The beat goes on. The winning beat, that is, as reigning Division I state champion St. Edward ran its winning streak to 18 games by defeating Youngstown Cardinal Mooney, 34-17, Saturday in Lakewood Stadium.

The beat goes on.

The winning beat, that is, as reigning Division I state champion St. Edward ran its winning streak to 18 games by defeating Youngstown Cardinal Mooney, 34-17, Saturday in Lakewood Stadium.

Junior running back Dwayne Aaron scored three touchdowns and rushed for 147 yards to lead the Eagles to their third victory of the season.

St. Edward, the top-ranked team in The Plain Dealer Top 25, set the tone early as junior Anthony Young returned the opening kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown.

The Eagles maintained the lead throughout as senior Jake Wilhelm kicked field goals of 31 and 32 yards.

After being held to 33 yards of offense in the first half, the Eagles rolled up 233 yards in the second while holding the Cardinals to seven points in the second half.

Central Catholic 26, Rhodes 0: Officials declared the game was over with 4:12 remaining in the third quarter when a bench-clearing brawl broke out, leaving coaches and officials from both schools shocked and saddened.

"I have no idea where this all game from," said Central Catholic Athletic Director Javier Smith. "There was no indication of any trouble. There were no late hits or cheap shots. I was standing on the sideline and I didn't even hear any trash talking. It all happened so fast. We are all very disappointed."

At least two players from each team were ejected with more expulsions possible after officials from both schools review tapes of the game. OHSAA rules state that anyone ejected must serve a one-game suspension.

Rhodes coach Phillip Gary said: "I'm in shock, to tell you the truth. I never sensed anything like this was going to happen. Both teams were playing hard. It just happened so fast no one had time to react."

Smith said he and the referees watched the tapes taken by the CCC staff and said the tapes taken by the Rhodes staff will be reviewed on Monday.

"Right now, two of our players won't be playing next week," he said.

Gary said the incident began when one of his players was tackled near his team's sideline.

"I thought there was a face-mask that the refs missed, but the whole thing started away from that play," he said.

Senior running back Khain Dickson rushed for 113 yards and scored two touchdowns on 11 carries and sophomore wide receiver Greg Snyder caught a 36-yard touchdown pass from freshman quarterback Brandon Brown.

Stow 21, Firestone 6: In a non-league game resumed from Friday, senior Nick Mutaali (CQ) rushed for 130 yards and was in on 8.5 tackles as the Bulldogs improved to 2-1. Firestone's points came on field goals of 48 and 38 yards by Joshua Brebant.

University School 34, Shaker Heights 27: The Preppers rallied from deficits of 13-0 and 27-14 by scoring the final 20 points. Junior running back Kevin Smith scored the final two touchdowns on short runs and finished with 152 yards rushing on 25 carries. Quarterback Tyler Eden completed 15 of 30 passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns and John McKelvey had a combined 92 yards and two touchdowns in running and receiving.

Boys golf

Walsh Jesuit Tradition: Sophomoe Ian Holt shot a 4-under 67 to take medalist honors and teammate Alex DeCheco finished sixth with a score of 3-over 74 to lead Stow to the team championship at Brookledge Golf Course with a team score of 295. The host Warriors were second at 303 as Tyler McHugh joined Holt as the only players to break par with a 69.

Boys cross country

Bruce Lerch Invitational: Painesville Riverside's Zack McBride was the individual champion in 17:58.17 and Chardon claimed the team title when it placed four runners place in the top 16 at the annual event honoring the long-time Brecksville track and cross country coach. Tyler Kawalec was second to McBride in 18:08.84 and was followed by teammates Nicholas Elswick (ninth), Aubrey Jordan (13th) and Nathan Krebs (16th).

Wooster Invitational: Hudson had three runners finish in the top four and four in the top 11 to win the event at Wooster High with 34 points. The Explorers and runner-up Smithville (54 points) dominated the 14-team field. Smithville's Denny Hanreck finished first in a time of 18:19 but Hudson's Nolan Reilly (16:51), Matt Chojnacki (16:57) and Vince Moeglin (17:02) swept the next three places and Mark Zubenko was 11th (17:23).

Walsh Jesuit Tomahawk Run Gold: The host Warriors won the team championship with 37 points as Tony Howkins was the leading individual in 16:23 and teammates Brian Brennan and Matt Krakora finished third and fourth, respectively.

Walsh Jesuit Tomahawk Maroon: Benedictine's Mike Dober was the individual champion in 17:35 and Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy placed four runners in the top 15 to win the team title with 53 points. CVCA's David Cremi (17:41) was second and teammate Ben Bockoven (17:50) was third.

Girls cross country

Bruce Lerch Invitational: With Caroline Sauers finishing first in 21:56.60 and three of her teammates in the top 10, Hudson won the team championship with 46 points. Madison Hartline (fourth), Sarah Wolanske (sixth) and Samantha Landreth (ninth) followed Sauers' lead. North Canton Hoover was second and Brecksville, behind Jill Bajaksouzian's runner-up finish, was third.

Walsh Jesuit Tomahawk Maroon: Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy swept the top three places and had two other runners finish in the top seven and cruised to the team title with 19 points. The Royals were led by champion Samantha Bockoven (19:44), runner-up Sarah MacIntosh (20:09) and third-place winner Natalie Pasicznyk (20:25). Mallory Myers was sixth and Mia Yeager was seventh, enabling CVCA to win by 38 points.

Walsh Jesuit Tomahawk Gold: Solon's Theresa Haiss was the individual champion in 19:48 but Strongsville's depth enabled the Mustangs to win the team title with 86 points. While Haiss and teammate Kelsey Aamoth finishing first and third, respectively, Solon's next-best place-winner was 35th, while Strongsville had three runners finish in the top 19 in Natalie Camardo (fourth), Jaime Larsen (18th) and Sarah Torok (19th).

Boys soccer

North Olmsted 4, Midpark 3: Midfielder Justin Zarycki scored off an assist from Mike Butera with 12 minutes to play to cap a rally from a 3-0 deficit and lift the Eagles over the .500 mark. Brian Wargo scored twice to pace the Meteors to a comfortable lead, but striker J.J. Ball answered with two goals and M.J. Akpo-Esambe added a single tally to tie the game.

St. Ignatius 3, Dublin Jerome 1: Akron recruit Matt Foldesy scored twice and senior defender Jimmy Forde added an insurance goal as the Wildcats bounced back after have their 28-game winning streak snapped last week.

Volleyball

Barberton Classic: Kent Roosevelt improved to 7-0 after defeating the host Magics, 24-26, 25-13, and, 25-19, in the finals. The Rough Riders also defeated Manchester, 25-20, 25-17, and Norwayne, 25-21, 25-22, in winning the event for the second year in a row. Roosevelt junior Alli Cudworth was named as the tournament MVP when she totaled 53 kills and six service points in the three matches. Gina Iacco joined her teammate on the all-tourney team.

Wadsworth Quad: Rachel Goddard had 46 digs, Haley Beavers had 83 assists sand Rachel Jones had 28 kills as Wadsworth defeated Amherst, Stow and Medina to win its event.

Avon Invitational: The host Eagles did not lose a game in defeating Cleveland Heights, Highland and Sandusky Perkins to improve to 7-4 on the season. Avon's Brittanie Fowler was named tournament MVP with 18 kills, seven service points and five digs and was joined on the all-tourney team by teammate Madi Matisak.

A lightning delay that began at 8:56 p.m. around Kent State's Dix Stadium Saturday evening was not lifted until 10:07 p.m. with Kent State trailing Louisiana-Lafayette, 17-7.

View full sizePhil Masturzo, Akron Beacon-JournalKent State quarterback Spencer Keith sloshes in the heavy rain Saturday night at Dix Stadium as Louisiana-Lafayette's LeMarcus Gibson closes in for the tackle.

KENT, Ohio -- The more things change, the more they stay the same for Kent State football as the Golden Flashes fumbled and bumbled their way to a 20-12 loss to Louisiana-Lafayette before a sprinkling of 10,380 fans Saturday evening.

It may have been the worst performance in junior quarterback Spencer Keith's career as his interception and two fumbles, not to mention at least five short-armed passes into the turf, was just one problem with a KSU offense that seems intent on featuring the pass instead of the run, and can't do either very well.

"I'm concerned, absolutely I'm concerned," first-year Kent head coach Darrell Hazell said after the game.

Adding to Kent's problems, a lightening delay that began at 8:57 p.m. around Dix Stadium was not lifted until 10:07 p.m. with the Flashes trailing, 17-7, with 9:13 to play in the third quarter.

Torrential rains began at the stadium early in the second quarter, just after the Ragin' Cajuns took a 14-7 lead, and then extended it to 17-7 just before halftime. All scores to that point were the result of turnovers, with UL-L scoring courtesy of a 63-yard interception return of a Keith pass into triple coverage and the first of two Keith fumbles at the 1.

"Very frustrating," Hazell said of an offense that gained just 186 yards while the defense held Louisiana-Lafayette to 159 yards. "We sputtered all night. Our execution is not very good. It feels like gaining one yard is a mile."

Hazell's home debut was a rude awakening. Interestingly, Hazell tried to feature a passing game that has never risen above the ranks of average, at best. Keith finished 15 of 33 for 114 yards with an interception and a touchdown, giving him a total of 213 yards passing in two games.

Meanwhile the highlight recruit in Hazell's first class, 6-1, 257-pound tailback Trayion Durham -- tailor-made for the nasty conditions -- appeared for three plays; blocking on two pass attempts and dropping a swing pass out of the backfield.

Nine first-half penalties, seven from the offensive line, spoiled whatever chance Hazell and KSU had of making a good first impression.

The delay seemed to aid KSU. On the second snap, Kent linebacker C.J. Malauulu's sack of UL-L quarterback Chris Masson in the end zone provided two points and cut the Ragin' Cajuns' lead to 17-9. Kent's defense gave the offense good field position on its next two possessions. Still sputtering, the Flashes were able to get a 44-yard field goal with 1:31 left in the third quarter from Freddy Cortez to get within 17-12 going into the fourth quarter.

With momentum in the hands of the Golden Flashes, Keith once again fumbled, giving the Ragin Cajuns a short field that became Brett Baer's 27-yard field goal. Kent's offense could not generate another first down, while the defense failed to stop Louisiana-Lafayette on a critical third-and-10 with just under four minutes to play.

Kent safety Luke Wollet forced a fumble at the Flashes 2, in the final minute to give the offense one last chance.

It didn't matter. Receiver Sam Kirkland had the ball poked out of his hands to end the final drive.

Akron withstood a 79-minute lightning delay and but was done in by the thunder of Bernard Pierce and the Temple Owls in a 41-3 loss at soggy InfoCision Stadium.

View full sizeKaren Schiely, Akron Beacon-JournalAkron's Clayton Moore goes heels over head on this run, thanks to Temple's Akheem Smith (24) and Kamal Johnson.

AKRON, Ohio -- Akron withstood a 79-minute lightning delay but was done in by the thunder of Bernard Pierce and the Temple Owls as the Zips got zapped, 41-3, in the Mid-American Conference opener Saturday night at soggy InfoCision Stadium.

Pierce had 150 yards and 3 touchdowns in 18 carries in the first half and didn't even play in the second half. The 2-0 Owls rolled up 416 yards of offense, 305 on the ground, spoiling the home debut of the Zips and quarterback Clayton Moore.

Moore completed 12 of 26 passes for 192 yards -- 77 to Marquelo Suel on four catches -- but the Zips could not string enough offense together. Moore was sacked eight times, six in the second quarter. The Zips also had eight penalties for 60 yards, including six in the first half.

"Obviously, it's not the type of performance we were looking for in the first conference game," said Akron coach Rob Ianello, whose squad fell to 0-2. "There's a bunch of things we can do better on offensive, defense and special teams. All three phases didn't perform very well tonight.

"We've got a lot of work to do."

Eager to make a statement at home coming off last week's 42-0 shutout at Ohio State, the Zips started with a series that set the tone for the evening. On the first play, redshirt freshman running back Jawon Chisholm, who would finish with 63 yards rushing, picked up four yards and then fumbled. Although he recovered at the Akron 20, the Zips were called for a chop block on their next play that put the ball back at the 10. On the next play, Chisholm dashed around right end for a 35-yard gain -- matching the Zips rushing total from last week.

After a false start, Moore was nearly sacked on first down, almost intercepted on second down and threw incomplete on third down. The Zips' defense held the Owls, but Akron's offense couldn't get going on their second series either -- and then came the lightning delay with 6:04 left in the first quarter.

It was the Owls who got a charge out of it, marching 76 yards and scoring on a 22-yard pass from quarterback Mike Gerardi to Joe Jones with just two minutes after play resumed. After a 48-yard field goal by Akron's T.J. Marchese got the Zips within 7-3, the Owls went four and out.

