In the fourth quarter, the Browns had a field goal blocked and had three possessions go three-and-out on offense.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- I can tell you that the Browns are a much better team than a year ago -- and you know that.

I can tell you that Brian Hoyer has made this offense his own, exactly what needed to happen as the bye week looms. I can tell you fans have reason to be very upbeat, because the team has been in three tight games against three good teams.

But what an awful way to lose! That's what most fans have to be feeling as the Ravens' Justin Tucker's 32-yard field goal was true Sunday on the final play of the game.

Final score: Baltimore 23, Browns 21.

Yes, this game showed the difference between a team that is used to winning (Baltimore) to one figuring out what it takes to win a gritty game in the AFC North.

"It's heartbreaking," said Brian Hoyer. "We didn't make enough plays. ... We can hang, but we have to show that we know how to win."

If you're a fan, you can close your eyes and see Billy Cundiff's 50-yard field goal bounce off the goal post. You can wince as you remember how his 36-yard field goal was blocked.

Deep in your orange-and-brown heart, you know when playing a tight game with Baltimore you can't mess up twice on special teams.

How close are the Browns to being 2-1 as opposed to 1-2 this season?

One field goal.

NOT SO SPECIAL TEAMS

Right now, the special teams are a mess. Christian Yount's somewhat low snap may have been a factor in the 50-yard miss. Yount's bad snap led to a botched extra point in last week's 26-24 victory over New Orleans.

In the fourth quarter, there was the 36-yard attempt blocked -- hard to know exactly who is to blame for that. But Baltimore was 3-of-3 on field goals, the Browns were 0-of-2.

That's how close the Browns are to being 2-1.

Then there were two flags for having 12 men on the field on defense -- something that also happened once last week. Making it even worse, the Browns wasted a timeout when they had 12 guys a third time.

COACHING ISSUES

"For the bulk of it, the players played well enough to win," said coach Mike Pettine. "This one is on me, we didn't coach well enough."

It's up to the coaches -- in this case, Pettine and defensive coordinator Jim O'Neil -- to have 11 guys on the field. After the game, a frustrated Pettine was seething about the penalties. He mentioned how the defense was not always in the right position when the Ravens ran -- and they rushed for 160 yards.

Games like this tend to favor the experienced team that finds a way to score points in the fourth quarter. Baltimore won the fourth quarter, 6-0.

Hoyer was excellent for much of the day, completing 19 of 25 passes for 290 yards. He had no interceptions. But in the fourth quarter, the Browns had three possessions of three plays and a punt. The fourth was the blocked field goal.

That undercut so much good work for so much of the day.

IN THE END

But the defense could have saved the day. Baltimore had the ball on the 50 with 1:58 left. The score was 21-20. They could force a punt. Instead, they gave up a 32-yard pass from Joe Flacco to Steve Smith.

Then came the game-winning field goal.

The Browns have improved. Their offense scored three touchdowns against a defense that allowed only one in its first two games. Isaiah Crowell had another good game, 55 yards in 11 carries. The rookie scored his third touchdown of the year on a forceful 15-yard run.

Andrew Hawkins has 21 catches in three games. Miles Austin has been a solid receiver. Overall, the receivers have been respectable. The defense has not been horrible.

But the Browns are 1-2 in what Pettine calls "a pass/fail league."

"We'll watch this game and be mad at ourselves," said Hoyer. "It's on us. We have no one to blame but ourselves."

Listen to what Dennis Manoloff and Dan Labbe had to say following the Browns' loss to the Ravens.

• Brian Hoyer's performance.
• Who deserves the blame for the loss.
• What impact will this have on the team longterm?
• Can they bounce back in Tennessee?

Linebacker Paul Kruger battled Baltimore Ravens tackles Eugene Monroe and Rick Wagner.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns linebacker Paul Kruger may have had his worst game of the young season, but the Baltimore Ravens had nothing but praise for him after they managed to squeeze out a late drive and a 23-21 victory on Sunday at FirstEnergy Stadium.

"This was my first time playing against him and he's an outstanding rusher," said Ravens right tackle Rick Wagner. "He's got a lot of moves. He's a big guy and he's really strong. He has that quickness, so you have to prepare for everything."

It was the Browns (1-2) second loss in the division and third game decided by a field goal in the final seconds.

The Browns could have used a little more from Kruger, who was our Sunday Showdown focus against tackles Eugene Monroe and Wagner. Kruger played on each side of the line in the Browns' defensive scheme and that bought on different challenges against the more physical Monroe and the up-and-coming Wagner.

Kruger, who was unavailable for comment following the game, was on a tear coming into Sunday's action with two sacks and eight tackles. Superb blocking limited him to one tackle through the first three quarters against the Ravens. He finished with three.

"Credit goes to our [entire] offensive line and credit goes to Joe Flacco for getting the ball off quickly," Wagner said.

Except for once. Kruger slipped past Wagner early in the fourth quarter and his pressure forced Flacco to throw a high pass that led to an interception by safety Tashaun Gipson. The Ravens faced a fourth-and-1 later in the quarter and Kruger helped clog the middle for the stop.

Overall, Kruger utilized his strength against Wagner and he tried to out-quick Monroe, but each tackle had some success in steering Kruger away from the running plays that generated some success.

The Ravens offensive line did not allow a sack.

Despite Kruger's shortcomings, Monroe did not leave the field with any less respect for his opponent.

