The Browns gave as good as they got from the Ravens in a physical, rugged AFC North game.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Five weeks after accusing the Baltimore Ravens of dirty play, the Browns matched them hit for hit, snarl for snarl and 15-yard penalty for 15-yard penalty.

In a game that featured multiple post-whistle scrums and enough mudslinging to fill a political debate, the Browns gave as good as they received in a 25-15 loss to the Ravens before 65,449 fans at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

The contest turned chippy early and was played with a mean streak throughout. The borderline hitting also factored in the game's outcome as Browns safety T.J. Ward was flagged for a roughing-the-passer penalty on the Ravens' game-winning touchdown drive.

"They're a nasty team," Ward said of the Ravens, who have beaten the Browns 10 straight times. "That's just how they play, and I think they get away with a lot on [the offensive] side of the ball."

Browns special teams ace and reserve safety Ray Ventrone said the Ravens targeted members of the Browns' secondary in the Sept. 27 game with "extracurricular stuff" while declining to get specific. Several Ravens refuted the claim earlier this week to the Baltimore Sun.

Ward said after seeing the video from the first game, the Browns were prepared for the Ravens' aggressive tactics.

"We watched the film, and it was pretty amazing that type of play," Ward said. "We just let them know from the get-go [on Sunday], it's not gonna be happening, you're not gonna cheap shot us, you're gonna do the extra blocking after the whistle and act like you were blocking through, you're not gonna use hands to the face and just let it slide.

"It's a bunch of stuff. You'll sit back and watch the film and you'll see how they play. We just want to be physical, too, between the whistle."

On the Ravens' opening series, Browns defensive tackle Phil Taylor and Marshal Yanda had a post-whistle scrum that ended with the helmet of the Ravens' guard being knocked to the ground.

Never mind Taylor was seeing his first action of the season after missing the first eight games and all of training camp recovering from a torn pectoral muscle. Taylor helped set the game's tone.

"I mean, that's the way I play," Taylor said. "I ain't gonna let nobody punk me, you know what I'm saying? I'm going out there and do what I gotta do. I'm gonna play hard every snap. Until that clock hits zero, I'm coming hard. I don't care."

Taylor and Browns linebacker D'Qwell Jackson were quick to say there's a mutual respect between the teams who combined for two unnecessary roughness calls, a roughing-the-passer penalty, a personal foul and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

Browns running back Trent Richardson said one of the Ravens defenders took a shot at his tender ribs after he was already on the ground.

One of the game's biggest hits belonged to Browns receiver Josh Gordon, who leveled Pro Bowl safety Ed Reed during a reverse to Travis Benjamin. The 9-yard gain was nullified by an unnecessary roughness call on Gordon. (The Ravens also were flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct on the same play.)

Gordon had left the locker room before reporters had a chance to speak to him. Teammate Greg Little took issue with the penalty.

"I had a great view of it on the sidelines," Little said. "Because it's a big hit, a 'wow' block and it gets a lot of attention, I don't know if it enticed the ref to [call] a penalty. But the replay shows it's definitely shoulder-to-shoulder contact. They say the guy is defenseless, but I don't believe he's defenseless there. It was not an illegal block; it was a clean play. It was just a hard hit."

In the fourth quarter, Ward was whistled for roughing Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco just after he released a pass on a second-and-8 from the Baltimore 42 and the Browns clinging to a one-point lead. Ward's right arm came down across Flacco's shoulder, he said, without making contact to the quarterback's head.

The play resulted in a 16-yard penalty.

"I was coming pretty fast," Ward said. "[Flacco] held it, he held it, he held it. He got rid of it at the last second. I pulled up. I don't see what was wrong with the hit. . . . I don't agree with the call."

Earning respect: After the game, Browns halfback back Richardson and Ravens halfback Ray Rice exchanged jerseys on the field.

Rice finished with 98 yards on 25 carries and a touchdown. Richardson rushed for 105 yards on 25 carries.

"Needless to say we respect that group over there," Rice said. "It felt good to trade jerseys with a beast in Trent Richardson. There's a mutual respect on both ends."

Rice became just the second rookie to run for 100-plus yards against the Ravens since Jacksonville's Fred Taylor did it on Sept. 20, 1998. Coupled with last week's 122-yard effort against San Diego, Richardson joined Earnest Byner (1984) and Bobby Mitchell (1958) as the only Browns rookies to register back-to-back 100-yard rushing games.

"I told him after the game to keep his head up, keep playing," Reed said. "He's a great player, and I know those guys are going to buy into what coach is doing over here in Cleveland."

Taylor returns: Taylor started and saw significant playing time.

"I feel good, you know?" he said. "I mean I was just playing my heart out. I went out there and did what I had to do. We just gotta learn how to finish."

MR. Automatic: Kicker Phil Dawson accounted for all the Browns scoring with field goals of 28, 29, 32, 33 and 41 yards. It marks the fourth time in his career he had a five field-goal game, all coming in the past 10 years. No other NFL kicker has more in that span.

Record-setter: Josh Cribbs became the all-time leader in NFL kickoff return yards with one team. He had 74 yards on Sunday against the Ravens to give him at total of 9,638 yards. It enabled him to surpass Washington's Brian Mitchell, who had 9,586 yards.

Harbaugh's vote: Ravens coach John Harbaugh, who worked with Pat Shurmur and Brad Childress in Philadelphia, indirectly put his two cents in with new Browns owner Jimmy Haslam.

"That was a fight," he said. "We'll tip our hats to the Browns. I tell you what, that is a really good football team. That is a very well-coached football team. They're physical, they're tough, they're disciplined. They've got all the tools. They're young and they're building something here. That's a football team that is an up-and-coming team. It's an AFC North-style team. And this was an AFC North-style battle."

Browns killer: Flacco improved to 10-0 against the Browns. That ties the NFL mark set by John Elway versus New England for the most wins without a defeat by a quarterback against one opponent since 1970, according to ESPN.

Plain Dealer reporters Mary Kay Cabot and Jodie Valade contributed to this report.

Browns' offense sometimes seemed unorganized and, also to Baltimore's benefit, was pretty predictable. More Browns-Ravens story links.

Ravens safety Ed Reed intercepts a Brandon Weeden pass intended for Browns receiver Travis Benjamin late in the fourth quarter of Baltimore's 25-15 win at Cleveland on Sunday. Joshua Gunter, The Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns again failed to seize the opportunity in a winnable game on Sunday, losing to the Baltimore Ravens, 25-15, at Browns Stadium.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Browns coverage includes numerous game reports, such as Terry Pluto's observations on the game, which he calls "the most discouraging of the season."

