Each play in the Browns' final drive.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Here's the final play by play of the Browns' winning drive Sunday against the Saints.

1st&10 at Cle 4

(2:46) Brian Hoyer incomplete pass to the right intended for Andrew Hawkins.

2nd&10 at Cle 4

(2:42) Penalty: Offside on New Orleans 5 yards.

2nd&5 at Cle 9

(2:37) Terrance West rush to the left for 4 yards to the Cle13. Tackled by Tyrunn Walker.

3rd&1 at Cle 13

(2:05) Brian Hoyer pass to the left to Miles Austin for 4 yards to the Cle17. Tackled by Corey White.

1st&10 at Cle 17

(2:00) Brian Hoyer incomplete pass to the left intended for Miles Austin.

2nd&10 at Cle 17

(1:57) Brian Hoyer pass to the right to Taylor Gabriel for 7 yards to the Cle24. Tackled by Kenny Vaccaro.

3rd&3 at Cle 24

(1:34) Brian Hoyer pass to the right to Miles Austin for 10 yards to the Cle34. Tackled by Keenan Lewis.

1st&10 at Cle 34

(1:14) Brian Hoyer pass to the left to Taylor Gabriel for no gain to the Cle34. Tackled by Corey White.

(1:08) Cleveland TIMEOUT.

2nd&10 at Cle 34

(1:08) Brian Hoyer sacked at Cle32 for a loss of 2 yards by Junior Galette.

3rd&12 at Cle 32

(0:46) Brian Hoyer pass to the left to Taylor Gabriel for 6 yards to the Cle38. Tackled by Corey White.

(0:38) Cleveland TIMEOUT.

4th&6 at Cle 38

(0:38) Brian Hoyer pass to the middle to Gary Barnidge for 10 yards to the Cle48. Tackled by Jairus Byrd.

1st&10 at Cle 48

(0:19) Brian Hoyer pass to the left to Miles Austin for 13 yards to the NO39. Tackled by Patrick Robinson.

1st&10 at NO 39

(0:15) Brian Hoyer incomplete pass to the right intended for Miles Austin defensed by Cameron Jordan.

2nd&10 at NO 39

(0:13) Brian Hoyer pass to the right to Andrew Hawkins for 28 yards to the NO11. Tackled by Keenan Lewis.

(0:06) Cleveland TIMEOUT.

1st&10 at NO 11

(0:06) Billy Cundiff 29 yard field goal attempt is GOOD. Holder: Spencer Lanning.

Cleveland Browns 26, New Orleans Saints 24

Get scoring updates and analysis as the Indians take on the Tigers at Comerica Park and chat with cleveland.com's Zack Meisel in the comments section.

DETROIT, Mich. -- Get scoring updates and analysis as the Indians take on the Tigers at Comerica Park and chat with cleveland.com's Zack Meisel in the comments section.

Game 148: Indians (76-71) vs. Tigers (82-66)

First pitch: 1:08 p.m. at Comerica Park

TV/radio: STO; WTAM AM/1100, WMMS 100.7

Wide receiver MIles Austin keeps winning drive alive with a big catch.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Veteran wide receiver Miles Austin was a questionable free agent signing by the Cleveland Browns this season.

Austin was coming off one of his worst seasons as a pro, as he managed 24 catches for 244 yards last year with the Cowboys in an injury-plagued season.

It didn't help that Austin managed just two catches in the season opener in Pittsburgh.

But Austin came up big with six catches for 44 yards on Sunday against New Orleans. He had a touchdown catch in the first quarter and his sliding catch in the fourth quarter, on the final drive of the game, helped produce the winning field goal.

"I knew he caught it," said QB Brian Hoyer about Austin's catch. "I questioned whether his shoulder was maybe out of bounds. It was great for him to stay alive and work back to me. I had time and I got flushed I was looking to see if there was someone flying free to the end zone and see if we could end it there. He worked back down and made a great catch."

The play: With 38 seconds left on first-and-10 at the Saints' 39, Austin set up wide and took his defender downfield. As the play broke down, Austin came back toward the line of scrimmage and Hoyer threw the pass. Austin made a sliding catch near the sideline for 13 yards to keep the winning drive alive.

There's plenty to discuss from Brian Hoyer's heroics to Karlos Dansby's big play to the production of the Baby Backs.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- When the NFL revealed its 2014 schedule in April, the Browns took a deep breath as they viewed their three-game rollout -- Steelers, Saints, Ravens.

Then, came news of Josh Gordon's suspension. Then, Ben Tate and Jordan Cameron were injured in the first half at Heinz Field. Plenty of fans were fearing an 0-3 start and what might transpire after the bye week. 

But after a surprising 26-24 win over the Saints at FirstEnergy Stadium, the Browns sit 1-1 with a shot at making it two straight against the Ravens.

There's plenty to discuss from Brian Hoyer's heroics to Karlos Dansby's big play to the production of the Baby Backs. Join reporter Tom Reed at 12:30 p.m., to get your questions. Hey, Hokey Wolf, tell a friend.

You can get into the chat by clicking this link to the comments section below.

When the Buckeyes host Cincinnati under the lights in two weeks, they'll host five-star cornerback Kendall Sheffield of Missouri City (Texas) Fort Bend Marshall.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State already had its big recruiting showcase for its night game against Virginia Tech two weeks ago.

That, however, doesn't mean the Buckeyes are done hosting elite prospects. 

Take Ohio State's next night game for example. When the Buckeyes host Cincinnati under the lights in two weeks, they'll host five-star cornerback Kendall Sheffield of Missouri City (Texas) Fort Bend Marshall. 

Rated by 247Sports the No. 3 cornerback in the 2015 recruiting class, Sheffield racked up more than 30 scholarship offers, but he's most considering ones from Alabama, Texas A&M, Florida State, Ohio State, Baylor, LSU, Michigan, Nebraska, Notre Dame, USC, Oklahoma and Texas. 

The 6-foot, 180-pound prospect is also set to officially visit USC on Oct. 4, Florida State on Oct. 18, Oregon on Nov. 1 and Alabama sometime in December. 

Texas A&M, Oklahoma and LSU – all closer to his home – will receive unofficial visits before Sheffield makes his decision. 

According to 247Sports' "Crystal Ball" – an expert poll that attempts to predict where a prospect will end up – 91 percent chose Texas A&M and nine percent chose Alabama. 

The Buckeyes, however, have won a big battle in Sheffield's recruitment – landing an official visit for the chance to host the cornerback for a few days. 

Cincinnati's big win and Virginia Tech's surprising loss tell us as much about the Buckeyes' season ahead as Ohio State's blowout shutout.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- As Ohio State sewed up a 66-0 win over Kent State on Saturday, 335 miles away Virginia Tech was going down against East Carolina and undermining any chance the Buckeyes had to call what happened the week before a good loss.

And 126 miles away Friday night, Cincinnati's 58-34 demolition of Toledo had added a layer of intrigue to the Buckeyes' game against the Bearcats on Sept. 27 after this off week for Ohio State.

Because if Virginia Tech can throw for 199 yards, gain 324 yards of total offense and score 35 points (7 on defense) on the road in Columbus ...

And then East Carolina can hold the Hokies to 21 points, even while giving up 389 total yards, and beat the Hokies 28-21 at Virginia Tech ...

And Cincinnati, after two weeks off to start the season, can throw for 436 yards and gain 584 yards against Toledo ...

What's the math on Cincinnati at Ohio State?

• Not just the Buckeyes: Ranking the Big Ten's best losses

If you don't know, Cincinnati and East Carolina are in the same league, the American Athletic Conference, and a lot of people think the Bearcats are the best team in that conference. So the transitive property can get your head spinning, but we do know this ... that ACC team that took down Ohio State isn't exactly Florida State.

