The Phillies overcame a 3-0 deficit to beat the Indians, 4-3, on Ryan Howard's walk-off homer in the 11th inning on Friday night.

PHILADELPHIA - Corey Kluber helped himself and hurt himself on a raw April  night at Citizens Bank Park. As for the Indians, their dream of a winning April is still kicking.

Friday night Kluber started a three-run rally with a double in the fifth inning, but gave it all back in the bottom of the same inning. His defense could have played better, but three-run leads should not disappear as quickly as that one did.

Still, Kluber turned in his second straight strong start and was long gone when the Phillies beat the Indians, 4-3, in 11 innings on Ryan Howard's walk-off homer against closer Cody Allen. The Indians are 10-10 in April with one game in the month.

After Allen pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the 10th, Howard won it with a full-count homer to right field to start the 11th. It was the Indians third walk-off loss on this trip with Allen being victimized twice.

Jeff Manship started the 10th, but gave up a leadoff single to David Lough. Andres Blanco forced Lough at second, but No.9 hitter Peter Bourjos ripped a double off Jose Ramirez's glove at third. With runners on second and third, Manship intentionally walked Odubel Herrera to bring Allen into the game. Allen retired the next two batters.

Until the 11th, the focal point of the game was the fifth inning.

Left-hander Adam Morgan, fresh from Class AAA, was having his way with the Indians through 4 2/3 innings. He allowed two hits, retired nine straight and struck out five. The strikeout is not Morgan's main weapon either.

The Indians needed something, anything, to get their attention. The guy who did it was a pitcher, just like Morgan.

Kluber doubled with two out in the fifth inning to start a three-run rally. Rajai Davis singled home Kluber and Jason Kipnis homered to right for a 3-0 lead off Morgan.

The double was the first extra base hit by an Indians' pitcher since CC Sabathia homered against the Dodgers in 2008. The lead, however, did not stand.

Perhaps the double took something out of Kluber. AL pitchers aren't used to swinging the bat or running the bases. Whatever the reason, the Phillies were waiting for Kluber in the fifth.

Ryan Howard ripped a double off the wall in left center field. Carlos Ruiz followed with a double to right that eluded Marlon Byrd to make it 3-1.

Cesar Hernandez sent a hard one-hopper to first that Mike Napoli played off his chest for an error as Ruiz advanced at third. Lough, who came into the game hitting .250 (2-for-8) off Kluber, singled to right to make it 3-2 as Hernandez stopped at third.

Darin Ruf, pinch-hitting for Morgan, tied it with a 6-4-3 double play. Morgan struck out seven batters in five innings.

The pitches

Kluber threw 90 pitches, 61 or 68 percent for strikes. Morgan threw 97 pitches, 63 or 65 percent for strikes.

Offensive blackout

Outside of the fifth inning, the Indians didn't create many scoring opportunities. Kipnis started the eighth with a walk, but Francisco Lindor hit into a double play. Michael Brantley followed with a double, but Napoli struck out.

Juan Uribe walked with one out in the seventh. Ramirez pinch-ran and Kluber advanced him to second with a sacrifice bunt. Davis ended the inning by grounding out to short.

Strikeouts are us

The Indians did a lot of swinging and missing Friday. They struck out seven times against Morgan and 18 times for the night. The Tribe's previous high this season was 15 strikeouts in nine games.

Thanks for coming

The Indians and Phillies drew 18,627 fans Citizens Ballpark on a cold and dank Friday night. First pitch temperature was 48 degrees.

What's next?

On Saturday RHP Trevor Bauer (1-0, 4.76) will make his first start of the season. He'll face RHP Jared Eickhoff (1-3, 4.07) at 7:05 p.m. SportsTime Ohio, WTAM/1100 and WMMS/FM 100.7 will carry the game.

Bauer has replaced injured Carlos Carrasco in the rotation after opening the season in the bullpen.  He's 1-0 against the Phillies.

Eickhoff has lost his last two starts, allowing nine earned runs on 14 hits in 12 1/3 innings against the Brewers and Mets. Uribe is 1-for-2 against him.

See how did the AFC North teams fared in the 2016 NFL Draft.

It's hard for Ohio State recruits to ignore the number of Buckeyes taken in the 2016 NFL Draft.

DAYTON, Ohio - Not only did Ohio State football's drafted dozen in the 2016 NFL Draft break records, it also caught the attention of Buckeye recruits such as Demario McCall, Luke Farrell and Kierre Hawkins.

The three members of the Class of 2016, playing in Ohio's North-South Classic all-star games on Saturday, were well-aware of the number of Buckeyes getting NFL jobs this weekend.

"That's crazy. It's a great thing to see," said Hawkins, a four-star tight end from Maple Heights. "Me going to the college that most of the players drafted were getting drafted out of. And three go in the top 10! That's amazing to see."

The Buckeyes set draft records for most players in the first three rounds (10) and most in the first four rounds (12). The Buckeyes didn't set a record for most players drafted overall, but they already set that record anyway with 14 in 2004. 

Ohio State comes up short of draft record

"Before I committed I knew Ohio State players got drafted really high," said McCall, a four-star running back from North Ridgeville. "The coaching staff there is awesome. All you've got to do is listen to them and do what you do and you can go anywhere you want."

Said Farrell, a four-star tight end from Perry: "They do such a great job of developing players there."

McCall and Hawkins admitted they think about four or five years from now and what it would be like to be one of the Buckeyes walking across the stage at the NFL Draft.

"I picture myself up there smiling," said McCall.

"Yeah," said Hawkins. "Every time I watch the draft I see myself in their shoes. Everybody that goes up, I see myself in each pick."

And seeing all those Buckeyes get drafted isn't a bad recruiting tool, either. Coach Urban Meyer was even part of the event, serving as an analyst for NFL Network on Friday.

For Hawkins, though, a potential pathway to the NFL through Ohio State wasn't what got him to Columbus.

"It's just the culture and tradition they have," he said. "The hype of the whole community down there. I didn't go for the NFL. It's always been the school I wanted to go to.

"Just people knowing you're from Ohio State is a great thing. Now you add the draft in, that's a plus. Everything is good."

Watch Demario McCall's 99-yd TD return

The Browns have stockpiled assets for the future by maneuvering in this draft.

BEREA, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns did plenty of maneuvering in the 2016 NFL Draft. It paid off in 14 picks this year but also meant more picks down the road, too. The Browns made trades with the Eagles, Titans, Panthers, Raiders and Dolphins involving movement in 2016 and beyond.

Here is a list of picks the Browns own in future drafts:

2017

Philadelphia's first-round pick
Tennessee's second-round pick
Indianapolis' seventh-round pick

2018

Philadelphia's second-round pick

The Browns have conditionally surrendered their 2017 fourth-round pick to the Eagles and 2017 sixth- or seventh-round pick to the 49ers. The pick to the 49ers is a result of last offseason's deal to acquire punter Andy Lee.