"He gets paid to play well and he did," Monroe said. "You can see his [previous] success on film and you try to do what you can to neutralize that. We did a good job of that today.

Listen to Sunday Browns Insider as we break down the Browns' loss to the Ravens.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns lost a heartbreaker to the Ravens, 23-21, at FirstEnergy Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Talk about the game live at 8:30 p.m. on Sunday Browns Insider.

Host Dan Labbe will be joined by Browns beat reporters Mary Kay Cabot and Tom Reed via phone. Leave your questions and more in the comments and we'll read them on the air as we go along.

Click play on the player below to start the audio.

Watch comments from head coach Mike Pettine after their 23-21 loss to the Ravens at FirstEnergy Stadium.

CLEVELAND, Ohio --   Cleveland Browns head coach Mike Pettine said after their 23-21 loss to the Baltimore Ravens at FirstEnergy Stadium that he and the coaches did not put the players in a position to win.

"Obviously very disappointed.  I thought for the bulk of it the players played well enough for a victory.  I put this one on me," Pettine said.  "We didn't coach well enough to win."

Brian Hoyer completed 19 of 25 attempts for 290 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions.  He finished the game with with a 127.1 quarterback rating.

Special teams did not have as good a day.  Billy Cundiff hit the left upright on a missed 50-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.  One series later, Cundiff had a 36-yard attempt blocked.

The Browns are now 0-2 in the AFC North.

This week the Browns have their bye week.  They next travel to Memphis to face the Titans on Oct. 5. 

On Twitter: @CLEvideos

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Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh did not confirm a report he wanted Ray Rice cut when Rice's domestic violence case first came to light.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Two days after NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said he botched the Ray Rice domestic violence case, Baltimore coach John Harbaugh made no such proclamations about how the Ravens handled the controversy that engulfed the team and the NFL.

Harbaugh was asked after the Ravens' 23-21 victory over the Browns on Sunday about the accuracy of an ESPN report he wanted Rice cut when his domestic violence case first came to light.

"Every single football decision we make, we work together,'' Harbaugh said. "You get together. You hash it out. Ozzie (Newsome, Ravens general manager) uses the term scrimmaging. You scrimmage it out and everybody has their opinions. It's not black and white.

"That decision was exactly like all the other ones. We walk out that room, we are united. We stand shoulder-to-shoulder, and that's how I felt about the decision. The way we handled it all the way through, I felt like was the right way to handle it. I felt like we did the right thing and we stand behind it."

Rice was cut by the Ravens and indefinitely suspended by the NFL on Sept. 8 for his domestic violence case, after video surfaced of him punching and knocking out his then-fiancee, Janay Palmer, in a hotel elevator. He previously had been suspended two games.

Harbaugh acknowledged the story won't soon go away for the Ravens.

"The best way to silence it is to handle it with class,'' he said. "There's always going to be challenges, in life, challenges and attacks and consequences we'll talk about this week, and on-going forever. You have to stand up and be accountable and do the right things. Our guys do that.''

Quarterback Joe Flacco said the controversy could bring the team closer together.

"For the most part, it involves us, but it's kind of above us as players," he said. "There's nothing we can really do about it at this point except go out and play football. I guess at this point, it's bonding, if nothing else.

"Athletes in general do a pretty good job of putting everything aside and focusing on the game. It didn't really affect me and I don't think it really affected too many other people, either."

Key play: Flacco's 32-yard pass to Steve Smith at the Browns 13 with 1:28 to play was an adjustment after the huddle, changing to a slant-and-go on the right sideline. Flacco said he wasn't specifically targeting Browns cornerback Joe Haden.

"I communicated very well with Steve if I got one high, and I got a shot on whomever it was out there,'' Flacco said. "Until right now, I didn't even realize it was Haden. It didn't really matter. I wanted to take a shot there and it worked out.''

The play set up Justin Tucker's game-winning 32-yard field goal.

Browns praise: Harbaugh opened his post-game press conference with praise for the Browns: "They are even better than they've ever been before. They are physical, extremely well coached, they're tough. That was AFC North football. That's a great victory on the road.

"That's a really good offense. Brian Hoyer played really well and the offensive line played really well for them. They got quick guys who make plays.''

Three-for-four: The Ravens defense got the upper hand in the end, forcing three-and-outs on three of the Browns' last four possessions, with the other drive ending on a blocked field goal.

"Our players have the hearts of lions,'' Harbaugh said.

Special plays: While the Browns special teams struggled, the Ravens special teams made big plays down the stretch:

• Asa Jackson blocked Billy Cundiff's 36-yard attempt with 7:53 to play.
• Sam Koch's 58-yard punt pinned the Browns at their 7 with 2:35 remaining.
• Jacoby Jones fielded a wind-blown punt for a fair catch at midfield with 1:58 to play that set up the game-winning drive.

"Those were all huge plays to give us field position at the end," Harbaugh said.

Elam burned: Ravens safety Matt Elam had a tough day. He was burned on a 43-yard pass to Travis Benjamin on the Browns first possession, and committed a pass interference on the next play. He also let Andrew Hawkins get by him for a 29-yard pass in the second half, and failed to give chase when Hawkins fell.

"That was a bad play,'' Harbaugh said.

Pitta injured: Tight end Dennis Pitta was taken off the field on a cart, his hands covering his face, in the second quarter. He injured his hip after making a catch and stumbling to the ground without being tackled.

