Above are the front and back pages of Monday's Browns Extra Section of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, available on newsstands. Find complete coverage in our eight-page section off of the Browns' 31-10 win over the Steelers, as well as photography from Chuck Crow, Joshua Gunter and John Kuntz. The back page of the section features an image of Ben...

Above are the front and back pages of Monday's Browns Extra Section of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, available on newsstands. Find complete coverage in our eight-page section off of the Browns' 31-10 win over the Steelers, as well as photography from Chuck Crow, Joshua Gunter and John Kuntz. The back page of the section features an image of Ben Tate's second rushing touchdown of the game.

See a selection of Plain Dealer game photos in under a minute in this fast-paced audio slideshow with music. And see the entire game gallery below.  

See a selection of Plain Dealer game photos in under a minute in this fast-paced audio slideshow with music. And see the entire game gallery below.

 

It was a rare postseason failure for the reliable San Francisco bullpen, which allowed a home run in each of the final three innings.

ST. LOUIS -- Kolten Wong hit a leadoff home run in the bottom of the ninth inning and the resilient St. Louis Cardinalsbeat the San Francisco Giants 5-4 Sunday night, evening the NL Championship Series at one game apiece.

The Cardinals won after losing All-Star catcher Yadier Molina to a strained oblique muscle in the sixth. Molina was getting further tests and manager Mike Matheny said it "didn't look real good."

"We just knew we had to keep grinding," Wong said. "When you lose someone like Yadi, it's definitely tough for us, but we told ourselves we've been going through this all year. Grinding up and down, not getting any easy pass, so we're all so confident."

In a back-and-forth game, St. Louis then got late homers from rookie pinch-hitter Oscar Taveras in the seventh and Matt Adams in the eighth to take a 4-3 lead.

It was a rare postseason failure for the reliable San Francisco bullpen, which allowed a home run in each of the final three innings.

"They are the reason we're in this situation, and you give (the Cardinals) credit," manager Bruce Bochy said. "They threw out some good at-bats and we made a couple of mistakes and they took advantage of them."

The Giants tied it when pinch-runner Matt Duffy dashed home from second base on a two-out wild pitch in the ninth. San Francisco wound up losing for just the second time in its last 14 postseason games.

The best-of-seven series resumes Tuesday night with Game 3 in San Francisco with John Lackey going for St. Louis and Tim Hudson starting for the Giants.

Wong hit an 0-1 pitch from Sergio Romo for his second big home run this postseason. The rookie's seventh-inning drive was the decisive blow in Game 3 of the NL Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

St. Louis, last in the NL with 105 home runs during the regular season, has hit 11 homers in six playoff games -- seven in the seventh inning or later. Earlier, Matt Carpenter connected for the fourth time this postseason.

Seth Maness retired Pablo Sandoval on a comebacker with the bases loaded to end the top of the ninth, and got the win.

Maness came on after closer Trevor Rosenthal couldn't hold a one-run lead. Rosenthal's pitch bounced off the glove off backup catcher Tony Cruz and Duffy, running on a full count, never broke stride and slid home with the tying run.

Molina bent over in pain after a swing and didn't make it out of the batter's box on a double-play ball in the sixth. Wincing, he gingerly walked off the field.

Adams, whose three-run shot off Clayton Kershaw put St. Louis in front for good in their clinching playoff win over Dodgers, homered off Giants reliever Hunter Strickland.

Gregor Blanco's fourth postseason hit in 31 at-bats put the Giants up 3-2 in the seventh, but Taveras re-tied it in the bottom half with a homer off Jean Machi just inside the right-field foul pole.

Carpenter hit a solo home run off Jake Peavy in the third. Randal Grichuk singled with the bases loaded in the fourth to make it 2-0.

The Giants came back against Lance Lynn.

Browns fans get to enjoy a rare rout of the hated Pittsburgh Steelers. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio — This is something to be savored by Browns fans.

A rout. Of the Pittsburgh Steelers. In Cleveland.

Longtime Browns fans should appreciate what a unique event actually occurred on Sunday at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns crushed their hated rival, 31-10. A three-touchdown margin. (Go here to listen to an analysis of the game from The Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff and Northeast Ohio Media Group's Dan Labbe.)

The last time the Browns beat the Steelers by more than a touchdown? Oct. 5, 2003, a 33-13 win at Heinz Field, when Pittsburgh was led by quarterback Tommy Maddox and the Browns by Tim Couch.

The last time the Browns beat the Steelers by more than a touchdown at home? Oct. 11, 1992, a 17-9 win at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, when the Browns were coached by a guy named Bill Belichick and the quarterback was Mike Tomczak. And that really isn't a rout. That goes back to Nov. 20, 1988, a 27-7 Browns victory, with Bernie Kosar at quarterback and Marty Schottenheimer at head coach.

There's been a lot of misery in between the routs of the Steelers in Cleveland. All the more reason to savor Sunday's win. Its significance hasn't been lost on the team.

"I can't be more proud of this group and of the coaches," coach Mike Pettine said. "I can't overstate how important this win was for us."

It seems these are not "the same old Browns," says The Plain Dealer's Terry Pluto:

Suddenly, the Browns are 3-2 ... the Steelers are 3-3. I know, the Browns were 3-2 last season. But that felt different. That came after a victory over Buffalo when Hoyer suffered a season-ending knee injury. That 3-2 was fools gold, as the Browns staggered to a 4-12 season. Hard to believe anything like that will happen again this year, especially considering how the defense rose up.

