By CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA Associated Press ISTANBUL, TURKEY  - Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova will play Victoria Azarenka in the WTA Championships final on Sunday with the No. 2 ranking on the line along with a $1.5 million paycheck. VADIM GHIRDA/ASSOCIATED PRESSPetra Kvitova, a Czech lefthander with booming serves, rallied to defeat U.S. Open winner Samantha Stosur 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 in the...

By CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA

Associated Press

ISTANBUL, TURKEY  - Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova will play Victoria Azarenka in the WTA Championships final on Sunday with the No. 2 ranking on the line along with a $1.5 million paycheck.

VADIM GHIRDA/ASSOCIATED PRESSPetra Kvitova, a Czech lefthander with booming serves, rallied to defeat U.S. Open winner Samantha Stosur 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 in the semifinals of the WTA Championships in Istanbul, Turkey, on Saturday.

Kvitova, a Czech lefthander with booming serves, rallied to defeat U.S. Open winner Samantha Stosur 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 in the semifinals Saturday, while fourth-ranked Azarenka defeated Vera Zvonareva 6-2, 6-3.

Kvitova beat Azarenka in the semifinals en route to winning her first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon this year. She's counting on a psychological edge after defeating Azarenka in both the matches they played this season.

"Hopefully, it will be better for me, mentally," Kvitova said. "We know each other very well."

Azarenka said she'd need to blunt Kvitova's powerful serve when they meet at the Sinan Erdem Dome in Istanbul, which is hosting the championships for the first time. Some 12,000 people attended the semifinals.

"She really goes for her shots," said Azarenka, who has won three titles this season. "So sometimes she doesn't find the rhythm. But at the same time, she can be on and just hit winners."

Against Stosur, Kvitova hit big serves and groundstrokes and moved to the net. In the first set, Stosur capitalized on a pair of service breaks and her own strong kick serve.

Kvitova took early leads in the second and third sets with a power game that has propelled her from outside the top 30 at the start of the year to No. 3.

"It was very tough to break her," Kvitova said. "It was a great match for us."

Azarenka's solid groundstrokes forced errors from Zvonareva, who was never able to gain momentum in the match. Zvonareva held two break points in the last game, but could not convert them.

One game in the second set lasted nearly 12 minutes and ended when the Russian held serve to tie at 2-all, but Azarenka broke her next two service games.

"The score doesn't say much about the game," Azarenka said. "It was important to be consistent and aggressive, find the right balance."

At 21, Kvitova was the youngest of the four semifinalists and hadn't dropped a set in the round-robin phase of the $4.9 million WTA Championships. She beat Stosur in their two previous meetings, including a tough third-round win at the Australian Open this year and a comfortable victory at the 2008 French Open.

Stosur said the momentum shifted during the match, and she was just "trying to hang in there" during the first three or four games when Kvitova was at her best. She said playing the left-handed Kvitova is difficult.

"She'd be hard anyway, regardless of whether she's lefty or right-handed," said Stosur, who praised the Czech for her achievements this year. "She's got the game where you will see a flurry of errors, but she'll flip it over and you'll see that streak of winners."

Stosur plans to take two or three weeks off before preparing for the Australian Open in her home country in January. Despite the loss, the seventh-ranked Stosur said she was pleased with how she played against Kvitova.

"This was definitely my best match against her so far," she said. "At least I was able to come off the court knowing that I did everything I could."

Kvitova, who was making her debut at the WTA Championships, beat Maria Sharapova in the Wimbledon final. She has won four other titles this year, including Brisbane, Paris indoors, Madrid and Linz.

Stosur, who defeated Serena Williams in the U.S. Open final, was playing in the semifinals of the championships for the second straight year.

Top-ranked Caroline Wozniacki was knocked out in the round-robin phase.

The WTA and BNP Paribas, the title sponsor, announced Saturday a joint donation of $250,000 to the Turkish Red Crescent to assist victims of the earthquake in eastern Turkey that killed at least 580 people on Oct. 23.

The WTA Championships will be played in Istanbul through 2013.

No matter how fans try to spin the question, it's (generally) all about Colt.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerIt's a common defense from McCoy loyalists -- shouldn't the Browns' young QB get a benefit of the doubt from critics because of the lack of offensive support this season?

Hey, Tony: As much as I love and support Colt McCoy, wouldn't it make more sense to, I don't know, surround him with playmakers? Look at Chicago. When your KR/PR is your best WR and the only person on the team that seems capable of catching the ball and your O-line is so screwed up your QB is running for his life after every snap, maybe it's not just him? Has anyone ever wondered how Jim Harbaugh has turned Alex Smith around? I thought he was broken beyond repair. -- Eric Cook, Glendale, Ariz.

Hey, Eric: Harbaugh has received efficient production from Smith by emphasizing the team's physical running game and limiting Smith's responsibilities. Smith has the second-fewest pass attempts of any quarterback ranked in the top 20 this season.

Hey, Tony: I have been a Browns fan since the mid '60s and enjoyed the runs the Browns had since then but of course you and I have never seen a Super Bowl victory! Since you would probably be in charge of the Page One story have you ever thought what your headline would say? Come on, let's dream just a little bit. What do you think of "Victory At Last." Give me yours. -- John York, Tampa, Fla.

Hey, John: "Browns Win Super Bowl. Beat Writer Keels Over."

Hey, Tony: Why is it that other teams which face the exact same challenges as the Browns (i.e. new coach, new systems, young players, QB questions, etc.) can rise to be successful and competitive (i.e. S.F., Cincinnati, Buffalo, Oakland, Tennessee) while Cleveland continues to flounder? -- Hoa Pham, Los Angeles

Hey, Hoa: Although the Browns' wins have come against losing (and in two cases, winless) teams, I would submit that a 3-3 record through six games constitutes being competitive. True, the other teams you mention are stronger at this point. But let's see how this season plays out before pulling out the razor blades.

Hey, Tony: I can't believe that I am reading comments that Pat Shurmur is in danger of losing the locker room. I thought the players loved him and even agreed to work on their normal day off after the Miami win. In your opinion, is Shurmur in danger? -- Mike Mahne, Lake Zurich, Ill.

Hey, Mike: No. I don't know where that started.

Hey, Tony: If Colt McCoy neither improves nor regresses, won't it be a bit too early to dismiss him even after one full season? A poorer-performing Sam Bradford is still seen as the franchise quarterback in St. Louis. McCoy's numbers are comparable to many elite quarterbacks' rookie seasons, and West Coast offense timing, well ... it takes time. Even Mike Holmgren said it takes three full years to evaluate a quarterback. Considering it's implausible the Browns will have a shot at Andrew Luck, isn't it likely Colt will be starting over, in competition with, or at worst backing up, whomever the Browns draft? I'm just dreading wasting one of our first-round picks if it turns out McCoy really can be "the man" with more time and better players. And please, no citing arm strength; lately his deep balls have all been overthrown. -- Paul Straub, Orlando, Fla.

Hey, Paul: I think you give a reasonable assessment of the situation. The Browns should have provided McCoy a top-flight receiver this year. My guess is they will not draw conclusions about him until after another year.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerJoe Haden has some some injury issues, but his play on the field has again been impressive.

Hey, Tony: What is the situation with Joe Haden? Five weeks ago, he was telling anyone who'd listen about his plans to be a "top cornerback" in the league. Now it appears he is a great Peyton Hillis impersonator. Half of one season under your belt, always too hurt to play. Come on already. -- Brett Ormsby, Bay Village

Hey, Brett: Wow. You are so far off base, I can only assume you wrote something outrageous simply to see your name in print. Enjoy.

Hey, Tony: I'm sure you get tired of the Hillis questions but ... a few months ago he stated he wasn't worried about his contract because he was sure the Browns would take care of him. He refused to hold out like Chris Johnson and worked through camp. Now Johnson is getting paid and the Browns have made Hillis a villain. In addition to that, the Browns really don't have any depth at the running back position as Montario Hardesty drops everything thrown his way and gets like two yards a carry. Is there any way the front office pays this guy or are they so committed to Hardesty? On top of that, if they actually use him, maybe Colt McCoy doesn't need to throw 40-plus times a game. -- Steve Ritchie, Lima

Hey, Steve: I wouldn't characterize anyone in the contract dispute as a villain. The sides disagree on the value of Hillis. It happens. Rather than choose a side, everyone should just let the business of football run its course. Hillis is under contract through this season. He knows that it behooves everyone -- himself and the Browns -- for him to make the most of the remaining 10 games.

Hey, Tony: Can you please tell me why Jim Ray Smith is not in the Hall of Fame? After all, Jim Brown did not get those 5.2 yards per carry on his own. -- Joe Doran, Concord, N.C.

Hey, Joe: I can't answer why Smith isn't in the Hall of Fame. His name has never been presented in the 17 years I have served on the selection committee. I do know that most former Browns consider Smith one of the most deserving players for Hall consideration.

Hey, Tony: I'm truly not asking this to stir anything up, but I am wondering what the possibility of Mike Holmgren ever being the coach of the Browns might be. Especially if the Browns got a really great young QB that he would like to work with, or were close enough to getting to a Super Bowl and needed that last push over the hump. How much of a thought is that in the back of his mind, do you think? -- Eric Myers, Victoria, Minn.

Hey, Eric: Holmgren did consider taking the coaching job after he decided to not bring back Eric Mangini. After talking it over with his wife, he decided he didn't have the energy to put in the long hours required. Although he admits he misses coaching, he recently told a Seattle radio station he will never coach again. Most people I talk to in the league agree that Holmgren has the best job in all of football. Why would he give it up to return to the daily grind of coaching?

Hey, Tony: Why all the panic? The Browns are a couple of breakdowns away from a 3-2 or possibly 4-1 record. That is not to say that I think the Browns have the talent to win consistently now, but any time you change a coach and subsequently your offensive/defensive systems it will take time for the front office to acquire the correct talent to run the systems and then it takes time for the players to learn and assimilate the information so they can run the systems well. Fans need to exercise some patience and trust that Holmgren and Heckert have the team's best interests in mind when they make decisions. -- Duane Showalter, Fox Lake, Wis.

Hey, Duane: Browns GM Tom Heckert said on a radio interview this week that he believes the team is "close" to joining the ranks of contender.

Hey, Tony: If the NFL decides to keep this ridiculous kickoff rule in place for future years, do you see teams using a spot on their roster just for a kicker who can kick it out of the end zone and negate the returns of, say, a Josh Cribbs? This may create jobs for some soccer players. --Jeff Hall, Fremont.

Hey, Jeff: I agree. It makes more sense to carry a kickoff specialist than a kamikaze-type tackler on kickoffs. A player like Nick Sorensen was rendered obsolete by the kickoff rule.

Hey, Tony: I was taught to have patience growing up. Because of this I am perfectly suited to being a Browns fan. Which would you rather see from the 2012 draft? Use the draft picks we have on defensive playmakers? Most specifically linebackers to help D'Qwell Jackson and a partner for Joe Haden. Or, trade whatever we can for Andrew Luck? My opinion would be defense. -- Matthew Loar, Muncie, Ind.

Hey, Matthew: My opinion is the Browns will not join the ranks of elite teams without an elite quarterback. Luck is an elite QB prospect.

Hey, Tony: When the Browns move to London in 2017 will they take the name and colors? -- Darius, Rittman.

Hey, Darius: Oh, please.

Hey, Tony: Just for chuckles, let's assume that the Browns have a shot at the "Luck of the draw" and you are Andrew Luck. Do you accept the fate of previous Browns franchise draftees, i.e. Couch, Frye, maybe McCoy (Kosar doesn't count), or do you pull an Eli Manning? The only team I can think of with worse experience is the Bungles with David Klingler and Akili Smith (to name just two). -- Bob Joyce, Springfield, Ohio

Hey, Bob: You do know that Luck's father, Oliver, grew up in Cleveland, don't you? Luck has the option of returning to Stanford for his final year of eligibility.

Hey, Tony: My son was one of the guys carrying a flag [at a Browns game]. Is there any way you could please tell me how I can get some of those pictures? He is a Parma firefighter and we are proud of it. -- Marylou Hriczik, Strongsville

Hey, Marylou: I would think the Browns take photographs of their pre-game and National Anthem ceremonies. Contact the Browns and see if they could help.

Hey, Tony: Let me see if I understand this: The 2011 draft day trade was ill-advised because the Browns would be much better off with a stud wide receiver. Instead they have two stud defensive linemen and an extra first rounder next year. Now you say there should be no hesitancy in trading 2012's two first rounders, plus 2013's first rounder and a mid-round pick (mortgaging the future), to take a chance on a QB who may turn out to be another Ryan Leaf. Even though we would be unable to make that trade without making the trade last April, we would still have no stud wide receiver for the franchise QB! I need to step away from the computer because this makes no sense. -- George Amer, Gallatin, Tenn.

