Watch Manziel's celebration.
Johnny Manziel threw a touchdown pass prior to halftime against the Bengals to cut Cincinnati's lead to 14-10. It was Manziel's first touchdown pass of the game.
Following the throw, Manziel ran directly to the sideline and did his best Cristiano Ronaldo celebration. Check it out:
Johnny Manziel festejando como Cristiano Ronaldo despues de lanzar un pase de TD. pic.twitter.com/G0LZENbeGX
— FutboFrase[?] (@FutboFrase) November 6, 2015Listen to our live Browns postgame show with Dennis Manoloff and Dan Labbe.
Can't listen or want the podcast delivered straight to your phone or mobile device? Subscribe to our cleveland.com Sports podcasts channel here (or search cleveland.com Sports podcasts).
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns and Bengals faced off on Thursday night. Once the dust settles, join us for our live postgame show right after the game..
The Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff will talk with me about everything -- and I mean everything -- that happened during the game. You can interact with us by commenting in this post or you can call the show at 216.772.1373.
Hit the play button on the player below when the red "Live" icon appears at the bottom.
The Buckeyes host Minnesota on Saturday night in Ohio Stadium.
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes, that's right they're No. 3 now, host the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Saturday night. Kickoff from Ohio Stadium is scheduled for 8 p.m.
It will be the Buckeyes third consecutive 8 p.m. kickoff.
The game will be televised by ABC with Brad Nessler, Todd Blackledge and Holly Rowe on the call. A full list of Ohio State's radio affiliates can be found here.
Ohio State (8-0, 4-0 Big Ten) is coming off its bye week, and beat Rutgers two weeks ago in what might have been the Buckeyes best performance of the season. J.T. Barrett was the quarterback then, he won't be this week. Cardale Jones is starting on Saturday with Barrett serving a one-game suspension for a drunk-driving charge he received during the bye week.
* 7 things to know about Minnesota
Minnesota (4-4, 1-3) is coming off a close loss to Michigan last week. The Gophers were stopped on a potential game-winning quarterback sneak on the final play of the game.
The Gophers will be playing their second game since head coach Jerry Kill resigned for health reasons. Defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys is coaching Minnesota on an interim basis.
The Browns entered the Bengals' lair as double-digit underdogs tonight. That's pretty much the way it turned out.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The hoariest of cliches in the sports world are coaches and players saying "nobody believes in us."
Tonight, it's true. Nobody believed in the Browns' chances at an upset in Cincinnati. Even the biggest critics of Bengals QB Andy Dalton thought it impossible to waste a chance to put a beatdown on the (not exactly competitive) rivals from the north. Even Rich Eisen of the NFL Network mocked the team during his Thursday radio show, undercutting any suspense over tonight's outcome because of the Browns' irrelevance.
Everyone was right in a 31-10 victory that swung on Bengals domination of the second half after Johnny Manziel kept the Browns within reach at 14-10 at halftime.
As always, we had every key moment along with observations from reporters and columnists from cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer -- along with snark -- um, insight -- from around the NFL.
Now there's plenty of talk-show fodder for the next 10 days before the trip to Pittsburgh on the 15th. We'll see you then.
11:58 p.m.: NFL.com's Gregg Rosenthal offers a thought on what decided this game beyond the Manziel circus.
"It was a night where offensive coordinator Hue Jackson was one step ahead of Browns coach Mike Pettine. The Bengals didn't turn the ball over and only punted twice in the first 56 minutes of the game. While the Browns' offense gets most of the attention, Pettine's defense has been far more disappointing this year. They have taken a big step back from last year's early promise."
11:53 p.m.: Steve Mariucci says he doesn't believe Pettine wants to play Manziel "but there's no question that Johnny Manziel has taken a step forward. ... He's a baller; the kid is a pretty savvy player. I just hope they give him a chance before they discard him. It doesn't sound like it to me."
Mike Irvin jumps in. "If Johnny keeps playing like this, either (the Browns) will, or somebody else will. ... There's a lot of (offensive) talent that he's missing."
Marshall Faulk is afraid that Manziel's off-field reputation may prevent his career from developing.
11:47 p.m.: From Bud Shaw on Mike Pettine's reasoning on Manziel:
"Pettine (talks) like a head coach who knows that eventually a winning NFL QB must make his living in the pocket. Manziel still escapes it too early, but he would hardly be the first young quarterback to do so.
"The issue here seems to be that Pettine is coaching for his job. After Thursday night's 31-10 loss to Cincinnati, Pettine has now lost 12 of his last 14 games. Small wonder if he feels as if he's coaching for his job and wants to go back to McCown for the Pittsburgh game.
(But) "the organizational view, especially after Thursday night, figures to be Manziel as the starter for the rest of the season, if not this week then after the Pittsburgh game."
11:43 p.m.: From Tom Reed's instant analysis of tonight's game:
"Quarterback Johnny Manziel had a terrific first half and an unproductive final two quarters. But against an undefeated opponent on a short week, Manziel provided a credible performance under difficult circumstances.
"With the Browns falling to 2-7 and losers of four straight it's time to turn over the offense to Manziel. Playing for an injured Josh McCown, the second-year quarterback finished 15-of-33 for 168 yards, a touchdown and a 71.3 rating."
11:40 p.m.: Manziel on the second half ... "We kinda hurt ourselves in the second half ... that's what it comes down to. I have to get that first down (in the first series after halftime) and that's something I'm going to be thinking about."
Praised Isaiah Crowell's work in the first half. Said "things slowed down a bit" for him but credits the Bengals' scheme and adjustments in the second half -- a lot of Cover Two coverage.
Wasn't happy with his throwing in the second half. Didn't feel like there was too much effort by the Bengals to keep him in the pocket. "We didn't get a chance in the second half to get a five, six, seven-play drive."
Won't criticize Taylor Gabriel. "I'm going to keep coming at you. ... Each and every guy on the offense battled."
Manziel was up and down tonight, but he played a lot better than his final stat line (15/33, 45.5%, 168 pass yds, 1 TD, 0 INT, 31 rush yds).
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) November 6, 201511:34 p.m.: Pettine says "no one will take it harder than (Taylor Gabriel, who had at least three drops Thursday). We'll have to work to get him out of the dumps."
Complained about penalties being a lack of discipline -- especially the taunting on Randy Starks in the second half, and the later offside setting up a Bengals touchdown.
Duke Johnson is 4-106-1 as a receiver the last two games. All in the 1st half. Only one 2nd half target last two wks is not a good strategy.
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) November 6, 201511:30 p.m.: Mike Pettine on the game. Says Ibraheim Campbell and Joel Bitonio both rolled ankles, but will await further examination.
"I thought we competed well for a half but struggled in second. That's a good team over there (in the Bengals). ... There's a lot of football to be played, we're in this together."
Called Manziel "inconsistent" and tried to make too many big plays in the second half as the team fell behind. "Not sure we played well enough around him (after halftime) to help him play well."
Conceded that Bengals worked to keep Manziel in the pocket. Declined to say what the plan will be for the position vs. the Steelers. "Time to step away and assess where we are and move forward."
11:21 p.m.: Manziel finishes 14-for-33 for 168 yards -- he was 4-for-15 in the second half. So was there enough Good Johnny to keep him in the lineup, or enough Bad Johnny to get Josh McCown back in the lineup vs. Pittsburgh on Nov. 15?
"They did nothing in the second half," says Donovan.
"You look at Dalton going 12-of-14 in the second half for 150 yards and that's the difference," says Dieken.
"This season is twisting out of control, isn't it?" laments Donovan.
@WDRevolution The funny thing now is Browns fans trying to say we're not as bad as the Bengals were in the 90s. Actually you are
— Joe Reedy (@joereedy) November 6, 2015
Final: Bengals 31, Browns 10
11:16 p.m.: On second-and-goal at the 10, Manziel sacked at 21 by Carlos Dunlap. Manziel had Crowell open in a dumpoff at the 10, but declined. On third-and-goal, Manziel scrambles forward for 10 yards. On fourth-and-goal, clock under a minute as Manziel came close to crossing the goal line when he throws across his body and is nearly intercepted by Kirkpatrick for a pick-six.
Bengals take a knee and game ends.
Keep starting John.
— Ken Carman (@KenCarman) November 6, 2015Duke isn't allowed to play in second half. It's written in his contract, apparently.
— Chris Fedor (@ChrisFedor) November 6, 2015Bengals 31, Browns 10; 1:59 left in fourth quarter
11:10 p.m.: A slant to DWAYNE BOWE gets 16.
#Browns first 1st down of the second half comes with 3 minutes remaining.
— Tom Reed (@treed1919) November 6, 2015On first down at the 21, Manziel scrambled right but can't find anyone working back to him and has to throw it out of the end zone. On second-and-10, Manziel looks for Barnidge at the 10, but the tight end falls and the ball is incomplete. On third-and-10, Manziel scrambles right and overthrows Gabriel by five yards in the end zone.
