Marvin Lewis held a conference call with Cleveland media today to discuss Johnny Manziel, Sunday's game and more.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis is still dealing with the fallout from referring to rookie Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel a "midget." Lewis addressed that and more in a conference call with Cleveland media today. Here is a transcript of the call courtesy of Cleveland Browns media relations.

On what the Bengals have to do differently to beat the Browns: "Well, we have to play better. I think offensive, defense and special teams...collectively we didn't do a very good job of stopping the run defensively and allowing third down conversions, and on offense we turned the football over and never really got anything going." 

On if the preparation for QB Johnny Manziel is really no different than for QB Brian Hoyer: "I think with Johnny, when you look at the snaps from the preseason games that he played in, 130 snaps, you look at what he...his time and the time spent at (Texas) A&M and our evaluation of him from there, and then you look at the snaps this regular season from Buffalo, you know that there are certain things in the offense that he seems to feel comfortable with, they seem to feel comfortable with him with. We'll just have to see how that plays out on Sunday." 

On if he worries that he gave Manziel bulletin board material with his comment on the radio: "Well again, my comment on the radio was not a very good comment. It was stupid. I think we've addressed that thoroughly, but it's an important football game regardless of that. It's going to come down to playing football and winning. I don't get to play; Johnny does. Both teams are going to come out there and play, and it means a lot to both football teams." 

On if he can see the Browns running some read option with Manziel this week: "I would imagine, yes." 

On if that makes it tougher to prepare and if they've seen a lot of that this year: "Yeah, we have. Yes, sir." 

On DB Joe Haden playing pretty well against Bengals WR A.J. Green the last few times they met and what makes Haden a tough matchup: "Joe has got just great transition, great feet, great length. He plays fearless. I really thought those were the qualities he had coming out of Florida. I'm one of his biggest supporters here. I see him week in and week out, so I know he's a very good player. I really think he's an excellent corner and one of the best in the NFL." 

On FOX 8 sending a little person down to his press conference this morning, if he was expecting something like that and if he apologized directly to him: "I did not apologize directly to him, but yes, the gentleman asked a couple of questions and was doing his job. I think I hopefully answered them correctly." 

On why he thinks the connection with WR Josh Gordon hasn't worked so well yet this year: "Well again, I don't know that the connection isn't working. I think when a guy misses time, a quarterback develops a certain rapport, a certain situation in the offense with players, and a guy comes back in and gets going. They're doing a lot to try and get the ball in Josh Gordon's hands. He's getting it in the screens. He's getting it in some of the speed-cut stuff. There's some of the other game off the play action and so forth, so I think they're really working to try and work him in and get the ball in his hands. He's had 17 catches and a couple of other opportunities. Obviously he's a great physical talent." 

On the Browns' secondary: "They're really doing a great job of playing man coverage. Their technique – technically, they're playing very, very sound. I think (DB) Buster Skrine is doing a great job. They've done a nice job. Their safeties all can cover, and so they're being able to match up that way. They're doing a good job schematically as well. They're really playing defense very, very well, and you can see that in the number since we've played them in October." 

On if he's surprised by the timing of the move to Manziel because the Browns are still in the playoff hunt: "I don't know. It's hard to evaluate what's going on within someone else's building that way. I think obviously (Head Coach) Mike (Pettine) and the coaches have made the decision they feel is best for them to continue in this hunt." 

On why the Bengals have been playing better on the road this season: "I think, obviously, whether it's home or away you've got to focus in and play. Sometimes, on the road you're mentality just seems as though the focus is good. It's tight, but I don't know that this season there's been one thing or another that's been a little bit different. We've won a lot of games in a row here at home until we lost to the Browns and now the Steelers last week. People were saying that. It's just whatever's done good for you lately. The last three road wins have no bearing on this game. We've got to go play great football this week."  

On why Andy Dalton struggled against the Browns in the Thursday night game and why he can do better this game: "He's got to play better, and again, we played a poor game all around, offensively. The quarterback gets the blame for that when he doesn't play well or the team doesn't play well. We missed some throws. We had some drops. We had some conspire against us."

The other target the Buckeyes have identified as a priority is five-star prospect Terry Beckner Jr. of East St. Louis, Mo., who is rated by 247Sports the No. 3 strongside defensive end in the class.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State got some bad news Wednesday morning when it learned five-star defensive end Josh Sweat of Chesapeake (Va.) Oscare Smith committed to Florida State. 

But Urban Meyer isn't out of options when it comes to elite defensive ends in the 2015 recruiting class. 

The other target the Buckeyes have identified as a priority is five-star prospect Terry Beckner Jr. of East St. Louis, Mo., who is rated by 247Sports the No. 3 strongside defensive end in the class. 

Ohio State secured an official visit date for Beckner, which will take place on Jan. 23, only weeks before National Signing Day. 

Beckner has a long list of scholarship offers, but he's most considering Missouri, Florida State, Auburn, LSU and Ohio State. 

According to 247's "Crystal Ball" – a tool that polls recruiting experts to predict the college destination for prospects – Missouri is the favorite, as the Tigers earned 76 percent of the 38 predictions to land the 6-foot-4, 293-pound prospect. 

Ohio State is second with 11 percent, but the odds could go up once Meyer hosts him in Columbus late in the process. 

The Buckeyes were once in on Beckner's teammate, four-star prospect Natereace Strong, but the 6-foot-1, 210-pound running back committed to Missouri in early April. 

Strong told cleveland.com last September that he considered Meyer the 'Don Juan of coaching.' 

No arrests were made or charges filed after police responded to the calls. Barrett, the Big Ten's Freshman of the Year, is out for the season with a broken right ankle.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Seventy hours after he was sitting in a victorious locker room in Indianapolis following Ohio State's Big Ten Championship victory, Buckeyes quarterback J.T. Barrett was on the phone with a 911 operator Tuesday night.

Six minutes later, so was his ex-girlfriend.

Police responded to those 911 calls of a domestic issue at the Columbus apartment of Ohio State's redshirt freshman quarterback. No arrests were made and no charges were filed, and neither Barrett nor his ex-girlfriend showed signs of visible injury, according to the police report, and both refused medical treatment.

The incident was first reported by ABC 6 in Columbus, and the 911 calls first reported by the Columbus Dispatch.

An Ohio State football spokesman said that the team is aware of the incident and gathering information.