He was taken to University Hospitals for further examination, according to a press box announcement.

Pitta suffered a fractured hip in the 2013 training camp and missed most of the season.

Whatever happened to: Marrio Norman, the former Cleveland Gladiators cornerback signed by the Ravens in July, spent almost a month in Baltimore's training camp and released Aug. 25 in the first roster cut-down. Norman was an All-Arena League selection who missed the Gladiators playoff run after being signed by the Ravens.

Three weeks into the season the Browns' offense is playing to its potential. The same can't be said for Mike Pettine's defense -- Bud Shaw's blog Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- So now you know for sure Lorenzo Taliaferro is a NFL running back and not -- as you might've suspected -- a tenor at the Metropolitan Opera.

Thank the Browns' defense for that bit of information if you feel the need to thank them for something.

After three weeks, the Browns are getting as much out of Brian Hoyer and Kyle Shanahan's wild-and-free offense as anyone could've expected. And not half of what they thought they'd get from the defense against the run or, for that matter, from Joe Haden on the corner.

After three weeks, the Browns have established the concept of the 12^th man. Unfortunately, he's too often found in the defensive huddle scrambling away from a penalty flag or forcing a timeout.

After three weeks, we can suspend the talk of the Browns as a Top 10 defense. That has nothing to do with the schedule bringing a break in the action.

Remember when there was much gnashing of fan teeth over the weak two-game suspension handed Ray Rice because he'd regain his eligibility just in time for the Browns? Sunday there was no Rice and no Bernard Pierce, inactive with an injury.

In a high stakes game at the lakefront, the Baltimore Ravens saw the Browns' third-round draft discovery of Terrance West from Towson State and raised them a fourth-round pick from Coastal Carolina.

Taliaferro spent two years at Lackawanna Junior College. (Name the state, win valuable prizes. Hint: it's Pennsylvania.)

Sunday, he went from zero NFL carries to 18 for 91 yards, a touchdown and a 5.1 average against a defense that's now been gashed for 334 yards rushing the past two weeks.

With the bye week upon us, can we mention that Mike Pettine's Buffalo defense ranked 28^th against the run a year ago? So there's more at work here than a dare-them-to-run scheme meant to reduce the opportunities for Super Bowl champion quarterbacks like Drew Brees and Joe Flacco.

"We gotta do more upfront," said linebacker Karlos Dansby, who – to his credit – didn't try to sell the porous run defense last week against New Orleans as anything other than a deficiency. "We have to do better. We have to get off blocks and make more plays."

Dansby talked of the offense "bailing out" the defense. Roll that around in your mind and think back to the exhibition season. Who knew?

If the Pittsburgh game was The One That Got Away, this 23-21 loss to the Ravens was The One They Gave Away. That wasn't all on the defense. Special teams left fingerprints at the scene, too. Taylor Gabriel did a non-inflatable swan dive wide open on a 70-yard completion that should've gone for a TD.

When the Ravens needed a field goal to win the game, they got it so comfortably they killed the rest of the game clock. Now instead of 2-1 believing they could easily be 3-0, the Browns are 1-2. A week off that could've been a celebration is a time for reflection.

Defense is what Pettine knows best, which, in part, is why he said, "I put this one on me. We didn't coach well enough to win. I don't want to get into specifics. But the list is long."

The Steelers gashed the Browns for 490 yards, much of it in the first half. New Orleans ran up 397. The Ravens accumulated 377. So you could say the Browns are at least moving in the right direction, but that would be too kind.

They're not even trying to stake that claim, not after spending in free agency on Dansby and Donte Whitner and promising big things from Jabaal Sheard.

"We gotta do a better job of stopping the run and getting them into third and long," said Sheard.

The hopeful take is that the defense does tend to make adjustments. Because now it has a week to check itself.

It adjusted in the second half in Pittsburgh, holding the Steelers to that one gut-punch field goal. Taliaferro had 81 yards in the first half, 10 after. But Justin Forsett picked up from there, rushing for 54 second-half yards.

Flacco patiently waited for opportunities. The 31-yard pass interference call on rookie Justin Gilbert that led to a field goal was almost predictable. Teams aren't going to stop targeting him anytime soon.

On Baltimore's final drive, Flacco and Steve Smith beat Haden down the right side for 32 yards and a first down at the 13. You wish you could say that was a shock, but it wasn't.

"It was a good throw and catch but I put it on myself and I understand I have to make that play," said Haden. 

"It's definitely a disappointment but it's early in the season. We can't keep our heads down for a long time... It's only the third game of the season and we are not going to be in panic mode."

No need to do that. But also no need for the top defense-in-the-making talk that followed the Browns of training camp.

The season will tell us how good the Browns are on Mike Pettine's side of the ball. And so far it's telling us not nearly good enough.

Crafty Blue Kat vanquished heavily favored Sky Crew in the ThistleDown Racino stretch on a windy Sunday afternoon, but the filly couldn't hold off Floral Sky at the wire as the 13-1 shots finished in a dead heat in the $50,000 Scarlet & Gray Handicap.

NORTH RANDALL, Ohio – Crafty Blue Kat vanquished heavily-favored Sky Crew in the ThistleDown Racino stretch on a windy Sunday afternoon, but the filly couldn't hold off Floral Sky at the wire as the 13-1 shots finished in a dead heat in the $50,000 Scarlet & Gray Handicap for fillies and mares.

