Allen Iverson is one reader's solution to fixing this loss-filled Cavaliers season.

View full sizeDuane Burleson / Associated PressAllen Iverson may be 35 and currently overseas, but at least one Cavaliers fan is certain he's The Answer to what's ailing the team.

Hey, Mary: Two words -- Allen Iverson. Get him on loan from the Turkish team. I hear they're in dire financial straits anyway. He's a take-charge kind of point guard, which Cavs sorely lack. Makes his own shot.

Got a lot left. Badly wants to return to NBA. Cavs used to stand-around-and-wait offense. Sure the man is a train wreck, but this is his shot at redemption. Sure they get smaller, but might as well make it a circus because the wheels already have fallen off. At least it will be entertaining, probably win a few and get the confidence back. -- Robert Mulryan, Cleveland Heights

Hey, Robert: Three words -- never gonna happen. But I did get a good laugh out of your e-mail.

Hey, Mary: Among many other questions I have, I was wondering if there was any thought being given to starting Ramon Sessions. I know he's not a great passer or shooter, but he puts pressure on the defense, it seems, and with Boobie [when healthy] or Mo at the 2, and Parker at the 3, they'd seem to have a better "drive-and-kick" game. If there's one area in which the team is above average, it's in the 1-2 guard area (at least offensively). -- Ryan Flaherty, Ann Arbor, Mich.

Hey, Ryan: With Mo Williams out possibly as long as four weeks with his strained left hip flexor, you're going to get all you want of Ramon Sessions -- assuming he's healthy after Saturday's abdominal injury. He's at his best driving to the hole, which you're sure to see a lot of the next month.

Hey, Mary: Why is it that I keep reading that Carmelo Anthony is expected to meet with the Nets or the Knicks? Am I missing something, or is that blatant tampering? If so, why does the NBA continue to ignore it if Carmelo is under contract with the Nuggets? -- Erik, Strongsville

Hey, Erik: I don't know about meetings with the Knicks, but the Nuggets gave Anthony permission to meet with the Nets, thereby eliminating any question of tampering.

Hey, Mary: Got a whole bunch of questions.

1. Can we apply for the disabled player exception? Andy's contract isn't exactly peanuts.

2. Dare we say that with Butler's injury, the Mavs will be high on Jamison?

3. How's Jamison doing? He's been nothing but a consummate pro for us (and all his career basically), and it's hard as a fan to see him suffering through the Cavs' growing pains.

4. I love Mo's attitude. His dedication to Cavs and Cleveland is refreshing. Would it be hypocritical of Dan Gilbert to move him even though he wants to stay -- especially after all the loyalty talk this season? In your opinion, can Mo grow into a Billups-esque type floor leader? We're seeing lots of older point guards in this league. Also I don't buy that Mo can't play defense. What exactly is wrong? I'm sure the criticism of his defense really hurts him.

5. Any chance Cavs want to take a chance with Chris Kaman? -- Joseph Tay, Singapore

Hey, Joseph: Wow, I'll try to squeeze in as many answers as I can. The Cavs can't use the disabled player exception because Varejao is not going to miss enough time. Because he was injured in the middle of the season, his injury would have to keep him out all of next season for the Cavs to get that exception.

Jamison has been, as you said, the consummate pro, but I don't see Dallas making a big push for him. I think Mo Williams' injury squashes any chance the Cavs had at moving him, if, in fact, they were interested in doing so. He and Billups are two different players, so I don't see that happening.

Finally, Williams gets criticized because he doesn't play very good defense. Players routinely drive past him. I wouldn't say Kaman is out of the question, but I also don't think he's very high on the Cavs list of priorities.

-- Mary

Time for another trip though Tony Grossi's mailbag.

View full sizeChuck Crow / The Plain DealerWill Pat Shurmur last long enough with the Browns to the be only head coach on the team's payroll?

Hey, Tony: This year's draft class looks pretty weak overall. Your thoughts? -- Paul Kebker, Slippery Rock, Pa.

Hey, Paul: If that were the case, I would expect the expert draft teams like the Steelers, Packers, Patriots, etc., to get richer and the also-rans to get poorer.

Hey, Tony: I suppose it doesn't really matter to me, since it's not my money, but a small part of me hopes that Pat Shurmur stays head coach long enough that the Browns are only paying for one head coach instead of three. How long will that take? -- Stan Himes, West Des Moines, Iowa

Hey, Stan: Three years.

Hey, Tony: With Shurmur's past experience as QB coach and offensive coordinator, how much will he actually be involved in the development of Colt McCoy and the offensive philosophy? And what, if any, input will Mike Holmgren have on this? Also, one of my complaints against Eric Mangini was what I considered poor personnel choices (like sitting your No. 1 draft choice while Eric Wright was getting torched or throwing the ball to stone-fingers Robert Royal). Does anything in Shurmur's history indict him for similar issues? -- Ken Knapp, Hallandale Beach, Fla.

Hey, Ken: Shurmur's high priorities will be to establish the offensive philosophy and develop McCoy. I'm sure Holmgren will take a more active role alongside Shurmur than he took with Mangini. There's no record on Shurmur as a head coach making personnel decisions or game decisions. Coordinators often have to defer to the head coach on critical game decisions, so we won't know how he'll fare until he's totally in charge.

Hey, Tony: Isn't the West Coast Offense an update on the offense Paul Brown ran with the Browns (i.e., quick passing routes, mobile QB, and power running game)? And a completely random question: What is the purpose of the two-minute warning? Provide an extra commercial timeout? Allow teams to strategize in the last 120 seconds? -- Jim Albertson, Norman, Okla.

Hey, Jim: Yes, you're correct on the origin of the offense. When Bill Walsh was passed over as Bengals coach by Brown and moved to San Francisco, he took the offense Brown established first in Cleveland and then in Cincinnati. As for the two-minute warning, you are correct again. It serves the double purpose of squeezing in more commercials while also allowing teams more time to strategize. It's another rule to help the offense when one score behind.

Hey, Tony: The Shurmur hire is a bust. Much better candidates were available, likeOakland OC Hue Jackson. Mike Holmgren lost a portion of the fan base today. If he's a gambling man, I'd say he crapped out. Any clues as to which coordinators Bob LaMonte represents? That should be a pretty clear indicator as to who else will be on the sidelines with Shurmur next year. What a bloated mess of an organization. -- Tim, Winter Haven, Fla.

Hey, Tim: I detect a bad vibe here.

Hey, Tony: I still do not understand why the Browns were so quick to get rid of Rob Ryan, he was the only reason we were competitive this season. Imagine what he could do with some talent. -- Justin Sacco, Phoenix

Hey, Justin: While I felt Ryan had a chance of being kept, the Browns wanted everybody on the same page. Ryan knew he'd have other DC opportunities. No team wants to keep a coach that doesn't want to be there and I think Ryan wanted out.

Hey, Tony: Do you think the Browns can win in this division with the West Coast offense? Does this style really lend itself to beating the tough physical defenses in Pittsburgh and Baltimore? I was glad to hear that Holmgren did mention that they still need to run the ball, but will they? -- Andy Gasbarre, North Royalton

Hey, Andy: I don't know how the West Coast offense will fare against Pittsburgh and Baltimore, but whatever the Browns have been trying to do on offense certainly hasn't worked. So why not try something different? The WCO uses the pass to set up the run. It's not the run-and-shoot, which didn't run the ball at all. When Mike Holmgren coached Seattle to the Super Bowl in 2005, he had the league's No. 1 rusher in Shaun Alexander. I also believe the Browns will benefit from having coaches who are expert in the system they intend to run instead of a coordinator melding a system from all those he has been exposed to.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz / The Plain DealerMany fans are wailing about the loss of Rob Ryan as defensive coordinator. If Ryan -- and the defense -- was so good, why was Santonio Holmes' TD catch one of many big plays against the Browns?

Hey, Tony: I can understand almost everything the Browns are trying to do with the coaching change except for the defense. We got to watch a defense improve to a respectable level over the last couple of years and now to blow it up and convert to a 4-3? And fire Rob Ryan who isgetting head coaching interviews? How does this make any sense at all? If it ain't broke, don't fix it. -- Steve Szabo, Encinitas, Calif.

Hey, Steve: Did you forget how many games the Browns lost after holding a lead in the fourth quarter? I realize the offense was by far the weaker unit, but the defense wasn't exactly top shelf, either.

Hey, Tony: 1. A moot point, but did the acquisition of Jayme Mitchell (4-3 defensive end) this season indicate Holmgren was already planning on switching coaches earlier than he let on? 2. With two years on injured reserve, it looked like D'Qwell Jackson was out, but will theswitch to a 4-3 make the front office take another look? A lot of our linebackers look too old and slow to run the 4-3. 3. Finally, regarding Matt Roth: Do the Browns resign him as a defensive end or lose him to free agency? -- Paul Straub, Kent

Hey, Paul: 1. It sure looks like it. Mitchell himself asked, "Why am I here?" when he arrived. 2. After severe pectoral muscle injuries two years in a row, Jackson is a long-shot. 3. This will be interesting. I understand Roth was intent on leaving via free agency if Mangini stayed. I don't know how the coaching change affects his plans. He would appear to be a fit as a 4-3 defensive end, but he might not want that.

Hey, Tony: I am happy with the new direction of the Browns under the trio of Holmgren, Heckert and Shurmur. However I am concerned that even with a 3,000-yard passer, 1,800 yard rusher and a trio of 50+ catch receivers, Holmgren's West Coast offense could only manage three points against the Steelers in Super Bowl XL. How does the West Coast offense typically fare against great 3-4 defenses like the Steelers or Ravens? -- Jeff, Huntington Beach, Calif.

Hey, Jeff: This is an issue that I will be delving into much more at a later date. In general, I think it's fair to say that most offenses -- no matter the style -- have struggled against the robust defenses of Pittsburgh and Baltimore over the past 10 years. That's one of the great challenges facing the Browns, and Bengals, for that matter.

Hey, Tony: 1) Our new HC said we must have an efficient, explosive passing game. Do we need explosive receivers to match that vision? 2) Do you think we will finally have a professionally coordinated offense, one that can make the correct adjustments during a game? -- SL Smith, Canton, Ohio

Hey, SL: 1. Need receivers who can ran after the catch. Need also the quarterback to put the ball where it's supposed to be. 2. I'm looking forward to see a fresh approach to the offensive side of the ball on game days.

