Another Sunday, another loss. Jason Campbell doesn't bear all the blame, but he left too much on the field.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Jason Campbell performed poorly in the Browns’ 38-31 loss to the Bears on Sunday afternoon at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Recognizing that weather conditions were not easy to navigate, and that his receivers could have played better, Campbell left much too much on the field in going 23-of-39 for 273 yards and one touchdown. He was intercepted twice.

Campbell’s day was in stark contrast to that of the previous Sunday, when he went 29-of-44 for 391 yards and three TDs in a 27-26 loss at New England.

Upon dvr review of the Fox Sports telecast, here are some other observations:

Points not made: Campbell’s offense accounted for 17 points, seven of which came with the Bears in command late in the fourth quarter. The Bears are not pushovers defensively, but they aren’t exactly stingy, either. One of the reasons is the injury list: Among those sidelined against the Browns were standout cornerback Charles Tillman and linebacker Lance Briggs.

Quality lacking: On a subjective rating scale of 1 (lousy) to 3 (standard-issue) to 5 (superb), Campbell managed two 4s and one 5. He had seven 2s and three 1s.

A total of 35 attempts were graded. Reasons for not grading an attempt included throwaway; QB hit; receiver slip; QB/WR miscommunication.

The lone 5 occurred on Campbell’s final throw – a 43-yard TD to Josh Gordon with 59 seconds left. No question Campbell made a terrific pass into a tight window along the left sideline, but Chicago having led by two touchdowns at the time of the drop-back diluted the impact.

One of the 1s came on the final play of the first half. The Browns had first-and-10 at the Chicago 47 with the score tied, 10-10. As the Browns huddled in advance of a desperation heave, analyst Brian Billick, a former NFL head coach, said: “It used to irritate me in practice, when you’d say, ‘Look, we’re going to take our shot’ – and then the quarterback comes in and throws it out of bounds. Well, hey, if you’re going to do that, man, tell me. I’d have handed it off so we can get more running stats or something. But don’t just throw the Hail Mary out of bounds.’’

Billick proved prophetic. Campbell stepped up in the pocket against a three-man rush and fired down the left sideline intended for tight end Jordan Cameron. Bears safety Craig Steltz caught the ball a couple of feet out of bounds at the 2.

Such throws are difficult and very much up for grabs, which is why they typically don’t warrant grades. But this one necessitated a 1 because it went out of bounds, thereby giving Cameron no shot at even a fortuitous tip. (The Browns need help on the desperation deep stuff. Two weeks earlier against Jacksonville, their last play of the game when trailing by four came from the Cleveland 48. The formation basically was the same: Gordon, Greg Little and Davone Bess on the right; Cameron on the left. Brandon Weeden threw to the right and gave his guys a chance in the end zone -- except that Gordon was the only Brown anywhere near the ball. One of five Jaguars to have surrounded Gordon knocked the ball away to preserve a 32-28 victory.)

Distance issues: With his final pass as the most notable outlier, Campbell struggled mightily to make plays downfield. Campbell went 3-of-14 for 67 yards on passes that traveled 10-plus yards from the line of scrimmage. The TD and picks were part of that group.

A 3-for-14 inefficiency is inexcusable, especially when one of the targets is the heretofore sizzling Gordon.

Campbell’s 1s other than the Hail Mary also resulted from throws 10-plus yards in the air:

• Second quarter, second-and-5 at Cleveland 33: Interception by cornerback Zack Bowman at Chicago 40 on pass intended for Cameron. Yes, Campbell was forced to hurry after defensive tackle Stephen Paea beat center Alex Mack. Yes, Cameron appeared to be running in slow motion as he came out of his break on a wheel route along the left sideline. Regardless, that pass never should have been thrown. As Campbell loaded, Cameron turned upfield at the Cleveland 40 and immediately encountered traffic. Bowman, who had peeled off Little in a zone scheme, was in excellent position two steps ahead of Cameron while watching Campbell’s eyes. Campbell, though, didn’t seem to see Bowman.

Play-by-play man Thom Brennaman summed up the decidedly imperfect pass perfectly, saying: “Campbell just throws into coverage, and easily intercepted by Zackary Bowman. Poor decision there by Campbell.’’

• Third quarter, second-and-6 at Chicago 44: Incomplete intended for Gordon deep down the left sideline. This particular misfire would not have been so problematic for Campbell and the Browns if interference had not been called on Bears corner Isaiah Frey. But because the throw was so bad – it sailed out of bounds inside the 10 while Gordon was wide-open at the 15 -- referee Jeff Triplette said: “There is no foul for defensive pass interference, as the ball is uncatchable.’’

Frey, realizing he had been beaten by Gordon on a go-route, began to put up the arm bar at the 30 and didn’t let go until the 20.

Brennaman and Billick said the officials were correct in discussing, then waving off, the penalty.

Non-supporting cast: Not all of Campbell’s failures were on him. His line struggled periodically to adjust to Chicago’s blitzes, especially those coming late from the second level, and his top three wide receivers have had better days.

No. 3 Bess continued his thoroughly disappointing season with as many drops (one) as receptions (one for 9 yards). The drop was ginormous, coming as it did in the first quarter on third-and-8 from the Chicago 17. Campbell put the ball where it needed to be -- low and away from the defender -- only to have Bess mishandle at the 7. The Browns settled for a field goal and 3-0 lead.

No. 2 Little led the Browns with 68 receiving yards (on four catches), but his miscommunication with Campbell early in the third quarter proved costly. On first-and-10 from the Cleveland 30, Campbell threw to a spot beyond the sticks at the sideline. Bowman was wide open and returned it 43 yards to give the Bears a 17-10 advantage.

The replay showed Little running straight to the Cleveland 47 and turning hard to the inside. By then, the ball was in the air and Bowman locked on it, breaking to the sideline as if he were the receiver.

After the game, Browns coach Rob Chudzinski said Little “was running his route’’ and that Campbell threw the ball too early. Perhaps. But Billick’s words and Campbell’s body language suggested otherwise.

Billick said: “This is just a miscue between Jason Campbell and Greg Little….Little turns in, as though he was expecting the ball to be a deep in. The ball was thrown to the outside….Zack Bowman saw the comeback and took it the distance.’’

When another replay showed Campbell raising his arms in disbelief upon realizing Bowman had make the pick, Billick said: “You can see Jason Campbell thinking….He thought that Little was going to break to the outside on a comeback. He can’t understand why Little did not. Obviously, a miscue. You zigged when you should have zagged.’’ Little would be easier to exonerate if this was the first time he and a quarterback did not see eye-to-eye on a route. It isn’t.

No. 1 Gordon rescued what would have been a shockingly bad stat line with the 43-yard TD, which enabled him to finish with three catches for 67 yards. Still, Gordon did not bring his ‘A’ – or ‘B’ -- game. His performance had the feel of Week 7 against the Packers, when he caught two passes for 21 yards.

To have expected Gordon to maintain his record-setting pace of the previous four weeks was unrealistic. To have expected more than what transpired in non-garbage time Sunday was not.

