The Baltimore Ravens have gone all-in with quarterback Joe Flacco and are counting on him taking them to the Super Bowl in his third season.

David Kohl / Associated PressRavens QB Joe Flacco has taken plenty of harrassment from the defenses of the Jets and Bengals (here by Antwan Odom) during the first two weeks of the season. The third-year quarterback is being counted upon to help lift Baltimore back to Super Bowl contention.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Baltimore Ravens made a major decision this year in putting their Super Bowl hopes in the hands of their quarterback. The shift in their philosophy occurred in February when owner Steve Bisciotti publicly challenged Joe Flacco to step up his game in Year 3.

The Ravens proceeded to support Flacco by acquiring accomplished receiving targets Anquan Boldin and T.J. Houshmandzadeh. They're no longer built like the 2000 Super Bowl team, which pounded teams into submission with suffocating defense and a physical running game.

The risk of the commitment to the passing game was realized last week in Cincinnati. The Bengals blanketed Flacco's receivers and forced four interceptions. Meanwhile, running back Ray Rice -- a 2,000-plus-yard all-purpose dynamo last year -- carried the ball only 16 times in the Ravens' 15-10 loss.

It was the second road game in a row against a tough, physical defense. The Ravens opened the season on a Monday night with a 10-9 win against the Jets. So they're 1-1 and still standing after back-to-back slugfests on the road.

"Two tough games to start. Hopefully it'll pay dividends down the stretch," said Ravens General Manager Ozzie Newsome. "I've tried to build the team for the long haul."

Flacco was scathed from the defensive pounding. He checks in as the lowest-ranked starting QB in the NFL through two weeks (41.2 rating), completing 48.1 percent of his 77 throws. He's accounted for six of Baltimore's seven offensive turnovers.

"Joe played well after getting banged around early by the Jets," Newsome said. "He made some great throws and helped us win that game. Then he had a bad game.

"You don't get too hyped up with the good games and too low with the bad ones. Between Cam [Cameron, offensive coordinator] and Jim Zorn [quarterbacks coach], they'll be able to help him to be more consistent."

Flacco won three playoff games in his first two seasons, which is way ahead of the normal curve for NFL quarterbacks. But in five postseason games, he's completed 47.5 percent of his passes with one touchdown and six interceptions. His postseason rating is 46.5.

The Ravens know Flacco has to reverse those numbers for them to get to where they expect to be in February.

TONY GROSSI'S SCOUTING REPORT

Browns vs. Baltimore Ravens

Sunday 1 p.m. in M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Md.

Record: 1-1

Paul Abell / Associated PressOne of the key matchups on Sunday will be the renewal of hostilities between Ravens pass rusher Terrell Suggs and Browns All-Pro tackle Joe Thomas.

Last game: Lost to Bengals, 15-10, Sept. 19, in Cincinnati.

Coach: John Harbaugh, 24-15, third year.

Series record: Ravens lead, 15-7.

Last meeting: Ravens won, 16-0, Nov. 16, in Cleveland.

League rankings: Offense is 25th (26th rushing, 21st passing), defense is second (13th rushing, second passing) and turnover differential is minus-6.

Offensive overview: Coordinator Cam Cameron wants his offense to start resembling the one he left behind four years ago in San Diego. But quarterback Joe Flacco has not been smart with the ball and has forced throws into coverage. Part of the problem is the revamped receiving corps -- featuring Anquan Boldin and T.J. Houshmandzadeh -- still lacks a burner deep threat. That leaves running back Ray Rice as the main playmaker. They milked him for over 2,000 yards total offense last year, but have seemed reluctant to throw to him through two games (six catches). That may change as a means of steadying Flacco, who has committed six of the team's seven turnovers. They can always fall back on grinding out a game with Rice and fullback Le'Ron McClain and dumping off to the tight ends, but they hope to proceed beyond that this season.

Defensive overview: Perhaps to protect a suspect secondary, coordinator Greg Mattison has tried to manufacture a pass rush with less blitzing. Lineman Trevor Pryce and linebacker Terrell Suggs are the pass rushers of note, but if they don't get to the quarterback the secondary can be beat. Starting cornerbacks Chris Carr and Fabian Washington are small and light and don't have exceptional hands. The best corner may be Lardarius Webb, who had ACL surgery in his first season and is starting to round into playing shape. They also picked up Josh Wilson from Seattle in a trade and are getting Cary Williams back from league suspension. So their depth is improving, but they don't have the playmakers back there anymore, especially with safety Ed Reed out through six weeks after 2009 hip surgery. They have only one turnover in two games. Of course, led by linebacker Ray Lewis, Suggs and tackle Haloti Ngata, this is still a formidable unit that can put a hurt on any team physically.

Special teams overview: Former Browns assistant Jerry Rosburg always fields capable special teams. He's like a 12th man, so this area is not the weakness it was a few years ago. Kicker Billy Cundiff is 2-for-2 with a long of 38 yards. He has three touchbacks on kickoffs. Punter Sam Koch is 28th in gross average (38.5 yards) and 26th in net (33.3) but co-leads the NFL with six punts inside the 20. Safety Tom Zbikowski is dependable on punt returns, not explosive. Jalen Parmele is the kick returner. The coverage units allowed a 60-yard kickoff return in Cincinnati that cost them three points.

Gene Sweeney Jr. / Baltimore SunStalwart running back Ray Rice is still looking for the dominant role in the offense that he enjoyed in 2009.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

• Running back Ray Rice: The only player other than Tennessee's Chris Johnson to top 2,000 yards from scrimmage in 2009, he has been bottled up on the ground by the Jets and Bengals and hasn't yet been as big a factor in the passing game this year.

• Quarterback Joe Flacco: The team has set him up to take the next step to elite level, but he's thrown five interceptions and lost a fumble in two games.

