Browns Preview 10/20/17: Tennessee Titans @ Cleveland Browns

By Katelin Marshall, @KatelinKnowsCLE

The winless Cleveland Browns host the Tennessee Titans this Sunday. The Browns will be starting rookie Quarterback DeShone Kizer. Kevin Hogan played terrible last week and sustained a rib injury. Cody Kessler will be Kizer's backup this week. The Titans will be starting Marcus Mariota after coming back from an injury last week in which he played well. The Titans defeated the Colts last week 36-22 to give themselves a 3-3 record.


Browns Offense vs Titans Defense

There is no question the Browns offense has had its struggles in the first six weeks of the season. The issues are simple. Inconsistent quarterback play, the lack of weapons at receiver, and Isaiah Crowell. The Browns this week and going forward should do a few things different.

First, get Duke Johnson more touches. Whether it is 15 rushes and another seven targets in the passing game. Duke Johnson need the ball. His the only reliable playmaker on this team. Now that doesn't mean Hue Jackson shouldn't use Crowell. Crowell should be used when they are running the ball straight up the middle in between the tackles.

The Browns offense also might want to tone it down with the deep ball. I understand the lack of playmakers makes it hard build drives but getting Kizer in second or third and long doesn't help anyone. With that being said, Kizer is still going to have to throw the ball down field to keep the defense honest.   

The final major key for the Browns this week is to trust Kizer. I know that might seem a bit difficult but Hue Jackson has no choice. The benching of Kizer was a knee-jerk reaction. And playing Hogan after a terrible first half was pain stubbornness by Hue. What ever happens Kizer needs to play through it. Yes, it could be another Baltimore game where he throws multiple interceptions but this was the hand Hue was dealt and how he played it.

The Titans defense is a middle of the road defense. This easily could be the week Kizer has a breakout game. But in order for the Browns offense to run their gameplan the Browns defense will need to keep the game close.



Browns Defense vs Titans Offense

The Titans will have Mariota at quarterback but is unlikely to have running back DeMarco Murray. Derrick Henry will likely get the start for the injured Murray. Henry and Murray have identical stats, both running for over 300 yards so far. Henry ran for 131 yards last week against the Colts and Mariota threw for 306 and one touchdown.

The Browns secondary might have some struggles against the receivers of the Titans. Rishard Matthews is their leading receiver with veteran Eric Decker lined up opposite of him. Where the Browns will have issues is covering Delanie Walker, who leads the Titans in catches.



Five Guys to Watch


1. DeShone Kizer: Kizer was benched last week and he had to suffer like the rest of us through a terrible game last Sunday. Hopefully Kizer response positively. And again let's all remember the kid is only 21 years old and has only played in three full games as crazy as that sounds.

2. Jamar Taylor: While Jason McCourty is having a really good year, Jamar Taylor on the other hand hasn't. The Titans will probably target Taylor most of the day and with Taylor dealing with an injury this could be bad news for the Browns.

3. Myles Garrett: With all the speculation of a new front office taking over and them constantly passing on franchise quarterbacks, the pick of Garrett at one has been a home run. Garrett in two games has put pressure on opposing quarterbacks, forcing turnovers and sacks. Garrett is one of the lone bright spots so far this season and he's only played in two games.

4. Duke Johnson: Like stated above, Johnson needs to get the ball a lot more. Of all the things I've had issues with offensively this season the limited touches by Duke is number one. He's the only guy on the field who can take a screen pass or a drag route for a touchdown. He's the lone playmaker on this team the Hue need to feed Duke more.

5. David Njoku: Outside of Johnson, Njoku has been a surprise. A lot of fans didn't think he would make this type of an impact on the team this early. But with is ablity to out run linebackers and out jump safeties, Njoku should be Kizer's favorite target this week in the redzone after have a lot of redzone issues the first five weeks of the season.


Injury Report

Weather Report

Betting Line (As of 10/19/17): Tennessee -6



Prediction: Titans 27 Browns 14

The Browns will fall to 0-7 on the year this week. It will become more and more difficult to defend Hue Jackson as season moves on. I expect Kizer to play better than he has but the lack of playmakers will really show this week. The defense should keep the game close but again like they have in weeks before give up a touchdown drive to put the game out of hand late in the fourth quarter.

