COLUMBUS -- A week after shooting as if they were blindfolded, the 10th-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball team regained its touch. Deshaun Thomas scored 17 points and four others also hit double digits as Ohio State shot 57 percent from the field in an 87-44 victory over Chicago State on Saturday. "When we made our first shot today,...

View full size Ohio State's Sam Thompson throws down two points during the Buckeyes' 87-44 win Saturday over visiting Chicago State. Eamon Queeney, Columbus Dispatch  

COLUMBUS -- A week after shooting as if they were blindfolded, the 10th-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball team regained its touch.

Deshaun Thomas scored 17 points and four others also hit double digits as Ohio State shot 57 percent from the field in an 87-44 victory over Chicago State on Saturday.

"When we made our first shot today, I turned to the coaches and said, 'Hey, we're 1-for-1. That's 1,000 percent. This is awesome,' " coach Thad Matta said, smiling. "I was pleased with how we shot the ball today."

The game was Ohio State's first since losing, 74-66, to No. 6 Kansas a week earlier. In that game, the Buckeyes played good defense and worked to get open on offense but could not hit shots -- even when unguarded. They mustered just 31 percent shooting from the field (20-of-65).

Against Chicago State, they hit 33 of 58 shots from the field, including 8 of 17 3-pointers (47 percent).

Much of that success came after the Buckeyes had tried to shoot over a Chicago State zone. After a while, however, they decided to go inside more and drive to the basket. That strategy paid huge dividends.

"If you look at the numbers, we shot more game-like shots throughout practice and the week we had off," said point guard Aaron Craft, who finished with 10 points -- his first double-figure scoring game since November. "We're taking shooting a little more seriously."

LaQuinton Ross added 15 points, Lenzelle Smith Jr. had 13, and Amedeo Della Valle had a career-high 11 for the Buckeyes (10-2), who complete an eight-game homestand when they host Nebraska in the Big Ten opener Wednesday.

Ohio State built a 37-24 lead at the half but then completely overwhelmed the Cougars.

"They came out in the second half and they let us know, 'We're the big boys.' They came and let us know, 'We are a top-10 team,' " Chicago State coach Tracy Dildy said. "The second half was all Ohio State."

Quinton Pippen, a nephew of ex-Chicago Bulls star Scottie Pippen, had 12 points for Chicago State (3-12), which fell to 0-11 away from home with its fourth straight defeat.

After hitting five of their final six shots from the field to end the half and build that 13-point lead, the Buckeyes opened the second half by making their first four attempts from the field. A 10-2 blitz at the outset of the second half swelled the lead to 47-26.

The Cougars never got closer than 17 points again.

Although Ohio State shot much better from the field, it had an awful day at the free-throw line. The Buckeyes managed to make just 13 of 27 free throws. It got so bad there was derisive cheering whenever a player hit a foul shot in the second half.

"I'm very disappointed about it," said Smith, who was 0-for-4 at the line. "It lets me know what I've got to work on. When I step to the line, I've got to be able to knock those down."

The Buckeyes will continue to work on their shooting. They also had a bad night from the field in their only other loss, a 73-68 setback at Duke in which they shot just 33 percent from the field.

The Brecksville Bees -- the 25th-best wrestling program in the country heading into their 52nd annual Holiday Wrestling Tournament -- went 3-0 in championship matches, 5-0 in the championship round and placed eight wrestlers in the top eight en route to 191.5 team points and their first team trophy here since 1996.

Brecksville sophomore Austin Assad celebrates his individual championship at 106 pounds during the 52nd annual Holiday Wrestling Tournament at Brecksville High on Saturday night. LISA DEJONG / THE PLAIN DEALER  

It was about as perfect a home tournament for the Brecksville Bees as one could imagine.

The Bees -- the 25th-best wrestling program in the country heading into their 52nd annual Holiday Wrestling Tournament -- went 3-0 in championship matches, 5-0 in the championship round and placed eight wrestlers in the top eight en route to 191.5 team points and their first team trophy here since 1996.

"The thing that stands out to me the most is that we had a solid finish," Brecksville head coach Todd Haverdill said. "I think we had an average day [Friday]. To their credit, they're pretty good to where we could hold down a lead with an average day. I think they came in today and made a statement.

"To have eight place winners at this tournament, with three finalists and five guys going 5-0 tonight [in the final round] is tremendous. Winning the team championship is a great accomplishment for these kids, but I think it's more about our performance. It's proof that our hard work is paying off."

Seniors Aaron Assad (112) and Quinton Hiles (170), along with sophomore Austin Assad (106), claimed individual championships for the Bees. All three came in impressive fashion.

The best of the three may have been the last.

Aaron Assad took on Davison (Mich.) sophomore Lincoln Olson, who came in with a career record of 47-0 and was nationally ranked, having won a national championship at Tulsa, Okla. However, it was Assad who looked like the nationally ranked wrestler in the finals, and he was voted the tournament's Most Valuable Wrestler as a result.

Assad had a takedown and a near-fall midway through the second period that helped propel him to a dominating 10-5 victory over Olson, making a statement not just for Brecksville wrestling, but for Ohio wrestling in general.

"My mindset was to dominate the whole entire match," said Assad, who won his first career Brecksville Tournament championship. "I'm never scared of anyone. I wrestled some tough kids at the Ironman and at the Beast [of the East] and I've beaten some tough kids at those tournaments, so I was confident that I could win. I wasn't nervous or scared at all."

Hiles, meanwhile, had to defeat not one, but two defending Ohio state champions to claim his first career Brecksville title. He defeated Nelsonville-York's Zach Mays -- the top-seeded wrestler at the tournament -- 6-3 in the semifinals before dominating Clyde's Chris Moore by major decision, 11-3, in the finals.

"I'm so proud of my team," Hiles said. "I was blessed to be one of the captains of this team, and I'm so proud of how hard we worked and how far we've came so far this season. We're just trying to keep moving forward. This is great, but we're not satisfied."

Austin Assad set the table for his brother's outstanding match by pinning Teas Valley's Luke Nace in 3:17 to win the 106-pound championship.

Haverdill was proud of his three champions.

"We wrestled the Ironman, we wrestled the Beast, these kids wrestled at Fargo, they've wrestled the best competition you can ask for," he said. "I feel really confident that they are all prepared and I think they've bought into the program and they believe they've wrestled the best competition in the country.

"Regardless of where they're seeded or what credentials the kid across from them has, when they step onto the line, they expect to win."

Davison, which came in as one of the top wrestling programs in Michigan, did not win an individual championship and finished third with 121.5 points, behind Brecksville and Wauseon (132). Clyde (119) finished fourth.

Other placers for the Bees included Austin Strnad (fifth, 152), Josh Murphy (third, 195), Austin Linden (seventh, 220), Sonny Lucas (eighth, 138) and Troy Long (eighth, 180).

Other than the Brecksville trio, there was only one other area wrestler to claim an individual championship Saturday night.

Lake Catholic junior Anthony Tutolo, in the only all-area championship bout, defeated St. Ignatius junior Tommy Ziegler, 5-0, to claim the 126-pound championship. Tutolo has handed Ziegler both of his losses this season.

"I know I'm on the right path to where my goal is to be at the end of the season," Tutolo said. "I'm pretty proud of myself to win this. It's been a good start to my season, and I'm looking forward to keeping this going."

Padua's Tom McNulty (152), Barberton's Aaron Tschantz (195) and Vernon Bowe (220), and Perry's Billy Miller (285) were all individual runners-up.

      St. Edward and University School sport two of the best hockey programs in The Plain Dealer's seven-county coverage area. 

    St. Edward and University School sport two of the best hockey programs in The Plain Dealer's seven-county coverage area. 

    So it wasn't too surprising when the Eagles edged US, 2-1, on Saturday to win their own tournament. 

    Eleven-time state champion St. Edward had junior left winger Tyler Harkins score both goals as senior center Gabe Lampron assisted on both. 

    The two-time state champion Preppers got their goal from Jack Linderman. 

    Eagles goalie Justyn Gillis finished with 26 saves while US netminder Alec Silver had 34. 

Kenston 4, Villa Angela-St. Joseph 1 The Bombers won the Cleveland Heights Holiday Tournament as Jack Javorsky's two goals paced the winning effort.  

Girls basketball 

No. 1 Twinsburg 62, Goodrich (Mich.) 48 The defending Division I state champion Tigers (12-0) ran their win streak to 26 games with the Motor City Roundball Classic victory behind the 18-point effort of Purdue recruit Ashley Morrissette. Cleveland State recruit Brooke Smith added 17 points and Baleigh Reid chipped in with 13 points.  