• Linebacker Ray Lewis: In his 15th NFL season, the 35-year-old still runs the defense on the field, imposing his will on teammates and opponents. This time of season, he still has his legs, enabling him to make plays across the field.

Injury report: TE Todd Heap (shoulder), RB Ray Rice (ankle), LB Ray Lewis (foot), LB Tavares Gooden (shoulder), OT Jared Gaither (back) have been on the team's injury list in the last week.

Small world: Executive vice president/GM Ozzie Newsome was a Browns Hall of Fame tight end and was inducted into the club's new Ring of Honor last week. ... Vice president of football administration Pat Moriarty is a native of Cleveland, attended Benedictine High School and worked for the Browns. ... Several other staff members formerly worked for the Browns, including Vince Newsome, Kevin Byrne, Bob Eller, Bill Tessendorf and Bill Jankowski. ... Senior personnel assistant George Kokinis was Browns GM in 2009 before being relieved of his duties in November. ... Ravens kicker Bill Cundiff played five games for the Browns in 2009. ... Receiver Donte Stallworth played for the Browns in 2008. ... Defensive line coach Clarence Brooks coached with the Browns in 1999. ... Linebacker coach Dean Pees was Kent State head coach 1998-2003. ... Offensive line coach John Matsko is a Cleveland native and played at Kent State. ... Secondary coach Chuck Pagano coached with the Browns 2001-04. ... Special teams coordinator Jerry Rosburg had the same job with the Browns 2001-06.

The 2009 fourth-round pick is out for the year. Browns re-sign LB Titus Brown.

BEREA -- The Browns placed linebacker Kaluka Maiava on injured reserve and replaced him with linebacker Titus Brown.

The Browns did not specify the injury to Maiava, who was drafted in the fourth round in 2009. Maiava injured his right knee on a Cleveland kickoff in the second quarter of the Browns' 16-14 loss to Kansas City on Sunday.

Brown was signed off the Denver Broncos' practice squad. He ended up there after being waived by the Browns after the final cut to 53 players.

"The third baseman next year will simply keep the seat warm until Goedert (or whoever emerges as the prime candidate) can prove that he is ready both defensively and offensively. The opening day third baseman will only start for a few months unless Goedert wins the job out of spring training." - The Great Michael

View full sizeChuck Crow | The Plain DealerWhether it's Jayson Nix or someone else at third base to start next season, he'll likely just be keeping the seat warm for one of the young third baseman in the organization.

In response to the story Indians Comment of the Day: Nix not the answer at third, cleveland.com reader The Great Michael has no problem if Nix starts at third to begin 2011. This reader writes,

"The third baseman next year will simply keep the seat warm until Goedert (or whoever emerges as the prime candidate) can prove that he is ready both defensively and offensively. The opening day third baseman will only start for a few months unless Goedert wins the job out of spring training."

"I am surprised more coaches don't suffer heart attacks. They work insane hours and there is enormous pressure to win. These coaches are addicted to coaching. I am really surprised an NFL coach hasn't had a heart attack as they work 75-85 hours a week. Those guys pull all-nighters regularly. It can't be a healthy lifestyle." - ktjazz

View full sizeAP Photo | Al GoldisMark Dantonio.

In response to the story Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio hospitalized with heart attack, cleveland.com reader ktjazz is surprised things like this don't happen more often. This reader writes,

"I am surprised more coaches don't suffer heart attacks. They work insane hours and there is enormous pressure to win. These coaches are addicted to coaching. I am really surprised an NFL coach hasn't had a heart attack as they work 75-85 hours a week. Those guys pull all-nighters regularly. It can't be a healthy lifestyle."

"I have been saying all along that they will be an improved team, but probably will not reflect that in the won-lost record. We have more talent this year than last. Ward and Haden look like they will be good/great in the secondary. Our quarterbacks aren't that great but they are better than last year's group. We have more depth at running back. Holmgren and Heckert can't fix everything in one year." - Scott_in_SC

View full sizeGus Chan | The Plain Dealer Rebuilding the Browns roster could take time for the Browns' braintrust.

In response to the story Terry Pluto talks Browns, Cavaliers and Indians - Podcast, cleveland.com reader Scott_in_SC thinks progress will be slow for rebuilding the Browns. This reader writes,

"I have been saying all along that they will be an improved team, but probably will not reflect that in the won-lost record. We have more talent this year than last. Ward and Haden look like they will be good/great in the secondary. Our quarterbacks aren't that great but they are better than last year's group. We have more depth at running back. Holmgren and Heckert can't fix everything in one year."

Eastern Michigan is expected to blitz Ohio State a lot on Saturday, which should be great news for the Buckeyes.

Marvin Fong / The Plain DealerAs Ohio's Tremayne Scott learned on this play last Saturday, it's one thing to blitz Terrelle Pryor and the Buckeyes, and it's another to do it successfully. The Buckeyes expect more of the same from undermanned Eastern Michigan this Saturday at the Horseshoe.

AGAINST THE BLITZ
Jim Tressel said against some Ohio State offensive formations, he expects Eastern Michigan to blitz 75 percent of the time Saturday. That should be fine with the Buckeyes. Here’s how the first team offense fared against Ohio’s blitzes last week.
• Terrelle Pryor passing: 7-of-8 for 81 yards
• Pryor running: 2 carries for 29 yards
• Tailbacks running: 2 carries for 5 yards
• Sacks: 1 for -11 yards
• Overall: 13 blitzes, 104 yards, 8 yards per play
— Doug Lesmerises

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Buckeyes looked bad against the blitz. Once.

In the third quarter last Saturday, Ohio University blitzed a linebacker from the edge and Ohio State left tackle Mike Adams was late to react, allowing OSU quarterback Terrelle Pryor to take a hit from his blind side and absorb an 11-yard loss on a sack.

That was the one time against Ohio State's first-team offense that a Bobcat blitz worked. The rest of the game, the Buckeyes welcomed the blitz. That could be a problem for Eastern Michigan (0-3) when the Eagles come to Ohio Stadium on Saturday.