On The Mark 10.17.16: Cleveland Browns @ Tennessee Titans Recap

Browns close, but still come up short in loss to Titans 28-26
By Mark West, @Markw2112

The Cleveland Browns remain win less in the 2016 season by losing to the Tennessee Titans 28-26 in Nashville.  However, there were more signs that perhaps the Browns aren't as far off to becoming a competitive team.

Starting in his third game, Cody Kessler continues to improve week after week, going 26-of-40 for 306 yards and 2 touchdowns. He was pressured all day long but still able to play at a high level.  He was helped by Terrelle Pryor who had 75 receiving yards and caught both touchdown passes, including 1 in double coverage.  The Browns made a game of it at the end with 2 touchdowns along with a recovered onside kick.  However, they missed the 2 point conversion before the onside kick then were not able to recover a second onside kick, assuring victory to the Titans.

The biggest issue on offense continued to be the running game, with Isaiah Crowell only rushing for 16 yards on 9 carries.  The offensive line, which has been decimated by injury, couldn't get the holes for the running backs nor protect Kessler very well, giving up 6 sacks and allowing Kessler to be hit 5 more times.

Marcus Mariota also had a very solid game for the Titans, going 17-of-24 for 284 yards, 3 touchdowns and an interception.  His biggest pass was to Kenny Wright, who dove for the ball, caught it, then staggered in for the touchdown since the defenders were almost 10 yards from him.  It was not a good day for the Browns secondary who were scorched multiple times by Mariota and his receivers, especially Wright and Rishard Matthews, who had 70 yards receiving a touchdown.  

On a better note, the Browns were able to contain Demarco Murray to 65 yards rushing on 21 attempts.  The longest run attempt they gave up was to Mariota who ran for 41 yards to start the game.  The game also saw Emmanuel Ogbah and Danny Shelton record the first sacks of their careers.

My take:  The Browns, while still without a win, are improving.  Hue Jackson has them playing scrappy and tough.  Cody Kessler, who Jackson said to "trust" him on when he was drafted, has proven to be a young leader at quarterback.  He has improved week after week and while he was hit hard many times on Sunday afternoon, he got back up and almost led the Browns to an improbable tie with 2 touchdown drives at the end of the game.  It's exactly what the Browns have been searching for the last 18 seasons.  The biggest issue for the Browns continues to be the patch work offensive line, with Cam Erving, just coming back from bruised lung, looking lost and allowed Kessler to be hit several times with bad blocking.  The other issue is the young secondary, who continue to give up big plays which cost the Browns the game.  But you can see that there are marked improvements from last year.  It is still a work in progress.

Player of the game:  Cody Kessler, with his 306 yards and 2 touchdowns.  He looks to be a keeper with his accuracy and smart play.

Next Up:  Next Sunday at 1 P.M., the Browns travel to Cincinnati to play the Bengals for the first time this year.  It's the first trip back for Hue Jackson since becoming the Browns head coach.

Browns Preview: Cleveland Browns @ Tennessee Titans

By Katelin Marshall, @KatelinKnowsCLE

The (0-5) Cleveland Browns travel to Nashville to take on the Tennessee Titans who are (2-3). The Browns got blown out last week against the New England Patriots 33-13.  While the Titans won in Miami verse the Dolphins 30-17. The Browns will be starting rookie quarterback Cody Kessler this week, even though he is recovering from a rib/chest injury that took him out of the game last week.


Browns Offense Vs Titans Defense

The Browns are going to continue to run the ball this week. Isaiah Crowell was the leading rusher going for 22 yards on 13 carries. Yes, he and the run game overall was terrible but the Browns had to play catch up with Charlie Whitehurst at quarterback. Also Joel Bitonio was hurt during second half and unfortunately he will be out for a few weeks. But back to this week, Crowell and Duke Johnson should be able to have success like the first four weeks. The Titans are ranked 14th in the NFL in rush defense giving up just under 100 yards per game. They are also 20th in yards per rushes with 4.2 yards per carry.

Cody Kessler will be starting at quarterback this week with either Josh McCown or rookie Kevin Hogan as the backup. The Browns might struggle in the pass game for a number of reasons. First off the Titans are ranked 9th in the NFL in passing defense (222 yards per game). They are also tied for 5th in interceptions with six on the year. The Titans are also tied for 9th in the sack category with 12, which doesn't fair well for the Browns since their offensive line is going to be lacking their left guard.

