Reports have the Mentor native and North Carolina quarterback as a target as the potential No. 1 pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Who wants Mitch?

Maybe the Browns.

NFL reporter Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reported over the weekend that the Browns are focusing on North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky in the 2017 NFL Draft.

"They love him. Trust me, they love him," a talent evaluator from another NFL team told La Canfora. Go read all about what La Canfora wrote.

Albert Breer on the Monday Morning Quarterback site from SI.com wrote Wednesday of Trubisky being a top 10 pick in the eyes on an NFC executive.

"Accurate, good vision, athletic, tough," is how Trubisky was described to Breer.

Weeks ago, we here at the QB Tracker became the first outlet we know of to specifically talk to the Mentor High grad and North Carolina quarterback about becoming the quarterback of the Cleveland Browns. In an interview with our Bill Landis, who also wrote about whether Trubisky would have played for Ohio State if Jim Tressel was still the coach, Trubisky said:

"If that opportunity comes I think it would be a dream come true to go back home and play for the hometown team."

Let's see how often that quote comes up before the end of April.

If the Browns are watching Trubisky, then you need to be watching Trubisky. But first, some quick numbers and facts to catch you up:

* This is his first year as a starter. North Carolina is 8-3. The Tar Heels were 11-3 last year when Trubisky backed up Marquise Williams, who went undrafted after last season.

* Trubisky ranks ninth in the nation in passer rating. He completes 69.7 percent of his throws, which ranks fifth in the country, throws for 290 yards per game (ranks 13th) and has a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 25-4.

* Trubisky doesn't run a lot, but he can move around a bit. He's gained 215 yards on 70 carries, with five touchdowns, while North Carolina has allowed 16 sacks in 11 games.

Now, on to the GIFs. Then on to the weekly tracker, where we list the percent chance each candidate has to be the answer at quarterback for the Browns.

Doug Lesmerises, cleveland.com 

Mitch Trubisky, North Carolina, 33 percent: If they're on Trubisky, then they're on Trubisky. The choice to take a quarterback with the top pick, which should be No. 1, or a standout defensive player won't be easy.

If you want more Trubisky, here's a good full look at the Florida State highlights from draftbreakdown.com, when he threw for 405 yards in a 37-35 comeback victory. Last week: 18 percent

Deshaun Watson, Clemson, 15 percent: Watson threw for 202 yards, ran for another 47 and accounted for three touchdowns in a 35-13 win over Wake Forest last week.

The latest mock draft from SI.com has Watson going to the Browns -- with their second pick in the first round, after they take Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett at No. 1.

Garrett and Watson? That could work. Last week: 18 percent

DeShone Kizer, Notre Dame, 12 percent: His numbers in a loss to Virginia Tech last week weren't great, 16-of-33 for 235 yards and two touchdowns, but NFL.com gave him a B+ grade for the week, noting "he made some really difficult throws throughout the game." 

Notre Dame is 4-7 in a season that has gone wrong in every way. Kizer asked after the latest loss, "What am I supposed to say?"

There's nothing he can say. The NFL team that drafts Kizer will do it based on what he shows in workouts and at the NFL Combine, and he might blow people away there. But this Irish season is dead. Last week: 18 percent

Cody Kessler, Browns, 10 percent: There's no reason to drop him lower than 10 percent at this point. It's not his fault his offensive line didn't block for him Sunday, and he got knocked out for the game, and probably for longer, with a concussion.

But the last half of the season was going to be a great and necessary opportunity to get a longer look at Kessler. Now Josh McCown is starting Sunday, Robert Griffin III is on his way back and Kessler needs to give himself and his brain the break needed and not rush back after his second concussion in a month. Last week: 10 percent

Patrick Mahomes, Texas Tech, 9 percent: We wrote a lot about Mahomes last week. Then he went 18-of-36 for 219 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in a 66-10 blowout loss to Iowa State, which had been 2-8. Soo .... Last week: 18 percent

Jimmy Garoppolo, New England Patriots, 8 percent: Bill Belichick was talking up his backup quarterback this week, which should make everyone nervous. If Belichick wants to sell, are you sure you want to buy?

However, the Browns just did business with the Patriots with the Jamie Collins trade. This isn't the route I'd go, trading the first-round pick acquired from Philadelphia for the 25-year-old taken in the second round in 2014. But it's a route suggested by Breer in MMQB that could appeal to the Browns. Last week: 0 percent

Robert Griffin III, Browns, 5 percent: He's back. He might play again this year. What did Hue Jackson say Wednesday about Griffin's chances of being the quarterback of the future: "Everybody's that here has an opportunity." Last week: 1 percent

RG3 says there's "no doubt" he can still be the guy for the #Browns pic.twitter.com/WQX4baf2Ip

-- Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) November 23, 2016

Lamar Jackson, Louisville, 2 percent: We don't think the Browns are waiting until 2018. Jackson just had his worst game of the season, completing 20 of 43 passes for 211 yards in a 36-10 loss to Houston. Last week: 4 percent

Luke Falk, Washington State, 2 percent: Like Mahomes, he lost last week and wasn't great, completing less than 50 percent of his passes -- 26-of-53 for 325 yards -- in a 38-24 loss to Colorado. Last week: 5 percent

Brad Kaaya, Miami, 1 percent

Mason Rudolph, Oklahoma State, 1 percent

Austin Allen, Arkansas, 1 percent: Chad Kelly of Ole Miss has dropped out of our one-percent three-pack, while Kaaya, ranked much higher previously, slides down this low. Last week: 2 percent, 1 percent, 1 percent

Terrelle Pryor, Browns, 1 percent: He speaks up like a leader. That's because he still thinks like a quarterback.

A visibly frustrated Terrelle Pryor: "It's bullcrap. We can't keep doing this and we can't keep letting our guys get hit." #Browns pic.twitter.com/nzCvBAakKl

-- clevelanddotcom (@clevelanddotcom) November 20, 2016

Previous Browns Future QB reader voting

Week 1: Deshaun Watson 40%; DeShone Kizer 37%; J.T. Barrett 6%

Week 2: DeShone Kizer 35%; Deshaun Watson 25%; Cody Kessler 13%

Week 3: Cody Kessler 42%; Deshaun Watson 18%; DeShone Kizer 12%

Week 4: Mitch Trubisky 30%, DeShone Kizer 30%, Cody Kessler 23% 

Week 5: Cody Kessler 28%, DeShone Kizer 14%, Patrick Mahomes 10% 

Week 6: Cody Kessler 61%, Deshaun Watson 11%, Mitch Trubisky 10%

Week 7: Off for World Series

Week 8: Off for World Series

Week 9: Like a moron, forgot to include the poll

Week 10: Mitch Trubisky 33%, Patrick Mahomes 26%, Cody Kessler 11%

Previous Browns Future QB Trackers

Week 1: Deshaun Watson leads way

Week 2: Lamar Jackson enters picture

Week 3: Cody Kessler makes a case

Week 4: Mitch Trubisky could be hometown answer

Week 5: Don't follow Brock Osweiler plan

Week 6: DeShone Kizer descending, Cody Kessler climbing

Week 7: Off for World Series

Week 8: Off for World Series

Week 9: Can Cody Kessler be a top 20 QB?

Week 10: What about Patrick Mahomes?

RG3 returned to practice Wednesday and revealed he has every intention of becoming the Browns' franchise QB. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio -- Robert Griffin III came here to be the Browns' quarterback of the future, and he's still believes he can fulfill that mission.

"No doubt," he said. "I have the confidence in that. I can't speak for coach or anyone else, but they've expressed that to me. I still feel I can be the guy for this team, for this organization and I look forward to going out and proving it.''