"They are going to blitz you like crazy when you have the ball," said OSU coach Jim Tressel.

He said in some formations, Eastern Michigan will blitz 75 percent of the time. But with a more experienced offensive line that picked up many of Ohio's blitz tries, and a quarterback in Pryor who took care of the rest, when the No. 2 Buckeyes (3-0) see a blitz, they may say bring it on.

"We have a quarterback I feel can get away from any type of blitz a team brings," OSU tight end Jake Stoneburner said. "Sometimes as an offensive line we don't pick it up as well, but that's why a team blitzes. But you have a quarterback who's really mobile and can get away from that type of stuff, so sometimes not picking up a blitz can actually benefit us, because he can run for 50 yards when no one's around."

In fact, Tressel said one of the OSU assistants joked that letting blitzers in on Pryor should become part of the game plan.

"There were three plays in the game last week that you would have thought that's what we taught because we let guys run right in there," Tressel said, "and he did avoid them. But, no, that wasn't by design."

By one count, Ohio blitzed 13 times against Ohio State's first-team offense, with Pryor escaping and running twice for 29 yards, one 2-yard run and one 27-yard run. That's what Stoneburner was talking about.

"It's great to have that as a security blanket," Adams said, "but you don't ever want someone to come free. We like that guy healthy. But when he takes off running, it's crazy. You never know where he's going, he's so fast."

But this season, Pryor doesn't just take off. Pryor and his receivers are better at recognizing the blitz and adjusting to a quick throw. Pryor also can escape and keep his eyes down the field. All season, the players and coaches have talked about the improved communication on the line, which means Pryor and center Mike Brewster identifying what the defense is preparing to do and tweaking the blocking to handle it.

So Pryor could still throw when Ohio blitzed, completing seven of eight passes for 81 yards, the only incompletion coming when the line did a great job of handling two blitzing linebackers up the middle and Pryor short-armed a throw to an open Dane Sanzenbacher over the middle for what could have been a touchdown. Included in those stats were two big throws, a 21-yarder to Sanzenbacher and a 21-yarder to Stoneburner.

"I think we're getting better at it," Tressel said. "I thought at the front half of last year we struggled a little bit because we just didn't communicate very well up front because we hadn't been together, and the quarterback couldn't solve some of the problems and make some of the changes at that point.

"Now we have kind of a fail safe, the linemen have been together and the quarterback knows, maybe he can see a little bit further, and he can help if they don't get things headed in the right way. So I think we're much better from that standpoint ... but people will keep bringing it."

Tressel said teams now focus on outside blitzes designed to keep Pryor in the pocket. He also said blitzers slow down and try to stay under control against a quarterback they know can escape.

"But defensive guys are defensive guys," Tressel said. "When you call a blitz, all of a sudden the fangs grow and they're just thinking about 'sic 'em,' and you've got to be a little bit careful when you're going after a mobile quarterback."

When a blitz comes Saturday, the Buckeyes should be thinking the same way -- extra pressure means an extra opportunity to take a bite out of the defense.

Managers Manny Acta and Ron Gardenhire gave their young starting pitchers some room to work Monday night. The results were good and bad.

UPDATED: 10:19 p.m.

Jim Mone / Associated PressA chance to work out of a jam of his own creation turned out to be a failed test for Tribe rookie pitcher Jeanmar Gomez on Monday night in Minneapolis.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- This is a daily briefing of the Indians' 2010 regular season. The Indians play the Twins tonight in the second game of a three-game series at Target Field.

Target Field dimensions: Left field line 339 feet, left center 377, center field 403, right center 365,  right field line 328.

In-game notes:

Score: Indians 4, Twins 1 after six innings.

Every runs counts: The Indians stretched their lead to 4-1 with two runs in the sixth off reliever Jose Mijares. They opened the inning with three straight singles by Travis Hafner, Jordan Brown and Andy Marte to load the bases.

Trevor Crowe took the air out of the inning by hitting into a double play, but Hafner scored. Luis Valbuena, hitting .237 with runners in scoring position, followed with a ringing double to right to score Brown for a 4-1 lead.

Here come the Twins: Fausto Carmona recorded the first two outs in the sixth before walking Jim Thome. Delmon Young and Danny Valencia followed with singles to make it 4-2. That was it for Carmona as Rafael Perez relieved to get the third out.   

Back on top: Drew Sutton gave the Indians a 2-1 lead in the fifth with a two-out single to left. Michael Brantley, who singled and took second on a wild pitch, scored.

Bloop's delight: Hafner's bloop double down the left-field line gave tghe Indians a 1-0 lead in the first inning off Scott Baker. Shin-Soo Choo walked and went all the way to third on catcher Drew Butera's errant pickokff attempt.

Hafner, who missed the last two games as the Indians try to keep his right shoulder sound through the end of the season, came into the game hitting .378 (14-for-37) with five doubles, four homers and seven RBI against Baker.

Thomedome: Thome pulled the Twins into a 1-1 tie with a leadoff homer in the second against Carmona. It was Thome's 25th homer of the season and 589th of his career. 

It was Thome's fifth homer against the Tribe this year.

The line: Baker allowed two runs on four hits in five innings. He struck out seven and walked one in 91 pitches.  It was his first start since Sept. 2 because of right elbow problems that required a cortisone shot. Carmona allowed two runs on six hits in 5 2/3 innings.  He threw 98 pitches, 61 for strikes.  

Pre-game notes

Game 151: Managers Manny Acta and Ron Gardenhire used the same strategy with their young starting pitchers Monday night, with far different results.

In the sixth inning of the Twins' 9-3 victory, the Indians loaded the bases with one out against left-hander Brian Duensing. Andy Marte and Drew Sutton hit consecutive singles to shave the Twins lead to 4-3. In the Twins dugout, Gardenhire wanted to see how Duensing would handle the situation.

