Jordan Cameron had another strong showing and has proven to be the Browns' most reliable offensive threat.

BALTIMORE -- Here's the silver linings playbook from the Browns 14-6 loss to the Ravens:

1. First-half shutout: If the defense can put two of these halves together, it'll be dynamite. It shut out the defending Super Bowl champs the first half, holding them to 1-for-7 on third down and limiting Ray Rice to an average of 2.6 yards on his five carries. They also recorded both of their sacks in the first half. Now, if they can just keep it up in the second half  -- instead of letting Joe Flacco go 7-for-9 on third down after the break. But hey, this is supposed to be what went right, and I digress.

2. Keke kicked it: Hello NFL! No. 6 overall pick Barkevious Mingo exploded past  left tackle Bryant McKinnie on his very NFL snap for a 9-yard sack of the Super Bowl MVP. Not a bad way to start a career, especially coming off a bruised lung from a month ago.  Mingo also batted down a pass, and knocked Flacco down in the fourth quarter. He gets there in a hurry and looks like the real deal.
 
"My dream is to get a sack on every play, but it was great to make a play,'' he said.

3. Cameron coming on: Wide-open tight end Jordan Cameron caught a 53-yard strike from Brandon Weeden on the opening play to the Ravens' 7. Who knew it would prove to be the best thing that happened to them all day offensively? Cameron finished with a game-high 95 yards on five catches to go with the nine receptions for 108 yards he had last week. Looks like they have a keeper here. Unfortunately for Cameron, all he could think about was the fourth-and-4 on which he was centimeters short. 

Rookie infielder Jose Ramirez is adjusting well to the pace of the big-league game.

Rookie Jose Ramirez has shown good hustle since beng called up in September from Class AA Akron. (Chuck Crow/The Plain Dealer) 

CHICAGO, Ill.-- Seen and heard at U.S. Cellular Field.

Clubhouse confidential: With the Indians comfortably ahead Saturday night, Asdrubal Cabrera told manager Terry Francona if he wanted to get rookie Jose Ramirez an at-bat, he could pinch hit for him.

Francona took Cabrera's advice and inserted Ramirez as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning. Ramirez tripled -- with an assist from center fielder Alejandro De Aza -- and scored on Ryan Raburn's sacrifice fly.

"That was a really good at-bat," said manager Terry Francona. "We talked a lot about him before we brought him here. He's coming from Double-A Akron, doesn't speak the language real well, but we've got Luis Ortiz (minor-league hitting coach) here and Cabbie has been great with him. The game is not going too fast for him."

Ramirez started at second base Sunday night.

Heat it up: Lonnie Chisenhall, 2-for-4 with a three-run homer Saturday, is hitting .333 (10-for-30) with four doubles, three homers and six RBI in his last 11 games.

"We're trying to mix winning and developing a young player," said Francona. "It may not be today or tomorrow, but I see a day when he's out there every day."

Stat of the day: Ubaldo Jimenez's 1.83 ERA since the All-Star break ranks second in the big leagues for pitchers with at least 50 innings. Miami's Jose Fernandez is first at 1.32.

The Vikings will play at home against the Browns next Sunday. Kickoff is at 1 p.m.

CHICAGO, Ill. - Jay Cutler, Mr. Fourth Quarter? The nickname just might stick if he keeps this up.

Cutler came through just in time again, firing a 16-yard touchdown pass to Martellus Bennett with 10 seconds left to lead the Chicago Bears to a 31-30 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. The Vikings will return home to take on the Cleveland Browns in a 1 p.m. kickoff next Sunday in Minneapolis.

"He's just ice cold, man," said Brandon Marshall, who added that he calls Cutler "Mr. Fourth Quarter."

"So, I really appreciate and am grateful to play with him."

Things were looking bleak after Minnesota's Blair Walsh kicked a 22-yard field goal to make it a six-point game with 3:15 remaining. Chicago took over at its 34, and Cutler went to work.

After leading the Bears back from an 11-point deficit to beat Cincinnati in the opener, he did it again - this time with a heavy rain falling.

A 23-yard pass to Bennett along the sideline put the ball on the 16. Cutler then spiked the ball because his tight end did not get out of bounds when he admittedly should have.

After an incompletion, Cutler hit a twisting Bennett in the front corner of the end zone with a pass to his back shoulder. Robbie Gould kicked the go-ahead extra point and Chicago (2-0) remained unbeaten under new coach Marc Trestman despite committing four turnovers.

Cutler completed 28 of 39 passes for 290 yards and three touchdowns. But he was also intercepted twice and got stripped by Jared Allen on a sack, leading to a 61-yard touchdown return for Brian Robison in the second quarter.

"He had moments of adversity in this game and he never flinched and the guys around him never did, either," Trestman said.

Devin Hester returned five kickoffs for a Bears-record 249 yards - including a 76-yarder and an 80-yarder.

Bennett had 76 yards receiving and two touchdowns. Brandon Marshall had seven catches for 113 yards and a touchdown. Matt Forte chipped in with 71 yards receiving and 90 yards rushing.

Minnesota's Cordarrelle Patterson returned the opening kickoff 105 yards to tie a club record. Christian Ponder threw for 227 yards, a touchdown and an interception after getting picked off three times in a season-opening loss to Detroit. Adrian Peterson ran for 100 yards, but the Vikings (0-2) remained winless at Soldier Field since 2007.

Peterson said he was "a little hesitant" and added: "I have to do a lot of soul searching and come back better than I was."

Allen pointed at the defense.

"This game came down to one series, six-point lead, they had the ball on the 34 and we've got to get off the field," he said. "It just plain and simple. We have to get off the field in that situation."

They looked as if they might pull this one out after two 13-play drives led to 28-yard field goals by Walsh, turning a 24-21 halftime deficit into a 27-24 advantage in the fourth quarter.

The first came after Chicago's Isaiah Frey recovered a fumble by Jarius Wright in the end zone, only to have it overturned on a replay review. Harrison Smith set up the second when he intercepted a long pass from Cutler to Marshall at the 12 on the first play of the fourth quarter. Peterson kept the drive going with a 4-yard run to the 14 on fourth-and-1, only to be hit with a 13-yard loss on the next play, and Walsh booted the go-ahead field goal with just over 8 minutes left.

Letroy Guion stripped Forte of the ball near midfield on Chicago's next possession. That led to Walsh's 22-yarder that made it a six-point game, but Cutler and the Bears had one more rally in them.

The late theatrics capped a game that featured no shortage of big plays in the early going.

Patterson got this one off to an explosive start with that huge return to start the game, taking advantage of some big holes and sprinting past a lunging Gould on the way to the end zone. The 105-yarder matched the club record set by Percy Harvin last year and was the first kickoff return for a touchdown by a Bears opponent since 2007.

After Patterson's big return, Hester returned the kickoff 76 yards before being pushed out of bounds at the 32. That led to a 1-yard TD catch for Bennett, and the teams kept trading big plays in the half. Later, with the game winding down, the Bears made one final push to win it.

"It's taken everyone in that locker room two weeks in a row," Cutler said.

NOTES: The Bears honored the 1963 championship team at halftime, two days after star running back Rick Casares died at age 82. "Oh my God, I think when you talk to my fellow teammates over here, what was all right, true and good about professional football was embodied in Rick Casares," former teammate Ed O'Bradovich said. "Nobody loved the game more than him." Casares played 10 seasons in Chicago and ran for 5,675 yards. He was the Bears' all-time leading rusher until Walter Payton surpassed him and currently ranks third. ... Williams now has five interceptions in his career, most by a Vikings defensive lineman.

The Browns held the Baltimore Ravens to two touchdowns and produced the only turnover of the game in a 14-6 loss Sunday.

BALTIMORE, Md. -- Don’t believe what you hear about the Browns not having an identity.

They have an identity. The defense does, at least. And that identity is Nik Wallenda in severe crosswinds.

Suddenly, undeniably, after only two weeks, the early theme of the season is that missteps defensively are the fast lane to peril. This, unfortunately, is not a new development. A quarterback under siege and ham-handed receivers have become a Cleveland staple since 1999. The difference in 2013? Well, nothing discernible yet.

The Browns, after all, are 0-2 yet again. My guess, though, is this defense could actually make a difference if given even the slightest encouragement.

“We know what kind of defense we’re capable of being,” said Phil Taylor. “But we gave up 14 points and didn’t get the “W” so we have to be better.”

More later on Taylor, who lost his mind on the game’s second play and cost the Browns 15 yards but who delivered the message that the Browns were ready to “bring some knuckles,” as John Harbaugh’s brother, Jim, would say.

“Whatever helps get (Phil) going, it helps me,” said D’Qwell Jackson.

Problem is the offense has to help itself occasionally and apparently isn’t capable of doing so.

Rob Chudzinski said he felt so good about the way his defense was playing Sunday he twice went for it on fourth down, missing by an inch once and by a mile deep in his own territory the second time.

The first was defensible. The second? Not so much, coming as it did on a 4th-and-10 on the Browns’ 22, trailing 14-6, with backup quarterback Jason Campbell behind center for the injured Brandon Weeden, and still 3:09 remaining.

Maybe Chudzinski thought his defense’s needle was sagging. (It was.) What is indisputable is that -- as good as Joe Flacco was on third downs in the second half Sunday -- for now quarterback excellence isn’t required to sink the Browns. Ryan Tannehill did it, after all.

That’s not all on the offense. The Browns must play better third-down defense. Getting to the quarterback could come in handy.

The Browns sacked Flacco twice Sunday after dumping Tannehill four times in the opener. Flacco, whose wife gave birth to their second child an hour before the game, threw for just 211 yards and was chased off the field on five consecutive three-and-out possessions. In the second half, Flacco converted seven of nine third downs.

That's a theme, too.

“There’s always some level of frustration when you play well in the first half and can’t finish,” said Jackson, who sat at his locker, grabbed the stat sheet and looked immediately at the Ravens’ rushing numbers.

“Ninety nine,” he said to new teammate and former Ravens’ linebacker Paul Kruger. “Thirty-six attempts.”

That 2.8 average supported Jackson’s midweek declaration that “nobody can run on us.” Give him credit for going out on the wire, over the Grand Canyon, and making the statement the week before facing Ray Rice and two games before playing Adrian Peterson on turf.

“We haven’t given up 100 yards,” Jackson said. “We got a great test coming up this week and we’ll put our hard hats on again.”

They should. There could be pieces of the Browns’ offense flying off.

Whatever must happen for the Browns to gain relevance as a serious rival in towns such as Baltimore and Pittsburgh will probably happen with the defense on the field. Not only did the Browns hold the Ravens scoreless in the first half, they held Rice to 2.8 per carry and Bernard Pierce to 3.0.

The Browns’ front seven will be the reason for far more good than bad happening this season, especially if Barkevious Mingo’s debut is a representative sample of what’s ahead.

“This is a very good defensive line,” said Jackson.

And a coachable one. Taylor got some help from the Browns’ PR department on how to handle questions about his altercation with Rice, whom may or may not have spit in his face. Nobody wanted to say.

“Something happened and I need to keep my composure,” Taylor told two waves of reporters.

Rice spit into the wind and the Ravens still won. The defense tugged on the cape of the Super Bowl champs and couldn’t finish the fight.

Two games into the season, it’s clear they’re going to have to stop the run, sack the quarterback and create turnovers for this season to be demonstrably different than the last couple.

Two out of three ain’t bad. It just probably won’t do.

Our extensive Megablog keeps Browns fans around the world updated with exactly what is happening in today's game against the Ravens. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- There was (mostly) optimism a week ago before that day's kickoff and this week there's anything but. Nevertheless, we provide you with our weekly live megablog of everything surrounding today's Browns-Ravens game in Baltimore, otherwise known as "By hook or crook, the NFL is determined to get a pair of AFC North victories this week (unless the Browns-Ravens and Steelers-Bengals both tie. And who would be all that surprised?)."

