A look at the best and worst matchups for quarterbacks in fantasy football leagues this week.

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A look at the best and worst matchups for quarterbacks in fantasy football leagues this week, including projected top 20 rankings:

THREE UP

Drew Brees vs. Tampa Bay: Brees is of to a sluggish start by his standards, and the Saints take a disappointing 1-3 record into their Week 5 matchup against Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers represent a good opportunity for a bounce-back effort, having allowed huge days to Ben Roethlisberger and Matt Ryan in the last two weeks. They have allowed the highest opponents' passer rating (118.4) in the NFL, rank 28th in pass defense (272.5) and play their third straight game away from home. Expect a rejuvenated Saints offense to capitalize on the matchup and go into their Week 6 bye with momentum.

Philip Rivers vs. New York Jets: As good as the Jets are up front with one of the NFL's best defensive lines, they're even worse in the secondary. New York has allowed nine passing touchdowns this season, tied for third-most in the NFL, and are one of just two teams yet to record an interception. The lack of playmakers is a matchup that Rivers can easily exploit with a variety of weapons and his precision in the short passing attack. New York has allowed multiple touchdown passes in all four of its games, while Rivers enters with a streak of three straight multi-touchdown performances of his own.

Blake Bortles vs. Pittsburgh: Like any rookie quarterback thrown into the fire on a bad team, Bortles is making his share of mistakes. He's thrown four interceptions in his six quarters under center as he's faced large deficits and attempted 61 passes over that stretch. But Bortles' promise is very real, evidenced by his 70.5 percent completions, third-highest in the NFL, and better-than-expected 82.4 passer rating. He faces a depleted Steelers defense this week that misses three key starters and continues to struggle creating turnovers. It's a good recipe for big counting stats with lower risk for mistakes.

THREE DOWN

Andrew Luck vs. Baltimore: Luck has turned the corner in his third NFL season, easily ranking as the game's best quarterback through four games. The Ravens, meanwhile, have statistical blemishes in bending frequently without breaking. Baltimore ranks 24th in the NFL in pass defense while generating just four sacks and one interception in four games. But here's a key stat: facing quality quarterbacks that include Andy Dalton, Ben Roethlisberger and Cam Newton, the Ravens have allowed just three touchdown passes. While Luck demands to be started, he might have more trouble than expected finding the end zone.

Nick Foles vs. St. Louis: The Eagles offensive line has been banged-up and ineffective, causing problems for Foles and the offense in last week's loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Right tackle Lane Johnson returns this week, which helps, but the matchup against one of the NFL's most lauded pass rushes, even if it has just one sack in three games, is bad timing. Foles has had bright moments this season, for sure, but he struggled under pressure last week and threw two interceptions. With a bye week to prepare, the Rams have potential to make a big statement while extending those woes.

Kirk Cousins vs. Seattle: Cousins' bubble burst in prolific fashion in a Thursday night blowout loss to the New York Giants. The third-year quarterback has struggled with turnovers in the past, and those issues came to a head against the Giants with four interceptions and a fumble. The going doesn't get any easier in Week 5 against a well-rested Seahawks defense that had a bye to address any lingering issues from a so-so start. Patience and accuracy will be premium attributes against a dominant secondary, which haven't always been Cousins' strong suit. Consider him outside of QB1 territory this week.

WAIVER WATCH

Brian Hoyer at Tennessee: While preseason talk focused on rookie Johnny Manziel and the collective struggles of Cleveland's quarterbacks, Hoyer has gotten off to a solid, efficient start. The results haven't been spectacular to date, but Hoyer remains one of just two NFL quarterbacks with at least 70 pass attempts who hasn't thrown an interception. The Browns are a run-first offense and Hoyer plays a game manager role, but a streak of three straight games with 200-plus yards and a touchdown should be extended this week. After that, friendly matchups loom vs. Pittsburgh, at Jacksonville, vs. Oakland and vs. Tampa Bay.

TOP 20 RANKINGS

1. Drew Brees, NO, vs. Tampa Bay
2. Philip Rivers, SD, vs. New York Jets
3. Peyton Manning, DEN, vs. Arizona
4. Aaron Rodgers, GB, vs. Minnesota
5. Ben Roethlisberger, PIT, at Jacksonville
6. Andrew Luck, IND, vs. Baltimore
7. Russell Wilson, SEA, at Washington
8. Matt Ryan, ATL, at New York Giants
9. Cam Newton, CAR, vs. Chicago
10. Joe Flacco, BAL, at Indianapolis

11. Matthew Stafford, DET, vs. Buffalo
12. Eli Manning, NYG, vs. Atlanta
13. Colin Kaepernick, SF, vs. Kansas City
14. Nick Foles, PHI, vs. St. Louis
15. Jay Cutler, CHI, at Carolina
16. Alex Smith, KC, at San Francisco
17. Tony Romo, DAL, vs. Houston
18. Blake Bortles, JAC, vs. Pittsburgh
19. Mike Glennon, TB, at New Orleans
20. Andy Dalton, CIN, at New England

Browns coach Mike Pettine is expecting Jake Locker and not his replacement Charlie Whitehurst. Locker had a stellar debut against Kansas City, but didn't play well in two subsequent losses.

BEREA, Ohio -- Browns coach Mike Pettine expects Titans starting quarterback Jake Locker to return to action from his right wrist injury this week.