"Floral Sky must have come from 20 lengths back," said her trainer, Anthony Rini. "She was so far off the pace, I didn't think she could make it. She's not a sprinter, but she's been training like a bear, so I decided I'd put her in the (6-furlong) stake.

"Now we'll get her ready for the Best of Ohio Distaff (on Oct., 11 at Belterra Park in Cincinnati). She'll be much better going two turns (in the 1 1/8-mile race). Her strength is in the distance races."

Floral Sky paid $14.40, 14.80, 10.40, while Crafty Blue Kat rewarded her backers with a $14.60, 14.80, 10.80 payoff. Pyrite Blues was only a neck back in third, $9.40. The winners covered the 6 furlongs in 1:12.64, well off Sky Crew's clocking of 1:10.31 at New York's Saratoga Race Course on Aug. 14, her maiden victory in two starts this season.

Four-year-old Floral Sky, recently claimed by Loooch Racing Stables Inc. of Stow, Ohio, had not won in nine starts over the last two seasons. Rini felt Floral Sky was not in good shape after racing on the synthetic surface at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, and said it took a couple of weeks on ThistleDown's oval to get her straightened out.

Floral Sky and jockey Jason Lumpkins needed the huge late effort to catch jockey Walter De La Cruz and Crafty Blue Kat. De La Cruz had kept early leader Sky Crew in his sights the entire 6 furlongs, racing on her outside throughout the early going.

De La Cruz and Crafty Blue Kat finally took the lead from a fading Sky Crew in the final turn as the pack spread out turning for home. Floral Sky, sitting seventh at the half-mile mark, had moved up to third in the stretch and caught Crafty Blue Kat in the final few strides.

"I had some trouble at the 3/8-mile pole and had to take Floral Sky pretty wide as the other horses fanned out in the stretch," said Lumpkins. "My horse made up a lot of ground. She showed a lot of heart today."

It was third win in seven starts this season for Crafty Blue Kat, owned by Charlie J. Williams LLC. She had moved up to the stakes for Ohio-breds in her last three starts, posting a second and a pair of thirds before Sunday's win. Crafty Blue Kat had closed her 2013 season with a second in the $100,000 John W. Galbraith  on Best of Ohio Day at ThistleDown.

The Browns are giving up 154 yards per game on the ground, and you can't win that way in the AFC North.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Scribbles in my notebook after the Browns lost, 23-21, to Baltimore:

1. Baltimore was without starting running back Bernard Pierce, but the Ravens still rushed for 160 yards (4.8 average). That's been the story this season for the Browns defense, which is giving up an average of 154 yards per game. You won't win that way in the AFC North.

2. The weakness of Mike Pettine's defense in Buffalo last season was stopping the run. They ranked 28th, while being strong against the pass and forcing turnovers. Pettine talked about guys not being in the best position, along with missed tackles. Pettine is in charge of the defense, so this is on him.

3. Rookie Lorenzo Taliaferro sliced through the Browns for 91 yards in 18 carries. This was his first NFL game carrying the ball. He has some of the same traits as Isaiah Crowell, the Browns' bullish rookie who ran for 55 yards in 11 carries.

4. Taliaferro is a fourth-round pick who gained 1,729 yards and ran for 15 touchdowns at Coastal Carolina. He was the Big South Player of the Year. The Ravens also liked Terrance West, the Towson product picked in front of them in the third round. They may have picked West had he been available in the third round. West was the No. 94 pick, Baltimore was at No. 99.

5. In this game, the Browns were flagged twice for having 12 men on the field on defense. They had to use a timeout when it happened another time. And they had the same penalty last week. Is this due to confusion on the sidelines? Are the Browns trying to be too tricky between snaps? I don't know the answer, but having 11 on the field at a time should not be this hard.

6. The Browns also had a breakdown when no one covered Kyle Jusczczyk on the fullback's nine-yard touchdown pass. A Medina product who played at Cloverleaf High and Harvard, Jusczczyk caught his first pro pass on that play. He's in his second season. He also delivered some very good blocks.

7. In praise of fullbacks, the Browns' Ray Agnew set up Crowell's 15-yard touchdown run with a strong block.

8. No one said so, but the Browns probably will be looking at long-snappers during the bye week. Christian Yount has really struggled. His high snap led to a botched extra point last week. Some of his other snaps have been low. Yount came to the Browns in week 13 of 2011, taking over for Ryan Pontbriand, who had been a Pro Bowl snapper but then lost his confidence. It's hard to know if Yount is in a slump, or if the Browns have a bigger problem looming.

9. Give Travis Benjamin credit for saving the Browns' first drive. The Browns tried a reverse, with the ball handed to West. The rookie running back made a very iffy pitch to Benjamin, who made a good grab. He lost two yards on the play, but it could easily have been a fumble. Then Brian Hoyer hit Benjamin for a 43-yard gain on the next play.

Andrew Hawkins has caught 21 passes in three games this season. Thomas Ondrey, The Plain Dealer

10. In the fourth quarter, Benjamin looked in position to fair catch a punt but then backed away. He said the wind blew and the ball went behind him. It seems Mike Pettine thought Benjamin should have made an attempt to help the field position.