Hey, George: Two "stud" defensive linemen is your opinion. Jabaal Sheard represents the Browns' original second-round pick. The second-round pick obtained in the Atlanta trade is Greg Little. As for the possibility of Andrew Luck turning out to be another Ryan Leaf, a little background on both players would easily show how wrong that comment is. Anyone who shares the opinion that the Browns aren't going anywhere without an elite quarterback would trade the future picks for Luck. Look what happened to the New York Giants after they made a similar trade with San Diego for Eli Manning. The Chargers haven't won anything with all the picks they received and the Giants have one Super Bowl title and Manning keeps them in contention for more.

View full sizeLynne Sladky, Associated PressAndrew Luck will be the backstory this season for every NFL team that decides it needs a quarterback ... and plenty of Browns fans have already come to that conclusion with their favorite team.

Hey, Tony: Can a fact-based case be made that Stanford QB Andrew Luck won't turn out to be the next Todd Blackledge? I'd contend that a lot (not all) of a QB's success or failure depends on the tools around him, and right now the Browns are working with an empty toolbox for any QB, Colt McCoy or anyone else. -- Tim, Winter Haven, Fla.

Hey, Tim: You have the right to defend McCoy, if you choose. I'm just of the opinion that Luck is the real deal, the truth, the consensus-best QB prospect since Peyton Manning, a QB in the class of John Elway. If you share that opinion, you do everything possible to acquire him. That doesn't mean giving up your entire next two drafts. I think quality players can still be found after the first round to continue building the rest of the team. By the way, the reference to Blackledge just doesn't wash.

Hey, Tony: Phil Dawson's game-winning kicks got me to wondering -- why haven't the Browns signed him to a new contract? They can't franchise tag him again, can they? -- Jimmy Brock, Berkeley, Calif.

Hey, Jimmy: Yes, the Browns could franchise Dawson again in 2012. I think that's more likely a possibility than a multi-year contract.

Hey, Tony: Yes, Andy Dalton, Cam Newton, Joe Flacco, Matt Ryan, Big Ben, etc. have all made instant impacts in the NFL. However, the vast majority (and then some) of young QBs struggle. In fact, the Hall of Fame is lined with guys that took years to develop. I get so frustrated when people imply that we will know what we have in Colt McCoy by the end of the season. What's the bigger risk? Sticking with McCoy for more than 24 games? Or spending another high pick on another quarterback? -- Rob Keel, Oak Hill, W.Va.

Hey, Rob: You raise intelligent questions. I'm not about to give up on McCoy after a very sluggish start to his first season as the starting quarterback. I do believe, however, that we will be able to tell if he has "it" by the end of this season. True, there are myriad examples of quarterbacks who develop later in their careers and take teams to the Super Bowl. Those quarterbacks wound up in the right situation at the right time. As things are shaping up, it will be a difficult call for the Browns to make on their quarterback situation. McCoy has plenty of time to make that call easier.

Hey, Tony: Many Browns fans were hoping that the O Line with the return of a healthy Tony Pashos would be a team strength, but early injuries to starters and now backups has dashed them. Could Hillis' reluctance to sign an extension be driven by reaction to what all hoped would be a breakout year for the whole O Line? -- Alan Fojt, Manassas, Va.

Hey, Alan: No. I believe Hillis' reluctance to sign is simply a matter of a huge disagreement over what he is worth.

Hey, Tony: Any win normally would make me happy, but Seattle was out their starting QB and their starting RB and we simply won because of a bad call by the refs on a block in the back. The WCO was supposed to not be conservative but we ran the ball three times (even you said they would not play for field goals). Can you tell me why they got rid of Mangini when this was his style anyway? Colt wouldn't have to learn another offense and be considered a rookie if Holmgren left things alone. -- Rick DelPrado, Middletown, Conn.

Hey, Rick: Your Connecticut address blows your cover as a Mangini fan. I am not going to get into a rehash of his two years as coach. He did his best and Holmgren decided to make a change. I happened to agree. We can waste time and energy debating this topic or move on. I choose the latter.

Hey, Tony: How does Phil Dawson's field goal percentage compare to that of opposing kickers in Browns Stadium? -- Chadrick McNeal, Elida, Ohio

Hey, Chadrick: Your question would take a great deal of research to answer. I may pursue it because I suspect Dawson's percentage at home is a lot better than opposing kickers. I liken Dawson to Matt Bahr, who had better numbers in the kicker's graveyard known as Municipal Stadium than on the road. I know it's heresy, but Dawson in my opinion is the greatest kicker in Browns history. Kickers are bigger, stronger and more accurate than at any time in NFL history.

Hey, Tony: 1) Everyone seems to be hitting on QBs in recent drafts. Why does it seem like we cannot hit on a stud QB after all these drafts, or at least one that gives us a chance to win for that matter. When will it be our turn? 2) Just curious, can I get an update on fourth-round pick Jordan Cameron? Haven't heard his name since draft day. -- Jake Brown, Baltimore, Md.

Hey, Jake: 1. It's the key to the team ever winning anything again. 2. Cameron was active last week for the first time. He's a developmental player at a position at which the Browns have good depth.

View full sizeAP photoYes, the QB debate in Cleveland could be more agitated --- if it involved Tim Tebow.

Hey, Tony: I think your comment in Sunday's PD predicting how Christians would react to Tim Tebow scoring a TD was very inappropriate. If Tim Tebow was a devout Catholic I doubt if you would have said something like: "Communion being passed out in the stands." I think there are a lot of subjects you could ridicule how about leaving Christians alone. -- Bob Gross, Garfield Heights.

Hey, Bob: I apologize to anyone who was offended. I didn't say how Christians would react. I said how Tebow fans would react. You are making the generalization that only Christians follow Tebow. I think that is very inappropriate.

Hey, Tony: I agree that you need a good quarterback to be a playoff team and hopefully a Super Bowl winner. I love Colt McCoy's intangibles but his arm strength does cause concern. You definitely get a different feeling watching players like Rodgers, Brady, Stafford and Ryan standing tall in the pocket and throwing passes downfield with zip on them. I don't think Luck will be obtainable, so the question is do you take a highly-rated quarterback like Barkley or Jones or use your own probable high pick to get a good receiver like South Carolina's Alshon Jeffery or Oklahoma State's Justin Blackmon? Do you stay with Colt and hope a better supporting cast, including a better line, and a full year's experience, will make a difference? -- Paul Naudain, Portland, Ore.

Hey, Paul: Your analysis is reasonable. I sincerely doubt that McCoy would be displaced by any quarterback in the draft not named Andrew Luck. I agree it's unlikely the Browns make a move for him. Thus, I can easily see the Browns seeking to support McCoy in the off-season and loading up on offense in the draft.

Hey, Tony: Why would the Browns wait a full 16-game season to evaluate McCoy? I like the man but as some may know, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expect different results. Soft schedule, and no week-to-week improvement, just static if not downward trend in the QB position is what we see. Second, why do you think they got rid of Brad Seely after two years of building a league-leading special teams unit? -- Doug Furtado, Vermillion

Hey, Doug: 1. You can't evaluate McCoy based on anything less than a full season. 2. Seely left on his own to join the 49ers. I think he felt loyalty to Eric Mangini and didn't feel comfortable staying.

Hey, Tony: Since Colt McCoy is not a significant part of the offense, will he start covering kick and punt returns? -- Burt Pickles, Franklintown

Hey, Burt: Nice try on the takeoff on Josh Cribbs' post-Oakland game comments. But McCoy is the single most significant part of the offense, for good or for bad.

Hey, Tony: What's up with the special teams? They arguably cost us the Raiders game and nearly cost us the Seahawks game. We've seen more breakdowns in the past two games than Brad Seely's entire tenure here! -- Craig DeLapp, Huron

Hey, Craig: The team youth movement broke up the core of veterans Seely had collected to make his special teams highly ranked.

Hey, Tony: Amid all of the back and forth on Peyton Hillis contract situation, not much has been written about Phil Dawson's long-term future. Is there any chance he's with the team next year or do you think he'll be looking for a near-term Super Bowl contender? -- Joe Jirgal, Westlake

Hey, Joe: Unless the Browns use the franchise tag again on Dawson, I see him leaving via free agency.

Hey, Tony: Since I do not see the Browns often on TV (I'm stuck in the Dallas market), I have to rely on the PD reporting. Six games into the season and I would like to know where you see the Browns improving (players, coaches, and management). Also, who, exactly, is playing well enough for the Browns and who is coaching well enough for the Browns to warrant kudos? Conversely, what are the major disappointments? Lastly, has the Hillis strep-throat situation and ongoing contract drama had an adverse impact on the players and coaches? -- Jim Albertson, Norman, Okla.

Hey, Jim: Briefly, the Browns are better on the defensive line, in the secondary, and, yes, at receiver (with Greg Little). I believe their overall coaching staff is good. Dick Jauron and Ray Rhodes were excellent additions on defense. The disappointments center on the offense -- overall lack of production, inconsistency on the offensive line, a breakdown in the running game and subsequent unproductive play at quarterback. Keep in mind the new offensive system is only six games old. As for the Hillis soap opera, his mind obviously has been affected by the melodrama. The running game in general also has suffered.

Hey, Tony: First off its is too early for fans to think that Mangini was better than Shurmur seeing how Mangini was 5-11 two years straight and had previous head coaching experience while this is Shurmur's first time as head coach and the team is at 3-3. Most of it is the defense and the running game missing Vickers and Steinbach. I say let the final record tell the story. How much is the play of the right side of the O-line contributing to our woes on offense, do you think it will be improved next season if Steinbach comes back healthy? -- Raymond Amador, Lorain

Hey, Raymond: I, for one, underestimated the loss of Steinbach. Without him, the Browns' running game has become one-dimensional and predictable. The team can't get its backs to the perimeter, to which Steinbach was so good at pulling. The only way to develop young linemen is to play them. The growing pains felt by playing Pinkston and Shawn Lauvao should pay off. When? I don't know.

Hey, Tony: I've heard multiple times it would take three number-one picks to get Andrew Luck. Besides the Browns and Bengals, are there any other teams with the ammo to put together a package to acquire the 2012 number one pick? -- Jim Bolko, Vallejo, Calif.

Hey, Jim: New England always has multiple picks in the first three rounds.

Hey, Tony: Is it that Colt McCoy can't find receivers downfield, doesn't have time to throw longer or is Shurmur Mr. Dink and Dunk to the max? -- Jim Kippen, Plymouth Meeting, Pa.

Hey, Jim: I would say the first two points are more at play here.

Hey, Tony: After listening to Mike Holmgren's comments about hiring an offensive coordinator next year but still having Shurmur call the plays, I have to ask: Why would an elite offensive coordinator want to come here if he does not have the ability to call his own plays? Is this something normally done in the NFL? -- Jeffrey Vilk, Madison, Ohio.

Hey, Jeffrey: This is exactly why a coordinator wasn't hired in the first place. Shurmur interviewed at least three candidates and all three declined to come without the authority to call plays. There are many examples of the head coach calling his own plays despite having a coordinator (in title only). Currently, these include Sean Payton of New Orleans, Gary Kubiak of Houston, Jason Garrett of Dallas, Mike McCarthy of Green Bay and Ken Whisenhunt of Arizona. Other head coaches who did similarly, at one time or another, were Mike Holmgren, Andy Reid, Bill Walsh, Mike Shanahan.

Hey, Tony: If a team that has a good established quarterback wins the Andrew Luck contest and is drafting No. 1, how likely is it for them to draft him? Is it a good idea to draft a talented QB as a backup? It worked with Green Bay. Specifically what do you think Indy or the St. Louis Rams would do with the top choice? -- Elliott Amstutz, Galva, Kan.

Hey, Elliott: My hunch is that Indy would draft Luck, but the Rams might consider trading the pick or Sam Bradford.

Hey, Tony: The "Gods of Professional Football, Cleveland Browns Chapter" seem to be having a burst of humor at the current management's expense. The prior regime wanted a tough and stingy defense, run, run, run the ball and a game-manager QB. The current regime has a very different philosophy especially on offense. What the Browns seem to have is the previous regime's fondest dreams on defense. -- Wayne Hopewell, Colorado City, Colo.

Hey, Wayne: I think Pat Shurmur wants to get from Point A to Point D on offense without first touching on Points B and C. I think he overloaded Colt McCoy from the beginning and should have, in retrospect, taken the offense along more slowly. That is, should have stuck more with what the Browns were capable of doing and develop over time. Now I think they are in the process of shifting back to that thinking.

Hey, Tony: Why is Carlton Mitchell not on the field? Brian Robiskie is not doing anything, we need a receiver who can separate from the DBs. Second, where do I send my resume for the special teams coach? -- Tom French, North Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Hey, Tom: Mitchell's legions of fans should get their wish and see him on the field Sunday in Candlestick Park.

Hey, Tony: With the upgraded contracts the Browns have handed out to Joe Thomas, Ahtyba Rubin, Josh Cribbs, Chris Gocong and Evan Moore are they planning on extending D'Qwell Jackson? -- Jerry Rand, Alameda, Calif.