As it turned out, the Browns mustered another strong defensive effort, but just couldn't make a big play on offense (with another collection of Greg Little drops) in a 14-6 loss to Baltimore.

Below you'll see how our collection of Northeast Ohio Media Group and Plain Dealer reporters and columnists provided real-time impressions.

Comments are always welcome, but we remind you that civility goes a long way (sort of like a Browns turnover). We'll be back next week for the Vikings and Browns.

7:42 p.m.: Bud Shaw sees plenty of positives from the defense, but just doubts that it's enough to salvage what could be another long season.

"Whatever must happen for the Browns to gain relevance as a serious rival in towns such as Baltimore and Pittsburgh will probably happen with the defense on the field....

"The Browns’ front seven will be the reason for far more good than bad happening this season, especially if Barkevious Mingo’s debut is a representative sample of what’s ahead."

6:19 p.m.: From Terry Pluto on Sunday's loss:

"If you want to demand a new quarterback and watch Brian Hoyer or Jason Campbell play with this offense -- just be fair and ask, 'Do you really think that will make a big difference right now?'"

"Campbell (1-of-4 passing for six yards) entered the game in an impossible situation late in the game on his own 1-yard-line. It was after Weeden sprained his right thumb. So maybe you will see a different quarterback next week.

"But that guy will take a beating next week, too, unless things change."

4:43 p.m.: Mary Kay Cabot's early game story is posted.

• Browns-Ravens final box | Scoreboard | Standings

4:11 p.m.: Pierce gets around Sheard on a sweep left, and makes the first down by two feet. Game over.

Weeden getting no help from receivers, coaches or running game. Sacked 11 times in two games. No playmakers. #Browns

— Tom Withers (@twithersAP) September 15, 2013

Ravens 14, Browns 6: Two-minute warning

4:08 p.m.: Ravens send five, but Campbell overthrows an open Bess crossing five yards downfield. Campbell is flushed left and throws the ball away.

It's third-and-10 at the 22. Richardson hasn't been on the field in this possession. Ravens get pressure up the middle and Campbell has no chance on a pass to Bess.

Browns go for it with 3:09 left and no timeouts. Ogbonnaya and Cameron in the backfield. Campbell chased left and eventually flips to Cameron, who has no chance of getting the needed yardage, tackled at the 27.

Just a poor decision to go for it there. I can understand the 4th and 4, but not this one. Still 3 minutes left in one-possession game

— Tom Reed (@treed1919) September 15, 2013

Ravens just running out the clock. Two Pierce runs make it third-and-4 at the two-minute warning.

4:03 p.m.: On a deep throw to Little, rookie safety Matt Elam is called for pass interference. John Harbaugh tosses a challenge flag saying the ball was tipped, but replay shows that Little goes down before the ball is deflected at the 22.

in BAL, the PI occurred BEFORE the ball was tipped. Therefore it stands.

— Mike Pereira (@MikePereira) September 15, 2013

Harbaugh loses the challenge.

4 p.m.: Browns use their last timeout before the punt. It may not matter, as Benjamin lets the ball bounce at the 10 and the Ravens down the ball six inches from the goal line.

Welcome to life as a Browns QB, Jason Campbell.

3:58 p.m.: Sweep left by Pierce gets seven yards, then four more on second down for a first down. Browns desperately need a big play. Two tight ends for the Ravens, and the defense is outnumbered to the left and Pierce gets five yards before going out of bounds at the 36. Clock running under 5:30. Sheard and Kitchen stop Pierce at the 37, and it's a big, big third down.

Browns radio's Michael Reghi reports that Weeden has banged his right hand, and Flacco hits Stokely on another pick play on the right side. Skrine can't prevent the first down.

No gain on a Pierce run on first down, then Pierce gets three to the 46. Browns call timeout with 3:53 left, one timeout remaining.

Weeden jogging to the locker room, with Campbell warming up. Flacco's toss to Stokely is stopped three yards short of the sticks by Skrine and Owens. Browns will get the ball back, with Campbell at QB.

#Browns announce injured thumb for Weeden, return is questionable, campbell in starts at 1.

— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) September 15, 2013

3:51 p.m.: Browns are just a TD and two-point conversion away, but they've managed just 45 yards in the second half. Can the line hold up in passing situation?

After a touchback, dumpoff to Richardson gets four yards. (When does Josh Gordon return?) Good protection on second down gives Weeden time to find Cameron over the middle for 21 yards to the 45. Jimmy Smith deflects Weeden's corner pass to Little at the Baltimore 40. Is open on a good pass from Weeden at the 37 ... and drops it.

Official timeout as Jimmy Smith leaves the field ... and it's third-and-10. Weeden has seemingly made a bunch of good throws, with little (Little?) to show for them.

Horrible delay of game penalty on the Browns -- who had time with the Smith injury to know what they were going to do. CBS shot of the coaches' box shows a dismayed Norv Turner. Weeden hits Ogbonnaya for 10 yards to the 50, and the Browns will punt and hope for a stop.

Difficult day for special teams -- other than Cundiff -- as Lanning's punt goes one yard too far for a touchback. There's 7:14 left.

Ravens 14, Browns 6: 8:57 left in fourth quarter.

3:44 p.m.: Ravens lose Rice on first down to a right leg injury. On second down, Mingo deflects a Flacco pass and nearly gets to the ball. But on third down, Browns send five, and Stokely beats Skrine over the middle for 17 yards and a first down.

Two yards from Pierce, and then no gain when Winn blows up a run to the right and Paul Kruger cleans up on Pierce. Important third down ... Flacco feels Mingo's pressure, but calmly fires a fastball to Marlon Brown at the Cleveland 6 in front of Owens.

Browns can't allow a TD here. Pierce for one over the left side. Owens in for Ward in the secondary. Ravens face pressure, but a two-man rub pattern results in a TD pass to Brown, who beats Owens to the goal line.

Once again, Skrine and Owens victimized on drive

— Tom Reed (@treed1919) September 15, 2013

3:35 p.m.: Another drop by Greg Little nearly turns into an interception -- it just doesn't seem to end. Weeden throwaway on second down sets up third-and-10. Ravens call timeout (two left). Ogbonnaya in backfield and Daryl Smith is part of a seven-man rush that drags Weeden down at the 23.

#Browns have allowed six sacks in back to back weeks

— Tom Reed (@treed1919) September 15, 2013

Doss shakes one tackle attempt on the punt, but avoids Mingo and then finds lots of room on the right side, eventually getting to the Browns 43 for a 25-yard return.

Do the Browns have anything left?

3:30 p.m.: Pierce gets five yards, but TE Ed Dickson is called for holding, just the Ravens' second penalty of the day. Nice coverage by Sheard on a swing pass to Pierce and knocks him out for a two-yard loss. On second-and-22, Pierce is swallowed up by Robertson, as Taylor opened up the offensive line by overpowering the middle of the line. Mingo and Sheard both provide third-down pressure, and Sheard grabs Flacco's arm to send the pass fluttering harmlessly six yards downfield.

Benjamin fields the punt and is out of bounds at the Browns 33.

3:26 p.m.: Browns lose the challenge.

My first guessing, not second guessing, was #browns should've punted there...only need FG, pinning them deep made most sense

— Bud Shaw (@budshaw) September 15, 2013

3:23 p.m.: Browns go for the first down on fourth-and-4, but Cameron is a yard short of the marker when he grabs it and stretches for the 35 -- and after an agonizingly long stretch of the chains, the Browns are less than an inch short.

View full sizeThey were this close ... but not quite on fourth down.CBS/Twitter 

Browns, not surprisingly, are challenging the spot -- but Jim Donovan immediately says how difficult it is to get an overturn on this type of play.

Ravens 7, Browns 6, end of the third quarter

3:20 p.m.: It's a bizarre 15-yard completion when Dumervil deflects a Weeden pass, but Ogbonnaya grabs the pop-up in the middle of the field and gets to the 39 as the quarter ends.

3:18 p.m.: Good downfield coverage by the Browns on first down, but a dumpoff to Vonta Leach reaches the Ravens 40 when Ward whiffs on an open-field tackle.

Nothing for Rice over right guard, then on a cutback run on second down, Rice is stripped by Craig Robertson and recovered by Desmond Bryant on the Ravens 45.

But on first down, Schwartz is overpowered by Arthur Jones for an eight-yard sack.

3:13 p.m.: From the shotgun, Weeden hands to Richardson for nine yards up the middle. But once they go under center, Suggs flies around the left side and Richardson loses two. On third-and-4, Bess -- tucked right behind Cameron in the formation, beats the Ravens over the middle for a first down on a short flip by Weeden to the 34.

Richardson gets three over the right end on a shotgun handoff. Weeden under center -- and finds Chris Ogbonnaya wide open on a circle route to theleft side and has a timeout, but Weeden doesn't have enough air under it and overthrows Ogbonnaya by a yard. Would have been a touchdown.

Rattled by the missed chance, the Browns are called for delay of game. Ouch.

On third-and-12, Weeden finds Little in a tight opening for a first down, but Little whiffs on the catch.

It's a drive that could well leave a lingering pain. Lanning punt puts the Ravens back on their 26.

3:06 p.m.: Rainey returns 25 yards to the Browns 21. Media timeout.

Ravens 7, Browns 6: 5:13 remaining in third quarter

3:03 p.m.: Rice finds room around the left side for 13 yards. But with a first down, the Ravens get just three yards on two more Rice runs up the middle. On third-and-7, Flacco hits a very, very small window for 24 yards with Torrey Smith, with Haden trailing.

Quentin Groves taken to the locker room. Likely out.

Now at the Browns 39, the Ravens use Bernard Pierce twice for three yards. Again a zone blitz by the Browns, but the Ravens have a crossing pattern that Sheard can't cover and Brown gets to the Cleveland 26. Rice over right tackle for two yards. Browns show pressure, Flacco hands to Rice and T.J. Ward leads the defense to swarm left and stop Rice for no gain. Third down. Flacco in shotgun and Brandon Stoklely crosses the field and beats Buster Skrine for a first down at the 13. Nice second and third effort by Pierce gets nine yards on first down to the Browns 4

Pierce then just outworks the Browns defensive line for a four-yard TD run up the middle. Replay checks whether Pierce's knee touches, but it appears he reaches over the goal line before an elbow touches -- his left knee doesn't touch and his right is not visible in the pile.

Tucker's PAT breaks the tie.

#Ravens Pierce 5-yard TD run, under review. Great Ravens drive, included 23-yarder to Torrey Smith with Haden in tight coverage.

— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) September 15, 2013

Flacco was 3-for-3 on drive for 44 yards -- all on third downs

— Tom Reed (@treed1919) September 15, 2013

2:54 p.m.: Bootleg right by Weeden results in a five-yard scramble as Cameron doesn't come open. On second down, the pitch left was figured out by Baltimore -- perhaps because of the Browns' tendency to run when Weeden is under center -- and it's now third-and-8. Weeden avoids pressure and finds Bess, but he's three yards short of the first down at the 47.

Lanning to punt and the Browns can't quite keep the ball from rolling along the goal line and getting a touchback.

2:49 p.m.: Browns are looking at Groves' left ankle on the sideline. Richardson takes a pitch right and powers for seven, then the Browns use a triangle backfield -- three players back with Weeden, and Richardson gets a first down at the 29. A power pitch by Richardson sees a series a broken tackles for eight yards. Weeden's fastball zips past Little on second down -- he had to throw slightly behind the receiver to avoid the defense. On third down, Little grabs this Weeden heater for a first down at the 40. An injury to Baltimore's CB Jimmy Jones prompts a media timeout.

2:45 p.m.: From Terry Pluto's halftime scribbles, some credit for a suddenly rugged defense.

