SEATTLE: Tight end Gary Barnidge has established a reputation for providing the Browns with bright moments during a dark season.
It happened again in a 30-13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday at CenturyLink Field.
Barnidge caught a 7-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Johnny Manziel with 8:07 left in the first quarter to give the Browns (3-11) a 7-0 lead and tie the franchise record for receiving touchdowns by a tight end in a single season. With nine touchdown catches, Barnidge has matched the nine hall of famer Ozzie Newsome had in 1979.
“I understand and respect Ozzie Newsome’s place in NFL history,” Barnidge said. “He was an outstanding player. For me personally, I am not a big stat guy. I would trade all my touchdowns for wins if I could.”
Barnidge had three catches for 29 yards on four targets against the Seahawks (9-5). He leads the Browns this season with 68 receptions, 930 receiving yards and nine touchdown catches.
“He’s Mr. Consistent,” Manziel said. “It takes a while to go back and see when Gary didn’t catch a touchdown in a game. The guy works hard. He’s the most consistent guy on our offense — outside of [All-Pro left tackle] Joe Thomas, who has been doing this year after year for years. Gary has been that safety blanket for us.”
At age 30, Barnidge has shocked the masses with his drastic spike in production. His previous career highs were 13 catches (in 2014 and 2013), 242 yards (in 2009) and two touchdowns (in 2013). His Pro Bowl-caliber season led the Browns to sign him to a three-year, $12.3 million contract extension on Dec. 10.
“It’s a testament to who he is, how he prepares,” Browns coach Mike Pettine said of Barnidge tying Newsome’s record. “He’ll be the first one to tell you it’s all about getting an opportunity. You see guys in the league who kind of just get typecast in a role, and people saw Gary Barnidge as a No. 2 tight end for a long time. He played behind Greg Olsen [in Carolina], played behind Jordan Cameron [in Cleveland], and finally got an opportunity to be the guy. It comes as a surprise to a lot of people but not to those internally who know Gary. I think we saw glimpses of it last year at times when Jordan was hurt or even when he was the second tight end of him making plays.”
Significant injury
Browns starting right guard John Greco suffered a knee injury during the second play of the game, limped off the field with 13:56 remaining in the first quarter and did not return.
Pettine said it was “the most serious” injury any Browns player suffered Sunday. He also revealed Greco would undergo an MRI on Monday.
“Losing Grec hurt,” Pettine said. “That early in the game having to jumble the lineup and this late in the year those backup guys not getting a ton of quality reps with the ones, but that’s part of it. They’ve got to be able to step up and play.”
Rookie Cameron Erving, a first-round draft pick who lost the starting left guard job to Austin Pasztor two weeks ago because he has repeatedly been overpowered by opponents, filled in for Greco.
Erving, the 19th overall pick, surrendered a sack to nose tackle Brandon Mebane in the first quarter. His holding penalty in the fourth quarter negated Manziel’s 9-yard run for a first down, and he got beat by defensive end Michael Bennett who strip-sacked Manziel late in the game. Erving recovered the fumble with 2:21 left in the fourth quarter. Thomas, the eight-time Pro Bowler, also took Erving’s spot on the field-goal team because Erving has struggled to protect in recent weeks.
Erving insisted he felt comfortable at right guard, saying, “I felt pretty good going in there.”
But the Browns will miss Greco if he can’t finish the season. They lost starting left guard Joel Bitonio to a season-ending ankle injury two weeks ago.
“I feel for John,” Manziel said. “I saw him in a brace walking around after the game. It’s tough. He is a critical part to our offensive line. He’s been around here for a while. I hope he is all right.”
Friendly fire
Fox’s TV cameras caught strong safety Donte Whitner chewing out rookie cornerback Charles Gaines on the sideline and Gaines responding by shoving Whitner. The network showed the scene when the fourth quarter started.
Gaines said Whitner gave him grief for giving up plays in coverage.
“That’s something I respect coming from a veteran guy like that,” Gaines said. “I got caught up in the hype, we talked it out and everything moved on from there.
“It was just a little football, just football talk. Nothing major. It’s just a blessing to be out there with a great athlete. The guy’s passionate about the game. He wants to win not only the game, he wants to win every down, and that’s something I’ve got to respect.”
Pettine downplayed the incident.
“We saw it,” Pettine said. “I’m not sure [what led to it]. Both those guys are very emotional, and I know it diffused quickly. I saw them bumping fists 10 seconds later, so I don’t see that as a big deal.”
Impressive debut
Undrafted rookie running back Raheem Mostert made his debut with the Browns and served as their primary kickoff returner.