Ninth-year veteran Charlie Whitehurst started in Locker's place last week and completed 12-of-23 attempts for 177 yards with one touchdown and one interception in a 41-17 loss to the Colts that dropped the Titans to 1-3.

"The quarterback we're expecting to play, (Jake) Locker, can make all the throws but has the added element of the scramble – something we have to be been mindful of,'' said Pettine.

Locker practiced fully on Wednesday and said on a conference call he feels great.

"I always want to be out there,'' he said. "It's hard to sit and watch. It's probably better for it now and going forward.''  

In a 26-10 victory over the Chiefs in week one -- the Titans only victory this season -- Locker threw for 266 yard and two TDs for a 111.4 rating. He followed that with losses to Dallas and Cincinnati, during which he earned ratings of 60.2 and 41.9. He also injured the wrist against the Bengals.

"Hopefully he'll play like he did against Kansas City this week,'' said Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt.

In other Browns news, defensive end Desmond Bryant (glute), running back Ben Tate (knee) and cornerback Buster Skrine (thumb) practiced Wednesday on a limited basis, while tight end Jordan Cameron and linebacker Barkevious Mingo (shoulders) participated fully. Left tackle Joe Thomas rested and receiver Marlon Moore (illness) was idle.

Here are some quick-hitters from Pettine's press conference:  

* On the Titans: "Offensively, I'm very impressed with their skill set. They can throw four different running backs at you.  They invested a lot in that offensive line. That's a group that on paper is impressive. Then you flip it over on the other side of the ball. I think (Titans DT) Jurrell Casey might be the best defensive player in the league that nobody's really heard of. He jumps off the tape when you watch him play. He's outstanding against the run. He has a lot of sack production as well. He's very disruptive. He's a guy who we have to be very aware of where he is in the matchup. It's a very active group.

* On former Browns and current Titans defensive coordinator Ray Horton:  "Guys who were here who know Ray know that he's going to be very aggressive with the scheme. They're going to put pressure on you. They're going to force you to make decisions very quickly. It is a pressure-based defense. They're very physical and they play hard. It's a group where we know, in all phases, we're going to have our hands full."

* On if they have to prepare for Whitehurst in case Locker doesn't play: "I don't think their offense was that different when (Locker) wasn't in there. I think the run game was the same. A lot of the pass concepts were the same. It wouldn't be a radical departure for us, but just given the fact that he practiced late last week and they were confident that he was going to practice today, barring a setback, I'm fairly certain that he'll be ready to go."

* On if Tate being limited today is just the normal progression: "It is. That's normal progression that he took individual (reps). He'll take a good part of the team reps today. Then assuming things progress the way they should, he should be listed as full at some point – either tomorrow or Friday."

* On if linebacker Barkevious Mingo is healthy and what he needs to see from him as far as production on Sunday:  "We haven't had him in a lot of situations where he's had an opportunity to get sacks. We've used (LB Jabaal) Sheard and (LB Paul) Kruger more in passing situations. I like him better in coverage, and it's good to roll those guys through. I always like having guys coming off the bench, at least one guy on third down – fresh legs to rush the passer. I just think that helps you, especially late in the game when you need the guys to be fresh."

 * On an internet rumor that the Browns are trying to acquire Titans wide receiver Justin Hunter and possible trade talks: "It's news to me." (Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt also said "there's no basis in that.''

* On if he's trying to make or break LS Christian Yount with the position competition this week: "I just think it's something that we need clarity on that situation. Christian's a competitive guy, and he's very serious about his job. We're not going to hide from the fact that he struggled. He'll be the first one to tell you. He knows he needs to get better, but at the same time we have to move forward and put the team in the best position to win. He's done well here. He's had his struggles of late, but that's something that Ray and I talked about from the beginning and it's been ad nauseam about competition at all positions. That's one that we're not going to exclude. This is a normal part of our process."

Other quick hits:

* Brian Hoyer on having a higher rating than Tom Brady: "He's still the best in my opinion, so I'm always striving to be as good as he is.''

* Practice squad long snapper Charley Hughlett on competing with Yount: "It's definitely a great opportunity and one that can tend to be a little rare at the long-snapping position. But it's just great to have the opportunity to show what you can do, especially for a team like the Browns."

 "I've been in these competitions plenty of times and you're always friendly. It's still a teammate. You treat him like a teammate. He's there helping me out, kind of showing me where to be and stuff like that. It's a friendly thing. There's no hostility."

Chat with other fans and get updates from The Q as the Cavs hold their annual Wine and Gold Scrimmage.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The annual Wine and Gold Scrimmage has finished at Quicken Loans Arena.

They played three separate 12-minute quarters, resetting the score after each one in the arena. Head coach David Blatt also switched players to different teams, but in the end the Wine beat the Gold, 66-52. LeBron James, who played one half for the Wine team, led the way with 13 points. 

Get live updates and analysis as cleveland.com's Chris Fedor brings you the latest on the intrasquad scrimmage in the comments section below.

Make sure you're following Chris as well as Chris Haynes and Joe Vardon on Twitter.

Scoring Summary:

End of 2nd Quarter - Wine leads Gold 51-32. James has 13 points, connecting on six of his 13 attempts. Irving is also in double-figures with 10. Love has played 16 of the 24 minutes, dropping in nine points and grabbing six rebounds. Miller leads the Gold with 11 points. Varejao has 10. 

