Bengals safety Chinedum Ndukwe made Browns receiver Braylon Edwards pay for a hard block late in the third quarter - and plans to make him keep paying next season.

Edwards drilled Ndukwe, Brady Quinn's former Notre Dame teammate, on a 9-yard end-around by Josh Cribbs late in the quarter, knocking him to the ground. Afterward, Edwards stood over him for a couple seconds before being congratulated by teammates.

Four plays later, Ndukwe delivered a crunching blow after a third-down pass, which Edwards converted. Then, in the fourth quarter, Ndukwe lit up Edwards from behind after an interception by Cincinnati's Leon Hall, even though Edwards wasn't in position to make the play.

"We were playing hard Football, that's it," Ndukwe said. "He got me pretty good on a crackback and he was proud of it. Hit a guy when he isn't looking? I guess he was excited about that. But that's part of Football. I'm not complaining.

"The rest of the game, though, I wanted to make sure I let him know that I didn't appreciate it. I don't think it's over, either. Every time we play, I'll make a point. I remember things like that."

Edwards said his block was clean.

"I was out there doing my job," the receiver said. "My job is to block when Josh runs reverses. I got him. My block was legal, nonetheless."

Asked if Ndukwe's post-pick blow was legal, Edwards said: "You watched it. You make your own opinion."

Did Ndukwe overdo the revenge factor? "It's Football, man," Edwards said. "You deal with it."

Ndukwe admitted he took his shot.

"I've got to take my shots when I can," he said. "Then he's rolling around on the ground and he's trying to reach for something. I guess the ankle is all he could get. I guess that's just the type of guy he is.

"I'm sure Braylon's a great guy off the field. I can't say anything bad about him personally."

Edwards was the intended receiver on all three of Hall's interceptions, but most were quarterback misfires.

"The ground was real stiff and real icy," Edwards said. "[Hall] just played short and didn't take anything and really just jumped all the routes. He played good. He anticipated some things and made some good plays."

Edwards vs. fans: Edwards' reception from the fans wasn't as bad as anticipated after he complained last week about his treatment and what he called anti-Michigan sentiment. In fact, he expressed appreciation for them.

"I really didn't listen," he said. "My job was to go out there and try to get a win. Try to make some plays, help [quarterback Ken] Dorsey out. I heard some cheers, I heard some boos, but that's every game. They were here. Whatever they say, whatever comes out of their mouth, at the end of the day they're here, which means they care about us. That's all that matters."

Dorsey concussion: Dorsey suffered a mild concussion and rib injury and was replaced by Bruce Gradkowski, who might start next week in Pittsburgh. Dorsey wasn't permitted to talk after the game per team policy because of the concussion.

No Marty?

Fox Network's Jay Glazer reported Sunday that the Browns won't hire former head coach Marty Schottenheimer to replace coach Romeo Crennel. Glazer stressed the Browns will go after Bill Cowher, and if they can't land him, might try for a package deal of New England Patriots executive vice president Scott Pioli at general manager and current Pats offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels as head coach. Glazer also mentioned Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.

Hoard weighs in: Former Browns running back Leroy Hoard, an ex-Wolverine, attended the game with his dad and said fans here never held his Michigan roots against him, unlike Edwards' claims.

"Sometimes when you're disappointed and frustrated with yourself, you want to lash out," Hoard said. "You want it to be somebody else's fault. The reality is it happens to everyone and you have to be humble about it. If you're doing everything you can to correct it, then you have to be satisfied with that and say, I'm just having a tough time of it right now."

He said if fans cheered Edwards last season when he went to the Pro Bowl, the receiver doesn't have much of a case.

"Your mouth put you in this situation and your ability has to get you out of it," Hoard said. "Shut up and play Football and do what you can do and you'll be fine."

Zastudil shines: Punter Dave Zastudil was rock solid despite horrible conditions and tendinitis in his right knee, his plant leg. He punted five times for a net of 45.4 yards, including a long of 58 and two inside the 20. Bengals punter Kyle Larsen netted only 30.2 yards on the icy field and in howling winds.

"It was tough," Zastudil said. "I tried to help the team as much as I could. The conditions were very difficult. I just have to work through [the tendinitis]. My one wish was that we would've won the game."

Injuries: Fullback Lawrence Vickers was active, but didn't play because of back spasms suffered in pregame. . . . Defensive end Shaun Smith (calf) was inactive and Louis Leonard started in his place. Offensive lineman Eric Steinbach left in the fourth quarter with a back injury. For the Bengals, receiver Chad Johnson was inactive with a pulled hamstring.

To reach these Plain Dealer reporters: mcabot@plaind.com, 216-999-4670

dmanoloff@plaind.com, 216-999-4664