On fourth-and-10, with 2:41 left, Manziel is blitzed but hits Bowe at the 12, and Bowe stretches to the 10 for the first down.
On first-and-goal, Manziel wanders back to the 25 and is crushed by Michael Johnson as he throws incomplete for Bowe in the end zone.
Two minute warning arrives.
11:06 p.m.: On first down Dalton throws ball away -- 21-point lead isn't enough apparently. On second-and-10, Hill gets four with Dansby making the tackle by the shoelaces. On third-and-6, Dalton in shotgun hits Eifert again for 21 -- and Tramon Williams trips him up to prevent a fourth TD.
With his 3rd TD pass of the night, Andy Dalton now has the most passing TD by a Bengals QB through 8 games in a season with 18.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) November 6, 2015On first down, Hill loses two on nice penetration by John Hughes. On second-and-11, Dalton to Sanu for nine. On third-and-2, Bengals call timeout with 4:19 remaining.
After the timeout, Hill tries the middle, bounces left and still can't make any headway. No gain.
Huber's punt is blocked by Marlon Moore, recovered by Moore at the Bengals' 37.
10:58 p.m.: Marlon Moore -- in for Gilbert -- returns the kick 29 yards to the Browns 24.
On first down, Manziel a little too far ahead of Barnidge at the 40. Kept in the pocket, Manziel isn't accurate in the second half. On second-and-10, Gabriel drops an open slot at the 33 -- he's had a bad night. On third-and-10, Manziel is high and wide to Bowe in the right sideline. A fourth straight 3-and-out. Seven yards of offense since halftime.
Lee's punt caught by Tate at the 30, returned to the Browns 39, but Bengals flagged for illegal block, ball placed on Bengals 23.
Taylor Gabriel has been targeted five times. He has 1 catch for 3 yards.
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) November 6, 2015
Bengals 31, Browns 10; 7:43 left in fourth quarter
10:52 p.m.: Bengals with 160-7 lead in offense in the second half. Bernard on first down gets 13 around left end. Time to work the clock and the Browns' meager run defense.
Nope, Dalton goes long left for A.J. Green, with good coverage by Tramon Williams, incomplete at the 15. On second-and-10 at the Browns 45, Dalton hits Bernard in the left flat and gets 14 yards as no Browns linebacker seems capable of pass coverage.
First down at the 31, Browns blitz but good blocking gives Bernard six right up the middle. On second-and-4, Bernard over right guard for two. On third-and-2, Bengals add an extra lineman in Jake Fisher and Dalton scrambles for the first down to the 19. Browns again have no linebackers making plays.
On first down, Bernard stopped for no gain by Kruger. On second-and-10 as the clock goes under eight minutes, Dalton in the shotgun pumps and goes deep to Eifert for a third TD reception -- Tramon Williams badly beaten on the move.
Welcome to the Tyler Eifert Show.
Tonight's episode: Touchdown. Touchdown. Touchdown. #CLEvsCIN https://t.co/HH7rmYvok8
— NFL (@NFL) November 6, 2015To be fair to the defense, three 3-and-outs by the offense have pretty much drained the team's energy.
Andy Dalton has been incredible this year and the coaching advantage on the Bengals side. I mean... pic.twitter.com/E60Z0iGBrk
— Chris Fedor (@ChrisFedor) November 6, 201510:46 p.m.: Another touchback as Manziel goes to comeback mode from his 20. Which is pretty good field position as it's gone tonight.
On first down, Manziel on play action (which fools absolutely no one with a 14-point deficit) is chased back to his 5 before throwing the ball away under pressure by Geno Atkins. On second-and-10, Manziel sacked at the 15 by Carlos Dunlap. Coverage sack. On third-and-15 (Bowe in the game), Manziel sacked by Atkins at the 7 as the middle of the Browns line collapses (Bitonio badly beaten).
Andy Lee's punt to Adam Jones caught at Bengals 37, with lots of dancing returned five yards to the 42 with 11:38 left.
Bengals 24, Browns 10; 13:26 left in fourth quarter
10:39 p.m.: On second down, Hill gets three up the middle. On third-and-3 at the Bengals 49, Dalton finds Jones on a delay over the middle -- Dalton's 11th straight completion -- for 26.
On first down on the 25, Sanu takes a handoff from Bernard -- not a double reverse, just a reverse -- and easily strolls into the end zone.
When Andy Dalton is your lead blocker, anything is possible.
Mohamed Sanu. 25-yard TD run. Go time. #CLEvsCIN https://t.co/ojBGRNlxyx
— NFL (@NFL) November 6, 2015
And another collapse by a defense that almost always seems overmatched.
There's no discipline on this defense. It's just every one attack where you think the ball might be.
— Dan Labbe (@dan_labbe) November 6, 2015That worked so well that Dalton was the lead blocker the whole way and HE wasn't even touched.
— Rich Eisen (@richeisen) November 6, 2015After Bengals run reverse for easy TD, I wonder if Browns defenders went to coach and asked "Are they allowed to do that?"
— Joe Posnanski (@JPosnanski) November 6, 2015Bengals 17, Browns 10; end of third quarter
10:34 p.m.: "This would be a good time for a turnover and a short field," says Doug Dieken.
Sure would. On first down, Dalton under center gives to Hill who gets nothing as Des Bryant chases down the right side of the line to make the tackle. On second-and-10, Dalton in empty backfield, scrambles for two with Armonty Bryant pulling him down. On third-and-8, Dalton perfectly hits an out pattern to Green against Tramon Williams and Campbell for 18 yards.
Quick snap by Bengals catches the Browns in subbing the lineup and Hill has 13 over right guard.
At the Bengals 42, Dalton on first down finds Brandon Tate at the 46, and because Justin Gilbert whiffs Tate gets 22 yards to the Browns 36. As clock hits 0:00 Mike Pettine challenges that Gilbert touched Tate as the knee was down, and the replay looks to confirm it.
"Good challenge, I think," says Dieken. It would make it second-and-6 for the Bengals if it's successful.
Clock moved to 0:05 during the challenge. Pettine wins the challenge, moving the ball 18 yards back from where it was.
Clock runs out.
10:26 p.m.: Touchback by Gilbert.
First down at the 20, Manziel in pistol goes play action and hits Gabriel between the numbers at the 38, and it slams off his hands for incompletion. On second-and-10, bubble screen to Benjamin for six -- tough hit by Dre Kirkpatrick. On third-and-4, Manziel has Duke Johnson in the backfield and throws just long for Barnidge at the 40.
Lee needs a good punt and does better, caught by Tate at the 17 and tackled at the 18 by Christian Kirksey. Bengals get their first penalty, a block in the back on Margus Hunt -- ball moved to the Bengals 9.
Another good ball from Manziel ... Not getting a ton of help. Playing well.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) November 6, 2015Bengals 17, Browns 10; 4:05 left in third quarter
10:19 p.m.: Big chance for the Bengals to reassert control at the Browns 49.
On first down, Hill gets four over right guard. On second-and-6, Dalton to Green on a quick slant for 15 against K'Waun Williams, who was playing off in the slot.
First down at the 30, Dalton on a slant to Rex Burkhead for seven. Browns far too passive in coverage. On second-and-3, Hill stutter-steps over left guard and is a foot shy of the first down. On third-and-short, I formation Hill has a big gash for seven -- fumbles after he hits the ground.
First down at the 13, Bernard drags Karlos Dansby for four. Second-and-6 at the 9, Bernard gets five with Campbell preventing the first down at the 5. On third-and-1, Dalton in shotgun tries to boot left and Nate Orchard stays with the play and tackles him at the 10. Big-time play to keep the lead within a score.
Mike Nugent's 28-yard field goal is good.
"Guys, we're running at will. Let's run some read-option with Andy!" - the Bengals, thankfully
— Dan Labbe (@dan_labbe) November 6, 201510:11 p.m.: Do Bengals go zone against Manziel to start the half? On first down, the Browns' 17th false start is on Alex Mack.
Well, they have perfected that play.
On first-and-15 at the 7, Manziel in pistol gives to Crowell who loses four around right end. On second-and-19 at the 3, Manziel dumpoff to Crowell over the middle gets seven. Good blocking against a blitz. On third-and-12, Manziel scrambles up the middle and gets the first down -- just barely -- at the 22. Manziel took a helmet-to-helmet hit from Leon Hall, and the replay suggests that the officials were rather generous to the QB on locating the ball.
It's not helmet to helmet when the QB leaves the pocket and chooses to become a runner. It was a legal hit.
— Chris Fedor (@ChrisFedor) November 6, 2015Marvin Lewis challenges the spot -- just as Phil Simms on the NFL Network says he "absolutely" should do so.
Every indication on replay is that Marvin Lewis should win that challenge.. which means.." The ruling on the field stands"
— trey wingo (@wingoz) November 6, 2015But Lewis wins the challenge. It's fourth down at the 21.
Lee's punt to Brandon Tate looks slightly deflected and the ball bounces at the Bengals 48 and bounds back to the Browns 48. Just 28 yards.