Hey, Tony: I believe this team needs to take some chances on players kinda like Philadelphia with Michael Vick and Mike Williams in Seattle. What do you think, should the Browns go after Plaxico Burress? -- Shaylin Butler, Pemberton, N.J.

Hey, Shaylin: I'm going to invoke my 10-foot pole rule. No way. Besides the baggage, he'll be 34 by season's start. They need younger legs.

View full sizeDave Martin / Associated PressCan the West Coast offense really work in the NFL? Why not ask Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers?

Hey, Tony: With all the talk of the Browns' going to the West Coast offense, what teams employed this scheme this last year? -- Jim T, Denver

Hey, Jim: There are different versions of the West Coast, depending on what the head coach has done to adjust to his players, his opponents, geography, etc. Teams that played some version of the West Coast offense last year were: Houston, Oakland, Green Bay, Minnesota, Philadelphia, St. Louis and Washington. Philadelphia played the system most similar to what the Browns probably will run.

Hey, Tony: Pat Shurmur will call his own plays this year? For real? Here in The Lou, where they love Shurmur for how he brought Sam Bradford along, they still rip him as an offensive coordinator. Do the Browns really want him to be head coach, and OC, and mentor Colt McCoy? Seems very foolish to me. Or will Mike Holmgren be more involved than we realize? -- Jonathan Kirk, St. Louis

Hey, Jonathan: I think Holmgren will be involved. Shurmur will be the head coach. He's looking for a coordinator and quarterbacks coach. The development of McCoy will be a group effort, I'm sure. I expect Shurmur to call a game differently than what you saw in St. Louis, where he had to take orders from a head coach from the defensive side of the ball.

Hey, Tony: Although the Browns have had consecutive 5-11 seasons, only the most severe Mangini hater can deny the team is much more disciplined and talented then when he took over. That being said, what do you think will be an acceptable record for the coming season? -- Robert Milgate, Lakewood

Hey, Robert: Nobody said Mangini did not make some advances in two seasons on the job. But NFL coaches are paid to win, not clamp down on penalties and turnover ratio. Those stats don't mean a thing when you go 5-11. An acceptable record for the 2011 season starts with at least one more win and probably a few more than that.

Hey, Tony: Please tell me the Browns are going to retain Phil Dawson. What is $3Mcompared to what they are paying others who make twice as much without the same production. Who would replace him and have the same consistency as Dawson? -- Skip Herendeen, Arlington, Texas

Hey, Skip: Maybe the Browns will come to their senses and re-sign Dawson before free agency. Then again, there may be no free agency until a collective bargaining agreement is reached. So Dawson isn't going anywhere just yet.

Hey, Tony: Now that Pat Shurmur is in the fold, what do you think the possibility isof bringing Donovan McNabb in as a starter and mentor to Colt McCoy? -- Mike Kupen, Pittsburgh

Hey, Mike: That shouldn't happen. It's time to move forward, not try to recapture another year of magic from a descending veteran QB.

Hey, Tony: I've read reports that if the Browns switch back to a 4-3 defense, Ahtyba Rubin may have a difficult time as a DT instead of a NT and not be a good fit. Could you explain the difference and give your take on it. -- Todd Jones, Deerfield Beach, Fla.

Hey, Todd: While Rubin is an excellent nose in the 3-4, I don't think he'll have trouble playing as a tackle in the 4-3. He can play in any defensive system.

Hey, Tony: With the hiring of a new coach, wouldn't it be a great time to get rid of the whole "dog/dawg" image and try to focus on the rich heritage of the Browns? I think a focus on Paul Brown's contributions would be greater than close ups of Big Dawg on TV. We need to raise the bar. -- Chris Balla, Powell, Ohio

Hey, Chris: If they win, those issues will take care of themselves. A new identity would be born from winning, trust me.

Hey, Tony: It is very clear hearing Holmgren talk that this is what he wanted all along and that there was really no way Mangini was coming back. I understand him wanting it this way, what I don't understand is why wait a year? Please do not waste our time telling us "Mike felt bad as a coach firing a coach after one year." If he knew this is what he wanted, then he wasted a year not getting building. The way I see it, next year is year 2 of the Holmgren reign and if we win 4, 5 or 6, that goes on him. I don't want any excuses about rebuilds. -- Michael Spitale, Galena, Ohio

Hey, Michael: All true. I wrote the story when he brought Mangini back in 2010 that NFL sources said it was a "win-win" situation for Holmgren. They didn't say "win-win" for the Browns. I also wrote that the case can be made that Holmgren wasted a year by not switching coaches in 2010, but he did not want to fire a coach coming off four straight wins.

Hey, Tony: I was just wondering now that Sean McDermott is out in Philadelphia, what are the odds he comes to Cleveland in some capacity? -- Brian Fitch, Ephrata, Pa.

Hey, Brian: Since you submitted your question, McDermott was hired as defensive coordinator with Carolina.

Hey, Tony: Watching the Ravens-Steelers game I was (un)pleasantly surprised by Joe Flacco. He looked like some frightened rookie and not a guy who's a sure bet to become an elite QB. At certain moments he seemed lost and couldn't wait to get rid of the ball. That couldn't but remind me of our guy Colt. If there's one thing I can bet on about him it's his poise. Then again, who am I to say -- just a biased Browns fan.

The question for you is, who would you rather have: A) strong but not the strongest arm gutless Flacco or B) weak but not the weakest arm bring them to me McCoy? -- Miroslav Stefanovic, Serbia

Hey, Miroslav: As lost as Flacco appeared to you, his team put up 24 points against the Steelers in a playoff game. If Anquan Boldin and T.J. Houshmandzadeh had not dropped passes in crucial situations, the Ravens might have won the game. Flacco has won four playoff games on the road in three seasons. McCoy has won two of eight games in his career. My answer to your question? I'd take the "gutless" Flacco any day of the week.

Hey, Tony: What is the application process like for an NFL head coach? Is there an actual application? Does the team hire a head hunter? Is there a nomination process? -- Heidi Yanok, Olmsted Falls

Hey, Heidi: When a team is looking for a head coach, the top football authority -- its president or general manager, or sometimes its owner -- conducts his search any way he wants to. The only thing he must do is interview at least one minority for the job -- the so-called Rooney Rule.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter / The Plain DealerWhen it comes to Cleveland sports officials, perhaps no one has more job security than Mike Holmgren.

Hey, Tony: All of the Browns' problems begin and end with the ineffective leadership of Randy Lerner. Since Mr. Lerner is unlikely to fire himself, if Pat Shurmur fails to produce a winning team during his contract, how long will Mike Holmgren last in Cleveland? I hope that this scenario doesn't arise, but given Mr. Lerner's track record, I am skeptical of seeing a Browns team in the playoffs anytime soon. -- Andrew Steckler, Beachwood

Hey, Andrew: I would expect Holmgren to fulfill the five years on his contract as Browns president whether or not Shurmur fails.

Hey, Tony: You recently said this -- "Finally, you can not name a single quarterback with a northern, outdoor-based NFL team that won anything of note in the past 30 years. Not one." You have to have meant something else, been sarcastic, or this has to be a typo. You can't possibly have forgotten Brett Favre, Tom Brady, Eli Manning, Ben Roethlisburger, Jim McMahon, Jim Kelly (Getting to 4 Super Bowls, despite losing, is still noteworthy). -- Joshua Winkler, Hilliard, Ohio

Hey, Joshua: I inadvertently omitted the phrase "with average or below-average arm strength." All the quarterbacks you mention had above-average arm strength. That's precisely the point I was trying to make. The noodle-armed quarterbacks might win something with dome-based teams or in the sunny climes, but not up here. The best recent example I can think of is Chad Pennington. In his prime -- before multiple shoulder injuries -- he had all the intangibles that Colt McCoy has. But his weak arm caught up with him in the months of December and January and he ultimately won nothing. I realize Browns fans are extremely sensitive about questioning McCoy's potential. They do fall in love rather quickly.

Hey, Tony: Two years ago before the NFL draft you described Rey Maualuga as a "must get player" for the Browns and you were "disgusted" the Browns passed on him. I have never seen a sports writer so obsessed with an individual player before a draft. Now after two years of mediocre play, can you finally just admit you were grossly incorrect in your evaluation of this guy (It's OK ... you're not the GM). Off the field issues aside, this past year he had a modest 75 tackles and 1 sack and really is turning into a situational third-down player for the Bengals. Please admit you were wrong and I promise I will move on. -- Chris Basmagy, Columbus

Hey, Chris: If you don't think Maualuga could not start for the Browns, you are watching different games on Sunday than I am.

Also, if you don't think the Browns blew their draft in 2009, you are living in La-La Land, not Columbus.

Hey, Tony: The Browns have obviously been an inept, dysfunctional organization since their return in 1999. Which regime do you think set the Browns back the furthest? Was it Chris Palmer, Butch Davis, Mangini, etc? -- Mark White, Wadsworth

Hey, Mark: This is an interesting one. Because the foundation of the expansion era was laid in the first two seasons, I think the first regime set them back the farthest. And I don't blame Chris Palmer for that. I'm talking about Carmen Policy and Dwight Clark. Their decisions on personnel and team management started tipping the dominoes.

Hey, Tony: There has been much hyperbole regarding Colt "can't do wrong" McCoy from a lot of fans, including most area beat writers. For example, when Jake Delhomme played, no matter what he did it wasn't good enough. With McCoy, the receiver should had helped him to avoid interceptions. I was only waiting for the sun's glare from Delhomme's clipboard to be the next culprit.

Colt's only played in six games and the final three were basically disasters, so a more thoughtful approach should be in order, don't you think? All that said I agree with your arm strength assessment when I look at Ben in Pitts and Rogers in GB, they both have cannon arms that cut through any and all inclement northern winter weather. Assuming a guy with the same pedigree were available for the Browns to take with their first pick, would you take him? -- Johnathan Woodliff, Massillon, Ohio

Hey, Johnathan: I am not advocating taking a quarterback with the No. 6 overall pick. I am advocating researching each of the quarterbacks available in this draft thoroughly and then asking this question: Can Colt McCoy take this team, in this climate, in this division, to the Super Bowl? Unless that answer is a resounding "yes," then I would seriously consider the best quarterback with the Browns' first pick. They can change regimes, change coaches, change owners. Until they find "the" quarterback, they are going nowhere. Is McCoy "the guy"? I honestly don't know, but there are men in the building being paid a ton of money to come up with the right answer.

