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CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns lost to the Cincinnati Bengals, 30-0, at FirstEnergy Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Johnny Manziel made his first career start in the game. Listen to Sunday Browns Insider live at 8 p.m as we break the game down.
Host Dan Labbe will have interviews with Browns beat reporters Mary Kay Cabot and Tom Reed.
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Motivated by the hype surrounding Johnny Manziel's debut, the Bengals flashed Manziel's money sign every chance they got -- and they were plenty of opportunities.
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Carlos Dunlap was money. Wallace Gilberry was money. So were Adam Jones, Rey Maualuga, Brandon Thompson, Geno Atkins and just about every other Bengals defender who laid a hand on Johnny Manziel or intercepted one of his passes Sunday.
Money signs proliferated in FirstEnergy Stadium, and once the game began, all of them came from the Bengals' defense, which bankrupted Manziel's starting debut.
"This was his chance. This was his opportunity to make a name for himself. It was great we came out to play and got the W,'' linebacker Maualuga said after the Bengals' 30-0 victory.
Not just a W. A shutout. It was the Browns' first shutout loss since 2009, when Manziel was a 16-year-old high school junior in Texas. Manziel went on to make the money sign – rubbing a thumb against fingers – his signature celebration during his 2012 Heisman Trophy season at Texas A&M.
The Bengals performed it with gusto when standing over him after tackles, sacks (three), interceptions (two) and quarterback knockdowns (six).
"Every time we hit him. Every time we got him on his back. There was a lot of money signs being thrown up today. It was fun,'' said defensive tackle Domata Perko.
It began in earnest when defensive end Gilberry flashed the sign after slamming Manziel for a seven-yard loss on a run.
"He looked up and was like, man, it's going to be a long day,'' Perko said. "That set the tone for us, that he was going to be on his back today. That was our game plan, to get him on his back and get revenge. They embarrassed us at home last time (Cleveland's 24-3 victory in November).''
The Bengals said they simply were turning the tables on Browns fans who taunted them with money signs at dinner in downtown Cleveland on Saturday, on the bus ride into the stadium, and before the game.
"When I did it, I think his head was in the ground, so I don't think he even seen it,'' Dunlap said. "It was something we did because yesterday and all week Browns fans were doing the money sign to us.''
Dunlap led the charge with a sack, three quarterback hits and two tackles for losses. The Bengals said Manziel should get used it if he doesn't play well.
"That's his trademark. That's going to be one of the things everybody does against him from here on out. I just wanted to do it before he did,'' Gilberry said.
Manziel completed 10 of 18 passes for 80 yards and earned a dismal 27.3 quarterback rating. He ran five times for 13 net yards, including a 10-yarder.
"It started with the front four getting pressure on them,'' cornerback Leon Hall said. "The front seven played great today, and that's really what made the difference.''
Maualuga drew a taunting penalty for throwing down the money sign and screaming over a downed Manziel. He and several other Bengals said Manziel appeared frustrated, but didn't respond to any of the taunts, and he didn't appear to lose control of his teammates.
"He definitely commanded the huddle,'' Gilberry said. "There wasn't arguing or bickering going on between them, so they definitely have confidence in him. He's going to be a good guy, but today wasn't his day.''
Hall said he was a little surprised when the Browns benched Brian Hoyer early in the week.
"Hoyer generally has done well. I guess he hasn't done too well the past couple weeks. But he got them where they're at,'' Hall said. "We did better getting pressure on the quarterback (against Manziel) and we were well-coordinated in the back end.''
Deaths in the family: Bengals coach Marvin Lewis awarded game balls to kicker Mike Nugent and offensive coordinator Hue Jackson. Both men's fathers died early in the week. Lewis said he previously has rewarded one game ball – to Bengals president Mike Brown.
"This is one of the closest teams I've ever been on,'' Thompson said. "It's special.''
Stopping the run: It wasn't just about stopping Manziel. The Bengals held Cleveland to 53 yards rushing. The Browns piled up 170 yards in Cincinnati last month.
"We played really disciplined defense,'' Dunlap said. "In Cincinnati, they did some things scheme-wise and got a good victory. Today, we corrected it.''
Fan stiff-arm: Bengals running back Jeremy Hill had a pair of interesting celebrations after scoring touchdowns. He scored on a two-yard run into the Dawg Pound and celebrated with a variety of gestures, including a LeBron James powder toss.
The second-round draft pick from LSU, who rushed for 148 yards, scored on a 16-yarder in the second quarter into the west end zone and attempted to leap into the arms of a couple Bengals fans in the front row, but was shoved back twice by a Browns fan wearing a Joe Haden jersey.
"I was trying to jump to the Bengals fans and he jumped in there,'' Hill said. "He made a play, I guess. I don't really remember him saying anything, but he made a good play. I learned from it, for next time. It was kind of funny.''
Hill said he was unaware James was at the game. Several Bengals were buzzing about James in the locker room when they heard he was in the house.
"I'm actually a Lakers fan,'' Hill said.