No. 8 Hudson 73, Austintown Fitch 54 The Explorers (8-2) grabbed a 24-8 lead after the first quarter and won the nonleague road game. Youngstown State recruit Hannah Boesinger scored a game-high 23 points, while Allison Zullo and Jackie Ulmer added 14 and 13 points, respectively.  

No. 9 Archbishop Hoban 58, Firestone 36 Meghan Donohue (21 points) and Sandra Dickos (16) combined for 25 of the Knights' (7-2) 36 first-half points. Imani Scott's 15 points in the second half led the Falcons.  

Lake Ridge Academy 54, No. 24 Cleveland Heights 51 Sharday Baines scored a game-high 23 points as the Lions (8-2) upset the host Tigers to win the Cleveland Heights Hoops In The Heights Tournament.  

Mentor 83, Eastlake North 49 The Cardinals (7-3) raced out to a 43-29 halftime lead, then coasted to the Mayfield Holiday Tournament title as Courtney Schutz, Kayla Gabor and Lauren Stefancin totaled 19, 13 and 11 points. North's Lynsey Englebrecht scored a game-high 26 points.  

Lakewood 70, Buchtel 30 The Rangers (9-1) got balanced scoring with Erin Hoffert's 15 points and 12 points by Madison Clause leading the way.  

Euclid 58, Willoughby South 30 The Panthers (7-2) won the Holiday Tournament they hosted after sprinting to a 32-14 halftime lead. Caroline Stewart and Amanda Gibson combined for 25 of Euclid's points.  

Fairport 49, Wickliffe 41 Hannah Hites' 12 points helped the Skippers (6-5) earn the Wickliffe Holiday Tournament crown.  

North Royalton 52, Padua 32 The Bears (7-3) won their own Holiday Tournament behind Allison Smolinski's 10 points. Seven of those points came in the second quarter when Royalton held an 18-8 scoring edge for a 27-13 lead at intermission. 

Boys basketball 

No. 2 St. Edward 63, No. 8 Brunswick 49 The Eagles (7-2) led from start to finish in winning the Brunswick Holiday Hoops Tournament. St. Edward, which held a 13-9 first-quarter lead, had Tony Vuyancih connect for two 3-pointers as part of his 18-point effort. Marsalis Hamilton and Kipper Nichols followed with 17 points and 14 points, respectively. Zach Parker's 16 points paced Brunswick as both teams shot well from the foul line. The Eagles were 15-of-20 and Brunswick went 15-of-18 from the line.  

No. 3 St. Ignatius 94, No. 7 Cleveland Central Catholic 64 The game was decided by halftime when the Wildcats outscored Central Catholic in the second quarter, 39-8, to build a 57-24 lead. Francisco Santiago and Derek Sloan tallied 21 and 16 points, respectively, for St. Ignatius.  

No. 5 Mentor 66, Melrose (Tenn.) 63 The Cardinals (7-0) advanced to Monday's championship game of the Arby's Classic in Bristol, Tenn., as Conner Krizancic and Caleb Potter accounted for 14 and 12 points, respectively.  

No. 18 North Royalton 55, No. 17 Bedford 54 (OT) Freshman Omari Spellman was fouled on an offensive rebound with 0.3 seconds left in overtime, then made both free throws to turn a one-point deficit into a one-point victory in the title game of the North Royalton Holiday Tournament. The Bears, who made 17 of 21 free throws, had Travis Tarnowski net 15 points. Bedford's Aaron Beidleman led all scorers with 17.  

Fairview 75, Lake Ridge Academy 40 Kevin Kerchenski's 21 points and John Miles' 16 led the Warriors (3-5) to the road victory.  

Gilmour Academy 66, West Geauga 55 The Lancers won their own tournament as David Linane accounted for 15 points.  

Green 74, Akron East 65 The Bulldogs (8-0) remained unbeaten by catching fire with six 3-pointers to go into the halftime locker room with a 45-33 lead. Austin Marciniak made four of his five treys before halftime on his way to 24 points. Dan Fanelly added 17 points and 12 rebounds, while East was led by Brandon Townsend's 21 points and 12 rebounds. 

Wrestling 

Marion Harding Wrestling Classic Black River's 106-pound junior Sabastian Vidika was the lone area wrestler to win an individual title. The Pirates finished with 97.50 points, good for 12th place.  

Lorain Holiday Tournament Westlake had back-to-back champions in 170-pound/Most Valuable Wrestler Logan Paul and 182-pound Nayef Shouman as part of its third-place total of 186.5 points. 

     Riverside junior Nick Boggs began his Saturday evening on the championship mat at the Medina Invitational Tournament, where he was wrestling for the 132-pound title. Senior Evan Rosborough, Riverside's 220-pounder, was stationed just off the mat next to their coaches. 

   Riverside junior Nick Boggs began his Saturday evening on the championship mat at the Medina Invitational Tournament, where he was wrestling for the 132-pound title. Senior Evan Rosborough, Riverside's 220-pounder, was stationed just off the mat next to their coaches. 

    Ninety minutes later, Boggs and Rosborough traded places for the 220-pound final. The best friends were pulling for each other to become the first wrestlers from Riverside to win an individual title in 11 years of going to the prestigious MIT. 

    The schedule allowed Boggs the first chance at making school history, and he took it. He quickly took control against Bedford junior Shawn Williams, almost securing a pin in the first period, and taking a 5-0 lead. He held on for a 6-1 victory. 

    Boggs was unseeded and upset top-seeded Nick Burg, a junior from Richmond, Mich., on his way to the championship. He said being an underdog made the win even sweeter. 

    "Being the first from Riverside to win it and not being seeded at all and beating the first seed, it felt great," Boggs said. 

    Rosborough, who will wrestle for Lake Erie College next year, followed his best friend's performance with a 9-2 victory against Lexington sophomore Brian Faust. Rosborough said Boggs' win helped set the tone for his match. 

    "He set the momentum and let me carry it through my match," Rosborough said. "It's great to have a friend like that." 

    Coach Scott Blank and Rosborough said bringing home two individual championships was especially impressive for the Beavers considering the failed school levies in Painesville have forced Riverside to go to pay-to-play. 

    "Hopefully, it can show we're not ready to give up on our athletics," Rosborough said. "We're fighting harder than ever to prove something to our community even. Hopefully, they can recognize that we're out here trying to get it done and bring some pride back home." 

    In between Riverside's history-making victories, St. Edward locked up the team championship. Five Eagles won individual titles, helping them accumulate 286 points. Massillon Perry finished second with 237. 

    The Eagles won three consecutive weight classes, as seniors Colin Heffernan (138), Edgar Bright (145) and Markus Scheidel (152) each secured victories. Scheidel, who closed out the streak by fighting through a bloody nose for an 8-4 victory, said the Eagles were able to play off each other's momentum. 

    "I'm building off of their wins because if they win and I lose it's not looking too good for me," said Scheidel, who has committed to Columbia. "We feel like if we're taking first, then no one can beat us. The one goes after another." 

    In addition to the three consecutive champions, senior Domenic Abounader won the 182-pound title, and junior Ralph Nichols won the final championship of the night at 285 pounds. 

    The Eagles' team victory is their third in four years at the MIT. The Eagles skipped the tournament last year. 

    "This is a very, very tough tournament," coach Greg Urbas said. "If you can place here, you can place at state. That's the way we look at this tournament. That's how tough it is. So we're happy for our kids." 

    Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy edged Sandusky Perkins by half a point to win the Division II championship with 147.5 points. The Royals were led by senior Nathan Tomasello, who won the 120-pound championship and became the first wrestler in tournament history to be named Most Valuable Wrestler in back-to-back years. 

    Tomasello is a three-time state champion, but was struck by the honor of being the first wrestler in 38 years to win two MVP awards. 

    "I just thank God for giving me the talent to go out there and wrestle," Tomasello said. "To not only win it, but to be the MVP of the tournament, it's amazing." 

    Tomasello, an Ohio State commit, beat Perry junior David Bavery, 12-5, in the final. It was Tomasello's closest match of the tournament and the only time he didn't win by technical fall. 

    The Riverside duo of Boggs and Rosborough may not have been as dominant as St. Edward or Tomasello, but for Blank the MIT. was affirmation the Beavers are on the right track as a program. 

    "I've always been confident in my kids that they could do it," Blank said. "These two are the first to put it all together and actually believe in themselves, so that's kind of cool." 