Jim Ingraham writes for the News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal that the Browns' offense sometimes seemed unorganized and, also to Baltimore's benefit, was pretty predictable:

The Browns can't get plays into the huddle on time, on third-and-whatever they continue to complete passes for 2 yards short of whatever, their philosophy on when to punt and when to go for it on fourth down seems to change from week to week, and their play-calling can at times be amateurishly predictable.

Hey, here's an idea: As good a runner as Trent Richardson is, he doesn't need to carry the ball on first down every single time.

In the second and third quarters Sunday, the Browns ran 15 first-down plays. Thirteen of the 15 plays were runs by Richardson. Another one was a pass to Richardson. So in 14 of the 15 first-down plays, the Browns gave the ball to Richardson.

Hmmmm.

I'm no defensive coordinator, but I don't think it's very hard to defend a team when you know what's coming.

Baltimore 25, Browns 15 story links

The Browns' apparent lack of organization against the Ravens should be blamed on coach Pat Shurmur. (By Marla Ridenour, Akron Beacon Journal)

A penalty flag takes away a Browns' touchdown and halts any momentum they had built. (By Steve Doerschuk, Canton Repository)

The Ravens win, but they will need to play better than that to defeat good teams. (By Jamison Hensley, ESPN.com)

Playing tougher teams close is getting to be an old narrative for the Browns. Post-tame analysis. (By Marty Gitlin, CBSSports.com)

The Browns again accuse the Ravens of playing something different than clean football. (Akron Beacon Journal)

Supposedly, the Browns were on the right track after winning two of their three previous games. Doesn't look that way now. Game story. (By Jeff Schudel, News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal)

Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden didn't play good enough against Baltimore. (By Chris Assenheimer, Elyria Chronicle-Telegram and Medina County Gazette)

Questionable decisions during another loss for the Browns, who now begin their bye week. (By Chris Pokorny, WaitingForNextYear)

The Browns lose a game that Baltimore seemed ready to hand them. (By Thomas Moore, The Cleveland Fan)

Quick recap of the Browns' 25-15 loss to Baltimore. (By Chris Pokorny, Dawgs By Nature)

The Baltimore offense finally awakes and helps salvage a win. (By Jeff Zrebiec, Baltimore Sun)

The consensus is that the win by the Ravens wasn't especially impressive. (Baltimore Sun)

Head Coach Pat Shurmur's statement to the media after the Cleveland Browns 25-15 loss to the Baltimore Ravens Sunday at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Watch video

Miles admits he's pressing, and coach Byron Scott is not happy with the swingman's effort on defense, either.

View full sizeMark Hoffman, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, MCTIt was another rough night in Milwaukee for the Cavs' C.J. Miles, here getting the ball knocked away by the Bucks' Monta Ellis.

Los Angeles -- C.J. Miles didn't pull any punches. When asked what isn't going right, the Cavaliers reserve swingman said, "Everything."

Miles missed all six shots that he took in Saturday night's 105-102 loss at Milwaukee, and he's now 4-of-22 for the season. In addition, the opponent he was guarding, Mike Dunleavy, led the Bucks with 29 points. Things got so bad that Cavs coach Byron Scott shortened his rotation in the second half to just three reserves, leaving Miles on the bench at Milwaukee -- and perhaps for the forseeable future.

"He's struggling," Scott said of Miles as the Cavs prepared to play the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night at Staples Center. "He's not only struggling on offense, he's struggling on both ends of the floor. It's just something he's just going to have to continue to try to work out.

"The one thing I'll tell him is that the first thing you've got to do when you go out there on the floor is think about the defensive end first. Quit thinking about your shot and all that other stuff on the offensive end. Right now, he struggled to make shots and then he struggled to even guard Dunleavy. He has to do a better job on that end of the floor first and foremost before the other parts of his game come together."

Miles was the only new free agent the Cavs signed this summer, and he was thrilled to have a new start after seven years in Utah. But that excitement has turned to disappointment and disillusionment fairly quickly.

"I'm pressing," Miles admitted after Saturday's game. "Even my mom texted me. She can see it. She said from the preseason until now, I look totally different. Body language -- I'm not as under control. I'm hurrying everything I'm trying to do. Watching film I could see it. It kind of gets to a point of getting comfortable. That's the biggest thing. Plain and simple, I've got to find a way to help this team. I'm not making no excuses. I've got to find a way to help my team. I was able to get through camp and preseason looking forward to being able to do that. Bottom line is I have to help the team."

With the exception of Friday's loss to the Bulls, the Cavs' starters have been playing well, but everything goes south when Scott turns to his bench. He was expecting the veteran Miles to be one of the leaders of that second unit, and Miles said he was feeling pressure to prove himself.

"I've felt like that since the second I signed," he said. "I do have something to prove, that's not even a question. It's something I have to do, but I'm not going to do it doing what I'm doing right now.

"I've got a day to clear my head. This isn't my first year, I know it can change real fast. It just takes a couple minutes. Just play hard is the biggest thing. Get back to playing hard and everything else comes with the game. Put yourself in situations where easy baskets come, then put yourself on the other end and play hard on the defensive end and that usually takes away offensive problems because it generates offense. You want to play fast, so when you're defending you get steals or stops and get the runs. It makes it easy for more open shots. That has to become the focus even more."

Asked what he can do to shake himself out of this rut, he said: "Just play hard. I'm not saying I haven't been doing that, but that has to be the main focus. Just go hard, play hard and find a way to help my team. Obviously in preseason and training camp I was able to make shots, but that can't be the only thing I do to help my team. I have to figure it out before it's too late and I don't have a chance to help my team."

Browns' mistakes early and late spoil a comeback built on Phil Dawson's five field goals. Watch video

Torrey Smith easily beats Usama Young to the end zone for the fourth-quarter touchdown that gave Baltimore the lead for good Sunday afternoon in Cleveland. Rick Ostenkoski, Associated Press

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Frustration and disappointment were written all over Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden's face as he tried to explain where it all went wrong for him and his struggling offense in the red zone against the Ravens.

The Browns journeyed inside the Ravens' 20 five times and came away with five field goals en route to the 25-15 loss, their 10th straight to their AFC North nemesis.

The Ravens, on the other hand, ventured into the Browns' red zone three times and scored three touchdowns. That includes the first two drives as Baltimore opened a 14-0 lead in the first quarter.

The loss, which dropped the Browns to 2-7 and bumped the Ravens to 6-2, stymied all the swagger and confidence this young team had coming into the game after winning two of their previous three.

"We had some momentum," said Weeden. "Guys were excited. Guys are still optimistic, but we have a hard time putting two back-to-back together and I don't know what the answer is. We've got to play better. I'll tell you what, this bye week's coming at a perfect time. It's the perfect time for everybody in the locker room to get a breath of fresh air and regroup and regain that hunger and get back on track."