Hey, Jerry: Jackson's uncertain contract status has been overshadowed by that of Peyton Hillis. My guess is the Browns will wait as long as they can on Jackson to make sure he holds up physically. I think they do want to tie him up before the season is over.

Hey, Tony: Pass plays requiring Colt McCoy to roll out to his left are virtually non-existent. When Colt attempts to elude pressure, he rarely scrambles to his left. The opposing defensive coordinators surely are aware of these tendencies and must strategize accordingly. Are my observations valid? -- Robert Patalita, West Milford, N.J.

Hey, Robert: Absolutely. First off, it's a difficult play for a right-handed QB to roll left and put the ball on the money. The solution is to create a pocket, stay in it, and scan the entire field.

Hey, Tony: Do you think Peyton Manning will get any MVP votes this year? Is there any one player who has proven to be more vital to his team's success? -- Ted Belak, Sierra Madre, Calif.

Hey, Ted: I've voted for Manning when he plays. He didn't need neck surgery to prove how valuable he is.

Hey, Tony: I keep hearing/reading where if the Browns don't sign Hillis to a contract pretty soon that he will walk at the end of the year. Can't they keep him by using the franchise tag, which they won't (too much money) or by using the transition tag where he could solicit offers and they could match or let him go for a draft pick? -- John J. Berezo, Culloden, W.Va.

Hey, John: Both of those options are available, but the one-year guaranteed salary they would cost is way more than the Browns think Hillis is worth.

-- Tony

By DOUG FEINBERG AP Basketball Writer NEW YORK  - It's been a whirlwind for Texas A&M coach Gary Blair since he guided the Aggies to their first women's basketball national championship in April. AMY SANCETTA/ASSOCIATED PRESSTexas A&M coach Gary Blair was a happy man when his Aggies won the national title last spring. Interviews, speaking engagements, a coveted trip to...

By DOUG FEINBERG

AP Basketball Writer

NEW YORK  - It's been a whirlwind for Texas A&M coach Gary Blair since he guided the Aggies to their first women's basketball national championship in April.

AMY SANCETTA/ASSOCIATED PRESSTexas A&M coach Gary Blair was a happy man when his Aggies won the national title last spring.

Interviews, speaking engagements, a coveted trip to Disney World, and finally a visit to the White House.

"It definitely has been busy," the coach said at the Jimmy V dinner in New York in early October. "That's what happens when you win a national championship."

The 65-year-old became the oldest women's basketball coach to win a title when his Aggies defeated Notre Dame 76-70 in the national championship game. One thing that he didn't really have time to do was reflect on last season.

"You feel good about your accomplishments, but soon as you sit back and reflect on it, somebody's going to kick you in the butt and pass you by," Blair said.

The trip to the White House was the definite highlight of the offseason. Not just because his Aggies got to meet President Barack Obama, but also because Blair was able to have his family there -- including 7-year old grandson Logan.

After the president was done with the ceremony he shook hands with the children in attendance for a sports clinic -- Logan was among them. As Obama was shaking Logan's hand, Blair informed the president that his grandson's teachers had requested a note if they were going to excuse him from school.

Obama obliged, signaling to an aid to bring over a piece of paper.

"This is to excuse Logan ... He was meeting with me!" the president wrote.

Blair said that he gave a copy of the note to the school, but kept the original for the family.

"That's definitely staying with us," he said.

Now Blair has to figure out what he can do for an encore.

"Logan's already asking about next year," the coach said smiling. "I mean he got to go to Disney World and meet the president."

The Aggies are ranked No. 6 in the preseason poll released by The Associated Press on Saturday and will have a huge target on them as the defending national champions. Texas A&M graduated stars Danielle Adams and Sydney Colson, who are playing in the WNBA. Yet the Aggies still have Tyra White, Sydney Carter and Adaora Elanu.

"We're looking forward to defending the national championship," Blair said. "You don't talk about winning another one until you defend it the way a champion should."

The team will have an added bulls-eye in Big 12 conference play because of the school's decision to leave for the SEC after the season. The other Big 12 teams aren't happy about the Aggies' departure, making that sentiment clear at the conference's media day on Oct. 19. None of the coaches plans to play Texas A&M after this season.

The biggest opposition came from Baylor coach Kim Mulkey. The two teams met four times last season, becoming one of the top rivalries in women's basketball. The Lady Bears won the first three before falling to the Aggies in the NCAA tournament regional final in front of 11,500 fans.

Mulkey wasn't happy with the comments Texas A&M President R. Bowen Loftin made likening the Aggies' departure to a divorce.

She pulled no punches, noting she's had personal experience with the breakup of a marriage.

"My feeling is this," Mulkey said. "If a man wants to divorce me and says our relationship has no value to him, and then he asks me if he can sleep with me, the answer is, 'No!'"

Other coaches simply said they saw no reason to schedule the Aggies.

"We already have a series with Tennessee, so why would we want or need to schedule another SEC school," Texas coach Gail Goestenkors said.

Blair was disappointed by the response of his fellow coaches.

"Last year, everybody loved us. This year, now everybody says we're the villain," he said. "But I'm not going to get into that because it's all about football. It has nothing to do with women's basketball, equestrian or anything else. It's about football. It's about television sets. It's about money and it's about egos."

UPDATED: An Ohio State season that some thought was lost after a collapse at Nebraska three weeks ago roared back to life on Saturday night.

COLUMBUS — An Ohio State season that some thought was lost after a collapse at Nebraska three weeks ago roared back to life on Saturday night.

Freshman quarterback Braxton Miller's 40-yard touchdown pass to freshman receiver Devin Smith with 20 seconds to play revived what had looked like another OSU disaster only minutes before, as the Buckeyes pulled out a victory that will always be remembered in this strange season of Ohio State football.

"He had confidence. It was amazing to see that from a young guy," OSU coach Luke Fickell said of Miller. "As he walked out there in the last minute and 10 seconds, he looked at me and winked and said, 'We're all right.'"

This 33-29 win over No. 12 Wisconsin, which ended with the OSU players and fans storming the field, will be a peak regardless of what came before it or what comes next. With a new coach, a new quarterback and an NCAA investigation looming over the program, the Buckeyes have another way to remember this season -- this wink and a prayer. OSU senior linebacker Andrew Sweat recalled being a junior in high school when he stormed the field as a recruit in 2006 after the Buckeyes beat Michigan.

"I always thought, 'What would that be like if you were playing in it?'" Sweat said. "It was an unbelievable feeling."

The joy and relief was heightened because of what had almost been given away. The Buckeyes (5-3, 2-2 Big Ten) looked like they had blown another game, as they did against the Cornhuskers. Wisconsin (6-2, 2-2) rallied from a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter, moving ahead on a 49-yard touchdown pass from Russell Wilson to Jared Abbrederis with 1:10 to play and knocking the wind out of the Buckeyes while taking 29-26 lead.

But Miller, in the game that jumpstarted his young career, wouldn't let it end there. On his defining play, four plays after the Buckeyes took over with 70 ticks on the clock, he rolled right and threw deep into the end zone. A 42-yard kick return by Jordan Hall had set up a good chance at a tying field goal, but when offensive coordinator Jim Bollman asked Fickell if the Buckeyes should take a shot at the end zone, Fickell said to try it if the opportunity was there.

"The ball took forever," Smith said. "I was like, 'Hurry up and drop, hurry up and drop.' When I caught it, I held it tight and fell down."

Miller had managed to stay just behind the line of scrimmage before letting go of the football. A replay review by the officials was required to confirm that.

"At first I was like, 'Man, I think he crossed the line,'" OSU senior center Mike Brewster said. "I saw the refs talking and I was like, 'Please, after all this, don't let him be across the line.' ... After everything in the past eight months, these guys just kept fighting and I knew they were going to fight to the end."

Before the wild ending, the OSU lead had been forged behind a defense that stifled a 47-point-per-game Badgers offense and behind a Buckeyes offensive line that cleared holes for running back Dan Herron, especially in the second half. Herron finished with 160 yards on 33 carries, while Miller ran 19 times for 99 yards.

Wisconsin was averaging 512 total yards and 252 rushing yards in the first seven games of the season, and Ohio State held the Badgers to 342 total and 89 on the ground. And now the Buckeyes have a shot at another Big Ten title in front of them.

Indiana, Purdue, Penn State and Michigan remain on the schedule, and if Ohio State beats them all, and Penn State loses one other game, the Buckeyes will represent the Leaders Division in the first Big Ten title game on Dec. 3.

"At the end of the day, we're going to have a chance," Brewster said. "If we can keep winning, we'll make it to Indianapolis."

That's a long way from an 0-2 conference start. And Saturday night was a long way from Ohio State's loss at Wisconsin last season.

There was progress early.

After completing just 1 of 4 passes in the win at Illinois two weeks ago, Miller managed his second completion Saturday night early in the second quarter, and it shouldn't have taken that long. A deep pass 43 yards down the sideline to receiver Corey "Philly" Brown hit Brown in the facemask after he'd beaten his defender on the second OSU snap of the game. Tight end Jake Stoneburner dropped a third-and-12 crossing pass that would have been a first down later in the first quarter.

But the passing game was just enough, with Miller 4-for-7 at the half and eventually 7-of-12 in the game for 89 yards. And the OSU defense was more than enough. The Buckeyes were in the game, which was a far cry from last season's contest in Madison when the Buckeyes suffered their only loss of the season just as they had assumed the No. 1 ranking.

Then, Ohio State trailed, 7-0, after the opening kickoff, 14-0 after the first quarter and 21-3 at the half.

This time, the Buckeyes kept the Badgers off the scoreboard for more than eight minutes, and trailed, 7-0, after the first quarter and 7-3 at the half, with Drew Basil banking in his 39-yard field goal off the left upright with 2:55 left in the second quarter.

At that point, the Buckeyes had 29 offensive snaps and 12 of them had gone for zero yards or negative yards. But, again, they were in the game.

While there was no No. 1 ranking on the line this time, not after the Badgers lost their shot at an undefeated season at Michigan State last week, there was more than enough to play for.

Big Ten action earlier in the day helped up the ante by Saturday night. The Spartans, a week after their big win, were blown out at Nebraska, 24-3. Minnesota, more than a two-touchdown underdog, got its first conference win by knocking off Iowa. And in the Leaders Division, a snowball fight in State College, Pa., showed the Badgers and Buckeyes the division was there for the taking. Penn State prevailed, 10-7, over Illinois to remain the only team undefeated in conference play at 5-0. But the Nittany Lions have looked vulnerable all season, and now, after a bye week, they end the year against Nebraska and then at Ohio State and at Wisconsin.

That won't be easy for the Nittany Lions. And Saturday night wasn't easy for Ohio State.

"This is what Ohio State is about," Fickell said. "This is for the team. This is for the program. This what we expect."

The Buckeyes started meeting their expectations after halftime. Herron shot through a hole on the right side for a 57-yard gain on the first play of the second half. Miller's fourth-down keeper then found the end zone for a 10-7 lead, but only after he made a great play fake and a juke on a Wisconsin defender.

After forcing a three-and-out on the next series, the Buckeyes punctuated the stop by blocking the Badgers' punt, Ryan Shazier crashing in unblocked. After the recovery, a Jordan Hall 2-yard touchdown run put the Buckeyes ahead, 17-7.

And now the Buckeyes were starting to find some momentum. What Wisconsin had done to Ohio State in the first quarter last season, jumping ahead with a big special teams play and then pouring it on, the Buckeyes were now doing to Wisconsin in the third quarter.

Hall, also the OSU punt returner, had been playing with fire all night by not calling for fair catches as the Badgers bore down on him. He finally muffed a third-quarter punt, and Wisconsin recovered at the 27-yardline and reached the end zone six plays later to cut the OSU lead to 17-14.

But Basil added another field goal early in the fourth quarter, and after Miller's 44-yard touchdown run with 4:39 to play moved the lead to 26-14, the OSU crowd was comfortable. Then Wisconsin made the OSU crowd nervous on a Wilson 17-yard touchdown pass to Abbrederis to cut the lead to 26-21 with 3:48 left. Wisconsin made the crowd go silent in shock by taking that 29-26 lead on a blown OSU coverage.

"Unfortunately, we scored too fast," Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema said.

And then the Buckeyes brought their fans, and this season, back to life.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: dlesmerises@plaind.com, 216-999-4479

For Boom Herron and Braxton Miller, Saturday night erased a fall's worth of disappointments.

View full sizeMarvin Fong, The Plain DealerBraxton Miller approaches the Wisconsin 40, where he hoisted the winning TD pass to Devin Smith just before he crossed the line of scrimmage with 20 seconds left in Saturday night's game.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Red October ended with fans streaming onto the field at The Horseshoe. This was after serial calamities and miracles, and they made the setting look as red as a rocket's glare. The playing surface was packed end zone to end zone, sideline to sideline, with scarlet-clad revelers.

