Is Mohamed Massaquoi about to take the leadership role in the Browns' wide receiving corps?

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerIs Mohamed Massaquoi about to assert himself as the lead receiver that the Browns need in their passing offense?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The leaves are turning and temperatures are dropping. But in Northeast Ohio, we're always talkin' ...

About the Browns ...

1. The coaches believe Mohamed Massaquoi is ready to make a major impact as a receiver in the West Coast offense. Not much went right early this season for Massaquoi, who missed most of training camp and all four preseason games because of a foot injury. Then, he pulled a hamstring. Only now is he reasonably close to 100 percent physically. That leaping catch to win Sunday's game in the end zone displayed his athleticism and big play ability.

2. The coaches also love Massaquoi's self-discipline and attention to detail. He is averaging 5.4 yards after the catch (YAC), and that is expected to improve as Massaquoi plays more in the new system. Like Brian Robiskie, Massaquoi was a second-round pick of Eric Mangini in 2009. While Massaquoi's stock has risen with the new coaches, Robiskie (zero catches in 104 snaps) continues to sink. He has gone from 47 to 26 to 31 snaps in the three games and only been targeted with three passes.

3. Robiskie's problem is that he can't seem to get open early, and he lacks the speed to be a deep threat. The Browns like Massaquoi's quickness. He has eight catches, and is averaging 18.5 yards per reception. He is a legitimate deep threat, but also can run the short, possession patterns.

4. According to Profootballfocus.com, Colt McCoy is tied with Chad Henne for taking the most quarterback hits this season. Those are plays where the quarterback is knocked down after throwing a pass. Henne and McCoy lead with 21. Aaron Rodgers has only four. Tennessee's Matt Hasselbeck (the Browns opponent this week) has been hit nine times, sacked four times.

5. The Browns did look at some video and said correctly that some of the time, McCoy throws off-balance and falls down when barely touched. They don't believe that he is taking one of the NFL's worst poundings after three weeks. They are thrilled that he has only three sacks -- the only starting QBs with fewer are Ryan Fitzpatrick (1) and Jason Campbell (2).

6. But the Browns also know that until the right tackle situation is stabilized, McCoy will deal with some serious pressure. They not only hope that Tony Pashos can play for the first time this season, but also that the veteran right tackle can be reliable. Because of injuries, Pashos has played only 11 games in two years.

7. Because Artis Hicks and Oniel Cousins have been so inconsistent -- there is a reason both were on the waiver wire before the season -- the Browns have had to play tight end Alex Smith a lot to help with blocking. With Smith in the game, it has cut down snaps available to Evan Moore -- a terrific receiver, but not a good blocker because of his history of knee injuries.

8. Being right-handed, McCoy often rolls to the right side -- where the line is its weakest. The Eric Steinbach season-ending back injury also led to this situation. Steinbach had missed only three games in his first eight seasons. Had he remained healthy and in his usual left guard spot, rookie Jason Pinkston would probably be the starting right tackle. Pinkston had done a decent job at left guard, and they have no intention of moving him.

9. The Browns will probably put together a package to control the ball, get McCoy some easy completions and see if they can establish the running game with both Peyton Hillis and Montario Hardesty. In the first quarter, McCoy is 9-of-18, but only for 55 yards. By far, it's his worst quarter. His best is the second (17-of-29, 4 TDs). The Browns have been outscored, 20-0, in the first quarter.

10. D'Qwell Jackson's comeback from two pectoral surgeries in two years -- limiting him to only six games -- has been amazing. He has played all 214 defensive snaps, the only Brown to do so. Next are Sheldon Brown and Joe Haden at 213, followed by T.J. Ward (211), Scott Fujita (210) and Jayme Mitchell (202). The Browns gambled Jackson could return because they really had no other options at middle linebacker. Chris Gocong can play there, and Titus Brown is being groomed as a backup. But Jackson is the one truly made for the position.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter, The Plain DealerPeyton Hillis acting soft with last week's illness? Terry Pluto isn't buying it.

About Peyton Hillis ...

I just don't buy it. I don't buy the hints that Peyton Hillis is soft because he sat out a game with a strep throat.

I don't buy the whispers that his unsettled contract situation had something to do with missing Sunday's game against Miami. Or that he was upset because Montario Hardesty was written in for a few carries.

I buy the obvious: He was sick and weak and both he and the team thought it made no sense for him to play. Hillis loves football, took a physical pounding last season and has never been afraid to risk his body. It would make more sense for the halfback to try and run around some tacklers rather than run through them.

Hillis ranked sixth in the NFL among running backs with 776 snaps played last season. He hates to come off the field. If it were a playoff game, maybe Hillis would have tried to play. But in the third game of the season, it made no sense to take any chances.

About the Indians ...

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerJason Kipnis (left) was something other than a sure thing defensively in his rookie season with the Indians -- something the team is certain he'll improve upon in 2012.

1. At the end of last season, the Indians wanted to improve their infield defense. They still need to do so in 2012, especially as they plan to start Jason Kipnis and Lonnie Chisenhall. Both are relatively new to their positions, Kipnis is a converted outfielder, Chisenhall moved from short to third base.

2. Here's the ugly truth: The Indians allowed 77 unearned runs last season ... most in the American League. Only three teams (Oakland, Minnesota and Texas) made more errors. They also turned the third fewest double plays. The Web site fangraphs.com rated the Tribe the second-worst defensive team in the American League, as they also try to measure such subjective categories as range in the field.

3. When Jack Hannahan plays third, the Indians are among the best in the league at that spot. He made only five errors in 104 games and has tremendous range. That's why he'll be back, as insurance for Chisenhall. At 31, Hannahan (.250, 8 HR, 40 RBI, .719 OPS) had his best major-league season. Manager Manny Acta loves having Hannahan on the team. Along with Jason Donald, the Indians believe they have two superb backup infielders.

4. The Tribe also will work with Donald in the outfield, making him into a super utility player. Donald batted .377 vs. lefties, and the Tribe needs any right-handed batter who can handle lefties. Despite being a lefty hitter, Hannahan batted .296 vs. lefties -- yet another reason that he is valued.

5. The key will be how Chisenhall handles third, where he made 10 errors in 58 games. His arm and range are rated above average, he just makes too many errors on routine plays. At 22, there is time to become not just average, but a good third basemen. Only seven players in the majors were younger than Chisenhall last season.

6. No American League team made more errors at second than the Tribe. Cord Phelps had five in 20 games, Kipnis six in 36 games. Kipnis has a chance to be an impact hitter. In spring training, it will be up to infield coach Steve Smith and minor-league instructor Travis Fryman to help Kipnis raise his defense up to big-league standards. He does have the ability to do it.

7. A couple of Web sites such as fangraphs rate Asdrubal Cabrera well below average when it comes to range at short. As Acta said, "That doesn't match the eyes." Cabrera certainly is an asset at shortstop in the field, and has become an all-star at the plate.