Gardenhire had the luxury of a 10-game lead in the AL Central so he could afford to experiment. Duensing made him look smart as he struck out Lou Marson and retired Michael Brantley on a liner to third.

"That's huge for a pitcher to be able to get out of that stuff without having to have somebody take you out," Gardenhire told Minneapolis reporters after the game. "That's a big moment for him and says something about how he battles."

In the bottom of the sixth, Indians rookie Jeanmar Gomez had two out and a man on first when Denard Span tripled high off the wall in right center to make it a 5-3 games. Acta could have replaced him. Tony Sipp was ready in the bullpen, but he wanted to see how Gomez responded.

"We gave him two extra hitters to see if he could get out of it," said Acta. "We figured he has to work through those things at some point to pitch effectively up here. He couldn't do that tonight."

Orlando Hudson singled home Span and Michael Cuddyer hit a two-run homer to left for an 8-3 lead. Gomez was done and Sipp relieved.

"It backfired," said Acta of his experiment. Like Gardenhire, Acta could make the move because of his team's place in the standings. The Indians were a half game out of last place and were eliminated from the AL Central race almost two weeks ago.

As similar as the situations were, they were different as well. Duensing has already pitched in 54 games in the big leagues. This year he's 10-2. In Marson and Brantley, he was facing two rookies who have struggled against big-league pitching all season.

Monday was Gomez's 10th start in the big leagues, all this year. If not for trades, poor performances and injuries, he probably would have pitched the whole year at Class AAA Columbus.

Hudson and Cuddyer, the hitters Gomez faced, are experienced big-league professionals putting the final touches on solid seasons.

Time will tell if the sixth inning made a lasting impression on Gomez.

Quick hits:

Right hander Hector Ambriz went home to California instead of making this trip with the Indians. He's been shut down for the season with a sore right elbow and is getting a second opinion from Dr. Lewis Yocum in Los Angeles.

Ambriz opened the season on the disabled list with elbow problem. The Indians sent him to Class AAA Columbus where the Rule 5 pick pitched well. He rejoined the Indians on April 30 stayed with the team elbow pain ended his season.

He went 0-3 with a 5.59 ERA in 34 appearances. He struck out 37 and walked 17 in 48 1/3 innings. The opposition hit .338 against him.

Ambriz has not pitched since Sept. 8, when he went 3 1/3 innings against the Angels at Angel Stadium. It was his longest outing of the season as he took the loss in a 4-3 defeat in 16 innings.

Lineups

Indians (62-88): CF Michael Brantley (L), SS Drew Sutton (S), RF Shin-Soo Choo (L), DH Travis Hafner (L), 1B Jordan Brown (L), 3B Andy Marte (R), LF Trevor Crowe (S), 2B Luis Valbuena (L), C Lou Marson (R) and RHP Fausto Carmona (12-14, 3.81).

Twins (90-60): CF Denard Span (L), 2B Orlando Hudson (S), RF Jason Kubel (L),
1B Michael Cuddyer (R), DH Jim Thome (L), LF Delmon Young (R), 3B Danny Valencia (R), SS Nick Punto (S), C Drew Butera (R), and RHP Scott Baker (12-9, 4.60).

Lineup notes: Twins scratch J.J. Hardy just before game time with migraine. Punto starts at shortstop. Tribe SS Asdrubal Cabrera out of lineup with sore left wrist. He'll be examined Thursday by Dr. Thomas Graham in Cleveland. Teammate Jason Donald (right index finger) will also be checked out by Graham.

Umpires: H Gerry Davis, 1B Sam Holbrook, 2B Greg Gibson, 3B Brian Knight. Davis, crew chief.
 
Quote of the day: "During my 18 years I came to bat almost 10,000 times.  I struck out about 1,700 times and walked maybe 1,800 times.  You figure a ballplayer will average about 500 at-bats a season.  That means I played seven years without ever hitting the ball." -- Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle.

Next: RHP Carlos Carrasco (1-0, 2.70) vs. RHP Nick Blackburn (9-10, 5.43) Wednesday at 1:10 p.m.

Injuries should thin some of Ohio State's special teams units even more.

Tracy Boulian / The Plain DealerThe return from injury of linebacker Andrew Sweat should help out both the OSU defense and its special teams this week against Eastern Michigan.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State's No. 3 cornerback, Travis Howard, is expected to miss at least this week's game with Easter Michigan, OSU coach Jim Tressel said Tuesday. That means redshirt freshman Corey Brown slides in as the top backup at corner and Dominic Clarke would be the next man in.

But defense isn't where he may be missed the most. Howard was also a member of the problematic kick coverage unit, as was backup linebacker Dorian Bell, another player Tressel said would be out this week with an injury. Bell caused a fumble on a kickoff against Marshall in the opener and was typically the first man down the field and was the Buckeye who drew the block-in-the-back penalty that nullified Ohio's kickoff return for a touchdown on Saturday.

The Buckeyes shifted some personnel last week and will have to do so again this week, though Tressel thought the coverage improved after that initial close call against Ohio.

"As the kicks went on, I thought our fundamentals and techniques got a little bit better there," Tressel said of Saturday's coverage performance.

Special teamer Donnie Evege is expected to miss several weeks with an elbow injury as well, Tressel said. But linebacker Andrew Sweat and running back Carlos Hyde are expected back from injuries this week and should rejoin some of the special team units.

Tressel on the Brutus attack: Tressel began his injury report Tuesday with Brutus, the Ohio State mascot who was tackled by the Ohio Bobcats mascot before Saturday's game, an act that gained national attention and brought an apology from Ohio.

"I was standing at the National Anthem and I heard some of our guys talking, 'hey, did you see that mascot?' And I'm thinking, 'you're thinking about the mascot?'" Tressel said, before explaining how he learned the whole story.

Tressel said he checked in with Brutus at an event on Monday night.