"Ray Horton's defense is producing some pressure, and also keeping the running game under control. Flacco was sacked twice. The Ravens had only 28 yards rushing, Rice held to 13 yards in five carries."

2:43 p.m.: Ravens kick off to start the second half. Bobby Rainey -- another former Raven -- takes a bouncing kick and returns it to the 18. Quentin Groves down on the play.

2:34 p.m.: Yes, it's true in the stat book, too. The Browns have dominated the half, with a 174-122 edge in total offense at halftime.

#browns Weeden 13 of 17 for 158 at half, Richardson 11 for 34...

— Bud Shaw (@budshaw) September 15, 2013

2:29 p.m.: Ravens take a knee and we're all off to the locker room.

Browns 6, Ravens 0: 0:02 left in second quarter

2:27 p.m.: Weeden beats an uncovered blitzer to find Little for three yards to the 33. Browns call timeout with 11 seconds left. It would be a 50-yarder for Cundiff, but the Browns want another play -- with no timeouts -- to get closer. Pocket collapses and Weeden flings it into the Baltimore sideline.

From 51 yards, the former Raven Cundiff tucks it inside the right upright and is halfway up the netting. The late aggression pays off with points with two seconds left.

#Browns Cundiff was 5-of-23 from 50 plus before that 51 yarder.

— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) September 15, 2013

2:24 p.m.: Ravens have 70 seconds to work with, and Flacco scrambles for nine to start the series. Browns have a zone blitz -- dropping back Sheard into coverage and Smith is wide open on a crossing route and Sheard has no chance of catching him. It's a 26-yard gain. Smith beats double coverage in the end zone, but can't get his right foot down in bounds. Short three-yard pass sets up third-and-7 at the Browns 26 with 42 seconds left. Flacco is flushed and throws wide for Smith. Another scuffle with Phil Taylor and guard Marshal Yanda draws flags -- and the officials don't call offsetting penalties, but say there's no penalty because "both teams were involved." Don't see that every day.

Tucker, from 41 yards, has his field goal attempt deflect off the outside of the right upright.

Browns, with 31 seconds left and two timeouts, don't want to just run out the clock. Weeden finds Cameron for 12 yards and gets out of bounds. With 25 seconds at the Cleveland 46, Weeden rolls right, then finds a leaping Little for 18 yards to the Ravens 36. After a timeout, Browns line up with three receivers spread right and the Ravens call time out.

2:15 p.m.: On third-and-4, Ravens send seven on the blitz, and Weeden had no chance for a deep-drop pass attempt. They should have a hot read for that, no?

Lanning's punt goes out-of-bounds at the 34 for 36 yards.

Browns 3, Ravens 0: Two-minute warning

2:11 p.m.: Do the Browns have a late-half scoring drive in them? If so, it would put some serious heat on the Ravens. With 3:19 left in the quarter, Richardson given another chance over left guard, getting some push for four yards. Browns go empty backfield, but get just three yards on the toss to Richardson at the left sideline. Browns let the clock go to the two-minute warning.

Good observation by @TonyGrossi. Browns almost always run when Weeden under center and it's not an empty backfield.

— Tom Reed (@treed1919) September 15, 2013

2:08 p.m.: With just a little over five minutes left in the half, the Ravens have 77 offensive yards. Make it 75 after Craig Robertson reacts well on a short flip to Rice for a two-yard loss. Another flip to Rice gains six and on third-and-6 a crossing route to Smith is denied a first down with a solid open-field tackle at the shins by Skrine.

Ravens try to draw the Browns off -- fail, and then Mingo is held by James Ihedigbo on the punt. Browns will start from their 32 after the 10-yard walkoff.

#Browns defense has forced four punts and is shutting out the SB Champs in 1st half. Ravens O ordinary without Boldin, Pitta.

— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) September 15, 2013

2:03 p.m.: Nice hustle by Elmer Dumervil on a swing pass to Richardson holds the gain to a yard. Weeden shows patience in the pocket at the goal line, finds Benjamin at the 22, who breaks a tackle and reaches the 30. Short gain by Richardson up the middle sets up second-and-7 at the 33. Weeden flushed right, but finds Greg Little for a first down at the 40.

Richardson decisively hits the hole over right tackle and gets nearly five yards. Ogbonnaya in as fullback, but Richardson doesn't get much help on his ninth carry of the game for a yard. Third-and-4 at the 47, Little clears the left side and Bess crosses from right to left for a first-down catch to the Baltimore 41.

Weeden moving in the pocket better than last week #browns

— Bud Shaw (@budshaw) September 15, 2013

Weeden can't find anyone open and scrambles nearly back to the line of scrimmage for a Terrell Suggs sack. On second down, Richardson couldn't get to the left side -- where there was space, when he's stopped for a two-yard gain. On third-and-10, Ravens blitz two and Dumervil sacks Weeden off the left side.

#Ravens Dumervil now has 10 sacks in 5 games vs. #Browns, blew past Schwartz on that one.

— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) September 15, 2013

Browns have recovered from poor field position. Lanning's punt in a little too much pooch, with Doss fair catch at the 21.

1:54 p.m.: Ravens start at their 43. Pierce gets a yard with Jabaal Sheard on his back. Run defense more than adequate again. Quick out to Smith is two yards short of the first down. In the shotgun, Flacco forced out of the pocket by Sheard, dances away from Desmond Bryant before Sheard wraps him up at the Ravens 48 for the sack.

Perfect backspin by punter Sam Koch at the 2 is downed at the 6. Another long field for the Browns.

1:49 p.m.: A short Richardson run, a Weeden incompletion and completion to Bess (who didn't get to the marker before making his break, forces a Lanning punt. Doss returns a 49-yard punt 21 yards with some poor Browns tackling along the left sideline.

First quarter ends, #Browns, 3-0. Thoughts: 1. Defense containing Ray Rice. 2. Flacco has no help in passing game. 3. Browns settled down.

— Tony Grossi (@TonyGrossi) September 15, 2013

Browns 3, Ravens 0: End of first quarter

1:44 p.m.: Richardson behind Mitchell Schwartz for three yards on first down. He certainly is getting touches so far today. Nice push on second down by John Greco at left guard helps Richardson get five more to the 12. Richardson again off the field on third down (more grist for mid-week coaches chat), Weeden is on target on a quick out to the left to Bess for a first down at the 20.

All in all, a pretty solid effort by the visiting team.

Bess was such a good pick up by #Browns.

— Tom Reed (@treed1919) September 15, 2013

1:40 p.m.: Mingo on the field to start this defensive series for the Browns. Flacco on a rollout left finds TE Billy Bajema for a first down at the 31. Backup RB Bernard Pierce breaks a Mingo tackle attempt for five yards to the 36. Flacco, pressured, wings one well over the head of Smith, who was triple-covered (including Haden). On third-and-5, Desmond Bryant flushes Flacco to the right, and he's well over the head of Bajema.

Benjamin mishandles the punt, grabs it on a bounce and gets to the 15, but the Browns are called for holding and the series begins at the 4 with 99 seconds left in the quarter.

1:34 p.m.: Nice dumpoff pass on second down to Richardson gets a first down at the Browns 45. Another short Richardson reception for four yards. Richardson over right side for another four yards. Play again is slow to Weeden and Browns penalized for delay. Jim Donovan points out many changes in personnel slowed the process.

On third-and-7, Weeden misses Cameron but it wouldn't have mattered as Browns are flagged for illegal shift. Manning's punt is fair caught by Doss at the 13.

Disorganized end to the drive. Delay of game penalty then an illegal shift. #Browns punt

— Tom Reed (@treed1919) September 15, 2013

1:27 p.m.: Amazingly, there's no TV timeout after a score. After a touchback, Ravens start at their 20. Ishmaai'ly Kitchen and D'Qwell Jackson stuff Rice for 2 yards. Flacco finds Torrey Smith for a first down at the 32. No gain for Rice. Short crossing pattern to Smith gets four with tight coverage by Joe Haden. Browns have decent pressure on Flacco and his throw to the left sideline for Smith is too high. Would have been a first down.

Travis Benjamin takes a high punt at the 18 and beats the coverage to the left sideline, getting 15 yards on the return to the 33 before going down.

On Travis Benjamin 18y PR, Barkevious Mingo was on the field blocking for him.

— Tony Grossi (@TonyGrossi) September 15, 2013

View full sizeA big catch and run by Jordan Cameron on the Browns' first snap of Sunday's game set up a Billy Cundiff field goal and a quick Cleveland lead against the Ravens.Joshua Gunter, The Plain Dealer

Browns 3, Ravens 0: 8:40 left in first quarter

1:23 p.m.: Weeden has no one open on third down and sails one over the head of a double-covered Davone Bess. Jordan Cameron didn't appear to be on the field.

With boos raining down, Cundiff boots a 21-yard field goal, thanks to a nice grab of a low snap by holder Spencer Lanning.

1:19 p.m.: Great field position as Browns start at their 40. Max protection pays off when Jordan Cameron busts the Baltimore coverage at the 25 and Cameron runs to the Ravens 7. Richardson over right tackle to the 4.

On second down, Richardson dances (of course) left and gets a yard to the 3. Richardson leaves the field on third down for Chris Ogbonnaya. Play comes in slowly and Weeden calls timeout.

1:15 p.m.: Flacco finds Brown for 12. On third-and-7, Flacco goes deep for Brown against Chris Owens, and Brown has the ball slip off his fingertips. Good coverage. Justin Tucker from 50 yards wide right.

Phil Taylor can exhale.

1:13 p.m.: Barkevious Mingo enters the game and sacks Flacco on his first NFL play, loss of 10.

Wow now that's a debut...#browns #mingo

— Bud Shaw (@budshaw) September 15, 2013

Barkevious Mingo records his first-ever NFL sack with a takedown of Joe Flacco. Mingo can fly.

— NFL: AroundTheLeague (@NFL_ATL) September 15, 2013

1:11 p.m.: Torrey Smith's 11-yard reception to the 43 is the first Flacco completion. Rice then finds a huge hole over the left side and cuts back right to the Browns' 46. A Flacco attempt for Marlon Brown is well defended by Buster Skrine. After a short run, Ravens have a third-and-8. Dallas Clark is lost by the Browns in the left flat and gets a first down at the Browns 36, but Clark is injured and forces an injury timeout.

1:05 p.m.: Well, this isn't a good start. Two solid defensive plays would have made it third-and-13, but Phil Taylor slaps Ray Rice after some smack talking and is nailed for unsportsmanlike conduct. Both teams yapping as the officials huddle to assess how to handle the trash talk. Baltimore first down at the 32 --- and the officials keep talking to players and coaches.

Ridiculous personal foul on Phil Taylor. Smacks Rice in the helmet after Bryant dropped Rice for 3-yard loss.

— Tom Reed (@treed1919) September 15, 2013

1:03 p.m.: Tandon Doss, who rejoined the Ravens after injury sidelined Jacoby Jones, watches Billy Cundiff's kickoff sail over his head and Joe Flacco begins at the 20, with an afternoon pregnant with possibility.

Yeah, we went there.

1 p.m.: Browns call heads, win the coin toss and will go on defense to start the game.

12:56 p.m.: Rich Gannon to Marv Albert on the CBS open in Baltimore: "Cleveland has to start games better. ... (Trent) Richardson needs 25 touches a week."

12:53 p.m.: Preventing head injuries isn't apparently enough for the NFL these days. Now Roger Goodell and his crew is targeting ... naughty language?

League VP of officiating Dean Blandino conceded Saturday to ESPN that officials want to curtail "actions [verbal or otherwise] directed at an opponent."

"Golly gee, sir. That was a really not very nice hit at my medial collateral ligament, don't you think?"

12:50 p.m.: Weather certainly doesn't look to be an issue for the Browns and Ravens.