Browns GM Tom Heckert knows he will be in demand if he ends up leaving Cleveland.

In just a few days, the Browns could find themselves competing with general manager Tom Heckert, likely to part ways with the Browns by Monday, for head coaching candidates.

Heckert made it clear in a quasi-farewell informal press conference earlier this month that he wanted to retain full authority over football decisions -- which is in his contract -- or that he'd likely be gone. He also stressed that he felt he'd have an opportunity elsewhere, and that it made his possible departure from the Browns more palatable.

With more than a dozen coach/GM jobs about to come open on Black Monday, Heckert figures to be hired soon, and he might be vying for some of the candidates as the Browns. Of course, wherever he goes, he's likely to try to lure his good friend Andy Reid, who's set be fired by the Eagles. Profootballtalk.com reported today that Reid has his sights on the Chargers job, which is also about to be vacant.

If Heckert lands in a spot where he has to hire a head coach, look for him to go after some of the same big names the Browns will, including Oregon's Chip Kelly, the "it'' candidate of this this offseason. 

And wherever Reid goes, he might call upon some of his old Eagles friends to join him, such as Pat Shurmur and Brad Childress.

The coaching carousel is about to turn on Black Monday, and it promises to be a wild ride.

Plain Dealer artist Chris Morris and the Plain Dealer sports staff present "Browns Town, an Illustrated Journal of the 2012 Cleveland Browns season" every weekend with the preview section for that Sunday's game.

 

Plain Dealer artist Chris Morris and the Plain Dealer sports staff present "Browns Town, an Illustrated Journal of the 2012 Cleveland Browns season" every weekend with the preview section for that Sunday's game.

For a closer look at the cartoon, click here. Mobile devices, try this link to open a browser. Look for the video-camera icon below to see a related video.

Sept. 9: Philadelphia Eagles	Sept. 16: Cincinnati Bengals	Sept. 23: Buffalo Bills	Sept. 27: Baltimore Ravens
Oct. 7: New York Giants	Oct. 14: Cincinnati Bengals	Oct. 21: Indianapolis Colts	Oct. 28: San Diego
Nov. 4: Baltimore Ravens	Nov. 18: Dallas Cowboys	Nov. 25: Pittsburgh Steelers	Dec. 2: Oakland Raiders
Dec. 9: Kansas City Chiefs	Dec. 16: Washington	Dec. 23: Denver Broncos	Dec. 30: Pittsburgh Steelers

Goalie Calvin Pickard makes 17 saves for his third shutout of the season.

View full size Monsters goalie Calvin Pickard this season has three shutouts, a 3.02 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage. Lake Erie Monsters  

Defenseman Stefan Elliot scored two goals and Calvin Pickard made 17 saves to earn his third shutout of the season as the Lake Erie Monsters blanked the Hamilton Bulldogs, 4-0, in front of 11,097 fans Saturday night at The Q.

Elliot opened the Monsters' scoring with a power-play goal at 18:23 of the first period on assists from Patrick Bordeleau and Mike Connolly.

After a scoreless second period, Elliot made it 2-0 at 5:13 of the third as center Brad Malone earned the assist. Center Mark Olver, who took nine of Lake Erie's 47 shots on goal, got one by the Hamilton goalie -- former Monster Cedrick Desjardins -- 18 seconds later to put the Monsters up, 3-0. Right wing Bill Thomas closed the scoring with a power-play goal at 8:24 on assists from Malone and defenseman Tyson Barrie.

Lake Erie (16-14-2-1) was 2-for-7 on the power play while the Bulldogs (11-16-1-2) were 0-for-3.

Monsters leading scorer Mike Sgarbossa, who missed Friday's game against Rochester with a lower body injury, did not play against the Bulldogs.

Millan joins Monsters: Colorado, the Monsters' NHL affiliate, reassigned rookie goaltender Kieran Millan to Lake Erie from the Denver Cutthroats. Millan, who played at Boston University, was a fifth-round selection of Colorado in 2009. The 23-year-old native of Edmonton, Alberta, had a 8-6-2 record with a 2.36 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage for the Cutthroats.

Hamilton 0 0 0--0

Lake Erie 1 0 3--4

FIRST PERIOD: 1, Lake Erie, Elliott 2 (Bordeleau, Connolly), 18:23 (PP). Penalties-Commodore Ham (tripping), 3:52; Hagel Ham (delay of game), 10:50; MacQueen Le (holding), 14:07; Commodore Ham (delay of game), 16:28; Chaput Ham (holding), 19:16.

SECOND PERIOD: No Scoring.Penalties-Heard Le (boarding), 9:47; Chaput Ham (tripping), 10:36; Beaupre Le (roughing), 15:10; Ellis Ham (boarding), 17:56.

THIRD PERIOD: 2, Lake Erie, Elliott 3 (Malone), 5:13. 3, Lake Erie, Olver 6 (MacQueen, Thomas), 5:31. 4, Lake Erie, Thomas 10 (Barrie, Malone), 8:24 (PP). Penalties-Avtsin Ham (hooking), 7:56; Tinordi Ham (fighting), 12:39; Heard Le (fighting), 12:39; Hagel Ham (fighting), 16:14; Bordeleau Le (fighting), 16:14; Gallagher Ham (fighting), 18:02; Connolly Le (fighting), 18:02; Commodore Ham (elbowing), 18:25; Beaupre Le (tripping), 18:25.

Goalies: Hamilton, Desjardins (41 shots-37 saves), Mayer (6-6); Lake Erie, Pickard (17-17). Shots on goal: Hamilton 4-8-5--17; Lake Erie 22-11-14--47. Power plays: Hamilton 0-3; Lake Erie 2-7. Ref: Ragusin, Sullivan. Linesmen: King, Wisner. A: 11,097.

Either Matt Cash is a hard guy to please or his expectations for his Nordonia basketball team are awfully high. Maybe a little of both.

Copley's Kenny Paramore defends a shot inside the paint by Roosevelt's Myles Wright during the second quarter of the Jack Greyynolds Classic at Barberton High School on Saturday night. Copley won the game 78-57. - (Phil Masturzo/Akron Beacon Journal)

Either Matt Cash is a hard guy to please or his expectations for his Nordonia basketball team are awfully high.

Maybe a little of both.

With 6-7 senior Chris Scott and 5-11 guard Nick Piotrowski doing most of their damage in the first half, the Knights raised their record to 7-1 on Saturday with a thorough 77-52 victory over Canal Fulton Northwest in the penultimate game of the eighth annual Jack Greynolds Memorial Classic at Barberton High.

"We put up almost 80 points and that was, by far, the worst we've looked all year," said Cash, in his fourth year. "That was ugly. There was no energy, we had a lackluster effort."

Not everyone took the night off. Scott, included in The Plain Dealer's preseason preview as a player to watch, finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds and Piotrowski backed him by scoring 13 of his 18 points in the first half as the Knights took control in the second quarter.

Scott agreed with his coach.

"I want to win a championship because this is my senior year," said Scott, a physical force inside. "We're not going to get one if we play like that."

Piotrowski scored nine points in the first quarter, which ended with the Knights holding a 19-16 lead. Scott scored six points and pulled down eight rebounds in the second quarter, sparking the Knights outscore the Indians, 22-8.

Nordonia and Green appear to be the best the Suburban League has to offer. They do not meet until Jan. 11.

Barberton 56, Wooster 46 In the final game of the night, Barberton's Josh Williams did nothing to tarnish his ranking as one of the best sophomores in the area. The 6-3 guard led everyone with 26 points, getting 13 in each half, as the Magics improved to 5-2 overall. Senior Nate Painter chipped in with 16 points. The Magics had a 9-4 lead after the first quarter but caught fire in the second and went on a 22-11 run that produced a 31-15 halftime lead. Copley 78, Roosevelt 57 Senior Jayln Tyler led a quartet of double-figure scorers with 20 points as the Indians improved to 3-5. Northwestern 54, Manchester 53 Junior guard Malachi Nolletti scored one basket in the second half but it came at the buzzer in overtime to lead the Huskies. Senior Bryan Daily led Manchester (7-2) with 13 points. Archbishop Hoban 61, Massillon 53 The Knights, ranked 12th in The Plain Dealer Top 25, got 13 points from Christian Waite and Jaelin Hollinger and freshman Anthony Christian scored 10 of his 12 points in the fourth quarter. Hoban improved to 6-1. North Canton Hoover 84, Revere 60 A 24-point performance by Revere sophomore Zach Lalkowski was not enough as Hoover improved to 8-1. Senior Dom Iero led the Vikings with 29 points.