The Cleveland Browns and Johnny Manziel were manhandled in a 30-0 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday in a game that showed why head coach Mike Pettine went with veteran Brian Hoyer for as long as he did. Watch video
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It's unfair to say Johnny Manziel didn't fool anybody Sunday. He fooled himself.
"It was never too difficult," he said of the Bengals' 30-0 whipping of the Browns. Overwhelmed? He called the day a "fail." But, nah, not overwhelmed. No way.
Meaning, what, no more so than Spergon Wynn against Jacksonville?
Or Brandon Weeden in his NFL debut against Philadelphia?
At least Weeden admitted in retrospect he had only half an idea how to prepare for the camouflaged hell NFL defenses can bring on Sundays.
These initiations are nothing new in the NFL. Brave talk from a competitive rookie isn't either. Some, like Bengals' running back Jeremy Hill, even live long enough to back it up.
"Some of the best quarterbacks that ever played the game struggled early," said Manziel.
So there's that. Not much else, though.
Manziel isn't wrong, though many of the best quarterbacks also didn't have the same factors challenging them.
He wasn't a No. 1 overall pick, or even Top 5. (He was Top 22 if only because Browns owner Jimmy Haslam liked his highlight reel and Twitter muscles.) He's a little on the short side (you may have heard something about that this past week).
He didn't get an entire season to show the quarterback search is over. He might only have three games, and now one of them is in the books as an unmitigated disaster.
While Manziel talked of building for the future Sunday, head coach Mike Pettine independently said he believes three games can be a "decent-sized sample," a "good amount."
Maybe those opinions aren't at crosshairs. But two more games even closely resembling this one, and an organization desperately looking for a franchise quarterback, and armed with two No. 1 picks in 2015, will have to convene and re-assess.
All we can say about 2014 is that Brian Hoyer was the bridge quarterback the Browns thought he could become. But to whom?
Two games remain. Manziel needs to show why it should be him.
The Browns helped wreck the narrative about Johnny on Sunday and how he "energized" the team in practice this week (Pettine's word). Hill dragged the defense up and down the field. The stiffest hit he took came from a Browns fan in the end zone seats who tried to prevent him from over-celebrating the second of his TD runs.
They fell behind early. The Bengals shut down the running game, never losing sight of Manziel. They bet he'd deliver the ball late (he did). They bet on him making some Texas A&M throws (he went even deeper into the time capsule.)
"You can't throw the second (interception) whether you're playing in a Pop Warner league or if you're six years old playing in the driveway, you can't throw that ball," Manziel said of the pass he floated toward the goal line in the middle of the field.
There was a third interception nullified by an offsides that had no effect on the play. There was a fourth pass behind a receiver that hit an unsuspecting Bengals' defensive lineman downfield.
Manziel finished with 10 completions for 80 yards, 32 on one pass to Josh Gordon. The next longest completion was nine yards to Travis Benjamin.
Maybe Marvin Lewis' slam of Manziel's stature Monday made it more difficult for Manziel to pass the eye test, but he looked undersized and overhyped as he threw late and carelessly most of the day.
He was Little Johnny without the big pluck.
We asked during the week if this would be his coming out party or his comeuppance. We got our answer. Now the question is whether he recognizes it for what it was and works twice as diligently every day as he thinks he did this week.
Pettine knew what he was doing in choosing Hoyer out of camp and sticking with him as long as he did. You don't turn to a rookie in the 14th week unless you've determined the playoffs are lost. Pettine simply couldn't say that.
The idea that Pettine sabotaged the postseason by not turning to Manziel sooner can now be put to rest. The Browns don't beat the Colts with the Manziel we saw Sunday. And they don't beat the Bengals we saw Sunday with the Hoyer on display over the last month.
The Browns got what they could out of their quarterback situation. Now the only carryover is if Manziel provides reason to believe in him.
For now, the buzz is dead. And maybe that's not a bad thing.
This can't be about chutzpah or marketing. It was clear why Pettine didn't turn to Manziel sooner.
As for next year -- based on the clues accumulated since the draft up to 4 p.m. Sunday -- who could possibly be convinced the Browns have found their man?
Jeremy Hill had a big day rushing and the Bengals had their way with the Browns defense all afternoon at FirstEnergy Stadium.
BEREA, Ohio – The closest anyone in a Browns jersey came to pushing back against Jeremy Hill and the Bengals rushing attack Sunday was a lone fan in a Joe Haden shirt.
After the rookie halfback scored his second touchdown on a 16-yard run he spied a pair of Bengals' fans in the front row and scaled the end-zone wall hoping to revel with them. The agitated Browns supporter interrupted the celebration by shoving Hill out of the stands and toward the field.
It represented the Browns' best short-yardage defense in an embarrassing 30-0 loss at FirstEnergy Stadium. While all the attention was trained on Johnny Manziel, the Bengals shredded the Cleveland run defense, chewing up yardage and clock particularly in the first half.
The Browns surrendered a season-high 244 yards on 45 attempts. After running his mouth following the first meeting – a 24-3 Browns' victory -- Hill let his legs do the work in the rematch with 148 yards and two TDs on 25 attempts.
