Hoyer Paranoia

One day after the Cleveland Indians did their usual disappearing act whenever fans fill those green seats at Progressive Field to the max and the national media pays attention, the Cleveland Browns had the chance to turn those frowns upside down in the exact same scenario.

While most of the NFL Network's preseason hype on this game surrounded Buffalo first-round rookie quarterback E.J. Manuel, lately, the talk had shifted to this little-known third-string quarterback that had suddenly made the Browns relevant this early in the season -- North Olmsted native Brian Hoyer.

Most football gurus remembered Hoyer as Tom Brady's primary backup for a few seasons in New England after Hoyer made the Patriots as an undrafted rookie out of Michigan State. Hoyer had a stellar career at St. Ignatius, but wasn't exactly the second-coming while playing for the Spartans. In fact, some might say his college career was eerily similar to that of Brady's -- both were Big Ten quarterbacks in the state of Michigan, both weren't exactly great in college and both were lightly regarded by the NFL after their senior seasons.

Whatever knowledge Brady passed on to Hoyer he appeared to soak up like a sponge. Those close to Patriots head coach Bill Belichick believed that Hoyer had what it took to become a good starting quarterback in the NFL, including an NFL Network insider who previously worked in Cleveland named Michael Lombardi.

In December of 2011, Lombardi went on the NFL Network and proclaimed that both New England backups Hoyer and Ryan Mallett had what it took to become franchise quarterbacks in the NFL. His quote that has gotten repeated a lot over the past few weeks -- "I think Brian Hoyer and Ryan Mallett are starters. I've said this many times; If I would have taken the GM job of the 49ers, I would have gone after Brian Hoyer, because I think he has all the traits and characteristics. If I were the Cleveland Browns, I'd rather have Brian Hoyer behind center than Colt McCoy. I think he's got all the traits you need, in terms of leadership, toughness, the arm strength, the ability to move a team."

Within months of becoming the new GM of the Cleveland Browns, Lombardi proved to be a man of his word, signing Hoyer to a two-year contract. Then, after Brandon Weeden sprained his thumb late in a Week 2 14-6 loss to Baltimore and backup Jason Campbell threw an ill-advised underhanded toss to Jordan Cameron on fourth down with his team trailing by eight, Hoyer got his chance to show the world that Lombardi was actually right.

Hoyer's come-from-behind rally to beat the Minnesota Vikings after a tumultuous Week 3 had Cleveland buzzing. He then outplayed Cincinnati's Andy Dalton in his first home start ever, leading the Browns to a 17-6 win over the team most had pegged as the favorite to win the AFC North this season.

Needless to say, the NFL Network and the rest of the country had begun to take notice of Hoyer. Cleveland was already going nuts over their homegrown quarterback. In a hero-starved city desperately looking for the next Brian Sipe, Bernie Kosar or a combination of both, Hoyer appeared to be on his way to becoming the next one on that list.

Then, just six snaps into his nationally-televised debut, after what could have been an 90-yard touchdown pass to Josh Gordon was dropped after hitting Gordon in stride and right in the breadbasket, Hoyer took off on an innocent scramble after not seeing anyone open, went to slide after an 11-yard gain, was blasted by Buffalo rookie linebacker Kiko Alonso and tore the ACL of his knee when his leg bent awkwardly beneath him.

Now, the old Browns would have simply tucked their tail between their legs and gotten run out of their own building. The Bills had a 10-0 lead and Weeden, who had barely taken any snaps since suffering his thumb injury three weeks ago, was rusty as heck and was hearing about it from the Browns fans who had fallen head-over-heels in love with their homegrown quarterback. Even those who had supported Weeden were now buying into "Hoyer Paranoia."

However, these Browns aren't those old Browns.

Weeden suddenly shook off the rust and led the Browns to a touchdown drive. Then Travis Benjamin lit a spark in the crowd of 73,000 with a long, dazzling punt return touchdown that gave the Browns a sudden 17-10 lead.

Even after Buffalo came storming back to take a 24-17 lead, the Browns didn't quit. Weeden made, arguably, the two best throws of his career on back-to-back plays -- a 47-yard rope to Greg Little and a 37-yard bomb to Gordon that Gordon made a fantastic play on -- to tie the game at 24. Weeden then led the Browns to two more field goals before T.J. Ward sealed the deal with a pick-six off of undrafted rookie Jeff Tuel, who appears to have no business being on an NFL roster, let alone as the backup of the Bills (the Bills agreed, promoting ex-Browns third-stinger Thad Lewis to starter for the foreseeable future with Manuel's timetable to return undetermined).

Cleveland was understandably happy. The bad taste left in their mouths following the Indians' 4-0 loss to Tampa Bay was gone. The Browns had won three straight games and found themselves in sole possession of first place in the AFC North five weeks into the season. This after many believed they were raising the white flag on the season after giving up Trent Richardson for a 2014 first-round pick.

But, when the news hit that Hoyer was out for the rest of the season, suddenly first place didn't matter (at least to some people). That entertaining performance the previous night under the national spotlight was forgotten. The fact that Weeden was the quarterback for 95 percent of that game was apparently forgotten as well.

This is Cleveland, where we dwell on the negative and forget about the positive. Hoyer was done, and apparently, so are the Browns.

Joe Cleveland begs to differ.

Keep in mind that Weeden came into this season as the Browns' starting quarterback. He was a first round pick last season and started 15 of 16 games. If he doesn't injure his thumb in Week 2, Hoyer doesn't even get his chance.

Hoyer couldn't even beat out Campbell for the backup job in preseason, even though, by all accounts, Hoyer outplayed the veteran. And, when Rob Chudzinski announced that Hoyer was going to bypass Campbell and start in Week 3, many of you felt that it was a sure sign that the Browns were in tank mode.

Just two weeks later, many of those same fans believe that Hoyer was the next Kosar or Sipe, and he only played in two full games. Calm down, people!

We may never know if Hoyer would have been the answer or not, which is a shame because he had been playing so well. But Hoyer's debut coincided with the debut of Gordon after a two-game suspension, and if you can't see the difference in the Browns offense with it's only true vertical threat playing, then you're not watching the same game.

Perhaps the Browns would be 0-4 if Weeden hadn't gotten hurt, but we'll never know, will we? The fact is, Hoyer came in, played very well and helped the Browns get into the position that they are. And while Weeden does not have Hoyer's quick release and takes too many sacks, the fact is, when they take the shackles off of him, Weeden can make any throw necessary for his team to win. That was evident on those two tosses to Little and Gordon that turned this game solely on its axis in favor of the Browns.

When Weeden says he was friends with Hoyer, I believe him. And when he says he learned from some of the attributes Hoyer brought to the table, along with the work ethic he brought with him from the Patriots, I believe him too. And, if Weeden can't be motivated to play his absolute best after seeing one his backups play as well as he did with talk still swirling about the Browns still targeting a quarterback in next year's draft, then there's no hope for him.

I believe we'll see the Brandon Weeden that some folks believed he could be after a stellar career at Oklahoma State. Perhaps it took getting injured and coming off the bench to light a fire under his ass. Prior to that, everything was handed to him. The starting job was handed to him after Mike Holmgren and Tom Heckert took him with the 22nd overall pick, and he was never challenged by Colt McCoy or Lewis or Seneca Wallace. His GM called the Weeden selection a "panicked disaster" on the NFL Network last season, so he knows the deck is stacked against him.

He very correctly answered that "those things are out of my control," when Rich Eisen asked him about the QB rumors in the postgame show Thursday night. It's true. All he can do is play as well as he can and things will take care of themselves.

This Browns team has a legitimate shot at a postseason berth, something I don't think anybody would have said with a straight face just three weeks ago. The North Division looks very mortal, as the Bengals and Ravens pull Jeckyl and Hyde impressions every other week and the Steelers can't win a single game. The rest of the schedule doesn't look very daunting, as a 3-2 Lions team comes to town this Sunday that was just throttled by the Packers and went a dismal 4-12 last season. Even Green Bay looks beatable this season, as does New England (both on the Browns schedule).

The Browns aren't going to win every single game the rest of the season, and if they happen to lose to Detroit, fans will point out Weeden's 0-3 record as a starter compared to Hoyer's 3-0. But they have the defense to hang with any team in front of them, and the offense has enough playmakers (even without Richardson and Hoyer) to do some damage.

Remember how people were complaining about the kicker position and how the Browns would regret letting Phil Dawson go? You don't hear that very much anymore, do you? Billy Cundiff has only missed two field goals (one was blocked) and most of his kickoffs go through the uprights. Spencer Lanning even made an extra point for good measure and has proven to be the Browns' most reliable punter since the days of Dave Zastudil. And Benjamin has made many people forget about Josh Cribbs, although they do miss Cribbs on kickoff returns.

The Browns are not a finished product, by any means. But can they win this season and make a playoff push? Absolutely.

The Browns may wind up being like the Indians in this regard -- being good enough to qualify for the playoffs, but not quite good enough to make a championship push. And you know what, that's fine.

You don't hear many people complaining about the Indians today because they exceeded everyone's expectations by simply winning 92 games and qualifying for a Wild Card berth. Sure, you would have liked to see them score at least one run against the Rays, especially when they had numerous chances to do so, but the fact that they brought exciting October baseball back to Carnegie and Ontario after five years seemed to have lit a spark under this dormant fan base. Now, everyone's excited about this offseason, and deservedly so. It's been a while since fans have legitimately been anticipating an Indians offseason, and the Tribe has some decisions to make if they want to keep building off of this season.