Chase Elliott will be on the pole with Dale Earnhardt Jr. lurking right behind him in the third spot for today's NASCAR Sprint Cup GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Chase Elliott will be on the pole but Dale Earnhardt Jr. is right behind him in the third position for today's NASCAR Sprint Cup GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama.

Today's race coverage is set to begin at 1 p.m. on FOX with the green flag scheduled to drop at 1:19. You can follow along live throughout the day at NASCAR's Race Center.

Elliott ran a top speed of 192.661 mph during Saturday's qualifying to earn the pole ahead of Austin Dillon, who ran 192.424 mph. It was Elliott's second pole of the season, the other being the Daytona 500, another restrictor plate race. Earnhardt ran a top speed of 192.293 mph. Here is the complete lineup.

Earnhardt loves racing Talladega and this weekend has been special as NASCAR celebrated the 65th birthday of his late father on Friday.

Talladega is always known for wild racing and Saturday's XFINITY Series Sparks Energy 300 set the stage with a crazy finish and Elliot Sadler being ruled the winner.

Add in the drama of Tony Stewart using Ty Dillon as a relief driver and it should make for another wild Sunday at Talladega.

NASCAR SPRINT CUP

GEICO 500

Site: Talladega, Alabama.

Schedule: Sunday, race, 1 p.m. (FOX).

Track: Talladega Superspeedway (tri-oval, 2.66 miles).

Race distance: 500 miles, 188 laps.

Last year: Dale Earnhardt Jr. won his first race of 2015, holding off Jimmie Johnson by less than two-tenths of a second.

Last week: Carl Edwards continued his resurgence, winning at Richmond and posting his second straight victory, this time over teammate Kyle Busch. NASCAR said it was the first race-winning, last-lap pass in Richmond history.

Fast facts: NASCAR has announced mandatory fines and other penalties for teams caught without five lug nuts on each wheel, just days after Tony Stewart was fined for suggesting it do so. ... Hendrick Motorsports handed out over 600 rings Tuesday commemorating the career of four-time champion Jeff Gordon, who retired after last season.

Next race: Go Bowling 400, May 7, Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, Kansas.

XFINITY

Next race: NASCAR Xfinity May Dover Race, May 14, Dover International Speedway, Dover, Delaware.

CAMPING WORLD TRUCK

Next race: Toyota Tundra 250, May 6, Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, Kansas.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report)

Danny Salazar is scheduled to face the Phillies on Sunday in the conclusion of this three-game interleague series and nine-game trip for the Indians.

PHILADELPHIA -- The Indians and Phillies are scheduled to play the final game of this three-game set Sunday at Citizens Bank Park. Rain is in the forecast.

Game 22: Indians (10-11), Phillies (14-10).

First pitch: 2:35 p.m.

Broadcast info: SportsTime Ohio, WTAM/1100, WMMS/FM 100.7 will carry the series.

Pitching matchup: RHP Danny Salazar (2-1, 2.35) vs. RHP Vince Velasquez (3-1, 1.78).

Fact du jour: Tribe second baseman Jason Kipnis takes a nine-game hitting streak into Sunday's game.

Can Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love be effective playing center against the center-less Atlanta Hawks?

CLEVELAND, Ohio - When Tyronn Lue went with Kevin Love at the center position in the opening playoff round, it immediately forced the Detroit Pistons into an uncomfortable style of play.

Andre Drummond, a conventional center, was exposed on the defensive end. He was constantly late closing out on a pick-and-pop Love, and it cost his team dearly. Instead of benching his All-Star center, Stan Van Gundy tried to use him on the likes of Iman Shumpert, who they considered to be a non-scoring threat.

Even though Shumpert couldn't exploit that matchup, he kept the big man out on the perimeter and away from the basket to prevent him from rebounding and blocking shots.

In this second-round series against the Atlanta Hawks that tips off Monday at 7 p.m. on TNT at The Q, can the Cleveland Cavaliers still be effective by using Love at the five-spot?

The Hawks have two players in Al Horford and Paul Millsap who have transitioned to stretch bigs over the years, and they're more versatile than Drummond on the defensive end.

"He's pretty much playing the five now because he's guarding Horford," Lue said of Love. "So, he's playing the five now. But as far as with Tristan [Thompson] off the floor and 'Bron [James] playing, it could happen. We definitely play well that way and something we're going to use. Just have to see how it goes."

With Tiago Splitter out with a hip injury, the Hawks don't possess a true center. Love in the middle appears to be a team mainstay, but it will be interesting to see if the tactic remains a game-changer.

"He was huge for us in that series," the Cavs' James Jones said. "There's no reason not to believe he won't continue to play at this level."

Timofey Mozgov and Channing Frye were limited to 14 minutes and 29 minutes respectively in the first round. If Mozgov were to see ample action, you would have thought it would have been against Drummond, an actual true center. But that's not how it played out.

And Frye's limited action has also been somewhat of a mystery. Lue suggested that he'd feel them both out early in Game 1.

"Just kind of see how it goes first game," Lue said. "Try to get both of those guys out there in the first game and see who gives the best and most favorable matchup and kind of go from there. Last year, Timo did a great job in this series, the way we played him. Pick-and-roll coverages, things like that, he really helped us out. We're going to give him a shot, give him a chance, and see how it goes. Depends how the flow of the game goes."

Lue said his biggest concern in this series is Atlanta's pick-and-roll, pick-and-pop game and the way other guys cut and move behind that action.

The problems the Cavaliers presented to the Pistons will be the problems they'll have to deal with against the Hawks. How they fare in defending those sets will determine how much Love plays the five and how much Mozgov and Frye play at all.

It will be a series of who can impose their will, their system.

Richard Jefferson says it means nothing that Charles Barkley is picking Cavaliers to win the NBA Finals.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Hall-of-Famer/TNT analyst Charles Barkley is known for saying some provocative things on the air. You're hardly ever surprised by what comes out of his mouth.

But last week Barkley managed to say something that caught many in the basketball community off guard.

"[The Hawks] can win a game, but they can't beat the Cavaliers. The Cavaliers are, in my opinion, the favorite to win the world championship. [Cleveland is] the team to beat," Barkley stated.

The Chuckster later went on to say the Cavaliers would go undefeated on their way to reaching the NBA Finals. It was confusing, because for most of the season he, along with Kenny Smith and Shaquille O'Neal, claimed the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs were leaps and bounds above the next best team.

So how does this all-of-sudden vote of confidence play out within the Cavaliers' locker room? According to veteran Richard Jefferson, they don't care.

"It means nothing," Jefferson said of Barkley's statement. "I've seen way too many guys get sensitive whenever Charles says something, so you can't let him stroke your ego either. I've always thought it was funny when guys got upset when Shaq or Charles or Kenny said something negative about them or said they weren't playing good basketball or just gave their opinion.