Weeden, who threw for 176 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions for a 44.4 rating, overthrew Greg Little on the first play of the game and again on a crucial fourth-and-2 with the Browns trailing, 22-15, with 3:53 remaining. In between, he missed some other throws and failed to punch it on those five trips inside scoring territory.

"I started out and I wasn't in a rhythm," said Weeden, whose overall rating tumbled to 67.9. "I missed OB [Chris Ogbonnaya] down the sideline [on the second drive]. I missed a couple of throws early that were kind of uncharacteristic. It didn't start the way I wanted it to and obviously it didn't finish the way I wanted it to. [But] sometimes you're not going to have your best stuff and you've have to find a way to win."

Browns coach Pat Shurmur acknowledged that his rookie quarterback won't enjoy the rewind of this one on Monday.

"I think Brandon is going to watch the film and see that there were some things he'd like to have back," he said. "He battled just like the rest of the guys, but I don't think any position played well enough throughout the game."

When Weeden finally did throw a TD pass in the end zone -- a beautiful 18-yarder on a slant to Josh Gordon that would've put the Browns up, 19-14, with 9:29 left in the game -- it was nullified by an illegal formation penalty. The call was against Ogbonnaya, who was the eighth man on the line instead of lining up a step back from the line. When he tried to adjust, it was too late.

"I thought I communicated (where he was lining up) to the refs beforehand," Ogbonnaya said. "It's frustrating, because obviously it nullified a touchdown which is a big play in that game. When you have opportunities to score in this league, you have to score. Period, point blank."

Instead, the Browns settled for their fifth unanswered field goal for a 15-14 lead with 8:48 left. The Ravens scored the winning points on their next drive, including a two-point conversion, and tacked on a field goal for good measure.

Weeden, who was also robbed of a TD in Indy when Gordon dropped a sure TD, didn't mince words.

"Obie could've been off the ball," he said. "That was really the only thing that prevented it. He made a mistake."

But Weeden made one of his own with 3:50 left and the Browns trailing 22-15. On fourth-and-2 from his own 28, Weeden sailed the ball high over the hands of Little, who was open down the left side. It was reminiscent of the Eagles game, where Weeden was wild in the clutch.

"I was open," said Little. "He missed me. Ninety-nine times out of 100, he makes that throw."

Weeden threw two interceptions in the second half. After Ed Reed dropped a potential in the third quarter, Carey Williams got one on the next play. Reed eventually got his pick, intercepting Weeden with 2:09 left to thwart a Browns' comeback.

"When you've got 20 (Reed) back there ballhawking in the center of the field, that makes it tough," said Weeden.

The offensive struggles wasted a 105-yard rushing effort by Trent Richardson and a superb stretch by the defense in which they forced six straight three-and-outs and seven straight punts.

But the defense, which has carried this team lately, finally cracked. With the Ravens trailing, 15-14, Joe Flacco hit Torrey Smith with a 19-yard TD touchdown pass on third down. Smith caught the ball at the 14 and spun out to the right, which caused Haden to slip instead of making the tackle.

"I was running by him to make sure he'd try not to get the first (down) and he spun out on me and I just took a bad angle and he made a good move," said Haden.

Baltimore went for two points and Flacco found Anquan Boldin wide open on the right side of the end zone for a 22-15 advantage.

The drive featured a big 21-yard pass to Boldin and a controversial roughing the passer call against T.J. Ward, who came from behind and tried to chop the ball out of Flacco's hand.

"I didn't touch his head," said Ward. "My chest hit him in the shoulder. I don't agree with (the call). We hurt ourselves with penalties. It just hurt just to know that we stopped them so long and let them off the hook."

Players were so frustrated after the game that many didn't stick around to talk. Josh Cribbs, who always faces the music, stalked out and refused to stop. "I'm steamed right now," he said. "I don't want to say anything I'll regret."

Gordon, who was flagged for interference early on and then a questionable roughness call against Reed, was gone before most reporters even hit the locker room. Neither Gordon penalty was enforced, with the Ravens declining one and the roughness call negated by a Baltimore penalty.

The players that remained in the locker room were miffed and disheartened.

"It's deflating every time you lose, but especially this one," said Haden. "We really felt like we had a chance to come get it, but the ball didn't fall in our favor."

Linebacker D'Qwell Jackson expressed the frustration in the room.

"I'm tired of coming up close and not getting over the hump," he said. "I've had my fair share of close ballgames not pulling them out. It's just being fed up with it and just guys have to understand if we want to have that feeling we had after last week's game, it's not easy. Not to say guys didn't give it their all, but it's not easy in this league. Every team plays to the last whistle and no matter what the score is, no matter what the situation, you always have to play every down until it's over. It's that simple."

Some TDs in the red zone would help too.

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

More mistakes, more questionable play calling and more field goals by Phil Dawson.

Browns head coach Pat Shurmur. Joshua Gunter, The Plain Dealer

They can’t get plays into the huddle on time, on third and whatever they continue to complete passes for two yards short of whatever, their philosophy on when to punt and when to go for it on fourth down seems to change from week-to-week, and their play calling can at times be amateurishly predictable.

Hey, here’s an idea: as good a runner as Trent Richardson is, he doesn’t need to carry the ball on first down EVERY SINGLE TIME.

"This is interesting. Aviles is very versatile and is a better hitter than any of the truckload of utility guys we had in here last year. It could mean that Cabrera will be traded, or maybe Aviles will play 1st or DH. Gomez is also intriguing. The AAA numbers are fat and although he didn't light it up after the call-up he didn't bomb either." - Gainesville Steve

View full sizeAP Photo/Paul SancyaWith the trade of Esmil Rogers, that does mean the Indians won't deal Chris Perez?

"This is interesting. Aviles is very versatile and is a better hitter than any of the truckload of utility guys we had in here last year. It could mean that Cabrera will be traded, or maybe Aviles will play 1st or DH. Gomez is also intriguing. The AAA numbers are fat and although he didn't light it up after the call-up he didn't bomb either. It also could mean that Perez will not be traded, because Rogers would have been counted on in a setup role if Pestano had to close. So this is potentially a strong signal of what's going to happen or not happen."

On today's episode of Sports Insider, The Plain Dealer's Terry Pluto joined cleveland.com's Glenn Moore to talk about Pat Shurmur's future and the Browns' 25-15 loss to the Ravens. Watch video

Is Pat Shurmur on the hot seat? Joshua Gunter/ The Plain Dealer

Bob Ramlow starred in track, football and coaching.