But on the Zips' first possession of the second quarter, Moore was sacked and fumbled, and Temple's Kamal Johnson recovered on the Akron 4. Ianello challenged the call but lost and three plays later Pierce ran it in from the 3 for his first score. Pierce scored twice more in the next eight minutes, first on a two-yard run and then on a 37-yard run as the Owls took control of the game with a 28-3 lead at the half.

On Twitter: @pdcavsinsider

What could have been for the Chicago White Sox and the rest of the MLB's Top 20 list from this week.

View full sizeAP photoSure, Alex Rios hit a grand slam on Saturday, but a season of frustration for him and Adam Dunn will be long remembered for the White Sox troubles in 2011.

CHICAGO -- Latest edition of MLB's top 20 list.

1. Where would the White Sox be this season if Adam Dunn and Alex Rios, their middle of the order hitters, did what they're paid to do -- hit? They'd have to be pushing the Tigers, right?

Dunn, however, is going to finish the season as a bench player after signing a four-year, $56 million deal last year. He made $12 million this year and will make $12 million in 2012, $15 million in 2013 and $15 million in 2014.

Rios made $12 million this year followed by $12 million in 2012, $12.5 million in 2013 and $12.5 million in 2014. Dunn is hitting .161 (60-for-372) with 11 homers, 40 RBI and 158 strikeouts. Rios is hitting .222 (108-for-486) with nine homers and 36 RBI. No wonder there are rumblings of changes in the GM and manager's offices in Chicago.

2. It's definitely going to be a winter of change on the north side as the Cubs hire a new GM. The Chicago Tribune ranked its 16 top candidates with the Tampa Bay's Andrew Friedman, Oakland's Billy Beane, Boston's Theo Epstein, New York's Brian Cashman and Rich Hahn, the White Sox assistant GM, being the top five.

3. When the Indians traded Victor Martinez to Boston in July of 2009, he cried. Last week, wearing a Tigers uniform, he made the Indians cry as he batted them out of contention.

4. On his game-changing grand slam Wednesday, Martinez had barely reached first base when the ball landed over the left field wall.

5. It had to be done, but the talent the Indians traded in 2008 and 2009 in CC Sabathia, Lee and Martinez still takes the breath away. The biggest sting is that they keep improving. This year Sabathia is 19-7 with a 2.97 ERA, Lee is 16-7 with a 2.47 ERA and Martinez is hitting .326 (154-for-473) with 10 homers and 89 RBI.

6. As one Indians official said, "I liked Victor a lot better when he was hitting for us than against us."

7. The Tigers know how to pitch Asdrubal Cabrera. In the last two series, he was 3-for-23 against them.

8. The Twins have used the disabled list 24 times this year. The Indians 21 times.

9. The Twins entered this year with six AL Central titles in the last nine years, but you have to wonder how they'll rebound from this injury-filled year. Justin Morneau continues to have concussion problems. Joe Mauer's future as an everyday catcher is questionable. Michael Cuddyer and Jason Kubel are free agents and injuries have decimated the pitching staff.

10. Delmon Young has eight homers this year. He's hit four in 23 games since the Twins traded him to the Tigers.

11. Nice crop of AL rookies this year. Kansas City's Eric Hosmer (.287, 16 HR, 67 RBI), LA's Mark Trumbo (.254, 8, 26), Tampa Bay's Jeremy Hellickson (12-10, 2.90) and New York's Ivan Nova (15-4, 3.94) will get some rookie of the year votes. The Tribe's Vinnie Pestano deserves a call as well.

12. Toronto rookie Brett Lawrie has eight homers. Blue Jay rookies, according to mlb.com, have combined to hit an MLB-high 41 homers this year.

13. Texas right-hander Colby Lewis has allowed an AL-high 33 homers.

14. Yankee closer Mariano Rivera, with two saves last week, is four shy of passing Trevor Hoffman (601) to become the all-time leader.

15. If the postseason started today it would Texas at New York and Boston (wild card) at Detroit in the AL. In the NL it would be Arizona at Philadelphia and Atlanta (wild card) at Milwaukee.

16. The Red Sox, with injuries mounting, have lost eight of their last 11.

17. Not much has changed for Seattle's offense since last season. They're last in the AL in batting average, runs, hits, homers, slugging percentage and on-base percentage.

18. GM Kevin Towers knows how to build a bullpen. He did it in San Diego and he's done this year for the D-backs. They've gone from 35 saves last season to 51 this year.

19. The Rangers have beaten the A's nine straight times through Friday. Why? "They're better than us," A's right-hander Brandon McCarthy told mlb.com.

20. Excuse the departure from baseball: Bob August, who I worked with at the Cleveland Press and News-Herald, died over the weekend. Reading an August column was a joy. He was as smooth as a rock skimming over the surface of a calm lake.

This isn't Christmas morning, but there's an overflow of sports topics today, so let's start talkin' ...

View full sizeAP photoJayme Mitchell (left) is just one member of the Browns' young defensive line that will need to mature quickly if the defense is to improve in 2011.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- This isn't Christmas morning, but there's an overflow of sports topics today, so let's start talkin' ...

About the Browns ...

1. One the goals for the season was not only to make the roster younger, but also quicker. It's one of the reasons behind the switch to the 4-3 defense. General Manager Tom Heckert has always found it easier to find defensive ends in the 250- to 260-pound range who can rush the quarterback. He believes the Browns have three in Jayme Mitchell, Marcus Benard and rookie Jabaal Sheard.

2. If Mitchell ends up being a productive player, it's a tribute to the scouting staff. He has been in the league for six years, never started and has only 29 tackles. The Browns consider him the classic build for a defensive end. He's 6-6 and listed at 285 pounds, but looks thinner. They believe they can bring pressure on the quarterback from the defensive end spot.

3. The Browns had to decide who plays left defensive end. Mitchell has always played it, and Sheard did in college. They have moved Sheard to the right side. It's not a major adjustment, but the angles rushing the passer are a little different. It's just something else the rookie needs to learn, along with the general shock that comes when thrown into the lineup in his first NFL season.

4. Kaluka Maiava has impressed the Browns with his work at outside linebacker, and he could see quite a bit of action. He won't start, but he's the first substitute. With Titus Brown (sprained ankle) still out, Chris Gocong will back up D'Qwell Jackson at middle linebacker. Gocong will start at outside linebacker, along with Scott Fujita. The Browns believe Fujita's speed also can make him a factor rushing the quarterback.

5. Not much has been said about Dimitri Patterson, but he will be the nickel back -- the first cornerback added in passing situations. He played 16 games in Philadelphia last season, starting nine with four interceptions. He played 65 percent of the defensive snaps for the Eagles. A negative was being flagged for nine penalties. He is a key player because Sheldon Brown is 32 and coming off shoulder surgery. Brown is healthy now, but the Browns need depth at that position.

6. His injured foot finally healed, Mohamed Massaquoi had an excellent week of practice and the Browns believe he can develop into their leading receiver, as the West Coast offense should highlight his ability to run after the catch.

7. When it comes to Brian Robiskie, the team is still waiting for the Ohio State product to become a presence on offense. He will start against the Bengals, but he had just a so-so preseason. Greg Little and Joshua Cribbs were more impressive in camp, and they will be on the field a lot.

8. The Browns are expected to give Montario Hardesty several touches to acclimate him to the speed and hitting of the NFL. Medically, he is ready after recovering from knee surgery. But he had only five carries in the preseason and played in only one game. They want to know if he can compliment Peyton Hillis in the backfield.

9. While the Browns plan to start Jason Pinkston at left guard, they know it's a lot to ask of a rookie in his first NFL game. The fifth-rounder played left tackle in college. Yes, he is playing between Pro Bowlers Joe Thomas and Alex Mack on the left side, but he still will be attacked by the Bengals. Veteran Artis Hicks is available if Pinkston struggles.

10. The Browns will start four rookies: Phil Taylor, Sheard, Pinkston and fullback Owen Marecic. Little will play a lot. Buster Skrine and Jordan Cameron are expected to see action, meaning seven rookies will play.

11. The Browns do plan to use Cribbs on some return coverages. He didn't do much of that last season, as he played a fair amount of receiver in addition to returning kicks and punts. The Browns know Cribbs is one of their best special teams tacklers.

12. Hear me talk: I will be speaking Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the South Euclid Library. On Saturday at 2 p.m., I will be at the Avon Library. Both events are free. I will talk about my Browns books and other topics. I also will sign books for fans.

The five key Browns players ...

1. Colt McCoy: If he has a bad year or is hurt ... well, I don't want to think about it. The good news is how McCoy has been so comfortable in the West Coast offense.

2. D'Qwell Jackson: Yes, the Browns say Chris Gocong can do a decent job at middle linebacker, but that spot belongs to Jackson, who has been impressive in the preseason. Can he stay healthy after playing only six games in the last two years because of injuries?

3. The young guards: The Browns plan to start rookie Jason Pinkston at left guard, and Shawn Lauvao (only three games as a rookie in 2010) at right guard. Lauvao has been impressive in camp. Pinkston is a converted tackle. It's a lot to ask of two kids at two key spots on the line.

4. Mohamed Massaquoi: If not Massaquoi, then someone else has to emerge as a major threat at wide receiver. In this last two years, no wide receiver has had more than 40 catches.

5. Tony Pashos: Or someone else if Pashos can't hold up at right tackle. He has played only 11 games in two years. The Browns do have Oniel Cousins behind him, but he was cut by Baltimore. Another possibility is Artis Hicks, who was cut by Washington. He also supplies some depth at guard.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerJack Hannahan has done enough this season to assure his spot on the 2012 Indians as a utility player, says Terry Pluto.

About the Tribe ...

1. Look for Jack Hannahan to be back next season. The Indians love how he plays third base. He also is a good first baseman, and they believe he can play second in an emergency -- Hannahan played 143 games there in the minors. Most of all, he is an insurance policy for Lonnie Chisenhall at third -- as they have no other options at third in 2012. Hannahan is not a free agent, but he is eligible for arbitration.

2. Yes, Jason Donald can play some third base, but the Indians want him as a backup to Jason Kipnis at second and Asdrubal Cabrera at short. They like the idea of Hannahan and Donald as their reserve infielders.

3. With Carlos Carrasco headed for elbow surgery and Jason Knapp recovering from his second shoulder surgery, Donald and Lou Marson are what the Indians have to show for the Cliff Lee deal. Donald battled injuries this season, but has come back to be solid. In the last two seasons, he's a .262 hitter (.703 OPS) in 381 major-league at-bats. He's especially effective against lefties (.328).

4. Hannahan has had an amazing year -- based on coming into the season with a career .224 batting average (.658 OPS) in 856 at-bats. At 31, Hannahan raised those numbers to .248 (.718 OPS) with eight homers and 36 RBI. But digging deeper, he hit .362 with runners in scoring position and .298 vs. lefties. And yes, he is a left-handed hitter.

5. The Indians aren't sure what happened to Cord Phelps. Coming to the big leagues can be tough for the first time. But he made five errors in his first 12 games at second in his first trip to Cleveland. Since he's returned, he's been OK in the field, but is 0-for-17 at bat. On the year, he's 9-of-63 (.143) for the Tribe.

6. Phelps is only 24, and he's a .303 hitter (.873 OPS) in 707 Class AAA at-bats. This is not Jerad Head, a 29-year-old career minor leaguer who was never considered a top prospect. Head finally reached the majors this season, and looked very overmatched at 2-for-23. Phelps was ahead of Kipnis in terms of development early in the season -- and just has stalled.

7. Phelps is in a tough spot. The Indians don't want to give up on him, but he clearly is behind Kipnis and Donald at second base. The Indians may play him a bit in the outfield in spring training, along with working him at first base.

8. Recovering from a strained ligament in his elbow, Josh Tomlin has told the Tribe he wants to pitch again this season. The Indians may allow him to do so. But if he feels any type of pain, forget it. This is the first time he's been on the disabled list in his six-year pro career.

9. With Carrasco out in 2012, four spots in the starting rotation are set: Ubaldo Jimenez, Justin Masterson, Fausto Carmona and Tomlin. Yes, the Indians plan to pick up Carmona's $7 million option for 2012, but it will be a while before they announce it. That leaves David Huff (the favorite), Jeanmar Gomez and Zach McAllister competing for the No. 5 spot. McAllister will make another start for the Tribe at some point.

10. The Indians prefer to have at least eight viable options for the rotation because of injuries or a starter slumping. Mitch Talbot was 4-2 with a 4.26 ERA at Columbus, and is a minor-league free agent at the end of the season. He may not be back.

11. The Indians are intrigued by Austin Adams, who was 11-10 with a 3.77 ERA at Class AA Akron. Adams was 6-2 with a 3.21 ERA and 49 strikeouts against 17 walks in 56 innings after the All-Star break. He throws 95-98 mph, and was a fifth-round pick in 2009. He turned 25 in August, so it's time for the right-hander to make his move toward Cleveland.