My view from the pressbox in M&T Bank Stadium in advance of #Browns game. pic.twitter.com/v7kIwP7Mly

— Tom Reed (@treed1919) September 15, 2013

12:47 p.m.: The Browns fell to 30th out of 32 teams in NFL.com's rankings. Only Jacksonville is behind them. And is there any of our fearless cleveland.com/Plain Dealer writers believing in an upset? Uh, no.

12:33 p.m.: Here's some rather interesting breaking news from Baltimore, that is going to be a story line one way or the other.

Joe Flacco's wife gave birth to the couple's second child about 30 minutes ago. Flacco will play today vs. Browns.

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) September 15, 2013

12:30 p.m.: The Browns' inactives include DE Ahtyba Rubin for a second week, with Billy Winn stepping in the starting lineup. Then again, with Barkevious Mingo able to see action, the defense should actually be stronger this week than vs. the Dolphins -- and there aren't many fans who were blaming that side of the ball for the Week 1 loss.

The rest of the Browns inactives: QB Brian Hoyer, WR MarQuis Gray, OT Marcus Wallace, OG Shaun Lauvao, Rubin, DE Armonty Bryant, LB Paul Hazel.

#Browns Ward (shoulder) and Benjamin (thigh) were both questionable, but both look fine in pre-game warmups. Ward catching/Benjamin running.

— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) September 15, 2013

For the Ravens: WR Jacoby Jones, DT Brandon Williams, WR Deonte Thompson, C Ryan Jensen, DE DeAngelo Tyson, OL Jah Reid, RB Shaun Draughn.

Meanwhile, the Ravens are saying all the right things about the Browns, but their plans after the woodshedding in Denver in the opener seems pretty clear.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh and his players spent the days leading up to the game praising the front seven of the Browns and preaching the need for more balance on offense. But every comment included the declaration that the Ravens need to run the ball far better than they did last week and during the preseason to succeed.

"I don't think anybody would have any question that we're committed to making certain that we can run the ball," Ravens offensive coordinator Jim Caldwell said. "We certainly need to run it and run it better."

How is the rest of the league and national media looking at today's game? Well, let's say with a bit of a jaundiced eye...

Brandon Weeden and Joe Flacco combined for 5 interceptions and 10 sacks Week 1.

— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) September 15, 2013

Breaking down a big three-game series between the Tribe and the Royals.

Scott Kazmir will face the Royals on Monday night at Kauffman Stadium looking to atone for Wednesday's loss against same club at Progressive Field.Lynne Saldy, Associated Press

CHICAGO, Ill. -- The Indians open a critical three-game series against Kansas City on Monday night. The Indians and Royals are trying to run down Tampa Bay and/or Texas for the second wild card spot.

Where: Kauffman Stadium.

When: Monday through Wednesday.

TV/radio: SportsTime Ohio; WTAM AM/1100 and WMMS FM/100.7.

Pitching matchups: LHP Scott Kazmir (8-8, 4.24) vs. RHP James Shields (11-9, 3.38) Monday at 8:10 p.m.; RHP Corey Kluber (9-5, 3.55) vs. LHP Danny Duffy (2-0, 1.85) Tuesday at 8:10 p.m. and RHP Danny Salazar (1-2, 2.66) vs. LHP Bruce Chen (7-3, 3.11) Wednesday at 8:10 p.m.

Season Series: The Indians lead the Royals, 9-7. The Indians lead, 312-295, overall.

Indians update: They lost two out of three last week to the Royals, scoring just nine runs in the process. Carlos Santana is hitting .407 (22-for-54) with two homers and 11 RBI against the Royals. Kluber is 2-0 and Kazmir 1-2 against them.

Royals update: They've won 14 of their last 21. Eric Hosmer has 10 RBI against the Indians, while reliever Luke Hochevar has held them to one run, striking out 18 in 10 1/3 innings. Closer Greg Holland has six saves in six scoreless innings.

Injuries: Indians: C Lou Marson (right shoulder), RHP Frank Herrmann (right elbow), INF Cord Phelps (right wrist), LHP Scott Barnes (left wrist) are on the DL. Justin Masterson (left oblique) is day to day. Royals: RHP Felipe Paulino (right elbow) is on the disabled list.1B Carlos Pena (appendectomy) is day to day.

Next: Houston visits Progressive Field for a four-game series Thursday to start the last homestand of the season.

Third-quarter incompletion could have produced a big play in a game with few of them.

BALTIMORE, Md. – In a game with limited offensive chances and little room to maneuver, Chris Ogbonnaya suddenly found himself with both late in the third quarter.

The Browns fullback released on a wheel route with the visitors trailing by a point and facing a second-and-7 from their 38 yardline. The Baltimore Ravens did not account for him defensively. Ogbonnaya ran free down the left side, the only players within five yards of him were teammates standing on the sidelines ready to celebrate a huge play.

Quarterback Brandon Weeden needed only to loft the ball toward his fullback. Instead, he led his target with a line drive that a lunging Ogbonnaya saw bounce off his hands around the Ravens 38. It proved to be one of the biggest plays in the Browns’ 14-6 loss at M&T Bank Stadium.

“I wanted Greg (Little) on the in route and . . . out of the corner of my eye I saw Obi kind of pop open,” Weeden said. “I tried to throw it out there. Looking back, I probably would give it a little more air, give him a chance to run through it.

“Have to look at it on tape. I tried to get it on him as quick as possible so he could run with it. Just missed. There’s no excuses for it.”

Ogbonnaya wasn’t sure if he slowed down as Weeden set to throw the ball, but regardless it was an opportunity lost in a tight game and the entire team knew it.

“We need to complete it,” Ogbonnaya said. “I need to get it by any means necessary. I made my best effort to come up with it, unfortunately we came up short.”

A screen grab circulating on Twitter showed one Browns assistant coach on his knees as the ball caromed harmlessly off the fullback’s hands. Browns linebacker Paul Kruger had his hands behind his head. Pained expressions were visible.

Browns react to horrible Weeden pass/realize again that they're Browns. pic.twitter.com/Prvfu9TyeI

— DJ Gallo (@DJGalloESPN) September 15, 2013

These are the type of plays jeopardizing Weeden’s future with the franchise -- that inability to deliver big completions in crucial moments. Should Ogbonnaya have caught the ball? Perhaps, but a better pass removes any doubt.

Weeden’s numbers were better Sunday, completing 21-of-33 passes for 227 yards with no interceptions before leaving the game in the fourth quarter with a thumb injury. He was sacked five times and hit 12 times.

But Weeden and his teammates likely will keep coming back to the Ogbonnaya miss on a day both teams combined for just five plays that carried for 20 yards or more.

Instead of a big gain and a critical response to a Ravens’ touchdown drive, the Browns self- destructed. They took a delay-of-game penalty on the next play before Little dropped a pass from Weeden over the middle and Spencer Lanning produced a 39-yard punt.

“In this league any opportunity you can take advantage of that’s the difference with the good football teams, the difference between winning and losing,” Browns linebacker D’Qwell Jackson said.” If that play gets made who knows what we’re talking about. Maybe we’re sitting 1-1. That’s the thing about this league. You have to play every single snap. You never know when it’s going to happen. It doesn’t happen a lot when a guy is Scott free.”

Asked if Ravens' running back spit on him, Taylor tells press: "Look at the film, you will see."

BALTIMORE, Md. – Phil Taylor began the afternoon enraged at Ray Rice and ended it by refusing to specify what sparked his ire.

The Browns nose guard said “something happened” that caused him to slap the Baltimore Ravens halfback in the helmet and incur a 15-yard penalty after Rice was tackled for a loss on the game’s second play.

Asked by reporters following the Browns’ 14-6 loss if Rice spit on him, Taylor said: “Look at the film, you will see . . . I’m not going to say. It is what it is. I need to keep my composure.”

A replay shows Taylor and Rice face mask to face mask after Desmond Bryant tackled the Raven veteran for a 3-yard loss.

“I heard a guy scream he got spit on,” Browns linebacker D’Qwell Jackson said. “If guys are spitting, that’s immature. That’s elementary. We’re all grown men. There’s no need to spit on a guy. I don’t know if it was Ray, but apparently someone got spit on.”

Taylor continued to jaw with the Ravens after the penalty and Browns coaches attempted to replace him with Ishmaa’ily Kitchen. But Browns players, including Jackson, waved Kitchen back to the sideline.

“I was cool. It’s just something happened,” Taylor said. “It wasn’t like I was tired or anything.”

A few plays later, Kitchen did relieve Taylor, who caught an earful from defensive line coach Joe Cullen as he reached the sidelines. The animated assistant blistered Taylor for several seconds before re-inserting him.

“He wasn’t heated,” Taylor said of his coach. “We weren’t clicking at that time, but we got it right and we moved on.”

The Ravens’ drive ended with a missed field-goal attempt as the Super Bowl champs were shut out in the first half.

Taylor was asked if he’d ever had a problem with Rice in the past.

“I don’t like any running back I play against,” Taylor said.

Jackson did not believe Taylor was out of control.

“He was fine,” Jackson said. “(It’s) one of the things you have to be able to experience to mature yourself as a player … tempers are going to flare. The mature players can flare up a little bit, but still be able to execute . . . I wanted (Taylor) to stay in the game so he could learn from it.”

Jackson does not believe opponents will run effectively against the Browns as they have in seasons past. The Ravens finished with 99 yards rushing on 36 attempts for a 2.8 yard average a week after Miami gained just 20 yards on 23 carries.

Rice managed just 36 yards on 13 attempts before leaving the game with a fourth-quarter hip injury. He was not available for comment.

“Things like that happen,” Jackson said of Taylor’s personal foul call. “What that tells me is Phil is in the game, he’s ready to play. You don’t want to hurt us by getting 15-yard penalties, but it happens. He was able to play a solid game for us. I look at that as a learning curve for him.”

The speed and athleticism of Barkievious Mingo was impressive, but there were too many other problems for the Browns.

BALTIMORE, Md. --Some final scribbles after the Browns lost 14-6 in Baltimore:

1. For months, I have been receiving emails from fans about how the Browns could be so dumb to draft Barkevious Mingo when he's not even supposed to start. I've been defending the pick. Well, you could see the Browns got it right with Mingo. In the 14-6 loss at Baltimore, Mingo didn't start, but he had a sack on his first NFL play. He also batted down a pass. He drew two holding penalties. He ran down Ray Rice from behind to deliver a serious tackle.

2. I don't have the final snap totals, but I doubt Mingo even played half of the game. This was his first appearance since suffering a bruised lung in the third preseason game. He has starter's talent, and the top of this draft was not packed with future stars. Mingo brings speed and God-given athleticism that translates so well into becoming an impact player in the pros.

3. Mingo was about the only thing I really liked about the draft. This is not to rule out Leon McFadden as a player who can help in the future, but the third-rounder is overmatched at cornerback right now. Their other picks are Jamoris Slaughter (on the practice squad), Garrett Gilkey (a backup offensive linemen) and Armonty Bryant (inactive). The Browns traded their fourth- and fifth-round picks for a third- and fourth-round pick next season.

4. Glad to see assistant coach Joe Cullen let Phil Taylor have it when the big man came out of the game -- finally. Taylor slapped Ray Rice (who may or may not have spat at Taylor). That drew a 15-yard penalty on the Browns. Then the Browns tried to replace Taylor with Ishmaa'ily Kitchen, but Taylor waved off the Kent State product and stayed in the game. Coach Rob Chudzinski said Baltimore was rushing the action with a no-huddle play, and there wasn't time for Taylor to leave. OK. But it looked bad, as if he was defying the coaches.

5. That said, I thought Taylor -- and the defensive line in general -- had a good game. Taylor had only one tackle, but he occupied two blockers in the middle of the line. Desmond Bryant had five tackles, Billy Winn added four. Kitchen had three. Baltimore had 99 yards rushing, but needed 36 carries (2.8 average) to do it. The longest run allowed by the defense was 14 yards to Rice, who had only 36 yards in 13 rushing attempts.

