This week's observations about Cleveland's pro teams.

John Kuntz / The Plain DealerThe Browns may want to use the no-huddle attack a little more on Sunday, if Jake Delhomme is healthy enough to take over behind center.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- This week's observations about Cleveland's pro teams, as Terry's talkin'...

About the Browns ...

1. When Browns coaches talk about their two quarterbacks, the one clear advantage that Jake Delhomme delivers is the ability to run the no-huddle offense, which the Browns fell in love with at the end of last season. Eric Mangini and the defensive coaches hate facing the no-huddle, because it gives them little time to substitute between plays. When the Browns use it, the no-huddle fits into the power running game scheme because it means the defense is being physically worn out by the quick rhythm of plays.

2. Brady Quinn ran the no-huddle well last season when he took over after the bye week. While Quinn's passing continued to attract discouraging words, his ability to keep the team lined up correctly and make the right calls to set up the running game was part of the reason they gained 800 yards on the ground in the final four games. Based on what the Browns saw of Delhomme in the preseason and in the first game, they believe the veteran can do the same -- and throw the ball better than Quinn.

3. Why didn't they use the no-huddle with Seneca Wallace? Because it is so different from the West Coast offense that was the norm for Wallace's pro career before he arrived in Cleveland. This offense is a major adjustment for him -- while it's much closer to what Delhomme used in parts of his long career. So they didn't go to the no-huddle with Wallace. Nor is it a sure thing they will use a lot of it in Sunday's game against Atlanta.

4. What Wallace brings are fleet feet that stay out of sacks and keep passing plays alive. While he doesn't run for big gains, he stays away from major losses. He also developed a chemistry with Ben Watson and Joshua Cribbs, who became two of his favorite receivers.

5. Watching video with Mohamed Massaquoi, the coaches have been stressing that the receiver needs to do a better job of getting open. Yes, Wallace sometimes bolts out of the pocket a bit early and dumps a short pass to Watson or a running back. But when Wallace has scrambled, Cribbs has done a good job of running toward the quarterback to present a good target. That's not always been the case with Massaquoi.

6. By far, Watson has been the favorite target of the quarterbacks -- 28 passes have come his way. Next are Cribbs and Peyton Hillis at 19 each, followed by Chansi Stuckey at 15 and Massaquoi at 14. Watson has impressed the coaches with his knack for getting open quickly.

7. The Browns believe Atlanta will try to run the ball early, believing they can break down the Browns' defense. Atlanta leads the NFL in running plays -- 149. By comparison, the Browns ranked No. 9 at 113 rushes. Atlanta is averaging 3.9 yards per carry, compared to 4.1 yards for the Browns. The Falcons have a good quarterback in Matt Ryan, but they are absolutely sold out to the run.

8. It would be nice if the Browns could get a decent performance from Shaun Rogers, who looks out of shape after missing all of training camp with a leg injury. He had two false start penalties last week, and only three tackles in three games. This happened in Detroit when Rogers became discouraged. He got heavy and his performance suffered. It is possible the Browns may trade him, although that would leave them with Athbya Rubin as their only real nose tackle.

9. Rogers was on the field for 33 of 66 defensive plays in the victory over Cincinnati. That tied Brian Schaefering for the most on the defensive line. Others were Kenyon Coleman (18), Robaire Smith (22) and Rubin (23). While he is a linebacker, David Bowens (24 snaps) sometimes acts like a lineman.

10. Despite the $15,000 fine and negative publicity that rookie T.J. Ward received for his late hit on Bengals' receiver Jordan Shipley, the Browns are confident that the safety will continue to play aggressively. He knows the play was a poor one because it drew a penalty in the end zone -- but Ward also knows that hard hitting is what made him a second-round pick. It's also why he made the Oregon team as a non-scholarship walk-on, so he's not about to suddenly become timid.

11. One of the strengths of the defense is a lot of movement before the snap, designed to confuse opposing quarterbacks and receivers in terms of when and where a blitz is coming from ... and how their coverages work. Video study revealed that some of the young players have been tipping off their coverages too early.

12. Opposing teams have been using the no-huddle to try to negate all the pre-snap movement. But not all teams are comfortable with it. The Browns' goal is to make a couple of defensive stands when teams use the no-huddle, forcing them back into the standard offense.

Joshua Gunter / The Plain DealerPeyton Hillis has proven effective whether he's running up the middle or to the right or left side of the offensive line. He's pretty good relating to Browns fans, too.

About Peyton Hillis ...

1. After the Browns picked up Peyton Hillis from Denver in the Brady Quinn deal, Eric Mangini told the running back: "We didn't get you to be another guy. Someone is going to get 1,000 yards this season. It's wide open who will be our featured back, and you will get a chance." The coaches have been reminding Hillis of that early in the season.

2. According to the Web site profootballfocus.com, Hillis was on the field for 65 of 68 snaps against the Bengals. And 75 of his 102 yards came after his initial contact, meaning Hillis is a beast to tackle. At Baltimore, he played 49 of 59 snaps.

3. Here's a surprise: Hillis has gained more yards (93 in 19 carries) off right tackle and end than he has from the left end (53 yards, 13 carries), where the Browns' line is supposed to be stronger. But running over left guard Eric Steinbach and center Alex Mack has produced 71 yards in seven carries. What do all these numbers mean? Hillis is running and gaining yardage from all over the field, a tribute to the line. And that's why he's hard to defend.

4. Hillis was one of the best high school players in Arkansas history. As a senior, he rushed for 2,631 yards (10.1 yard average) and 29 touchdowns -- nine were on runs of more than 50 yards! He was ranked the No. 2 high school fullback in the nation as a senior.

5. In college, Hillis was used at everything from tailback to fullback to tight end to special teams on coverage and as a return man. "He was dominant on kickoff coverage," according to the Arkansas media guide. As a sophomore, he averaged 10.3 yards per punt return and 27.3 yards on kickoffs for Arkansas. He played next to a pair of running backs who became first-round draft choices (Felix Jones and Darren McFadden). So he often played fullback. He also caught 49 passes as a senior, 118 in his career. He average 4.7 yards rushing, 959 yards in 203 career carries.

John Kuntz / The Plain DealerRyan Hollins has the skills of a solid big man (although J.J. Hickson might wish he was a little more precise in his shot-blocking), but it's up to coach Byron Scott to help him find some consistency.

About the Cavaliers ...

1. When Ryan Hollins had 14 rebounds in the Cavs' preseason loss to Washington on Thursday, there was a reason for smiles. Hollins never had more than nine in a game last season. He's a legitimate 7 feet tall and 240 pounds with excellent leaping ability. He did the high jump, the long jump and triple jump for the UCLA track team, along with playing center for the Bruins in the winter. But he has been a poor rebounder in his three-year NBA career. He started 27 games for Minnesota last season, averaging only 3.3 rebounds in 23 minutes. Even in college, he averaged only 4.8 rebounds in 22 minutes as a senior.

2. Coach Byron Scott has Anderson Varejao and the 26-year-old Hollins as his two centers. Yes, J.J. Hickson can play the spot, but he's better suited for power forward. In fact, power forward also is Varejao's best spot. So if Hollins can develop into a decent rebounder, it can be a real bonus. The Cavs picked him up along with impressive point guard Ramon Sessions in the Delonte West deal with the Timberwolves.

3. As for Hickson, he can be an impact player. Because Scott wants to run, Hickson can be very effective finishing on fast breaks. His jumper is not hopeless, and he's working at it. But what makes him effective when he catches the ball on the wing is his quick and powerful drive to the basket. He'll draw a lot of fouls. In the first two preseason games, Hickson has 33 points and 17 rebounds in 51 minutes. He is 15-of-20 at the foul line.

4. Flip back to last season. Hickson played 47 minutes in the first three games of the Boston series, scoring 29 points. But in the last three games, a grand total of nine minutes. It was as if former coach Mike Brown forgot about him. Hickson and Daniel Gibson -- two draft picks by former GM Danny Ferry and current GM Chris Grant -- will have major roles with Scott.

5. I thought 2009 second-rounder Danny Green could bloom, but so far it's discouraging. In 42 preseason minutes, he's 2-of-10 shooting with five points, five turnovers and five rebounds. He also looked lost in the scrimmage at Akron last week. He'll probably make the 15-man roster, but he's done nothing with this opportunity.