Just because the standings say the game is meaningless, though, does not make it so. Fans in both cities, no matter which team has the upper hand at the moment, subscribe to the notion that Steelers-Browns transcends won-lost records. If the game were played in a vacant lot in the off-season, it would matter.

Remember 1988

On Oct. 2, 1988, the Browns rode the Tongan Tank to a 23-9 victory in Pittsburgh. Tim Manoa rushed for 82 yards and one touchdown and Cleveland’s defense held Steve Bono and Bubby Brister to a combined 11-of-38 passing. On Nov. 20, 1988, Bernie Kosar threw touchdown passes to Derek Tennell and Reggie Langhorne as the Browns rolled the Steelers, 27-7, in Cleveland. What did not seem like an otherworldly accomplishment does now: The Browns have not had a season sweep of the Steelers since. They put themselves in position to do so this year with a 20-14 victory Nov. 25 in Cleveland. The Steelers had won four straight meetings and 16 of 17.

Disregard both teams’ records

The Steelers (7-8) were supposed to make the playoffs this season, with the finale against Cleveland being all about seeding. They seemed to be in good shape after 12 games (7-5), but the return of Ben Roethlisberger meant nothing more than losses and elimination. The Browns, to the surprise of no one, never were legit contenders. They opened 0-5 and sit 5-10. Just because the standings say the game is meaningless, though, does not make it so. Fans in both cities, no matter which team has the upper hand at the moment, subscribe to the notion that Steelers-Browns transcends won-lost records. If the game were played in a vacant lot in the off-season, it would matter.

Make sure Thad Lewis stays calm

Browns starting quarterback Brandon Weeden and backup Colt McCoy suffered shoulder injuries in the Denver debacle last week. It put first-team practice reps and the Pittsburgh start in the hands of Thaddeus Lewis. A product of Duke football, Lewis signed with St. Louis in 2010 as an undrafted free agent. He made the Cleveland roster out of camp this season but was waived Oct. 11 and signed to the practice squad two days later. Lewis will make his NFL debut as a starter, so he is the great unknown to both the Browns and Steelers. The odds are stacked against him, but so are the odds of a youngster realizing his dream to start one NFL game.

Assist Lewis with good defense

Lewis can’t possibly be asked to win the game by himself. The offense, in general, can’t be expected to handle Pittsburgh coordinator Dick LeBeau’s top-ranked defense anywhere, let alone in Heinz Field. What Browns coach Pat Shurmur should be able to bank on is a strong performance from his defense, which was a physical, turnover-causing machine Nov. 25. The Steelers have been decimated by injuries, especially on the offensive line, which has provided opportunities for opposing fronts. Pittsburgh quarterbacks have been sacked 35 times. Last week against Cincinnati, Roethlisberger was sacked four times on 24 drop-backs when the Bengals sent a standard pass rush.

Get our experts' picks on the Browns-Steelers game, plus capsule previews and Dennis Manoloff's predictions for the other games on the final Sunday of the NFL regular season.

Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers
When: Today, 1 p.m.
Where: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh.
TV/radio: WOIO Ch. 19; WMMS FM/100.7.

Plain Dealer Staff Predictions

Mary Kay Cabot
Record: 8-7
Steelers 20, Browns 16
End of season, end of Holmgren’s guys.

Bill Livingston
Record: 11-4
Steelers 35, Browns 5
Steelers a lot, Browns a little — what do you expect with Thad Matta or whoever it is playing QB?

Dennis Manoloff
Record: 9-6
Steelers 27, Browns 10
Steelers avoid first losing season in six under Mike Tomlin.

Terry Pluto
Record: 9-6
Browns 11, Steelers 10
Don’t ask me why I picked that score or the Browns to win, I just did. Glad the season will be over.

Tom Reed
Record: 10-5
Steelers 21, Browns 13
Ben Roethlisberger does just enough to improve to 15-1 versus the Browns.

Bud Shaw
Record: 11-4
Steelers 17, Browns 13
All the excitement of a Pirates-Indians game without the warmth.

Branson Wright
Record: 9-6
Steelers, 21 Browns 7
The real offensive fireworks start during the off-season. 

NFL Week 17 game capsules and Dennis Manoloff's picks

Chicago (9-6) at Detroit (4-11)
Kickoff:1 p.m. at Ford Field. TV: WJW Ch. 8.
Early line: Bears by 3.
D-Man's pick: Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson finish with a flourish. Lions, 27-17.

Green Bay (11-4) at Minnesota (9-6)
Kickoff: 4:25 p.m. at Mall of America Field. TV: WJW Ch. 8.
Early line: Packers by 3.
D-Man's pick: Adrian Peterson trumps Aaron Rodgers. Vikings, 24-21.

Miami (7-8) at New England (11-4)
Kickoff: 4:25 p.m. at Gillette Stadium. TV: WOIO Ch. 19.
Early line: Patriots by 10.
D-Man's pick: Bill Belichick and Tom Brady wrap this one by halftime. Patriots, 35-7.

Dallas (8-7) at Washington (9-6)
Kickoff: 8:20 p.m. at FedEx Field. TV: WKYC Ch. 3.
Early line: Redskins by 31⁄2.
D-Man's pick: Robert Griffin III overmatches Cowboys again. Redskins, 30-10.

Baltimore (10-5) at Cincinnati (9-6)
Kickoff:1 p.m. at Paul Brown Stadium.
Early line: Bengals by 3.
D-Man's pick: Bengals ride into playoffs on a high. Bengals, 24-12.

Carolina (6-9) at New Orleans (7-8)
Kickoff:1 p.m. at Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
Early line: Saints by 4.
D-Man's pick: Cam Newton and Drew Brees put on a show. Brees, Saints, prevail, 30-27.

Houston (12-3) at Indianapolis (10-5)
Kickoff:1 p.m. at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Early line: Texans by 51⁄2.
D-Man's pick: Andrew Luck finishes first regular season with strong performance. Colts, 20-17.

Jacksonville (2-13) at Tennessee (5-10)
Kickoff:1 p.m. at LP Field.
Early line: Titans by 51⁄2.
D-Man's pick: In matchup of two awful teams, Titans ride ground game to glory. Titans, 20-16.

N.Y. Jets (6-9) at Buffalo (5-10)
Kickoff:1 p.m. at Ralph Wilson Stadium.
Early line: Bills by 3.
D-Man's pick: Bills are lesser of two evils only because they are at home. Bills, 24-10.

Philadelphia (4-11) at N.Y. Giants (8-7)
Kickoff:1 p.m at MetLife Stadium.
Early line: Giants by 91⁄2.
D-Man's pick: Eagles have no shot. None. Giants, 27-6.

Tampa Bay (6-9) at Atlanta (13-2)
Kickoff:1 p.m. at Georgia Dome.
Early line: Off.
D-Man's pick: Falcons on autopilot still have more than enough for reeling Buccaneers. Falcons, 30-17.

Arizona (5-10) at San Francisco (10-4-1)
Kickoff: 4:25 p.m. at Candlestick Park.
Early line: 49ers by 15.
D-Man's pick: 49ers’ main opponent is boredom. 49ers, 24-6.

Kansas City (2-13) at Denver (12-3)
Kickoff: 4:25 p.m. at Invesco Field at Mile High.
Early line: Broncos by 16.
D-Man's pick: Peyton Manning encounters no difficulty in capping MVP-caliber season. Broncos, 38-3.

Oakland (4-11) at San Diego (6-9)
Kickoff: 4:25 p.m. at Qualcomm Stadium.
Early line: Off.
D-Man's pick: Norv Turner era in San Diego ends with decisive victory. Chargers, 30-10.

St. Louis (7-7-1) at Seattle (10-5)
Kickoff: 4:25 p.m. at CenturyLink Field.
Early line: Seahawks by 10.
D-Man's pick: Russell Wilson’s Seahawks are unstoppable at home. Seahawks, 35-13.

— From staff, wire reports

It looks as if there are many NBA franchises headed for a difficult new year.

View full size The Oklahoma City Thunder and Miami Heat got together on Christmas, but the participants in June's NBA Finals were not filled with the holiday spirit in the game, won by Miami. Pedro Portal, El Nuevo Herald, MCT  

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Tis the season?

The holiday spirit is in short supply around the NBA.