6. In two games, the Browns have allowed only 119 yards on the ground -- a 2.0 average. Rice had been averaging 92 yards per game against the Browns, and so many times over the years the Ravens ran over the orange helmets. That goes back to the days of Jamal Lewis.

7. I love the energy shown by inside linebacker Craig Robertson. He forced a fumble and had seven tackles.

8. I still can't figure out why the Browns had three delay of game penalties. I know, crowd noise. But that's four in two games, which is embarrassing for an NFL team. I really thought that stuff would go away with the new coaching staff.

9. While in the mood to complain, the Browns were on the Baltimore 2-yard line. It was third down. They called a time out. They came out with a rather boring, over-thrown pass to Davone Bess on an incomplete down-and-out pattern. They wasted a 53-yard pass from Brandon Weeden (who scrambled and made an excellent throw) to Jordan Cameron. The Browns were stopped at the 3-yard-line and settled for a field goal. After that, the Browns never were closer to the goal line than the Baltimore 33-yard line.

10. You know it's a bad day when you're praising the kicker in a loss. But Billy Cundiff nailed field goals from 21 and 51 yards. He was 5-of-23 on 50-yard-plus field goal attempts before he made that 51-yarder. With the Browns, Cundiff is 3-of-3 on field goals and has been booming kickoffs out of the end zone. To think he was 7-of-12 on field goals last season before being booted by Washington. Most kickers do run hot and cold, as Cundiff was a Pro Bowl pick in 2010 with Baltimore.

The Indians completed a four-game sweep of the White Sox on Sunday after more than a four-hour rain delay at U.S. Cellular Field.

CHICAGO, Ill. -- The Indians waited through 4 hours and 23 minutes of rain Sunday to play the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field. They waited so long that a day game turned into a night game.

It didn't matter.

They would have waited through enough rain to float an ark because they knew it could take them one step closer to where they're trying to go. That would be the postseason and the Indians took another step in that direction with a 7-1 victory over Chicago to complete a four-game sweep.

The victory, the Indians' 12th straight against Chicago this season, moved them to within a half-game of the AL wild card lead. Texas and Tampa Bay, losers Sunday, are tied for the two wild card spots at 81-67. The Indians, who have won 10 of their last 14 games, are a half-game behind them at 81-68.

What does it mean?

"Its means we're not quite where we need to be," said manager Terry Francona. "It means that every game from here on out gets more exciting and more meaningful. If we win, we're going to be OK."

The Indians are 15-2 against the White Sox this season. They have not beaten a team 15 times in one season since 1960 when they went 16-6 against the Washington Senators and 15-7 against the Kansas City Athletics.

It is the first time in franchise history that the Indians have swept three four-game series from a team in one season. It has not been done since the Brooklyn Dodgers, according to Elias Sports Bureau, did it to the 1963 New York Mets.

"Does it matter how we played against them three months ago?" said Francona. "Does it matter how we played yesterday? The way I look at it we just played a good series."

Zach McAllister (8-9, 3.96) went 6 2/3 innings for the win. After going 0-2 in his last three starts, McAllister allowed one run on six hits for the win. He struck out five and walked one on 96 pitches.

"In my last three starts I was hurt by one big inning," said McAllister. "Tonight I was able to minimize that. In the sixth, I had runners on second and third and I was able to minimize the damage. That was a big turning point for me."

Francona rested regulars Michael Bourn and Jason Kipnis on Sunday because he wanted to stack his lineup with righties against lefty Chris Sale. Matt Carson got a start in right field with Drew Stubbs moving to center and rookie Jose Ramirez replaced Kipnis at second.

Carson, a Septemper call-up, took advantage of his first start in the big leagues this year.

He gave the Indians a 1-0 lead off Sale with a two-out single in the second. Carson made it 2-0 in fifth with the first of four homers by the Tribe. He added an infield single in the sixth and a stolen base in the eighth.

"I knew Saturday that I was going to start today so I didn't sleep real well," said Carson. "But the long delay, helped relax me. We were in here watching football on TV and it was just like another football Sunday."

Ramirez, a rookie from Class AA Akron, singled in the game.

The Indians have been waiting for production from their headline players and they're getting it. Nick Swisher homered from both sides of the plate for the 13th time in his career to tie Mark Teixeira for the major league record. Swisher, who reached 20 homers for the ninth straight season, has hit nine in the last two months.

After Swisher started a a four-run sixth inning with a leadoff homer, Asdrubal Cabrera hit with a three-run homer after singles by Ryan Raburn and Carlos Santana. It was Cabrera's fifth homer in September and third in the series.

"We're going down the stretch and you have to step your game up," said Swisher. "We're going to Kansas City now to play a team that has given us fits all year. We've really got to get after it."

Swisher hit his second homer of the game, a long drive deep into the right field seats, to start the ninth.. He homered off Sale from the right side of the plate and Ramon Troncosco from the left side of the plate.

"To be able to share this record with Mark Teixeira, who I love dearly, is great," said Swisher. "All that individual stuff is cool, but right now I think the way we're playing in the highlight of everything. We got a chance to make it in the playoffs."

The Indians beat Sale (11-13, 3.09) for the fourth time this season. They have scored 22 earned runs in 23 innings against the hard-throwing lefty. They have also hit six homers.

Sale allowed six runs on nine hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out the side in order in the first, but after that the Indians had theirs way with him. 

How long has it been since the White Sox lost 15 games to the Indians? Try 1949. What's more the two team meet against next week in Cleveland for the final two games of the season series.

Rookie records a sack, batted pass and draws a pair of holding calls in his debut

BALTIMORE, Md. – Browns rookie Barkevious Mingo was sidelined for a month with a bruised lung.

On Sunday, however, it was the Baltimore Ravens left gasping for air trying to find ways, legal and otherwise, to slow down the No. 6 overall pick in the NFL Draft.

Mingo registered a sack on his first NFL snap, deflected a Joe Flacco pass and drew two holding penalties in showcasing his speed and athleticism. The outside linebacker’s debut was one of the few positives in the Browns’ 14-6 loss to the Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium.

“Very impressive,” D’Qwell Jackson said of Mingo. “To have a batted ball, to get a sack, the guy picked up where he left off. That’s just one more tool we can use. That’s going to be great for us down the stretch.”

Mingo exhibited no ill effects from the unusual injury he suffered in an Aug. 15 exhibition game against the Detroit Lions. Exactly one month after spitting up blood on the sideline and requiring a two-night hospital stay, the LSU product made a significant impact in his first regular-season game.

View full sizeBrowns rookie Barkevious Mingo records a sack on his first NFL play. He finished with two tackles.John Kuntz, The Plain Dealer

He played between 15 to 20 snaps on defense and appeared extensively on special teams in a game where the Browns lost Quentin Groves to a left ankle injury.

“Actually I feel like I could have played a little bit more,” Mingo said. “It’s up to the coaches. We have a lot of guys who want reps and are competing for that job. If one guy’s tired for one rep, next man’s up. That’s how we treat it. While we’re in there we have to affect the game.”

Inserted midway through the first defensive series, Mingo beat left tackle Brian McKinnie and leveled Joe Flacco for a 9-yard loss. Asked if it were a dream scenario, the lithe edge rusher smiled.

“My dream scenario is getting one on every play,” he said. “But it was a good feeling to start the game out. (It) gave me the confidence I needed to play and continue to make plays.”

Mingo nearly made a bigger play early in the fourth quarter with the Browns trailing 7-6. He rushed Flacco, deflected his pass and, for an instant, looked like he might intercept the ball.

“I batted it and (Flacco) kind of shouldered (me) so I couldn’t get to it. It wasn’t really that close.”

Defensive coordinator Ray Horton lined up Mingo on the edge mostly, but also played him at inside linebacker for a few plays. He drew holding penalties on defense and special teams.

“The guy did well,” cornerback Chris Owens said. “He’s a huge game-changer for us on defense and we expect a lot from him.”

Despite his effort, Mingo was not about to celebrate a losing performance.

“I feel like if I could have done a little bit more maybe we would have won,” he said. “The team feels the same way. We know we missed some opportunities. We’ve just got to finish the ballgame.”

The Cleveland Browns need to improve offensively if they hope to get their first win of the NFL season, analysts say. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Two weeks in to the 2013 NFL season and it's another 0-2 start for the Cleveland Browns.

And doubters of quarterback Brandon Weeden might get a chance to see if Jason Campbell is any better behind center. Weeden injured his thumb late in the 14-6 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday and it's unknown if he'll be ready to play next week against the Vikings at Minnesota.

Campbell didn't light it up when he came in for Weeden, completing just one pass for 6 yards. But then he came into the game with 3:34 left and the ball on the Browns' 1-yard line. He admitted it was not the ideal situation:

"Having to go 99 yards after standing around all game against a tough defense, it doesn't get much tougher than that. I was just trying to make a play real quick and make a big play so we could go down the field. I couldn't get any rhythm.''

It wasn't a good day for quarterbacks in general. Weeden was 21-of-33 for 227 yards with no picks or touchdowns before getting injured. (Go here to grade Weeden's performance.) The Ravens' Joe Flacco also was quiet, going 22-of-33 for 211 yards and one touchdown. One could excuse Flacco if he was a bit distracted ... his wife gave birth to a son, their second child, about an hour before the game.

Weeden didn't have that distraction, but he was trying to rebound from a poor performance against the Dolphins in Week 1. Branson Wright of Cleveland.com says Weeden was just average, but he showed signs of improvement. Wright does wonder why Weeden or offensive coordinator Norv Turner didn't do more to get tight end Jordan Cameron involved in the game:

Cameron finished with five catches for 95 yards. He had nine catches for a touchdown and 108 yards in the season opener. And since that first play, the Browns only threw six more passes his way. And it was not because he wasn't open. Despite a mix of defensive assignments, Cameron got open and towered over rookie safety Matt Elam. And Cameron was too fast for inside linebacker Daryl Smith. Cameron got open and continued to get ignored. Weeden missed him several times because either a defender was in his face (Weeden was sacked six times) or he simply didn't look in Cameron's direction. Clearly, that has to change.

While Weeden often is the focus of criticism (comes with being a quarterback), columnist Terry Pluto says the Browns lack playmakers in general:

If you want to demand a new quarterback and watch Brian Hoyer or Jason Campbell play with this offense -- just be fair and ask, "Do you really think that will make a big difference right now?" Campbell (1-of-4 for six yards) entered in an impossible situation late in the game on his own 1, after Brandon Weeden sprained his right thumb. So maybe you will see a different quarterback next week. But that guy will take a beating next week, too, unless things change. ... Teams blitz the Browns because they know the Browns lack playmakers, and not just at quarterback. Receivers won't beat them deep and Trent Richardson has yet to deliver game-breaking runs. So in the first two games, Weeden not only has been sacked 11 times, he has been hit 17 other times. It's amazing that only his thumb is injured.

Will Burge of Bleacherreport.com says Weeden should not take all of the blame for the offense's struggles:

While there were certainly some throws Weeden could have executed better, the receivers and offensive line, once again, were not good enough to grab the victory. Sixteen points through two games is inexcusable. Weeden ... outplayed Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco for the entire first half. Greg Little had three dropped passes, the offensive line could not pass block at all in the first half and there was never a rhythm established in the run game.

Dave Weigel of Centralohio.com has some criticism for Weeden, but he has plenty of other gripes about the Browns' offense as well:

(Trent) Richardson’s use, or lack thereof, is another point of contention. He had 18 carries for 58 yards but, as my colleague Kurt Snyder pointed out on Twitter, had zero fourth-quarter carries. It mystifies me why the Browns abandoned the running game when Richardson was powering his way for some third-quarter yardage. ... On a positive note, it was nice to see Billy Cundiff — booed mercilessly by Ravens fans who won’t let him forget his missed field goal in the playoffs — kick two, including a 51-yarder while his replacement Justin Tucker was missing a pair. Hey, right now, Browns fans will take any small victory. With one touchdown in two games, a pathetic offensive line and no running game, there won’t be many on the scoreboard.