The Browns are in the same boat. If this team somehow goes 10-6 or 9-7 or even 8-8 and wins the AFC North, you don't think Browns fans aren't going to be excited? Even if that means they're set up for an ass-kicking by the Denver Broncos, so be it. This offseason was already anticipated before the Browns captured our imaginations and won three straight games. Every Browns offseason is anticipated, but you don't think the anticipation would grow 10-fold if this team somehow snuck into the playoffs? NFL playoff football hasn't visited Cleveland since 2002 and only twice since 1994 -- you're damn right we're going to go apeshit, just like everyone did when the Tribe made it after a six-year absence.

Cleveland fans are dying to see what the Indians can do for an encore in 2014 and whether or not the 2013 was an abberation or something that can be built upon. They will be dying to see what the Browns can do for 2014, regardless of whether they make the playoffs or not (but it will be greater if they can be a postseason team). And, Lord only knows about the Cavs in the summer of 2014 when you-know-who decides to become a free agent, regardless of whether they can finally taste the postseason for the first time since that you-know-who took his talents elsewhere in the summer of 2010.

Can we see three playoff teams in the same calender year for the first time in a long time, perhaps EVER? The closest we got was 2007, with the Cavs making the NBA Finals, the Indians making the ALCS and the Browns winning 10 games, but finishing a tiebreaker shy of an NFL playoff berth. Too early to tell.

But don't let Hoyer's season-ending injury spoil your feelings about the Cleveland Browns. Yeah, it's a tough break for the hometown hero. But let's see if Weeden can rise to the challenge and answer the bell. Let's see if this defense continues to play like one of the best units in the NFL. Let's see if the special teams continue to do special things. Let's see if Willis McGahee can get better as he works off his own rust, and let's see if Gordon, Little, Cameron and Davone Bess can continue to give Weeden reliable weapons that he can use to attack NFL defenses and put points on the board.

The Browns are playing their best football in YEARS. Don't let an injury to a guy who began the year as the third-string quarterback spoil that.

Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks!

Top 20 Browns-Steelers Games (According to Joe)

Well, the title is a bit misleading, because I'm not going to rank all 20 games.

I ranked the Top 10 games in the series last season on this blog. You can find a link to that right here:
http://joeclevelandblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/top-10-browns-steelers-games-according.html

What I'm going to with this one is pick up where I left off last season and rank the second-best 10 in the long series of the best rivalry in the AFC. I don't give a crap what ESPN says about the Ravens-Steelers, the Browns and Steelers are where it's at.

And, two wins in the last four seasons, with the chance to make it three and a rare sweep of those Yinzers this Sunday, shows that balance of power is shifting. No longer will the Browns be a guaranteed 'W' on the Steelers schedule. When a team misses the playoffs twice in the last four seasons and are limping to the finish line with a three-game losing streak, it shows that the days of wine and roses in Pittsburgh are coming to a close.

Joe Cleveland is going to enjoy the change, just like he enjoyed compiling this list. We'll start at No. 20:

20. Browns 17, Steelers 7 (Sept. 16, 1985): A new era of Browns football began with this Monday Night Football clash at Cleveland Stadium on the second week of the regular season. With Marty Schottenheimer in his first full-season as the head football coach and veteran Gary Danielson and rookie Bernie Kosar taking over at quarterback, the Browns needed to knock off their hated rivals after dropping a 27-24 overtime loss to the St. Louis Cardinals in last week's season opener. Danielson, making his second start as a Brown, completed 18-of-30 passes for 206 yards and a touchdown and an interception. His 17-yard scoring pass to wideout Fred Banks in the second quarter opened the scoring for both teams, and an 18-yard field goal by Matt Bahr in the third made it a 10-0 Browns lead heading into the fourth quarter. Mark Malone found John Stallworth for a 6-yard score in the fourth to cut the Browns' lead to 10-7. But Cleveland put the game away on its ensuing possession with a 21-yard touchdown run by second-year running back Earnest Byner. Byner rushed for 82 yards on 18 carries, while rookie Kevin Mack added 40 yards on 12 carries. Both backs would go over 1,000 yards rushing -- just the third time in NFL history a pair of running backs would accomplish the feat -- and the Browns wound up winning the AFC Central Division with an 8-8 record, qualifying for the playoffs for the first time since 1982 and winning their first division title since 1980.

19. Browns 19, Steelers 13 (Dec. 26, 1987): Wins at Three Rivers Stadium could never be counted on, especially since the Browns had just ended a 16-year losing streak the previous season. Yet the Browns needed to win at their perennial house of horrors in the 1987 season finale to clinch their second-straight division title over an 8-6 Steelers team. The Browns jumped out to a 9-0 lead on a 31-yard field goal from Matt Bahr and a two-yard touchdown pass from Bernie Kosar to backup tight end Derek Tennell, but a 39-yard field goal by Gary Anderson cut that lead to 9-3 at halftime. The Browns got a 30-yard field goal from Bahr to take a 12-3 lead heading into fourth quarter, and the Steelers cut that deficit to six with another Anderson field goal. However, the Browns put the game away with two-yard touchdown run by Earnest Byner to take a 19-6 lead. Pittsburgh's Cornell Gowdy made things interesting with a 45-yard interception return late in the fourth quarter to make it a six-point game, but the Browns were able to run out the clock and improve to 10-5. Hanford Dixon and linebacker Eddie Johnson each picked off Mark Malone once apiece, while Hall of Fame tight end Ozzie Newsome caught six passes for 94 yards to lead the Browns offense. The 10-5 Browns reached the AFC Championshp game three weeks later, but lost a heartbreaking 38-33 game to the Denver Broncos when Byner fumbled on the 2 with just over a minute remaining in the game.

18. Browns 27, Steelers 7 (Nov. 20, 1988): The Browns, who had started four different quarterbacks during the season, were sitting at 6-5 with the hapless Steelers coming to town. If the Browns wanted to get back to the playoffs for the fourth-straight season, they needed to take care of business against Pittsburgh. With Bernie Kosar healthy and back under center, the Browns didn't waste any time showing who the dominant team really was. After opening the scoring with a 32-yard field goal from Matt Bahr, Kosar found backup tight end Derek Tennell for a two-yard scoring pass to take a 10-0 lead into the second quarter. Frank Minnifield added to that lead when he blocked a Harry Newsom punt and returned it 11 yards to give the Browns a 17-0 lead that the Steelers cut to 17-7 just before the half. Kosar, who threw for 204 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions, found Reggie Langhorne for a 77-yard touchdown bomb early in the third quarter to put the game away, and Bahr added a 34-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. The Browns defense sacked Steelers starter Bubby Brister six times, led by rookie Michael Dean Perry's two, and picked him off twice. Linebacker Eddie Johnson had a sack and an interception, while Minnifield had the other pick to go along with his huge blocked punt. The Browns used this performance to win five of their last six games and finish 10-6, qualifying for the playoffs as a wild-card team. This was also the last time the Browns swept the Steelers in a season series (until this Sunday, perhaps).

17. Browns 23, Steelers 20 (Sept. 17, 2000): The Browns had just stunned the Steelers, 16-15, at Three Rivers Stadium in 1999 -- one of just two victories for the expansion Browns that season -- and had rebounded from a 27-7 thrashing by Jacksonville in the 2000 season opener to defeat the Bengals, 24-7, on the road to take a 1-1 record into Cleveland Browns Stadium and their next meeting with the hated Steelers. The Browns jumped out to a 14-0 lead behind two first quarter touchdown passes from Tim Couch to tight end Aaron Shea and fullback Mark Edwards, respectively. But the Steelers, behind former Ohio State quarterback Kent Graham, rallied to cut that lead to 14-10 at halftime with a field goal and a four-yard scoring run by Richard Huntley. A 23-yard field goal by Phil Dawson gave the Browns a 17-13 lead midway through the third quarter. However, a 10-yard rush by Jerome Bettis gave the Steelers a 20-17 lead heading into the fourth. Instead of rolling over, the young Browns fought back with a pair of fourth-quarter Dawson field goals -- the latter from 19-yards out with 2:48 remaining -- to take a 23-20 lead. Graham had the Steelers marching into field goal territory on his final two-minute drive. However, with no timeouts, rookie No. 1 overall draft choice Courtney Brown sacked Graham for a four-yard loss with 13 seconds remaining, and the Steelers ran out of time before assembling the field goal team. It's the last time the Browns have won two straight against the Steelers (hopefully, until this coming Sunday). The Browns couldn't sustain that 2-1 start, finishing a dismal 3-13. Ironically, of Chris Palmer's five wins as the Browns' head coach in two seasons, two of those wins came against the Steelers. That loss dropped the Steelers to 0-3, but they rebounded to finish 9-7 (and missing the playoffs).

16. Browns 33, Steelers 13 (Oct. 5, 2003): This is still the only time the Browns have won at Heinz Field (until this Sunday, hopefully). More importantly, not only was this a nationally-televised Sunday night game, but this was the teams' first meeting since the Steelers came back from deficits of 24-7 and 33-17 to escape with a 36-33 playoff victory. Tim Couch, playing arguably the best game of his short five-year career, completed 20-of-25 passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns. William Green gauged the vaunted Steeler defense for 115 yards on 33 carries. Couch's six-yard touchdown pass to Andre Davis and a short Phil Dawson field goal gave the Browns a 10-0 first quarter lead, and a 9-yard scoring pass from Couch to Kevin Johnson made it a 16-3 advantage midway through the second quarter. Jerome Bettis plunged in from the 1 to cut that lead to 16-10, but Couch capped a 9-play, 78-yard drive with a nine-yard touchdown run with 13 seconds left to give the Browns a 23-10 halftime advantage. Daylon McCutcheon's 75-yard interception return off a Tommy Maddux pass early in the third quarter was the final nail in the Steelers' coffin. The Browns improved to 2-3 with the win (same record as the Steelers). However, they would finish 5-11. It would be Couch's final year in the NFL. This would also be the Browns' last win over the Steelers for the next 12 games and six seasons.

