I expect the host Buffalo Bills to play well enough to win and cover against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday as part of NFL Week 15.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- OneUp Sports called to ask for my ''best bets'' for NFL Week 15 against the spread (entertainment purposes only).

Complete NFL Week 15 picks

I did not submit BB last week because of illness. I was 4-0 BB in Week 13, so I am still riding momentum.

Check out Saturday's boys basketball scores from around the OHSAA.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Here are Saturday's boys basketball scores from around the state, courtesy of The Associated Press.

Albany Alexander 50, Glouster Trimble 31

Archbold 46, Holgate 28

Ashville Teays Valley 43, Baltimore Liberty Union 31

Athens 75, Jackson 36

Attica Seneca E. 47, Bucyrus 44

Bainbridge Paint Valley 63, Williamsport Westfall 55, OT

Bellbrook 67, Day. Northridge 57

Berea-Midpark 73, Cle. Lincoln W. 49

Beverly Ft. Frye 71, E. Liverpool 50

Bloom-Carroll 82, Cols. Hamilton Twp. 40

Bloomdale Elmwood 66, Gibsonburg 44

Bluffton 66, McComb 51

Bryan 56, Defiance Tinora 52, OT

Can. McKinley 54, Tol. St. John's 47

Can. South 43, Youngs. Mooney 42

Canal Fulton Northwest 49, New Philadelphia 43

Canal Winchester 60, Dublin Scioto 54

Canfield 53, West Middlesex, Pa. 37

Carey 73, Sycamore Mohawk 44

Chardon 94, Chesterland W. Geauga 73

Chillicothe Huntington 63, Southeastern 60

Chillicothe Unioto 57, Frankfort Adena 38

Chillicothe Zane Trace 61, Piketon 53

Cin. DePaul Cristo Rey 52, Miami Valley Christian Academy 41

Cin. Glen Este 49, Cin. Hills Christian Academy 31

Cin. Indian Hill 43, Boone Co., Ky. 30

Cin. Moeller 68, Cin. Sycamore 32

Cin. Taft 70, Hamilton Badin 48

Cin. Walnut Hills 70, Cin. Hillcrest 26

Cin. Wyoming 68, Cin. NW 55

Circleville Logan Elm 60, Circleville 36

Clayton Northmont 63, Day. Belmont 59

Cle. Benedictine 69, Youngs. Ursuline 51

Cle. St. Ignatius 75, Cols. Northland 53

Collins Western Reserve 73, Ashland Mapleton 65

Cols. Africentric 79, Delaware Buckeye Valley 46

Cols. DeSales 52, Dresden Tri-Valley 26

Cols. Grandview Hts. 56, Cols. Watterson 48

Cols. Hartley 44, Cols. Wellington 36

Cols. Mifflin 54, Worthington Kilbourne 52

Columbiana 62, Mineral Ridge 54

Cornerstone Christian 70, Beachwood 61

Day. Christian 57, Cedarville 33

Defiance Ayersville 51, Metamora Evergreen 36

Doylestown Chippewa 53, Willard 49

Dublin Coffman 63, Kettering Alter 60

Ev. Bosse, Ind. 103, Cin. Hughes 55

Ev. Reitz, Ind. 89, Day. Thurgood Marshall 64

Findlay Liberty-Benton 65, Tol. Ottawa Hills 52

Fostoria St. Wendelin 56, Vanlue 40

Gahanna Lincoln 70, Cle. Hts. 61

Granville 52, Pataskala Licking Hts. 48

Grove City 76, Hilliard Darby 58

Hamler Patrick Henry 40, Defiance Tinora 35

Hannibal River 69, Cadiz Harrison Cent. 41

Heath 58, Newark Cath. 28

Hicksville 58, Stryker 42

Hilliard Bradley 67, New Albany 37

Ironton St. Joseph 60, Franklin Furnace Green 48

Johnstown Northridge 55, Utica 38

Johnstown-Monroe 70, Hebron Lakewood 56

Lancaster Fairfield Union 63, Amanda-Clearcreek 44

Latham Western 64, Peebles 61

Lewis Center Olentangy Orange 59, Sunbury Big Walnut 49

Lowellville 65, Leetonia 56

Lucas 49, Crestline 47, OT

Lyndhurst Brush 43, Middletown 42

Magnolia Sandy Valley 73, Lore City Buckeye Trail 66

Massillon Washington 60, Lakewood 54, OT

McConnelsville Morgan 60, St. Clairsville 50

Miami Valley Christian Academy 35, Cin. Seven Hills 33

Miamisburg 76, Germantown Valley View 43

Middletown Fenwick 50, Lebanon 37

Milan Edison 75, Sandusky St. Mary 64

Miller City 65, Leipsic 55

N. Can. Hoover 63, Carrollton 50

N. Robinson Col. Crawford 65, Bucyrus Wynford 44

New Concord John Glenn 75, Bellaire 49

New London 61, Greenwich S. Cent. 55

New Washington Buckeye Cent. 47, New Riegel 42

Newark 66, Zanesville 47

Norwalk St. Paul 45, Monroeville 40

Old Fort 65, Oak Harbor 55

Pemberville Eastwood 63, Port Clinton 46

Portsmouth Clay 54, Seaman N. Adams 53, OT

Riverside Stebbins 49, New Carlisle Tecumseh 39

Rocky River Lutheran W. 38, Cuyahoga Hts. 36

Sherwood Fairview 48, Gorham Fayette 42

Steubenville 73, Minerva 42

Swanton 63, Pioneer N. Central 47

Tiffin Calvert 56, Arcadia 27

Tol. Christian 64, Tol. Emmanuel Baptist 46

Tol. St. Francis 58, Perrysburg 52

Tontogany Otsego 60, Delta 39

Tuscarawas Cent. Cath. 67, Zoarville Tuscarawas Valley 64, OT

Upper Sandusky 67, Morral Ridgedale 42

Vincent Warren 88, Belpre 49

Warrensville Hts. 48, Cle. Rhodes 44

Wauseon 68, Napoleon 64

Waverly 53, S. Point 45

Wellsville 82, Oak Glen, W.Va. 54

Worthington Christian 51, Gahanna Cols. Academy 48

Xenia 83, W. Carrollton 46

Zanesville Maysville 42, Cambridge 40

Zanesville Rosecrans 59, Coshocton 40

Archbishop Carroll, Fla. 64, Centerville 57

Newport, Ky. 79, Cin. N. College Hill 71

Scott, Ky. 64, Cin. Aiken 56

Ashland 59, Shelby 56

Bellville Clear Fork vs. Tiffin Columbian, ppd.

Lexington 54, Ontario 49

Mansfield Madison 62, Bellevue 46

Norwalk 38, Mt. Vernon 34

Sandusky 78, Mansfield Sr. 62

Berlin Hiland 64, Spring. NW 52

Dover 47, Creston Norwayne 38

Orrville 36, Dalton 35

Wooster Triway 54, Jeromesville Hillsdale 48

Arcanum vs. Coldwater, ppd.

Fremont St. Joseph vs. Delphos St. John's, ppd.

Delphos Jefferson vs. Kalida, ppd.

Botkins vs. Harrod Allen E., ppd.

Ada vs. Lima Perry, ppd.

New Knoxville vs. Lima Shawnee, ppd.

McGuffey Upper Scioto Valley vs. Van Buren, ppd.

Columbus Grove vs. Arlington, ppd.

Lima Temple Christian vs. Cory-Rawson, ppd.

Lima Bath vs. Findlay, ppd.

Wapakoneta vs. Minster, ppd.

Lima Cent. Cath. vs. Ottawa-Glandorf, ppd.

Ottoville vs. Spencerville, ppd.

Haviland Wayne Trace vs. Van Wert Lincolnview, ppd. to Jan 3.

Mt. Blanchard Riverdale vs. Kenton, ppd.

Maria Stein Marion Local vs. Celina, ppd.

Continental vs. Antwerp, ppd.

