CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Cleveland Browns started the day in first place in the AFC North Division and were at home against Houston but had a sub-par showing and lost to the Texans, 23-7, at FirstEnergy Stadium.

Browns coach Mike Pettine met with reporters after the game and was asked about the struggles of the Cleveland offense; the injuries the Browns' defense absorbed during the game; and why his team wasn't able to contain Alfred Blue and Houston's run game.

Here are the highlights of Pettine's postgame remarks:

Opening statement

"Karlos (Dansby) will get an MRI on his knee tomorrow, so we don't have any more information. (Jabaal) Sheard has an issue with his foot. And Marlon Moore was dinged up a little bit, but I don't think it's serious.

"Disappointing to have the momentum and a little time off and come out and play that way. We won't be a team that makes excuses. we got beat soundly today in all three phrases. . . We did have opportunities but came up small at the opportune moments."

Injuries' effect on run defense

"It has an effect, but this is the National Football League. Injuries are a part of it. The next guy's got to step up and you've got to be able to play. Injuries are a part of it. The guys that go in there, when we do have guys go down, they have to step up and play."

Did being in first place affect Browns' performance

"I don't know. I thought we had a good week of practice. Sometimes that's hard to tell . . you can't really use the week of practice to predict how the game will go. . . I thought our guys came back refreshed, focused, we had good plans on both sides of the ball. We went out and they out-executed us."

J.J. Watt's performance

"One, just watching that tape during the week. . . you had to know where he was. That's tough sledding. He's more than likely the best defensive player in football. He's a special player. You run to him, you run away from him. . . It's hard to help the guy who has him in protection."

Isaiah Crowell's fumble

"That's tough. We knew going in that they led the league in takeaways. . . That (fumble) was a big one. The one with Miles (Austin) very uncharacteristically dropping a ball (and resulting in an interception). . .You get it to a one-score game and you have a chance . . . and unfortunately we turn the ball over.

"We're not a team that can afford to be in minus territory in turnover margin."

Brian Hoyer's play

"There were some throws he would want to have back, we dropped some balls, we had some issues in protection. We made some plays but not enough."

Watt's touchdown catch

"It was a heck of a throw and a heck of a catch. . . As soon as I saw the replay I knew it was a touchdown because he got something in (bounds) - a elbow, a knee. . ."

The play of Texans QB Ryan Mallett

"I thought they did a real good job as a staff, just their game plan with him. . . . They kept him out of third and long. We had him backed up and bracketed on third and long, and I don't know if you could have thrown the ball any better. . . I thought it was a combination of him playing well and them having a good plan for him."

Effect of no-huddle offense by the Texans

"That's something that Coach O'Brien had used in New England out of the two-tight-end, two-receiver grouping. They just out-executed us at times."

Why Houston ran so well

"Their offensive line is one of the better run lines in the league. . .Their defensive front, we were very well aware it wasn't just Watt."

Why Crowell started and was featured Sunday

"We weren't going to just not play him (after the fumble). . . He was a guy we felt we wanted to give the start. The fumble was unfortunate. . the guy was running across and made a heck of a play punching it out. . . Isaiah, there were a lot of plays where he ran hard."

Concerned about Dansby being out for an extended time?

"Yeah. We don't know. The MRI is tomorrow."

Will Josh Gordon need time to adjust when he returns Monday?

"This is a player that's missed probably 75-80 days and 10 games and the preseason - its' a significant amount of time. I just don't know if you walk back in and are able to be functional. We'll see where he is on Monday and plan accordingly as the week goes on."