 Campbell and Gordon were inches from several big completions, including on third-and-14 from the Cleveland 10 with 9:37 left in the fourth. The score was tied, 24-24, when Campbell threw a split-finger fastball to a wide-open Gordon at the Cleveland 26. Gordon had dropped to his knees to wait for the pass to arrive; when it finally did, the ball scraped the ground before Gordon secured it with his gloves. Campbell’s pass needed to be much more crisp, no doubt, but Gordon probably would have been better served falling forward and cradling it into the body.

Near-misses are one thing. Near-misses on routes over the middle are another.

On second-and-8 at the Cleveland 34 in the third quarter, Campbell threw what at first glance appeared to be an awful pass intended for Gordon. Campbell led Gordon too far and safety Chris Conte almost intercepted at the Chicago 45. The replay was less kind to Gordon, who seemed to be distracted by Conte at the last instant.

Brennaman said: “Gordon may have been hearing footsteps right here.’’

Billick: “Deion Sanders would call that a business decision.’’

Brennaman: “The question is, what would Rob Chudzinski call it?’’

On first-and-10 from the Cleveland 32 late in the fourth, Gordon failed to make a sliding catch at the Chicago 48. Conte popped him.

Brennaman said: “We have to take a look at what may or may not have happened there. Gordon has not been all that excited about going into traffic during the course of this game.’’

Billick: “We’ve seen a couple of these deep in-routes that, whether he’s anticipating them to be a little flatter, or he’s just a little hesitant to go in there….Of course, if you said, ‘a little hesitant to go in and get your head knocked,’ I’d certainly understand it.’’

Then Fox sideline reporter Laura Okmin talked about the minor accident involving Gordon’s vehicle on Saturday night, when the car in front of him evidently swerved in icy conditions. Gordon was evaluated and cleared to play.

On third-and-10 from the 32, Campbell’s pass intended for Gordon was broken up by corner Tim Jennings at the Cleveland 45. Gordon flapped his left arm over his head in disgust as he went to the sideline.

Billick said: “There seems to be a level of frustration between him and (Jason) Campbell, as to where the ball is going to be thrown.’’ Billick called Campbell “Josh,’’ confusing him with the Bears’ Josh McCown, but the point was made.

Receivers are entitled to nondescript afternoons, but they are glaring for those who enter with 1,400 yards in their first 11 games. At the same time, Gordon needed more accuracy and velocity from his quarterback and more emphasis early from his quarterback and offensive coordinator (Norv Turner). Why Gordon wasn’t even targeted until 1:51 remained in the second quarter did not compute, especially after Fox showed replays of Gordon getting open repeatedly.

Overall grade for Campbell: F

Analyze it yourself! Here is a database of all the Browns passes Dennis Manoloff and a squad of assistants are tracking this season. You can select criteria in the form below and get all the matching throws

How to use the database

• First, choose a quarterback.
• After that, choose one or more of the other options for comparisons, such as Receiver, or Pressure, or Direction of throw.  (Tip: Don't choose too many.)
  
• Click search. You will need to scroll right and left to see all the matched results.
  You can sort the results and look for more patterns by clicking on the heading of any.  Click on "Throw #" at far right to put the throws back into their original order.
• You can see the pass results as a graph, too.
  

After yesterday's loss to the Chicago Bears, 38-31, the Browns' losing streak is now five. Find out what people in the national media are saying about the Browns here.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – After yesterday's loss to the Chicago Bears, 38-31, the Browns' losing streak is now five.

With two games left in the season, they have officially been eliminated from playoff contention, while at the same time ensuring another double-digit losing season. That's the 12^th since the team returned in 1999.

Every week I scour the web looking to compile a post about what the national media is saying about the Browns. The answer this week: not much. There was no record-setting performance from Josh Gordon to write about; no other individual awards to hand out.

Sure, there was conversation about Bears quarterback Jay Cutler slicing up the Browns defense and how Chicago made the right decision going back to him as starter. Wide receiver Alshon Jeffery's phenomenal catch earned some praise. And the devastating stiff-arm Brandon Marshall laid on Joe Haden didn't go unnoticed. But not much about the Browns. It's that time of the season again. The calendar has flipped to December, a chill has blown through off Lake Erie and the Browns are an afterthought. 

Here is what the national media is saying after yesterday's loss.

Will Brinson, from CBSSports.com, hands out his weekly NFL grades. The Browns grade poorly once again.

"Josh Gordon keeps putting up big stats (albeit in garbage time) and the Browns defense did its best to hold up against the Bears while they could. There's only so much you can do with an offense based on Jason Campbell and Edwin Baker. Grade: C-"

The group at NFL.com goes Around the League with three takeaways from each game, including one about the Browns shaky quarterback situation.

"Jason Campbell looked like he should be playing quarterback in the Mid-American Conference. His two interceptions were terrible and his check downs obnoxious. There were times it looked like he was skipping stones to Josh Gordon. The Browns' receiver should have had at least double the 67 receiving yards he produced, if Campbell could have put the ball on him."

In Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback column he gives a suggestion for the next Browns' quarterback.

"I continue to think Cleveland, using the late-first-round pick acquired from Indy in the Trent Richardson deal, is a realistic spot for (Kirk) Cousins if he plays very well in the final three games. Offensive coordinator Norv Turner wants more of a standard dropback quarterback than a run-around guy like Johnny Manziel. If the Browns could use their first first-rounder on another need position (wideout, corner) and the pick in the 20s on Cousins, that would give Turner a chance to get a young veteran ready for opening day faster than he could with anyone Cleveland would pick in a May draft four months from opening day."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The third cleveland.com boys basketball Top 25 poll is out. Check it out by clicking here. Each week after posting the updated Top 25, we'll post another story like this with talking points, including insight into why some teams moved up or down, or in or out of the rankings.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The third cleveland.com boys basketball Top 25 poll is out. Check it out by clicking here.

Each week after posting the updated Top 25, we'll post another story like this with talking points, including insight into why some teams moved up or down, or in or out of the rankings.

Do you have additional questions about our poll decisions? Post your questions in the comments section below and we will answer you.

We also invite you to provide your input in the comments section, a new feature added to high school stories this school year. Tell us what you agree or don't agree with. You can even post your own rankings, which we welcome.

Talking point No. 1: Why did St. Vincent-St. Mary slide down to No. 8?

Although St. Vincent-St. Mary lost twice this past week, its opponents were no slouches. St. Edward is ranked No. 2 this week and Central Catholic is at No. 5.

That, along with the fact that standout sophomore VJ King is out with a sprained left wrist, influenced our decision to keep the Irish in the top-10.

No. 8 was the spot where they landed because teams behind them (East Tech and Warrensville Heights) likely would have done no better against the schedule the Irish played.

Talking point No. 2: The shake-up within the top-5 spots.

With the impressive way a short-handed St. Edward knocked off St. Vincent-St. Mary, it should be no shock the Eagles land at No. 2 this week.

Some consideration was given to No. 3 Shaker Heights, but the Raiders lack a win so far that matches the magnitude of the one St. Edward picked up. That can change if Shaker Heights defeats Mentor on Thursday.

Talking point No. 3: Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy and Holy Name break into the poll.

There were only two newcomers this week as Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy entered at No. 23 and Holy Name entered at No. 24. The two schools replace Walsh Jesuit and John Adams.

The Royals are undefeated this season and are coming off a 24-2 campaign. Meanwhile, Holy Name beat Walsh Jesuit and hung with No. 1 Villa Angela-St. Joseph for most of the first half.