Bob Ramlow

Lakers coach Mike Brown remains upbeat and believes in his team and his new system.

APFormer Cavs coach Mike Brown and Dwight Howard finally got a chance to enjoy a victory when the Los Angeles Lakers bounced Detroit on Sunday.

LOS ANGELES -- Lakers coach Mike Brown is still sporting his trademark sharp suit and stylish glasses, but for the first time in a long time -- since May 18, to be exact -- he is wearing a wide smile when he addresses the media after a game.

The Lakers walloped the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night at Staples Center, 108-79, to win their first game of the season after three losses in the regular season and all eight in the preseason. After signing Steve Nash as a free agent and trading for Dwight Howard, this is not what Laker nation expected or was willing to tolerate -- never mind that Howard is recovering from back surgery and all the Lakers are learning the new Princeton offense after years of running the triangle under Phil Jackson.

How badly did Brown, the former Cavaliers coach, want to win this game? After the Pistons rallied briefly to cut the score to 88-64 early in the fourth quarter, he brought Howard and Kobe Bryant back into the game.

"That was more just helping Mike out ... so he wouldn't have an ulcer over there or a heart attack over there," Bryant said with a smile.

Brown will take it, though he insists the Lakers are not that bad off in spite of the fact that their last win came in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals against Oklahoma City on May 18.

"I like where we are," Brown said. "The one thing that was missing, obviously, was trying to get a win or two here or there. If we had a win or two before this day ... I'd be OK. I wouldn't be as 'desperate' for a win," he said, making little quote marks with his fingers when he said the word "desperate."

"Going 0-3, you have to win. That's the biggest priority more than anything else, more than trying to figure out a rotation or figure out this or that. That's why I threw those guys back into the game. But, again, this might sound crazy, I still like where we are."

He might be the only person in L.A. outside his house who would say that. The internet chatter was brutal, and anxious Lakers fans were calling for his head. Losing the first three games of the season is different here than it is in, say, Cleveland.

"Yes, it is," former Cavalier Antawn Jamison said, laughing. "Yes, it is."

Jamison signed with the Lakers as a free agent last summer, and he can attest that the stress of the poor start never got to Brown.

"He never changed," Jamison said. "He came in after games and was positive. At practice he was upbeat. It got pretty quiet in this locker room, but he was never down.

"It hasn't been his fault we started 0-3, but that's the day and age that we live in. If things are going great, it's the players, but when they're not, they put it all on the coach. Mike has been up front with us from Day One telling us what he expects out of us on both ends of the floor. We just haven't done that."

Until Sunday. Brown was asked if he felt relief after the victory.

"Some people may," he said. "I don't. I've said this before. I believe in what we're doing on both sides of the ball. It's going to take some time. But I think we took a step forward. We took a step backwards in the last game to a certain degree. That's understandable.

"So some people may look at it as a relief. I look at is as a good win because we needed it but not a "whew" -- not one of those," he said, pretending to wipe the sweat from his forehead. "I'm just excited about the way we played the game and we won the game."

What exactly did the win do for the team?

"What it does more than anything else, especially winning the way we did, defending the way we did ... and then playing the way we did offensively ... it gives us a little belief," he said. "Every win we get gives us a little bit more belief on both ends of the floor. That's a good thing."

Given that it had been almost six months since the Lakers last victory, Brown was asked if he'd almost forgotten what it felt like.

"No," said Brown, who has won 314 games in his seven seasons as a coach, 272 of them in five years in Cleveland. "I feel like I and most of the guys in there have won a lot of ballgames in our careers.

"Don't get me wrong. I wanted to win. I wanted to win every regular-season game we played and a couple of the preseason games, but it just didn't happen. It didn't happen for a lot of reasons. But our guys stuck with it. I stayed the course. Our assistants stayed the course and I thought we got a very good win. We won the game tonight the right way. I don't care who our opponent was. I really felt we won the game the right way on both sides of the ball. That's what I feel really good about. I thought we took not just one step forward but a few steps forward. Now, knock on wood, there may be a time where we may get knocked on our behind and take a two or step backward. It's going to be tough but I'm going to stay the course. ... I think this can really be something special. I'm excited."

A penalty on Chris Ogbonnaya calls back a late touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Unfortunately for the Cleveland Browns, this isn't a favorable "Play it Again," because the Browns weren't on the positive end of this play.

A touchdown was called back with about nine minutes left in Sunday's loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Not only would the TD have given the Browns a five-point lead, but plenty of momentum. Instead, the Browns kicked their fifth field goal. The penalty helped suck the air out of the Browns.

Following the field goal, the Ravens regained control behind a touchdown and a two-point conversion with 4:26 left. The Ravens went on to a 10-point victory.

The play: Trailing 14-12 with 9:33 left, quarterback Brandon Weeden completed an 18-yard slant pass to Josh Gordon for a touchdown. The crowd cheered, Gordon jumped into the stands, and the Browns were ready to roll. But the play was called back because when the Browns lined up five potential receivers, which included third-down back Chris Ogbonnaya, a flag was thrown because Ogbonnaya covered the tight end at the far right side of the line of scrimmage, leaving the Browns with eight players on the line of scrimmage instead of seven.

Ogbonnaya said he tried to talk to the official and confirm that he was one step back in the backfield, but the official ignored him. So now a five-yard penalty made it third-and-11 from the Ravens’ 23. After a run for no gain, the Browns kicked the field goal.

 

Series will focus on how the organization packs up its operation for road games

Dee Haslam and her television production company Rivr Media is making a documentary on the Browns for the Travel Channel which premieres Dec. 4 at 10 p.m. Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer

TUESDAY DIVISION I

Walsh Jesuit's girls soccer team celebrates a goal during its regional final victory over Canfield last Saturday. - (Michael Chritton, Akron Beacon Journal)

TUESDAY

DIVISION I

Strongsville vs. Perrysburg

Where: Sandusky High, 2130 Hayes Ave., Sandusky, 7 p.m. Call 419-625-3543.

Records: Strongsville 19-1; Perrysburg 21-0.

Mason vs. Pickerington North

Where: Bellbrook High, 3737 Upper Bellbrook Road, Bellbrook, 7 p.m. Call 937-848-3737.

Records: Mason 19-1-1; Pickerington North 19-0-2.