12. Some fans have emailed about the firing of hitting coach Jon Nunnally, and wonder if that had anything to do with the Tribe's decline. Nunnally was fired on June 19. The Indians started 30-15, but had lost 16 of 24 games after that leading up to the day Nunnally was fired. They had a .251 average, scoring 4.4 runs per game. They were trending the wrong way, scoring two or fewer runs in 15 of those last 24 games.

13. Since Bruce Fields took over, they are batting .244 and averaging 4.0 runs. He also has had major injuries to key players. In the end, the change didn't matter. It's not certain what the Indians will do for a batting coach next season.

14. The Indians plan to not use Vinnie Pestano a lot for the rest of the season. He has appeared in 60 games, his previous pro high was 62 in 2010. Pestano has been terrific with a 2.43 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 55 2/3 innings. He has destroyed right-handed hitters (.120), and allowed only five of 20 inherited runners to score.

15. But Pestano has a history of arm problems. The Indians took him in the 20th round of the 2006 draft, knowing he needed reconstructive elbow surgery. He came back strong, but his 2009 season ended in July with elbow problems. He has been healthy since, and the Indians want to keep it that way.

16. Tribe broadcasters Mike Hegan and Herb Score have been nominated as candidates for the 2012 Ford C. Frick Award for excellence in baseball broadcasting. Score was the radio voice of the Indians from 1968-97. Hegan has been a part of the TV and radio broadcasts since 1989. Fans can take part in online voting at the Hall of Fame's Facebook site.

Pat Shurmur carries himself like a head coach. Sunday, all eyes fall on him as a playcaller trying to balance a pass-first offense and power running back Peyton Hillis, Bud Shaw writes in his Sunday Spin.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerPat Shurmur and Colt McCoy have already given reason to believe that they're the right pairing at the right time for the Browns, says Bud Shaw.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Sunday's debut of the Browns' new head coach is slightly overshadowed by the debut of the Browns' new offensive coordinator.

The immediate focus isn't so much how Pat Shurmur balances both jobs. That'll become a question only if he's 0-1 come Sunday night or he makes Romeo Crennel look like Bill Belichick when it comes to managing the game and the clock.

It's how does he balance the spread-the-wealth West Coast Offense with a power running game that made Peyton Hillis a folk hero a season ago?

"In the NFL, it's about scoring points whether it's pass first [or] run first," Shurmur said this week. "I think we'll do what we have to do to try to score points. I think it's important you establish a physical run game regardless of how much you throw the football.

"I don't know who's nervous ... we're going to try to do what we have to do to win this game. That really starts by, offensively within the scheme and the system, by getting the ball to the guys that can make plays, whether you hand it to them or throw it to them, those guys have to touch it."

Nervous was my word and it's probably the wrong one. "Curious" is better.

The question is a new one here but Shurmur juggled the same ingredients last year in St. Louis, where Steven Jackson had the second-most carries (330) in the league. Only Atlanta's Michael Turner had more (334). Jackson finished eighth in yards rushing. Hillis ran 60 fewer times, had a better yards-per-carry average and finished 11th with 1,177 yards but got worn to a nub.

"You have to look at the situation of the team as well," Shurmur said. "When we went to St. Louis we were, I wouldn't call it rebuilding, but there was work to be done. When you look at your roster and the players that you have available and you have a guy like Steven Jackson, who has been a tremendous player for them for a long time and still is, it makes sense to get him the ball."

Translation: Quarterback Sam Bradford was a rookie. Jackson was coming off a 1,400-yard season.

Hillis is not only a good fit for the West Coast because he can catch the ball (and we don't know what to expect from the wide receiving corps). Shurmur's approach figures to keep Hillis fresher longer even if Montario Hardesty doesn't become the reliable backup the Browns need.

"I was in the West Coast with coach [Mike] Shanahan my first year," Hillis told reporters this week. "It is very player friendly and I think it gives the players time to regroup. As far as the physicality goes, your body is rested, I feel a lot better than I did at this time last year. I think that's a big positive heading into the season."

The intrigue surrounding 2011 stems, as it did a year ago, from the promise Hillis and quarterback Colt McCoy bring to the huddle. But it's also from Shurmur's role as an offensive-minded head coach who's not only on the same page with his GM but with the guy who will be calling plays on Sunday.

John Kuntz, The Plain DealerPeyton Manning will not be throwing passes against the Browns or anyone else for the immediate future ... as his doctors keep poking around a neck that suddenly worries the entire state of Indiana.

SPINOFFS

Plaxico Burress tells Men's Journal magazine he was mad Giants' coach Tom Coughlin didn't show concern after Burress shot himself in the leg at a New York nightclub in 2008.

"I sat in his office, and he pushed back his chair and goes, 'I'm glad you didn't kill anybody!' Burress said of Coughlin. "Man, we're paid too much to be treated like kids. He doesn't realize that we're grown men and actually have kids of our own."

OK, so we're all glad you didn't kill anybody, especially anybody's kids...

Comes word that Peyton Manning's neck surgery Thursday was his third in the past 18 months. I'm sure the first two were announced as "successful..."

View full sizeAP photoWith a smile on his face, this man's recipe made for a compelling day against Toledo.

The New York Islanders are offering a tattoo/body piercing station at 10 home games next season. Sports fanaticism and beer is a dangerous enough intersection without opening a tattoo parlor on one corner. If the Indians had done that, imagine the "Dellucci-Michaels: Left Field Forever tattoos people would be stuck with all these years later...

Terrelle Pryor now says he will appeal his five-game suspension after maintaining he would not contest the NFL's ruling. Wow, who could've predicted his word wouldn't mean anything?...

Proof that you can watch too much MMA: after Jacksonville cut quarterback David Garrard last week, former NFL defensive end Hugh Douglas, who played a year for coach Jack Del Rio, said, "If there was ever a coach who needs to be punched in the face for not being truthful to his players, it's Jack Del Rio..."

SEPARATED AT BIRTH

View full sizeAP photoHe doesn't coach a football team, but has shown he knows how to score.

Aaron Boone and Johnny Knoxville. -- Jon S

Luke Fickell and Jason Biggs of "American Pie." -- Pat Jameson

Webb Simpson and Bill Clinton. -- Gary, Wickliffe

HE SAID IT

"Come on, this is a guy who dresses in drag. I don't worry about what Oscar De La Hoya says." -- Floyd Mayweather Jr., who forgot to add, "not that there's anything wrong with that."

SHE SAID IT

"Through this statue, Shaq will be a role model for all the young people so that they can achieve things through hard work." -- Lucille O'Neal, Shaquille O'Neal's mother, at the unveiling of a statue in his honor on the campus of LSU.

Hard work and being 7-1, 350 pounds.

YOU SAID IT

(The Greatly Expanded First NFL Sunday of the Year Edition)

"Bud:

"I see where the President coordinated his speech so it wouldn't interfere with the NFL season opener Thursday. Seeing as how he's in the third quarter of his presidency, does this qualify as the season's first 'second-half adjustment'?" -- Jeff, Westlake

I think I speak for many Browns fans when I say, "What's a second-half adjustment?"

"Bud:

"With your history of predictions gone wrong please tell me your predicting the Browns to go 5-11." -- Angelo, Cleveland

Go ahead, laugh. Just remember three words. President Ron Paul.

"Bud:

"If the Bengals win the first game over the Browns, is the season over?" -- Emma Schmidt

No, but sources tell me the unveiling of the Colt McCoy statue would be delayed a week.

"Bud:

"Have you heard about the new reality show being produced off Ontario Street about the baseball playoff chase called, 'NOT in Cleveland?'" -- James D, Richmond Heights.

Is that the one with Betty White hitting fifth and playing first base?

"Bud:

"I still say you and Ed Sullivan are a (Separated at Birth) match." -- Gary, Wickliffe

Thank you for not saying Topo Gigio.

"Bud:

"I see Jack Hannahan strained his calf exiting the batters box. Did you ever strain your wrist typing your article?" -- Devin, Euclid

No, but on numerous occasions I've hit "send" and dislocated my typing finger pointing to heaven.

"Bud:

"Shouldn't we have known it was impossible for the Columbus Clippers to win a pennant in two leagues?" -- Mal, North Ridgeville

First-time "You Said It" winners receive a T-shirt from the Mental Floss collection.

"Bud:

"Does Fausto [Carmona] only pitch on three innings and a meal days?" -- Joe S

Repeat winners receive discounted admission to a future "You Said It."

"Bud:

"Is watching Dick Schaap smoke a cigarette while interviewing O.J. Simpson on ESPN Classic final proof that I should drop cable?" -- Tom Hoffner

Repeat winners also receive a Surgeon General's warning.

Bold Captain seems to be able to put a victory every year, but only one. On a sloppy Thistledown oval, Bold Captain did it in fine fashion in Saturday's Governor's Buckeye Cup.

NORTH RANDALL, Ohio -- Bold Captain seems to be able to put up a victory every year, but only one. On a sloppy Thistledown oval, Bold Captain did it in fine fashion Saturday, notching his first victory of 2011 as the 19-1 long shot upset favored Catlaunch to win the 63rd running of the $50,000 Governor's Buckeye Cup.

"I don't know what it is about this horse, but one win a year seems to be it," said Miguel "Angel" Feliciano, who trains the 5-year-old bay gelding for Florida's Pyrite Stables. Bold Captain won the Best of Ohio Juvenile in 2008, and followed the next year by winning the Lewis Memorial as a 3-year-old. Feliciano didn't enter him in a big stake last year, winning one allowance race in nine starts.

Early in the 11/4-mile race, it looked as if Catlaunch was going to win his fifth stake in six starts this year. The venerable 10-year-old took the early lead and Thats a Heckofacat raced for almost three-quarters of a mile on his outside. As the two began to fade, jockey Luis Gonzalez pulled Bold Captain to the outside and splashed from seventh to the lead, roaring past the tiring leaders to open a 31/2-length margin at the wire.

Bold Captain covered the 11/4-mile race in 2:05.4 and, said Feliciano, earned the son of Bold Truth a trip to the Best of Ohio Endurance on Oct. 15.

"Maybe this could be the year when he wins two races," said Feliciano, with a laugh.

Bold Captain paid $44.80, 17.80 and 8. Allsarott was second ($3.80, 2.40), followed by Thats a Heckofacat ($3.40) and Catlaunch.

Making his fourth start of the season, Bold Captain was almost scratched. Feliciano wanted to instead enter him in an allowance race against less talented thoroughbreds, and for a far smaller purse. That race didn't fill, so Feliciano kept him in the Buckeye Cup field of nine thoroughbreds.

Rochester (N.Y.) limited Case Western Reserve to minus-1 net rushing yards and beat the Spartans (1-1) on their home field Saturday, 17-7.

Rochester (N.Y.) limited Case Western Reserve to minus-1 net rushing yards and beat the Spartans (1-1) on their home field Saturday, 17-7.

The Yellowjackets (1-0) sacked Spartans QB Erik Olson five times and intercepted two of his passes. Rochester linebacker Brendan Pidgeon, a preseason Division III All-American, had both interceptions.

Rochester scored two second-quarter touchdowns and took a 14-0 lead into halftime.

Case halved that deficit in the third quarter when Bryce Coleman (Solon), who is listed as a tight end, scored on a 3-yard touchdown run. It was Coleman's only carry of the game.

Rochester kicked a 33-yard field goal with seven seconds left in the game for the final margin.

Olson, who doubles as the Spartans' punter, completed 18 of 35 passes for 183 yards. Manny Sicre caught six passes for 38 yards and Bryan Metlesitz (North Royalton) hauled in five passes for 71 yards.

Mount Union 41, Wisconsin-Oshkosh 17: The Purple Raiders (1-0) trailed, 7-3, before pouring it on the Titans (1-1) in Alliance.

Mount's Jeremy Murray ran for 125 yards and two TDs on 20 carries, and caught two passes for 15 yards and another score. QB Neal Seaman completed 18 of 29 passes for 149 yards and a touchdown.

Murray ran 16 yards into the end zone late in the first quarter to put the Raiders up, 10-7. His second touchdown, less than two minutes into the second quarter, extended the Raiders' lead to 17-7.

Seaman and Murray connected on a 20-yard scoring pass with 13 seconds left in the first half to make the score 34-10.

Michigan Tech 41, Lake Erie 10: The Huskies (2-0, 1-0) put up 506 yards of offense and crushed the Storm (1-1, 0-1) in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opener in Houghton, Mich.

Lake Erie QB Sean Bedevelsky (Brunswick) completed 10 of 20 passes for 130 yards, and scored the Storm's lone touchdown on a 7-yard run.