Chuck Crow / The Plain DealerJason Donald was far from the only defensively challenged Indian when it comes to assessing Tribe players who need more work with the glove before the 2011 season.

About the Indians ...

1. It's hard to find accurate stats to reflect a team's fielding because it's so much more than errors and fielding percentage. You need to figure range into the equation, and some other nuances. The stats from Fangraphs are not the baseball gospel, but they do match what most of us saw last season -- namely, the Indians had the worst defensive team in the American League.

2. Of the 14 AL teams, the Web site ranked the Tribe dead last at shortstop and centerfield. Asdrubal Cabrera's rating was hurt by his lack of range. Jason Donald (nine errors in 47 games) simply played poorly in all areas when Cabrera was injured. Luis Valbuena had four errors in five games at short.

3. In center field, Trevor Crowe ranked low for his lack of range. Michael Brantley's rank was barely average, and he didn't throw out a single runner all season. By contrast, Shin-Soo Choo threw out 14, and Crowe had nine assists.

4. The entire infield was bad. Third base was 11th, and that's because Jhonny Peralta played there the first half of the season. Jayson Nix and Andy Marte played 96 games at third and had 25 errors! Nix had 16 in 51 games, so the Indians had better not be serious about him becoming their regular third baseman.

5. Second base ranked 12th. Valbuena had little range, and Donald was erratic. Only Nix (zero errors in 28 games) was OK at second. First base also was a disaster at No. 13, mostly because Russell Branyan played 51 games and was -- by far -- the worst ranking first baseman in baseball for those who were at the spot for at least 50 games.

6. The only spots where the Indians were above average were right and left field -- both ranked No. 6 -- and catching, where coach Sandy Alomar deserves credit for turning Lou Marson, Carlos Santana and Chris Gimenez into the No. 2-ranked catchers in the league.

7. Early this week, I wrote about the Tribe's draft woes and how it's the draft that is the key to middle-market success. A very impressive approach to the topic comes from Jon Steiner, so check him out at waitingfornextyear.com

Like the NFL, baseball needs to do everything possible to get calls right -- especially at the most critical time of the year, Bud Shaw writes in his Sunday Spin.

View full sizeLouis DeLuca / Dallas Morning News via APThe outrage of Tampa Bay's James Shields over a disputed checked swing ruling was fueled by Michael Young's home run one pitch later in Game 2 of their AL playoff series. But another rash of apparent umpire errors isn't going to drag baseball into the 21st century anytime soon, laments Bud Shaw.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- After further review, there's still no further review.

You can't tell by the ratings that playoff baseball is here in all its drama. Postseason games are attracting the kind of audience once reserved for "After M*A*S*H*" and "Homeboys in Outer Space."

America shows more interest in Brett Favre's completion ratio in Wrangler commercials than it showed in Roy Halladay throwing the second postseason no-hitter in history against the Reds.

I am checking on a rumor that Don Larsen, who threw a perfect game for the Yankees in the 1956 World Series, didn't know of Halladay's gem because he was otherwise occupied in a fantasy football league GMs meeting on trading protocol.

The NFL stages a football night in America every Sunday. To match that audience, Baseball Night in America would have to be outsourced to Cuba or Japan.

You either love baseball's rhythm and pace or you don't. Casual fans are difficult to entice unless they're tuning in to watch Barry Bonds' hat size grow by the inning. If baseball can't make itself more relevant as an entertainment option, it should at least embrace technological relevance.

Crazy as it sounds, why not make the sport better for the people who care enough to watch? Instead, baseball ignores expanded use of instant replay in the postseason even as umpire blunders mar the product at the most critical time of the year.

For instance, umps ruled Yankees' right fielder Greg Golson trapped a sinking liner by Delmon Young with two outs in the ninth inning of Game 1 Wednesday. An ump in the booth would clearly see Golson made the catch. An ump in the booth would've reversed the decision.

Chris O'Meara / Associated PressNope, we sure wouldn't want these baseball games to be slowed down, not when Joe Maddon and umpire Jim Wolf can have a pleasant little chat that stretches into several minutes.

Fortunately, Jim Thome popped up to end the game. What if Thome had tied the game with a two-run homer? The possibility was enough to bring Yankees' manager Joe Girardi into the pro-replay fold.

"As long as it doesn't slow the games down," Girardi said before Game 2.

Slow it down?

Controversial calls in baseball bring out the offended manager, who often conducts a filibuster. Like Congress, it's a circus. No way a replay review can appreciably slow down a process that takes longer than a clown car emptying.

Girardi's comment is especially funny since the Yankees play the longest games in baseball. I once watched a double feature of "Ben-Hur" and "Gone With the Wind" while Alex Rodriguez adjusted his batting gloves in between pitches. And he was being intentionally walked.

With all the measurable reasons -- some of them correctable -- why baseball takes so long, it's ridiculous to draw the line at expanded replay.

Baseball in 2010 doesn't attract enough casual fans to worry about them. It should at least reward its loyal fans with its best efforts to get it right.

It can't be the $206 million payroll or having Lance Berkman at $14.5 million batting eighth in the Yankees' lineup.

From Saturday's New York Daily News:

"The Yankees bring another baseball October to Yankee Stadium Saturday night. They started the postseason on the road this time and it didn't matter at all, not against the Twins, who make their division, the Central, look like some kind of junior varsity ... like their name should be the Minnesota Speed Bumps."

Yes. How ever do the scrappy Yankees do it?

It's got to be that "New York essence" Braylon Edwards talked about.

What's a six-letter word ending in 'z' for "delusional?"

New York Times crossword puzzle editor Will Shortz, a 1974 graduate of Indiana University, offered a guest prediction in Saturday's PD. He picked IU, 30-27, with the comment, "I think IU's defense will be good enough to contain Pryor."

They did a fine job after three quarters, when Pryor went to the bench with a 38-0 lead in the eventual 38-10 victory for the Buckeyes.

SPINOFFS

John Kuntz / The Plain DealerPeyton Hillis may seem indestructible when he's pounding linebackers and defensive backs on his runs up the middle, but Bud Shaw doesn't want to see the Browns wear out their battering ram.

I'm not sure switching to Jake Delhomme interrupts the Browns' momentum, unless your definition of "momentum" is no complete passes in the fourth quarter against Cincinnati...

The momentum is Peyton Hillis, who was on the field for almost every play before the Browns killed the clock last Sunday. If they don't reintroduce Jerome Harrison to the offense or find another change-of-pace back, they risk Hillis being in a body cast by the end of the month, and it won't be a Halloween costume...

The Cavs redesigned their team shop. The change? A year ago, they had merchandise people wanted to buy...

A 69-year-old Michigan State fan put off surgery to install a pacemaker until after the weekend so he could watch his beloved Spartans play Michigan, showing once again how people keep sports in perspective...

Best take on Hillis punishing tacklers: "Mama says if you play in the streets, you will get hit by a car or a truck," said Browns' fullback Lawrence Vickers...

HE SAID IT

"From the dugout, you can't see anything." -- Braves manager Bobby Cox on why he didn't argue a missed call at second base in Game 1 against the Giants.

Fun fact: Cox was ejected from Game 2 Friday. He has now been ejected a major-league record 158 times for arguing things he apparently didn't see.

YOU SAID IT

(The Streamlined Sunday Edition)

"Bud:

"Would you accept a Browns PSL in a poker game?" -- Dan Smith

Right after I accept an IOU from Carlos Boozer.

"Bud:

"Is there any truth to the rumor Mark Shapiro removed the numbers for Jason Johnson's, Dave Dellucci's, and Jason Michaels' agents from his Blackberry after Manny Acta said he was only interested in adding veterans if they are capable of producing on the field?" -- Adam Wheeler

Yes. Those numbers are no longer in Shapiro's Blackberry. They're now in Chris Antonetti's.

"Bud:

"Legend has it that once the last remaining undefeated team loses its first game, the surviving members of the 1972 Dolphins drink champagne in celebration. Now that the Browns won a game, will they send a case to the surviving members of the 2008 Detroit Lions?" -- David Orloff

Sadly, there were no survivors.

"Dear Bud:

"What's all the concern about you taking your talents to South Beach? Don't people realize your talents abandoned you long ago?" -- Vince G.

Guys like me and Tony Danza count on people not being so observant.

"Bud:

"Exactly which NFL teams aren't blue collar and don't like to stop the run or run the ball?" -- Heather P

Other than the Browns from 1999-2009, none come to mind.