8. First base is a question mark, because the Indians have said it does not belong to Matt LaPorta. Acta said Carlos Santana will play there at least some of the time. LaPorta had seven errors in 97 games, Santana made four in 66. Neither will win a Gold Glove soon. It is possible the Indians could acquire a new first baseman.

9. Bruce Fields is back as batting coach because the Indians did see improvement in several hitters after the All-Star break. Here are their second-half stats: Hannahan (.322), Donald (.318), Shelley Duncan (.276, 8 HR in 123 at bats), Kipnis (.272), Santana (.249, had 12 HR after August 1), Chisenhall (.253, 4 HR after Sept. 1).

10. The Indians batted .250 and averaged 4.33 runs before the All-Star break, it was .251 and 4.35 runs after the break. So it was the same, no matter who (Jon Nunnally or Fields) was the hitting coach. Fields worked with several hitters such as Kipnis, Chisenhall, Donald, Duncan, and Michael Brantley in the minors. The Indians believe the relationships he built will help when it comes to coaching. Duncan is a huge fan of Fields.

11. Scott Radinsky is the obvious choice to replace Tim Belcher as pitching coach. But he is so effective as the bullpen coach where he can work with pitchers during the games and as they warm up -- who replaces him? Radinsky appeared in 557 major-league games as a reliever, and has enormous respect from the guys in the bullpen.

12. Some fans have mentioned Michael Cuddyer as perfect for the Tribe. He's a right-handed hitter who can play first, third, left and right field. But the 32-year-old free agent is expected to be a very hot commodity and could easily receive a 3-year, $30 million deal from a contender. The best way for the Tribe to add a hitter will be through a trade.

About center field ...

1. Unless the Indians can convince Grady Sizemore to take an incentive contract with only a fraction of his $9 million salary for 2012 guaranteed, they should move Michael Brantley to center next season. Yes, Brantley does rank below average in some areas defensively-- especially going back on balls -- but he is not terrible in the field.

2. Yes, Brantley is well-above average defensively in left, but he's not a power hitter and probably will never become one. It's easy to dismiss Brantley because his stats are modest -- .266 (.702 OPS) with 7 HR and 46 RBI in 451 at-bats last season. But among AL center fielders, he would have ranked between seventh and ninth in batting average, on-base percentage and even home runs this season if his season hadn't ended in late August because of injuries.

3. Brantley has two things in his favor: A) He is only 24 and already has 860 major-league at-bats. B) He was trending upward (batting .294 in July) until he injured his wrist and eventually needed hand surgery. He tried to play through that injury in August, and batted only .211 (12-of-57).

4. It's fair to assume the Indians will have Shin-Soo Choo for more than 85 games (his 2011 total) next season, and his range in right is well-above average. It's far easier to find a left fielder who can hit than a center fielder. They may even be able to find a lefty hitter with some power, and platoon him with Shelley Duncan in left field.

5. The major question marks about Sizemore's knees has the Indians reconsidering Brantley. After all, one of the reasons they wanted Brantley in the CC Sabathia deal of 2008 was as center field insurance in case Sizemore left as a free agent.

It's hardly a surprise that under commissioner Roger Goodell's watch the NFL is becoming more buttoned down, sports columnist Bud Shaw writes in his Sunday Spin.

John Kuntz, The Plain DealerNo, no, no ... we'll have none of this! After all, the NFL is just trying to protect the country's delicate sensibilities from Mohamed Massaquoi and all the other athletes who are uncontrollably ... happy.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Mike Pereira, the former VP of Officiating and now "NFL on Fox" rules analyst, said the refs working last Sunday's game could've looked the other way on the "excessive celebration" involving Mohamed Massaquoi and Ben Watson.

Be careful now. Watch that limb, daredevil.

Could've? Should've.

Massaqoui and Watson didn't pull out a Sharpie (Terrell Owens), didn't take over an end zone camera (Chad Ochocinco), didn't hide a cell phone (Joe Horn) and didn't make a sign asking the commissioner not to fine him (Ocho again). They didn't even go to the ground intentionally.

The league once had incentive to crack down. Touchdown celebrations became more choreographed than "Dancing With The Stars" and campaign photo ops. Even then, few celebrations were aimed at disrespecting opponents as much as they were designed to entertain teammates. Players crossed the line. But the penalty last Sunday vaulted the barrier of common sense by the length of a football field.

The league that comes down hard on players for being too violent is now officially coming down on players for being what, too happy? And not sure-footed enough?

Does the NFL have any idea what Browns' football has been about since 1999? Dwyane Rudd couldn't help taking his helmet off just in anticipation of a win, and that was back before the losing became so habitually depressing. Players joining the Browns through the draft, free agency and trades haven't needed directions to Cleveland. They've just looked up and followed the blackened, swirling skies like Frodo advancing on Mordor.

There were 43 seconds remaining when Massaquoi made the catch. Who can blame him for temporarily losing his equilibrium? If the Browns had lost the game, in part because of that penalty, the city that once shut down the NFL's fax machines would've crashed NFL.com.

As a man trying to cover his butt once said back in 1995, "No justice, no peace."

When the NFL does the right thing and puts me in charge of the touchdown celebration rule, I will suggest a plan that mimics the pecking order of the NFL draft. The teams with the worst record from the season before get more leeway in celebrating touchdowns.

• 12 to 16 wins: Teams like the Patriots and Saints can only mark TDs with congratulatory post-game Tweets to teammates who score.

• 8-to-11: Allowed to send Blue Mountain cards along with congratulatory Tweets to teammates who score.

• 0-to-7: Anything and everything goes. Macy's parade-style floats are allowed along with Mardi Gras beads and the appearances by the cast of "Glee." If the TD occurs in the final minute, play is halted until a Blue Angels fly-over can be arranged.

It will be absolutely ridiculous, just like Sunday.

"The Alamo? Fuhgeddaboudit"

Every once in a while in sports, something inspirational is uttered and becomes a rallying cry that lifts a team to unexpected heights.

"Contrary to everyone's belief, we don't suck," 49ers offensive lineman Joe Staley said after another porous afternoon of pass protection last Sunday.

If only President Obama tapped into that kind of rousing oratory, his campaign slogan could've been "Yes we might."

There's still time for Barbara Walters to interview him and ask, "If you were a poisoned tree, what kind of poisoned tree would you be..."

Harvey Updyke Jr., the Alabama fan indicted for poisoning Auburn's famous oak trees at Toomer's Corner, apologized in a radio interview. "I'm extremely sorry for what I've been accused of doing," Updyke told the Paul Finebaum Radio Network.

For legal reasons, Updyke Jr. can't say publicly he poisoned the trees. Fine, I guess. But that won't sit well with some Tigers' fans.

In an unrelated compromise, the Parents Council should demand Updyke at least apologize for the names he gave his children.