Ah yes, the defense. Not much good had been said about that side of the ball this season. Apparently Browns defenders had had enough, and Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger ... he of the 18-2 record against the Browns ... ran into a group that was ready for a fight, reports NEOMG's Tom Reed:

"It was a long time coming," Browns cornerback Joe Haden said. "For us to finally put a whole game together, it was great. We've been doing well in certain parts of games and in certain halves, but we just wanted to come out here and get an identity for our defense of what we wanted to be, and I think everybody just did a really good job making tackles, making plays, and staying into the game, for the entire game."

It was a good day for the offense as well: Ben Tate ground out 78 yards and had two touchdowns, while Isaiah Crowell had 77 yards on just 11 carries and scored a touchdown. Quarterback Brian Hoyer was only 8-of-17, but he still threw for 217 yards, which included a 51-yard TD pass to tight end Jordan Cameron:

"To beat those guys that way feels good," Hoyer said. "The last time the Browns beat the Steelers, I was the backup quarterback for the Steelers. Knowing what the situation was playing Pittsburgh at home, I knew the crowd would be crazy. They did a great job. Even when it was 31-3, they stayed in it and they deserve it."

It was the steady diet of Tate and Crowell carrying the ball that impressed Plain Dealer columnist Bud Shaw and he gives credit to offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan:

For all the early-season questions about Shanahan's 18-word play calls and his reputation for sometimes tripping over the fine line from creative to overly cute, what he served up for the Steelers Sunday was a mouthful of Ben Tate and Isaiah Crowell. The Steelers committed to stopping that, so much that Brian Hoyer strafed them over the top of the defense on consecutive scoring drives. Sufficiently concerned about Hoyer taking his shots, the Steelers got fed more of Tate and Crowell. The Browns ran it 38 times. Only one Travis Benjamin carry. Nothing cute about that.

Unfortunately there was a downside: injuries. Center Alex Mack broke his leg and is likely out for the season. Defensive end Armonty Bryant injured his right knee and also might be out for the season. The loss of Mack hit teammate Joe Thomas particularly hard, Reed reports:

"Finally, we're getting the best of Pittsburgh. He deserved to be out there," Thomas said after the game, his voice momentarily quivering. "It was hard to go on because we've been through the hell together. This is finally the payoff and he doesn't get to be out there for us. ... It got a little emotional out there when he went down because we know how much he means to this team. He is one of the bell cows. Guys pull a lot of energy from him. He's such a great example and it's so difficult to lose a tremendous player like him."

Let us know what you think was the biggest surprise in Week 7 of high school football.

Let us know what you think was the biggest surprise in Week 7 of high school football.

ESPN says Ohio State has one of the best chances of winning out this season.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Maybe there's one good thing about the Big Ten being so down this year: Ohio State has a decent shot at winning out.

That is, if you give arbitrary rankings and computer simulations any merit.

According to its Football Power Index, ESPN gives Ohio State a 19.9 percent chance of winning out this season, the best such chances of any Big Ten team. Michigan State only has a 5.9 percent chance, according to ESPN.

The FPI, without getting too technical, is meant to predict a team's performance moving forward the rest of the season. It represents how many points below or above average a team is.

Ohio State, which was ranked No. 13 in both polls this week, currently has the 11th-highest FPI at 21.2. Auburn, which suffered its first loss this weekend, has the highest FPI at 26.7.

The only power conference teams with better chances of winning out than Ohio State are Oklahoma (34.3), Clemson (31.9) and Florida State (22.8). The Sooners and Seminoles are ranked ahead of Ohio State in both polls this week.

Seven of the 12 teams currently ranked ahead of Ohio State in the AP poll have a less than 9 percent chance of winning out, according to ESPN.

ESPN also gives Ohio State a 50 percent chance of winning the Big Ten, by far the best chances of any team in the conference. Michigan State is second with a 21.3 percent chance.

So chalk this up as another reason for Ohio State fans to be optimistic about the Buckeyes' playoff chances. Or lump it in with the "J.T. Barrett for Heisman" talk as as another premature prognostication.

Either way, here are some must-read links as the Buckeyes (4-1, 1-0 Big Ten) get set to host Rutgers this Saturday at 3:30 p.m.

Our Ohio State coverage

St. Edward WR Alex Stump verbally commits to Ohio State

Who is the Ohio State Buckeyes' offensive MVP so far, besides J.T. Barrett?

Michigan-Penn State game showed what you need to know about the Big Ten's problems

If you missed any part of our bye-week series on quarterback recruiting, you can get caught up here

National college football links

Mississippi State leaps Florida State for top spot in new AP poll

Clemson QB DeShaun Watson likely out 5 weeks with hand injury

TCU coach Gary Patterson said he "felt threatened" by Baylor player after TCU's loss to Bears.

Browns running back Terrance West was a surprise inactive for the Steelers game. Coach Mike Pettine said 'he needs to get some things cleaned up.'

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns third-round pick Terrance West dropped 100 yards on the Steelers in the first meeting, but it didn't stop coach Mike Pettine from dropping him from the rematch, a 31-10 Browns victory Sunday at FirstEnergy Stadium.

West, who was leading the team with 235 yards but dropped to third, was a surprise scratch for the game, benched in favor of two undrafted rookies, Isaiah Crowell and Glenn Winston.

"There wasn't anything infraction-wise there,'' said coach Mike Pettine. "It was purely a coaching decision. We have a lot of confidence in Terrance, but at the same time, he needs to get some things cleaned up.

"He's real good when he has the ball, but just in some of the other areas of the game, he needs to improve. It also comes back, when we have the type of depth and competition, it comes down to practice. We'll be men of our words when we say 'whoever practices best will be up for the game.'"