Another reason the passing game might struggle is Kessler's injury. Even though the play calling will likely be the same with "slants, quick outs, and check downs". It remains to be seen if Kessler can make those throws with the injury, and be able to take a hit while reading a defense.

How the Browns can have success is fairly simple and its the same game plan every week. Control the clock. In the games they were in, mainly against the Ravens, Dolphins, and Redskins, the Browns did a great job running the ball and keeping the opposing team's offense off the field. The other key for the Browns to have success is to NOT turn the ball over. Turnovers killed them against the Ravens and Redskins. But if they win the turn over battle the Browns might sneak out of Nashville with a win. Its going to be a tough task but from what we've seen from Hue Jackson so far, the Browns will be prepared this week.


Browns Defense vs Titans Offense

This is were the game could get a little lopsided. The Titans are really good at running the ball and the Browns aren't that good at stopping it. The Titans rushing attack is headlined by DeMarco Murray, who is second in the NFL in rushing yards with 461 yards and also has three touchdowns. But its not just Murray in the run game, Derrick Henry spells Murray at times for short yardage plays, and Quarterback Marcus Mariota has 132 rushing yards on 20 attempts and a touchdown. The Browns will need to sell out to stop the run and keep a linebacker in during passing downs to spy on Mariota.

The passing offense isn't that great. They average 209 yards through the air, which is 28th in the NFL. The Titans use DeMarco Murray as a pass catcher a ton. He leads the team in catches with 24. They also have a top tier tight end in Delanie Walker who has 16 catches for 225 yards and 2 touchdowns.    The Browns have had a tough time covering opponents tight ends this year and one of the keys of the Browns to get this win is to stop Walker. Stopping Walker will force the check down passes to Murray and force the Titans' wide receivers (Andre Johnson, Rishard Matthews, Tajae Sharpe) to beat them. Let's hope Joe Haden's injury doesn't prevent him from playing because the Browns really need him this week.


Five Guys To Watch

Isaiah Crowell: Crowell had his first bad game of the year, if he can put it behind him and ball out this game...it will really show the growth of him and this team in general.

Andrew Hawkins: The Titans will try and take away Terrelle Pryor and Gary Barnidge so Andrew Hawkins has a great opportunity to ball out. Hawkins and Kessler seem to have some chemistry going whether its in the red zone like last week, or with drag and out routes like in previous weeks.

Danny Shelton: Shelton is the nose of the defense and he will need to set the tone in the run defense. If Shelton has a bad game then the Browns don't have a chance to stop the run which will result in the Browns losing.

DeMario Davis: Davis is one of the leaders on this team and has played really well. Davis is going to be important not just in the run game, but in the pass game. Not just covering Murray or Walker but spying on Mariota which might be the most important job.

Hue Jackson: Yes the head coach is someone we should watch. The Browns do a solid job in the first half of games, but struggle during the second half. I'm going to watch out for second half adjustments by the Browns and hopefully they can get points because of them. Also, the Art Briles controversy or whatever, I''m curious to see how he handles "on field" stuff with all the "off field' surrounding him. Also Jackson is running out of winnable games and another loss could be one step closer to "losing" this team. I don't think that would happen, but starting 0-6 isn't a good look...even if its in a rebuilding year. This team needs an actual victory not a moral one.

Injury Report
Weather Report
Betting Line: Tennessee -7

Prediction: 28-24 Titans

My heart wants to pick the Browns, but my head says no. It will be a watchable game, but a late turnover by the Browns will shift momentum to the Titans. Kessler will play like he has in his first three games. And I think Crowell will have a bounce back game, but the Browns won't be able to come back from adversity in this game which will result in a loss. 0-6 sucks but we will be one week close to the end of the year and the draft in April. Also the Cavs start in two weeks, Ohio State is arguably the best team in the nation, and the Indians are in the ALCS...so don't feel bad Browns fans, stay positive!!!

On The Mark 9.21.15: #Browns v. #Titans Recap

Manziel, Benjamin and the defense shine in Browns to a 28-14 victory over Tennessee Titans
By @MarkW2112

It was the home opener for the Cleveland Browns at First Energy Stadium today. And what a game it was. The Browns beat the Tennessee Titans 28-14 on what was probably one of the most exciting home openers in a long time, thanks to the play of Johnny Manziel, Travis Benjamin and the entire defense.