Hey, Tony: There is all this talk, at least from the media, that it's McCoy's job to lose but one thing that I've not heard to date is the possibility of Seneca Wallace being our starter. 1. He knows the WC offense. 2. He is relatively young at 30. 3. He has the strong arm needed for Cleveland weather. 4. He seemed to get better each game before his injury; meaning he threwthe ball around instead of locking in on one guy. I think it's an intriguing possibility. I like what he brings physically and with him knowing the system might be the better choice for 2011. -- Randy McGuire, Orlando, Fla.

Hey, Randy: A couple things. 1. Wallace's contract is up, but I would expect the Browns to re-sign him. 2. Although Wallace does have a good arm, he doesn't seem to read the whole field and disperse the ball to all his receivers. That said, I think he is a very good backup quarterback who certainly should be retained by a club converting to the West Coast offense.

Hey, Tony: I know the coaches had reason to use two tight end sets more often during the later part of the season, but it seems to me that it resulted in less time on the field for Lawrence Vickers. I think that may have been a major contributor to the reduction of Peyton Hillis' yards per carry, and increased wear and tear on his body. Do we have the yards-per-carry average for Hillis with and without Vickers on the field? -- Seren Hrachian, Athens, N.Y.

Hey, Seren: I do not have the figures you requested. However, I couldn't agree more with you. In fact, I included taking Vickers off the field on my list of the 10 Great Mysteries of the Browns' 2010 season.

Hey, Tony: Outside of adding an impact WR, and depth at RB to go with Hillis and Hardesty (we can't have another year where an injury leaves us with just one viable RB), would you agree that the front seven of the defense needs the most attention? The roster is not even close to having the players to run a 4-3 defense. Also, do you think the trade for Jayme Mitchell way back when was a tip off on the coaching change? -- Matt Alsip, Towson, Md.

Hey, Matt: I agree the front seven of the defense is in need of serious upgrade. As GM Tom Heckert implied, an upgrade was needed even before the switch to the 4-3 based on age alone. The Mitchell trade -- one of my 10 Great Mysteries -- clearly was a tipoff of what came to pass.

Hey, Tony: Given the fact the Browns will probably move to a 4-3 and will need quick sideline-to-sideline linebackers, do you think the Browns will consider Casey Matthews in the draft? How can you miss with a kid whose father was a mainstay for years, whose uncle played in the NFL for 1,000 years and whose brother is an emerging star? -- Jim Bays, Denton, Texas

Hey, Jim: Well, the Mangini Browns missed the boat on the best of the Matthews sons, Clay III. I don't think anyone projects Casey as a first-round talent. That doesn't mean he doesn't bear a very close look.

Hey, Tony: With the likelihood the Browns switch to a 4-3 defense, does that increase the chances that they take a defensive lineman with their first pick (such as Nick Fairley from Auburn) over a wide receiver (such as AJ Green of Georgia)? -- Rich Smith, Columbus

Hey, Rich: I was touting defensive line help long before the apparent switch to the 4-3 scheme. Receivers can be had in any round.

Hey, Tony: Prior to Mangini getting fired, on the "Point After" show you pointed out that firing Mangini wouldn't constitute a complete change. However in your Jan. 16 column you lamented the big changes coming on offense and defense. Which is it? -- Mike B, Dover, Ohio

Hey, Mike: As an avid viewer of the Point After, you probably know my point was that in every previous case in the expansion era, the Browns fired their coach and their football GM. In this case, they were just firing the coach and the top level of management -- President Mike Holmgren and GM Tom Heckert -- were still on board. As Heckert explained the day Pat Shurmur was introduced, "big changes" were coming on the roster regardless of the coaching change because of excessive age.

Hey, Tony: Since Nnamdi Asomugha is available as a free agent, could the Browns actually trade the sixth pick in the draft for him straight up instead of waiting until he is a free agent? I know it's a stretch, but I would make that move in a heartbeat. He is experienced, hitting his prime, you know what you would be getting (instead of an unproven rookie). -- Eric Myers, Victoria, Minn.

Hey, Eric: There can be no trade of players until there is a new collective bargaining agreement. Further, it's my understanding that Asomugha's contract has been voided and he is technically unsigned and is a free agent as of the new NFL calendar year.

-- Tony

The hiring of Dick Jauron as defensive coordinator overshadows a significant coaching loss.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter / The Plain DealerFormer special teams coach Brad Seely led one of the NFL's best coverage units during his two seasons in Berea.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Can hiring a defensive coordinator really warm a Northeast Ohio winter? Perhaps, as Terry's Talkin' ...

About the Browns...

1. The hiring of Dick Jauron as defensive coordinator overshadows a significant coaching loss -- Brad Seely going to San Francisco to coach special teams. This guy did a great job in his two years, as the Browns didn't allow a punt or kickoff return for a TD. The 18.3 yards allowed on kickoff returns was lowest in the NFL, and they ranked No. 4 in punt coverage in the last two seasons. He made Reggie Hodges into an effective punter, and Joshua Cribbs had his best season in 2009 with Seely.

2. Seely had a special clause in his contract that allowed him to leave in the event that Eric Mangini was fired as head coach. No doubt, the Browns wanted to keep him -- but he preferred to start fresh in San Francisco. He has been an elite special teams coach for 23 NFL seasons. Last season, the longest kick return allowed by the Browns was 32 yards, the longest punt return was 33. They had no punts or field goals blocked.

3. You don't notice special teams coaches until something is wrong. Let's hope the Browns can find another Seely. Profootballfocus.com rated the Browns' special teams as No. 3 in the NFL, behind St. Louis and Atlanta.

4. Yes, all three of Mangini's coordinators were hired by other teams as coordinators: Rob Ryan (Dallas), Brian Daboll (Miami) and Seely (San Francisco).

5. The best thing new defensive coordinator Dick Jauron brings is nearly 10 years of head coaching experience in Buffalo, Chicago and Detroit. The Browns desperately need a defensive leader, given a rookie head coach in Pat Shurmur who plans to call his own plays.

6. At Philly.com, Sheil Kapadia broke down Jauron's time as a defensive coordinator, a spot he held in Jacksonville from 1995-98. In terms of yards allowed, his defenses were ranked between 15th and 25th. When it came to points, the ranking averaged 20th. In 2004, he had that job with Detroit, and ranked 22nd overall, 18th in points allowed.

7. I looked at Jauron's three full seasons as Buffalo's head coach -- he was 7-9 every year from 2006-08. Defensively, his Bills were 18th, 31st and 14th in yards allowed, but 10th, 18th and 14th in points. A disturbing trend was never ranking better than 22nd against the run. I am convinced that you must be somewhere near the middle of the pack against the run to have any hope of competing in the AFC North.

8. A few readers emailed that the key defensive stat is points allowed, and the Browns ranked 13th -- better than their overall 22nd ranking. That further underlines how defense has determined playoff winners. Here's how the final four NFL teams ranked in points allowed: Steelers (1), Packers (2), Bears (4) and Jets (6). Baltimore was No. 3, but lost to the Steelers. Atlanta was No. 5, but lost to Green Bay.

9. Yes, offense matters, but the Browns had better upgrade their defense. It appears they will switch to some form of 4-3 after a 3-4 scheme in the last six years under Romeo Crennel and Mangini. That will mean even more changes. Just curious, who would be a middle linebacker in a 4-3 defense? No one comes to mind. Scott Futija could play outside. Matt Roth and Marcus Benard probably can switch from linebackers to defensive ends in the 4-3. Yes, there will be another overhaul if they do use the 4-3.

10. I'd love to see the Browns hire Chris Palmer as quarterback coach. The Browns coach from 1999-2000 did a good job as QB coach helping Tony Romo and Eli Manning early in their careers. While he's not a West Coast offense guy, Palmer is good with people and quarterbacks -- and could be a real asset to Colt McCoy.

About the Cavaliers ...

View full sizeCharles Cherney / Associated PressDaniel Gibson and the Cavaliers had a better defensive performance Saturday night, holding Carlos Boozer and the Bulls to just 92 points. But it didn't result in a much-needed victory.

1. The Cavs have one major goal for the second half -- play better defense. They have gone from one of the best defensive teams in the league to perhaps the worst. There are a variety of reasons -- losing LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal and Zydrunas Ilgauskas was huge. James was the runner-up to Dwight Howard for Defensive Player of the Year. O'Neal and Ilgauskas made the Cavs one of the best at preventing teams from scoring in the paint.

2. Then Anderson Varejao went down for the season with a foot injury. Mo Williams -- never a good defender -- has been hobbled by groin and hip injuries, and he's now out a month. When he did play, he was a defensive liability. Antawn Jamison has played well overall, but his cranky knee hurts his mobility. It's been a mess with injuries to Anthony Parker and Daniel Gibson, two decent defenders. Newcomers Ramon Sessions and Ryan Hollins have struggled. Guards often dribbled right past the Cavs to the rim.

3. The two most athletic positions on the court are shooting guard and small forward, where the Cavs may be the least athletic team in the NBA. It's one of the reasons they want to use Christian Eyenga more. The 6-5 rookie can run, defend and has long arms -- something desperately needed by the team. The 21-year-old from the Congo also has impressed the coaches with his toughness and work ethic. They also will continue to look at rookie Manny Harris at shooting guard.

4. The numbers are frightening: Out of 30 teams, the Cavs entered Saturday 29th in defensive field goal percentage (.482), 30th against 3-pointers (.426), 26th in points allowed (104.9), 27th in rebounding (minus-3.6), 30th in blocked shots (3.7) and they are being outscored by an NBA-worst 11.3 per game. The 29th team is New Jersey, outscored by 6.0 per game.

5. The Cavs have set a goal to improve most of those numbers. A mistake made by new coach Byron Scott was to not only bring needed change to the offense, but also have too many complicated defensive schemes. With all the roster changes and young players on the court, they were overwhelmed. That led to Scott simplifying the defensive approach. Because of all the injuries, the Cavs have had 13 starting lineups.