"You can't take the good with the bad. That's one of those things where we don't pay attention to anything anybody says, anything anybody writes negative or positive, but yeah, thanks Charles. Appreciate that one."

It's curious what caused Barkley to reverse course on his pick. Cleveland just did what it was supposed to do in sweeping the Detroit Pistons in the opening round. And it was a hard-fought, nail-biting four games. So what changed?

In the end, it really doesn't matter whom an analyst sides with. The games have to be played on the court.

"We don't really discuss things that are being said outside of our locker room," Jefferson said. "There's enough drama going on with everybody, and everybody has their own personal issues and we're trying to win games. It does not help us on the floor.

"Listen, you can go to Atlanta right now and ask them and they can use it as motivation. So, if they're going to use it as motivation, and we're using it to relax a little bit because people believe we're playing at a high level, then it doesn't do you any favors."

LeBron James and the Cavaliers have owned the Hawks, it's true, but the second round has proved difficult for James in the past.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio - Go back to what LeBron James said Friday about leaving the past where it belongs.

"At the end of the day what happened in the past doesn't define what happens today," James said then. He chose not to speak to reporters Sunday after the Cavs practiced in preparation for Monday's conference semifinal opener against Atlanta.

When James made that comment, he was talking about the destruction both he and his teammates have laid upon the Hawks over the past 12 months.

By now, you've heard. The Cavs swept the Hawks out of the East finals last year and beat them in all three games this season; James dominated Atlanta like no one had ever dominated a playoff opponent before (30.3 points, 11 rebounds, 9.3 assists per game).

The Cavs can't, or at least shouldn't, allow that past success to cloud their focus heading into this playoff series, because, as James said, the 2016 Cleveland-Atlanta series has yet to be defined.

SEE: LeBron's been picking on the Hawks

But James can use recent history to reinforce tunnel vision for himself and his teammates if he so chooses.

The Cavs had a pretty rough go of it in the second round last year.

Cleveland swept Boston in the first round in 2015, and waited more than a week before playing the Bulls in the conference semifinals.

Which is precisely the situation the Cavs face now with the Hawks.

The Cavs then lost games 1 and 3 to the Bulls, and where a faulty David Blatt timeout and a James buzzer beater in Game 4 from trailing 3-1 in that series.

Other than the layoff, the circumstances surrounding James and the Cavs are largely different heading into the second round. Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving are healthy and playing brilliantly. J.R. Smith isn't suspended. Coach Tyronn Lue's rotation is largely set.

But the fact remains it took the Cavs a while to get comfortable in the 2015 conference semifinals, and they trailed the Bulls by double digits in Game 4 with the possibility of a 3-1 series deficit staring them in the face.

The scenario often gets covered up by Cleveland's dismantling of the Hawks and battle with Golden State in the Finals.

"All we can do is control what we can control," James said. "As far as our rhythm I think we put in some great work this week so far and uh, but you only know until you get out on the floor. But we're prepared."

In 10 previous postseasons, James has amassed a 36-21 record in the second round. His past Cavs teams were beaten in the conference semis by the Pistons in 2006 and Boston in 2008 and 2010.

In terms of success, or lack thereof, only the Finals (where he's lost four series out of six) have proved more difficult for James.

James is averaging 27.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and 6.6 assists and is shooting 45 percent from the field for his career in the second round. Against the Bulls last year, it was 26.2 points, 11 boards, and 8.8 assists for James.

More individual milestones or teed up for James, who is in hot pursuit of his sixth consecutive Finals - something not accomplished since the 1960s.

He'll tie former Cavs coach Byron Scott for 14^th place all time in playoff games (183) on Monday, and needs just 26 points to pass Tim Duncan (5,136) for fifth in NBA postseason scoring (note: the Spurs play Monday in Game 2 of their West semifinal against the Thunder, so James will need more than 26 to pass Duncan).

James also needs three more 3s to pass Robert Horry for 8^th in postseason treys (261).

This is a different Cavs team than the one that slogged through the conference semis in 2015.

It's also a changed Hawks group from the one annihilated by the Cavs. Thabo Sefolosha is available this time, he can come off the bench to help guard James. Kyle Korver is healthier than a year ago. DeMarre Carroll is gone -- he tried to guard James on one good knee last season and it didn't go well.

The past, therefore, isn't necessarily a predictor of what's to come starting Monday at The Q.

But it can be a reminder of James and the Cavs to be mindful of the challenge ahead.

Watch Jones be Jones, and remember the individual choices of these players affects their lives much more than it affects a college program or NFL team.

COLUMBUS, Ohio --  Cardale Jones promised he'd hold no NFL Draft party.

"You have a party to celebrate, I mean, what?" Jones said after Ohio State's Pro Day a month ago. "I'm just getting my foot in the door. I'll party after a long-term contract or something."

You don't have to hold a party to party yourself. Thus, video has emerged from a small gathering in the Columbus apartment that Jones shares with friend and fellow Buckeye Tyvis Powell.

In that video, Jones watches the Buffalo Bills draft him on television in the fourth round Saturday - then rips in half the white t-shirt he's wearing and sprints through the apartment

Mood: When you turn yo dreams into reality @CJ12_ pic.twitter.com/TDma4PSJm6

-- Hit Man (@BoutDatLifeBoi) April 30, 2016

Then comes the champagne shower.

Champagne Shower [?] [?] [?] pic.twitter.com/vv4xBcMi0n

-- Hit Man (@BoutDatLifeBoi) April 30, 2016

Now that we know Jones' landing spot, at No. 139 to the Bills as the ninth quarterback off the board, many want a final analysis on whether Jones regrets his choice to stay at Ohio State for the 2015 season.

Does that look like a man with regrets?

This is what we do - analyze every move of the teams that people care about - but over time I've grown weary of the public analysis of this one particular personal decision, an analysis I've offered myself more than a few times.

When to leave college for the pros

Now that the draft is over, you may find questions about whether Jones' roommate, Powell, made the right call to turn pro since he went undrafted and signed with Seattle. The same people may question why Jones stayed in school when he could have jumped to the NFL on the heels of his three-game run in Ohio State's National Championship season.

This all falls within the context of a world where college players play basically for free - scholarship and stipend not withstanding - with the hope of earning millions.

We analyze college programs and NFL teams for their decisions and should, because what they do affects every fan who cares. It's a big decision with a big reach.

The choice each athlete makes? That's a big decision that truly affects one person.

The college will find a replacement. The pro team will draft someone else.

Whether to stay in school or leave for the pros is a life decision for the player, one he must live with either way.

So Jones may have been drafted a bit higher a year ago, though the draft process certainly would have moved beyond the initial hype as the confetti fell in Dallas.

Powell may have been drafted if he stayed for a fifth season as a leader on an OSU defensive with fewer stars.

Or Jones could have been sitting on an NFL bench in 2015, J.T. Barrett could have struggled with an Ohio State team that missed the playoffs, and Jones and everyone else may have wondered if he should have stayed.