11. Jordan Cameron played and caught one pass for 23 yards. Brian Hoyer didn't throw to any other tight end. Cameron still isn't 100 percent healthy.

12. In the fourth quarter, the Browns backs (West and Crowell) ran the ball six times for minus-3 yards. That doesn't count a "miscommunication" as Hoyer called it when he tried a handoff, but no back was there to take it. That led to another 6-yard loss. Being able to run the ball in the fourth quarter of a close game can make a difference. It was a rough game for West, 36 yards in 12 carries.

13. Andrew Hawkins has emerged as Brian Hoyer's favorite target, catching seven more passes. He has 21 in three games.

14. This is hard to believe, but the last time the Browns scored at least 21 points in their first three games of the season was 1969.

15. Paul Kruger continues to play well. He belted Joe Flacco on a play that became an interception for safety Tashaun Gipson. The Browns had three QB hits on Flacco, but no sacks. That also bothers Pettine, who wants to pile up the sacks and force turnovers.

Watch comments from quarterback Brian Hoyer after their 23-21 loss to the Ravens at FirstEnergy Stadium.

CLEVELAND, Ohio --   Cleveland Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer said that it was heartbreaking after their 23-21 loss to the Baltimore Ravens at FirstEnergy Stadium.

"It's tough.  It's heartbreaking," Hoyer said.  "We were on the other side of it this week and it doesn't feel good."

Hoyer completed 19 of 25 attempts for 290 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions.  He finished the game with with a 127.1 quarterback rating.

After an incompletion on his third attempt in the first quarter, Hoyer completed 14-straight passes.  It was the fourth-longest streak in Browns history and the team's longest stretch since 2003.

Hoyer has not thrown an interception in his last 156 attempts, spanning six-games.

The Browns are now 0-2 in the AFC North.

This week the Browns have their bye week.  They next travel to Memphis to face the Titans on Oct. 5. 

On Twitter: @CLEvideos

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Ravens fullback Kyle Juszczyk scored a touchdown on his first NFL catch and helped the Ravens beat the Browns, 23-21.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – LeBron James and Kyle Juszczyk. What a pair. One came home this summer hoping to heal a town's broken heart. The other returned home Sunday wearing rival colors and broke those hearts all over again.

One made the powder toss famous. The other imitated it much to the chagrin of Cleveland fans Sunday in FirstEnergy Stadium.

Juszczyk, a Baltimore Ravens fullback from Medina County, touched a football for the first time in his brief NFL career and scored on the play, a nine-yard pass from quarterback Joe Flacco. That gave the Ravens a 10-7 lead in the second quarter of a game they went on to win, 23-21.

"It was special,'' he said. "Going the first two weeks with no catches and no touchdowns, I felt like maybe it might be meant to me to do it Cleveland in front of all my family and friends. It was a great moment for me.''

Juszczyk (pronounced "Youz-deck") had plenty more in store. He imitated James' powder-toss in the end zone, near a cluster of Ravens fans, which included about 50 family and friends.

"I'm a Cavs fan, so being in Cleveland, I felt like it made sense,'' he said.

Juszczyk said he feels Cleveland's pain, even as he delivered another dose.

"Maybe not from the Browns, but I think Cleveland deserves some winning. I think they'll get that with the Cavs,'' said Juszczyk, a Cloverleaf grad.

Juszczyk also showed some speed when he broke open on a screen pass and gained 33 yards in the third quarter. He finished with three catches for 54 yards, an 18-yard average.

"We came in at halftime and drew up (the screen pass) right away because we felt like we had something there,'' he said.

A fourth-round pick last year with an economics degree from Harvard, the stout and powerful Juszczyk (6-1, 248) was used primarily on special teams last year, and earned a larger role in the offense in the preseason. He blocked on numerous occasions, including Lorenzo Taliaferro's 1-yard touchdown run.

Before the game, Juszczyk said he was excited to show his family and friends what he could do, especially knowing the touchdown play in which he crossed with another back to confuse coverage might get called. He was a Browns fan in high school and his best friend is Browns scout Colton Chapple, who was his quarterback at Harvard.

"During warmups, I definitely felt like I had a little extra juice flowing,'' he said.

After the game, he could not get dressed fast enough. He could not answer reporters' questions quickly enough. He could not get out of the visitors' locker room soon enough.

"I've got a lot of friends outside waiting, so I'm trying to hustle up and see everybody,'' he said.

Juszczyk's performance was just part of a stellar day for a group of formerly backup running backs. Taliaferro and Justin Forsett combined for 154 yards rushing.

Taliaferro is a rookie who did not have any carries prior to the game and finished with 91 yards on 18 touches. Forsett was a last-minute starter who replaced Bernard Pierce, out with a thigh injury. Pierce was coming off a 96-yard game against the Steelers last week. The team cut Ray Rice on Monday in the wake of his domestic violence case.

Juszczyk disagreed with the assessment the Ravens backfield was depleted.

"We feel like we're strong top to bottom,'' he said. "It hurt not having Bernard out there, and obviously having lost Ray before, but we're confident that when guys go down the next guy is going to step up. We weren't surprised by what they did.''

The Browns had worked all week to run their trick play with Johnny Manziel, but after it worked, it was called back for an illegal-shift penalty.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Johnny Manziel Package is the gift that keeps on giving.

Manziel caught a 39-yard pass from Brian Hoyer to the Ravens 23 on a trick play -- and it would've been splashed all over the national highlights -- had it not been nullified by a penalty.