Miami's Dwyane Wade was suspended a game for "flailing his leg" into the groin of Charlotte's Ramon Sessions during the Heat's 105-92 victory on Wednesday night in Miami, and the Lakers' Dwight Howard was fined $35,000 and received a flagrant 2 foul after hitting Denver's Kenneth Faried in the face while he was driving to the basket in the third quarter of the Nuggets' 126-114 win on Wednesday night in Denver.

The Brooklyn Nets fired coach Avery Johnson on Thursday -- his wife's birthday -- and the Cavaliers cut guard Donald Sloan on Christmas, although since they'd claimed Shaun Livingston off waivers on Dec. 23 and were awarded his rights 48 hours later, the timing was out of their hands. Cavs coach Byron Scott said it was incredibly tough telling Sloan.

But players and coaches know the NBA is a business, and business goes on even when much of the country is on a holiday break.

The situations in Brooklyn and Los Angeles remain incredibly tense. Nets star point guard Deron Williams has gained the reputation as a coach killer after Johnson's firing and Jerry Sloan's resignation in Utah a couple of years ago. Howard, recovering from back surgery, is a shell of the player he was in Orlando. When Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni -- hired after the Lakers fired Mike Brown five games into the season -- was asked what impact losing Howard had on Wednesday's loss, he didn't mince words. "Not a whole lot," the coach said.

Looks like it's not going to be a happy new year for a lot of franchises.

Pat Shurmur and general manager Tom Heckert are expected to either be fired or part ways with new owner Jimmy Haslam and new CEO Joe Banner by Monday.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - It's become a Browns tradition over the past several years: Close out the season against the Steelers and then watch heads roll within 24 hours after the game.

Coach Pat Shurmur and general manager Tom Heckert are expected to either be fired or part ways with new owner Jimmy Haslam and new CEO Joe Banner by Monday, league sources told The Plain Dealer.

It's reminiscent of 2008, when former Browns coach Romeo Crennel and general manager Phil Savage lost their jobs following a 31-0 loss in Pittsburgh. Former Browns coach Eric Mangini suffered the same fate after losing 41-9 to the Steelers in 2010.

When Haslam agreed to buy the team in August and Banner took over in October, it was almost a foregone conclusion that the two would want to hit the ground running with their own people. Banner made it clear in an interview with The Plain Dealer in November that he had excellent candidates in mind at all positions to take the Browns to a championship level.

He also stressed that he wouldn't be one to stock the Browns with people he's worked with before, and that he'd rely on all the relationships he'd developed over the years.

Heading into today's game, Heckert and Shurmur both knew they'd be gone afterward even though they hadn't been informed yet, sources said.

"Listen, I get this, and my concerns are for my team and making sure that we do all the right things during the game to give our guys the best chance to win,'' said Shurmur, who heads in with a 9-22 record. "That’s where I’m at. We have not won enough football games, and I know that’s the way this things works, but in our situation I see improvement and I’ll leave it at that.''

In a conference call earlier this month, Banner vowed to make his decisions swiftly after the season. Shurmur and Heckert will either be informed after the game, or sometime Monday morning. That way, Shurmur won't be put in the awkward position of conducting the customary exit interviews with his players.

“I know what I want to do with the players on Monday from a scheduling standpoint, but nothing has been set as far as any official communication (with the higher-ups) or whatnot,'' Shurmur said Thursday. "Again, my thoughts right now are getting our team to Pittsburgh, playing the game and then getting our team back. Those are the thoughts that I have right now.”

Shurmur stressed the great job his staff did in developing all the young players on the roster -- 26 with less than two years' experience.

"We came into a less than ideal situation when we got here,'' said Shurmur. "I’m proud of the work that the guys that I hired did in terms of inspiring the players to improve. It’s a little different thought process when you’re working with so many young ones. There are certain things you’ve got to keep hammering home that when you’ve got a veteran crew, you know you talk about other things.''

With the ax falling on Monday, the Browns will quickly begin interviewing candidates for both their head coach and GM vacancies, and might have to compete with more than a dozen teams for the hottest candidates. It's not yet known if any members of the coaching staff or personnel department will remain.

 Some of the most coveted coaching candidates include Oregon's Chip Kelly and the following NFL offensive coordinators: Patriots' Josh McDaniels, 49ers' Greg Roman, Colts' Bruce Arians, Denver's Mike McCoy, Falcons' Dirk Koetter, Bengals' Jay Gruden, and Redskins' Kyle Shanahan. On the defensive side, former Browns assistant and Cleveland native Mel Tucker of the Jaguars is expected to draw interest.

Kelly, the offensive genius with the high-powered scheme and 45-7 record in four years at Oregon, will be coveted by the Panthers and Eagles, among others.

Then there are always the big-name candidates such former Bucs and Raiders coach Jon Gruden and former Steelers coach Bill Cowher, both of whom have some ties to Haslam. Alabama coach Nick Saban has been linked to the Browns, but sources have told the Plain Dealer that he's staying put.

 From a GM standpoint, multiple reports say Banner will turn to former Browns personnel executive and current NFL Network analyst Mike Lombardi, who worked here with Bill Belichick, to replace Heckert. Others have said Lombardi might have an opportunity with another team.

  Former Browns pro personnel assistant Scott Pioli might be let go in Kansas City along with Crennel, and would be an intriguing prospect. He interviewed here with Randy Lerner for the job that went to Mike Holmgren, and loved his Cleveland days. He's also still close to McDaniels from their Patriots years.

Other GM candidates that could be on the Browns' radar are the Falcons' David Caldwell, the Bills' Doug Whaley, the Chiefs' Ray Farmer, the Cardinals' Steve Keim and Jason Licht, and the Seahawks' John Idzik.

Meanwhile, the Browns players were bracing themselves for the looming changes.

"You try not to bring it up,'' said linebacker D'Qwell Jackson. "If anything, you want the day to go by a little slower. You want to enjoy these last few days if that’s the case. It hasn’t been talked about, but you can tell it’s a sense of urgency there. And our coaches do a great job of not wearing their emotions on their sleeve. If they are down, and they’ve got a million things to think about. They’ve got kids here that go to school, they have a house here. It’s a tough transition for the family, let alone themselves. So you try not to talk about it, you just try to continue the day as normal.''

Jackson said he hopes the current staff remains intact, but understands if Haslam decides to start over.

"Once you change the owner, he's been successful at what he's done in his career and he has a way of doing business and he's going to bring that mold here, and whatever it is, whether it's change, whether it's keeping the guys in the building, I'm on board for it,'' said Jackson. "My job is to lead the guys in the locker room and do the best of my ability with that. If change happens and he feels like it needs to happen, you have to be on board with it.''

There's been some speculation that defensive coordinator Dick Jauron might stay, especially if the Browns hire a young offensive coach.

"He deserves some consideration to stay in the building,'' said Jackson. "He's a great coach. He understands the game, he’s given me the keys to the defense, he trusts players that put in the time. Not to have him in the building . . . I don’t even want to think about Dick not being here. I honestly don’t.''

Unfortunately for many in the building, the time has come to start thinking about not being here.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

mcabot@plaind.com, 216-999-4370

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

The Penn State coach was an assistant with Bill Belichick in New England before going to State College, Pa., for the 2012 season. Watch video

PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- The Browns will pursue one of this year's hottest head coaching candidates in Penn State's Bill O'Brien, according to ESPN's Chris Mortensen.

But Browns CEO Joe Banner will most likely have to compete with his former Eagles team for O'Brien's services, Mortensen said. Eagles coach Andy Reid was fired Sunday night, according to CSN Philadelphia's Reuben Frank.

The Browns are also expected to heavily pursue Oregon head coach Chip Kelly, who's this year's "it" candidate, a source told The Plain Dealer. The Eagles and Panthers are also expected to be after Kelly, who is 45-7 in his four years at Oregon. The Browns will have to wait to interview Kelly until after he coaches Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 3.

O'Brien, the Patriots' former offensive coordinator, was named Big Ten Coach of the Year after guiding the Nittany Lions to an 8-4 record in the aftermath of the Jerry Sandusky child sexual abuse scandal. O'Brien was also named ESPN's national coach of the year.

O'Brien for Patriots coach Bill Belichick from 2007 until he left to take the Penn State job this year. When he took the job he had been assured the Sandusky matter would be handled from a criminal standpoint and not by the NCAA. Instead, Penn State was slapped with a four-year bowl ban and the loss of 40 scholarships.

In New England, O'Brien coached wide receivers and quarterbacks, and served as coordinator in 2011, the year the Patriots lost to the Giants in the Super Bowl. O'Brien also had a chance to interview with the Jaguars last year, but declined.