Manziel, in only his third career start, only completed 8 passes and threw for 158 yards but 115 of those yards were on 2 touchdown passes to Benjamin, one at the start of the game and the other to end it. In between, Benjamin also had a 78 yard punt return for a touchdown, which included a highlight leap over the punter who had fallen to the turf. Benjamin ended the day with 269 total yards from scrimmage. Isaiah Crowell had the other touchdown while rushing for 72 yards on 15 carries.

After having a record breaking game last week, Marcus Mariota came down to earth against the Browns. He was sacked 7 times, hit many more times and was under pressure from the Browns almost the entire game. He was able to settle himself down to throw for 2 touchdowns and get the Titans to within a touchdown with 6 minutes left in the game. The Browns defense, however, was too much for him to recover from a horrible start. He finished 21 of 37 for 257 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Titans rushers, lead by Dexter McCluster's 98, did run for 166 yards but was really not a factor in the game. It was an awesome display of defensive power that was sorely lacking against the New York Jets last week.

My thoughts: It's time for the Browns to give the reigns to Johnny Manziel. While he did lose the ball twice (recovered both times by the Browns), he showed that he has made some leaps and bounds over his disastrous rookie season. His chemistry with Travis Benjamin is apparent. Mike Pettine has the tough job of making the decision to go with the veteran Josh McCown or run with Manziel to see what they have in their young quarterback. The defense made a huge comeback from last week, with 7 sacks, more than any single game last year. Marcus Mariota was not going throw another perfect game 2 weeks in a row and he looked more like a rookie today. That said, his upside is huge and he will be a force for years to come.

Player of the game: Travis Benajmin. He became the first NFL player to have 2 touchdown over 50 yards in one game as well his 78 yard touchdown punt return.

Honorable mentions: Johnny Manziel, with his 2 touchdown passes to Benjamin and his continued growth, and the Browns defense, who harassed Marcus Mariota and the offense more often than not.

Play of the game: Manziel's first touchdown pass to Benjamin in the Browns first offensive position.

Turning point: Manziel's second touchdown pass to Benjamin which clinched the game for the Browns. It was the type of play that he made famous at Texas A&M.

Fun fact: Travis Benjamin is the 1st NFL player with four 50+ yard TDs in first 2 games of a season since Jim Brown in 1963.

Next game: Next Sunday, the 28th, against the Oakland Raiders, at First Energy Field at 1 PM on CBS and The Browns Radio Network.

#Browns Preview 9.18.15: Tennessee #Titans @ Cleveland Browns

Is This A Must Win Game?
By @mrgroce

Yes, I know it is extremely early, but in my humble opinion this week's Browns-Titans game is a must win for the Cleveland Browns. Not because I believe that a loss will hurt their chances of winning the division *inserts loud laughter*, but because if Tennessee leaves FirstEnergy Stadium with a victory, the team and fan base might just give up on the season before we get to October. I don't think any of us felt we would see the team winning 10 or more games this season, but after winning seven games last season we wanted to see improvements in coaching, game planning, preparation, game management, and overall player production. Well, none of that was evident in week one. Poor quarterback play, penalties, and turnovers prevented us from seeing what the team truly looks like.

Josh McCown coming off of a concussion he suffered against the Jets, as of Thursday has yet to practice this week. Johnny Manziel has taken all of the first team practice reps, and has officially been named the starter for Sunday's game. It was rumored that if McCown was able to participate in Friday's practice, he would've started on Sunday. McCown only played in one series last Sunday but he did an excellent job of moving the offense down the field until he went out with an injury. The offensive line didn't protect or open any holes for the running backs. The defense which was at full strength had a terrible day and must now prepare to face rookie Marcus Mariota who is coming off a game in which he threw four touchdowns in his debut. Everyone has said the "right" things this week such as"we gotta play better" and "we have to take care of the ball". Safety Donte Whitner even went as far as apologizing to the fans for the team's performance.

Last week I said that neither team, Browns or Jets, were good enough to overcome turnovers and penalties. Unfortunately the Browns chose to be the team to prove me right. This week I'm predicting a Browns win at home. I believe the defense is mad and coaches have probably been drilling in their heads all week how well Mariota played in his first game. I like Mariota and I love his quick decision making, but now a team has real game film on him and with a week to prepare I think the Browns will keep pressure on him. I don't believe it really matters who starts between Josh or Johnny, if they limit the turnovers to under two, the offense should do just enough to pull out a low scoring win.