He had five returns for 159 yards (31.8 average), including a 53-yard return that led to Travis Coons’ 34-yard field goal in the second quarter. It was the longest kickoff return by a Browns player since running back Fozzy Whitaker had a 56-yard return at Green Bay on Oct. 20, 2013.
The Browns claimed Mostert off waivers from the Baltimore Ravens on Wednesday and waived undrafted rookie wide receiver Darius Jennings.
“He was a guy that when we played Baltimore, we were very aware of where he was, tried to kick away from him,” Pettine said. “I was obviously glad that we were able to pick him up mid-week, and he gave us some spark in the return game.”
The pressure was there
Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson punished the Browns by throwing for 249 yards and three touchdowns and rushing for 46 yards on five carries (9.2 average) despite the defense getting two sacks and 11 quarterback hits.
“Russell can extend plays. [He’s] good on his feet,” rookie defensive end Xavier Cooper said. “When you’re playing a quarterback like that, you’ve got to get him down.”
Defensive end Desmond Bryant had 1.5 sacks and leads the team with six this season. He has three sacks in the past two games.
Serious competition
Speculation about Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning possibly leading the football operations of the Browns after he retires as a player has existed since owner Jimmy Haslam bought the team in 2012.
But CBSSports.com reported Sunday there continues to be persistent chatter in NFL personnel circles that Manning and hall of fame executive Bill Polian could take control of the Tennessee Titans’ front office as a package deal next year.
Manning and Haslam became friends years ago because of their allegiances to the University of Tennessee.
After Haslam struck a deal to purchase the Browns three years ago, he flirted with the idea of hiring Manning during an interview with the Beacon Journal.
“We’ll see about that,” Haslam said with a laugh. “He’s a great guy, and he’s a very smart, capable guy who’s not just a good football player, but could be good at a lot of different things.”
Who’s in, who’s out?
Browns wide receivers Dwayne Bowe and Terrelle Pryor were active in the same game for the first time this season.
Bowe has been inactive eight times and a healthy scratch seven times this season despite joining the Browns in March by signing a two-year, $12.5 million contract, which includes $9 million guaranteed.
Bowe had two catches for 22 yards in garbage time, boosting his totals this season to five catches for 53 yards. Bowe was also the intended receiver when Seahawks cornerback Marcus Burley intercepted a pass from Manziel with 2:06 left in the fourth quarter.
Pryor dropped a pass and finished without a catch on two targets a week after he made his NFL regular-season debut as a receiver in a 24-10 win over the San Francisco 49ers. He also took a direct snap and lost 1 yard on the run.
Pettine and offensive coordinator John DeFilippo said Pryor would receive an expanded role in the aftermath of wide receiver Brian Hartline suffering a season-ending broken collarbone last week.
The Browns had five active receivers against the Seahawks with Travis Benjamin, Taylor Gabriel and Marlon Moore being the others. Gabriel missed the previous three games after suffering a concussion, and Moore entered the weekend listed as questionable with injured ribs.
Wide receivers Andrew Hawkins (concussion) and Rannell Hall, cornerbacks K’Waun Williams (shoulder) and Justin Gilbert (concussion), running backs Glenn Winston (concussion) and Daryl Richardson and offensive lineman Kaleb Johnson were inactive for the Browns. Williams and Gilbert were questionable.
Kicker Travis Coons (right groin) played despite being questionable. He rested his leg Thursday and Friday. He made field goals of 34 and 37 yards. He had a kick blocked in three consecutive games but snapped the streak against the Seahawks.
Left tackle Joe Thomas (knee) played after sitting out practice Wednesday and Thursday. He fully participated Friday and was listed as probable. Thomas has not missed an offensive snap since the Browns drafted him third overall in 2007. His streak of 8,815 consecutive snaps is the longest active streak in the league.
Pro Bowl strong safety Kam Chancellor (pelvis) was among the Seahawks’ inactives. He was listed as questionable.
Extra points
• Pettine said Erving rolled an ankle, center Alex Mack suffered a calf injury and inside linebacker hurt his elbow. But Greco was the only Browns player who left the game with injury and did not return.
• Coons, rookie nose tackle Danny Shelton, rookie defensive lineman Xavier Cooper and inside linebacker Craig Robertson served as coin toss captains for the Browns.
• Rookie running back Duke Johnson led the Browns with five receptions for 39 yards. He also rushed for 46 yards, including a career-long 39-yard run. He has 54 receptions this season, tied for the third-most by a Browns rookie.
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Browns blog at www.ohio.com/browns. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/NateUlrichABJ and on Facebook www.facebook.com/abj.sports.