Pretty huge switch of momentum.
10:02 p.m.: Danny Shelton limits a first-down run by Jeremy Hill to one yard. On second-and-9, Dalton hits Green against Pierre Desir at the 29, and overpowers him for two more yards and a first down at the 31. Yes, big receivers have their place.
On first down, Dalton to Marvin Jones on another slant for 18 yards against a safety blitz -- stiff arm in Desir's grill.
First down at the Bengals 49, Dalton to Hill for no gain -- nice teamwork by Ibraheim Campbell and Craig Robertson. On second-and-10, Dalton is sacked by Paul Kruger who overpowers the right tackle and forces an eight-yard loss. On third-and-18, Dalton runs draw to Bernard for 10.
Kevin Huber's punt is fair caught by Benjamin at the Browns 12.
Good first series for #Browns defense. Kruger w/ his first sack since Week 2.
— Tom Reed (@treed1919) November 6, 20159:56 p.m.: Joel Bitonio left just before halftime to get an ankle wrapped and is back on the sideline.
Coons' kickoff is a touchback and we're underway to start the second half.
9:54 p.m.: A former AFC North coach is critical of the Bengals' defensive strategy against Manziel.
Manziel TD throw was vs man with LB's sorting out backfield. Like any young QB, can only throw what he sees, so why give him easy man reads?
— Brian Billick (@CoachBillick) November 6, 20159:47 p.m.: Browns have a 181-124 edge in total offense, with Manziel 11-of-18 for 128 yards and a TD. Andy Dalton is 9-of-13 for 67 yards.
@dan_labbe https://t.co/u9ga7KY1o1
— joey morona (@joeyjoe) November 6, 2015Halftime: Bengals 14, Browns 10
9:42 p.m.: After a touchback, Bengals take a knee and get the ball to start the third quarter.
Wrote Wed. this seems like different type of opportunity for Manziel than start v Titans. He keeps this up it will be hard to take him out
— Tom Reed (@treed1919) November 6, 2015Bengals 14, Browns 10; 0:19 left in second quarter
9:39 p.m.: On second-and-9 at the Browns 47, Manziel in shotgun has a free play when Bengals jump offside and Manziel scrambles and finds Barnidge for 26 yards on the right sideline.
First down at the 28, Crowell beats a run blitz around the right side -- good block by Barnidge -- for 11 yards.
First down at the 17, Crowell over right tackle for five. Joel Bitonio limping. Clock running under 45 seconds with three timeouts. Sigh. On second-and-5, Johnson gets a yard and first timeout is called with 27 seconds left. Cam Erving replaces Bitonio, except Bitonio won't have it. On third-and-4 at the 12, "Browns need touchdowns," says Donovan. Manziel in shotgun rolls right and finds Duke Johnson at the goal line for the touchdown.
This was a laser by Johnny. Flick of the wrist. https://t.co/RGWIygSBu5
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) November 6, 2015"Wow does he throw well on the run," exclaims a pleased Donovan.
It's a 92-yard drive that has to impress Mike Pettine. Right?
Right?
When we talked about Johnny Manziel we talked about a guy who likes to keep people talking and make football plays.
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) November 6, 2015Duke Johnson is the best rookie receiver in the @NFL not named Amari Cooper.
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) November 6, 2015Bengals 14, Browns 3; 2:00 left in second quarter
9:32 p.m.: "The simple math tells you that you can't trade sevens for threes," says Jim Donovan.
It also says it's a bad idea to fumble the kickoff inside your 10, but Gilbert does just that -- referees rule that he was down and Johnson Bademosi recovered anyway.
Game already nearly out of reach if Browns don't respond -- Bengals have the ball to start the second half.
On first down, Manziel on a slant to Benjamin for seven to the 15. On second-and-3, Crowell running hard gets five on a decisive cut up the left side.
On first down at the 20, Manziel incomplete to Barnidge at the 23 -- another fastball on a very short pattern. On second-and-10, Manziel starts to sprint out of the pocket but lobs to Duke Johnson for 26 yards at the left sideline. Nice improvisation.
First down at the 46, Crowell gets a yard as the clock ticks under 2:30. Browns willing to let the two-minute warning arrive.
#Browns, in no hurry, working on FG drive.
— Tony Grossi (@TonyGrossi) November 6, 2015Bengals 14, Browns 3; 4:34 left in second quarter
9:24 p.m.: Browns waste a chance to take the lead with good field position. Will Bengals make them pay?
On first down at the 20, Gio Bernard is buried by Randy Starks, who taunts Bernard and earns a 15-yard penalty. Starks out, John Hughes in.
Justin Gilbert in the defensive backfield for the second series tonight. On first down at the 36, toss sweep to Bernard gets nine around the left corner. On second-and-1, Bengals do a lot of shifting before Bernard bounces up the middle and gets 10 yards after contact.
On first down at the Browns 45, Dalton in empty backfield has pass knocked down by Craig Robertson at the 40. On second-and-10, Bernard behind nine-man line gets seven up the middle. Bengals don't disguise their intent there. On third-and-3, Dalton in shotgun finds Green for a first down against Tramon Williams at the 27. He was playing off and it's an easy 10-yard gain.
On first down, Dalton goes long for Marvin Jones, but Justin Gilbert tips it away with left hand with his right wrapped around Jones' helmet. Lucky, lucky. On second-and-10, Bernard around right tackle for four. On third-and-6, Dalton audibles and Bengals have to call timeout to avoid delay of game.
Injury to Campbell puts De'Ante Saunders alongside Gipson at safety. On third-and-6, Dalton to Sanu, who pulls Tramon Williams across the sticks to a first down at the 14.
On first down, Dalton boots right and throws the ball away with Paul Kruger chasing. On second-and-10, Dalton to Eifert for five, with Karlos Dansby dragging him down. On third-and-5 at the 9, Dalton to Jones against pressure gets three -- and Bengals will go again. On fourth down, Dalton bounces the ball to A.J. Green, but Randy Starks is offside and it's first down at the 3. Can Starks be released now?
That penalty is why the Browns are the Browns. Playing pretty well then that...
— Steve Wyche (@wyche89) November 6, 2015Bernard up the middle for a yard. On second-and-goal at the 2, the 13th play of the drive is play action and Dalton scrambles left and eventually finds Eifert for his second TD catch of the day -- Gipson was back on the field and started to move toward Dalton only to have the ball thrown behind him to Eifert.
Tyler Eifert is here to score touchdowns and there's nothing you can do about it.
Here's TD No. 2 #CLEvsCIN https://t.co/AdBNqFQPkI
— NFL (@NFL) November 6, 2015Tyler Eifert is so small and slippery. So easy to lose track of in the end zone...
— Ken Carman (@KenCarman) November 6, 20159:09 p.m.: On first down, a delay to Crowell gets barely a yard. On second-and-9, Duke Johnson is a receiver and Manziel hits Crowell in the left flat and there's more yards to gain, but he slips at the 46. On third-and-6, Manziel in shotgun has pass in right flat to Gabriel is knocked away by Leon Hall -- Browns using the short pass exclusively so far.
Lee's punt bounces into the end zone -- Browns gunners didn't seem to know where the ball was as there was a chance to down it deep.
9:04 p.m.: On first down at the 15, Dalton can't find anyone open and scrambles up the middle for six. On second-and-4, Hill submarined by Tramon Williams for a yard gain -- a missed tackle there meant 30 yards for Hill, if not more. On third-and-3, Dalton sacked by Desmond Bryant, who beat left Clint Boling.
Kevin Huber's punt bounces at the 45 and caught by Benjamin, who goes down at the 42.there. A good defensive series sets up the offense at midfield.
Bengals 7, Browns 3; end of first quarter
9 p.m.: Adam Jones returns the kickoff 14 yards to the 15 as the quarter ends.
Don't know goings on behind the scenes but from a pure football perspective, Manziel is my starter for remainder of season. Have to know.
— Brian Billick (@CoachBillick) November 6, 2015Bengals 7, Browns 3; 0:06 left in first quarter
8:56 p.m.: After a touchback, Browns start on their 20 already with a key series awaiting Manziel.
On first down, Manziel bubble screen left to Taylor Gabriel gets three -- fast reaction by the Bengals. On second-and-7, Duke Johnson finds a seam over left guard for five. On third-and-1 Manziel has forever to throw and eventually finds Jim Dray, who was standing at the 35 for at least four seconds before the throw came -- gets to the 41.
On first down, Manziel to Gary Barnidge gets 10 yards and sends Adam Jones to the bench with a shoulder issue.
At the Bengals 49, Crowell cuts over left guard and is free to the Bengals 36 -- gain of 13. Suddenly there are explosive plays for the Browns.
On first down, I formation for Browns, Crowell lowers his head for three up the middle. On second-and-7, Manziel in empty backfield scrambles for four. On third-and-3 at the 29, Manziel dumpls to Crowell, who makes a nice move against Leon Hall and finds 15 yards at the 15.