6. Several NBA teams have done a study of the 80 NBA coaches over the last 20 years to see what is part of winning. It's a complicated statistical formula, but San Antonio's Gregg Popovich comes out as the top defensive coach in that span. Phil Jackson's defenses rank in the top 10, as did those of Mike Brown. Byron Scott ranked slightly above average as a defensive coach. So it's not as if Scott has run a flawed system.

7. The Cavs consider opponents' field goal percentage the most important defensive stat. In his five full seasons at New Orleans, Scott's teams ranked as highly as seventh and generally in the middle of the league. His worst win-loss record was his first -- 18-64 in 2004-05 -- yet the Hornets still ranked 17th in defensive field goal percentage. These numbers tell you that the primary problem with the Cavs is the players.

8. General Manager Chris Grant and Scott have both recently thanked Jamison for how he's played this season. In January, the veteran is averaging 22.4 points, 7.5 rebounds in 37 minutes. "He is one of the best pros and people that I've been around in the NBA," said Grant. "This is a tough situation, and he's handled it well." Scott said he's had to sit him out of some practices, insisting the 34-year-old veteran rest.

9. Alonzo Gee simply lacks the scoring needed from a wing player -- averaging 5.6 points and shooting 41 percent in 24 minutes a game. In January, he's averaged nearly 27 minutes a game, scoring 6.3 points and shooting 40 percent. He was a guy who averaged 21 points a game in the D-League, where he could drive to the hoop at will. But not in the NBA.

10. Since being benched on Jan. 5 for missing a practice, J.J. Hickson has responded to Scott's challenge to rebound -- averaging 11.2 per game. He also is scoring 14.6 points in that span. Scott now is easing off on the criticism of Hickson because he sees a sincere effort in practices and games from the 22-year-old forward.

About the Indians...

View full sizeRoadell Hickman / The Plain DealerJared Goedert may have the power to earn a chance in the majors, but he needs to prove he can play defense well enough at third base.

1. Last Sunday, I wrote about how the Indians may give Jason Donald the initial shot to win the third base job, at least until prospect Lonnie Chisenhall is ready -- hopefully by mid-season. But some fans were wondering about Jared Goedert, who hit 27 HR with 83 RBI between Class AA and Class AAA, batting .283 with an .890 OPS.

2. The Indians say they will give Goedert "serious consideration" this spring. But there are some serious concerns about his defense -- 18 errors in 68 games at Class AAA Columbus. The strange thing is he had only three in 26 games at third with Akron. In 2009, it was 13 errors in 76 games at Akron. The guy has never been Buddy Bell or Travis Fryman, but he was never as bad as his time at Columbus in 2010.

3. Tribe minor-league director Ross Atkins believes Goedert "can eventually develop into an average third baseman." He said Goedert went through a "six-week period where he made a lot of errors and struggled with his confidence, especially his throwing." Atkins added that Goedert was "much better at third" in Venezuela this winter.

4. Goedert can make the Indians one way -- with a huge spring with the bat. A year ago, no one mentioned his name as a prospect. In 2009, he hit .224 (.657 OPS) at Akron with only five homers in 359 at-bats. He went from a guy who had 16 homers in 46 games to open the 2007 season at Class A Lake County to a player who had shoulder and other injuries. Then he began to hit again last year.

5. In Goedert's favor is being a right-handed hitter who batted .294 (1.002 OPS) vs. lefties. The Indians are loaded with left-handed batters, and he also can play some first base and outfield. At 25 and with Chisenhall set to open 2011 at third for Columbus, Goedert can find a spot as a role player. "He absolutely can hit," said Atkins. "He has raw power and work ethic, but he has to be more consistent. To play third in the big leagues, you are talking about an .800 OPS along with playing a demanding defensive position."

6. Goedert is streaky. He had an outside chance to be promoted last year, but batted only .222 (.716 OPS) in August as his defense struggled. The Indians decided not to add him to the 40-man roster. His final average at Columbus was .261, with 77 strikeouts and only 37 walks in 318 at-bats. He hit 15 homers in his first 33 games for Columbus, five in his final 48 games.

7. The real prospect is Chisenhall, who Atkins says has "elite hands" and will be 22 this season. He was rated the No. 2 third-base prospect in the minors by MLB.com. While there are reasons to impressed with Goedert's power, it was Chisenhall who led all Tribe minor leaguers with 84 RBI. His 17 HR were third in the system, behind Goedert (27) and Matt McBride (21). His overall numbers (.278, 17 HR, 84 RBI, .801 OPS) were strong for a 21-year-old at Class AA. But even more impressive is he dealt with a shoulder injury early in the season, and batted .294 (.869 OPS) after the All-Star break.

8. The Indians rate Chisenhall (17 errors in 96 games) as average at third base with a chance to be better. He is a converted shortstop, a position he played in 2008 after he was the Tribe's No. 1 pick. Fryman has supervised Chisenhall's switch to third base, and believes he will be well above average by the time he peaks in the majors. Atkins on Chisenhall: "He has great plate coverage, a quick swing. He has what you look for in a hitter."

A determined fourth-quarter push ran out of steam as the Bulls scored 11 straight points to put the game away.

View full sizeCharles Cherney / Associated PressJ.J. Hickson challenged Carlos Boozer on this fourth-quarter drive to the basket Saturday night. Hickson scored 13 points and pulled down 20 rebounds in the 92-79 loss.

CHICAGO -- The Cavaliers had their chance Saturday night.

Led by Antawn Jamison's 31 points and 11 rebounds, short-handed Cleveland cut Chicago's 20-point third quarter lead to 77-75 with 4:37 left. But a determined push ran out of steam as the Bulls scored 11 straight points to seal a 92-79 victory at the United Center.

The Cavs have lost 16 straight, 26 of 27 overall and 20 straight on the road to fall to a league-worst 8-34. The franchise's single-season record for consecutive losses is 19, from March 19 to April 18, 1982, while the single-season record for consecutive road losses is 21, from Jan. 13-April 14, 2003.

In another disappointing development, starting point guard Ramon Sessions, who replaced the injured Mo Williams, lasted just 11 minutes in the first half before leaving with a right abdominal strain. He will be reevaluated on Sunday, with the Cavaliers heading to New Jersey for a Monday night game.

Derrick Rose recovered from a slow start to finish with 24 points and eight assists for the Bulls, who improved to 29-14. Carlos Boozer added 20 points and 10 rebounds, while Luol Deng had 20 points and 12 rebounds.

J.J. Hickson finished with 13 points and a career-high 20 rebounds for the Cavs, who looked better than they have in weeks.

"I just think for the most part we actually played like we felt we had a chance to win," Jamison said. "I think there have been situations where we played pretty well but we didn't actually believe that we had an opportunity to win.

"I think once we started playing pretty good defense and started moving the ball on the offensive end, we started to get confident as a team. If we continue to play this way, things can go our way.

"Unfortunately, down the stretch again, miscommunication on the defensive end, not great quality shots on offense..."

He didn't finish the sentence, much as the Cavs didn't finish the game. But unlike so many nights this season, they recovered from a slow start and hung in nearly to the end. Nearly.

"What can you say besides that our guys competed tonight," coach Byron Scott said. "With all the guys that are banged up and out of the lineup, I thought we competed. Probably one of the best [games] that we played as far as really getting after people and being competitive.

"But the Bulls down to the end of the game you've got Derrick Rose and he basically took over."

The Cavs fell behind, 12-2, at the start and were behind by the same 10 points at halftime, 48-38.

Rose had a quiet first half and was just 1 of 6 with four points and four assists. But he scored eight of the Bulls' first 15 points in the third quarter as Chicago seemed to put the contest away with a 63-43 lead. Undaunted, Jamison had eight points as the Cavs went on a 17-4 run to close to 67-60.

A jumper by Rose and a 3-pointer by Kyle Korver nudged Chicago's lead back to 72-60 before a tip by Jamison at the buzzer kept the Cavs within 72-62 after three quarters, and the Cavs continued their charge into the fourth quarter.

"I'm disappointed and I think all those guys in there are very disappointed," Scott said. "But I'm very pleased with the way we played and how hard we played. Couldn't ask them to play any harder, but again that's one of those things where as good as that sounds and as much as we need to play as hard as we played tonight, it's still nothing when you still lose the ball game.

"Our objective is to win the game no matter who plays or who's in uniform and we weren't able to get it done tonight."

Talk Sunday sports until 2 p.m. today on Digital Sports Network, cleveland.com's online sports station featuring live streaming video and audio.

File PhotoThe Lamar Hunt trophy is at stake tonight in the AFC Championship Game.

Today's lineup on Digital Sports Network:

Browns Talk with Bob Karlovec and Ray Yannucci, 9 a.m.-noon

Sour Apples with Tony Mazur and D.J. Dorko, noon-2 p.m.

Best of DSN, off-hours

Thanks to the team's injuries, rookie Manny Harris will take a turn at point guard for the first time since high school.

View full sizeTony Dejak / Associated PressManny Harris (left, against Milwaukee's Carlos Delfino) may need to show some point guard skills for a Cavaliers team that continues to absorb a series of injuries. "Being a point guard there's a certain swagger you've got to have," he said. "You've got to work on it."

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Now starting at point guard for the Cavaliers ... rookie Manny Harris?

OK, maybe not starting. Not as long as Daniel Gibson is still upright, anyway.

But when Ramon Sessions left Saturday's loss to the Chicago Bulls with a right abdominal strain in the first half, Harris became the backup point guard. Sessions, you'll recall, was starting in place of Mo Williams, who could be out up to four weeks with a strained left hip flexor.

Harris became the point guard for the first three minutes of the fourth quarter when Gibson got a rest.

"I think I did a pretty good running it when Gib went out and it was just me running the point," Harris said after the game. "It didn't hurt us."

Indeed. That was when the Cavs cut the Bulls' 10-point lead at the end of the third quarter to 72-66. Harris had two free throws and fed J.J. Hickson for a layup in that stretch. Harris rested for 3:36 in the middle of the fourth quarter and then returned just in time for the Cavs to get within 77-75 with 4:37 left.

That the Bulls scored the next 11 points, five by Derrick Rose, was not his fault.