Talking point No. 4: A big week of games ahead.

The poll should experience even more movement next week as the schedule is loaded with ranked showdowns this week. Leading the pack is the Thursday meeting between No. 3 Shaker Heights and No. 4 Mentor.

On the schedule for Tuesday are No. 5 Central Catholic vs. No. 7 Beachwood and No. 14 Garfield Heights vs. No. 15 North Royalton.

This weekend features No. 6 St. Ignatius vs. No. 18 John Hay, No. 9 East Tech vs. No. 11 Cleveland Heights and No. 2 St. Edward vs. No. 10 Warrensville Heights.

Contact high school sports reporter David Cassilo by email (dcassilo@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@dcassilo). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- This week marks the first of the season that the boys basketball Top 25 poll experienced some turmoil. Losses by St. Vincent-St. Mary and Garfield Heights resulted in a shakeup for the top-10 teams. But that isn't the only storyline for this week's poll. A rise by Medina and two new additions to the rankings are...

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- This week marks the first of the season that the boys basketball Top 25 poll experienced some turmoil. Losses by St. Vincent-St. Mary and Garfield Heights resulted in a shakeup for the top-10 teams.

But that isn't the only storyline for this week's poll. A rise by Medina and two new additions to the rankings are part of a reshuffling from top to bottom.

Each Monday at 11 a.m., the cleveland.com high school sports team will release its updated poll, along with a video discussing the picks. See the Top 25 under the video player. 

We are excited to introduce comments to all cleveland.com high school sports stories this school year. Please sound off and share your top 25 in the comments section at the bottom of this post.

And don't miss our talking points post, which explains our Top 25 decisions, and is posted every Monday as well.

Here is the cleveland.com boys basketball Top 25 for the week of Dec. 16. In the comments let us know how they compare with your picks.

(Records through Sunday. Last week's ranking in parentheses.)

1. Villa Angela-St. Joseph, 4-0 (1)

Trending: Steady.

Last week: Defeated No. 24 Holy Name and No. 25 Euclid.

This week: Friday vs. Warren JFK.

The Vikings have outscored their first four opponents by an average of more than 35 points per game. Just as impressive is VASJ's Brian Parker, who scored 46 combined points in two wins over ranked teams.

2. St. Edward, 2-0 (5)

Trending: Rising.

Last week: Defeated No. 8 St. Vincent-St. Mary.

This week: Saturday vs. No. 10 Warrensville Heights.

Even without a full roster, the Eagles made a statement to the rest of Northeast Ohio by knocking off the Irish last Friday. In that win, St. Edward showed off impressive frontcourt play.

3. Shaker Heights, 3-0 (3)

Trending: Steady.

Last week: Defeated Benedictine.

This week: Tuesday at Solon, Thursday at No. 4 Mentor, Friday-Monday at the King of the Bluegrass Holiday Classic.

Esa Ahmad, who scored another 29 points in a win over Benedictine, and the Raiders will be racking up the miles this week with road trips to Solon, Mentor and Fairdale, Ky., for the King of the Bluegrass Holiday Classic.

4. Mentor, 0-0 (4)

Trending: Steady.

Last week: Did not play.

This week: Thursday vs. No. 3 Shaker Heights, Saturday at No. 25 Euclid.

The Cardinals will finally open their season this week. With the game against the Raiders to start, we'll know how good they are quickly.

5. Central Catholic, 4-0 (9)

Trending: Rising.

Last week: Defeated Akron East, Warren John F. Kennedy and No. 8 St. Vincent-St. Mary.

This week: Tuesday vs. No. 7 Beachwood, Friday vs. Trinity.

A young team, the Ironmen are coming together quicker than expected. Tervell Beck emerged as the leader the team needed in the team's comeback victory over St. Vincent-St. Mary.

6. St. Ignatius, 2-0 (7)

Trending: Rising.

Last week: Defeated John Adams.

This week: Friday vs. No. 18 John Hay, Saturday at Canton McKinley.

The Wildcats made short work of John Adams in their home opener on Saturday. Stiff tests against John Hay and Canton McKinley await St. Ignatius. 

7. Beachwood, 3-0 (8)

Trending: Rising.

Last week: Defeated Richmond Heights.

This week: Tuesday at No. 6 Central Catholic, Friday vs. Hawken.

Beachwood has had three convincing wins so far, but has to hit the road to face a red-hot Cleveland Central Catholic team. John Davis III and company will have their hands full.

8. St. Vincent-St. Mary, 1-2 (2)

Trending: Falling.

Last week: Lost to No. 2 St. Edward and No. 5 Central Catholic.

This week: Friday-Sunday at City of Palms Classic in Ft. Myers, Fla.

With VJ King hurt and issues with depth in the frontcourt, the Irish suddenly have a lot of problems. The City of Palms Classic, which includes a matchup with Chicago Whitney Young and Jahlil Okafor, ESPN's No. 1 recruit for 2014, could cause more issues.

9. East Tech, 4-0 (11)

Trending: Rising.

Last week: Defeated John Adams and No. 18 John Hay.

This week: Tuesday vs. Martin Luther King, Saturday at No. 11 Cleveland Heights.

East Tech continued to prove it is the class of the Senate Athletic League with a road win at John Hay. Kyauta "KT" Taylor is also proving he may be the best scorer in the conference again.

10. Warrensville Heights, 2-0 (10)

Trending: Steady.

Last week: Defeated Bedford.

This week: Friday at Euclid, Saturday at No. 2 St. Edward

The Tigers have won both of their first two games by eight points or less against unranked teams. Now we will see what they are really made of.

11. Cleveland Heights, 2-0 (12)

Trending: Rising.

Last week: Defeated Maple Heights.

This week: Tuesday at No. 25 Euclid, Friday at Bedford, Saturday vs. No. 9 East Tech.

The Tigers have one of the more balanced teams in Northeast Ohio. This past Friday against Maple Heights, five players on Cleveland Heights scored in double-figures.

12. Berea-Midpark, 5-0 (14)

Trending: Rising.

Last week: Defeated Avon Lake and Amherst.

This week: Friday vs. Orange, Saturday at Walsh University Tournament.

It's been nothing but positives in the first season of the program. The win over Medina on Dec. 7, looks even better now that the Battling Bees knocked off Garfield Heights.

13. Medina, 4-1 (18)

Trending: Rising.

Last week: Defeated Parma, No. 15 Garfield Heights and Lexington Paul Laurence Dunbar.

This week: Tuesday at Twinsburg.

The win this past Tuesday against Garfield Heights confirmed two things: Medina is a team not to be taken lightly, and Craig Randall is one of the area's best players.

14. Garfield Heights, 3-1 (6)

Trending: Falling.

Last week: Defeated Stow, lost to No. 13 Medina.

This week: Tuesday vs. No. 15 North Royalton, Friday vs. Collinwood.

Garfield Heights had a chance to continue its strong start, but failed to close against Craig Randall and a red-hot Medina squad. The Bulldogs have to figure out how to handle another stud in North Royalton's Omari Spellman.

15. North Royalton, 3-0 (13)

Trending: Falling.

Last week: Defeated Normandy.

This week: Tuesday at No. 14 Garfield Heights.