Funny thing is, the Browns didn't miss him. They gashed the Steelers for 158 yards and three rushing touchdowns for a total of eight -- twice last year's total. Crowell rushed for 77 yards (7.0 average) and a TD on 11 carries, while Ben Tate rushed for 78 yards and two TDs on 25 attempts (3.1 average).

"It, to me, is the formula for success,'' said Pettine. "I know it's not exactly a way that some people want to be. You look at today's NFL and spread the field, get your five eligible out and throw it all over the place. I don't know if, given our circumstances being in Cleveland with potential of inclement weather down the road, you have to be able to do it.''

The running game enabled Brian Hoyer to keep his play-action viable throughout the game, and helped him hit big play off of it.

 "It starts with our line. You've got to be able to run the ball. I thought our tight ends blocked extremely well. For the most part, we protected the quarterback. I think that's a formula for success because what it also does is, when you're playing some high-powered teams, you can shorten the game. A normal 12, 13-possession game becomes eight, nine, 10, 11 which kind of gets hidden in the stats, but it's important."

If West wants to be a part of it, he'll have to prove it on the practice field.

Kipnis has an entire winter to place his nagging aches and pains in the rearview and prepare for a new dawn. "Our focus is, how do we help him be in a better spot coming into next year?"

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Jason Kipnis knows how his 2014 season looks on paper. He knows how it looks to the Indians' fan base.

He isn't crazy about his showing, either.

He wanted to move on from his season-long struggles as swiftly as possible. Perhaps that's why he declined to engage with reporters both before and after the Tribe's final contest of the year.

Kipnis strained his right oblique while the club suffered through a winless West Coast road trip at the end of April. He vowed he would return by Memorial Day, though the Indians tried to temper that expectation. Kipnis nearly nailed his projection. He rejoined the club the day after the holiday and returned to manager Terry Francona's lineup the day after that.

"He came back really quick," Francona said.

Did he come back too quick? Should he have resisted the temptation to rush his return? Should the Indians have tapped the brakes for him?

"Players come back. They want to help," Francona said.

So, then, can Kipnis' struggles be attributed to an oblique that never completely healed? Kipnis never used it as an excuse. And he continued to be a threat on the base paths, with 22 stolen bases in 25 attempts.

He just never reached base enough.

Kipnis didn't hit for average (.240). He didn't hit for power (six home runs). He was dreadful against lefties (.208/.256/.244 slash line). He was miserable with runners in scoring position (.181/.281/.302 slash line) and even worse in that situation and with two outs (.143/.226/.268).

He never got hot (.261 average in August was highest in any month). His last home run came on July 31, as he endured a power outage of 201 plate appearances to close the season. His last RBI came on Aug. 29. He went 92 plate appearances without bringing home a run.

General manager Chris Antonetti said Kipnis never recovered his normal level of strength, but he wasn't feeling pain or discomfort that would have prompted a return to the disabled list. All the while, he slumbered through most of the final four months of the season.

Francona has his theories.

"I thought he was pushing the bat through a little bit at the beginning to try to maybe compensate so he wouldn't feel it," Francona said. "Guys are so good at what they do that they think they can get away with it. That created some habits where, even when he hit the ball to left field, it wasn't with that backspin we're used to where he's hitting it off the wall.

"It's a little bit of a cycle where one thing leads to another and it's never just one thing, but I don't think that helped and I think he played through a lot."

Why, then, did Francona keep Kipnis in the No. 5 spot in the lineup? The skipper often cited two reasons. He would give up anything to maintain a lefty-righty balance in his lineup (though it's a somewhat hollow excuse, given the presence of other lefties in the order, such as David Murphy, who could have assumed that spot). That said, for the Indians to achieve what they wanted to achieve, they likely needed a fully functioning Kipnis, the spark plug who earned his way onto the All-Star team in 2013.

Francona admitted he can be stubborn with his lineup, often leaving proven hitters in their initial spots during rough times for far too long. He banks on a flow after every ebb, another peak after every vexing valley.

That never happened with Kipnis. He ended the season without a whimper. The .240/.310/.330 slash line and the 0.9 WAR are stuck next to his name for eternity. Still, Francona contends that Kipnis will "come back next year with a vengeance."

That's not a stretch. Kipnis will turn 28 three days before Opening Day. He has an entire winter to place his nagging aches and pains in the rearview and prepare for a new dawn.

"All guys, when they're not hitting or pitching -- it's the way they make they're living, they're going to think about it," Francona said. "But I actually thought Kip matured in just the year I've known him. He's handling stuff better this year -- and he had a lot more to handle than he did last year.

"He had a lot thrown at him this year, because he wasn't hitting .280 and banging the ball off the wall every day. I see a kid that realized that even though he got his paycheck, I don't think it surprised him, but it reinforced that not winning and playing the game to his standards bothered him a lot."

So, what can the Indians do at this point? Not much, except to hope that of the 2013 and 2014 campaigns, the most recent one was the mirage.

"Our focus is, how do we help him be in a better spot coming into next year?" Antonetti said. "He's a big part of our team and organization. We expect him to be a cornerstone guy for us next year, so rather than spending a lot of time dissecting what happened, our focus is: How do we help him take advantage of the offseason, come into spring training ready to go and look at 2015 rather than dwell on '14?"

Take a quick look at the projected Ohio High School Athletic Association football playoff computer points after Week 7 games.

Take a quick look at the projected Ohio High School Athletic Association football playoff computer points after Week 7 games.