"Bud:

"After seeing several articles this week about the 50th anniversary of the Flintstones, clearly Eric Mangini has an older brother named Barney." -- Jim Nice.

First-time "You Said It" winners receive a T-shirt from the Mental Floss collection.

"I never liked LeBron James, but his quitting in Game 5, his televised defection, and his skin color had nothing to do with it. I just assumed he played college basketball at Michigan." -- Chas K

Repeat winners receive a police mug shot of Braylon Edwards.

Linebacker Matt Roth is becoming the face of the Cleveland Browns defense -- tough, smart, nasty, and maybe even a little crazy.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter / The Plain DealerMatt Roth's fourth-quarter sack of QB Carson Palmer ended the Bengals' final scoring threat last Sunday. The Browns linebacker has created a reputation of being the team's most extroverted -- and dynamic -- defender. "He's an animal," said fullback Lawrence Vickers. "If I were to play defense, I'd play like Matt Roth."

• Browns vs. Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, 1 p.m. TV: WJW Ch. 8

TONY GROSSI’S FOUR THINGS ON BROWNS VS. FALCONS
1. Power ball: This game could be over in less than three hours. Falcons like to mash the ball on offense and eat up the clock with possession time. Browns have settled on mashing the ball with Peyton Hillis and have steadily increased their possession time. Couple differences: The Falcons’ offense has much more diversity, and Browns’ defense more stout against the run.

2. Atlanta Superfecta: The best offensive teams have that really good trifecta of quarterback-running back-wide receiver. The Falcons take it one step further by throwing in a future Hall of Fame tight end. You might not find a better overall foursome than QB Matt Ryan, RB Michael Turner, WR Roddy White and TE Tony Gonzalez.

3. The place where kickers go to die: Atlanta kickoff specialist Mike Koenen is second in the NFL with nine touchbacks, which is a large reason why the Falcons hold opponents to the lowest average drive start after kickoffs at just a fraction past the 20-yard line. Three of Atlanta’s games have been played inside a dome. Koenen did register two touchbacks in Pittsburgh, however. We’ll see how he does here, where big-legged Mike Nugent barely kicked it to the 10 last week. Josh Cribbs is overdue.

4. Mo Mass: If Jake Delhomme indeed is back in the saddle, you’ve got to figure the happiest player to see it would be Mohamed Massaquoi. The receiver caught two passes from Delhomme in the season opener against Tampa Bay, one for a 41-yard TD. Over the next three games with Delhomme out with a high ankle sprain, Mohamed saw only eight passes targeted for him, and caught two.
— Tony Grossi

PLAIN DEALER PREDICTIONS
The line: Falcons by 3
Mary Kay Cabot (2-2)
Falcons 23, Browns 20: The Falcons' balanced attack, featuring Turner and White, prevails.
Tony Grossi (1-3)
Browns 20, Falcons 19: Falcons are still a little dicey away from their dome.
Bill Livingston (1-3)
Falcons 23, Browns 19: I just don’t think the Bengals, last week’s victim, are that good.
Terry Pluto (2-2)
Browns 17, Falcons 14: I have gone back and forth all week on this, and finally decided to go with the home team.
Bud Shaw (2-2)
Falcons 24, Browns 20: Atlanta somehow finds way to neutralize Browns’ wide receivers.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Matt Roth pumps his fists up towards his ears and then flexes his Popeye-sized biceps, one emblazoned with flames. Then, he screws his face up into a nasty scowl to the roar of the crowd.

It's a quintessential Roth moment, and more often than not, there's a quarterback or tight end crumpled to the ground when it happens. The latest victim was Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer, who was drilled by the Browns' linebacker at the end of last week's victory and never got his offense back on the field.

Bam! Game almost over. Biceps a'poppin.

"He's a good friend and even I'm afraid of him on the field," said left tackle Joe Thomas with a laugh.

Roth, claimed off waivers from Miami last November, is becoming the face of the Browns' defense: tough, smart, relentless. Maybe even a little ornery and nasty.

"I love him," said defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. "I don't think there's a tougher guy -- a genuine tough guy -- in football. There's no question he's not pretty. He's smart, he's tough, he's so physical. I don't think there's a guy in the league that he'd back up to."

Roth (6-4, 275 pounds) is hoping to unleash some of the same wrath on the Falcons Sunday as he did on the Bengals: a career-high two sacks, three tackles for a loss, three quarterbacks hits and six tackles, second-best on the team.

"He had a great game," said coach Eric Mangini. "He had the two sacks, but he had another rush where he blew up a guard. He had another play against one of their tight ends where he threw him off. It's attrition with him. There are the ones that he gets and then there's the other hits that happen over the course of the game which establishes a presence.

"He's hard to block with a tight end, he can challenge any tackle that they put out there and he's just angry. It's a good angry."

Thomas pities the tight end that has to confront Roth.

"The tackles can't even block him, so there's no way a tight end could," he said. "Kellen [Winslow] was running away from him in Tampa."

AP photo"I don'€™t think there's a tougher guy €-- a genuine tough guy --” in football," says Browns defensive coordinator Rob Ryan about linebacker Matt Roth.

Just ask Browns tight end Evan Moore, who tried to block Roth every day in training camp.

"I asked him what I was doing wrong," said Moore. "He said, 'you're not doing anything wrong. No tight end will ever block me.' I said, 'well you can't guard me, so I guess we're even.'"

Has there been one who could handle Roth?

"I haven't see him, but you know, that's my deal," said Roth. "It's a mismatch every week. I go to the tight end side and rough those guys up. That's who I am. My whole philosophy is knock 'em on the ground I don't got to cover 'em."

The task Sunday will go to Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez, whom Scott Fujita calls "without a doubt the best tight in the history of the NFL."

"He's mostly going out for routes, so he doesn't block and I don't expect him to try and block me," said Roth. "That's one aspect of my game I need to keep working on, because it's hard to cover these tight ends in this league."

Said Gonzalez, who's faced Roth four times, "He doesn't have too many moves -- just bull-rushing and a guy that likes to get after it. He has a high motor. He's one of those guys you better be prepared for or he'll embarrass you."

Roth's teammates love that he's a little crazy, both on and off the field.

"If you told Matt there'd be some benefit in running into a brick wall head first, he'd do it," said linebacker David Bowens, who also played with Roth in Miami. "He doesn't care. He has no fear."

Said Fujita: "He's one of a kind. I've only know him for a few months now, but he's got uncanny strength. I don't know where it comes from. He's not a big weight room guy. It must be his experience as a wrestler. He's so strong he can almost take over one side of the line. There's something about him. You put someone in front of him and he just destroys the guy."

An undefeated state wrestling champ in high school, Roth attributes some of his success to that.

"It helps a lot," he said. "It helps with your hips, it helps you be explosive and helps you be able to throw off. That's one thing being low, it helps a lot at outside linebacker."

Roth has endeared himself to the offensive players as well as the defensive ones.

"He's an animal," said fullback Lawrence Vickers. "If I were to play defense, I'd play like Matt Roth. And everything that comes out of his mouth is funny. I don't know if he means to be or not. But he's got the whole package: he's good, he's funny and he's ugly."

Roth isn't exactly sure why everyone describes him as crazy.

"That's just how they perceive me," he said. "I'm not chewing on the end of my locker. I think I'm just a regular ol' guy."

But the mad dog rap has served him well.

"My mom won't [like it], but I'll take it," he said.

Now, about that flex.

"We made fun of him," said Thomas. "I told him he's got to come up with another sack dance, because that's pretty weak. We're going to be seeing more sacks from him."

The much-publicized run-in between Kyle Busch and David Reutimann in last Sunday's Cup race at Kansas Speedway has reignited a debate that has raged on and off since the inception of the Chase in 2004.

By Jim Utter

McClatchy News Service

Fontana, Calif. -- NASCAR has already said it is considering making some changes next season to the format of the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

What we've learned in the last week is that it's also possible to change the Chase from within.

The much-publicized run-in between Kyle Busch and David Reutimann in last Sunday's Cup race at Kansas Speedway has reignited a debate that has raged on and off since the inception of the Chase in 2004.

Is it fair for drivers not in the Chase -- in this case Reutimann -- to have the ability to impact the title fortunes of those in it -- in this case Busch -- by their actions on the track?

While Busch was the first to make contact with Reutimann last week, he claimed it was unintentional. There was no doubt, however, that Reutimann's retaliation later in the race was well-timed.

