Cleveland Browns vs Miami Dolphins, September 25, 2016

Browns wide receivers Terrelle Pryor (L) and Rashard Higgins sit on the bench after the overtime loss to the Miami Dolphins.

(John Kuntz, cleveland.com)

MIAMI, Fla. -- Terrelle Pryor played quarterback, wide receiver, and even safety for a play. He ran for a touchdown against the Dolphins, and he led all receivers with 144 yards. But after the gut-wrenching 30-24 loss in overtime, all he could think of was a catch he didn't make.

It was a short pass on third down that Byron Maxwell stripped from him near midfield with the game tied at 24 with 52 seconds left in regulation.

Never mind that Pryor had run for the TD that pulled the Browns to within 24-21 with 10:12 remaining; and caught a 40-yard pass to set up the field goal that tied it with 3:14 left.

The non-catch had him frustrated after the tough loss, one in which new kicker Cody Parkey missed the potential game-winnng kick as time expired in regulation, his third miss of the day.

"I made a couple errors today and I'm very mad at myself,'' Pryor said. "I let my team down, period. That's the only way I can put it.''

Never mind that Pryor took 14 snaps at quarterback in the Wildcat to take some of the pressure off of rookie quarterback Cody Kessler while also starting at the X receiver spot in place of Corey Coleman instead of his usual Z. Or that he went in for one play as a safety at the end of the first half. Or that he rushed four times for 21 yards, including a long gain of 15 and the 3-yard TD.

#Browns Terrelle Pryor wasn't happy with his own all-purpose game, but he was proud of his teammates pic.twitter.com/S19XNO3ofT — Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) September 25, 2016

He said this week that he'd die on the field because he loves the game so much, and repeated that Sunday. Pryor knows he was almost watching this one -- and every other one -- from home.

"Yeah, I was a quarterback, I got released four times,'' he said, his voice low. "The game was almost taken away from me. When I'm at home, it makes me want to tear up sometimes. That's why it means so much to me. I let (my teammates) down a couple times today.''

Jackson, who drafted Pryor as a quarterback in 2011 in Oakland and then gave him another shot at the position last offseason in Cincinnati, knew he could put a lot on his plate.

He was also hard on him for not coming down with that third-down catch that may have changed the outcome. As it was, linebacker Corey Lemonier strip-sacked Ryan Tannehill to set up that potential game-winning 46-yard field goal -- which Parkey pushed wide left as time expired in regulation.

But Jackson subscribes to the theory that "to whom much is given, much is required."

"(Pryor's) got to go make the play,'' said Jackson. "The guy was able to strip the ball out. He's kind of like me: he's a hothead, so I've got to tone him down. He wants to get every call from the official. Let me worry about the officials."



Instant gamer: Browns lost 30-24 to Dolphins in OT to fall to 0-3

Explained Pryor: "I felt like I was getting held the whole game. (I dropped) the slant, a perfect pass. I kept on talking to the refs, 'This guy's holding me (Byron Maxwell).' I lost focus for that second. That's not me. I'm very dissatisfied with myself.''

That Pryor was able to to seesaw between QB and receiver was no surprise to Jackson, who convinced him to become a wideout after he cut him last year as a QB in Cincinnati.

"That's what I expect from Terrelle,'' Jackson said. "I've known Terrelle for a while. He's capable of a lot. You guys might be surprised; I'm not. He's a very talented player. His best football is still ahead of him.''

The gutsy performance blew away even left tackle Joe Thomas, who's just about seen it all in his 10 seasons. Pryor became the first NFL player to register at least three passing attempts, three rushing attempts and three receptions in the same game since Billy Kilmer did it for San Francisco in 1964.

He also became the first player to have at least 120 receiving yards, 30 passing yards, and 20 rushing yards in a single game since Hall of Famer Frank Gifford on Dec. 6, 1959.

"It's a shame that we lost, because people will forget but that was one of the single-handed most impressive performances from a player that I've seen in awhile,'' said Thomas. "It was pretty amazing for a guy that wasn't really in the league last year.''

When Pryor wasn't throwing, catching or scoring, he was blocking downfield and sacrificing his body. After all, he also said this week he'd cut off his finger to win for the Browns.

"It's been a long journey for him, getting cut, bouncing around and wondering if his NFL career was over,'' said Thomas. "Having Hue come back and take him under his wing and embrace him and give him that chance -- you've got to give Terrelle a lot of credit. He's been completely committed to making that transition to receiver.''

Pryor, who threw a 26-yard strike to Gary Barnidge on the Browns' second drive, admitted he was a little gassed trying to wear two hats. Overall, he accounted for 200 of the Browns' 430 yards -- almost half.

'I should've put my hand up,'' he said. "There's a lot of plays I wish I could have back and let Higgy (Rashard Higgins) get in there, but they've got to pull me off this dang field. I love the game, man. It just means the world to me.''

Pryor loved that Jackson put so much on him.

"I can do it,'' he said. "I thank God every day that he gave me the ability to play so many different things and be effective. It just shows you how great a coach Hue Jackson is. Like I said, I'll die on the field for him because this guy loves the game.''

If only Pryor could kick field goals, the Browns may have pulled it out.

"If (Jackson) asked me to go play center, tackle, I'm going to work my butt off to go and do it,'' he said. "A lot of people overlook us and talk bad about us, but I feel like our team is one of the best teams in the NFL. We've just got to figure out how to win.''

Continuing to let Pryor multi-task is one way to start.