End of 1st Quarter - Wine leads Gold 32-17. James leads all scorers with 13 points on 6-of-8 from the field. Irving has seven. For the Gold, they are paced by Miller's eight and six from Anderson Varejao. 

5:17 left in the 1st Quarter - Wine leads Gold 17-14. LeBron James leads the way with nine points on 4-of-5 from the field. Kyrie has added seven. Mike Miller has eight points for Gold. He has hit all three shots. 

Wine Starting Five: LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Tristan Thompson, Kevin Love and Dion Waiters.

Gold Starting Five: Matthew Dellavedova, Mike Miller, Shawn Marion, Lou Amundson and Anderson Varejao.

Nike delays release of the LEBRON 12 shoe, citing a cosmetic issue.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Nike has delayed the release of the LEBRON 12 shoe, citing a "small cosmetic issue."

The shoe was supposed to hit the shelves today in China and be released globally Oct. 11, but those dates have been pushed back indefinitely.

Due to a small cosmetic issue w/ some of the LEBRON 12s, we have delayed the initial retail launch. New launch dates to come.

— Heidi Burgett (@heidiburgett) October 1, 2014

In a tweet confirming the delay, Nike public relations director Heidi Burgett said "due to a small cosmetic issue w/ some of the LEBRON 12s, we have delayed the initial retail launch. New launch dates to come."

The delay was first reported by the Oregonian. A spokesman for LeBron James referred all questions to Nike, which is located in Beaverton, Ore.

James endorsed the LEBRON 12 -- which will sell retail for $200 -- in a highly publicized event Sept. 16. The subsequent delay in its release marks another hiccup for the James' Nike shoe line. He declined to wear the LEBRON 11 for portions of last season because of sizing and fit concerns, the Oregonian reported.

James told the Northeast Ohio Media Group after the scrimmage that the flashy pair of shoes he wore Wednesday night was from Nike's Soldier series.

This story was updated with additional information.

Check out the Week 6 Forward Progress high school football podcast

Check out the Week 6 Forward Progress high school football podcast

Fans were ecstatic to see LeBron James back -- proven by the loud ovation he received during introductions.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Yes, it was only an intrasquad scrimmage and yes they had a huge talent advantage, but the Cavaliers' first unit looked seasoned and unified as the Wine team routed the Gold, 66-52, Wednesday night at Quicken Loans Arena.

LeBron James returning to the Q brought so much electricity in the building. Fans were ecstatic to see him back -- proven by the loud ovation he received during introductions.

He and his teammates did not disappoint.

In the first quarter James got the crowd on their feet when he curled to the basket with Shawn Marion trailing him and still managed to stuff down a one-handed jam.

Irving showed off his handles with a filthy crossover that sent Matthew Dellavedova one way and Irving going the other way for the layup, which were two of his 10 points to go along with six assists.

Kevin Love made his impact playing quarterback. His outlet passes caught the opposition sleeping and he hit his targets in stride for easy scores. It came off easy and effortless.

Head coach David Blatt elected to start Kyrie Irving, Dion Waiters, LeBron James, Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson. You could see early on why Thompson was inserted with the starters instead of Anderson Varejao -- speed and athleticism. That group got up and down the floor in a hurry and kept the defense on its heels.

If this squad is having complications picking up Blatt's offense, you couldn't tell Wednesday night.

James finished the scrimmage with 13 points, three rebounds and two assists in 18 minutes. Love registered nine points on three-of-four shooting to go along with six rebounds in 20 minutes.

Some players, such as Marion and Thompson, switched teams throughout the course of the game in order for Blatt to get a look at different combinations.

The Cavaliers will open up preseason play Sunday night at the Q against Maccabi Tel Aviv of Israel, Blatt's former team. On this night, Cleveland looked good.

Seiing LeBron James in a Cleveland Cavaliers' practice jersey "surreal" for fans at The Q.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- LeBron James took what was supposed to be a team scrimmage for the Cleveland Cavaliers and turned it into something bigger.

As only he can.

"It's surreal," said Maurice Byrd, 26, of Cleveland, moments after laying eyes on James in a Cavaliers' jersey prior to tip-off of the team's Wine and Gold scrimmage at The Q.

"This is like the best birthday gift I ever had."

"Surreal" is not a word commonly used to describe an intrasquad scrimmage – a glorified practice in which the Cavaliers play against, well, the Cavaliers.

But with a crowd of 16,723 on hand at The Q, cheering so loud during player introductions that James couldn't hear his own name, it was clear early that this was not the average practice.

"It was a great reaction," said James, who scored 13 points in 19 minutes. "The fans are great, they've always been great, they were great while I was gone."

Yes, that. The last time fans had a chance to watch James play while wearing a Cavaliers jersey was May 11, 2010 – when Cleveland lost, 120-88, in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals to the Boston Celtics.

That was one of James' worst nights as a Cavalier. Fifteen points on 3-of-14 shooting, his team blown out at home with the series seemingly lost as it shifted back to Boston.

You know what happened next, from that fateful July night in 2010, to James' four years (and two championships) with the Miami Heat, to his decision to return to Cleveland.

James acknowledged that Wednesday's scrimmage was a "special night," but downplayed the moment as he explained it should be special any time the Cavaliers "get an opportunity to do that."