If Campbell plays next week, it will be interesting to see what impact he has on the Browns' offense, says Vic Carucci of NFL.com:

Campbell brings considerably more experience. His big, strong frame makes him the right physical fit for an offense that asks the quarterback to primarily stand tall in the pocket and look to make big throws. Although Campbell isn't exceptionally mobile, he can move around well enough to buy time. He also is likely to benefit greatly from the return of the Browns' best receiver, Josh Gordon, from a two-game suspension.

So, a lot of things went wrong for the Browns on Sunday and there were missed opportunities. Browns players certainly realize that. (Hear the analysis of Cleveland.com's Glenn Moore and Dennis Manoloff in a podcast.) That's usually the case in a loss. But what went right? Point to the defense. It shut out the Ravens in the first half and got two sacks. Barkevious Mingo, the Browns' top pick in the draft, got a sack on his first NFL play, dropping Flacco for a 9-yard loss. Mingo's play was encouraging to Terry Pluto:

For months, I have been receiving emails from fans about how the Browns could be so dumb to draft Barkevious Mingo when he's not even supposed to start. I've been defending the pick. Well, you could see the Browns got it right with Mingo. In the 14-6 loss at Baltimore, Mingo didn't start, but he had a sack on his first NFL play. He also batted down a pass. He drew two holding penalties. He ran down Ray Rice from behind to deliver a serious tackle.

Cleveland.com columnist Bud Shaw believes the Browns' defense is on the verge of being good. The struggles by the offense aren't helping, though, and there are other issues, too, such as Phil Taylor losing his cool early in the game and slapping Ray Rice in the head, drawing a 15-yard penalty. It's all part of the high-wire act the defense walks, Shaw says:

Whatever must happen for the Browns to gain relevance as a serious rival in towns such as Baltimore and Pittsburgh will probably happen with the defense on the field. Not only did the Browns hold the Ravens scoreless in the first half, they held Rice to 2.8 per carry and Bernard Pierce to 3.0. The Browns’ front seven will be the reason for far more good than bad happening this season, especially if Barkevious Mingo’s debut is a representative sample of what’s ahead. ... Two games into the season, it’s clear they’re going to have to stop the run, sack the quarterback and create turnovers for this season to be demonstrably different than the last couple. Two out of three ain’t bad. It just probably won’t do.

The efforts to find positives in Cleveland are not selling for out-of-town writers. Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun was thoroughly unimpressed by the Ravens' victory, mainly because it came against the Browns:

With Cleveland, if there is way to lose a game, the Browns will find it. If they can't, they will invent one. The Browns are still the clowns of the NFL. So there was no real high-fiving, "we're back" mentality in the defending champions' locker room after the game, just a sigh of relief that they won and escaped going starting the season 0-2. If the Ravens had lost at home to a team they had beaten 10 straight times, there should have been serious consequences, like the NFL revoking the Ravens' license for getting beat by team the caliber of a Canadian football squad.

Baltimore Sun reporter Matt Vensel saw a few more positives for the Ravens:

It wasn't the prettiest of victories, but there is plenty to feel good about after the win. The defense played very well, particularly the pass rush, which recorded five sacks. The Ravens finally established the running game in the second half, though losing Ray Rice for an extended period of time would obviously be a serious blow. And Joe Flacco and his wide receivers made plays when they were needed against a pretty good Browns defense. I'm sure there will be some complaints after this one, but a divisional win is a divisional win. whether it is pretty or not.

Browns receiver Josh Gordon's teammates can't wait for him to get back and try to rescue this ailing offense.

BALTIMORE -- With a total of 16 points in two games, the Browns are eager for Josh Gordon's return this week from his two-game drug suspension. They've gone 0-2 in his absence and Weeden has struggled to get the ball to his receivers.

He's eligible to return to the practice field on Monday and play Sunday in Minnesota.

“He's going to help a lot,'' said Richardson. "He’s going to help spread out the field. He’s a speedy guy. He can catch the ball. He loves to block. So with Josh, it’s going to be a big emphasis on the offense to where we can get the ball down the field even better with him out there.”

Quarterback Jason Campbell, who might have to start in place of Brandon Weeden (sprained thumb) next week, will welcome him back with open arms.

"We're missing some guys right now, so guys are trying to learn each other,'' said Campbell. "We'll get Josh back this week and that will be a big help for us. We're just trying to get things going in the right direction. We had a great preseason. We've just got to continue to keep striving. It's a process that we're going through.''

During Sunday's 14-6 loss to the Ravens, Weeden -- who was sacked five times and hit 12 -- completed only four of his 12 attempts to Greg Little for 33 yards and one pass to Travis Benjamin for 22 yards. In all, the 93 yards by the three receivers, including 38 by Bess, were two shy of the game-high 95 by tight end Jordan Cameron.

Little played better down the stretch last season as Gordon drew some attention away from him, and could use Gordon back on the field and fast. Little dropped three passes, including two over the middle in the fourth quarter.

"It's going to be a great opportunity for him to get back out there, running around and getting in shape,'' said Bess.

The Browns have scored only one touchdown in Gordon's absence, a 7-harder to Cameron last week.

Groves hurt: Linebacker Quentin Groves suffered a sprained ankle in the third quarter, and hobbled out on crutches and in a walking boot. It looks like he'll miss some games. Fortunately for the Browns, Barkevious Mingo is back and said he felt great coming off the bruised lung. "I could've played more plays,'' he said.

Third-down woes: The Browns struggled again on third down. Offensively, they converted only four of 15 for 27%. In two weeks that's five of 29. For the second straight week, the opponent converted 8-of-16 third downs for 50%.

Pierce on the skirmishes: Ravens running back Bernard Pierce said the Browns were chippy during the game. It began with Phil Taylor smacking Ray Rice in the head after a confrontation, and then a shoving match a little later. "It seemed like it was very personal, especially on the Browns' side. It seemed like they were playing like we had taken something away from them. So yes, it was definitely very physical.''

Bryant's streak: Browns defensive end Desmond Bryant extended his streak to six games with at least half a sack. He leads the team with 2.5 this season…Paul Kruger managed a tackle for a loss, but not a sack against his former team. The Browns finished with only two. Weeden, meanwhile has been sacked 11 times this season and is on pace for 88. Last year, he was sacked only 28 times in 15 starts. Elvis Dumervil and Terrell Suggs had a sack apiece.

Extra points: Defensive end Ahtyba Rubin (calf) was inactive….Billy Cundiff made a 51-harder after making only 5-of-23 from 50-plus heading in. He was 2-for-2 against the team that cut him after missing the game-tying attempt in the 2011 AFC Championship Game.

The Browns lost Brandon Weeden to a thumb injury late in their 14-6 loss to the Ravens.

BALTIMORE -- Last week, Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden left the locker room with welts on his body and a trip to the trainer's room. This week, he left with more welts, another trip to the trainers room and a black brace on his sprained right thumb.

And now, he doesn't even know if he'll be back next week in Minnesota to clean up the mess that is this Browns offense.

Weeden jogged to the locker room for X-rays late in the game after smacking his right hand on a helmet, possibly guard John Greco's, and wasn't even around to see Jason Campbell's desperate comeback attempt in a 14-6 loss to the defending Super Bowl champion Ravens.

It was the Browns' 11th straight loss to the Ravens -- and to Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco, who started acting like it in the second half. It also dropped the Browns to 0-2 on the season, meaning they now have about a 12% chance of making the playoffs, according to ESPN Stats and Info.

"You gotta bounce back,'' said Weeden. "There's no reason to feel sorry for ourselves. We’ve got to find a way to win games. This is a strong-willed, strong-minded team. It's early in the year, we’ve got a good team with Minnesota next, we’ve got to respond, come back and get on the right track.''

Weeden, who was sacked five times for 11 on the season and hit 12,  suffered the injury with 7:53 left in the game on a deep pass over the middle that Greg Little dropped to hit the trifecta for passes off his hands.

"I banged it on a helmet and it was tough to put pressure on the ball,'' said Weeden, who was relieved to discover X-rays were negative. "It hurts. It doesn't feel too good.''

Will he be ready for the Vikings?

"We'll find out tomorrow,'' he said. "It depends on how it responds and if I heal quick enough.''

Campbell entered the game with 3:34 remaining, down 14-6 and pinned back at his 1. Such is the life of a backup quarterback. Not even a 21-yard pass interference penalty on his first play was enough to dig him or the Browns out of the hole. The drive fizzled after a failed fourth-down attempt.

"After you've been on the sideline, and you're pretty much stiff the whole game, then all of a sudden you have to go 99 yards in three minutes against a really good defense, it doesn't get any tougher than that I believe,'' said Campbell. "I'll prepare like I'm starting and I'll be ready for next week.''

Weeden and the offense got off to a rousing start -- but the excitement lasted all of one play. He rolled right and found a wide open Jordan Cameron down the right side for 53 yards to the Baltimore 7. But after two short runs by Richardson, the drive stalled. On 3rd and 3 from the 3 -- with both Richardson and Cameron on the sidelines -- Weeden threw the ball out of bounds at the left side of the end zone, where Davone Bess was double-covered.

The Browns settled for a 21-yard Billy Cundiff field goal and a 3-0 lead.

"When you're down there and you've got points, you don’t want to start forcing the ball and come away with nothing,'' said Weeden. "Once I saw (the defender) undercut it, I just kind of threw it away.''

Little did Weeden, under siege again most of the day, know it would be his last journey into the red zone all day.

"On third down, we have to be able to execute in the critical moments of the game,'' said Bess. "When you get that close, you've got to score a (touchdown). Obviously we like points in any form or fashion, but we've got to be able to score touchdowns when down that tight.''

Fortunately for the offense, the defense played lights out in the first half, pitching a shutout and holding the Ravens to 1-of-7 on third down. Kicker Justin Tucker also pitched in with missed field goals of 50 and 44 yards. It enabled Weeden to march down the field with 31 seconds on the clock and put former Raven Cundiff in position for a 51-yard field goal with 2 seconds left for a 6-0 halftime lead.

But that's all the offense the Browns would muster, and Flacco was just getting warmed up. He stormed back on his opening drive of the third quarter with a 12-play 80-yard march befitting a team that had its Super Bowl banner unveiled before the game. Flacco went 3-for-3 for 44 yards on the drive -- all on third down - including a 23-yarder to Torrey Smith with Joe Haden in tight coverage. Bernard Pierce punched it in with a five yard run to make it 7-6.

Flacco, who went 7-for-9 on third down in the second half, produced the final margin on a 5-yard TD pass to rookie Marlon Brown with 8:57 left in the game. Brown beat Chris Owens on that play, and on an 18-harder two plays earlier.

"He got inside me and it was a great play by Flacco,'' said Owens.

The Browns -- who dropped at least five passes -- had plenty of opportunities to come back, but blew them all. In the third quarter, just after the Ravens went up 7-6, Weeden fired a rope on a wheel route to a wide open Chris Ogbonnaya down the left sideline, and he dropped it at the Ravens' 38. Obie was so open, it could've gone for a TD, which is why one Browns' staffer on the sidelines dropped to his knees and another smacked the sides of his own head.

"I turned upfield and just tried to throttle and unfortunately we didn’t come up with it,'' said Ogbonnaya. "We need to complete it. I need to get it by any means necessary. I made my best effort to come up with it, unfortutatley we came up short.''

Weeden admitted he could've made a better throw.

"I wanted Greg on the in route and I saw out of the corner of my eye obi kind of pop open,'' he said. "Looking back, I probably would give it a little more air, give him a chance to run through it. I tried to get it on him as quick as possible so he could run with it. Just missed. There's no excuses for it.''