The Hokies aren't magic. Someone managed to figure out that defense, even if it wasn't the Buckeyes.

And if you thought Virginia Tech QB Michael Brewer was an issue for the Ohio State defense, what's the deal with Gunner Kiel, the first-year Cincinnati starter and Notre Dame transfer who once was a huge high school recruit? He tied a school record with six touchdown passes Friday, just like Ohio State QB J.T. Barrett did on Saturday. Both were named their conference's offensive players of the week.

"We'll have to be a lot better," Ohio State co-defensive coordinator Chris Ash said. "They're a good football team. Gunner Kiel was obviously one of the top quarterbacks coming out of high school, so it's going to be a big challenge."

The Buckeyes, at least some of them, did get a glance at Cincinnati's opener.

"They throw the ball around a lot and they do it pretty well," OSU linebacker Joshua Perry said. "They've got a lot of weapons on that offense, so we'll take caution."

As for Virginia Tech, there's not much the Buckeyes can say. But it would be fine if any of them mumbled, "Seriously?" when they heard the ECU score.

"It's behind us," Barrett said. "Them losing doesn't have anything to do with us."

If the four-team College Football Playoff was a question for Ohio State, something like the Hokies' stumble certainly could matter. But no one is talking the Buckeyes and the playoff.

So each game, you just try to get a read for the next one. This read? Cincinnati, in different ways (the Bearcats' defense let Toledo back in the game a bit) will be as every bit as difficult as the Hokies.

Yes, 66-0 did reveal something about the Buckeyes - whatever came after Virginia Tech would do that. Don't throw it away completely because it's Kent State.

"You're always curious, you're never sure," Ash said of the Buckeyes coming back off a loss. "Last year was a veteran team. This is kind of a younger team, so you're not sure how some of these guys are going to respond."

No matter how low, that was a hurdle.

"It was overwhelming, no doubt about it," offensive lineman Billy Price said of coming back after the Virginia Tech loss. "We had to get better as a whole."

So don't discount that 66-0 Ohio State score. But don't ignore 28-21 East Carolina. And don't look past 58-34 Cincinnati.

Be sure to like our cleveland.com Ohio State sports Facebook page, where we'll keep you up to date with everything that's happening in the world of Ohio State football, basketball and recruiting.

The Browns' win against the New Orleans Saints has national writers around the NFL writing positive things about Cleveland.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns won their first home opener since 2004, stunning the New Orleans Saints, 26-24. 

There were plenty of reasons for the Browns to celebrate following the win. Brian Hoyer led another game-winning drive and earned an "A" from The Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff this week. Terrance West scored his first NFL touchdown, sparking a ground game that gave the Saints defense fits. Karlos Dansby came through with a key sack, knocking the Saints out of field goal range.

It was a team effort that has national writers around the NFL penning positive things about the Browns -- a change from the past. 

CBS Sports' Jason LaCanfora has glowing remarks for Hoyer in his Monday Observations.

"This is Hoyer's team (Johnny Manziel's three plays under center a diversionary tactic), and he continues to defy the odds. Even without Josh Gordon, Jordan Cameron and Ben Tate, the Browns have been rolling offensively and Pettine's attacking mindset has taken an already strong defense and added even more bite. Drew Brees was harassed a ton early in Sunday's game, getting hit, sacked, forced to move all over the place and pressured into errant throws. That tempo and rhythm Saints coach Sean Payton covets was never quite there, and the Browns pulled off a fairly shocking upset.

This team is playing with all kinds of spirit and its defense is not a unit I'd want to be facing right now. If they manage to hang around for another few months, the opportunity to get Gordon back for the stretch run just might make things interesting."

Peter King wrote in his Monday Morning Quarterback about Brian Hoyer being named his Offensive Player of the Week.

"The numbers were okay: 24 of 40, 204 yards, one touchdown, no picks, an 81.7 rating. But the significance of this win, and the two second-half drives Hoyer executed to break an awful streak of losing nine straight home openers, cannot be overstated. Particularly for a Cleveland kid who grew up wanting to play for the Browns. Down 17-16 late in the third quarter, Hoyer took the Browns 80 yards in 14 plays to give his team a 23-17 lead. Down again, 24-23, with 2:48 left in the fourth quarter, Hoyer took a crew of backup skill players another 80 yards in 14 plays, and Billy Cundiff converted the winning field goal with three seconds left. 

Amazing: I'm writing about the Browns, and the passing game, and Johnny Manziel is not in the story. Hoyer is going to be able to hold Manziel off as long as he keeps making 80- and 85-yard drives (as he did in the second half Sunday) as efficiently as he did Sunday."

John Breech of CBS Sports hands out his grades and the Browns get their first 'A' of the season

"The day couldn't have gone much better for Browns fans: They upset the Saints, Brian Hoyer looked serviceable and fans even got treated to three plays of Johnny Football The Browns are 1-1 for the first time in three years. Usually they start 0-2, so fans in Cleveland should feel good right now. Grade: A."

USA Today's Tom Pelissero has 10 observations from the second week, including one about Cleveland's young running back.

"If Browns RB Terrance West keeps running like this, he may never give up the starting job. The third-round pick from Towson went for 100 yards on 16 carries in Week 1 and 90 yards on 21 total touches with a touchdown in Sunday's 26-24 upset of the Saints. West showed from the first preseason game he can truck some folks with his 225 pounds of power in the NFL. Now, with RB Ben Tate (knee) sidelined, West is running through arm tackles when the games count, too. Who would've thought the Browns' most impactful rookie on offense might not be QB Johnny Manziel?"

Marc Sessler from NFL's Around the League coverage had three takeaways from the Browns-Saints game - one about the stifling defense.

"Mike Pettine's defense flexed its muscles early and often against Drew Brees and the Saints. Cleveland shut down passing lanes and punctured the pocket with a strong pass rush that generated two sacks and six quarterback hits. Three minutes before the half, the Saints' star passer was 7 of 13 for 23 yards with a pick six."

Pat McManamon from ESPN.com hands out his game balls from Week 2 and once again Hoyer is the recipient. 

"The QB led a big drive against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. An improbable chance turned real when Hoyer completed a fourth-down throw to Gary Barnidge to keep the drive alive and then found Miles Austin and Andrew Hawkins for completions to set up the winning field goal from Billy Cundiff. Hoyer went 8-for-11 for 77 yards on the last drive, and because of it he gets this game ball."

After a week the NFL would love to forget, things managed to get uglier still once the players took to the field. At least this time the ugliness wasn't self-inflicted.

After a week the NFL would love to forget, things managed to get uglier still once the players took to the field. At least this time the ugliness wasn't self-inflicted.

Jamaal Charles sprained an ankle after accumulating just 12 total yards. Robert Griffin III suffered a nasty dislocated ankle just before teammate DeSean Jackson was knocked out with a shoulder injury.

The Dolphins lost new starting RB Knowshon Moreno (dislocated elbow), reportedly for at least a month, on his first carry. A.J. Green was bounced by a strained foot before he could register a catch. Ryan Mathews was carted off the field with a knee injury and Tavon Austin left with his own knee troubles.

Dexter McCluster's foot injury could open the door to more touches by rookie Bishop Sankey in the weeks ahead. And Marcedes Lewis (ankle) left the game with a walking boot and crutches.

Eric Decker yanked a hammy, while Vernon Davis left the Sunday night matchup hobbling on a sprained ankle.

Of course, both of Chicago's starting wideouts entered the Sunday nighter banged up, Brandon Marshall's bravado performance notwithstanding. Both Antonio Brown (head) and Dez Bryant (shoulder) were knocked out early but each returned to post strong performances.  

The moral of this story? Actually, there are at least three.