15. Browns 45, Steelers 7 (Oct. 29, 1950): The rivalry made its first appearance on the shores of Lake Erie with the 4-2 Browns taking on the 2-4 Steelers. The Browns had beaten Pittsburgh three weeks prior, 30-17 (see No. 14 on this list) in a dominating effort, and actually were more dominant at home. Hall of Famer Marion Motley rushed for 188 yards on 11 carries and scored a 69-yard rushing touchdown and a 38-yard receiving touchdown from Otto Graham. Both scores helped the Browns open up a 24-0 lead midway through the third quarter, and a 14-yard scoring run by Don Phelps made it a 31-0 lead after three quarters. After the Steelers scored, the Browns put the game away with an 80-yard touchdown pass from Graham to Dub Jones and a 38-yard TD pass from backup Cliff Lewis to Horace Gillom. The Browns defense forced eight turnovers in this romp, and the Cleveland offense outgained Pittsburgh, 533-349. The Browns wound wind up going 10-2 in their first NFL season and won the NFL Championship -- their fifth title in their first five years of existance.

14. Browns 30, Steelers 17 (Oct. 7, 1950): This was the first-ever meeting between these two storied franchises, and the Browns -- in their first year in the National Football League after dominating the All-American Football Conference from 1946-49 -- quickly showed who the dominant force was. Played at Pitt Stadium, Hall of Famer Otto Graham rushed for two one-yard touchdowns to give the Browns a 14-3 lead, followed by a Dub Jones 7-yard rush to make it a 21-3 halftime lead. Cleveland put the game away in the fourth quarter with a 48-yard touchdown run by Jones to make it a 30-10 advantage. The defense forced six Steeler turnovers, despite giving up 345 yards of total offense.

13. Browns 30, Steelers 17 (Dec. 18, 1983): This was Brian Sipe's final game in a Cleveland Browns' uniform, and he went out with a blaze of glory against their hated and bitter rival in this late-season showdown. With the Steelers at 10-5 and already clinched the division title, the 8-7 Browns needed to win just to get a chance at a playoff berth. Sipe completed 14-of-22 passes for 199 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions to lead this minor upset. Sipe opened things up with a 64-yard touchdown pass to rookie wideout Rocky Belk, and added a two-yard scoring toss to backup tight end Harry Holt and a three-yarder to wideout Ricky Feacher to give the Browns a 23-10 halftime lead. The Sipe-Holt connection put the game away early in the third quarter with a one-yard scoring toss and a 30-10 lead. Belk would only play that season, finishing with five receptions and two touchdowns. Franco Harris, in his final game as a Steeler, would be held to just 56 yards on 20 carries by a Browns defense that picked off quarterbacks Cliff Stoudt and Mark Malone once apiece. Alas, the 9-7 Browns finished second in the AFC Central with the win, but missed out on the playoffs by tiebreakers. It would be the last hurrah of the Kardiac Kid-era Browns -- head coach Sam Rutigliano would be fired midway through the 1984 season after a 1-8 start.

12. Browns 10, Steelers 9 (Dec. 19, 1982): I put this as my honorable mention game in my previous list because it landed on my ninth birthday (it's still the last time the Browns have won a game on my birthday). However, a closer look shows just how important this win really was. The Browns, in the strike-shortened season, were just 2-4 heading into this showdown at Cleveland Stadium with Paul McDonald at quarterback replacing an injured Brian Sipe. A loss would have essentially ended their season. However, the defense picked off Terry Bradshaw four times -- three of which by Hanford Dixon -- and sacked him three times. The Steelers led, 7-3, at halftime on a six-yard TD pass from Bradshaw to John Stallworth. However, McDonald, who completed 19-of-40 passes for 227 yards, led the Browns on a third-quarter scoring drive, capped by a 1-yard plunge by fullback Johnny Davis. An intentional safety taken when punter Steve Cox ran out of the end zone in the final seconds made it a one-point game, but it wasn't enough. The win improved the Browns to 3-4 and led to a 4-5 season. It was good enough for them to make the playoffs under the expanded eight-team format, and this win propelled them to that playoff berth. It was also the last time the Browns beat a Bradshaw-led Steeler team -- he retired after just one game in 1983.

11. Browns 20, Steelers 14 (Nov. 25, 2012): We end our list with the most recent chapter in this long rivalry, and the most recent victory for the good guys. With the Steelers down to third-string quarterback Charlie Batch, the Browns defense forced a whopping eight turnovers -- three of which occured in the final three minutes of play. They intercepted three Batch passes, but recovered five fumbles from five different Steeler running backs. Rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden, who had a batted pass intercepted and returned for a 53-yard touchdown by linebacker Lawrence Timmons on the fourth play from scrimmage, recovered to lead the Browns to 20 points. He threw a five-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jordan Cameron late in the second quarter off of a turnover, but the Steelers led, 14-13, at halftime on a Chris Rainey 1-yard run in the final seconds of the second quarter. Kicker Phil Dawson connected from 28 and 32 yards out in the first half. But rookie Trent Richardson's 15-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter gave the Browns a 20-14 lead, which was good enough for the long-awaited 'W.' Richardson finished with 85 yards on 29 carries, while Weeden (who was knocked out of the game late in the fourth quarter) threw for 153 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

Hopefully, this Sunday adds another solid chapter to this list of Browns' triumphs.

Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks ... and Pittsburgh Sucks!

Can Browns stop the QB sieve?

If Brandon Weeden starts the season opener, as many expect, he'd be the sixth-straight different QB to start a Browns season opener, the eighth-different QB in the last 10 years, and the first true rookie to start a season opener since Cliff Lewis started the very first game in Cleveland Browns history back in 1946.

The expansion era hasn't been pretty for the Browns in terms of quarterbacks. Tim Couch has been the most stable QB the Browns have had, and he was sent packing after 2003.

However, you can even go back to the last few years the original Browns were in tact to see some unrest within the QB ranks. You can look at the last 21 seasons of Browns football, which spans 24 years (thanks to the three years the Browns didn't exist), and only three times has a Browns QB started all 16 games during that span (one Browns QB did it twice).

There have been 24 different starting quarterbacks for the Browns in those 21 seasons. Eight of those were from 1988-95, and 16 of them have been in the Expansion Era. There have been two seasons during that span where the Browns had to start four different quarterbacks, and five other seasons where the Browns started three different quarterbacks. They also played in six playoff games during that span, in which four different quarterbacks started those six games and five different quarterbacks played in those games.

We go back 21 years because that's when Bernie Kosar first injured his arm during the season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs. The year was 1988, and little did anyone know that the man under center was going to revolve more than the door outside the Cleveland Clinic.

1988
Record: 10-6 (0-1 playoffs)
Head Coach: Marty Schottenheimer
Postseason: Yes (Wild-Card)
Division Finish: Second
Opening Day QB Starter: Bernie Kosar
Season-Finale QB Starter: Don Strock (Postseason: Strock)
Other QBs who started: Gary Danielson, Mike Pagel
Other QBs who played: N/A
Leading Passer: Kosar
Noted: Kosar was injured in the second quarter of the season opener and missed the next six games. All told, he only started nine of the 16 games, suffering another season-ending injury in the second-to-last game of the regular season. Danielson broke his ankle in Week 2 and never played again. Pagel started in Week 3 (and won), but seperated his shoulder in Week 6 making a tackle after a blocked field goal and didn't play again until the Wild-Card game. Strock, who was literally summoned off of a golf course to sign after Kosar's injury, only started two games, but won both, including a huge 28-23 home win over the Houston Oilers in the season finale to clinch a Wild Card berth. Strock was injured during the Wild Card game and never took another NFL snap. Pagel finished the game, but couldn't lead the Browns to a victory. Schottenheimer resigned under pressure a few days after the playoff loss and immediately took over the Kansas City Chiefs.

1989
Record: 9-6-1 (1-1 playoffs)
Head Coach: Bud Carson
Postseason: Yes (Division Title)
Division Finish: First
Opening Day QB Starter: Kosar
Season-Finale QB Starter: Kosar (Postseason: Kosar)
Other QBs who started: None
Other QBs who played: Pagel
Leading Passer: Kosar
Noted: Kosar rebounded from the injury to start all 16 games. It would only be one of three times during this span of 21 seasons that a Browns QB will start all 16 games. Kosar struggled, throwing 14 interceptions compared to 18 touchdowns, with Marc Trestman fully running the offense. He also started the AFC Championship Game against Denver with a broken hand, using a special contraption to help aleviate the pain. Kosar threw two TD passes, but only completed 19 of 44 passes for 210 yards and three interceptions. This would be the third time in the last four years the Browns reached the AFC title game (and marked the fifth-straight playoff season). However, the Browns have yet to reach the AFC title game since then. This has also been the last time the Browns have won a division title.

1990
Record: 3-13
Head Coach: Carson/Jim Shofner (interim 7 games)
Postseason: No
Division Finish: Fourth
Opening Day QB Starter: Kosar
Season-Finale QB Starter: Pagel
Other QBs who started: None
Other QBs who played: Jeff Francis
Leading Passer: Kosar
Noted: Kosar struggled in 1990, starting all 13 games he played, but only throwing 10 TDs compared to 15 Ints. Kosar was pulled during a loss to San Francisco and Pagel rallied the team. However, the rally came up short and they lost, 20-17. The following week, Carson started Pagel over Kosar without telling the media or team owner Art Modell, and Carson was fired following a 42-0 blowout loss to the Buffalo Bills (and a 2-7 start). Kosar regained the starting job after the bye week, even leading the team to a 13-10 win over Atlanta in Week 14. However, he was injured following the game and Pagel started the final two games -- both losses. Shofner, who was the offensive coordinator, was not retained.