Busch, who was running in the Top 10 much of the race, ended up with a damaged car and a 21st place finish. He lost four spots in the series standings, falling to seventh, 80 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson.

"I don't know why here lately, everyone who gets spun on accident feels like they need to go out there and really turn guys around," said driver Denny Hamlin, Busch's teammate at Joe Gibbs Racing.

"We're all race car drivers, we're all on the edge at all times and when someone makes a mistake, why didn't he deserve to get caught a break, he messed up.

"That part's tough for me to swallow. These guys want to go out there and change how the Chase ends up they can definitely do that."

Neither Reutimann nor Busch have been apologetic about their actions of late week but both did have a sit down on Friday with John Darby, the Cup series director, regarding their run-in.

In fact, all eyes will be on the pair of drivers in Sunday's Pepsi 400 at Auto Club Speedway to see if a repeat episode is in store.

Asked on Friday whether the incident between Reutimann and himself could escalate in the last races of the season, Busch offered a stern response: "Certainly could happen."

There were no NASCAR penalties assessed for last week's actions and in reality nothing that transpired was any worse than NASCAR has allowed all season long.

The difference is during the Chase the stakes for some are much, much higher.

"You certainly don't want to be involved in the conversation as to why a guy didn't win the championship because you wrecked him or whatever. But, that goes both ways," explained driver Jeff Burton.

"You have to drive people with respect all the time. You can't pick and chose when you want someone to respect you. And you can't pick and choose when you are going to respect them.

"It has to be all the time or none of the time."

It was clear to many drivers, and emphasized by Reutimann himself, that his retaliatory strike against Busch last weekend wasn't a response of that single incident on the track. Reutimann believed he had been slighted by Busch in the past and Sunday's incident was simply the last straw.

"I don't think obviously there is more that has happened than just last week," Kevin Harvick said. "Those weren't just feelings from last week, I don't think."

In any case, Busch and his No. 18 JGR team find themselves climbing a much higher hill in the season's last seven races to reach a Cup championship.

"We've got way too much catching up to do versus where we could have been. If I gave myself a fifth-place finish, which we could have either been better than that or maybe a couple spots worse than that, we'd be I think second or third in points right now," Busch said.

"Now we have to step it up and we have to win or finish second or third. We've got a lot more to pick up."

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

The St. Ignatius losing streak is over, but will it be enough to salvage the playoff streak? The Wildcats beat Erie (Pa.) Cathedral Prep, 48-19, in a high school football game Saturday at Byers Field. St. Ignatius (3-4) had lost three in a row, and scored just 20 points in those games.

The St. Ignatius losing streak is over, but will it be enough to salvage the playoff streak?

The Wildcats beat Erie (Pa.) Cathedral Prep, 48-19, in a high school football game Saturday at Byers Field. St. Ignatius (3-4) had lost three in a row, and scored just 20 points in those games.

St. Ignatius has reached the playoffs 22 straight seasons but entered the weekend 17th in Division I, Region 1, where the top eight teams qualify. Five of eight teams ahead of the Wildcats lost this weekend.

Their remaining opponents are St. Francis (N.Y.), which entered the weekend 1-4, Cincinnati St. Xavier (4-3) and rival St. Edward (7-0).

St. Ignatius defensive back Tyler Ketty scored on a 35-yard interception return and a 37-yard punt return. Running back Dan Grace had eight carries for 110 yards and one touchdown, and Bobby Grebenc rushed for 79 yards, including three short TD runs.

Euclid 20, Shaker Heights 14: Quarterback Chuck Bradford's 2-yard quarterback sneak in overtime ended the Panthers' five-game losing skid. It was his third touchdown run of the game.

Euclid (2-5) had the ball first in overtime. Shaker Heights (1-6) committed an offensive pass interference penalty on its first overtime play and was unable to recover.

"We needed a victory, obviously," Euclid coach Tom Gibbons said. "The kids have hung in there and battled adversity in recent weeks."

Girls tennis

Division I sectional at Brush: The Mayfield doubles team of senior Joy Warner and sophomore Mitsuki Fukamachi is one step closer to a return trip to the state tournament. They won a sectional title, 6-1, 6-0, against Normandy's Anastaysia Koval and Melissa Powell. Both teams are headed to this week's district tournament at Oberlin. Warner and Fukamachi were state qualifiers last year. Mayfield also advanced its No. 2 doubles team, Ashton Fox and Stephanie Schmitt, who placed fourth. Padua sophomore Rachel Yurchison won the singles final in straight sets.

Division I sectional at Oberlin: It was a big day for the Demons. Westlake's Lauren Golick won the singles title, and teammates Michelle Djohan and Kelsey Wanhainen were doubles champs. Westlake also advanced its No. 2 doubles team, Julia Dunbar and Bhargavi Maheswher, who placed fourth. Magnificat advanced two singles players, Noelle Kaufmann and Maddy Lugli, as well as the doubles team of Annie Foliano and Molly Doyle.

Division II sectional at Brush: Orange senior Lydia Colvin persevered to beat Chagrin Falls junior Emily Mazzola, 3-6, 6-1, 7-5, in the singles final. In a championship battle of doubles teams that both reached the state tournament last year, Hawken's Taylor Johnson and Surya Khadlikar beat Chagrin Falls' Erica Leone and Anna Benson, 6-2, 6-3.

Division II sectional at Canton: St. Vincent-St. Mary's Taylor Wedlake beat Tallmadge's Kelsey Blatt in the singles final, 6-3, 6-0.

Division II sectional at Rocky River: Hathaway Brown freshman singles player Ariana Iranpour and Walsh doubles players senior Christin Reed and sophomore Katelyn Hissong were champions.

Cross country

Medina Festival: Call it a pack, or call it a swarm. The Medina Bees are winning by sticking together this season, and the strategy paid off with a victory over St. Ignatius, 49-64, to capture the Division I boys title at Medina High School.

Medina's top five were bunched between seventh and 12th -- Kevin Paradise, Brad Palocko, Brent Gaither, David Knack and Tommy Menyes. St. Ignatius' John Sweeney (15:52) won, and Mitch Baum was fifth, but the Wildcats' next three placed 16th, 20th and 22nd. Sweeney beat Riverside's Zack McBride by 10 seconds.

Medina's Anna Boyert (19:01) won the Division I girls race, eight seconds ahead of Magnificat's Katherine Stultz. Girls champ Magnificat dominated, putting its top five in the top 10 and scoring 31 points.

Legends Meet: St. Vincent-St. Mary senior Maria Arnone won the Division II girls race in 18:56 at the Trumbull County Fairgrounds, and she led the Irish (31 points) to the team title as well as an impressive 19:40 average team time. SVSM's boys put three in the top 10 and won as Patrick O'Brien (16:55) placed third. Avon's Tyler Kvach (16:36) was the individual champ.

Mentor was the Division I boys and girls champs. The Cardinals girls edged Brunswick, 57-62. Brunswick's Selena Pasadyn won (19:18), and Alexis Uber was third. Jessie Iafelice placed fifth for Mentor, and the difference was the Cardinals' fifth runner, Carley Berman, placing 19th while the Blue Devils' fifth runner was 32nd.

Paced by fourth-place finisher Brian Palmer, Mentor's first six boys finished among the top 14. Lakewood's Nick Jackosky won the Division I boys title (16:41).

The fastest boy was Division III winner Matt Pelletier of Berkshire (16:25).

Marion Harding Invitational: Elyria Catholic's boys were second to Hilliard Davidson, 34-86, and Panthers' Brian Koziel placed fourth (16:50).

Jake Wilhelm Classic: Midview's Zach Siefker (17:53), Conrad Doehne and Mike Taylor claimed the top three spots and led Midview to first place at Lorain County Community College.

Boys soccer

Bay 0, Aurora 0: In a battle of state-ranked teams, Bay sophomore keeper Koray Sayir and Aurora sophomore Alex Depompei each stopped six shots. No. 1-ranked Bay remained undefeated at 11-0-3, and No. 10 Aurora is 9-1-3.

North Olmsted 3, Shaker Heights 1: Center midfielder Nick Stone-Weiss scored twice in the first six minutes for the Eagles (8-4-3).

Solon 1, Westlake 0: Senior Terry Tvisitse scored midway through the first half from 30 yards out. Comets goalie Scott Levy had seven saves.