Kameron Alexander (Buchtel) led the Storm in rushing with 40 yards on eight carries, and in doing so became the third player in program history to run for 1,000 career yards.

Notre Dame College 20, Walsh 17: Freshman Chris McClearn booted a 37-yard field goal in overtime to lead the Falcons (1-1) past the Cavaliers (0-2) in Canton.

McClearn kicked a 22-yard field goal with six seconds left in the game to send it to overtime.

The Falcons' Jack Foy caught nine passes for 55 yards and a touchdown. QB Rob Partridge passed for 103 yards and ran for 58.

Hiram 16, Kenyon 13: QB Brandon Hanna scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 6-yard run with 2:47 left in the game and the Terriers (1-1, 1-0 North Coast Athletic Conference) beat the visiting Lords (0-2, 0-1).

Hiram totaled 275 yards on the ground, getting 84 from Hanna on 20 carries and 84 from Chris Austin (Glenville) on 16 carries. Hanna was 18-for-25 passing for 162 yards.

The Terriers' Jeff Schofield caught 10 passes for 104 yards.

Wabash 19, Wooster 7: The Little Giants (1-0, 1-0 NCAC) had 490 yards of total offense, including 246 on the ground, and defeated the host Fighting Scots (0-2, 0-1).

Wabash QB Chase Belton completed 17 of 35 passes for 244 yards and one touchdown with two interceptions.

Malone 30, McKendree 27: Nick Allison kicked a 35-yard field goal as time expired to give the Pioneers (2-0) the win over the Bearcats (0-1) in Lebanon, Ill.

The season may be winding down, but Paul Hoynes' mailbag is always in midseason form.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerVinnie Pestano has done yeoman work for the Indians all season ... with or without that nice Disney backpack.

Hey, Hoynsie: Do the veterans make the Indians' youngest reliever wear a child's backpack to carry supplies out to the bullpen? -- Steven Young, Chardon

Hey, Steven: Yes, they do. Vinnie Pestano has done the honors most of the year. Pestano didn't shirk his duties. He even went out and bought his own pink Disney backpack.

Hey, Hoynsie: If the Tribe stays above .500 and finishes second in the AL Central, would that be enough to get Manny Acta consideration for manager of the year? -- Steve Alex, Gainesville, Fla.

Hey, Steve: Yes.

Hey, Hoynsie: Does Matt LaPorta's surprise demotion to Class AAA Columbus bode well for his spot on the roster next year? -- Rich Smith, Columbus

Hey, Rich: Probably not, but a lot of players ride the elevator between the minors and the big leagues before they establish themselves. LaPorta's demotion was eye catching because it came in late August, right before the rosters were expanded.

Hey, Hoynsie: Isn't there a cutoff date for players to qualify for playoff roster (if per chance our Tribe makes it). Can you give the specifics of the rule(s) that come into play for player eligibility on the 25-man postseason roster? -- Mike J., Mentor

Hey, Mike: Basic rule: a player must be on the 25-man roster, or the disabled list, by Aug. 31 to be eligible for the postseason. If a team wants to add a player to the postseason roster, it can substitute that player for a player on the disabled list. But it has to be a pitcher for a pitcher or a position player for a position player.

I don't think that's a priority with the Indians right now.

Hey, Hoynsie: In July and August, the Indians were 3-12 in the final game of a series and 23-16 otherwise. What's up with their inability to end a series with a win? Is it possible to spot a particular cause of, or remedy to, this problem? -- Jody Michael, Rootstown

Hey, Jody: This sounds like a math problem and you know I start to break out in hives when confronted with such things.

The Indians were 11-15 in July, so they lost a lot games, not just the last games of a series. In August, however, they were 15-13. August was a tough month because they started to get back into the AL Central portion of the schedule and Carlos Carrasco, Travis Hafner, Michael Brantley, Josh Tomlin and Shin-Soo Choo were all sidelined with injuries.

Losing Carrasco and Tomlin, along with the trade for Ubaldo Jimenez, forced changes in the rotation and that may have played a part in the Indians failing to win the last games of series finales.

Hey, Hoynsie: Spending so much time around the team, I worry about you. Is The Plain Dealer aware that if you go down with a severe bout of writer's cramp, I'm ready to be a September call-up from Columbus to help the big club? -- Joe Cepec, Dublin

Hey, Joe: Appreciate the concern. Writer's cramp has never been a problem. Writing in English has.

Hey, Hoynsie: Regarding Grady Sizemore's sports hernia ... I'd like to know if a sports hernia is the same as a regular hernia. If it is, then why not just call it a hernia? -- Bruce Allen, Land O' Lakes, Fla.

Hey, Bruce: I'm not a doctor, but if it makes you happy, so be it. From now on a hernia is a hernia is a hernia.

Hey, Hoynsie: As another season that the diehards will say was "better than they expected" slowly swirls toward the bottom of the bowl, the apologists will blame the Indians wilting in the midst of a pennant race to those darn "soft tissue" injuries! Are the Indians of 2011 cursed in some way -- or can we assume they are much like their injured tissues and just plain soft? All teams have injuries, right? Winners step up when the times get tough, right? -- Brett Ormsby, Bay Village

Hey, Brett: All teams do have injuries, but from the start of spring training the Indians said their big fear was not being able to keep their top players on the field for most of the season. With the Indians, and with most teams, the utility infielder, fourth outfielder and last guy out of the bullpen rarely get hurt. It's the front-line players who usually go down.

When that happens, it is much easier to weather the storm if you're the Yankees and the Red Sox, or even the Tigers, with their bulging payrolls between $100 million to $200 million. Money buys depth, something the Indians have in short supply.

Hey, Hoynsie: When are you going to change the name of your column to Hoynes57? I can think of 57 reasons for The Cleveland Indians to improve themselves ... can you? -- Tim Britton, Cleveland

Hey, Tim: I tend to lose focus once I get past 20.

Hey, Hoynsie: As I sit and watch the Tigers prove their dominance against the Indians in a 10-1 victory, I don't think we're that far behind. We honestly have good pitching and a great bullpen. We need hitting. Can we expect some kind of bat in the off-season, preferably in the Albert Belle mold? -- Zachary Stuzinski, Parma

Hey, Zachary: I think the offense will improve next year simply because players such as Jason Kipnis, Lonnie Chisenhall, Michael Brantley, Carlos Santana, Lou Marson and Matt LaPorta will benefit from their experience this year.

Hopefully, an injured player such as Shin-Soo Choo can contribute as he did in 2009 and 2010. Still, help from the outside is needed, especially when it comes to acquiring a productive right-handed hitter.

Hey, Hoynsie: Hey -- with the way that the Tigers always seem to pound Carmona -- I'm thinking that he's tipping his pitches. Don't they look at that possibility when digesting a performance? -- Julie Kochert, Ferrelview, Mo.

Hey, Julie: Until Tuesday night, Carmona had pitched well against the Tigers this year. Overall, he's 8-6 lifetime again them. Admittedly, he was terrible Tuesday.

I would suspect that Victor Martinez, Carmona's old catcher in Cleveland, may have had something to do with Detroit's success. Nobody knows a pitcher like his catcher.

Hey, Hoynsie: There are no reasons to keep Fausto Carmona on the roster. -- Dale Brodt, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Hey, Dale: Actually, there are. The Indians need starting pitching. Carlos Carrasco will undergo Tommy John surgery on Wednesday. Josh Tomlin has a sore right elbow. Drew Pomeranz and Alex White were traded, making Jeanmar Gomez and David Huff your fourth and fifth starters.

Right now the Indians have Justin Masterson and Ubaldo Jimenez as their No.1 and No.2 starters. Carmona has a $7 million club option for 2012. If the Indians don't pick it up, he's eligible for arbitration. I'd say the chances are good Carmona is back with the Tribe next year because they need him.

Hey, Hoynsie: I believe by now that Fausto Carmona may not have what it takes to start, do you think he could be a possible closer? -- Phil Bender, North Ridgeville

Hey, Phil: Been there. Done that. Still have the scars to prove it, in fact.

Hey, Hoynsie: Given that the Tribe desperately needs right-handed hitters, do you see any chance for Shelley Duncan to be the DH in 2012? He also can play the outfield and first base a little. I've been a Travis Hafner fan forever, but he is strictly a DH. Given his injury history, I question whether we can rely on him next year, guaranteed salary or no guaranteed salary. -- George Bixler, Orrville

Hey, George: Duncan has done a nice job in a tough spot for the Indians this year. He's tough, smart and has fit in well coming off the bench as DH, first baseman, outfielder and pinch-hitter. I just don't know if he can be that productive playing every day.

Hey, Hoynsie: The Tribe hung tough for longer than I expected, still it's hard not to be disappointed. I'm hopeful about next year, but curious about how much injuries played a role in this season's clunky ending. Injuries are normal, and all teams go through their share, so my question is: What is an average amount of injuries such as games missed by starters on the disabled list? -- Jude KoaMaya, Savoy, Mass.

Hey, Jude (catchy song title, don't you think?): This year the Indians have used the disabled list 21 times and missed over 700 player days of service time. Here's how that rates over their last four years: 2010: 14, 673; 2009: 14, 798; 2008: 10, 701 and 2007: 9, 323.

Not surprisingly, 2007 was the last time the Indians reached the postseason.

-- Hoynsie

Welcome to the Opening Day version of Tony Grossi's weekly mailbag.

View full sizeAP photoOwen Marecic may not have impressed during the preseason games, but the Browns remain very optimistic in his abilities as a blocking and pass-receiving fullback.

Hey, Tony: Not to defend his erratic play during the preseason, but is there any thought to the fact that Owen Marecic is still a work in progress at fullback mostly because he wasn't a full-time player at that position at Stanford? That, coupled with the lack of off-season work due to the lockout? I suspect this is another one of those "tremendous upside" players who the Browns brass believes will only get better and better. -- Jim Rudloff, Zanesville

Hey, Jim: The Browns have not wavered in stating their confidence in Marecic despite appearing to struggle in his first training camp.

Hey, Tony: In the last two weeks of the preseason, the Browns have looked sloppy. The last time I recall seeing the Browns look this bad in preseason was 2008 before the Crennel/Savage implosion. When Mangini took over, if nothing else, he preached disciplined, mistake-free football. Now maybe Shurmur is a better football strategist, but from your observations at camp, is he instilling enough discipline in his players? -- Greg Stelz, Durango, Colo.

Hey, Greg: You may be reading way too much into the preseason games. The year the Detroit Lions went 0-16, they were a sparkling 4-0 in preseason. The year the Indianapolis Colts won the Super Bowl, they were 0-4 in preseason. Don't jump to conclusions based on practice games.

Hey, Tony: If the D'Qwell Jackson on Michael Vick hit happened during the regular season, and as it could have had a definite impact on the outcome of the game, how would that work as a league ruling? Is that grounds for some sort of protest? -- Jason Brunner, Elyria

Hey, Jason: No. The Browns would have received a letter from the NFL office stating that the official erred. So sorry. That and a quarter won't even get them a cup of coffee nowadays.

Hey, Tony: Why don't the Browns ever consider Josh Cribbs for the third-down back role? Seems like a no-brainer to me. -- Bill Crowell, Dansville, N.Y.

Hey, Bill: Three head coaches, two offensive coordinators and two general managers -- including the one that signed Cribbs to his first contract -- do not agree with you or me on this issue.

Hey, Tony: If deadlines are missed there are usually consequences. What consequences would an NFL team face if they had missed the 6 p.m. deadline for submitting their 53-player roster? Would a team be fined? Have you ever heard of a team being disciplined for missing such a deadline? -- Erol Altug, Stony Brook, N.Y.

Hey, Erol: There are penalties spelled out in the NFL by-laws for missing such deadlines.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerRumors concerning Seneca Wallace's willingness to be a backup QB with the Browns are just that, rumors, says Tony Grossi. Wallace has acted like a pro in backing up Colt McCoy.

Hey, Tony: I have read a lot of comments regarding Seneca Wallace's poor attitude and lack of professional respect due to being a backup. If true, do you change your opinion Wallace is a good No. 2 and should not be traded? -- Eliot Clasen, Cape Coral, Fla.

Hey, Eliot: I don't know what you're reading, but it hasn't come from here. I believe you are totally off-base.

Hey, Tony: Have you heard any rumors that the Browns may modernize their uniforms? I hope they do! A uniform change with the changing culture in Browns Nation would be quite welcome. -- Bill Everman, Wesley Chapel, Fla.

Hey, Bill: I will lift my moratorium on uniform questions to tell you the Browns are wearing white-on-white at home games to honor the tradition established by founding coach Paul Brown, who dressed his team in that no-frills fashion in the 1950s. I'm not aware of a "changing culture" in Browns Nation. If anything, fans treasure the team's traditions and the colors and uniform style are part of that.