1991
Record: 6-10
Head Coach: Bill Belichick
Postseason: No
Division Finish: Third
Opening Day QB Starter: Kosar
Season-Finale QB Starter: Kosar
Other QBs who started: None
Other QBs who played: Todd Philcox
Leading Passer: Kosar
Noted: For the final time in his career, Kosar started all 16 games during the regular season. The Browns showed improvement under Belichick, winning three more games and being competitive in most of their losses. Kosar had his best season since 1987, throwing for 3,487 yards with 18 TDs and only 9 Ints. The Browns were 6-7 heading into December with an outside chance of competing for playoff berth. However, the team lost their last three games in a row -- 17-7 to Denver, 17-14 to Houston (in which kicker Matt Stover missed a chip-shot field goal on the final play), and 17-10 at Pittsburgh.

1992
Record: 7-9
Head Coach: Belichick
Postseason: No
Division Finish: Third
Opening Day QB Starter: Kosar
Season-Finale QB Starter: Kosar
Other QBs who started: Philcox, Mike Tomczak
Other QBs who played: Brad Goebel
Leading Passer: Tomczak
Noted: Kosar only started seven games, breaking his ankle during a Week 2 Monday Night loss to Miami. Philcox started the following game, a 28-16 win over Oakland, but he was injured following the contest. Tomczak, an Ohio State grad who was cut by the Chicago Bears prior to the season opener, was thrust into action in Week 3. Tomczak started eight games and played in 12, guiding the Browns to a 4-4 record in games he started. Kosar returned in Week 13 to lead the Browns to a 27-14 Monday Night win over Chicago and earned another win the following week against Cincinnati, 37-21, to put the Browns at 7-6. However, for the second-straight year, the Browns dropped their final three games in a row. Kosar was relieved by Tomczak during the 23-13 season finale loss at Pittsburgh and threw a TD pass.

1993
Record: 7-9
Head Coach: Belichick
Postseason: No
Division Finish: Third
Opening Day QB Starter: Kosar
Season-Finale QB Starter: Vinny Testaverde
Other QBs who started: Philcox
Other QBs who played: N/A
Leading Passer: Testaverde
Noted: Kosar didn't survive the season, being unceremoniously released following a 29-14 home loss to Denver in Week 10 after the season's second bye-week. The loss dropped the Browns to 5-3. However, they would only win two more games the rest of the season. Testaverde, a free agent acquision and Kosar's college teammate at Miami (Fla.), relieved in Week 3 and led the Browns to a come-from-behind 19-16 win over Oakland after they trailed, 16-3, in the fourth quarter. Belichick followed suit the following two games before permanently benching Kosar for Week 7. Testaverde started and led the the team to wins over Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. However, he was injured during the fourth quarter against the Steelers and Kosar came off the bench. Kosar didn't get the chance to lead a game-winning TD drive, as Eric Metcalf returned a punt 75 yards for the winning TD with two minutes remaining. With Testaverde injured, Philcox started the next four games, only winning one (17-13 over New Orleans). However, Testaverde came off the bench and led the team to the win, and he started the remaining four games, including a 42-14 win over the Los Angeles Rams in the second-to-last game. Kosar wound up signing with the Dallas Cowboys and played a key role in their Super Bowl-winning season.

1994
Record: 11-5 (1-1 playoffs)
Head Coach: Belichick
Postseason: Yes (Wild-Card)
Division Finish: Second
Opening Day QB Starter: Testaverde
Season-Finale QB Starter: Testaverde (Postseason: Testaverde)
Other QBs who started: Mark Rypien
Other QBs who played: N/A
Leading Passer: Testaverde
Noted: It was Testaverde's team for the first time, and he was under pressure from fans and media who were angry about Kosar's release. In a make-or-break season, the Browns had their best record since 1987 and snapped a four-year streak without a playoff berth. Testaverde only started 13 games (he played 14) due to injury, and still finished with more interceptions (18) than touchdowns (16). But, he threw for 2,575 yards. Testaverde was injured during a 37-13 win over the Bengals in Week 8, with the Browns sitting at 6-1. Rypien, who won a Super Bowl with the Washington Redskins in 1991, started the next three games, winning two of them. He relieved an injured Testaverde the following week in a 20-13 loss to Kansas City, but Testaverde returned for good the following week, going 3-2 the rest of the way. Testaverde led the Browns to a 20-13 Wild-Card win at home over New England on New Year's Day. However, he struggled against the Steelers the following week, completing 13 of 31 passes for 144 yards with a TD and two Ints in a 29-9 loss. Adding insult to injury, Testaverde was sacked for a safety late in the fourth quarter. The Browns haven't won a playoff game (or hosted a playoff game) since.

1995
Record: 5-11
Head Coach: Belichick
Postseason: No
Division Finish: Fourth
Opening Day QB Starter: Testaverde
Season-Finale QB Starter: Testaverde
Other QBs who started: Eric Zeier
Other QBs who played: Tom Tupa
Leading Passer: Testaverde
Noted: This was the year of the move. Modell announced he was moving the team on Nov. 6 -- at that point, the Browns were 4-5. However, word leaked of the move prior to the game on Nov. 5, in which the Browns were killed, 37-10, at home by Houston. Testaverde led the Browns to a 3-1 start, but was benched following a 23-13 loss to Jacksonville for Zeier, a third-round rookie out of Georgia. Zeier caught lightning in a bottle in his first start, throwing for 310 yards in a 29-26 OT win at Cincinnati. But then the move came, and the wheels fell off. Zeier only started three more games (all losses) before Testaverde took over for good. Testaverde led the Browns to an emotional 26-10 win on Dec. 17 in their final game at the old Cleveland Stadium, which snapped a six-game losing skid. Testaverde actually had a decent year, throwing for 2,883 yards with 17 touchdowns and 10 Ints. The franchise was renamed the Baltimore Ravens (Testaverde remained, but Belichick was fired shortly after the move was finalized), and the Cleveland Browns would be dormant for the next three seasons.

1999
Record: 2-14
Head Coach: Chris Palmer
Postseason: No
Division Finish: Sixth
Opening Day QB Starter: Ty Detmer
Season-Finale QB Starter: Detmer
Other QBs who started: Tim Couch
Other QBs who played: N/A
Leading Passer: Couch
Noted: The Browns were reborn as an expansion team, and veteran Ty Detmer was brought on to start and mentor the No. 1 overall draft choice out of Kentucky, Couch. However, after the Browns were whitewashed in their debut, 43-0, by the Steelers, Palmer instilled the raw Couch as the starting quarterback. Couch struggled as the Browns lost their first seven games of the season. Only a Hail Mary pass from Couch to rookie Kevin Johnson on the last play gave the Browns a 21-16 win over New Orleans, and Phil Dawson's 39-yard field goal with time running out gave the Browns a 16-15 win over the Steelers at Three Rivers. Other than that, there was a lot of disappointment. Couch started 14 of the 15 games he played in, throwing for 2,447 yards with 15 TDs and 13 Ints. Detmer started the season finale at home against the Colts and nearly led the Browns to an upset. However, the Colts got a field goal on the last play of the game to escape with a 29-28 win. Detmer never took another snap for the Browns again.

2000
Record: 3-13
Head Coach: Palmer
Postseason: No
Division Finish: Sixth
Opening Day QB Starter: Couch
Season-Finale QB Starter: Doug Pederson
Other QBs who started: Spurgon Wynn
Other QBs who played: Kevin Thompson
Leading Passer: Couch
Noted: Couch started his first season opener, and actually led the Browns to two wins in their first three games, matching their season total from the season before. However, things quickly went south for both the young QB and the Browns. Couch started the first seven games before breaking his throwing hand in practice right before a game against the Steelers. In stepped journeyman Doug Pederson, signed just before the season after Detmer tore his Achilles tendon and missed the whole season. Pederson only led the Browns to one more win -- a 19-11 home upset over Belichick's New England Patriots. In an act of utter desperation, Palmer started rookie sixth-round draft choice Wynn against Jacksonville, and Wynn never moved the Browns beyond the 50-yard line in a 48-0 loss. Pederson only threw two TDs and eight Ints. Palmer was fired following the season.

2001
Record: 7-9
Head Coach: Butch Davis
Postseason: No
Division Finish: Third
Opening Day QB Starter: Couch
Season-Finale QB Starter: Couch
Other QBs who started: None
Other QBs who played: Kelly Holcomb
Leading Passer: Couch
Noted: Will a clean bill of health and playing for a new head coach and new offensive coordinator in Butch Ariens, Couch has the best season of his young career, starting all 16 games -- the only time that has happened during the expansion era for the Browns. Couch threw for 3,040 yards with 17 TDs and 21 Ints -- all career-highs. Meanwhile, the Browns won three of their first four games, took a 4-2 record into the bye week, and were 6-4 going into December. Suddenly, this team was a playoff contender. However, the Browns lost five of their last six games, including a controvercial 15-10 loss to Jacksonville in which a fourth-down completion inside the red zone with 40 seconds remaining was overturned AFTER Couch had already run another play. Holcomb played at the end of a 31-15 blowout loss to Tennessee, throwing a touchdown pass. It was the only action Couch missed the entire season.