The fans, though, they seemed to recognize what a special occasion it was to see James gliding up and down the floor, draining a three-pointer and rocking the rim with a couple dunks. All while wearing a maroon, mesh Cavaliers' practice jersey.

"You can feel the heart this city has for a man who plays basketball, but it's more than that," said Cole Forshey, 20, of Mount Vernon, Ohio. "It's crazy and it's kind of weird, but it's a good feeling. The city's rallied around him now that he's home."

"I have been here long enough now to understand the people of the city of Cleveland," said Cavaliers coach David Blatt, in his first season as an NBA coach. "That's a very unique and special group of people that live here that appreciate certain things about people and about life that are admirable. I'm not surprised at all how (James has) been received."

It was a good night for James basketball-wise. On Tuesday James said his sore back was "iffy" and Blatt said Wednesday the team would closely monitor James' health, but there were no signs of any issue during James' minutes.

He led off the scrimmage with a three. Then a dunk. Then a jumper. Then a thunderous right-handed slam. It sounded like a playoff game as the backboard shook on James' way back down the floor.

On Tuesday it was suggested to James that the Wine and Gold scrimmage might be the most frenzied (from a fans' perspective) practice in the history of the NBA.

He smirked and replied "is it?"

Ask the thousands who stood in line 90 minutes before the scrimmage's 7 p.m. start to get in.

"Surreal," Forshey said.

"They're saying it's one of the biggest games in Maryland history," Ohio State tight end Jeff Heuerman said. "Whatever that means."

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Tight end Jeff Heuerman was being friendly. When Maryland hosts Ohio State for a noon kickoff Saturday, it will be the Terrapins' first Big Ten home game after making their debut in their new conference with a win at Indiana last week.

"We're going to go there and we're going to welcome them to the Big Ten," Heuerman said after practice on Wednesday. "We're going to go on the road and it's going to be a big game and we're going to show them what Big Ten football is and hopefully it'll come out in our favor."

Heuerman's welcome sounded maybe 65 percent neighborly, 35 percent like a warning. Told he sounded like someone offering a warm greeting, Heuerman laughed.

"We'll show you what's up," he said with a smile.

The Terrapins (4-1) controlled their win over the Hoosiers. This should be a little tougher for them. Given that it's the Buckeyes' first conference game, Heuerman said it's going to be a little bigger game than the last two for the Buckeyes, when they outscored the opposition 116-28.

"They're saying it's one of the biggest games in Maryland history," Heuerman said. "Whatever that means."

Here are other notes and quick hits from interviews with OSU players and Urban Meyer after Wednesday's practice.

• Meyer said he did think the pass defense looked better in practice this week.

• Safety Vonn Bell cheerily said he expects to hear some trash talk, and give some right back, with Maryland receiver Stefon Diggs, a player that he sees carrying himself with confidence.

• Meyer said he still wants Dontre Wilson to gain another 10 pounds as his role as a receiver continues to increase.

• Meyer said Maryland's defense will be the most athletic the Buckeyes have faced. He said the Terrapins offer two completely different looks in the secondary that they change up during games. The last two games were good offensively, but "we have to do it against better defenses," Meyer said.

Meyer said what he likes best about the offense at the moment is the balance.

"The last two years we were run dominated. The big games, you can't (do that)."

Watch Browns Insider as we preview the Titans.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns come out of the bye week with a game at Tennessee on Sunday. Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot, Tom Reed and Dan Labbe looked ahead to the game on our weekly Browns show.

On tonight's Browns Insider we discussed:

• Who is the team's best running back?
• Why has the run defense struggled so much?
• How will the Browns come out of the next five games?
• Who is the one player that can't be lost to injury?

You can watch the video above and be sure to join us again next Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

Kevin Love's outlet passes gives Cleveland the best deep-ball game in the league.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – LeBron James has a new quarterback to throw him the deep ball.

Kevin Love showed off his two-handed outlet passes in the Cavaliers' Wine and Gold scrimmage Wednesday night and the message was loud and clear: take off and he'll find you.

"There's no one in the league that does that like him. No one," James said after the game. "He has the ability to get a rebound and look up the court with his outlet passes. The two-hand chest pass from 94 feet, there's no one like him.

"I played with D-Wade (Dwyane Wade), he threw the football pass or the baseball pass full court. He was very, very good at it as well. So to have a guy like Love is great."

In the first quarter of the scrimmage, Love took the ball out of the basket and stepped out of bounds. He saw Kyrie Irving up the court and Irving hit Matthew Dellavedova with a double-move and Love let that ball fly.

An open Irving caught the ball in stride and sailed in for the dunk. That wasn't a designed play. That was just a playmaking gunslinger letting it fly for an easy two.

"I just continue to tell these guys to keep running," Love explained. "I think they saw that in the first quarter that if they would like, they're going to have four-on-three, three-on-two, two-on-one, one-on-one, one-on-zero situations for them and if that can lead to easy transition buckets, so be it. That's really going to help us."

For a team with this many offensive weapons at their disposal, it's going to be borderline unfair for them to pick up extra points from 94 feet away. Transition is going to be a huge weapon and Love's arm is going to have a lot to do with it.