A season of sorrow and shame at Ohio State had turned, literally at the 11th hour, with one flick of the wrist, into one of unrestrained joy.

In the final minute, after Ohio State had lost the last of what had been a 12-point lead just 4 1/2 minutes earlier, freshman quarterback Braxton Miller won the game back. With his arm. With his feet. With the confidence of youth, which has no experience with narrow goals and stunted possibilities.

Miller was learning how a bill becomes a law at this time last year at Huber Heights Wayne High School. Now he is learning how to lift 105,511 people, the attendance at the game, and carry them over the cuckoo's nest.

Before Miller jogged onto the field following Jordan Hall's kickoff return to the Buckeyes' 48, he winked at his coach. Luke Fickell loved it. The game comes down to confidence and momentum. He had a kid with wings on his feet and stardust on his arm. He would take his chances.

"He can do some things to keep plays alive, but it comes down to finishing them," said Fickell.

With just over a half-minute to play on first down at the Wisconsin 40, Miller saw nothing but trouble around the pocket, so he ran to his right, with fallen Badgers nipping at his heels. As he neared the sideline, he threw a pass that was unleashed so close to the line of scrimmage that it had to survive replay review.

Open in the end zone, with the fans' screams rising to a deafening pitch as they saw him break into the clear, was freshman Devin Smith. He could have called for a fair catch, for the ball hung in the lights as defenders bore down on him. But when it came down, the Badgers were done and stunned.

With a loss to either Nebraska or Wisconsin by Leaders Division front-runner Penn State, the Buckeyes will control their destiny in the Big Ten. That doesn't seem too much to ask after Miller and his teammates cohered through scandal and stress to get to the last ticks of the clock Saturday and make the moments theirs.

When the fans stormed the field, the gesture was meant as a physical embrace of the entire Ohio State team. They had given an emotional one to fifth-year senior Daniel "Boom" Herron before the first snap.

Herron had walked to the Block O for the pregame coin toss, weeping. The fans arrayed in ranks of scarlet tiers rose and roared, welcoming him back. It was his second game with his teammates after serving a six-game suspension in the memorabilia sale scandal. It was the first home game of his truncated senior season.

Herron was with the captains, although he had not been announced as one earlier in the week. But this was Wisconsin, the newest big kid on the block. Against the Badgers, the imperative for experience and leadership for the team as a whole was no greater than that of atonement and intensity was for Herron, who delivered with the impact of his concussive nickname.

He ran 57 yards up the middle on his first carry of the second half and 18 on his second. The next three netted nothing, but on fourth down, Miller faked to Herron, left defensive end Brendan Kelly clutching at moonbeams as he invaded the backfield, and danced into the end zone. It gave Ohio State its first lead, at 10-7.

Herron gained 160 yards on 33 carries. Miller gained 99 on 19 carries while running for two touchdowns and throwing for another. If Herron wasn't slashing and driving for yards, bouncing outside and cutting back, Miller was making lateral moves that were a fantasy game fleshed to life.

In the fourth quarter, Miller lined up in the pistol formation, a sawed-off shotgun, with Herron standing behind him. With the snap, Miller peeled to his left on third-and-2 at the Badgers' 44. Maybe the Badgers were watching Herron, the trail back, for an option pitch. For whatever reason, they had no one on Miller, who clearly must be spied upon, with agents tailing him and stakeouts around the clock. He went all the way, untouched.

Even after the Miller-to-Smith pass, Wilson got the Badgers to last-play heave distance. Wisconsin was at the OSU 45, on an untimed final snap after a Buckeyes penalty. The Badgers had lost on a 44-yard version of that play just last week against Michigan State. But linebacker Andrew Sweat cracked Wilson from behind as he threw, and the ball skittered off the turf harmlessly. The stands erupted, and then fans swarmed the field.

Ohio State is back. Although Fickell said this is what he expects, it seemed the Buckeyes had been very far away.

On Twitter: @LivyPD

Some big plays on special teams speak well of the Buckeyes' future defenders.

View full sizeMarvin Fong, The Plain DealerOhio State's Andrew Sweat (right) and Travis Howard combine to shut down Wisconsin running back Montee Ball in the first quarter. Ball gained 85 yards, but was held in check until late in the game.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Breaking down some highlights from Saturday night's game.

Ohio State's young linebackers on special teams -- A

Ryan Shazier has been a standout on special teams all season, delivering hits on coverage units in a way that should encourage OSU fans when it comes to his future. When Andrew Sweat graduates, Shazier may step in as the starter at weakside linebacker for the next three years.

Saturday night, he put a early notch on his resume with a punt block deep in Wisconsin territory. It was the second straight week in which the Badgers had a punt blocked, an amazing special teams lapse for a team that wanted to contend for a national title this season. Who was there to dive on the ball, looking like he may have scored a touchdown though he was ruled down on the 1? Curtis Grant, the other freshman linebacker with a bright future.

Grant has played far less than Shazier this season, and was moved to the strongside linebacker position from the middle. He moved onto the two-deep this week, while Shazier has been all season. But this shouldn't be the last time OSU fans see Grant and Shazier team up. If all goes according to play, they should be starting next to each other in 2013 and 2014 at least, if not next year as well.

Luke Fickell has said many times that one of the best ways to impress him and earn more playing time is to excel on special teams.

Christian Bryant's big hits -- B

For good and for bad, the sophomore safety loves to go for the big play. When he delivers, he can take opponents almost out of their cleats. He did it to Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez. He did it again on a Wisconsin third-down pass in the fourth quarter Saturday, delivering a hit that brought the crowd to its feet.

Bryant can also whiff when going for those big plays, as he did against Nebraska and again Saturday night. But when the coaching staff continually talks about "making plays," Bryant is a guy who's trying to listen. He plays with a natural passion and nose for the ball, and as he grows and continues to learn the game, he'll get an even better feel for when to go for those big plays, and when to ease off. For now, this team needs playmakers on both sides on offense and defense. Bryant is clearly one of them.

Ohio State's throwback uniforms -- C

The Buckeyes wore special one-game uniforms for the third straight season, but for the first time against an opponent other than Michigan. With dark gray pants with large red stripes on the side, Ohio State looked a bit like it should have been playing inside a video game.

Former OSU linebacker James Laurinaitis wrote on Twitter during the game, "Ohio State's uniforms are so sweet! Jealous I never got to wear any throwbacks." Laurinaitis is, of course, the son of a professional wrestler, and take off the helmet and the jerseys, and the pants would have worked as wrestling tights.

The consensus is that last year's uniform against Michigan has been the best of the lot. Though I joked with Fickell this week about when the Buckeyes would wear black, it does seem a bit odd that the special looks have never really made the Buckeyes look tougher.

So they weren't all bad. But there's still room for improvement.

LAKEWOOD, Ohio -- Every coach at every level has said it more than once. They say it in the pros. They say it in college and in high school. Turnovers have lost more games and broken more hearts than curfew violations and homecoming queens.

St. Ignatius QB Eric Williams celebrates with students after the Wildcats defeated St. Edward Saturday night at Lakewood Stadium. - (Joshua Gunter, The Plain Dealer)

LAKEWOOD, Ohio -- Every coach at every level has said it more than once. They say it in the pros. They say it in college and in high school.

Turnovers have lost more games and broken more hearts than curfew violations and homecoming queens.

It happened again on Saturday in Lakewood Stadium where St. Ignatius used two key turnovers in the third quarter -- turning both into touchdowns -- to defeat rival St. Edward, 20-17, in front of a chilled crowd estimated at 11,000 in a game that threw a monkey-wrench into the playoff works.

The victory will lift the Wildcats from sixth place in the region playoff race to second, meaning they will play Boardman on Saturday at Byers Field. St. Edward, the defending Division I state champion, fall from fifth to sixth and will play third-place finisher Cleveland Heights.

• Check out The Plain Dealer's photo gallery from the game.

First-round playoff matchups will be announced Sunday by the OHSAA.

In typical fashion between the two West Side rivals, the game had two lead changes, was tied three times and went down to the late stages of the fourth quarter. The Wildcats (8-2) clinched the game when senior Blake Thomas made a sparkling catch of an Eric Williams pass on third-and-9 play at its 41.

Thomas' reception, his third of the night, went for 13 yards and a first down. With St. Edward out of timeouts, the Wildcats simply had to run out the final 2:24 to give them their fifth victory in the last six games against their rivals.

"I would probably put that in the top five, especially because it came against St. Ed's," said Thomas, who took the ball off the helmet of a St. Edward defender. "It was sitting there for a little bit and I wasn't sure if I was able to get it but I got it out of there."

St. Edward (7-3) led, 10-3, at the half on a seven-yard touchdown run by Dwayne Aaron with 47 seconds left in the second quarter -- also set up by a turnover -- and a 35-yard field goal by Jake Wilhelm.

The Wildcats, in the playoffs for the 22nd time, got their first break on the opening possession of the third quarter when junior linebacker Kevin Smith recovered a fumbled punt at the Eagles' 37. Junior Tim McVey scored on a seven-yard run after senior Tim McCoy set up the score with a clutch reception for a 35-yard gain on first down.

The Eagles erred again on their next possession when St. Ignatius senior Adam North stepped in front of a Ryan Fallon pass at the St. Edward 33. Five plays later, Thomas caught a 10-yard touchdown pass to give the Wildcats their first lead since a first-quarter field goal of 29 yards by Tim Shenk.

"In a game like this, a turnover is key," said St. Ignatius coach Chuck Kyle, wearing a baseball cap from the 2009 playoffs. "We needed a turnover. Adam is a good defensive back, He has very good anticipation. Some kids can run like a deer but they don't get it that they have to get [to the ball] and jump. Adam does that very well."

St. Edward pulled into a 17-17 tie when Fallon bulldozed his way for a one-yard touchdown run with 2:48 left in the third quarter, answering the Thomas touchdown. Shenk gave the Wildcats on top for good when he opened the fourth quarter with a 35-yard field goal. The Eagles had two more possessions but were unable to convert.

With Fallon completing a 29-yard pass to senior Chris Connors -- who caught a game-high eight passes for 120 yards -- St. Edward eventually moved to the St. Ignatius 41. Senior Zack Ryan and lineman Mike Ryan forced a punt by sacking Fallon.

St. Ignatius couldn't move the ball and the Eagles took over on their 29. They were able to penetrate to the Wildcats' 40 before three straight passes fell incomplete.

Williams, a transfer from Portland, Ore., completed 16 of 28 passes for 193 yards. Fallon was 13-of-23 for 160 yards. Senior Jake Mooney caught five for 47 yards, Conor Hennessey caught two for 41 yards and Tim McCoy caught four for 60.

Aaron led the Eagles with 103 yards rushing on 20 carries. McVey led the Ignatius ground game with 60 yards on 16 carries.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: trogers@plaind.com; 216-999-5169

On Twitter: @TimRogersPD

Do the Browns lack playmakers? Sure. Do they miss a couple of well-know former teammates? Terry Pluto isn't so sure.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerKellen Winslow (left) and Braylon Edwards were once very valuable offensive weapons, but Terry Pluto doesn't think they would fix what ails the Browns.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Without many tricks, the Browns' offense has offered few treats. So Terry's talkin' ...

About Braylon and Winslow ...

1. This from ESPN's John Clayton: "Colt McCoy must feel as though he's going into games like a gunfighter with a pistol going against rifles. The Browns rank last in the NFL with only nine 20-yard plays. The next-lowest team is Tampa Bay with 17. Seeing former Browns wide receiver Braylon Edwards in San Francisco on Sunday will be a reminder of what was supposed to be. The Browns used first-round picks on Edwards and tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. to bring explosiveness to the offense, but Eric Mangini came in and traded them away. With the exception of raw rookie wide receiver Greg Little, the Browns lack speed and explosiveness at the skill positions."

2. Clayton is absolutely right on the Browns' lack of impact players and big gains. Making it even worse, they have only five plays of at least 20 yards in the past four games. So that is indeed the problem.

3. But Edwards is not the answer. He has been bothered by an ankle injury and has only four catches (12.0 average) in two games for the 49ers. In his 2007 breakout season with the Browns, he caught 16 touchdown passes in 16 games. Since then, he has played 50 games with three different teams and has 14 touchdown catches.

4. When Edwards became a free agent, there was so little interest that he signed a $1 million contract with the 49ers. He can receive another $2.5 million in a bonus, but he needs to make the Pro Bowl. The fact is much of the NFL has come to view Edwards as Mangini did -- not worth the trouble.

5. Winslow has been productive in Tampa Bay. He had 66 catches (11.1-yard average) in 2010, and 31 catches (9.1) this season. His longest has been for 22 yards. He is mostly a possession receiver.

6. The Browns replaced Winslow with Ben Watson, whose stats in 2010 were nearly identical to Winslow's: 68 catches, 11.2 yard average. This year, 20 catches for a 10.7-yard average.