Mortensen estimated it would take $9.2 million to buy out O'Brien's contract.

No. 6 pick: The Browns will have the No. 6 pick in the draft after finishing 5-11. That might give them a crack at West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith, who's currently ranked No. 10 overall by nfldraftscout.com.

Cribbs' farewell? Josh Cribbs dressed slowly and spoke softly after what might have been his last game as a Brown.

"I'm sad," he said. "I don't want to leave the team. The fans and everything, I've built so much in Cleveland with the fan base. It's tough."

He indicated that a new head coach might value him more than Pat Shurmur, who viewed him primarily as a special-teamer.

"I haven't run into a lot of head coaches who don't like me as a player and as an athlete," said Cribbs. "So we'll have to see what that coach thinks or whatever. We'll see with the new organization, it has to do with them. Playing this last game, I love that we played against the Steelers, our rivalry, I was excited even though it might be my last game."

Cribbs left the season the same way he came in, saying he wanted to contribute more on offense.

"I was really limited to special teams," he said. "We were ranked No. 2 in all-purpose special teams and all-around and hopefully after this game we'll be No. 1."

Did this regime get the full Cribbs?

"I'll let you decide that," he said. "I was special teams mostly."

He acknowledged that this was his most frustrating season in eight years as a Brown. He caught seven passes this year after finishing second on the team with 41 last season, and co-leading the team with four TDs.

"I would have to say so," he said. "For me, just wanting to do more, wanting to contribute more, wanting to earn my paycheck, I was excited to be out there in the capacity that I was."

Cribbs also surpassed Dennis Northcutt to become the Browns' all-time leader in punt return yards with 2,154.

"It's an honor, man," said Cribbs. "You know how I play, I play hard, I don't duck hits, I've been durable, played in over 100 games, performed at a high level. Can't score every time I get the ball. I've always been at the top of the league since my second year, I've been top 10. If that makes me sorry, then (shoot), I can gladly go to a team and then that team will be top 10 in return and maybe the offense and defense will be ... I don't know. I'd love to play here, but my future is a question mark right now."

Final act? Pro Bowl kicker Phil Dawson might have played his final game with the franchise Sunday, converting one of two attempts and hitting a 51-yarder. He finished the season 29-of-31 and was perfect from 50-plus yards.

Dawson's 93.5 field-goal percentage was the highest of his career.

The free agent was asked about the uncertainty that lies ahead.

"I've had some good guys teach me through the years like Chris Gardocki, who taught me, 'You never know what's going to happen whether you have years on your contract or you're a free agent,' " Dawson said. "You really don't know. So what I've tried to do this year is give everything I have to the opportunities that present themselves. Now that the season is over I will have to regroup and see what lies ahead."

After the game, he thanked Browns fans through his Twitter account:

"Hey Cleveland, you are a special place. It has been a privilege to play for you this season. Hope to see you again. know that I love y'all."

Pittsburgh kid: It was a happy homecoming for special teams' ace Ray Ventrone on Sunday. He raced for 35 yards on a third-quarter fake punt after fielding a direct snap from Christian Yount.

The big play led to the Browns' lone touchdown.

"We executed it perfectly," Ventrone said. "It's a fake where since it's up the middle, the guy with the ball, myself, you have to be patient. And we practiced it enough, you have to be patient and let it develop. (Josh) Cribbs and (Christian Ogbonnaya) made really good blocks, everyone on the punt team blocked it well."

The 35-yard run matched the longest of the season by the Browns. Receiver Travis Benjamin also ran for 35 yards on a reverse in the season opener.

Impact of sale: Shurmur found out on the first day of training camp that Randy Lerner was selling the Browns to Jimmy Haslam III.

What impact did that have on the team?

"I don't know, I think that's for you guys to surmise," Shurmur said after the game.

Shurmur's players voiced different opinions about the regime change.

"No effect at all," cornerback Joe Haden said. "If anything it motivated people."

Dawson saw it differently.

"Well, change is never fun," Dawson said. "It has been a difficult season since Day One. When the team gets sold the first day of training camp, that's adversity. A lot of what I said this year was how proud I was of this team, and the way they handled change."

Rare company: The Browns became just the second team in the Super Bowl era (starting in 1966) to have a rookie lead a team in passing (Brandon Weeden, 3,385 yards), rushing (Trent Richardson, 950 yards) and receiving (Josh Gordon, 805 yards). The Browns joined the 1968 Buffalo Bills in that category.

Brownies: Gordon suffered a second-quarter ankle injury. He left the locker room wearing a protective boot. ... Guard John Greco sustained a fourth-quarter knee injury. ... Jabaal Sheard recorded two sacks and finished the season with a team-leading seven. ... Receiver Greg Little caught three passes and finished the season with a team-high 53 receptions. He became the first Brown to lead the team in receptions in back-to-back seasons since Kellen Winslow did it in 2006-07.

Plain Dealer reporters Tom Reed and Bud Shaw contributed to this report

Highlights include four college football bowl games.

CLEVELAND, Ohio

Today's TV sports listings

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Noon Music City Bowl, N.C. State vs. Vanderbilt, ESPN

2 p.m. Sun Bowl, Southern Cal vs. Georgia Tech, CBS

3:30 p.m. Liberty Bowl, Iowa State vs. Tulsa, ESPN

7:30 p.m. Chick-fil-A Bowl, LSU vs. Clemson, ESPN

MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Noon Cincinnati at Pittsburgh, ESPN2

2 p.m. Michigan State at Minnesota, ESPN2

4 p.m. Indiana at Iowa, ESPN2

6 p.m. Gonzaga at Oklahoma State, ESPN2

8 p.m. Harvard at Saint Mary’s (Calif.), ESPN2

NBA

3 p.m. Charlotte at Chicago, WGN 

The Browns will have the No. 6 pick in the 2013 NFL Draft in April. Below is the draft order for the first 20 picks. The rest of the order will be determined by playoff results. Let the speculation begin.

The Browns will have the No. 6 pick in the 2013 NFL Draft in April. Below is the draft order for the first 20 picks. The rest of the order will be determined by playoff results. Let the speculation begin.

1 Kansas City Chiefs
2 Jacksonville Jaguars
3 Oakland Raiders
4 Philadelphia Eagles
5 Detroit Lions
6 Cleveland Browns
7 Arizona Cardinals
8 Buffalo Bills
9 New York Jets
10 Tennessee Titans
11 San Diego Chargers
12 Miami Dolphins
13 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
14 Carolina Panthers
15 New Orleans Saints
16 St. Louis Rams
17 Pittsburgh Steelers
18 Dallas Cowboys
19 New York Giants
20 Chicago Bears

Thanks to Houston's late-season slump, Denver and New England will have byes when the AFC playoffs begin next week.

Thanks to Houston's late-season slump, Denver and New England will have byes when the AFC playoffs begin next week.

The Texans fell from first to third in the conference Sunday when they lost 28-16 at Indianapolis, which welcomed back coach Chuck Pagano after nearly three months of treatments for leukemia.

AFC West champion Denver won its 11th straight game, 38-3 over Kansas City to secure the top seed. New England blanked Miami 28-0 for the second spot.

• NFL Week 17 scoreboard and recaps

Minnesota edged Green Bay 37-34 to grab the final NFC wild card, sinking the Packers to the third seed. Those teams will meet again next Saturday night at Lambeau Field.

The other NFC matchup will have Seattle (11-5), which beat St. Louis 20-13, at either Washington or Dallas on Sunday at 4:30 p.m. ET. Those teams met Sunday night for the NFC East crown.

Cincinnati (10-6) will be at Houston on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET, and Indianapolis (11-5) goes to at Baltimore (10-6) on Sunday at 1 p.m. in the AFC wild-card rounds.

The divisional round games will be hosted by Denver on Saturday, Jan. 12, followed by San Francisco at night. On Sunday, Jan. 13, Atlanta will host the early game, followed by New England.

Peyton Manning threw for three touchdowns as Denver (13-3) routed the Chiefs. New England (12-4) got the second seed despite having the same record as Houston because it beat the Texans, who lost three of their final four games.

Adrian Peterson had 199 yards against the Packers, finishing with 2,097 — Dickerson's single-season rushing mark in 2,105. But it was rookie kicker Blair Walsh who won it with a 29-yard field goal as time expired.

"''Ultimately we got the 'W,'" Peterson said.

Baltimore Pro Bowl safety Ed Reed is looking forward to a reunion with Pagano. He wishes it would come a little later in the postseason.