"I really love the fact that Kevin is so capable of throwing his kind of outlet passes even though it's not something that specifically we even worked on," head coach David Blatt said. "He's just a brilliant outlet passer and our guys have the kind of IQ to understand who is Kevin Love and what they need to do when the ball is in our possession."

Although it was only a scrimmage, the first-team unit of Irving, Dion Waiters, James, Love and Tristan Thompson looked good together. That group is filled with energy, athletes and speed, a perfect combination for transition style of play.

Blatt maintains that he hasn't "locked in" on a starting unit, but if that's the lineup he's leaning towards, it's going to be scary for the opposition.

When asked if this is the best receiving corps he has had in his NBA career, Love laughed.

"I think so, but my game has evolved," he said. "That pass for me has also evolved and has gotten better every year. They're going to make me look pretty good this year, I hope."

The notebook also includes update on Barkevious Mingo's pass-rush opportunities and the long-snapper competition. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio – Browns coach Mike Pettine isn't ready to replace Travis Benjamin as the team's primary punt returner.

After a tentative start, Benjamin plans to reward the coach's confidence in him.

"It's all got to do with me," Benjamin said of his early struggles. "I'm going to showcase my skills coming into the Tennessee game and put our special teams in the top rank where they're supposed to be."

The offense has flourished despite getting little field-position help from the special teams. Benjamin has returned just three punts for two yards while calling for five fair catches.

In the club's 23-21 loss to Ravens, the University of Miami product opted not to catch a fourth-quarter punt that bounced outside the 20 and rolled to 7 – flipping the field-position battle in the game's final two series.

No longer the primary kickoff returner, Benjamin admitted he was struggling a bit with his confidence. He muffed a first-quarter punt against the Ravens.

"There are plays out there where the adjustment is, 'I can make that play,' instead of 'I see this (defender) coming scot-free (so I'll) fair catch.' I have to be confident in making the first person miss all the time on special teams."

Both Pettine and Benjamin downplayed the impact of last year's season-ending knee injury. He's caught four passes for 69 yards, including a 43-yarder to set up the first touchdown versus Baltimore.

"He's playing very well," Pettine said of Benjamin in the pass game. "I think just about every week he's gotten behind the opponents' secondary, so I don't know if I would say the knee is necessarily a big factor there. I think it's just too early to panic in that situation."

Benjamin said it could take just one big return to get him in a groove again.

Taking cover

Barkevious Mingo was drafted No. 6 overall in 2013 to rush the passer. He proved quite capable in his first three games, registering a sack in each contest. But the outside linebacker has just two sacks in his last 14 games.

Pettine said part of the issue this season is the Browns aren't putting him in many pass-rushing situations. That might sound counterintuitive, but it's the way Pettine says they're using him. Among the three primary outside linebackers, Mingo is employed the most in pass coverage.

"We've used (Jabaal) Sheard and (Paul) Kruger more in passing situations," the coach said. "Again, it falls back to not reading too much into statistics and a guy filling the grade sheet with plusses. That's what's most important to us. There are times where a guy won't necessarily have production, but they'll cause production. That comes with doing your job."

Mingo returned to action against the Ravens after missing the second game with a shoulder injury.

In a snap

Pettine said the Browns are conducting a long-snapping competition this week between incumbent Christian Yount and Charley Hughlett. Yount has had at least one shaky snap in each game.

The Browns signed Hughlett to the practice squad Tuesday, but if he out-snaps Yount he could play Sunday against the Titans.

"It's definitely a great opportunity and one that can tend to be a little rare at the long-snapping position," said Hughlett, who's yet to appear in a regular-season game. "But it's just great to have the opportunity to show what you can do, especially for a team like the Browns."

Quotable

Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt on interviewing the past two years for the Browns opening: "Well, the first time was not in my control. You'll have to ask somebody else about that one. The second time it was a very good interview, and I was very fortunate to have had that opportunity. As far as what was said in those interviews and what was discussed, that's in the past. I'm not going to talk about that. We're moving forward.

Brownies

The Titans are the only NFL team without a first-quarter point. ... They also rank dead last in third-down conversion (25.5 percent).

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers returned to Quicken Loans Arena for the first time since April. This time, they had new players. At the annual Wine and Gold Scrimmage, 16,723 fans packed The Q for their first glimpse at Cleveland's new Big Three of LeBron James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving. At the end of the night, the scoreboard indicated...

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers returned to Quicken Loans Arena for the first time since April. This time, they had new players.

At the annual Wine and Gold Scrimmage, 16,723 fans packed The Q for their first glimpse at Cleveland's new Big Three of LeBron James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving. At the end of the night, the scoreboard indicated that the Wine won the game, but that was hardly the story. James was the story, as usual.

The four-time MVP led the team team in scoring with 13 points and his thunderous dunks and slick passes gave fans plenty to cheer about. 

Cleveland.com's Chris Fedor, Joe Vardon and Chris Haynes recapped the scrimmage during the postgame show.

The trio talked about James' performance, the atmosphere surrounding the game, what stood out, Irving's play and Love wearing the wine and gold for the first time. 

With less than a month before the opener against the New York Knicks, did Wednesday provide a clue into Cleveland's new starting five?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- When the Cleveland Cavaliers took the court together for the first time during the Wine and Gold Scrimmage on Wednesday night, there were four players suited up alongside LeBron James: Kyrie Irving, Dion Waiters, Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson.

The first three names aren't surprising. Thompson, on the other hand, is.