Griffin was designated to return from injured reserve Wednesday and practiced for the first time since fracturing his shoulder in the opener Sept. 11 in Philadelphia. What carried him through the 10-week layoff was the feeling that he played better than ever in the opener.

"No doubt,'' he said. "Experiencing a high level of success and the feel of the game in the first game have helped me with my mental process. I know I can play at an extremely high level and I can do the things that a lot of people said I can't do.

"I've just got to continue to go out and try to prove that. But, you know, I wouldn't want to do it anywhere else but here because these guys, I know how they work. I see it every single day. That's something special.

"I know 0-11 isn't anything special and everyone's going to look at that, but the guys in this locker room have a special quality and we've got to make sure we go out and prove it the rest of this year and then moving on into the future.''

Is Griffin determined to prove that the Browns don't need to use either of their two first-round picks on a quarterback?

"That's not my decision,'' he said. "I can go out and play or not play and they can make that decision and like I said, I want to be here. I want to play. ... Whatever they do next year, that's up to them and I can't focus on that because I can't control that.''

Browns Executive Vice President Sashi Brown cited durability concerns about Griffin when asked last week. But Griffin isn't worried about that.

"I'm 26 years old, man, I'm not 45,'' he said. "I've got a lot of years of football left and I'm real grateful. It's Thanksgiving, time to give thanks and I'm thankful for the ability to have so much experience in the league, good and bad to this point at 26 years old, being in multiple offensive systems. It's all a learning process.''

He said they haven't reassured him that he'll still have a chance to be the face of the franchise.

"I don't think they have to tell me that,'' he said. "I just go out and do my job. ... I just focus on doing my job and know what I can control and what I can't control and move on from there.''

Thoughts on Pryor, Coleman and Jimmy Haslam needs to speak soon: Cabot

Coach Hue Jackson wasn't ready to say that Griffin had proved anything in the opener, in which he completed 12 of 26 attempts for 190 yards and one interception for a 55.0 rating. He was also sacked three times and mustered only 10 points in the 29-10 loss.

"To think way back then, there were some good things, there were some things to improve on,'' he said. "Again, that was so long ago. ... But first, in order to do all this, we've got to get him through the medical part. Let's see if he can totally be out there and see what he's capable of doing that way in practice and those things before we make those kind of choices and decisions.''

Terrelle Pryor, a former NFL quarterback, believes Griffin has what it takes to be the Browns' franchise signal caller.

"Absolutely,'' he said. "I think he's a great player. But obviously you want to see more game tape of him to get a feel for that. ... I know he can do it, but that's not really my call."

Josh McCown, who will start Sunday against the Giants, enjoyed having his comrade back out on the practice field.

"Obviously he brings a fun presence, and it's always fun to watch him,'' said McCown. "He's such a talented passer of the football. It's fun to have a guy out there throwing next to you that can spin it the way he can. It was fun having him back out there."

Griffin, due a $750,000 roster bonus in March and set to make $6 million in 2017, refuses to count this as a wasted year.

"It's a privilege to play in the league, so you've got to appreciate every single thing that you get,'' he said. "And if I get an opportunity to play later this year, I'll be extremely excited and happy about that.''

Appearing in only 10 of his last 44 games because of injury or benching, Griffin isn't even deterred by the season's injury history at the position.

"Obviously, I want to play,'' he said. "I don't think there's anybody that's ever played football at this level that's going to tell you they don't want to play because of any certain reason. So I'm excited. I'm happiest guy in the building.''

He feels the same way as McCown and Kessler, who have fought for every yard and played hurt.

"Josh thought he was Barry Sanders for a second there (against the Steelers),'' said Griffin. "He got hit so hard; oh my gosh. But it's football. I know those guys are trying to win. That's the only reason Josh went back out there against Baltimore (with a broken collarbone). It's the only reason I've been fighting so hard to get back. It's the only reason Cody came back from his concussion and whatever's bothering him right now.

"Everybody in this locker room wants to win. We know our record. No one in this locker room or the front office deserves the record we have. ... We've all given something, and it's not just the quarterbacks. The offensive line has given something - the running backs, the wideouts, our defense. I just want to help a little bit more by playing and help this team get a couple wins."

When Griffin showed up for work Wednesday morning, he wasn't sure he'd be designated to return and therefore allowed to practice. He still must be cleared for full contact and activated within the next 21 days, but it was a thrilling next step.

"I came in the building and coach kinda told me, 'You're practicing today.' I was excited about that,'' said Griffin. "I put my shoulder pads on and went out and ran around like a little kid.''

Griffin was so excited that he jumped on assistant head coach Pep Hamilton's back after a drill and horsed around with his teammates.

"They could feel the energy coming from me at least,'' he said. "I was like a little kid out there with fresh legs. They were all probably telling me to slow down.''

Griffin, who wore a big grin for most of his interview, vowed that he won't worry about getting hurt, and that he'll abide by whatever timeframe the higher-ups have in mind.

"I'm on the same page as coach, Sash, the doctors,'' he said. "It's a united front in that and I'm the happiest guy in the building today. There will be a lot of happy guys tomorrow because it's Thanksgiving, but today I think I'm the happiest guy in the building."

#Browns advisor Jim Brown holding out hope RG3 can still be the guy pic.twitter.com/NyntqhC0bQ

-- Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) November 23, 2016

Utility man Michael Martinez was dropped from the Indians' 40-man roster on Wednesday when he was outrighted. The Tribe signed outfielder Daniel Robertson to a minor-league deal and invited him to big-league camp.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians have outrighted utility man Michael Martinez, creating a spot on the 40-man roster as they prepare for the winter meetings that begin on Dec. 4 in National Harbor, Md.

They also signed outfielder Daniel Robertson to a minor-league contract with an invitation to big-league spring training.

Martinez's departure leaves the 40-man roster at 39 players. Martinez, who made the last out in Game 7 of the World Series, has played parts of the last two seasons with the Indians.

Manager Terry Francona valued Martinez, 34, because of his ability to play several positions. Martinez opened the year at Class AAA Columbus where he hit .288 (30-for-104) with eight doubles and 12 RBI.

Martinez appeared in 58 games with the Indians, hitting .242 (23-for-95) with one homer and four RBI. He was on the Tribe's active roster throughout the postseason, and made the final out of Game 7 vs. the Cubs.

He also appeared in four games with Boston before being reclaimed by the Indians.

Don't be surprised if the Indians try to re-sign Martinez to a minor-league deal with an invitation to big-league camp. That's how much Francona values him.

Robertson, 31, is a versatile right-handed hitter who spent last season with Class AAA Tacoma, the top farm club for the Mariners. He hit .287 (117-for-408) with 19 doubles, six homers and 46 RBI. He stole 13 bases in 15 attempts and posted a .769 OPS.

He played nine games with the Mariners in July, hitting .263 (5-for-19). This year Robertson played 38 games at second base, 35 in left field, 29 in center and 16 in right field for Tacoma.

Robertson made his big-league debut with the Angels in 2015 and was originally drafted by San Diego in 2008.

Mary Kay Cabot and Dan Labbe check in from Berea as the Browns prepare for the Giants. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio -- The Browns returned to the practice field on Wednesday and so did the quarterback who started their season for them, Robert Griffin III. RG3 was designated to return from injured reserve today and he practiced for the first time since getting injured against Philadelphia back in Week 1.

Josh McCown, though, will start on Sunday against the Giants. He's coming off of a game against Pittsburgh that saw him take some big hits from Steelers defenders. Mary Kay Cabot and I talked about that and RG3's return in the video above.