First, watch the inactive reports up until the last minute. Lots of fantasy players missed out on Marshall's heroics, including many who still had the flexibility to make a change at the eleventh hour.

Second, handcuff your stud running back(s). I know I'm a broken record on this, but you never know when the backups will be pressed into service.

And third, don't neglect your bench. Constantly look for opportunities to upgrade – not churn, mind you; but upgrade – to provide the depth you'll need to overcome injuries and to manage the upcoming bye weeks.

Unfortunately, injuries are part of the game. They can be painful, sometimes career-ending for the players. But they need not put your season in jeopardy.

FREE AGENT PICKS AND PANS

To win a fantasy championship, it helps to start with a great draft. But filling in your roster throughout the season with the right free agents is also important. Here's a look at players worth considering, and others who would look better in someone else's lineup.

Catch 'em while you can

Kirk Cousins, QB, Redskins. Many believe Cousins is a better fit for Washington's offense than Griffin, and now he'll have the opportunity to prove them right (or wrong). If you need help at the position, Cousins is worth a flier. RG3 is expected to be out for an extended period; and if Cousins excels, even a healthy Griffin might not get his job back.

Knile Davis, RB, Chiefs. Charles' early exit left the backfield in his understudy's capable hands. After scoring twice and combining for 105 yards, Davis proved he is worthy. Charles' owner should already have him handcuffed; but if not, scoop him up.

Matt Asiata, RB, Vikings. Arguably the most anonymous handcuff in the NFL, Asiata excelled late last season in relief of an injured Adrian Peterson before racking up 84 total yards and a score against the Patriots on Sunday. Though Peterson has been re-activated for Week 3, you're playing with fire if you don't hedge your bets with Asiata.

Don't be fooled

Mohamed Sanu, WR, Bengals. Sanu broke loose for a long scoring strike after A.J. Green went out. But don't think that's a sign of things to come. Sanu has shown flashes in the past, but more often than not has disappeared. Marvin Jones is a better bet for consistent production once he returns from his broken foot.

Ladarius Green, TE, Chargers. Think Antonio Gates has lost a step? Who cares? The Green Era in San Diego will just have to wait. Philip Rivers is still locked onto his old pal, and Gates clearly has plenty left after his TD hat trick against the vaunted Seahawks defense. Somehow, Gates is available in roughly half of all leagues. What are you waiting for?

Ladd Biro was named Football Writer of the Year by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association for two consecutive years (2010, 2011). He was a finalist again in 2013. Follow all his advice daily at the Fantasy Fools blog (fantasy-fools.blogspot.com), on Facebook and via Twitter (@ladd_biro).

Mary Kay Cabot talks about the Browns' win, the play of Brian Hoyer, the defense and more.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Can the Browns and Brian Hoyer build off their win over the Saints? Have we seen the last of the Johnny Manziel package?

Browns beat reporter Mary Kay Cabot answered those questions and more during today's podcast with cleveland.com’s Dan Labbe.

Among other topics discussed:

• Could Ben Tate lose his starting job if Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell continue playing well?

• How much impact did Manziel getting reps have on Hoyer's strong finish?

• Has Kyle Shanahan lived up to the hype?

You can download the MP3 or listen with the player to the right.

In the four games where Brian Hoyer has stayed healthy, the Browns are 4-1 and averaging 25 points.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In a few weeks, all this can change.

The obsession with Johnny Manziel may return. The Browns may have turned back into ... well ... the Browns.

But right now, let's take a moment to consider what Brian Hoyer has meant to the Browns. And let's start with the four games where he was healthy. Yes, he is credited with a fifth start, a 37-24 victory over Buffalo last season. But he injured his knee in the first quarter after throwing only four passes. So forget the Buffalo game.

Let's look at his other four starts, and let's look beyond the fact that the Browns are 3-1 in those games.

Wait a minute, let's not just skip over that. Hoyer has really played four games for the Browns, and they are 3-1.

Consider the following:

1. They beat the Vikings, 31-27, in Minnesota last year.
2. They beat the Bengals, 17-6, in Cleveland last year.
3. They lost, 30-27, to the Steelers in Pittsburgh this season.
4. They beat the Saints, 26-24, in Cleveland this season.

Four games, three victories.

Four games where the offense led by Hoyer has averaged 25 points. In two games, he led the Browns on drives in the final minutes to win the game.

Yes, the sample size is small. But I simply ask this, "How often have we seen this type of performance from any Browns quarterback since 1999?"

BIG COMEBACKS

In his first victory, the Browns were losing 27-24 with 3:40 left in Minnesota. Hoyer had thrown not one ... not two ... but THREE interceptions in the second half. But he led a 55-yard drive, ending with a 7-yard pass to Jordan Cameron, to win that game with 51 seconds left on the clock.

Sunday, he had the ball on his own 4. The Browns were losing, 26-24, with 2:46 left. Hoyer took the team down the field, setting up the winning field goal with three seconds left.

Twice, Hoyer has been in charge when it was Cleveland that won with a heart-breaking drive, instead of losing to one. In the victory over the Bengals, Hoyer led the Browns on touchdown drives of 95 and 91 yards. They beat a Cincinnati team that was 11-5 last season.

While the Browns lost at Pittsburgh this season, Hoyer rallied the offense from a 27-3 halftime deficit to a 27-27 tie. He had a few misfires at the end of that game.

But look at the facts: So far, Hoyer has displayed poise and dealt with the adversity that is a part of every NFL game.

Can it continue? Who knows? But he deserves credit for making everyone think again about the quarterback situation.

THE REALITY

Hoyer is 28 and has been cut by three teams. He was undrafted out of Michigan State. He started two regular season games before Mike Lombardi (yes, we must credit the former Browns general manager) brought Hoyer to the team in May of 2013.

That is not the resume of most successful NFL quarterbacks.

Hoyer suffered an ACL injury last October, and research shows that about 40 percent of NFL players who have that type of knee surgery are out of the league within three years. At 6-2, he does not have a power arm. He isn't especially quick, although he does have some mobility.

There are enormous odds against him succeeding long term. But there are players from Brian Sipe to Kurt Warner who have defied the odds.

Hoyer has the respect of the all the key veterans in the locker room, and the attention of everyone in his huddle. The North Olmsted and St. Ignatius product has poise and natural leadership skills. It's why coach Mike Pettine and the front office favored Hoyer to open the season over Manziel.

Hoyer put 26 points on the scoreboard with rookie running backs and no Josh Gordon or Cameron to catch passes. He has thrown 139 passes without an interception. The offense is not flashy with him in command, but it is orderly and effective.

Hoyer has completed 60 percent of his Browns passes and has seven touchdown passes compared to three interceptions.

He has produced three wins in four games when under center in the fourth quarter -- something all of us need to remember.

Our weekly look at the nation's top Heisman Trophy contenders.

Our weekly look at the nation's top Heisman Trophy contenders:

1. Marcus Mariota, Oregon (Previous: 1)

Last week: 19 of 23 passing, 221 yards, 2 TDs; 5 carries, 71 yards, 2 TDs in 48-14 win over Wyoming.

Season: 50 of 71 passing, 806 yards, 8 TDs, 0 INTs; 20 carries, 156 yards, 3 TDs for 3-0 Ducks.

Why he's here: While there wasn't much Mariota could do statistically to impress against Wyoming, Mariota did provide reminders of his enormous talent, including the leaping touchdown that made all the highlight reels. It's not a Heisman moment because of who it was against. But it is a reminder that there isn't a better dual-threat guy out there.

Potential stumbling block: Unless there's a major upset, both Oregon and Arizona will be 4-0 when they meet Oct. 2 in Eugene. Arizona shocked the Ducks, 42-16 last season. After that, UCLA awaits Mariota and company. The touchdown jump is a reminder that Mariota will take risks that tend to get him banged up the second half of seasons.