The eighth play of the drive is a first-down PASS TO DWAYNE BOWE on a quick slant for four yards. (Yes, caps are merited there, right?).
Dwayne Bowe catches a pass. Something that I thought would never be said this year.
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) November 6, 2015On second-and-6, Manziel in empty backfield scrambles and makes a nice move at the 10 and slides OB at the 5. Smart decision there.
On first and goal at the 5, Johnson slips trying to cut right against a A-gap blitz by the Bengals, stuffed by Brandon Johnson for a loss of four. On second down at the 9, Manziel rolls left, throws to Gabriel and the fast ball is dropped at the left corner. On third down, Manziel overthrows a double-covered Barnidge at the post.
Travis Coons' 27-yard field goal is good.
Yep. It's a big difference. https://t.co/pTAT5YLB5N
— Doug Farrar (@SI_DougFarrar) November 6, 2015Bengals 7, Browns 0; 7:08 left in first quarter
8:43 p.m.: What a choice for Dalton -- pummel the league's worst run defense with Jeremy Hill or torment a shredded secondary with A.J. Green and Tyler Eifert?
On first down, Hill against the troubled right side of the defense for seven. On second-and-3, Hill up the middle for five and a first down at the Bengals 49.
On first down, Dalton hits Tramon Williams in his right arm -- way behind Green. Williams didn't expect such a poor pass, so it's incomplete. On second-and-10, Dalton rolls right on what seems like a blown play and slips down for a loss of a yard. On third-and-11, Dalton in shotgun finds Marvin Jones against Armonty Bryant -- that's a coverage plan by the Browns? -- gets 29 yards over the middle.
Why did #Browns have Armonty Bryant dropping into coverage to chase a WR on that third down? Curious call.
— Tom Reed (@treed1919) November 6, 2015On first down, Dalton to Jones for two yards in the right flat, well defensed by Ibraheim Campbell. On second-and-8, Dalton audibles to Hill over the right tackle for no gain, stuffed by John Hughes and Desmond Bryant. On third-and-8, Dalton to Mohamed Sanu right at the sticks at the 12 -- measurement is six inches short.
Bengals will go for it (shock). On fourth down, two tight ends help Hill easily get three yards for the first down.
First and goal at the 9, Dalton in shotgun on a quick slant by Eifert for the touchdown -- Tashaun Gipson was off the line and had no chance of stopping a 6-6, 250-pound tight end.
Prime Time Andy
— Jamey Eisenberg (@JameyEisenberg) November 6, 2015Well, that's the Bengals offense we've seen all year. And that's the Browns defense we've seen all year too.
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) November 6, 20158:33 p.m.: On first down, a draw to Crowell gets three with the Bengals crowding the line. On second-and-7, Manziel in the shotgun flushed right and throws incomplete to Crowell. On third-and-7, Manziel in the shotgun gets blitzed but beats it with a delayed slant to Travis Benjamin. Gain of nine and a first down.
3rd and long?
Johnny Football's got this.
Sneaky pass off the back foot to Benjamin --> 1st down! #CLEvsCIN #TNF https://t.co/eNNoIRdygu
— NFL (@NFL) November 6, 2015First down at the 32, Manziel is wide left to Duke Johnson in the left flat. The QB didn't have his feet set, says Doug Dieken. On second-and-10, Crowell gets a yard on a draw -- very little push by the center of the line. On third-and-9, Joe Thomas flinches -- the team's league-leading 16th false start of the season -- and Manziel faces third-and-14. A good pass on a scramble has Benjamin for a first down at midfield, but the ball is dropped with Adam Jones in coverage.
Andy Lee's punt to Adam Jones goes OB at the Bengals 36. Bit of a dud there.
Loss to #Browns last yr was reason I refused to buy '14 #Bengals. May look like insignificant game tonight but actually big deal for Cincy.
— Brian Billick (@CoachBillick) November 6, 20158:27 p.m.: Mike Nugent's kickoff for the Bengals is a touchback, and we're underway.
8:25 p.m.: The Browns call tails, lose the coin toss and will start on offense.
There's always a moment of Nathan Zegura Zen -- "This is a critical game for the Browns to try and get ahead early. ... Look for the Browns to run the ball a lot with Isaiah Crowell and Duke Johnson, no Robert Turbin tonight."
8:15 p.m.: Great opening to the TV broadcast, with Jim Brown speaking before students at Miami University -- Paul Brown's alma mater.
NFL Network hired Jim Brown to remind millennials that the Browns are 1) not named after a color and 2) used to be good.
— Scott @ WFNY (@WFNYScott) November 6, 20158:10 p.m.: All five predictions by the NFL Networks experts favor the Bengals. A minority have it at least as a single-digit margin.
Paul Brown Stadium ahead of #CLEvsCIN pic.twitter.com/BxLAW8CDy8
— Tom Reed (@treed1919) November 6, 20158:09 p.m.: It could be argued that Bill Livingston has been going with the chalk in predicting the Browns' outcomes this season. On the other hand, 7-1 can't be messed with.
Tonight, here's his prediction for win number nine: "Bengals 31, Browns 13: Heeeere's Johnny. Not that what's left of McCown was much of an option."
8:03 p.m.: From NFL.com's Conor Orr, a prediction of plenty of Cincinnati heat on Manziel tonight.
"The Bengals, despite playing great defense this season, have not been an aggressive blitz team. Actually, they've only sent double-digit blitzes once this season against the Kansas City Chiefs. Manziel, though, might invite a few more defenders in the box. Lewis will already be expecting a run-heavy attack, and Manziel, like he's prone to do, will try and move laterally in the pocket to extend the play and make throws. This leads me to believe that Marvin Lewis will attempt to speed up that process and force Manziel to make the throws he cannot currently make."
7:55 p.m.: Just to make it official, here are the Browns' inactives: QB Josh McCown, CB Joe Haden, S Donte Whitner, DB Jordan Poyer, WR Andrew Hawkins, WR Brian Hartline and LB Jayson DiManche.
Out for the Bengals: LB Rey Maualuga, T Andre Smith, WR Mario Alford, DT Marcus Hardison, CB Chris Lewis-Harris, DT Pat Sims, TE C.J. Uzomah.
No surprise, the Browns' QB is a primary storyline for NFL Network's broadcast, which got this (optimistic?) sound bite from Johnny Football:
#Browns Manziel on NFL Network: "One thing I've told myself a lot today: it can't go as bad as that Sunday did last year''
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) November 6, 2015Meanwhile, there's this ...
My Thursday pick: Browns +13. https://t.co/ZBaTPQddcy
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) November 6, 2015CINCINNATI, Ohio – Quick thoughts from the Browns' 31-10 loss to the Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium. Manziel's performance Quarterback Johnny Manziel had a terrific first half and an unproductive final two quarters. But against an undefeated opponent on a short week, Manziel provided a credible performance under difficult circumstances. With the Browns falling to 2-7 and losers of...
CINCINNATI, Ohio - Quick thoughts from the Browns' 31-10 loss to the Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium.
Manziel's performance
Quarterback Johnny Manziel had a terrific first half and an unproductive final two quarters. But against an undefeated opponent on a short week, Manziel provided a credible performance under difficult circumstances.
With the Browns falling to 2-7 and losers of four straight it's time to turn over the offense to Manziel. Playing for an injured Josh McCown, the second-year quarterback finished 15-of-33 for 168 yards, a touchdown and a 71.3 rating.
Manziel did most of his damage in the first half, including a 12-yard TD pass to Duke Johnson in the second quarter to pull the Browns within 14-10. He appeared poised, hung in the pocket and made some smart throws. He also spread the ball around to seven receivers.
The second half was a different story. He completed just 4-of-14 passes for 40 yards after intermission. The Browns managed just two first-downs in the second half, the first coming with just three minutes remaining in the game.
Another tough night for 'D'
It was another long game for a Browns' defense that couldn't keep pace with the well-balanced Bengals' offense.
The Browns were without corner Joe Haden and safety Donte Whitner and Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton punished the unit, especially inside the red zone with passes to tight end Tyler Eifert, who caught three TD passes.
Dumb penalties by Randy Starks and a few curious calls - asking edge rusher Armonty Bryant to drop into coverage and pursue wide receiver Marvin Jones - also hurt the Browns' cause.
The Bengals finished with 371 yards as they dominated time of possession in the second half.
Stark(s) reality
Free-agent acquisition Randy Starks has made little impact in his first season with the Browns. He was visible Thursday night for all the wrong reasons. He took two critical penalties on the Bengals' second-quarter touchdown that made it 14-3.
On the drive's first play, the defensive end hammered Gio Bernard after a 1-yard gain, but stood over the running back and taunted him, costing the Browns a 15-yard penalty. Late in the series, the Browns appeared to get off the field as Andy Dalton threw an incomplete pass on a fourth-and-2 from the 6. Flags flew. Starks was guilty of offside, a penalty that gave the Bengals a fresh set of downs. Two inexcusable infractions for a 12th year veteran.