The Browns defense, so solid in recent games, offered no excuses for their worst performance in weeks. It was the most yards they've yielded on the ground since the Ravens totaled 290 on Dec. 4, 2011 and 10th most since their 1999 return to the league.
"We knew they were going to try to run the ball, establish the run early and often, and even through we knew that we weren't up to the task of stopping it," defensive lineman Desmond Bryant said.
"It was an attitude that they brought in here that they were going to shove it down our throat and we didn't man up and they did."
The Bengals went 81 yards on 14 plays in their opening series to take a 7-0 lead and followed it up with a nine-play, 46-yard, field-goal drive. In the first quarter, the visitors produced 10 first downs and possessed the ball for a whopping 10:54, keeping Manziel tethered to the sideline.
By the time Hill was repelled by the fan he already had 93 yards rushing less than two minutes into the second quarter. The LSU product had angered the Browns with his perceived lack of respect following the Nov. 6 game in which he said, 'They're probably worse than I thought . . . Those guys, they're not that good."
Edge rusher Jabaal Sheard conceded it was frustrating to allow him to enjoy such a big game after making those comments.
"He talked it, he had better answer it and I guess he did," Sheard said. "I don't want to say he did anything spectacular. It was more us. We've got to get off blocks and we didn't get off blocks . . .
"Letting them get to the second level and onto our linebackers (was disappointing). They came out with a lot of juice and I guess they had a little anger built up from the last game."
The Browns ranked 26th in run defense (129.8 yards) entering play, but had been stouter over the last three weeks. That progress was shattered on a day the Bengals produced only one run longer than 20 yards. They strung together one effective carry after another. Gio Bernard added 79 yards on 15 carries.
"We did not play complementary football," coach Mike Pettine said. "To me, you want to get the offense out there and maximize your opportunities. We just gave up too many long drives, and we were on the field. The end of the game was a perfect indication."
Cleveland Police Patrolman Association President Jeff Follmer demanded an apology from Browns receiver, who wore a shirt that read "Justice for Tamir Rice and John Crawford."
CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cleveland police union president said on Sunday that Browns wide receiver Andrew Hawkins' "Justice for Tamir Rice" shirt is "pathetic."
Jeff Follmer said on Sunday that Hawkins' shirt was disrespectful and demanded an apology from the Browns.
Hawkins wore a shirt that said "Justice for Tamir Rice and John Crawford" on the front and "The Real Battle for Ohio" on the back during pre-game warm-ups before the Browns home game against the Cincinnati Bengals at FirstEnergy Stadium.
"He's an athlete. He's someone with no facts of the case whatsoever," Follmer said. "He's disrespecting the police on a job that we had to do and make a split-second decision."
Rice, 12, was fatally shot on Nov. 22 by rookie Cleveland police officer Timothy Loehmann less than two seconds after he arrived to investigate a complaint about Tamir carrying what turned out to be a fake gun.
Crawford, 22, was fatally shot by police on Aug. 5 while holding a toy rifle inside a Walmart in Beavercreek, outside Dayton.
Follmer said many Cleveland police officers work security for the Browns games and are employed by Browns.
"He should stick to playing football and let us worry about law enforcement," Follmer said. "The players don't know what our job entails. Don't judge us by what you're reading in the media."
The Browns' already depleted secondary suffered the loss cornerbacks Joe Haden and Justin Gilbert in the first half of Sunday's loss to the Bengals.
CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Browns secondary is dipping into its third string. Cornerbacks Joe Haden and Justin Gilbert were injured in the first half of Sunday's 30-0 loss to the Bengals. They did not return.
Haden suffered a shoulder injury and is to have an MRI on Monday. Gilbert was being examined for a head injury. The Browns did not disclose the severity of either injury.
The Browns already were without cornerback K'Waun Williams, who has a hamstring injury. He was declared out Friday.
The loss of Haden meant Buster Skrine slid over to guard A.J. Green, who had 11 catches, but gained just 49 yards. Green caught three passes in the second half with Skrine on him.
Rookie Jordan Poyer saw increased playing time and had four tackles.
Sunday was the third game missed by safety Tashaun Gipson (knee), who said this week he hopes to be back before the season ends. His replacement, Jim Leonhard, had six tackles and also was stiff-armed by Bengals running back Jeremy Hill on the way to the end zone.
The secondary held up well and contributed to Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton's mediocre play. He completed 14 of 24 passes for 117 yards and no touchdowns, with one interception (Craig Robertson).
T-shirt statement: Browns receiver Andrew Hawkins wore a T-shirt that read "Justice for Tamir Rice and John Crawford" during warmups, and he wore it over his jersey and pads during pregame introductions. The shirt was black with white lettering.
Receiver Taylor Gabriel wore an identical T-shirt as he exited the Browns locker room after the game.
Rice, 12, was shot and killed by a Cleveland police officer while Rice was holding a pellet gun with the orange cap removed last month. Crawford, 21, was shot and killed by police while holding an air rifle in a Dayton-area Wal-Mart in August.
MVP: It's never a good sign when the punter is the most productive player. Spencer Lanning averaged 48 yards on seven punts, with two downed inside the 20-yard line. His hang time also was outstanding. The Bengals returned five punts, including a 30-yarder by Brandon Tate, who averaged 4.5 yards on the other four returns.