2. Jameis Winston, Florida State (Previous: 2)

Last week: Bye.

Season: 47 of 67 passing, 626 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs for the 2-0 Seminoles.

Why he's here: The reigning Heisman winner had two interceptions in the opener, but led the Seminoles to a good win over Oklahoma State, then had appropriate domination against The Citadel. This week's game against Clemson will be a huge test of his "repeat" worthiness.

Potential stumbling block: Clemson lost some luster with its opening loss to Georgia, so Winston will have to be spectacular to raise eyebrows at this point.

3. Kenny Hill, Texas A&M (Previous: 4)

Last week: 20 of 31 passing, 300 yards, 4 TDs; 5 carries, 38 yards in 38-10 win over Rice.

Season: 81 of 117 passing, 1,094 yards, 11 TDs, 0 INTs; 14 carries, 49 yards for the 3-0 Aggies.

Why he's here: While he hasn't matched the gaudy passing numbers of his 511-yard opener against South Carolina, Hill has continued to be efficient. His touchdown-to-interception ratio is exceptional, especially in contrast to his high-risk predecessor, Johnny Manziel. The South Carolina performance remains the best game by a QB this season.

Potential stumbling block: The Aggies face a stretch starting Oct. 11 where six of their final seven opponents are ranked.

4. Everett Golson, Notre Dame (Previous: 5)

Notre Dame quarterback Everett Golson throws against Purdue during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Indianapolis, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) 

Last week: 25 of 40 passing, 259 yards, 2 TDs; 14 carries, 56 yards, 1 TD in 30-14 win over Purdue.

Season: 62 of 96 passing, 780 yards, 7 TDs, 0 INTs; 29 carries, 83 yards, 4 TDs for 3-0 Irish.

Why he's here: Golson turned in a good, but not spectacular, performance against a bad Purdue team Saturday, displaying the pass-run talents that make him a candidate.

Potential stumbling block: Golson is less likely to turn in gaudy passing statistics than some other Heisman hopefuls, so his candidacy will likely be tied to the Irish's success against a tough schedule that includes the likes of Stanford, Florida State, Arizona State, Louisville and USC. Unless he starts chunking for more than 400 yards a night, Notre Dame cannot afford to lose more than a game or so against that tough schedule.

5. Todd Gurley, Georgia (Previous: 3)

Last week: 20 carries, 131 yards, 1 TD; 4 receptions, 4 yards in 38-35 loss to South Carolina.

Season: 35 carries, 329 yards, 4 TDs; 5 receptions, minus-1 yards; 100-yard KO return for a TD for 1-1 Georgia.

Why he's here: Despite Georgia suffering its first loss, Gurley remains in the top five because, frankly, he was dominant in that game and remains the nation's best running back. The Bulldogs will have to go on a big run, and Gurley will have to continue to put up numbers, for him to remain a viable candidate. But both of those things can happen.

Potential stumbling block: Georgia needs to win. With the number of big-stats  quarterbacks on good teams out there, putting up big rushing numbers on an 8-4 or 9-3 team probably won't cut it for Gurley. Right now, he's the only candidate in the top five who is not on an unbeaten team.

======

Other contenders: BYU's Taysom Hill, Auburn's Ameer Abdullah, Alabama's Amari Cooper, Baylor's Bryce Petty.

Dropped out this week: None.

When (and if) Josh Gordon returns, will he show the same form that gave him a historical season in 2013? Was he a flash? Or, more likely, as long as he stays clean, is he a huge talent worth building around?

BEREA, Ohio – Provided Josh Gordon doesn't frolick in the autumn mist with little Jackie Paper and Puff the Magic Dragon before his reduced suspension for marijuana use runs out, the Browns could be a special team with him.

Maybe he will sit out 10 games or maybe 12. But it won't be the whole season anymore. As long as he stays clean.

Because all of Gordon's video game statistics came last year, in another 4-12 season, it has not received the respect it deserves.

With Brian Hoyer back at quarterback (he only lasted two games and a smidgen as the starter last year before his knee injury) and with Johnny Manziel and all his potential waiting in the wings, Gordon could make a competitive team a playoff team.

He would be particularly important for the brutal closing stretch of games -- Indianapolis, Cincinnati, at Carolina, at Baltimore.

If you're not here, though, you're not part of the tug on the strings that bind a team together.

Hoyer said Monday of his little-know current receivers, "I trust those guys with all my heart. I'll go as a quarterback with a group of guys that works their butt off, knows exactly what they're supposed to do  and gives everything they have over a guy -- a group of guys that are super-talented. (We've) all been overlooked, including myself."

Whether or not  there are team-bonding problems whenever Gordon rejoins the team, his talent is immense and needs to be salvaged.

Even when Gordon was double-teamed in 2013, the Browns' other receivers couldn't capitalize in a big way. There was nowhere near the running threat this team seems to be developing, so the defensive secondary was swarming with defenders who didn't have to respect the rushing threat of Willis McGahee.

Even more incredibly, even with Brandon Weeden and Jason Campbell throwing to him, Gordon still was the most feared threat in the league.

Gordon played only 14 games because of a two-game suspension for what he said was inadvertent use of codeine in a cold remedy. With his size, strength and speed, he amassed 1,646 yards in 14 games on 87 catches for an average of 117.6 per game.

Gordon had two straight 200-yard-plus receiving games, the first time that had ever been done. He had five 100-yard or better games.

He was 22 in 2013 with only two years of college experience and one season in the NFL. On the list of most prolific receiving seasons, you have to go down to Randy Moss in 1999 with 1,413 yards to find another 22 year old.

The only player who did better in 14 games, which was the standard schedule from 1961 to 1977, was the Houston Oilers' Charley Hennigan with 1,746 yards in 1961 (124.7 yards per game). The objection to Hennigan is that the American Football League was still tottering around on coltish legs then. In its first few seasons, although certainly not by the middle of the decade of the 1960s, the AFL was an inferior brand of football.

A caveat regarding Gordon is that rules changes created a golden era of passing after 1977 by eliminating "bump and run" coverage. The longer 16-game season combined with it to make 14-game records obsolete.

Still, if we play "what if" with Gordon's numbers, they project over 16 games to 1,881 yards. That would trail only Calvin "Megatron" Johnson's 1,964 in 2012 with Detroit. (Of course, Hennigan's projected total of 1,995 yards would beat everyone.)

Gordon's total would be more than Jerry Rice, Moss, Marvin Harrison, Michael Irvin, Lance Alworth and every other great receiver except Johnson.

Of course there is also the chance 2013 was an anomaly, a statistical outlier, gaudier even than Braylon Edwards' career year in 2007. In the Edwards mirage, he teamed with flash-in-the-pan quarterback Derek Anderson for 16 TD catches. It was tied for 14^th on the all-time list and was within two TDs of all but the top two, Moss and Jerry Rice.

Edwards was 24 in 2007, younger than any player ahead of him on the all-time list except New England tight end Rob Gronkowski, who was 22 when he caught 17 TD passes in 2011.

Players usually value yards more than touchdowns in their statistics, although the latter are of course very important. But football is a territorial game.

Edwards had 1,289 receiving yards in 2007 because he had to share the ball with Kellen Winslow, who had the most productive receiving season of any Browns tight end ever with 1,106 yards.

After that, however, Edwards forgot how to catch the ball, just as Anderson forgot how to throw it.

With a stronger team, it seems only injury or Gordon's drug demons can stop him. Last year, he had the season LeBron James probably thinks he would have had if he had kept playing football. LeBron is back.

The clock is ticking on Gordon's return with all his potential promise and pitfalls.