The dip this week was less about their own play and more about other teams seizing opportunities. The Bears get a chance for one of those wins when they travel to Garfield Heights on Tuesday.

16. Glenville, 2-1 (15)

Trending: Falling.

Last week: Defeated Rhodes and John F. Kennedy.

This week: Tuesday vs. Lincoln West, Wednesday vs. John Adams, Friday at Richmond Heights.

Jimond Ivey helped get the Tarblooders on track with a pair of blowout wins against Senate opposition. He has hit at least 10 field goals in all three games he has played thus far.

17. Lake Catholic, 3-0 (17)

Trending: Steady.

Last week: Defeated Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin.

This week: Tuesday vs. West Geagua, Friday at Archbishop Hoban.

This isn't the most talked about team right now, but Lake Catholic is quietly off to a strong start. The Cougars could be undefeated when they play Central Catholic on Dec. 27.

18. John Hay, 3-1 (16)

Trending: Falling.

Last week: Defeated Max Hayes, lost to No. 9 East Tech.

This week: Tuesday at John Adams, Friday at No. 6 St. Ignatius, Saturday vs. Barberton.

The Hornets fell from the ranks of the unbeaten as they could not make the plays needed to upset East Tech. Cristen Wilson continues to impress and prove he is one of the best players in Cleveland.

19. Brunswick, 3-1 (19)

Trending: Steady.

Last week: Defeated Solon and Strongsville.

This week: Tuesday vs. Hudson, Saturday at Walsh University Tournament.

The Blue Devils needed double-overtime and 34 points from Ryan Badowski to pull off a sweep of the week.

20. Brush, 4-1 (20)

Trending: Steady.

Last week: Defeated Normandy and Solon.

This week: Friday vs. Harvey.

The Arcs are quickly establishing themselves as the top team in the Northeast Ohio Conference River Division. However, after the New Year, their schedule really heats up with games against Stow and Cuyahoga Falls.

21. Westlake, 5-0 (22)

Trending: Rising.

Last week: Defeated Amherst and Avon Lake.

This week: Tuesday at Lorain.

The Demons have proven they can win a game in different ways, either by scoring 70 which they did against Amherst, or with defense after holding Avon Lake to 36 points.

22. Gilmour, 3-1 (25)

Trending: Rising.

Last week: Defeated Padua and Orange.

This week: Tuesday vs. Aurora, Saturday at Walsh University Tournament.

Since its opening loss to Lake Catholic, the Lancers have reeled off three straight wins by at least 15 points. Colin Zucker has scored 19 points in each of his last two games.

23. Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy, 3-0 (NR)

Trending: Rising.

Last week: Defeated Akron Garfield and Indian Valley.

This week: Tuesday vs. Tuslaw, Friday vs. Triway.

The highest newcomer in the poll this week has a terrific duo in Mike Peters and Marty Lee. Both can fill up the stat sheet and have been the key to the undefeated start.

24. Holy Name, 3-1 (NR)

Trending: Rising.

Last week: Defeated Walsh Jesuit, lost to No. 1 Villa Angela-St. Joseph.

This week: Thursday vs. St. Thomas Aquinas.

Brad Karn and Lawrynce Johnson are one of the more under-the-radar duos in the North Coast League, and have helped the Green Wave start the season strongly.

25. Euclid, 3-1 (23)

Trending: Falling.

Last week: Defeated Warren Harding, lost to No. 1 Villa Angela-St. Joseph.

This week: Tuesday at No. 11 Cleveland Heights, Friday vs. No. 10 Warrensville Heights, Saturday vs. No. 4 Mentor.

Euclid dropped its first game of the season, losing by 36 points to top-ranked Villa Angela-St. Joseph. With three top-11 teams in a row this week, things won't be getting easier anytime soon for the Panthers.

Contact high school sports reporter David Cassilo by email (dcassilo@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@dcassilo). Contact sports reporter Tim Bielik by email (tbielik@cleveland.com) or on Twitter (@bielik_tim). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

Is Braxton Miller ready for the NFL? Scouts and draft experts weigh in.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The product has been tested and early reviews are in.

Speed, acceleration and maneuverability? Check.

"He gets 0-to-60 in a flash with game-changing speed and acceleration to go with his vision and strong lateral cuts," said Dane Brugler, an NFL Draft expert for CBS Sports.

The infrastructure and handling? As of now, a work in progress.

"He clearly is paying much more attention to his technique and mechanics, but he still needs work," Brugler said.

So will the 2014 Braxton Miller model hit the NFL market? Or will the Ohio State quarterback exercise his final year of eligibility to fine-tune his fundamentals?

"Both he and everybody on the coaching staff would admit that he certainly has room to grow as a passer," said one NFL scout. "When you look at him compared to some of these other guys coming out, he's certainly not in that league being able to throw the ball, but he's dynamic with his legs."

Miller has completed a career-high 63.2 percent of his passes in 2013, with 1,860 passing yards and 1,033 rushing yards. He missed nearly three full games with a sprained knee ligament and has exhibited a tendency to show wear and tear during his collegiate career. Will he ever be durable enough? NFL teams want a long-lasting product under center.

"That isn't an easy task for a mobile quarterback like Miller, who takes a lot of hits each game," Brugler said.

And at this point, there might not be enough material for NFL teams to draw a clear conclusion of the player they would be receiving should they draft Miller.

"It’s hard to put a round grade on him right now because he still needs time before he’s ready to be a consistent NFL passer," Brugler said. "Miller is an exciting athlete with a strong arm, but will an NFL team see more than that and take a chance on him in the early rounds? Hard to say. But with another season of development, he could drastically change that and create a clearer picture for NFL evaluators to project him to the pro game."

Miller completed only 38 of 82 passes (46.3 percent) in his last four games, but he rushed for more than 140 yards in each contest. Can his passing ability reach the same level as his rushing prowess? Brugler said he needs to work on his touch, accuracy and anticipation, three qualities that "run too hot and cold throughout the course of a game."

"Would his arm strength fall somewhere in that middle 50 percent of the NFL? I'd say yes," the NFL scout said. "Would you trust him to throw the deep comeback or the long ball? Probably not. But he certainly has functional arm strength."

Miller said last week he plans to consult his parents about his decision, but, for now, is focused on Clemson and the Orange Bowl. Draft-eligible players must declare their intentions by Jan. 15.

Whenever he departs for the NFL, will he be a clunker or a luxury vehicle?

"No one has a crystal ball to predict how his skills will progress, but he would be well-served to return to school," Brugler said. "He is a gifted athlete but his downfield touch isn’t a strength and he needs to develop a consistent intermediary passing game."

The Browns continue to find more ways to lose.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Cleveland Browns played their last home game on Sunday. It was disappointing because a week after they couldn’t recover an onside kick, they couldn’t line up correctly to try one.

Columnist Jim Ingraham writes in The News-Herald how the Browns gave up 30 or more points for the fifth time in the last nine games, and lost for the eighth time in the last nine games.

The defense, which has coughed up leads late in each of the last three games, gave up three touchdown drives in the last nine minutes of this one. They muffed a kickoff, threw two interceptions, one that was returned for a touchdown, and were flagged for nine penalties for almost 100 yards. Somehow, they only lost by seven points. Thankfully, it’s finally over.