In the preliminary investigation report, both Barrett and his ex-girlfriend are listed as suspects and victims, and both declined to press charges. Barrett called 911 first, followed by his ex-girlfriend, both speaking in calm tones.

Barrett's ex-girlfriend told the 911 operator, "I have a domestic violence account," to start her call.

"My ex choked me and flung me across the room, and I'm pregnant," she continued.

She also said that Barrett put his elbow on her throat. She twice said no when asked if she needed a medic. She also said later in the call that there was broken glass in the room where the incident occurred.

Barrett's initial call began with, "This is J.T. Barrett, and I just have my ex-girlfriend in my house and I would like her to leave."

Asked if anyone involved was drinking or doing drugs, Barrett said, "No, ma'am."

According to the report from the preliminary investigation, officers arrived at Barrett's apartment at 11:50 p.m. The report states that Barrett asked his ex-girlfriend to leave his apartment, and she ran at him and pushed him, and then hit him. Barrett said he pushed her away in self-defense and she fell on a bed. Barrett said he asked her to leave several times and she refused.

His ex-girlfriend, according to the report, said that Barrett asked her to leave and she said she would leave in the morning. She said that Barrett "confronted her in his bedroom and choked her on the bed before using his forearm to apply pressure on her neck before taking her cell phone." She said she was then able to "escape and call police."

Barrett's roommate, Ohio State senior starting right tackle Darryl Baldwin, told police he was upstairs and heard arguing but didn't see any altercation.

Barrett led Ohio State to an 11-1 regular-season record this year in his first season as a starter before breaking his right ankle in the final regular-season game against Michigan. Cardale Jones replaced him for Saturday's Big Ten Championship, but Barrett was at the game with the Buckeyes, rolling through the celebration on a scooter on which he rested his broken ankle. 

Named the Big Ten's Freshman of the Year, he is out for the season with his injury. The Buckeyes will play Alabama in the Sugar Bowl as part of the College Football Playoff on Jan. 1.

Ronnie Wrenn Jr. isn't willing to settle for second place in a horse race, or the battle for the 2014 national dash championship.

Ronnie Wrenn Jr. JJ Zamaiko 

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Ronnie Wrenn Jr. isn't willing to settle for second place in a horse race, or the battle for the 2014 national dash championship.

With only a couple of weeks left to catch Aaron Merriman, who is both a close friend and a wily foe at Northfield Park and other harness racing tracks around the area, Wrenn ramped up his win total on Tuesday night. The talented driver made eight trips to the winner's circle during the 15-race program at Northfield.

The victory splurge cut Merriman's lead to just 20 wins, 784-764.

"I'm at a disadvantage because I'm only racing at Northfield right now, and Aaron is racing doubleheaders at Pittsburgh's The Meadows in the afternoon and Northfield Park at night," said Wrenn. "You've got to admire Aaron. That type of schedule isn't easy.

"I'm pretty humbled by my success. My win percentage is higher this year and I managed to win more than 700 races for the second straight year, despite taking time off in January after hurting my wrist and later in the year for my father's funeral. I just found out that only Dave Palone and Walter Case Jr. managed to win more than 700 races two years in a row."

Wrenn's 714 victories won the national driving crown last year. Merriman, though, has been tireless this season. He has competed in 4,368 races through Tuesday night, 1,267 more races than Wrenn.

Wrenn, 28, has a wide lead for this year's Northfield driving title with 585 victories, followed by Merriman (431), Josh Sutton (282), Kurt Sugg (173) and Jason Merriman (158). Wrenn has won 2,089 races in his career and has $8.5 million in purse earnings.

Hall of Fame driver Tim Tetrick owns the season driving record, posting 1,189 victories in 2007. Case, who raced all over the map, including at Northfield Park, held the record after winning 1,077 races in 1998. Case's career was sidelined in 2004 by a stretch in an Ohio prison for stabbing his wife. Case was released in 2008, but has not returned to racing.

Jac's Fact wins at Mahoning: A sloppy track didn't discourage Jac's Fact and jockey Megan Fadlovich on Saturday in the $50,000 Ruff/Kirchberg Memorial Handicap at Mahoning Valley Race Course. They rolled past pacesetter Key Low in the final turn and easily held off heavily-favored Plain Ol' Willard in the stretch to win by 2½ lengths.

Jac's Fact ($6.60) covered the mile and an eighth in 1:57.67. Plain Ol' Willard was second and Geppetto finished third. Trained by Ivan Vazquez, three-year-old Jac's Fact has won 6 of 18 starts and $173,380.

Filly could be HOY: The amazing JK She'salady won the $500,000 Breeders Crown for 2-year-old pacing fillies on Nov. 22 with a Meadowland Racetrack record for her age, sex and gait of 1:50.2. She is undefeated in a dozen career starts. The youngster trained by Nancy Johansson, daughter of famous handler Jimmy Takter, is favored to be the first freshman filly to become Horse of the Year.

Thoroughbred sires in Ohio: A stakes-winning son of Empire Maker, Baryshnikov will stand at Silver Bridle Racing in Springboro, Ohio in 2015. The 8-year-old thoroughbred had been at Oak Lodge Stud near Paris, Ky., and will have a $2,500 fee. Baryshnikov won seven of 40 starts and $350,778. His victories included the Tejano Run Stakes at Turfway Park.

Vertiformer, a 7-year-old owned and raced by Calumet Farm, has retired and will begin his stud career at Poplar Creek Horse Center in Bethel, Ohio. Also debuting at Poplar Creek next year is 8-year-old Temperance Hill Stakes winner Tidal Volume.

Change in purse sharing?: New York racing officials are talking about making big changes in the purse distribution for some races. At racing industry meetings in Arizona this week the New York Racing Association's Martin Panza outlined a plan to pay up to eight places, rather than just the top five or six finishers. The NYRA did change the purse distribution for this year's $1.25 million Metropolitan Handicap on Belmont Stakes Day, with eighth-place finisher Declan's Warrior earning $25,000.

Panza wants to add a little vigorish to entice trainers to race their horses more often. He said many trainers used to race their top horses about 20 times a year, but now average only about six starts per season.

Combined, the nine OSU assistants make up the seventh-highest paid staff in the nation, led by Luke Fickell's $600,000 salary.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Virginia Tech got its money's worth from defensive coordinator Bud Foster - at least against Ohio State.

In the annual database of salaries for college football assistant coaches released by USA Today, Foster was at the top of the list Wednesday, making $1.369 million per year. Next on the list? The next guy trying to stop Ohio State's offense, Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart, who makes $1.355 million year.