Marshall is 3-0 with two of those victories coming against Mid-American Conference teams. Is Akron (1-1) next on the list?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Quick hits from the Mid-American Conference coaches weekly teleconference:

Thundering Herd: So far, Marshall (3-0) is making its 2014 tour of the MAC (Miami, OU, and this week Akron) much like it did when the Thundering Herd dominated the league at the turn of the century; 42-27 over Miami and 44-14 over Ohio. Akron (1-1) offers the conference's last chance to take down The Herd.

To do that, the Zips clearly have to score big.

"They're on a roll,'' Akron head coach Terry Bowden said. "They've scored 40-points plus in almost every game, nine of the last 10 (regular season) games. Their quarterback (senior Rakeem Cato, 953 yards/9 TD/1 INT) is the best deep ball thrower I've seen in a long time. Marshall is not an easy team to line up against right now.''

This puts pressure on Akron's defense to slow down Marshall's explosiveness, and on the offense to keep up.

"If it's a scoring match, it's going to be in their favor,'' Bowden said. "Look at the amount of points they put on the board week, after week, after week. Offensively, we're going in there saying we got to score points, and hope the defense can play as well as it has been playing.''

On the run: Freshman tailback Jarvion Franklin is making his presence felt for Western Michigan (1-1). He backed up an impressive debut against Purdue (163 yards, 3 TD) with 211 yards and three scores at Idaho to help WMU to its first win.

"Last year we couldn't run the ball at all,'' WMU head coach P.J. ("Row the Boat") Fleck said. "(Franklin) plays like a scatback, but he has the power to beat you. It's a lot more fun when you can run the football, I know that."

Defense wins championships? Not if you have an offense like Bowling Green's. In 19 second-half possessions over three games, the Falcons (2-1) have scored 10 times. BG's offense has had only one three-and-out in the second half this season.

This covers for a woeful defense that has allowed eight scores on 19 second-half possessions. The Falcons have only forced two three-and-outs in the second half this season.

Coach Dino Babers said Monday that this unit is now being hit by injuries, and must find ways to contain the opposition as best it can.

"We have to do some adjustments, do some crazy stuff," Babers said. "Thank God we had the ball last (in BG's 45-42 upset of Indiana), because I'm not sure we could have stopped them another time. We've had so many injuries on that side of the ball. That side of the ball is starting to look like a M.A.S.H. unit a little bit."

Where's the offense? Ohio University (1-2) has not scored more than two touchdowns in a game this season, which is a concern for coach Frank Solich as the Bobcats welcome Idaho (0-2), which is coming off a loss to Western Michigan (2-1).

"Offensively we seem to find ways to hurt ourselves, penalties, turnovers, dropped throws come back to haunt us,'' Solich said. "We have seen progress from the offense, but obviously not fast enough. We need to make strides in the offensive game.''

Back to basics: While the numbers (47.3 yards a game, 1.9 yards per carry) indicate winless Kent State can't run the football, coach Paul Haynes, coming off the 66-0 loss to Ohio State, said there are indications that off-season emphasis on a stronger offensive line is starting to show.

"We've definitely got to run the football better,'' Haynes said. "I think (strength) is showing up. We're just not running the ball between the tackles all the time. We're running the ball outside, so it has to do with a lot of other people than just those five guys inside.

"Really, we actually had some plays that we ran the ball pretty decent against a very good (OSU) front seven. We have just got to continue to do it. We got to stick with it and not get away from it."

MAC players of the week: East -- Bowling Green sophomore QB James Knapke (46-for-73, career-high 395 yards, 3 TD) vs. Indiana; Miami senior DB Quinten Rollins had a career-high six tackles and an interception in a 34-10 loss at Michigan; and BG junior kicker Tyler Tate set a career high with four field goals (28, 38, 45, 47) in a 45-42 win over Indiana.

West -- Toledo sophomore QB Logan Woodside (27-of-40, 322 yards, 3 TD) vs. Cincinnati and NIU sophomore QB Drew Hare (18-of-28, 285 yards, 3 TD) share offensive honors; Western Michigan junior DT Cleveland Smith finished with a career-high three sacks at Idaho; and NIU senior Tyler Wedel had two field goals (45 and 33 yards) and averaged 36 yards per punt.

Join Northeast Ohio Media Group Browns reporter Mary Kay Cabot live in the comments from Berea as she covers Mike Pettine's press conference this afternoon at 4 p.m.

BEREA, Ohio - It's a happy Monday in Berea after the Browns came back in the final seconds to defeat the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, 26-24.

Quarterback Brian Hoyer led an 85-yard drive to set up Billy Cundiff's 29-yard field goal with three seconds left.

The Browns (1-1) ended a nine-game losing home-opener losing streak and handed coach mike Pettine his first NFL coaching win.

Pettine will meet with the media at 4 p.m. today to wrap up Sunday's win and look ahead to this Sunday's 1 p.m. home game against the Baltimore Ravens. He will be asked about injury updates on tight end Jordan Cameron, running back Ben Tate and defensive back Justin Gilbert.

Relive the win with the photo gallery above; and join Northeast Ohio Media Group Browns reporter Mary Kay Cabot for live coverage of the press conference in the comments below.

St. Edward remains the unanimous choice at No. 1.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Bedford's win against Benedictine and Brunswick's win against Austintown-Fitch brought change to the top 10 in this week's cleveland.com high school football Top 25.

St. Edward remained the unanimous choice at No. 1, leading a top five that has remained intact since the preseason.

The rankings are now a compilation of individual ballots by Northeast Ohio Media Group high school sports reporters Tim Bielik, David Cassilo, Mark Kern, Stephanie Kuzydym, Joe Noga, Scott Patsko and Robert Rozboril.

Teams are awarded points based on where they are in each voter's ballot. The No. 1 team receives 25 points, the No. 2 team receives 24 points and so on. Teams are then slotted according to combined ballot point total.

Below the poll see each voter's ballot, along with some insight into their decisions.

Unlike past years, this season's cleveland.com football rankings will include three polls. All 136 teams in the cleveland.com seven-county coverage region are eligible for the Top 25. We will also have Top 10 polls for Division III-IV and Division V-VI-VII, which include only local schools in those divisions.

The Division III-IV Top 10 is posted every Tuesday.

The Division V-VI-VIII Top 10 is posted every Wednesday.

We want to hear from you. Let us know what you think of the rankings, or even post your own in the comments section below. Sign up here for a free account, which will enable you to comment on all posts. It's a fast process.

cleveland.com High School Football Top 25

(Record is followed by voting point total. First-place votes are in parentheses.)

1.  St. Edward, 3-0 (7) 175

Previous ranking: 1

Last week: Defeated St. Joseph Regional (N.J.), 42-0.

This week: At Cincinnati Elder Saturday.

2. Hudson, 3-0 166

Previous ranking: 2

Last week: Defeated No. 14 Brecksville, 48-14.

This week: Hosts No. 10 Brunswick Friday.

3. Mentor, 3-0 163

Previous ranking: 3

Last week: Defeated Euclid, 49-0.

This week. Hosts Twinsburg Friday.

4. St. Ignatius, 2-1 154

Previous ranking: 4

Last week Defeated St. Joseph Prep (Pa.), 42-34.

This week: Hosts Brantford Assumption College School (Ontario, Canada) Saturday.

5. Nordonia, 3-0 145

Previous ranking: T5

Last week: Defeated Parma, 44-0.

This week: At No. 15 Highland Friday.

6. Avon, 3-0 139

Previous ranking: 7

Last week: Defeated Twinsburg, 52-13.

This week: Hosts Lakewood Friday.

7. Bedford, 3-0 135

Previous ranking: 8

Last week: Defeated No. 9 Benedictine, 27-12.

This week: Hosts No. 21 Cleveland Heights Friday.