He's back
Manziel wasn't the only Browns' first-round pick to return to action. Cornerback Justin Gilbert, who had been reduced to a kick returner, saw some action at corner with Joe Haden out of the lineup.
He wasn't very noticeable and that's a good thing. Gilbert had decent coverage on Marvin Jones on a deep Andy Dalton pass into the end zone. Yes, they are baby steps, but at least they're in the right direction.
The Cleveland Browns lost a lopsided game to the Cincinnati Bengals with Johnny Manziel at quarterback. If they're going to stick with Manziel, it needs to be an organizational decision -- Bud Shaw's Sports Spin
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Johnny Manziel played well enough in a lopsided loss, all things considered.
The most curious take on this development came at halftime of the 31-10 loss to Cincinnati - let's call it the movie intermission. It came from Mike Pettine who said the Browns hoped to "calm" Manziel down and have him make more plays from the pocket.
Funny, that's what the Bengals wanted to do, too.
They were both successful, apparently.
Were the Bengals more effective because they reverted to the "mush rush" from last December, surrounding Manziel and letting him flee the pocket?
Or did the Browns limit Manziel in the second half after gaining some traction in the first half with a hurry-up third down play and by trading on Manziel's escapability?
Looked to me as if Cincinnati made the necessary adjustment.
Pettine was talking like a head coach who knows that eventually a winning NFL QB must make his living in the pocket.
Manziel still escapes it too early, but he would hardly be the first young quarterback to do so.
The issue here seems to be that Pettine is coaching for his job. After Thursday night's 31-10 loss to Cincinnati, Pettine has now lost 12 of his last 14 games.
Small wonder if he feels as if he's coaching for his job and wants to go back to McCown for the Pittsburgh game.
The organizational view, especially after Thursday night, figures to be Manziel as the starter for the rest of the season, if not this week then after the Pittsburgh game.
There are still serious reasons to still doubt Manziel as a franchise quarterback. Cincinnati in the second half (and last December) showed other teams how to defend the second-year quarterback.
The Browns didn't get their first first down of the second half until 3:15 remained in the game.
My guess is what will cost Pettine his job is how poorly his defense has played, not how he's handled the quarterback situation.
But if that's not true, all Jimmy Haslam has to do if he wants to see Manziel the rest of the year is assure his head coach he will return in 2016.
That would require an owner, GM and head coach "singing from the same hymnal" as Pettine once said of his relationship with Ray Farmer.
Anybody have faith in that?
Johnny Manziel had a solid performance but the Browns couldn't keep up in the second half and fell to 2-7 Thursday night. Watch video
CINCINNATI, Ohio -- The Browns lost their fourth straight game Thursday night, but may have gained some hope for Johnny Manziel as their quarterback of the future.
The Bengals beat the Browns, 31-10, behind three touchdown catches in the end zone by third-year tight end Tyler Eifert, who was too much for Cleveland's depleted secondary.
The Browns were without Pro Bowlers Joe Haden and Donte Whitner, who both missed the game with concussions; and safety Jordan Poyer who sat out with a shoulder injury.
By the second half, Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton (21-of-27 attempts for 234 yards with three TDs for a 139.8 rating) was playing pitch and catch with his receivers and taking advantage of mismatches in the defensive backfield.
As a result, the undefeated Bengals improved to 8-0 and took a 4 1/2 game lead over the 4-4 Steelers. The Browns slipped to 2-7 with their fourth straight loss and any hopes of the postseason are long gone.
But the Browns got an encouraging performance from Manziel in the fourth start of his career. Last year, the former Heisman Trophy winner earned a 27.3 rating in a 30-0 route by the Bengals in his starting debut, and looked completely bewildered during the game. Afterward, he admitted it was a complete failure on his part.
But Thursday night, Manziel demonstrated that he can read a defense, go through his progressions and hit the open man. He was most impressive throwing bullets on the run, and could've had another touchdown pass had a great throw not been knocked away from Taylor Gabriel in the end zone in the first half.
Overall, he completed 15-of-33 attempts for 168 yards and one TD for a 71.3 rating. Manziel, however, stalled in the second half after the Bengals made some halftime adjustments. They dialed up the pressure after the Browns fell behind 24-10 on a double-reverse by Mohamed Sanu.
In the second half, Manziel completed 4-of-15 attempts for 40 yards and the Browns managed just two first downs.
But Manziel displayed some of his Johnny Football flair in the first half, especially when he rolled to the left and fired a 12-yard laser shot to Duke Johnson in the end zone to trim the Browns' deficit to 14-10 left before the break. The drive featured another 26-yard laser shot to Johnson on a bootleg left and a 25-yard strike to Gary Barnidge.
Browns offensive coordinator John DeFilippo did a nice job of letting Manziel play to his strengths, rolling out and throwing on the run, and improvising.
Before the game, Manziel told NFL Network that he was a different player than the one who crumbled against the Bengals last season.
"I think obviously the year has made a big difference. I feel a lot more confident this year than going into last year. Obviously that's a game that we struggled mightily in and that's one thing I've told myself a lot today is it can't go as bad as that Sunday did last year. Really the main thing today is just go out, try to block all of this out, block everything out that is going on, have fun and at the end of the day this is still a game. Blessed to be in this position fighting with these guys so just go out on a Thursday night in front of everybody and have some fun."
Committing to the Crow
The Browns eschewed the three-headed monster at running and recommitted to Isaiah Crowell as their workhorse. He rewarded them with some hard running, averaging 4.7 yards on his nine first-half carries for 42 yards. The Browns kept running back Robert Turbin tethered to the bench for most of the game. Of course, his two fumbles last week didn't help his cause.
Justin Gilbert sighting
On Tuesday, Browns general manager Ray Farmer said he believed both of his 2014 first-round picks would eventually live up to their lofty draft status. Thursday night, he got a chance to see both of them play. In addition to Manziel starting the game, Gilbert saw his most extensive action of the season, subbing for Haden (concussion) in the base defense opposite Tramon Williams. In addition to Gilbert, forgotten receiver Dwayne Bowe saw some action and caught his first pass of the season, a 4-yarder in the first half.
First-half recap
The Browns trimmed their deficit to 14-10 with 19 seconds left in the half when Manziel rolled to the right and hit an open Duke Johnson at the right side of the end zone with a 12-yard TD pass. The score capped a 10-play, 92-yard drive, the Browns' longest of the season.
By the end of the half, Manziel had completed 11-of-18 attempts for 128 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions for a 101.2 rating. Dalton completed 9-of-13 attempts for 77 yards with two TDs in the first half -- both to Eifert -- for a 124.0 rating.
The Bengals opened the scoring on a 7-yard TD catch by Eifert with 7:08 left in the first quarter. Dalton faked a handoff and found Eifert on a quick slant over Tashaun Gipson in the end zone. The score capped a 10-play, 63-yard drive. The key play on the drive was a 29-yard catch on a slant by receiver Marvin Jones, who was singled up on linebacker Armonty Bryant.
The Browns trimmed the deficit to 7-3 on a 27-yard field goal by Travis Coons with 6 seconds left in the first quarter. Settling for three points was a disappointment for the Browns after an impressive 14-play, 74-yard drive. The march featured five first downs and a 15-yard catch and run by Crowell.
On second and goal from the 9, Manziel rolled left and fired a bullet to Taylor Gabriel in the back left of the end zone, but Adam Jones broke it up. On third down, Manziel threw far over tight end Gary Barnidge's head in the back of the end zone.
Cincinnati extended its lead to 14-3 with 4:34 left in the half on a catch by Eifert on the left side of the end zone on a bootleg left by Dalton. The drive was fueled by an offside penalty against defensive end Randy Starks on a fourth and 2 that gave Cincinnati a first and goal at the 3. For a team that headed into the game No. 3 in red-zone offense, the penalty was too much to overcome.
It was Starks' second penalty of the half. He was also flagged for taunting earlier in the quarter after a big stop on Giovoni Bernard. The senseless penalty angered Browns coach Mike Pettine, who immediately replaced Starks with John Hughes.
Josh McCown on the mend
McCown, who was inactive with his rib injury, is expected to be healthy for the Pittsburgh game Nov. 15. Question is, will he play again this season? Or will the Browns turn the offense over to Manziel?
Inactives
Among the Browns' seven inactives were four starters with concussions: Joe Haden, Donte Whitner, Andrew Hawkins and Brian Hartline. Taylor Gabriel started in place of Hartline. Other inactives besides McCown were safety Jordan Poyer and linebacker Jayson DiManche.
What's next
The Browns play in Pittsburgh Nov. 15 at 1 p.m.
Johnny Manziel, in a lost season, made his bid for the starting quarterback's job Thursday. It is too soon to say it wills tick, but it was his best game as a pro. Watch video
CINCINNATI, Ohio - Johnny Manziel is most dangerous when plays are broken. He darts away from the debris of the pocket, much as he is beginning to escape from the rubble of his ruined first season.