The defense got the ball back when Craig Robertson stripped Ray Rice -- who left the game in the fourth quarter with a hip injury -- and D'Qwell Jackson recovered. But the offense, which has scored a total of 16 points in two games and only one TD -- couldn't cash in. Facing a fourth and 4 at the Ravens 39, Weeden completed a short pass to the left to Cameron, who was ruled just short. The Browns challenged and lost. It was so close that the officials used a piece of paper to measure.

"I’ve never seen a referee pull out a credit card or whatever he pulled out and slide it up against it,'' said Weeden. "It was close. It was centimeters.''

It was also enough to keep Cameron -- who finished with a game-high 95 yards on five catches -- seeing chains in his dreams.

"I feel like the fourth down we threw to me, what if I reached a little farther?'' he said. "So, it’s going to be one of those things keep you up at night.

I thought I (made it). I thought I reached over. But that's football. I need to make it. I talked to the (ref) and he said it was the closest spot he’d ever seen. First time he had to do that.''

Weeden had more chances, but Little dropped two fourth quarter passes over the middle, including one that a Ravens' defender almost picked off but dropped, and the one on which Weeden sprained his thumb. Little caught only four of the 12 passes thrown his way for 33 yards, and is clearly out of synch with Weeden. Thats now eight catches on 22 targets the past two weeks for a total of 59 yards.

"That's something I have to work on,'' said Little. "I have to concentrate to make catches. My focus needs to be better when the ball is in the air. No matter where the ball is thrown, I feel every ball thrown my way is a play I have to make.''

The silver lining in the loss was that first-round pick Barkevious Mingo made his NFL debut -- and recorded a 9-yard sack on his first career snap. He blew past left tackle Bryant McKinnie and drilled Flacco. Later in the fourth quarter, he batted down a Flacco pass and then knocked him down. He also assumed Quentin Groves' special teams chores after Groves left with a sprained ankle.

"It’s an incredible feeling,'' Mingo said of the sacks. "Us guys, we like hitting quarterbacks. (But) I feel like if I could have done a little bit more maybe we would have won. The team feels the same way. We know we missed some opportunities. We’ve just got to finish the ballgame.''

Richardson, who called for the ball more during the week, rushed for 58 yards on 18 carries (3.2 average), but wasn't able to score on the goal-line.

“It’s disappointing when you can’t score,'' said Richardson. "It’s disappointing when you lose. But it's nothing I’m going to accept. I’m going to keep fighting and I’m going to make sure I carry my team with me, whatever it takes until we get to winning. I’m going to do whatever it takes. When we get over this hump and get to rolling, we’ll be fine.”

Help is on the way: Josh Gordon will be back next week. But at the rate the Browns are going, he better have morphed into Larry Fitzgerald during his two-game suspension.

Ohio State grad Reece Humphrey takes eighth and Keith Gavin does not place. Olympic champ Jordan Burroughs wrestles Wednesday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – An all-Ohio day for Team USA was not an all-world day at the World Wrestling Championships in Budapest, Hungary on Tuesday. Three Columbus residents took their turns in men's freestyle and the best finish was by 264.5-pounder, Tervel Dlagnev, who appears perpetually stuck in fifth gear.

Dlagnev placed fifth for the third straight year, losing a bronze medal match to Taha Akgul of Turkey. Dlagnev also was fifth at the 2011 Worlds and 2012 Olympics.

Dlagnev did appear aggressive until the final minute against Akgul, who is just 22 years old but began the tournament ranked No. 1 in the world. Akgul scored the only point of the first period on a passivity penalty against Dlagnev, and Akgul hit a single-leg takedown one minute into the second period.

“I just got to get better,” Dlagnev told themat.com. “It’s hard to put my finger on it. I felt like I was wrestling well, but I didn’t have a lot in the tank in the semis and I don’t know if it carried over.”

Dlagnev, a 2009 world bronze medalist, got off to a roaring start, winning his first-round match 9-0 and posting a significant 7-0 technical fall against nemesis Komeil Ghasemi of Iran. Ghasemi owned a three-match winning streak against Dlagnev, including last year's Olympic bronze final. Dlagnev squandered the momentum in a 6-2 semifinal loss to Ukraine’s Alen Zaseev.

Dlagnev trains at the Ohio Regional Training Center at Ohio State along with Team USA's other two wrestlers in action Tuesday. Ohio State grad Reece Humphrey placed eighth at 132 pounds and former Pitt national champion Keith Glavin went 1-1 at 185 pounds. Humphrey lost a quarterfinal, 9-8, on a takedown with four seconds remaining against Iran’s Masoud Esmailpourjouybari. Humphrey led 5-0 late in the first period.

“When I got the draw, I knew it wasn’t a great draw,” Humphrey said. “To be the champion you’ve got to beat everybody. The Iranian had beaten me before and I knew it was a huge match for me. I was ready and I came out strong. We got into a crazy match. I was in position, but he kept pushing and it just didn’t happen for me today.”

Puerto Rico’s Franklin Gomez, a former Michigan State wrestler, went 2-1 at 132 pounds.

Tuesday's champions crowned were Russia’s Bekhan Goigereev (132), Ukraine’s Ibragim Aldatov (184) and Russia’s Khadshimourad Gatsalov (264.5), who won his fifth world title.

The U.S. has yet to win a medal in Budapest. Olympic gold medalist and 2011 world champion Jordan Burroughs is the United States' last men's freestyle hope, and he hits the mat Wednesday at 163 pounds. He is 60-0 in his senior national career.

Two-time Greco-Roman bronze medalist Justin Lester of Akron wrestles Sunday.

It's time for another great quarterback debate in Cleveland, even if there's nothing really worth talking about.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Two games into a new season, we are rewriting trusty old truisms. That might be a franchise record.

The backup quarterback is the most popular guy in struggling football towns. Just not here. Not this season.

Only in Cleveland can it be the No. 3 quarterback. By mid-September.

Jason Campbell has apparently lost public support after entering Sunday’s game in relief of Brandon Weeden with his team backed up to the 1-yard line. His sin? Looking rusty as he impersonated a man trying to elude a shark tornado.

For the second consecutive Sunday, a Browns game ended with the quarterback slinging sidearm hash in the general direction of a receiver.

And on Monday, when head coach Rob Chudzinski didn’t commit to Campbell if a thumb injury keeps Weeden sidelined in Minnesota, it somehow fueled the argument for skipping the inevitable Campbell fail and moving on to St. Ignatius grad Brian Hoyer.

Forget that Chudzinski’s football coach DNA probably prevents naming a starter before he absolutely must -- better to give the Vikings more to think about. We are addicted to these debates about quarterbacks even though we know Campbell-Hoyer or Colt McCoy-Seneca Wallace isn’t exactly like taking sides on Drew Brees-Philip Rivers, or Drew Bledsoe-Tom Brady.

And so begins another for no apparent reason.

For what reason would Chudzinski promote Hoyer over Campbell, who has made 71 career starts?

Campbell was named the backup coming out of training camp. Hoyer may earn playing time. He hasn’t yet. Earning playing time is difficult from the inactive list, where Hoyer spent the past two Sundays.

"I’m confident in all the guys that we have,'' said Chudzinski. "I think I mentioned that a few weeks back. We’ll put the guy out there that I feel like is going to give us the best chance on Sunday if it’s not Brandon.”

Browns GM Mike Lombardi thinks a lot of Hoyer. That didn’t stop the coaching staff from naming Campbell the backup. And it shouldn’t factor in to Chudzinski’s decision Sunday if Weeden can’t play. In fact, if Chudzinski bypasses Campbell for Hoyer it will give the appearance of front-office meddling, even though the front office has clearly deferred to Chudzinski and Norv Turner on all things quarterback-related (as it should).

It wouldn’t be fair to anybody, including the front office, but mostly to the team. Campbell was 11-7 in his last two years as Oakland’s starter before a broken collarbone against the Browns.

Hoyer has the local-boy angle going for him with fans. That’s understandable. The strange thing is how quickly the conversation has turned to whether we’ve seen the last of Weeden, regardless of whether Campbell or Hoyer is his replacement.

Only in Cleveland could this happen with the last of the Labor Day cookout embers still faintly glowing.

SPINOFFS

• Not that Cleveland sports fans are haunted by the past, but the only way Monday’s 7-1 loss to Kansas City in a crucial series opener could’ve felt more ominous is if Grady Sizemore lost a ball in the sun.

• An overweight Royals fan, midriff showing, has become a dancing sensation as Kansas City finds itself in a wild card chase.

Or as the Yahoo Sports headline read, “Dancing Royals fan uses hypnotic belly and intense eyes to celebrate pennant race in KC.”

I’ve seen that stomach in the mirror and the only way that’s “hypnotic” and not “hippo-like” is if your team hasn’t been to the playoffs since 1985.

• In two games, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense has one sack and no turnovers. Right now a matchup with the Browns would be the resistible force against the moveable object.

• NCAA President Mark Emmert reiterated a firm stand against paying athletes, saying that “one of the guiding principles of the NCAA is that this is about students playing sports.”

And keeping Johnny Manziel eligible despite signing thousands of autographs for memorabilia collectors.

• A rally consisting of Tim Tebow fans urging Jacksonville to sign the former University of Florida quarterback was held in the Jaguars’ stadium parking lot and kicked off at 3:16 p.m. -- a nod to the bible verse Tebow sometimes etched into his eye black during games.

There were 20 fans. And 30 media members.

For God’s sakes.

• Niners’ linebacker Patrick Willis is taking a stand against chop blocks.

Said Willis: “Hit like rams. You see a ram going and cutting another ram’s legs? They hit head to head, pad to pad.”

And – little known fact – file more class action suits later in life than any species besides man.

• I don’t know why it’s the case but when I count sheep, they’re usually wearing orange and brown and jumping over the moon every time a new Browns regime comes to town.

• Seattle defensive back Richard Sherman said this after the Seahawks’ 29-3 thrashing of the Niners Sunday night:

“There were a lot of pundits and ignorant idiots who thought we were going to lose this game.”

I’d like to take a stand for pundits here. Then I remember Sherman, who went to Stanford, telling ESPN’s Skip Bayless on First Take, “I’m intelligent enough and capable enough to understand that you are an ignorant, pompous, egotistical cretin. I am going to crush you on here.”

So that raises the possibility Sherman is not wrong this time either.

• After two Browns games, the head coach is fond of answering questions by saying “I gotta watch the tapes.” Some believe that makes Chudzinski evasive and reluctant to hold his players accountable in public.

That could be. But give him a break. It’s only been two games.

For now, it just makes him a masochist.

• You would expect Ravens head coach John Harbaugh to support his player by saying the tape didn’t show running back Ray Rice spitting at Browns defensive lineman Phil Taylor.

Let’s just say Robbie Alomar thinks Rice was out of line.

• Browns fans don’t ask for much. Just for the team to occasionally show it feels as bad about starting the season 0-2 as they do.

• The Tampa Bay Rays' attendance for the first game of their big series against Texas Monday night: 10,724. Why do I think they’re destined to meet the Indians in a one-game playoff contested in front of friends and family?

• The Orlando CBS affiliate is refuting reports that it apologized to viewers for having to air the Jaguars-Raiders game instead of the Manning Bowl, Denver vs. New York.

The station says it was only apologizing for the confusion caused by numerous promos for Peyton Manning vs. Eli Manning when the plan all along, by contract, was to air all Jaguars away games.

The need for that clarification proves that, yes, Browns fans, it is worse somewhere else.

• Nebraska coach Bo Pelini believes Cornhuskers fans will forgive him for a 2011 profanity-laced tirade critical of them, the recording of which was leaked to Deadspin.com this week.

Pelini was upset fans booed him at halftime of the 2011 Ohio State game, which Nebraska went on to win.

