CLEVELAND - Browns coach Pat Shurmur was mad at himself for not letting running back Montario Hardesty score a touchdown from the 1-yard line late in the Browns' 30-7 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Hardesty wasn't too happy, either.
"We talked about it on the sideline," Hardesty said. "It happens sometimes during the game. It's all good. We got that 'W.' "
Hardesty carried the ball five times for 35 yards on the drive, but when it was time to punch it in Trent Richardson performed the honors. Shurmur pulled Hardesty after he fumbled on a dive from the 1 on the previous play. Hardesty fell on the loose ball.
"I'm so upset with myself for not giving Hardesty that opportunity to score there," Shurmur said. "There was nothing to it. It just happened. Montario has earned the right to carry the football, and he did a good job for us. I trust him in every situation."
Hardesty once again sparked the ground attack with 52 yards on 10 carries. He had more yards than Richardson, who rushed for 42.
Hardesty thinks he should have been credited with a touchdown on the dive.
"I was reaching the ball out over the line," Hardesty said. "It was on the ground and out in front of me. The guy went down and reached for it, and I kind of pulled it back in. It was kind of like at the inch line. It could have gone either way."
DIRTY POOL: Richardson found out what center Alex Mack already knows Chiefs defensive lineman Shaun Smith doesn't always play fair. In a game early in the 2010 season, Mack claimed that Smith, a former Brown, grabbed him in a certain part of the body. Yesterday, Smith was overly aggressive after tackling Richardson, which led tight end Alex Smith to come to Richardson's aid.
"I don't like to get into all that stuff," Richardson said. "People are going to try to get into my head and out of my game."
Richardson initially didn't know about Smith's incident with Mack.
"I didn't get warned until halftime," Richardson said. "That's part of football that some people play."
NOT AN ISSUE: Offensive tackle Joe Thomas made news last week when he criticized former Browns running back Peyton Hillis for his off-the-field behavior last season in Cleveland. Hillis missed six games (five with an ankle injury and one with strep throat) during a time when he was trying to get a new contract. Thomas felt that Hillis could have played through the injuries.
The two didn't come close enough to each other after the game to shake hands. Tight end Benjamin Watson did shake Hillis' hand and shared a few words.
"I didn't have anything to do with that (Thomas' issues)," Watson said. "Bottom line is he's a guy that I played with and I wanted to see how he was doing."
WELCOME BACK: Chiefs quarterback Brady Quinn returned to Cleveland for the first time since he was traded from the Browns to the Broncos in 2010 in return for Hillis.
"It brought back a ton of memories," Quinn said. "There is a ton of great people here as far as around the city, the fans, some of the players that were there when I was there. It was a dream to be drafted by the team you grew up rooting for."
HELPING HAND: Joshua Cribbs didn't score a touchdown in the return game, but he was a blocker on Travis Benjamin's team-record, 93-yard punt return for a touchdown.
"It feels great, especially because I was out there helping him," Cribbs said. "This is a selfless team. My hat goes off to Travis."
INJURY REPORT: Defensive tackle Phil Taylor went to the locker room with an apparent lower-leg injury in the first quarter. He returned the next time the defense was on the field.
The Chiefs suffered a big blow when receiver Dwayne Bowe exited in the first quarter with a rib injury. He was taken to the locker room and didn't play again. Early in the game Bowe beat Joe Haden on a 47-yard pass play. Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles also suffered a rib injury in the first quarter. He returned after spending one series on the sideline.
RECORD-SETTERS: Benjamin's 93-yard return was the longest punt return in Browns' history. Eric Metcalf set the previous record of 92 yards in 1994 against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Richardson tied Jim Brown's team record for rushing touchdowns by a rookie in a season with nine. Richardson rushed for a pair of touchdowns.
BACK AT IT: Safety Usama Young and cornerback Dimitri Patterson were back after missing time with injuries. Young suffered a concussion against the Pittsburgh Steelers and sat out last week's game in Oakland. Patterson was out seven games with an ankle injury.
INACTIVES: Out for the Browns were defensive backs Trevin Wade and Eric Hagg; running back Brandon Jackson; fullback Owen Marecic; defensive lineman Ronnie Cameron; offensive lineman Jarrod Shaw and receiver Josh Cooper.