"Chuck's like a dad to me," Reed said "He means a lot to me. I would have much rather seen them in the AFC championship game than the first game."

But Reed will see him next week at Baltimore.

The Ravens had a chance to move up to the AFC's third seed with a win and a New England loss. But Baltimore lost at Cincinnati as both teams played backups for much of the game.

Pagano coached the Ravens' secondary for three seasons and was promoted to coordinator last year. Players and coaches in Baltimore have kept in touch, offering encouragement as he fought through the cancer treatments.

"Going back to Baltimore, obviously there's some familiarity there," Pagano said. "We had four great years there as a family. It's a top-notch organization, you know, really good football club. It's a great challenge and they have a great team and they have great players all over the place."

The Colts were 2-14 last season and chose quarterback Andrew Luck with the top selection in the draft. Luck and offensive coordinator Bruce Arians, who stepped in as interim coach with Pagano sidelined, led the turnaround.

Next week, Pagano goes up against former boss John Harbaugh.

"I love his family, and he's one of my closest personal friends in coaching," Harbaugh said. "What he's been through is phenomenal, but we're all competitors so that gets set aside."

The defending Super Bowl champion Giants are out of contention. When Chicago beat Detroit 26-24, the Giants (9-7) were eliminated, even though they routed Philadelphia 42-7.

"It hurts," said Eli Manning. "Each year you want to make the playoffs to give yourself an opportunity to win a championship; 9-7 last year was good enough. It wasn't good enough this year and we knew it wouldn't be."

Minnesota's win eliminated Chicago, which the Vikings swept this season.

NFL Playoffs 2013 schedule

Bye Week: Atlanta, Denver, New England, San Francisco

Saturday, January 5, 2013

AFC Wild Card Playoff Game

4:30 PM ET NBC

Cincinnati at Houston

NFC Wild Card Playoff Game

8:00 PM ET NBC

Minnesota at Green Bay

Sunday, January 6, 2013

AFC Wild Card Playoff Game

1:00 PM ET CBS

Indianapolis at Baltimore

NFC Wild Card Playoff Game

4:30 PM ET FOX

Seattle at Washington

Shurmur and Heckert are expected to be fired today. Links to stories on them and who could take their places.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- When Jimmy Haslam became owner of the Cleveland Browns in October, purchasing the team from Randy Lerner, speculation began about whether any of the team's top decision-makers would retain their jobs.

It soon became apparent that it wasn't likely. In fact, Plain Dealer Browns beat writer Mary Kay Cabot writes that coach Pat Shurmur and general manager Tom Heckert are expected to be fired today, one day after the Browns finished a 5-11 season with a 24-10 loss to the Steelers in Pittsburgh.

Mike Holmgren, who had coached the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks to three Super Bowls (winning the 1996 season championship with Green Bay), was hired by Lerner as the Browns president in December, 2009. Soon after, Holmgren tabbed Heckert as the general manager. Heckert had helped build the Philadelphia Eagles into a perennial contender.

Holmgren and Heckert allowed incumbent coach Eric Mangini to stay on for the 2010 season, before firing him and hiring St. Louis Rams offensive coordinator Shurmur as the new coach.

If Lerner had not sold the Browns to Haslam, chances are Holmgren, Heckert and Shurmur would be fielding questions this week about the team's plans for April's draft of college players.

Instead, Holmgren left the Browns in late November, a bit ahead of schedule, as Haslam had announced in mid-October that Holmgren would stay on through the end of the season. Haslam said at the same time, however, that Joe Banner would be the Browns' CEO, rendering Holmgren's role with the team virtually meaningless, and prompting his early exit.

Now, as Mary Kay Cabot wrote as part of Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Browns coverage, Heckert and Shurmur are expected to be dismissed by the Browns today.

Speculation about potential coaching and front office firings and hirings around the NFL is running rampant. Peter Schrager writes for FoxSports.com about the tenuous coaching situations for 10 NFL teams, including, of course, the Browns.

Schrager writes that a top Browns' coach candidate could be a former Canton McKinley High School quarterback, and that the Browns' current quarterback, Brandon Weeden, could be affected by the team's changes....and, that a former Browns' executive might even return (likely to the chagrin of many fans):

A new owner, a new GM, a new front office — that spells a new head coach. And from what I’m hearing, it might also mean a new quarterback. Brandon Weeden, despite some moments, did not do anything to prove he’s an NFL franchise quarterback of the future.

Potential replacement: Josh McDaniels, New England offensive coordinator

This one might cause you to roll your eyes, but McDaniels is once again considered a hot head coaching candidate. He has matured and eaten quite a slice of humble pie since his disastrous final season in Denver and is once again on the top of many teams’ lists. If “Inside the NFL” insider Mike Lombardi is, indeed, hired as the GM, this makes perfect sense. McDaniels is an Ohio native, and both he and Lombardi have strong ties to Bill Belichick. If McDaniels is the guy, Weeden almost certainly won’t be the quarterback. McDaniels will want his own clay to mold.

The Browns are among the teams interested in hiring Penn State coach Bill O'Brien, who is also a former New England Patriots offensive coordinator. (By Chris Mortensen, ESPN.com)

A potential candidate for the Browns' coaching position is Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer. (By Steve Doerschuk, Canton Repository)

Pat Shurmur might replace Bill Musgrave as the Minnesota Vikings' offensive coordinator. (By Dan Zinski, The Viking Age)

Again, Browns players and fans face change, with some excitement, some apprehension. (By Marla Ridenour, Akron Beacon Journal)

It's now up to owner Jimmy Haslam what will happen with the Browns, who have a loyal but frustrated fan base. (By Jim Ingraham, News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal)

Pat Shurmur, who faced some difficult circumstances, fought through the final plays and then through what was likely his final press conference as the Browns coach. (By Pat McManamon, FoxSportsOhio.com)

Pat Shurmur seems to know that his time as the Browns' coach is up. (By Fred Greetham, Orange and Brown Report)

Coach Pat Shurmur and general manager Tom Heckert will be fired by the Browns. Meanwhile, Browns CEO Joe Banner would like to hire Oregon coach Chip Kelly. (By Mike Garafolo, USA Today)

Following the Browns' season-ending 24-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, Jimmy Haslam and Joe Banner weren't seen, as they haven't been by Pat Shurmur for some time. (By Mike McLain, Warren Tribune Chronicle)

What might happen around the NFL on Monday. Coach Pat Shurmur and GM Tom Heckert will be out with the Browns, but not out of jobs for long. (By Brian McIntyre, Yahoo! Sports)

The Browns end their season with a loss, and with Pat Shurmur and Tom Heckert expected to be fired. (By Scott Petrak, Elyria Chronicle-Telegram and Medina County Gazette)

Pat Shurmur is probably on his way out as the Browns' coach, but he doesn't show any trepidation after the loss to the Steelers. (By Steve Doerschuk, Canton Repository)

There are plenty of ramifications from the firing of an NFL head coach. (By Jeff Schudel, News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal)

The Monday at the end of the regular season has become the day coaches most often get fired. The Browns' Pat Shurmur is likely among this year's dismissals. With video. (By Gregg Rosenthal, NFL.com)

Well, a fifth straight 11- or 12-loss season for the Browns, but at least a few guys -- like on any team -- had solid seasons.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns have finished their season with a 5-11 record, their fifth straight campaign of four or five wins, against 11 or 12 defeats.

The Browns' roster obviously isn't the NFL's most imposing, though it is among the youngest. Yet, for every team in every season, some players do their jobs better than others.

A few Browns had good seasons, and some others played respectably. Most of Cleveland's victories weren't especially impressive, considering the opponents' weaknesses and/or baffling play that afternoon.

On the other hand, the Browns were competitive in many of their defeats, with at least a fighting chance of posting wins over superior teams.

Which player did his job better than any other to help the Browns get their five wins and to compete in other games?

Maybe the Browns' dilemma is highlighted by this poll, as many analysts would claim that not all of these players had especially good seasons.

Tom Heckert oversaw three drafts as general manager of the Cleveland Browns.

Players taken in the three drafts supervised by Tom Heckert. By round with overall choice in parentheses:

2010

1. (7) Joe Haden, CB, Florida

2a. (38) T.J. Ward, S, Oregon

2b. (59*) Montario Hardesty, RB, Tennessee

3a. (85) Colt McCoy, QB, Texas

3b. (92**) Shawn Lauvao, OL, Arizona State

5. (160) Larry Asante, DB, Nebraska

6a. (177) Carlton Mitchell, WR, South Florida

6b. (186***) Cliff Geathers, DL, South Carolina.