LeBron James is looking for his own rhythm after having helped his Cleveland Cavaliers teammates find theirs. James' search is a factor in whether or not he sits out a game this week.

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – Six Cleveland Cavaliers scored more than LeBron James' seven points on Saturday night.

Six!

I'm not sure that's ever happened in any game in which James played where he wasn't hurt, which was the case for the Cavaliers' 122-119 preseason overtime victory over the Miami Heat in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

This is a wonderful development for James, coach David Blatt, and the Cavaliers.

A bulldozer shoveling dirt is a common scene near where the Olympic village will be in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for the 2016 Summer Olympics.Joe Vardon, Northeast Ohio Media Group 

Blatt and others raved about the bonding the team did on this trip, noting specifically James' continued emergence as a leader. What happened Saturday night was another example.

James has been on too many teams – in both Cleveland and Miami – where if he didn't play well the rest of the offense went that way. The game Saturday was only a preseason contest, so any takeaways from it must be measured, but Cleveland's offense clicked despite James' 2-of-8 shooting.

One reason – James had eight assists in roughly 20 minutes and made sure the ball continued to move in Blatt's offense. Kevin Love had 25 points, but Dion Waiters (16 points), Anderson Varejao (14 points) and Tristan Thompson (18 points off the bench) were options, too.

All without another important piece in Kyrie Irving, who sat out with a sprained ankle.

James said Saturday night he would begin to find his rhythm in these next 10 days. Unlike in years past, James' quest isn't a rescue mission for the rest of the offense.

Some other final thoughts from South America:

One more time

The James-Heat rivalry storyline was beat to death down here this week. So let's talk a little more about it.

In James' famous "I'm coming home" letter in Sports Illustrated July 11 announcing his decision to leave Miami for a return to the Cavaliers, James wrote:

I went to Miami because of (Dwyane Wade) and (Chris Bosh). We made sacrifices to keep (Udonis Haslam). I loved becoming a big bro to (Mario Chalmers). I believed we could do something magical if we came together. And that's exactly what we did! The hardest thing to leave is what I built with those guys. I've talked to some of them and will talk to others. Nothing will ever change what we accomplished. We are brothers for life.

If brothers happen to land on the same sandy beaches, a few miles apart, on a different continent thousands of miles from home, any chance they might meet up for a beverage on of the four nights they were in town?

Based on what they said to reporters last week, that's not what happened between James, Wade, Bosh, and the rest of the Heat. Instead, they stuck to their respective hotels, said awkward things about each other, skipped the pregame chats they said would come, and only after Saturday night's game did they show any warm feelings toward each other with extended hand slapping and hugs.

Miami's former Big Three may have formed a bond for life, but it's clearly a relationship on hold. James was more focused on his new team than he was on reliving the past (likewise for Wade and Bosh), and if you're a Cavaliers fan, this is precisely how you'd want James to approach it.

Restless nights

It's possible James may sit out one of Cleveland's next two preseason games – either at home Tuesday against Milwaukee or Wednesday at Xavier University against Indiana.

The good people of Cincinnati (who've gobbled up all the tickets for the game at Xavier) surely do not want to hear this. But back-to-back games (always the toughest nights in an NBA schedule) during the preseason after intercontinental flights are causes for consideration.

The Cavaliers plan to sit several players in one of the two games. They also know it would be good public relations to play James in Cincinnati. But to suggest James would sit out Tuesday night against the Bucks would be pure speculation.

There's also a chance James plays – at least a little – both nights because he hasn't shot the ball well in two preseason games. He's 6-of-19 thus far, and it would be hard for him to find the rhythm he seeks from the bench.

Rio return?

James has now visited Rio twice – the other trip was to watch the World Cup final in July.

Rio is the host for the 2016 Summer Olympics, and James could come here again as a member of Team USA's basketball team if he chooses. But he gave no inclination that he would do so – not even a hint to wet the palate of the Brazilian sports media.

"Last week I (stood) as undecided, so I'm still there," James said. "It's not until 2016, so I got two years. I got a long time."

James has played in three Olympics and won two gold medals. He may decide to go for a third, and that decision would have little (if anything) to do with his desire (or lack thereof) to return to Rio.

But the allure of visiting a foreign city for James is certainly gone for him here. He's seen the white, sandy beaches and breathtaking views atop a mountain from the Christ the Redeemer statue.

An on this trip, he also saw Rio's underbelly as it prepares for the Olympics – massive construction and chaotic, gridlocked traffic where Rio's main Olympic venues will be.

At least 50 points in the last three games and back up to No. 13 in the polls. Ohio State is seemingly hitting its peak earlier than even last year. But are they as good as last year's team?

COLUMBUS, Ohio – At least 50 points in the last three games and back up to No. 13 in the polls. Ohio State is seemingly hitting its peak earlier than even last year. 

But is Ohio State as good as last year's team? 

A year ago, Ohio State had quarterback Braxton Miller, running back Carlos Hyde and one of the best offensive lines in the country. The defensive issues that ultimately cost the Buckeyes a shot at a national title didn't show up until the end of the season.

This year, the Buckeyes are relying on freshman quarterback J.T. Barrett, a still-developing offensive line and playmakers hoping to prove that they can produce every single game. Those issues in the secondary also haven't been nonexistent. 

But it's an interesting discussion, and that it's not out of the question even with everything Ohio State has had to overcome means Urban Meyer is doing something right. 

The three of us tackled that topic Monday afternoon from the Woody Hayes Athletic Center in the above video. 

