Written by Thomas Moore

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The Cleveland Browns head to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers in the final game of the 2012 NFL season.

Thaddeus Lewis, who has never taken a snap at the NFL level, will start at quarterback for the Browns, with Brandon Weeden and Colt McCoy both out with shoulder injuries.

And Lewis won’t have Trent Richardson to hand the ball to, as the rookie running back will miss the game with an ankle injury.

Yeah, this is going to be some kind of party.

The Opposition

Pittsburgh’s record: 7-8
Offensive rank: 21st overall/11th passing/26th rushing
Defensive rank: 1st overall/1st passing/2nd rushing
All-time record: Steelers lead, 64-57
Last meeting: Browns won, 20-14, in Week 12
The line: Browns +10

What to Watch For

This was going to be a tough game for the Browns even before the injuries hit the offense.

The Steelers are out of the playoffs so they can let it all hang out, plus they are not going to want to lose to the Browns for the second time this season. With nothing to play for, that also opens the door for plenty of cheap shots and late hits from the likes of James Harrison.

Welcome to the NFL, Thad Lewis.

“It’s a tall mountain, but a guy like Thad, who’s been in this system, has played in the preseason, we watch him every day,” said Browns offensive coordinator Brad Childress. “He’s running the card team, but he gets to sit in all those meetings. He does run a portion of practice, our run game portion of practice at times down with George Warhop and Gary Brown. It’s not daunting to him, is the point. I think he’s actually kind of looking forward to maybe the opportunity to play.”

It’s been quite a week for Lewis, who went from being on the Browns practice squad to starting quarterback.

“To be on the practice squad and then, take reps with the ones, it’s a good thing,” Lewis said. “Sometimes, your number gets called. I would say I’ll be nervous when you first get out there, but when that ball is snapped, it’s time to play. Once the lights are on, it’s time to go. It’s always an opportunity. In this league, you have to take advantage of those opportunities. If this is my one opportunity, I have to make sure I’m ready and prepare myself and give it my all.”

Lewis has spent more time in coach Pat Shurmur’s offense than any other quarterback on the Browns roster. Whether that is a good thing or not ... well, we’ll leave that up to you.

“Thad’s done great. He’s had a good week of practice,” Shurmur said. “He’s been preparing himself to play all year even though he wasn’t on the active roster. We anticipate and what we expect is that he goes out and plays winning football.”

Not surprisingly, seeing as how these are the Browns, there is precedence for the Browns to be in this situation. In 2000, the team was forced to turn to Spergon Wynn for a game against Jacksonville and Wynn responded with 17 passing yards in a 48-0 loss. In 2008, Bruce Gradowski got the nod and came through with 18 passing yards.

So, the bar is pretty low for Lewis.

On defense, cornerback Sheldon Brown will miss the game, meaning the Browns will be without two of the starting secondary in Brown and T.J. Ward.

After throwing interceptions the past two weeks that cost the Steelers wins, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will be looking to end the season on a high note.

“You just know what Ben is as a player and you know that he can extend plays and ruin the game for you by making a big play when you feel like for the first five or six seconds of that snap you’ve got him defended,” Shurmur said. “I think that’s what’s always in the back of your head. I think that’s what he brings to the game.”

The Browns had been playing decent defense during the year, but are coming off consecutive games where they have given up more than 30 points.

“Things happen on the field and you’ve got to play with the players that you have, and then you’ve got to perform,” Browns defensive coordinator Dick Jauron said. “I’ve got to do a better job of getting them ready and making better calls, get them in better positions to make plays.

“We certainly haven’t fallen off in any effort area. I don’t know, we just got beat. Those other guys are pretty good. Any Sunday you go out there, we’ve got a chance to win and they’ve certainly got a chance to win. I have to tip my hat to them. They did a better job and beat us.”

Depressing Browns Stat of the Week

When Lewis makes the start on Sunday, he will be the 18th different quarterback to start a game for the Browns since 1999, tied for the most in the NFL, according to Elias Sports Bureau.

A Somewhat Fitting End

If Sunday’s game is the last one for Shurmur as coach of the Browns, he will be the third consecutive Browns coach to have his final game come against the Steelers.

Eric Mangini (in 2010) and Romeo Crennel (2008) both faced Pittsburgh in their final games with Cleveland.

The result? Mangini left at the wrong end of a 41-9 beating, while Crennel watched the Browns lose 31-0.

The more things change in Cleveland, the more they stay the same.

It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye

Sunday’s game may also be the final time fans will see Phil Dawson and Josh Cribbs, the longest-tenured players, as Browns.

“I know moving forward, whatever term I sign, I’m going to be able to outlive it,” Dawson said. “I’m not going to be one of these guys who holds on and holds on and holds on. So as long as I feel like I can play at a high level, I’m going to. With my family in Texas and me here or wherever, I’m not going to be away from them to play poorly.”

“I want my career to end here in Cleveland,” Cribbs said. “I have a lot in the tank. I hate that we rebuild every year. It’s not a good recipe for successful football. But at the same time, I want to play football no matter where it’s at. I want to end my career here, but it is the business and nature of football, and I plan to stay here.”

The Prediction

This is one of those weeks where we are thankful for NFL Sunday Ticket.

Even at full strength this was going to be a tough game for the Browns. But now, with a quarterback making his first NFL start, no number one running back and a division rival wanting to take the frustration of a disappointing year out on a someone, there is simply no way to see the Browns winning this game, let alone staying close.

Take the Steelers and the points.

And let the rebuilding start again.

Record picking the Browns this season: 5-9-1

(Photo by ClevelandBrowns.com)