8. Stow, 3-0 120

Previous ranking: 9

Last week: Defeated Firestone, 41-8.

This week: Hosts Cuyahoga Falls Friday.

9. Benedictine, 2-1 117

Previous ranking: T5

Last week: Lost to No. 7 Bedford, 27-12.

This week: Hosts Holy Name Saturday.

10. Brunswick, 3-0 116

Previous ranking: 11

Last week: Defeated Austintown-Fitch, 41-27.

This week: At No. 2 Hudson Friday.

11. Glenville, 1-2 97

Previous ranking: 12

Last week: Defeated No. 21 Cleveland Heights, 19-12.

This week: At John Hay Friday.

12. Mayfield, 2-1 85

Previous ranking: 14

Last week: Defeated Olmsted Falls, 33-20.

This week: At Brush Friday.

13. St. Vincent-St. Mary, 2-1 80

Previous ranking: 13

Last week: Defeated Lake Catholic, 24-13.

This week: At Cardinal Mooney Friday.

14. Brecksville, 2-1 78

Previous ranking: 10

Last week: Lost to No. 2 Hudson, 48-14.

This week: Hosts Olmsted Falls Friday.

15. Highland, 2-1 71

Previous ranking: 16

Last week: Defeated North Royalton, 35-6.

This week: Hosts No. 5 Nordonia Friday.

16. Aurora, 3-0 67

Previous ranking: 17

Last week: Defeated Revere, 35-21.

This week: At Chagrin Falls Friday.

17. Strongsville, 3-0 65

Previous ranking: 19

Last week: Defeated Berea-Midpark, 35-28.

This week: Hosts No. 20 Solon Friday.

18. Kirtland, 3-0 56

Previous ranking: 18

Last week: Defeated Ashtabula Edgewood, 42-3.

This week: Hosts Villa Angela-St. Joseph Friday.

19. Madison, 3-0 54

Previous ranking: 20

Last week: Defeated Perry, 40-7.

This week: Hosts University School Friday.

20. Solon, 3-0 53

Previous ranking: 21

Last week: Defeated Willoughby South, 51-27.

This week: At No. 17 Strongsville Friday.

21. Cleveland Heights, 1-2 48

Previous ranking: 15

Last week: Lost to No. 11 Glenville, 19-12.

This week: At No. 7 Bedford Friday.

22. Walsh Jesuit, 2-1 27

Previous ranking: 23

Last week: Defeated Bishop Watterson, 35-7.

This week: Hosts Canisius (N.Y.) Friday.

23. Wadsworth, 3-0 22

Previous ranking: 25

Last week: Defeated Medina, 47-37.

This week: At Tallmadge Friday.

T24. Gilmour, 3-0 10

Previous ranking: not ranked.

Last week: Defeated Hawken, 46-20.

This week: At Trinity Saturday.

T24. Rocky River, 3-0 10

Previous ranking: not ranked.

Last week: Defeated Warrensville Heights, 38-12.

This week: At Midview Friday.

Others receiving votes: Midview 6; Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin 5; Brush 3; Copley 3; Tallmage 3; Orange 2.

NEOMG INDIVIDUAL VOTER BALLOTS

Tim Bielik: 1. St. Edward; 2. Hudson; 3. Mentor; 4. St. Ignatius; 5. Nordonia; 6. Avon; 7. Bedford; 8. Benedictine; 9. Brunswick; 10. Stow; 11. St. Vincent-St. Mary; 12. Glenvillle; 13. Highland; 14. Aurora; 15. Brecksville; 16. Mayfield; 17. Strongsville; 18. Cleveland Heights; 19. Kirtland; 20. Madison; 21. Solon; 22. Walsh Jesuit; 23. Rocky River; 24. Copley; 25. Midview.

Bielik poll explanation: Hudson flipped spots with Mentor after the Explorers' impressive win at Brecksville, which fell to No. 15 as a result. The Explorers made an early statement but will have another test against Brunswick, which vaulted into the top ten ahead of Stow after beating Austintown-Fitch. Bedford's win moves it just ahead of Benedictine. Glenville made a big move to No. 12 after winning a must-win game at Cleveland Heights. Quarterback is a concern, but the Tarblooders have a chance to sort things out with only one team with a winning record left on their schedule. Strongsville jumped to No. 17 after a win against Berea-Midpark. Walsh Jesuit and Midview replace Brush and Elyria in the Top 25. The Warriors did not have a letdown following the win at St. Vincent-St. Mary. Midview is 3-0 after a strong win against Elyria.

David Cassilo: 1. St. Edward; 2. Mentor; 3. Hudson; 4. St. Ignatius; 5. Nordonia; 6. Bedford; 7. Avon; 8. Stow; 9. Glenville; 10. Brunswick; 11. Benedictine; 12. St. Vincent-St. Mary; 13. Mayfield; 14. Brecksville; 15. Aurora; 16. Strongsville; 17. Kirtland; 18. Solon; 19. Madison; 20. Cleveland Heights; 21. Highland; 22. Wadsworth; 23. Rocky River; 24. Walsh Jesuit; 25. Tallmadge.

Cassilo poll explanation: This week helped separate some early contenders from pretenders. Among those schools that looked for real are Bedford and Brunswick, both of which went up in the rankings with big wins. Meanwhile, Benedictine, Brecksville and Cleveland Heights showed that there is still a lot of work to do this season. Entering the poll are two teams off to a hot start -- Walsh Jesuit and Tallmadge.

Mark Kern: 1. St. Edward; 2. Hudson; 3. Mentor; 4. St. Ignatius; 5. Nordonia; 6. Bedford; 7. Benedictine; 8. Avon; 9. Stow; 10. Brunswick; 11. Glenville; 12. St. Vincent-St. Mary; 13. Mayfield; 14. Highland; 15. Aurora; 16. Strongsville; 17. Cleveland Heights; 18. Kirtland; 19. Brecksville; 20. Madison; 21. Solon; 22. Walsh Jesuit; 23. Wadsworth; 24. Rocky River; 25. Gilmour.

Kern's poll explanation: The top four remains the same, but Nordonia at No. 5 is the team people are forgetting about. Denzel Ward is one of the most entertaining players in the area, and can dominate a game in all three facets. I love the Benedictine Bengals, but the loss to a very good Bedford team made them drop some in the poll. Still, expect this team to be playing deep into the season. Brunswick enters my top 10, and we will get to see how good they are as they take on Hudson this coming week. The team that took the biggest plunge in this week's poll is Brecksville. Losing to Hudson is nothing to be ashamed of, but that game showed the loss of all the experience from last season. Gilmour enters my poll at 25, and have one of the best sophomores in the area in Jonathon Abrams.

Stephanie Kuzydym: 1. St. Edward; 2. Hudson; 3. Mentor; 4. St. Ignatius; 5. Avon; 6. Nordonia; 7. Bedford; 8. Benedictine; 9. Stow; 10. Brunswick; 11. Aurora; 12. Kirtland; 13. Madison; 14. Solon; 15. Brecksville 16. Mayfield; 17. Highland; 18. Gilmour; 19. Glenville; 20. Cleveland Heights; 21. Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin; 22. Wadsworth; 23. Strongsville; 24. Orange; 25. Walsh Jesuit

Kuzydym poll explanations: Finally there's a little change to the top five, but not much and it's hard to imagine there being much change this season to the top four with the competition left on the schedule. Hudson and Mentor have the most to lose in those situations because of conference play and losing to an unranked team but much of the private school teams are ranked in other states. Outside the top five, Aurora, Kirtland and Madison continue to shoot up the poll thanks to offenses that are putting up big numbers. Brecksville drops so much because it barely scored against Hudson, but that should be the Bees' toughest competition this season. Orange enters my poll with a 3-0 record and two outstanding performers in Stephen Borgman (QB) and Chris Von Hendrix (WR). For me, it's an under-the-radar team that should be watched closely for its grit and playmaking ability.  