What to watch: Defending state champion Strongsville is in the final four for the 11th time, going for its fifth title. The lone blemish on the record is a 1-0 loss to Magnificat in the second game of the season. Ranked No. 2, the Mustangs have outscored opponents, 69-6. Senior Alexis Manoa has 14 goals and 18 assists, and junior Nicolette Griesinger is at 14 goals and five assists. Junior goalkeepers Sarah Baskey and Samantha Ortenzi are a formidable duo in the net. No. 1-ranked Perrysburg is in its first final four. The Yellow Jackets have outscored five tournament foes, 26-0, knocking out Medina in the regional final, 2-0. They have netted 103 goals, allowing five. Maddy Williams is the scoring machine with 45 goals and 16 assists. Mason is in its first semifinal, with Pickerington North in its third. The Panthers, ranked No. 5, lost to Walsh Jesuit in the Division I final in 2010. They have outscored foes, 82-6.

Championship: Friday at Columbus Crew Stadium, 7 p.m.

DIVISION II

Walsh Jesuit vs. Toledo St. Ursula

Where: Perkins High, 3714 Campbell St., Sandusky, 7 p.m. Call 419-621-2061.

Records: Walsh Jesuit 19-0-2; St. Ursula 13-5-3.

Columbus St. Francis DeSales vs. Cincinnati Indian Hill

Where: Centerville High, 500 E. Franklin St., Centerville, 7 p.m. Call 937-439-3517.

Records: DeSales 14-7-1; Indian Hill 17-3-1.

What to watch: This is a game Walsh Jesuit has been waiting to play. The Warriors lost their only game a year ago to St. Ursula in the semifinal, 1-0, on a shootout. Ranked No. 1 all season, Walsh has allowed seven goals. This is its 12th final four, with titles in 2010, 2006, 2004, 2003 and 2001. Senior Sandra Yu has 15 goals and 18 assists, with senior Kennedy Payne at 14 goals and four assists. Sophomore Halle Stelbasky has scored 13 times and senior Maddy John 11. Sophomore Libby Grace and freshman Lauren Demarchi have been tending the net. The Royals lost in last year's title game to St. Francis DeSales. They finished the regular season, 0-1-1, but have won five playoff games by a 9-1 margin. Jordyn Greer leads in scoring with 13 goals, while the St. Ursula defense has allowed 21 goals this season. St. Francis DeSales won its fourth title last season. The Stallions lost their last five regular season games, including a 3-0 loss to Walsh Jesuit. However, they have righted the ship in the playoffs, winning six games by a combined 22-1. Cincinnati Indian Hill is in its fourth semifinals, with runner-up finishes in 2004 and 2003. The Braves knocked off No. 3-ranked Archbishop McNicholas in the regional final,1-0. They have outscored opponents, 50-14.

Championship: Friday at Columbus Crew Stadium, 3:30 p.m.

DIVISION III

Hawken vs. Ontario

Where: Revere High, 3420 Everett Road, Richfield, 7 p.m. Call 330-523-3204.

Records: Hawken 13-4-2; Ontario 17-3-1.

Middletown Bishop Fenwick vs. Cincinnati Summit Country Day

Where: Hamilton High, 1165 Eaton Ave., Hamilton, 7 p.m. Call 513-887-4815.

Records: Fenwick 16-1-3; Country Day 19-1-2.

What to watch: The unranked Hawks are in the semifinals for the first time. They have hit their stride at the right time after playing a tough regular season against opponents from all divisions. They knocked off Elyria Catholic in the regional final, 4-1. Balanced scoring has six players with double-digit points. Bianca Medancic and Courtney Yoke each have nine goals, with Medancic collecting 10 assists. Sydney Costantini has eight goals, with Katherine Zalar at six goals and 10 assists. Marley Magruder has six goals and Daniela Brkic has five. No. 7 Ontario needed a shootout to get past Doylestown, before defeating Kalida in the regional final. They have outscored opponents, 97-14, with Taylor Eliot and Mackenna Papst at 17 goals and Abbey Brokaw at 15. Country Day defeated Bishop Fenwick in this game a year ago, the Silver Knights going on to win their first state title by defeating Laurel, 5-2. They have outscored six playoff foes, 27-0, and have an 86-7 scoring edge for the year. Bishop Fenwick won the 2008 title and knocked off Country Day, 1-0, in September. They have blanked five tournament opponents, 24-0.

Championship: Friday at Columbus Crew Stadium, noon.

Weeden was the player most responsible for the Browns' latest defeat. And there comes a point, even for a rookie, when a team has a right to expect him to deliver victories. Week 9 is well past that point.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Quarterback is the most important position in football and arguably the most important position in all of pro sports.

Of the quarterback's many responsibilities, throwing the ball is by far the most important -- especially in today's NFL.

The Plain Dealer and cleveland.com will track the Cleveland Browns' passing plays this season using a series of categories. The objective is to search for clues/patterns/tendencies that can help explain why rookie Brandon Weeden -- or, if the need arises, a sub -- performed the way he did.

Week 9:

Cleveland Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden throws a pass intended for Trent Richardson in the third quarter of the Ravens game Sunday. It was intercepted, John Kuntz, The Plain Dealer

How to use the database

• First, choose a quarterback.
• After that, choose one or more of the other options for comparisons, such as Receiver, or Pressure, or Direction of throw.  (Tip: Don't choose too many.)
  
• Click search. You will need to scroll right and left to see all the matched results.
  You can sort the results and look for more patterns by clicking on the heading of any.  Click on "Throw #" at far right to put the throws back into their original order.

Here is all our homework as a spreadsheet.  
You can drag and move the dialog box to see it better, and you can copy and paste the spreadsheet into one of your own if you wish.

The Ohio High School Athletic Association called the forfeit fiasco involving Mayfield, Cleveland Heights, Beachwood and Edgewood "an educational piece." What did we learn? Plenty.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter, The Plain DealerMayfield football player Kai Pritchard, facing camera, hugs teammate Phoenix Hardy on Saturday after a first-round playoff loss to St. Edward. The loss ended the season and also ended a trying week in which the Wildcats had to use the courts in a fight to keep its playoff berth.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The football playoffs are to high school sports what the March Madness is to college basketball -- great sports theater.

Last week we witnessed theater of the absurd. Three court rulings, each conflicting with the next, eventually determined Mayfield and Ashtabula Edgewood were in the playoffs, and Cleveland Heights and Beachwood were out.

It wasn't until five hours before kickoff Friday that Edgewood knew it was playing Brookfield, and Beachwood learned its season was over, while Mayfield was reinstalled as St. Edward's opponent Saturday, and Cleveland Heights stayed home.

As bizarre as that was, it could have been much worse. Had Judge Richard McMonagle not thrown up his hands Friday afternoon and said, "Enough!" before issuing what he said was the least unfair decision, we might still be in court today with the state playoffs in complete disarray.

The Ohio High School Athletic Association ended the wild week by calling the process "an educational piece."

What did we learn?