“I do believe that we have great fans,” said Pelini, who also said he’s had opportunities to leave Nebraska but that “I obviously enjoy it here.”

For a &*%$# dump, he added.

HE SAID IT

“There’s a certain amount of misery that comes from the position we’re in.” – Steelers’ coach Mike Tomlin after falling to 0-2 for the first time in 11 years.

One team’s misery is, sadly, another organization’s status quo.

YOU SAID IT

(The Expanded Midweek Edition)

Bud:

Weren't the Browns 3-1 during the preseason? – Joe S.

Of course, who could ever forget the trophy presentation?

Bud:

I just emerged from the coma I went into after drinking a bottle of bad vodka last New Year's Eve. I was sure the Browns would fire Pat Shurmur and Brad Childress after last season. What happened? -- Terry

Nearly a year of amnesia in this sports town suggests that was good vodka.

Bud:

You guys better absolutely BLAST the Browns coaching staff for the four delay of game calls. This is amateur hour stuff -- call them out. Ugly crowd here at the bar. – James McGuire

That’s why Browns night games are preferred. The bar crowd looks better the closer you get to 2 a.m.

Bud:

I see the other 'Ubaldo' has staged a huge comeback and is making a strong contribution to the Cleveland sports scene. What's up with you? –- Vince, Cincinnati

I am in desperate need of sports journalism's answer to Mickey Callaway.

Bud:

Have you ever used your Browns game-day ticket to visit a Gentlemen’s Club? – Pat Lee

Like most people I know, I have only used them for 50 percent off at the psychiatrist.

Bud:

Evidently, a billion dollars doesn’t go as far as it used to – Jack, Lyndhurst

I can’t speak for Jimmy Haslam, but that’s been my experience.

Hey Bud:

Did The Plain Dealer have a Hostess program in place when recruiting you? If so, what lured you in, the Twinkies or the HoHo's? – Bob H, Strongsville

First-time “You Said It” winners receive a T-shirt from the Mental Floss collection.

Bud:

Do you think Jim Brown was being overly optimistic when he said Trent Richardson was just “ordinary”? – Jim Lefkowitz, Pepper Pike

Repeat winners are removed from T-shirt consideration when it matters most.

Bud:

In Cleveland we now use the old train station as a shopping mall, a department store as a casino and an old bank lobby as a grocery store. What should we use the football stadium for? -- Dr. Edward Aube, PT

Some repeat winners are licensed therapists.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Here is how a state panel of sports writers and broadcasters rates Ohio high school football teams in the first weekly Associated Press poll of 2013, by Ohio High School Athletic Association divisions, with won-lost record and total points. First-place votes are denoted in parentheses.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Here is how a state panel of sports writers and broadcasters rates Ohio high school football teams in the first weekly Associated Press poll of 2013, by Ohio High School Athletic Association divisions, with won-lost record and total points.

First-place votes are denoted in parentheses.

Check back later Tuesday for a post on cleveland.com’s ballot and some explanations on our picks.

The state poll will be released every Monday at 6:30 p.m. in future weeks.

Others receiving 12 or more points: 11, Cincinnati St. Xavier (1) 73. 12, Pickerington North 50. 13, Mentor 43. 14, Marysville (1) 23. 15, Cincinnati Sycamore 14. 16, Elyria 13. 16, Stow 13.

Others receiving 12 or more points: 11, Mansfield 42. 12, Ellet (1) 41. 13, Lewis Center Olentangy 40. 14, Nordonia 37. 15, Brush 22. 16, Medina Highland 21. 17, Cincinnati Withrow 19. 18, Bedford 17. 19, Madison 15. 20, Columbus Northland 13. 21, Garfield Heights 12.

Others receiving 12 or more points: 11, Chillicothe (1) 58. 12, Trotwood-Madison 55. 13, Mount Orab Western Brown 43. 14, Millersburg West Holmes 42. 15, Sandusky Perkins 41. 16, Springfield Shawnee (1) 29. 17, Canton South 25. 18, Norwalk 24. 19, Columbus Marion-Franklin 18. 20, Celina 12.

Others receiving 12 or more points: 11, Youngstown Cardinal Mooney (1) 48. 12, Chagrin Falls (2) 46. 13, Zanesville Maysville 45. 14, Wauseon 38. 15, Germantown Valley View 36. 16, Galion 35. 17, Upper Sandusky 33. 18, Kettering Archbishop Alter 30. 19, Orange 28. 19, Struthers (1) 28. 21, New Concord John Glenn 26. 22, Perry 24. 23, Gnadenhutten Indian Valley 21. 24, Eaton 16. 24, Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin 16. 26, North Bend Taylor 13. 26, Columbus Bishop Watterson 13.

Others receiving 12 or more points: 11, Hamilton Badin 65. 12, Manchester (2) 62. 13, Columbus Bishop Hartley 57. 14, Baltimore Liberty Union 54. 15, Navarre Fairless 41. 16, Columbia 39. 17, Liberty Center (1) 33. 17, Creston Norwayne 33. 19, Richwood North Union (1) 27. 20, Loudonville 25. 21, Ottawa-Glandorf 22. 22, Cincinnati Madeira 15.

Others receiving 12 or more points: 11, Newark Catholic 50. 12, Brookfield 38. 12, Canfield S. Range (1) 38. 14, McDonald 33. 14, Lucasville Valley 33. 16, Casstown Miami East 29. 16, Centerburg 29. 18, Cincinnati Country Day 28. 19, Delphos Jefferson 26. 20, Hamler Patrick Henry 25. 21, West Liberty-Salem 23. 22, Oak Hill 22. 23, Beverly Fort Frye 18. 24, Defiance Ayersville 17. 24, Louisville St. Thomas Aquinas 17. 26, Cuyahoga Heights 16. 27, Defiance Tinora 13.

Others receiving 12 or more points: 11, Plymouth 40. 12, Ft. Loramie 38. 13, Bainbridge Paint Valley (1) 34. 14, Mineral Ridge 32. 15, Delphos St. John's 25. 16, Norwalk St. Paul (1) 22. 17, Danville 15. 17, Manchester 15.

The Indians, who had won four in a row against the White Sox by a 32-6 margin, remain one-half game behind the Rangers, who also lost Monday.

Game 151: Indians (81-69) at Royals (79-71)

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A lot of people wondered why Terry Francona took the Indians' manager's job after leading Boston to World Series titles in 2004 and 2007.

Terry Francona couldn't be happier as manager of the Indians.(Chuck Crow/The Plain Dealer)  

KANSAS CITY, Mo.-- Seen and heard at Kauffman Stadium.

Clubhouse confidential: Manager Terry Francona said this a lot when he was first hired, but enhanced it some Tuesday when a Philadelphia reporter inquired if people questioned him for taking the Indians' job because he would never have a chance to win.

"A lot of people asked me that," said Francona. "A lot of people said, "What are you doing?' My answer was they didn't know me as well as I thought because this was the place I wanted to come.

"If anything it's been better than I anticipated. I relish the idea of working for Chris Antonetti and Mark Shapiro and the front office. It's been more rewarding than I anticipated."

The Indians signed Francona to a four-year deal on Oct. 8, 2012.

Happy birthday: Infielder Jose Ramirez turned 21 Tuesday.

"Now he can buy a beer," said Francona with a laugh. "He's a cool kid."

Ramirez opened the year at Class AA and was promoted to the big leagues in September. When the Indians brought Ramirez up, he was the fourth-youngest player in the big leagues.

Stat of the day: Carlos Santana entered Tuesday's game second in the AL with 85 walks. Mike Trout is first with 100.

Jason Kipnis is the only other Indians who ranks in the top two of a major offensive category, placing second with nine sacrifice flies.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The first weekly Associated Press high school football poll of 2013 was released earlier tonight. The poll is created by tallying the votes of a state panel sports writers and broadcasters. I was one of them.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The first weekly Associated Press high school football poll of 2013 was released earlier tonight. The poll is created by tallying the votes of a state panel sports writers and broadcasters.

I was one of them.

Below you'll find cleveland.com's ballot and some insight into the picks that were made:

(State poll is listed first, followed by cleveland.com's ballot)

Division I

State poll

cleveland.com ballot

1. Lakewood St. Edward 

2. Cincinnati Colerain 

3. Cincinnati Moeller 

4. Cleveland St. Ignatius

5. Canton McKinley 

6. Cincinnati St. Xavier 

7. Hilliard Davidson

8. Centerville

9. Cincinnati Elder

10. Mentor 

Notable: I had St. Edward first, and it seems a lot of voters agreed as the Eagles had the most first-place votes (11), but they still finished four votes overall behind Colerain. I'm not sure what voters saw in Hudson (ranked 7^th) that they didn't see in Mentor.

Division II

State poll

cleveland.com ballot

1. Massillon Washington 

2. Cleveland Glenville 

3. Cincinnati Winton Woods 

4. Zanesville 

5. Avon 

6. New Albany 

7. Cincinnati LaSalle 

8. Lewis Center Olentangy 

9. Dublin Scioto

10. Medina Highland 

Noteable: I didn't have Willoughby South on my ballot, but the Rebels are definitely a team with momentum. North Olmsted (ranked 9^th) was on the bubble for me. I've been more impressed with Highland. I put Glenville second because, although they're shaky at times, they have the ability to beat anyone.

Division III

State poll

cleveland.com ballot

1. Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary


2. Toledo Central Catholic 

3. Hubbard 

4. Athens 

5. Dayton Thurgood Marshall 

6. New Philadelphia 

7. Tipp City Tippecanoe 

8. Aurora 

9. Trotwood-Madison 

10. Columbus Marion-Franklin 

Noteable: Another close vote in Div. III as Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary and Toledo Central Catholic tied with 11 first-place votes. I had Aurora three spots below where they ended up (5^th).

Division IV

State poll

cleveland.com ballot

1. Clarksville Clinton-Massie 

2. Kenton 

3. Bryan 

4. Bishop Fenwick 

5. Genoa 

6. Steubenville 

7. Gnadenhutten Indian Valley 

8. Caledonia River Valley 

9. Kettering Archbishop Alter 

10. Galion 

Noteable: Not many area teams to choose from in Div. IV, but Fairview snuck in to the poll at No. 10. The Warriors are currently leading Div. IV, Region 11 on the popular JoeEitel.com computer ratings site, which apparently earned them some votes.

Division V

State poll

 cleveland.com ballot

1. Dayton Chaminade Julienne 

2. Wheelersburg 

3. Cincinnati Hills Christian 

4. St. Clairsville 

5. Youngstown Ursuline 

6. Coldwater 

7. Columbia Station Columbia 

8. Baltimore Liberty Union 

9. Columbus Hartley 

10. Akron Manchester 

Noteable: I had Columbia higher than most voters. Maybe a 3-0 record with two one-point wins scared away too many voters.

Division VI

State poll

 cleveland.com ballot

1. Kirtland 

2. Columbus Ready 

3. Cincinnati Summit Country Day 

4. Haviland Wayne Trace 

5. Mogadore 

6. Newark Catholic 

7. North Robinson Colonel Crawford 

8. Lewisburg Tri-County North 

9. Ada 

10. Lima Central Catholic  

Noteable: Kirtland seemed to be the big favorite in Div. VI. They had 13 first-place votes, and one of them was mine.  Villa Angela-St. Joseph, which shot out of the gate at 3-0, made the poll at No. 10. Nice recognition for the Vikings.

Division VII

State poll

cleveland.com ballot

1. Maria Stein Marion Local 

2. North Lewisburg Triad 

3. Leipsic 

4. Covington 

5. Fort Loramie       

6. Glouster Trimble 

7. Berlin Center Western Reserve 

8. Steubenville Central Catholic 

9. Dolphos St. John' 

10. Shadyside 

Noteable: Again, not many area teams challenging for the Div. VII poll, but Maria Stein Marion Local makes the cleveland.com ballot 6-for-7 on picking the top-ranked team.