The moratorium is now back in effect.

Hey, Tony: You just floored me with an answer regard to D'Qwell Jackson's fine. The official said he might not have even flagged the play if it was regular season. Do they have two sets of rules on what is or isn't a penalty? -- Rich Markovich, Schaumburg, Ill.

Hey, Rich: First, there was no fine on the play -- just a flag. It was a practice game. Didn't count. Officials need practice games, too, to sharpen their eyes on what is a penalty and what isn't. The coaches can easily see on video review that it was a perfectly legal hit.

Hey, Tony: Wouldn't it make perfect sense to put a dedicated referee in a press box? He could not only handle all replay calls himself (in a timely manner) but has the vantage point and TV replay angles to call unseen penalties. Also, do you think the NFL will ever put GPS receivers in the footballs? Seems like the technology is there and it wouldn't be over the top expensive. -- Joe Stanton, Chagrin

Hey, Joe: 1. The league is extremely sensitive to not elongate games and further disrupt its pace by excessive replay reviews. That sentiment was the origin of the coach's challenge system, to limit the number of plays reviewed. 2. The technology features you speculate on could eventually invade the game. How about a goal-line sensor to determine whether the ball breaks the plane? I think that will be used some day.

Hey, Tony: I have enjoyed how you have tracked the offensive line development. I looked at the just posted Browns' Web page depth chart, which again has no backup tackles. Given the Browns penchant for starter injuries are they tempting the fates? -- Alan Fojt, Manassas, Va.

Hey, Alan: To the contrary, the Browns have three backup linemen with experience at tackle -- Artis Hicks, John Greco and Oniel Cousins. My one qualm is that none is a true "developmental" tackle -- a young guy who might be groomed into a starter some day. I thought they had one in Branndon Braxton and was surprised he did not make the final roster or practice squad.

Hey, Tony: Can the Browns block another team from claiming a practice squad player so long as the Browns move them to the 53-man roster or does the claiming team have first rights? -- Chris Rurode, Centerville

Hey, Chris: Players on the practice squad are not claimed because they are not on waivers. But they may be offered full contracts by another team, after which the new team must keep them on their regular roster for a minimum of three weeks. If a practice squad player is offered a contract, his existing team has the right to match or better the contract offer.

Hey, Tony: What kind of relationship does Colt and Senaca have? Jake Delhomme was supportive and mentored McCoy. Seneca seems more interested in himself and is not real supportive. -- Arturo Gomez, Cleveland

Hey, Arturo: McCoy is not lacking for mentors. Mike Holmgren, Gil Haskell, Pat Shurmur and Mark Whipple all have been NFL offensive coordinators and/or quarterback coaches. McCoy's got more voices in his head than Sybil.

Hey, Tony: Did the Browns' third and fourth teams get as many reps in training camp this year as in the past? I ask because it seemed those units were sloppier in the preseason games this year. Also it seems GM Tom Heckert is dictating the starting lineups. -- Dale Galbraith, Barberton

Hey, Dale: No, I don't think the third and fourth teams got many reps in training camp. Why should they? The main purpose of training camp is to prepare the team for the regular season. The first and second teams need the most work. As for Heckert, his contract stipulates he has control of the final roster. Heckert, Mike Holmgren and coach Pat Shurmur work in concert and have a better relationship than I've seen in the Browns building since the Ernie Accorsi-Marty Schottenheimer years in the 1980s.

Hey, Tony: It's a big blow to the backfield losing Brandon Jackson. I believe Chester Taylor, recently waived by the Bears, would be the perfect fit. Being a Toledo Rocket, he would also boost interest and attendance from our side of the state. -- Bill Drummer, Wauseon

Hey, Bill: Former GM Phil Savage signed Taylor to an offer sheet when Taylor was a restricted free agent with Baltimore. That was, what, six years ago? NFL running backs over the age of 30 are not the wisest investment.

Hey, Tony: I have been reading the articles about the roster cuts. Could you explain the difference between "terminated the contract of," "waived," and "released"? Are the terms interchangable? Is one better than another for the team or for the player? -- Steve Bickerton, Avon Lake

Hey, Steve: It's all a matter of semantics. Players who have four or more years of NFL service are not subject to waivers. During the off-season, their contracts are "terminated" and they become free agents. During the season, they are released. In the world of Donald Trump, it all means the same: You're fired.

Hey, Tony: Can you dive a little into the day in the life of a practice squad player(s)? Salary? Is the contract for the full year or can you be removed/replaced at anytime? Any other information you think would be worth sharing would be much appreciated! -- Kyle Karpinski, Ashburn, Va.

Hey, Kyle: Practice squad players are paid $5,700 a week for the 2011 season. They can be waived at any time. Each team can employ a maximum of eight on its practice squad. Practice squad players do everything the regular players do, except play in the games. They do not travel with the team, though the Browns in the past have rewarded theirs with one road trip a year. The incentive for practice squad players is that they will maximize their opportunity, develop into useful players and warrant a regular contract from their existing team or other teams.

Hey, Tony: From here, it looks like the acquisition of QB Thaddeus Lewis is a hint Shurmur has little or no confidence in McCoy. What is your expert take? -- Wayne Hopewell, Colorado City, Colo.

Hey, Wayne: You couldn't be more wrong about Shurmur's confidence in McCoy. Lewis was an undrafted free agent that Shurmur had in St. Louis and liked. Every coach is always looking for young quarterbacks to develop. Perhaps Lewis becomes a capable No. 2 backup to replace Wallace somewhere down the road. As for Brown, the Browns liked his physical skills. They obviously like Lewis' more.

Hey, Tony: I know you have your doubts on the strength of Colt's arm. Colt said he is healthier this year than last. Have you seen a discernible improvement in Colt's zip? -- Real McCoy, Mission, Texas

Hey, Real: Maybe a little. The true test is in December.

View full sizeEd Suba Jr., Akron Beacon-JournalWill Montario Hardesty be the surprise bonus in the Browns' offense this season? Tony Grossi is intrigued.

Hey, Tony: Three questions: (1) What is your take on Shurmur? (2) Who do you think will surprise the fans on offense and on defense, and (3) Want to take back what you said about not touching Vick (100-foot pole rule) last year? -- Craig L, Tinley Park, Ill.

Hey, Craig: 1. Shurmur has been very impressive. 2. On offense, I would nominate Montario Hardesty because it seems everyone thinks he's an injury waiting to happen. On defense, Buster Skrine. 3. I agree with Clayton. Yes, Vick should be included among the elite players. He's a phenomenal talent, to be sure. He seems to have turned his life around, too. But as an NFL quarterback, there is something about him that I don't like. Maybe he'll prove me wrong, but I wouldn't want my club's Super Bowl hopes resting on him. I just think he is prone to making mistakes at key moments of big games. Maybe I'll eat my words this year.

Hey, Tony: What are your thoughts concerning Thaddeus Lewis? Is he to good to be true with all of his uncanny throwing accuracy? Do you know how tall he is? -- Greg Dineen, Middletown

Hey, Greg: Lewis is 6-2. I've never seen him play, so I can't comment on his "uncanny throwing accuracy." He played at Duke and was undrafted. I am not ready to present his case in the Hall of Fame selection meeting.

Hey, Tony: With Colt McCoy's propensity to throw high when things become heated, how important is having a few taller receivers on the squad? -- Vince L, Cleveland, Wis.

Hey, Vince: Taller receivers are always important to any quarterback, especially in the end zone.

Hey, Tony: I know the Browns are in a youth mode, but do you think they would consider a veteran player as a fill in for an injured player like Brandon Jackson? I'd like to see a healthy Hillis come November. -- Doug Shaffer, Orange, Calif.

Hey, Doug: I'm not quite sure what role Jackson was signed for, other than as insurance in case Montario Hardesty suffered a setback in his comeback from ACL surgery. The thought of removing Hillis on third downs does not make much sense to me.

Hey, Tony: I noticed WR Donnie Avery was cut by the Rams and he was the No. 1 receiver for Coach Shurmur during his first year at St. Louis. Do you think that he would have interest in bringing in his guy to kick the tires? -- LaCroy Hatcher, Cleveland Heights

Hey, LaCroy: We'll see, but so far the Browns have shown no interest.

Hey, Tony: A perennial complaint against the Browns has been their lack of speed. With Armand Smith they have addressed this at least at running back. Do you think Smith will get a few touches a game? -- Paul Thiel, Crescent Springs, Ky.

Hey, Paul: I do not envision any scenario other than injury in which Smith gets any carries in a game.

Hey, Tony: If you could go back to 1999, what three mistakes the Browns organization has made would you correct? -- Bo Mueller, North Ridgeville

Hey, Bo: 1. Hiring Dwight Clark as general manager in 1999. 2. Doing absolutely no background work on Kurt Warner, who was available in the expansion draft. Big, strong and young, he fit the prototype at quarterback that Chris Palmer favored, but the front office saddled Palmer with Ty Detmer. 3. Giving Butch Davis carte blanche to act as his own general manager after two good seasons of coaching in 2001 and '02.

-- Tony

Despite improvements, experts believe the Browns still will struggle to compete in the AFC North.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerThe Browns need fullback Peyton Hillis to stay healthy this season.

Brian Billick, Fox Sports: (Ranked 18 of 32 in power rankings.) With Colt McCoy and Peyton Hillis as the centerpieces, the Browns are making solid moves toward respectability. The Browns have a legitimate chance of posting eight wins through November, but don't be fooled. Cleveland has to face Baltimore or Pittsburgh in four of the last five games.

Jeffri Chadiha, ESPN.com: New head coach. New defensive scheme. Too many question marks on the roster. Predicted finish: third.

John Clayton, ESPN.com: Colt McCoy is starting to look like a decent starting NFL quarterback. The switch to a 4-3 defense could also be a boost. Predicted finish: third.

ESPN.com power rankings: (Ranked 29 of 32) Lack of quality depth will hurt the Browns. Predicted finish: 5-11.

Ashley Fox, ESPN.com: Pat Shurmur is the Browns' sixth head coach in 13 years and inherits a team that went 5-11. With Dick Jauron as defensive coordinator, Cleveland switched to a 4-3. They need more talent. Predicted finish: third.

Pete Prisco, CBSSports.com: If McCoy can take big steps forward, and a weapon emerges outside, the Browns should be much better on offense. They will be feisty on defense, but a lack of talent will hurt. They will push to get to seven victories. Predicted finish: 6-10, third in AFC North.

Adam Schefter, ESPN.com: Preseason might not be worth much, but if Colt McCoy plays like that, Cleveland's in good shape. Predicted finish: third.

Adam Schein, Fox Sports: Believe in the Browns! Check the schedule in the first seven weeks. I think Cleveland goes 5-2. Colt McCoy is a winner. New head coach Pat Shurmur is the right guy and comes in at the right time to coach McCoy up and re-energize the building after Eric Mangini sucked the life out of the team. Don't minimize the appointment of Dick Jauron as the Cleveland defensive coordinator and the switch to the 4-3. Rookie Phillip Taylor is a beast inside. Predicted finish: 8-8, third in AFC North.

Sporting News Bottom Line: President Mike Holmgren, G.M. Tom Heckert and coach Pat Shurmur have formed a promising foundation, but they are plugging in too many new systems and players to win so soon after a long lockout. Much depends on young quarterback Colt McCoy. Is there an echo in here? Predicted finish: 5-11.

Tim Twentyman, The Detroit News: The Browns are going to be a better team than people think and McCoy will be one of the reasons why. He has a much better grasp of the offense heading into his second year and looked sharp in the preseason.

James Walker, ESPN.com: The Browns are building the right way but still face a significant gap between them and Baltimore/Pittsburgh. Predicted finish: third.

A health Green Bay Packers team could make a good run at repeating as Super Bowl champions.

View full sizeMike Roemer, Associated PressQuarterback Aaron Rodgers and the defending champion Green Bay Packers already have a victory under their belts.

NFC NORTH

Predicted order of finish

1. Green Bay, 14-2

2. Chicago, 10-6 *

3. Detroit, 6-10

4. Minnesota, 5-11

Division roundup: This division has the reigning Super Bowl champions (Packers) and the chic pick for the under-the-radar team to watch (Lions). The Bears, who won this division last year and barely lost the NFC title game after their QB left with an injury, are being overlooked.

Division MVP: Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay

Packers: They were one of the youngest teams in the NFL last year, lost 15 players on injured reserve and suffered six losses by six points or less. How do you not expect them to repeat, other than the fact no team has done it since New England in 2003-04?

Bears: In the seventh season of coach Lovie Smith's Cover-2 defense and the second of coordinator Mike Martz's offense, they could be a powerhouse. Quarterback Jay Cutler needs to have a banner year to erase the stigma of his poor demeanor in the NFL title loss.