Both make more than double that of the highest-paid Ohio State assistant, co-defensive coordinator Luke Fickell, who made $600,000, to rank 36th in overall compensation.

• Ohio State lookback: The $1.3 million coordinator

The highest-paid coordinator in the Big Ten is Michigan State defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi, who ranks seventh in total compensaion, making $907,033.

Next is Michigan defensive coordinator Greg Mattison at $888,333, then Michigan offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier at $830,000, Nebraska offensive coordinator Tim Beck at $715,281 and Maryland offensive coordinator Mike Locksley at $632,000. With the firings of Michigan head coach Brady Hoke and Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini, Mattison, Nussmeier and Beck will probably be looking for new jobs.

View full sizeOhio State co-defensive coordinator Luke Fickell, right, is the Buckeyes' highest-paid assistant and 36th-highest paid assistant in the nation. Urban Meyer, left, is sixth in salary among head coaches.Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer 

Fickell is sixth among Big Ten assistants, with co-defensive coordinator Chris Ash eighth at $590,000 and offensive coordinator Tom Herman 10th at $550,000. Herman on Tuesday was named the winner of the Broyles Award as the top assistant in the country.

Overall, Ohio State's nine assistants are the seventh-highest paid staff in the nation, behind LSU, Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Oklahoma and Texas.

Here are the salaries for the entire OSU staff:

• LB coach, co-defensive coordinator Luke Fickell: $600,000

• Secondary coach, co-defensive coordinator Chris Ash: $590,000

• QB coach, co-offensive coordinator Tom Herman: $550,000

• OL coach, co-offensive coordinator Ed Warinner: $400,036

• DL coach Larry Johnson: $400,000

• Secondary coach, special teams coordinator Kerry Coombs: $300,450

• RB coach Stan Drayton: $295,000

• TE coach Tim Hinton: $286,504

• WR coach Zach Smith: $170,035

Head coach Urban Meyer makes more than $4.5 million per year as the sixth-highest paid head coach in the nation.

He trails Alabama's Nick Saban, Michigan State's Mark Dantonio, Oklahoma's Bob Stoops, Texas A&M's Kevin Sumlin and Texas' Charlie Strong.

Hoyer said he plans to support Manziel, disputes notion there was any friction between himself and the rookie.

BEREA, Ohio – Quarterback Brian Hoyer remains disappointed by coach Mike Pettine's decision to bench him in favor of Johnny Manziel, but he isn't looking for anyone's pity.

"I don't want anyone feeling sorry for me," Hoyer said Wednesday in his first news conference since losing his starter's job. "I got to live out my childhood dream and it's not over. There's still a chance that I do play for this team. I'm proud of what we accomplished when I played quarterback for this team. You never know what's going to happen.

Hoyer, who's 10-6 as a Browns starter, began his new role as Manziel's backup Wednesday after four straight poor performances cost him his spot. He's ready to support and assist the rookie, the St. Ignatius product said, and attempted to set the record straight on his relationship with the former Heisman Trophy winner.

"For some reason, there's this misconception that Johnny and I don't get along," Hoyer said. "We were joking about it the other day. I like Johnny. Johnny is a good guy. This is just the situation we're in. I'll be there to support him. I'll be ready to play, too. I'm only one play away. I've been in this position before. I'll stay prepared."

Hoyer registered one touchdown and eight interceptions in the past four games that produced a 50.8 passer rating. He didn't attribute his struggles to one specific reason. Hoyer dismissed any personal issues with star wideout Josh Gordon, the intended receiver on three of his last seven interceptions.

"Josh and I have good relationship," he said. "Don't think he's not playing as hard for me."

An unrestricted free agent, Hoyer did not want to discuss his future or think whether he's taken his final snap for his hometown team.

"I have to be ready to play," he said. "That's just the nature of this business. My main concern right now is doing whatever I can to help this team win, whether it's giving a good look on the scout team or helping Johnny prepare.

Pettine said it was "very hard" to tell Hoyer he planned to make the change at quarterback.

"Obviously, I was disappointed," the quarterback said. "Like I said yesterday, I respect Coach Pettine and his decision. It's his to make, not mine. To start 13 games, you don't want to be told with three games left that it's being taken away from you. I'm disappointed. It hurts.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel is gearing up for his first NFL start Sunday at home against the Bengals.

BEREA, Ohio -- This is what Johnny Manziel has waited for all along, a chance to wreck this league and show the NFL what he can do.

"It's a dream come true be where I am now and getting a chance to start my first NFL game,'' he said. "You sit here and you have a lot of time to think about it obviously over the course of the year, not getting a chance to play when are you going to get that first chance to get your first start and coach Pettine let me know on Monday, Monday night I guess and it was just an awesome feeling for me and it really made me hungry and motivated to go out and get prepared for this week."

Manziel will start his first NFL game Sunday against the first-place Bengals in the season-finale Sunday after FirstEnergy Stadium.

"It's going to be nuts, but at the same time we have business to take care of and we have a game to play so can't get too caught up in everything that's going on outside and get caught up in the moment,'' he said. "We have a gameplan, we know what we want to execute and we need to go out there and do it.''

He agreed with coach Mike Pettine that teammates are already treating him differently.

 "I felt ... I was out there with a lot more confidence, even today and like the last time I stepped on the field I tried to show that and get these guys to trust me and rally around me a little bit, even though I'm the young guy here on the offense,'' he said. "At the same time, these guys, I need each and every one of them this week, it's not a one-man deal. It's not one person is going to miraculously make everything better. We've got to work as a team this week to go out, go through our reps in practice and make sure we're constantly trying to get better if we want to have the result we want to have on Sunday."
 

Manziel has already begun to prepare like a starter. He skipped the Cavs game Tuesday night and burned the midnight oil studying for the Bengals.

"Yeah. I was up here yesterday throughout the day,'' he said. "There was no Cavs game on a Tuesday this time. And it was awesome. I need to get up here and make sure I'm prepared and it's up to me and how I feel the next day going into the plays and calling the huddles. the bottom line is I want to make sure that during these play calls and going over this stuff in the time I have off, that's what about me.

"I need to stay on top of this and make sure that there's no second-guessing anything, and same time going out there today, I think my teammates on offense did a great of helping me with everything little thing that I wouldn't necessarily get because I haven't had the reps throughout the season. They're constantly reminding me. So having the group that we have here and trying to work as a unit, because that's what we have to do. It's not about one person like I said. Trying to have a unit go out and have some success on Sunday and every single person on offense wants that.''