Or Powell could have returned next year, broken his ankle on a team completely rebuilding its defense, and never been given the shot he'll now get with Seattle.

Even undrafted, Powell left Ohio State as a starter, captain, graduate and National Champion who felt this was his time.

Even as a fourth-rounder, Jones's choice to stay at Ohio State and eventually lose his job during a non-playoff run left him more experienced, closer to a degree and never wondering what he might have done with more than three career starts.

In waiting, he found the right place.

In Buffalo, Jones has no sure-thing quarterback in front of him. The Bills said Saturday that he'll be their third quarterback this year behind Tyrod Tylor and E.J. Manuel. We know what Jones has done before as a No. 3 quarterback.

Cardale Jones will start out as Bills No. 3 QB. Browns at Buffalo on Dec. 18. Figure top 2 guys should be out with injuries by then.

-- Doug Lesmerises (@DougLesmerises) April 30, 2016

Even though he was a fourth-rounder, Jones was what I thought he should be - a pick with purpose. He's not going in to back up a veteran. He's entering an uncertain quarterback situation with a murky future.

He'll have every chance to prove to the Bills he can be their quarterback.

"We like his skill set. I mean, he's got the talent to possibly be a franchise guy," Bills general manager Doug Whaley told reporters in Buffalo after the pick. "The upside is great. We feel his floor at the bottom of his talent level is a solid No. 2." 

Does Jones regret what could have been a year ago?

Watch this a few more times.

@BTNBrentYarina @CJ12_ @buffalobills @11W Brent, here is a gif of the shirt ripping part of the celebration. pic.twitter.com/0N8S2MR868

-- Gobucks2204 (@Gobucks2204) May 1, 2016

The Cleveland Cavaliers haven't played a game since completing the sweep against the Detroit Pistons one week ago. The East's top team has been waiting patiently, first for the opponent, and then for the opening game of the next round.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers haven't played a game since completing the sweep against the Detroit Pistons one week ago. The East's top team has been waiting patiently, first for the opponent, and then for the opening game of the next round.

"Very anxious," head coach Tyronn Lue said following Sunday morning's practice. "A lot of messin' around, not messin' around, but you could tell we've been off for eight days and guys ready to start playing and getting ready and getting focused for the game. It's time and we're ready to play."

The wait is almost over, with the Cavaliers set to begin their second-round matchup with the fourth-seeded Atlanta Hawks on Monday night at Quicken Loans Arena.

"This is a long layoff," veteran Richard Jefferson said. "You look at San Antonio after a long layoff and they came out and played well so you have to use this rest, but at the same point in time you have to try to stay sharp mentally and physically you have to stay sharp -- not just eat, hang out and chill. You have to stay locked in this whole time."

Lue admitted that he didn't start formulating his plan for the Hawks until the series ended on Thursday night when Atlanta topped Boston in Game 6. Instead, the Cavs focused on themselves, looking at what they had to do to get better.

"Game 1 is a new series and it doesn't matter what you shot, how well you played, what adjustments you made in the first series," Jefferson said. "The second series is different against a better team."

During off days, the Cavs did conditioning work and players stayed in the gym late, getting extra shots. To stay loose following practice, they played other sports -- throwing the football around or grabbing mitts to toss the baseball back and forth.

But this time of year, there's always the question of rest vs. rust, especially after the rhythm Cleveland found against Detroit in Round One.

"Obviously, you can't get cute and overthink it," Lue said. "We have our principles, we know what we want to do going into a game and then if things don't work and you have to adjust. But we know what we want to do right now and we're ready."

The lengthy break didn't slow down the San Antonio Spurs, who mangled Oklahoma City in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals Saturday night.

But the Spurs had five days in between games. And every team handles the layoff differently. The Cavs will lean on their experience.

"I think you look at this team here and how many guys on this team have been in a playoff series where they swept an opponent," Jefferson said. "I know last year they had a lot of success sweeping opponents. I was fortunate early in my career where we won 10 straight in the playoffs so we were waiting a long, long time for other games. We pretty much waited the whole playoffs. Everybody here has experience in this, it's not really a factor. Just have to be ready for Atlanta and they're coming from an intense, physical and emotional series. They're definitely locked in."

The Cavs know the Hawks well, winning this season's series, 3-0, after sweeping them out of the playoffs last year -- a step along the journey to the NBA Finals. 

"I can't speak on anything that happened last year," Jefferson said. "At the same point in time, we have a lot of guys that were in the playoffs for the first time last year also. I think experience was gained on both ends.

"They're a well-coached team and they play a lot of guys so a lot of guys have opportunities to make impacts on the game. No one plays a ton of high crazy, crazy minutes so everyone is typically fresh and playing at a high speed. That's why they are so difficult. It's never about your opponent, it's always about how well you execute -- if you don't turn over the ball, if you're taking good shots and if you're knocking down shots."

The Hawks' defense fueled their second half surge -- ranking second in the league following the All-Star break. It also led the way in their first-round series win against the Celtics, holding them to 93.8 points.

Offensively, they don't have three All-Stars. They don't rely on any one player. Nor do they have two of the best closers in the NBA -- LeBron James and Kyrie Irving. They have to take another approach, a team-oriented approach, relying on their system and crisp ball movement.

"They're a balanced team," Jefferson said of the Hawks. "That's the biggest challenge against them is their balance. It's been well-documented, it's been talked about how many guys they play, the system in which they play in. Kyle Korver obviously is huge for them, Jeff Teague and their versatile bigs. They've got two Tristans on their team. Guys that can guard 1-5, that can switch out, that guard on the perimeter and guard on the post. Those are valuable assets. I think as a team and as an organization, they've done a really, really good job of producing some high level basketball."

For the Hawks, it's also a chance at redemption, to prove they are better than the overmatched squad that got bounced by James and the Cavaliers last May. It's a chance to show this is a new season, with last year's results being immaterial.

Ironically, that has been the same talking point emanating from Cleveland Clinic Courts this week.

"At the end of the day what happened in the past doesn't define what happens today," James said recently. "We've got to focus on the now and this is a team that's coming off a very good and challenging first round series against the Celtics. We understand that their coach is going to have those guys well prepared and well driven for the series starting Monday."

The Indians are expected to place catcher Roberto Perez on the disabled list with a broken right thumb. He did it Saturday night making a diving tag at the plate in the fifth inning against the Phillies.

PHILADELPHA -- Catcher Roberto Perez made a great diving tag at the plate Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park. His reward was a trip to the disabled list with a fractured right thumb.

Veteran catcher Adam Moore joined the Indians from Class AAA Columbus before Sunday's game.

In the fifth inning, Perez blocked a Joba Chamberlain breaking ball in the dirt. The ball bounced away from him, but he grabbed it and made a diving tag of Odubel Herrera, who tried to score from third. The play survived a replay challenge from the Phillies and kept the score tied, 3-3.

The Indians eventually lost, 4-3.