With his feet and with his arm, with his scheme recognition and sometimes even with his poise, the Cleveland Browns much-maligned, second-year quarterback had an encouraging audition for the starting quarterback job Thursday night at Paul Brown Stadium.
The best he's looked as a Brown
The Browns lost to the unbeaten Cincinnati Bengals, 31-10. Still, on a short week, with hurried preparation as the starter, against a strong team, this was the best Manziel has looked as a Brown.
This was a script not flipped yet, but certainly under revision.
"Inconsistent,'' coach Mike Pettine called Manziel. "In the second half, especially after we got behind, he was trying to make too many big plays instead of just taking completions. It's a function of how well we play around him."
One wonders what Pettine would say of Taylor Gabrieel then, who had at least three dropped passes? "Bless his heart" is not an option.
Manziel was certainly better than his stat line of 15 for 33 for 168 yards and the Browns' lone touchdown. He has little to work with. e ran four times for 31 yards, only 7 yards behind Isiah Crowell for the paltry team lead.
He took one crushing helmet-to-helmet hit on 12-yard first down scramble that was properly replay-reviewed into an 11 1/2 yard series soo became a punt.
This game does not settle the question of whether Manziel is a player to count on, or a football Kardashian, famous for being famous, a TMZ constant, an NFL footnote. But it sure provided some evidence to refute the latter idea.
Which Johnny?
Many words have been written about Manziel, and just as many terms have been applied to him:
It's too soon with a coach like Pettine -- who equates the experience of Josh McCown with attainment when it is really perseverance -- to say the starting designation for Manziel will stick. But, really, while McCown has had some big games and has shown great courage, he is 36 and beaten up.
Quickness can come from preparation
Manziel, in his second start of the season and fourth overall in the NFL, looked faster and more athletic than in his rookie season, possibly because he was quicker in his decisions and smarter with his choice of options.
He was not sacked until the Bengals opened a two-touchdown lead and began teeing off on him in the fourth quarter. On none of the sacks did he fumble, for which Pettine had scolded him.
The Browns are the old Bengals
It all fell apart, however, in the late stages. "We did a better job of containing the quarterback. Kept him in the pocket, and when he escaped, got him on the ground," said laconic Bengals coach Marvin Lewis.
The Browns had only two second-half first downs. The Bengals clearly have better players, including a stable of receivers it is enjoyable to imagine as Manziel's targets.
The Browns, in fact, are who the Bengals used to be.
Dinks and dunks
At first, it seemed that the Browns were going to keep the training wheels on their rambling, roving young quarterback to such a degree that Manziel's mobility wouldn't matter. On the Browns' first field goal drive, Manziel threw nothing but dinks and dunks and slants. If you blinked you missed the pattern.
The touchdown drive
But on the 10-play, 92-yard drive that resulted in a touchdown with only 19 seconds left in the first half for a 14-10 deficit, it was different.
Heeere's Johnny, rolling out and throwing a ball on an improvisation to Duke Johnson for 29 yards. And theeere's Johnny, running up in the pocket and rifling a 29-yarder to Gary Barnidge. Finally, Johnny's everywhere the Bengals' pressure is not, feeling the heat on third-and-5 from the Cincinnati 12 and moving away from it to whip a touchdown pass to Johnson.
Not a bungler this time
Everyone remembers Manziel's all-out assault on the concept of preparedness against the Bengals last year on the lakefront. Earlier in the same season, the Bengals current Most Valuable Player candidate Andy Dalton orchestrated a 24-3 loss to the Browns in which Dalton had a 2.0 rating.
The lesson is that dismal once does not have to mean dismal twice.
When Manziel faced the Bengals, it wasn't like a man whistling past the graveyard. It was like revisiting a team that buried him, and serving notice that his death was premature.Mike Pettine answered questions about the play of Johnny Manziel and where the Browns go from here after they lost to the Bengals on Thursday night.
CINCINNATI, Ohio - Cleveland Browns coach Mike Pettine met with reporters Thursday night after his team lost to the Cincinnati Bengals, 31-10.
After the loss, Pettine was asked about the play of Johnny Manziel; the costly penalties on defensive lineman Randy Starks; and where the team goes from here.
Following are highlights of his postgame comments:
Opening statement
". . . We're in this fight together. We're going to take this little bit of time off to refocus and re-energize and know there's a lot of football left, but like I said, we're in this fight together."
Manziel's night
"It was inconsistent. I thought he did some good things. In the second half, once we fell behind he was trying to make too many big plays instead of just taking completions. It's also a function of - and your'e probably sick of hearing me say this - is how well we played around him. I don't know if in the second half we played well enough around him for him to play well."
Did Bengals try to keep him in the pocket in the second half?
"That was probably an adjustment they made. He was probably in the pocket a little more. . . .They did a nice job against us in the second half. I don't think we got a first down until the last drive."
Will Manziel play again?
"I can't say at this point. When we get in and get back from this time off, we'll just assess what pool of players are available and go ahead and make those decisions from there. This will be a good little time to step away and reassess where we are and move forward."
Eifert's three-TD night for Bengals
"The first one, we were just a little too far off him. As the field condenses you've got to tighten up. It was a good play. A ball fake held the linebacker and they were able to bang it between the backer and the safety. The second one I'm not sure if the ball was even being thrown to him. . . It was a good play by Dalton to put at least it in play. . . The third one, he ran a good route, fooled Tramon (Williams). You want to point to reasons they're having the success they're having, with the threats they have on the outside, it opens up the middle of the field, and he's playing good football for them."
Taylor Gabriel's tough night
"It's a tough night. Nobody's going to be harder on himself than Gabe. He loves to play and is passionate about the game. Our biggest issue is getting him back, because I know he'll be down in the dumps feeling like he let us all down, but I'll take him on my team any day. He's a competitor. It was just one of those nights."
Randy Starks' penalties
"The penalties that come from the lack of discipline - we addressed it when it happened and we'll address it again. There's just no place for that. The taunt is not acceptable. He knew it right after it happened. He let the emotions get the best of him.
"The offside I don't know about. I didn't have a good replay of it. I don't know if it was him or Armonty (Bryant). It's a little fuzzy to me what happened on the offside. It's a shame because we had a third-down stop and we was at least going to make them attempt the field goal. That was a big drive for us defensively, and unfortunately, two self-inflicted wounds ended up resulting in points for them."
Since LeBron James tore the sleeves off his tight-fitting jersey on Wednesday night and helped the Cleveland Cavaliers rally against the New York Knicks, people have been having fun at his expense.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Since LeBron James tore the sleeves off his tight-fitting jersey on Wednesday night and helped the Cleveland Cavaliers rally against the New York Knicks, people have been mimicking the move.
Kenny Smith, from the "NBA on TNT" crew, was the latest on Thursday night during his popular segment. Smith was experiencing some technical difficulties while attempting to point out a few plays during the Chicago Bulls' win against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
His solution? Blame it on the sleeves and get more comfortable.
If it worked for the four-time MVP why wouldn't it work for Smith?
.@TheJetOnTNT wasn't doing well with the highlights...so he had to get rid of those sleeves https://t.co/QwWwJDIipm
-- NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) November 6, 2015
The maneuver led to plenty of laughs in the studio. It also caught James' attention as he was watching from home.
Hahahaha! Man u boys on @NBAonTNT hilarious. Oh ok Kenny, thought u was my boy! Hahaha. I didn't know u was tatted though. Hahaha
-- LeBron James (@KingJames) November 6, 2015
Even though he has been critical of the snug uniforms in the past, James' attempted to downplay their role in his shooting struggles against New York.
"I don't know, it might be mental, man," James said Wednesday night. "That's OK. The jerseys are nice, we love the jerseys, the black looks great. It's been a while since this franchise has worn black, so it's great to be out there and wear those uniforms.
"I was just, I was in my own way, I was a little frustrated with my shot and couldn't make a bucket, so like I said I had to take it out on something."
Faulk criticizes Pettine, blaming him for Manziel staying in the pocket in the second half.
Mike Pettine raised some eyebrows during his interview coming off the field Thursday night with NFL Network sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson. Pettine was asked about Johnny Manziel's first-half performance. Here's what he had to say:
"Well, he's making some plays out of the pocket. There's a couple of balls that we want him to make from in the pocket, but you can't argue with his production. He's done a nice job throwing the ball on the run. We'll get him calmed down a little bit in the second half and hopefully get some more production."
Here's video:
Here's Pettine's interview from halftime. pic.twitter.com/ENFwc2E0Ro
-- Dan Labbe (@dan_labbe) November 6, 2015
Seems harmless, but some took it as Pettine being critical of Manziel's penchant for escaping and throwing on the run. Including Marshall Faulk:
Can Marshall Faulk be our HC? pic.twitter.com/JO13rYkKOv
-- Bottlegate (@Bottlegate) November 6, 2015
Halftime interviews aren't easy. The coach is running off the field, there's a lot of emotion and it's all about instant reaction. It's usually best to say too little than say too much. Pettine probably did the latter and opened himself up to criticism when Manziel struggled in the second half.