He said he didn't take seriously Marvin Lewis calling him "a midget'' (he's since apologized) and laughed it off. (He didn't mean the word ''midget'' was funny, just didn't Lewis' dig to heart.

"Oh of course. It's absolutely funny, I mean, my height, I'm not going to sprout five inches over the course of the week, so I mean it is what it is and my height is my height and I need to overcome it with other pieces of my game,'' he said.
He stressed he's taking over with the goal of making the playoffs.

"Everything we want to accomplish is  still possible. And for me to get this opportunity now, and like I said earlier, the main thing as an offense, we need to play better and get the ball in the end zone. That's what coach Pettine and Brian continually say, it's a bottom-line business and the bottom line for our offense is we need to get in the end zone and that's really what we need to focus on this week is moving the ball and staying on the field and making sure we're good throughout everything we're doing.''

Ohio sportsmen are concerned the face of deer hunting has been radically altered in recent years, and fear the size and scope of the Buckeye deer herd is shrinking far too rapidly.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Ohio sportsmen are concerned the face of deer hunting has been radically altered in recent years, and fear the size and scope of the Buckeye deer herd is shrinking far too rapidly.

Ohio's wildlife managers continue to tell hunters there are too many deer in the Buckeye State, a problem that will degrade the quality of the herd. What is certainly changing is how sportsmen hunt, with more people now in the woods with longbows and crossbows, while the crowd of gun hunters continues to shrink.

In the not too distant past, gun hunters killed 90 percent of Ohio's deer. During this year's brief seven-day gun season, there was a noticeable lack of hunters afield and a harvest of 65,485 bucks and does. The last year the gun harvest was that low was in 1987, when 64,838 deer were tagged.

Mike Tonkovich, the head of deer management for the Ohio Division of Wildlife noted the comparison isn't even apples and oranges, and he's right. Ohio bowhunters had already killed almost 70,000 deer before the gun season even began. Tonkovich also pointed out that bowhunters still have more than two months to find success, and could bring this year's total harvest closer to the wildlife agency's goal of 185,000 deer.

It's easy to see why more deer are killed with bow-and-arrow. The season is four months long. The gun season is one short week.

"Sunday before the gun season opened, our harvest was off 6.5 percent," said Tonkovich. "That is right where it should be. And while I'm not able to confirm this, my guess is that most of the decline is due to fewer antlerless deer, which is intentional and designed to stabilize the population."

Last year, Ohio hunters killed 191,459 deer during all of the gun and archery seasons. Ohio hunters set the harvest record in 2009-10, killing 261,260. As the deer herd dwindles, will the army of gun hunters also go away?

"There are a lot of old-timers in my family who used to look forward to the gun season," said Denny Malloy, regional director of Whitetails Unlimited, a large white-tailed deer conservation group. "A lot of them didn't even buy a hunting license and deer permit this year. They just weren't seeing deer around the Trumbull County areas where they traditionally hunt, and weren't interested in just taking their gun for a walk.

"Lot of Ohio deer hunters are only gun hunters," Malloy said. "With the intentional herd reduction, a large percentage of those hunters were not in the woods for this year's gun season. That means there weren't enough hunters to move deer around, and give hunters a decent chance to see a deer."

New rules did give gun hunters the chance to hunt with rifles for the first time, but only rifles that fire straight-walled cartridges. Hunters seldom need an excuse to buy a new gun, and 5,360 of them used the new style of rifles to tag a deer. That wasn't enough to thwart the 13 percent decline in the gun harvest, though.

Ohio isn't alone as state agencies around the Midwest cut the size of their deer herds to promote a quality herd, and also to limit crop damage and deer-vehicle mishaps. Wisconsin, once one of the top deer states in the country, saw its lowest deer harvest in 30 years after wildlife officials there decimated the deer population in a fight to stop Chronic Wasting Disease, a disease that has finally reared its ugly head this year in Ohio.

The Minnesota deer harvest was down 23 percent during the gun season, while Illinois was off seven percent, and 23 percent from 2012. Michigan gun hunters are all over the social media sites, complaining of a lack of deer and hunting success.

In Ohio, the problem isn't just a smaller deer herd. It's also a lack of hunting land. Out-of-state hunters eager to bag a big Ohio buck are leasing vast tracts of the Buckeye State. Many huge tracts owned by coal, timber and electric companies that were once open to public hunting have disappeared, while state-owned public hunting areas have been poorly managed for wildlife over the years.

With Ohio hunting license and deer permit sales on the decline – the discounted $15 antlerless deer permits were down 45 percent – wildlife officials could struggle to pay the bills if more hunters who hunt deer only with a gun decide to stay home.

It's not exactly a big thaw, but southerly winds and slightly warming temperatures should improve the already good walleye and steelhead trout fishing around the area.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – It's not exactly the big thaw, but southerly winds and slightly warming temperatures should improve the already good walleye and steelhead trout fishing around the area.

The Northeast Ohio rivers and streams are full of steelhead trout. Good catches have been reported from the Vermilion River to Conneaut Creek, and just about everywhere in between. While the action should be very good for the weekend, waters that are too clear could make trout tougher to catch.

The Lake Erie walleye are biting in the usual places after dark, with boat and shoreline anglers getting in on the action. Boat fishermen must be especially careful, with Lake Erie water temperatures dropping below the 40-degree mark.

CLEVELAND AREA

The waters around Cleveland Harbor have been stirred up by recent windy weather and are a bit muddy. Anglers casting from shore after the sun goes down should find friendly casting conditions this weekend from the East 72^nd St., East 55^th St. and Edgewater areas, as well as the power plant in Eastlake, a hot spot of late.

Some walleye are still being caught after dark by trolling from FirstEnergy Stadium to Bratenahl.

LAKE ERIE

The top three locations for casting from the shoreline piers and breakwalls for walleye continue to be the Huron Pier, Lorain's Spitzer Marina and Cleveland Harbor. Large Husky Jerk and Perfect 10 lures have dominated, with Clown and Fire Tiger colors rated best. Not surprisingly, those same locations are luring boat anglers for the near-shore night walleye fishing.

INLAND LAKES, RESERVOIRS

The Cleveland Metroparks winter rainbow trout stockings kicked off on Monday and Tuesday, with 2,000 pounds of trout released in the local lakes and ponds. Wallace Lake in Berea, as usual, got the lion's share, about 900 pounds. Other stocked lakes are Shadow and Ledge, each getting 450 pounds, with Judge's and Ranger lakes each getting 100 pounds.