7. You can argue the Browns should have made better deals. They received a second-rounder (Mohamed Massaquoi) and fifth-rounder (Coye Francies) for Winslow. The Jets' deal for Edwards produced Chansi Stuckey, Jason Trusnik, a third-rounder (Shawn Lauvao) and a fifth-rounder (Larry Asante).

8. So the only players left on the Browns from those trades are Lauvao and Massaquoi, both starters. Yes, the point is the Browns do need big-play receivers, but Winslow and Edwards would not be those guys if they stayed.

View full sizeAmy Sancetta, Associated PressPeyton Hillis can't make a strong case for a big contract injured and sitting on the bench.

About the Browns ...

1. It's doubtful Peyton Hillis will play in San Francisco. If that's the case, it's the third full game that he's missed this season. One game (Miami) was wiped out by a sore throat, another (Seattle) by a hamstring injury. He played only 17 snaps because of the hamstring problem in Oakland on Oct. 16. Who would have ever guessed that after seven games this season, Montario Hardesty would have played played more snaps (242) than Hillis (199)?

2. This is not to question Hillis' desire to play. It is to bring up the same issue mentioned by the Browns in their stalled contract talks with the running back -- durability. Running backs get hurt. Hillis tore a hamstring in December 2008, ending his season. This is a different leg and not supposed to be a tear -- but it certainly is a problem.

3. The injury puts no pressure on the Browns to re-open contract talks. There probably won't be any during the season unless started by Hillis' agent. The Browns believe they have made a fair offer, given that he's had only one good season. Hillis obviously has a different view.

4. Consider that the Browns signed veteran Brandon Jackson, who played all 16 games last year in Green Bay. He had missed only six games because of injuries in his four-year pro career -- until now, out for the season with a foot injury. The Browns enter Game 7 with the once injury-prone Hardesty as their only healthy running back. At the start of training camp, the Browns figured at least two of the three (Hillis, Jackson and Hardesty) should be healthy for most games. So much for planning.

5. Suddenly, Chris Ogbonnaya (claimed off Houston's practice squad) becomes an important player as a third-down back. General Manager Tom Heckert told me he had been trying to sign Ogbonnaya going back to last season. He and Eric Mangini liked the former Texas teammate of Colt McCoy. But Ogbonnaya saw Jerome Harrison and Hillis here and decided he was in a better position to stay on Houston's practice squad.

6. The Browns like Ogbonnaya, who ran three times for 15 yards and caught five passes for 43 yards in his first game. They believe he can be a viable backup, at least in the short term as the team waits to see what happens with Hillis' hamstring.

7. The Browns don't talk about it, but Tony Pashos has been playing on a very sore ankle. He missed the first three games with the injury. He blocked very well his first two games back, but sometimes struggled against Seattle. He plans to play Sunday, but the Browns have to wonder if he can make it through the season. He played the first six games last year, then the ankle injury caused him to miss the rest of the season.

8. Filling in for the injured Shawn Lauvao at right guard, veteran John Greco did have some good moments in the second half of the Seattle game. Lauvao (knee injury) is supposed to play in San Francisco.

9. In Sunday's 6-3 victory over Seattle, the Browns' first blocked field goal was over rookie left guard Jason Pinkston. The second was partly over center Alex Mack, as there seemed to be some confusion on the line. The Browns have made the decision to stay with Pinkston and Lauvao at the two guard spots, knowing there will be rough times ahead. They believe both can start in the NFL for several years.

10. This from Mark Williamson of Scouts Inc.: "The 49ers are excellent at pressuring the quarterback. Aldon Smith has really stood out as an edge pass-rusher, but this whole group can get after the quarterback. Tony Pashos has quietly put together a very solid season, but Cleveland's guard play has been a big problem. ... McCoy has had a tough time against the blitz. ... McCoy is at his best outside the pocket, so expect to see an awful lot of rollout passing."

11. One of the reasons Carlton Mitchell will be active is to help on special teams. The team thinks he can bring some speed and athleticism to the coverage units.

12. I will be speaking on Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. at the Strongsville Library about the Browns, my books and other subjects. It's free, but you need to call and register at 440-238-5530.

About the offensive coordinator ...

What the Browns mean by an offensive coordinator and what most fans and media members consider the post are not exactly the same. Most people assume the offensive coordinator calls the plays.

Head coach Pat Shurmur serves as the Browns' offensive coordinator, and he calls the plays. Even if the Browns do hire someone in 2012 with the title of offensive coordinator, the Browns insist Shurmur will still call the plays. The system set up by Browns President Mike Holmgren and GM Tom Heckert is for the head coach to call the plays. Holmgren did it. In Philadelphia, where Heckert received most of his experience, head coach Andy Reid called the plays.

Sometimes, a coach on the staff had the title "offensive coordinator." It is a way to give a veteran coach more money or to reward a promising young coach. That guy does not call the plays, at least not in the Holmgren/Heckert system.

Heckert has said one of the main reasons he wanted to hire Shurmur was for his West Coast offense and for Shurmur to do the play-calling -- and nothing has changed. Never say never, but it's doubtful anyone but Shurmur will be calling the plays for the offense next season.

About the Tribe ...

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerJustin Masterson is one of several Indians who will likely be receiving a considerable raise this winter.

1. The surgery on Justin Masterson's left shoulder on Oct. 12 addressed a torn labral in an arthroscopic procedure. He will be ready for spring training. But if it were his throwing arm, it would have been a major issue. Masterson pitched the last month of the regular season with his left arm bothering him. In September, he was 2-2 with a 5.65 ERA.

2. Masterson was 12-10 with a 3.21 ERA. He also was the Tribe starter most hurt by an otherwise strong bullpen. Relievers blew four saves for him and allowed 14 inherited runners to score. Next was Fausto Carmona, as the bullpen blew three saves and allowed nine inherited runners to score.

3. Masterson did some little things very well, such as holding runners. Only 14 of 28 steal attempts were successful, well below the normal average of about 75 percent. Here's how other Tribe starters fared: Carmona (71 percent), Ubaldo Jimenez (80 percent), Jeanmar Gomez (60 percent) and Josh Tomlin (0 percent). That's right, Tomlin was at zero, as in no runner even tried to steal. From the bullpen, Tony Sipp allowed 13 of 15 runners to successfully steal, while opponents were 8-for-8 against Chris Perez.

4. The Tribe has several pitchers, including Masterson, due for a significant raise as they become eligible for arbitration. Masterson made $468,000 last season and probably will receive at least $3 million in 2012. Others eligible and their 2011 salaries: Asdrubal Cabrera ($2 million), Shin-Soo Choo ($4 million), Chris Perez ($2.25 million) Raffy Perez ($1.3 million) and Joe Smith ($875,000).

5. Between the raises due to Jimenez and Carmona (assuming the Indians' pick up Carmona's $7 million option) and all the players in arbitration, the Indians believe that will add about $20 million to the payroll just to keep this team together.

6. Tomlin had a sore elbow in late August and didn't pitch for the rest of the year. He was healthy by late September, but the Tribe saw no reason for him to take any chances. His postseason physical was excellent, and he's on his usual winter conditioning program. Masterson led the Tribe with 20 quality starts. Next was Tomlin with 14.

7. While Mike Sarbaugh was disappointed not to be named to the Tribe coaching staff, he has agreed to return to Columbus for a third year, where he has won consecutive Class AAA titles. The Indians selected Tom Wiedenbauer, who will coach the outfielders, while Sarbaugh is a former minor-league infielder.

8. The Indians also want to improve their running after a year in which they had too many runners picked off. The worst offenders: Michael Brantley (picked off five times), Cabrera (four), Zeke Carrera (four), Lou Marson (three) and Choo (three). They had 24 runners picked off in 2011.

Denny Hamlin ducked inside points leader Austin Dillon and four-time Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday Jr. after a restart with 14 laps to go and went on to win at Martinsville Speedway on Saturday.

Associated PressDriver Denny Hamlin (18) passes Austin Dillion (3) and Ron Hornaday Jr. (33) near the end of the NASCAR truck auto race at the Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va. Saturday Oct. 29, 2011. Hamlin won the race. (AP Photo/Steve Sheppard)

MARTINSVILLE, Va. (AP) — Denny Hamlin ducked inside points leader Austin Dillon and four-time Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday Jr. after a restart with 14 laps to go and went on to win at Martinsville Speedway on Saturday.

Hamlin's first victory in the series, in a truck owned by Kyle Busch, made him the 23rd driver to win a race in each of NASCAR's three national series.

"It really means a lot to me to be able to get my very first Truck victory," he said. It also was a much needed confidence booster for the Sprint Cup driver, who hasn't won a race since Michigan in June.

"I knew if I could win a race today, it was going to propel me hopefully into tomorrow, and if I didn't win, I would have been pretty disappointed because I had a great truck," he said.

It was harder than he thought it might be after giving up the lead he'd held for 54 laps by pitting for tires with other leaders with 70 laps to go. When he got back out, he was 18th.

"I just gave it everything I had those last 50 laps — the hardest last 50 laps I've ever driven at Martinsville," Hamlin said. He's won four Cup Series races on the 0.526-mile oval.

Hornaday, seeking his fifth series championship, finished second and Dillon was third. He remained the points leader — by 11 over James Buescher and 15 over Hornaday and Johnny Sauter with two races remaining, but felt that he cost himself or Hornaday a victory.

"We gave it to him. I did," Dillon said of Hamlin's inside pass out of Turn 2. "If I could have made the first turn, it would have been either me or Ron in Victory Lane, I think."

On the restart, Dillon was on the inside with Hornaday on the outside and Hamlin behind him. When Dillon's car slid up the track coming out of the second turn, Hamlin darted low into the inside and pulled away, leaving the championship contenders to battle for second.

"It was a gift," said Hamlin, who savored his first Trucks victory. "It's a big deal for me, more than what people probably think."

Hornaday, meanwhile, seemed more pleased to have gained one point in the standings.

"It worked out for both of us," he said. "Other than Denny Hamlin snuck in the middle of both of us and stole the win, but we'll take it."

The series races next at Texas on Nov. 4 and finishes at Homestead two weeks later.

Bo Van Pelt ran away with the Asia Pacific Classic on Sunday in hot and humid conditions, birdieing five of the last eight holes for a 7-under 64 and a six-stroke victory.

Associated PressBo Van Pelt of the United States acknowledges the spectators after winning the Asia Pacific Classic Malaysia golf tournament at the Mines Resort & Golf Club in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Sunday, Oct. 30, 2011. (AP Photo/Lai Seng Sin)

SELANGOR, Malaysia (AP) — Bo Van Pelt ran away with the Asia Pacific Classic on Sunday in hot and humid conditions, birdieing five of the last eight holes for a 7-under 64 and a six-stroke victory.

"I've watched other guys coming down 18 with a big lead and I thought, 'That would be fun some day if I could do that.' And it was," Van Pelt said, "I feel like the luckiest guy in the world. I get to do what I love to do for a living."

The winner of the PGA Tour's 2009 U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee, Van Pelt finished at 23 under at The Mines and earned $1.3 million in the second-year event sanctioned by the PGA and Asian tours.

"I've had a couple of chances to win this year, but didn't come out on top," Van Pelt said. "Canada was a tough pill to swallow. I just wanted to learn from that and do a better job when I had the lead. I take a lot of satisfaction in how I played today."

Fellow Indiana player Jeff Overton was second after a 69.

"That was one of the best rounds of golf I've seen," Overton said about Van Pelt. "I didn't play a great round. I played a solid round. I kind of had a couple of hiccups. He birdied some holes that I bogeyed and those were huge momentum shifters."

Van Pelt pulled away with birdies on Nos. 13-15, hitting within a foot on the par-4 13th and par-3 14th and holing a 4-footer on the short par-4 15th after driving into a greenside bunker. He added a two-putt birdie on the par-5 17th.

"I played well all day," Van Pelt said. "I didn't make any bogeys. I just tried to play to game plan all week."

The 36-year-old former Oklahoma State player opened with rounds of 66, 64 and 67 to take a one-stroke lead over Overton into the final round.

"My swing felt good right at the first warmup and I kind of continued that all week and had confidence with what I wanted to do with my golf swing," Van Pelt said.

Fredrik Jacobson had a 68 to finish third at 16 under, and Cameron Tringale (64), Camilo Villegas (66) and Mark Wilson (69) were 15 under.

"I had a hard time getting the putter going yesterday and the front side today," Jacobson said. "I was lucky that I still shot 4 under on the back nine to finish third. Overall, a very good week after a month break."

Freshman quarterback helps keep Buckeyes in Big Ten title hunt

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Braxton Miller (5) is gang tackled by Wisconsin defenders in the second quarter, Saturday, October 29, 2011.