Bear.

And Crimson Tyde.

SPINOFFS

In a shocking development, Roger Goodell upheld Roger Goodell's suspension of Terrelle Pryor...

The forecast for Titans-Browns calls for intermittent rain and the strong chance of a Toto fly-by. Rain and wind should challenge Colt McCoy. So even though Peyton Hillis says he doesn't care that some people questioned why he didn't play last week with strep throat, this is not a bad day to have him fresh and extra motivated...

There are things to question about Hillis, such as whether his running style makes him a risky long-term investment (it does). But until he stops pulling trucks in the off-season and flattening tacklers into gingerbread men, I wouldn't question his toughness...

McCoy is better suited to the West Coast offense. To appreciate how much more suited he is you just have to ignore his completion percentage this season (54.8) versus last year's (60.8)...

If you're going to get charged with a DUI, as former Cavs' center Ben Wallace did this past week, you're only too happy to lose the headlines to Al Unser Jr. getting charged with a DUI on the same day. While driving 101 miles an hour.

Dwayne Wade reportedly had harsh words for NBA Commissioner David Stern, saying he felt Stern disrespected him during contract negotiations. I don't doubt it. The Most Arrogant Man in the World can make "Hello" sound like an insult...

View full sizeNFL photoA leader on a rising unit of talented performers who work outdoors in Northeast Ohio.

INTERACTIVE QUESTION OF THE WEEK

"Bud:

"With the over-hyped Billy Beane being played by pretty boy Brad Pitt in a movie, who can we expect to play John Hart in 'The Architect'?" -- Tom Jezeski

I'd say anyone who tucks in their sweaters, but I'll open that up to readers.

SEPARATED AT BIRTH

Tampa Rays' manager Joe Maddon and Barry Weiss from "Storage Wars." -- Bob Zalar

Scott Fujita and John Krasinski of "The Office" -- D. Pugsley

View full sizeAP photoHe's part of a talented group of actors who spend their time under florescent lights in an office.

YOU SAID IT

(The Critically Unacclaimed Sunday Edition)

"Bud:

"What is more of a shock? Scientists in Europe disputing Einstein's theory of relativity? Or you and your staff all predicting a Browns' win this past week and being right?" -- Russ

That you just mentioned Einstein and me in the same sentence.

"Bud:

"Is Carlton Mitchell currently in the Witness Protection Program? If so, can we get him released and possibly replaced with Brian Robiskie and a player to be named?" -- Len, Chesterland

I don't know his whereabouts. I just know Keyser Soze kept a higher profile in "The Usual Suspects."

"Bud:

"Feel free to add to the list of dumb Cleveland Sports ideas: 1) Parade after losing the World Series; 2) Jim Thome statue." -- Bob, Medina

You mean other than Sunday Spin's "You Said It" section?

"Bud:

"Have you ever been penalized for excessive celebration at the PD?" -- Tom Hoffner

Only when I have the experience of using perfect tense.

"Dear Bud:

"Please allow me to be the first: Q. 'How do you pronounce Papelbon in Spanish?' A. 'Jose Mesa.'" -- Jim O, Chardon

I'm sure if he didn't say it, Omar Vizquel thought of it first.

"Bud:

"Is Shaw's Spin your point of view or the move that will get you on Dancing With the Stars?" -- Joe Percio

Do they have a spot for someone who makes Master P look like Gregory Hines?

"Bud:

"Are the Indians kicking themselves now that Bartolo Colon has outlasted Grady Sizemore?" -- Chuck D., Cleveland Heights

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

"Bud:

"Has Travis Hafner informed the Indians he will not negotiate a new contract once the 2012 season starts?" -- Russ G

Repeat winners are out of options.

The Rangers rebounded to take Game 2 against the Rays 8-6, while the Yankees took the opener of their series with the Tigers 9-3.

The Brewers knocked off the Diamondbacks 4-1, while the Phillies defeated the Cardinals 11-6 to gain the early advantage in the NLDS.

Carl Edwards dominated again at Dover International Speedway, winning his seventh race of the season in the Nationwide Series.

Associated PressCarl Edwards does a back flip off of his car after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Del., Saturday, Oct. 1, 2011. (AP Photo/Russ Hamilton Jr.)

DOVER, Del. (AP) — Carl Edwards only stumbled on his back flip.

His race was as flawless as expected on concrete.

Edwards dominated again at Dover International Speedway, winning his seventh race of the season in the Nationwide Series. Edwards completed the season sweep having won the May race at Dover in a wild finish.

He coasted on Saturday, leading 179 of the 200 laps at one of his favorite tracks in NASCAR. He's earned the nickname "Concrete Carl" because of his run of success on the concrete tracks.

"Concrete demands a perfect car and a perfect setup," Edwards said.

All he needs to work on is that perfect landing.

Edwards parked the No. 60 Ford on its high, slanted banking. He stumbled backward after his flip and had to catch himself before he took a total tumble. Edwards insisted he would not flip if he wins the Sprint Cup race Sunday.

"I was afraid I was going to need another driver for tomorrow," owner Jack Roush said.

Edwards recovered and made a dash for the stands, where he celebrated with his fans. Edwards even signed an autograph and described the joy he sees in the wide-eyed fans who can't believe one of the sport's biggest stars is in their row.

"I think other drivers should go up there and have some fun with it," Edwards said. "It's not my deal. It's something really neat that other drivers should try."

Edwards can get another chance Sunday. He qualified fourth earlier in the day and said his Cup car was better than the No. 60 in the second-tier series. He could surely use a victory to strengthen his push toward a first Cup championship.

Edwards is not eligible to win the Nationwide championship. He has top-two finishes in each of his last four races.

Brad Keselowski was second, Clint Bowyer third, and Kasey Kahne fourth. Points leader Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was fifth.

"We just got beat up on pretty fast," Bowyer said. "Carl was fast. He was the class of the field."

Because drivers had to pick the series they wanted to compete in for a championship, the Cup drivers aren't doing much more than running for wins and prize money. That's opened the door for Stenhouse to close in on his first Nationwide title.

Stenhouse, who drives for Roush, is anxious for that championship.

"We've got a race team that is pretty determined to win this thing," he said.

Roush said "it's not much fun" for Stenhouse down the stretch because of the conservative style he needs over the final races to maintain his lead. Roush said sponsorship money remains tight, but there was a chance Stenhouse could get some Cup time next season.

Stenhouse has a 22-point lead over Elliot Sadler with five races left. Sadler won his fourth pole of the season but finished 14th.

Edwards walked out with the Monster trophy, giving him one to pair with the one from May.

In that one, Joey Logano triggered a wreck-filled final lap that knocked out several contenders and let Edwards win the race.

"It was a lot less dramatic than the last one. That's good," Edwards said.

Less dramatic — but with one little hitch in that flip.