Ingraham goes on to write how the Browns said goodbye to their flabbergastingly loyal fans — who haven’t seen a winning season in 11 years or an NFL playoff game in Cleveland in 20 years — with another chaotic, springing-leaks-all-over-the-place loss.

“This kind of defines our season. Some good things, some bad things,” said quarterback Jason Campbell. “Last week was a very emotional loss. We wanted to get a win today, especially with it being our last home game. So this is very disappointing. I’m especially disappointed in myself.”

More Browns and NFL news

Newcomer Edwin Baker scores first NFL touchdown in first game (Cleveland.com).

The Browns' final home game ends with another disappointment (Cleveland.com).

Tashaun Gipson talks about the plays that got away (Cleveland.com).

Cleveland Browns have little hope without a big game from Josh Gordon (Cleveland.com).

Wide receiver Davone Bess is second in the league in dropped passes (Cleveland.com).

Bears defensive back steps up at the right time and makes big play (Chicago Sun Times)

QB Jay Cutler recovers from slow start with fantastic finish (Chicago Tribune).

It hurt to watch the Browns minus Joe Haden (CantonRep.com).

Ravens tight end Dennia Pitta takes impressive path to recovery (BaltimoreSun.com).

NFL great Jim Brown would talk with Kobe Bryant (Cleveland.com).

Ohio State cornerbacks coach Kerry Coombs is known for his intensity, and it was caught on film as he addressed recruits who were on campus visiting recently.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State cornerbacks coach Kerry Coombs has made a name for himself through his intense personality, which has paid dividends for Ohio State during the recruiting process.

Do you ever wonder exactly what Coombs is like?

Well, there’s a video floating around the Internet of Coombs addressing a room full of Ohio State recruits during a recent recruiting weekend. 

In the corner, you can see 2014 Buckeye offensive line commitments Jamarco Jones of Chicago De La Salle and Kyle Trout of Lancaster, Ohio. There are also some unseen prospects in the room that are uncommitted. 

Below is the full video of how Coombs addresses the visiting prospects.

Edwin Baker scored his first NFL touchdown on Sunday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The NFL is many things, and it's especially an organization of opportunity for so many players waiting on a chance to prove they belong.

Running back Edwin Baker is one of those players. After he was drafted in the seventh round by the San Diego Chargers in 2012, he spent last season and the first three months of his season on the practice squad.

That all changed when he was acquired by the Browns last week, and his play on Sunday against the Bears may change the previous direction of his career.

"I'm going to do whatever I have to do to play in this league," Baker said. "This absolutely the opportunity I've been waiting for."

The play: The Browns set up in the I-formation on first-and-goal from the 2. Baker, the tailback, took the handoff from Jason Campbell, followed his lead blocker and barreled in for the score.

Spokesman said aisles, ramps, plazas, steps, bridges were priority.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Browns’ players and coaches apparently weren’t the only ones fighting a losing battle Sunday at FirstEnergy Stadium.

Mother Nature proved too much for a stadium crew of more than 150 workers who, according to a team spokesman, toiled “around the clock” to clear snow from parts of the venue prior to the Browns’ 38-31 loss to the Chicago Bears.

Some fans arrived for the home finale to find their seats covered with snow and ice. About five inches of snow fell Saturday. The new Browns regime, which has placed an emphasis on improving the fan experience at the stadium, acknowledged they have received customer complaints.

Some fans said they had to stand in inches of snow around their seats. Chunks of snow could be seen falling from upper decks onto the fans in the lower bowls throughout the game.

“More than 150 people worked through the night and around the clock this weekend trying to prepare the stadium,” team spokesman Zak Gilbert wrote in an emailed response to cleveland.com. “Aisles, ramps, plazas, steps and bridges were a priority, and we were able to clear those areas and create a safe environment.

“The timing and intensity of the storm prevented us from clearing every seat, unfortunately; some seats were cleared Saturday night, only to be covered Sunday morning. The team was able to remove several tons of snow before kickoff and all the fans we talked to were very understanding of the unique circumstances.”

Appreciate our fans for their support this home slate. Last one and it's a classic CLE day. Thanks again. pic.twitter.com/pCpvePgGgQ

— Alec Scheiner (@scheiner_alec) December 15, 2013

Five-star linebacker Raekwon McMillan committed to Ohio State on Monday.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Urban Meyer has spoken all year about Ohio State’s vulnerability at the linebacker position. As of Monday afternoon, that isn’t as big of an issue anymore.

That’s because Meyer earned an oral commitment from five-star linebacker Raekwon McMillan of Hinesville (Ga.) Liberty County, the No. 1 inside linebacker in the country according to Rivals.com.

Ohio State has been recruiting McMillan for two years, and that work paid off when the 6-foot-3, 235-pounder picked the Buckeyes over Alabama, Auburn, Clemson and Georgia. 

Meyer had an in-home visit with McMillan on Sunday night, and the linebacker called Ohio State's head coach to inform him of his commitment only minutes before making his decision public. 

McMillan is regarded as one of the truly elite prospects in the 2014 class, and will stand out among the other 17 commitments in the Buckeyes’ class as Ohio State’s first five-star commitment. 

Before narrowing down his list to a final five, McMillan had scholarship offers from Florida, Florida State, Miami (Fla.), Michigan State, Nebraska, N.C. State, Notre Dame, Oregon, Texas, UCLA, USC, Washington and more than 10 others.

In the 2013 recruiting class, Meyer landed four players listed as at least a four-star prospect in the final week leading up to National Signing Day before finishing with the No. 2 overall recruiting class. One of those players Meyer landed late was five-star safety Vonn Bell of Rossland (Ga.) Ridgeland. 

Landing McMillan could mean another big finish to a recruiting class, but this big finish is starting a little earlier. 

Before earning McMillan's commitment, the Buckeyes' 2014 recruiting class ranked No. 7 overall in the Rivals' team rankings behind Alabama, Tennessee, Miami (Fla.), Florida State, Texas A&M and Notre Dame. The Buckeyes, however, had at least four less commitments than all the schools in front of them. 

By adding McMillan, Rivals moved Ohio State up to No. 4 in those rankings. The Buckeyes hopped Notre Dame, Texas A&M and Florida State. And Ohio State's class is still growing, as the Buckeyes could eventually sign up to 24 or 25 players. 

The Buckeyes are also expecting a decision soon from West Palm Beach (Fla.) Dwyer wide receiver Jonnie Dixon, a four-star prospect, any day now. 

Who else could the Buckeyes land this year? Here's a list of top prospects Meyer is still courting. 

Other must-read Cleveland.com recruiting links: 

• How can Ohio State recruit against California weather? Long Beach five-star prospect JuJu Smith explains

• Nick Saban and Alabama attacking Urban Meyer, Ohio State's recruiting stronghold in the Midwest more than ever: Breaking Bama

• Lancaster OL Kyle Trout out to prove he's much more than a class-filler, not simply an in-state quota for Ohio State

• Video of Kerry Coombs speaking to visiting Ohio State prospects reveals coach's intensity

Here are what blogs from Cleveland and around the country are saying about the Browns. Featured today are Dawg Pound Daily, Bleacher Report and 92.3 The Fan.

Here are what blogs from Cleveland and around the country are saying about the Browns.