In following Rob Ryan, Dick Jauron has turned down the volume while his Browns' defense is turning in some good performances, sports columnist Bud Shaw writes in his Sunday Spin.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerWhen it comes to real life imitating real personality, this picture pretty much reflects the low-key persona of Browns defensive coordinator Dick Jauron. But after Rob Ryan's big words and small results on defense, nobody should be complaining about Jauron's modest profile.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It wasn't a tough act to follow as much as a loud one...

Browns' defensive coordinator Dick Jauron is the quiet at the end of a heavy metal concert. You might call for the encore out of habit or peer pressure. But your ears are dripping blood and, really, you're fine if Rob Ryan doesn't come back out to shatter another guitar.

While Jauron prepares a No. 4-ranked defense for San Francisco, his predecessor is in Dallas distancing himself from comments he made in the pre-season calling Philadelphia (pot-to-kettle) "the all-hype team."

"I'm going to be emotional at times, and unfortunately that was one of my times," Ryan told reporters as the Cowboys prepared to play the Eagles. "And I found out everybody listens in this town, which is good, unlike Cleveland."

We heard Ryan loud and clear here, actually. For a while anyway. Then, as the losses mounted, he made Eric Mangini sound like Vince Lombardi and suggested the front office would be crazy to make a change. That's when the bombast scrambled and from there we only heard white noise.

Still, it's too simple to suggest the Browns' defense is better this season because of the change in defensive coordinators. The Browns have played one top-15 offense (Oakland No. 12) and one Top 20 passing attack (Tennessee No. 12). San Francisco (No. 6) will be the second top-10 rushing team. The Raiders (No. 2) were the other. Of course, the Browns' stinginess figures into the rankings of opponents to date.

The quarterbacks: rookie Andy Dalton and Bruce Gradkowski of Cincinnati, Miami's Chad Henne, Jason Campbell and Kyle Boller of Oakland, Seattle's Charlie Whitehurst, the remains of Kerry Collins in Indianapolis and Tennessee's Matt Hasselbeck. Hasselbeck aside, that's not quite the Matt Ryan-Ben Roethlisberger-Drew Brees-Tom Brady-Mark Sanchez stretch from 2010. But you can only play what the schedule brings.

"We've just got to keep getting better because it's just going to get harder and harder as we go through the season," said Jauron, offering the wider perspective of the history major he was at Yale.

What Ryan might've said: "We're good. And the rest of the teams on our schedule -- excuse me, I mean victims -- will find that out."

What we can say for sure is defenses tend to take on the personality of their coordinator even more than teams take on the personality of their head coach. The Browns backed up Ryan's attitude by taking more chances -- often to the consternation of the front office he said would be crazy to replace him.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerDick Jauron hasn't let his unit's fast start go to his head. "It's just going to get harder and harder as we go through the season," he said this week.

Jauron's defense is well prepared and relatively conservative. The downside: it took a nap against Cincinnati, then broke down on a pass last week that should've been a touchdown for Sidney Rice.

"It probably started off with being a bad call," Jauron said, blaming himself.

Ryan probably took the blame, too. Maybe, you know, we just weren't listening.

Misery never gets tired of company, especially really miserable company...

Josh Hamilton of the Rangers said God told him he'd hit a home run in Game 6 of the World Series.

OK, though I'd find it easier to believe divine intervention occurs in the world of sports if, say, Stephen A. Smith even occasionally came down with a case of laryngitis.

Hamilton's two-run homer didn't hold up for Texas, which lost in extra innings.

"There was a period at the end," Hamilton clarified. "[God] didn't say you're going to hit it and you're going to win."

As a result of Texas losing Game 6, Game 7 and the World Series to the Cardinals, my guess is God was looking for a way to make Indians fans feel better about 1997. You could make the case that the way the Indians lost to the Marlins was worse because it happened in Game 7 with no recourse. Boom. There went the dynamite.

But what happened to Rangers' fans wasn't just a knife to the heart. They died three deaths, really. Twice when they were within a strike of winning the World Series in Game 6. Again in Game 7. Did they have a chance in Game 7? Sure. Just not a good one based on the track record of home teams winning Game 7 of the World Series.

Why did St. Louis have Game 6 and Game 7 at home? If I'm Bud Selig and somebody asks again why I let an All-Star exhibition determine home field for the sport's premier event, I cop out and say the Omnipotent One told me to do it that way.

And I make sure they know I don't mean Tim McCarver.

SPINOFFS

Peyton Hillis got married Tuesday, which apparently is the only contract he's going to sign in 2011. If the timing seems odd -- a weekday wedding in-season -- name something about Hillis' year that has followed script other than the stumbles of another Madden cover boy...

Ravens' head coach John Harbaugh suffered a cut under his eye from "horsing around" with quarterback Joe Flacco, according to the team. I see a reality show in the making called "The Harbaughs" in which on any given day a greeting of "good morning" between brothers can turn into a Mixed Martial Arts bout...

This time of the year can be confusing. For what it's worth, I'm endorsing a "Yes" vote on Fausto Carmona and "No" on Grady Sizemore...

View full sizeAP photoIn the yellow (and black) brick road to Pittsburgh, he is the defense's brain.

On the Web site Tebowing.com, "Tebowing" is described as the act of "getting down on one knee to start praying, even if everyone else around you is doing something completely different." Sort of like planking. Since Denver QB Tim Tebow is sometimes caught in that pose, people have posted pictures of themselves taking a knee in an operating room, the U.S. Capitol, etc...

Look for T.O.ing.com, where people post pics of themselves taking their shirts off and doing situps in public places for no apparent reason...

SEPARATED AT BIRTH

(The Rock-and-Roll Edition)

Texas Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux and Frank Zappa -- Rosenthal, Strongsville

View full sizeMGMHe didn't have a brain? Funny, he kept figuring out how to get into the Witch's castle.

Seattle QB Charlie Whitehurst (without a cap on) & Foo Fighters lead singer Dave Grohl -- John

Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau and The Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz -- Dan Bjork, Twinsburg

YOU SAID IT

(The Highly Touted Sunday Edition)

"Bud:

"Do the Browns script the first three plays on offense?" -- Joe S

Yes. And to further create a sense of overconfidence in the opposition, they have been known to script the first three illegal formations.

"Hey Bud:

"How about a special edition of 'Separated at Birth' this morning? Jose Mesa and Texas relievers Neftali Feliz, Scott Feldman and Mark Lowe." -- Dave Sansone, Rocky River

You forgot the Hindenburg.

"Bud:

"Don't you think Texas right fielder Nelson Cruz picked an odd time to unveil his impersonation of Manny Ramirez?" -- Vince G., Cincinnati

Yes. But if he had done his best Manny, the ball would've hit him in the ankle on his way back from the bathroom.

"Bud:

"Tommy John is immortalized by an elbow reconstruction surgery. What procedure immortalizes you?" -- Keith Jameson, Fairview Park

It's an extreme trim-the-fat word surgery PD editors call "Lipo-Shawction.""Hey Bud:

"In this world of tremendous inequality, protests are breaking out in every NFL city. Is it true the Browns plan to 'Occupy the End Zone' Sunday?" -- Vince G, Cincinnati

After last week, a more modest plan is in the works called "Visit the Red Zone."

"Bud:

"Is it just me or are the Browns attracted to 3-yard passes on third-and-8 the way NBA players are attracted to the Kardashians?" -- JJ

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

"Bud:

"Will Josh Cribbs be available to help out during this Sunday's postgame handshake?" -- Chas K, Cleveland Heights

Repeat winners get shoved aside.

The Ohio State linebackers learned by watching film of last year's Wisconsin loss and they'd been working since August on filling gaps and building a wall against the run game.

Marvin Fong/ The Plain DealerOhio State linebacker Andrew Sweat tackles Wisconsin running back Montee Ball on Saturday night.

1. Ohio State's run defense was impressive. Wisconsin running back Montee Ball managed 85 yards on 17 carries, a 5-yard average, but his only run that really hurt the Buckeyes was the 40-yard draw on the fourth-quarter drive that brought Wisconsin to within 26-21.

OSU linebacker Andrew Sweat said the Buckeyes watched film of last year's game, when they were blown off the ball by the Badgers, and the linebackers realized they couldn't run laterally and set themselves up to be blocked by linemen getting to the second level.

"It was all about being physical and getting in gaps and staying in gaps and being square," Sweat said. "We knew if we could build a wall and make (runs) leak out, our corners and safeties could tackle them."

That's what happened a lot. Safety C.J. Barnett was very aggressive and had seven tackles, while safety Christian Bryant had six. Sweat led OSU with eight tackles.

Sweat said the plan to attack the running game like this was something the Buckeyes had worked on during preseason camp in August. It wasn't only for the Badgers, but it was most applicable Saturday night.

2. This was a nice nod to Sweat. The Buckeyes have replaced Sweat with the quicker, younger, fresher Ryan Shazier in the fourth quarter of some recent games, particularly to have Shazier spy on the quarterback. Ohio State did some of that again Saturday. But when it came down to crunch time, head coach Luke Fickell told linebackers coach Mike Vrabel he wanted his top guys in there. So on the last play of the game, as Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson got ready to try a throw into the endzone, it was Sweat who attacked the play and hit Wilson's arm as he threw, wiping out the chance of a Hail Mary.

"I want Andrew in there," Fickell said. "And he made a heck of a play."

3. Shazier said the Buckeyes thought during practice last week that they had a good chance at a punt block, with the way the Badgers blocked down. He was only briefly nudged on the shoulder as he flew in for the block deep in Wisconsin territory. Shazier said the Buckeyes block several punts in practice every week, but this was the first one in a game in a year.

4. It's hard to imagine what the Ohio State reactions, among the players and fans, would have been like if the Buckeyes hadn't staged their 70-second comeback. To blow another lead, as they had against Nebraska, would have been crushing.

That's why it's so hard to believe the Buckeyes' defense allowed Wisconsin to roll to two touchdown in 2:30 late in the game. The final touchdown came when safety Christian Bryant was forced to pick a receiver to help on as two Badger pass catchers came at him, and Bryant chose wrong, leading to a 49-yard completion. Bryant continues to have an amazingly exciting and potential-filled up-and-down season. But if the offense doesn't pull out this win, everyone would be dissecting those defensive breakdowns right now.

5. Drew Basil has made 10 straight field goals for the Buckeyes. Yes, the first one Saturday, a 39-yarder, hit off the left upright. But the sophomore did call "bank."

6. In a story last week, my guess at the potentially perfect number of pass completions for the Buckeyes the rest of the season was seven per game. That was what Ohio State averaged in its four wins over the last five games of the 2008 season. Braxton Miller was 7 for 12 for 89 yards on Saturday, though it took that last-minute 40-yarder to get to seven.

Ohio State offensive coordinator Jim Bollman thought the balance was OK, though he said 19 carries for Miller was a few too many. He also said the success of the run game and the game situation - taking a 17-7 lead in the third quarter - caused the Buckeyes to throw less than they thought they would. Frankly, 7 for 12 passing, against 58 rushing plays for 268 yards, seemed OK.

7. Braxton Miller is remarkably unexcitable. When I asked him about his emotions as the players and fans stormed the field, he said his main focus was to make sure he didn't get hurt in the scrum. When I asked if anything in his life makes him nervous, he said maybe giving a speech in class.

8. Depending how this season unfolds for Ohio State, I think John Simon can make a run at the Big Ten defensive player of the year. He had three tackles Saturday, but two of them were sacks, and he just continues to disrupt offenses.

9. OSU center Mike Brewster was talking with freshman defensive lineman Steve Miller this week. They were looking at a photo in the Woody Hayes Athletic Center of the home crowd storming the field after the Buckeyes beat Michigan in 2006. Miller was asking Brewster if he had ever experienced that at Ohio State, and whether there may be a chance for some field storming with a win against Wisconsin.

"If it's a close game and we win at the end, it could happen," Brewster told him.

"It's just crazy how things work out sometimes," Brewster said after telling the story Saturday night. "That's the best."

10. I can't believe Braxton Miller winked.

Join cleveland.com's live chat during the Browns vs. 49ers game today at 4:15 p.m. then stick around to listen to the post-game show.

APBrowns play in San Francisco today at 4:15 p.m.

Join cleveland.com's live chat during the Browns vs. 49ers game today at 4:15 p.m.  Interact The Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff and cleveland.com's Joey Morona as they describe the action on the field, post scoring updates and answer your questions.

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.

Enter your name and log onto the chat room below. Java is required to participate in the chat. Download it here

Note: To turn off audio alerts, click on round button on bottom left of chat room and click on preferences.

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.

If the Browns score in the first quarter, it would be a shocking development.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerMohamed Massaquoi demonstrates the essential goal of the Browns offense -- to score a touchdown. He won't be available today against the 49ers, but will his teammates manage to dent the end zone in the first quarter for the first time this season?

SAN FRANCISCO -- Pregame scribbles for Sunday's game between the Browns and 49ers.

1. If the Browns score a touchdown in the first quarter, they'll win in San Francisco. Or at least, it will be different. Most fans know the Browns have been outscored, 34-3, in the first quarter. When did they kick the field goal? In the 31-13 loss to Tennessee. So there is no magic to a first-quarter field goal.