Lions: Two nagging questions: Can quarterback Matthew Stafford stay healthy for at least 14 games and can the cornerbacks cover anybody? One undisputable fact: Ndamukong Suh is a beast and that defensive line could dominate.

Vikings: There's a lot of individual talent on this roster, but something's missing. Donovan McNabb, going on 35? He's no Brett Favre. Imagine how ugly it will be if McNabb plays like he did last year in Washington and new coach Leslie Frazier is pressured to play rookie Christian Ponder.

View full sizeAPEagles quarterback Michael Vick.

NFC East

Predicted order of finish

1. Philadelphia, 11-5

2. Dallas, 9-7

3. N.Y. Giants, 8-8

4. Washington, 3-13

Division roundup: The Eagles won the player-acquisition championship in July, stealing the unsuccessful blueprint of the Redskins. The Giants are mercurial under coach Tom Coughlin, capable of Super Bowl or toilet bowl any given year. The Redskins are tarnishing what's left of Mike Shanahan's coaching legacy.

Division MVP: Michael Vick, Philadelphia

Eagles: Backup quarterback Vince Young coined his new teammates the Dream Team. Didn't he learn anything from the Miami Heat last year? In truth, they are loaded. But putting the defense in the hands of longtime offensive line coach Juan Castillo was a curious move that could blow up.

Cowboys: This team is 2-6 in the playoffs since 1995. Yet it's always included in the class of "elite" franchises. Credit that to the PR magic of owner/GM/stadium tour guide Jerry Jones. This year, they will lead the league in bulletin board material, courtesy of unplugged defensive coordinator Rob Ryan.

Giants: They will go as far as quarterback Eli Manning takes them. When he was really good, they won the Super Bowl. When he is inconsistent, which is to say every other year, the team is inconsistent. Not hard to figure out.

Redskins: Does it matter whether the starting quarterback is Rex Grossman or John Beck? I'm having trouble following the plan of coach Mike Shanahan.

NFC South

Predicted order of finish

1. New Orleans, 11-5

2. Atlanta, 10-6 *

3. Tampa Bay, 8-8

4. Carolina, 5-11

Division roundup: Many prognosticators have the NFC champion coming from here. Either the Saints or Falcons are being touted as most likely to dethrone the Packers as conference champions. The Buccaneers were the NFC breakout team last year and the Panthers are relevant this year because of Cam Newton.

Division MVP: Drew Brees, New Orleans

Saints: They won 11 games last year but considered the season a dismal failure. They lost by 13 points to the Browns and were upset in the playoffs by 7-9 Seattle. A massive rebuilding of their defensive line brought three key players -- veterans Shaun Rogers and Aubrayo Franklin, and rookie Cameron Jordan.

Falcons: Thinking he needed a playmaker to put them over the top, GM Thomas Dimitroff swung the daring deal with the Browns on draft day to select wide receiver Julio Jones. While others thought the team needed more defensive help, Dimitroff is ever mindful of supporting franchise quarterback Matt Ryan.

Buccaneers: Like the Chiefs, this team could suffer a relapse after a breakout year in 2010. Josh Freeman had a fantastic season, but the Bucs didn't add to his supporting cast. That may be their undoing this year.

Panthers: Look who reunited in Charlotte, N.C. -- former Browns offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski and erratic gunslinger Derek Anderson. Of course, the future of the franchise revolves around the development of No. 1 overall pick Cam Newton. New coach Ron Rivera has more talent on hand than the typical 2-14 team.

NFC West

Predicted order of finish

1. St. Louis, 9-7

2. Arizona, 9-7

3. Seattle, 7-9

4. San Francisco, 3-13

Division roundup: Last year the Seahawks became the first team to claim a division title with a sub-.500 record. We think the Rams will be better than that. The Seahawks are going to struggle. The 49ers aren't going anywhere until they replace Alex Smith at quarterback.

Division MVP: Sam Bradford, St. Louis

Rams: Josh McDaniels replaces Pat Shurmur as the team's offensive coordinator and will dump the West Coast offense in favor of his Patriots attack. You can see quarterback Sam Bradford having no trouble adapting. And coach Steve Spagnuolo appears to have his defense turned around.

Cardinals: Kevin Kolb takes over as the lucky man throwing to Larry Fitzgerald. The Cards gave up a solid cornerback and a No. 2 pick for Kolb and signed him to a $63 million deal. If it doesn't work, coach Ken Whisenhunt could pay with his job.

Seahawks: Not only did they win the division but they upset the Saints in the best playoff game of last season. Now comes reality. Their quarterbacks this year are Tavaris Jackson and Charlie Whitehurst.

49ers: Former coaches Mike Nolan and Mike Singletary couldn't win with quarterback Alex Smith. Now Jim Harbaugh will try. Harbaugh left a better quarterback at Stanford in Andrew Luck. If the 49ers play their cards right, there could be a reunion of QB and coach in April.

* wild cards

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: tgrossi@plaind.com, 216-999-4670

On Twitter: @TonyGrossi

Can the Jets live up to their coach's boasting and reach the Super Bowl?

View full sizeBob Leverone, Associated PressCoach Mike Tomlin has taken the Steelers to the Super Bowl twice, winning once, since taking over in 2007.

AFC NORTH

Predicted order of finish

1. Pittsburgh, 11-5

2. Baltimore, 10-6 *

3. Cleveland, 7-9

4. Cincinnati, 6-10

Division roundup: So you have to pound the ball to win this division? Why then are all four teams upgrading their passing games? The Steelers did it first. The Ravens have been searching for big-play receivers for four years. Now the Browns and Bengals have switched to the West Coast offense.

Division MVP: LaMarr Woodley, Pittsburgh

Steelers: They have one of the oldest starting defensive units in the league, but their expert drafting keeps feeding their depth. The offense is explosive and multi-dimensional as receivers Mike Wallace, Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown reach their second year together.

Ravens: Ozzie Newsome's blind spot for wide receivers keeps this team from passing the Steelers. It's not Joe Flacco, it's lack of playmakers on the outside. Now Newsome has paired Anquan Boldin, who beat nobody last year but Eric Wright, with native Clevelander Lee Evans. That's better than T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Donte Stallworth.

Browns: The days of run, run, throw, punt are over. The offense is stepping into the 21st century. It should be fun to watch. The defense has more speed and youth, but will need more time. Overall, the roster is still too thin to overcome the typical injuries we've come to expect.

Bengals: They're not the jokes portrayed by numerous national pundits. If they had Carson Palmer in his prime, they'd be taken more seriously. There's talent on offense and defense. But breaking in rookie quarterback Andy Dalton figures to be painful.

AFC EAST

Predicted order of finish

1. N.Y. Jets, 11-5

2. New England, 11-5 *

3. Buffalo, 6-10

4. Miami, 5-11

Division roundup: This will be a yearlong slugfest between Rex Ryan and Bill Belichick. Nothing else in the division race matters but the two meetings of the hated rivals on Oct. 9 (in Foxboro, Mass.) and Nov. 13 (East Rutherford, N.J.). Ryan has held the upper hand, winning three of five, including a playoff game. Belichick has won the division twice, but Ryan has gone further in the playoffs.

View full sizeAPNew York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez.

Division MVP: Darrelle Revis, Jets

Jets: They've been one step away from the Super Bowl two years in a row. To take that step, Mark Sanchez has to be more consistent and up his completion percentage five points to at least 60 percent. Ryan's defense is good enough to keep them in any game, but Sanchez has to put them over the top. Maybe Plaxico Burress will help.

Patriots: When anybody else collects head cases like Chad Ochocinco and Albert Haynesworth, they get ridiculed. Belichick was praised for adding the receiver and defensive tackle. Ochocinco hasn't been a playmaker for years. If Haynesworth rejuvenates, Belichick's switch to the 4-3 alignment will work.

Bills: Coach Chan Gailey has done wonders with Ryan Fitzpatrick and now he'll throw in some doses of Wildcat with Brad Smith. The fact that most teams are ditching their Wildcat experiments may help the Bills be more effective with it. Gailey can coach offense. But that defense? Yikes.

Dolphins: Bill Parcells saw this boat capsizing and bailed out in the middle of last year. In the off-season, the owner disrespected coach Tony Sparano by romancing Jim Harbaugh. Sparano knows the owner wants pizzazz. So he signed Reggie Bush. Get ready for 75 dump passes to Bush from Chad Henne.

AFC SOUTH

Predicted order of finish

1. Houston, 9-7

2. Indianapolis, 7-9

3. Jacksonville, 7-9

4. Tennessee, 6-10

Division roundup: Two neck operations put Peyton Manning's season in doubt and opened the door for the Texans to claim their first division title since expansion in 2002. The nine-year playoff streak, which included seven division titles, is over. The Jaguars have set the table for Blaine Gabbert and the Titans are in transition.

Division MVP: Andre Johnson, Houston

Texans: I'm not ready to anoint them the new team to watch. But their offense is dynamic and the hiring of Wade Phillips as defensive coordinator was a great move. They've added all kinds of new hopes on defense -- blue-chip free agents and high draft picks. They've got to be better. Colts: Will the Colts respond to Kerry Collins like the St. Louis Rams did to Kurt Warner in 1999? I don't think so. Peyton Manning meant more to his team than any player in the league. I think the Colts will have trouble protecting the 38-year-old Collins.

Jaguars: Quarterback David Garrard had his best season last year -- and the team canned him the week of the season opener. They will turn to Luke McCown to start the season. Yes, that Luke McCown. Look for No. 1 pick Blaine Gabbert to move into the starting spot before the third game.

Titans: Coach Jeff Fisher burned out after 17 years and was replaced by Hall of Fame offensive lineman Mike Munchak. Former Browns coach Chris Palmer is in charge of a QB tandem of veteran Matt Hasselbeck and rookie Jake Locker, and running back Chris Johnson.

AFC WEST

Predicted order of finish

1. San Diego, 12-4

2. Oakland, 8-8

3. Kansas City, 7-9

4. Denver, 6-10

Division roundup: The only division not to send a team to the Super Bowl since realignment in 2002 props up the Chargers again as its most worthy hope. The Chiefs' rise in 2010 will be hard to maintain. The Raiders fired their coach after he swept the division last year. The Broncos brought back John Elway, but he's too old to play quarterback.

Division MVP: Philip Rivers, San Diego

Chargers: How can a team with the No. 1 offense and No. 1 defense not even make the playoffs? Total destruction on special teams. Five long snappers, four punts blocked and coverage teams that gave up four touchdown returns. The special teams coach was, um, let go.

Raiders: Hue Jackson is the team's fifth coach in seven years. He arrives at a good time, inheriting a team that has been stocking up on speed and talent the past several years. It all comes down to quarterback play and Jason Campbell has proved to be a .500 field general.

Chiefs: It all came together for Patriots West last year. They were the AFC breakthrough team of 2010. The defection of offensive coordinator Charlie Weis to Florida figures to be a major loss. Quarterback Matt Cassel will suffer, causing a step back.

Broncos: John Fox was a good hire to restore credibility and direction to a franchise that has won one playoff game since its last Super Bowl championship in 1998. Having John Elway back in the building is also a good thing. Now, about that quarterback situation . . .

* wild cards

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: tgrossi@plaind.com, 216-999-4670

On Twitter: @Tony Grossi

Can the Packers repeat as Super Bowl champs? Find out what the Plain Dealer's sportswriters have to say.

View full sizeKeith Srakocic, Associated PressTerry Pluto got it right in 2010 when he picked the Green Bay Packers to win the Super Bowl. This season, he likes Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons to win it all.

Here is how members of The Plain Dealer sports staff expect the NFL season to shape up. Last season, only columnist Terry Pluto correctly predicted the Packers to win the Super Bowl. Beat writer Mary Kay Cabot had the Packers losing to the Colts in the Super Bowl. Pluto's 6-10 prediction for the Browns was also closest to their 5-11 final mark (all the others had the Browns at 7-9).

Mary Kay Cabot

AFC North: Steelers

AFC South: Texans

AFC East: Patriots

AFC West: Chargers

AFC wild cards: Ravens, Jets

AFC champ: Patriots

NFC North: Packers

NFC South: Falcons

NFC East: Eagles

NFC West: Rams

NFC wild cards: Saints, Lions

NFC champ: Packers

Super Bowl champ: Patriots

Browns finish: 8-8, third

Browns comment: It's time for the Browns to take it up a notch. No excuses.

Tony Grossi

AFC North: Steelers

AFC South: Texans

AFC East: Jets

AFC West: Chargers

AFC wild cards: Patriots, Ravens

AFC champ: Jets

NFC North: Packers

NFC South: Saints

NFC East: Eagles

NFC West: Rams

NFC wild cards: Bears, Falcons

NFC champ: Packers

Super Bowl champ: Packers

Browns finish: 7-9, third

Browns comment: They won't have as much trouble as in the past locating the end zone.