Cleveland Browns

Can Jason Campbell find consistent play? (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

"It is easy to get wrapped up in a few good performances and romanticize a quarterback into “the guy.” Some were trying desperately to do that after quarterback Jason Campbell posted a quarterback rating better than 100 in three of the last five games he played.

Stepping back and taking a look at the bigger pattern, however, shows a quarterback who is wildly inconsistent. This did not just happen overnight, it has been this way his entire career."

Edwin Baker showed some promise Sunday against the Bears. (Chuck Crow/The Plain Dealer)

"What made Baker stood out was how decisive and explosive he was. He had a run for 15 yards and a reception for 16 yards that looked like they were at a different speed from what the Browns and fans were accustomed. This is something that the Browns had not seen since Dion Lewis went down with a broken leg and since last year when Montario Hardesty would come in relief for a laboring Trent Richardson.

Baker could come back to Earth much the way Rainey did in Tampa, but he made a great first impression in his first professional game. It would appear the evolving roster concept that some were rabidly opposed has yielded some nice results, even if for just one game. Baker will have hopefully two more games to showcase what he can do as he makes an argument to stick on the roster next year; a group that could include Lewis and a player likely to be selected in the NFL Draft. At least in 12 opportunities he had, Baker looked like he could be depth and a nice change of pace if he can continue running with type of confidence."

The nightmare continues. (John Kuntz / The Plain Dealer)

"The only constant for the Browns since 1999, with the exception of 2002 and 2007, is no matter the quarterback, coach, GM, or owner (and there have been many) – they lose in excruciating, creative and spectacular fashion often.

This year’s bunch hasn’t won a game since Nov. 3 and even then, 4-5 never looked so good.

CEO Joe Banner said that the team’s failure and success rests squarely on his shoulders. Well, he’s carrying a heavy loadbecause the first team under his stewardship is a disaster. The talent might be improved but the results haven’t and that is what counts."

Have a post that you think should be featured in our daily Blog Roundup? Email the link here. You can also follow Glenn on Twitter.

Northeast Ohio sent four teams to the 57th annual Pop Warner Super Bowl at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, FL. In order to reach the National Finals in Florida the four teams went through tough climbs in their respective regions. Each team was pitted in a group with three other teams from around the...

Northeast Ohio sent four teams to the 57^th annual Pop Warner Super Bowl at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, FL.

In order to reach the National Finals in Florida the four teams went through tough climbs in their respective regions. Each team was pitted in a group with three other teams from around the country to decide a national champion on the field.

Bedford Heights Saints Division I Midget (ages 12-14) and Division II Jr. Pee Wee (Ages 8-10), New Birth Warriors Division II Midget, and Glenville Division I Jr. Midget (ages 10-12) were all represented in the competition.

Bedford Heights Saints Jr. Pee Wee team defeated the Carson Ravens (CA) 20-0 in their semifinal game.

Bedford Heights Saints Midget team won their semifinal game versus the Northhampton Indians 32-0.

Saints advanced to the title game where they lost to the Norfolk Saints (VA) 18-0.

Glenville Titans fell to the Liberty City Warriors 24-6 in their semifinal game.

The New Birth Warriors defeated the North Suburban Bulldogs (CO) 32- 0 in the semifinals of the tournament.

Warriors lost in the championship game to the Palm Bay Rockets (FL) 34-0.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Easy to overlook amid all the top seeds and big names at last weekend's Walsh Ironman wrestling tournament was the performance of St. Edward freshman Alan Hart. While the 106-pound weight class is certainly no stranger to underclassmen, Hart's fifth-place finish at Ironman - as an unseeded competitor - served as a fine introduction to the...

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Easy to overlook amid all the top seeds and big names at last weekend's Walsh Ironman wrestling tournament was the performance of St. Edward freshman Alan Hart.

While the 106-pound weight class is certainly no stranger to underclassmen, Hart's fifth-place finish at Ironman - as an unseeded competitor - served as a fine introduction to the Northeast Ohio high school wrestling scene, if not the national one.

"It's pretty tough. I like the competition a lot and I think I wrestled pretty good," said Hart on Saturday. "I was hoping to get the top four, but fifth place is still pretty good. So I'm pretty excited."

Hart entered Ironman with a 2-0 record, then opened by knocking off No. 6 seed Tommy Genetin of Massillon Perry (2-0). He beat Chris Lacayo of Santiago (Calif.), 3-2, in the third round before a 5-0 quarterfinal decision against No. 3 seed Joey Prata of St. Christopher (Va.).

In the semifinals, Hart faced No. 2 seed and defending Division II state champ Tyler Warner of Uhrichsville Claymont. Warner pinned Hart in 1:25 and went on to win the Ironman title.

Hart lost his first consolation bout, 5-3 to No. 1 seed Logan Grass of Huntington W.Va., then beat Tanner Smith of St. Paris Graham, 5-4, to claim fifth place.

"You look at some of the guys he beat, guys that have won state, placed at state. He had a heck of a tournament," said St. Edward coach Greg Urbas. "That's pretty darn good for a 14-year-old."

Hart's days of being unseeded at Ironman are probably over. In fact, Hart's Ironman performance likely makes him a top contender for the 106 title at this season's Division I individual state tournament.

"I think it's just good preparation for states because I'm going to be wrestling upperclassmen," said Hart of the Ironman. "It's a lot different than junior high."

In case you missed it …

Although this year’s Walsh Ironman marked the first time in the event’s 20-year history that a Northeast Ohio wrestler didn’t reach a championship match, the region did have nine place winners. Check out a recap of the 2013 Ironman, including videos.

Here's a look back at Day 1 of the Ironman, including a slideshow and videos.

 Meanwhile, at the North Coast Classic, Brunswick left no doubt that it is poised to build off last season's Northeast Ohio Conference tournament title. Check out how the Blue Devils dominated the two-day event, claiming three individual titles and five other top-four finishes.

A happy Warrior

Walsh Jesuit sophomore 120-pounder Alex Mackall finished sixth at Ironman, prompting this response from his coach:

Nice work by @a_mackall21 to make some gains & turn some corners to place 6th, becoming my 1st #WalshIronman placer! #moderndaywarriors

— Adam Koballa (@Adam_Koballa) December 16, 2013

The early-season eye-opener

It wasn't hard to find wrestlers at the Walsh Ironman who left the event with an adjusted focus. Getting knocked down a peg or two can cause that.

With the Ironman considered one of the best in-season tournaments in the country, some wish it was held later in the season, allowing more wrestlers to be in better form.

But not Brecksville-Broadview Heights coach Todd Haverdill.

"A lot of people talk about how early the Ironman is. I think it's great. As a coach it lets you know right out of the gate what you need to improve on, and then you have the rest of the year to do that," said Haverdill. "If it's at the end of the year, you've got very little time to fix things, so I love it."

Beachwood coach Dugan Bentley hopes his wrestlers use the Ironman's early-season test as motivation for the rest of the season. Sam Gross (8^th, 132) and Ryan Harris (8^th, 170) have both won state titles, but ended their first Ironman experiences with spots on the last step on the awards podium.

"The kids here, you could tell there were primed and ready to go. Our guys, it was obvious to me they have not been in those wars," said Bentley. "(Gross and Harris) get first-period pins all the way through the local tournaments, even in the finals. Everyone says that's awesome and unbelievable. But the truth is, you come to something like this, it's a whole different beast, and they found that out today."