The Browns had more punts than first downs (five).
Stat of the game: Cincinnati beat Cleveland in total yards rushing, 244-53.In the Browns' 24-3 victory at Cincinnati last month, the Browns outgained the Bengals, 170-86.
Quick hits: Paul Kruger recorded his 10th sack, the most by a Brown since Kamerion Wimbley's 11 in 2006. He has eight sacks in the last eight games.
Linebacker Craig Robertson registered a game-high 10 tackles and one interception.
Backup receiver Marlon Moore suffered a knee injury in the first quarter and did not return.
Cleveland finished 4-4 at home, the fourth time it has been .500 at home since 1999. The only season above. .500 was 7-1 in 2007.
The Browns' newest player, kicker Garrett Hartley, did not play. Lanning kicked off to begin the game, and the Browns did not attempt a field goal. Hartley was signed to replace Billy Cundiff, who was waived Saturday.
Listen to the archive of Sunday Browns Insider with Mary Kay Cabot and Tom Reed.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Sunday night Browns Insider is back. Listen to the archive of our live Sunday night show and join us every week to talk Cleveland Browns football. On today's show, host Dan Labbe talked about the Browns' 30-0 loss to the Bengals with Mary Kay Cabot and Tom Reed. Topics discussed on the show included:BEREA, Ohio – ESPN analyst Merrill Hoge unleashed another volley of criticism aimed at Johnny Manziel on Sunday, saying "it's going to be a quick exit" for him as a starter and that whoever drafted him should be fired. Hoge has targeted the Browns quarterback in the past, but the former Steelers' halfback also went after the club's top receiver....
BEREA, Ohio – ESPN analyst Merrill Hoge unleashed another volley of criticism aimed at Johnny Manziel on Sunday, saying "it's going to be a quick exit" for him as a starter and that whoever drafted him should be fired.
Hoge has targeted the Browns quarterback in the past, but the former Steelers' halfback also went after the club's top receiver. On this week's ESPN's NFL Matchup, he said coach Mike Pettine should consider benching Gordon because his effort has been lacking since his return from as 10-game drug ban.
The Browns receiver hadn't heard Hoge's remarks following the 30-0 loss to the Bengals on Sunday, but dismissed them on the same day he said he preferred playing with a "mobile" quarterback like Manziel.
"Yeah, it's surprising," Gordon said. "Merrill Hoge doesn't coach here or work here. He has no say, it's just opinion. Media is media."
It was another frustrating afternoon for Gordon and the offense, which managed just 107 yards – the fewest since generating 26 yards in a 37-7 loss at Buffalo in 2004.
The All Pro wideout caught three passes for 48 yards a week after registering two receptions for 15 yards.
Gordon defended himself during the week, saying "it's crazy to think" he hasn't give full effort. On Sunday, the Browns rarely had the ball and did little with it – producing more punts (seven) than first downs (five).
In his first start, Manziel finished 10-of-18 for 80 yards with two interceptions and a 27.3 passer rating.
This week's practices offered no hint of the struggles the quarterback and the offense endured against the Bengals, Gordon said.
"Everything was on point," he added. " . . . Simulating the game is hard to be done. When you are out there thrown into the fire, you have to be ready for anything. It's not going to look like practice.
"We had a great gameplan. I wouldn't have changed anything about it. It looked great. It was something new and something that nobody had seen before. We practiced it and we were ready for it. It just did not progress right during the game."
Gordon preached patience for Manziel and said he enjoys playing with a mobile quarterback, while answering a question about former college teammate Robert Griffin III at Baylor. Brian Hoyer, benched after last week's loss to the Colts, is more a pocket passer.
"I like it, I prefer it that way – mobile quarterback, mobile offense," Gordon said. "It's easier to make plays that way. You can always keep a defense guessing. It's just time, it's one game. Unfortunately, it's so stressful to everybody because it's at the end of the season and we're looking at a playoff push. That's what is being concentrated on and there's so much stress on (everybody)."
The Browns have lost four of five. They have not thrown a touchdown pass in the last four games. Watch video
CLEVELAND, OHIO -- Scribbles in my Cleveland Browns notebook after the 30-0 loss to Cincinnati:
1. The reality of late-season NFL football has hit the Browns. As coach Mike Pettine said, "We live in a 'what have you done for us lately' business." And then he talked about how the Browns have lost four of their last five. Yes, their record is 7-7. But they were 6-3. And this was their worst loss of the season.
2. Pettine mentioned how he told the players: "It's not how you start, it's how you finish." He talked about earning the right to play "meaningful games" late in the season. And yes, the Browns did that. But watching the team's defense and offense collapse at the same time is discouraging. That's especially true because Joe Haden (shoulder injury) and Justin Gilbert (head injury) left the game. No one is sure if they will be ready for next week's game in Charlotte.