2002
Record: 9-7 (0-1 playoffs)
Head Coach: Davis
Postseason: Yes (Wild-Card)
Division Finish: Second
Opening Day QB Starter: Holcomb
Season-Finale QB Starter: Couch (Postseason: Holcomb)
Other QBs who started: None
Other QBs who played: N/A
Leading Passer: Couch
Noted: Couch was injured during the preseason finale, which allowed Holcomb to start the season opener. Opening up a QB controversy that never went away, Holcomb completed 27 of 39 passes for 326 yards and three TDs, but the Browns lost, 40-39, at home to Kansas City on the last play of the game. Couch returned in Week 3, leading the Browns to a come-from-behind 31-28 OT win over Tennessee. However, Couch was knocked out of a game two weeks later against Baltimore with a concussion (which drew scattered cheers from the crowd), and Holcomb led a furious rally from a 23-8 deficit. However, he threw an interception in the end zone on the final play of a 26-21 loss. Couch returned the following week and started every single game the rest of the season, leading the Browns to a 5-2 record down the stretch, including two come-from-behind wins over Jacksonville and Baltimore on the road. Couch was injured midway through the season finale against Atlanta, and Holcomb led the Browns to two second-half touchdowns in a 23-16 win, which punched their ticket to the postseason for the first time since 1994 and second time since 1989. In the Wild Card game, Holcomb shredded the Pittsburgh defense for 429 yards and three TDs. However, the Steelers rallied from deficits of 24-7 and 33-21 to escape with a 36-33 win.

2003
Record: 5-11
Head Coach: Davis
Postseason: No
Division Finish: Fourth
Opening Day QB Starter: Holcomb
Season-Finale QB Starter: Couch
Other QBs who started: None
Other QBs who played: N/A
Leading Passer: Holcomb
Noted: Both Holcomb and Couch played in 10 games and started eight, if there was ever a definition of a QB controversy. Holcomb started, based on his playoff performance against the Steelers, but struggled in the early going. He led the Browns to a come-from-behind 13-12 win at San Francisco, but was broke his ankle during the game, opening the door for Couch. Couch started the next four games, winning two, including a 33-13 win at Heinz Field (the Browns only win at Heinz Field ever) on a Sunday night. However, he was yanked during a 26-20 loss to San Diego for Holcomb, who rallied the team from a big deficit. Holcomb's best game came in a 44-6 blowout of Arizona at home, but he lost his job during a Monday Night game with St. Louis after throwing two killer interceptions just before halftime. Couch rallied the Browns in the second half of a 26-20 loss, and started the remaining three games of his Browns (and NFL) career. His final game was a 22-14 win at Cincinnati. Couch was released during the offseason and never took another NFL snap.

2004
Record: 4-12
Head Coach: Davis/Terry Robiskie (interim 5 games)
Postseason: No
Division Finish: Fourth
Opening Day QB Starter: Jeff Garcia
Season-Finale QB Starter: Holcomb
Other QBs who started: Luke McCown
Other QBs who played: N/A
Leading Passer: Garcia
Noted: Garcia was signed as a free agent to put a stop to the Couch/Holcomb QB carosel, and Garcia led the Browns to their only opening-day win of the Expansion Era, a 20-3 victory over the Ravens. However, that's about where the rays of sunshine ended for Garcia in Cleveland. He only started 10 games (and played in 11) before succombing to two different injuries. The first was during a 10-7 loss to the Jets at home. The second was after playing in just two snaps when he relieved an inefffective McCown during a 37-7 loss to Buffalo. Holcomb had one great game, throwing for five TDs and 413 yards in a 58-48 loss at Cincinnati (Davis resigned shortly after the game), but quickly fell back to earth and was injured. McCown, a rookie, was thrown into the fire with the Buffalo game and lost all four games he started. Holcomb returned for the season-finale, a 22-14 win at Houston. All three QBs would be gone by the time the Browns started the next season.

2005
Record: 6-10
Head Coach: Romeo Crennel
Postseason: No
Division Finish: Third
Opening Day QB Starter: Trent Dilfer
Season-Finale QB Starter: Charlie Frye
Other QBs who started: None
Other QBs who played: N/A
Leading Passer: Dilfer
Noted: Dilfer was signed as a free agent, and Akron product Charlie Frye was drafted in the third round as the heir apparent. Dilfer started 11 games, going 4-7 in his starts with 11 TDs and 12 Ints. Frye debuted during a 22-0 win over Miami in Week 11 and took over for an injured Dilfer in a Week 12 24-12 loss to Minnesota. He started the following week at home against Jacksonville and remained the starter for the final five games, going 2-3 in those starts. He beat Baltimore, 20-16, at home in the season finale.

2006
Record: 4-12
Head Coach: Crennel
Postseason: No
Division Finish: Fourth
Opening Day QB Starter: Frye
Season-Finale QB Starter: Frye
Other QBs who started: Derek Anderson
Other QBs who played: Ken Dorsey
Leading Passer: Frye
Noted: With Dilfer let go, it was Frye's job from the get-go in 2006. However, he quickly showed he wasn't ready to be an NFL starting quarterback, even if the fans wanted him to succeed because he was a Northern Ohio guy who grew up a huge Bernie Kosar fan. Frye started 13 games, going 4-9, throwing for 2,454 yards with 10 TDs and 17 Ints. He was injured during a 31-28 OT win over Kansas City, in which an unknown backup named Derek Anderson threw two fourth quarter TDs and drove the Browns to the game-winning field goal in OT. Anderson lost his next three starts, eventually getting injured during a 22-7 loss to Tampa Bay. Frye returned to start the season finale over Ken Dorsey, a 14-6 loss at Houston.

2007
Record: 10-6
Head Coach: Crennel
Postseason: No
Division Finish: Second
Opening Day QB Starter: Frye
Season-Finale QB Starter: Anderson
Other QBs who started: None
Other QBs who played: Brady Quinn
Leading Passer: Anderson
Noted: Frye barely beat out Anderson to start the season opener, but most everyone believed that first-round rookie Brady Quinn would eventually take over. After just a quarter-and-a-half of the season opener, Crennel pulled the plug on the Frye Era forever, inserting Anderson and then trading him the following day to Seattle. Anderson responded by putting together one of the best single-seasons a Browns quarterback has ever had, throwing for 3,787 yards with 29 TDs and 19 Ints. Anderson burst on the scene in his first start, throwing for five TDs in a wild 51-45 shootout win over Cincinnati, and kept it going for most of the first half. The Browns were 3-3 heading into their bye week following a 41-31 win over Miami, but came out with six wins over the next eight weeks to put them at 9-5 and right on the cusp of a playoff berth. However, Anderson threw four interceptions in a 19-14 loss at Cincinnati, which essentially killed their chances at a playoff berth. For his efforts, Anderson made the Pro Bowl, one of five members of the offense to do so. Quinn made his debut in the season finale, leading one drive just before halftime that resulted in a field goal.

2008
Record: 4-12
Head Coach: Crennel
Postseason: No
Division Finish: Fourth
Opening Day QB Starter: Anderson
Season-Finale QB Starter: Bruce Gradkowski
Other QBs who started: Quinn, Dorsey
Other QBs who played: N/A
Leading Passer: Anderson
Noted: Anderson quickly proved that his 2007 season was an abberation, starting just nine games (playing 10) and throwing for 1,615 yards with nine TDs and eight Ints. Following a loss to Baltimore, which dropped the Browns to 3-5, Crennel benched Anderson for Quinn in a Thursday night home showdown against Denver. Quinn played well in a 34-30 loss, throwing for 239 yards and two touchdowns, and won his first game as a starter the following week, a 29-27 come-from-behind Monday night win at Buffalo. However, that would be the last game the Browns, and Crennel, would win. Quinn was injured the following week, and Anderson was also injured a week later, leaving Dorsey as the only QB remaining. Dorsey went 0-3 as a starter, tossing 7 Ints to zero TDs, before he was injured in the second-to-last game. That meant Gradkowski, who was signed off the street just three weeks prior, started the season finale against the Steelers. It did not go well, and Crennel was fired the following day.

2009
Record: 5-11
Head Coach: Eric Mangini
Postseason: No
Division Finish: Fourth
Opening Day QB Starter: Quinn
Season-Finale QB Starter: Anderson
Other QBs who started: None
Other QBs who played: Josh Cribbs (Wildcat)
Leading Passer: Quinn
Noted: Mangini let the Quinn/Anderson QB controversy fester into the start of the season. Quinn got the nod, but it wasn't announced until just hours before kickoff of the season opener. In his only season as a true Browns starter, Quinn threw for 1,339 yards with eight TDs and 7 Ints. in nine starts (10 games). Quinn was yanked midway through a Week 3 blowout loss to Baltimore for Anderson, and Anderson started the next five games, winning only one. The win he had, Anderson only completed two passes, but it was enough for the Browns to beat Buffalo, 6-3. Quinn got the job back with the team at 1-7 for a Monday Night game with the Ravens (a 16-0 loss), before playing the best game of his life against Detroit (304 yards, 4 TDs, 0 Ints.) in a wild 38-37 loss that came down to the final play. Quinn started the next four games, picking up a home upset win over the Steelers, 13-6, and a 40-34 win at Kansas City. Quinn, however, was injured near the end of the game, and Anderson started the final two games, both victories, to give the Browns a four-game winning streak to end the season. The win streak saved Mangini's job. However, it did not save Quinn's or Anderson's, as both were sent packing by new team president Mike Holmgren.

2010
Record: 5-11
Head Coach: Mangini
Postseason: No
Division Finish: Third
Opening Day QB Starter: Jake Delhomme
Season-Finale QB Starter: Colt McCoy
Other QBs who started: Seneca Wallace
Other QBs who played: Cribbs (Wildcat)
Leading Passer: McCoy
Noted: Holmgren and new GM Tom Heckert brought in veterans Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace and drafted Colt McCoy out of Texas in the third-round as the "project quarterback." However, with Delhomme and Wallace knocked out with high ankle sprains after the first five games and a 1-4 start, McCoy was thrust into the fire against the Steelers. McCoy lost, but rebounded with wins over defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans and New England to improve the Browns to 3-5, before losing two close games to the Jets and the Jaguars. McCoy was injured during the Jaguars game, and Delhomme returned to face his former Carolina team. Delhomme guided the Browns to a 24-23 win over the Panthers and a 13-10 win at Miami to put the Browns at 5-7. Delhomme started just one more game, a 13-6 loss to the Bills, before McCoy took back over with three consecutive losses to Cincinnati, Baltimore and Pittsburgh to end the season. Mangini was fired the day after the Steelers' loss, and Delhomme was let go.