The trout range from almost a pound to two pounds and better. Wallace Lake also received some bonus golden trout and brown trout.

The temperature roller coaster ride has become a problem for boaters trying to launch on inland lakes and reservoirs. Expect some success as temperatures top 40 over the weekend. The best bet will be jigging blade baits such as the Vi-Bee lure for walleye at Pymatuning, Mosquito and Berlin reservoirs.

The tail water fishing at those three lakes should also be good. Saugeye are in the spotlight in the tail waters of Pleasant Hill and Charles Mill reservoirs.

RIVERS AND STREAMS

With the Grand River coming down and clearing nicely, all of the Northeast Ohio rivers and streams should be in full play this weekend for steelhead trout fishing. If there is a challenge, it will be some waters becoming too clear, requiring anglers to downsize their offerings.

There has been a good rush of trout moving up the streams since the Thanksgiving holidays, and December is always considered a top month for steelheading success. Bait anglers are scoring with spawn bags or small jigs tipped with maggots or waxworms, as well as large emerald shiner minnows.

Fly fishers are casting moderately larger flies, including tandem rigs with egg patterns followed by white, black or olive wooly buggers.

As the waters continue to clear, the smaller stone fly and caddis larvae nymphs should take more trout. Trout are generally unwilling to chase fast-moving flies or bait in the colder waters, so fish low and slow.

The Chagrin River has been tops for catching numbers of trout, while the clearing Grand River has been giving up some trophy fish.

The Indians have made no secret that they're looking for protection in the starting rotation and bullpen.

CLEVELAND, Ohio –The Indians effort to improve on their 85-win season from 2014 led them to Oakland outfielder-first baseman Brandon Moss, who is rebounding from right hip surgery.

Could that desire lead them to yet another injured player in left-hander Brett Anderson?

The Indians have made no secret that they're looking for protection in the starting rotation and bullpen.

"I think it's fair to say that we'd like to add pitching," said manager Terry Francona. "I think (GM Chris Antonetti) is trying very hard to add depth not only to our bullpen, but to our starting pitching. I don't think we quite have a name yet, but I think it's safe to say he wants to add depth."

Anderson, 27, hasn't made more than 30 starts in a season since 2009. Last season he suffered a broken left finger and needed back surgery while pitching for Colorado. He was 1-3 with a 2.91 ERA in eight starts when his season ended.

The Rockies did not exercise Anderson's $12 million option for 2015 and he became a free agent. ESPN reported Wednesday that the Indians have talked to Anderson. He is one of several options the Tribe is considering.

Anderson set a rookie strikeout record for the A's in 2009 with 150 in 175 1/3 innings. He was 11-11 with a 4.06 ERA. He underwent Tommy John surgery on his left elbow in 2011. He made just six starts in 2012 before his season ended with an oblique injury.

Anderson is a big man (6-4, 225 pounds) with a brittle body.

A lot of starting pitchers have come off free-agent board this week, starting with Jon Lester, who agreed to a six-year, $155 million deal with the Cubs. Among the others who have signed or are in the process of signing are Justin Masterson, Ervin Santana, Brandon McCarthy, Jason Hammel and Francisco Liriano.

Several other starting pitchers have been traded this week including Rick Porcello, Jeff Samardzija, Alfredo Simon, Wade Miley, Dan Haren and Andrew Heaney.

Antonetti said the Indians have been aware of most of the trades and free agent signings, they just haven't been a key participant.

"We like the group of starters that we have," Antonetti has said time again and again.

So what exactly is he looking for, an established big league starter who can go into the rotation or an experienced minor-league arm?

"We've examined both," said Antonetti. "We like Charles Brewer, the guy we just acquired. We feel he fits into the mix with the other seven guys. Tyler Cloyd, who really pitched well for us in Triple-A last year, is another option."

Besides Anderson, and not counting James Shields and Max Scherzer, who live in a different financial neighborhood than the Indians, there is still plenty of free agent starting pitchers available -- including Scott Baker, Brandon Beach, Erik Bedard, Chris Capuano, Bruce Chen, Gavin Floyd, Roberto Hernandez, Jake Peavy and others.

Then there are the trade possibilities the Indians have been discussing since the end of the season.

So with the winter meetings ending Thursday, how close is Antonetti to getting the help the Tribe needs?

"Progress is so hard to define," he said. "We've had instances where we've thought, 'OK, when they call back the next time we're going to be set.' Then they call back and you say, 'Wait a minute, that's where we were 3 1/2 weeks ago. What happened?'

"We have more information. We have better information on where we align on free agents and trades, but how close we are is difficult to characterize."

Browns defenders were mixed in response to whether Bengals running back Jeremy Hill's comments serve as motivation, Craig Robertson was recognized for his community service and injury updates from practice on Thursday.

BEREA, Ohio -- Cincinnati Bengals rookie running back Jeremy Hill was not impressed with the Browns back on Nov. 6, despite the 24-3 thumping they gave the Bengals that Thursday night. Hill told ESPN after that game when asked if the Browns were better than anticipated, "Oh no, not at all. They're probably worse than I thought, to be honest with you."

Have those comments been brought up this week in preparation for the Browns' rematch with the Bengals?

"Of course. Of course," linebacker Craig Robertson said, laughing, after practice on Thursday. "He made comments and we're definitely gonna use those comments as fuel to the fire and we gotta come out and play a big game we got coming up."

Why does Robertson think Hill said what he did?

"I have no idea," he said. "We got the same agent and my agent was at a loss for words. ... I don't understand it, but at the same time, I'm not him so it really doesn't matter now."

Other players weren't as prepared to proclaim Hill's words as any kind of motivation for Sunday's contest.

"We're not worried about him," linebacker Karlos Dansby said. "We just worry about stopping their offense. That's the only thing we focus on.

"We haven't even really thought about it."

When asked about whether Hill's comments had come up, linebacker Paul Kruger responded, "Not really."

Rookie cornerback K'Waun Williams kept the focus on the Browns.

"We're just going out there, we're just going to do what we got to do," Williams said. "We're not listening to the outside noise, just gonna focus on our job and get it done."

Veteran safety Donte Whitner, who, following the win on November 6, called the comments "ignorant," said on Thursday the comments from Hill weren't fresh with the team. But if someone should meet up with the rookie running back?