Plenty:

1. Some laugh at the Cleveland Metropolitan School District and its Senate Athletic League for apparent ineptitude, but as this case demonstrated, Cleveland schools are a standard bearer. Cleveland's academic requirements for athletes is far more rigorous than the state minimum, as well as many other districts. Cleveland student-athletes must maintain at least a 2.0 grade-point average with no Fs, and have a weekly eligibility card signed by each teacher.

The OHSAA minimum standard is passing five one-credit classes. So, a student can have 5 Ds and an F and still be eligible.

"If you bring home 5 Ds and an F, heck no you should not be playing," Cleveland schools athletics chief Leonard Jackson said. "What the heck are you going to school for? That's OK? No. That's just not right."

The OHSAA has such a low bar to encourage participation, especially among at-risk kids. Cleveland is an example tougher standards can work, and it is time the OHSAA -- and more to the point, its 820 member schools -- consider raising the bar.

2. What happens when a school's standard and the OHSAA's standard conflict?

That was the crux of the issue last week. Cleveland's higher standard resulted in John F. Kennedy's football forfeit to John Adams, and the ripple effect washed over the four schools involved in the legal wrangling.

The OHSAA did not recognize the forfeit because the student met the OHSAA's lower standard.

In the OHSAA bylaws, 10-2-1 states: "All athletic contests in which ineligible players have participated shall be forfeited."

The OHSAA interpreted that to mean "ineligible by OHSAA standards, not school standards."

That bylaw obviously needs to be re-worded.

The larger issue is whether the OHSAA should honor countless different district standards that are higher than its own.

The OHSAA encourages schools and coaches to have higher standards. However, by not honoring its members' standards, the bylaw effectively undercuts the higher standard.

What football coaches learned is their school standards don't matter in the end. A school district can say it requires a 3.0 grade-point average, but a coach can play an entire lineup of five Ds and an F and still get in the playoffs. Just wait until a parent demands his kid play with the 0.833 grade-point average because he meets the state standard.

3. In the words of Cleveland Heights coach Jeff Rotsky, "a forfeit is a forfeit is a forfeit" -- or is it?

The OHSAA really doesn't care if a school forfeits in the 15 sports not named football. If a school reports a violation and forfeits in field hockey or basketball, the OHSAA will make a note of it, but not much else.

Football is a different animal, and that's why the OHSAA was willing to take this case to the Ohio Supreme Court, if necessary. Football is the only sport where postseason participation is earned, not guaranteed, and forfeits can affect the playoff field. A lot is at stake, including its No. 1 source of revenue.

The problem is, the OHSAA forfeiture bylaws do not address the football distinction and the court case exposed the OHSAA in this area.

OHSAA bylaws prohibit schools from mutually agreeing to waive a forfeit, but they do not address voluntary forfeits. Schools cannot be permitted to forfeit just because they think they can.

The OHSAA fought back in court because it is concerned schools with different standards can use those standards to manipulate the system, intentionally forfeiting to help one school, or to harm another. When it comes to high school football, anything is possible.

4. Finally, what if JFK had finished eighth for the final seed in its football region and the self-imposed forfeit would have dropped it out of the playoffs, as applied to the computer standings? Given the OHSAA's bylaw, it would be forced to grant JFK a playoff berth it admittedly did not earn.

Imagine being the ninth team in that scenario. Judge McMonagle would be back in the playoff bracket business and the theater of the absurd would have another run.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

twarsinskey@plaind.com, 216-999-4661

On Twitter: @TimsTakePD

Previous columns: cleveland.com/timstake

Yes, Brandon Weeden and Pat Shurmur had bad days against Baltimore. But it makes no sense to make changes at this point, Terry Pluto writes.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter, The Plain DealerSunday was a rough day for Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden, but it's not the time to put the rookie on the bench.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Let's start with the fact that Brandon Weeden had a bad day in the Browns' 25-15 loss to Baltimore.

No, it was a really bad day for the Browns' quarterback.

And the coaching staff had a bad day, especially on offense.

No, make that a very bad day, which happens when a team has to waste three of its six timeouts trying to get the proper plays called the right way.

How much did Weeden's frustrating afternoon have to do with the problems in play calling?

Before digging into the various malfunctions for the orange helmets, I just want to say two things:

1. Sorry Colt McCoy fans, I don't want to change quarterbacks.

2. Nor do I want to change coaches during the bye week.

That's because:

1. The Browns must find out about Weeden. He's 29, and he needs to play. A few weeks ago, most fans were upbeat about the rookie from Oklahoma State. They still should be intrigued.

2. I hate interim coaches. Think substitute teacher. If you want to replace Pat Shurmur, you turn to either Brad Childress or Dick Jauron. Both are on the staff. Both are from the same coaching tree as Shurmur. There will be no major changes in how they approach the game.

3. The players haven't quit on the coach. They are the youngest team in the league with a 2-7 record facing a schedule ranked the fourth-toughest in the NFL at the start of the season.

4. No veteran coach wants to take over a 2-7 team. A big-name coach would want a draft, a free-agent period, mini-camps and all the rest to prepare for his first season.

5. I have no issues with allowing Shurmur to finish the season and then making a final judgment when it's over.

6. That also goes for Weeden. Hopefully, he stays healthy enough to start all 16 games and we can study his progress.

Now, back to what happened on Sunday . . .

This is the first time this season the Browns had what Shurmur called "communication issues" between the coaches and the quarterback on the field. The coach is talking about "streamlining" the play-calling process, which also includes getting the right people on the field for the designed play.

Is it possible the coaches over-planned and had too many plans and schemes to try and ambush a team that continually torments the Browns?

No doubt.

Is it probable that Weeden was stuck in a rookie rut, worried about throwing interceptions and making bad plays?

I'd bet on it.

Could that have led to some "communication issues" with the bench?

Absolutely.

This much is certain, the Browns were very worried about Baltimore's future Hall of Fame safety Ed Reed. Weeden mentioned Reed before the game. He mentioned Reed after the game.

Weeden was 20-of-37 passing for a modest 176 yards. Zero touchdowns. Two interceptions. Only four completions for at least 10 yards. It was his worst performance since his nightmarish four-interception pro debut.

At Monday's press conference, Shurmur said: "One guy that roams around the middle of the field for these guys, Ed Reed, he has an effect on me too. There are times when he's supposed to play half coverage and you find him in the middle or on the other side. He's kind of a UFO in there. That has an effect on some of the balls you throw down the field in the middle of the field, just because he's an outstanding ball hawk."

There were times when Weeden glanced down field, and then quick threw to fullback Alex Smith. Too quickly, in some cases.

Baltimore's defense had him nervous. Very nervous. Even though he was sacked only once and not hit very often.