2011
Record: 4-12
Head Coach: Pat Shurmur
Postseason: No
Division Finish: Fourth
Opening Day QB Starter: McCoy
Season-Finale QB Starter: Wallace
Other QBs who started: None
Other QBs who played: N/A
Leading Passer: McCoy
Noted: McCoy, given the reins from the get-go, struggled in his first true starting season. Without the benefit of a true offseason due to the NFL lockout, and getting a new West Coast offense from Shurmur, McCoy and the offense struggled to pick it up. It was their lowest total point output since the expansion 1999 season. McCoy started the first 13 games, throwing for 2,733 yards with 14 TDs and 11 Ints, before getting knocked out of a Thursday Night Steelers game with a concussion. Wallace started the final three games and didn't fare much better, only throwing for two touchdowns. The Browns actually started 2-1 and 3-3 following a 6-3 win over Seattle before going 1-9 to end the season.

2012
Head Coach: Shurmur
Projected Opening Day QB Starter: Brandon Weeden
Other QBs on Roster: McCoy, Wallace, Thad Lewis
Noted: Weeden was drafted in the first round, 22nd overall, this past season. He is the Browns' third first-round QB selection of the Expansion Era, joining Couch and Quinn. Weeden is 28 years old after playing professional baseball in the New York Yankees system for five years before enrolling at Oklahoma State. McCoy is currently the backup competing with Weeden for the starting job, and Wallace has no chance at competing for the starting position. It will be interesting to see if McCoy sticks with the team through training camp. He could be a very good backup if his ego allows it.

Hope that was informative for you. Thanks to pro-football-reference.com for their game-by-game boxes and complete season breakdowns. Joe Cleveland may know a lot about the Browns, but it's easier to have things backed up by facts.

Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks!

Top 10 Browns-Steelers games (according to Joe)

Yes, this has been a miserable Browns season.

And yes, by all indications, the Pittspuke Stillers should blow out the Browns at the giant ketchup bottle in front of a bunch of yellow towel-waving sheep and a national television audience (well, at least those who don't subscribe to Time-Warner Cable, which still does not have a deal in place with the NFL Network).

However, it's Steeler Week, and Joe Cleveland can't help but get fired up.

When the Browns first came back in 1999, I admit that I hated the Ravens ... err, the Thieving Bastards ... more than the Steelers. After all, Judas was still that team's owner, and he ripped them out of Cleveland and put them in Colt-ville. So, Browns fans were pretty pissed off when it came to those imposters in purple.

It also didn't help that the Thieving Bastards caught lightning in a bottle and won the Super Bowl after the 2000 season. If you wonder why 2001 was such a bad year, you can point to the fact that it began with Judas holding up the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Meanwhile, the Steelers hadn't quite found their mojo yet.

In fact, the Browns (after taking a 43-0 pasting in front of a national audience in the first official game back) beat the Steelers twice in their first two years of existance. They won five games in those two years -- two of those came against the Stillers.

I think it all changed when the Browns caught lightning in a bottle themselves and qualified for the playoffs in 2002. Their reward -- the Stillers at the giant ketchup bottle. The Stillers had swept the Browns that season, but each game was decided by three points and each game came down to the bitter end.

The Browns, heavy underdogs and led by a backup quarterback named Kelly, jumped out to leads of 23-7 and 33-21, the latter late in the fourth quarter. But, in typical Cleveland fashion, a former castoff named Tommy Maddux led the Stillers to two late touchdowns, Dennis Northcutt couldn't catch a third-down pass that hit him right in the hands that would have allowed the Browns to run out the clock, and Andre King couldn't quite get out of bounds despite being in Phil Dawson's field goal range before time ran out, and Pittspuke won, 36-33.

The next year, the Stillers drafted an Ohio boy named Consentlessberger or something along those lines, and since then, they've been among the NFL elite. The Browns, meanwhile, have not.

Even in 2007, when the Browns won 10 games, they swept the Ravens, but were swept by the Stillers. Had they beaten Pittspuke just once, the Browns would have made the playoffs. But they didn't, and they didn't.

Recent history hasn't been kind to the Browns in the longest-standing rivalry in the AFC (which is because these two teams started playing before the AFL existed). The Browns got off to a 32-9 start in this series, but the Steelers have recently taken the lead thanks to only losing to Cleveland FOUR times since the Browns returned to the lakefront.

But, those who neglect to follow history are doomed to repeat it. So, to remind Browns fans that it hasn't always bad against the Squeelers (and to remind front-running Pittsburgh fan that, No. 1, the team existed before 1970 and was mostly terrible, and, No. 2, that the 1980s and the early part of the 1990s were not the Squeelers finast moment, and that they always haven't been great during the so-called "Super Bowl Era"), here are my top 10 games in the Browns-Steelers rivalry.

Jaded Steeler fan may wonder how someone like me could find 10 winning Browns games against the Steelers. I would like to remind Jaded Steeler Fan that your team only leads the series 60-56, not counting two playoff victories over our beloved Dawgs.

So, here goes:

10. Browns 13, Steelers 6 (Dec. 10, 2009): The most recent win for the Browns in this series cracks our list because of how out-of-nowhere it really was. The Browns came into this Thursday Night home contest with a 1-11 record, and new coach Eric Mangini was on the hot seat with the rumored hiring of Mike Holmgren as team president earlier that week. However, instead of rolling over to the vaunted Steelers, the defending Super Bowl champions, they hit them in the mouth. Ben Roethlisberger was sacked eight times -- a season-best for the Browns' beleagured defense -- and held them to just two field goals. Brady Quinn only threw for 90 yards and was offset a lot by receiver Josh Cribbs, who ran for a team-best 87 yards out of the Wildcat formation. But, he led two first quarter scoring drives (both Phil Dawson field goals) and another just before halftime, capped by rookie Chris Jennings' 10-yard touchdown run to make it 13-0. The game wasn't over until linebacker David Bowens batted away a fourth-down Roethlisberger pass with just over a minute remaining, and Santonio Holmes was leveled after a short punt return with no time remaining to cap one of the most satisfying Browns victory during the "Expansion Era."

9. Browns 24, Steelers 19 (Oct. 9, 1965): -- The Browns came into 1965 as the defending NFL champions (alas, they haven't been able to do that since then) and picked up right where they left off, winning two of their first three games before hosting the hated Steelers (0-4) on a Saturday night. However, the underdog Steelers hung tough with the vaunted Browns, rallying from a 10-0 first quarter deficit to take a 19-17 fourth quarter lead on a Dick Hoak 15-yard run. Jim Brown (who Cleveland drafted just one pick after the Steelers selected Len Dawson in the first round of the 1957 draft) scored two touchdowns, one receiving, and gained 168 yards on the ground. However, it was his backup Leroy Kelly (who also wound up in the Hall of Fame), who made the biggest plays of the game-winning drive, which began on their own 22 with 3:35 remaining, catching passes of 22 and 21 yards. Following a four-yard run by Brown to put the ball on the Pittsburgh 14 with less than a minute to go, Frank Ryan found Gary Collins on a post pattern in the end zone for the game-winning score. The Browns wound wind up going 11-3 and reaching the NFL Championship game for the second-straight year, but lost to the Green Bay Packers in what turned out to be Brown's final game of his storied career.

8. Browns 16, Steelers 15 (Nov. 14, 1999): After three years without football, the Browns were reborn as an expansion team in 1999, playing in a sparkling new stadium in the exact spot that the old Cleveland Stadium stood. In their first game back, the Browns were humiliated by the Steelers, 43-0, at home. Just a few weeks later, on Nov. 14, the Browns played like a totally different team. keeping themselves in the game. The Browns scored first on a 35-yard touchdown pass from Tim Couch to Kevin Johnson (both rookies), but the Steelers battled back to take a 15-7 lead on a touchdown and three field goals. But, with 6:26 left in the game, defensive lineman John Thierry intercepted Kordell Stewart and was brought down at the Steeler 15, setting up a Couch to Mark Edwards touchdown pass a few plays later. Karim Abdul-Jabbar's two-point conversion run was stopped, but the Browns had one more chance. Taking over with no timeouts at his own 20 with 1:51 remaining, Couch drove the Browns 58 yards in five plays. Without stopping the clock and with 18 seconds left, Chris Palmer ran the field goal team out on to the field. The Browns snapped the ball with two seconds left, and rookie Phil Dawson, into an 18 mph wind, calmly drilled a 40-yard field goal to give Cleveland the stunning upset win. It turned out to be the Browns' second-to-last visit to Three Rivers Stadium and their first win there since 1989's 51-0 blowout.

7. Browns 26, Steelers 24 (Nov. 19, 1972): The suddenly resurgent Steelers, after decades of ineptitude, took a 7-2 record into this contest at Cleveland Stadium, with the Browns at 6-3. The Browns jumped out to a 20-3 lead behind two TD passes from Mike Phipps, but the Steelers scored just before halftime to make it 20-10, then got two touchdown runs -- the latter a 75-yard run from Franco Harris -- to take a 24-23 fourth quarter lead. Don Cockroft missed a 27-yard field goal with just under two minutes remaining, but he got another chance thanks to the defense forcing a three-and-out and a clutch drive led by Phipps. With 13 seconds remaining, Cockroft earned his redemption with a 26-yard field goal, giving the Browns a much-needed victory. Both teams made the playoffs that season, but both were defeated by the undefeated Miami Dolphins.