About 100 spectators come to Cleveland's West Park neighborhood Saturday and watch the Rovers, a team with players ranging from their early 20s to mid-30s, top the South Pittsburgh Hooligans, 25-10.

The game was rugby, and the Cleveland Rovers topped the South Pittsburgh Hooligans, 25-10.

The sport is everything football used to be: two 40-minute halves that are exactly that, with nonstop running, pummeling, more running, lateral or backward passing, and then more running.

The teams play in the Men's Division III Eastern Conference of the Midwest Rugby Union along with the Eastern Suburbs team from this area, three squads from Greater Pittsburgh, and one each from Erie, Pa., Akron and Youngstown.

Members of the Rovers range in age from their early 20s to mid-30s, said Allen Allred of Brunswick, the club's former president. "But that makes it one of the youngest."

Up to 50 players might show up for a home game, with 15 on the field at one time. About 100 spectators came to Cleveland's West Park neighborhood Saturday and watched Cleveland lead throughout.

In regular-season play, the Rovers are now 4-0.

Among the many refreshing aspects of the game was the absence of the animosity that hangs over the Browns-Steelers rivalry.

After the game there were multiple cheers by the teams, including for each other. Then the home team took the visitors out for food and beer -- all according to rugby tradition.

Terry Kilbane, the Rovers' current president, said a lot of the club members played in high school and college.

Bowling Green and Ohio State have some of the best college programs in the state, he said. But everyone interviewed said Northeast Ohio is the epicenter of burgeoning interest in the game.

Tom Jones, a retired Rover and volunteer coach of the Parma Blackhearts, said there are 32 high school teams in Northeast Ohio. A few, such as at St. Edward, have varsity programs. The Blackhearts, on the other hand, include high-school-age players from throughout the area.

Jim Crawford, another retired Rover, called modern football a paramilitary game, because the team coalesces in a huddle where the general gives each player his orders.

He and other Rovers emphasized that rugby is much more democratic.

"You have to be tough to play and in good shape, but 90 percent of rugby is constant decision-making by every man on the field," Kilbane said.

The Rovers' day jobs represent all kinds of occupations, including police, firefighters, lawyers and salespeople, Kilbane said. The Hooligans had at least one medical doctor on the field.

The Rovers do not view the Hooligans and other Pittsburgh clubs as archrivals. That honor belongs to the cross-town East Suburbs club. And that makes next Saturday the big game since they meet on the East Suburbs' home turf at Cuyahoga County Airport.

The Rovers were founded in 1978. The other club started up in 1998.

Kilbane said that most of the time the Rovers have beaten the other club, but for the last three years or so, the East Siders have prevailed, going so far as to knock the Rovers out of the playoffs last year.

"We think that's about to change," Kilbane said.

For more information on the Rovers go to clevelandroversrfc.com.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: jewinger@plaind.com, 216-999-3905

Irving scored 21 points on 9-of-17 shooting, according to a dispatch from the New Orleans Times Picayune, and Thompson contributed four points and four rebounds.

Joshua Gunter | The Plain DealerCleveland Cavaliers' draft picks Tristan Thompson and Kyrie Irving participated in a charity pickup game Saturday night in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Because of a revived Matt Hasselbeck, the Browns face their biggest test of the season.

View full sizeJohn Russell, Associated PressMatt Hasselbeck has been an improbable hero for the Titans in September. Can the Browns changes his fortunes in October?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Pondering some pregame scribbles before the Browns meet the Titans.

1. At the start of the season, I figured this was a game the Browns could win. Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher had quit. The Titans went shopping for a quarterback after Vince Young fell apart. It appeared they brought in a Jake Delhomme-type (Matt Hasselbeck) to play for a while until rookie Jake Locker is ready.

2. At 36, Hasselbeck is coming off a 2010 season where he had only 12 touchdown passes against 17 interceptions. He suffered a concussion and was written off as a backup. Even the Titans media guide wrote: "He provides the Titans with veteran leadership, as well as serving as a mentor for Jake Locker." Only Hasselbeck has been sensational. He leads the AFC with a 122.1 passer rating on third down, and his 102.1 rating is No. 3 overall. He completed 30 of 42 passes for 358 yards against Baltimore when the Titans stunned the Ravens, 26-13.

3. This week, the Browns aren't facing a quarterback who is too young (Bengals' Andy Dalton), too old (Kerry Collins) or too shaky in the clutch (Chad Henne). Hasselbeck is one of the hottest QBs in the NFL. He also is the smartest the young Browns defense has faced this season.

4. All the more impressive is Hasselbeck doing all this damage with Chris Johnson (98 yards in 46 carries) in a funk and the Titans averaging only 2.4 yards per run. That's good news for the Browns, who still are very iffy against the run. But they have been superb defending the pass, and have 11 sacks in three games.

5. The Pro Football Outsiders Almanac totally dismissed Hasselbeck, stating that he had been well below average in four of the last five years in their complicated ratings. He remains accurate on throws up to 15 yards, but anything deeper than that, the Outsiders wrote that Hasselbeck is "woefully inadequate" because of "declining arm strength." My guess is Hasselbeck has been beat up the last few seasons. He did suffer a concussion in 2010. He is now somewhat healthy and throwing behind a good offensive line.

6. The Browns can win if they can bring heat on Hasselbeck (who has been sacked only four times) and use poor weather to their advantage by forcing turnovers. The reason the Browns are 2-1 is Dick Jauron's 4-3 defense has allowed five touchdowns in the first three games. It's been a bend, don't break defense. Jabaal Sheard has been drawing raves from Web sites such as profootballfocus.com, which rates him as the No. 2 pass rusher in a 4-3 defense. They also rated him as the second best AFC rookie in September, behind Denver's Von Miller.

7. I keep thinking the Browns should run, but the Titans have held teams to a 3.1 yards per carry and one touchdown. This should be a day for Peyton Hillis to have his first 100-yard game. That's especially true if Tony Pashos can stay healthy. Even a mediocre performance at right tackle will be an upgrade from what the Browns have received from the Artis Hicks/Oniel Cousins combo. But Pashos has played only 11 games in the last two years because of injuries. Who knows what to expect from the 31-year-old veteran?

8. This game will be a challenge for Pat Shurmur and his offensive assistants. They need to design a poor-weather game plan for Colt McCoy, but they simply can't run the ball twice and then try a third-down pass. Shurmur desperately wants to get Montario Hardesty and the receivers involved in the offense earlier, so let's see if he does it.

9. It's encouraging to see how Shurmur and McCoy do seem to have confidence in each other. During the lockout, Shurmur told me that as the offensive coordinator in St. Louis, he had a significant role in evaluating and interviewing the quarterbacks in the 2010 draft. He said he rated McCoy a "clear No. 2" over the rest of the field -- the Rams had Sam Bradford at No. 1. McCoy's presence was one of the reasons the Cleveland job really appealed to him.