With less than a month before the opener against the New York Knicks, did Wednesday provide a clue into Cleveland's new starting five?

"We really haven't committed as of yet," head coach David Blatt said following the scrimmage. "You can expect that we will tamper early here in the preseason and exhibition with some different lineups. It won't be later on until we lock in on a group of starters. I've always been of the mindset that you have starters and then you have second starters. That's what makes teams good."

Many felt Thompson would be moved to the second unit after Kevin Love arrived to complete Cleveland's Big Three. He was expected to provide depth in Cleveland's frontcourt while possibly stabilizing the bench.

Thompson, who averaged 11.2 points and 9.7 rebounds last season, has been in the Cavs' starting lineup the last two seasons. He's undersized at 6-foot-9, but his activity and bounce make up for his stature.

"Tristan is a high-energy guy that gets his hands on the ball at both ends of the court," Blatt said. "He has a very, very high motor. He's active. He doesn't necessarily need the ball to play. And defensively he can matchup with different sized players in the frontcourt."

Chemistry is also important. Cavaliers General Manager David Griffin has preached it since the off-season, and Blatt and the players are conveying that same message. Given that approach, Cleveland's starting center might end up being the guy who complements Love's game the best. So far, the three-time All-Star likes what he sees.

"Tristan is a sponge," Love said. "He just wants to learn, he continues to get better, he's really taken a great step in his game and you can tell the confidence is there for him. We just continue to mention the synergy and continuity out there together. We enjoy playing together."

The other player in consideration is Anderson Varejao, who like Thompson brings energy and doesn't need plays called for him to be effective. But the floppy-haired big man who James said would run through walls has started only 182 of 534 games during his NBA career. He's comfortable coming off the bench. He's thrived in that role. He could become the anchor of the second unit.

So who is the Cavs starting center?

"I don't know and I can tell you it probably doesn't make a big difference," Blatt said.

For now, it remains the one position written in pencil. But if Wednesday night plays into Blatt's decision then starting Thompson might become permanent. Something that seemed unlikely on Aug. 23, the day Love became a Cavalier. 

A win validates the effort in the first three games. A loss squanders some goodwill and fuels doubters who think it's the same old Browns.

BEREA, Ohio – If Sunday's game in Tennessee were played at the college level, it could be sponsored by Del Monte and labeled the Low Hanging Fruit Bowl.

Browns fans look at the Titans (1-3), losers of three straight by a combined score of 100-34, and wonder how they could get beat.

Titans fans see the Browns (1-2), averaging 4.5 wins over the past six seasons, and are calling the Tony Rizzo of Nashville confident of victory.

Las Vegas doesn't seem to know which way to lean with some sports books favoring the Browns and others the Titans.

The only thing clear about the game at LP Field is there's a lot riding on the outcome. Mike Pettine knows as much. It's why the Browns coach addressed the team Tuesday about their upcoming stretch against Tennessee, Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, Oakland and Tampa Bay -- opponents with a combined 4-16 mark.

He doesn't want his players losing focus and trafficking in five-game forecasts. It's all about the Titans. They need to ignore the records, Pettine said, and play "against our standards," which he hopes insulates them from up-and-down efforts.

The coach was asked Wednesday how the Titans and other upcoming opponents might view his club. His answer was perfect.

"I'm sure when we pop up on the schedule based on our current record and less than recent history people are going to look at the Browns and want to pencil it in as a win more often than not," he said. "That's what we're out to change."

The Browns should beat Tennessee, the league's only squad without a first-quarter point. The Titans are as nondescript as tapioca pudding, a club that does nothing particularly well and is led by big-armed, erratic passer Jake Locker, who missed last week's game with a wrist injury. Under respected first-year coach Ken Whisenhunt, the Titans are in the process of simplifying an offense ranked 26^th overall and 29^th in passing.

A Browns' win validates three competitive performances against the Steelers, Saints and Ravens, games all decided in the final seconds by three points or less. It gets them to .500 and sets up an intriguing rematch with Pittsburgh at FirstEnergy Stadium.

Of course, there are no guarantees with the Browns, who have as many road wins  as head coaches in the past three seasons.

A loss squanders some goodwill among a segment of the fan base and lends credence to doubters who think it's the same old Browns. It would drop their record to 1-3 with Ben Roethlisberger coming to town. Jimmy Haslam cut the $1 billion check, but until the Browns start proving otherwise, the Steelers quarterback still owns them as evidenced by his 17-1 career record.

Speaking of Haslam, he's likely swelling with pride this week at the thought of the Browns playing in his native Tennessee. He's not a man, based on track record, who handles disappointment well. If Pettine and the team captains are tossing him a game ball in the visitors' locker room Sunday afternoon, everyone is sleeping soundly.

The Browns showed plenty of pluck in the first three games. Pettine has every right to feel confident about his group, especially if the underachieving defense improves and his special teams stop keeping both sides in the game.

He's also correct in saying fans and media are the ones with the luxury of predicting the Browns' record in this five-game block.

A big part of building respectability is beating teams you're expected to beat. The Browns are relatively healthy, rested and coming off a bye week. What more could they ask for heading into a road game against a 1-3 opponent?

There is low-hanging fruit available Sunday. It's pick, or be picked.