Rookie quarterbacks starting for depressed franchises have some dismal days, especially against one of the league's elite franchises that was desperate for a victory and coming off a bye week to prepare.

Now, the Browns have a bye week to regroup.

Change the coach? No. Change the quarterback? No.

But there have to be some changes made in the approach to the offense, be it play calling (especially in the red zone and third-and-short yardage situations), or simply getting the plays to the quarterback and the team lined up correctly.

And that must be done if the Browns are to show any significant progress in final seven games.

The wild 'n' crazy side of Pat Shurmur's play calling worked no better in Sunday's loss to the Ravens than the conservative one did on some of his red-zone calls Sunday. And no better than his excessive caution in the loss two weeks ago to the Colts.

Joshua Gunter / The Plain DealerCoach Pat Shurmur makes his feelings known to an official during the Browns' loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Sometimes, Clevelanders watch the Browns, and, as coach Pat Shurmur said, "We saw all the craziness."

Shurmur said that in the context of the touchdown negated by an illegal-formation penalty. But others saw it in Sunday's 10-point loss to Baltimore: bi-polar play-calling worthy of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Shurmur.

Shurmur - whose team punted on fourth-and-1 at the Indianapolis Colts' 41 just over a fortnight ago - trailing by four points with 6 1/2 minutes left, went for it on fourth-and-2 at the Browns' own 28 Sunday, down by seven points, with just under 4 minutes left.

When stuff like this happens, the Looney Tunes theme starts to play in my head. Is it just me?

In baseball, they say of great pitchers that "you have to get them early, or you won't get them at all." That's because the hurlers settle in and find their rhythm after an inning or two. But quarterback Brandon Weeden, a former minor-league pitcher, never found his touch.

The fourth-and-2 pass to Greg Little was more in keeping with Ricky "Wild Thing" Vaughn's offerings in "Major League." Jussst a bit high.

When the word "clunker" was used to describe Weeden's day, Shurmur agreed. "That's a good word," he said.

Shhh. I just heard a few bars of "Yakety Sax." Or maybe it was the music ("12th Street Rag") from "The Sting."

All these years on the quarterbacking carousel, and "clunker" is the word of the day? Say it and you get to move up in the first round for a 29-year-old rookie quarterback?

I've been a Weeden guy because of his powerful arm. But as the pressure mounts to impress new owner Jimmy Haslam with something besides a ribbon for perfect attendance at all the games, Shurmur has to find a balance between suppressing and indulging his not-that-young quarterback's gunslinger mentality.

The Browns managed only five red-zone field goals vs. the Ravens. They played with a degree of caution that Shurmur expressed as, "You have to have a huge amount of concern for (protecting) the football."

At the same time, he said, "There were a couple of plays where we could have been more heroic and aggressive."

So at the end he renounced his inner Eric Mangini, the field goal connoisseur, and turned into "Riverboat" Sam Rutigliano, the Red Right 88 master-mind.

"What I'd like us to do is execute," Shurmur said of the fourth-and-2. "Give them a better play and make it. I watched a game last night, the Giants punted in that situation and never saw the ball again. Being that we did get the ball back, I would consider doing something different if I can be guaranteed to get the ball back."

The Browns did indeed get the ball back in Indianapolis in their four-point loss, by the way. Twice, in fact. The first came after losing 28 yards of field position on an exchange of punts and the second occurred at their own 20 with 1 second to play. Everybody but the Stanford band was running around on the field as the last-ditch lateral play unfolded.

Sunday on the fourth-and-2, the defense had just surrendered the go-ahead touchdown against the Ravens. Asked if that leakage was a factor in his decision, Shurmur said, "No. There was some pretty darn good defense. (Give) credit to (the Ravens), they ground out an 82-yard drive with a couple of chunks (of yardage) and the T.J. play."

The reference was to a roughing penalty on T.J. Ward that was worthy of a replacement ref's call.

"I need to get a clarification on that," said Shurmur.

The fourth-and-2 failure set up an easy field goal for 10-point deficit and seemed, effectively, to end the game. Not so, said Shurmur. After deploring the quick touchdown that got away on the next series with Weeden's second interception, he said, "We gotta onside kick and do what we gotta do. In my opinion the game's not over there."

He also said, "Last year we played the Ravens here, they beat the breaks off of us. This year we had a chance to beat 'em."

Whatever the reference to breaks being thrashed off meant, the overall theme was that the Browns were in another game; played hard to the end; and haven't quit, bless their hearts.

On the bright side, the bye week is at hand. The Browns are slight favorites over nobody.

The Cavaliers make a trip to the west coast tonight to face the Los Angeles Clippers. Get Twitter updates from Mary Schmitt Boyer (@PDCavsInsider) and Jodie Valade (@JodieValade) in the box below. Check out the in-game box score here. Read on for a game preview. Tip-off is scheduled for 10:30 p.m.

The Cavaliers make a trip to the west coast tonight to face the Los Angeles Clippers. Get Twitter updates from Mary Schmitt Boyer (@PDCavsInsider) and Jodie Valade (@JodieValade) in the box below. Check out the in-game box score here. Read on for a game preview. Tip-off is scheduled for 10:30 p.m.

View full sizeAP Photo/Mark J. TerrillLos Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin, left, and Memphis Grizzlies guard Quincy Pondexter battle for a rebound during the first half of their NBA basketball, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012.

The CBS analyst says the rookie QB missed several chances at big plays in Sunday's loss to Baltimore, and added that it appears the game is still moving a bit too fast for Weeden.

Brandon Weeden made some poor decisions on Sunday against the Ravens, failing to spot some open receivers and deciding not to throw to other receivers who were open. John Kuntz, The Plain Dealer

BEREA, Ohio -- Former NFL MVP quarterback Rich Gannon, who's analyzed the past two Browns games on CBS and watched most of Brandon Weeden's snaps this season, says the rookie regressed against the Ravens and needs to step up his game.

"I spent 10 years in this offense, so I know it like the back of my hand," said Gannon, who was hard on Weeden during the telecast of the Browns' 25-15 loss Sunday. "I've watched most of their games this season, and I talked to Brandon during the week. He said he's seeing the field better, the game's slowing down, his footwork's better, he's more confident. But as I watched the game, I think he took a step back."

A four-time Pro Bowler and MVP in 2002, Gannon said Weeden is slow on his reads and missed plenty of throws.

"It just seemed like he locked on to his primary receiver and then he's missing the shallow cross or the drag," said Gannon. "I know that [coach] Pat Shurmur and [offensive coordinator] Brad Childress are taking a lot of criticism right now, but there were plays to be had in that game and I didn't know where his eyes were."