Hoyer leads the league in yards per completion (13.6). The Browns are averaging 26.8 points per game, the franchise's highest sum since 1968. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio – Sometimes, the best partnerships are ones forged more out of necessity than desire.

Kyle Shanahan had just emerged from a messy relationship with a former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback he helped transform into an NFL Rookie of the Year. After a highly publicized split between the Shanahans and Redskins' star Robert Griffin III last season, Kyle was a coordinator looking for work.

The Ravens and Dolphins passed. Defensive-minded rookie coach Mike Pettine hired him in Cleveland and the Browns drafted Johnny Manziel in the first round. The storylines seemed to write themselves. Shanahan would mold another dual threat quarterback with Manziel assuming the starter's job early in the regular season -- if he didn't win it in a training-camp competition.

Brian Hoyer, like Shanahan, was looking for another chance. A season-ending knee injury robbed him of a promising start with his hometown team a year ago. Hoyer doesn't have Manziel's flair, foot speed or marketability. He maximizes his skills, however, through his football acumen and relentless preparation. When Manziel demonstrated unreadiness in August, Hoyer seized the opportunity. He hasn't relinquished it.

Five games into a surprising start, the coordinator and quarterback are drawing out the best in each other. Shanahan is rebuilding an offense and a reputation. Hoyer is playing with an efficiency and consistency unseen on the lakefront in years.

Both were stars in the Browns' 31-10 romp over the Steelers on Sunday at FirstEnergy Stadium. Shanahan called a terrific game, leaning heavy on the run to set up a handful of big pass plays executed to perfection by Hoyer. He threw just 17 times, completing eight, but finished with 217 yards, a touchdown and a splendid 113.0 passer rating.

Hoyer leads the league in yards per completion (13.6). The Browns are averaging 26.8 points per game, the franchise's highest sum since 1968. All this with All Pro receiver Josh Gordon still serving a drug suspension.

"As week goes on, we trust each other more and more and I have a feel for what he's going to call and we have a great relationship," Hoyer said. 

Shanahan's offense is helping the quarterback earn a new contract, a potentially tidy one if Hoyer can get the Browns to the playoffs and force the franchise to commit to him -- and not Manziel.

He told reporters Monday he wants to remain in Cleveland, but that the competitor in him wants "to be somewhere where I'm playing."

"I'm sure we'll revisit the situation during the year and hope to get something done," Pettine told Peter King in Monday Morning Quarterback. "It's not like we're not open to negotiations."

Hoyer's command of the offense and ability to run the no-huddle when it's called are terrific reflections on Shanahan. The coordinator enjoyed a productive 2012 with Griffin, but the turmoil of last year hurt his reputation, one he'd built over eight seasons with the Texans and Redskins.

Some in Washington believe he lacked people skills and maturity. A sampling of Redskins not named Griffin praised Shanahan during interviews with cleveland.com in August. There's been little evidence of dissatisfaction in Berea.

Except for getting too cute with the occasional call, what's not to like about an offense that's scored at least 21 points in every game?

"He's really confident," tight end Jordan Cameron said of the coordinator. "He trusts his players and he puts them in position to be successful. He's a good communicator."

View full sizeBrowns quarterback Brian Hoyer ranks in the top-10 for passer rating.ESPN graphics 

Hoyer is the Browns' MVP. Shanahan is arguably the best free-agent acquisition of the off-season. They made history against the Titans, rallying from 25 points down when the coordinator didn't abandon the run, and made big-play highlights against the Steelers, scoring three touchdowns in a memorable second quarter.

It's an open secret the 34-year-old Shanahan wants to become a head coach, and he's making a compelling case. Removed from the shadow of Gary Kubiak in Houston and his dad in Washington, there's no question he's running the Browns' offense.

In a copycat league, don't be surprised if more teams don't adopt his wide-zone blocking scheme that's helped the Browns rank fourth in rushing (146.4 yards per game.) The constant threat of the run has made the quarterback's life safer and more manageable. Hoyer has been sacked just six times while committing one turnover.

None of it guarantees sustained success for the season. The broken leg suffered by Pro Bowl center Alex Mack could unhinge the offensive line. Hoyer's contract negotiations could become a distraction.

But the offense is growing stronger, more diverse, and it will have Gordon back in five weeks for a possible playoff push.

During the height of Manziel mania an extended Shanahan-Hoyer partnership seemed unlikely. Five games into the season, where would the Browns be without it?   

When the Cleveland Cavaliers returned to practice on Monday afternoon following a four-day trip to Brazil they were still missing their starting point guard, Kyrie Irving.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- When the Cleveland Cavaliers returned to practice Monday afternoon following a four-day trip to Brazil, they were still missing their starting point guard, Kyrie Irving.

"Kyrie moved around a good bit today, not in live practice, but in terms of the drills that we had. That's a good sign," Cavs coach David Blatt said. "He's coming along. We're not going to rush it, we're being careful because we want him back on his feet full strength. But he did take a step forward today, no question."

Irving suffered a sprained ankle when teammate Anderson Varejao stepped on his foot Tuesday before the team left for Rio de Janeiro. Irving, who missed Saturday night's preseason game against Miami in Rio, was spotted in a walking boot during his time in Brazil, but the Cavs and Irving both said it was only a precaution.

The two-time All-Star was not wearing a walking boot when the Cavs left a meeting at Cleveland Clinic Courts on Monday.

The Cavs have three preseason games in four nights, starting with Tuesday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks at The Q, and Irving is likely to miss his second straight contest.

"I personally don't want to see him step into a game before he's been on the practice floor in live play," Blatt said. "If we have a chance to practice him 5-on-5 before we put him into an actual match, then we will. Hopefully that will take place at the end of the week."