What others are writing

Here's a story about how Walsh Jesuit senior Mike Kostandaras is putting the disappointment of 2012 behind him. (Akron Beacon Journal)

Here's a look at what Amherst , Avon and Clearview are hoping to take from their tough quad with Toledo Central Catholic. (Chronicle-Telegram)

Northeast Ohio Media Group reporter Bill Landis contributed to this story.

Contact high school sports reporter Scott Patsko by email (spatsko@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@ScottPatsko). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

Five-star linebacker Raekwon McMillan committed to Ohio State on Monday afternoon. But why is McMillan one of the best overall prospects in the 2014 recruiting class? See for yourself inside.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – By now you’ve probably heard Ohio State’s good news: Urban Meyer earned an oral commitment from five-star linebacker Raekwon McMillan on Monday afternoon.

Rated by Rivals.com the No. 1 inside linebacker in the 2014 class, McMillan is a prospect that’s expected to immediately bolster Ohio State’s linebackers room, which is something Meyer has expressed as a great need.

But outside the numbers and the rankings and the talk, there’s McMillan on the football field. Here are highlights of the 6-foot-3, 235-pound linebacker at work.

Lots of teams to watch in the Top 25 poll, but within the state Bowling Green is starting to make a move. And the Falcons look good for the long haul.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Of the top four undefeated teams in the AP Top 25, which one is most likely to lose first; Arizona, Syracuse, Ohio State or Wisconsin?

Tough choice between the last two, if only because they play in the same conference where Michigan State also resides. Perhaps the better question is which undefeated team is likely to stay that way even in conference play?

For that one, take a look at Wichita State, where Creighton is no longer a member of the Missouri Valley Conference. This is still a Top 10 league, but without the Blue Jays, now in the Big East Conference, Wichita State could potentially go unscathed.

Remember, we're talking about a Final Four team from 2013 in the Wheat Shockers that returns the bulk of their lineup from last season. Another team from the midwest to keep an eye on is Iowa State. The focus will remain on Kansas, Texas and Baylor in the Big 12, at least through January, but ISU should not be ignored and could well be a Top 10 team sooner than later.

Finally, has North Carolina already secured one of the four No. 1 seeds in the 2014 NCAA Tournament with victories already over Michigan State, Kansas and Kentucky? Even finishing second, or third, in the ACC might not drop the Tar Heels off the top shelf.

The residuals of that is Belmont and UAB, two mid majors that have victories over North Carolina, should have NCAA Tournament at-large bids in their grasp as well with 20-win seasons come March.

Elton's Top 25 poll vote -

1. Arizona

2. Syracuse

3. Ohio State

4. Wisconsin

5. Michigan State

6. Louisville

7. Oklahoma State

8. Duke

9. UConn

10 Villanova

11. Wichita State

12. North Carolina

13. Baylor

14. Oregon

15. Memphis

16. Iowa State

17. Florida

18. Gonzaga

19. Kentucky

20. Kansas

21. Colorado

22. UMass

23. Missouri

24. Pitt

25. Harvard

Bowling Green forward Richaun Holmes has become both an offensive and defensive force to be reckoned with.AP Photo

Elton's Top Five in the State

1. Ohio State

2. Cincinnati

3. Toledo

4. Dayton

5. Bowling Green

Waiting in line -- Ohio University, Xavier, Kent State

That's right, Bowling Green (5-5). Nothing is more inspiring than watching the light bulb go on for a special player, then seeing how he can carry a team. That is happening right now with the Falcons and 6-10 junior forward Richaun Holmes. "He is an absolute freak,'' one MAC coach said recently. "And it looks like he's figured it out.''

A role player last season, Holmes is now Zeke Marshall on the defensive end of the floor and Chris Kaman on the offensive end. For those with no MAC history, Marshall was the MAC's two-time defensive player of the year at Akron, while Kaman was a NBA lottery pick out of Central Michigan.

Holmes is averaging 14.0 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game. In BG's last four games he is averaging 20.5 points, 8.8 rebounds and 6.0 blocks. If those numbers hold up for the season, he could be both Player of the Year, and Defensive Player of the Year, come March.

The Falcons emergence, winning three of their last four, means the upcoming MAC East division race becomes even more convoluted, and head coach Louis Orr can likely rise off the hot seat in the process.

Talk Browns with Mary Kay Cabot and Glenn Moore at 2 p.m.

Talk Browns with Mary Kay Cabot at 2 p.m. 

Get your Browns questions ready and join Mary Kay Cabot today at 2 p.m. as she talks Browns football.

Mary Kay will talk with cleveland.com's Glenn Moore about the Browns' loss to the Jets Sunday and what went wrong late in the game.

You can jump in the chat room and ask your questions as well as interact with other users and respond to Mary Kay's remarks, or you can just listen. The chat will also be made available shortly after its completion in MP3 format.

Damian Lillard capped a 38-point night with a game-winning long-distance trey Tuesday, foiling the Cavaliers' desperate rally from a 10-point deficit with two minutes left.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The game was full of thrilling plays, and the box score was full of gaudy numbers after the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Cavaliers, 119-116, on Tuesday night at The Q.

Damian Lillard hit a 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds left as the Blazers improved to a league-best 22-4 record, 12-2 on the road. Kyrie Irving missed a long 3-pointer at the buzzer as the Cavs slipped to 9-15, losing at home for the first time in five games.

Lillard, the reigning rookie of the year, finished with a season-high 36 points, including eight 3-pointers, and a season-high 10 assists. He also tied his career high with eight rebounds. LaMarcus Aldridge, the reigning Western Conference player of the week, added 26 points and 15 rebounds. Irving, the reigning Eastern Conference player of the week, and Dion Waiters, reiterating before the game that he has not asked to be traded, each had 25 for the Cavs, and Irving added 10 assists.

Portland, which came into the game as the second-best 3-point shooting team in the league with a 41.2 percent average, actually shot 45.5 percent from 3-point range on Tuesday (15-of-33).

But the only numbers that concerned Cavs coach Mike Brown were rebounds. Portland hammered Cleveland on the boards, 56-44, including 18 offensive rebounds and a remarkable 35 second-chance points, meaning the Blazers basically scored off every offensive board.

"The game, for us, more than anything else, even though those guys had big nights offensively was won in the rebound game,'' Brown said. "That's obvious. Anybody can take a look at it. You could feel it during the course of the game.

"Going into the game, if I would have thought we would have gotten our behinds hammered like we did on the glass tonight, I would have told you you were lying. We've done a nice job in that department for most of the year. But we flat out got beat on that end of the floor. When it comes to those guys' offensive rebounding or us defensive rebounding, to have 18 offensive rebounds and score 35 second-chance points off those 18 offensive rebounds, that's tough to overcome.

"A tough night for us on the glass. It would be interesting to go back and see if it was a combination of our bigs and smalls or if it was just our bigs. But their three bigs were great for them on the offensive glass. I'm sure those offensive rebounds led to kick-outs, which led to 3s to keep those guys in the game or keep their runs going.''

Alonzo Gee came up with the biggest defensive rebound of the game for the Cavaliers, after Aldridge missed a 6-footer with 17.9 seconds left and the Cavs trailing, 116-114.