Liberty Center vs. Edon, ppd.

Dola Hardin Northern vs. N. Baltimore, ppd.

Elida vs. Wooster, ppd.

Ft. Recovery vs. Jay Co., Ind., ppd. to Dec 27.

New Paris National Trail vs. Centerville, Ind., ppd.

Waynesfield-Goshen vs. Milford Center Fairbanks, ppd.

Spring. Cath. Cent. vs. Sidney Lehman, ppd.

Houston vs. Ansonia, ppd.

S. Adams, Ind. vs. Rockford Parkway, ppd.

Lewistown Indian Lake vs. Jackson Center, ppd.

First Love, Pa. vs. Lima Sr., ccd.

Wilmington vs. Day. Ponitz Tech., ccd.

The Cavaliers got off to a slow start and had a hard time putting away the pesky, upstart Los Angeles Lakers in the fourth quarter. Until LeBron James entered takeover mode, ending any chance of a Lakers comeback. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Cleveland Cavaliers had the Big Three back in the lineup, rested after missing Wednesday's loss against the Memphis Grizzlies.

With that controversy behind them, the Cavaliers got off to a slow start and had a hard time putting away the pesky, upstart Los Angeles Lakers in the fourth quarter -- until LeBron James entered takeover mode, ending any chance of a Lakers comeback.

Here are five observations:

Putting imprint on the game - James spent most of the first three quarters trying to get his teammates involved.

That approach changed in the fourth, as head coach Tyronn Lue put him in with four members of the bench, necessitating more of a scoring role.

"I just think the game was close," Lue said. "He had been making the right plays and the right passes the whole game. Kyrie (Irving) and Kevin (Love) went to the bench. I brought Bron back by himself in that fourth quarter and they were able to score the basketball and get guys open shots. He reached down and took control of the game with his scoring, which we know he can do."

James scored 16 points on 6-of-10 from the field, including 2-of-4 from 3-point range in the final period.

"They got a lot of talent over there and Luke (Walton) got them playing the right way and I just want to try to put an imprint on the game," James said of his personal takeover. "In the fourth quarter I was able to make some plays."

James capped his brilliant fourth quarter with a transition 3-pointer. Clinging to a five-point lead after the Cavs had just dodged a Nick Young triple attempt, James sprinted out in transition and pulled up for the dagger, one that some might've considered an ill-advised shot.

"I was just in rhythm in the fourth quarter and that's the time when the defense is at its relaxed point -- me bringing the ball up in transition and they don't really think that you're going to take that shot," he said. "And for me, I was in a great groove and I felt it and I was able to let it go and able to knock it down and they were forced to call a timeout."

Bench boost - The Lakers entered the night with the league's highest-scoring bench. The Cavs had the fourth-lowest. It's unfair to expect Cleveland to hang with Los Angeles in that department.

But they needed some kind of lift from the second unit, especially with the usual rotation back. That's exactly what happened.

"Huge. We didn't start the game like we wanted to and when that second unit came in they were able to get close to if not a double-digit lead and I think that helped spark us going into that second quarter and starting that second quarter," Love said. "Just continuing to give us good momentum throughout the game."

Richard Jefferson, mocking the second unit's usual production while hovering over Love during the Q & A session, scored nine points on 4-of-7 from the field, including 1-of-2 from beyond the arc.

Iman Shumpert added eight points in 29 minutes while Channing Frye tallied eight in 14 minutes.

The Cavs' second unit scored 25 points. The Lakers, meanwhile, got 34, well below their season average of 51.5.

Magic assist number - With fresh legs following a week-long break, Irving looked fast and explosive. His primary role on offense is to score. But he did his best James impersonation, matching a season high of 12 assists.

"Just staying aggressive and realizing where other opportunities are available," Irving said. "Like I said, sometimes roles can change different from night to night. Tonight it was just coming off pick-and-rolls and making the best decisions. Just had that aggressive mindset the whole entire game and knowing that in order to get our team's wheels going it was going to start with the passing and everyone getting a great feel for the basketball."

The Cavs finished with 30 assists on 46 made shots, which is a promising sign given the slippage they've had in that department recently, recording 31 over the last two games. Of course, one of those games was with the Big 3 resting, showing how much of a role they have in the entire offense -- not just scoring.

James, Irving and Love accounted for 25 of the 30 helpers.

Over the last two years, Cleveland is 45-4 when recording at least 23 assists.

3-point defense - While the Cavs have cleaned up their defensive issues during a season-long 3-game losing skid, they could still do better defending the arc. They entered the night allowing foes to connect on 35.5 percent, ranking in the bottom half of the league.

On Saturday, the Lakers drilled 16 triples, one away from the opponent's season high.

"It was an emphasis coming into the game," Lue said. "Nick Young made eight 3s, and he can get it going. We talked about that. Some of them was tough shots. We were right there to challenge, and some of them we were just unaware. They were able to get what they wanted offensively. Made a tough game for us."

Young scored a game-high 32 points on 12-of-19 from the field, including 8-of-14 from beyond the arc.

"When he gets going and feels good he can be a really, really effective player," Love said of Young. "I think you saw that out of him from the start. Hit a couple threes and started feeling good. Tough to stop a player when he has a lot of confidence."

Timo's moment - The minutes prior to tipoff belonged to Timofey Mozgov. Having a special video presentation and receiving his championship ring were both part of the original plan. But getting mobbed by his former teammates? That wasn't.

"That right there just shows you how important Timo was to us and how the guys liked him," Lue said.

"It was fun. It was good to see Timo," Smith added of the pregame moment. "I've known Timo for a while. We go back to the Denver days and stuff like that. It was fun to celebrate something like that with a guy, even though he's not still on our team, he's part of our brotherhood."

Not every player was involved in the jostling. James was in the back using the restroom.

And in case they didn't have their share of run-ins during the game, Mozgov, well-dressed in a blue blazer, came walking into the locker room after the game to greet his former teammates.

The first player in sight: DeAndre Liggins, who wasn't part of last year's team. Mozgov looked confused trying to identify him, making for a funny moment. Then he made the rounds, dapping up Love, Smith and a handful of others.

It sounded like he finally found James in the trainer's room.

"I mean, anytime you get an opportunity to see a former teammate with the run we had -- a championship run -- it was great to see him," James said.

Hey MK: Should the Browns draft Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett over a top QB? Shouldn't they build the team up first and then get the QB?

BUFFALO, N.Y. - Hey, Mary Kay!

Hey, Mary Kay: With a supposed weak QB class coming into this draft and no clearcut gamechanging QB at No. 1 overall, should the Browns take the best available player at No. 1 and perhaps consider a QB with the 2nd 1st round pick? - Rob, North Canton, Ohio

Hey, Rob: If the Browns determine that one of the top three quarterbacks in this draft can be their franchise QB, they should probably take him at No. 1. If they fall in love with a guy and think he can be that good, they can't risk waiting until their second first-rounder rolls around, which is currently a top 10. Teams know they need a QB, and could jump in front of them. I don't know yet if they see a franchise QB in this bunch, but if they do, they should pull the trigger at No. 1 and not mess around.

Is it North Carolina's Mitch Trubisky of Mentor, Ohio? Notre Dame's DeShone Kizer? If they have several of the top QBs rated equally and would be fine with any one, they might be able to take Myles Garrett at No. 1 and still land a QB at nine or 10. Or, they can trade for New England's Jimmy Garoppolo before the draft or on draft day and free themselves to take Garrett, the Texas A&M defensive end.

Hey, Mary Kay: Why is it so wrong to you for the Browns to focus on building a strong team before throwing any QB into a bad situation? Doesn't history show us that that's how you ruin a QB? Why shouldn't they build up that offensive line and the whole defense before picking up a QB and basically say to whoever that is (save our franchise).? I don't think that's right. - Dayre Dancy, Houston, Texas

Hey, Dayre: I hear what you're saying, but I believe the Browns need to take the potential franchise QB wherever and whenever they can get him, and continue to build around him. If he's in this draft, take him regardless of what's around him. The Raiders were bad when they drafted Derek Carr in 2014 and he's made them good, along with Khalil Mack. The Browns are never going anywhere until they have a good quarterback. They haven't had one since 1999 and they keep spinning their wheels. Yes, they need to fortify the line, but Joel Bitonio, John Greco and Austin Reiter will be back next year. Spencer Drango will have a year under his belt. They have enough picks next year to add to the defense and still get a QB if one surfaces.