Gannon said Weeden should be more efficient nine games into the season despite the fact he's a rookie. He's tumbled to second-last in the NFL with a 67.9 passer rating. He's also second-last with a 55.1 completion percentage and 30th out of 33 with an average gain of 6.21 yards per attempt. He's also 31st in third-down passing (59.9 rating) and 32nd in fourth-quarter passing (63.2 rating). Against the Ravens, the Browns penetrated the red zone five times and emerged with five field goals. They're now second-last in red-zone efficiency and have scored six red zone TDs (three passes), tied for last in the NFL.

Overall, the Browns are averaging 18.7 points per game, 25th in the NFL.

"He's played a lot of football, and let's be honest, it's not like it's the most complicated system to run right now," Gannon said. "They've got a handful of concepts, and there's not a ton of personnel groupings, and formations and shifts and motions, which is to be expected in year one of the offense."

Gannon said the coaches are calling good plays, but Weeden's missing too many. He completed 20 of 37 attempts (54 percent) for 176 yards, with no TDs and two interceptions for a 44.4 rating.

"As he sits in there with them to watch the film, I think he'd be sick to his stomach," said Gannon.

He cited a number of throws that Weeden missed.

"He had (Chris) Ogbonnaya wide open down the sideline (at the Ravens 40) and he's going to score, and he takes an extra hitch to see it -- to really see it -- and he then he overthrows him. The (pass interference) call on Josh Gordon there was awful, but they had everything they wanted on that throw and he can't miss it."

During the telecast, Gannon admonished Weeden after he threw behind Trent Richardson in the second quarter.

"You're going to get these backs killed," he said. "You've got to trust your feet. . . . He's late moving through his progressions. He's got to see things. The game has not slowed down."

Later, when Ed Reed dropped an interception on a pass intended for Jordan Cameron near the 25, Gannon showed Gordon wide open over the middle near the 40.

"This is just getting to be ridiculous," Gannon observed. After Cary Williams' pick on the next play, Gannon ripped Weeden for throwing to Cameron when he wasn't looking and noted the Browns need to "settle Weeden back down."

He cited other misses, including the overthrow to Greg Little on that fateful fourth-and-2 play in the fourth quarter, and the throw to Travis Benjamin down the left side that was picked off by Reed near the end of the game. Shurmur said of the Little miss, "there were five receivers in the route, so we've got to do a better job." Of that last pick, Shurmur said: "Benjamin is running wide open down the boundary. That could've been a quick TD right there." He hinted that Weeden could have been more "heroic and aggressive" in the red zone.

Gannon complimented Weeden for his 18-yard TD to Gordon that was nullified by Ogbonnaya's illegal formation penalty, but said he needs more like that.

"I read the coaches' lips a couple of times when he came to the sidelines and he said, 'Why didn't you throw it?' and that was my thought on a couple of them."

Gannon said it's obvious Weeden has the physical tools to excel at this level.

"He makes some throws where you say, 'The guy can spin it,' " said Gannon. "It's just that he's not playing fast, and when you're late, you speed things up and you miss throws. That's what we're seeing right now. If he's in rhythm, and the ball's coming out on time, he can be very accurate."

Gannon stressed that he's not picking on Weeden.

"I really like the kid and I want to see him succeed," he said. "But I know he's struggling and you've got to understand that this offense is all about 70 percent completion percentage. That's the goal. It's based on timing and rhythm and he can't miss those throws when he's got them."

Unfortunately, Gannon said, there's no magic formula to improve.

"He's a guy that needs a ton of reps," he said. "Every time out there is a new learning experience for him. The bottom line is, he needs to play better."

Plain Dealer Reporter Dennis Manoloff contributed to this story.

Although Irving and Paul have a good relationship, Scott warned the Cavs' point guard that Paul is a "silent assassin" during a game.

View full sizeRichard Hartog, Associated PressChris Paul, here shooting over Golden State's Stephen Curry, has no friends on the basketball court.

Los Angeles -- Cavaliers coach Byron Scott was going to warn Kyrie Irving about Chris Paul before the two faced off against each other for the first time Monday night in Staples Center.

Scott coached Paul in New Orleans before Paul was traded to the Clippers and Scott joined the Cavs. Irving missed last season's game against the Clippers (a 99-92 victory in Cleveland on Feb. 8) with a concussion.

"Kyrie knows Chris Paul pretty well," Scott said after Monday morning's shootaround. "I know after he got drafted by us, Chris and him talked about what to expect from me, basically. So I think they bonded, [have] a little bit of a friendship. But I think Kyrie, because he didn't play against him last year, doesn't know exactly who Chris Paul is.

"Chris Paul is great off the court as your friend, but on the court, Chris Paul is not your friend. Chris Paul is a silent assassin. The kid wants to win, and he's going to do whatever he has to do to win that game. After the game, you can be friends again. I don't know if that's something Kyrie knows about him, but it's definitely something I'm going to have to tell him about him because the kid's going to come at his throat."

Scott admits the two are very similar.

"I think the biggest difference right now is you've got a seven-, eight-year vet in Chris Paul . . . his leadership is unquestionable," Scott said. "When he's on the floor, you know who the leader on that team is. If you watch him in the huddle, you know who the leader of that team is. We're trying to get to that point, and Kyrie is still trying to get to that point. He's still learning as far as trying to be a leader. That's Chris Paul. It took him his first two years with me, he was learning and growing into that. About the third or fourth year, you could tell it was his team. It's been like that no matter where he's been. Kyrie will get there."

Poll position: Scott voted early last week before leaving on this trip, but he did not address the subject with his players before the team left.

"I don't talk to guys about voting, I don't talk to guys about their religious beliefs," the coach said.

Tyler Zeller and Jon Leuer voted absentee in Indiana and Minnesota, respectively. Dion Waiters and Luke Walton found out that they missed the deadline to register.

"I'm kind of upset," Waiters said. "I would like for [Barack] Obama to win."

Walton is pulling for Obama, too.

"As long as Barack wins, I'm good," he said. "I donated my money. I tried to register in Ohio, and they told me I had to do it 30 days prior. I didn't re-register in L.A. I tried to do it in Ohio. I figured my vote would be more important in Ohio, but the website told me I couldn't do it. My fingers are crossed."

No fine: A league spokesman said Monday that Scott will not be fined for his comments about the clock starting late on Brandon Jennings' game-winning 3-pointer Saturday night in Milwaukee. The spokesman also said the league reviewed the video and found no issue. A super slow-motion replay seemed to show Jennings catching the ball and reaching the top of his jump before the clock started. The spokesman said human reaction time makes it impossible for the clock to actually start on the catch.