quarter against the Colts.
- "I thought he was solid in protection," Pettine said. "He still had a couple of issues in the run game, but I thought overall he was pretty solid."
- Seymour became the fourth center to start a game for the Browns in 2014, the first time that's happened since at least 1970. The others include Alex Mack, John Greco and Nick McDonald. Seymour spent time with both the Seahawks and 49ers last season. If keeps this up, Seymour could warrant being a long term depth solution along the offensive line.
Lighter practice schedule on deck
- The only injury of note from the loss to the Colts was cornerback K'Waun Williams. The rookie pulled his hamstring, but it isn't considered anything serious.
- Even though the injury report isn't chock full of names, Browns players and coaches said the Colts game was extremely physical. Because of that, Cleveland is going to scale back practice this week and won't be using pads.
- "I think it's more important for us to be fresh this week mentally and physically than the scheme part of it," Pettine said. "I could see us paring back what we're doing to make sure that we're as healthy as we can be going into Sunday."