Joe Noga: 1. St. Edward; 2. Mentor; 3. Hudson; 4. St. Ignatius; 5. Nordonia; 6. Avon; 7. Bedford; 8. Stow; 9. Brunswick; 10. Benedictine; 11. Brecksville; 12. Glenville; 13. Mayfield; 14. St. Vincent-St. Mary; 15. Strongsville; 16. Highland; 17. Solon; 18. Aurora; 19. Kirtland; 20. Madison; 21. Cleveland Heights; 22. Walsh Jesuit; 23. Brush; 24. Wadsworth; 25. Copley. 

Noga poll explanation: Mentor stays ahead of Hudson on my ballot, but the Explorers narrowed the gap in my mind with a convincing win against Brecksville. Bedford jumps into the top 10 after beating Benedictine, and I moved Stow and Brunswick up as well. The Bulldogs have a formidable running game with Jay Gobble and an elite defense. Brunswick made me a believer by dominating a speedy Austintown-Fitch team. Strongsville moved up two spots on my ballot, and can take a huge leap next week with a win against Solon. I dropped Elyria from my ballot after two bad losses. But the Pioneers can win back a spot by being successful in NOC River Division play.

Scott Patsko: 1. St. Edward; 2. Hudson; 3. Mentor; 4. St. Ignatius; 5. Avon; 6. Nordonia; 7. Bedford; 8. Brunswick; 9. Stow; 10. Glenville; 11. Strongsville; 12. Mayfield; 13. Benedictine; 14. St. Vincent-St. Mary; 15. Highland; 16. Madison; 17. Solon; 18. Walsh Jesuit; 19. Brecksville; 20. Wadsworth; 21. Midview; 22. Cleveland Heights; 23. Kirtland; 24. Rocky River; 25. Aurora.

Patsko poll explanation: My top seven remained the same this week because everybody won. But the gap between Hudson, Mentor and St. Ignatius remains very small. Brunswick is the big mover after beat Austintown-Fitch 41-27. Glenville moves up a few spots, but is on shaky ground with its injury issues at quarterback. I felt Benedictine's game vs. Bedford would be its measuring stick. I'm not sure the Bengals are a top 10 team in this poll. Brecksville had big problems trying to deal with Hudson and drops 10 spots. Cleveland Heights fell 10 as well after losing to a team without a quarterback (Glenville). Midview hops in after beating Elyria, and Aurora makes its debut on my ballot the same week it faces rival Chagrin Falls. Brush and Elyria are left off this week.

Robert Rozboril: 1. St. Edward; 2. Hudson; 3. Mentor; 4. St. Ignatius; 5. Nordonia; 6. Avon; 7. Bedford; 8. Benedictine; 9. Stow; 10. Brunswick; 11. Brecksville; 12. Glenville; 13. St. Vincent-St. Mary; 14. Mayfield; 15. Highland; 16. Cleveland Heights; 17. Aurora; 18. Kirtland; 19. Strongsville; 20. Madison; 21. Solon; 22. Walsh Jesuit; 23. Wadsworth; 24. Tallmadge; 25. Gilmour. 

Rozboril poll explanation: Bedford's win against Benedictine shakes up the top 10 a bit in my poll this week. The Bengals are still in the mix but the Bearcats enter just above them at No. 7. Brecksville slips just out of the top 10 following a big-time loss to Hudson, leaving the door open for 3-0 Brunswick to take the Bees' place. Keeping in mind that Hudson is, and has been, No. 2 all season keeps Brecksville from slipping too much after losing to the Explorers. Cleveland Heights moves up this week despite losing to Glenville, 19-12. The Tigers get points for sticking within one score of the Tarblooders and pull ahead of Strongsville, which beat unranked Berea-Midpark by a single touchdown. Brush and Elyria fall out of my Top 25 this week after falling to unranked opponents by sizable margins. They make room for a pair of 3-0 teams, Gilmour and Tallmadge, to enter the poll at the bottom. 

Follow our new high school sports Twitter account @NEOvarsity and tag your high school sports Tweets and score updates with the #NEOVarsity hashtag.

Listen to our podcast from this morning and join us live next week at 10 a.m. to talk Browns.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- There's nothing like the Monday after a Browns win in Cleveland. cleveland.com's Chris Fedor and Dan Labbe talked all things Browns this morning in a podcast.

Join us every Monday at 10 a.m. to talk Browns. You can call into the show or leave comments and we'll feature our favorites.

Among other topics discussed:

• Will Ben Tate lose his starting job?

• Is Fedor on the Brian Hoyer bandwagon yet?

• How much of this team's identity comes from Mike Pettine?

You can download the MP3 or listen with the player to the right.

Cool, calm, collected Brian Hoyer helped give Mike Pettine and the Cleveland Browns a reason to celebrate.

BEREA, Ohio -- Observations after talking to Browns coach Mike Pettine and players Monday:

1. How cool was Brian Hoyer on the fourth-and-6 completion to tight end Gary Barnidge for 10 yards on the winning drive?

"I'd never thrown that ball to Gary in my life," Hoyer said. "When it's fourth-and-7 (the play-by-play sheet said 6) you know exactly what you have to get. If they take away 1 (the primary receiver) and 2 is in front of the sticks, you've got to get to No. 3."

Connecting with the third option on a make-or-break play is a tribute to both Hoyer and his protection. "The tertiary option," Howard Cosell once called it.

"I don't know about them tooty options," said Dandy Don Meredith.

2. Pettine said he celebrated as much as any of the players, and "I felt it a little this morning."

He also said, using a phrase often devoted to somewhat more intimate moments than a football game: "I felt the ground move underneath. The stadium was rocking."

Asked about Hoyer's strong finish after Johnny Manziel's cameo appearance that included a dropped pass that would've been a first down, "We should play Johnny on the first play."

3. All this is nice, and Hoyer's praise of his unknown receivers was reflected in Pettine's comment about Barnidge: "He's not going to be on anybody's Pro Bowl ballot."

But Baltimore's John Harbaugh might have had the most appropriate comment about the ragamuffins and overachievers when he told Ravens writers: "Hoyer is the best quarterback they've had in a number of years."

This is somewhat faint praise.

4. How close was this one to going the other way? Kenny Stills ("No. 21 for New Orleans,)" said holder Spencer Lanning, "was six inches from blocking the winning field goal."

After Lanning couldn't handle a high snap and had to scramble unsuccessfully for a two-point conversion, he was asked what was the play call in such situations.

"Fire!" he said.

"Like what you can't say in a crowded theater?"

"Just fire!" said Lanning, loudly.

5. Pettine's father told him afterwards that he was fortunate to win. "He's part Italian. He'll tell everyone he's proud but me," Pettine said.

Said Mike Pettine Sr., with a twist on last week's comment after the close loss to Pittsburgh: "There's a term for almost losing. It's called winning."

The Indians have filled out their card in Bizarre Baseball Bingo.

DETROIT, Mich. -- The Indians have filled out their card in Bizarre Baseball Bingo.

On May 21, they completed a three-game sweep of the Tigers on a 13th-inning walk-off balk. On Aug. 5, they had a seventh-inning rally halted when an errant toss from Reds reliever Jumbo Diaz -- who was warming up in the bullpen -- sailed onto the field. Confusion over which baseball was the one in play resulted in David Murphy being tagged out and the Tribe going quietly thereafter.

On Sunday, C.C. Lee missed his catcher's target -- by a lot -- on one of the four relaxed heaves it requires to complete an intentional walk. The misfire allowed a run to score and handed the Tigers a two-run cushion.