The Cavs were in the midst of a furious rally after Portland used a 13-3 run for a 114-104 lead with two minutes left. But Irving scored nine of the Cavs' next 10 points and his three-point play hauled them within two with 33.8 seconds left. Aldridge missed and the Cavs took a timeout with 16.5 seconds remaining before Irving found Anderson Varejao for a layup that tied the score, but left seven seconds for the Blazers.

Then Lillard let it fly from a couple of steps beyond the arc, against Gee. He beat the Pistons on Sunday, 111-109, at The Palace of Auburn Hills with a 14-foot buzzer-beater in overtime.

"Cold blooded,'' Waiters said. "It was a big time shot.''

It was quick and well behind the 3-point line, which was what Lillard wanted.

"I didn't want to try to get into the paint too deep,'' he said. "I know they have some giants in there, and they all took a lot of shots tonight. Alonzo Gee is a great athlete, so I didn't want to put myself in a situation where I couldn't get a good look. On the perimeter, I knew I could get a good look, so I just gave him a move to try to get him off balance to where he would be ready for me to blow by him, and as soon as I saw him try to get ready, I just rose up.''

Coach said Bryant excited about returning for 2014 after undergoing heart procedure.

BEREA, Ohio – Browns coach Rob Chudzinski said defensive lineman Desmond Bryant is expected to be “better than ever” after undergoing a season-ending cardiac ablation on Dec. 6 to correct an irregular heartbeat.

The coach also conceded Wednesday the condition might have been weighing on him mentally after symptoms flared Oct. 3. Bryant’s production dipped during his final seven games before having the procedure performed at the Cleveland Clinic.

A cardiac ablation is used to destroy a small region of tissue causing rapid and irregular heartbeats, according to the American Heart Association.

“I have talked to Desmond, and I’ve seen him a number of times afterward,” Chudzinski said. “He’s doing fine, and he’s excited because obviously, it was something that was on his mind and he was concerned about, but it’s past him now with that procedure being done. He’s expected to be back 100 percent and better than ever.

"From a mental standpoint, did that affect him? I know he was concerned about it so maybe it did. I don’t know. I can’t say that.”

Bryant recorded 3-1/2 sacks in the first five contests before being taken to the hospital at halftime of the Oct. 3 game after experiencing an accelerated heartbeat and shortness of breath. He started all 12 games in which he appeared, compiling 45 tackles and, according to the team, 32 "quarterback harassments," which combines pressures and hits.

He was arguably the Browns’ best front-seven player in the first five games.He wasn’t as effective over the final seven, however. The former Oakland Raiders tackle also left a game during the 2012 season complaining of similar conditions, a fact that didn’t prevent the Browns from signing him to a five-year, $34 million deal in March.

“Just telling in the pep in his step, he’s excited about the future right now,” Chudzinski said.

The coach was asked if Bryant was the “same player” after the Oct. 3 scare.

“I think we saw signs of that,” Chudzinksi said. “I know he was battling some nagging injuries, as well, so some of that I know plays into that. Again, I’m just excited about him getting back and being full speed and getting going again because he’s another guy with a bright future.”

Quotable

Safety Tashaun Gipson on whether injured Joe Haden (hip pointer) is the heart and soul of the Browns defense:

“Everybody’s got their own interpretation of who’s the heart and soul of this defense. I think that he’s definitely a huge centerpiece to this defense when you’ve got a guy who can lock down one side of the field. It definitely takes away from the game plan, but it’s not like we’re lacking guys who can play this game. We’ve still got guys who can come in and step in. Will they be Joe Haden-like? I don’t know. Maybe on that given Sunday they can. But anytime you lose a guy like Joe it’s tough for the defense. It’s a next-man-up business, and I think we’ve got guys that can step in.”

Brownies

Left tackle Joe Thomas (back) was limited in practice Wednesday. He did not participate in drills during the opening portion that the media is allowed to watch . . Running back Willis McGahee (concussion) returned to practice on a limited basis. He missed the Bears’ game . . . Haden (hip), guard John Greco (knee) and tight end Andre Smith (calf) were idle Wednesday.

ROCKAWAY, N.J. --Glenville's Marshon Lattimore is among four finalists for the Lockheed Martin Defensive Back of the Year award.  The award will be presented to the top prep defensive back in the country and is chosen by the U.S. Army All-American Bowl Selection Committee. The winner will be announced Jan. 3 at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl Awards Show....

ROCKAWAY, N.J. --Glenville's Marshon Lattimore is among four finalists for the Lockheed Martin Defensive Back of the Year award. 

The award will be presented to the top prep defensive back in the country and is chosen by the U.S. Army All-American Bowl Selection Committee. The winner will be announced Jan. 3 at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl Awards Show.

This is the first year the Lockheed Martin Defensive Back of the Year award will be presented. Retired Major General Jim Rogers, Vice President of Army and Missile Defense Programs for Lockheed Martin, will do the honor of presenting it to the winner. 

The other finalists include C.J. Hampton of Meridian High School (MS), Edward Paris Jr. of Tiberview High School (TX) and Damon Webb of Cass Technical High School (MI). Hampton is an Ole Miss commit, Paris is committed to LSU and Webb is committed to Ohio State. 

Lattimore has offers from several Division I schools including Ohio State, Oregon, USC, Alabama and Georgia Tech but has yet to make a formal commitment. 

For more than 13 years, the U.S. Army All-American Bowl has been a launching pad for many of America's future college and NFL stars such as Adrian Peterson and Andrew Luck, who made their national debuts as U.S. Army All-Americans.   

For more information on the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and its related events, visit www.usarmyallamericanbowl.comand www.goarmy.com/events/aab. 

ROCKAWAY, N.J. -- Glenville's Marshon Lattimore is among four finalists for the Lockheed Martin Defensive Back of the Year award.  The award will be presented to the top prep defensive back in the country and is chosen by the U.S. Army All-American Bowl Selection Committee. The winner will be announced Jan. 3 at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl Awards Show....

ROCKAWAY, N.J. -- Glenville's Marshon Lattimore is among four finalists for the Lockheed Martin Defensive Back of the Year award. 

The award will be presented to the top prep defensive back in the country and is chosen by the U.S. Army All-American Bowl Selection Committee. The winner will be announced Jan. 3 at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl Awards Show.

This is the first year the Lockheed Martin Defensive Back of the Year award will be presented. Retired Major General Jim Rogers, Vice President of Army and Missile Defense Programs for Lockheed Martin, will do the honor of presenting it to the winner. 

The other finalists include C.J. Hampton of Meridian High School (MS), Edward Paris Jr. of Tiberview High School (TX) and Damon Webb of Cass Technical High School (MI). Hampton is an Ole Miss commit, Paris is committed to LSU and Webb is committed to Ohio State. 

Lattimore has offers from several Division I schools including Ohio State, Oregon, USC, Alabama and Georgia Tech but has yet to make a formal commitment. 

For more than 13 years, the U.S. Army All-American Bowl has been a launching pad for many of America's future college and NFL stars such as Adrian Peterson and Andrew Luck, who made their national debuts as U.S. Army All-Americans.   

For more information on the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and its related events, visit www.usarmyallamericanbowl.comand www.goarmy.com/events/aab.