3. The defense already is in trouble as key starters Karlos Dansby and Tashaun Gipson have been out three weeks with knee injuries. The defense has played relatively well in the last few games. It was outstanding against the Colts last week. But it was smashed by the Bengals. According to ESPN, the Bengals ran for 194 yards between the tackles. That means they just pushed the Browns linemen and linebackers around.
4. Every week seems to attest to the value of Alex Mack, the center who broke his leg in game five against Pittsburgh and is out for the season. Ryan Seymour is the team's fourth center. He was starting for the second game in a row, and was flagged for two penalties. Some of his snaps in the shotgun were shaky. Overall, the offensive line has not been the same since the injury to Mack.
5. After Mack was hurt, John Greco moved from guard to center and started one game. Then Greco went back to guard, and Nick McDonald started at center for six games. He was replaced by Seymour. I have no idea who will play center next week. But all the changes certainly make it harder for the quarterback and the other linemen. The center is in charge of calling out the blocking schemes.
6. According to ESPN, Johnny Manziel dropped back to pass 24 times. Only twice did the Bengals blitz him. Yet he was sacked three times, and hit three more times after throwing a pass. That means Cincinnati overpowered the Browns blockers. Manziel also left the pocket on 10 of his 24 dropbacks.
7. The Browns ran the vast majority of plays out of the shotgun. Manziel was in the shotgun on 99 percent of his plays at Texas A&M. With the Browns this season, Brian Hoyer was in the shotgun on 246 of 425 passes, so they mixed it up with him.
8. No matter what the Browns say, they had to be shocked by how poorly Manziel played. The team has problems all over the place, but Manziel couldn't even use his legs to make a decent play. They had only five first downs (three by penalty). Their longest play was a 32-yard pass to Josh Gordon. Their longest run was a 10-yard Manziel scramble. Only once did the offense cross into Bengal territory, and that ended with a interception.
9. The Browns have to stay with Manziel for the final two games. This will be a good test to see if he can pull himself together. Pettine indicated that he plans to start Manziel in the final two games.
10. The Browns play at Carolina next Sunday. The Panthers beat Tampa Bay, 19-17. Old friend Derek Anderson started at quarterback for the injured Cam Newton and did a solid job. Anderson was 25-of-40 with a touchdown, no interceptions and a 91.4 rating.
Watch Mary Kay Cabot and Tom Reed as they analyze the Cleveland Browns 30-0 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Johnny Manziel’s NFL debut. Also watch reaction from Johnny Manziel and Mike Pettine after the game. Watch video
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cincinnati Bengals wrecked Johnny Manziel's debut and any hope of the Browns winning the division when they dominated 30-0 at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Manziel completed 10 of 18 passes for 80 yards with two interceptions for a 27.3 quarterback rating. He was sacked three times and had one pass batted down.
"(He) looked like a rookie, played like a rookie," said head coach Mike Pettine after the game.
Manziel said, "I'm not using the rookie excuse. I felt like it was a fail on my part for the position and it's tough."
Bengals rookie running back Jeremy Hill ran for 148 yards and two touchdowns. In the first Battle of Ohio in Cincinnati that the Browns won 24-3, Hill said he didn't think the Browns were that good.
The Browns secondary, already without nickel back K'Waun Williams, lost Pro Bowl cornerback in the second quarter to a shoulder injury and corner Justin Gilbert to a head injury. Neither returned to the game.
The Browns, who have lost four out of the last five games, next travel to Carolina to play the Panthers Sunday.
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The Cleveland Cavaliers are getting healthier at the right time with a five-game homestand on deck.
CLEVELAND – The Cavaliers are on the mend.
All but one player fully participated in Sunday's practice. LeBron James -- having missed the Oklahoma City game Thursday with a sore left knee -- said he went through the entire practice with the exception of the final drill.
Coach David Blatt pulled him out of that as a precaution.
"It's OK," James said of his knee after practice. "It responded well to the flight back home so I'm happy about that. I'll get my treatment tonight and get my treatment tomorrow [before] the game."
Guard Dion Waiters participated in Sunday's practice, but Matthew Dellavedova wasn't ready. He was relegated to light shooting and movement drills. On Friday, both players became ill in New Orleans and were held overnight for tests.
Waiters had abdominal pain and Dellavedova an extreme case of vomiting.
"We don't know whether it was a virus or food poisoning," Blatt said. "But the effect of it we know, and it was not pretty."
The team is listing Dellavedova as questionable for Monday's home game against Charlotte.
Mike Miller is close to returning to action after sustaining a concussion during the road win over the Knicks on Dec. 4. He is in the fourth of five stages in the league's concussion recovery protocol.
"We were able to get him out there today for some 3-on-3 here after practice," Blatt said. "And tomorrow we'll evaluate his response to that and know where to go for the next step."
Miller will not play Monday. It is more than likely he returns Wednesday against the Atlanta Hawks.
"We're staying true to the process and Mike got out there and at least, while he was playing, seemed to feel pretty good," said Blatt. "We'll see how he reacts."
Cleveland (13-9) has dropped its last two games. The Cavs have a five-game homestand waiting. There's no better time for this team to be returning to good health.
he Cleveland Cavaliers snapped their two-game losing skid on Monday night, beating the Charlotte Hornets, 97-88.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers snapped their two-game losing skid on Monday night, beating the Charlotte Hornets, 97-88.