Receiver Dwayne Bowe who is on pace to make his Browns debut gives the quarterbacks a bigger target to throw to, but these offenses are pretty even. Terence West returns with revenge on his mind, but Bishop Sankey will get the bulk of the workload in the Titans backfield. Kendall Wright and Joe Haden will be the key CB/WR matchup. Haden "should" have the advantage there, but with him you have to take it game by game. I have the Browns winning a close one: 17-16

What: Cleveland Browns vs Tennessee Titans
When: Sunday 1:00 PM
Where: FirstEnergy Stadium Cleveland, Ohio
TV/Radio: CBS, WKNR Cleveland 850, WKRK Cleveland 92.3 The Fan, WNCX 98.5

Leadoff with Lee 4.1.15 #Buckeyes #Mariota #TigerWoods #AstonVilla

By @cleeverizon

- The NCAA has Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller on their radar. Last month Miller posted a picture on his Instagram account with a trainer and a table full of Advocare supplements. The NCAA allows athletes to be self employed, but they cannot use their status as an athlete for promotional use. Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer did stated yesterday that he has been told that Miller will not lose any eligibility over the secondary infraction. It had also been reported that the NCAA may require a apology either in person or letter.

- Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant underwent successful bone graft surgery on his 5th metatarsal of his right foot yesterday. Now that the surgery has taken place his timetable to return is 4-6 months,which brings him returning in October at the latest.

- I'm not sure if Tiger is eyeing a return, but Tiger Woods played a 18 hole practice round at Augusta his agent confirmed yesterday. Woods has not committed to playing in the Master's Tournament next week, but he is an invited guest who requires no commitment to play. Tiger Woods has won the Masters tournament 4 times, with his last Masters championship in 2005.

- Former Houston Texans and Oakland Raiders quarterback Matt Schaub has signed a 1-year, $3M contract to backup Joe Flacco in Baltimore.

- The NFL moved the free agent deadline from June 1st to May 12th. After June 1st, unrestricted free agents signed by other teams don't count toward the compensatory draft pick formula. By moving the date to May 12th, it allows teams to sign free agents without helping their old team and hurting their new one.

- Marcus Mariota announced that he will not attend the NFL draft in Chicago and will be home in Hawaii with his friends and family. Jameis Winston will also no be in attendance.

- Former Cleveland Browns owner Randy Lerner is set to sell Aston Villa for $223M. The deal is contingent that Villa remain in the Premier League. Lerner Purchased Villa in 2007 for $94M. He also sold the Browns to Jimmy Haslam in 2012 for $1B.

Leadoff with Lee 2.18.15

By @cleeverizon

- NFLPA filed non-injury grievance versus the Browns for the one game suspension  imposed on Josh Gordon for missing a team meeting at end of year. The suspension could delay his free agency,which is set to began after the 2015 season which he is suspended for failing a post 2014 season alcohol test. Now Josh Gordon argues in his that Gordon's grievance versus the Browns states he was suspended for being late for meetings for the 5th or 6th time, but was never disciplined or told about other times previous.

- The Browns have officially hired Kevin O’Connell to become quarterbacks coach. Pettine also announced the hiring of senior offensive assistant Kurt Roper. O'Connell has been in California preparing Marcus Mariota, Bryce Petty and Jameis Winston (indirectly) for the 2015 scouting combine and their Pro Days.

- It was announced to Browns Backers Presidents yesterday that the logo will change. It has nothing to do with the helmets as per the agreement with Haslam and Lerner prior to the sale of the team. New merchandise including the Browns Elf are in the plans. I would assume according to the information that I have received from "SOURCES" that the middle of the field will replaced by the Elf. And will replace the orange helmet as the primary logo.

- Colts running back Ahmad Bradshaw was cited in Eaton, Ohio for possession of marijuana. He was pulled over on I-70 for following to closely behind another vehicle. Bradshaw did not appear in Tuesday and pleaded not guilty through his attorney in a Preble County court.

-Seton Hall suspended Sterling Gibbs for two games following what seems to me as a intentional hit Monday night on Ryan Arcidiacono. Gibbs will miss the games against St. John's and Creighton. It's not clear if the NCAA will look to impose an additional suspension.

