2011 Cleveland Browns season The 2011 Cleveland Browns season will be the team ' s 65th season as a professional sports franchise and its 61st season as a member of the National Football League ( NFL ) . The team had hoped to improve on its 2010 season , where it finished with a record of 5 – 11 and placed third in the AFC North , however , the team was eliminated from playoff contention in Week 14 . This season marks the second season under the leadership of team president Mike Holmgren and general manager Tom Heckert . It will be the first season under head coach Pat Shurmur . The Browns will play all of their home games at Cleveland Browns Stadium in Cleveland , Ohio . Off - season . Personnel changes . On January 3 , 2011 , one day after the 2010 season , the Browns fired head coach Eric Mangini . In two seasons with the Browns , Mangini had a record of 10 – 22 and a disappointing 2 – 10 record against division opponents . On January 13 , the team hired former St . Louis Rams ' offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur to replace Mangini as head coach . Shurmur served as the Rams ' offensive coordinator from 2009 – 2010 , and was an offensive assistant with the Philadelphia Eagles from 1999 – 2008 . This is his first opportunity as an NFL head coach . On January 21 , Shurmur made his first addition to the coaching staff , by hiring Dick Jauron as defensive coordinator . Jauron , who most recently served as the Philadelphia Eagles ' secondary coach , has served as defensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars from 1995 – 98 , head coach of the Chicago Bears from 1999 – 2003 , and head coach of the Buffalo Bills from 2006 – 09 . Jauron replaces Rob Ryan , who became the defensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys . On January 25 , the Browns hired Chris Tabor as special teams coordinator . Tabor most recently served as the Chicago Bears ' assistant special teams coach from 2008 – 2010 . Tabor replaces Brad Seely , who became the special teams coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers . On January 31 , the Browns added four new coaches to their staff . The Browns hired former Oakland Raiders defensive line coach Dwaine Board as defensive line coach , former Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Billy Davis as linebackers coach , former University of Miami offensive coordinator Mark Whipple as quarterbacks coach , and former NFL wide receiver Mike Wilson as wide receivers coach . The rest of the Browns ' position coaches were retained from Mangini ' s staff . The Browns have not hired an offensive coordinator , as Shurmur intends to call the offensive plays for the team . Scheme Changes . This season marks the Browns ' transition into the West Coast Offense of Coach Pat Shurmur and the 4 - 3 defense of defensive coordinator Dick Jauron . Roster Changes . Free Agency . F The Browns placed the franchise tag on Dawson 2011 Draft class . The Browns did not have a 3rd or 6th round selection . The Browns traded their original 7th round selection but later received a new 7th round selection as a compensatory pick . Undrafted free agents . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > Weatherhead also played for the Cleveland Gladiators of the Arena Football League . Uniform Changes . On June 16 , it was announced that the Browns would be wearing white jerseys for all home games . The Browns had previously worn white at home during the 1950s - 1980s and again in the early 2000s ( decade ) . As the Browns do not play any road games against teams that traditionally wear white at home , it is possible that the Browns could wear their white jerseys for every game of the season . Preseason . Schedule . The Browns ' preseason schedule was announced on April 12 , 2011 . Roster Moves . After the third preseason game , all NFL teams had to reduce their rosters to 80 players . On August 28 , The Browns released eight players , the majority of them being undrafted free agents . After the final preseason game , all teams had to reduce their rosters to 53 players . The Browns released 25 players and placed two players – RB Brandon Jackson and G Eric Steinbach – on injured reserve . Notable players released include QB Jarrett Brown and DB Coye Francies . Regular season . Schedule . COLOR KEY & NOTES : Game summaries . Week 1 : vs . Cincinnati Bengals . The Browns began the season with a division game against the Cincinnati Bengals . The Bengals struck first , with two Mike Nugent field goals and a Jermaine Gresham touchdown reception . Down 13 - 0 , the Browns struck back , with Colt McCoy completing two touchdown passes to give Cleveland the lead at halftime . Phil Dawson gave the Browns an insurance field goal , but late in the fourth , Bengals backup QB Bruce Gradkowski caught the Browns defense slow out of the huddle and hit A . J . Green for a 41 yard touchdown that proved to be the game winner . With the 27 - 17 loss , the Browns started the season 0 - 1 . Week 2 : at Indianapolis Colts . The Browns took on the Indianapolis Colts in Week 2 , with both teams looking to rebound from losses . The Colts moved the ball well early , but had to settle for two Adam Vinatieri field goals to take a 6 - 0 lead . The Browns answered with an Evan Moore touchdown reception from Colt McCoy . The Colts briefly regained the lead on another Vinatieri field goal , but the Browns responded with a Peyton Hillis touchdown run to take a 14 - 9 lead into halftime . The Colts added another field goal in the third , but the Browns scored 13 unanswered points in the fourth to put the game away and defeat the Colts 27 - 19 . With the win , the Browns improved to 1 - 1 . Week 3 : vs . Miami Dolphins . The Browns faced the Miami Dolphins without their leading rusher Peyton Hillis in a Week 3 matchup . The Dolphins took an early lead , converting a Colt McCoy interception into a 7 - 0 lead on a touchdown pass from Chad Henne . The Browns tied the game on a touchdown pass from McCoy to Joshua Cribbs . The Dolphins took the lead again on a Dan Carpenter field goal , and took a 10 - 7 lead into halftime . The Browns again tied the game in the third with Phil Dawson ' s field goal . The Dolphins added two more field goals , and had the Browns down six points in the final minutes . McCoy led the Browns down the field , and hit Mohamed Massaquoi on a 14 yard touchdown pass to give the Browns a last - minute , 17 - 16 victory . With the win , the Browns improved to 2 - 1 . Week 4 : vs . Tennessee Titans . With the loss , the Browns dropped to 2 – 2 , heading into their Week 5 bye .