LeBron James had 27 points, 13 assists and seven rebounds. Kevin Love added 22 points and 18 rebounds.
The Cavs, 14-9, will return to The Q on Wednesday night where they have won six straight.
Scoring Summary:
End of 3rd Quarter - Cavs lead the Hornets, 80-68. LeBron James and Kevin Love each have 20 points. Kyrie Irving has added 14 points. Tristan Thompson has come off the bench to score 10 points. For the Hornets, Kemba Walker has 17 points while Al Jefferson has 12.
End of 2nd Quarter - Cavs lead the Hornets, 54-45. LeBron James has 13 points and nine assists. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love have each added 12 points. Kemba Walker's 13 points pace the Hornets.
End of 1st Quarter - Cavs lead the Hornets, 34-17. LeBron James set the tone with seven points and six assists. Kevin Love leads all scorers with 12 points on 3-of-5 shooting. Kyrie Irving added eight points. For Charlotte, Kemba Walker scored 11 points.
Ohio State seniors Michael Bennett, Jeff Heuerman and Doran Grant have accepted invitations to play in the 2015 Senior Bowl.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — At least three members of the Ohio State football team are guaranteed to play beyond the Buckeyes' Jan. 1 Sugar Bowl date with Alabama.
Defensive tackle Michael Bennett, tight end Jeff Heuerman and cornerback Doran Grant have accepted bids to play in the 2015 Senior Bowl, which will be played on Jan. 24 in Mobile, Alabama. The game will be televised on NFL Network.
The No. 4 Buckeyes play the No. 1 Crimson Tide in a College Football Playoff semifinal on New Year's Day. The winner will advance to the College Football Playoff National Championship on Jan. 12 in Arlington, Texas against the winner of the Rose Bowl semifinal between No. 2 Oregon and No. 3 Florida State.
Bennett has been praised by Urban Meyer for emerging as a leader this year. He's become known for his halftime speeches that rallied Ohio State's defense in wins over Minnesota and Michigan. Bennett has 36 tackles this season, 12.5 for loss, and is second on the team with six sacks.
Heuerman, who was hindered earlier this season by a stress reaction in his surgically-repaired foot, had 17 catches for 202 yards and two touchdowns.
Grant has emerged as Ohio State's go-to cover guy, and he'll be relied on heavily against Alabama receiver and Heisman Trophy finalist Amari Cooper. Grant has 51 tackles and is tied with Vonn Bell for the team lead in interceptions with five.
Bennett, Heuerman and Bennett are among 12 Big Ten players who have accepted Senior Bowl invitations. There are no Alabama players among the 86 who have accepted invitations.
Check out what we learned about Ohio State vs. Alabama on Monday:
Cleveland.com on the Buckeyes
Ohio State co-offensive coordinator Tom Herman expected to be named head coach at Houston
Urban Meyer-Nick Saban like Woody Hayes-Bo Schembechler for a new age
Alabama football is going to 'crush' Ohio State Buckeyes, says Cincinnati Bengals' Wallace Gilberry
Is the Big Ten going to lose all 10 of its bowl games?
Al.com on the Crimson Tide
Big offensive tackle Matt Womack's father shares why son flipped from LSU to Alabama
Other Crimson Tide coverage
Alabama football awards for 2014 season (Bleacher Report)
Alabama football: When opponents complete a deep pass, it's not always the defensive back's fault (The Anniston Star)
The Browns offense hasn't been gaining yards in chunks ... obviously.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Sunday was ugly. Really ugly. A lot of statistics can sum that up, including that the Browns only managed five first downs. The real telling stat (and not unrelated, of course): 41 offensive snaps.
That's not very many plays. The tone was set on Cincinnati's first drive when they turned the game's opening kickoff into a 14-play, 81-yard, 7:07 drive. The Browns answered with a three-and-out and Cincinnati ate another 3:39 off the clock leading to a Mike Nugent field goal.
The point: The snap counts from Sunday are a wreck. It's hard to read anything into them because the offense was barely on the field and the defense was banged up (and there were clear garbage time snaps for some guys). But it got me wondering: How does the Browns offense, with its shiny new no-huddle this season, compare in terms of number of plays overall?
According to NFL.com, the Browns have run the 12th most plays from scrimmage. The Saints will pass them on Monday night. The Bears likely won't. They aren't far behind last season's pace. They were 10th in 2013. They're running 67.1 plays per game this year as compared to 69.6 last year.
Where it gets interesting (or scary) is how little they're doing with the plays they're running. Of the top 12 teams in the league in plays from scrimmage, only the New York Jets rank lower than the Browns in yards per game. The Jets rank 25th while the Browns come in at 20th. Put simply, the Browns are averaging an abysmal 5.2 yards per play, good for 23rd in the league.
There's a lot that goes into that average -- subpar quarterback play, an inconsistent rushing attack and a shaky offensive line. It all adds up to a team that hasn't been able to make opponents pay for turnovers and was unable to take advantage of a defense that scored two touchdowns against Indianapolis.