"We'll be out there. He'll be out there. We're gonna play good defense, and I'm pretty sure at some point, somebody's gonna meet up with him on the football field and we'll see how it goes."

When asked if that "somebody" could be wearing No. 31?

"Hopefully."

#Browns DL Desmond Bryant on Cincy rookie RB Jeremy Hill's comments after 1st meeting: He wrote a check. We'll see if he can cash it.

— Scott Petrak ct (@ScottPetrak) December 11, 2014

View full sizeKarlos Dansby is hoping to return to the field this Sunday against the Bengals.Thomas Ondrey, The Plain Dealer 

Injury updates: Defensive lineman Desmond Bryant was limited in practice on Thursday with a thigh injury. Dansby was limited with a knee injury but told cleveland.com's Tom Reed that he has a very good chance he'll play on Sunday. After practice, Dansby said he felt "great."

Players who didn't practice included Williams (hamstring), linebacker Jabaal Sheard (foot), cornerback Robert Nelson (hamstring), tight end Gary Barnidge (rib) and running back Glenn Winston (illness).

Whitner returned to practice after missing Wednesday with an illness and Nick McDonald returned after missing practice on Wednesday for personal reasons.

Limited for the Bengals on Thursday were tight end Jermaine Gresham (toe), cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick (ribs), cornerback Terence Newman (ankle) and safety Shawn Williams (chest). Offensive guard Mike Pollak returned to practice after missing Wednesday.

View full sizeCraig Robertson (right) was named the Browns 2014 Walter Payton Man of the Year on Thursday.Joshua Gunter, The Plain Dealer 

One of the good guys: Robertson was named the Browns' 2014 Walter Payton Man of the Year on Thursday, the team announced. One player on all 32 teams is presented the accolade. The award highlights community service.

"Craig is a leader on defense and special teams who consistently puts his teammates first, and that personal demeanor carries over to his commitment in the community," said head coach Mike Pettine in a statement. 

"It means everything," Robertson said after practice. "I just like giving back to the community, period, but to get this award shows that other people see me the same way as I see myself."

The Big Fundamental: Left tackle Joe Thomas was honored as part of the 2014 USA Football All-Fundamentals Team, which honors 26 NFL players – 11 offense, 11 defense and four special teams – who exhibit exemplary football techniques for young players to emulate.

"Thomas is the best in the NFL at using a vertical pass set," according to a release about the award. "He avoids kicking out to the side on the block, the release continues, instead going straight back to meet the defender and take away the defensive end's angle to turn the corner. After intersecting defenders, he sinks his hips on contact and presents a proud chest with hands out to negate the rush."

And then there's this: From injured Browns safety Tashaun Gipson on Twitter:

Battle of Ohio? It's about to be a series sweep!

— Tashaun J. Gipson SR (@Gipson_duos24) December 11, 2014

Follow @dan_labbe

The defending hockey state champions of St. Ignatius are off to an impressive start to this season as are Kenston and Orange, among others.

The defending hockey state champions of St. Ignatius are off to an impressive start to this season as are Kenston and Orange, among others.

Ke'Shawn Vaughn, a four-star running back from Tennessee, will no longer officially visit Ohio State.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – When Urban Meyer was still in the market for a stud running back for his 2015 recruiting class, four-star prospect Ke'Shawn Vaughn of Nashville (Tenn.) Pearl Cohn was under consideration. 

But that consideration now appears to be gone after Meyer secured a verbal commitment from four-star running back Mike Weber of Detroit Cass Tech on Wednesday evening. 

Vaughn was scheduled to make an official visit to Ohio State this weekend, but that visit will no longer happen, according to 247Sports recruiting analyst Bill Kurelic. 

Ke'Shawn Vaughn won't be making an official visit to #OhioState this weekend. (FREE) http://t.co/XBkk3yT8B6

— Bill Kurelic (@Bill_Kurelic) December 11, 2014

Rated by 247Sports the No. 21 running back in the 2015 class, Vaughn now is closely considering Louisville and Purdue. 

Ohio State has 23 commitments in its 2015 class, so room is getting tight.

The Buckeyes have been heavily involved with five-star running back Damien Harris of Berea (Ky.) Madison Southern, but it's unclear where things stand with him after Ohio State added Weber. 

LeBron James will be out when the Cavaliers clash with the Thunder due to knee soreness.

OKLAHOMA CITY – LeBron James will miss his first game of the season when the Cavaliers take on the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

James is experiencing soreness and tightness in his left knee and head coach David Blatt said the organization just wants to be cautious. They do not believe it is anything serious and as of now, an MRI is not scheduled.

Matthew Dellavedova will be inserted into the starting lineup with Kyrie Irving, Shawn Marion, Kevin Love and Anderson Varejao.

James did not participate in morning shootaround and was listed as a game-time decision coming into tonight's game, shown nationally on TNT.

In 20 games this season, James is averaging 24.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 7.7 assists.

Next, the Cavaliers will travel to The Big Easy for a clash with the New Orleans Pelicans to finish out the second end of a back-to-back. James is listed as questionable for that game.

Sumpter had nine interceptions for the Tarblooders this season.

Sumpter had nine interceptions for the Tarblooders this season.

Carter Hawkins, Indians new farm director, spent a good portion of the winter meetings this week in San Diego interviewing candidates to fill the team's two vacancies for roving minor league hitting coordinators.

SAN DIEGO, Calif. – More often than not the Indians take a hit in the Rule 5 draft at the winter meetings, but not on Thursday.

The Indians' unprotected minor leaguers came through all phases of the draft unclaimed. The Indians, meanwhile, claimed right-hander Delvi Francisco from Philadelphia in the Class AAA phase of the draft for $12,000.

Francisco, a converted outfielder, has been pitching for three years. The Dominican Republic native went 3-3 with a 7.44 ERA in 30 appearances for two of the Phillies' Class A teams last season. He struck out 47 and walked 32 in 52 innings.

"Roman Pena, our Latin American director, saw him in winter ball and thought he might be able to impact us at some point down the line," said Carter Hawkins, Indians director of player development. "He's a converted outfielder so he has a fresh arm."

Hawkins said Francisco has good velocity.

"That's his calling card right now," said Hawkins. "He throws in the mid-90s."

Hawkins said the Indians are "very close' to naming a manager to replace Ted Kubiak at Class A Mahoning Valley, Kubiak, a fixture in the organization's minor-league system, parted ways after last season.