Harris lost his starting shooting guard spot to Gibson on Saturday night, when coach Byron Scott elected to juggle his starting lineup yet again. Harris took that in stride and now may have an entirely new role.

It would not be his first stint at point guard, but it would be the first time since he played at Detroit Redford High School, where he was Michigan's Mr. Basketball as a senior.

"My freshman and sophomore year I played it," Harris said. "Junior and senior year, I played a little bit of everything. I played every position. I never played it at Michigan. I wanted to."

Harris said there were a couple aspects of the position he needed to improve. One is his decision making.

"Being a point guard there's a certain swagger you've got to have," he said. "You've got to work on it."

With Gibson nearby egging him on, Harris joked, "My swagger's crazy for what I do."

Board man: Hickson didn't seem overjoyed with his career-high 20 rebounds at Chicago. "It ain't enough," he said.

Did he want 21, or a victory?

"Both," he said.

Hickson is the first Cav to have 20 or more since Drew Gooden had 21 in an overtime game at The Q against Phoenix on Nov. 10, 2004. The last Cavalier to have 20 rebounds in regulation was Carlos Boozer, with 20 at Dallas on March 30, 2004.

Sunday's victory keeps Kent State in the middle of the East Division title chase.

View full sizeKSU photoRandal Holt knocked down six straight 3-pointers in the Golden Flashes' win on Sunday.

KENT, Ohio -- Randal Holt was so cold to start the season, so cold even into the holidays, it would be easy not to notice that the sophomore product of Glenville High has been playing well for a while.

But it should be clear now, after Holt led Kent State to a 78-57 victory over the Miami RedHawks that keeps KSU breathing in the Mid-American Conference race.

Holt has not had it easy at Kent, battling through injuries and surgeries to both knees as a freshman, then the cold spell to start his sophomore year that had him shooting 26 percent over his first 12 games.

But counting from a breakout game against Morehead State, Holt has shown signs over his last seven games, marked by his career-high 22-point game against the RedHawks. His missed his first 3-pointer and his last, but in between Holt knocked down six straight, with his baseline bomb with 4:31 to play providing the knockout blow and a 71-51 KSU lead.

"Boy, he's playing good," Miami head coach Charlie Coles said.

The Golden Flashes were dominated on the boards (38-30). But Kent forced 22 turnovers, picked off 14 steals and with Holt leading the way knocked down 11 of 23 3-pointers. The RedHawks played without starting center Julian Mavunga (foot) and point guard Quinten Rollins (ankle) but it didn't matter.

The victory put Kent (12-7, 3-2) into a four-way tie for first place in the MAC East with Miami (8-11, 3-2), Bowling Green (8-11, 3-2) and Buffalo (11-6, 3-2).

Since a Dec. 28 victory over Morehead State, he is shooting 45.7 percent, 46.5 percent on 3-pointers and averaging 13.4 points a game. He has also made all 10 of his free throws, has 14 assists vs. seven turnovers and picked off 11 steals.

Instead of forcing shots, Holt is now just making open looks with ease.

"That's a big part of it," Holt said. "The shot might not be there [at first] so work it around and the next one might be."

He led three Kent players in double figures, with Rod Sherman adding 14 points and Carlton Guyton 12. But none were hitting from long range like Holt.

"He's been playing really well the last four or five games," Sherman said. "We've just been egging him on. You've got to shoot your way out of it."

Miami got 15 points and 12 rebounds from Shaker Heights native Nick Winbush. But his teammates turned the ball over so much open shots were few and far between.

The East now begins critical crossover games with the West Division. Miami goes on the road to play at Central Michigan, while KSU travels to play the West leader Ball State.

Packers will play Steelers in Feb. 6 Super Bowl.

View full sizeJim Prisching / Associated PressThis interception and touchdown by Green Bay's B.J. Raji gave the Packers a 21-7 lead in the fourth quarter and the breathing room needed for a 21-14 NFC Championship victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday.

CHICAGO -- There was one Monster of the Midway in the NFC championship game and his name was Aaron Rodgers.

He ran for a touchdown. He made a touchdown-saving tackle. And he was better than three Bears quarterbacks in leading the Green Bay Packers to the Super Bowl with an ugly-but-beautiful 21-14 victory Sunday over Chicago.

"It's a dream come true," Rodgers said. "It's an incredible feeling. I'm at a loss for words."

Rodgers kept the Bears' defense off balance all afternoon, Green Bay punter Tim Masthay kept Devin Hester under wraps and the Packers' superb defense took care of the rest in knocking the rival Bears out of the playoffs.

It was the 182nd meeting in the league's most historic rivalry, and the stakes had never been bigger.

Now the Packers (13-6) are headed to Dallas. No matter what happens in the Super Bowl, the Packers and their fans hold ultimate bragging rights over their rivals to the south. The Packers will play the Pittsburgh Steelers, who defeated the Jets, 24-19.

All Jay Cutler could do was watch, having left the game with a knee injury early in the third quarter. And with Cutler sitting, little-known backup Caleb Hanie actually made it a game. Chicago's third-string quarterback rallied the Bears for a touchdown drive to cut the lead to 14-7 after Chester Taylor's 1-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter.

Hanie and the Bears had a chance to tie the game after the Bears' defense finally got a few stops, but Hanie threw a ball straight to Packers defensive lineman B.J. Raji, who lumbered 18 yards into the end zone for a touchdown to give the Packers a 21-7 lead.

But Hanie wasn't finished, throwing a 35-yard touchdown pass to Earl Bennett to again cut the lead to seven points with 4:43 left.

The Bears (12-6) forced a punt and got the ball back with under three minutes left. Hanie drove the Bears to the Green Bay 29, then threw a fourth-down interception to Sam Shields -- the rookie's second interception of the game.

Now all those Pro Bowl voters who didn't think Rodgers was worthy can relax. They're off the hook. Rodgers will be busy getting ready for the Super Bowl instead.

Rodgers proved ready for the biggest day of his brief but impressive career as the successor to Brett Favre, even if his final stat line didn't look impressive after an ugly, hard-fought game.

He threw for 244 yards with two interceptions, but his play in the first half put the Bears in a hole as their defense seemed to fall for every play-action fake.

"You have to give credit to their defense," Rodgers said. "I didn't play my best game. They had a good plan."

View full sizeBrian Cassella / Chicago TribuneAaron Rodgers absorbs the hit from Chicago's Danieal Manning and still is able to score the Packers' first touchdown of Sunday's NFC title game at Soldier Field.

It was the latest in a series of big moments for Rodgers, who wasn't named to the Pro Bowl but has earned near-universal praise for the way he has played this season -- especially since sitting out the Packers' Dec. 19 loss at New England because of a concussion.

Rodgers has been on a hot streak ever since, and doing it under pressure. The Packers would have been out of the playoffs with a loss in either of their last two regular-season games, including the regular season finale against Chicago.

With the Packers leading, 14-0, at halftime, Green Bay's defense forced a three-and-out to begin the second half, and Rodgers went back to marching the Packers down the field.

Rodgers then threw an interception to Brian Urlacher on third-and-goal, ran him down near midfield, and just barely prevented him from running it back for a touchdown by throwing him off balance with his attempt at a tackle.

But the Bears couldn't make anything happen with primary backup Todd Collins in for Cutler, and appeared to be headed for a blowout until Hanie took over.

Packers players were surprised Cutler didn't come back.

"You know if he doesn't come back it had to be serious, not to come back and play in this game," Charles Woodson said.

Packers linebacker Clay Matthews wasn't sure when Cutler got hurt.

"Obviously you expect to get four quarters of play, but who knows what we did to him," Matthews said.

Rodgers was stellar on the Packers' first possession, hitting Greg Jennings for long gains and later finding Jordy Nelson wide open after a play fake for a long completion to set up first-and-goal. Rodgers kept the ball on a bootleg two plays later, stretching the ball over the goal line to put the Packers on the scoreboard first.

But the Packers lost veteran left tackle Chad Clifton to a neck stinger when he collided with a teammate on the touchdown play. Clifton would return midway through the second quarter.

The Bears went with a heavy dose of running back Matt Forte early on, with very limited success.

Green Bay's defense forced the Bears to punt out of their own end zone late in the first quarter -- and returner Tramon Williams bobbled the ball, then got it back to give the Packers' offense good field position. Brandon Jackson faked Urlacher out for a long gain on a screen pass, and Rodgers' pass to Nelson set up James Starks' 4-yard touchdown run to give Green Bay a 14-0 lead.

The Bears were in a hole, and even Hanie's unlikely rallies couldn't bring them back.

"Just disappointment," Bears coach Lovie Smith said. "We got into a hole but the guys fought back."

Browns, obviously, would like to fill the key position soon.

John Kuntz, The Plain DealerFor quarterback Colt McCoy and his teammates, it's time for the Browns to find an offensive coordinator -- and, the right one.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Almost everything about the NFL seems to be scripted: coaches and players' jargon; to-the-minute scheduling of everything from press conferences to every team's off-season vacation times; even the first few plays for an offense, sometimes regardless of game circumstances.

At least one thing, though, isn't following the ideal script for the Cleveland Browns.

Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal writes about the Browns' search for an offensive coordinator:

The Browns have discovered offensive coordinator candidates can be elusive. This week, they'll focus on finally securing one.

Most fans would have bet their hard-earned money against Brian Daboll leaving the Browns and getting another job as an offensive coordinator before his former team could hire his replacement. Daboll, however, was formally introduced as the Miami Dolphins' offensive coordinator Wednesday.

Later that day, former Atlanta Falcons assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave agreed to become the Minnesota Vikings' offensive coordinator instead of filling the same job with the Browns. Less than a week earlier, Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy chose to stay put despite being courted to join Browns coach Pat Shurmur's coaching staff.

Perhaps candidates have been turned off by Shurmur's vow to call the offense's plays, at least to start the season. During an interview Friday on Pro Football Talk Live, Shurmur was asked if his control of the play-calling has caused the search to stall.

''I don't think it's a problem,'' Shurmur said. ''And I know that we're gonna find some top-notch guys to join us here.''

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Browns coverage includes Tony Grossi's NFL Insider; his "Hey, Tony;" also, "Terry Pluto's Talkin;' " and, "Bud Shaw's Sunday Sports Spin;" and Grossi's story on New York Jets veterans LaDainian Tomlinson and Jason Taylor.