Bill Livingston

AFC North: Steelers

AFC South: Texans

AFC East: Jets

AFC West: Chargers

AFC wild cards: Patriots, Ravens

AFC Champ: Chargers

NFC North: Lions

NFC South: Saints

NFC East: Eagles

NFC West: Rams

NFC wild cards: Falcons, Packers

Super Bowl champ: Saints

Browns finish: 6-10, third

Browns comment: Well, it's not a third straight 5-11.

Dennis Manoloff

AFC North: Steelers

AFC South: Texans

AFC East: Patriots

AFC West: Chargers

AFC wild cards: Ravens, Jets

AFC champ: Patriots

NFC North: Packers

NFC South: Cardinals

NFC East: Eagles

NFC West: Rams

NFC wild cards: Giants, Saints

NFC champ: Packers

Super Bowl champ: Patriots

Browns finish: 9-7, third

Browns comment: Fine-tuning in 2011 before taking over AFC North in 2012.

Terry Pluto

AFC East: Patriots

AFC North: Ravens

AFC South: Texans

AFC West: Chargers

AFC wild cards: Ravens, Jets

AFC champ: Patriots

NFC East: Eagles

NFC North: Packers

NFC South: Falcons

NFC West: Rams

NFC wild cards: Saints, Cowboys

NFC champ: Falcons

Super Bowl champ: Falcons

Browns finish: 6-10, third

Browns comment: Too young, too many question marks to make a big jump this year, but at least 8-8 is possible in 2012.

Bud Shaw

AFC North: Ravens

AFC South: Texans

AFC East: Patriots

AFC West: Chargers

AFC wild cards: Steelers, Jets

AFC champ: Ravens

NFC North: Packers

NFC South: Saints

NFC East: Eagles

NFC West: Seahawks

NFC wild cards: Falcons, Bears

NFC champ: Packers

Super Bowl champ: Packers

Browns finish: 7-9, third

Browns comment: December schedule makes waterboarding look tame.

Jodie Valade

AFC North: Steelers

AFC South: Texans

AFC East: Patriots

AFC West: Chargers

AFC wild cards: Jets, Ravens

AFC champ: Steelers

NFC North: Packers

NFC South: Saints

NFC East: Cowboys

NFC West: Rams

NFC wild cards: Eagles, Lions

NFC champ: Packers

Super Bowl champ: Packers

Browns finish: 8-8, third

Comment: The young Browns will show flashes of promise, but not enough to sustain momentum for long.

What will the next five months of the 2011 season bring? Our annual fearless forecast has the answers.

View full sizeThomas Ondrey, The Plain DealerLook for the Browns' Josh Cribbs to set an unbreakable record this season.

It's been a strange NFL season already.

There were no OTAs or minicamps, no free agency until August, no two-a-days in training camps. Players were given one day off every week. They will practice in shoulder pads only one day a week for the next 11 weeks and only three times over the last five weeks.

Kickoffs have sailed out of end zones as if filled with helium, or Flubber. And what about that new replay rule? They review every touchdown but force coaches to challenge the plays not ruled touchdowns?

Yes, it's going to take some time for the NFL to recover from that four-month owners lockout. Not that the owners have any regrets. They won all the major battles in the labor dispute and now can enjoy 10 years of fixed costs and unchecked authority.

So, what will the next five months of the 2011 season bring? Our annual fearless forecast has the answers.

• Pittsburgh, the Jets, Indianapolis and San Diego will win divisions and Baltimore and New England will claim AFC wild cards. In the NFC, Green Bay, Philadelphia, New Orleans and St. Louis will win divisions and the wild cards will be Atlanta and Chicago.

• Only San Diego and St. Louis will make the playoffs after not making them in 2010. Thus will end a streak of 15 seasons in which at least five new teams made the playoffs.

• The Packers and Jets will meet in Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis and the Packers will be the first team to repeat as NFL champions since New England in 2003-04.

• The Browns' immediate improvement will excite their fan base and attract national attention. But they will suffer in the second half of the season and fall below .500 for the 11th time in 13 seasons.

• Colt McCoy will start all 16 games and Montario Hardesty will have at least one 100-yard rushing game.

• Braylon Edwards will drop off the face of the NFL map in San Francisco. He will complain about not getting the ball and will talk his way out of the 49ers' plans as the franchise angles for position to draft Andrew Luck in 2012.

• The new kickoff rules will be so roundly criticized that the NFL will hold a special meeting in October to consider revoking them during the season. Alas, the rule will remain intact through the season in the interest of player safety.

• Bill Belichick will pass Bill Parcells for ninth place all-time in career victories in a Patriots win against the Giants on Nov. 6 in the Meadowlands, where Parcells made his first mark in the NFL. After the game, Belichick will quip, "It is what it is."

• In his new role as ESPN analyst, Eric Mangini will enter the Guinness Book of World Records for longest time looking into a camera without blinking.

• The Dolphins will have a dismal season. After their 12th loss, coach Tony Sparano will have a sit-down with owner Stephen Ross at which Ross will say, "Anthony, I have a stone in my shoe."

• At the Super Bowl, Rex Ryan will guarantee a Jets win. After the Jets lose, he will say, "We're still the best team."

• Tight end Evan Moore will lead the Browns with 10 receiving touchdowns. Peyton Hillis will add 12 on the ground.

• Josh Cribbs will set an NFL record that will never be broken when he returns a kickoff 109 yards for a touchdown.

• Cam Newton will be named NFL offensive rookie of the year in a close vote over Julio Jones of Atlanta. Von Miller of Denver will be named the top defensive rookie.

• Dave Zastudil will benefit from the thin air in Arizona and lead the NFC in gross punting.

• Coaches on the hot seat at the end of the year will be Tony Sparano in Miami, Jack Del Rio in Jacksonville, Mike Shanahan in Washington and Todd Haley in Kansas City.

• Jim Harbaugh and Andrew Luck will be reunited in San Francisco when the 49ers make the Stanford quarterback the No. 1 pick in the 2012 draft.

• The Browns will own the 12th and 22nd picks in the first round of the draft and will not trade either one of them.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: tgrossi@plaind.com, 216-999-4670

On Twitter: @Tony Grossi

The 6-10 truth hurts: The Browns are not yet ready to contend for a playoff spot or even a winning record -- but maybe next year.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerJoe Thomas, left, is a reliable anchor on the Browns' offensive line.

No veterans with a year or two left were signed to long-term deals. . . . No big draft-day deals designed to win now. . . . No huge promises came from the new coaching staff about how 2011 can be a breakout season.

When it comes to the Browns, the story is: Not yet.

That's the truth about this year's Browns.

They are not yet ready to contend or even have a .500 record.

Not in a year when a new coaching staff is importing dramatic new approaches to offense and defense.

Not when a lockout swiped valuable practice time from one of the teams that needed it the most.

Not when the Browns (like so many other teams) have had a tidal wave of injuries that prevented many regulars from playing together in the preseason. If ever a team ever needed to put some of its key players on the field before the games counted, it's this one.

But it didn't happen.

Of course, the Browns won't say that. Fans will discover that coach Pat Shurmur works as hard at being upbeat as he does at installing his new West Coast offense.

But it's still hard to imagine the Browns being any better than 6-10.

I know, who wants to watch that?

McCoy should thrive

The quick strike, short-pass offense is ideally suited for Colt McCoy, who should put together some fun Sunday afternoons -- especially early in the season.

Don't be shocked if Joshua Cribbs emerges as a viable receiver and if the Browns seem to play about 4,114 tight ends at the same time. Ben Watson should have another good year. Evan Moore can become a big-time player if he can actually stay healthy for a full season -- which has yet to happen.

If they don't keep giving to ball to Peyton Hillis 6 million times a game and find another runner to help him, Mr. Madden should rush for at least 1,000 yards and be a major factor catching passes out of the backfield. Brandon Jackson's foot injury is discouraging, because the Browns are forced to count upon Montario Hardesty to stay healthy.

Perhaps Hardesty does and plays like a second-rounder. But who knows if that will happen?

Out of the group of Mohamed Massaquoi, Brian Robiskie and Greg Little -- one of them should emerge as a legitimate, West Coast offense receiver. While some Browns fans dwell on the lack of depth at receiver, the bigger issue is the offensive line.

O-line is a worry

With Eric Steinbach out after back surgery, they have two viable, durable NFL starters -- star left tackle Joe Thomas and Pro Bowl center Alex Mack.

Fifth-rounder Jason Pinkston is a rookie tackle learning to play guard -- and he might be counted on to replace Steinbach. Veteran Artis Hicks, picked up on Labor Day weekend, also is in the mix at left guard.

Right tackle has been handed to veteran Tony Pashos, who has played in only 11 games (four starts) in the past two seasons because of injuries. They hope adding Oniel Cousins (cut by Baltimore) adds some depth. He had some good moments at tackle in the last preseason game.

Right guard is Shawn Lauvao, a third-rounder from last season who played only 118 snaps (105 in two games). The Browns definitely want to find out if Pinkston and Lauvao are ready for prime time.

A key to the season will be keeping McCoy healthy, and much of that depends on the line. McCoy also must get rid of the ball faster and avoid sacks -- or runs that put himself in peril. In college, he was injured in the BCS Championship Game, and he got hurt in the middle of his rookie season with the Browns.

The last thing the Browns need is an early season injury to their quarterback.

Defense is interesting, but thin

The Browns plan to start two rookies (Jabaal Sheard and Phil Taylor), one viable veteran (Ahtyba Rubin) and one guy who has played only 75 snaps in the past three years (Jayme Mitchell) on the defensive line.

That sounds scary, but it actually is the proper approach for a younger team building with a new defense.

If Taylor follows the relentless work ethic and excellent attitude of Rubin, he has the talent to become a force at defensive tackle. Rubin can be very good, and together they should help the Browns improve their dismal defense against the run.

A bigger concern is whether Mitchell and Sheard can supply a real pass rush from the defensive ends. Don't be surprised if Marcus Benard leads the team in sacks.

If -- and it's a huge if -- D'Qwell Jackson, Chris Gocong and Scott Fujita stay healthy, they could be OK at linebacker. But that's like saying, "If everything goes right . . ." and it seldom does over 16 games. Jackson's performance has been impressive, given the fact he's played only six games in two years.

The secondary is much like the linebackers -- talented, but thin. There's Joe Haden, T.J. Ward, Michael Adams and Sheldon Brown. They added Usama Young, but he was hurt most of training camp. Buster Skrine is intriguing, but he's also a rookie.

Lack of depth is why the defense could struggle more than the offense.

It's also why it's hard to see the Browns winning more than six games in the rugged AFC North.

Terry Pluto: terrypluto.com

Facebook: facebook.com/terrypluto

Even with the ballyhooed Mike Holmgren in charge, the ever-rebuilding Browns have made moves that just seem so baffling and contradictory that one wonders if they will ever become one of the NFL's instant success stories.

View full sizeScott Shaw, The Plain DealerBrowns fans are hoping Mike Holmgren can figure out how to make the team a contender, but some of his moves have been questionable.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Arizona (altogether now, smacking forehead with palm, "The Cardinals? Pow!") made the Super Bowl since the turn of the century. New Orleans ("The Saints? Oof!") won a Super Bowl then. Detroit, only two seasons removed from 0-16, is being picked as a legitimate contender ("The Lions? Bam!")

The Browns, meanwhile, sally into the 13th season of the resurrection, trying not to be 6 feet under by Thanksgiving, as usual.

This treadmill to oblivion was supposed to end with Mike Holmgren's appointment as the Big Brownie. Holmgren had been to three Super Bowls as a coach and won one, which brought great street credibility in Cleveland. The fact that two of the appearances and the only victory came because he employed Brett Favre, who became the Eighth Wonder of the Ancient World with his rocket arm, well into his dotage -- well, that was beside the point.

So was the fact that Holmgren's Seattle team reached the Super Bowl only after Holmgren, the franchise's navigator and course-setter, had been relieved of his general manager's duties.

The latter development in particular might have given pause in the rush to proclaim "The Big Show" the Big Solution. But Browns fans were ready to put the team in the playoffs in 1999, the first year they returned, and that was the biggest example of mass delusions since the little girls, as I wrote that season, saw the witches in Salem, Mass. Hope always outruns despair in Cleveland, although there is more reason for the latter than in almost any other pro city.

It is why the fans here are so great. This city's big heart has been broken time and again since Gary Collins caught the three touchdown passes in 1964, but the fans have always glued the smithereens of that sucker back again and proceeded swiftly to the next grand illusion -- that Bernie Kosar could think faster than John Elway could run, that Jose Mesa could close the door, that CC and Fausto would lock up the pennant against the Red Sox, that LeBron James was one of them.

It has not proven that way, though, especially not with the Browns.