10. McCoy simply must do a better job with his throws. The NFL average is 60 percent completions. Hasselbeck is at a ridiculous 70 percent. But McCoy is completing 54 percent. He has stayed away from major negative plays (three sacks, two interceptions, no fumbles lost), but Shurmur is stressing to McCoy that there are receivers open -- just get them the ball.

Some of Peyton Hillis' teammates wonder if him sitting out last week had anything to do with his contract, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.

Joshua Gunter, The Plain DealerA report says some teammates have questioned whether or not Peyton Hillis sitting out last week had anything to do with his contract negotiations.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Some Browns players wonder if running back Peyton Hillis sat out last week's game against the Dolphins because of his contract negotiations, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Hillis came down with strep throat and a high fever on Friday and was sent home that day. He stayed in the team hotel Saturday night, and the Browns were proceeding as though he were going to play.

But when he woke up the next morning, he was still very ill, had lost 10-12 pounds and told the staff at the Stadium he couldn't play. Hillis chatted with coach Pat Shurmur, who sent him home at about 10:30 to rest.

Hillis said on Thursday that the people who care about know there's no way he could've played, and that he had to "take his career and his life'' in his own hands at that point.

The Browns have been working on an extension with Hillis' agent, Kennard McGuire, but the two sides remain far apart. Hillis said Thursday, "if they wanted to extend me they would.''

Hillis' running backs coach Gary Brown also vouched for Hillis not playing Sunday, saying "he'd die for this team.''

Hillis is in the last year of a contract that pays him $600,000.

 RAVENNA, O. - Ravenna senior DiAndra Gibson always wanted to play Division I college basketball close to home.    The 5-11 guard/forward got her wish since she's given Akron her oral commitment.  

 RAVENNA, O. - Ravenna senior DiAndra Gibson always wanted to play Division I college basketball close to home.
 

 The 5-11 guard/forward got her wish since she's given Akron her oral commitment.
 

 "I didn't want to go too far because I knew I'd be homesick,'' said Gibson, who also received offers from Malone, Cleveland State and Bryant. "Akron's about 25-30 minutes from where I live so my family will have no problem getting to my games.''
 

 Gibson, who averaged 14.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4.0 steals, 2.6 assists and 2.6 blocked shots a game last season, plans on majoring in criminal justice.
 

 "I really like Akron's campus,'' said Gibson. "A lot of the buildings there are new so you can tell they want to grow and I like that.''

Join cleveland.com's live chat during the Browns vs. Titans game today at 1 p.m. featuring The Plain Dealer Dennis Manoloff, then stay tuned to listen to our live post-game show.

cleveland.comJoin cleveland.com's live chat from Browns Stadium Sunday at 1 p.m.

Cleveland, Ohio -- Join cleveland.com's live chat during the Browns vs. Titans game today at 1 p.m.  Interact with cleveland.com producer Joey Morona and The Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff live in the press box at Cleveland Browns Stadium as they describe the action on the field and post scoring updates.

You can also get updates from The Plain Dealer's Tony Grossi and Mary Kay Cabot on Twitter and in their in-game blog.

After the game, stay tuned to listen to Manoloff and Morona break down the game and take your chat room comments and questions.

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Live audio: Click on play about 15 minutes after the end of the game to listen to our live post-game show with The Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff.

Browns are a little better on offense for a field goal, but Matt Hasselbeck responds quickly with a TD drive.

View full sizeAmy Sancetta, Associated PressColt McCoy looks for a first-quarter receiver as Tennessee's Dave Ball closes in Sunday afternoon at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Notes, observations and some facts on the first quarter ...

• Winds up to 30 mph as game begins.

• Browns come out with Peyton Hillis and Montario Hardesty in split backfield. Swing pass to Hillis nets 2 and Hardesty trots off field.

• Colt McCoy gets one first down and checkdown to Brian Robiskie. Another on quick pass to Alex Smith. Hillis earns a third on two runs of six yards. Drive dies at Titans 39 when McCoy's pass for Ben Watson is broken up by Will Weatherspoon.

• Field tilts in Browns' favor when Brad Maynard's punt downed at Titans 2 by Buster Skrine.

• Defense forces punt out of Titans' end zone when Joe Haden knocks out ball caught by Lavelle Hawkins. Brett Kern's wind-aided punt goes 64 yards. Josh Cribbs' 16-yard return gives Browns possession at their 47.

• Browns have great chance to break their scoreless skein in first quarter. McCoy play-fake pass to Greg Little for 25 yards to Titans' 28.

• On third down, first Browns trick play of Pat Shurmur era. Cribbs comes around for pitchout, reverses direction and looks to throw. Sacked at Titans 31. Phil Dawson's 48-yard field goal salvages three points -- first scored all year in first quarter.

• Dawson's kickoff is blown out of bounds. Ouch.

• Chris Johnson makes one move on Chris Gocong and is 25 yards downfield. That's one-fourth his season rushing total right there. Matchup created when Jayme Mitchell rushed inside.

• Matt Hasselbeck stands tall against blitz and delivers to Lavelle Hawkins beating Haden in the middle for 18 down to the 12. Hasselbeck then gets easy TD on pass to tight end Craig Stevens in left corner. Stevens got behind D'Qwell Jackson.

• Hardesty spells Hillis on third possession. On third-and-1, McCoy play-fakes out of tight formation and lays it in to Hardesty 27 yards downfield beating safety Jordan Babineaux.

Titans TE Jared Cook beats Scott Fujita for catch of 15 yards and runs for 80-yard TD. Nate Washington's 57-yard catch sets up another TD.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerJoe Haden broke up this pass intended for the Titans' Lavelle Hawkins, but Tennessee QB Matt Hasselbeck had his way for most of the first half Sunday, throwing for three scores in building a 21-6 lead.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Notes, observations and some facts on the second quarter ...

• Colt McCoy drops snap at Titans 25. Falls on it at 33. Then he's almost intercepted on third-and-16. Phil Dawson comes through again with 51-yard field goal. Browns trail, 7-6.

• On first down, Matt Hasselbeck hits Jared Cook beating Scott Fujita. Shouldn't be an 80-yard TD, but it is when Usama Young misses push-out attempt. Cook is an unsung weapon.

• Rob Bironas has two touchbacks -- one to each end zone.

• Montario Hardesty gets his second consecutive possession ahead of Peyton Hillis. Running well.

• McCoy is on mark on 15-yard slant to Evan Moore to Titans' 40.

• Second time we've seen a backfield of Peyton Hillis and Armond Smith. McCoy throws it away to beat a blitz. Browns choose to punt from Titans' 41 after Josh Cribbs reception comes up 5 yards short of first down.

• Browns force punt in three plays. Re-kick after offsetting penalties gives Browns ball at 50. Great field position again.

• Hillis blasts ahead for 10-yard run. On third-and-1, strange formation. Hardesty and Hillis are split. Inside handoff to Hillis nets nothing.