Post patterns

Today's championship games show the Browns that success begins with the quarterbacks, by Jeff Schudel for the News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal.

Are the Browns closer to being a good team than most observers think? By Steve Doerschuk of the Canton Repository.

The Browns are counting on having a strong draft. Players who improved their draft status during Saturday's East-West Shrine Game, by Rob Rang for The Sports Xchange/CBSSports.com.

The Browns are preparing for a work stoppage, by Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal.

The New York Jets -- playing in today's AFC championship game -- and the Browns both have aging defenses, by Steve Doerschuk of the Canton Repository.

A lengthy video interview with Colt McCoy, from a few days ago, on clevelandbrowns.com.

It's not the Browns, but in their division: Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer would like to be traded, by Chris Mortensen for ESPN.com. 

Pittsburgh loses Pro Bowl rookie center Maurkice Pouncey with an ankle injury.

View full sizeGene J. Puskar / Associated PressThe Jets' Bart Scott can't prevent Rashard Mendenhall from scoring on a one-yard run to cap a Steelers drive of 9:14 for a 7-0 lead in Sunday's AFC championship game.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- Observations, opinions and some facts on the first quarter ...

• Ben Roethlisberger comes up limping after Calvin Pace rolled up on his left leg on his first drive. Roethlisberger pitched to Rashard Mendenhall to avoid the sack.

• Tight end Heath Miller has to lay out for Roethlisberger's play-action pass at Jets' 2, otherwise it's a TD. Replay shows the ball touched the ground as Miller hit the ground. Jets challenge -- and win.

• On third-and-12 from the 25, Roethlisberger scrambles ahead and lunges for the first down. So much for that limp.

• From the 8, Roethlisberger escapes a rush and flips to Hines Ward down to the 1. But center Maurkice Pouncey is hurt. Helped off the field, not putting weight on left leg. Bryan Thomas rolled up on it. Uh oh.

• Mendenhall reaches over for the TD on the next play to complete a 15-play drive consuming 9:06. A show of force, to be sure. But that Pouncey injury looked serious.

• Steelers announce Pouncey suffered ankle injury. Return is questionable.

• LaDainian Tomlinson's first carry: James Harrison throws him down for no gain. Ouch.

• Steelers defensive backs are too cranked up. Safety Ryan Clark gets flagged for illegal contact on long pass for Braylon Edwards and cornerback Ike Taylor interferes with Santonio Holmes.

• Jets drive ends at Steelers' 44 when Jerricho Cotchery is swarmed after three-yard pass.

Armstrong's exit from international cycling comes amid comments by his former mechanic Mike Adams, who told a newspaper that a U.S. federal investigation into Armstrong's alleged involvement in doping could make him a "symbol for decades of corruption" in the sport.

Associated PressLance Armstrong (white and red jersey) during the final stage of the Tour Down Under cycling event today in Adelaide, Australia.

ADELAIDE, Australia -- Lance Armstrong accepted a gift on stage and thanked the cheering fans for an "unbelievable event."

But after finishing 67th Sunday in what he says is his final race outside the United States, Armstrong again had nothing to say about the latest round of drug allegations.

The seven-time Tour de France champion rode in the back half of the main pack for most of the last stage of the Tour Down Under. He crossed the line as the 103rd rider and wound up more than six minutes behind overall winner Cameron Meyer.

Armstrong brushed past reporters without addressing questions raised by Sports Illustrated — a matter he has refused to discuss all week.

His exit from international cycling comes amid comments by his former mechanic Mike Adams, who told a New Zealand newspaper that a U.S. federal investigation into Armstrong's alleged involvement in doping could make him a "symbol for decades of corruption" in the sport.

Adams was cited in the SI article and said he has spoken with Jeff Novitzky, the Food and Drug Administration agent who is investigating this case.

Adams accused Armstrong and his associates of consistently misrepresenting their record on banned drugs. The 39-year-old Texan has repeatedly denied using such substances.

"We hear the same lies over and over again and they become truth," Adams told the Sunday Star-Times.

Adams contends he once found a box labeled "Andro" in Armstrong's house — a term used to describe androstenedione, a banned steroid.

"To be honest when I finally realized what was going on it was very troubling to me because Lance was my friend," Adams said. "When I had my hand forced and had to say 'I know what's going on' it was like telling a bunch of kids there's no such thing as Santa Claus."

The investigation doesn't seem to have diminished Armstrong's popularity with the 110,000 people who lined the street circuit in downtown Adelaide. After he was lauded on stage, Armstrong paid tribute to the fans. He used this race for his comeback to road cycling in 2009.

"I congratulate you all on building an unbelievable event," Armstrong said. "We travel all over the world and you do not see crowds or an atmosphere like this in many places. This rivals the Tour (de France), this rivals the Giro (d'Italia), this rivals the big races. You should know that you made that."

He then was driven away in a team car. Armstrong's only comment this week to the SI article, which examines allegations new and old of his connection with doping, came on Twitter on Friday. He said he expects to be vindicated by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.

On Sunday, he tweeted that the Tour Down Under "is done. Thanks to everyone for coming out and supporting such a great race. Adelaide, we're gonna miss ya."

The good news for Jets, they get the ball first in the second half.

View full sizeCharles Krupa / Associated PressJames Harrison and the Pittsburgh defense dominated the Jets' offense in the first half Sunday, as receiver Jerrico Cotchery discovered on this second-quarter reception.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- Observations, opinions and some facts on the second quarter ...

• Jets safety Eric Smith gives a textbook example of hitting a defenseless receiver when he bops Emmanuel Sanders in the chops after a Ben Roethlisberger pass was dropped for a sure interception by linebacker David Harris. The penalty gives Steelers first down at the Jets' 41.

• On fourth-and-1, Steelers eschew the QB sneak. Roethlisberger's short pass for Rashard Mendenhall bounces off his hands and is intercepted by linebacker Bryan Thomas at the Jets' 35.

• James Harrison is in wild man mode. Buries Jerricho Cotchery for four-yard loss on an end-around carry.

• Roethlisberger's deep ball for Mike Wallace hangs in air enough for Darrelle Revis to run under it and almost intercept it. But Jets' run defense is getting shredded by Rashard Mendenhall. He bounces it to the outside for 35-yard run to Jets' 27. Then backup Isaac Redman runs for 8 and 13. That's Doug Legursky, second-year backup from Marshall, filling in for injured Maurkice Pouncey.

• From the 2, Roethlisberger's pass for Emmanuel Sanders is batted down by safety Eric Smith. Steelers settle for short field goal and 10-0 lead.

• Jets go three and out. Browns know how tough it is to run plays when down to Steelers, 10-0.

• Steelers go 66 yards in seven plays for touchdown. Roethlisberger scampers in from the 2. He had two awesome throws on the drive, firing on the run to Heath Miller for 24 yards and a laser beam to Emmanuel Sanders on a 20-yard sideline out.

• Jets have two minutes to get a score, and then they get second-half kickoff. This is a crucial series for them.

• On third down, Mark Sanchez is hit by Ike Taylor as he tried to throw. The officials ruled it a fumble and William Gay returned it to the end zone. Referee Ed Hochuli verifies the play on replay review. I'm pretty sure the Steelers have never blown a 24-0 lead in a postseason game.

• Jets salvage a field goal at the end to avert the shutout.

A tough non-conference schedule usually toughens Michigan State for the Big Ten slate, but MSU is laboring.

View full sizeMichael Conroy / Associated PressIt's been a surprisingly difficult start to the Big Ten season for Draymond Green (driving against Purdue's JaJuan Johnson) and Michigan State. But the Spartans usually find their rhythm by tournament time.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The preseason Big Ten favorite is the favorite no more, so it's time for the almost-annual process of wondering about Michigan State, with those mid-winter questions often answered by a run to the Final Four in late March.

The Lansing State Journal wrote that the Spartans' Draymond Green admitted after Saturday night's loss to Purdue that the Big Ten title is "probably out of reach" with anything short of a miracle.

"Whoever is still in the Big Ten race," Green said told The State Journal, "we're gonna try to make their lives miserable."

There's little reason to doubt that the Spartans will do that, but that's not the role Michigan State was expected to play this year.

Picked to win the Big Ten at the preseason meetings, with Ohio State expected to finish second, Michigan State is 12-7 overall and 4-3 in the conference, with Ohio State at 20-0 and 7-0.

Michigan State's Tom Izzo and Ohio State's Thad Matta have admittedly different ideas about non-conference schedules, with Izzo wanting more of a test and Matta looking to build the confidence of teams that, thanks to the NBA Draft, often feature lots of turnover and freshmen in key roles.

That argument can make sense either way as a strategy for preparing for conference play, but now's the time when the Spartans' losses to Connecticut (16-2), Duke (18-1), Syracuse (18-2) and Texas (16-3) should be paying off.

Instead, the Spartans have losses at Penn State, at Illinois and at Purdue and are 1-3 on the road in the Big Ten. Senior guard and leading scorer Kalin Lucas was 3-of-16 in Saturday's 86-76 loss to Purdue and Izzo compared the first-half defense of senior Durrell Summers to a ghost's.

Unfortunately, Ohio State and Michigan State meet just once in the regular season, and it's not until Feb. 15 in Columbus. The only answer about scheduling strategy that really matters will come in March, when the Spartans almost always shine.

For now, Michigan State is very enthused about its play inside, led by Green and St. Edward grad Delvon Roe, who after two injury-plagued seasons, when he still played valuable minutes, is coming into his own, averaging 7.4 points and 5.8 rebounds in 25 minutes per game. He scored a season-high 16 points against Purdue and drew praise for his defense on Purdue star center JaJuan Johnson.

The schedule will help Michigan State. As Ohio State wades into a tough stretch, the Spartans should win at least four of their next five and come to Columbus no worse than 8-4 in the conference. There are plenty of pieces there, with experience, size and depth, along with some freshmen help from Keith Appling and Adreian Payne.

This team is no longer the favorite, but it's still Michigan State.

Jets' early surge in third quarter is thwarted by a roughing-the-kicker penalty. But Ben Roethlisberger and Rashard Mendenhall are cooling off.