2. Then again, not having a field goal blocked would build some confidence, after having two smacked down in the 6-3 victory over Seattle.

3. But first things first. The 49ers are outscoring their opponents, 23-9, in the first quarter. So if the Browns actually score a touchdown and are leading ...

4. Colt McCoy is 17-of-36 (43 percent) in first quarter with one interception. He has thrown far fewer passes in the first quarter compared to any other. So it's not as if McCoy comes out of the dressing room heaving the ball on every play after the opening kickoff.

5. I went all the way back to 1999 and can't find anything in that slice of Browns history comparing to these first quarters. In 2006, they scored only 29 points (giving up 64) in the first quarter, that's the worst offense to start a game. Even in the expansion 1999 season, the Browns scored 37... and gave up 75.

6. Part of me says what we are watching is a statistical impossibility, a team six games into the season into the season without a first-quarter touchdown.

7. How about this, the Browns have been outscored, 29-6, in the third quarter! The six points are two field goals! Yes, that means they haven't scored a touchdown in the first or third quarters. Yet, they also are 3-3.

8. So it seems that whatever the offense comes out of the dressing room with -- well, it doesn't work. But they also have 48 points in the second period, and 40 in the fourth quarter. So they do make some adjustments. It's not as if the offense is utterly helpless.

9. This is just very, very strange, playing 12 quarters (as in the first and third) without crossing the goal line. The Browns do have 10 touchdowns -- eight passing, two rushing -- in the rest of the games.

10. It's not as if the Browns turn the ball over. McCoy has four interceptions, and they've lost two fumbles (McCoy and Hillis) for a very good ratio of six total turnovers in six games. The defense has four interceptions and four fumble recoveries so far.

11. This does suggest doing something different on offense in the first and third quarters -- how about the no-huddle? Why not try it, even just for a series? McCoy played it last season under Eric Mangini.

12. I've been getting emails from Mangini fans (and I liked the former coach) who want him back. That jet has long left the airport. Yes, his teams had good first quarters: 77-44 advantage in 2010, 66-65 in 2009. But the fact is those offenses overall were poor.

13. The Browns have 10 touchdowns after six games. In all of 2010, they scored 26. In 2009, it was 21. It's really been more of the same of what we've been watching. The frustration for fans is they hoped with a new coach and offense, that the results would be different. That may end up being the case partly because of Colt McCoy. That's right, McCoy.

14. The Browns have received better quarterback play this season than any time since 2007. He's at eight touchdown passes, completing 56 percent. Here are the other three years 2010 (13 TD, 62 percent), 2009 (11 TD, 49 percent) and 2008 (11 TD, 55 percent).

Now, let's see if they actually can find the end zone in the first or third quarters.

Teams must wait until 12:01 a.m. Thursday before bidding on free agents other than their own.;

Mark Duncan, Associated PressJim Thome was one of three Indians players who filed for free agency late Saturday night.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Indians Jim Thome, Kosuke Fukudome and Chad Durbin were among the first 148 players to file for free agency after the filing period began on Saturday night. The players association released the names Sunday morning.

The Indians acquired Thome and Fukudome in trades for the stretch run. Thome was acquired from the Twins and Fukudome from the Cubs. Durbin pitched out of the bullpen all season for the Tribe.

They could be joined by Grady Sizemore if the Indians don't pick up his option on Monday.

Thome said he wants to keep playing, but it won't be with the Indians. They already have a veteran left-handed DH in Travis Hafner.

If the Indians don't exercise Sizemore's option, Fukudome could be re-signed. The Indians will make a decision on Sizemore's $9 million option on Monday.

It would be a surprise if Durbin is re-signed. The Indians have several promising young relievers who could take his spot.

Teams can start bidding on free agents at 12:01 a.m. Thursday. Until then only their former teams can sign them.

Other prominent players who filed included Albert Pujols, Prince Field and C.J. Wilson, who starred in the just completed postseason.

In the AL Central, Twins outfielders Michael Cuddyer and Jason Kubel filed. So did left-hander Mark Buehrle, infielder Omar Vizquel and outfielder Juan Pierre of the White Sox.

The AL Central champion Detroit Tigers saw infielders Ramon Santiago, Wilson Betemit and Carlos Guillen, outfielder Magglio Ordonez and right-handers Brad Penny and Joel Zumaya file.

Kansas City left-handers Bruce Chen and Jeff Francis filed. So did catcher Jason Kendall.

Here is the list of players who filed:

ATLANTA
Gonzalez, Alex.
Linebrink, Scott.
McLouth, Nate.
Sherrill, George
Wilson, Jack.

ARIZONA
Marquis, Jason
McDonald, John
Nady, Xavier
Overbay, Lyle

BALTIMORE
Guerrero, Vladimir
Izturis, Cesar

BOSTON
Bedard, Erik
Drew, J.D.
Jackson, Conor
Miller, Trever
Ortiz, David
Papelbon, Jon
Varitek, Jason
Wakefield, Tim

CHICAGO CUBS
Grabow, John
Johnson, Reed
Lopez, Rodrigo
Ortiz, Ramon
Pena, Carlos
Wood, Kerry
 
CINCINNATI
Hernandez, Ramon J.
Renteria, Edgar
Willis, Dontrelle

CLEVELAND
Durbin, Chad
Fukudome, Kosuke
Thome, Jim

COLORADO
Cook, Aaron
Ellis, Mark
Millwood, Kevin
Romero, J.C.

CHICAGO WHITE SOX
Buehrle, Mark
Castro, Ramon Abraham
Pierre, Juan
Vizquel, Omar

DETROIT
Betemit, Wilson
Guillen, Carlos
Ordonez, Magglio
Penny, Brad
Santiago, Ramon
Zumaya, Joel

FLORIDA
Dobbs, Greg
Lopez, Jose
Vazquez, Javier C.

HOUSTON
Barmes, Clint
Michaels, Jason

KANSAS CITY
Chen, Bruce
Francis, Jeff
Kendall, Jason

LOS ANGELES ANGELS
Branyan, Russ
Pineiro, Joel
Ramirez, Horacio
Rodney, Fernando

LOS ANGELES DODGERS
Barajas, Rod
Blake, Casey
Broxton, Jonathan
Carroll, Jamey
Garland, Jon
Kuroda, Hiroki
MacDougal, Mike
Miles, Aaron
Padilla, Vicente
Rivera, Juan

MILWAUKEE
Betancourt, Yuniesky
Counsell, Craig
Fielder, Prince
Hairston Jr, Jerry
Hawkins, LaTroy
Kotsay, Mark S.
Rodriguez, Francisco
Saito, Takashi

MINNESOTA
Capps, Matt
Cuddyer, Mike
Kubel, Jason
Nathan, Joe

NEW YORK METS
Batista, Miguel
Capuano, Chris
Hairston, Scott
Harris, Willie
Isringhausen, Jason
Reyes, Jose
Young, Chris

NEW YORK YANKEES
Ayala, Luis
Chavez, Eric
Colon, Bartolo
Garcia, Freddy Antonio
Jones, Andruw
Marte, Damaso
Mitre, Sergio
Posada, Jorge

OAKLAND
Crisp, Coco
DeJesus, David
Harden, Rich
Matsui, Hideki
Willingham, Josh

PHILADELPHA
Gload, Ross
Ibanez, Raul J.
Lidge, Bradley
Madson, Ryan
Oswalt, Roy
Rollins, Jimmy
Schneider, Brian

PITTSBURGH
Lee, Derrek
Ludwick, Ryan

SAN DIEGO
Bell, Heath
Harang, Aaron
Hawpe, Brad
Qualls, Chad

SEATTLE
Bard, Josh
Kennedy, Adam
Pena, Wily
Wright, Jamey

SAN FRANCISCO
Beltran, Carlos
Burrell, Pat
Cabrera, Orlando
De Rosa, Mark
Mota, Guillermo
Ross, Cody

ST. LOUIS
Jackson, Edwin
Laird, Gerald
Pujols, Albert
Punto, Nick
Rhodes, Arthur

TAMPA BAY
Cruz, Juan
Damon, Johnny
Kotchman, Casey

TEXAS
Chavez, Endy
Gonzalez, Mike
Oliver, Darren
Treanor, Matt
Webb, Brandon
Wilson, C.J.

TORONTO
Camp, Shawn
Francisco, Frank
Johnson, Kelly
Molina, Jose

WASHINGTON
Ankiel, Rick
Coffey, Todd
Cora, Alex
Gomes, Jonny
Hernandez, Livan
Nix, Laynce
Rodriguez, Ivan
Wang, Chien-Ming

The following players could be eligible for free agency depending on whether their options are exercised.

ARIZONA
Duke, Zach
Blanco, Henry
Bloomquist, Willie
Hill, Aaron

BOSTON
Scutaro, Marco
Wheeler, Daniel

CHICAGO CUBS
Ramirez, Aramis

CINCINNATI
Cordero, Francisco
Phillips, Brandon

CLEVELAND
Sizemore, Grady

COLORADO
Giambi, Jason

LOS ANGELES ANGLES
Wells, Vernon.

NEW YORK YANKEES
Soriano, Rafael
Sabathia, C.C
Cano, Robinson
Swisher, Nick

PITTSBURGH
Cedeno, Ronny
Doumit, Ryan
Maholm, Paul
Snyder, Chris

SAN FRANCISCO
Affeldt, Jeremy

ST. LOUIS
Dotel, Octavio
Furcal, Rafael
Molina, Yadier
Patterson, Corey

TAMPA BAY
Farnsworth, Kyle
Shoppach, Kelly

TORONTO
Encarnacion, Edwin
Rauch, Jon

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The high school football playoffs are finally here. And we finally know first-round matchups and the road teams face in their quest to reach the state title games in Canton and Massillon next month.

Which local football team is the most likely to win a state title this season? Is it St. Ignatius and Blake Thomas, above, fresh off Saturday's upset of rival and defending Division I state champ St. Edward? - (Joshua Gunter, The Plain Dealer)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The high school football playoffs are finally here.

And we finally know first-round matchups and the road teams face in their quest to reach the state title games in Canton and Massillon next month.

Now that you've seen the final computer standings, vote in our online poll below asking which local team has the best chance to bring home a state championship.

We'll run the results in Friday's Locker Room.



CLEVELAND, Ohio - Here are the high school football first-round playoff pairings, which were released Sunday afternoon by the Ohio High School Athletic Association. Thirty-five teams from The Plain Dealer's seven-county coverage area have advanced. There are 192 qualifiers statewide, representing four regions from each of the six divisions.

Walsh Jesuit earned the top seed in Division II, Region 5 and will face West Geauga in the first round Friday, Pictured is Walsh's Brock Jones, left, leaping toward the end zone for a touchdown against Benedictine on Oct. 14. - (Marrvin Fong, The Plain Dealer)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Here are the high school football first-round playoff pairings, which were released Sunday afternoon by the Ohio High School Athletic Association.

Thirty-five teams from The Plain Dealer's seven-county coverage area have advanced. There are 192 qualifiers statewide, representing four regions from each of the six divisions.

High school football regional quarterfinal pairings:

(Pairings include the seeds and won-lost records. Seeds 1-4 will host first-round games. Most games will be played at the higher seed's home field on Friday or Saturday. Official sites and times will be released early this week).

Division I

Games tentatively scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday.