University 1, WRA 0: Sophomore Jude Gingo scored off a free kick with about 13 minutes remaining in the match. US (9-4-2) had just four shots on goal. Preppers goalie Alex Spectorsky had six saves for the shutout.

Kenston 2, Fairview 1: Nick Astalos scored on a breakaway in the first half, and Mark Lunstrum's second-half penalty kick from 25 yards out was the game-winner as the Bombers improved to 8-5-1.

Walsh Jesuit 4, Hoban 1: Striker Nick Parianos scored three goals for the Warriors (12-2), who limited Hoban to four shots.

Girls soccer

Solon 0, Medina 0: Senior goalie Taylor Burke made eight saves for Medina (10-1-3), while senior Briana Kottler stopped six shots for the Comets (7-3-5).

Hudson 3, Brunswick 1: The Explorers (10-3-1) scored all three goals in the first half.

Volleyball

Gilmour 3, West Geauga 2: Senior Brittany Link had 16 kills and 17 assists, pacing the Lancers (16-2) to a 25-16, 25-21, 20-25, 25-13 victory.

STRONGSVILLE, Ohio -- St. Ignatius and Strongsville have been playing soccer against each other since 1985. The nationally ranked Wildcats will deposit Saturday's 4-1 victory in their memory bank. The Mustangs will just have to bide their time and hope they can get another shot at the state's second-ranked team, which would have to come in about a month...

STRONGSVILLE, Ohio -- St. Ignatius and Strongsville have been playing soccer against each other since 1985.

The nationally ranked Wildcats will deposit Saturday's 4-1 victory in their memory bank. The Mustangs will just have to bide their time and hope they can get another shot at the state's second-ranked team, which would have to come in about a month during the state tournament.

The undefeated Wildcats (14-0) were the first to say that the final score after Saturday's twilight affair at Strongsville's Ehrnfelt Soccer Complex was not indicative of the game.

"We dodged two bullets in the first 20 minutes," said St. Ignatius coach Mike McLaughlin, whose club leads the series at 15-9-6. "Then we were able to settle into a rhythm. This game was closer than the score. Strongsville has a team that can make it deep into the tournament."

The Mustangs (10-2-2), ranked No. 4 in Ohio, can only lament missing on their early chances.

Strongsville senior forward Cody Mizerik controlled the ball at the top of the penalty box, but was wide right on his drive eight minutes in. At the 15-minute mark, junior midfielder Jarrod Nadzan got the ball to senior forward Michael Cook, but his drive from 15 yards was over the crossbar.

"If those are in the net, it's a different game," said Strongsville coach Tobey Cook. "We had two good chances and we have to finish. I thought it was a reasonbly even first half. We couldn't break them down. I don't think it was indicative of the score."

The Wildcats, ranked No. 2 in the country in the ESPN Rise Fab 50 poll, were more than happy to escape and finally break the scoreless affair at the 25-minute mark.

On a corner kick by senior midfielder Luke Blades, Strongsville goalkeeper Austin Earley could not get a clean handle on the ball in traffic. Sophomore forward Tyler Sanda made it pay off as he drilled his shot into the back of the net from 12 yards out.

"I think someone hit it and I had to put a foot on it," said Sanda, who added a second goal with 10 minutes to play. "That was huge. It kind of shifted things. We felt we dodged it."

The Wildcats made it 2-0 on a goal by senior forward Yianni Sarris 12 minutes after the break. Sarris gained control in the goal box and took his time in beating the helpless Earley in close.

"At 1-0, it's anybody's game," said Sarris, who helped assert the Ignatius attack in the second half. "They are definitely one of the better teams we've played. The last few days it's been hard to concentrate in class because you are thinking about playing them."

The Wildcats put matters away with 10 minutes left on goals by junior Matt Foldesy and Sanda's second score a minute apart.

The Mustangs got their goal when Mizerik beat Wildcats' goalkeeper Brendan Cash with just under nine minutes remaining.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: , 216-999-5168 jmaxse@plaind.com

MAPLE HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Knowing that Maple Heights' football team is unbeaten is not uncommon knowledge, but its volleyball team is one of the best-kept secrets in Northeastern Ohio. The Mustangs swept visiting Canton McKinley, Eastlake North and Orange on Saturday and will travel to St. Joseph Academy for Tuesday's nonleague, regular-season finale with a 21-0 record for the...

Maple Heights’ Arielle Love, right, spikes past Eastlake North’s Wanda Snyder, left, and Becky Slocum on Saturday at Maple Heights High School.



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(Lonnie Timmons III / The Plain Dealer )

MAPLE HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Knowing that Maple Heights' football team is unbeaten is not uncommon knowledge, but its volleyball team is one of the best-kept secrets in Northeastern Ohio.

The Mustangs swept visiting Canton McKinley, Eastlake North and Orange on Saturday and will travel to St. Joseph Academy for Tuesday's nonleague, regular-season finale with a 21-0 record for the first time in coach Betsy Smerglia's 24-year career.

"We're just trying to make history and keep on going," said Mustangs senior setter Tai Lattimore, who accounted for 22 of her 59 assists during the closing match against Orange (9-11). "We know everyone wants to beat the unbeaten team, so we've got to keep pushing and working hard."

Orange junior middle hitter Katie Jarrett admitted she and her teammates weren't aware of Maple's win streak but weren't surprised.

"We know they're good because we played them this summer," said Jarrett, who mustered seven kills against Maple. "They pick up everything, and they have very good hitters."

It would have been easy for the Mustangs to panic while trailing North, 18-8, in the second game, but they regrouped to clinch the match with a 17-5 run.

"We had some new players come in that rotation, and we weren't communicating, but it really didn't faze us because we've come back before," said 6-0 Maple senior middle hitter/Duquesne recruit Arielle Love, who dominated at the net all day by totaling 29 kills. "We've been down, 23-17, at least three times this year, but have come back each time."

Maple's goals at the outset of the season were to win the Lake Erie League Erie Division championship and advance to the Division I regional tournament for the first time in school history.

The Mustangs are halfway there after clinching the league title on Thursday with a win at Lorain.

"It starts with leadership, and Tai and Arielle are two of the best leaders I've ever had," said Smerglia, who has quietly compiled a 361-202 career record. "Arielle is experienced, she loves the game and she knows what it takes to win. We never have to worry about this group.

"They know how to get ready for a match, they have the best ball control of any of my teams and it's not all Arielle because she has solid supporting cast."

In the win against McKinley (3-14), sophomore lefty Taylor Johnson chipped in with five kills, and she added 12 digs against Orange. Senior Shirjoma Jacobs had 13 digs against North (3-17) before joining sophomore Arielle Sanders in the finale to combine for five kills and 10 blocks.

"I push them sometimes too hard, but that's where my assistant coach comes in," said Smerglia. "Dale Walter has been with me 14 years, he does a good job at being the buffer and the kids need someone like that."

Get Tony's picks for Week 5 and then enter our Football Picks contest for a chance to win.

File PhotoKevin Kolb is back at the starting QB for the Eagles.

Observations before the opening kickoff as the Browns seek their second win of the season.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz / The Plain DealerCan the Browns get some useful production from Jerome Harrison against the Falcons? Otherwise, they risk the long-term health of power back Peyton Hillis, says Terry Pluto.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Some pregame scribbles as the Browns prepare to take on the Falcons.

1. While he hasn't talked about it much, Peyton Hillis was "pretty sore" following last week's 23-20 victory over Cincinnati, according to some close to the Browns running back. No surprise, given how he is a punishing runner -- who also takes a lot of physical punishment. He has 49 carries in the last two games, and none are soft runs around end. When his thigh tightened up, the Browns wisely were careful with him in practice this week. It's not widely reported, but Hillis missed four games in 2006 with "calcification of the bone in the right thigh" when he was at Arkansas.

2. Hillis also missed the final four games of 2008 in Denver with a partially torn hamstring. His only other injury was missing a game in 2004 with a sore back. This is not to claim Hillis is injury prone, but it is a fact that he can't carry the running game alone. That means Jerome Harrison (zero carries last week) needs to be worked into the offense. Hillis seems like a rock with legs when he runs, but he is human.

3. Browns fans know Jake Delhomme had a miserable 2009 season with Carolina, but you couldn't prove that by how he played against Atlanta. In two games, he was 40-of-65 passing. He threw for four TDs compared to only one interception. Consider that four of his eight TD passes last season came in Delhomme's two games against Atlanta. Or try this: In his other nine starts, he had 17 interceptions compared to four TD passes in his nine non-Atlanta games. Carolina split with the Falcons last season.