Hey, Mary Kay: You said in a recent podcast that you haven't seen much of the other rookie Browns receivers. The one who has seen the LEAST playing time is Rashard Higgins. And when he does get in, he's rarely "targeted.'' Last week, he was in for two snaps and targeted once. RG3 threw it in the dirt at Higgins' feet. Sure Terrelle Pryor is getting lots of coverage; why not throw it to other receivers? -- Chuck Borsari, Pataskala, Ohio

Hey, Chuck: If the Browns three rookie receivers besides Corey Coleman were good enough, they'd be playing more and being targeted more. It's been one of the most disappointing aspects of the season. They've combined for 23 receptions this season, including 16 by Ricardo Louis. The Browns thought they had restocked the position and were set for years to come. Now, they'll be looking for receivers again in the offseason.

Browns 5 things podcast: on Myles Garrett, Terrelle Pryor and more

Hey, Mary Kay: Are there any league rules that would preclude the Browns from trading for Jimmy Garoppolo and then trading him to the Jets in exchange for their first round pick?  - Felix DeAngelis, Phoenix, Arizona

Hey, Felix: There is no rule that precludes it, but if the Browns trade for Garoppolo, they will keep him and play him. With this not being a strong QB draft, that might be their best option.  

Hey, Mary Kay: Does the signing of Jamar Taylor indicate the Browns understand they can't have another total disaster of a season and they are now willing to start spending some real money in free agency? Or is the plan to spend less money on salaries than any team in the league again next year?  - Rich, Gales Ferry, CT

Hey, Rich: The Browns are trying to extend several of their better players, including Terrelle Pryor and linebacker Jamie Collins. But players generally make a lot more on the open market, and both might want to set their price before settling. But I do think the Browns will recognize that they need to add about four or five quality veterans in the offseason to field a competitive team next season and to make up for some of the misses in this year's draft.

The Detroit Lions have not won a division title since 1993 but can clinch the NFC North title with a victory over the New York Giants today: NFL Week 15 games to watch.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Detroit Lions will try to clinch a division title today for the first time since they won the NFC Central in 1993.

Now the Lions are in the NFC North and they can clinch the division with a win or a tie and some help. With a victory today over the New York Giants, the Lions need a loss or tie by the Green Bay Packers (at Chicago Bears) to win the division. The Lions advance if they tie the Giants. But the Lions are in the postseason with a loss by the Packers and a loss or tie by the Minnesota Vikings.

The Vikings will receive a boost because they reinstated running back Adrian Peterson from injured reserve. He's eligible to return Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts.

Other games of interest today include the Pittsburgh Steelers at the Cincinnati Bengals and the New England Patriots at the Denver Broncos. The Broncos can't afford many more losses if they want to remain in playoff contention.

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

PRIME MATCHUPS

Sunday

Pittsburgh Steelers (8-5) at Cincinnati Bengals (5-7-1)  

• When: 1 p.m., CBS
• Why watch: The Bengals can't afford any more losses if they want a chance to make the playoffs. The Steelers can't afford a loss if they want to win the division. The Steelers and the Bengals have developed a heated rivalry recently.

Detroit Lions (9-4) at New York Giants (9-4)  

• When: 1 p.m., CBS
• Why watch: Are the Lions really one of the better teams in the NFL and how will the Giants respond after last week's victory over the Dallas Cowboys? The Lions can wrap up the division with a victory.

NFL WEEK 15 SCHEDULE/SCORES

Thursday

• Seattle Seahawks 24, Los Angeles Rams 3

Saturday

• Miami Dolphins 34, New York Jets 13

Today

• Green Bay (7-6) at Chicago (3-10), 1 p.m., FOX
• Jacksonville (2-11) at Houston (7-6), 1 p.m. CBS
• Cleveland (0-13) at Buffalo (6-7), 1 p.m., CBS
• Philadelphia (5-8) at Baltimore (7-6), 1 p.m., FOX
• Tennessee (7-6) at Kansas City (10-3), 1 p.m., CBS
• Indianapolis (6-7) at Minnesota (7-6), 1 p.m. CBS
• Detroit (9-4) at New York Giants (7-6), 1 pm., CBS
• Pittsburgh (8-5) at Cincinnati (5-7-1), 1 p.m., CBS
• New Orleans (5-8) at Arizona (5-7-1), 4:05 p.m.,  FOX
• San Francisco (1-12) at Atlanta (8-5), 4:05 p.m., FOX
• Oakland (10-3) at San Diego (5-8), 4:25 p.m., CBS
• New England (11-2) at Denver (8-5), 4:25 p.m., CBS
• Tampa Bay (8-5) at Dallas (11-2), 8:30 p.m., NBC

Monday

• Carolina (5-8) at Washington (7-5-1), 8:30 p.m., ESPN

You would have thought 2015 and 2017 were the target years for the Buckeyes. They made the College Football Playoff in 2014 and 2016. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Even the Ohio State coaches knew 2015 was the target year. They see what we see, the way recruiting classes line up and a roster comes together. 

You think you can see a national championship coming.

So the program-changing 2013 recruits - Joey Bosa, Ezekiel Elliott, Darron Lee, J.T. Barrett, Vonn Bell, Eli Apple, Gareon Conley, Billy Price - were third-year players in 2015. They were no longer young, but it was before any of them could leave.

If you were looking for a national championship run out of the Buckeyes, 2015 was your year.

Here we are. The Buckeye hit the target, but the years were off.

* 2014 - Ohio State won the national title.

* 2015 - Ohio State missed the playoff.

* 2016 - Ohio State is back in the playoff.

Guess what? This is early, again.

The year you should have been targeting for another OSU title shot was 2017. This season, Ohio State had 16 new starters as the least experienced team in major college football.

"Yeah, I think it was a year early," Urban Meyer said off-handedly in the hours after his team was selected for the College Football Playoff as the No. 3 seed to face No. 2 seed Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl.

For Ohio State, early is the new now. 

"It's earlier than expected," redshirt sophomore defensive end Sam Hubbard said. "But not earlier than we expected."

The lesson for the future is that maybe you can't see these things coming, and that when you think you do see one coming, that's wrong.

There's a lot that goes into that. Obviously, expectations can have a real effect, even if the idea of pressure hindering a team can feel like a cop-out.

Ohio State was a unanimous preseason No. 1 in 2015, while in 2014 the Buckeyes were ranked No. 5 and this year they were No. 6.

"I think expectations do weigh on you," Hubbard said.

Then there's the other side, the edge gained from anyone who thinks the Buckeyes couldn't get here.

"It's a little bit of a chip," offensive lineman Billy Price said. "When you're No. 1, everyone's gunning for you, but there was a different type of chip on the shoulder for us going into this year."

"I wanted to prove some stuff because people were doubting us," Hubbard said. "It's just a different mindset."

Then there's the idea that projecting anything too far ahead is a mistake in the world of early NFL Draft entries. Ohio State lost nine early-entrants to the draft after last season, which was a huge number. You wouldn't think the damage would be as great this year.

But just watch. That count of Buckeyes leaving early for the 2017 draft could easily get to five, six or seven.

11 Ohio State underclassmen who could leave early

That's what Meyer joked about when I asked him about the idea of winning a year early.

"I think that's a good point. My friend (NFL commissioner) Roger Goodell, we're going to repeal the third-year thing, so they have to come back, so next year is the real year," Meyer said.

But he understands the idea. On paper, the years were 2015 and 2017. In reality, the playoff, so far, has arrived in 2014 and 2016.