"I asked him if he was going to be ready for Saturday," Tressel said, "and he's probable from an injury report standpoint."

Class time: Ohio State students, football players included, begin class Wednesday. For the first three weeks of the season, the Buckeyes were able to focus on only football.

"You've just got to be able to get your rest and be organized," tight end Jake Stoneburner said. "Obviously you have class in the morning and we've got to make sure we go and can still be able to commit a lot of time to football."

Tressel was ready for his players to do something else. He's glad to see them off their sofas and playing fewer video games.

"I don't know that while we weren't in school that our guys were working on football eight hours a day," Tressel said. "They probably had a little bit more of a leisurely pace. .. Now they're going to be much more on a boom, boom, boom schedule, which in some ways I think will be good because we'll get into a flow."

Left fielder Jerad Head went 3-for-4 and drove in four runs to lead Columbus against the Pacific Coast League champs.

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. -- Left fielder Jerad Head went 3-for-4 and drove in four runs to lead Columbus, champions of the International League, past Tacoma (Wash.), champions of the Pacific Coast League, 12-6, in the Class AAA championship Tuesday night.

The Clippers had 19 hits, including three from DH Jason Kipnis and three from shortstop Josh Rodriguez. Kipnis was a single shy of hitting for the cycle.

Columbus shelled Rainiers left-handed starter Ryan Feierabend, a graduate of Midview High in Grafton, for seven runs on 10 hits and one walk in three innings.

Lefty David Huff started for Columbus and got the win despite allowing six runs on seven hits in six innings.

Clippers right-handed relievers Zach Putnam, Josh Judy and Vinnie Pestano each pitched a scoreless inning to close out the victory.

The 1968 Boston Marathon winner, Amby Burfoot, is the Road Runner Akron Marathon's Ambassador Award winner for his contributions to running -- a sport he's still championing at age 64.

AKRON, Ohio -- For the first time in his life, Amby Burfoot isn't speeding past everyone else on his training runs.

He's slow and plodding. He's starting to resemble other 64-year-old runners in the kind of distance races he competes in, like Sunday's Road Runner Akron Marathon, where he'll receive the race's Ambassador Award.

When he ran 20 miles with his wife and son last week, for instance, he logged 12-minute miles.

"It was the slowest 20 miles of my life," Burfoot said.

But the point is that he's still running. About three months after knee surgery to repair torn cartilage in his knee -- the first injury that's required surgery in more than 40 years of competitive running -- Burfoot is happy to be still churning his legs.

The fact that 1968 Boston Marathon winner is happy running a pace that's more than twice as slow as the best effort he put forth in 26.2 miles -- when he recorded 2:14.19 in a 1968 Japan race -- says something about his devotion to running and his belief that everyone can benefit from running at any age.

"The important thing is that people are out there running and trying to get in shape," Burfoot said. "I'm moving forward slowly and continuously."

Burfoot is part of one of the largest growing groups of runners -- those over age 40. That group has become so large and competitive that the Boston Marathon this year placed additional race numbers on the backs of top runners in the masters age groups so they could be easily identified by age-group title contenders.

Burfoot has had to adjust his expectations of late while he recovers from his injury, but the runner turned writer/editor for Runner's World isn't giving up the sport he feels he was "born to do."

"We all have to be good students of our own bodies to know what works individually," he said of the adjustments he's made to accept his slower pace.

He's working on bettering his running, making small adjustments to get back to the runner he once was, in advance of the Athens Marathon, which he plans to run with his wife, son, brother and brother-in-law on Oct. 31.

After all, Burfoot is a firm believer in his sport and in championing the benefits of running for all. He estimates he's logged about 103,000 miles in his running career.

"Lifetime running is what I increasingly believe in," he said.

It's something the medical community supports, too. A Stanford study released in 2008 found that runners delayed disability and lived longer than non-running counterparts. Out of 538 runners over the age of 50 that Stanford began following in 1984, about 15 percent died after 19 years. In a similar group of non-runners, 34 percent died.

Burfoot might be slower than he once was, but like an increasing number of competitive runners his age, he's still running. He's learned to accept he'll no longer win the Boston Marathon, but regardless, he's going to keep competing.

"I didn't need knee surgery to know I'm mortal," Burfoot said. "Running does that to you very quickly, it reminds you of your mortality. I'm simply determined to get back to where my fitness was before the surgery."

Browns quarterback Jake Delhomme will sit out today's practice with his ankle injury, but coach Eric Mangini is still optimistic about his chances of playing Sunday in Baltimore.

Jim Prisching / Associated PressJake Delhomme will sit out practice again today with his ankle injury but hasn't been ruled out for Sunday's game in Baltimore.

CLEVELAND -- Browns quarterback Jake Delhomme will sit out today's practice with his ankle injury, but coach Eric Mangini is still "optimistic'' about his chances of playing Sunday in Baltimore.

"I don't really have a percentage for you but it gets better everyday,'' said Mangini. "He's further along than last week.  He's doing everything he can. I feel comfortable with him taking the information and (playing) without reps.''

If Delhomme can't play, Seneca Wallace will start for the second straight week. Wallace threw a 65-yard TD pass to Josh Cribbs but also threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown in the 16-14 loss to the Chiefs.

Mangini said the following players will also sit out practice today: NT Shaun Rogers (ankle, hip), RG Shawn Lauvao (ankle), DE Robaire Smith (ankle).

cleveland.com reader vineman is unimpressed by the Indians' fundamentals, especially compared to what Columbus did in the AAA championship game.

View full sizeAP Photo | Ted S. WarrenSome Indians fans aren't completely sure what to think of Manny Acta as a manager yet.