Blatt's comments indicate that Irving will also miss Cleveland's game Wednesday at Xavier University against the Indiana Pacers. If all goes well, the best chance for him to return is Friday night at The Q against the Dallas Mavericks.

While Irving is sidelined, Matthew Dellavedova, who made the start Saturday, is getting an extended opportunity to run the offense. Dellavedova played 33 minutes, scoring three points, dishing out four assists and grabbing six rebounds before fouling out during the Cavs' 122-119 win against the Heat.

"Kyrie is a special player and obviously he gives us certain things that are hard to find anywhere else, but I thought we did OK offensively," Blatt said of the team's performance against Miami. "We missed him, but I thought we executed pretty well. We managed to score the ball, which is a good thing."

Chemistry is important. So, too, is getting repetitions, especially because Blatt's offense is centered on reading and reacting. Even with Irving's absence, LeBron James feels the Cavs are in good shape.

"I think we are where we want to be," James said. "We still have some kinks we need to get out. Kyrie has been out the last couple of days and it has kind of set us back a little bit because he is our point guard and floor general, but Delly has stepped in and A.J. Price has played good while Ky has been out. I think we are on schedule." 

Ohio State has struggled scoring touchdowns in the red zone this year. A stark contrast from how the Buckeyes fared in the red zone the last two years. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Urban Meyer wants his Ohio State Buckeyes to be more like Texas State.

Yes, Meyer has reason to envy a team that's 3-2 (but still in the mix for the Sun Belt Conference championship!), and preparing for a big Tuesday night showdown against Louisiana-Lafayette.

The Bobcats are the best team in the country when it comes to scoring touchdowns in the red zone.

That used to be Ohio State.

The Buckeyes were among the best in the country the last two years at red zone touchdown percentage — No. 1 in 2012, and No. 2 in 2013 to be exact. It was one of the calling cards of Meyer's teams in his first two years in Columbus. This year, Ohio State is 42nd in that category, behind Texas State, Old Dominion, UTEP, Georgia State and 37 others.

Maybe that's a little harsh; the Buckeyes have scored touchdowns on 67 percent of their red zone trips. That's still pretty good, right?

"It's not very good at all," Meyer said during his Monday news conference. "For what we expect, it's not very good. There's a couple styles that teams are starting to play us. It's not the players' fault, it's our fault. Coaching errors, whether that be tempo, we have to do a better job."

Nineteen touchdowns in 28 red zone trips is not good enough for Meyer. Some of that may be based on who Ohio State has played. For some of the gaudy numbers the Buckeyes' opponents have given up defensively, some have actually been pretty good at stopping touchdowns in the red zone.

Maryland is 18th. Virgina Tech is 22nd. Cincinnati is 42nd. Navy is 53rd.

Rutgers, which Ohio State hosts on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in Ohio Stadium, is 27th overall in red zone defense, 61st when it comes to touchdowns in the red zone.

So what has to change for the Buckeyes to get back to their scoring prowess inside the opponent's 20?

"Most of it is stubbornness on my part," co-offensive coordinator Tom Herman said. "Teams have lined up in fronts and coverages that even down there have dared us to throw the football. We have to do a little better job down there."

Throwing the ball isn't so much the key as is taking what the defense gives you. It's an old coach's cliche, but it's applicable here because Ohio State doesn't have the personnel to line it up and run it down a team's throat even if it's against a loaded defensive front.

There's no Carlos Hyde or Braxton Miller. Rod Smith might be the closest thing the Buckeyes have to a goal-line back.

Instead the Buckeyes have to get creative with how they handle red zone and goal-line situations, making use of the skill around quarterback J.T. Barrett and keep opposing defense guessing.

Having a pair of healthy tight ends in Jeff Heuerman and Nick Vannett could help.

"It opens up a lot of different things for us," said Heuerman, finally healthy after dealing with complications from off-season foot surgery the first few weeks of the season.

"It opens up the run game for the fast guys we have. It gives defenses a lot of different things to worry about with Nick and I being big-body threats in the red zone. With all the skill guys we have too, (defenses) will have a handful."

The Buckeyes worked on red zone a lot during the last bye week, about double the amount they normally do, according to Heuerman. Meyer said Monday that they'll continue to work on it heading into the Rutgers game. 

By all accounts, the red zone periods have been more intense. Play calling is part of it, but it's also about state of mind.

"Once you get into the red zone, your mindset has to change," receiver Evan Spencer said. "You have to get into the end zone. What we did last week was good, everybody knows you have to score, but to put some pressure, put some intensity on actually scoring (in practice), it teaches you the change in mentality to get there."

Note: This story originally said Texas State plays at Louisiana-Lafayette Saturday night. The game is Tuesday night at Texas State. The story has been corrected.

Take a look at the boys soccer brackets for the 2014 OHSAA state tournament.

Take a look at the boys soccer brackets for the 2014 OHSAA state tournament.

Mike Pettine tries to keep the victory in perspective, but the Browns Flu might be extremely infectious.

BEREA, Ohio – Thoughts about the Browns after the 31-10 victory over Pittsburgh:

1. I knew a guy who began his game story on a hockey victory in Montreal – not even a playoff game, a regular-season game, although it had been a long time since the team he covered had won there -- with the dateline: HEAVEN.

Nobody did that here, although a lot of fans might have felt that way. Browns coach Mike Pettine shared the feeling until daybreak Monday. Then, as he said, it was time to "put it in a box, put it on the shelf."