4. But one of the keys to the Browns winning will be if offensive coordinator Brian Daboll can be "tough minded," to use his own words. He meant that he has to stay true to the game plan of running the ball. I really believe Daboll was enticed by the improved passing shown by Delhomme in the preseason, and he came out throwing against Tampa in the opener. That led to some early success, but cost the Browns in the second half. And they also threw too much in the Game 2 loss to Kansas City.

5. After the first two games, the Browns had 20 more passing attempts than runs. Remember, the Browns led both of those games after three quarters, so it was not like they fell behind early and had to throw to catch up. In the last two games, a solid 24-17 loss at Baltimore and the 23-20 victory over the Bengals, the Browns have 10 more running plays than passes.

6. The Browns' best defender on special teams is Ray Ventrone, with five tackles. Right behind are Nick Sorenson, T.J. Ward and Joe Haden with four each. According to profootballfocus.com, Haden is the team's best on punt coverage. The Browns have been very impressed with Haden's tackling. The coaches are not happy with the special teams already being flagged for six penalties, Blake Costanzo with two.

7. Also according to profootballfocus.com, Matt Roth leads the team with 15 QB pressures. That's no surprise. But they have Shaun Rogers next at six, followed by Robaire Smith with five.

8. When Atlanta's Matt Ryan does throw the ball, you can be sure his first thought is Roddy White -- 50 of Ryan's 149 passes have been in White's direction. White has 32 catches (18 for first downs), so Eric Wright better be ready for another challenge. But I am very worried about veteran Tony Gonzalez (19 catches). The 34-year-old tight end is a future Hall of Famer. He had seven receptions last week against the 49ers -- and we know how the Browns struggle with covering tight ends.

University of Akron students are being lured to athletic events with rewards including airline tickets, gift certificates and spirit wear. Students can accrue points - with more awarded for lower-profile sports - and qualify for prizes under ROO-Wards, which began this fall.

View full sizeUniversity of AkronThe University of Akron is using a "ROO-Wards" program to try and entice students to attend more sporting events at the downtown campus.

AKRON, Ohio -- University of Akron students are being lured to athletic events with rewards including airline tickets, gift certificates and spirit wear.

Students can accrue points -- with more awarded for less popular sports -- and qualify for prizes under Roo-Wards, which began this fall. (The program's name is a nod to the university's mascot, a kangaroo named Zippy.)

Even though students are admitted free to all home athletic events, it is hard for a university that primarily has commuter students to entice them to attend, said Kevin Aha, assistant director for marketing in the athletic department. Of the university's 29,250 students, about 3,200 live in residence halls and 7,000 live near campus, officials said.

"We were looking for a way to increase student attendance at all our events," Aha said. "We want to get the kids who are casual fans and go to two or three events to go to eight or 10."

Many universities have promotions at sports events, such as offering T-shirts to the first 100 fans or discounts on food, but a number also have rewards programs, Aha said. His office studied several, including Eagle Nation Rewards at Eastern Michigan University and the University of Kansas Rock Chalk Rewards to create Roo-Wards.

Students accrue points by swiping their student IDs at the sport's venue. They get five points for football, men's soccer and men's basketball; 10 points for baseball, women's soccer, volleyball, basketball and softball; and 15 points (awarded only once for each sport) for men's and women's cross country, golf, track and field, tennis, swimming and diving and rifle.

At various point levels, beginning at 15, students get prizes, such as water bottles, gym bags and sweatshirts. At 200 points and above, students earn chances in a raffle for two airline tickets.

Awards, including lunch with coaches and an iPod Touch, will be given to top point-holders at specific times of the year. At the end of the school year, the student with the most points wins two airline tickets. Second and third prizes are gift certificates.

The athletic budget is covering the cost of prizes this year, but sponsors will be sought for future years, Aha said.

The promotion seems to be working because more than 6,000 students have attended at least one event through early October, he said.

"That is almost a quarter of all the students on campus, so I feel like it is doing something," Aha said. "We had a student crowd of 400 at a volleyball match and 300 at women's soccer. I think the rewards had a little to do with it."

While the department has no comparisons to prior years, it appears many events are drawing more fans, he said.

The student race for points is tight.

Anthony Fosselman and Joseph Hess are in first place, tied at 145 points. Two other students have 135.

Fosselman and Hess are in the AK Rowdies Fan Club, a student organization whose members attend football, basketball and soccer games. Both live near campus.

Fosselman, 20, a sophomore from North Canton, said the rewards program provides motivation to go to more sports events. As a result, he has watched cross-country and more women's sports competitions.

"You can cheer the sports that are not as recognized," he said.

Hess, 20, said that he has always been a sports fan but that the prospect of winning airline tickets has led him to new events, such as cross-country.

The junior from Ashland also plans to check out the rifle team -- which he said he didn't know existed until he saw it on the Roo-Wards list.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: kfarkas@plaind.com, 216-999-5079

Jake Delhomme upgraded to No. 2, but not well enough to start.

UPDATED: 12:41 p.m.

Joshua Gunter / The Plain DealerSeneca Wallace begins his fourth consecutive game as the Browns starting quarterback today against Atlanta. Jake Delhomme is active and is Wallace's backup.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Jake Delhomme's status has improved to No. 2 quarterback, but he will not start for the fourth straight game.

The Browns will go with Seneca Wallace again today against Atlanta.

Delhomme practiced all week for the first time since suffering a high ankle sprain on Sept. 12. But he still walks with a very slight limp, evidence the injury is preventing him from doing everything the Browns want to see on the field.

The Browns' inactives for the game are:

Colt McCoy (third QB), receiver Carlton Mitchell, running back James Davis, guard Shawn Lauvao, defensive end Derreck Robinson, offensive tackle John St. Clair, tight end Alex Smith and defensive end Jayme Mitchell.

Tony Pashos will start again at right tackle. (Sorry, I made the mistake for second week in a row saying left tackle originally.)

Also, the Browns did not announce a lineup change at running back, which means Peyton Hillis will start despite missing two practices with a thigh bruise.

Oregon has 21 total first-place votes, Boise State has nine and Nebraska, TCU and Oklahoma each have two.

Ohio State moved up to No. 1 in both polls released today, the Buckeyes taking the top spot for the first time since they lost to LSU in the BCS National Championship game at the end of the 2007 season.

In the coaches polls, which is one-third of the BCS rankings that will be released for the first time next weekend, the Buckeyes earned 49 of 59 first-place votes. Oregon (6), Nebraska (2), Boise State (1) and TCU (1) also had support to be No. 1 .

Overall, Oregon is No. 2, 67 points behind Ohio State. Boise State is No. 3, Nebraska No. 4 and TCU No. 5. Former No. 1 Alabama dropped to No. 8 after losing to South Carolina. South Carolina is ranked No. 12.

In the AP poll, the Buckeyes received 34 of 60 first-place votes, with four other teams getting votes for the top spot: Oregon (15), Boise State (8), Oklahoma (2) and TCU (1).

Oregon is ranked No. 2, 26 points behind Ohio State, with Boise State at No. 3, TCU at No. 4 and Nebraska at No. 5.

Alabama also fell to No. 8, while South Carolina moved up from No. 19 to No. 10.

Marvin Fong/ The Plain DealerJim Tressel and the Ohio State Buckeyes are No. 1 after beating Indiana 38-10 on Saturday.

In the Big Ten, Michigan State moved up to No. 13 from No. 17 after beating Michigan. The Wolverines fell out of the top 25, dropping from No. 18 to No. 26 after their loss.

Wisconsin, which hosts Ohio State next Saturday, moved up from No. 20 to No. 18.

After losing to Florida State, two-loss Miami also fell out of the top 25 team, which means that 6-0 Ohio State does not have a win over a team that is currently ranked.

On my AP ballot, Oregon was No. 1, followed by Ohio State at No. 2, then Boise State, TCU and Oklahoma. I dropped Alabama to No. 10, one spot behind South Carolina.

Coaches poll

Can Seneca Wallace and Peyton Hillis lead the Browns to their second straight win? Find out when you join our live chat and updates from the press box at Browns Stadium

cleveland.comJoin cleveland.com's live chat from Browns Stadium Sunday at 1 p.m.