In response to the story Minnesota Twins rally to defeat Cleveland Indians, 6-4, clinch AL Central when White Sox lose, cleveland.com reader vineman thinks the contrast between Columbus and Cleveland is stunning. This reader writes,

"It was really fun watching Columbus win the AAA title game. Kipnis looked awesome. Constanza laid down a two-out drag bunt that was a thing of beauty and helped break the game open. Jerad Head and Cord Phelps showed intelligence at the plate in taking the ball the other way. Then I flip to the Indians and see their best player turn into a moron by airmailing a throw over the cut-off man and letting the winning run advance to second, where, of course, he scored on a single to left. For all the young players who advanced from Akron to Columbus, it looks like they're really developing. Not sure what players are learning under Acta and his staff."

How would the five top Big Ten teams fare against the SEC's top five?

Marvin Fong / The Plain DealerTerrelle Pryor would be a double threat against Alabama in a Big Ten vs. SEC showdown.

On Saturday's ESPN GameDay, analyst Lee Corso was asked how many games the Big Ten would win if the league's top seven teams played against the top seven teams from the Southeastern Conference. "None," Corso said.

Alabama at No. 1 and Ohio State at No. 2 sit atop this week's Associated Press poll. But if you went five teams deep in each conference, who would win a Big Ten-SEC challenge?

Take a look at each of the five matchups that could be created based on this week's AP poll, and vote on who would win each game.

Ohio State has become a pass-first team, much to the surprise of Buckeye opponents, says Doug Lesmerises.

View full sizeMarvin Fong,
The Plain DealerTerrelle Pryor drops back to pass against Ohio University. Passing has become the first option for the Buckeyes, thanks to Pryor's continuing improvement as a throwing quarterback.

Welcome to today's edition of Starting Blocks TV, our Web video show about what's going on in Cleveland sports. Today's show is hosted by Chuck Yarborough and Branson Wright.

• It's a debate as old as football: Which conference is best? Ohio State beat writer Doug Lesmerises looks at the best in the SEC vs. the best in the Big Ten. What say you? Vote in today's Starting Blocks poll.

• Doug also talks about a story he's working on for Thursday's Plain Dealer about the shift in offensive philosophy at Ohio State. Terrelle Pryor's continued development as a true quarterback, and coach Jim Tressel's willingness to use him that way, is catching Buckeye opponents off-guard. Even Ohio University put eight men in the box last week, which is one reason Pryor was able to complete a school-record 16 consecutive passes.

SBTV will return Thursday morning with The Plain Dealer's Brian Windhorst. Windy will discuss the post-LeBron James Cavs, who open training camp next week. And don't forget to play our new You Pick the Winners Contest where you can outpick Chuck and Branson each week and earn an appearance on SBTV and a chance at a $250 gift card.

"What about LeBron's move has anything to do with race? We have enough issues afflicting the country these days, we don't need made-up ones distracting us now, too." - westlakewood82

View full sizeJohn Kuntz | The Plain DealerLeBron James.

In response to the story LeBron James "protected" by black community, says ESPN commentary, cleveland.com reader westlakewood82 thinks race shouldn't even be brought into the topic. This reader writes,

"What about LeBron's move has anything to do with race? We have enough issues afflicting the country these days, we don't need made-up ones distracting us now, too."

Ohio.com columnist Marla Ridenour pays a visit to the Florida home of Linda Carson, the wife of former Cleveland Browns coach Bud Carson. Ridenour writes about a home filled with photos, playbooks, newspaper stories and game balls from his coaching days.  Memorabilia from Bud Carson's glory days as an NFL assistant dominates the collectibles in the office Linda Carson...

Richard T. Conway, The Plain DealerCleveland Browns coach Bud Carson gestures to the defense as Buffalo makes its drive in the final seconds in Cleveland Stadium on Jan. 6, 1990.

Ohio.com columnist Marla Ridenour pays a visit to the Florida home of Linda Carson, the wife of former Cleveland Browns coach Bud Carson.

Ridenour writes about a home filled with photos, playbooks, newspaper stories and game balls from his coaching days. 

Memorabilia from Bud Carson's glory days as an NFL assistant dominates the collectibles in the office Linda Carson surprised him with on Christmas Eve, 2000. Candid to a fault, he took one look and said, ''Why'd you spend so much money?'' then muttered, ''I've got to get back to St. Louis.''

The most prized possession is the game ball from Carson's debut as Browns coach, a 51-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 10, 1989. The Browns held the Steelers to 53 yards, still a single-game low for them. The Browns also recorded seven sacks and forced eight turnovers in handing the Steelers franchise its worst loss.

''That was against Chuck Noll, too, that was where he started,'' Linda Carson said. ''That was the highlight of his life.

''Boxes of footballs, articles and pictures . . . 13 moves, 13 houses. That was the one thing he always treasured.''

 If Carson hadn't been stricken with a smoking-induced disease, Linda is convinced her husband of more than 32 years would still be coaching. Ridenour writes how Carson was the architect of the Steelers' Steel Curtain defense and its Cover 2 scheme during their run to their first two Super Bowl triumphs. He also worked for the Los Angeles Rams, Baltimore Colts, Kansas City Chiefs and the New York Jets.

Feeling bad

If the fans feel bad about the Cleveland Browns losses, guess who feels even worse?

News-Herald reporter Theresa Neuhoff Audia writes how left tackle Joe Thomas feels.

"You make the corrections you can make on Monday and when you are done with Monday, you forget about the last game," Thomas said. "You've already made the corrections and now you are focusing on your next opponent.

"You try to keep things positive and upbeat so you don't let the last opponent beat you twice."

Just win, maybe?

CantonRep.com reporter Steve Doerschuk knows the odds are stacked against the Cleveland Browns when they play the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, but Doerschuk does give the Browns a chance.

Here writes there are several factors that make it seem plausible for the Browns to pull out the victory.

• Kansas City, on its way to a 4-12 year, was in a late 24-all tie before losing at Baltimore in the Ravens’ 2009 home opener.

• Baltimore lost its first AFC North home game in ‘09, 17-14 to the Bengals.