Pettine added, "There is an overreaction to every win. There is an overreaction to every loss. We prefer to deal with the overreaction to a win."

The coach said he wasn't going to "allow the celebration after a win to (lead to) a loss the next time out."

Then he went on to say the Browns haven't started well on the road (Sunday's game is at winless Jacksonville), where it will be hot (and they haven't played in heat yet) and I'm sure there will be more later in the week as Pettine does his job of combating the dreaded (and seldom seen locally) overconfidence.

2. Heaven (and I am going solely on a hunch here) probably doesn't look like the FirstEnergy Stadium environs after a Browns victory.

"It looked like a good time was had in the Muni lot," Pettine said, noting that he drove by it after the game.

"It looked like a war zone," said Pettine.

He has officially coined the term "Browns Flu" for those who called in sick to work Monday, possibly on their cell phones from the same spot where they fell in the Muni lot. Look for it to trend in hashtag world fairly soon on Twitter.

I'm sure there are a lot of possible symptoms of Browns Flu. Loss of all memory of Gerard Warren, Brandon Weeden and Carmen Policy would be my most welcome symptoms.

3. The Browns briefly considered using Johnny Manziel in the final minutes. "Emphasis on briefly," said Pettine.

First of all, it was Hoyer's moment. He and Donte Whitner, both native sons, had helped Pettine, a native of the Philly suburbs, understand just how big the victory was to Browns' fans.

Second of all, the Browns were only going to hand off anyway.

4. The best rivalries are local. No offense to the old days when Dallas-Washington, Denver-Cleveland and Kansas City-Oakland were big news. Those rivalries were functions of the standings in divisional races and of intense playoff games.

Browns-Steelers, like Bears-Packers, is as close as the NFL gets to a college-type, season-making or season-breaking backyard brawl.

5. How impressive was Hoyer on Sunday?

I went back to the online archives of The Plain Dealer and found the only thing that I could compare it to. It was my column in the paper of Nov. 11, 1986, after a 26-16 victory over Miami.

This was really the first time offensive coordinator Lindy Infante let Bernie Kosar play with the training wheels off.

I understand the impulse to liken Hoyer to Brian Sipe of the Kardiac Kids – the frenetic finishes of the first four games; their similarity in size; the unexpected rise of their two teams.

But I've always gravitated more to the Kosar years as the analogy because he too was a local guy who came home and quickly restored the franchise's pride.

"The Browns stopped drawing their plays on cave walls and used lasers," it began.

"Bernie gave 'em lightning," it ended.

Such plays as might have amounted to the angels singing probably occurred in between, although you couldn't tell it by the dateline.

See the latest Ohio state football poll.

See the latest Ohio state football poll.

Orange's girls tennis finished with the No. 1 rank in the Ohio Tennis Coaches Association poll.

Orange's girls tennis finished with the No. 1 rank in the Ohio Tennis Coaches Association poll.

The Browns lost Armonty Bryant for the year to a torn ACL and torn MCL. Alex Mack will most likely be lost for the season with his broken fibula and possible ligament damage.

BEREA, Ohio -- The Browns' worst fears were confirmed Monday when they received news that two-time Pro Bowl center Alex Mack and defensive end Armonty Bryant will both need surgery and be lost for extended time from serious injuries in Sunday's 31-10 rout of the Steelers.

 "I told the team in the meeting today, we lost two warriors in (Mack) and Armonty,'' said coach Mike Pettine. "But we'll check the mail and there's not going to be any sympathy cards from around the league.''
 
Bryant suffered two torn ligaments in his right knee -- an ACL and an MCL according to a source -- and will undergo season-ending surgery later this month. Mack broke his left fibula and possibly suffered ligament damage in his ankle. If it's just the broken bone, Mack could possibly make it back after 8-10 weeks Pettine said.

 But if there's ligament damage, Mack will also be lost for the year. He'll undergo surgery in a few days -- possibly with Dr. Robert Anderson in North Carolina -- and they'll know more about his timeframe after that. Dr. Bert Mandelbaum, an orthopedic surgeon and co-chair of medical affairs at Institute for Sports Sciences in Los Angeles who has not treated Mack, said surgery to repair ligaments and a significant break could take four two six months to heal.

"It's the cliche, but it is truly next man up,'' said Pettine. "We can't feel sorry for ourselves and I'm confident that we'll put a functional group out there."

The source said Bryant's recovery will take about six to nine months after the surgery, which should put him back on the field somewhere between the beginning of organized team activities in May and training camp in August. Pettine said the Browns are working on signing a defensive lineman with so many of them injured right now. As it was, Bryant was starting for Phil Taylor, who underwent a minor knee scope last week and will miss several games.

"It'll be difficult to replace (Bryant),'' said Pettine. "He was one of our most productive pass rushers, and in the short amount of time he was in there yesterday, he was playing well.''

Desmond Bryant, who played  77% of the snaps on a shorthanded line, lamented Bryant's loss.

"It's tough for him to be out,'' Bryant said.  "He's been doing a great job for us this year, especially in the passing game like we all knew he could do, but even in the run game. Yesterday, he only played six plays, but he already had two tackles. It's great to see his development. It's been really great. I'll be praying for him. I hope for a speedy, great recovery. But until then, unfortunately it's the nature of the business, we've got to keep moving."
 
Desmond Bryant can relate to Bryant's injury, because he missed the last four games with an irregular heartbeat last year and didn't know if he'd make it back.

"I was in the same position last year,'' he said. "I know the pain it is watching from at home, especially away games. But you've just got to keep your head up and keep working."