The Browns' nosedive since beating Cincinnati on Nov. 6 has been ugly. Aside from Sunday's Bengals game, the defense has been respectable. If you're looking to point the finger, do it at an offense that has been stuck spinning its wheels -- and tossing away opportunities -- for weeks.
Here are this week's snap counts:
Offense (41 snaps)
Observations: Gabriel is getting more playing time. After falling below 30 percent of the team's snaps upon Gordon's return, he's at 63 percent of offensive snaps the last two weeks. ... Crowell had been separating from West at running back. Not anymore. West played a higher percentage of snaps last week and they were nearly even against Cincinnati.
Defense (74 snaps)
Observations: Haden had been an ironman this season. He left Sunday's game with an injury, as did Gilbert. That meant plenty of snaps for Poyer and rookie Desir. ... A lot of snaps for Kirksey. Is that because of garbage time? It's a good chance as Kruger played an uncharacteristically low percentage of snaps.
The Akron school board found evidence of verbal abuse between Tim Flossie and a Firestone athlete; Flossie says he's "out in the middle of nowhere."
The Akron school board found evidence of verbal abuse between Tim Flossie and a Firestone athlete; Flossie says he's "out in the middle of nowhere."
The Cleveland Browns receiver struck the right tone in discussing a topic of hot debate.
BEREA, Ohio – On a day filled with so much screaming in Cleveland sports, one voice rose above the din.
It was powerful, yet vulnerable. It quivered, but never broke. Most importantly, it would not be stilled.
As analysts and fans raged over Johnny Manziel's poor debut and the dreadful Browns performance accompanying it, receiver Andrew Hawkins spoke Monday of life and death -- and, the right to express an opinion on it.
He might have failed to hang onto a Manziel pass Sunday, but he didn't drop the ball in defending his decision to wear a T-shirt protesting recent police shootings in Ohio during pregame introductions. The shirt read: "Justice for Tamir Rice and John Crawford" on the front and "The Real Battle for Ohio" on the back.
Hawkins was emotional and eloquent in responding to the Cleveland police union president who called his choice "pathetic" and demanded an apology. The receiver told reporters he was moved to action out of fear something similar could happen to his 2-year-old son, Austin. Hawkins said he understood the consequences, the potential backlash and they "scared" him.
"But deep down I felt like it was the right thing to do," he said. "If I was to run away from what I felt in my soul was the right thing to do, that would make me a coward, and I can't live with that."
I'm not defending Hawkins' stance here. That's not the objective of this piece. But in a society where everyone can spout their opinions, often anonymously, why are athletes so often condemned for speaking on social issues? Musicians and actors do it all the time and, even if we don't agree with their takes, we grudgingly grant them the forum.
Cleveland should be proud that athletes such as Hawkins, LeBron James and Johnson Bademosi care enough to risk their reputations to stand for something other than winning games and getting paid.
They have been outspoken on the spate of recent police shootings in Ferguson, New York City and Ohio. Rice, 12, was fatally shot Nov. 22 by a rookie Cleveland police officer less two seconds after the officer arrived to investigate a complaint about Tamir carrying what turned out to be a fake gun. Police outside of Dayton killed Crawford, 22, on Aug. 5 while he held a toy rifle inside a Walmart.
We should all appreciate the bravery of our law enforcement. It's thankless and dangerous work, requiring split-second, life-and-death decisions. Hawkins acknowledged as much during a six-minute address Monday without taking questions.
He also thinks there should be consequences for "not-so-good police officers" who hurt people based on "preconceived notions or the wrong motives." Hawkins would not apologize in seeking justice for the victims' families.
It's an emotionally charged issue with a racial component that's been debated on talk shows, in chat rooms and around kitchen tables. So why shouldn't athletes, some who grew up in similar environs, not make their voices heard? In an essay for Monday Morning Quarterback, Bademosi wrote:
"A small minority of people respond with what amounts to, "Shut up and play." These are the same people who buy jerseys and tickets to games, or watch religiously on television. They help pay our salaries, and because of that they think they have a right to tell us what we can and can't say, essentially, what kind of men we ought to be."
A week later, Cleveland police union president Jeff Follmer said of Hawkins: "He should stick to playing football and let us worry about law enforcement. The players don't know what our job entails. Don't judge us by what you're reading in the media."
Too many people still believe the sports world should be bereft of meaningful social dialogue and protest. They view their fandom as an escape from real-world problems without considering where many of these athletes were before becoming famous. Many pros don't speak out for fear of reprisal.
I covered hockey for years and can't tell you how many uncomfortable glances I received from players who didn't want to discuss growing up under a Communist regime because of concerns for loved ones back home. The same men who would dive in front of a 100 mph slap shot would literally look out of the corners of their eyes to see who was listening to our conversation.
Several months ago, a playful video Hawkins made of him "kicking" Austin out of the house for supporting his old team, the Bengals, went viral. Fans loved the father-and-son interaction. But some now take issue with Hawkins speaking out on the need to protect Austin and other kids like him from potential deadly encounters.