As it was, the play was illegal, but no one inside FirstEnergy Stadium during the Browns' 23-21 loss to the Ravens realized it.

Therefore, the Browns were penalized for only 5 yards on the play instead of the 15-yard setback they deserved.

Here's what happened:

Manziel came out in the second quarter for a play, a handoff to Isaiah Crowell that went for a 1-yard loss. He then ran to the sideline, but remained on the field for a fake conference with offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, who appeared to be correcting him for the errant play.

But instead, he motioned Manziel, who was lined up behind the line of scrimmage as a receiver, to head up the field down the sideline on the snap. Hoyer heaved the pass from the Browns' 38 down the left side, where Manziel caught it in stride and ran for another 22 yards before being knocked out of bounds at the Ravens' 23.

Problem is, Terrance West wasn't set on the play and was flagged 5 yards for an illegal shift that nullified the catch.

The Browns punted three plays later from their 38, and the Ravens took over at their own 19.

Baltimore also punted just after crossing over into Browns' territory.

Minutes after the play, former NFL Vice President of Officiating Mike Pereira, the Fox rules analyst, revealed in a video that was the play itself was "an illegal hideout play'' and should've resulted in a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

A Manziel mishap: @MikePereira on what the Browns did wrong during a penalized play. Via: @KFC https://t.co/53pbc1ufLa

— FOX Sports NFL (@NFLonFOX) September 21, 2014

He explained that in a team's bench area, between the two 32-yard lines, a player can't line up or set within 5 yards of the sideline. The ball was snapped at the Browns' 38-yard line, which is illegal. If it had taken place inside the 32-yard line at either end of the field, it would've been legal.

After the game, the NFL confirmed that Pereira was correct, referring to page 64 of the rulebook. It meant the Ravens were cheated out of 10 yards of field position.

However, the rule was lost on everyone inside FirstEnergy Stadium, including both head coaches and the officials.

"It was our understanding that where he was lined up was sufficient,'' said coach Mike Pettine.

Hoyer said the Browns had been informed that it was a legal play and spent a lot of time on it.

"From what we were told, and we practiced it that way all week, was as long as he doesn't come off the field and try to come back on, it's a legal play,'' said Hoyer. "That's not what we got called for anyways. We got called for illegal motion because there was a little bit of a mix-up there. The league will have to deal with that.''

Explained Manziel: "It was one play. Our two-set play list in there, so I ran the first one-on-one play and then came back out and tried to get them a little confused as we were subbing in. We really got the look that we wanted, and we took off. Unfortunately, we got a penalty on it.

"I played receiver in high school, so it really wasn't a big deal; just one play in the game. I wish we could've not had the penalty, but that's how it goes.''

No one will ever know if the Browns would've gotten away with the illegal play had West not shifted illegally. And they wouldn't have gotten an argument from Ravens coach John Harbaugh, who thought it was on the up-and-up.

"It's a deception play, so I felt they hid him on the sidelines and brought him back out, but they didn't,'' said Harbaugh. "I was wrong about that, but happy the running back was in motion.''

If the Ravens had lost, they would've had a legitimate beef.

On the ensuing drive, the Ravens lined up for a 59-yard field goal. They tried to draw the Browns offside and failed, resulting in a delay-of-game penalty. After the 5-yard walkoff, they punted.

But stay tuned each week, because you never know what other surprises are in the Johnny Package.

 

See all The Plain Dealer game photos in under a minute in this fast-paced audio slideshow with music. And check below for The Plain Dealer slideshow of today's game.  

See all The Plain Dealer game photos in under a minute in this fast-paced audio slideshow with music. And check below for The Plain Dealer slideshow of today's game.

 

Corey Kluber won his 17th game and struck out 14 batters for the second consecutive start Sunday against the Twins.

MINNEAPOLIS – Corey Kluber and the Indians did what they had to do Sunday at Target Field.

Kluber struck out 14 for the second consecutive game and the reborn offense recorded 14 hits in a 7-2 victory over the Twins. The Indians, who entered Sunday trailing Kansas City for the second AL wild-card spot by 3½ games, return home for the final seven games of the season.

The final homestand starts with a four-game series against the Royals.

Kluber (17-9, 2.53) has 28 strikeouts in 15 innings over his last two starts. It's just the 15^th time in history a pitcher has struck out 14 or more batters in two consecutive starts. Randy Johnson was the last to do it in 2004 for Arizona. Sam McDowell is the only other Indian to accomplish the feat. The Sudden One did it twice in 1968 when he finished the year with 283 strikeouts.

In 33 starts, Kluber has struck out 258 batters in 227.2 innings. He has 20 starts in which he has eight or more strikeouts.

Kluber threw a season-high 120 pitches, 67 for strikes, in eight innings. He allowed two runs on seven his and one walk.

What it means

After losing the first four games on this trip, the Indians won five of the last six to return to Progressive Field at 5-5. They finished the road portion of the schedule 36-44.

The Indians are 45-30 at Progressive Field.

Big strikeout

When Kluber struck out Trevor Plouffe in the second for his third strikeout of the game, he moved into 10^th place on the Indians' single-season strikeout list with 247, passing Hall of Famer Bob Feller.

Feller has the top spot with 348 strikeouts in 1945. McDowell is second with 325 in 1965.