Dennis Manoloff and Dan Labbe talk about the Browns loss to the Bengals on Thursday night.
We're on iTunes. Subscribe to the cleveland.com Sports podcasts channel here (or search cleveland.com Sports podcasts).
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns played a disastrous second half in Cincinnati and lost to the Bengals, 31-10. I talked to Dennis Manoloff about the loss on our postgame show.
Among the topics we discussed:
Why is the defense so bad? Is it scheme, the players or both?
Where was Duke Johnson in the second half again?
Is it time to just hand the reins to Johnny Manziel?
Who are the players on the Browns that scare you?
Regardless of whether the coach and GM stay, this roster needs blown up.
You can listen in the player above, subscribe on iTunes or download the mp3 here.
Thomas harbors no ill will toward the organization for trade talks.
CINCINNATI, Ohio - Joe Thomas came close to joining an undefeated team, protecting a fellow future Hall of Famer and having a legitimate shot at the Super Bowl.
How would that have made an eight-time Pro Bowler, one who's known little more than losing, feel?
The left tackle said he would have been "crushed."
No offense to the Broncos, but Thomas was relieved to learn he didn't get moved at the NFL trade deadline Tuesday. The two teams reportedly were in serious negotiations yet could not agree on compensation.
Thomas was back on the field with the only pro team he's known Thursday night, suffering a familiar outcome as the Bengals downed the Browns, 31-10, at Paul Brown Stadium.
The offensive lineman understands the business of pro sports, Thomas said, and doesn't hold it against the organization for entertaining offers for him.
"Certainly I would have been really crushed being traded and leaving all these guys that you work so hard with and all these coaches and the people that are in this building and these fans," said the Browns' No. 3 overall pick in 2007.
When rumors surfaced Sunday that Thomas was one of several players the Browns (2-7) would consider dealing, the 30-year-old adamantly said he wanted to stay.
He was in a meeting Tuesday at the Berea facility as the deadline approached and didn't realize how close he came to being a Bronco until it let out.
"It wasn't until after the deadline that I realized that it was more serious than maybe just a rumor," Thomas said. "At that point it was like, 'Oh, interesting.'"
Some players in his position would have welcomed a chance to play for a contender instead of the Browns. Thomas and his wife love it in Northeast Ohio, however, and have no interest in going anywhere else.
"I feel like it can be really special when we turn this around in Cleveland," Thomas said. "Until I'm not here, that's what I'm going to be working for. Certainly understand there comes a day when I'm going to get cut or traded, it happens to everybody. Playing in the NFL, it's not a forever business."
Asked if he were upset the Browns were discussing a trade for one of their most loyal players, Thomas said:
"Not really. I'm a realist. I understand the business side of things. We're all commodities. There's a price on every one of us. If somebody offered 10 first-round picks for Tom Brady, they'd probably get rid of Tom Brady and he's probably the best player that ever played.
"It doesn't really bother me that they listened to people that offered things. It's kind of like you're walking down the street and somebody says, 'Hey, nice watch. You want to sell it.' You say, 'Well, it's not for sale' but then you think and go, 'Well, what will you give me?' It's just a matter of what the price is. Obviously it was, from the sounds of it, it was close but no cigar."
Thomas gave thought to what it would have been like to join an unbeaten team and block for Manning.
"Peyton is a darn good quarterback," Thomas said. "There's worse places to be traded to, but obviously I'm very happy to still be here, to be battling with my teammates and working every day to get it turned around. It is a human business and I have a lot of really close friends here, on the team and in the city.
"I don't really see (the potential trade) as affecting (my desire), but I definitely think the older I get, the more that desire is there. Because you realize your career is closer to the end than the beginning and the amount of time that's left to do that is shrunk. To me I think the fire is burning hotter than ever, for me at least."
LeBron James' shooting woes extend beyond the start of the Cavaliers' season and go back well into last season's playoffs. But he's scoring at a much better rate closer to the rim than he did a year ago.
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Sleeves or no, LeBron James is struggling to shoot the three.
Really, his struggles extend inward from the three-point line to about 10 feet from the rim, and it's a trend that goes beyond just the handful of games the Cavs have played this season.
James led all players with 23 points in Cleveland's 96-86 win over the New York Knicks Wednesday night, in a game punctuated by James ripping the sleeves of the alternate, T-shirt-like jersey the Cavs wore because he said he was frustrated over missing shots.
James wants his field-goal percentage to be over 50 percent, and right now it's not (49 percent), though in a young season percentages fluctuate wildly. He is looking to score inside far more than he did during the regular season a year ago and is succeeding at a higher rate when he gets inside the lane.
But through five games, he's connected on just two of 18 three-pointers (11.1 percent), one in the fourth quarter against the Knicks, and is 11-of-43 (25.6 percent) from outside 10 feet. He's connected on precisely one shot from the right side of the rim this season.
Both James and Cavs coach David Blatt talk about the problem within the context of the five games. And perhaps it's fair to do so. The summer vacation months of July, August, and September separate any momentum (or in James' case, lack thereof) from the year before, and James took two weeks off prior to the start of the regular season to rest his back.
But in the Finals, James was 30-of-97 (30.9 percent) outside 10 feet, including 13-of-42 (31 percent) from three-point range. In the Eastern Conference finals against Atlanta, James shot 5-of-20 (25 percent) from three-point range, and of course in the conference semis against Chicago he clanged three-point attempts to a tune of 3-of-28 (10.7 percent).
For comparison's sake, James is a career 34-percent shooter from beyond the arc and hasn't shot below 30 percent in a regular season since his rookie year.
But it's been a while since he's been able to get those threes to drop with consistency.
"He'll find his way from the three," Blatt said. "I don't talk to him about it, I don't need to.
"Bron, throughout the course of his career, has been a reasonable-plus three-point shooter. At times, even better than that. He'll be fine. He'll find his way."
Again, James is getting it done closer to the rim, and the Cavs are benefiting tremendously. He's shooting a whopping 68 percent (36-of-53) from inside of nine feet. When he posted those dominant, top-line numbers against the Warriors in the Finals (35.8 points per game), he was only 48-of-99 (49 percent) from close range.
James leads the Cavs with 22.2 points on 19.2 shots per game.
"What's going on with my three-point shooting? Just out of rhythm," James said when asked Wednesday night. "You know, I've got to continue to work on it. It's not like I'm Steph Curry or J.J. Redick anyways.
"But I definitely ... just struggled a little bit. I was able to hit a big one tonight, so, just got to get some more reps, keep repping out. It's early in the season, so I'll be fine."
The No. 5 Bay Rockets rode senior running back Nick Best to a 31-21 road win over No. 4 Ashland in a Division III, Region 8 OHSAA playoff game on Friday night.
ASHLAND, Ohio – The fifth-seeded Bay Rockets football team handed the ball to senior running back Nick Best and he took them to a 31-21 road win over No. 4 Ashland in a Division III, Region 8 OHSAA first round playoff game on Friday night.
Best ran for 199 yards on 40 carries while scoring two touchdowns and also led the Rockets defensively with an interception and a fumble recovery. He started the night with a 29-yard touchdown run on Bay’s first drive of the game. After an incomplete pass on the first play of the drive by quarterback John Koz, who was returning to the lineup after injuries, Bay put the ball in Best’s hands for every play the rest of the drive.
“There is nothing he can’t do,” Bay coach Ron Rutt said. “He is just a great leader and he does it all for us.”
Check cleveland.com/hssports on Saturday for another story with several videos from this game, including action highlights.
Bay will play No. 1 Benedictine on Nov. 13 at 7:30 pm at a neutral site to be determined Sunday by the Ohio High School Athletic Association. Benedictine defeated Bay in a Division IV regional final (third round) last season, 35-7.
After a field goal made it 10-0 against Ashland, Koz found Cole Gergye for a 55-yard touchdown pass with just 10 seconds remaining in the first quarter to push the Bay lead to 17-0.
“It felt awesome to get out there,” Best said. “We felt like we couldn’t be stopped in the first half.”
The Bay defense suffocated the Ashland offense early on, not allowing the Arrows to move the ball. It was the Ashland defense that finally put the home team on the board, when John Wolfe intercepted a Koz pass and took it to the house to make it 17-7 Bay with 5:18 left in the second quarter and seemed to take some of the momentum from the Rockets.
That momentum was short lived, however, as Gergye returned the ensuing kickoff to the Ashland 15-yard-line. Best finished what Gergye started, taking the first play 15 yards for the touchdown to give Bay a 24-7 lead, a lead the Rockets would enjoy at halftime after Best intercepted Ashland quarterback Grant Denbow in the final seconds of the second quarter.
Bay started the scoring in the second half with a 1-yard run by Koz, but that’s when Ashland started to turn it into a game.
Denbow took it in from 1 yard out and then the Arrows converted a 2-point conversion to make it 31-15 with 4:13 left in the third quarter. Bay's offense was unable to mount an attack and Ashland continued to move the ball. When Denbow found Ryan Gray on a 5-yard touchdown pass with 5:59 left in the game, Bay's lead was trimmed to 31-21.