In an age of athletic entitlement, Hawkins, 28, is the definition of a self-made pro, a diminutive, undrafted free agent who worked in factories and caddied at golf courses to keep alive his dream of playing in the NFL. I've got a lot of time for Andrew Hawkins and his opinions about football and life.
Maybe I agree with them, maybe I don't, but he sure as hell has the right to express them. And on a day when there was so much noise about the Browns quarterback, Hawkins' words supplied much-needed perspective on matters of societal import.
• Vote: Should athletes be making social statements during pregame?
Cleveland State adds to its basketball TV package for this season with four games on SportsTime Ohio beginning this Sunday.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland State has added four televised games to its schedule for the remainder of the season on SportsTime Ohio, beginning with Sunday's 1 p.m. contest with San Francisco in the Wolstein Center.
"Cleveland State aspires to get as many of our games on ... television as possible,'' Cleveland State athletic director John Parry said in a release. "I am pleased that SportsTime Ohio, Cedar Point and Learfield Sports have worked together to add these four games.
Cedar Point and Learfield Sports will present the games.
There will be two home games and two road games in the package, with the other home game Feb. 7 against Wright State at 2 p.m. The two road games will be Jan. 4 at Illinois-Chicago at 2 p.m. and Feb. 17 at Western Illinois at 7 p.m.
Al Pawlowski will move over from his radio duties to do the TV play-by-play with former CSU player Pat Vuyancih doing the color commentary.
Other TV games for the Vikings this season include Horizon League games Jan. 2 vs. Milwaukee and Jan. 31 vs. Green Bay on Time Warner Sports Channel. CSU also has five games on ESPN's channels starting with Thursday's 7 p.m. game at Virginia on ESPNU; Jan. 23 vs. Detroit on ESPN2, and Feb. 13 at Detroit on ESPN2. The final two TV games are set for Feb. 20 at Green Bay on ESPN2 and the final home game of the season, Feb. 27 vs. Valparaiso on ESPNU.
The Vikings entered Monday's game with Mount Vernon at 4-5, losers in three of their last five.
Tim Warsinskey will be honored during the boys basketball state tournament in March.
Tim Warsinskey will be honored during the boys basketball state tournament in March.
Warren Buffett considers LeBron James a "real friend," was thrilled James returned to Cleveland, and believes he'll be here long term.
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Count Warren Buffett among those who were thrilled that LeBron James returned to the Cavaliers this season.
"I loved it. I loved it when he did it," Buffett told the Northeast Ohio Media Group at The Q, moments before James and the Cavaliers took on the Charlotte Hornets. Buffett was seated on the baseline near the Cavaliers bench as a guest of James and, perhaps more so, of owner Dan Gilbert.
"I thought it was absolutely the right thing to do," Buffett continued. "I couldn't have been more pleased."
Buffett, 84, chief executive officer of Berkshire Hathaway, is the second-richest man in the United States with a net work of $71.6 billion, according to Forbes.com. He was donning a white No. 23 Cavaliers jersey Monday night. On Sunday, he attended a Detroit Lions football game and wore a No. 90 jersey for the Lions' Ndamukong Suh.
Buffett told the Northeast Ohio Media Group that James is a "real friend," that he and James speak "a few times a year."
"Every now and then I'll send him an email or he'll send me an email," Buffett said. "Every time I send him one I hear back from him in two minutes or vice versa. I sent him one about this game. ... I told LeBron if he got winded in this game he could put me in and nobody would notice the difference."
Buffett was seated next to Gilbert on the baseline. A Cavaliers spokesman declined an interview request for Gilbert.
James takes pride in his budding business empire, chronicled in October by the Northeast Ohio Media Group, which includes lucrative marketing deals, a TV and film production company, and financial investments.
James seeks Buffett's advice in business – who wouldn't? – and Buffett said he continues to be impressed with the Cavaliers' superstar.
"He's always been very, very smart," Buffett said. "He's smart about business, but he's just a smart guy. I noticed that the first time I met him, about six or seven years ago. And you know he doesn't miss anything."
Buffett said he sees James remaining in Cleveland long term. After four years away from Cleveland with the Miami Heat, James signed a two-year, $42.1 million deal with a player option to become a free agent after one season.
James, 29, has said his contract was purely for business purposes – shorter contracts enable him to make more money when the NBA's salary cap rises due to a new TV deal that begins in 2016 – and he intends to finish his career with the Cavaliers.
"This is home, it is home," Buffett said. "He loves Cleveland, Cleveland loves him. In a sense, it's like new Coke (Coca-Cola) and old Coke. Years ago they were going to take away the old Coke so they could make a new Coke, and then all of a sudden everyone remembered how much they loved the old Coke. That's the way this is."
Buffett is the largest shareholder of Coca-Cola.
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Plain Dealer photographer Gus Chan is at Quicken Loans Arena tonight as the Cleveland Cavaliers face the Charlotte Hornets. The gallery will be updated throughout the game. Check back for all the action.
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Plain Dealer photographer Gus Chan is at Quicken Loans Arena tonight as the Cleveland Cavaliers face the Charlotte Hornets. The gallery will be updated throughout the game. Check back for all the action.