"I know exactly what you're saying, and I'm the same way," Meyer said.

He said his wife, Shelley, asked how the Buckeyes were going to be this season, and Meyer told her, "I don't know. I think next year is the next year."

But I think there's something else to this that goes beyond pressure and shoulder chips and players leaving early for the draft. There's a roster construction that maybe all of us overlook when we judge a team by targeting a talented recruiting class and assuming the up-year will come when that class matures.

For the Buckeyes at least, their best teams may arrive when those younger, super-talented groups are supplemented by a handful of indispensable veterans who are then gone when that super class is supposedly ready.

Think about the 2014 team.

As Bosa and Elliott and Lee and players like that grew into second-year stars, they joined critical seniors like receivers Devin Smith and Evan Spencer, tight end Jeff Heuerman, defensive tackle Michael Bennett and cornerback Doran Grant.

In 2015, those guys were gone. It wasn't a huge number of seniors. But they were missed.

Now think about 2016. 

There aren't many seniors, though the one senior starter, center Pat Elflein, is a first-team All-American and a lynchpin. But there are veteran starters almost sure to leave that Meyer would have known not to expect back, like middle linebacker Raekwon McMillan, cornerback Gareon Conley and maybe Price on the offensive line. 

That's just four players. But think about how much each of them would be missed.

Regardless of how many players turn pro early, a ton of talent will return next year. Regardless of how the Buckeyes do in the playoff this season, they should be ranked in the top three next preseason. Regardless of any points made here, people will look at 2017 and believe maybe it's the Buckeyes' year.

Maybe it will be.

But this was their year, too. A year early - and right on time.

Cleveland Browns losing streak and what it means to Buffalo Bills' focus on a winless opponent.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- This afternoon, the winless Cleveland Browns step on to the field at Orchard Park to battle the Buffalo Bills (6-7).

One might think that because the Browns have yet to win a game this season the Bills might not give their full attention to Cleveland. Not so fast, it seems that playing a winless team like the Browns could actually help a team like Buffalo focus on the task at hand, kind of like a bull concentrates on the matador's cape. The reason is nobody wants to be the team that lost to the Browns.

If this is true, then the longer the Browns' losing streak lasts, the more the Browns will get each opponents' best effort. Thus, making it even more difficult to get that first win.

Crowquill, by Plain Dealer artist Ted Crow, appears three times a week on cleveland.com.

The storyline of the Cavs resting their players is never going to go away, and it shouldn't. Kyrie Irving is the latest example why. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- J.R. Smith said Saturday night, as perhaps only he can, that "the league is ... getting softer."

Picture it. Smith, in a T-shirt that says: "Cleveland, it's not that bad. Have a beer!"

And the minute he opened his mouth, he knew the NBA could be coming for his wallet. He asked for protection for "my $25,000," meaning he wanted his words clarified so as to avoid a fine.

Akron Beacon Journal's Jason Lloyd's Snapchat 

We'll get to what Smith said and what he meant later. Taken out of context, "the league is ... getting softer" sounds a lot like the insults and complaints heaved at the Cavs over the past week for resting their stars, no?

For as tired of a story as that is (pun intended), it will never quite go away when it comes to this team, this season. Last night, it was back because Kyrie Irving, LeBron James, and Kevin Love were back for Cleveland's 119-108 win over the Lakers.

And the story's going to come back because, well, Tyronn Lue said he was going to give Irving extended rest again this season.

Surely James and Love will sit again too when they're not hurt. But the focus now is on Irving, who is the youngest of the bunch at 24 and was essentially given a full week off because his legs were heavy last week.

By the way, Lakers coach Luke Walton said 20-year-old D'Angelo Russell, from Ohio State, asked to sit out of last night's game to rest his knee.

Here's the thing when it comes to being "soft." It's not Irving's call (or James or Love). Irving tried to buck Lue last week off his decision. 

"Well, our biggest thing is trying to keep Kyrie healthy," Lue said. "It's gonna be times where he's going to be mad at me or mad at the training staff, that's part of it. The biggest thing is we're trying to prepare ourselves for the playoffs and having healthy legs and fresh legs and being healthy going into the playoffs. So he can get mad at times, because you're young and you want to play.

"You've got to understand the task at hand and what we're focused on and what our mission is. He understands that now and we just gotta keep moving forward."

Rested Big 3 leads way over Cavs

Irving scored 21 points and dished out 12 assists Saturday night, which tied a career high. In his previous game, seven days prior against Charlotte, he failed to score 20 for the first time in 13 games. He told the coaches just as that game started that he didn't have his legs, and he proved it.

In addition to co-piloting the Cavs to the title last June, he also played point guard for Team USA at the Olympics.

Irving said he knew this period of heavy legs would come, he just didn't know when.

"For me, it's just about being smart and not running into that wall completely," Irving said. "I'm able to push through anything and my mind commands my body at the same time, it's still about being smart."

Though Irving tried to convince Lue to let him play Wednesday in Memphis, rather than sit for a consecutive night, he told reporters Saturday that the week off "was warranted. After that game, how I felt, knowing the importance of what was coming up in the season, I think it was a great group decision in terms of the rest that was needed," Irving said. "I had no arguments with that. Now mind you I don't know if he has it planned or written down or scheduled, but if we ever come to that point again, I'm going to put myself in the best position in order for myself and the team."

If there's a message here, and there is, it's that the Cavs place a far, far greater value on being rested for the postseason than their seeding when they arrive. At 19-6, right now they're in prime position for both, but, as was the case last year these Cavs, under Lue's direction, will always choose rest in the regular season.

Does that make one soft, if the goal is a championship? Last season's results suggest otherwise.

It is true, Lue intended to sit Tristan Thompson for all but the first few minutes of that starless game in Memphis, and Thompson talked him out of it. Irving had no such luck.

Tristan talked his way into normal minutes

But that had more to do with Thompson's size, position, and durability. Irving has an injury history, a surgically repaired knee, and with a slighter frame risks breaking down more easily.

Irving also has his own personal trainer who lives with him in Cleveland's west suburbs. When the Cavs were away, Irving said he and his trainer hit the weights and stayed true to treatments to get those legs back pumping at full capacity.

James, more or less, said the same thing (although James put in more on-court work) about his day off last week.

Oh, yes, back to Smith.

He was talking about the refs, and calling too many touch fouls and making it harder to play defense. Smith was asked if the way this team needs to win is to "outscore" the opponent, which in basketball-speak means to rely on offense than defense to win.

"I don't think it should ever be try to outscore everybody," Smith said.

Well, eight times already this season, including Saturday night, James, Love, and Irving have scored at least 20 points in the same game. Smith added 14 points. This team can outscore anyone.

Tyler Durbin missed two field goals against Michigan when making one would've meant a win in regulation.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Maybe Ohio State kicker Tyler Durbin has life figured out. Staying off of social media can do wonders for your mental health.

Since Durbin doesn't have Twitter, or Facebook, or Instagram, or SnapChat (did I miss any?) he didn't have to read anything about his two field goal misses against Michigan that nearly cost the Buckeyes the game.

He didn't have to read them, but he looked at some of the messages on another person's phone anyway.

"There were some good ones," Durbin said. "There was a guy dripping with sweat and it said, 'Tyler Durbin before that last field goal.'"

That last field goal was true through the uprights and sent the game to overtime where Ohio State eventually won it. You know that story. But maybe you were wondering how Durbin, who never kicked a football at any level before this season, was handling his miscues on that stage.

He's good. He's laughing it off while working to make sure it doesn't happen again, and ready if his name is called when Ohio State plays Clemson in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl.

"I always want to be out there and help the team as best I can," Durbin said. It obviously wasn't a good situation missing the first two kicks, but I was ready to put us into overtime ... I'm good. I'm past that. I was a little upset for the next day or two, then came in and was ready to get to work and ready for the next game."

Mark that experience down as another first for Durbin.