Holmgren lacked the ruthless streak of Bill Belichick or Bill Parcells. He let Eric Mangini coach the 2010 season, although Mangini favored leatherhead football and Holmgren was a cerebral devotee of the West Coast offense and its surgical air strikes.

I thought Mangini should get another chance too, but all the naysayers were right. The end-of-season streak in 2009, except for the glorious, punishing victory in Arctic chill against Pittsburgh, were "soft" wins against teams whose players were looking forward to the off-season.

The Browns signed Jake Delhomme in 2010 to be the veteran who could be the bridge to the distant future when maybe Colt McCoy would be ready. Delhomme got hurt, then got re-hurt when Mangini let him stump around like Long John Silver in a game rather than use McCoy. No Tom Hamilton "a swinnnng and a miss!" call could rival that one, although Grady Sizemore, before he got hurt, gave it a go.

The Browns thought Montario Hardesty would be the engine of the running game last year, although he had hurt his knee in college at Tennessee. He is just now getting his first carries in exhibition games.

Peyton Hillis, despite being on the Madden 2012 cover, tended to fumble more than was desirable, which is a rather huge flaw for such a suddenly celebrated star.

By the end of the last season, despite poor performances against Pittsburgh and Baltimore here, McCoy had shown enough to be dubbed the quarterback of the future.

The Browns buttressed him by taking no wide receivers until Greg Little late in the second round as the No. 59 pick overall. A problem with that was that Little had not played in two years, after getting whacked by the NCAA as part of the far-ranging agent scandal that finally brought down ex-Browns coach Butch Davis at North Carolina.

In a season in which practice time was sacrificed to the owners' greed in a needless lockout, the Browns begin 2011 with a new offense and a new defense, a new head coach in the affably secretive Pat Shurmur.

They have plans to "coach up" the wide receivers from last year, Brian Robiskie and Mohamed Massaquoi, the latter fresh from the walking boot in which he spent training camp.

The running game is still a rumor, thanks to the muscle pull Hillis suffered.

McCoy could be under siege early and often because the offensive line is a patchwork quilt, thanks to more injuries.

Finally, the Browns also no longer devote maniacal attention to the special teams, as they did under Mangini. Because of the immense amounts of yardage at stake, the kicking game can swing victories to outmanned teams. And the new kickoff rule defuses the potential of Josh Cribbs, the most dangerous kickoff returner in NFL history.

McCoy prudently is a quick learner in the new system. At worst, he can tell which option is wishing, which is hoping, and which is take the sack and cut the losses.

To reach Bill Livingston: blivingston@plaind.com, 216-999-4672

Twitter: @LivyPD

GM Tom Heckert streamlines his roster, making it younger and faster.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerBrowns running back Montario Hardesty missed his rookie season because of an injury.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — In the second year of building the Browns' roster, General Manager Tom Heckert adopted a concerted youth movement.

He removed most of the last vestiges of the Eric Mangini era, collected draft choices and disdained free agents anywhere close to the age of 30. The only new player added was offensive lineman Artis Hicks (32), who was signed only after guard Eric Steinbach was sidelined for the year following back surgery.

"We knew we were an older team last year and it wasn't necessarily just the age, we wanted to improve at certain positions," Heckert said. "That [anti-] 30-year-old thing, that's kind of a myth. It worked out that way in a lot of areas, but we don't go in and say, 'We're not going to sign a 30-year-old guy.'

"We just wanted to get younger from a team perspective just because of the fact we want guys that are going to practice every day, we want guys that are going to be out there all the time and it's tough when you get older.

"We all know there's going to be injuries and that's part of the game, but I just think the younger you are the less chance you have to have injuries. It wasn't really a statement where, 'We are going to get younger,' but we know building through the draft that you're going to get younger anyway. That's kind of been our plan."

Last year the Browns' opening-game roster was the NFL's second-oldest (average of 27.49 years) and second most-experienced (average of 5.23 years). They had an NFL-high 18 players over 30 and only six rookies or first-year players -- tied for second-fewest.

The roster the Browns take into the 2011 season is down to an average age of 26.01 and average experience of 3.77 years. It has nine players over 30 and 15 rookies and first-year players.

It has 20 players who were not on the regular roster at any point last year. That includes five new starters and a new punter.

The Browns lack experience at defensive line and linebacker, but are deeper at wide receiver, tight end, offensive line and cornerback. They should be faster on defense, but head into the season without the true burner at wideout that their legion of fans coveted in the draft and free agency.

Quarterbacks (3)

Starter: Colt McCoy.

Backups: Seneca Wallace, Thaddeus Lewis.

Analysis: McCoy takes over as the team's 10th starting QB in 13 season openers in the expansion era. McCoy's attributes -- studious, quick-thinking, nimble and accurate -- mesh perfectly with the West Coast offense. His grasp of it was evident in a very good preseason. Wallace was exposed to this same system for six years in Seattle. Lewis, a late claim, impressed coach Pat Shurmur in his rookie camp a year ago in St. Louis.

Running backs (4)

Starter: Peyton Hillis.

Backups: Montario Hardesty, Armond Smith (r), Owen Marecic (r).

Analysis: Madden NFL 12 cover boy Hillis is a rarity -- a bruising, downhill runner with exceptional hands. Hardesty did not scintillate in his first preseason after ACL surgery. But he took the pounding and is expected to regain form with more reps. Smith, one of two undrafted rookies to stick, was the preseason rushing leader and survived three fumbles. Marecic has legs as thick as redwoods; he struggled in his first camp.

Wide receivers (6)

Starters: Brian Robiskie, Mohamed Massaquoi.

Backups: Greg Little (r), Josh Cribbs, Jordan Norwood, Carlton Mitchell.

Analysis: Coaches believe the receiver-friendly offense will allow Robiskie and Massaquoi to flourish in their third seasons. Little is raw and a bit unpredictable, but physical and flamboyant. He might be the best of the bunch at positioning himself to outmuscle and outleap defenders. Cribbs' run-after-catch ability needs to be exploited. Norwood is a shifty slot receiver. Mitchell's broken finger set him back, but coaches love his potential.

Tight ends (4)

Starter: Benjamin Watson.

Backups: Evan Moore, Alex Smith, Jordan Cameron (r).

Analysis: Watson has been dinged up, but he should challenge his team-high 68 catches of a year ago. Moore's spectacular preseason foretells a breakout year. Smith is the best blocker, but displayed good hands. Cameron's athletic ability was too tempting for them to pass up in the fourth round.

Offensive linemen (9)

Starters: Joe Thomas, Jason Pinkston (r), Alex Mack, Shawn Lauvao, Tony Pashos.

Backups: Artis Hicks, Steve Vallos, John Greco, Oniel Cousins.

Analysis: When healthy, it is the team strength. But the loss of Eric Steinbach and recurrent nagging injuries to Pashos led them to bolster depth with the additions of Hicks and Cousins. Pinkston can keep the starting left guard job with solid play until Hicks catches up. Lauvao was strong in preseason.

Defensive linemen (8)

Starters: Jayme Mitchell, Phil Taylor (r), Ahtyba Rubin, Jabaal Sheard (r).

Backups: Emmanuel Stephens, Scott Paxson, Brian Schaefering, Marcus Benard.

Analysis: Mitchell and Sheard flashed some outside pass rush in preseason, but both looked vulnerable to the run at times. Taylor beat up on Philadelphia's rookies, showing he can be a force, too, against the pass. Rubin is always hustling and a model teammate. Benard looks to have played himself into condition and could be instrumental in the sub pass rush. Stephens was a late claim after Atlanta waived him. Paxson had two sacks in preseason.

Linebackers (6)

Starters: Scott Fujita, D'Qwell Jackson, Chris Gocong.

Backups: Quinton Spears (r), Titus Brown, Kaluka Maiava.

Analysis: Gocong missed most of camp with a neck injury and Brown will be out a few more weeks with a high ankle sprain. Fujita clearly has taken on a leadership role in his second season with the team. Protected by the big tackles, Jackson is being counted on to flourish in the new 4-3 alignment. Spears, an undrafted rookie, was a late claim after being cut by the Dolphins.

Cornerbacks: (5)

Starters: Joe Haden, Sheldon Brown.

Backups: Buster Skrine (r), Dimitri Patterson, James Dockery (r).

Analysis: In his second year, Haden could be poised to challenge as one of the AFC's best corners. Brown is healthy after shoulder surgery and was a much better player in the same defensive system in Philadelphia than here a year ago. Skrine is a speedster with a physical attitude. Dockery's aggressive style endeared him to the coaches despite some penalties. Patterson should hold down the nickel back role.

Safeties: (5)

Starters: Mike Adams, T.J. Ward.

Backups: Usama Young, Ray Ventrone, Eric Hagg (r).

Analysis: Young's summerlong hamstring injury allowed Adams to nail down the starting spot. Ward is expected to stay closer to the line of scrimmage and patrol the intermediate passing zones. Ventrone is a key player on special teams. Hagg missed most of his rookie camp with a knee injury, but healed fast enough to make the final cut.

Specialists (3)

Starters: Phil Dawson, Richmond McGee (r), Ryan Pontbriand.

Analysis: At 36, Dawson is still among the best outdoor kickers in northern climes. Signed after Reggie Hodges blew out his Achilles tendon, McGee kicked well in preseason but will be making his NFL regular-season debut. Pontbriand has one bad snap eight NFL seasons.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: tgrossi@plaind.com, 216-999-4670

On Twitter: @Tony Grossi

Browns beat writer Tony Grossi offers his thoughts on the season.

View full sizePDBrowns coach Pat Shurmur.

1. Thank you, NFL

Pat Shurmur drew one huge break in his first season as Browns coach. The Browns' schedule is a gift from the NFL and should help jump-start a turnaround. They open at home for the 12th time in 13 years. Never mind that they have blown this perk time and time again. (They are 1-11 in season openers, losing 10 times at home.) Moreover, their first 11 games are against Cincinnati, Indianapolis (minus Peyton Manning), Miami, Tennessee, Oakland, Seattle, San Francisco, Houston, St. Louis, Jacksonville and Cincinnati again. Four of the last five are against Baltimore and Pittsburgh. By then, the Browns either will be ravaged by injury or be developing into a decent team.

2. Phil remembered

What do these players have in common -- Mike Adams, Josh Cribbs, D'Qwell Jackson, Joe Thomas and Ahtyba Rubin? 1. They are all starters or key contributors. 2. They are the last players still on the roster who were acquired by former General Manager Phil Savage (2005-08).

3. Special teams watch

Eric Mangini was obsessed with special teams. His assistant head coach, Brad Seely, doubled as the special teams coach. Together, they made roster decisions based solely on special teams. In two seasons under Mangini, the Browns ranked first and second in the Rick Gosselin special teams rankings. I don't think the Browns will rank that high under this regime. But if they rank higher on offense and defense, nobody will notice a dropoff in special teams performance. It's a matter of priorities.

4. Take care of business

Shurmur comes from the Mike Holmgren coaching tree by way of Andy Reid. He's had little exposure to the AFC North. So it's time to update the Browns' coaching records within their division in the expansion era. Chris Palmer: 3-9, Butch Davis: 10-14, Romeo Crennel: 5-19, Eric Mangini: 2-10.

Browns beat writer Mary Kay Cabot offers four thoughts on the team.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerBrowns rookie receiver Greg Little.

1. Colt for Prez

I think Colt McCoy will take this team to a Super Bowl within the next five years. There, I said it. Go bold or go home. I've never seen a more determined player or a harder-working one. I think he'll excel in this system and do whatever it takes to win a championship. I think the Browns will surround him with the players to do it.

2. Big on Little

I've already gotten a big kick out of rookie receiver Greg Little, no pun intended. He's got some personality, which I think this team needs. He'll probably do some things that make you shake your head, such as punting the ball into the Dawg Pound after a preseason TD. But if folks can be patient with him while he matures, the rewards will be there. I think Little will benefit greatly from good coaching by receivers coach Mike Wilson. The only thing that's missing is a savvy veteran to show him the way.

3. This time next year

I think the Browns are a year or two away from contending, but now they've got a solid foundation of young players such as Joe Haden, T.J. Ward, Jabaal Sheard, Phil Taylor, Colt McCoy, Alex Mack, Little, Peyton Hillis and Shaun Lauvao that will take this team to the next level. They're extremely young, but the future finally looks very bright. The roster is built for the long haul.

4. Browns catch a break

Instead of facing Cincinnati's Carson Palmer and Indy's Peyton Manning in weeks one and two, they'll see rookie Andy Dalton and Kerry Collins. Palmer was 9-3 vs. the Browns with 25 TDs, 14 INTs and a 90.2 rating in his career. Manning, who underwent more neck surgery on Thursday, was 5-0 with a 81.9 rating. The way things are shaping up -- with three of the first four games at home -- the Browns could be 3-1 heading into their bye.