Corey Coleman talked today, too, and he hasn't had much of an impact on the Browns offense since returning from a broken hand suffered in practice the week after his breakout game against Baltimore. We discussed what to expect from Coleman on Sunday.

Get the latest updates and analysis from the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 13 against the Portland Trail Blazers.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers face the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday in Game 13 of the 2016 NBA regular season.

Follow along in the comments section as Joe Vardon, Chris Fedor and Joe Noga bring you observations and analysis throughout the game.

Make sure to follow Vardon, Fedor and Noga on Twitter.

Game 13: Cavs (10-2) vs. Blazers (8-8)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. at Quicken Loans Arena.

TV/radio: FoxSports Ohio; WTAM 1100 AM; 87.7 FM (ESP)

Cavs probable starting lineup: LeBron James, Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson, J.R. Smith, Kyrie Irving.

Blazers probable starting lineup: Ed Davis, Maurice Harkless, Mason Plumlee, C.J. McCollum, Damian Lillard.

Love sets Cavaliers single-quarter scoring mark

FREQUENTLY REFRESH this page to get the latest updates. If you're viewing this on a mobile app, click here

St. Ignatius, Hudson, defending Division III champion Archbishop Hoban, Perry and Cuyahoga Heights all survived last week's OHSAA regional championships and are in position to reach Columbus.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Five local high school football teams still have a shot to win state championships as the semifinals approach this weekend.

St. Ignatius, Hudson, defending Division III champion Archbishop Hoban, Perry and Cuyahoga Heights all survived last week’s OHSAA regional championships.

Two teams, Hudson and Perry, seek their first trips to state championship games. St. Ignatius looks for its first title since going to Columbus in 2011.

Here is a breakdown of their matchups this weekend and includes directions via Google Maps.

Olentangy Liberty (13-0) vs. St. Ignatius (12-1)

What: Division I state semifinal

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday

Where: Arlin Field in Mansfield.

The skinny: Both teams needed second-half comebacks in the regional finals to reach this game. St. Ignatius had its back-and-forth battle with St. Edward for the Region 1 crown, while the Patriots rallied against Lorain in Region 2. Ohio State commit Brendon White will garner attention of St. Ignatius’ defense. He scored five touchdowns two weeks ago to beat Medina and fueled last week’s comeback. This game could come down to linebackers. Liberty lost junior standout Ed Warriner Jr., but St. Ignatius still has its senior trio of Adam Shibley, John Velotta and James Leyden. The Wildcats also can lean on their running attack behind a big offensive line and junior back Mark Bobinski. The Patriots seek their first state final appearance, while St. Ignatius aims for a return since winning it in 2011.

Winner faces: Pickerington Central (12-1) or Cincinnati St. Xavier (8-5)

Hudson (11-2) vs. Massillon Perry (11-2)

What: Division II state semifinal

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday

Where: Blue Streak Field in Uniontown.

The skinny: Will a third state semifinal trip be the charm for Hudson? The Explorers reached this game last year and lost to Perry, 10-7. Hudson has won all three of its playoff games in comeback fashion, with junior Greg Mailey scoring the winning touchdown. He has four games in which he provided go-ahead scores, including a dramatic regular-season win vs. Stow. Copley, Aurora and Warren Harding have fallen victim to the playoff theatrics. Perry took Region 7 with a 17-6 win vs. New Albany. The Panthers have won nine straight.

Winner faces: Cincinnati La Salle (11-2) or Whitehouse Anthony Wayne (10-3)

Archbishop Hoban (12-1) vs. Columbus St. Francis DeSales (13-0)

What: Division III state semifinal

When: 7 p.m. Saturday

Where: Arlin Field in Mansfield.

The skinny: Hoban’s state title defense runs through a DeSales program making its 25th playoff appearance and owns 10 crowns. The last came in 2010. Hoban senior running back Todd Sibley is within 150 yards of the state’s top five all-time leading rushers. He put up 184 yards and two touchdowns Saturday in a 34-3 Region 9 title win vs. New Philadelphia. DeSales won Region 11 with a 49-6 rout of Hamilton Township.

Winner faces: Toledo Central Catholic (13-0) or Trotwood-Madison (11-2)

Perry (13-0) vs. Steubenville (12-1)

What: Division IV state semifinal

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday

Where: Boardman’s Spartan Stadium in Youngstown.

The skinny: Call this half the public-school bracket. Either Perry or Steubenville will carry that torch to Columbus for next week’s Division IV title game. Steubenville tries for a return to the title game, where it lost last year to Bishop Hartley. Coach Matt Rosati’s Pirates seek their first state final. They already captured their first regional crown behind 2,400-yard passing junior quarterback Kolston Brewster and a talented senior class that includes two-way standouts Andy Foley and Josh Petruccelli.

Winner faces: Kettering Archbishop Alter (13-0) or Columbus Bishop Hartley (10-2)

Newark Catholic (9-4) vs. Cuyahoga Heights (13-0)

What: Division VI state semifinal

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday

Where: Red Rider Stadium in Orrville.

The skinny: Al Martin’s Redskins have not played for a state title since they won their only championship in 1998. That’s a contrast from Newark Catholic, which owns 24 state titles with the most recent coming in 2012. Kyle Gibson, a 6-foot-2, 225-pound running back, will be the focus for Cuyahoga Heights. He has 1,801 yards and 21 touchdowns rushing through the regional finals, which it won as the fifth seed with a 41-7 Region 23 victory against second-seeded Beverly Fort Frye. Cuyahoga Heights’ defense is humming after a second straight shutout of Kirtland. The Redskins have given up just 14 points in their last five games, starting with the first shutout of Kirtland and continuing with Friday’s 17-0 regional title win.

Winner faces: Maria Stein Marion Local (12-1) or Hamler Patrick Henry (13-0)

A look at Division V

When: 7 p.m. Saturday

Semifinal matchups: Canton Central Catholic (9-3) vs. Milan Edison (12-1) and Coshocton (12-1) vs. Coldwater (12-1)

The skinny: Last year’s state champion, Coldwater, and runner-up, Canton Central Catholic, are still alive. Central Catholic rolled past Garrettsville Garfield on Saturday for its sixth regional crown. Edison rallied past Norwayne to set up a state semifinal rematch with the Crusaders. On the other side of the bracket, Coldwater is in position to win its fifth straight state title despite graduating most of last year’s squad. It took a 35-21 win against Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy to keep those chances alive. The Cavaliers have reached the state finals seven straight years. Coshocton missed the playoffs a year ago yet upset Region 19 top seed Wheelersburg to face Coldwater.

A look at Division VII

When: 7 p.m. Saturday

Semifinal matchups: McComb (12-1) vs. Minster (9-4) and Canal Winchester Harvest Prep (10-3) vs. Warren JFK (12-1)

The skinny: Warren JFK’s lone loss came five weeks ago to Villa Angela-St. Joseph, forcing a tie for the North Coast League White Division title. Here are the Eagles now. Three defensive touchdowns Saturday in the first half pushed their upset of previously unbeaten Norwalk St. Paul. They face a Harvest Prep team that rebounded from an 0-3 start. The other semifinal matches McComb and Minster, two programs accustomed to reaching the final four. McComb’s 2015 run ended here last year, while Minster won it all in 2014. McComb needed overtime last week to beat Convoy Crestview, while Minster took down defending state champ Fort Recovery in a 35-33 thriller.

Instant Classic: Minster Holds Off Fort Recovery In Regional Finals.."So What... Now what?"https://t.co/ZO6d6mVbzm pic.twitter.com/drCdojjyyq

— PressProsMagazine (@PressProsMag) November 20, 2016

Contact sports reporter Matt Goul on Twitter (@mgoul) or email (mgoul@cleveland.com). Or log in and leave a message below in the comments section.