Heidelberg QB Michael Mees comes back with a record-setting performance a week after getting benched in a loss to John Carroll.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – John Carroll's defense looked awfully good last week in Tiffin, Ohio, even though the Blue Streaks were home in University Heights.

JCU's defensive performance the week before against Heidelberg looked even better when seeing what Heidelberg did last week against visiting Ohio Northern.

A week after getting benched in a 43-16 loss to John Carroll, Heidelberg quarterback Michael Mees (North Ridgeville) turned around and produced some eye-popping numbers in a 69-52 defeat of ONU.

Mees had six total touchdowns, leading Heidelberg to a school-record 729 total yards, and he was named Ohio Athletic Conference Player of the Week for the third time in his career.

Mees ran seven times for 116 yards and a touchdown, and he completed 24 of 32 passes for 410 yards and five TDs without an interception. Two of his TD passes went to his brother, James.

"We stumbled on offense last week so we definitely wanted to come out and play much better,'' Heidelberg coach Mike Hallett said. "I think we did that.''

JCU's defense, meanwhile, put on another dominant performance last week in a 45-7 victory against Baldwin Wallace. The Blue Streaks are ranked fifth in Division III in total defense.

Rankings: John Carroll moved up to No. 6 from No. 8 last week in the D3football.com Top 25. Mount Union (3-0) remained at No. 3 behind Wisconsin-Whitewater and Mary Hardin-Baylor. Heidelberg, despite the win over ONU, dropped out of the poll after being ranked 23rd last week.

In Division II, Ohio Dominican stayed at No. 7 according to D2footall.com heading into its game at Lake Erie College on Saturday.

A real homecoming: Ashland sophomore running back Vance Settlemire of Findlay scored on runs of 56 and 47 yards in a 45-23 upset of host Findlay, which was ranked 24 in Division II. He had 121 rushing yards on eight carries and is the GLIAC leader in yards per carry at 13.4 on 27 attempts. Ashland improved to 3-1.

Tennis upset: Baldwin Wallace junior Peter Harris (Revere) upset No. 3 seed John Carswell of Washington (Mo.), 7-6 (6), 6-2 and went on to win two more matches at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Central Regional Championships in Indianapolis.

"Peter's victory against the third seed in his opening match was the biggest individual win in my time at BW," said 26th-year coach Brian Rector. "I could not be happier for Peter. This was a great victory for him and our program."

Hall of Famers: Baldwin Wallace will induct nine new athletic Hall of Famers on Friday: Dan Andrews '90 (football), Tim Budic '02 (cross country and track), Cassie Palmer Fox '04 (volleyball), Mike Graven '82 (football), Erika Schultz Greenberg '04 (basketball), Tina Lokar Jicha '97, '00 (cross country and track), Julie Jenks Lefelhoc '95 (swimming), Brian Rudloff '98, '04 (baseball), and Vern Sharbaugh '69 (football and baseball).

Before she led a turnaround as coach of the Case Western Reserve softball team, Josie Henry was an All-American pitcher at Ashland University. She will be inducted into AU's athletics Hall of Fame on Saturday.

Shutout streak: John Carroll senior soccer goalie Haley McDonald posted her third consecutive shutout Tuesday in a 1-0, double-overtime victory against Grove City. She was coming off a 0-0 draw against Case Western Reserve that also went two overtimes. JCU is 6-2-1.

Top scorer: Sophomore forward Alexis Manoa (Strongsville) has six goals and seven assists for Notre Dame College's 6-1 women's soccer team.

Honors: Case Western Reserve freshman wide receiver Luke DeFrancesco is the University Athletic Association offensive Player of the Week. He caught the game-winning, 23-yard touchdown pass with 1:08 remaining in a 23-16 victory over Thiel, and had four receptions for 75 yards. He leads CWRU in catches with 12 receptions for 141 yards and one TD.

Cuyahoga Community College soccer players Tevin Williams and Jeremiah Carsten earned offensive and defensive Player of the Week honors from the Ohio Community College Athletic Conference. Williams scored six goals and assisted on another score during the three victories for the Challengers (4-5-1). The freshman from Westmoreland, Jamaica, led the OCCAC with 13 goals. Carsten (Highland) is a second-year goalie who posted two shutouts.

Ashland's Alli Cudworth (Kent Roosevelt) is the GLIAC South volleyball player of the week after recording two double-doubles in three victories last week. She had 45 kills in nine sets, and averaged a .349 hitting percentage.

Phil Taylor knows the defense needs to get better, the Johnny Manziel package hits the road and more from Browns practice on Thursday.

BEREA, Ohio -- Cleveland Browns defensive end Phil Taylor hasn't show up much on the stat sheet this season for the Browns. Head Coach Mike Pettine isn't so sure that's a bad thing.

"He’s had some solid performances for us," said Pettine before practice on Thursday. "A lot of times, especially in the run game, statistically they’re not going to show up. Phil’s been solid for us, but just like everybody else, especially on the defensive side, has room for improvement.”

Still, the Browns defense ranks 29th out of 32 teams, giving up 153.7 yards per game. Pro Football Focus recently ranked Taylor 50th out of 52 defensive ends playing in a 3-4 scheme.

"I don’t pay attention to that stuff," said defensive coordinator Jim O'Neil when asked about the rankings. "I pay attention to what our coaches say, what I see on film and how they’re grading out. If (Taylor) or (Ahtyba Rubin) were playing the way those guys are ranking them, they wouldn’t be playing for us."