Region 1

8 Cle. John F. Kennedy (9-1) at 1 Mentor (9-1)

7 Boardman (7-3) at 2 St. Ignatius (8-2)

6 St. Edward (7-3) at 3 Cleveland Heights (9-0)

5 Solon (9-1) at 4 Willoughby South (8-2)

Region 2

8 Whitehouse Anthony Wayne (8-2) at 1 Tol. Whitmer (10-0)

7 Wadsworth (9-1) at 2 Canton GlenOak (9-1)

6 Findlay (9-1) at 3 Hudson (9-1)

5 Canton McKinley (8-2) at 4 Sylvania Southview (9-1)

Region 3

8 Lewis Center Olentangy Orange (8-2) at 1 Hilliard Davidson (9-0)

7 Dublin Coffman (8-2) at 2 Pickerington Central (7-2)

6 Gahanna Lincoln (8-2) at 3 Westerville Central (8-2)

5 Troy (8-2) at 4 Upper Arlington (8-2)

Region 4

8 Centerville (7-3) at 1 Middletown (9-1)

7 Cin. Walnut Hills (8-2) at 2 Cin. Colerain (9-1)

6 Mason (7-3) at 3 Cin. St. Xavier (7-3)

5 Cin. Sycamore (8-2) at 4 Cin. Archbishop Moeller (7-3)

Division II

Games tentatively scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Region 5

8 Chesterland West Geauga (7-3) at 1 Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit (8-1)

7 New Philadelphia (7-3) at 2 Tallmadge (8-2)

6 Madison (8-2) at 3 Aurora (9-1)

5 Warren Howland (9-0) at 4 Kent Roosevelt (9-1)

Region 6

8 Medina Highland (6-4) at 1 Avon (9-1)

7 Tiffin Columbian (8-2) at 2 Sandusky (9-1)

6 East Cleveland Shaw (6-3) at 3 Maple Heights (8-1)

5 Olmsted Falls (7-3) at 4 Tol. Central Catholic (7-3)

Region 7

8 Cols. Brookhaven (7-3) at 1 Cols. Marion-Franklin (10-0)

7 New Carlisle Tecumseh (6-4) at 2 Dresden Tri-Valley (9-1)

6 Ashland (6-4) at 3 New Albany (8-2)

5 Cols. Beechcroft (9-1) at 4 Sunbury Big Walnut (8-2)

Region 8

8 Hamilton Ross (8-2) at 1 Trotwood-Madison (10-0)

7 Harrison (7-3) at 2 Kings Mills Kings (10-0)

6 Cin. Turpin (7-3) at 3 Tipp City Tippecanoe (9-1)

5 Wapakoneta (9-1) at 4 Franklin (9-1)

Division III

Games tentatively scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Region 9

8 Oberlin Firelands (10-0) at 1 Chagrin Falls (10-0)

7 Cle. Benedictine (7-3) at 2 Mentor Lake Catholic (9-1)

6 Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary (8-2) at 3 Hunting Valley University School(9-1) - 1:30 p.m. Saturday

5 Ravenna Southeast (10-0) at 4 Ravenna (8-2)

Region 10

8 Caledonia River Valley (7-3) at 1 Columbus St. Francis DeSales (6-3)

7 Napoleon (5-5) at 2 Clyde (8-2)

6 Urbana (8-2) at 3 Cols. Eastmoor Academy (8-2)

5 Elida (7-3) at 4 Bellevue (7-3)

Region 11

8 Wintersville Indian Creek (8-2) at 1 Steubenville (10-0)

7 Thornville Sheridan (9-1) at 2 Dover (9-1)

6 Poland Seminary (7-3) at 3 Minerva (10-0)

5 Canal Fulton Northwest (8-2) at 4 Youngstown Cardinal Mooney (6-3)

Region 12

8 Cin. Taft (7-3) at 1 Springfield Shawnee (10-0)

7 Jackson (10-0) at 2 The Plains Athens (10-0)

6 Circleville Logan Elm (9-1) at 3 Plain City Jonathan Alder (10-0)

5 Kettering Archbishop Alter (10-0) at 4 Day. Thurgood Marshall (9-1)

Division IV

Games tentatively scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday.

Region 13

8 Canton Central Catholic (8-2) at 1 Girard (9-1)

7 Leavittsburg LaBrae (6-4) at 2 Orrville (7-3)

6 Brookfield (9-1) at 3 Creston Norwayne (9-1)

5 Akron Manchester (7-3) at 4 Sullivan Black River (8-2)

Region 14

8 Wellington (7-3) at 1 Kenton (10-0)

7 Ottawa-Glandorf (8-2) at 2 Pemberville Eastwood (10-0)

6 Richwood North Union (9-1) at 3 Cols. Bishop Hartley (9-0)

5 Huron (9-1) at 4 Genoa Area (9-1)

Region 15

8 Chesapeake (7-3) at 1 St. Clairsville (9-1)

7 Gnadenhutten Indian Valley (7-3) at 2 Johnstown-Monroe (10-0)

6 Ironton (6-4) at 3 Amanda Clearcreek (8-2)

5 Coshocton (8-2) at 4 Martins Ferry (8-2)

Region 16

8 West Milton Milton-Union (8-2) at 1 Waynesville (10-0)

7 Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy (7-3) at 2 Cin. Madeira (10-0)

6 Cin. North College Hill (8-2) at 3 Clarksville Clinton-Massie (8-2)

5 Day. Chaminade Julienne (7-3) at 4 Williamsport Westfall (8-2)

Division V

Games tentatively scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Region 17

8 Columbiana (8-2) at 1 Kirtland (10-0)

7 Louisville St. Thomas Aquinas (6-4) at 2 Woodsfield Monroe Central (9-1)

6 Cuyahoga Heights (9-1) at 3 Columbiana Crestview (9-1)

5 New Middletown Springfield (8-2) at 4 Sugarcreek Garaway (8-2)

Region 18

8 Carey (8-2) at 1 Liberty Center (10-0)

7 Hicksville (8-2) at 2 Bascom Hopewell-Loudon (10-0)

6 Findlay Liberty-Benton (9-1) at 3 Lima Central Catholic (10-0)

5 Hamler Patrick Henry (8-2) at 4 Northwood (9-1)

Region 19

8 Smithville (8-2) at 1 Bucyrus Wynford (10-0)

7 West Lafayette Ridgewood (8-2) at 2 Lucasville Valley (10-0)

6 Ashland Crestview (10-0) at 3 Cols. Grandview Heights (10-0)

5 Portsmouth West (9-1) at 4 Nelsonville-York (9-1)

Region 20

8 Versailles (8-2) at 1 West Liberty-Salem (10-0)

7 Cin. Summit Country Day (7-3) at 2 Marion Pleasant (10-0)

6 West Jefferson (8-2) at 3 Frankfort Adena (9-1)

5 Coldwater (7-3) at 4 Covington (10-0)

Division VI

Games tentatively scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday.

Region 21

8 Villa Angela-St. Joseph (6-4) at 1 Berlin Center Western Reserve(10-0)

7 Wellsville (5-5) at 2 Shadyside (7-3)

6 Mogadore (7-3) at 3 Youngstown Christian (9-1)

5 Malvern (9-1) at 4 Thompson Ledgemont (10-0)

Region 22

8 Arcadia (7-3) at 1 Leipsic (9-1)

7 Toledo Ottawa Hills (7-3) at 2 Delphos St. John's (7-3)

6 Edon (7-3) at 3 Tiffin Calvert (8-2)

5 McComb (7-3) at 4 Edgerton (8-2)

Region 23

8 Glouster Trimble (7-3) at 1 Willow Wood Symmes Valley (9-1)

7 Crown City South Gallia (7-3) at 2 New Washington Buckeye Central (8-2)

6 Zanesville Bishop Rosecrans (6-4) at 3 Danville (7-3)

5 Beallsville (8-2) at 4 Portsmouth Sciotoville (7-3)

Region 24

8 Lockland (7-3) at 1 Maria Stein Marion Local (8-2)

7 Cin. Country Day (7-3) at 2 Fort Loramie (9-1)

6 Minster (7-3) at 3 Springfield Catholic Central (8-2)

5 Ada (8-2) at 4 Lewisburg Tri-County North (8-2)

News, notes and leftover tidbits about the Buckeyes and the Big Ten.

View full sizeMarvin Fong, The Plain DealerIt had been five years since Buckeyes fans overwhelmed the field at Ohio Stadium after a big win.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- News, notes and leftover tidbits about the Buckeyes:

Center Mike Brewster was talking with freshman defensive lineman Steve Miller last week. They were looking at a photo in the Woody Hayes Athletic Center of the home crowd storming the field after the Buckeyes beat Michigan in 2006. Miller was asking Brewster if he had ever experienced that at Ohio State, and whether there may be a chance for some field storming with a win against Wisconsin.

"If it's a close game and we win at the end, it could happen," Brewster told him.

"It's just crazy how things work out sometimes," Brewster said after telling the story Saturday night. "That's the best." ...

Braxton Miller is remarkably unexcitable. When I asked the freshman quarterback about his emotions as the fans stormed the field, he said his main focus was to make sure he didn't get hurt. When I asked if anything in his life makes him nervous, he said maybe giving a speech in class. ...

Ohio State still ranks near the bottom of the country in total offense, averaging 310 yards per game, good for 110th in the nation. The Buckeyes had 357 yards Saturday. ...

Freshman Ryan Shazier had the Buckeyes' punt block vs. the Badgers. He said during practice last week the Buckeyes thought they had a good chance at a block, with the way the Badgers blocked down. He was only briefly nudged on the shoulder as he flew in deep in Wisconsin territory. Shazier said the Buckeyes block several punts in practice every week, but this was the first one in a game in a year. ...

Ohio State has replaced senior weakside linebacker Andrew Sweat with the quicker, younger, fresher Shazier in the fourth quarter of recent games, particularly to have Shazier spy on the quarterback. Ohio State did some of that again Saturday. But when it came down to crunch time, head coach Luke Fickell told linebackers coach Mike Vrabel he wanted his top guys in there.

So on the last play of the game, as Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson got ready to try a throw into the end zone, it was Sweat who attacked and hit Wilson's arm as he threw, wiping out the chance of a Hail Mary. "I wanted Andrew in there," Fickell said, "and he made a heck of a play." ...

Jordan Hall is leading the Big Ten in all-purpose yards, a category which combines rushing, receiving and return yards. His average is 144 yards per game.

Big Ten Bits

A week after assuming Minnesota was heading toward 0-8, the Golden Gophers knocked off Iowa, 22-21. The Hawkeyes have lost five straight road games dating back to last season, to Northwestern, Minnesota, Iowa State, Penn State and Minnesota again. Based on their easy schedule, Iowa was a popular darkhorse pick to win the Legends Division, because the Hawkeyes don't play Wisconsin, Ohio State or Illinois in their cross-division games. The problem is that the Hawkeyes aren't very good, and have now lost consecutive years in a rivalry game to a Minnesota team that has been overmatched against nearly everyone else.

In their last 19 games, the Gophers are 4-15. That's 2-0 against Iowa and 2-15 vs. the rest of the world. ...

On the other side, congrats to Minnesota coach Jerry Kill on his first Big Ten win.

"That is the most important stat. I am happy for the state of Minnesota, the administration, the fans, but most importantly, I am happy for our kids," Kill said at his postgame news conference. "It is great to see them smile and have a good time. Floyd will be staying in Minnesota for a while."

That reference, of course, is to Floyd of Rosedale, the rivalry pig trophy that the Gophers retained with the win. ...

That leaves only Indiana without a Big Ten win, as the Hoosiers lost to Northwestern in a battle of previously-winless conference teams. Indiana gave up 616 yards to the Wildcats in a 59-38 loss, the most allowed by any Big Ten defense this season. Indiana ranks 112th in the nation in total defense, giving up 458 yards per game.

Coach Kevin Wilson started seven freshman on defense while looking for some answers. "I don't have excuses, but we're playing some young guys," Wilson said in his postgame news conference. That defense should allow the Ohio State offense to try some things next week. ...

Two running backs now lead the conference in rushing, ahead of Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson, with Iowa's Marcus Coker averaging 121 yards per game and Penn State's Silas Redd at 112. Coker had 252 yards on 33 carries in the loss to Minnesota, while Redd has five straight 100-yard games. ...

No one should be surprised by Michigan State's loss at Nebraska. The Spartans went 3-1 to start Big Ten play against Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin and Nebraska, and that's not bad. Now the schedule gets much easier, with Minnesota, Iowa, Indiana and Northwestern ahead. The 187 yards of total offense showed how inconsistent the Spartans can be on that side of the ball, which is something to watch the rest of the season. ...

Wisconsin's Wilson still leads the nation in passing efficiency after the Badgers' two straight losses. ...

Northwestern's offensive explosion came against Indiana, but it still showed that the Wildcats, 1-4 in conference play, are capable of throwing a monkey wrench into the Legends race. Northwestern is at Nebraska next week and hosts Michigan State on the last weekend of the regular season, when a lot of other teams could be rooting for the Wildcats.

Browns' lose, 20-10, although the difference between them and the 49ers seemed much greater for most of the game.

John Kuntz, The Plain DealerSan Francisco tackle Joe Staley, eligible on this play as a receiver, catches a 17-yard pass from Alex Smith during the 49ers' 20-10 win over the Browns.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns were dominated by the San Francisco 49ers for most of Sunday's game.

For various reasons -- not the least of which being a Cleveland goal-line stand keyed by middle linebacker D'Qwell Jackson -- San Francisco didn't take much advantage on the scoreboard before settling for a 20-10 win that had sometimes seemed on the verge of being a blowout.

The loss makes the Browns 3-4. The 49ers, who might run away with the NFC West championship, are 6-1. The disparity in win-loss records between the teams mostly mirrored the apparent differences they have in talent.

Midway through the third quarter, the 49ers had out-gained the Browns, 296 yards to 93. Yet, their lead was a relatively modest 17-3.

The Browns cut the San Francisco lead to 17-10 on Colt McCoy's 45-yard touchdown pass to Josh Cribbs with 6:23 left in the game. The 49ers responded with a 67-yard drive that led to David Akers' 26-yard field goal that ended the scoring with two minutes to go.

Some Browns' fans might reasonably contend that a failing in the coaching department helped lead to the defeat. For this poll, though, we'll consider just the play between the boundaries.