"It was a great play," said manager Terry Francona. "First of all, he blocked the ball with his throat. When he dove he banged his thumb on his throwing hand. He came in and had a small cut on the thumb and it hurt.

"After the game, it really became sore and swollen. We took an X-ray here and it showed a small break."

Perez went for an MRI on Sunday and will be examined by Dr. Thomas Graham at Cleveland Clinic on Sunday night.

"Best case scenario is that he'd be out five to seven days," said Francona. "Knowing that something is going on in there, it's kind of hard not to put him on thge 15-day DL and go get a catcher.

"We'll have a much better idea on the time frame on Monday."

Perez talked to cleveland.com Sunday morning about the play, but never said anything about his broken thumb.

"It was one of those plays where the runner was really aggressive," said Perez. "Joba had a really good breaking ball going on so I was trying to relax myself and block the ball.

"He (Herrera) took a chance and I just went at him."

Perez said he anticipated the play with Herrera on third.

"He was getting a really good lead from third," said Perez. "I had the same play last year in Chicago where I dropped the ball against Adam Eaton. So I was anticipating it before it happened."

Eaton scored in the bottom of the sixth inning on May 18 at U.S. Cellular Field to tie the score, 1-1. A Corey Kluber pitch got away from Perez, but he gained control and made a diving tag of Eaton, but couldn't tag the ball.

"That time I had the ball in my hand," said Perez. "This time I had my hand and the ball in the glove."

Perez is 0-for-8 and has played in only four games for the Indians. Moore was hitting .156 (7-for-45) with two homers and five RBI at Columbus.

It's the second significant injury the Indians have suffered on this trip. On April 24, Carlos Carrasco tore his left hamstring covering first base against Detroit. He will be out for four to six weeks.

The Indians are scheduled to end their nine-game trip through Detroit, Minneapolis and Philadelphia on Sunday against the Phillies at 2:35 p.m. at Citizens Bank Park.

PHILADELPHIA -- Here are the lineups for Sunday's game between the Indians and Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. First pitch is scheduled for 2:35 p.m.

INDIANS

3B Jose Ramirez.

2B Jason Kipnis.

SS Francisco Lindor.

1B Carlos Santana.

C Yan Gomes.

CF Tyler Naquin.

LF Rajai Davis.

RF Lonnie Chisenhall.

RHP Danny Salaz, 2-1, 2.35.

PHILLIES

CF Odubel Herrera.

SS Freddy Galvis.

3B Maikel Franco.

1B Ryan Howard.

C Cameron Rupp.

LF Darin Ruf.

2B Cesar Hernandez.

RHP Vince Velasquez.

UMPIRES

H Larry Vanover, crew chief.

1B Alfonso Marquez.

2B Chris Guccione.

3B Dave Rackley.

Matthews was a three-year starter for the Aggies.

BEREA, Ohio - Cameron Erving expects to start at center this fall, but his confidence didn't prevent the Browns from signing an insurance policy. An insurance policy with Hall-of-Fame bloodlines.

The Browns are adding Texas A&M center Mike Matthews as an undrafted free agent, according to a Houston Chronicle report. The team won't confirm its UDFA signings until probably Monday at the earliest.

Matthews, a three-year Aggies starter, is the son of Hall-of-Fame lineman Bruce Matthews and nephew of former Browns linebacker Clay Matthews. The Browns are giving the 6-foot-2, 294-pounder a $7,500 signing bonus and $2,500 of guaranteed salary, according to the report. His brother, Jake, played at Texas A&M as well before being drafted by the Falcons.

Mike Matthews was one of three centers in this draft class not to yield a sack over the past two years, ProFootballFocus.com reported. But Matthews wasn't among the eight centers drafted over the weekend. Dane Brugler, a CBSSports.com draft analyst listed him as the 12^th-best option at the position.

The NFL.com draft analysis finds no fault with Matthews' game only his stature:

"Matthews is an absolute bulldog who plays with outstanding tenacity, consistency and technique. If he were bigger and stronger, we would be talking about him as one of the top five centers in this draft, but he lacks the size NFL teams need from their centers. Matthews' balance, body control and football IQ should get him a look in camp, but he has to add weight and keep it on to have a legitimate shot at making a team."

Related: Cameron Erving fueled by criticism

The Browns are hoping Erving, a 2015 first-round pick, can take over the position vacated by free agent Alex Mack (Falcons). But Erving endured a rocky rookie season while playing sparingly and out of position. He was a left tackle and center at Florida State, but only saw time at the two guard spots.

He struggled with technique issues and admitted he needed to get stronger. Erving said detractors motivate him, but refused to use playing out of position last season as an excuse.

"We can say it hurt me," Erving said. "But at the end of the day it was the hand I was dealt. I'm an NFL player. I'm a professional. It's my job to adapt to whatever position I'm put in. I'm not going to sit here and say, 'Yes, I was put in bad situations,' but it wasn't the greatest circumstances. But at the end of the day I don't blame the coaches. I don't blame anybody. I blame myself for whatever happened to me, good or bad."

The Phillies completed a three-game sweep of the Indians on Sunday with a 2-1 victory at Citizens Bank Park.

PHILADELPHIA - Hey, at least they kept the one-run streak going.

On a cold wet Sunday afternoon, the Indians ended a nine-game, 10-day trip with a 2-1 loss to the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. The Indians began this trip with a much celebrated three-game sweep of the Tigers and ended it with a regrettable three-game sweep at the hands of the second-lowest scoring team in the National League.

Give the Phillies credit for one thing -- they're hot. They've won six straight and nine of their last 10. The Indians, who ended this trip at 4-5, haven't been hot since they left spring training in Goodyear, Ariz.

The Indians have played six straight one-run games, losing five of them. Three of those losses came in their opponents last at-bat. They have not played that many consecutive one-run games since August of 2006.

It was a trip that raised questions about the Indians' ability to score enough runs to compete and the back-end of the bullpen's ability to protect a lead if they did get one.

Danny Salazar (2-2, 2.40) allowed two runs -- one coming on a balk -- in seven innings. He struck out eight and walked two.

If not for a brief lapse in the third inning, the Phillies might not have scored at all against Salazar. After throwing 101 pitches in 4 2/3 innings in his last start, Salazar threw just 102 on Sunday.

Vince Velasquez (3-1, 1.44) threw six scoreless innings for the win. He struck out six, walked four and allowed two hits. David Hernandez and Hector Neris completed the four-hitter.

Carlos Santana accounted for the Indians only run with a one-out homer in the ninth Neris. With closer Jeanmar Gomez unavailable, Neris earned his first save in the big leagues.

Salazar started the game with seven straight outs, including five straight strikeouts. Then he walked Velasquez on a pitch he thought was a strike with one out in the third. He came off the mound and looked upset, if not beaten. In a matter of moments, the Phillies led, 2-0.

"I walked him," said Salazar. "I got two strikes quick and then I started leaving the ball up. I got mad at myself."