Tribe fans have seen everything this season, including a crushing sweep at Comerica Park over the weekend. Here are five observations.

1. Wild, wild Midwest: Two batters before the intentional walk fiasco, Lee threw a wild pitch behind Eugenio Suarez. Then, when he needed to throw one far outside, he let one fly high over the plate.

"He was scuffling a little bit today," said Chris Gimenez, who got a glove on the pitch, but not nearly in enough time. "I think he was just trying to find his release point. He has a bit of a different type of arm angle. We never really practice throwing pitchouts and stuff like that. It's a little different when the crowd is going crazy. I think he just let one slip."

Gimenez said he tries to prepare himself for such an occurrence, but Lee's pitch traveled out of his grasp.

"That's always in the back of your head that that could possibly happen. I still felt I was in a pretty good position and it went off the end of my glove. It was a huge part of the game. I felt bad for him, because he was trying to work through some stuff right there. That's not much of a confidence booster for him. He has to learn from it and come back."

2. Costly miscue: Lee faced four batters and surrendered a single, two walks and a sacrifice bunt. He tossed two wild pitches and departed before he could record an out. Detroit's Don Kelly scored from third on his second wild pitch to give the Tigers a 5-3 advantage.

"I've actually never had that happen before," Gimenez said, "but I've seen it happen on TV a few times and I always told myself I never wanted to be that guy and now here we are. I feel terrible for him. I wish there was something else I could have done."

In the Atlantic League, an independent league that adopted a new set of rules to enhance the pace of play, a batter just takes his base when the opposition opts for an intentional walk. No pitches are thrown. Such a scenario could have saved the Tribe a run on Sunday.

"I wish they'd do it here," Gimenez said, laughing.

3. Rotten year: Second baseman Jason Kipnis went hitless in four-bats on Sunday and is 2-for-18 in his last five games. He is batting .204 (10-for-49) with no home runs and no RBIs in September after hitting .261 with no home runs and five RBIs in August and .238 with three home runs and 14 RBIs in July and .255 with no home runs and 10 RBIs in June.

Kipnis last registered an RBI on Aug. 29. His last home run came on July 31, also the date of his last game with multiple RBIs.

To where has the power disappeared?

Kipnis and manager Terry Francona contend his oblique muscle, which shelved him for the month of May, has not been an issue. He has 22 stolen bases and 24 doubles and has played every day, so it's hard to cherry-pick and use a lingering injury as an excuse.

4. Order, order: Francona has admitted he can be stubborn when it comes to making out his lineup card. He kept Nick Swisher and Carlos Santana in the middle of the order earlier this year when the two had struggled to depths previously unseen. Since Michael Bourn returned from injury and to the leadoff spot, Kipnis has batted fifth, save for a few cameos in the No. 6 spot against southpaws.

"If he got hot for the last two weeks, we're a different team," Francona said. "He of all people has the ability to do that. We saw that last year. But I still have so much confidence in him that I don't really want to drop him much in the order."

Yan Gomes has compiled a .287/.321/.474 slash line. Lonnie Chisenhall has posted a .288/.349/.450 slash line. Even David Murphy's .266/.325/.385 slash line looks Hall of Fame-worthy compared to Kipnis' .243/.316/.335 marks. Yet, Kipnis continues to hit ahead of them in the order.

5. Last chance: If the Indians stand any chance at remaining in the playoff hunt, they probably need at least six wins in the final seven contests on their road trip, which includes four against the Astros at Minute Maid Park and three at Target Field against the Twins.

Corey Kluber will pitch twice (Tuesday and Sunday). T.J. House will return to the rotation in Minnesota. Can Zach McAllister give the Indians a quality start on Monday?

How did we do picking NFL games in Week 2? Some did better than others. Watch video

CLEVELAND, OHIO -- There's a new leader among our NFL predictors. Me.

Helped in part by the Browns upsetting the Saints and the Eagles beating the Colts, I cobbled together a second consecutive 9-7 week to move to 18-14 overall. Everyone else went 6-10, dropping Jen to second, dropping Chris to .500 and leaving Joey two games below .500.

We'll have our Week three picks up on Thursday along with a new video. Until then, check out our last video to see the sound logic behind my picks and to figure out where Joey was last week.

Dan's picks (Last week 9-7; Overall 18-14)

• Ravens over Steelers
• Dolphins over Bills
• Jaguars over Redskins
• Cowboys over Titans
• Cardinals over Giants
• Patriots over Vikings
• Browns over Saints
• Falcons over Bengals
• Panthers over Lions
• Buccaneers over Rams
• Seahawks over Chargers
• Texans over Raiders
• Packers over Jets
• Chiefs over Broncos
• 49ers over Bears
• Eagles over Colts

Jen's picks (Last week 6-10; Overall 17-15)

• Ravens over Steelers
• Dolphins over Bills
• Redskins over Jaguars
• Titans over Cowboys
• Giants over Cardinals
• Patriots over Vikings
• Lions over Panthers
• Saints over Browns
• Falcons over Bengals
• Buccaneers over Rams 
• Seahawks over Chargers
• Texans over Raiders
• Packers over Jets
• Broncos over Chiefs
• 49ers over Bears
• Colts over Eagles

Chris' picks (Last week 6-10; Overall 16-16)

• Steelers over Ravens
• Dolphins over Bills
• Jaguars over Redskins
• Titans over Cowboys
• Cardinals over Giants
• Patriots over Vikings
• Saints over Browns
• Bengals over Falcons
• Lions over Panthers
• Buccaneers over Rams
• Seahawks over Chargers
• Texans over Raiders
• Packers over Jets
• Broncos over Chiefs
• 49ers over Bears
• Colts over Eagles

Joey's picks (Last week 6-10; Overall 15-17)

• Ravens over Steelers
• Dolphins over Bills
• Jaguars over Redskins
• Titans over Cowboys
• Cardinals over Giants
• Patriots over Vikings
• Saints over Browns
• Bengals over Falcons
• Lions over Panthers
• Buccaneers over Rams
• Seahawks over Chargers
• Raiders over Texans
• Packers over Jets
• Broncos over Chiefs
• 49ers over Bears
• Colts over Eagles

Ohio State Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer spoke with the media on Tuesday during the Big Ten Coaches teleconference.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — There's plenty for Ohio State to work on during its bye week, but the Buckeyes coaches are also out working on the 2015 and 2016 recruiting classes.

On Tuesday's Big Ten coaches teleconference, Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer said the entire coaching staff was out recruiting on Monday, and they'll be out again this weekend.

Meyer said there's only "four or five" spots left in the 2015 class, so a big emphasis has been getting a jump on the 2016 class.

The Buckeyes currently have 16 players committed for the 2015 class.

Here's more from Meyer's time on the teleconference:

• Meyer is concerned with Cincinnati's ability to throw the football: "Their strength was a weakness for us a year ago." He mentioned again that practices will continue to be more physical, and more first-team on first-team.

• On balancing playing time between veterans and young players: "We have an obligation to win the game, but also if the guy does everything right as far as academics, behavior on and off the field, then you give them every opportunity. But it comes to the point where the younger player is better than you, you have to go with that player.

• Meyer still has two concerns this week: pass coverage and the offensive line. Those are the same concerns he had coming into this season. On the offensive line: "Offensive line is getting very close, they played well Saturday. This week is important we're gonna try some things."

Meyer said they're still not set on a starting offensive line.

• Meyer was asked again about Curtis Samuel, and remarked about the freshman's potential. "I've yet to see Curtis Samuel's ceiling," he said.

• Meyer seems happy with the play of defensive end Steve Miller in place of Noah Spence, but said Miller still has work to do.

"This is opportunity to take it and run with it," Meyer said. "When you lose a Big Ten performer, you better replace him with one, he's still got a way to go."