*Choice obtained from Philadelphia for Browns third-round pick and two fifth-round choices.

**Choice obtained from N.Y. Jets along with fifth-round choice, WR Chansi Stuckey and LB Jason Trusnik for WR Braylon Edwards.

***Choice obtained from Carolina for DL Louis Leonard.

The Browns traded their fourth-round pick and a fifth-round pick, along with LB Alex Hall, to Philadelphia for LB Chris Gocong and DB Sheldon Brown.

The Browns traded their seventh-round choice and DL Corey Williams to Detroit for a fifth-round selection that was sent to Philadelphia as part of the trade to draft Montario Hardesty.

2011

1. (21*) Phil Taylor, DL, Baylor

2a. (37) Jabaal Sheard, DL, Pittsburgh

2b. (59*) Greg Little, WR, North Carolina

4a. (102) Jordan Cameron, TE, USC

4b. (124*) Owen Marecic, FB, Stanford

5a. (137) Buster Skrine, DB, UT-Chattanooga

5b. (150**) Jason Pinkston, OL, Pittsburgh

7. (248#) Eric Hagg, DB, Nebraska

*The Browns traded their first-round choice, the sixth overall selection, to Atlanta for the Falcons' picks in the first, second and fourth rounds in 2011 and first and fourth-round picks in the 2012 draft. The Browns then traded the No. 1 pick from Atlanta, the 27th overall choice, and a third-round choice (70) to Kansas City for the Chiefs' first-round pick, No. 21 overall.

**Pick obtained from N.Y. Giants for two sixth-round choices.

The Browns traded a seventh-round choice to Seattle for QB Seneca Wallace.

# Compensatory pick.

2012

1a. (3*) Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

1b. (22**) Brandon Weeden, QB, Oklahoma State

2. (37) Mitchell Schwartz, OL, California

3. (87***) John Hughes, DL, Cincinnati

4a. (100) Travis Benjamin, WR, Miami (fla.)

4b. (120***) James-Michael Johnson, LB, Nevada

5. (160) Ryan Miller, OL, Colorado

6a. (204#) Emmanuel Acho, LB, Texas

6b. (205#) Billy Winn, DT, Boise State

7a. (245#) Trevin Wade, DB, Arizona

7b. (247#) Brad Smelley, FB, Alabama

*Pick obtained from Minnesota in exchange for the Browns' first-round pick (No. 4), and picks in the fourth (118), fifth (139) and seventh (211) rounds.

**Pick obtained from Atlanta in 2011 draft-day trade.

***Pick obtained from Denver in exchange for the Browns' third-round pick (No. 67).

#Compensatory pick

2012 Supplemental draft

2. (34) Josh Gordon, WR, Baylor

There's hope the Cavs' young players will become mainstays. The team has a valuable veteran, chances to acquire other players and the support of a passionate owner and rather loyal fan base.

The Cavs' Kyrie Irving and coach Byron Scott Joshua Gunter, The Plain Dealer  

So far, as expected, that's involved a lot of losing. Cavs fans are hoping, though, to soon see the team be consistently competitive, and see some more wins, too.

There are reasons for optimism that the Cavaliers in 2013 can begin to turn the corner toward success. Here's five of them:

1.  Kyrie Irving and other prospects

Point guard Kyrie Irving gives the Cavaliers the player they can try to build around. If he can stay healthy through the rest of this season, Irving can work on a chemistry with power forward Tristan Thompson, shooting guard Dion Waiters and center Tyler Zeller.

The Cavs may have plans for others among their young players -- such as small forward Alonzo Gee and guard-forward C.J. Miles -- but for now, the hopes for future success largely depend on the development of Irving, the first overall pick in the 2011 draft; Thompson and Waiters, fourth overall selections in the last two drafts, respectively; and Zeller, the 17th overall pick last June. Coach Byron Scott starts Irving, Thompson and Waiters, and gives Zeller extensive playing time coming off the bench. Zeller, of course, has started several recent games while Anderson Varejao has been sidelined with a knee contusion.

Irving has a spectacular offensive game, but needs to improve his defense. Some observers are disappointed that Thompson hasn't made more progress, but coach Byron Scott says he's coming along fine, and that contention has been somewhat validated in a few recent games. Rookies Waiters and Zeller have shown they have chances to justify their draft status. Waiters has displayed the ability to score and pass, but he must become a more consistent shooter and decision-maker. Zeller needs to become stronger, but looks like he might have been a bargain for the Cavs at No. 17.

The Cavaliers know they must get better before Irving can consider free agency. Next summer, Cleveland can pick up the fourth-year option on his contract, securing him for the 2014-15 season. Following the 2013-14 campaign, the Cavaliers can begin negotiating a contract extension with Irving.

2. Anderson Varejao's value

The Cavaliers have one of the NBA's unique players in Anderson Varejao, the 6-11 center from Brazil now in his ninth season.

The Cavaliers' Anderson Varejao (left) goes after the basketball in non-stop fashion. Gus Chan, The Plain Dealer  

Varejao, also playing big minutes at power forward, proved during five Cavaliers playoff seasons, when they won eight series, that he's a big-game player.

The Cavaliers are paying Varejao about $8.4 million this season, and they are scheduled to pay him a total of about $18.74 the next two years. Those are "team-friendly" dollar numbers for a player of Varejao's value. It's more his ability to help his team win, however, that makes Varejao even more attractive to other teams, especially contenders.

The NBA trade deadline is Feb. 21, and Varejao is certain to remain a subject of trade speculation until then. He turned 30 on Sept. 28, and most observers feel that, given the nature of his skills, he should remain a productive player for several more seasons. One consideration regarding Varejao is his health. He missed 92 games the last two campaigns with injuries. He is expected to return in the next few days from the knee contusion that has caused him to miss the last six games.

If the Cavs keep Varejao and he's healthy, they have an all-star caliber player who will hopefully have a lot left if the team develops into a winner in the next two or three years. If they trade him and do so with savvy, they can get a lot in return.
 
3. Draft picks and salary cap status

The Cavaliers own all of their picks in the upcoming drafts. They are scheduled to make another first-round selection in the next draft, one belonging to either the Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers or Sacramento Kings. As of now, the most likely scenario would find the Cavs with the Lakers' pick; the least likely, with the Kings' pick.

The NBA draft isn't until June 27, but if the Cavaliers look to select a small forward, Georgetown's Otto Porter Jr. (right) might be a candidate. Associated Press  

The Cavs, with general manager Chris Grant and his staff, can try to improve before next fall by using the two first-round and two second-round picks next June 27. Or, they could package any of those with a combination of future picks and/or players in a deal or two, maybe looking to bring in veteran help.

And, the Cavaliers, barring a transaction which would change the math, will likely head into the offseason some $20 million or more -- maybe as much as about $26 million -- under the salary cap. NBA rules stipulate that the Cavaliers must spend most of that money before next season, and some observers are concerned they will have to over-pay a free agent to reach the necessary threshold. Regardless, the Cavs have a lot of flexibility to try to get better rather soon.
 
4. Dan Gilbert's passion

Dan Gilbert has proven since he bought majority ownership in the Cavaliers from Gordon Gund in 2005 that winning is a priority and is to be pursued aggressively.

Dan Gilbert bought majority ownership in the Cavaliers from Gordon Gund in 2005. Thomas Ondrey, The Plain Dealer  

The Cavaliers are currently under the cap because they chose to rebuild with youth after James left, instead of spending on veterans who were priced beyond their talent level and would do little if anything to advance the Cavs toward contender status.

Gilbert has proven his investment in the Cavs beyond mere money. He won most fans' approval with his emotional and candid response to James' departure. Occasionally, he tweets his frustration after a particularly galling loss. Yet, at least publicly, Gilbert doesn't become so consumed with passion that he interferes with his basketball people and the decisions he pays them to make.

5. Supportive fan base

When James left, observers rightly believed that the Cavs would struggle in the win-loss column as they tried to recover and rebuild. They also believed that by now, the fans would have abandoned the team in droves.

Fans and coach Byron Scott (right) cheer on the Cavaliers. Joshua Gunter, The Plain Dealer  

There apparently is a solid fan base intact. Should the Cavs again become a contender, there's reason to believe packed houses will again be common at Quicken Loans Arena. Those crowds, in turn, would help give the Cavaliers the home-court advantage enjoyed by most successful teams. In the meantime, the young Cavaliers can play their home games in front of supportive fans.