Asked if it threw him off kilter for the rest of the inning, Salazar said, "Not really. I was trying think (about that) and finish my inning."

No.9 hitter Peter Bourjos, in the lineup because of his glove, ripped a single to left. Salazar retired Odubel Hernandez for the second out, but gave up a single to Freddy Galvis to put runners on the corners. Bourjos came into the game hitting .164. Galvis was hitting .233.

Then the field conditions came into play. The game was started in a light drizzle and Salazar, with Maikel Franco at the plate, slipped on the wet mound on his first pitch and was charged with a balk to score Bourjos.

Velasquez, at the start of the fourth inning, walked Francisco Lindor and Santana. Then he said something to plate umpire Larry Vanover to call for the grounds crew to fix the mound.

After applying drying agent and raking the mound, Velasquez retired the next three batters. Salazar could have asked for the mound to be fixed as well, but didn't think it was necessary.

"That's not why I gave up the hits," said Salazar.

The last out of that inning provided some drama. Rajai Davis sent a liner to left center field that stayed airborne long enough for Darin Ruf to make a diving catch. If the ball gets past him, the score is tied.

Missed chances

Jose Ramirez, batting leadoff for the second time this season, started the game with a walk. Jason Kipnis followed by hitting into a double play.

Ramirez walked with one out in the third, but the chance fizzled when he was thrown out attempting to steal second a split second after Kipnis struck out.

The pitches

Salazar threw 102 pitches, 67 for strikes. Velasquez threw 103 pitches, 60 for strikes.

"Salazar was really good," said manager Terry Francona. "He had 60-something pitches after three innings and ended up staying out there for seven innings."

Oh, that replay

Davis singled with two out in the seventh. He was the Indians' first baserunner since the fourth inning and just the third Indian to get a hit. Trailing 2-0, he represented an important run.

Reliever David Hernandez, however, picked him off first base to end the inning. Davis was originally called safe, but Philadelphia challenged the play. The replay showed Ryan Howard barely applying the tag on Davis' arm before he reached the bag. The giveway was a ripple in the long sleeve shirt Davis was wearing under his jersey to ward off the cold.

The replay took 1:35.

Thanks for coming

The Indians and Phillies drew 28,809 fans to Citizens Bank Park on a rainy Sunday. The three-game series drew 71,122. First pitch temperature was 51 degrees.

What's next?

The Indians are off Monday and begin a six-game homestand with a three-game series against the Tigers on Tuesday night. Josh Tomlin, Corey Kluber and Trevor Bauer will start for the Indians. Justin Verlander and Anibal Sanchez will start for the Tigers on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Tigers have yet to name a starter for Wednesday.

All three games are scheduled to start at 6:10 p.m.

The Cleveland Indians went 4-for-29 with four walks and nine strikeouts in a 2-1 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday afternoon in Philadelphia, Pa.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Right-hander Vince Velasquez allowed two hits in six scoreless innings as the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Cleveland Indians, 2-1, Sunday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pa. The Phillies (15-10) swept the three-game series and have won six in a row overall.

Here is a capsule look at the game, which was televised by Fox Sports Time Ohio:

Lost week: The Indians (10-12), on the final two stops in a three-city trip, went 1-5 against Minnesota and suddenly invincible Philadelphia. All six games were decided by one run.

The Twins walked-off the Tribe twice; the Phillies, once.

Flop in Philly: The Indians lost to Phillies, 4-3, in 11 innings on Friday night and 4-3 on Saturday night.

For the series, Tribe batters went 19-for-99 (.192) with eight walks and 32 strikeouts.

Good start wasted: On Sunday, Indians right-hander Danny Salazar (2-2, 2.40 ERA) allowed the two runs on three hits in seven innings. He walked two and struck out eight.

Adjusted for brutal umpiring and a slippery mound, Salazar could/should have given up zero runs.

Important to remember: The Phillies swept the series, fair and square. They earned each victory. The Indians got what they deserved.  

Breaks of the game: As the bottom of the third began, precipitation became more visible. Salazar retired Cesar Hernandez on a foul to third base.

Salazar got ahead of Velasquez, 0-2, before throwing three straight balls. He threw a 95-mph fastball that zipped to the outer third of the plate at the knees for strike three -- except it wasn't. Umpire Larry Vanover, for reasons known only to Vanover, called it a ball.

Should have been strike three. Instead, ball four.Fox Sports Time Ohio screenshot 

Fox Sports Time Ohio play-by-play voice Matt Underwood said: "Oh, my. How can you give the opposing pitcher the benefit of the doubt on that call? (Velasquez) was 1-for-8 with six strikeouts coming in to this at-bat. That's a pretty good pitch to be calling ball four.''

The pitch, as FoxTrax showed, clearly was a strike. Velasquez having received "benefit of the doubt'' should not apply because there was no doubt.

Peter Bourjos lined a full-count fastball to left for a single, Velasquez stopping at second. Salazar had missed with a 2-2 fastball, then grooved one.

Odubel Herrera flied to left. Freddy Galvis hit a 2-1 fastball to center for an RBI single to make it 1-0, Bourjos advancing to third. The fastball, as with the final one to Bourjos, was over the plate.

Periodically during the inning, Salazar appeared to struggle with his landing foot on the wet mound. With Maikel Franco batting, Salazar's other foot became the problem and cost him dearly. As Salazar prepared to make a 2-2 pitch, his right foot slipped, which affected his timing and caused his landing foot to come down prematurely. Salazar held onto the ball and a no-brainer balk was called; Bourjos scored to make it 2-0.

Franco popped to third.

Velasquez opened the fourth by walking Francisco Lindor in five pitches and Carlos Santana in four. Velasquez was having the exact same issues with the mound as Salazar.

Fox Sports Time Ohio analyst Rick Manning said of the grounds crew: "They were out in-between innings. They looked, and I think they asked if (the Phillies) wanted any drying agent out there. They didn't want any.''

Phillies pitching coach Bob McClure, along with other Phillies, visited Velasquez. None of them appeared to ask for any help, preferring instead to wait until Vanover arrived to break up the meeting. Nonetheless, grounds crew members, presumably on orders from Vanover, came to the mound with drying agent. It was applied, and Velasquez even threw a practice pitch.

Velasquez, given an opportunity to collect himself, got Yan Gomes to pop to third and struck out Tyler Naquin swinging. Rajai Davis pounced on a hanging curve and ripped it to left, where Darin Ruf dived to his left to make the catch.

No question that Velasquez was fortunate Ruf caught Davis's liner. If not, the score would have been tied and the inning still going. But Velasquez's biggest break came when McClure, playing the role of trainer for the staggered boxer, bought him time and effectively prompted the grounds crew to assist.

The Indians didn't score until Santana homered off Hector Neris with one out in the ninth. Gomes lined to left and Naquin struck out swinging.

The Indians finished 4-for-29 with four walks and nine strikeouts.