Ashland then recovered an onside kick and looked to cut it to a one possession game when Best came up with the fumble recovery and gave the ball to the Rockets, allowing them to run time off the clock and seal the victory.
Ryan Isley is a freelancer from Akron. For more high school sports news, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
LeBron James dominated the 76ers Friday night but a quad injury could slow him against the Pacers.
CLEVELAND, Ohio - LeBron James was kneed in the left quad in the fourth quarter of the Cavaliers' 108-102 win Friday night over the 76ers and said he's hopeful to play Sunday against Indiana.
"It's sore, probably be a lot worse tomorrow," said James, who posted season highs with 31 points and 13 assists in the win. "So, probably be around the clock treatment try to get ready for Sunday."
James was driving toward the rim and attempted an off-balance, difficult layup that was contested by Philadelphia's Jahlil Okafor. He missed the shot and fell hard to the court with 9:18 left, and was slow to get up.
James walked slowly toward the bench during the timeout but remained in the game. The Cavs led 87-79 at the time.
"I told coach he has to leave me in or at that point I probably won't be able to come back in because it's probably just going to get tightened up on me," James said. "I was able to play a couple more minutes after that and I actually come out after that."
The Cavs have practice Saturday and will host the Indiana Pacers Sunday at 3:30 p.m.
"Hopefully it doesn't stop me from playing on Sunday, with the quick turnaround with us having an early game," he said.
James scored 23 of his 31 points after halftime, but just two after the injury. He left the game for good with 2:31 to go and the Cavs ahead by 14.
"We let him go with it so he wouldn't stiffen up and when we took him out we didn't want to put him back in unless we absolutely had to, which fortunately we didn't have to," Cavs coach David Blatt said. "Obviously he had a fantastic second half, so, as he most often does he played through not a simple thing. He's done it before, I've seen it many times."
Seeded eighth in the Division II, Region 3 football playoffs, Nordonia pulled a 39-37 upset Friday night at top-seeded Aurora.
AURORA, Ohio – For two schools within 10 miles that never played, Nordonia and Aurora delivered a classic.
Seeded eighth in the Division II, Region 3 football playoffs, Nordonia pulled a 39-37 upset Friday night at top-seeded Aurora. The Knights advance to play Hudson, a 45-20 winner against Copley, in next week’s regional semifinals.
To get there, Nordonia (8-3) rallied from a 24-7 deficit against Aurora (9-2) and rode a five-touchdown performance from junior running back Anthony Perrine.
Check back Saturday morning for full video highlights and reaction.
The 5-foot-10, 207-pound Perrine rushed for 136 yards on 28 carries and scored the go-ahead touchdown with 6:13 left. It was the Knights’ first lead since his 6-yard run late in the first quarter.
Perrine’s performance came with Nordonia making multiple offensive line changes because of injuries.
“It was really seven guys strong that stepped up and did the job against a fantastic defensive front,” Nordonia coach Jeff Fox said.
Fox's own defensive front delivered the final blow to Aurora.
With the Greenmen scrambling downfield and facing an eight-point deficit, Aurora quarterback Nolan Sotka found Mitch Evans in the end zone on a 15-yard pass with 24 seconds left. Aurora needed two more points, and its run up the middle was stuffed by the Knights' defensive front.
In addition to Perrine on offense, quarterback Justin Post threw for 232 yards and Nordonia’s only other touchdown. That score went to senior Tyler Soltis, who finished with seven catches for 164 yards.
They overcame an Aurora team that got 144 yards receiving and two touchdowns on five catches from 6-2 sophomore Gavin Blunt. He helped Sotka throw for 233 yards and three touchdowns in his final game.
However, his lone interception – a play made by Nordonia junior Daniel Banks at the 18-yard line – led to Perrine’s go-ahead score.
“They’re resilient,” Fox said. “They’re a group that continues to have faith in us as coaches, listen to what we’ve said, even when things didn’t go well at the beginning of the year.”
After a run to last year’s Division II state title game, Nordonia’s opened this season with a hard loss to Mayfield and later lost back-to-back games. Their losses came to opponents with a combined 27-3 record through the regular season.
They now face a Hudson team, seeded No. 5, with a 9-2 record.
For more high school sports news, like NEOvarsity on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Contact high school sports reporter Matt Goul on Twitter (@mgoul) or email (mgoul@cleveland.com). Or log in and leave a message below in the comments section.
DeCavilon Reese rushes for 161 yards and four TDs to lead Benedictine to a first round victory.
BEDFORD, Ohio -- DeCavilon Reese rushed for 161 yards and four touchdowns on Friday to lead host Benedictine to a 41-14 victory against Bowling Green in a Division III Region 8 first round game.
The Bengals, winners of 23 consecutive games and the defending Division IV state champion, will play Bay in a second round game on Nov. 13 at a site to be announced Sunday. The teams met last year in the regional final, with Benedictine rolling to a 35-7 victory. Bay upset No. 4 Ashland Friday, 31-21.
Benedictine jumped out to a 20-0 lead after one quarter, helped greatly by the fact that Bowling Green lost fumbles on each of its first two plays from scrimmage, resulting in 14 quick points.
Reese scored on runs of four, 10, two and 46 yards. He was backed by Dontez Rash, who scored two touchdowns.
Quarterback Dom Davis ran for two touchdowns and passed for two more as St. Vincent-St. Mary beat Canfield in a Division III, Region 7 first-round playoff.
AKRON, Ohio - No. 2 St. Vincent-St. Mary defeated No. 7 Canfield, 49-28, in a Division III, Region 7 first round playoff game.
St. Vincent-St. Mary (10-1) piled up 503 yards of offense. Quarterback Dom Davis ran for two touchdowns and passed for two more. Running back Markus Hurd rushed for 151 yards and two touchdowns.
The Irish will play West Geauga in a second round game on Nov. 13 at a site that will be determined on Sunday.
Canfield (8-3) fell behind 21-0 and never caught back up. Quarterback Jake Cummings threw for two touchdowns and ran for two more.
Logan Bolin's two foutth-quarter TDs carry No. 1 Midview football past No. 8 Olmsted Falls, 56-35.
GRAFTON, Ohio -- Against a determined underdog that recovered two onside kicks in the fourth quarter, top-seeded Midview football needed to one final push to earn a win Friday in the first round of the Division II, Region 4 playoffs against Olmsted Falls.
Logan Bolin, as he's done all year, provided that and then some.
The senior scored twice to lift Midview past No. 8 Olmsted Falls, 56-35, at Midview.
Olmsted Falls (6-5) just scored to cut Midview's lead to 14 with 9:23 left, and then the Bulldogs recovered the first of their onside tries to set themselves up for a potential upset.
But on the first play of that ensuing drive, Bolin stepped in front of a pass over the middle and gave the Middies (11-0) their three-score lead back with a 77-yard dash to the end zone.
Midview will meet No. 4 Glenville in the second round on Nov. 13 at a neutral site. The location will be announced Sunday by the Ohio High School Athletic Association. Glenville topped Holland Springfield, 56-28.
"He's there for us. The last two years when we need a big play, whether it's on offense or defense, he's usually one of those guys making the play," Midview coach D.J. Shaw said.
Visit cleveland.com/hssports on Saturday for more content, including action video highlights from this game.
After another successful Bulldogs onside kick, Bolin snagged a 13-yard touchdown pass from Dustin Crum on a crossing pattern to make it 56-35.
The touchdown catch was Bolin's 21st of the season and 58th of his career, the latter number moving him into third place all-time in Ohio state history.
He scored in three different ways in the playoff opener, adding an 11-yard touchdown run in the third period.
Bolin, however, had help from the Middies' auxiliary weapons to stymie an Olmsted Falls team that, despite losing 35-10 in the Southwestern Conference rivals' regular-season matchup last month, notched a 21-all tie after Daiton Davis' second receiving touchdown early in the third period.
Midview countered quickly with Bolin's rushing score, coming on a quarterback draw, and then Daimion Mahone Jr. scored on a 5-yard jet sweep to make it 34-21 before Dimitri Redwood snagged a 10-yard TD pass from Crum to make it 42-21.
"If you try to double-team one of us, you're just going to open up holes for other players," Redwood said.
Olmsted Falls won five games the previous two seasons but bounced back to make the playoffs for the first time since 2011.
"No one thought we'd be here; that's for sure. It's a great thing. Our seniors embraced what we were doing, and I'll never forget them," Olmsted Falls coach Tom DeLuca said.
Midview's Alec Forrer rushed for 93 yards and a touchdown and scored on a 23-yard first-quarter swing pass. Crum completed 16 of 21 passes for 266 yards and three touchdowns.
Matt Archual and Spencer Linville gained 100 and 154 rushing yards, respectively, for the Bulldogs, with each scoring a touchdown.
Sam Robinson is a freelancer from North Olmsted.
For more high school sports news, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