The Indians must also hire two new minor-league hitting coordinators. The vacancies were created when Alan Zinter took a big-league job with Texas as an assistant hitting coach and Luis Ortiz was hired by the Padres.

"We interviewed several candidates over the last couple of days," said Hawkins. "We're sifting through them and trying to see who complements our staff the best."

See the Players of the Week for Dec. 11, 2014.

See the Players of the Week for Dec. 11, 2014.

"Coach Meyer told me that spots (in Ohio State's class) are filling up quick," Cager told cleveland.com in a phone interview Thursday evening. "He was basically telling me to make my decision soon if I want to be a Buckeye."

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Urban Meyer dropped in on four-star wide receiver Lawrence Cager of Towson (Maryland) Calvert Hall on Wednesday and the message was simple. 

"Coach Meyer told me that spots (in Ohio State's class) are filling up quick," Cager told cleveland.com in a phone interview Thursday evening. "He was basically telling me to make my decision soon if I want to be a Buckeye." 

Ohio State earned its 23rd verbal commitment in the 2015 recruiting class on Wednesday night when four-star running back Mike Weber of Detroit Cass Tech joined the group. Meyer is right -- room is getting tight. 

Rated by 247Sports the No. 17 wide receiver in the country, the 6-foot-5, 202-pound Cager has been considered a heavy Ohio State lean for a while. The Buckeyes became an even bigger favorite to land Cager when they earned a commitment from five-star quarterback Torrance Gibson, the wide receiver's close friend. 

But Cager isn't ready to commit. Cager said he's still considering all the programs who have offered him, including Alabama, Notre Dame, Virginia Tech and others. He won't announce his college decision on the U.S. Army All-American Game in January. 

Cager added that if he feels a place is right for him, he doesn't have a problem silent committing and revealing his choice in January. 

When it comes to Ohio State, Cager understands the faster the better. 

"It doesn't change anything in my recruitment," Cager said. "If it comes to that, I'll let a school know and say, 'Hey, save my spot.' But other than that, I have been talking to coaches every day from every school and I know spots are filling up quick.

"So I just have to keep communicating with schools and let them know what's going on. ... If I have to silent verbal to a school, then I have no problem with that. I just won't announce it to the media until (the Army Game)." 

Cager has already made official visits to Ohio State, Wake Forest and Virginia Tech. He's scheduled for an official visit to Notre Dame this weekend and he's still heavily considering an official visit to Alabama on Jan. 16. 

"It's not that tough to hear (spots are filling up) because that's the whole recruiting process," Cager said. "You can't wait too long. Some people take different approaches, some take longer than other people. It just comes with being recruited.

"Right now, I don't have a designated top school. I just need to continue to talk to my family and make sure I make the best decision for me." 

Ohio State coach Urban Meyer and Alabama coach Nick Saban know what it's like to coach against each other in a playoff atmosphere.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Nick Saban fidgeted in his chair a bit, but the question was going to be fairly easy for him to answer — after all, he won. Urban Meyer flashed a bit of grin and never looked up from the table he was seated at until it was his time to speak, it was probably a question he'd prefer not answer — he lost.

Each coach has his own memories of the 2009 SEC Championship between Saban's Alabama Crimson Tide and Meyer's Florida Gators.

• Urban Meyer vs. Nick Saban Round 4: The complete head-to-head history between Ohio State, Alabama coaches

"Great memories," Meyer started to say to reporters on Thursday during a joint news conference in Orlando, Florida with all four College Football Playoff coaches. "Not necessarily great memories, but very clear memories of those games."

Regardless of the nature of those memories, Meyer said he can channel them as he prepares No. 4 Ohio State for a Jan. 1 Sugar Bowl date against No. 1 Alabama in a semifinal of the inaugural College Football Playoff.

The scenario of win and you're in the national title game, lose and you go home is not lost on either coach. They've been in this situation before. Against each other.

Saban's Crimson Tide won that 2009 title game, then went on to win the national championship. It was a role reversal from 2008, when Florida beat Alabama for the SEC title and went on to win its second national championship under Meyer.

In both games, Alabama came in ranked No. 1, and Florida was ranked No. 2.

"I think maybe the best two teams might have been playing in the SEC title game in 2009," Saban said. "It was a playoff game in a sense. They won one, and we won one. Both teams went on to win a championship."

Saban and Alabama have won two more national titles since 2009, both in convincing fashion.

That loss in the 2009 title game started a string of well-documented setbacks for Meyer (which will surely be talked about in the build-up to this year's Sugar Bowl). His health issues, which he was reminded about on Thursday, came to light after the loss to Alabama. The chaos of Meyer resigning, then not resigning, then taking a leave of absence, then having a bad 2010 season, then retiring followed.

During that period, Alabama supplanted Florida as the dominant college football power, a title the Tide can still stake a claim to, especially if they can unseat defending national champion Florida State as this year's champion.

But Meyer was frank on Thursday, expressing he has other plans. He knows what beating Alabama would mean.

"I think they're arguably the best program in America the last five, six, seven years," Meyer said. "To take a swing and knock them off would be a monumental achievement for a bunch of guys in Columbus, Ohio."

Browns receiver Josh Gordon says there's no truth the speculation that he'll play harder for Johnny Manziel than he did for Brian Hoyer. He also admitted he wants to help more on third down.

BEREA, Ohio -- After Josh Gordon dropped a deep ball from Brian Hoyer with seconds remaining against the Colts that would've put the Browns in gamewinning field position, the airwaves and social media started the drumbeat that perhaps Gordon wasn't playing hard enough for Hoyer.

The All-Pro, three games removed from a 10-game suspension, caught only two of his seven targets for 15 yards, and the insinuation was that perhaps he'd have a little more juice with Johnny Manziel in the game.

"There's no reason why I would even think to do something like that,'' said Gordon. "It's like trying to throw a game on purpose. Nobody wants to do that -- no matter if you like a guy or you don't like a guy. I love Brian. He's been here since I first got here just about. He was my quarterback last year. He's a competitor, I had nothing wrong with him, and I never even played with Johnny before -- so that's crazy to think that.''

Hoyer also dispelled the notion on Wednesday that he and Gordon may have been at odds. During offseason national TV interviews, Gordon said drafting Manziel "would be huge'' for the team and the city, but he also praised Hoyer.