Sharp enough: Velasquez (4-1, 1.44) walked four and struck out six. He threw 60 of 103 pitches for strikes.

Here is a pitch-by-pitch breakdown of how the Indians fared against the talented young Velasquez:

1st inning

(L) Jose Ramirez -- 91 fastball outside; 92 fastball low; 92 fastball high and away; 91 fastball called strike; 94 fastball low, walk.

(L) Jason Kipnis -- 91 fastball outside; 91 fastball low and in; 93 fastball called strike; 89 off-speed, GIDP 4-6-3.

Skinny: Pitch tailed to outer half and Kipnis was fooled, resulting in a bad swing and bailout for Velasquez.

(L) Francisco Lindor -- 94 fastball called strike; 92 fastball foul; 79 curve in dirt; 93 fastball foul; 94 fastball foul; 81 curve foul; 93 fastball, single to right.

Skinny: Grounder into hole just past second baseman Freddy Galvis.

(L) Carlos Santana -- 91 fastball foul; 79 curve low and in; 77 curve called strike at belt (barely); 87 fastball outside (pitch-out); 94 fastball foul; 95 fastball low (barely); 91 fastball, liner to first.

Skinny: Santana's first foul also was ripped. Indians finish with nothing to show for and inning in which Velasquez had control and command issues.

(23 pitches)

2nd inning

Yan Gomes -- 92 fastball foul pop to first.

Skinny: Gomes missed a pitch to hit, which has happened to him a lot this season. It was over the plate at the thighs.

(L) Tyler Naquin -- 90 fastball called strike (outside corner); 94 fastball swinging strike; 91 fastball foul; 90 fastball high and away; 76 curve, single to shortstop.

Skinny: Sharp grounder up the middle.

Rajai Davis -- 80 curve high and away; 79 curve swinging strike; 93 fastball foul; 81 curve foul; 93 fastball, swinging strikeout.

Skinny: Davis chased pitch above belt on outside corner.

(L) Lonnie Chisenhall -- 81 curve called strike; 94 fastball low and in; 84 changeup down and away; 94 fastball, fly to center.

Skinny: Chisenhall unable to square pitch on inner half at knees.

(15 pitches)

3rd inning

Danny Salazar -- 91 fastball outside; 93 fastball, foul pop to first.

(L) Jose Ramirez -- 95 fastball called strike; 84 breaking pitch in dirt; 86 changeup outside; 94 fastball outside; 94 fastball called strike; 94 fastball low and outside, walk.

(L) Jason Kipnis -- 86 changeup low; 90 fastball called strike (outer half); 94 fastball low (barely); 85 changeup low; 94 fastball called strike (outside corner); 90 fastball, swinging strikeout/DP 2-6.

Skinny: Kipnis swung at pitch that tailed off outside corner at belt. Ramirez erased by plenty at second.

(14 pitches)

4th inning

(L) Francisco Lindor -- 77 curve high and away; 93 fastball inside; 92 fastball inside (supposedly); 91 fastball called strike; 90 fastball outside, walk.

(L) Carlos Santana -- 91 fastball low and away; 93 fastball low; 93 fastball low; 92 fastball inside, walk.

(Mound work done. Drying agent applied.)

Yan Gomes -- 91 fastball called strike; 80 curve in dirt; 93 fastball outside (barely); 93 fastball, pop to third.

Skinny: Gomes missed another pitch to hit -- inner half above the knees -- in a hitter's count.

(L) Tyler Naquin -- 93 fastball swinging strike; 94 fastball foul; 94 fastball, swinging strikeout.

Skinny: Naquin overmatched.

Rajai Davis -- 79 curve, liner to left.

Skinny: Davis ripped a hanger that Darin Ruf caught with a dive to his left.

(17 pitches)

5th inning

(L) Lonnie Chisenhall -- 93 fastball inside; 93 fastball called strike; 95 fastball called strike; 95 fastball high and away; 94 fastball, swinging strikeout.

Skinny: Chisenhall chased a pitch above the belt and off the outside corner.

Danny Salazar -- 93 fastball called strike; 94 fastball called strike; 83 curve, swinging strikeout.

(L) Jose Ramirez -- 91 fastball high and away; 94 fastball foul; 95 fastball high; 93 fastball high; 93 fastball (high), grounder to first.

(13 pitches)

6th inning

(L) Jason Kipnis -- 93 fastball called strike; 87 changeup low; 93 fastball foul; 93 fastball foul; 94 fastball outside; 94 fastball foul; 79 curve foul; 94 fastball foul; 94 fastball foul; 94 fastball foul; 94 fastball foul; 79 curve in dirt; 93 fastball foul; 95 fastball, pop to left.

Skinny: Good at-bat, regardless of result.

(L) Francisco Lindor -- 93 fastball outside; 94 fastball swinging strike; 94 fastball low; 94 fastball foul; 96 fastball, called strikeout (outside corner at knees).

Skinny: Velasquez's best pitch of game came at No. 101 overall.

(L) Carlos Santana -- 94 fastball outside; 86 changeup, foul pop to second.

(21 pitches)

The Browns have decided not to pick up Barkevious Mingo's fifth-year club option at $11.925 million.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Barkevious Mingo now has one more season to put his money where his new muscles are.

The Browns are not picking up the fifth-year option on Mingo's rookie contract, which is $11.925 million, or the transition tag number for linebackers, a league source said.

It means that the bulked-up Mingo, the Browns sixth overall pick in 2013, will likely be an unrestricted free agent after this season. The Browns can also extend his contract if they choose, but they'll likely see how 2016 plays out.

Mingo, who's recorded only seven sacks in his three seasons while mostly dropping into coverage, added about 25 pounds of muscle this offseason while moving in with a former female body builder for five weeks this offseason to bulk up.

His agent, Rick Roberts, told cleveland.com that Mingo consumed more 6,000 calories a day to add strength and size to his slender frame.

"This whole offseason, my main focus was getting bigger, faster, stronger,'' Mingo said at the start of the offseason program last month. "I put on a lot of weight, and I'm comfortable where I am. I achieved my goals and am excited to get to work with the guys that we brought back and the guys we've brought in.".''

Mingo's fate was probably sealed before the draft because of the high pricetag, but the Browns added several pass-rushers over the weekend, including second-round pick Emmanuel Ogbah, third-rounder Carl Nassib, and fourth-rounder Joel Schobert.

They also drafted Nate Orchard in the second-round last year and he had three sacks in his last four games last season.

After missing the first game of his rookie year with a bruise lung, Mingo began his career with a bang, recording sacks in each of his first three games. But in his next 43 outings, he's had only four sacks, including none last season and two in 2014.

During most of the last two years, he's been been used primarily as a coverage linebacker and hasn't had much of a chance to rush the passer. Last season, he started only two games and played primarily on special teams.