View full sizeMatt Slocum / Associated PressSantonio Holmes' TD catch against Pittsburgh's Ryan Clark early in the third quarter gave the Jets some hope of an improbable comeback at Heinz Field.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- Observations, opinions and some facts on the third quarter ...

• Jets did exactly what they had to do to start the second half. They scored fast. Mark Sanchez takes them 90 yards in five plays, using only 2:47. Jets catch Troy Polamalu "in the box" and Santonio Holmes beat the cornerback off the line with an inside move and sped behind safety Ryan Clark for a 45-yard TD grab.

• Steelers announce center Maurkice Pouncey (ankle) will not return.

• Jets defense forces punt in three plays. Big stand. But Jamaal Westerman is called for roughing the kicker when punter Jeremy Kapinos hits the ground on his punt. A big, big miscue by the Jets.

• Ben Roethlisberger then converts a third down on a pass to Mewelde Moore, who goes head over heels on a hit by Antonio Cromartie, and hangs on.

• Roethlisberger escapes trouble and throws it up for Emmanuel Sanders. It's intercepted by former Browns safety Brodney Pool at the Jets' 5 and returned to the 14.

• On third down, Sanchez's sideline pass for Braylon Edwards is late. His left foot is out of bounds when he catches it. Edwards: three passes, no catches.

• Jets are now stacking the line to stop Rashard Mendenhall and Roethlisberger is not going to be taking many chances.

For a team with losses in 26 of its last 27 games, much of the playing time is going to players who weren't around last season.

John Kuntz, The Plain DealerSamardo Samuels (24), an undrafted rookie free agent, is one of the youngsters getting extensive playing time for the Cavaliers.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers are on the verge of book-ending, at least temporarily, the beginning of their franchise and where they stand now.

The Cavaliers lost the first 15 games in their first season, 1970-71. They won a game and then, as their coach, Bill Fitch, was fond of saying, "We went into a slump." The Cavs immediately reeled off a 12-game losing streak, making them 1-27.

This season's Cavs, after a 7-9 start, lost 10 straight games before winning -- just once -- again. Since then, Cleveland has lost its last 16 games.

Monday night, the Cavaliers visit the New Jersey Nets. If they lose, they will be, yes, on a 1-27 skid.

With an 8-35 record, the Cavs are on pace to finish 15-67, just as they did in that first season.

The Cavaliers' collapse isn't just because of the absence of one player, though that player's departure is the primary reason for the team's status. But, not only are the Cavs missing LeBron James -- who left for the Miami Heat as a free agent after last season -- they are missing much more.

James' final game with Cleveland was the sixth game of the 2010 Eastern Conference semifinals, a 94-85 season-ending loss to the Celtics in Boston. That game, of course, followed James' mysterious fifth-game surrender to Boston in Cleveland.

During the Cavs' 92-79 loss to the Bulls in Chicago on Saturday night, they suited up guys who played just a combined 39 minutes in that Game 6 loss at Boston. The individuals who played the other 201 minutes are either gone from the Cavaliers, or sidelined with injuries. That's how it's been for the Cavs during much of the past few weeks.

Bob Finnan writes for the News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal that at least the Cavaliers are getting to learn about some young players.   

Cavs coach Byron Scott has been forced to play four young players, three of them rookies. Two of them are now in the starting lineup — Christian Eyenga at small forward and Manny Harris at shooting guard.

Rookie Samardo Samuels has been getting minutes at power forward and center. Second-year forward Alonzo Gee has started six games. However, he was benched in the Chicago game on Saturday.

"The thing about young guys right now, when you play extended minutes, you find out what they can and cannot do," Scott said. "When you play five or six minutes a game, you can hide your deficiencies. When you are playing a lot of minutes, those things show up.

"We have a real good idea of what our guys can and cannot do."

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Cavaliers coverage includes Mary Schmitt Boyer's story that, due to another injury, Manny Harris might get significant playing time at point guard; her "Hey, Mary!;" her "Cavaliers Insider;" her "Around the NBA;" also, "Terry Pluto's Talkin;' " and, Schmitt Boyer's game story on the loss at Chicago.

Pick and rolls

A Cavaliers-Nets game preview, by Alan Ferguson for STATS and the Associated Press.

The Cavaliers are planning to lower ticket prices for next season, Jason Lloyd writes for the Akron Beacon Journal.

Bob Finnan's "three points and rumor mill," for the News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal.

A Cleveland Cavaliers team report, on USAToday.com.

NBA notes, by Bob Finnan for the News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal.

Before all of the injuries, the Cavaliers could put an efficient five-man unit onto the court, by Rob Mahoney on a New York Times NBA blog.

Cavs-Bulls game story, by Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal.

Cavs-Bulls game story, by Teddy Greenstein of the Chicago Tribune.

Cavs-Bulls game story, by John Jackson of the Chicago Sun-Times.

The Steelers survived only because of a goal-line stop of LaDainian Tomlinson on fourth down early in the fourth quarter.

View full sizeGene J. Puskar / Associated PressLaDainian Tomlinson was wrapped up by LaMarr Woodley on this second-half run. The Jets never were able to successfully run the ball in their 24-19 loss to Pittsburgh.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- So which finger now do the Pittsburgh Steelers slip on their next Super Bowl ring? Such problems those guys have.

They'll go for their seventh Super Bowl championship after silencing the New York Jets, 24-19, Sunday night in the AFC Championship Game in Heinz Field.

The Steelers built a 24-0 lead and barely hung on. The Jets dominated the second half but were stopped on a goal-line stand with 7:44 to play.

Even so, the Steelers could not wrap it up until Ben Roethlisberger completed a third-down pass to Antonio Brown just after the two-minute warning. It was only Roethlisberger's 10th completion of the game and third in the second half.

Pittsburgh will face NFC champion Green Bay in Super Bowl XLV Feb. 6 in Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in a first postseason matchup of two of the oldest NFL franchises. The Packers were born in 1921, the Steelers in 1933. Green Bay has 10 league championships, three in the Super Bowl era. The Steelers have six in the Super Bowl era. Sunday night, the Packers were installed as 2.5-point favorites.

"We kind of limped home, but we aren't going to complain about style points," said Mike Tomlin, who is making his second trip to the Super Bowl in four years as Steelers coach. "Let us just bathe in this a little. We'll start thinking of Green Bay on Monday."

The Steelers won with typical brute force, but they lost Pro Bowl rookie center Maurkice Pouncey in the process with a high ankle sprain. His status for the Super Bowl is uncertain. Pouncey was hurt on the 14th play of the Steelers' 15-play opening scoring drive. Even without the physical center, the Steelers pummeled the proud and brash Jets defense for the entire first half.

The Jets had allowed only 90.9 rushing yards a game. The Steelers piled up 135 in the first half -- 95 by Rashard Mendenhall -- and held the ball for 21 minutes in building a 24-3 lead.

One of Pittsburgh's touchdowns came when Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez lost the ball on a blindside hit by cornerback Ike Taylor. Cornerback William Gay picked up the loose ball and returned it 19 yards for the score. The play survived a replay review as Sanchez appeared to have his right arm going forward.

Sanchez looked at that point like he would shrink in the second AFC Championship Game appearance of his two NFL seasons. But he put together a snappy field-goal drive at the end of the first half and responded with an impressive and quick touchdown drive to begin the second half. He connected with Santonio Holmes for a 45-yard touchdown.

The Jets made all the right defensive adjustments at halftime. Mendenhall rushed for only 26 yards the rest of the game and Roethlisberger struggled.

One Pittsburgh drive ended with an interception by former Browns safety Brodney Pool at the Jets' 5. The next one ended in a sack. Roethlisberger, who ran with the ball eight times in the second half, also was tackled in the end zone for a safety after he lost the center exchange with Pouncey's replacement, Doug Legursky.

"The second half they threw a lot of different things at us that kind of put a damper on what we did the first half," Roethlisberger said.

The safety came right after the Steelers completed a goal-line stand to thwart a 17-play Jets drive. Sanchez threw incomplete on second and third down from the 1 and LaDainian Tomlinson was stopped cold on an inside handoff on fourth down.

That should have finished off the Jets, but it didn't. After their safety, Sanchez got hot. He completed six straight passes -- two to Braylon Edwards for gains of 22 and 10 yards -- and moved the Jets 58 yards in 10 plays. Sanchez's four-yard pass to Jerricho Cotchery cut the Steelers lead to 24-19 with 3:06 to go.

Roethlisberger did not have a great game (10-of-19 for 133 yards and two interceptions), but he made two plays to preserve the final possession and seal the victory.

One was a 14-yard completion to tight end Heath Miller, which just averted Pool's outstretched arms. Then just after the two-minute warning, Roethlisberger rolled right and completed a pass of 14 yards to rookie receiver Antonio Brown.

"We weren't going to play not to lose," Tomlin said. "That's why we threw the ball to Heath on a bootleg. Ultimately we threw to Antonio Brown on third-and-6. That's pretty funny, isn't it? Third and 6 to win to our rookie sixth-round pick from Central Michigan."

Roethlisberger took a knee three times after the completion to Brown. He was pretty emotional after the last one, contemplating how far he came from being disgraced and suspended to start the year to making it to the third Super Bowl of his career.

"We've been through a lot as a team, [and me] personally ... I just feel good," Roethlisberger said. "I was just thinking how awesome this just is."

The loss ended a remarkable run for the Jets, who were trying to join the Packers in reaching the Super Bowl after three wins on the road. They had knocked off Peyton Manning and the Colts and Tom Brady and the Patriots before meeting their match here.

"I'm proud of our guys," said Jets coach Rex Ryan. "We played a good half, but we just didn't play a good game. That's the first time, in that situation, when our defense hasn't responded. There's many teams we could have gone through, that we did and got here. We almost pulled out another one."

Is there a team that should clearly sit behind Ohio State in the national rankings?

View full sizeOrlin Wagner / Associated PressTristan Thompson (13) and the Texas Longhorns ended Kansas' 69-game home winning streak on Saturday, but Marcus Morris (22) and Elijah Johnson (15) remain part of a Jayhawks team that is among the elite this season, says Elton Alexander.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- So who is No. 2?

Now that Kansas (18-1, 3-1) has tumbled out of the ranks of the undefeated and some Big East brethren have taken some starch out of Syracuse, is there a team out there to challenge Ohio State as No. 1 in the land?