Can Seneca Wallace, Peyton Hillis and Matt Roth lead the Browns to their second straight win or will Matt Ryan, Michael Turner & Co. being doing the 'Dirty Bird' at Cleveland Browns Stadium?

Get answers to these questions and more during cleveland.com's live chat during the Browns vs. Falcons game today at 1 p.m.  Interact with our producer Joey Morona in the press box at Cleveland Browns Stadium as he describes the action on the field and posts scoring updates, plus get updates and analysis from The Plain Dealer's Tony Grossi from his in-game blog and Mary Kay Cabot via Twitter.

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Current score:

Browns 7, Falcons 3, 2nd quarter

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Stay tuned after the game for a complete recap, photos and post-game video at cleveland.com/browns.

Atlanta QB Matt Ryan finds his rhythm on his third possession and has the Falcons moving.

Amy Sancetta / Associated PressFalcons safety William Moore (right) gathers in a fumble by the Browns' Peyton Hillis in the early minutes of Sunday's game at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Observations, opinions and some facts on first quarter ...

• Peyton Hillis gave his legion of fans a thrill on the first play when he leaped over cornerback Brent Grimes running after a catch and stayed in stride for a 15-yard gain.

• Two plays later, Hillis fumbled after a 1-yard run and the Falcons recovered at the Browns' 47. We'll see if that unforgivable miscue will result in any playing time for Jerome Harrison.

• Marcus Benard's sack of Matt Ryan on third down forced a punt. Ryan's second-down pass for Tony Gonzalez was way off the mark, which was the real miscue of his first possession. Benard has quite an acceleration around the edge, by the way.

• Once on each of their first two offensive possessions, the Browns lined up Mohamed Massaquoi on the right side. This is an effort to get him the ball, as Seneca Wallace is uncomfortable throwing to his left. Wallace indeed flicked a quick-hitting pass to Massaquoi on first down from the Browns' 9, good for 12 yards.

• Michael Turner's first three rushing attempts: Six years, four, seven. Ryan's first four pass attemps: All incomplete.

• Jerome Harrison replaces Hillis on the third series.

• Just a brutal offensive series for the Browns, starting from their 18. Draw play to Harrison on second-and-16. Draw play to Lawrence Vickers on third-and-19. Yuck.

• Ryan finally completes a couple of passes on his third series. He moves to the Browns' 20 on a 33-yard play -- 18-yard completion to wide-open Roddy White crossing in the middle, and a 15-yard roughing-the-passer penalty on Benard.

• Kenyon Coleman's personal foul (throwing Todd McClure to the ground) advanced the Falcons to the Browns' 7.

• They're at the 6 as quarter ends.

Browns and Falcons are scoreless through one quarter.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns and Falcons were scoreless through one quarter.

The Falcons had the ball inside the Cleveland 10 at the end of the period. 

The Browns received the opening kickoff and began the possession at their 25. On the first play, Peyton Hillis caught a pass in the flat, hurdled a Falcon and gained 15. Two plays later, Hillis fumbled on a rush and Atlanta recovered at the Cleveland 47. Ball security was an issue for Hillis in Week 1 at Tampa Bay.

The Falcons went three-and-out, Browns linebacker Marcus Benard sacking Matt Ryan on third-and-4 from the Cleveland 41.

Moments later, Benard narrowly missed a blocked punt.

Neither team moved the ball significantly on their second possessions.

The Browns dusted off Jerome Harrison midway through the first. He carried on first and second downs before Seneca Wallace connected with Josh Cribbs on a third-down pass. The drive quickly fizzled.

Ryan did not complete a pass until late in the quarter. When he did, it was good for a first down. Atlanta's drive continued with the help of penalties on Benard for roughing the passer and Kenyon Coleman for unnecessary roughness.

Injuries have again reduced the Browns to wishing and hoping for victory. They didn't even bother to do that with a replay challenge on Sunday's deciding play.

Lisa DeJong / The Plain DealerBy keeping his replay challenges in his pocket, Eric Mangini may have correctly determined the most-likely outcome of the Browns' possible protests on Sunday. But with a team so hamstrung by limitations and injuries, Bill Livingston wonders if Mangini owed it to his players to pursue all long shots against the Falcons on Sunday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In a cramped room in New England, Butch Davis, his Browns a loser to the Patriots in a mathematically close game they had only a skimpy chance to really win, was explaining his vision of victory years ago.

"Maybe we make a play on a tipped ball. Maybe we block a kick and run it back. Maybe they put it on the ground, and we pick it up," said Davis.

It wasn't formulating a game plan. It was buying a Powerball ticket.

All these years later, the Browns didn't even spring for the lottery ticket.

I'm not saying Atlanta defensive end Kroy Biermann didn't snag the ball he volleyed high into the air off Jake "As in Ache" Delhomme in the last five minutes at Cleveland Browns Stadium Sunday. Biermann dived and probably caught the ball inches off the top of the grass. He then clambered to his feet and lumbered to the end zone for the touchdown that made the score 20-10 and meant it was time to get Jake's ankle into a bucket of ice.

The point is that the Browns had only to risk a single timeout of their full complement of three, and that, if the touchdown stood, the game was effectively over.

There was, from at least one angle I saw, enough of a possibility that the nose of the ball touched the ground for the Browns to challenge the call. With the limited state of the offense with Delhomme lamed, Seneca Wallace knocked out with his own ankle injury, and Colt McCoy clearly unready, they had nothing to lose -- except a game they would lose anyway if the touchdown stood.

Coach Eric Mangini's "Captain Video" is an employee named Dick McKenzie, who makes the call from the press box on whether enough evidence exists to challenge a call or not. "[McKenzie] felt [Biermann] had it. He was pretty confident in it," said Mangini.

But everyone has seen enough baffling confirmations and reversals of calls by replay review to know there is no telling what an official will see. As punchless as was the Browns' attack due to the injuries, although it might have amounted to nothing more than wishing and hoping, it was worth spending a crummy timeout on a challenge.

Mangini also did not challenge an out-of-bounds call on a second-quarter pass from Wallace to Mohamed Massaquoi in the back of the end zone. They scored a touchdown on the drive anyway; it was fairly clear-cut that Massaquoi's second foot was on the chalk of the end line; and the circumstances weren't as desperate.

To me, challenging Biermann's interception, even if it went against the team's replay consultant, goes under the file of "You never know if you don't try."

Before the killer interception, with Peyton Hillis in and out of the lineup with a quadriceps injury and Jerome Harrison a shadow (six carries, six yards) of the hammering back who ended last season on such a high note, where was the wildcat formation?

Josh Cribbs ran twice from it for 11 yards, completed a 10-yard pass, caught a pass for eight yards and touched the ball four times on kick returns. Eight touches is nowhere near enough for the team's lone game-breaker.

"We ran [the wildcat] three or four times. We had the pass and a couple of runs there. If that drive [the one ended by Biermann's touchdown] had kept going, it would have kept working into that drive," said Mangini. "Once they got the touchdown, we were really out of [the wildcat]."

The Browns played hard, and they have never quit under Mangini. However, the stodgy playbook has given them what amounts to a mildcat. The quarterback splits out at wide receiver, and Cribbs takes a direct snap from center. But how much were the Falcons likely to honor the threat of the hobbling Delhomme?

It might have been more debilitating to Delhomme if he had had to run off the field so the Browns could insert another wide receiver in the set. Then again, who could tell the difference?

Browns quarterback Jake Delhomme says he was limited by his injured ankle and talks about the frustration of being hurt. He is also asked if he expects to play next week and whether or not he suffered a setback. Get more video at NFL.com and clevelandbrowns.com.

Browns quarterback Jake Delhomme says he was limited by his injured ankle and talks about the frustration of being hurt. He is also asked if he expects to play next week and whether or not he suffered a setback.

Get more video at NFL.com and clevelandbrowns.com.

The man who delivered the play of the game Sunday afternoon was a worker-bee defensive lineman for the Falcons.

View full sizeChuck Crow / The Plain DealerAtlanta's Kroy Biermann leaps and deflects an attempted screen pass by Jake Delhomme late in the fourth quarter of Sunday's game. Biermann managed to track the ball in the air and make a diving catch ...

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Atlanta Falcons feature multiple big names on offense, but the man who delivered the play of the game Sunday afternoon was a worker-bee defensive lineman.