Two by two

Kluber struck out at least two batters for 13 straight innings until the streak ended in the seventh inning. In his previous start against Houston, he had 14 strikeouts in seven innings.

Down, but not for long

The Twins took a 1-0 lead in the second when Chris Herrmann's two-out double scored Josmil Pinto. The Indians came right back for a 2-1 lead in the third as Jose Ramirez and Michael Brantley drove in runs against Anthony Swarzak (3-2, 4.52).

Brantley finished with three hits and two RBI to give him 193 hits and 97 RBI. The Indians have not had a player with 100 RBI since Victor Martinez had 114 in 2007. They have not had a player with 200 hits since Kenny Lofton had 210 in 1996.

The Indians made it 5-1 with three runs in the fifth. Michael Bourn, who had three hits, started with a bunt single. Ramirez followed with a single and Bourn scored from second as second baseman Brian Dozier and shortstop Danny Santana were each charged with errors on a play that looked like a routine ground-ball double play off Brantley's bat.

Swarzak didn't help himself when he balked Ramirez home.

What they said

Francona on Kluber: "Today Corey understood that we not only had to win, but what we had ahead of us. Nothing is guaranteed, but we were able to stay away from Scott Atcnison, Bryan Shaw and Cody Allen for two straight days and that helps us. It gives us a better chance. "

Kuber on his strikeouts: "When the year is over that's when you'll take a second to look at and appreciate it. It's not important right now. It's important that we got the win.

"I don't keep track of the strikeouts (during a game). If they want to swing at the first pitch, and the result is an out, that's fine with me." 

What's next?

The Indians return home for the final seven games. They host Kansas City in a four-game series starting Monday at 6 p.m., when they will complete a suspended game from Aug. 31 at Kauffman Stadium. Action will resume with the Indians leading, 4-2, going into the bottom of the 10^th.

In the regularly scheduled game, Carlos Carrasco (8-5, 2.65) will face Kansas City lefty Danny Duffy (8-11, 2.42). The game is scheduled to start at 7:05 p.m. or 30 minutes after the completion of the suspended game.

Danny Salazar and Trevor Bauer are scheduled to starts Game 2 and Games 3 for the Tribe against Kansas City's Yordano Ventura and Jason Vargas.

Crockett will, technically, be the pitcher the Indians call upon to record the final three outs. How that 10th inning -- which will begin at 6:05 p.m. ET at Progressive Field -- will unfold, however, remains up in the air.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Kyle Crockett had taken the hill three weeks ago when the skies opened up above Kauffman Stadium and washed away the conclusion to the Indians' contest against the Royals.

That game will be finished tonight and Crockett will, technically, be the pitcher the Indians call upon to record the final three outs. How that 10th inning -- which will begin at 6:05 p.m. ET at Progressive Field -- will unfold, however, remains up in the air.

"Crockett's in the game. From that point on, I think we treat it just like a normal game," manager Terry Francona said Monday afternoon. "Crockett's in the game and then we'll go from there. I think that's probably the best way to approach it, to not overcomplicate it."

Mike Moustakas (lefty), Erik Kratz and Alcides Escobar are Kansas City's scheduled hitters. Both teams can use any player on the roster, save for those who appeared in the original affair. Crockett is not required to throw a pitch, but he can not re-enter the game if he is pulled.

So, if Crockett toes the rubber, the Royals could pinch-hit for Moustakas. The Indians will likely have other pitchers warming in the bullpen to counter any moves.

Carlos Carrasco, since rejoining the rotation on Aug. 10, is 5-1 in eight starts.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Here are the lineups for Monday night's regularly scheduled game between the Indians and Royals at Progressive Field at 7:05 p.m. The two teams will complete a suspended game before the regularly scheduled game begins.

ROYALS

SS Alcides Escobar, R.

RF Norichika Aoki, L.

CF Lorenzo Cain, R.

1B Eric Hosmer, L.

DH Billy Butler, R.

LF Alex Gordon L.

C Salvador Perez, R.

2B Omar Infante, R.

3B Mike Moustakas, L.

LHP Danny Duffy, 8-11, 2.42.

INDIANS

CF Michael Bourn, L.

SS Jose Ramirez, S.

LF Michael Brantley, L.

DH Carlos Santana, S.

C Yan Gomes, R.

2B Mike Aviles, R.

3B Lonnie Chisenhall, L.

1B Chris Gimenez, R.

RF Tyler Holt, R.

RHP Carlos Carrasco, 8-5, 2.65.

Each week, the Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff joins CineSport's Noah Coslov to hand out his Browns QB grade. This week, he analyzes Brian Hoyer's performance in the loss against the Ravens.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Each week, the Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff joins CineSport's Noah Coslov to hand out his Browns QB grade. This week, he analyzes Brian Hoyer's performance in the loss against the Ravens.

• QB Report Card: Hoyer great until late

Ravenna Southeast senior Jenna Fesemyer and Kent Roosevelt senior Randy McMullen are high school All-Americans in multiple U.S. Paralympic events.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Ravenna Southeast senior Jenna Fesemyer has been named U.S. Paralympics female Field Athlete of the Year on its annual high school track and field All-America team.

Fesemyer produced the nation's leading throw in the girls seated discus and second-best effort in the javelin and shot put in 2014. She was an All-American in each event.