The Browns are trying to settle on something at safety for the rest of this season and the Giants are bringing a model of stability at quarterback to town this week.

BEREA, Ohio -- The Browns' revolving door at safety slowed a bit on Sunday in their loss to Pittsburgh. After rotating at least four players between both safety positions in previous weeks, Ray Horton settled on Ed Reynolds at free safety and rookie Derrick Kindred at strong safety.

Reynolds, a second-year player drafted by the Eagles in 2015, played every defensive snap against the Steelers. He was one of five Browns to do so alongside cornerbacks Joe Haden and Jamar Taylor and linebackers Christian Kirksey and Jamie Collins.

Kindred saw action on 97 percent of the defensive snaps on Sunday, his highest total since Week 3, when he played 99 percent of the team's defensive snaps. A week later, Kindred played 94 percent of the snaps and then his playing time plummeted. It actually bottomed out the game before last against Baltimore, in which he played just eight snaps.

Finding the right fit at strong safety has been a struggle all season. Initially, Ibraheim Campbell, the second-year player out of Northwestern, was the starter. He was quickly supplanted by Kindred in Week 2 against Baltimore and didn't play a single defensive snap in games in Miami and Washington. He returned to starting against New England in Week 5 and started three consecutive games before Kindred replaced him as a starter again. Campbell didn't play a single defensive snap against Pittsburgh.

As for the other side, that was thrown into disarray when Jordan Poyer suffered a lacerated kidney while covering a punt against the Titans. Poyer started the first six games of the season at free safety and played every defensive snap against Miami, Washington and New England before his season ended in Tennessee.

Poyer says hit from Antonio Andrews like a 'car accident,'

The first player the Browns turned to was undrafted free agent Tracy Howard. He started three consecutive games, playing every defensive snap in Cincinnati, all but one defensive snap against the Jets and then splitting time with Reynolds against Dallas.

Since then, it's been Reynolds starting.

If all of that isn't confusing enough, here it is in chart form:

Here's a visual look at snap counts of players the Browns have used at safety.Dan Labbe, cleveland.com 

This is what happens when a team is 0-11. Guys struggle. Other guys are given a chance to step in, ready or not, and you go from there.

"We are always looking for guys to take something over because if they can, then you have the chance to play a little bit better instead of interchanging guys," head coach Hue Jackson said. "Ray has done a good job of, again, if guys are not getting it done, let's try somebody else, and at some point in time, what we are hoping is it would settle itself out."

Speaking of stability: The Giants are coming to town with a quarterback in Eli Manning who has started 193 consecutive games, the most among active players. He's 23 games ahead of second-place Philip Rivers and 38 ahead of Browns left tackle Joe Thomas, who is fourth with 155 consecutive starts. (Cowboys tight end Jason Witten is third at 158, if you're scoring at home.)

Odell Beckham Jr. and Eli Manning have developed an effective bond on the field since Beckham arrived in New York.Bill Kostroun, Associated Press 

Since 2014, Manning has been able to develop a rapport with dynamic wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who has amassed 3,574 receiving yards in his first 37 games. He needed just 30 games to reach 200 receptions and surpass 3,000 receiving yards -- the fasted to those marks in NFL history.

That kind of connection between a quarterback and a wide receiver is a luxury that hasn't happened here in Cleveland often.

Rookie wide receiver Corey Coleman said Manning and Beckham know each other and work really well together. Fellow wide receiver Terrelle Pryor said Wednesday that working with different quarterbacks can be a challenge at times.

"Down the field throws, you expect them to be somewhere and they're not," Pryor said. "Different things happen and you've got to be on the same page and you've got to rep those things (in practice)."

That's why Pryor is happy that Jackson named this week's starter, Josh McCown, early.

"That's important," he said. "It's good that Josh is going to be out there the whole week."

Meanwhile, the Browns continue searching for someone who can offer them the sort of stability Manning has provided the Giants, with the connection developed with Beckham.

-----

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Kevin Love has set the Cleveland Cavaliers single-quarter scoring record with 34 points in the opening frame against Portland.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Kevin Love set an NBA record for points in the first quarter of a game with 34, connecting on an absurd 11-of-14 shots and eight 3-pointers against Portland.

Love's eight 3s tied a career high and his 34 points also set the Cavaliers franchise record for points in a single quarter.

This is what shattering the franchise record for quarter points & quarter triples looks like. #DefendtheLand
([?] via @ESPNNBA) pic.twitter.com/D1uyQyAf4f

-- Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) November 24, 2016

The NBA record for individual 3-point shots made in a game is 13, set earlier this year by Stephen Curry. 

The Cavaliers finished with 16 made 3-point field goals in the first half. The NBA record for 3s in a regular season game is 23, held by Orlando and most recently, Houston (2013). 

The Cavaliers made 25 3-point field goals in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals last season against Atlanta.

.@kevinlove with a cornucopia of triples! #DefendTheLand pic.twitter.com/UJsS8OUs9s

-- Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) November 24, 2016

Corey Coleman had a rough outing against the Steelers, but Hue Jackson is confident he'll live up to his first-round status.

BEREA, Ohio -- Corey Coleman dropped two passes against the Steelers and caught only four of his 12 targets, but coach Hue Jackson isn't worried about the No. 15 overall pick.

"It's unfortunate,'' said Jackson. "Some of those things will happen from time to time, talking about the drops. He made a couple of tremendous plays. He went up and made a play on the ball that I don't think a lot of people could make.

"Then the hit that he took to catch the ball across the middle, that's how you display toughness. There are a lot of people that will not get that ball, and he did. He's a competitive guy and likes playing. He wants to help contribute to his offense, to the team and to everybody. I like Corey. Corey has a bright future here."

On Sunday, Coleman will play on the same field as the Giants' Odell Beckham Jr., the 2014 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. But he wasn't using Beckham's stellar rookie season as the benchmark before he missed six games with his broken hand.

"I had my own set of goals what I wanted to accomplish,'' he said. "It had nothing to do with him."

In back-to-back weeks, he will have faced two of the best receivers in the league in Antonio Brown and Beckham, and Jackson thinks that's good.

"If you guys know Corey, he thinks he's the best player in football right now,'' he said with a laugh. "It is (good) because he gets to see how those guys perform. You're talking about some of the best receivers in the game right now. He gets to measure where he is to where he needs to be. That's a huge jump. I don't try to compare him.

"Corey is Corey, but he has some of those characteristics that those guys have? Yes, I do, and he just has to keep getting better and his unit has to play better. Our whole unit has to play better to give him a chance to showcase his talent and ability."

RG3: 'I still feel I can be the guy and look forward to proving it'

Since returning from the broken hand three games ago, Coleman caught only 10 of his 24 targets for 97 yards, without a score.

"I don't think it's so much the defense,'' he said. "We have played with so many quarterbacks and everyone's got a different touch to the ball and everyone throws the ball different. So it's kind of difficult. But I've just got to keep on working and stuff.''

Of dropping the ball, Coleman said, "it happens and it's all about how you respond.''

Josh McCown, who will start Sunday against the Giants, has shown a lot of faith in the rookie and will try to utilize his speed.

"Yeah, he's coming along,'' said McCown. "Obviously, there was a reason why Corey was drafted so high and it was because of his ability to make plays with the football in his hands.

"He has missed some time and obviously that's frustrating in a rookie year because you want to be out on the field - that way you can learn - but the good thing is he is back now and he is healthy and feeling good.

"We think he will continue to grow, and we have a ton of trust in him that when we get the ball in his hands he's going to make plays."

