CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Seneca Wallace intends to ask coach Pat Shurmur for a chance to compete for the starting QB job next season during his exit interview on Monday.

"I think we all know at the end of the day, we don't want to sit here and keep trying to grind with bringing in a young quarterback and having to go through those growing pains," said Wallace, who took the Steelers down to the wire in a 13-9 loss Sunday.

"You guys have been hard on us all season long, and what we need is to win and win now, and that's one of the biggest things is, whoever gives us that opportunity to do that, I think that should be the decision."

Wallace, under contract for two more seasons, made it clear that despite going 0-3 in his three starts, he had a chance to win each game and wants an opportunity to prove he can be the guy. The Browns have made it clear that they're undecided about Colt McCoy's future.

They also have the No. 4 pick in the draft and might consider taking Baylor's Robert Griffin III.

"At this point, going into next year will be my 10th year," Wallace said. "There are always people that doubt me and say you can't play this, you can't play quarterback, you're too short, this and that. You guys saw the last three games. All I want is a legit opportunity. That's all you can ask for at the end of the day."

He said he's often envisioned what he could with this offense given a full off-season and the starting job right from the beginning.

"There was a time [in 2008] when I got eight games under my belt in a row and each game there was a big improvement and we won some games (3-5) and it was during difficult times," he said. "We had a lot of injuries, things like that, guys in and out of the rotation. But we still moved the ball and scored points on teams.

"So I could imagine if I got the right opportunity and a good off-season and tried to push the guys in the right direction, what could happen."

Wallace said he's not sure why he doesn't receive consideration for the starting job when Browns President Mike Holmgren knows him so well from their Seattle days.

"When I came here, he made some things clear that he was going to bring in a Jake Delhomme and we were going to compete," said Wallace. "He lets the guy run the show and the call the shots on who's playing, and that's Pat. Whoever's out there, he's going to expect us to go out there and compete.

"But I think Mike is trying to make sure he doesn't step on people's toes ... I think he knows what I can do. That's one reason why I'm here. I can't worry about those decisions that are made on who's playing."

Wallace knows his performance Sunday and his stats don't scream starter. He completed only 16 of 41 attempts for 177 yards with one interception -- an ill-advised throw to Evan Moore picked off by Troy Polamalu -- and no touchdowns. He was handed the ball twice in good field position on fumble recoveries in the fourth quarter and couldn't muster a point.

What's more, he couldn't connect with top receivers Greg Little (0-for-5) and Mohamed Massaquoi (2-for-9) and threw behind a wide-open Massaquoi at the Steelers 19 in the fourth quarter.

But when the game was on the line with 1:46 remaining, he moved them from their 24 to the Steelers' 24, only to see it end on a Hail Mary pass that Little got a hand on in heavy traffic.

"For us to come out here and go toe-to-toe with a team that could end up in the Super Bowl [is good]," said Wallace. "The last two games that we played, the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers -- for all the stuff that we've been through this season, to go toe-to-toe with those two teams and come up a little short, the guys are still battling and I respect that."

Two of the best plays Wallace made were with his feet, a 27-yard scramble to the Steelers 4 in the second quarter and a 20-yarder in the third. Both led to field goals.

"I felt like I could've [scored on the first run]," said Wallace. "The guy must've tripped me up. My legs got tangled up. I saw the end zone and thought I had an opportunity, but came up a little short."

He acknowledged the interception was a bad decision. He was pressured on the play by linebacker Jason Worilds, who got past fullback Owen Marecic.

"Troy made a good play," said Wallace. "I probably shouldn't have thrown it. He made a hell of a play and came up with the interception."

Wallace did have success with receiver Josh Cribbs, who caught seven passes for 91 yards. But it wasn't enough.

"We're a young team," said Wallace. "No excuses. We didn't have an off-season and like I said before, and with a team like this and the things that happened this season, we can't afford to throw interceptions, we can't give them easy field goals, easy points, whatever the case may be. We're not at that point yet where we can dig ourselves out of the hole.

"But with a good off-season, we can work hard throughout that. We need to be able to beat the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers regardless of whatever else happens."

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