It was the first time, when put in a big situation, that he didn't deliver. Coming into the game against Michigan his only miss came on a blocked field goal at Penn State that was obviously crucial, but also not his fault.

Tyler Durbin be like pic.twitter.com/hI3veeodbV

-- Jeff Mitchell (@jMann1015) November 26, 2016

In a major road environment at Wisconsin, Durbin connected on three field goals while the offense sputtered for most of the game and helped get it to overtime, where again Ohio State eventually won. He's played a big role for the Buckeyes, maybe bigger than you'd like for a guy who was playing soccer two years ago, but big nontheless.

"I'm not the best 'lifting up' guy there is," Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer said. "I do love him, he will be our kicker in the playoff game and he's got all the talent in the world. He did miss two of them (against Michigan) but he came back and hit the one that got us there. He'll be fine, we just have to, in our own way, lift him up."

The good news is that Durbin is not down.

He has a calm about him while in a position that should bring nothing other than nerves and pressure. He didn't chalk up his misses to mental shakiness. They were physical.

"My plant foot was a little too close to the ball, so I kicked it off the inside of my foot which caused me to pull it left," he said.

If that's the case, then it should be easily fixable.

Ohio State hopes it doesn't come down to Durbin's foot against Clemson, but if the Buckeyes' offense continues the way it's been going then a trip to the National Championship may very well rest on a guy who's not supposed to be Ohio State's kicker right now.

That guy thinks he'll be ready.

"I don't know if I would say it was nerves," Durbin said. "It didn't really feel any different than any other kick. The kicks at Wisconsin felt the same as the kicks in that (Michigan) game. From a mechanics standpoint I did some things wrong. I'm not sure what it all came down to, but I'm working to get all of that fixed and get ready for the next game."

Cleveland Browns playing Robert Griffin III makes some sense in a league so rough on rookie quarterbacks.

ORCHARD PARK, New York -- Scribbles in my Cleveland Browns notebook as they prepare to face the Buffalo Bills.

1. When Browns offensive assistant coach Pep Hamilton seemed to go way over the top in his praise of Robert Griffin III this week, I just smiled and shook my head. I knew what Hamilton was doing. Griffin's confidence has to be shaky. The Browns have invested a lot of time in trying to help him become a starting quarterback again. The fractured shoulder bone in the opening game was literally a bad break for Griffin.

2. "He has the potential to be what he was in his rookie year and more," Hamilton said of Griffin, who was indeed a big-time player in 2012. But that was four years and several major injuries ago.

3. Griffin returned to action in last week's 23-10 loss to Cincinnati. It was a ragged performance, he was 12-of-28 passing for 104 yards and one interception. The weather was cold, windy, terrible. He was very uncertain of what he wanted to do when dropping back to pass. We'll see if things change at all this week.

4. So what's the point of this discussion? Regardless of how well Griffin plays in the final three games, the Browns must not fool themselves. He is not the long-term answer at quarterback. His injury history is one major reason. Part of ability is durability.

5. That said, there's nothing wrong with an 0-13 team letting Griffin finish the season. Cody Kessler is coming off two concussions in a month. The rookie will be around next year, at least as a backup. I see no reason to rush him back into action and risk a third concussion in such a short period of time.

6. The league is so tough on most rookie quarterbacks. Top pick Jared Goff started the last five games for the Rams. The Rams went 0-5. Goff completed only 55 percent of his passes, 4 TDs compared to 5 interceptions. His QB rating is 65.7. He also fumbled three times. He was sacked 15 times. He is now in concussion protocol.

7. Kessler's numbers actually are better than Goff's: 66 percent, 6 TDs, 2 interceptions and a 92.6 QB rating. He was 0-8 as a starter. He was sacked 19 times, fumbled four times. He had two concussions.

8. This is not to make the case that Kessler is better than Goff, or that Kessler has a better future. It's simply that the NFL has worn down every rookie QB this season not named Dak Prescott.

9. I like Carson Wentz better than Goff in terms of being a successful NFL quarterback. Wentz got off to a very fast start this season. He was 3-0, 5 TD passes compared to zero interceptions in the month of September.

10. Once October arrived, so did the reality of the NFL for the rookie from North Dakota State. He is 2-8 in his last 10 starts, 8 TD passes compared to 12 interceptions. He also has fumbled 12 times.

11. So what does this have to do with the Browns playing Griffin? Unless a rookie is exceptional -- or is surrounded with a superb line and skilled players such as Prescott in Dallas -- how wise is it to immediately play a rookie quarterback on a bad team?

12. Kessler has had the two concussions, and some other injuries. When the season opened, he was supposed to be the No. 3 quarterback -- behind Griffin and Josh McCown. The third-rounder from USC has had a cruel taste of NFL football in his eight starts. Three times, he was knocked out by injuries. I see no value in rushing him back into action.

13. Of course, none of this will matter if Griffin is injured in today's game. Kessler will be summoned. He is the backup quarterback. But I've heard from some fans who want to see more of Kessler simply because he is a rookie and needs experience. I'm not sure that matters at this point.

14. Yes, there is a game today. Coach Hue Jackson said he "sees an uptick" in Griffin when it comes to connecting with his receivers. That happened in practice this week. "He is directing people in what spots to be in and where they should be for him."

15. That would help, because Griffin had trouble getting things organized last week on offense.

16. This is not a huge endorsement of the Browns draft, but please stop saying none of the players can make an impact. I wrote about Emmanuel Ogbah this weekend. He has 4.5 sacks. He is trending upward. Any team would love to have a young pass rusher with his obvious athletic ability and very good work ethic.

17. Spencer Drango is doing a decent job at guard, and could develop into a starter. I think Corey Coleman can play, but he needs to show it. The problem is when a team has an 0-13 record, it seems no one looks good, period.

18. Memo to Hue Jackson: Just run the ball. The Bills rank No. 28 vs. the run. Don't expect Griffin to carry the team in this weather against a defense ranked No. 7 against the pass. Pittsburgh just rushed for 240 yards against the Bills.

19. Memo to Ray Horton: Try to stop the run. Not sure how. The Bills rank No. 1 in rushing, the Browns are No. 31 against the run. Oh boy...

20. Prediction time: Buffalo 24, Browns 10.

Kevin Love scored 27, LeBron James 26,and Kyrie Irving 21 in the Cavs' win over Los Angeles.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Big 3 had its rest and then the Cavs got their win.

By now, you're, ahem, familiar with the story that LeBron James, Kevin Love, and Kyrie Irving all sat out of Wednesday night's loss in Memphis, per team orders.

As expected, the fearsome threesome paced Cleveland's 119-108 win over the Los Angeles Lakers Saturday night, which, come to think of it, was probably uglier than it should've been given the light workload for the Cavs' stars over the past several days.

Love led the Cavs (19-6) with 27 points and a season-high 17 rebounds. It's his sixth straight game with 20 or more points, his longest such streak since joining Cleveland.

James recovered from a slow (and weird) start to post 26 points, nine assists and seven rebounds. He missed the last four or five minutes of pregame warm-ups, the national anthem and introductions, racing onto the court moments before the teams headed to the middle for the opening tip.

And after shooting just four times in the first half, James finished 9-of-18 from the field and delivered 16 points in the fourth quarter. The Cavs led 89-83 after three periods.

James is now just two points shy of passing Moses Malone (27,409) for 8th place on the NBA's all-time scoring list.

Irving had the most time off of anyone. He hadn't played in a week, missing not only the game in Memphis Wednesday but also Cleveland's home win the night before against the Grizzlies to rest tired legs. He registered 21 points, six rebounds and tied a career high with 12 assists.

"In practice yesterday he looked really good, had a lot of pop, was moving around well," coach Tyronn Lue said. "Just talking to him he said he feels great. That time off was good for him, which we knew he would need at some point this season because like I said winning the championship and then playing in the Olympics for the gold medal, there was going to be some time where he was going to need a little time off.

"He's feeling good. There will probably come another time where he's going to need a little rest."