• The Browns have had some surprising games against the ex-Browns. They beat the Ravens twice in 2001, when Baltimore was coming off a Super Bowl win. They won a 20-3 stunner in the 2004 home opener. They got their 2007 season rolling with a 27-13 home win over the Ravens, then applied Phil Dawson’s bank-shot field goal to a 33-30 overtime win at Baltimore six weeks later.

• Poetic justice. Having stolen the Browns and left Cleveland with an expansion-era monstrosity, doesn’t Baltimore still deserve an unpleasant surprise?

No rushing game

The Cleveland Browns have a sluggish running game but reporter Jeff Schudel of The News-Herald writes how center Alex Mack says more practice will cure whatever ills the rushing attack.

Mack said he and his fellow linemen have to work in concert for the run game to work and that they are still getting accustomed to each other. The explanation seems a little flimsy considering the five starters from the first two games were together in 2009, but that's what Mack said.

Joe Thomas at left tackle, Eric Steinbach at left guard and Mack at center were together every game last year. They were also together throughout the 2010 training camp.

 

Stress takes its toll on coaches, as the heart attack suffered by Michigan State's Mark Dantonio shows.

View full sizeAP FileJim Tressel looks a little stressed, but that may be because this was taken during the Buckeyes' win over then-No.11 Miami.

We would have a hard time, though, with the stress in the life of a football coach. John Kampf of the News-Herald talked to Ohio State coach Jim Tressel in the wake of a heart attack suffered this past weekend by Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio about that stress.

Dantonio, a former assistant under Tressel, is recuperating from surgery to insert a stent in one of the blocked arteries in his heart. He had the attack after calling for a fake field goal Saturday night that led to a 34-31 overtime win over Notre Dame.

Football coaches on all levels — high school, college and professional — spend an exorbitant number of hours working on their trade. College coaches such as Tressel and Dantonio, as well as professional coaches, spend their day solely on football. The days begin as early as, if not earlier than, 6 a.m. and can go into the wee hours of the morning.

Tressel shrugged and joked to "eliminate the media" when asked for a solution to free up a coach's time. But when asked to give an idea of a good, healthy balance of life, Tressel said he has "the worst balance of life in America" and he would not be a good person to ask.

... There's not much a college coach can do to alleviate stress. The drive to win in a line of work that punishes those who don't win and the common workaholic mentality can build up in the form of stress, anxiety and — in some cases — health problems.

"We have a saying with our players that nothing good happens past 10 (p.m.)," Tressel said, "and that's fairly well-documented. We have a saying with our coaches that any idea after 10 won't work, and that's pretty well-documented."

Hmmm. That would explain why that whole duct-tape muffler on the truck idea didn't quite work out as expected.

Good story, better player
The return of safety Tyler Moeller has all the makings of a TV movie of the week. He was punched in a bar, fell, hit his head on the floor, suffered a brain injury, had surgery, spent a year away from football ... and has come back with a vengeance not seen since Rufus the Bobcat tackled Brutus the Buckeye.

Ken Gordon of the Columbus Dispatch tells the story this way:

"Every time I see (Moeller) out there, you know, I smile," coach Jim Tressel said, "because a year ago at this time, he was a miserable guy."

But it's also far more than that.

It's an attitude story, in the sense that the senior safety has infused the Buckeyes with his contagious energy.

"He's my favorite player on the defense," defensive end Nathan Williams said. "Just watching him motivates me to hustle around to the ball."

Wonder if that hustle bug extends to Brutus, and if that's why Tressel has upgraded the mascot to "probable" for Saturday's game against 42-point underdog Eastern Michigan.

Just obliterate, baby
Eastern Michigan, in case you're keeping score, is riding a 15-game losing streak. The the school has 850,000 rea$on$ to make the trip to Columbus for the beating that's expected. So what's Ohio State's motivation?

“We didn’t know when we were scheduling this game that it was going to be these numbers, but, in some ways it’s a good challenge. If you’re going to be affected by that in game four, then how might you be affected by something else much further down the line?”

Tressel said he will stick with the mantra that each practice and each game is about Ohio State maximizing its potential, and not about the comparative matchup with the next opponent.

“In some ways, the mental exercise of seeing if you can really convince yourself, that you really believe that what we do is what’s most important, and us getting better is what’s most important,” Tressel said. “The opponent doesn’t really matter. This isn’t about them, this is about us, which is the truth, and that’s the way everything should be.”

This apparently is the football equivalent of a high school breakup: It's not you, it's me.

From The Plain Dealer
Ohio State beat writer Doug Lesmerises says the Buckeyes aren't exactly fearful of the Eagles' love affair with the blitz. Terrelle Pryor's legs and elusiveness will make it a moot point, according to Pryor's Buckeye teammates.

Lesmerises' Ohio State Insider says special teams, really the only weak link to surface this far in the young season, will be missing defensive back Travis Howard and linebacker Dorian Bell.

Twins clinched their sixth AL Central title in nine years with Tuesday night's 6-4 win over the Indians. Cleveland had won six of seven from 1995-2001, and won the Central again in 2007. And, 2011 Tribe starting rotation, Columbus Clippers, etc.

Associated PressTwins relief pitcher Matt Capps and catcher Jose Morales just after Minnesota clinched the Central Division title with a 6-4 win over the Indians.

Cleveland, Ohio -- Well, at least the Cleveland Indians were noticed on Tuesday night.

The Indians, with 27 more losses than wins, have hardly been an "inside baseball" topic of conversation this season. Only when the trading deadline approached did they attract any national attention, and that was solely because some contending teams pursued a few servicable veteran Indians players.

Tuesday night, the Tribe was again the foil for a superior team. The Minnesota Twins rallied for a 6-4 win over the Indians and clinched their sixth Central Division championship in the last nine years.