Terrelle Pryor acknowledged that defenses are playing him a little differently with Coleman on the field.

"Sometimes the safeties still rotate and stuff like that but we haven't really had an exact opportunity to make big plays down the field," he said. "Once he cracks that and gets that, which he can and he will, I'm sure, it makes stuff easier. It's fun to be out there with him. He's growing and maturing.''

RG3 on McCown's big hit

Robert Griffin III poked some fun at McCown after the big hit he took from Steelers defensive tackle Stephon Tuitt in the fourth quarter Sunday. He juked one defender, but got blasted by Tuitt.

"Josh thought he was Barry Sanders there for a minute,'' said Griffin. "He got hit so hard. Oh man, I'm hurting for him on that play. He got hit by a truck.''

On the rookie receivers

Jackson said he believes he'll get the other three rookie receivers involved over the next five weeks. So far, they've combined for 21 catches, 229 yards and no TDs.

"The games, I am just being very honest, have been disappointing," he said. "We haven't been able to stay out there. We've had a lot of third-and-longs and haven't averaged a lot of plays over the last several games. ... The better the offense plays, the more guys will play, the more guys will have opportunities. We just have to do that as a unit to get better."

Kevin Hogan as No. 2

Rookie Kevin Hogan will be the backup QB on Sunday. Griffin was designated for return, but won't be activated to the 53-man roster this week.

"(Hogan) has been here, knows our system and knows what we are trying to accomplish,'' said Jackson. "He has done a good job when he has played.''

Fueled by Kevin Love, who made 8-of-11 from beyond the arc en route to a 34-point first quarter, the Cavs finished 16-of-22 (72.7 percent).

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers set an NBA regular season record for made 3-pointers in a first half on Wednesday night, draining 16 against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Fueled by Kevin Love, who made 8-of-11 from beyond the arc en route to a 34-point first half, all in the first 12 minutes, the Cavs finished 16-of-22 (72.7 percent). Channing Frye went 4-of-5 from 3-point range while Kyrie Irving and J.R. Smith each made a pair.

The Golden State Warriors held the previous mark of 15 in a first half, accomplishing it twice in the last two seasons and most recently on March 18, 2016, against the Dallas Mavericks.

The Cavs scored 81 points in the first half, falling two shy of a franchise record. 

Kevin Love tied the Cavs franchise record for threes (eight) in one half. IN THE FIRST QUARTER. #DefendtheLand pic.twitter.com/tDhuyhuwmg

-- NBA (@NBA) November 24, 2016

LeBron James capped his 44th triple-double with an emphatic slam dunk against Portland.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- How does LeBron James cap off a triple-double performance on the night before Thanksgiving? With some extra stuffing, of course.

Following a Portland timeout on Wednesday, James took a pass from Kevin Love, took one step toward the basket and threw down a monster dunk with his right hand.

James had already posted his 44th career triple-double earlier in the quarter when he snagged his 10th rebound (to go along with 31 points and 13 assists).

On a night when the Cavaliers set the franchise regular-season record with 20 made 3-point field goals in a game, James shot 52 percent from the floor and connected on two of three 3s.

27 points. 10 Boards. 13 Dimes.

Triple-double No. 44 for No. 23. #StriveForGreatness pic.twitter.com/bIccaMmZ4w

-- Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) November 24, 2016

JaQuan Lyle scored 10 points and dished out 11 assists on Wednesday night in Ohio State's 78-47 blowout win over Jackson State.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- JaQuan Lyle scored 10 points and dished out 11 assists on Wednesday night in Ohio State's 78-47 blowout win over Jackson State in the Global Sports Invitational.

Marc Loving and Kam Williams led the Buckeyes (5-0) in scoring with 19 and 15 points, respectively. Paris Collins led the Tigers (1-4) with 19 points, 14 in the first half.

After going down 15-9 following a 13-2 run by JSU, the Buckeyes went on a 14-0 run, and then capped off the final 6:14 of the first half with a 17-3 run. Lyle found Jae'Sean Tate for three and-1 opportunities and went to Trevor Thompson on back-to-back alley oops at the end of the first half.

Williams was 5 for 5 in the first half, and Loving went 3 for 5 from 3 in the second 20 minutes. The Tigers had a 37-32 edge on the boards, but OSU had 20 assists compared to JSU's nine.

Ohio State shot 55 percent from the field while holding the Tigers to just 30 percent.

BIG PICTURE

Jackson State: The Tigers lost their fourth straight and have a more challenges remaining on their nonconference schedule, including trips to Memphis and No. 20 Baylor.

Ohio State: Keita Bates-Diop sat the bench with an ankle injury for the second straight game. He injured his ankle last Thursday against Providence. Bates-Diop is one of the longest players in OSU's lineup, as well as one of the team's leading rebounders and scorers. Without the 6-foot-7 forward on the floor, OSU is 2-0, and has held the opponents to an average of 42.5 points per game.

UP NEXT

Jackson State wraps up the invitational with a home matchup against Western Carolina on Saturday night.

Ohio State stays in Columbus to finish the Global Sports Invitational on Friday night against Marshall. It will be the Buckeyes' third game this week. Next Wednesday, OSU travels to Charlottesville, Virginia, to face the No. 7 Cavaliers in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.

Daniel Zaar's power-play goal lifted the Cleveland Monsters to a 5-4 win at the Rockford IceHogs on Wednesday.

ROCKFORD, Illinois -- Daniel Zaar scored on a power play with 4:29 remaining to lift the Cleveland Monsters past the Rockford IceHogs, 5-4, in an American Hockey League game at BMO Harris Bank Center on Wednesday.

Zaar's goal, his third of the season, was assisted by Alex Broadhurst and Dean Kukan. The Monsters had trailed 4-3 in the final period.

The Monsters improved to 6-8-1-1 and snapped a four-game road winless streak, tied for the second-longest such active streak in the AHL and tied for the fourth-longest in the league this season. Rockford is now 7-9-1-0.

• Game summary
• AHL standings

The IceHogs got on the board in a quiet first period when Chris DeSousa scored at 9:23 off an assist from Nolan Valleau.

The action picked up early in the second period and the Monsters tied it on a power play goal by T.J. Tynan just 1:27 in, off assists from Sonny Milano and Zaar.

Rockford went right back on top at 5:26 on DeSousa's second score.

Joe Pendenza then put Cleveland on top when he scored his first two goals of the season in a three-minute span, both assisted by Milano and Oliver Bjorkstrand. Pendenza tied it at 13:44, then made it 3-2 at 16:51.

But Rockford evened it with 42 seconds left in the period on a goal by Cameron Schilling.

The IceHogs jumped ahead on a Viktor Svedberg goal at 1:31 of the third period, but Milano answered on a power play at 5:07 to tie it 4-4 and set the stage for Zaar.

Joonas Korpisalo, making his fourth appearance of the season, stopped 34 of 38 shots to improve to 1-2-1. Rockford's Lars Johansson stopped 23 of 28 and is 6-6-1. Rockford had a 31-17 edge in shots through two periods, but the Monsters had an 11-7 edge in the third. Cleveland converted on three of four power plays, while blanking Rockford on six power plays.

Roster shuffle: The Columbus Blue Jackets recalled left wing Markus Hannikainen for the third time this season on Wednesday. Hannikainen has a 5-3-8 line with four penalty minutes and a -3 rating in 14 appearances for the Monsters this season. Hannikainen had just been returned to the Monsters on Monday when the Blue Jackets activated defenseman Seth Jones off the injured list.