It was the eighth time this season Love, James, and Irving all scored at least 20 points in a game.

The Lakers (11-19) have dropped nine of the last 10. They stayed in this one thanks to 16 3-pointers and 12 Cavs turnovers, which Los Angeles turned into 21 points.

The Lakers chose to rest (the horror!) former Ohio State star D'Angelo Russell, who has a sore knee and played Friday night in their win over Philadelphia. Nick Young led L.A. with 32 points and eight 3-pointers. Jordan Clarkson added 20 points off the bench.

Former Cavs center Timofey Mozgov played his first game at The Q since joining the Lakers on a four-year, $64 million deal last summer. He was mobbed by former teammates when he received his 2016 championship ring (from Lue, no less), and went on to score two points.

In a "we've seen that before" moment, Mozgov had a wide-open lane -- James stood to the side and let him have it -- for a dunk with 6:40 left in the third quarter. And missed badly. No one stood between the rim and the 7-foot Russian, but Mozgov's dunk attempt clanged off the rim nonetheless.

The Cavs went on a 12-0 run to start the second quarter and never trailed again. J.R. Smith added 14 points and made 4-of-5 3-pointers.

The score gave Elliott 12 rushing touchdowns on the season, which broke a Cowboys record for most rushing touchdowns for a rookie in a season.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott seemingly makes news every week for his prowess on the field. 

This week, he's getting into the holiday spirit. 

After scoring a touchdown run in the Cowboys home game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday night, Elliott ran through the end zone and jumped into a big Salvation Army kettle. 

You can watch the video below:

Zeke scores the touchdown and jumps into The Salvation Army bucket pic.twitter.com/QEgsLBZgav

-- Steve Noah (@Steve_OS) December 19, 2016

The score gave Elliott 13 rushing touchdowns on the season, which broke a Cowboys record for most rushing touchdowns for a rookie in a season.

Elliott was penalized for using a prop as part of a celebration. But Elliott's celebration gave exposure to the Salvation Army, which can be viewed as a good cause. 

Zeke's jump into the Salvation Army bucket was worth $200K in TV ad exposure to the brand, says @ApexMGAnalytics pic.twitter.com/iXOjPp3UNZ

-- Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) December 19, 2016

AKRON, Ohio — The one reason Brunswick coach Joe Mackey said he has freshman guard Trevor Mackey on the team is when the Blue Devils need a basket. The freshman did that with his only made shot of the game. And it was the game-winner for the Blue Devils as they defeated Walsh Jesuit, 31-28, on Sunday in the LeBron...

AKRON, Ohio — The one reason Brunswick coach Joe Mackey said he has freshman guard Trevor Mackey on the team is when the Blue Devils need a basket.

The freshman did that with his only made shot of the game. And it was the game-winner for the Blue Devils as they defeated Walsh Jesuit, 31-28, on Sunday in the LeBron James Classic at St. Vincent-St. Mary.

The Blue Devils (4-2) had the ball with 9.7 seconds left in a 28-all tie. After getting the inbounds pass, Keith Simmons, who had a steal on the previous possession, drove into the lane and kicked out to Trevor Mackey in the right corner for the game-winning 3-pointer.

“It’s a shot I’ve dreamed about for awhile growing up around the program,” Trevor Mackey said. “I’ve always envisioned, shooting around in the basement when I was a kid, that shot. (It was a) great pass by Keith.”

Brunswick freshman Trevor Mackey sinks game-winning 3 for Brunswick. Blue Devils edge Walsh Jesuit, 31-28, in the finale of the #LJClassic. pic.twitter.com/w5TFYeW56o

— Matt Goul (@mgoul) December 19, 2016

After scoring 10 points in the first quarter, Brunswick had only two field goals before the start of the fourth quarter. Blake Pirie, who led the team with seven points off the bench, had one of those late in the third quarter. He added a three in the fourth quarter to give his team a 22-20 lead.

Brunswick’s offense struggled all game, making just nine field goals.

“I don’t ever remember having that much of a problem scoring the ball for four quarters,” Joe Mackey said. “To come out on top is something that I think will really help us. You have to win close games. Good teams find ways to win ugly.”

Austin Lustik led Walsh Jesuit (2-3) with seven points.

This is the second time in two years Brunswick won a game at the LeBron James Classic with a late basket. Last season, a late shot by Michael Quiring lifted the Blue Devils past Kennedy Catholic (Pa.).

Brunswick will host Greater Cleveland Conference rival Solon on Friday, and Walsh Jesuit will travel to University School on Thursday.

Eight College Football Bowls take place from Dec. 19 through Dec. 24.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The College Football Bowl season continues with eight games, Dec. 19-24.

Some maintain that there are too many bowls (this season: 41). I do not. I cannot get enough of college football, in general, and even nondescript bowls can produce notable accomplishments by individual and team.

For the first time, I am going to pick bowl games against the spread -- entertainment purposes only, of course. It better be EPO because, for as much as I love college football, I do not pretend to be an "expert.'' Leave that to the likes of Phil Steele.

For me, college football is fun. Nothing but fun.

Lines are from MGM Mirage via vegasinsider.com as of the afternoon before first game of group. All times Eastern:

DEC. 19

1. MIAMI BEACH BOWL

Who: Central Michigan (6-6) vs. Tulsa (9-3)

Where: Marlins Park, Miami, Fla.

When: 2:30 p.m.

TV: ESPN.

DMan's pick: Tulsa -12 1/2.

DEC. 20

2. BOCA RATON BOWL

Who: Memphis (8-4) vs. Western Kentucky (10-3)

Where: FAU Stadium, Boca Raton, Fla.

When: 7 p.m.

TV: ESPN

DMan's pick: Memphis +5 1/2.

DEC. 21

3. SAN DIEGO COUNTY CU POINSETTIA BOWL

Who: BYU (8-4) vs. Wyoming (8-5)

Where: Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego.

When: 9 p.m.

TV: ESPN

DMan's pick: Wyoming +10.

DEC. 22

4. FAMOUS IDAHO POTATO BOWL

Who: Idaho (8-4) vs. Colorado State (7-5)

Where: Albertsons Stadium, Boise, Id.

When: 7 p.m.

TV: ESPN

DMan's pick: Colorado State -13.

Dec. 23

5. POPEYES BAHAMAS BOWL

Who: Eastern Michigan (7-5) vs. Old Dominion (9-3)

Where: Thomas Robinson Stadium, Nassau, Bahamas.

When: 1 p.m.

TV: ESPN

DMan's pick: Old Dominion -3 1/2.

6. LOCKHEED MARTIN ARMED FORCES BOWL

Who: Louisiana Tech (8-5) vs. Navy (9-4)

Where: Amon G. Carter Stadium, Ft. Worth, Tx.

When: 4:30 p.m.

TV: ESPN

DMan's pick: Louisiana Tech -6.

7. DOLLAR GENERAL BOWL

Who: Ohio (8-5) vs. Troy (9-3)

Where: Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, Ala.

When: 8 p.m.

TV: ESPN

DMan's pick: Troy -4.

DEC. 24

8. HAWAI'I BOWL

Who: Hawaii (6-7) vs. Middle Tennessee (8-4)

Where: Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hi.

When: 8 p.m.

TV: ESPN

DMan's pick: Middle Tennessee by 10+ (no line).

Channing Frye is one of the Cavs' top bench players and among the NBA's top 3-point shooters this season. He's also in emotional hell after losing both parents, one month apart.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Channing Frye called his father on Friday.

Frye was driving home after the team's annual Christmastime visit to Cleveland Clinic Children's. So he dialed his dad, both out of habit and on impulse, moved to do so by that knot in his stomach from spending a couple hours with sick kids at their bedsides.

But the thing is, Thomas Frye, 64, died on Thanksgiving, alone in his Phoenix apartment, 27 days after Frye lost his mother to cancer.

"It was literally just a random thing, I called my dad... and then it was like, it was gut wrenching," Frye said. "And I think I'm pretty cool with it now, I just, I'm OK with how I feel.

"But yesterday I tried to call him. I think it's sick, not sick, but kind of crazy."

Frye is 33. He's among the NBA's top-rated 3-point shooters so far at .471 this season, and is player 1 or 1A off the bench for the Cavs. And he's in emotional hell. His parents, who were divorced, died within a month of each other. This is their story, his story, shared with cleveland.com, of the enormous toll taken on Frye and how he's tried to navigate such personal loss while his professional life plays on.

Frye said his dad died suddenly of complications from dilated cardiomyopathy, a worse, untreated version of the same condition that caused Frye to miss the entire 2012-13 season. His grandmother found Frye's dad on the floor; she had come to bring him a plate of food for Thanksgiving.

Channing Frye, Kevin Love visit Cleveland Clinic Children's last week.Courtesy of Cleveland Cavaliers 

Thomas Frye was co-founder of a company that offers office support to public and private schools. He had agreed, at Channing's urging and at Channing's expense, to move to North Carolina to be closer to family. Father and son spoke at 1 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning, right after Channing scored 14 points and drilled four 3s in a win over Portland. Like they always did.

Frye, his wife Lauren, and two children were at Richard Jefferson's house for turkey and football that Thursday afternoon when Lauren's phone rang with the worst of news.

"His last voicemail, literally, is like, 'Channing...' I can't listen to it," Frye began. "I've got to look at the dialogue part, the transcription part. It's like 'Channing, I'm proud of you, you know I love you, you know you're my first son and I love you and Logan (Frye's brother).'

"It's just listening to that stuff and then listening to the same thing from my mom, it's kind of like, it's sad, it's sad as (heck) to be honest. But it makes me feel good because I told them both I loved them before they died."

When one fateful message came to his phone, Channing Frye was at a World Series game with teammates. For the other fateful message, he was at Richard Jefferson's house for Thanksgiving.cleveland.com 

Cancer usually takes its time. Karen Mulzac-Frye, 58, a former, Emmy-winning TV reporter and producer in Phoenix, had endured several surgeries. Frye kept his mother's fight from his teammates; no one knew as the Cavs' 2016 title defense was approaching that Karen was sick. Her last surgery was about a day before Cleveland opened the season at home by beating the Knicks and receiving championship rings.

Frye, who had spoken to his mom right after surgery, promised to come visit soon. He held out hope of an alternative treatment to save her until that final week, when he saw for his own eyes what was coming.

He was at Game 2 of the World Series, hanging out in the suite at Progressive Field with the rest of the Cavs, when a picture popped up on his phone from a close family friend who was by his mother's side. Karen was down to roughly 75 pounds, from about 130 pounds the last time Frye had seen her in person. The message said for Frye to come west to California, where Karen lived.

The Cavs went to Toronto for Game 2 of the young season. Frye went to be with his mom. He made it to his mother's side in time, and said his "I love yous." She died before his car left the parking lot of her apartment complex; he was on his way to get a sandwich.

"It's crazy to see a loved one so close to death, and then to actually see them dead is just like, it's crazy," Frye said. "I'm not going to lie, it still (messes) me up, to this day. I think sometimes people focus on certain things, they get really, emotionally backed into certain things sometimes. My teammates have kind of done a good job staying with me sometimes, because sometimes I'll kind of just zone out."

Forty-four devastating days, three funerals and memorial services, burials in Brooklyn, N.Y. (where his mother was from) and Phoenix. Seven games missed so Frye could tend to the arrangements and process his feelings.

But how do you process something like this?

When Channing Frye returned from his mother's death, he started draining 3s. Joshua Gunter 

When he returned to the team (after just three days) following his mother's death, he averaged nearly 14 points over the next seven games. The Cavs stunned teams by playing him at center off the bench, forcing them to choose between guarding the paint against a LeBron James dunk or send a big man out to check Frye on the perimeter. Threes rained down.

Teams slowly started to play Frye differently, placing smaller defenders on the floor and limiting his space to catch and shoot. He's been slow to adjust, in no small part because of the further time he's spent away from the team with his father's death and funeral.

"I'm still trying to figure out what's going on with me and this whole situation because it's like, you're connected to two families through your parents and here's the honest part -- at some point you're going to have to bury your parents," Frye explained. "I just think for me, how close they died, how they died, and how young they were really was the thing that kind of (messed) me up.

"You know, I'm inspired to play ball, I'm focused to play ball, and I just think sometimes you need emotional energy to play. And I think right now that's the part that's tough."

Frye's teammates -- remember, they were with him when he got those two, horrible messages; one telling him it was time to come see his mom before she goes, the other to inform him of his father's death -- have been loathe to discuss what's happened to him.

Jefferson, Frye's closest friend on the team, said "it's Channing's story to tell."

"It's tough," said Cavs coach Tyronn Lue, whose mother and grandmother are both battling cancer. "Anytime you lose a parent, but to lose two. . . He's got a lot that he's dealing with. We try to give him the time he needs. It takes him three or four games to get back in a rhythm when he comes back, so, we just know Channing's dealing with a lot and we try to help him however we can."

With usual starters James, Kevin Love, and Kyrie Irving resting (per team orders) at home while Cleveland played in Memphis Wednesday night, Frye was pressed into starting duty. He failed to score, and was incensed with an official during the game for not calling a foul when Frye felt he was whacked on the way to the hoop.

The outburst didn't earn Frye a technical, but he said the way he reacted that night "never happens."

Channing Frye feels like he lost his temper in Memphis, and he knows why.Brandon Dill 

"I think I'm gonna have to kind of wrangle that in, too," Frye said. "I think there's still some things I'm dealing with. Some of it might come out there, so you might see me cuss and scream and throw things. But again my teammates and the coaches and everyone on staff has just been awesome and supporting me."

Frye is by nature a happy, easy-going guy. When he joined the Cavs in a trade from Orlando in February, it was he who convinced his first-place, championship-bound teammates to realize they were taking themselves too seriously.

Now, understandably, he's not always able to find his warm smile and perspective.

Frye, his wife and children make their home in Portland, Ore. In the quiet of his car, perhaps en route to or from a Cavs practice in Independence, Frye said he listens to Led Zeppelin's "The Rain Song" when he feels like feeling sad. It reminds him of Portland, where it rains about 160 days a year, and of his parents.

Cleveland.com sports columnists Doug Lesmerises and Bud Shaw look ahead, way ahead, to 2034 when the $140 million renovation at Quicken Loans Arena is finally off the county's books. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio - There will be a major makeover at Quicken Loans Arena, and we're not talking about the day LeBron James finally retires.

Renovations at the Q will require Cuyahoga County to pay off loans until the year 2034. James would turn 50 that year and probably won't be averaging a decimal over 17 points, nine rebounds and nine assists.

If he is playing at age 50, will detractors still criticize him for taking a day off on the road to fill out his AARP membership papers?

Are these arena and stadium deals good for cities? This particular agreement is being called "city friendly" since the Cavs will contribute $70 million of the $140 million renovation. 

When you caculate the interest on the loans, "friendly" is a relative term.

What will 2034 bring? I see the initials "LBJ" still in the conversation at Quicken Loans Arena.

If I'm around to write about it, it means something has gone terribly wrong with my retirement plans. Cleveland.com sports columnist Doug Lesmerises has a much better chance.

We make our predictions about the state of the Cavs and Quicken Loans Arena when the debt is finally paid off as part of our video series, Prepare for List Off.

Let us know what you think, but only after hearing us out.

Yes, there's always a catch.

Forty-eight Ohio State athletes graduated from the university on Sunday.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett headlined nine current Buckeye football players who graduated from the university on Sunday.

In total, 48 current and former student-athletes received their degrees among the more than 3,664 Ohio State students who graduated at the close of the fall semester. You can see a full list of the graduating student-athletes and their degrees here.

Backup Buckeyes quarterback Stephen Collier, a member of Ohio State's 2014 recruiting class, graduated in three years with a degree in communication. 