The Twins, in fact, have dominated the division since the Indians' run of six division titles during the seven-year span of 1995 to 2001. Cleveland also claimed the Central crown in 2007.

So far, the difference between what the Twins and Indians accomplished in their respective runs is that while Minnesota has not been to the World Series since 1991, the Indians got there in 1995 (losing to the Atlanta Braves) and 1997 (losing to the Florida Marlins).

Sheldon Ocker writes about the Twins' division-clinching win over the Indians:

Maybe the loss served as an object lesson to the also-ran Tribe: Teams that have great things to achieve, win the games they need to win. In this case, the Twins rallied from two runs down to hand the Indians' bullpen an infrequent setback.

''The Twins are a good team,'' Indians manager Manny Acta said. ''They just win more games than the other teams in the division. It's not that they had to win. They're good.''

Tribe watch

Plain Dealer Indians coverage includes beat writer Paul Hoynes' story on Tuesday night's Indians-Twins game; Hoynes' Indians Insider; his report on Indians reliever Hector Ambriz's sore right (pitching) elbow.

The Indians play at Minnesota this afternoon. Tribe right-hander Carlos Carrasco (1-0, 2.70) and Twins righty Nick Blackburn (9-10, 5.43) are slated as the starting pitchers. MLB.com previews the game.

Four spots open

When spring training 2011 opens in Goodyear, Ariz., a lot of pitchers will contend for jobs in the Indians' starting rotation, writes Sheldon Ocker for the Akron Beacon Journal:

Manager Manny Acta confirmed Tuesday that Fausto Carmona was the only pitcher with a lock on next year's rotation.

''Our goal in spring training is to put together at least eight starters we'd would feel comfortable with to have enough depth,'' he said. ''That's what we're striving for.''

As the season winds down, at least seven pitchers in addition to Carmona will be logging time as starters when training camp begins in mid-February: Justin Masterson, Mitch Talbot, Josh Tomlin, Jeanmar Gomez, Carlos Carrasco, David Huff and Zach McAllister. Huff and McAllister are currently at Triple-A Columbus.

Clippers champions II

The Indians' farm system achieved some success this season. Several prospects made encouraging progress in their quests for major league careers, and the Class AAA Columbus Clippers (International League) and Class A Lake County Captains (Midwest League) won league championships.

Tony Lastoria writes for Indians Prospect Insider that the Clippers defeated the Pacific Coast League champion Tacoma Rainiers, 12-6, in the Triple-A National Championship Game on Tuesday night:

The Clippers belted out 19 hits as a team, compared to just nine for the Rainiers. (Jason ) Kipnis and Josh Rodriguez joined (Jerad) Head in the three-hit club, and five other Columbus starters had two hits.

The victory marked the end of a strong postseason for the Clippers, who struggled in the final weeks of the regular season and made the IL postseason as the wild card team, then cruised to series wins against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Durham to win the franchise's first Governors' Cup in 14 years. It all set the tone for a huge finale game in front of a national television audience - leaving Columbus as the undisputed Triple-A champions.

Pestano rewarded

One of the keys to the Clippers' success, right-handed relief pitcher Vinnie Pestano, has been promoted to the Indians for the last 12 days of the season.

Tony Lastoria writes for Indians Prospect Insider:

In 57 combined appearances at Double-A Akron and Columbus he went 2-3 with a 1.81 ERA and 17 saves (59.2 IP, 47 H, 16 BB, 77 K). Since he is currently not on the 40-man roster and the roster is currently full at 40 players, a roster move will need to be made to create space for him. No word yet on what that move will be.

Base knocks

Game story on the Twins' 6-4 win over the Indians by Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Reports on the individual seasons of Columbus Clippers players, by Tony Lastoria of Indians Prospect Insider.

Impact of the Twins' division title, by Joe Lemire for Sports Illustrated's SI.com.

Rufus the Bobcat's attack on Brutus Buckeye at Saturday's Ohio State-Ohio University football game made national headlines. But mascot mayhem is nothing new. Just check out these videos

Neal C. Lauron, The Columbus Dispatch

Brutus Buckeye showed a lot of composure when Rufus the Bobcat went wild and tackled him during the pre-game festivities of the Ohio State-OU football game Saturday, Sept. 18, in Columbus. OSU Head Coach Jim Tressel later joked that Brutus was "probable" for the Saturday, Sept. 26, game with Eastern Michigan.

In the meantime, officials at Ohio University were less amused, banning the man behind the Bobcast mask, Brandon Hanning, from any further involvement with the school's athletic programs.

But we're wondering whether Rufus is getting a raw deal. Mascot mayhem, it seems, has been a part of the theater of college football for years. Just check out these videos:

The Oregon Duck v. Shasta of the Houston Cougars

Seymour d'Campus of the Southern Miss Golden Eagles v. Big Al of the Alabama Crimson Tide.









Bucky the Badger of the University of Wisconsin v. an unknown Spartan soldier of Michigan State University









Vic the Demon of Northwestern State University v. Chief Brave Spirit of Northeast Louisiana University









Sparty the Spartan of Michigan State University vs. The Pitt Panther of the University of Pittsburgh









The Oregon Duck of the Univeristy of Oregon vs. Benny the Beaver of Oregan State University

Controversial ex-Brown Edwards is working with the Jets' other wide receivers. General manager Mike Tannenbaum said Tuesday night that Edwards would be active but not start in the team's next game at Miami on Sunday night.

Associated PressBraylon Edwards as he was arraigned on Tuesday for charges of drunken driving in Manhattan.

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Braylon Edwards is practicing with the New York Jets, a day after the star wide receiver was arrested for drunken driving.

Edwards is out on the field today, working with the Jets' other wide receivers. General Manager Mike Tannenbaum said Tuesday night that Edwards would be active but not start in the team's next game at Miami on Sunday night.

Tannenbaum added that it would be up to coach Rex Ryan to determine when Edwards will enter the game and how long he will play.