End Kroy Biermann made a spectacular interception and returned it for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of Atlanta's 20-10 victory over the Browns at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

"I know that Kroy is from Montana," Falcons coach Mike Smith said, "and he's probably ridden a few wild broncos and bulls and been thrown off and landed on his feet. I'm sure that had something to do with it."

Or maybe not.

"I don't know if that has anything to do with it," said Biermann, a third-year pro and native of Hardin, Mont. "But it sounds good."

Trailing, 13-10, late in the fourth, the Browns faced a third-and-7 from their 47. As quarterback Jake Delhomme caught the shotgun snap and set his feet, Biermann rushed untouched off the right edge. Delhomme's pass failed to clear the outstretched arms of a jumping Biermann, who knocked the ball into the air.

"The tackle went down [to block the interior], and it was supposed to be a quick 'smoke' screen out," Biermann said. "I could feel the screen. Then it became instinct."

The Falcons would have been happy to force a punt, but Biermann had bigger plans. He dived to pick the ball inches from the grass at the Cleveland 31.

"I saw it coming down, and I went for it," he said. "We practice those types of plays on Fridays. It's a tip drill."

Chuck Crow / The Plain Dealer... then Biermann managed to get back on his feet and elude Chansi Stuckey's attempt to strip the ball before he could reach the end zone for the game-sealing score for the Falcons.

Biermann could not recall having intercepted a pass since high school. Count Atlanta end John Abraham, who was getting a breather, among those impressed. When Abraham exited, Biermann moved from his starting left end spot.

"When Kroy batted it, I thought, 'Is he going to catch it, too?'" Abraham said. "I saw him come up with it and was like, 'Wow, I wouldn't have caught that one, so I'm glad he was in the game and I wasn't.'"

The Falcons would have been thrilled with an interception for zero yards, but Biermann had other plans. The 6-3, 255-pounder rolled over, popped to his feet and began to rumble toward the goal line. Browns receiver Chansi Stuckey attempted to poke the ball away inside the 10, to no avail.

"I took off and hoped for the best," Biermann said. "I knew I was ahead of everybody because I was behind the line. I felt some guys around me, and all I was trying to do was get to the end zone. That's where I ended up."

The touchdown with 4:01 remaining pushed Atlanta's advantage to 19-10. Matt Bryant's extra point accounted for the final margin.

Biermann never had an opportunity to truly celebrate because his teammates piled on him and pinned him to the ground. Officials penalized the Falcons for unsportsmanlike conduct.

"We got a flag for that?" Biermann said. "That's unfortunate."

Even as his teammates continued to congratulate him in the postgame locker room, Biermann did his best to downplay the game-changer.

"I was just playing football, trying to make a play to help my team," he said. "Right place, right time. Everything's got to fall into place there, and it did."

Rankings look at the 12 months from summer 2009 to summer 2010. Are based on point values assigned to categories including but not limited to win-loss records, postseason appearances, power ratings, number of teams, attendance.

Tracy Boulian, The Plain Dealer Fans at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

Cleveland, Ohio -- Cleveland is the 28th-best sports city in North America for 2010, according to the Sporting News' annual rankings.

The Sporting News explains how it ranks the cities:

It takes more than championships. Sporting News’ Best Sports Cities rankings, which look at the 12 months from summer 2009 to summer 2010, are based on point values assigned to various categories, including but not limited to won-lost records, postseason appearances, applicable power ratings, number of teams and attendance.

College and minor league teams are included in the equation. And, sports such as auto racing, besides the team sports. Factored in for Cleveland, for instance, are the Indians, Cavaliers, Browns, Gladiators, Monsters and Cleveland State.

Chicago is ranked first, followed by No. 2 Boston and No. 3 Los Angeles. Cleveland's No. 28 ranking is better than some other large major-sports cities, such as Baltimore, San Francisco, Seattle and Milwaukee. In all, 402 cities are ranked.

Cincinnati, at No. 16, is rated first among Ohio cities. Others from Ohio are Columbus (38), Athens (98), Kent (112), Bowling Green (116), Akron (117), Oxford (126), Toledo (135), Dayton (140), Youngstown (205) and Eastlake (341).

Falcons defensive end John Abraham felt he could beat Browns left tackle Joe Thomas going into the game -- and he was right.

Chuck Crow / The Plain DealerA common sight throughout Sunday's game was the Browns quarterback -- in this case, Jake Delhomme -- trying to find time to pass while being rushed by Atlanta's John Abraham (left).

Mary Kay Cabot

and Dennis Manoloff

Plain Dealer Reporters

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Falcons defensive end John Abraham watched films of Browns left tackle Joe Thomas during the week and was confident he could get the best of the three-time Pro Bowler.

He was so certain, in fact, that he persuaded his coaches to let him stay on Thomas all game.

Abraham's hunch was correct: he beat Thomas for two sacks, including the one that knocked Seneca Wallace out of the game with a sprained right ankle. He also pressured Jake Delhomme into his second interception, the one that preserved the Falcons' 20-10 victory.

"I watched [Thomas] on film, but I don't think he's seen somebody like me yet," said Abraham, a three-time Pro Bowler himself. "I saw a weakness against the bull rush and a weakness on the inside rush."

It was an outside move that knocked Wallace out of the game, meaning Abraham was successful on just about any technique he tried.

"[The Falcons coaches] wanted me to play against [right tackle Tony] Pashos, but I told them I wanted to stay against Joe," Abraham said. "After watching film, I felt like I had the edge on him. It worked pretty much the whole game."

Despite Thomas' credentials -- he was a first-team All-Pro in 2009 -- Abraham was undaunted.

"I wanted to go against Joe," said Abraham. "He's a Pro Bowl player, but I liked the matchup. I felt like I could beat him with my speed rush and power rush."

Thomas, who spent more than an hour on the trainers' table after the game receiving treatment on both knees, admitted it wasn't one of his best games. He also said he wasn't limited physically despite the post-game treatment.

"I think he's probably the best, maybe the second-best pass-rusher in the NFL," said Thomas of Abraham. "I think him and [Indianapolis'] Dwight Freeney are [the two best]. I know [Abraham] has the second-most sacks in the NFL since 2000 [91.5].

"He's very fast, he's very quick and very strong. On first and second down he's on the sideline drinking water and then when it's time to rush the passer on third down they put him in there. He's fresh and when you can't run the ball against them, it just plays into their game."

But Thomas wasn't ready to concede that it was the worst game of his four-year career.

"I'll have to watch the film but in the NFL sometimes you have good days, sometimes you have bad days," he said. "It wasn't my best day, but I don't know if I'd go that far."

That's because with Peyton Hillis hampered by a pulled quad muscle, the Browns' power rushing game fizzled. He was supposed to be their antidote to the Falcons' smaller, quicker rushers. But he gained only 28 yards on 10 carries, and Jerome Harrison gained only six on six. All told, the Browns rushed for 48.

"If they can stop the run, they've got four excellent pass rushers," said Thomas. "They've got more than that. They want to make you throw the ball and they'll be able to tee off on you. We knew we had to run to win the game and we weren't able to do that."

When Jake Delhomme limped into the game on a high right ankle sprain, the Falcons smelled "blood in the water" as Delhomme put it.

Normally, Delhomme can step away from the rush. But not on an ankle that given a painkilling injection before the game, according to a league source.

"Certainly when you've got a guy who can't move quite as well in the back, they're going to maybe pin their ears back a little bit more," said Thomas. "We knew we were going to have to protect him and we didn't do a good-enough job."

Thomas, who also gave up the pressure in Tampa that resulted in Delhomme's high ankle sprain, allowed a six-yard sack of Wallace in the first quarter that led to a punt and then the nine-yard loss that knocked him out off the game with about 25 seconds left in the first half.

"I ran [Abraham] upfield, tried to run him around the hoop, didn't push him far enough past and he was able to get Seneca from behind," said Thomas.

But Thomas wasn't exactly clamoring for help.

"Personally I don't really like getting chips and stuff like that, because you don't always know when it's going to be there," he said. "It's nice to move the pocket, but when you've got a guy who can't, that makes it a little tougher. I'd actually prefer the one-on-one like we had it today."

Pashos defended Thomas' game.

"I've been blessed to play with some of the best tackles -- Jonathan Ogden, Joe Staley -- and I think Joe Thomas is right up there. So whether he struggled or not, those are tough situations for whoever goes against that guy. He fought his tail off to the very end. I'll go to war with him any day of the week."