- Only 47 days left until MLB opening day and the Yankees are making more news. After a year long ban from baseball Alex Rodrigeuz apologized in a handwritten note to the Yankees,fans and media yesterday. This was all after Anthony Bosch and former owner of the South Florida clinic that supplied performance-enhancing substances to Major League Baseball players and other athletes was sentenced to four years in federal prison plus three years supervised probation upon his release.

Leadoff with Lee 1.15.15 #Browns #OhioState #49ers

By @cleeverizon

- Greg Roman is officially off the table for the Browns. He will serve as offensive coordinator for Rex Ryan in Buffalo.

What's the next step for the Browns in hiring a new offensive coordinator? The Browns interviewed former Bears head coach Marc Trestman yesterday (a hire/interview I don't like) and Raiders QB coach John DeFilippo will interview Friday(a hire/interview I do like).

Other candidates that have been discussed are Anthony Lynn of the New York Jets, who had the Jets finishing third in the NFL in rushing with 142.5 yards per game in 2014, Cowboys assistants Bill Callahan and Scott Linehan, Raiders senior offensive assistant Al Saunders, and former Bills head coach Chan Gailey. Gailey has been highly recruited and is expected to be hired by new Jets coach Todd Bowles. The Browns will also interview their tight end coach Brian Angelichio.

- The 49ers promoted defensive line coach Jim Tomsula as their next head coach. Jack Del Rio was hired by the Raiders to become head coach. Todd Bowles was hired as head coach of the N.Y Jets.

- The 49ers parted ways with all of their assistant coaches except running back coach Tom Rathman. So that means former Browns head coach Eric Mangini is unemployed once again.

- Oregon QB Marcus Mariota announced he will forego his senior season and enter the 2015 NFL draft.

- The future of Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones is something everyone wants to know. Reports have surfaced that Jones is seeking a extension from the NFL to decide if he wants to declare for the draft. Obviously he wants to workout in front of some scouts and agents just to gauge where he is projected to be drafted.  

- Marc Bindel, who was J.T Barrett's offensive coordinator in high school, has been quoted as saying "Obviously it's nothing official, but right now J.T. told me that he expects both of them (Jones and Braxton Miller) to be back with him". That's the best problem a coach can have, a plug and play quarterback. If I were Cardale I would declare for the draft, If he feels that he's ready. If he wants another year of college under his belt, I would transfer to a D1-AA  school and light it up there. Remember Steve McNair from Alcorn State?

- Ohio State officially hired Tim Beck who will serve as quarterbacks coach and co-offensive coordinator. Ed Warinner was promoted from offensive line coach to co-offensive coordinator.      

- Nick Foligno of the Columbus Blue Jackets has been named team captain for All-Start weekend in Columbus. Team Foligno is going to be the home team and wear the black Reebok All-Star jersey.

On The Mark 1.13.15: #Buckeyes #NationalChampionship Recap

UNDISPUTED CHAMPS!  Ohio State Handles Oregon 42-20 To Win The First CFB Championship
By @MarkW2112

The Ohio State Buckeyes, lead once again by third string quarterback Cardale Jones and running back Ezekiel Elliot, defeated the Oregon Ducks 42-20 to win the first ever College Football Championship.  It was an extraordinary end to an extraordinary season in which the Buckeyes went through 2 young quarterbacks after Braxton Miller had his season end before it began with a shoulder injury.  It was also extraordinary as to the fact that this team had been told that they were too young and year away.  None of that mattered as the Buckeyes dominated the ball game.

It didn't start out that way as the Ducks struck first with a 2:39 touchdown drive lead by Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota and then a 3 and out for the Bucks.  After the Ducks went 3 and out and pinned the Buckeyes on their own 3 yard line, Jones (242 passing yards, 38 rushing) led the team down the field and ended on a spectacular touchdown run by Elliot to tie it up.

The only downside to the game were 4 turnovers by the Buckeyes on offense.  3 fumbles and an interception off of Jalin Marshall's arms could have doomed the Bucks.  The Ducks got as close as 21-20 in the third quarter after a fumble by Jones led to another Ducks field goal.  With the preceding drive, Jones and Elliot once again led the team down field for a game defining touchdown to make it 28-20 to end the third quarter.  From there, the Buckeyes defense was able to stop the Ducks and the Buckeyes scored once again making it 35-20.  One more touchdown at the end of the game Elliot gave him 4 for the game to go along with 246 yards rushing which made him the undisputed Offensive MVP.  And while Tyvis Powell won defensive MVP, it really belonged to the entire defense.  The rotations that Luke Fickell and Chris Ash came up with were excellent and enough to keep the players fresh.  They proved to be too tough for the Ducks offense to handle.