• This gets weirder. On fourth-and-1, Hillis and Smith are together in the I. McCoy pitches to Smith and he's tackled for no gain by safety Michael Griffin. The bizarre play-calls put the Browns' defense in a tough spot. After one first down, Joe Haden comes through with a breakup of Lavelle Hawkins. Titans punt.

• McCoy on the run. Cortland Finnegan leads with helmet as McCoy's sliding and is penalized 15 yards for unnecessary roughness.

• From his 49, McCoy is sacked and loses ball, but quick whistle saved Browns from losing possession.

• Another strange look from Browns -- three tight ends on second-and-20, with Moore split as a wideout. McCoy's pass to Alex Smith is ruled incomplete after official's replay review.

• Browns punt after short completion to Cribbs. Hasselbeck will have 1:34 and two timeouts and starts from Titans 22. Cook beats T.J. Ward for 13 yards.

• From the 39, Titans run great pick play. Damian Williams picks Dimitri Patterson. Hasselbeck delivers to Nate Washington wide open. Haden runs him down at the Browns 4 -- 57-yard play.

• Haden got hurt and leaves. Hasselbeck fade to Williams beats Sheldon Brown for the TD. That's a hurry-up drive: four plays, 78 yards in 1:01.

One caddy's memory stirs up more tales of life at Westwood, and we learn what it was like to go down and watch Abdullah the Butcher and other rasslers in person, in Cleveland. Plus more highlights of our blog of Northeast Ohio memories.

John Kuntz, Plain Dealer fileA smart caddy wanted the right bag -- the one attached to a good golfer.

Some of the highlights of the last two weeks in Cleveland Remembers:

Comments and questions

Robert Smith of Westlake shared some of the tips he learned as a young caddy at Westwood Country Club:

The aim of caddying was to get the good bags to get the best tips and make the most money. Everyone wanted the best golfers. Not only did they play the fastest rounds, they tended to pay the most. But not all. We studied the members like scouts and pegged them with nicknames.

There was Cheaten’ Chenick, Money Mooney (a good tipper) and Shelley the Sandbagger, who was always padding his handicap for the club championships. Five Bills Wills paid exactly five dollars for a round of 18, what we considered a rip-off, “a screw.” No matter how hard and well you worked, there was nothing you could do to get Mr. Wills to open his wallet wider.

Smith's memory brought out some other ex-caddies:

I, too, caddied at WCC in the early 80's. Plenty of "The hole's that way Mrs. Havercamp," and "That was a peach, hon." I think their name was Sessions, and they wore a pair of giant sunglasses for their cataracts.

-- freedom32

From caddie volleyball, caddie mud wrestling, caddie driving range.....(hitting the occasional car), "shack food"......to Lakewood Day when they had beer on the course, we actually could have made the movie, CADDIE SHACK, better had they hung around us for a while.

-- danz

I caddied there in the mid-70's as well. Mr. Gottschalk (?) was a good and fair boss. He rewarded those of us who always got there early and didn't complain much by giving us the better tippers. Not sure what the heck I did with the money, but I made serious coin (at least it seemed serious compared to paper route money) lugging clubs. There were a few jerks, but I prefer to remember the majority of the members who were decent folks who tipped okay. Also, not all the ladies were bad tippers - Bonnie Bell always tipped well. One of the members of Westwood, Mr. Lampe was a good guy who gave me my first real job working at his wire warehouse, stayed there until I was old enough to go join the Navy.

-- largebill

You had roll call, caddie cals, Mrs. G's day old donuts, caddie campers, caddie scholarships, deals & screws, caddie cards, A caddies, B caddies, and a term for new caddies called spooks. You had the caddie struggle (little caddie, big bag), caddie fake (when you couldn't see the ball), sanding the pin, fixing the bag, and ginger snaps on 10.

-- comearunning

And now for some good ol' rasslin'

A story from Bob Palmer of Brunswick about meeting pro wrestler Abdullah the Butcher sent a lot of others back to the days of Dick the Bruiser and the Sheik:

I went to some of those tapings. My friends and I would write to the station for free tickets to be in the studio audience. They would tape two shows every other Saturday. There was a ring set up in one of the studios, along with a small set of "bleachers" for the audience to sit. We would see some interviews, wrestling matches in the ring (and occasional matches outside the ring as well), and we even got a glimpse of how the wrestlers interacted when the cameras weren't rolling. After both shows were taped, the audience was given free "refreshments" (like chocolate-flavored soda pop); the explanation being that the station was obligated to give us something for appearing on their show.

-- bikermike

The wrestling show on CH 43 was "Championship Wrestling with Johhny Powers". It was taped in Cleveland and hosted by Jack Reynolds. The wrestling show on CH 61 was "Big Time Wrestling". it was taped in Detroit. I don't have any current information on The Love Brothers, but I do remeber picking them up from the airport once in a 1970 Ford Maverick. When they got in Reginald said, "Nice car." (I'm sure he wasn't being sarcastic)

-- goodguy1956

I believe it was in the summer of 1962 and there was a large "Pro Wrestling" card advertised at the old Clevleand Arena. Several of us were thinking about trying out for the wrestling team at Shore Jr. High in Euclid that coming fall, so we thought it would be great to go and watch what "Pro" wrestling was about (to us, sounded much like professional football, basketball and baseball.)

Since we needed transportation, I approached my uncle who coached wrestling at the time at Warrensville Hts to see if he would take us. He went ballistic, telling me it was all fake, make believe and a waste of money. Next I tried my grandfather, who had been an amateur boxer in the 1920's, he made my uncle's tirade seem mild.

Finally, we approached my older brother, who along with one of his buddies insisted on taking us, and all the way into town told us stories about how mean these wrestlers were and how no one left the ring without at least one broken bone. We were so scared by the time we arrived at the arena, two of my buddies wouldn't even go in and wanted nothing to do with wrestling. When we came out a couple of hours later, laughing about what we had witnessed, versus the stories my brother and his pal had told us, we decided that "Pro Wrestling" was going to be our new "goal" in life.

-- mosspoint

Remembering Balloonfest again

In mid-August, Cleveland Remembers brought you the story of Balloonfest 1986, a United Way fundraiser that left the city littered with deflated balloons. When the 25th anniversary of the event rolled around last month, reporter Michael O'Malley went back and retold the story with testimony from some event volunteers. And columnist Michael K. McIntyre followed up on that with confirmation that, at least for a while, Cleveland held the record for a mass balloon release.

The day the Marines invaded Edgewater Park

Finally, if you missed this story the first time around, be sure to check our report on July 19, 1959, when the yearlong celebration of the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway brought Navy warships and hundreds of Marines to the shores of Cleveland. They staged a mock invasion in front of an audience estimated at half a million, and Dorothy Mastin, now of California, shared her family's photos from the event.