Up next: The Monsters will be at Grand Rapids on Friday for a 7 p.m. game. ... The Monsters and Griffins will then travel to Cleveland for a 7 p.m. game on Saturday. ... And they complete their three-game set next Wednesday in Grand Rapids at 7.

Kevin Love scored 40 and LeBron James recorded a triple-double in the Cavs' 137-125 win over Portland.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Kevin Love blew up your cell phones and interrupted your regularly scheduled programming with a first quarter for the ages Wednesday night.

By the time the dust settled on the Cavs' 137-125 win over Portland, though, Love was just one of a few players on both teams vying for top billing.

Love broke all kinds of records with his 40-point game, and we'll get to all of them shortly, but he scored 34 of those points in the first quarter (that's how he broke all the records). He connected on eight 3s -- again, all in the first quarter -- and finished with eight rebounds.

It was Love's 11th game of 40 or more points. He shot 12-of-20 from the field and 8-of-8 from the foul line.

LeBron James (remember him?) recorded his 44th career triple-double during the regular season with 31 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists. He passed Guy Rodgers (6,917 assists) for 17th place all-time.

James and Oscar Robertson (the triple-double king) are the only players in the NBA's top 25 in both points and assists. James passed Lafayette "Fat" Lever for sixth all-time in triple-doubles Wednesday night.

Cleveland set an NBA record with 16 first-half 3s, and a team record in a regular-season game with 21 treys (on 36 attempts).

Portland, playing its fifth game in seven nights and third out of four, was led by 40 points from Damian Lillard. He also recorded 11 assists and seven rebounds.

But Love's first quarter was so extraordinary, he's the one you'll turn to over the next 24 hours when talk around the Thanksgiving table tilts toward politics.

It'll take a minute to digest Love's historic first quarter. His 34 points were the second-most points in any quarter in NBA history, and the most for any first quarter in history. Only Klay Thompson's 37 points in the third quarter of a game last season is better.

The same goes for 3s in a quarter. Love's eight 3s trails only Thompson's nine, set in that same 37-point quarter (Jan. 23, against Sacramento).

It almost goes without saying that Love destroyed the Cavs' old records for points in a quarter (24, by James on three different occasions) and 3s in a quarter (five, by 11 different players). He also tied the franchise mark for 3s in a half (eight -- Love was, after all, shut out in the second quarter).

Love tied his previous high-point game with the Cavs, set coincidentally one year ago (exactly) against the Orlando Magic. He also eclipsed his previous season high for a game of 27 points in, you guessed it, the first quarter.

Love made his first seven shots -- six of them 3s -- and raced out to 20 points before missing his first with 7:06 to go in the first quarter. His miss, an errant 31-footer, was the first for any Cav. They opened the game 9-of-9.

Love finished the quarter 11-of-14 from the field and 8-of-10 from 3-point range. James assisted on six of Love's first-quarter baskets.

And the thing is, he had a real chance at Thompson's records. In the final 1:15 of the quarter, Love missed what would've tied Thompson's record for 3s in a quarter, and Kyrie Irving missed three shots in the last 49.9 seconds. Had he looked for Love on those trips, the records may have fallen.

For perspective, as if any more is needed, Love outscored James 34-3 in the period. Of course, James notched seven assists.

The Cavs' 46 points tied a team record for points in a quarter. The 81 points they posted in the first half were two shy of a franchise record.

Irving added 20 points and six assists, and Channing Frye poured in 14 off the bench -- all in the first half.

The Cavs have adopted an aggressive mentality on offense. The foundation for Love's first quarter outburst was laid as soon as the starting lineup was announced. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- After a rare break in the schedule this early in the season, Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue was "hopeful" there wouldn't be any rust.

He talked about having some tricks up his sleeve that would help them get activated quickly. They certainly worked, as Kevin Love's record-setting first quarter fueled another Cavaliers rout.

Here are five observations:

Exploiting Portland's lineup - The Cavs have adopted a "take what the defense gives" mentality on offense. But the foundation for Love's historic night was laid as soon as the starting lineup was announced.

Nobody could've predicted 34 points on 11-of-14 from the field, including 8-of-11 from 3-point range. But playing a pair of rim protecting bigs - Mason Plumlee and Ed Davis - uncomfortable guarding out to the 3-point line, is asking for trouble.

The Cavs -- and Love -- made the Blazers pay from the jump. Love started at the left elbow, dribbled toward the baseline and hit a tough fadeaway jumper over Plumlee.

"Every game we post Kevin first play," Lue admitted. "Every game."

The thinking is simple. It allows Love to get involved early, helping him build confidence. It also gives the opponent another player to worry about. If defenses attempt to guard Love with a smaller, quicker player to hang with him on the perimeter, he will bully his way to the basket or get to the free-throw line.

On Wednesday, the Blazers used a bigger defender.

Instead of staying in the post, the Cavs' exploited that matchup by having Love hover around the 3-point line. As you can see in the video montage below, the Cavs took advantage of Plumlee with pick action. While the center stayed near the key, Love had room to shoot. 

Of his eight 3-pointers, all of which came in the first 12 minutes, five came with Plumlee as the primary defender. One came against Davis. Only two happened once the Blazers downsized, using Maurice Harkless and Evan Turner.

Kevin Love's 34-point quarter. [?] pic.twitter.com/h0cSwfnkD6

-- Scott @ WFNY (@WFNYScott) November 24, 2016

ICE-d out - There are numerous ways to guard the pick-and-roll, and with LeBron James and Kyrie Irving in attack mode, so slick with the basketball, it forces the defense into a decision.

Portland chose to take away the driving lane early.

"They were ICE-ing the pick-and-rolls and Kevin was popping back and having wide open shots," Lue said. "So, if they're going to play like that we'll take that all day."

The idea of ICE is for the on-ball defender to force the ball handler away from the screen while the defender guarding the screener attempts to help contain the dribbler. The goal is to keep the driver from getting near the basket or force him to finish over length.

One problem: Defenses become susceptible to 3-pointers.

"I told him at halftime that the 34 seemed very seamless," Irving said. "We saw that they were trying to ICE us on the sides and they were leaving Kev kind of wide open on that 3-point line so he got an incredible rhythm after his first shot and we kept feeding."

James' helping hand - Only one of Love's made baskets in the historic first quarter wasn't assisted -- a turnaround jumper at the 2:54 mark.

Love's first bucket came off a James helper. Then Irving fed him on pick-and-pop for his first triple. Then came three straight setups from James.

"Did I know he was in a zone?" James asked. "I think after the fourth one. Yeah, after the fourth 3. I just seen he had no hesitation. He kept going, kept shooting it, so I just wanted to keep getting the ball to him."

Six of Love's eight made triples came off James assists. The four-time MVP dished on seven of Love's 11 made shots.

"I've always loved seeing my teammates catch one of those moments right there and just try to keep him in that zone as much as possible," James said. "I went over and told him just, whatever you're thinking about, just stay there because we're going to keep coming to you."

There were times in the quarter when Lue called plays for James, even some after-timeout sets. But James scratched them. He wanted to keep feeding the hot hand, especially with the record of 37 points in one quarter, set by Golden State's Klay Thompson, within reach.

"I didn't want to tell the players but I kept trying to go to him," Lue said. "I wanted him to continue to touch it. And like I said I thought we did a good job trying to find him. I knew the record was 37. So we kept looking for Kevin and he kept making shots, but we weren't able to get him to 37."

"Yeah. I was hoping he broke it," added Irving, who assisted on two of Love's 11 made shots in the quarter.

Not to be forgotten - On a night of individual performances, where numerous records fell, James wasn't left out. He recorded his 44th career regular season triple-double, which moved him in front of Fat Lever for sixth-most in NBA history.