My take: The Ohio State Buckeyes came in to the season as underdogs and proved every national media member wrong.  Urban Meyer had this team prepared and while the start of the season didn't look promising, he helped led them to the promise land and become National champions.  The entire Buckeyes coaching staff deserves a ton of credit for preparing their players to be the very best.  And while Oregon was a worthy opponent, they were no match for the aggressiveness both on offense and defense.  Cardale Jones and Ezekiel Elliot were able to plow through the Ducks defense when they needed to that extra yard or 2.  And while Mariota was able to make some big plays with his arm, the Bucks defensive line was able to keep him pressured almost the whole game.  It was a thing of beauty, a national championship won by a team that proved to the world they were the true #1 team in the nation.

Offensive player(s) of the game: Ezekiel Elliot and Cardale Jones once again were outstanding.  Elliot will definitely be a Heisman candidate next season.  Jones may decide to perhaps go pro.

Defensive player(s) of the game: the entire defense.  They all worked together as one unit to keep Marcus Mariota and his offense mostly at bay. 

Play of the game: the Buckeyes defense keeping the Ducks out of the end zone at the goal line.

So this is it.  The end of the 2014 season.  And what a season for The Ohio State Buckeyes!  Congratulations to them on their National Championship!   And the scary thing is most of this team will be back for next season.  They should be fun to watch once again.

Leadoff with Lee 12.15.14 #Browns #Kobe #Kings #Mariota

By @cleeverizon

- Did we watch a bunch of UPS workers playing football or the Cleveland Browns?

Let's start here, Johnny Manziel made it to Cleveland Browns stadium at 10:57am. That's 3 minutes prior to the 11:00am time that Browns players are required to be at the stadium. So he was on time, he was tracked using his tracking number which is #2. All eyes were on Johnny as he came out to the field to warmup, but he was caught wearing Beats By Dre headphones. This is a violation of NFL rules barring players to wear them before or after games due to the partnership they have with Bose. So expect Manziel to get fined by the league.

In his not so hot debut, Johnny was 10/18 for 80 yards and 2 interceptions in the game. The defense didn't keep the Bengals offense off the field. Cincinnati held the ball for 39 minutes in the game, leaving the Browns only 21 minutes on offense and not being able to get into rhythm. The "Nati" rushed for a total 224 yards with rookie Jeremy Hill gaining 103 yards in the first half and finishing with total of 148 in the game. Despite the woes of the game, the biggest improvement you will see with a rookie quarterback is the progression he makes from his first game to his second game.

- In a stunner, late last night Michael Malone was fired as the coach of the Sacramento Kings. It's said that even though the team got out to a hot start, the team is currently at 11-13, which did not meet ownership's expectations. Malone was in his second season as Kings coach. After star center DeMarcus Cousins was removed from the lineup with viral meningitis, the Kings have gone 2-7 in their last nine games which led to Malone's end. Assistant Tyrone Corbin will take over as the interim coach. Corbin had a 112-146 record as the coach of the Utah Jazz.

- Kobe Bryant moves into 3rd place on the NBA scoring list passing Michael Jordan. Bryant now has 32,293 points. Only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387) and Karl Malone (36,928) have more career points than Bryant.

- Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota won the 2014 Heisman trophy. He is the first player in school history to do so. Mariota had 788 first place votes and received the second highest percentage of possible points in Heisman trophy history behind Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith(2005). Mariota leads the league in passing rating (186.2) and 5th in average yards per game (342.5). The Oregon Ducks won this year's PAC-12 championship. Mariota has one more year of eligibility left and has not decided if he will declare for the 2015 NFL draft.

- Former Cavs player and #1 draft pick Andrew Wiggins won the NBA rookie of the month for November. He's averaging 11.6ppg (2nd among rookies), 3.7 rebounds, 1.13 steals in 15 games. In November, he was first in scoring, steals and minutes, along with being second in blocks and third in rebounds (among rookies).

- The New England Patriots clinched their 6th straight AFC East crown while Denver won their 4th straight AFC West title and the Colts clinched their 2nd straight AFC South crown. The NFC has no division winners as of yet.