Pettine re-interated that the impact of Mack's loss is more than his ability to dominate in the middle of the line on a week-to-week basis.

"It's tough,'' said Pettine. "It's not just losing his play, but it's also an emotional letdown as well. To have a guy that just exemplified everything you're trying to get done, to lose him. And potentially, we still don't know, but it's looking like....it is for the year. It's big.''

The Browns are exploring their options to replace Mack, but will likely head into Jacksonville Sunday -- against the winless Jaguars -- with the same crew they had against the Steelers after Mack went down in the second quarter. Greco moved over from right guard and journeyman Paul McQuistan came in off the bench to replace Greco.

 "John Greco did an outstanding job of stepping up and playing center and then Paul McQuistan coming in and being able to finish the game out for us at guard, I thought that was critical to our success,'' said Pettine.

The Browns also have third-year guard/center Nick McDonald set to come off the non-football injury list any day with his wrist injury. Claimed on waivers July 22 despite the injury, McDonald, originally signed by the Packers as an undrafted free agent out of Grand Valley State in 2010, started two games for the Patriots at center in 2011, and one at right guard 2012.

"In Nick McDonald, we have a guy that's played some quality snaps at center before in the league,'' said Pettine. "He's just coming off NFI. The plan right now is to practice him this week, but I don't foresee him playing this week. I could see in the short term that's going to be John. But we're a mile away from making that decision. We have some options whether we keep Paul at guard, whether we let Paul continue to be the swing and have (Vinston) Painter to play guard.''

Painter (6-4, 310) was originally drafted by the Broncos in the sixth round of the 2013 draft out of Virginia Tech. The Browns signed him last month off the Broncos' practice squad. In addition, the Browns have three linemen on their practice squad that can be called up.

"There's options,'' Pettine said. "That's stuff that I'm going to get with the offensive guys tonight, and we'll start to work out."

 Pettine was moved by the sight of his entire team spilling out onto the field to wish Mack well when he was on the cart, the aircast protecting the broken leg. The ironman -- all 5,279 straight snaps of him --  smiled and laughed in the face of great pain and showed his teammates once again how tough he really is.

"That was the great part about that (team greeting), it was spontaneous,'' said Pettine. "But that shows you what the guys think of Alex and what he meant to this team and they say a guy who was a warrior for us. He goes full speed in practice.''

Pettine described a scene on a deep pass in Tennessee, where Mack "took off like the ball was thrown to him and he's like that in practice, too. I think that he sets a great example and when your best players are your hardest workers you've got a chance to be something special."

Greco, who lost 25 pounds coming into this season to help him run the zone-blocking scheme, is up for playing center for as long as they want him to.

"Hopefully I showed enough to where they're good and confident with me there,'' he said. "But that's ultimately someone else's decision.''

He noted that the players dedicated the game to Mack and Bryant after they left.

"You want to do it for those guys,'' said Greco. "Armonty, in particular, has been having a heckuva year and he started off the game great. And on our side, we'll be playing for Alex as long as he's out. But everything we accomplish this year or don't, he's right there along with us. He's been in this thing long enough to where we're including him in everything.''

The pickings are slim among potential free agent first basemen this winter.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Here is a look at the first basemen who could potentially be available this winter in the 2015 free agent class following the last out of the World Series.

All players eligible for free agency technically become free agents at the end of the World Series, but there is a five-day period where a player's former team has exclusive negotiating rights. If a deal is not reached within those five days, all teams are free to make offers on all available free agents.

The following is not only a look at the available first basemen, but who among them could help the Indians for 2015 and beyond. This is part of a position-by-position look at this winter's free agent class.

First basemen

Top of the class

1.  Adam LaRoche (.259/.362/.455), Nationals: He hit 26 homers and drove in 92 runs in 494 at-bats. The Nationals hold a $15 million option on him for 2015.

2. Mike Morse (.279, /.336/.475), Giants: He's injury-prone, but he's got power (16 homers in 482 at-bats this season) and he can also play the outfield. In 2011, the only season where Morse has had more than 500 at bats, he hit .303 with 31 homers and 95 RBI for the Nationals.

3. Adam Lind (.321/.381/.479), Blue Jays: Lind missed over a month with a broken left foot and his homers dropped from 23 in 2013 to six in 2014. Toronto holds a $7.5 million club option on him for 2014.

4. Mark Reynolds (.196/.287/.394), Brewers: Reynolds hit 22 homers with 45 RBI while playing 91 of his 130 games at first base. The Indians have been there, done that.

5.  Lyle Overbay (.233/.328/.333), Brewers: Overbay, 37, hit four homers with 35 RBI in 121 games last year.

What the Indians need

The Indians would have a hard time fitting one of these players on their roster. Switch-hitting Carlos Santana is their regular first baseman and despite hitting only .231, he finished tied for sixth in the big leagues among first baseman with 27 homers and ninth with 85 RBI. Then there's Nick Swisher, who will probably open the season at DH following double knee surgeries in August. If Santana needs a break at first, Swisher will probably replace him.

Morse would give the Indians right-handed power, but they won't get him as cheap as the Giants did – one-year for $6 million. They could take a chance on someone like Corey Hart on a minor league deal, but he's had right knee problems the last two years. Billy Butler could file, but he's more of a DH than a first baseman and his numbers dropped in 2014.

Potential free-agent catchers this winter

Daric Barton, Butler, Mike Carp, Michael Cuddyer, Hart, LaRoche, Lind, Morse, Overbay, Carlos Pena and Reynolds.

Grade: Not much help here.

Next: Second basemen.