BEREA Cornerback Sheldon Brown will play significantly Sunday against the Buffalo Bills after missing all but one play last Sunday with a sore shoulder.
The media learned Thursday that there was never a plan last week for Brown to play against the Bengals despite being listed as a full participant in practice two days prior to the game. That tidbit came via defensive coordinator Dick Jauron.
"We entered that week being told that Sheldon would be very limited throughout the week and for the game," Jauron said. "So we took that approach into the game and tried to limit his exposure to any more injuries. Hopefully he's had that week to recover and we move from there."
Brown was inserted for one play to keep alive his streak of consecutive games played. Second-year veteran Buster Skrine played in place of Brown and struggled in what was his first starting assignment.
Brown said he felt good enough to play last week. He understands that at age 33 a change in responsibilities is expected.
"Eventually people have to go out there and prove what they can do," Brown said. "You can change whatever you want to change. If it's your car, you have the keys to it."
A WAYS TO GO: Skrine admitted that he didn't play well. Jauron was open in his assessment of Skrine.
"Buster is a work in progress," Jauron said. "He hasn't played a lot of football. We clearly like him. He's a very tough guy. He learned a good deal that will help him in the long run. It was just painful for him and us sometimes. He also made some good plays but gave up some."
Jauron said the list of things Skrine needs to improve upon would be long.
"To take the field to start in a NFL game is very different from anything you've ever done," Jauron said. "It's a lot faster, and you're out there on that edge the whole game. Everything would be new for him at that length of time and at that speed."
NOT CONCERNED: Receiver Greg Little has received criticism for his celebratory dance after catching a touchdown pass with the Browns trailing the Bengals last week. He later posted a picture of the play on twitter.
Little basically said he doesn't care what the critics think about his celebration.
"Until someone on this team comes up to me and expresses their concerns, then that's all I really care about," Little said. "Nobody from the coaches has come to me and said that it's something that's distracting the team."
WHAT A DAY: The Bills' last visit to Cleveland Browns Stadium was Dec. 16, 2007, a day that kicker Phil Dawson won't ever forget. Dawson made field goals of 35 and 49 yards in an 8-0 win in a game that was played in blizzard-like conditions and with about half a foot of snow on the ground.
Dawson calls the kicks the best of his long and illustrious career.
"No doubt about it," Dawson said. "It was so ridiculously off the charts condition-wise. I felt no pressure. No one expected me to make them. Things like getting the depth from our snapper. I had to go up and walk it off because there were no hash marks to go off. Then the intensity of the wind and the visibility was decreased because of the snow. It was a crazy day."
INJURY REPORT: Tight end Alex Smith (head) and rookie linebacker James-Michael Johnson (oblique/ribs) didn't practice Thursday. If they don't go today it's doubtful either will play.