Or do you stick with Kansas? Despite the home loss to Texas, the Jayhawks remain formidable, and the Longhorns just might be much better than expected. Indeed, the Big 12 is one of the most interesting to follow this season. Going into Sunday's games, four teams in the league had three losses or less.

Favored Kansas State (13-7, 1-4) has had its issues with team leadership and chemistry, and lost some games it should have won. Their season now is a fight to get on the bubble for NCAA Tournament consideration.

But look at Missouri. The Tigers (17-3, 3-2) have their full court defense and quick-trigger offense seemingly in top gear. With guards Marcus Denmon (17.3 ppg) and Michael Dixon (10.9) backed up by the Pressey brothers, Phil and Matt, it is truly a backcourt to be reckoned with, especially with Denmon knocking down 49.1 percent of his 3-pointers. With Texas still to play, and two games with Kansas, Missouri's fate is yet to be determined.

Then there is Texas (16-3, 4-0). The Longhorns' losses are to Pitt, USC and UConn, which is nothing to be ashamed about. But after a dysfunctional 2009-10 season, expectations this season were tepid at best. Instead, the Longhorns have knocked off Illinois, North Carolina and Michigan State with Texas A&M, Missouri and Baylor still on the docket.

But Kansas remains the team to beat. Tough to envision the 6-9 Morris twins (Marcus, 17.1 ppg, and Markieff, 13.0) or guard Josh Selby (11.3) not taking this team to a title and deep into the tournament.

BracketBuster pairings? If ESPN is true to the original spirit of the games -- cross-region matchups between teams with comparable records/RPI -- then this is what the top six games might be when pairings are announced at the end of the month:

Utah State (18-2) at St. Mary's (17-3), Cleveland State (18-3) at Old Dominion (14-5), Missouri State (16-4) at Valparaiso (15-6), George Mason (14-5) at Wichita State (16-4), Ball State (13-4) at James Madison (15-5) and VCU (15-5) at Northern Iowa (15-6).

There is one team with a relatively low RPI, Coastal Carolina (68), that has a strong record (18-2, 9-0) in the Big South. The Chanticleers might be attractive to ESPN, if a strong enough opponent (perhaps 14-5 Vermont or 13-6 Hofstra) can be found.

On the Horizon: Sunday losses by Valparaiso (15-6, 7-2) and Butler (14-7, 6-3) have put Cleveland State (18-3, 7-2) into a first-place tie with the Crusaders. Should both teams hold serve until their Feb. 3 meeting at the Wolstein Center, that Thursday night game would be much, much bigger than the already hyped Feb. 5 ESPN matchup with Butler.

Right now, Butler is tied for third with Wright State, but effectively fourth because of a prior loss to the Raiders. The Vikings have lost to both Valpo and Butler, so a second loss to Valpo would mean CSU would effectively be two games back of first place.

Who are these guys? Why are Akron (11-8, 2-3), Kent State (12-7, 3-2) and Ohio (8-11, 1-4) all having uneven seasons at the same time? The answer is simple. All three teams have lost their identity.

OU is known for strong post play, but has no post presence this season. Kent is known for its string of versatile power forwards, but lacks them this year. Akron has been known for its defensive-minded wing performers, but has no strong perimeter defenders.

"The only two teams playing to their identity right now are Bowling Green and Buffalo, at least in the East Division, and they are the two best," Akron head coach Keith Dambrot said. "Even look at Miami. Historically us and them are two of the best defensive teams in the league. This year both of us are bad defensively. We all have to get back to our identity, somehow."

On the Bubble: Gonzaga (13-7, 3-2).

Conference: West Coast

RPIratings.com: 67

Who they beat: Baylor, Xavier, Oklahoma State, Wake Forest.

Bad losses: Santa Clara, San Francisco.

Still to play: Memphis. St. Mary’s twice

The end game: Lots of good wins. The majority of Gonzaga’s losses aren’t bad — San Diego State, Illinois, Kansas State, Notre Dame — there are just a lot of them. A string of 10 straight regular-season WCC titles is in jeopardy for the Zags, one of the traditional hoop powers that play outside of the Big Six. Remaining games with Memphis and St. Mary’s will likely determine Gonzaga’s at-large fate.

Buckeyes, Vikings, Zips and Golden Flashes all get weekend wins.

Associated PressJared Sullinger (0) scored 27 points and grabbed 16 rebounds for Ohio State in its 73-68 win at Illinois on Saturday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Ohio State, the nation's first-ranked team, hadn't been especially impressive in some recent, close victories.

On Saturday, OSU won another close one. This performance, though, was impressive, a come-from-behind, 73-68 win over host Illinois.

Eamonn Brennan writes for ESPN.com about the Buckeyes, including these points about freshman frontcout star Jared Sullinger:

For all of OSU's perimeter weapons, that toughness starts in the post, which means it starts with Sullinger. The freshman put up another classic line Saturday, scoring 27 points and grabbing 16 rebounds in a full 40 minutes on the floor. But perhaps most impressive was Sullinger's free throw shooting. The big man, who is shooting about 73 percent from the line this season, made 13 of his 15 foul attempts Saturday. You probably don't need me to tell you just how lethal that is. Sullinger is so good at getting early position on the block, and so strong once he's there, that you practically have to foul him if you don't want him to get two easy points. But what good is fouling if Sullinger makes his free throws?

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com coverage of Ohio and area college basketball includes Doug Lesmerises' Big Ten Insider; Elton Alexander's College Basketball Insider; Alexander's game story on Kent State's 78-57 win today over Miami (Ohio); Mike Peticca's game story on Akron's 63-58 win over Bowling Green on Saturday night; Lesmerises' observations about the Ohio State-Illinois game; Terry Pluto's column after Cleveland State's 65-46 win over Wright State on Saturday; Alexander's Cleveland State-Wright State game story; Lesmerises' Ohio State-Illinois game story.

Pick and rolls

Ohio State's strong freshman group, by Luke Winn for Sports Illustrated's SI.com.

Akron-Bowling Green game story, by Tom Gaffney of the Akron Beacon Journal.

Freshman Deshaun Thomas continues to make key contributions for Ohio State, by Bob Hunter of the Columbus Dispatch.

Ohio State-Illinois game story, by Bob Baptist of the Columbus Dispatch.

"Who's the title favorite? Take your pick." By Eamonn Brennan, the fourth entry down the College Basketball Nation Blog page, on ESPN.com.

Akron-Bowling Green game story, by John Wagner of the Toledo Blade.

Kent State's women take their first Mid-American Conference loss, 69-65 in overtime at Ball State. A Record-Courier report.

Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey expects to be ready for Super Bowl after suffering high ankle sprain.

View full sizeGene J. Puskar / Associated PressBen Roethlisberger doesn't have a great deal of privacy as he takes a moment to compose himself after the clock ran out on Sunday's AFC championship game with the Steelers advancing to the Super Bowl with a 24-19 victory over the Jets.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- In the year of the high ankle sprain, the dreaded injury may cost Steelers rookie center Maurkice Pouncey an appearance in his first Super Bowl.

Pouncey, who was voted to the Pro Bowl as a backup to Nick Mangold in his first NFL season, suffered the injury on the 14th play of the game when Jets linebacker Bryan Thomas rolled up the back of Pouncey's left leg.

The Steelers scored on the very next play for their first touchdown of a 24-19 triumph over the Jets in the AFC Championship Game.

Pouncey was optimistic after the game that he would be ready for the Super Bowl in two weeks.

"I had the same injury before on my other ankle and I know how to attack it," he said. "I know how to approach things. I know in my heart that I'm playing in that game."

He ought to consult with each of the three Browns quarterbacks who suffered the injury in the 2010 season. None came back to play before four weeks.

Doug Legursky, a second-year player from Marshall, replaced Pouncey. Legursky had two faulty exchanges with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The Steelers were able to run the ball with ease against the Jets in the first half, but they managed only 31 yards on the ground in the second half.

A bridesmaid again: Jets coach Rex Ryan has now been on the losing team in the AFC championship three years in a row. This was the second-straight title game loss for the Jets. Ryan also was defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens when they lost here to the Steelers following the 2008 season.

"We have to give Pittsburgh credit," Ryan said. "That's a heck of a football team there. If you plan on beating them you better put four quarters together, and we didn't do that tonight."

The new MAC connection: For the second game in a row, Steelers rookie receiver Antonio Brown was on the receiving end of a big play from Roethlisberger.

Brown's 14-yard catch on third-and-6 secured the win after the two-minute warning. Brown had a 58-yard catch that set up the winning points in the Steelers' 31-24 division playoff victory over Baltimore.

Brown was drafted in the sixth round from Central Michigan. Roethlisberger, of course, played at Miami (Ohio).

"Coming from the MAC conference, coming out of school early, and having an opportunity to go to the Super Bowl, that's not quite likely to happen often," Brown said. "You have guys in this league who have never been to the playoffs or the Super Bowl.

"Ben, he's amazing, man. Another great MAC quarterback. Top five in this league. For him to have confidence in me is amazing."

Who do you pick to win the Super Bowl?

Elaine Thompson / Associated PressGreen Bay's Aaron Rodgers.

The Pittsburgh Steelers (sigh) won their eighth AFC Championship with their victory over the New York Jets on Sunday. The Steelers will go for their seventh Super Bowl victory against the Green Bay Packers on Feb. 6.

The Green Bay Packers are slightly favored (according to Las Vegas) and that's probably because Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey either may not play, or he won't be 100 percent.

Here are some other interesting Super Bowl tid bits in this San Jose Mercury News blog:

 -Pittsburgh is 6-1 all-time in the Super Bowl, with the only loss coming in Supe 30 against Dallas.

Which means the Steelers are 6-0 with either Terry Bradshaw or Ben Roethlisberger in the big game, and 0-1 with Neil O’Donnell.

* Green Bay is 3-1 in Super Bowl history, having won the first two editions of the game and then splitting back-to-back appearances after the 1996 and 1997 regular seasons.
 

* If Ben Roethlisberger picks up his third Super Bowl title, he’ll move into a tie with Tom Brady and Troy Aikman for third on the QB list.

Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw, who both won four Super Bowls, share the lead.