"Yeah, Josh and I have a good relationship,'' said Hoyer. "Just this past Saturday, after our meeting I sat down with him. We went over every play that he hadn't practiced. I think the thing with Josh is just the lack of repetition and not being able to be around. I don't think that he's not playing as hard for me as he will on Sunday.

"It's just taking him time to catch up to where everybody else is, and unfortunately we're going through that in games. It's not just in practice or in OTA's or training camp and that type of thing. I don't think there's any merit to any of that."

Gordon did acknowledge Thursday that the switch to Johnny Football -- beginning with Sunday's game against the first-place Bengals, could be good for him.

"I think it can be,'' he said. "It's just a different look, a totally different look. You don't know what to expect. Everybody's ready, everybody's hot out there, the backside of a play is not a frontside of a play. You know, you can never tell.''

Gordon also admitted that he was upset to be taken off the field on a bunch of third downs in the middle quarters.  He played 77% of the snaps, about as many as Jordan Cameron and Andrew Hawkins, but was sidelined for a number of crucial third downs. The Browns converted only 4-of-15 for 27% and couldn't stay on the field.

"You're definitely upset when you see some plays that were maybe missed, misread or a dropped pass, something like that, you think you could've helped out,'' said Gordon. "Definitely not being able to help out bothers me as a competitor. But then again, the coaches definitely know best. If that's what they want to do, then let's do that."

He acknowledged that it was a jolt during the game to be taken off the field at those pivotal times, especially with the offense struggling to score.

 "I'm usually in on third, so it was definitely a change of pace for me,'' Gordon said.  "I think coach wanted a different look. It just didn't seem fit to put me out there at the time."

Offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan indicated that he's scaled back Gordon's workload some after recognizing that Gordon is still learning the new offense.

"Josh has been working,'' he said. "He's still trying to get back. It's real tough with how long he was away from us. You throw a lot at him in a whole offense, and it's tough to be out there and be detailed in the whole offense. I know Josh knows the stuff as far as on the board and just understanding what he's supposed to do, but in the heat of battle and the detail of routes and the detail of coverages, it takes a lot of work and a lot of reps.

"In fairness to Josh, he hasn't had those, and I think he's working at it. There's not a day that he takes off. Just like I said with Johnny, I think he'll be better this week, and I expect him to be better in Week 16 than he will be Sunday."

Gordon also disagreed with reports that he's not in game shape.

"I felt fine after the first game in Atlanta,'' he said. "I don't really think that's an issue. It's just the production. The production's been down, so yeah, everything looks slower when you're not getting the ball. I'm not tired, though."

He admitted that he felt his debut in Atlanta -- eight catches for 120 yards in the victory -- was the start of a six-game bonanza.

"Yeah, you definitely want to do better than that each time after that,'' he said. "So when it goes down, you're like 'well let's kick start it back into gear and see if we can get it rolling again.' Eventually after awhile, you're just like 'just play the game. Forget about the stats.'

"The team's in great position right now.  Everything's still there for us, so we're working just as hard to get it, myself included. More than individual stats, I want to go to the playoffs.''

Asked if he's up for 95% to 100% of the snaps, he said, "Oh yeah definitely."

Gordon explained what happened when the ball slipped through his hands on the play at the Colts' 32 with about 20 seconds left in the game. The drop cost the Brown a chance at the gamewinning field goal en route to the 25-24 loss. It also may have contributed to Hoyer's benching. If the Browns had won the game, they would've been hard pressed to sit their 8-4 starter.

"I think when (Hoyer) rolled out, you can't see that from down the field, but you see a quarterback rolling out, you've got a thing called scramble drill,'' he said. "You stop going the direction you're going and go the opposite way. So when he started to scramble, me and the DB stopped, everybody stopped and he threw it. So that's what I was doing. The timing of it was just a little bit off and I tried to lay out for it a little bit and ended up hurting myself (got the wind knocked out of him) so it was just a little off.''

Despite the fact he likes Hoyer, he's on board with the switch to Manziel.

"I guess the coaches thought it was the right move, so I'm supporting them and backing up anything they do, so I'm happy to have him,'' he said.

Like almost everyone else in the building, Gordon is excited to see what Manziel can do Sunday against the Bengals.

 "He's got a lot to prove as well as the rest of us, but he'll probably get a lot more attention,'' said Gordon. "He knows that and I think he's ready to live up to it.''

He acknowledged he's got a strong vibe that Manziel will play well.

"I definitely do because he works so hard, he practices hard, he studies hard,'' said Gordon. "You can't help but expect to have a good result after all of that. But then again, the win or loss is not just relying on one guy. He knows that and we're going to go to bat for him and go to war with him, and hopefully everybody gets the W.''

He noted that he wasn't even on the same page with Hoyer yet and now he has to jump onto it with Manziel.

"At this point we're playing catch up,'' he said. "But really, I'm like, 'just go out there and have fun and play your game. Trying to overanalyze, overthink it is going to do more damage than good. Be yourself, play like you've always been playing, and everybody will match your gameplan.''

But with none of the receivers having played with Manziel before, the playing field is suddenly level. Gordon isn't the only receiver developing timing --  although the others know the offense better than he does. He said he didn't have the full playbook during his 10 weeks on suspension, just the installations from training camp and it's changed a lot since then.

"This week is the first week we're really getting enough reps (with Manziel),'' Gordon said. "We don't have much time left. I'm trying to tell everybody just don't worry about it. Just play your game. We're all right. You've been playing 13 weeks now. Let's go out and do it. We know the plays."

Gordon understands where coach Mike Pettine is coming from when he says that Gordon needs to more precise in his route-running. He was the intended receiver on three of Hoyer seven interceptions over the last three weeks and has been off on some routes.

"It's a timing thing because the quarterback's not looking at you while he's making his play-action fakes to the running back and checking the other reads on the offense before he gets to you,'' he said. "So you can't cut your routes short or you can't take it too deep 'cause you'll miss it by a little bit. I think that's what he's talking about."

Gordon knows he has to be ready for anything with Johnny Football in the game, running around and improvising.

"Yeah, you definitely have to (be),'' he said. "Some guys prefer it that way because now a dead play becomes an option."

But unlike some of the other receivers,  Gordon -- who wore a Baylor t-shirt during his interview -- learned to be on his toes playing with read-option star Robert Griffin III in college.

"A lot,'' he said.

Regardless of who's throwing the ball or where in the world it's coming from, Gordon just wants to help the Browns get in the playoffs.

"I think everybody feels that way,'' he said. "It's just time. The clock is ticking. Try to make it."