Two weeks' memories

• Eating at the Red Barn restaurants (and the big July 4, 1969, storm)

• Moss Point on the Euclid shoreline was the big city's summer getaway

• Caddies learned the tricks of the trade at Westwood

• When kids waited for the iceman to arrive

• The aroma of burning leaves in the autumn

• Big Chuck, Li'l John and the not-so-scary "Equinox"

• The day the Marines invaded Edgewater Park

• The Sportsman Restaurant, corned beef and the Browns

• Abdullah the Butcher, Madman from the Sudan

Cleveland Remembers is a place for everyone to share memories of growing up or growing old in Northeast Ohio. Please join in the conversation in the comments, or share your longer stories (and photos) through our online submission form.

Colt McCoy interception and 97-yard return by Jordan Babineaux turns game into a Tennessee laugher.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter, The Plain DealerBen Watson and the rest of the Browns offense has been flattened by Cortland Finnegan and the Titans through the first three quarters Sunday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Notes, observations and some facts on the third quarter ...

• Browns defense forces punt in three plays. That's a start.

• Browns' offensive possession comes up three inches short. Pat Shurmur wisely chooses to punt from his own 21 despite chorus of boos.

• Titans get first down on Lavelle Hawkins catch. He bounces off Sheldon Brown for about 10 more yards to Browns' 41. Browns need a defensive turnover badly.

• Now it's Chris Johnson time. Six yards, 5, 5.

• Hasselbeck almost intercepted when Sheldon Brown deflects pass for Jared Cook and Usama Young almost gets it. Browns catch a break when Nate Washington can't haul in Hasselbeck pass in end zone. Washington got behind T.J. Ward but ball glances off his outstretched hands. Field goal.

• Colt McCoy strings together three first downs. Ball at Titans' 29.

• McCoy skips away from pressure, throws on the run right into hands of Jordan Babineaux. Babineaux returns it 97 yards for a touchdown against stunned Browns. McCoy saw something there nobody else did and didn't see what everybody saw.

Ohio State Buckeyes, after 10-7 home loss to Michigan State Spartans, are unranked in both polls -- getting no votes from AP voters and one point on a single No. 25 ranking in USA Today coaches poll.

Associated PressLouisiana State cornerback Tyrann Mathieu (7) and teammate Morris Claiborne (17) celebrate Mathieu's 23-yard touchdown run after recovering a fumble during the Tigers' 35-7 win over Kentucky on Saturday.

LSU and Alabama are the top two teams in the country one month before their game in Tuscaloosa.

(AP and USA Today Top 25 polls)

The SEC West rivals held the first two spots in The Associated Press college football poll released Sunday as the second-ranked Crimson Tide jumped past No. 3 Oklahoma.

Alabama's rise gives the Southeastern Conference the top two teams in the country for the 10th time in the last four seasons. And for the first time since 2000, the Nos. 1 and 2 teams reside in the same division. That season Nebraska and Kansas State of the Big 12 North held the top two spots in the AP poll for one week.

The Tide beat Florida 38-10 on Saturday night in Gainesville, then received 12 first-place votes in the media rankings. LSU remained No. 1 for a second straight week, receiving 40 first-place votes and 1,473 points. Alabama had 1,435 points. The Tigers play the Tide on Nov. 5 in a game that could ultimately decide the division -- and much more.

Oklahoma, which started the season No. 1 before slipping behind LSU last week, got seven first-place votes. Wisconsin also moved up after a big victory, jumping three spots to No. 4 after a 48-17 win against Nebraska. Boise State, which had one first-place vote, slipped a spot to No. 5.

Oklahoma was No. 1 in the USA Today coaches' poll, followed by LSU, Alabama, Stanford and Wisconsin.

Ohio State, 3-2 after its 10-7 loss to Michigan State in Columbus on Saturday, got no votes in the AP poll and one point -- from one coach's No. 25 ranking for the Buckeyes -- in the USA Today coaches poll.

The top eight in the AP poll were all undefeated, with No. 6 Oklahoma State followed by Stanford and Clemson. Oregon was ninth and Arkansas was No. 10.

Three more unbeaten teams were next: No. 11 Texas, which faces rival Oklahoma on Saturday in Dallas, No. 12 Michigan and No. 13 Georgia Tech.

Nebraska fell six spots to No. 14 and Auburn jumped back into the poll all the way to No. 15 after the Tigers beat South Carolina 16-10 on the road. The defending national champions have fallen out of the rankings twice this season.

No. 16 West Virginia is the only Big East team in the rankings. No. 17 Florida dropped five spots after getting thumped by Alabama and No. 18 South Carolina dropped eight spots. No. 19 Illinois has its best ranking since the final regular-season poll of 2007. No. 20 Kansas State is ranked for the first time since Oct. 14, 2007.

The final five were Virginia Tech, Arizona State, Florida State, Texas A&M and Baylor. Falling out after losses were TCU and South Florida.

Listen to The Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff and cleveland.com's Joey Morona as they broke down the Browns' loss to the Titans on the post-game show.

Joshua Gunter, The Plain DealerPeyton Hillis runs during the Browns' 31-13 loss to the Titans.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Listen to The Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff and cleveland.com's Joey Morona as they broke down the Browns' 31-13 loss to the Titans.

They talked about the big plays, some questionable calls, Colt McCoy's performance and took your chat room comments and questions.

Among the topics discussed:

Colt McCoy finally puts a touchdown on the board, but a Mike Adams interception is too little, too late.

View full sizeAmy Sancetta, Associated PressTitans safety Jordan Babineaux is all by himself as he finishes off a 97-yard interception return for a score in the third quarter Sunday. It was just another in a series of big plays used by Tennessee to put away the Browns.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Notes, observations and some facts on the fourth quarter ...

• Browns' dink-and-dunk presents fourth-and-2 at the Titans' 16. Colt McCoy gets a first down on 5-yard pass to Greg Little.

• Alex Mack is slapped 15 yards for throwing a punch at Tennessee lineman Karl Klug. But McCoy converts the drive with a 10-yard TD pass to Ben Watson in center of end zone.

• Will Chris Johnson take over this game? No, Matt Hasselbeck wants more. His deep pass to Damian Williams flies out of bounds and then an intermediate one for Williams is intercepted by Mike Adams.

• These short dumpoffs by McCoy are tough to watch. Finally McCoy throws longer than 10 yards on fourth down for Mohamed Massaquoi and it's incomplete. Titans ball at Browns 39 with 8:29 to go.

• Hey, there's another first down on a pass to Mohamed Massaquoi. At this point, Titans -- getting their first road win in their last seven games -- are fighting boredom.

• McCoy keeps looking for receivers and can't seem to find any farther than eight yards downfield. Hits Massaquoi for a first down at the Titans 18 even though he might have been over the line of scrimmage. Titans challenge and win.