6. Browns 27, Steelers 26 (Oct. 16, 1980): This game virtually signaled the death of the first Steeler dynasty and helped propel the "Kardiac Kids" to their first-ever AFC Central crown and first playoff berth since 1972. Despite the Steelers missing most of their regular offensive starters, Pittsburgh jumped out to a 26-14 fourth quarter lead with backup QB Cliff Stoudt, an Oberlin native, at the helm. But Brian Sipe and Co., despite blowing a couple of golden scoring opportunities earlier in the game, came to life in the fourth quarter. Sipe found Greg Pruitt for a 7-yard touchdown pass on fourth down with 9:21 remaining (Don Cockroft missed the extra point, keeping the Steelers ahead by six). Then, with 5:38 remaining, Sipe found a streaking Ozzie Newsome wide open for an 18-yard touchdown, sending 80,000 fans at Cleveland Stadium into a frenzy. Ron Bolton prevented Stoudt from making a late rally with an interception at the two-minute warning, and the Browns were able to run out the clock on this huge victory over the defending Super Bowl champs.

5. Browns 18, Steelers 16 (Oct. 10, 1976): This game is famous for Browns defensive end Joe "Turkey" Jones' sack of Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw, where Jones slammed Bradshaw right on his head and knocked him out of the game. The Steelers had won Super Bowl X the previous season and were poised to try to win it again. They knocked out Brian Sipe early in the game, which resulted in little-used rookie Dave Mays (the Browns' third-string QB) making his NFL debut. Mays -- who was Cleveland's first black quarterback -- earned his way into Browns lore by calmly leading the Browns to two third-quarter scores -- a 1-yard run by Cleo Miller and a 50-yard field goal by Don Cockroft -- which gave them a 15-10 lead. Following Turkey's sack, Cockroft added the game-clinching 40-yard field goal with less than two minutes remaining.

4. Browns 27, Steelers 24 (Oct. 5, 1986):Since Three Rivers Stadium opened up in 1970, the Browns had never won there. They would always seem to lose in bizzare fashion as well, which perpetuated the local myth of the "Three Rivers Jinx." The previous season, the Browns had the Steelers on the ropes before Gary Anderson's last-second field goal gave Pittsburgh a 10-9 win. The Browns tried everything; staying in different hotels, busing instead of flying, bringing dirt from Cleveland Stadium and sprinkling it on the field during warmups, you name it. And, this one wasn't without its bizarre moments as well. The Browns took a quick 10-0 lead, but back-to-back turnovers gave Pittsburgh a 14-10 lead late in the first half. That's when Gerald McNeil, nicknamed "The Ice Cube," became a permanent fixture in Browns lore when he returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, giving the Browns a 17-14 halftime lead. At the time, it was the Browns' first kickoff return touchdown in 12 years! However, the Steelers regained the lead early in the third quarter, and the two teams traded scores which resulted in Pittsburgh leading, 24-20, to start the fourth quarter. But, Mike Johnson recovered a muffed punt, and Earnest Byner's four-yard TD run with eight minutes left gave the Browns the lead for good. It got interesting though -- Matt Bahr missed a chip-shot field goal with just under five minutes to play, but Mark Malone's pitch to Earnest Jackson on a bizarre option call from the Browns 35 was botched and the Browns recovered.

3. Browns 37, Steelers 31 OT (Nov. 23, 1986): The Browns had just endeded their 16-year "Three Rivers Jinx" earlier in the season (see No. 4) and had come off a huge win over the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night at home. Bernie Kosar and Mark Malone engaged in a wild shootout. Kosar completed 28 of 46 passes for a then-career-best 414 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, just two days before his 23rd birthday. The Browns had taken a 31-28 lead with 1:51 left on a Matt Bahr field goal, but lost Bahr for the season on the ensuing kickoff when he made a game-saving tackle on the Steelers' Lupe Sanchez at the Browns 40. Gary Anderson made a 40-yard field goal to send the game into overtime and the Browns did not have a kicker. After both teams went three-and-out in the OT, Kosar went to work. With 6:37 remaining and the ball on the Steeler 36, Kosar pumped once and fired deep down the left sideline for rookie Webster Slaughter. Slaughter caught the ball in stride and scored the walk-off touchdown. The Browns' 536 yards offense was the most a Pittsburgh defense had ever yielded up to that point.

2. Browns 51, Steelers 0 (Sept. 10, 1989): The Browns were in the midst of a five-season playoff streak, where they qualified for the AFC Championship game three times in a four-year span. This season capped off both streaks and began with question marks concerning new head coach Bud Carson. Carson, who was the architect of the famed Pittsburgh "Steel Curtain" defense in the 1970s, had never been a head coach before. But, in this season opener at Three Rivers Stadium, Carson's attack 4-3 defense stunned Bubby Brister and the Steelers by forcing six turnovers and scoring three defensive touchdowns -- two of which by linebacker David Grayson. Rookie running back Tim Worley fumbled the ball at least four times, and two of them were returned for touchdowns. This rout catpulted the Browns to a 9-6-1 season and their last AFC Championship game berth.

1. Browns 28, Steelers 23 (Oct. 24, 1993): Just two weeks later, Bill Belichick and Art Modell touched off mass furor when they released regional icon Bernie Kosar. However, all was right in the world with this game, simply remembered as the "Eric Metcalf Game." The Browns jumped out to an early 14-0 lead, thanks to a 62-yard touchdown pass from Vinny Testaverde to Michael Jackson and a 91-yard punt return by Metcalf, but the Steelers tied at 14 just before halftime. The Browns led again, 21-17, on a short TD pass from Testaverde to fullback Ron Wolfley, but the Steelers came back to take a 23-21 lead midway through the fourth quarter. With Testaverde knocked out of the game with a separated shoulder, Kosar was poised to direct one his patented two-minute drives. However, Metcalf never gave him the chance, weaving through the Steeler special teams for a breathtaking 75-yard touchdown with 2:05 remaining. Metcalf became just the first NFL player to have two punt return TDs in the same game. The win improved the Browns to 5-2, but Kosar's release deflated this team that wound up a disappointing 7-9. It was also the last time the original Browns beat the Steelers.

HONORABLE MENTION: Browns 10, Steelers 9 (Dec. 19, 1982):Nothing particularly memorable about this game, expect it helped propel the Browns into the playoffs with a 4-5 record in this strike-shortened season. Johnny Davis' 1-yard touchdown run in the third quarter gave the Browns a 10-7 lead it never relinquished, although punter Steve Cox took an intentional safety in the final seconds to make it a one-point win. However, this home game occurred on my ninth birthday. It is still the last time the Browns have been able to win on Joe Cleveland's birthday, and the fact that they beat my least-favorite team still makes me happy.

Can the Browns crack this top 10 tonight with another out-of-nowhere win? Can a win tonight help set off an era of good football, much like the Steelers' wins in the early 1970s kicked off their most epic era ever? We'll see. Kickoff is in an hour.

Here we go, Brownies, here we go!

Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks ... and PITTSBURGH SUCKS!!!

Why such hatred toward all things Steeler?

Every once in a while, Joe Cleveland gets asked that question. Not often, though. And, it's usually from a fan of the Pittspuke Squeelers that just so happens to live around here.

No, the Steelers didn't kill members of my family or burn down my house or kick my dog or anything like that. However, I DESPISE them. I DESPISE their fanbase, the so-called "Steeler Nation." And, I DESPISE the Steeler Fan who happens to live in my own backyard (no, not one particular person, but you catch my drift).

(On a related note, any fanbase that refers to themselves as a "Nation" should be neutered. The only "Nation" I admit to is the the United States of America. I've never heard anyone refer to "Browns Nation" or "Tribe Nation" or "Cavs Nation" and I hope I never do. It takes a "Nation" of millions to hold this guy back ... and yes, that was a Public Enemy reference.)

As much as Joe Cleveland love the Browns, it's the complete opposite for the Steelers. And, it seems like that hatred has only grown and grown ever since the Browns came back to the NFL in 1999.

But why?

There was always a natural rivalry between Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Both are Rust Belt Cities in the Midwest filled with blue-collar people who love the game of football. The communities are only seperated by 200 or so miles, so it's not exactly a lengthy commute to get to Cleveland from Pittsburgh or vice versa.

Pittsburgh is the closest "Major League" city to Cleveland. It's closer than in-state rival Cincinnati, and it's probably just a little further away from Columbus (who has no opposing teams to Cleveland, just the beloved Ohio State Buckeyes). It's also closer than Detroit, Indianapolis and Chicago. The close proximity only adds fuel to the rivalry.

And, because there are some spots in Ohio that are actually closer to Pittsburgh than Cleveland, there are some spots where the Steeler game would be televised instead of the Browns game. And, there are more Steelers fans than Browns fans.

When the Browns (who were formed in the rival All-American Football Conference in 1946) joined the NFL in 1950, they were an elite team. The Steelers, meanwhile, were a laughingstock. The Browns reached the NFL Championship game the first five years they were in the NFL, winning three of them. The Steelers never even made the playoffs.

In fact, it took about four years before the Steelers were able to beat the Browns in football. As Pittsburgh fans like to say now as they beat the Browns every single year, there really was no rivalry then. Back then, the Browns biggest rivals were the Lions and the Giants, and that was because those were the teams the Browns had get through every single year in order to win the NFL. Also, the Rams, because they were in Cleveland before they moved to Los Angeles following winning the 1945 NFL Championship.