"I was just playing in my rhythm, playing in flow and for me, I'm just able to read the game react to the game as need be and just let my game take care of it," James said. 

He scored 31 points to go with 13 assists and 10 rebounds.

Taking notes - Lue spent the summer talking with players about tweaks to their game, dreaming up lineup combinations and writing them on a notepad. He also studied other teams, players and coaches.

Portland's Terry Stotts was one.

"I love his offense, his continuity offensively," Lue said. "They never get stuck on one side of the floor and always get to the second side, third side, and the way he coaches with constant movement and it's a great flow to the game. I love his ATOs (after time outs plays), end of game situations, 2-for-1 situations, baseline out of bounds situations. I respect him a lot for what he does as a coach and the offense he runs."

The others: San Antonio, Los Angeles Clippers and Boston Celtics.

There's a common theme with all of those teams aside from having great coaches. They all have All-Star point guards, with Lue trying to find new, creative ways to unlock more of Irving's offensive potential.

Lue's already done a few things that Portland does with Damian Lillard, who scored 40 points on 13-of-21 shooting Wednesday.

"Don't want to give our team too much too early," Lue admitted. "Still have a lot of things we can put in and we're going to put in to keep building offensively so we won't be predictable throughout the season."

The Minnesota Vikings are at the Detroit Lions and the Washington Redskins are at the Dallas Cowboys in two marquee games on Thanksgiving Day.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A Thanksgiving Day feast of NFL games begins at 12:30 p.m. on CBS when the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions battle for the lead in the NFC North in the first of three holiday games.

Washington and the Dallas Cowboys are the second game of the day at 4:30 on FOX. Washington was the first victory of the season for the Cowboys (in Week 2). A victory by Washington would close the gap in the NFC East.

The Pittsburgh Steelers play the Indianapolis Colts in the nightcap (8:30, NBC) and the Steelers won't have to face Colts' quarterback Andrew Luck, who remains on concussion protocol.

Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos meet in a key game on Sunday as the two second-place teams try to catch the AFC West leading Oakland Raiders.

Here's a look at some prime games to watch, along with the complete weekend schedule and TV. You can get scores and updates all weekend on our NFL Scoreboard.

PRIME MATCHUPS

Thursday

Minnesota Vikings (6-4) at Detroit Lions (6-4)  

• When: 12:30 p.m., CBS
• Why watch: At one time it appeared the Vikings were running away with the division when they opened the season with five straight victories. But the Vikings are now in struggle mode. The Lions are in first place in the division and a victory here would become a major boost for a conference title. 

Washington Redskins (6-3-1) at Dallas Cowboys (9-1)  

• When: 4:30 p.m., FOX
• Why watch: One of the most fiercest rivals in the NFL and this game comes at a good time as each team is on a roll. The Cowboys have not lost since their season opener and Washington has won two straight. Washington is off to its best start since opening 7-3 in 1996. 

Pittsburgh Steelers (5-5) at Indianapolis Colts (5-5)  

• When: 8:30 p.m., NBC
• Why watch: The Steelers snapped a four-game losing streak by beating the winless Cleveland Browns last week. Colts QB Andrew Luck will miss this game due to the concussion protocol but the Colts could have even more trouble if defensive backs Clayton Geathers and Vontae Davis miss due to injuries. Geathers is in concussion protocol and Davis was seen with a walking boot this week. 

Sunday

Kansas City Chiefs (7-3) at Denver Broncos (7-3)  

• When: 8:30 p.m., NBC
• Why watch:  The two second-place teams jockey for position to overtake the first place Oakland Raiders. Watch for the battle between Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and Broncos' safety T.J. Ward.

NFL WEEK 12 SCHEDULE

Thursday

• Minnesota 6-4) at Detroit (6-4), 12:30 p.m., CBS
• Washington (6-3-1) at Dallas (9-1), 4:30 p.m., FOX
• Pittsburgh (5-5) at Indianapolis (5-5), 8:30 p.m., NBC

Sunday

• Tennessee (5-6) at Chicago (2-8), 1 p.m., CBS
• Jacksonville (2-8) at Buffalo (5-5), 1 p.m., CBS
• Cincinnati (3-6-1) at Baltimore (5-5), 1 p.m., CBS
• Arizona (5-4-1) at Atlanta (6-4), 1 p.m., FOX
• N.Y. Giants (7-3) at Cleveland (0-11), 1 p.m., FOX
• Los Angeles (4-6) at New Orleans (4-6), 1 p.m., FOX
• San Francisco (1-9) at Miami (6-4), 1 p.m., FOX
• San Diego (4-6) at Houston (6-4), 1 p.m., CBS
• Seattle (7-2-1) at Tampa Bay (5-5), 4:05 p.m., FOX
• New England (8-2) at N.Y. Jets (3-7), 4:25 p.m., CBS
• Carolina (4-6) at Oakland (8-2), 4:25 p.m., CBS
• Kansas City (7-3) at Denver (7-3), 8:30 p.m., NBC

Monday

• Green Bay (4-6) at Philadelphia (5-5), 8:30 p.m., ESPN

Ohio State hosts Michigan on Saturday in the regular season finale.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Game has some big implications this year.

No. 2 Ohio State will host No. 3 Michigan on Saturday in Ohio Stadium. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. The game will be televised on ABC with Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Sam Ponder on the call.

You can find a full list of the Buckeyes radio affiliates here.

This will be the fourth time this ABC crew has called a Buckeye game this year. Ohio State is 2-1 in games this season when Fowler, Herbstreit and Ponder call the game -- for whatever that's worth.

If Ohio State beats Michigan, and Michigan State beats Penn State, then the Buckeyes will go to the Big Ten Championship. If Michigan wins, the Wolverines will go to the Big Ten title game, regardless of what happens in the Penn State game.

Get set for kickoff with some Ohio State vs. Michigan coverage:

From cleveland.com

Position matchups: Mike Weber vs. De'Veon Smith

A closer look at Ohio State, Michigan offenses

Ohio State vs. Michigan preview podcast

From Mlive.com

Watch Michigan fans honor Schembechler

Harbaugh won't name starting QB for Saturday

Michigan's plan for J.T. Barrett

Ohio State vs. Michigan predictions from MLive staff

Thanksgiving is a time to say thank you to all the readers who mean so much to us!

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- I've had some people say with a moan, "Are you really going to write the same old Thanksgiving column ... AGAIN?"

Hopefully, it's not quite the same ... but the answer is easy.

OF COURSE! Taking one column a year to thank all the readers and advertisers? That hardly seems enough.

Once upon a time...

A long time ago...

So long ago that I wrote my first books and stories on an actual typewriter...

Back then, I learned that without you ... there is no us. You are the readers. If you don't read us in The Plain Dealer and on cleveland.com, we will disappear. The same is true for advertisers. We need your business for us to remain alive in our business.

LOTS OF CHOICES

Readers have more choices for news than ever. For some, news is limited to 144-characters on Twitter. Or to something brief on Snapchat or Facebook or some other social media site.

Obviously, newspapers have lots of competition. Over the years, circulation figures have declined. But something was discovered in Northeast Ohio this year ... you can't hang a website on the wall.

When the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Golden State Warriors to win the 2016 NBA Championship, The Plain Dealer had to print close to 600,000 extra copies to meet the demand from readers.

They wanted the front page celebrating the title. Many readers wanted papers from that week celebrating the title with the huge parade downtown.

The same happened during the Indians run to the World Series ... many fans wanted the actual papers and big pictures of the celebrations as the Tribe pulled off one upset after another.

While my Cavaliers book, THE COMEBACK, is available in electronic form, about 90 percent of my sales come from actual books. Why? Because people want it signed so they can give it to someone as a gift.