So how does the defense get better?

"As a defense, we just gotta go out there and fix the mistakes," said Taylor. "It’s not just individuals. Everybody has to do their job, including myself and we’ll get it right."

Taylor, who is listed at defensive end but, according to Pettine, will move around on the line, said he was comfortable playing end and that he was "just doing what I gotta do for the team."

As for the rest of the team: "Team defense means, everybody do their job," said Taylor. "Don’t try to do the next man’s job. You do your job, your assignment for that play, and everything will be alright."

Manziel always an option: The much-heralded "Johnny Manziel package" has yet to take its show on the road, but offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan said Thursday that's just coincidence.

"Nothing's off the table," said Shanahan. "It's always week-to-week. It depends on what the defense is doing, how we see stuff. ... Whether we're at home or on the road doesn't matter."

Browns injury updates: Defensive lineman Desmond Bryant was limited in practice on Thursday with a glute/wrist injury, as was running back Ben Tate with a knee injury. Left tackle Joe Thomas, who had a rest day on Wedensday, returned to practice. Wide receiver and kick returner Marlon Moore also returned from an illness that held him out of Wednesday's practice.

Titans on the mend: Tennessee is likely to have their starting quarterback back on Sunday. Jake Locker is expected to return.

#Titans QB Jake Locker expected to return to lineup Sunday against Browns http://t.co/2fMKom6cFH pic.twitter.com/l1UPyXgfS1

— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) October 2, 2014

Jim Wyatt of the Tennesseean reports:

"Locker missed last Sunday's game against the Colts with a right wrist injury. He said he had no issues in practice Wednesday.

"'It is hard to have to sit and watch games,' Locker said. 'To have a chance to go back out there and compete with the guys you work with day and day out, it's exciting.'"

Pettine and O'Neil quotes courtesy of Cleveland Browns media relations

Brian Quick and Devin Hester might just save your fan ball team this weekend

*This content is provided by our sister site, OregonLive.com. For additional resources, check out OregonLive.com's complete fantasy football coverage.

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The fantasy football waiver wire is a place that can make or break your team's season. If didn't have the kind of draft you had hoped for, this is your chance to pick up some players who may emerge as fantasy threats next week and during the course of the season.

A couple days ago we took a look at the best available options on the waiver wire who could help your team in Week 5, but if you weren't quick enough to grab them, some of those options may have been snatched up by your competition.

Does your team have injury concerns that need to be addressed before the Thursday night kickoff? Here's a look around the NFL at some of the best options that may still be available on the waiver wire in both deep and shallow leagues:

Brian Quick, WR, St. Louis Rams: Steady. That's the buzz word I would use to describe Brian Quick. Last week he caught only two of his four targets, but made one of them count: A 51-yard strike for a touchdown. In the two weeks prior to last week he has failed to score, but did put up totals of 74 and 99 yards showing that he can be a reliable target in the passing game for the Rams. If I'm in need of a receiver for a spot start, I would definitely take a flier on Quick. Only downside this week is that he'll face off against a dangerous Philadelphia defense.

Darrin Reaves, RB, Carolina Panthers: Injuries continue to plague the Panthers backfield, meaning relative unknown Darrin Reaves looks like he may get an opportunity to start, or at the very least see a lion's share of carries this week. He had just 37 yards on 15 carries last week in relief of DeAngelo Williams, but if you are in a deep league and really hurting for some points at the running back position, Reaves may be worth betting on as he looks to get more comfortable in Carolina's offense who visit the Chicago Bears this week.

Devin Hester, WR/KR, Atlanta Falcons: Hester is having a renaissance this season, proving he can still cause trouble in the return game and now becoming a true threat in the passing game for quarterback Matt Ryan. Last week he caught five passes for 70 yards and a touchdown in a bad loss for the Falcons against Minnesota. You have to think Atlanta rights the ship this week against the New York Giants. Falcons offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter said during practice this week that Devin Hester has "played his way into more plays" on offense. If that momentum continues, he could become more and more valuable as top receiver Roddy White and Julio Jones always seem to be fighting off the injury bug. 

Isaiah Crowell, RB, Cleveland Browns: I've written about Crowell before, and even with Ben Tate coming back for the Browns this week, Crowell could still be a part of their offense. He has really improved over the last three weeks with 27 carries for 141 yards and three touchdowns while Tate was out with injury. The question is: Can he remain as effective and continue that momentum with less touches? We'll find out this week.

Cleveland Browns Defense: I know the Browns have really struggled offensively, but that doesn't mean their defense can't do some damage. This week they will face a Tennessee Titans team that has given up the sixth most fantasy points to team defenses so far on the year. The Browns will be well rested coming off the bye and the Titans are on an incredibly lopsided losing streak, being outscored 100-34 in games against Dallas, Cincinnati and Indianapolis. 

See the Players of the Week for Oct. 2, 2014.

See the Players of the Week for Oct. 2, 2014.

Revere football held on to defeat No. 22 Tallmadge, 24-19, on Thursday at Revere High School.

Revere football held on to defeat No. 22 Tallmadge, 24-19, on Thursday at Revere High School.

Garfield Heights snaps a three-game losing streak to rival Brush.

Garfield Heights snaps a three-game losing streak to rival Brush.