• McCoy completes to Little, but it's just another eight yards on third-and-15. Fourth down pass to Massaquoi doesn't squeeze through two Titans and possession ends.

• Jake Locker enters for the Titans to run out the clock. Handing off to Chris Johnson is a nice security blanket.

• McCoy posts his first game of 300-plus passing yards (350) ... which reflects how hollow some statistics can be. Is there a solution for the dinks and dunks over the next two weeks?

Led by the league's best defense and a veteran quarterback, the Titans outplay the Browns decisively.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerWhen Tennessee's Damian Williams eluded Browns cornerback Sheldon Brown for this touchdown in the final seconds of the first half, the Titans stormed into halftime with a 21-6 lead and were never threatened the rest of the way Sunday afternoon.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Tennessee Titans have the league's best defense. The Browns have a young, developing offense.

When mixed together Sunday, the result was unquestionably in the Titans' favor.

Tennessee pounded the Browns, 31-13, thanks to a defense that held the Browns stumbling offense in check all afternoon, and savvy play from their own quarterback, Matt Hasselbeck, who threw for three touchdowns.

The Browns fell to 2-2, while Tennessee improved to 3-1.

The Browns managed to get into the red zone just once at Cleveland Browns Stadium, which was the only time Cleveland found its way into the end zone. Colt McCoy tossed a 10-yard touchdown pass to tight end Ben Watson with 11:36 left.

It was too little, too late, however. By then, the Titans had effectively shut down McCoy, who struggled to ignite the offense, despite completing a deceptive 40 of 61 passes for 350 yards.

For the Titans, veteran quarterback Hasselbeck was efficient in limited time. The 36-year-old, who is having his most productive season of his career thus far, completed 10 of 20 passes for 220 yards. His 80-yard catch and run to tight end Jared Cook in the second quarter gave the Titans a 14-6 advantage that set the tone for the remainder of the game. Cook eluded Browns safety Usama Young's weak attempt at a tackle, and dashed into the end zone.

The most costly mistake for the Browns came on a McCoy interception in the third quarter, which Titans safety Jordan Babineaux picked off and returned 97 yards for a score and a 31-6 edge.

The Titans had the NFL's best defense entering the game, allowing 261 yards per game. The Browns finished with 413 yards total offense.

Browns running back Peyton Hillis was back to full health after missing last week with strep throat, but managed only 46 yards on 10 carries. He shared the backfield with Montario Hardesty, who had 22 yards on seven carries, but also dropped four passes.

Adding to the hurt, Browns cornerback Joe Haden left midway through the fourth quarter with a left knee injury and did not return.

Sure, there will be plenty of comment (and jokes) about the Browns' stalled offense. But the defense didn't cover itself in glory, either.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerBrowns head coach Pat Shurmur (second from left) has an up-close view of Jordan Babineaux's 97-yard return of a Colt McCoy interception in the third quarter Sunday. The score completed the Titans' scoring in their 31-13 triumph at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Much of the discussion after Sunday's 31-13 loss to Tennessee will be about the Browns' offense.

There will be talk about how the offense quickly drifted away from running the ball with Peyton Hillis, who had eight carries for a respectable 37 yards (4.2 average) in the first half. He carried the ball only twice in the second half.

There will be jokes made about how the Browns had a fourth-and-1 and came up with a sweep to rookie Armond Smith. It was his first pro carry, and it could not have come at worse time. Don't blame Smith for failing to pick up the first down. Fault the coach who must have been in a fog of Xs and Os when this brainstorm was devised.

There will be eyes popping when staring at a stat sheet revealing Colt McCoy threw a franchise-record 61 passes. No Browns quarterback -- not Bernie Kosar, Otto Graham, Brian Sipe, Frank Ryan or even Kelly Holcomb -- ever heaved the ball 61 times in a game. All that, and the offense couldn't reach the end zone until the fourth quarter.

They clearly forgot that one way to win was to not let Tennessee have the ball. Heaving the ball all over the stadium on a wild and windy day is not a good way to control the tempo. The offense was so out of whack that reserve running back Montario Hardesty was targeted for nine passes. He caught five, and should be credited with at least two drops.

It's hard to believe, but at one point, this was a close game. There actually was a key play. It was the second quarter as the Browns had the ball on the Tennessee 41. The Titans had a 14-6 lead. Coach Pat Shurmur decided to go for it. Nothing wrong with that.

But a sweep to Smith, who just entered the game? Why not a Hillis run? Or throw it to him? Or throw it to the tight end? Or hand it to Hardesty?

"We got a chance to go the distance [if that play works]," said Shurmur. "[Smith] is the fastest guy we've got."

But he hadn't played all year!

Tennessee got the ball, and didn't score. But it also killed the Browns' chances of scoring. It seemed a sign the home team was trying to be too tricky on this day.

That was true in the first quarter. The Browns used an end-around play to Joshua Cribbs -- who was supposed to pass into a very stiff wind. It was a third-and-6 situation. He was sacked, and the Browns settled for a field goal.

McCoy had a horrible throw in the third quarter. It was picked off by the Titans' Jordan Babineaux and returned 97 yards for a touchdown, making the score 31-6. Shurmur said McCoy was out of the pocket and simply should have thrown the ball away -- especially when it seemed no receiver could be found in the same area code as the pass.

Then again, McCoy has yet to develop any chemistry with any Cleveland receiver.

The coach stressed that McCoy is his quarterback, and that they will use the bye week to work on things. There are plenty to keep the Browns busy.

So yes, there are many reasons for fans to weep, gnash their teeth and scream on talk shows about the sputtering, staggering and stalling offense.

But just as lame was the defense. Heading into this game, the Browns had 11 sacks. They had none on Matt Hasselbeck, and only one QB hit. He was 10-of-20 for 220 yards and three touchdowns.

It seemed receivers were open everywhere. Hasselbeck had enough time to fry up some bacon and eggs, and then throw. The Titans' offensive lined ruled, the Browns too often confused.

"The game changes on big plays," said Shurmur.

All belonged to Tennessee. Jared Cook scored on an 80-yard pass when Usama Young missed a tackle. Nate Washington's 57-yard reception set up another touchdown. Tight end Craig Stevens was wide open for a 12-yard scoring pass.

Chris Johnson ran for 101 yards. The Browns' tackling was an embarrassment and they seemed about as enthused as someone waiting for a root canal. You had a feeling that Tennessee could have scored 50 if needed -- and the Titans were without their top receiver, Kenny Britt, who is injured.

As for the 2-2 Browns, this was an introduction to the real NFL. They weren't facing a quarterback that is too young (Andy Dalton), too old (Kerry Collins) or too shaky in the clutch (Chad Henne). They were confronted with a rock of an offensive line, and couldn't dent it.

Meanwhile, the offense was a crazy quilt of desperate and rushed plays that spelled confusion and frustration to anyone trying to watch it.