It wasn't until the 1960s when there seemed to be a genuine rivalry between the two teams. The Browns reached the NFL Championship game in 1964, 65, 68 and 69 (winning it in 1964), but were pretty mediocre from 1957 (their last NFL Championship game appearance) to 1964. During that time, Art Modell bought the team, fired Paul Brown and built their team around the tremendous running of Jim Brown. Also, the Steelers began to compete with the Browns on the field.

By the end of the 1960s, the Steelers were back to being bad and the Browns seemed to be on the verge of becoming an NFL powerhouse again. The Steelers had the No. 1 pick in the 1969 draft and had just hired a former Browns offensive lineman and Colts defensive coordinator named Chuck Noll as their head coach. That season, the Steelers only won one game, even though they drafted future Hall of Famer "Mean" Joe Greene.

That's when everything changed, and the rivalry ratched up a notch.

Almost mirroring the intense rivalry between Bo Schembechler's Michigan teams and Woody Hayes' Ohio State teams (the "Ten Year War"), the Steelers and Browns games grew more intense as the Steelers suddenly got good. Meanwhile, the Browns were slipping into mediocrity. Browns fans weren't used to being beat by the Steelers, and they didn't like it very much.

In 1970, Three Rivers Stadium opened in Pittsburgh, and the Browns failed to win a game there for the first 16 years that facility was opened. They finally won there in 1986, actually starting a run of four consecutive years of beating the Steelers on the road. And, for good measure, the Browns did squeak out a win there in their return season of 1999, just two years before Three Rivers was closed and the Steelers moved to Heinz Field.

It was during the 1970s that, legend has it, Joe Cleveland's impression of the Steelers was ingrained forever.

I don't know how true this story is, because I was only 4 or 5 at the time, and it was relayed to me by other family members. But, one summer day, my parents took me and my infant brother to Sea World. They decided, for whatever reason, to dress us in identical Pittsburgh Steelers shirts.

I guess we went on one of those ferry boat rides where the fake cowboys shoot air rifles at the fake Indians. As we settled in, the driver of the boat was saying the dos and don'ts of the ride over the loudspeaker. He said the following:

"Please be sure to keep your hands and feet inside the boat at all times and please refain from jumping into the water. Steeler fans, however, can be tossed overboard."

Everyone started laughing, as did I. Until I realized people were looking at me, who was wearing a Steeler shirt.

I don't know if that started it, but ever since then, I DESPISED that team. You can blame Sea World, I guess.

Like I said, I don't know how true that story is. I never asked my parents about it. But, part of me wants to believe that story to be true. Maybe my parents were trying to teach me that liking the Steelers was no good, and we live in Cleveland, so we should love the Browns. And, no, I don't believe my parents were being cruel. They loved me and still do.

But, as I became more and more aware of football, you start to realize that, as a Browns fan, you don't like Pittsburgh and you don't like Cincinnati. And, I HATED both teams with a passion. I also hated the Houston Oilers and the Denver Broncos, but not as intensely and, in the case of the Broncos, for different reasons.

What makes Joe Cleveland cringe and sick is sudden crop of Steeler Fans who live among us in Northeast Ohio and have always lived among us. Where did they all come from, and why?

The Steelers I first heard of were the Super Bowl dynasty of the 1970s, but when I began to follow football, the Steelers were a joke. The Browns were getting into the playoffs regularly and beating the Steelers. Chuck Noll had lost it, and the team never seemed to find a competant replacement for Terry Bradshaw (Cliff Stoudt, Mark Malone, David Woodley, Bubby Brister, Todd Blackledge ... I laugh just thinking about it).

I believe locals began to shed their allegiance for all things Brown and Orange in three different stages.

The first stage is when the Browns passed over Bill Cowher, a popular former player and assistant coach, for Bill Belichick in 1991. Modell didn't believe Cowher was "ready" to be a head coach and may have held a grudge because Cowher followed Marty Schottenheimer out the door when Marty left the Browns to coach the Kansas City Chiefs. The next year, Noll finally retired, and the Steelers hired Cowher. I think some Browns fans were miffed that Belichick (who wasn't very popular among the fans) was their coach and Cowher was with the Steelers. Cowher immediately turned the Steelers into winners as well, while the Browns seemed to be mired in mediocrity under Belichick. So, they may have started to follow the coach they wanted all along and root for the Steelers.

The second stage is when the Browns were moved to Baltimore in 1995. Supposedly, there were some in Pittsburgh who were decidedly against the move. They lamented the loss of their fiercest rival and claimed "it would never be the same" with the team in Baltimore (they were wrong, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. They are from Pittsburgh). Steelers owner Dan Rooney was one of the few who lobbied for the NFL to keep the team in Cleveland and block Modell from moving. The Steelers and the Bills were the only two teams to vote against the move. With the Browns gone, some Browns fans began to adopt other teams to root during the three years the NFL wasn't in Cleveland, and Pittsburgh became a popular choice.

The Steelers had reached the Super Bowl in 1995, so you had the bandwagoners. Browns fans wanted to see the newly christened Baltimore Ravens suffer, and the Steelers played them twice a year. And, Pittsburgh was the closest NFL city to Cleveland, so a lot of Steelers games were shown on the TV.

The third stage was after the Browns came back in 1999. That first game was against the Steelers. And, we all know that the Steelers dominated the Browns, 43-0, in front of a National TV Sunday Night audience. I think some Browns fans could never fully embrace the new team and were also tired of the losing. Meanwhile, the Steelers consistantly qualified for the playoffs. More and more bandwagoners shed their Browns gear for Steelers gear.

What's sad is the local Steeler Fan acts as if they've followed the team forever. They brag about how the Steelers never change coaches (umm, they did hire a new coach four years ago, but whatever) and about how the Steelers have more Super Bowl championships than every other team. They brag about how the Rooney family is the "standard of excellance" for NFL owners. And, even though most of them dissed the hiring of Mike Tomlin when it happened, they can't stop bragging about their head coach.

Newsflash, it's all because of winning. Steeler fans would be screaming for Tomlin's head if the team didn't reach two Super Bowls in the last four years (including this year's). They talk up Bill Cowher as great, even though his teams continually choked in the playoffs before they finally were able to win a Super Bowl just two years before Cowher retired. They wondered why the Steelers would draft a MAC quarterback with a long last name until Ben Roethilsberger was forced into action as a rookie and he won every single game he played. They can forgive Roethlisberger's many transgressions as long as he continues to win.

People don't realize that Art Rooney was a joke of an owner when he first famously bought a share of what was called the Pittsburgh Pirates after a successful day at the horse track (seriously, look it up). Rooney was always broke and had to merge with other NFL teams twice in the 1940s to keep his franchise afloat. At one point, he was bought out by Bert Bell, but after Bell became the NFL commissioner, Rooney got his controlling interest back.

The Steelers reached the playoff a grand total of ONCE between their formation in 1933 and 1970. And, they lost that playoff game. They never won an NFL title during that span, nor played for one, for that matter.

The Steelers had a young Johnny Unitas in training camp, and CUT him. Unitas wound up catching on with the Baltimore Colts and became one of the greatest QBs to ever play in the NFL. The Steelers, meanwhile, sucked.

The Steelers would grab great players on the downswing of their careers. Bobby Layne and Marion Motley immediately come to mind. Both were legendary players with the Lions and Browns, respectively, but stumbled and bumbled around as Steelers before they mercifully retired.

The Browns, actually, have more professional football championships than the Steelers do. The Browns have eight compared to the Steelers' six. If you want to count the Cleveland Rams' 1945 NFL title, the City of Cleveland has had NINE football championship teams, compared to the Steelers' six.

But, all that matters is what has happened from 1970 to now. The Steelers have had three head coaches during that span, reached eight Super Bowls, have won six (and, hopefully, that number stays that way in two weeks) and have won countless division championships. They've reached the AFC Championship game 14 times, winning eight.

The Browns, meanwhile, have only won five division titles, reached the playoffs 11 times, reached the AFC Championship game three times (losing all three) and no Super Bowls. They've been to the playoffs once since the team returned in 1999 and twice since 1990. Both times, they met (and lost to) the Steelers in the playoffs.

They also haven't won a division title since 1989. Oh yeah, and the Browns have only beaten the Steelers four times since they returned in 1999 (twice at home, once at Three Rivers and once at Heinz Field).

You do the math as to why there is a sudden proliferation of Steeler fans around here. Funny part is, real Steeler fans (i.e. people who live in and are from Western Pennsylvania) are ANNOYED at the bandwagon Steeler fans that live in Northeast Ohio. "Follow your own damn team," they say.

For a time, my biggest rival was the Baltimore Ravens, but that was because they were the old Browns owned by Art Modell. A loss to the Ravens bothered me more than a loss to the Steelers. In fact, I actually rooted for the Steelers against the Ravens in the 2007 AFC Championship game. This year, I rooted for the Ravens. I still despise them, but not as much as I despise the Steelers.

I think the sudden crop of Steeler fans around here have added to my hate. You don't see a lot of Ravens fans living around here, nor Bengals fans for that matter. Fans of other teams that live around here (like the Cowboys, Eagles, Jets, Packers, etc.) don't play the Browns every year, or share a divsion with them, so they don't bother me as much.

My new second-favorite team is whoever plays the Steelers every week. On my birthday this year, the Browns lost, but so did the Steelers. For me, it was a wash.

Joe Cleveland is what his name says he is -- a fan of Cleveland teams. I've never allowed Steeler garb to be worn on my person since that fateful day at Sea World, and I never will again. I was born here, I live here and I plan on living here for many, many more years until the day the Good Lord takes me away (hopefully in at least 40 more years). So, I root for the teams that represent me and my area. Pittsburgh doesn't represent me, and they never will. Cleveland does.

So, Go Packers, and remember that Cleveland Rocks!