She is the two-time defending Ohio state champion in the wheelchair 100, 400, 800 meters and seated shot put. She competed in the seated javelin and discus at a junior national meet this summer and later emerged from a U.S. training camp as a potential 2016 Paralympian in the seated or standing discus.

Fesemyer is a wheelchair track athlete with an above-the-knee amputation, and also competes with a prosthetic on the Southeast girls golf team, which she was doing Monday at a sectional tournament when reached by The Plain Dealer.

"I didn't expect to get the Field Athlete of the Year award. I was thrilled,'' Fesemyer said in a phone interview from Punderson Golf Course, where she shot a wind-blown round of 94. "I wanted to try to get the track (Athlete of the Year) award, but (winner) Hannah McFadden is just a beast. She was in the 2012 Paralympics.''

View full sizeKent Roosevelt's Randy McMullen aims for the finish line in the 400-meter wheelchair race at the state track and field meet in June. McMullen has been named high school All-American in three events by U.S. Paralympics. John Kuntz, The Plain Dealer 

Wheelchair events became sanctioned in Ohio high school track and field in 2013, and in its second year, the state led the nation with seven All-Americans, including Kent Roosevelt senior Randy McMullen, in the shot put, discus and 1,500 meters.

A.J. Digby of Ostego in Northwest Ohio is the boys U.S. Track Athlete of the Year. He won the 100, 200 and 400 at the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation World Junior Games, and was the 400 champion at the U.S. Paralympics Championships.

Grace Norman (Xenia Christian) was a girls All-American in the 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1,500.

Other Ohio boys All-Americans were Casey Followay (Wooster) in the 100, 400 and 800; Timothy Bailey (Westland) in the 100, 400 and 800; and Robert Burns (Swanton) in the 400, 800 and 1,500.

Two key and somewhat overlooked plays were costly to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Observations and declarations from the Browns' afternoon meeting with the media:

1. Underrated play of the game came when Travis Benjamin let the Ravens' last punt land at about the Browns' 20 and roll to the 7. The bad field position became critical after a three-and-out gave the Ravens the ball back at midfield, with only 18 yards or so needed for a 50-yard field goal. But the wind was playing tricks with the ball, according Benjamin, who felt he had to let it go.

Nevertheless, coach Mike Pettine said a focus of the bye week will be "getting (Benjamin's) confidence back."

How many just knew the Browns were going to go three-and-out? Show of hands.

2. Another big play that was lost in the general malaise of the game's ending was the 70-yard Brian Hoyer to Taylor Gabriel bomb that looked like a touchdown Gabriel could've made by moonwalking ... until he appeared to slow, then had to dive for the ball, get up, and got tackled short of the goal line.

"It was hard to judge because it was up there so long, and it was windy," said Pettine. "It looked like he could've walked in, but it's not as easy as it looks."

It became a bigger play when the Ravens blocked the field goal that resulted. Blocker Billy Winn pinched in too tight, said Pettine, and gave up the edge.

3. The special teams are a serious weakness. Given that points (field goals) and big yardage (punts) are always at stake in the kicking game, it's almost a given that the Browns will start looking at other long snappers. Christian Yount's snaps seem slow.

4. There are times with the Browns when you wonder who's minding the store. For instance, the franchise honored both the 1954 and 1964 NFL championship teams Sunday.

First of all, as another writer said and I agreed with him, "What, there's been so many championships that each team can't have its own celebration?"

Clearly, the 60^th anniversary (1954) and 50^th ('64) should have had their own days.

Even more clearly, a better promotional idea for this week would have been to honor the families of Marion Motley and Bill Willis, the Browns' half of the "Forgotten Four," an excellent documentary that runs on the cable channel Epix Tuesday at 8 p.m. An email from Ohio State, Willis' alma mater, alerted me to the documentary with a link to view it.

The Browns were much more central to the story than the Buckeyes. You would think a team in a slump since its return in 1999 would lean more on the history of their long-ago dynasty.

5. Pettine said there has been no discussion about moving defensive coordinator Jim O'Neil to the press box to get a better view of opposing teams' formations or to change their working relationship.

It's all been so 1985 Bears-like when the game is on the line and all.

The father of Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam was hurt this afternoon in a three-car crash in Knoxville, Tenn.

The father of Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam was hurt this afternoon in a car crash in Knoxville, Tenn.

"Big Jim" Haslam was involved in a crash just after 1:30 p.m. in West Knoxville, Knoxville Police Department spokesman Darrell DeBusk told the Knoxville News Sentinel. Haslam, 83, was headed west when his 2014 Mercedes drifted across the center line and sideswiped an eastbound Toyota Highlander, then ran off the road and into a utility pole, police said.

The Highlander, driven by Robert Latimer, 70, went off the roadway and struck a wall. A third vehicle, a 2006 PT Cruiser driven by Thomas Ross, 21, then struck the rear of Haslam's Mercedes, according to police. 

Ross was not injured. Family members took Haslam and Latimer to their respective family doctors. A Haslam family spokesperson says he is expected to be fine, WATE-TV in Knoxville is reporting.

Cleveland Browns spokesman Peter John-Baptiste said he is checking into Haslam's condition and will provide an update when available.

The investigation into the crash is continuing. All three drivers wore seat belts. Police don't know yet what caused the crash, DeBusk told the Knoxville News Sentinel.

Haslam founded Pilot Oil Corporation in 1958 and is the father of current Pilot CEO and Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam.