Cleveland Browns finish the season at the Pittsburgh Steelers, a last chance for Robert Griffin III to make an impression.

PITTSBURGH, Pa -- My final pregame scribbles of the season as the Cleveland Browns play the Pittsburgh Steelers in Pittsburgh:

1. Robert Griffin III starting the final game doesn't have major significance, other than it allows him to play some -- and for the Browns to have some more video tape to study. The last thing it means is there is a commitment to him as "The Franchise Quarterback."

2. This is the first time Griffin has started four consecutive games since his 2013 season in Washington. That's important. A big issue for Griffin is durability. One executive told me that if Griffin is to regain some of his electric 2012 form, he needs to play quite a bit. He has to develop the rhythm and confidence that can fuel his game.

3. But that means staying healthy. Griffin has made four starts this season. The first was the opener. He suffered a broken bone in his shoulder near the end of the game. He was out for the next 11 games. He returned for Game 13 against the Bengals. But he suffered a concussion in last week's 20-17 victory over San Diego. He has been cleared to play Sunday.

4. Griffin has impressed the Browns with his willingness to stay engaged with the team while injured. He has been very helpful to the other quarterbacks, supportive of coaches. The selfish reputation that some claim he had in Washington has not been present with the Browns. There are people in Berea who'd love to see Griffin thrive at quarterback because they like him and know he's been working hard.

5. A strong final performance could possibly convince the Browns to return with Griffin for next season. He'd be a stop-gap, as they'd have Cody Kessler and a rookie quarterback on the roster. I think this is not a likely plan, but it's still a possibility.

6. A few times, coach Hue Jackson has said he wants to see more of Griffin, partly because: "I have seen quite a bit of Cody ... Cody is still a young player who is learning the NFL."

7. Translation: Kessler will be around in 2017 in some capacity.

8. If the Browns do indeed move Cameron Erving to right tackle and start Anthony Fabiano at center, I am curious to see what that looks like. I realize this is the final regular season game and Pittsburgh won't be playing all its key guys. But it also will be better than a preseason game in terms of looking at players for evaluation purposes.

9. If Fabiano does start at center, that means the Browns will have started four different centers this season: John Greco, Austin Reiter, Erving and Fabiano, who is an undrafted free agent from Harvard.

10. One of the keys to settling down the quarterback spot will be to find an acceptable NFL center. That has to be one of the priorities of the off-season.

11. One of the best aspects of this season was the Browns finding help at defensive back. Jamar Taylor was picked up from Miami for a seventh-round pick. He was a second-round pick by the Dolphins is 2013, and he showed why once he settled in with the Browns. He leads the team with three interceptions and 12 passes defended. Taylor signed a three-year extension, a good move by the Browns.

12. Briean Boddy-Calhoun was claimed on waivers from Jacksonville and he also is a keeper as a defensive back. He has two interceptions. Safety Ed Reynolds was cut by Philadelphia and picked up by the Browns. He has helped stabilize things at safety.

13. This is not to claim the Browns have a great secondary. It is to say the secondary is better now than earlier in the season. And it's also to say Calhoun, Taylor and Reynolds can help the team next year.

14. Emmanuel Ogbah has been the team's best rookie. His 5.5 sacks leads the team. Even more promising, Ogbah has been finishing strong. That's especially true once they left him at defensive end. Early in the season Ogbah played some outside linebacker. He was a defensive end at Oklahoma State and that's his comfort zone.

15. Profootballfocus on Ogbah: "He continues his strong second half. He had five QB pressures and 1 QB hit against the Chargers. Since week 10, Ogbah has logged three sacks, six hits and 15 QB hurries."

16. Profootballfocus also praised Jamie Collins for his play in the same last five games as Ogbah's rise. The website credited Collins with two sacks, two QB hits and five QB hurries.

17. The idea of Ogbah rushing from one side, Collins from the other holds real promise for 2017. That's why I want Collins signed to an extension. He is like adding a prime first-round draft pick.

18. This has been a disappointing season for Carl Nassib, who had an impressive training camp. He had a sack in the opening loss to Philadelphia, and was credited with a 1/2 sack later in the season. His has batted down four passes, best among Browns linemen. I know he missed two early season games with a broken hand, but he's been healthy for at least eight games. It just seems the third-rounder should deliver more.

19. The last time the Browns won in Pittsburgh was 2003. It was an amazing Monday night game. The Browns rolling to a 33-13 victory. Tim Couch completed 20-of-25 passes for 208 yards. He threw TD passes to Kevin Johnson and Andre Davis. William Green rushed for 115 yards. Couch even ran for a 9-yard TD. The losing QB for Pittsburgh? Tommy Maddox. The Browns still finished that season with a 5-11 record.

20. My prediction: Browns 20, Pittsburgh 17.

Kyrie Irving averaged more assists in December than in any month of his six-year career. LeBron James has never played with someone distributing the ball quite like Irving. Watch video

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Kyrie Irving was nowhere to be found on the court on New Year's Eve, resting his tight hamstring on the bench.

But on the last holiday, Christmas, Irving drove past Stephen Curry toward the baseline late in the fourth quarter.

Kevin Durant slid over to help and Draymond Green shifted his eyes toward Irving, even if his feet were a little slow in moving him toward the Cavs point guard.

What Durant and Green missed with their eyes locked on Irving was, well, LeBron James.

Irving didn't miss him though, shoveling a perfect pass to James for a dunk and a 105-103 lead with 1:43 left. They of course won the game 109-108 on Irving's jumper with 3.4 seconds left.

That's how the whole month went for Irving, 24, who finished it averaging 7.8 assists in December. That's his highest average for assists in any month of his six-year career.

"You think about it, I still had the lay-up and still had the opportunity to go up," Irving said. "But you create that opportunity and see all the eyes looking to you and command that much attention, you have to make the right pass and right play and that was to hit LeBron on that play. It was a big time play."

Cavs win without Kyrie

The Cavs won without him Saturday night, 121-109. James survived just fine, leading the team with 32 points and nine assists.

Playing with someone so capable of making plays on another's behalf like Irving is now is unusual for James. Yes, James spent four seasons playing alongside one of the game's greats in Dwyane Wade, but even Wade never averaged more than 5.1 assists during his time with James.

Irving is averaging a career-high 23.9 points and 6.0 assists for the season, one-tenth of an assist off of his career high. The thing is, since coach Tyronn Lue took over as head coach last season, he has preached to Irving to be a scorer above all else.

James can and does facilitate more than anyone else. He's leading the Cavs with 8.7 assists per game -- a career high.

So there's nothing happening with James and Irving that isn't apart of Lue's plan, only, Irving is transforming into more of a complete player anyway.

"Being effective scoring wise is something I'm already fairly good at, but now it is just controlling the game in its totality," Irving said. "So from start to finish understanding where guys are going to be where their spots are, understanding our offense, knowing where specific plays where guys want the ball and just really being a complete point guard. I feel like in order to be at that next level of point guards in this league you just have to be able to do everything. It feels good."

Irving is averaging 24 points and 10 assists over his last seven games, with double-doubles in five of those contests.

James calls Irving's month of December "just the evolution and growth in my point guard.

"He's studying the game, he's watching the game and now he's actually going out and playing the game," James said. "Just read and reacting and just continues to get better every single day, every single month. And he's showing that. The fact we got guys that can get our other guys opportunities and still be able to get ours when need be works well for our team."

What Irving calls "film study" is often him dialing up clips and highlights of certain players and teams on YouTube. But he's been referencing his film study -- however he's watching -- More this season, and he said he's learned how to look for James cutting to the hoop by watching clips of Wade driving or posting and feeding him.

As a result, Irving has already assisted James 42 times this season. Irving said he is "just paying more attention to details and understanding that I have a lot of weapons to utilize on this team.

"That's including me and LeBron getting better in our pick n rolls and where I am seeing him on the floor and his cuts," Irving said.

Lue also said Irving's frequent studying is paying off, but believes Irving's assists are a result of him continuing to look to score.

"Like I always say, I don't think he can come down and just control the game with his passing like Jason Kidd or Magic or someone like that," Lue said. "He has to look to score, attack and be aggressive. Then when he gets into the paint, that's when his passing opens up."

The Browns have four picks in the first two rounds of the 2017 NFL Draft.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Browns enter the final game of the season in line for the top pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. Not only that, they can have four of the top 50 picks.

But a lot can happen between now and the end of Sunday's games. Here are the best- and worst-case scenarios for where those top four picks could land.

FIRST ROUND

First pick currently: No. 1

Best-case scenario: The Browns retain the No. 1 pick if they lose to the Steelers, or if they defeat the Steelers and the 49ers defeat the Seahawks.

Worst-case scenario: The Browns can do no worse than the No. 2 pick because the Browns and 49ers are the only teams with fewer than three wins.

The Browns fall to No. 2 if they defeat the Steelers and the 49ers lose to the Seahawks. Both the Browns and 49ers would be 2-14, but the 49ers would win the tiebreaker based on a lower strength of schedule (SoS).

The Browns' SoS is currently .540, and the 49ers' is .496.

Second pick (via Eagles) currently: No. 10

Best-case scenario: This pick can be as high as No. 8. That's only if the Eagles lose to the Cowboys, and the Chargers, Bengals and Panthers win.

Worst-case scenario: The pick could fall as low as No. 15 if the Eagles win, and the Cardinals, Bills, Saints, Colts and Vikings all lose.

SECOND ROUND

Third pick currently: No. 33

Best-case scenario: Even if the Browns lose the No. 1 overall pick in the first round to the 49ers via tiebreaker, they would still get the first pick of the second round (No. 33) due to the draft's revolving order for teams with the same record.

Worst-case scenario: As stated above, the Browns are locked in to the No. 33 pick no matter what happens Sunday.

Fourth pick (via Titans) currently: No. 51

Best-case scenario: This pick can climb up to No. 48, but to do so requires a lot to happen. The Titans must lose, and the Saints, Colts, Vikings, Bills, Ravens, Buccaneers and Broncos must win.

Worst-case scenario: The pick can drop to No. 54 if the Titans defeat the Texans and the Redskins lose. If the Lions lose to the Packers, the Titans would have to keep their SoS (currently .462) below the Lions' SoS (currently.464). 

What picks to Browns have in 2017 draft?

Ohio State left guard Michael Jordan played with a sprained right ankle for most of a Fiesta Bowl loss to Clemson.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Michael Jordan sat on a trainer's table behind Ohio State's bench at University of Phoenix Stadium, his head hanging low as someone worked on his injured right ankle.

The true freshman left guard had suffered a sprained ankle when someone rolled up on his leg during a play in the first quarter. Jordan sat there dejected, not sure if he'd come back into the game. His teammate and fellow true freshman, Austin Mack, came over to Jordan, put an arm around him and offered some words of encouragement.

This was a new experience for Jordan, who was thrust into a starting role early and a victim of an up-and-down season that's the only fair expectation of a true freshman offensive lineman.

"At first I couldn't walk at all. I didn't think I'd come back," Jordan said in the locker room after Ohio State's 31-0 loss to Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl.

"The reason why I play is for my unit. If I'm not out there giving my all I feel like I'm letting them down."

A lot went into the Buckeyes being blown out in the desert. But you could make the argument that the offensive line, especially guard, was the spot they could least afford to lose someone.

Jordan missed the next series after the injury. Demetrius Knox took his spot. After an attempted return, Jordan sat again in the second quarter, unable to move the way he wanted on that injured ankle.

On Knox's first snap, he held up decently on pass protection. On the next snap, his man blew by him and stopped a Curtis Samuel jet sweep in the backfield for a loss.

Ohio State recruits well enough that when one player goes down, there shouldn't be a drop-off to the next guy. Especially on the offensive line, where the Buckeyes' have signed a handful of players in the last couple recruiting classes. But that depth never developed to the point where Ohio State liked it, which is why Jordan was starting in the first place.

Buckeyes' coach Urban Meyer said earlier this week that true freshmen starting on the offensive line at a place like Ohio State shouldn't happen. You saw on Saturday why he had those concerns.

"Little bit," junior guard Billy Price said when asked if losing a starter threw Ohio State's offensive line out of whack. "Just due to the fact that there's a chemistry that goes behind the preparation."

What did Meyer say after the loss?

That's not to say Ohio State wasn't confident in Knox when he got in there. It's just that Knox has barely played in his three years in the program, and has had some injury issues. To expect him to come in and give a boost was a big ask, and highlighted the possibility that maybe Ohio State hasn't always been as thorough as it could be in evaluating offensive linemen.

"It was a good feeling (to play)," Knox said. "I just felt like (offensive line) Coach (Greg) Studrawa put us in the right position. He gave us all the tools we needed. As a unit we couldn't execute, but our coaching staff put us in the best position."

Ohio State has been fortunate, almost uniquely so, that it's been able to keep its starting offensive line together over the course of the season for most of Meyer's tenure.

Minor bumps and bruises called for in-game adjustments, but the Buckeyes' always had a guy to step in and fill the void. Think Pat Elflein stepping in at guard against Michigan in 2013 after Marcus Hall's ejection, or Chase Farris coming in against Alabama in the 2014 Sugar Bowl and paving the way for an Ezekiel Elliott touchdown after center Jacob Boren missed a few plays.

The Buckeyes just didn't have that for this playoff run.

Every player took his turn in Ohio State's offensive struggles, so this isn't to single out Knox for struggling on his few snaps, or Jordan for not quite being 100 percent when he finally came back in the game for good in the second half.

But offensive line was a real concern for Ohio State coming in against Clemson's stout defensive front, and those concerns ended up coming to fruition, compounded by Jordan's injury.

The Buckeyes' couldn't run the ball, averaging 3.8 yard per carry -- a misleading number when you consider most of Ohio State's rushing yards came on one 64-yard Samuel run. Clemson had 11 tackles for loss, and quarterback J.T. Barrett was sacked three times.

Give Jordan credit for fighting through the pain with a heavily-taped right ankle, and Knox for stepping into an uncomfortable role in a huge game.

"Just told (Knox) just to go hard," Jordan said. "Play for me because I know I'd do the same for him. I play for my whole unit and I knew Meech would do that same."

But also put developing offensive line depth on the top of Ohio State's list of things to get done this spring, right up there next to becoming a better passing team.

That major hole showed most at the worst time for the Buckeyes.

Join in the discussion in the comment section during the game.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Browns (1-14) face the Steelers (10-5) on Saturday at Heinz Field in Week 17 of the NFL season. Kickoff is at 1 p.m.

The Browns won their first game of the season last week, 20-17 against the Chargers. The Steelers defeated the Ravens, 31-27, to win the AFC North.

Join in the discussion in the comment section during the game, where you can chat with other fans and see Tweets from Mary Kay Cabot, Dan Labbe and Scott Patsko. The game will be broadcast on CBS.

Trubisky or Watson: Is either a good fit for Browns?

Browns-Steelers: Who will win?

Where to watch Browns vs. Steelers

Cam Erving will start at right tackle to see if his future is there.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. --  Could Cam Erving's brief stint as the Browns' starting center be  over?

As excepted, the 2015 No. 19 overall pick will start today's season finale here at right tackle instead of center, where he started 12 games this season.

He practiced at right tackle all week and was gearing up to try the new spot.

Harvard rookie Anthony Fabiano will make his first career start at center, and regular right tackle Austin Pasztor will start at right guard.

In another lineup change, rookie Joe Schobert will start at outside linebacker.

"It's just what coach Jackson wanted to see," Erving said on Wednesday. "He wants to get a look at different combinations on the line and see how it goes, see how it looks throughout the week. Not really sure as far as what we're going to do moving forward, but that's what he wants and that's what he's going to get."

At 6-5, 313, Erving might actually be too tall to play center.

"I'm a big guy in there in the middle and just being able to move around and not be tripping over people because we had a lot of those situations earlier in the season," Erving said. "It's football, things like that are going to happen. But when you have a tall center, those are the things that we focused on most of the season, just trying to make sure we minimized tripping over each other and just making sure we stayed compact."

"Yeah, I am prepared and ready to go, if that is the case. I have been working a lot at center this week with (OL) Cam (Erving) at right tackle and (OL) Austin (Pasztor) at right guard. We don't know if that is set in stone or not, but I am fully prepared and ready to play at center this week."

Fabiano, originally signed by the Ravens as an undrafted free agent in May, was eager for a chance to make his mark. He spent 11 weeks on the Browns' practice squad.

"Oh, it's everything,'' he said. "It's a great opportunity. You have to take advantage of it if it comes your way. Coming from the practice squad up to active roster to possibly starting this week means a lot to me. That is why I am going to do whatever it takes to prepare and get ready for this game."

Fabiano (6-3, 303) has the versatility to play anywhere on the line, but has never started a game at center, even in college.

"I've played pretty much everywhere,'' he said. "I've started at tackle in college, and then I moved inside to guard. Then, I was going to play center, but I broke my hand so I had to move back over to guard. I have some experience this whole training camp, and my time with the Browns I have been playing center. I feel very comfortable at that position."

As for his strengths?

 "I would say intelligence and athleticism, getting out on the perimeter maybe or being able to climb onto a linebacker right away. Just a little bit of a savvy that I have learned, mainly from (OL) Joe (Thomas)."

As expected, the Steelers will rest most of their stars, especially on offense. Inactives include Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, Le'Veon Bell and Maurice Pouncey. Starting right defensive end Stephon Tuitt will also sit.

Price has been a three-year starter at guard, and was named a first-team All-American this year. Watch video

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- This was not a decision made in haste, something Billy Price just decided in the locker room after Ohio State lost 31-0 to Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl.

Price made up his mind sometime before the Buckeyes were bounced from the College Football Playoff in embarrassing fashion. He's coming back to Ohio State for a fifth year, and plans on making a move from guard to center in 2017.

"This has been decided for awhile," Price said. "I had a couple goals: Be a captain, be an All-American and graduate. I told my grandfather before he passed, and my mother that I would graduate, and I take the student-athlete aspect very seriously."

Price was a captain this year, and he's getting a tree in Buckeye Grove after being named a first-team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association. He's on track to graduate next year from Ohio State's Fisher College of Business.

Three goals, two complete and one in reach.

And also the sting of this loss to Clemson to motivate him into a season where he'll likely be a captain again.

"In times of hardship, this is where you grow," Price said. "You start offseason training and this is gonna be a burning feeling in my stomach. I didn't do enough to win tonight. It's fourth-and-1 and I miss the block and that's on me. That's gonna be a burning feeling going into spring ball. As a leader and a veteran it's unacceptable and you just can't do things like that."

The Buckeyes will have some senior leadership next year with a lot of talent coming back. Linebacker Chris Worley said he'll also be back for his senior year, and J.T. Barrett hinted at doing the same.

If all three are back, expect them to be the voices for this team. Price wants that role, in addition to playing the most important position on Ohio State's offensive line.

Price is the Santa Claus of Twitter

Price was Ohio State's true backup center this year, even if the depth chart didn't reflect that. Many assumed coming into the year that Price might take the same route as Pat Elflein, who came back for his fifth year, moved to center and ended up winning the Rimington Award this season.

But Price is also his own man, and took some time to weigh whether or not that was the path for him. Now he knows it is.

"I think he'll do good," Elflein said. "Billy is similar to me (last year), always taking reps at center. I think he'll come back and be another All-American, Rimington winner at center. He's gonna be a beast in the middle and I think he'll do the same thing I did."

Price was already an outspoken leader, quick to jump to the defense of teammates and not shy about sharing his thoughts on fan and media criticism.

Ohio State could always use more guys like that, and the fact that it now looks like it will have four starters back on the offensive line doesn't hurt.

"Following behind Pat is gonna be tough," Price said. "Taylor Decker was a part of this, Jacoby Boren, they set the cutlure here and it's my job to lead it next year when I came back and play."

"I'll definitely be playing football," Dixon said, "somewhere." Watch video

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- This time it was too much for Johnnie Dixon to hide his frustration. 

While his Ohio State teammates showered and changed around him in the locker room at University of Phoenix Stadium after its loss to Clemson, Dixon sat in his locker in full street clothes wishing for once he could have played. 

Every year at the bowl game Dixon has been in street clothes. It's become the worst type of bowl tradition. 

"It's just the knees in general," Dixon told cleveland.com. "It's very frustrating when it always comes about. I have to deal with it, I have to hear people talking about it. But you still have to fight through it at the end of the day." 

This year was starting to feel different for the former four-star wide receiver from Florida, but he suffered another setback with his chronic knee injuries and was late to travel to Phoenix for the game. 

Does he fear he'll never play because of the injuries? 

"I got the same question last year," Dixon said. "But same thing, man, put it in God's hands. If he doesn't want me to play anymore, I'll sit down and pray about it. There's nothing I can do about it." 

Dixon, who had surgery on two arthritic knees two years ago, was moderately healthy this year before suffering a setback while warming up at Michigan State. Even when able to play, though, he was buried on the depth chart because he's never been healthy long enough to gain any real momentum. 

Though Dixon has remaining collegiate eligibility, there's some some doubt as to whether he can still play football. Dixon isn't ready to give up the dream. 

"I'll definitely be playing football," Dixon said, "somewhere." 

Somewhere? That implies that there's some uncertainty with his future at Ohio State, which makes sense given the Buckeyes take injuries -- specifically chronic ones -- very seriously. 

"I don't think it's anything too serious," Dixon said, "I feel really good, i feel like I can play. I just don't know what's next right now." 

Ohio State's needs to shake up its offensive coaching staff after getting shut out in the College Football Playoff. Watch video

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Before you say this is crazy, know that the defensive version of this scenario is already happening at Ohio State.

Greg Schiano is over-qualified for the job he has right now as Ohio State's co-defensive coordinator. He should be a head coach somewhere, but instead he put his touch on one of the best defenses in the country and was the perfect fill-in when the Buckeyes lost Chris Ash.

Think Schiano would've taken this job just anywhere? No. He came because Urban Meyer needed his help, and Meyer is his friend.

Now Meyer needs offensive help. And Chip Kelly needs a job -- well, kinda.

It was reported on Saturday that Kelly, the former Oregon head coach, will be fired by the San Francisco 49ers after one season. Kelly doesn't really need a job, because he'll be getting paid by the NFL (like Schiano) even though he's not working. Funny how that works.

Kelly and Meyer are close, maybe not as close as Meyer and Schiano, but close enough maybe that Meyer could convince Kelly that a short stint as a college offensive coordinator is worth it to get back in the head coaching game. It helps that there aren't any major college head coaching jobs that would be enticing to Kelly, and it feels unlikely that another NFL team would hire a guy who was just fired twice in two years.

So we're going here. This is not a report. And it's also not wholly original.

It's a little bit of reckless speculation, but mostly just throwing everything against the wall at a time when Ohio State needs a shakeup on its offensive coaching staff.

What would Kelly bring to Ohio State? Watch the video here to see what Doug Lesmerises, Ari Wasserman and Bill Landis think.

Durbin received an over-the-top piece of hate mail from an ignorant Ohio State fan after the game that the Buckeyes specialists' twitter account posted. Watch video

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Urban Meyer was shut out for the first time in his head-coaching career in Ohio State's 31-0 loss to Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl on Saturday evening. 

Maybe you can put that on walk-on kicker Tyler Durbin's shoulders because he missed two field goals in the first half. 

But to put the entire game on him? That's not even close to rational. 

Speaking of irrational, Durbin received an over-the-top piece of hate mail from an ignorant Ohio State fan after the game that the Buckeyes specialists' twitter account posted. 

(Warning: There's some bad language in the email) 

Stay classy pic.twitter.com/Eak3HBhX1p

-- OSU Specialists (@BuckSpecialists) January 1, 2017

A walk-on, Durbin filled in as Ohio State's kicker before the season when scholarship kicker Sean Nuernberger suffered strains in his groin and hip-flexor. 

Durbin hit 16-of-16 field goals heading into the Michigan game -- not including the blocked attempt that was returned for a touchdown at Penn State -- but he went 1-for-5 in the Michigan game and the Fiesta Bowl. 

Griffin connected with rookie Seth DeValve for the 12-yard score.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Robert Griffin III connected with tight end Seth DeValve on Sunday for the quarterback's first touchdown pass since 2014.

The 12-yard play-action pass gave the Browns a 7-0 first-quarter lead against the Steelers.

via GIPHY

Griffin's last touchdown pass was in the final game of the 2014 season, a 69-yarder to DeShean Jackson. Griffin has played in and started five games for the Browns this season, and had two rushing touchdowns entering Sunday's game.

Griffin did not play in 2015, and missed 11 games this season with a shoulder injury. 

.@RGIII [?] @SethDevalve for six!#CLEvsPIT https://t.co/inr9nqJUHj

-- Cleveland Browns (@Browns) January 1, 2017

Urban Meyer is widely expected to land five-star safety Jeffrey Okudah of Grand Prairie (Texas) South when he announces his decision at the U.S. Army All-American Game on Jan. 7.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Four-star safety Xavier McKinney of Roswell, Ga., announced his commitment to Alabama during the second quarter of the Under Armour All-American Game on Saturday.

Rated the No. 8 safety in the 2017 recruiting class in the 247Sports composite rankings, McKinney released a top three on Tuesday that consisted of Ohio State, Clemson and Alabama. He chose to roll with the Tide. 

McKinney officially visited Ohio State on Nov. 26 for the Michigan game. 

The 6-foot-1, 197-pound prospect was considered a Clemson lean before his decision. 

There was some question as to whether the Buckeyes even had room for McKinney if though he's an Alabama-caliber prospect. The Buckeyes already have commitments from five-star defensive back Shaun Wade of Jacksonville (Fla.) Trinity and from four-star safety Isaiah Pryor of Bradenton (Fla.) IMG. 

Urban Meyer is also widely expected to land five-star safety Jeffrey Okudah of Grand Prairie (Texas) South when he announces his decision at the U.S. Army All-American Game on Jan. 7. 

Ohio State is now looking ahead to the 2017 season. Will the Buckeyes be back in the playoff? Watch video

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- If yearly College Football Playoff contention is now the expectation for Ohio State, do you think the Buckeyes will be back here next year?

Well, not here in Arizona. At either the Sugar Bowl or the Rose Bowl as part of the 2017 College Football Playoff?

The Buckeyes just got bounced from this year's playoff in embarrassing fashion, a 31-0 loss to Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl. So as an Ohio State fan you're either still wallowing in the loss, or have flipped the switch to next year.

We're starting to flip the switch here and asking if this team is built for another run next year, and if it should be built for playoff runs every year.

Look at this season, Ohio State had 16 new starters and Urban Meyer called this run a year early, and yet the Buckeyes were still in the playoff. Next year they'll be more talented, more experienced, presumably have a better handle on their offense (otherwise what's the point?) and arguably have a more manageable schedule.

So what do we think? Watch the video here to find out, and let us know what you think in the comments section below.

The Cleveland Browns kept their momentum going from last week's win over San Diego with a good first half in Pittsburgh. And the Steelers helped make it all possible.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- Halftime takes from Heinz Field, where the Browns lead the Steelers 14-7...

* Beating a team that has nothing to play for might not be much to celebrate, but it's better than the alternative: losing to a team sitting its stars on offense because the game doesn't matter.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, running back Le'Veon Bell and wide receiver Antonio Brown were inactive because the game means nothing for a Steelers team that can't change its playoff position win or lose. They were a #3 seed when the day started and that's where they'll sit when this titanic tilt ends.

A number of starters on the Steelers defense, meanwhile, were active. How interested they were is another matter.

From the looks of it early, either the 1-14 Browns became a juggernaut on the final Sunday of the season or the Steelers came right from a New Year's Eve party to the stadium.

* The Browns used good field position and a suffocating defense to completely dominate the first quarter. The Steelers had three yards passing and zero yards rushing.

* Robert Griffin III followed his first touchdown pass since 2014 with his second touchdown pass since 2014. He also ran away from pressure for a 19-yard gain on one possession.

The downside (you know there's always a downside): a bad Griffin pass intercepted by Pittsburgh linebacker Ryan Shazier at the goal line when it appeared the Browns were going to go up 21-0 late in the second quarter; a bad shotgun snap from new center Anthony Fabiano that RG3  failed to cover up.

That recovered fumble was the only reason the Steelers weren't shut out in the first half. They converted on a TD pass from Landy Jones to DeAngelo Williams (made possible by a missed Jamie Collins' tackle.) 

* Mock cheers were heard earlier after quarterback Jones threw an 11-yard completion for a first down in the second quarter. That should tell you what kind of half it was.

* They were quickly followed by boos when the Steelers "drive" stalled. I guess Steelers' fans expected their second-string offense to go up and down the field on the hapless Browns.

Which tells me they haven't seen enough of their second-string offense.

Bill, Ari and Doug take a look at the 31-0 defeat in the Fiesta Bowl, then run down what the entire starting 22 might look like next season.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- What can Ohio State's 31-0 blowout loss to Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl tell us about the 2017 Buckeyes?

There's a lot to build on.

In our final Buckeye Talk Podcast of this season, Bill Landis, Ari Wasserman and I wrapped up the game by looking ahead to next year. We broke down every position group on both sides of the ball.

After replacing 16 starters for this season, the Buckeyes should be replacing more like six or seven starters for next season. But what about the quarterback spot? Should J.T. Barrett be the every-down quarterback without a doubt, assuming he returns, which is what all of us assume?

I have a plan for that, one that should seem familiar to Urban Meyer. We recorded this before we were kicked out of our Arizona hotel and headed back to Ohio. Take a listen and understand what's ahead for the Buckeyes. 

The 2017 season opens at Indiana on Thursday night, Aug. 31.

You can find all our podcasts on our iTunes page, or on Soundcloud and Stitcher. Treat yourself for 2017 and subscribe now. 

The season is over, but we'll keep the podcasts rolling.

Though Ohio State was listed as one of Bell's two finalists, there probably isn't room -- at least as thing stand right now -- for the athlete in the Buckeyes 2017 recruiting class.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Four-star athlete Markquese Bell of Bridgeton, N.J., announced his commitment to Maryland during the fourth quarter of the Under Armour All-American Game on Sunday.

Though Ohio State was listed as one of Bell's two finalists, there probably isn't room -- at least as thing stand right now -- for the athlete in the Buckeyes 2017 recruiting class. 

Rated the No. 7 athlete in the 2017 class in the 247Sports composite rankings, Bell officially visited Ohio State on Nov. 26 for its win over Michigan. 

Bell had been high on Ohio State since even before Urban Meyer attended a satellite camp in New Jersey in June in which he was participating. If Bell would have waited longer to make a decision, perhaps there would have been room later in the recruiting cycle. 

Ohio State's recruiting class current has 17 commitments and it may only be able to reach 22 or 23. Meyer is still in on a handful of five-star prospects, so they likely couldn't accept a commitment from Bell with a month still remaining before National Signing Day. 

Two NFL teams played a game in Pittsburgh on Sunday. It was, indeed, a football game.

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania -- Two professional football teams, one from Cleveland and the other from Pittsburgh, played a game on Sunday. It was a game that both were required to play by the National Football League.

It turns out, however, that both teams were having so much fun, they decided to play extra time. The team from Pittsburgh won in dramatic fashion, scoring in overtime to win, 27-24.

Some players from Pittsburgh's team missed out on the fun, though, as they opted to sit this game out. It carried no meaning for their future and they will play another professional football game next week, as required by the NFL when a team wins more games than the other teams in its division. Almost all of the available players for the team from Cleveland played, but, ironically, it was more valuable for them to lose this game than to win it. They do not have a game scheduled for next week.

There were some exciting moments. The team from Cleveland scored two touchdowns in the first half and nearly had two safeties. The team from Pittsburgh came roaring back, despite the deficiencies of their quarterback, who had no choice but to play in this game, and threw the game-winning touchdown pass.

That is all notable because some had theorized that the team from Pittsburgh might want to lose this game as, apparently, these two teams were once rivals -- and might still be -- and a loss by the team from Cleveland would mean they wouldn't be allowed to have their pick of any college player in the upcoming league draft. Now they will, as they've assured themselves the No. 1 pick in the draft.

Cleveland finished its season with one win. Pittsburgh won 11 games.

Here are more (real) observations as written in real-time during the game:

• Seth DeValve made a really nice catch last week on a late throw from Griffin. He got hurt on the play. Now he scores his second touchdown of the season. He's one of the intriguing guys in this rookie class.
• Cam Erving started off well at right tackle. He got beat badly, though, early in the second half and was pulled for rookie Shon Coleman. Erving later left the game with an injury. His future is as murky as anyone's at this point.
• Speaking of which, Erving moves away from center and the new guy snaps the ball over Robert Griffin III's head. That might just be a position of need this offseason.
• Jamie Collins whiffed on the DeAngelo Williams touchdown catch at the end of the first half. I like Collins and think the Browns should keep him, but when I went back and watched his New England games this season prior to the trade, I noticed a lot of high tackle attempts that, to put it nicely, didn't always work out for him.
• I know it ended up as a fumble and a touchback for Pittsburgh, but Briean Boddy-Calhoun was a find for this team. Let's see how he develops this offseason.
• Unfortunately for him, his day took a turn as the half went on. He got beat for the touchdown that gave the Steelers a 21-14 lead. He also gave up the game-winning touchdown. Life as a young corner.
• Emmanuel Ogbah is the absolute bright spot of the 14 players the Browns drafted last April. He made a really nice play on a reverse the Steelers ran, refusing to bite on the initial handoff and stopping Demarcus Ayers for a loss of 12 on 2nd-and-7 from the Steelers 42-yard line.

-----

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The Browns lose 27-24 to the Steelers in overtime to finish their season 1-15. But they won the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. Watch video

PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- The Browns lost a football game, but won the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.

Playing against a skeleton Steelers crew, the Browns lost 27-24 in overtime Sunday at Heinz Field to finish their season a dismal 1-15.

But the loss ensured that they'll have a shot at the best player in the draft in April. The 49ers were 2-13 heading into their game against the Seahawks.

"1-15 doesn't say you're heading in the right direction," Browns coach Hue Jackson said after the game. "I would hope our fans would hang with us. I think if people look at our team, they'll see a young team that fights hard. . . We just need to continue to get better.

". . . We're 1-15. I never would never thought we'd be that in a million years, but that's where we are. . . .I'm more determined to fix this now, and faster, than I have in my entire life, because I don't like this.. .  I don't like to be associated with this, and we have to fix this as fast as we can. . . I don't want to feel like this anymore."

Jackson was asked if he and Sashi Brown, Browns Executive Vice President of Football Operations, are on the same page about where the team needs to head.

"Let me say this: Me and Sashi are in lockstep, trying to get this team where it needs to be. We're going to get there. . . .We are together. We know what we're doing. We've got work to do. .. . .We need to get better, and from the top down, we'll do that."

The Browns got the ball first in overtime and failed to score a touchdown despite a 17-play drive. They settled for a 34-yard Cody Parkey field goal that put them up 24-21 with 7:17 remaining in OT.

The Steelers took over and engineered a 75-yard TD drive, capped by a 26-yard TD pass from Landry Jones to Cobi Hamilton at the left side of the end zone over Briean Boddy-Calhoun. They converted a fourth and 2 on the drive to set up the TD.

Jones replaced Ben Roethlisberger, who watched from the sidelines as many key Steelers rested for next week's playoff opener. Roethlisberger is 20-2 against the Browns. The Steelers were also without receiver Antonio Brown and running back Le'Veon Bell, who each average 100 yards a game vs. the Browns.

With the score tied at 21, Browns receiver Terrelle Pryor caught a 43-yard pass to the 5 with about a minute left in the game. The catch gave him 85 yards for the day -- 2 shy of 1,000. He went over the coveted mark in overtime. Pryor finished with seven catches for 94 yards.

But after Pryor's big catch, running back Isaiah Crowell was stripped of the ball after a 2-yard run to the 3 and the Steelers recovered with 56 seconds left. Crowell finished with 19 runs for 152 yards to finish the season with 952 yards.

The Steelers failed to dig out of their own end, and the game went into OT.

The Steelers went ahead 21-14 with 5:14 left in the game on a 15-yard touchdown pass to Demarcus Ayers, who beat Briean Boddy-Calhoun. The key play was a 46-yard catch by Darrius Hayward-Bey.

But the Browns answered with a 5-yard touchdown run by George Atkinson to tie it 21-21 with 3:28 remaining. The key play was a 67-yard blast by Crowell.

The Browns remained in the game despite turning the ball over four times: a Robert Griffin III interception, and three fumbles: by Griffin, Boddy-Calhoun and Crowell.

"We fight hard. We don't fight smart all the time, but we fight hard," Jackson said. "We have chances to win games and we don't finish them, but that's part of growing and playing with a bunch of young guys. . . 

". . . We've lost more than our fair share of games, and that's not where we want to be. I appreciate the fight in the players, but this is about winning and losing. And that's what our guys are going to be motivated to do when they get back, to win more than they lose."

Cam Erving's knee injury

Erving suffered what appears to be a serious knee injury on a missed field goal with 7:34 left in the game. He was carted into the locker room and appeared to be in great pain.

Griffin's first TD pass  

Griffin completed a 12-yard TD pass to rookie tight end Seth DeValve with 7:48 left in the first quarter, bootlegging right and finding him at the 10. It was Griffin's first TD pass since 2014 with the Redskins. It put the Browns up 7-0.

Griffin threw his second TD pass of the game, a 4-yard quick slant to Gary Barnidge, with 9:21 left in the half to make it 14-0. Griffin went 8-for-8 for 64 yards on the drive, including a 16-yard strike to rookie Ricardo Louis on third down.

But it unraveled for Griffin the rest of the half.

He was picked off by linebacker Ryan Shazier at the 2 with 3:39 left before the break; and on his next offensive play, a shotgun snap from rookie center Anthony Fabiano -- making his first career start -- sailed over Griffin's head and the Steelers recovered at the Browns'  37.

The Steelers failed to cash in on the Shazier pick, punting out of their own end zone after Jackson challenged a sideline catch and won, but they made good on the botched snap.

Seven plays later, Landry Jones hit DeAngelo Williams with a short pass in the right flat, and linebacker Jamie Collins whiffed on the tackle attempt at the 11. Williams pranced in for the 11-yard TD catch to trim the deficit to 14-7 with 31 seconds left before intermission.

Fabiano started in place of regular center Cam Erving, who got a tryout at right tackle but was replaced in the third quarter by rookie Shon Coleman. Regular right tackle Austin Pasztor started at right guard.

Missed field goal

Cody Parkey was wide left on a 49-yard field goal that would've put the Browns up 17-14 with 7:34 left in the game. The play before, Fabiano gave up an 8-yard sack of Griffin to force the long kick.

The pick-six that wasn't

Browns defensive back Briean Boddy-Calhoun picked off Jones in the third quarter and returned it 67 yards for what was first ruled a touchdown, but changed to a fumble upon review. Biddy-Calhoun was striped by Darrius Hayward-Bey on his way into the end zone for a touchback. The pick-six would've given the Browns a 21-7 lead with just over three minutes left in the third.

Steelers cash in

Instead of giving up a pick-six, the Steelers turned the forced fumble into the touchdown that tied the game. Taking over at his own 20 on the touchback, Jones drove the Steelers 80 yards in 10 plays, and Williams ran in from the 1 to tie it 14-14 with 13:21 left in the game. Browns cornerback Joe Haden missed a big tackle on the drive and was also flagged 7 yards for pass interference in the end zone to the 1.   

First-half numbers of note

The Browns outgained the Steelers 202 to 52 yards in the first half. ... DeAngelo Williams was limited to 7 yards rushing on eight first half carries....Griffin completed 16-of-20 attempts in the first half for 123 yards with two TDs and one INT for a 104.8 rating.   

Carl Nassib snaps sack-draught

Rookie pass-rusher Carl Nassib snapped his eight-game sack draught. OK, he didn't touch Jones, but he'll take it. The QB tripped over his own lineman and fell. It gave Nassib, the closest guy to the play, 2.5 for the season.  

Extra points

DeValve's 12-yard TD catch was his second TD of the season. ...Erving started at right tackle, but was replaced in the third quarter by rookie Coleman after giving up a sack-fumble.  Erving recovered the fumble, but still earned a trip to the bench. He came back out with 8:35 left in the game when Coleman got hurt on a running play.

Next

That's all, folks!

Does Robert Griffin III have a future with the Browns?

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Browns enter the offseason without a clear answer at quarterback. The season began with Robert Griffin III as the starter, but things didn't exactly work out.

After a Week 1 injury, Griffin returned in Week 14, but has only five games on his Browns resume as Hue Jackson, Sashi Brown and Co. turn to evaluating the roster for next season.

So here's the question: What role - if any - should Griffin play for the Browns next season? Check out the poll below and let us know what you think. You can explain your answer in the comment section.

On Sunday, Griffin was 29-of-40 passing for 232 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He also rushed for 32 yards. 

His final season stats look like this: 87-of-147 passing (59 percent) for 886 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions. He rushed for 190 yards and two touchdowns. 

Quarterback Robert Griffin III did plenty of good things Sunday, but the Cleveland Browns lost to the Steelers, 27-24, in overtime at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pa.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Quarterback Robert Griffin III went 29-of-40 for 232 yards and two touchdowns in the Cleveland Browns' 27-24 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday afternoon at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pa. Griffin was sacked four times, threw one interception and fumbled once.

Here is a capsule look at Griffin's work in the regular-season finale, which was televised by CBS:

First things first: The Browns finished 1-15.

Yes, the Browns are rebuilding, but 1-15 is 1-15 -- putrid. A record of 1-15 shouldn't be explained away or otherwise glossed over simply because a team is rebuilding.

This is yet another lost season for the franchise since it returned to the NFL in 1999. In a league supposedly full of parity, the Browns are an inexcusably woeful parody.

But at least the Browns secured the No. 1 pick in the 2017 draft.

Solid-to-good stuff: The purpose of these QB Reports since their inception in 2012 has not been to project what might happen in the future. The purpose has been to assess the performance of the quarterback(s) on that particular day.

I do not know what the Browns' plans are for Griffin, who debuted for them this season. What I do know is, he played well enough to beat the Steelers on Jan. 1, 2017. He deserved better from his coaching staff and select teammates.

I get that the Steelers were resting important players on offense because their playoff position already was secure. But their defense, the one Griffin needed to solve, did not feature second-stringers in key spots.

No question that Griffin benefitted from a quick passing game, which gave him plenty of low-risk completion opportunities. At the same time, Griffin still needed to complete those passes. And he made numerous other plays that should have been sufficient for a victory. He should have been the main reason the Browns won.

Griffin passed the eye test. More importantly, he was good enough for CBS' Rich Gannon -- a terrific analyst and former NFL MVP at quarterback. Gannon did not offer any guarantees for Griffin's future, but he liked what he saw, on balance, from Griffin on Sunday.

It is not Griffin's fault that Browns center Anthony Fabiano shotgun-snapped too high in the first half, resulting in a lost fumble in good field position; or that Browns cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun fumbled as he dived into the end zone after an interception in the second half, resulting in a touchback; or that running back Isaiah Crowell fumbled on first-and-goal at the Pittsburgh 5 when the Browns potentially could have won with a chip-shot field goal in the final seconds of regulation; or that the coaching staff permitted the run to take place at all; or that the Browns' defense allowed Steelers backup quarterback Landry Jones to be successful late.

It is Griffin's fault, though, that he was intercepted near the goal line in the second quarter when the Browns were poised to build a 21-0 lead. That pick is the main reason for Griffin not earning an A or A-.

Final grade: B+

Piece by piece: Here is a look at the Browns' dropbacks:            

FIRST QUARTER

First possession (0-0)

1st-and-10 @ Cleveland 25

• Result: Griffin, from under center, incomplete intended for WR Terrelle Pryor deep on right side.
• Skinny: Griffin over-shot Pryor, who was well-covered by CB Ross Cockrell on boundary.

3rd-and-6 @ Cleveland 29

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, incomplete intended for WR Corey Coleman on right.
• Skinny: Screen pass high and out of gloves of Coleman, who would have been tackled behind line of scrimmage.

Second possession (0-0)

1st-and-10 @ Cleveland 45

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, complete to Coleman on right for 7 yards.
• Skinny: Griffin hit on release. No YAC.

2nd-and-3 @ Pittsburgh 48

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, complete to WR Andrew Hawkins on left for 1 yard.
• Skinny: Steelers easily diagnosed.

2nd-and-4 @ Pittsburgh 37

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, complete to TE Gary Barnidge on right for 9 yards.
• Skinny: Griffin didn't like primary on left and found Barnidge. No YAC.

1st-and-10 @ Pittsburgh 15

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, complete to Pryor on left for 3 yards.
• Skinny: Quick throw.

2nd-and-7 @ Pittsburgh 12

• Result: Griffin, from under center, complete to TE Seth DeValve on right for 12-yard touchdown.
• Skinny: Griffin sold play-fake, booted right and connected with wide-open DeValve at Pittsburgh 10. Well-designed play. Griffin's first TD pass since end of 2014 season.

Third possession (Browns, 7-0)

1st-and-10 @ Cleveland 20

• Result: Griffin, from under center, complete to Pryor on right for 6 yards.
• Skinny: Screen.

3rd-and-6 @ Cleveland 24

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, scramble up middle for 19 yards.
• Skinny: Griffin displayed good pocket awareness.

2nd-and-8 @ Cleveland 45

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, incomplete intended for Pryor on left.
• Skinny: Griffin under pressure.

3rd-and-8 @ Cleveland 45

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, sack for minus-7 yards.
• Skinny: Four rushers, plus one spy. Griffin not sure what he wanted to do.

Fourth possession (Browns, 7-0)

1st-and-10 @ Cleveland 33

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, complete to Barnidge on left for 12 yards.
• Skinny: Griffin booted left and found wide-open Barnidge.

SECOND QUARTER

1st-and-10 @ Cleveland 45

• Result: Griffin, from under center, complete to RB Isaiah Crowell on left for 2 yards.
• Skinny: Screen. Crowell stumbled.

2nd-and-8 @ Cleveland 47

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, complete to Hawkins on right for 3 yards.
• Skinny: Screen.

3rd-and-5 @ 50

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, complete to WR Ricardo Louis over middle for 16 yards.
• Skinny: Good protection, quality throw. Louis came from left.

2nd-and-11 @ Pittsburgh 35

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, complete to Crowell on left for 13 yards.
• Skinny: Excellent play by Griffin, who vacated pocket to left and threw on move.

2nd-and-9 @ Pittsburgh 21

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, complete to Pryor on left for 7 yards.
• Skinny: Griffin threw strike to Pryor near boundary.

3rd-and-2 @ Pittsburgh 14

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, complete to Pryor on left for 7 yards.
• Skinny: Pryor beat CB Artie Burns on slant.

2nd-and-goal @ 4

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, complete to Barnidge on right/middle for 4-yard touchdown.
• Skinny: Barnidge slanted from wide right. Griffin making it look easy.

Griffin to this point: 14-of-17 for 102 yards and two touchdowns.

Fifth possession (Browns, 14-0)

3rd-and-6 @ Cleveland 36

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, complete to Louis on left for 6 yards.
• Skinny: Griffin with another quick decision and good throw.

1st-and-10 @ Cleveland 42

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, complete to Barnidge on left for 15 yards.
• Skinny: Pitch-and-catch.

1st-and-10 @ Pittsburgh 17

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, intended for WR Rashard Higgins on left/middle interception by LB Ryan Shazier at Pittsburgh 2.
• Skinny: Griffin locked onto Higgins and Shazier read it. Browns' first turnover in 12 quarters.

Sixth possession (Browns, 14-0)

1st-and-10 @ Pittsburgh 47

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, fumble recovered by Steelers at Cleveland 37.
• Skinny: Griffin was in empty backfield, so it likely would have been a pass play. Snap sailed high and off gloves of Griffin, who didn't expect it. Fumble should be charged to C Anthony Fabiano.

Seventh possession (Browns, 14-7)

• (Browns ran the ball once before half ended.)

Griffin at half: 16-of-20 for 123 yards, two touchdowns, one interception, one fumble, one sack.

THIRD QUARTER

Eighth possession (Browns, 14-7)

1st-and-10 @ Cleveland 18

• Result: Griffin complete to Crowell on right for 1 yard.
• Skinny: Swing pass.

2nd-and-9 @ Cleveland 19

• Result: Griffin strip-sack by LB Bud Dupree for minus-7 yards. Browns recover.
• Skinny: Dupree beat RT Cam Erving.

3rd-and-16 @ Cleveland 12

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, complete to Coleman for 7 yards.
• Skinny: Play had no chance for first down.

Ninth possession (Browns, 14-7)

2nd-and-9 @ Cleveland 27

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, incomplete intended for Pryor on right.
• Skinny: Griffin rolled right from pressure and threw strike on move to Pryor, but Pryor was unable to get first foot down at boundary.

3rd-and-9 @ Cleveland 27

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, incomplete intended for Coleman on right/middle.

• Skinny: Cockrell with superb PBU.

FOURTH QUARTER

Tenth possession (14-14)

1st-and-10 @ Cleveland 25

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, complete to Barnidge on right for 0 yards.
• Skinny: Griffin play-faked and rolled right. Steelers swarmed Barnidge.

3rd-and-6 @ Cleveland 29

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, complete to Pryor over middle for 19 yards.
• Skinny: Pryor came from left and found hole in zone. Griffin was patient and threw a strike.

2nd-and-8 @ Pittsburgh 38

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, incomplete intended for Coleman on left.
• Skinny: Burns closed quickly for PBU.

3rd-and-8 @ Pittsburgh 38

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, complete to Hawkins on right/middle for 10 yards.
• Skinny: Griffin with another clutch throw from the pocket.

1st-and-10 @ Pittsburgh 28

• Result: Griffin, from under center, complete to FB Danny Vitale for minus-1 yard.
• Skinny: Steelers diagnosed screen.

3rd-and-5 @ Pittsburgh 23

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, sack by DT Daniel McCullers for minus-8 yards.
• Skinny: McCullers walked Fabiano into Griffin.

(Browns missed field goal.)

Eleventh possession (Steelers, 21-14)

1st-and-10 @ Cleveland 32

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, sack by LB Jarvis Jones for minus-4 yards.
• Skinny: Jones beat LT Joe Thomas.

(The next two plays: Crowell rushed for 67 yards and George Atkinson III rushed for 5-yard touchdown.)

Twelfth possession (21-21)

2nd-and-8 @ Pittsburgh 48 (Cleveland timeout at 1:12 remaining)

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, complete to Pryor on left for 43 yards.
• Skinny: Pryor beat Burns with a double move and was wide-open along sideline.

(On the next play, Crowell fumbled at Pittsburgh 3.)

OVERTIME

Thirteenth possession (21-21)

1st-and-10 @ Cleveland 19

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, complete to Pryor on left for 9 yards.
• Skinny: Pryor, who beat Burns, eclipsed 1,000 yards receiving for season.

1st-and-10 @ Cleveland 31

• Result: Griffin, from under center, incomplete intended for Coleman on left.
• Skinny: Jones deflected pass.

2nd-and-10 @ Cleveland 31

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, complete to Hawkins over middle for 9 yards.

1st-and-10 @ Pittsburgh 49

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, complete to Coleman on left for 10 yards.

2nd-and-13 @ Pittsburgh 25

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, complete to Coleman on right for 11 yards.
• Skinny: Browns o-line picked up blitz.

3rd-and-2 @ Pittsburgh 14

• Result: Griffin incomplete intended for Coleman NULLIFIED by holding on Cockrell.
• Skinny: Burns held Coleman.

2nd-and-goal @ 9

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, incomplete on throwaway to right.
• Skinny: Griffin pressured immediately.

3rd-and-goal @ 9

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, complete to Coleman on right for 5 yards, plus S Mike Mitchell facemask penalty.
• Skinny: Mitchell wanted call to go against Coleman, and he might have had a point.

1st-and-goal @ 2

• Result: Griffin, from under center, incomplete intended for TE Randall Telfer.

2nd-and-goal @ 2

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, complete to Hawkins on left for minus-14 yards.
• Skinny: OIC disaster. Steelers diagnosed screen easily. Pryor unable to help spring Hawkins, who made a bad play worse.

3rd-and-goal @ 16

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, incomplete on throwaway to right.
• Skinny: Griffin, under pressure, did well to avoid sack. Pryor in neighborhood.

(Browns kicked field goal.)

(Because it was a field goal in overtime and not a touchdown, Steelers had opportunity to answer. They scored a touchdown to win.)