This is not to proclaim all is well in the newspaper and print media business. It's not. The patient still needs some new treatments.

But don't start the funeral dirge just yet.

A PERSONAL THANK YOU

I've been writing in my home of Northeast Ohio since late in 1979. That doesn't count some stories I wrote for the old Cleveland Press when I was at Cleveland State in the middle 1970s.

Because of you, I've been able to have job here, be it at The Plain Dealer (twice) or the Akron Beacon Journal. I remain so grateful to both papers for hiring me and keeping me employed. I appreciate that a little more than some writers who have never worked anywhere but Northeast Ohio.

Early in my career, I worked in Greensboro, N.C., Savannah, Ga., and Baltimore. I'm thankful for those jobs when I first started out. But it's far more fun to write about sports in the area where I grew up -- and write about the teams that I've followed for more than 50 years.

When I was at Oakland's Oracle Arena watching the Cavaliers win Game 7, I realized I had just been blessed with the chance to write the story of my lifetime. I still have a hard time believing the Cavs came back from that 3-1 deficit to win the title. I still have a hard time believing I've been allowed to write all these years and be paid for it.

And I know the reason ... it's you.

For that, I'm always grateful.

The Browns have never fared well in the NFL's Thanksgiving Day games. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Browns are 0-11. That's bad, but at least they're not on the NFL's Thanksgiving Day menu this season.  

Since joining the NFL in 1950, Thanksgiving Day games haven't really worked out for the Browns. They lost to the Cowboys in 1966 and 1982, and to the Lions in 1989.

Here's what happened:

1966: Cowboys 26, Browns 14

The Browns were looking to reach their third consecutive NFL championship game - and possibly qualify for Super Bowl I - when they ran into the Cowboys in Week 12. The Thanksgiving Day matchup was a rematch of Week 7, when the Browns won 30-21.

Although the Browns led 14-13 at halftime, they didn't score in the second half, allowing the Cowboys to pull away. Danny Villanueva kicked four field goals for the Cowboys, while the Browns' Lou Groza missed two field goals and had another blocked. After the block, which would've cut the Cowboys' lead to 19-17, quarterback Don Meredith led the Cowboys on a game-clinching drive, capped by a Don Perkins 9-yard touchdown run.

The result meant the Browns would miss out on the NFL title game, save for a collapse in the final three weeks by the Cowboys. It didn't happen. The Cowboys won the East Division to earn a spot in the NFL title game against the Packers, who went on to win Super Bowl I.

1982: Cowboys 31, Browns 14

A players strike reduced the 1982 season to nine games, and the Browns were 1-2 when they headed to Dallas on Thanksgiving. Things quickly went bad. Quarterback Brian Sipe threw three first-half interceptions, and the Cowboys led 17-0 at halftime, then 31-0 after three quarters.

Sipe was benched late in the third and replaced with Paul McDonald, who led a couple garbage-time scoring drives. The game was notable for the Browns' first-ever repeated use of a shotgun formation, according to The Plain Dealer recap of the game.

Despite the loss, and the three-game losing streak it sparked, the Browns qualified for the expanded eight-team AFC playoffs at 4-5. They lost to the Raiders in the first round.

The sports front page of The Plain Dealer the day after the Browns' 1982 Thanksgiving Day loss to the Lions.
 

1989: Lions 13, Browns 10

Despite starting the Bud Carson era in 1989 with a 51-0 drubbing of the Steelers, the Browns played eight games decided by a touchdown or less that season. One of those games was on Thanksgiving against the Lions and rookie running back Barry Sanders.

Sanders rushed for 145 yards in the game, allowing him to clear 1,000 yards for the season, but he didn't score a touchdown (although he did fumble in the end zone). An Eddie Murray field goal in the third quarter proved to be the winning points. The Browns had a chance to tie in the fourth quarter, but Matt Bahr's 44-yarder was wide right.

The loss dropped the Browns from first place in the AFC Central and started a three-game losing streak. But they rebounded the final two weeks of the season and edged the Oilers for the division title, then reached their third AFC championship game in four years.

Who will have a bigger impact in The Game: Ohio State defensive lineman Nick Bosa, or Michigan defensive lineman Rashan Gary?

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Every day this week, we're looking at positional matchups for Ohio State vs. Michigan. We'll take a closer look at the players, how the opposing teams plan to stop them, and who will have the biggest impact in The Game.

Ohio State DL Nick Bosa vs. Michigan DL Rashan Gary

The skinny: Michigan has arguably the best defensive line in football, and Ohio State isn't far behind. Gary and Bosa are just small pieces of a much larger puzzle, but both could be true freshman X-factors on Saturday.

That's why we've singled them out here.

Gary was the No. 1 player in the 2017 recruiting class according to the 247Sports composite ratings, and Bosa was No. 8. We're talking about special talents who have carved out roles on their respective defensive lines.

Each team knew they were getting an eventual star when they signed these players. How they play on Saturday could go a long way in determining how quickly they reach that star status.

Bosa's 2016 stats: 23 tackles, 13 solo, 6 tackles for loss and 4 sacks.

Gary's 2016 stats: 26 tackles, 10 solo, 5 tackles for loss and 1 sack.

What Bosa has done against Michigan: Nothing yet. Remember, we're talking about freshmen here. But since everyone wants to compare him to his big brother, Joey Bosa had 11 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and an interception in three career games against Michigan.

What Gary has done against Ohio State: Besides not commit to the Buckeyes? Nothing. He'll be looking to make his first mark in this rivalry on Saturday.

How Bosa can impact Michigan's offense: Bosa is actually second on the team in sacks this season behind Tyquan Lewis. He's had moments both as an outside pass rusher, and as one of the two inside guys in Ohio State's Rushmen package that puts four defensive ends on the field on third down.

Whether it's Wilton Speight or John O'Korn at quarterback, the Buckeyes will want to get pressure to make getting the ball to guys like Jake Butt, Jehu Chesson and Amara Darboh more difficult.

The Wolverines have allowed only 16 sacks all season, which is the second-fewest among Ohio State's opponents this year. Getting there won't be easy on Saturday, but Bosa despite being young has shown an array of pass-rushing moves that could make him an impact player.

Ohio State has been a good third-down defense, despite giving up some big plays in the run game this year. If the Buckeyes can get Michigan to third down, Bosa and the Rushmen become very important.

How Gary can impact Ohio State's offense: Gary has been a little less involved than Bosa this year, but he can still make an impact. Michigan likes to get him on the field on third down, and he's got a couple run stuffs on the season.

Urban Meyer called Michigan's defensive line the best Ohio State will have faced this season. Gary is just a small part. You also have to account for guys like Chris Wormley, Ryan Glasgow and Taco Charlton. Michigan is tied for fifth in the country in sacks, and has eight players with at least three.

It's going to be a tough test regardless. Meyer has been happy with the pass protection since the loss at Penn State, but don't forget how much of a struggle that game was for the Buckeyes. If this is a game where Gary gets going, he could tip the scales in Michigan's favor in the battle up front.

The questions is how much will Michigan use its freshman star against Ohio State. According to Pro Football Focus, Gary played a combined 22 snaps against Wisconsin and Iowa, two major games on Michigan's schedule.

Vote: Who will have a bigger impact on The Game?

Other Ohio State vs Michigan matchups

Monday: Ohio State TE Marcus Baugh vs. Michigan TE Jake Butt

Tuesday: Ohio State CB Gareon Conley vs. Michigan CB Jourdan Lewis

Wednesday: Ohio State RB Mike Weber vs. Michigan RB De'Veon Smith