Barkevious Mingo bulked up in the offseason by training with a former female body builder

By the end of this season, Mingo will have been paid a fully guaranteed $16,347,002, which currently equates to more than $2 million a sack. But new defensive coordinator Ray Horton, who was here during Mingo's rookie season, liked him as a pass-rusher back then, and will undoubtedly try to get him going forward again in his attack-minded scheme.

Mingo would've added weight sooner, but the previous staff didn't want him to, Roberts told cleveland.com.

"They didn't want size on him,'' Roberts said.

Before the trading deadline last season, Mingo's agent Jeff Guerriero acknowledged that Mingo's camp had contemplated asking for a trade.

"Keke is an impact player and needs to be on the field. It's that simple,'' Guerriero told cleveland.com.

The Browns also considered trading him, but ultimately didn't pull off a deal.

Now, the new muscled-up Mingo will have one season to menace quarterbacks and make a case to stick around.

Browns had a league-high 14 draft picks and used none on running backs. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio - Among the biggest winners from the Browns' college job fair over the weekend was a 2014 undrafted free agent.

Isaiah Crowell left Berea in January a confused and unhappy running back facing an uncertain future. He emerged from NFL Draft 2016 as the clear-cut choice to head to training camp as the Browns' lead back.

The club made a league-high 14 selections and used none on running backs despite the fact it finished 22^nd in rushing (95.6 yards per game) and tied for 29^th in rushing touchdowns (five).

The decision was surprising - maybe not on the Cody-Kessler-in-the-third-round level - but in fairness to the Browns it remained consistent with their pre-draft evaluation of the position.

"It says that I am very happy with the guys that are here," coach Hue Jackson said Saturday night. "That's one of the things that once I got here that I wanted to take a strong look at. From top to bottom, I think we have some good candidates here."

The takeaway is Jackson, in so many words, agreed with Crowell's assessment of last season: The Browns never gave their running game a chance until the campaign was lost. The team switched offensive coordinators and blocking schemes. John DeFilippo wanted to throw the ball, the club was often behind in games and the rushing attack got compromised as a result.

That's a simplistic view, of course. Don't forget last year's staff was displeased with the group in training camp -- former position coach Wilbert Montgomery putting the backs on blast in August. The Browns traded 2014 leading rusher Terrance West before the campaign began and no running back earned 20-plus carries in a game until Crowell in a Week 13 win over the Niners.

Related: Isaiah Crowell disappointed in last season

By the time the Browns began running out of spread formations with Johnny Manziel at quarterback, averaging an impressive 160.5 yards over the last four games, it was too late.

Maybe that's how Jackson, a former offensive coordinator, envisions the Browns' attack with dual-threat Robert Griffin III at the helm. Crowell has been inconsistent during his two seasons, but there's no denying he possesses a great burst and can punish a defense if he can locate a hole.

I'm not sold on the back who led the team with 706 rushing yards last season - with more than 300 coming over the final four games -- but he merits another look in a revamped offense. Although fellow running back Duke Johnson represents one of the Browns' few playmakers, his strength is catching passes and creating mismatches. He's not a between-the-tackles rusher and there's no hint of Jackson dramatically altering his role.

Related: Wilbert Montgomery calls out running backs

The coach wants to construct a tandem similar to what he enjoyed in Cincinnati with Jeremy Hill and Gio Bernard. One of his first moves with the Browns was signing Bengals' practice squad member Terrell Watson, a 6-foot-1, 240-pound bruiser who set Division II records at Azusa Pacific University. What role, if any, Watson has with the organization remains to be seen.

But in an offseason of significant change Jackson stayed virtually status quo at running back. He predicted as much from the NFL scouting combine in February:

"Isaiah Crowell obviously had a good year last year and I think he has the characteristics of a back that can be a big-time runner but he needs to do it very consistently and kind of in the way that we want it done . . . I think at the same time again, those two young players (Crowell and Johnson) . . . have a bright future ahead of themselves."

Jackson is nothing if not confident in his football evaluation. We've seen it in his unwavering belief in Griffin. We're witnessing again with Crowell.

It's time to either feed the Crow or eat it.

Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes are trying to schedule one at Aquinas this summer. Would Harbaugh attend, too?

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- One of Ohio State's top remaining targets in the 2017 recruiting class is five-star wide receiver Trevon Grimes of Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas. 

Next year there will be another one just like Grimes. And the year after that. And the year after that. 

That's what Aquinas does. 

The program that sent five-star defensive end Joey Bosa and, most recently, his brother Nick to Ohio State is perhaps the deepest high school in the country when it comes to top talent. 

So what does Ohio State do? It attacks it. 

Now that satellite camps are permitted in the NCAA rule book again, Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes are trying to schedule one at Aquinas this summer, according to a source close to the program. 

There have been other reports that Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh would like to attend the same day, but that's not going to happen, as entertaining as that may sound. 

The only way Harbaugh or his staff is permitted at a satellite camp is if they are working it, and Ohio State isn't going to welcome them into their own event for obvious reasons. 

Ohio State is still trying to iron out the date for when the Aquinas satellite camp could happen, but sometime in June is probably a good guess. 

Inside Aquinas, why it's so important to Ohio State

Harbaugh and Meyer have been at the same satellite camp before, though, and it will happen again at the Sound Mind Sound Body camp in Detroit in June. 

That's one of the biggest youth instructional camps in the country, and it hosts coaches from most programs in the Big Ten and Mid-American Conference on an annual basis. 

Joining the Buckeyes are North Carolina, Miami (Fla.), Florida, Florida State, Alabama, Arizona, Tennessee, Louisville and Maryland.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The amount of talent Ohio State is chasing at wide receiver in the 2017 recruiting class is absurd. 

That doesn't mean the Buckeyes aren't also chasing 2018 prospects. 

One of the best is Jermaine Eskridge of Tampa (Fla.) Jefferson, a prospect who racked up more than 30 scholarship offers before earning a composite rating on the 247Sports recruiting network. 

The 6-foot-3, 180-pound receiver is narrowing things down. 

Eskridge released a top 10 on Monday afternoon and Ohio State made the cut. Joining the Buckeyes on Eskridge's list is North Carolina, Miami (Fla.), Florida, Florida State, Alabama, Arizona, Tennessee, Louisville and Maryland. 

It's early in Eskridge's recruitment, but Ohio State has an uphill path to climb to get him out of Florida when considering all three Florida powers -- Miami, Florida and Florida State -- made his first cut. 

Eskridge issued a verbal commitment to Kentucky last July, but he decommitted from the Wildcats a few months later. Now Kentucky didn't even make his most recent top 10. 

Top 10 schools pic.twitter.com/RpDJTEWFP0

-- EJ2 (@Iam_Jermaine4) May 2, 2016

Ohio State is heavy on the trail of four elite 2017 receivers: Five-star Donovan Peoples Jones of Detroit Cass Tech, five-star Trevon Grimes of Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas and five-star Tyjon Lindsey of Corona (Calif.) Centennial.