BEREA: The Browns were as healthy as they had been all season heading into their 31-13 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, but their prosperity didn’t last long.

Pro Bowl center Alex Mack reported to the team’s headquarters Monday with symptoms of appendicitis and had an appendectomy later in the day at the Cleveland Clinic, coach Pat Shurmur said. Doctors felt the surgery went well, and Mack was expected to spend the night in the hospital, Shurmur said.

Meanwhile, cornerback Joe Haden had an MRI on his left knee and was diagnosed with a sprain, Shurmur said. Haden attended team meetings Monday while wearing a brace on his leg. He is not expected to need surgery, Shurmur said.

The Browns (2-2) have a bye this coming week and won’t play again until they visit the Oakland Raiders on Oct. 16. Shurmur said he doesn’t know whether Mack or Haden will be able to face the Raiders.

If Mack can’t play after the bye, Steve Vallos and John Greco could compete to play center. If Haden must miss a game, Dimitri Patterson or rookie Buster Skrine could receive an expanded role.

Several other players also are dealing with injuries. Shurmur said wide receiver Josh Cribbs is day-to-day with a “slight knee sprain,” and wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi’s sprained shoulder is not believed to be a significant injury. Cornerback Sheldon Brown (groin) and offensive lineman Tony Pashos (ankle) did not exacerbate their injuries by playing through them Sunday, Shurmur said.

Mack was hooked up to IVs before the game against the Titans, because he wasn’t feeling well. Still, he did not miss any of the offense’s 87 plays.

“He’s tough as nails because he was feeling a little queasy during that game, too,” Pashos said of Mack. “The guy is tough. I don’t expect him to miss any time. He’s played with some injuries before, and I think he’ll be all right. I’m not a doctor, but I know Alex.”

Haden was hurt and examined by trainers on the sideline after the Titans punted with 8:38 left in the second quarter. He stayed in the game but limped off the field after catching wide receiver Nate Washington from behind and tackling him at the Browns’ 4-yard line with less than a minute left in the first half. Haden played in the second half until he left the game in the fourth quarter.

“He hurt it, and he just kept on playing,” Skrine said. “We didn’t even know he hurt it. Being the guy that he is and doing everything for the team, he stayed in the game.”

Voicing support

When Shurmur was asked Monday if he would diminish the role of running back Peyton Hillis because of the latter’s unresolved contract issues, Shurmur said: “Absolutely not. I think that’s a nonissue.”

Hillis, who’s in the final year of his rookie contract and set to make a base salary of $600,000 this season, had 10 carries for 46 yards (4.6 average) and five catches for 23 yards against the Titans. He shared the workload with running back Montario Hardesty, who had seven carries for 22 yards (3.1 average) and five receptions for 49 yards. Shurmur said he did not call more running plays, because the Browns fell behind by a large margin and needed to pass in an attempt to rally.

“I think Peyton Hillis fits extremely well [in the offense],” Shurmur said. “He played yesterday. He got the football. I’ll tell you what, I think it’s important he touches the ball and he did.”

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Sunday that although Hillis said he was ill last week, some unnamed Browns players believe that Hillis’ unresolved contract situation may have contributed to his decision not to play in Week 3 against the Miami Dolphins. Shurmur addressed the report Sunday after his team’s loss to the Titans and again Monday.

“The young man was sick, and he didn’t play,” Shurmur said. “OK. That’s the end of it. He played yesterday, and I think that’s where the important thing is. Two weeks ago, he didn’t play. We played the Miami Dolphins, and we won the game. Yesterday he did. All right. He was a significant contributor yesterday, and we didn’t win.”

Rookie wide receiver Greg Little, linebacker Titus Brown and Pashos defended Hillis on Monday.

“I don’t take those sources to be very credible,” Little said. “I just think that’s coming from very thin air. I think Peyton is a big enough competitor to want to come out and play every weekend.”

“He was sick,” Brown said. “You have to be at your best to play this game, and he wasn’t at his best. … If Peyton were able to play, he would have played. He loves this team just like everybody else on this team.”

Missed call?

Titans wide receiver Damian Williams knocked into Patterson near the line of scrimmage late in the second quarter, allowing Washington to break free for a 57-yard pass play. Patterson thought Williams should have been called for offensive pass interference.

“It was blatant,” Patterson said. “But they’re going to miss calls. Referees miss calls every game, every sport, so you can’t really go into a game trying to point the finger at the ref. You’ve got to continue to play, and play through those times.”

Shurmur declined to reveal whether he has asked the league office to review the play.

“[The Titans] did a nice job with that,” Shurmur said. “There’s rules for that, though. … You’re not allowed to rub, but they executed the play well.”

Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Browns blog at http://browns.ohio.com. Follow the Browns on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ABJ_Browns and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/browns.abj.

Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, right, is helped to his feet after being hit late in the fourth quarter Sunday against Houston. / Dave Einsel / AP

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