Here are the Ohio State football players who earned degrees on Sunday:

* J.T. Barrett, QB, Communication

* Joe Burger, LB, Industrial and Systems Engineering

* Stephen Collier, QB, Communication

* Gareon Conley, CB, Sport industry

* Craig Fada, LB, Biology

* Tyquan Lewis, DE, Sociology

* Evan Lisle, OL, Family Resource Management

* Devlin McDaniel, WR, Family Resource Management

* Aaron Parry, OL, Biology

Former players Devan Bogard, Blake Thomas and Shane Olivea also received their degrees on Sunday.

PROUD of the 12 Buckeyes that graduated today!!! pic.twitter.com/uI38Zc8dsh

-- Urban Meyer (@OSUCoachMeyer) December 18, 2016

We got 'em!! Graduates of THE @OhioState University! [?] #DevelopedHere #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/rgKXXcaIWl

-- Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 18, 2016

Learn more about Clemson

We'll try to bring you some links to Clemson coverage all week to get you more familiar with Ohio State's Fiesta Bowl opponent. Later this week, we'll have our full Fiesta Bowl preview podcast, with some insight from Clemson beat writer Dan Hope.

Before that, here's Dan's story from the Andersen (S.C.) Independent Mail on five lessons the Tigers learned from last year's trip to the playoff.

* If you missed this from Sunday, Clemson used former quarterback Tajh Boyd (remember him from the Orange Bowl?) as a scout team version of Barrett at practice last week.

* If you're wondering how Clemson got to this point, here's a very cool look at the Tigers' 12 wins this year:

12 Ways to Win || A Recap of Clemson Football's 2016 Season (so far): https://t.co/UceXoPanMC

-- Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) December 18, 2016

Our Ohio State coverage from Sunday

* Ohio State was a year early, according to Urban Meyer, when it won a national title on 2014. Then all of that talent came back in 2015, and the Buckeyes missed out on the playoff. This year, Ohio State is young and talented again:

Winning a year early might be the right year

* Ohio State kicker Tyler Durbin had the worst game of his short career when he missed two field goals against Michigan. But the Buckeyes won, thanks to him making his third try of the game that sent the game into overtime:

How Durbin moved past Michigan misses

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We take a closer look at a play that highlighted the Browns' defensive struggles on Sunday. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Bills were successful on third-and-22 against the Browns Sunday. The play made the Browns one of three teams to give up a conversion 22 yards or longer this season.

Bills wide receiver Marquise Goodwin found a pocket in the Browns defense, and quarterback Tyrod Taylor found him for a gain of 23 yards, keeping the Bills' scoring drive alive.

Check out the video at the top of this post for a closer look at the play, as well as reaction from cleveland.com Browns reporters Mary Kay Cabot and Dan Labbe.

Doug, Ari and Bill answer all of your Ohio State questions in a new addition of the Buckeye Talk Podcast.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- When the Los Angeles Rams fired coach Jeff Fisher last week, some folks sent us questions about Ohio State coach Urban Meyer potentially becoming a candidate there.

He's not.

But that's life when you're arguably the best coach in college football -- a big job opens, people are going to start throwing your name around.

Meyer's future with Ohio State is interesting (if you'll allow yourself to go there), so we didn't mind talking about it even with the Buckeyes preparing for a College Football Playoff game against Clemson.

We took a wide range of Ohio State questions, including those about Meyer's future, and turned them into a mailbag version of our Buckeye Talk Podcast. You can listen below. Other topics include how much improvement Ohio State's passing game can make, assessing the future offensive line prospects and some recruiting talk.

You'll hear early in the podcast Doug reference a list of potential Meyer replacements whenever the time comes. You can see that list -- from August -- here.

We touch on some Fiesta Bowl stuff in this podcast, but later this week we'll have a full Fiesta Bowl preview podcast breaking down the Buckeyes and Tigers with Clemson beat writer Dan Hope.

Our Buckeye Talk Podcast is available for you to listen on iTunes, Soundcloud and Stitcher.

Cleveland Browns played some close games early in the season. No more. They have not had a lead in a game in four weeks.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Scribbles in my Cleveland Browns notebook after they lost to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, 33-13:

1. I feel for Browns fans. They have a team that is 3-27 in the last two years. Watching the Browns has become a numbing experience -- when it's not utterly frustrating.

2. It's not just that they are 0-14 and two losses away from having only the second 0-16 season in NFL history. It's how they've been losing. The Browns have not had the lead in a game since they were ahead 7-6 at the half in Baltimore ... on November 10. They lost that game, 28-7.

3. That means they've not had a lead at any point in the last four games. Or how about this? In the last six games, they have not scored more than 13 points.

4. I'll stop with the stats and get to the point: Part of football is entertainment. Early in the season, the Browns lost, 25-20, to the Baltimore Ravens. They lost, 30-24, in overtime to the Miami Dolphins. They lost, 28-26, to the Tennessee Titans and 31-28 to the New York Jets. I'm not saying those games were football Rembrandt's and the videos should be saved for posterity. But they were at least mildly interesting.

5. Since the Browns moved into the second half of the schedule, NFL reality has hit them hard. Forget winning a game. Scoring a few touchdowns, maybe having the lead for a while. This really is an issue. Yes, winning is the ultimate form of football entertainment. But part of the reason Hue Jackson was hired as coach was his background in helping quarterbacks and assembling effective offenses.

6. If you want to bury the coach, that's your right. You're a fan. You have been suffering with this team for decades. That's right ... DECADES! But it's really not about the head coach. He has had too much success with too many different quarterbacks. Andy Dalton and Joe Flacco are two recent examples. Even journeyman Jason Campbell had an 11-7 record when Jackson called plays in Oakland.

7. Perhaps that's why Jackson thought he could revive the career of Robert Griffin III. But the problem is Griffin isn't the same physically as he was in his outstanding rookie season of 2012. Nor does he have anything close to the same confidence. Jackson is struggling to find some type of offense to help Griffin.

8. In Griffin's three starts, the Browns have scored 10-10-10 points. That's right, exactly 10 points in each game. In the three games, he has yet to throw a TD pass. That's why Jackson not only was saying "Everything is on the table" when it comes to picking a quarterback for next week's game, he also said, "Everybody is in play. Absolutely."

9. My guess is Jackson will probably circle back to Griffin when the Browns face San Diego at FirstEnergy Stadium on Christmas Eve. But you can hear the coach's frustration with the quarterback situation.

10. The Browns just didn't give their running game much of a chance to develop. Backs Isaiah Crowell and Duke Johnson combined for only 13 carries. They gained a respectable 59 yards. Buffalo came into the game with the 27th-ranked defense against the run, but the Browns were more intent on throwing the ball. For that, I will fault Jackson.

11. The game plan was very conservative for Griffin. He threw one short pass after another. Terrelle Pryor had two catches for a grand total of eight yards. Griffin also threw short passes to rookie Corey Coleman and Duke Johnson. It was obvious Jackson was trying to have Griffin complete a few passes to build his confidence.

12. It really didn't work. Pyror caught four passes for a total of 19 yards. The Browns connected on one long pass -- 33 yards to Andrew Hawkins. Like Pryor, Corey Coleman has the speed to be a threat for big gains. But he had three catches for a grand total of 24 yards.

13. The Browns knew Buffalo planned to run the ball. The Bills had the No. 1 rushing offense at 155 yards a game. Well, they ran right over the Browns -- 280 yards -- a 7.0 average per carry.

14. This was the worst game of the season for Jamie Collins since he joined the Browns. That was six games ago. Sunday, he had five tackles and wasn't much of a factor. The Browns had a coverage breakdown at the end of the first half. Collins covered Buffalo tight end Charles Clay for a while. Then he let Clay go, assuming a safety was behind him. No safety. Touchdown!

15. The good news: Emmanuel Ogbah had another sack, and he is the one rookie who is making an obvious improvement over the course of the season. Ogbah could be a real impact player next year.