Cleveland Browns, 27, Pittsburgh Steelers, 30

Cleveland Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan put together a second-half game plan that worked in Pittsburgh.

(Joshua Gunter / The Plain Dealer)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Talking about the Tribe, the Cavs and Browns...

ABOUT THE BROWNS GAME

A loss is a loss is a loss.

That is the bottom line from the Browns 30-27 loss at Pittsburgh last week.

But the Browns do believe several things came out of that game that could help when they face New Orleans on Sunday.

1. In the first half, they trailed 27-3. The defense actually was too aggressive. Looking at the video, the Browns discovered that too many players were trying to make the "big hit," and that led to too many missed tackles -- and big gains. They also were too active in pursuit, meaning they chased the ball and rather than protect their position. The famed "gap integrity" had too many holes. Pittsburgh exploited the defense with several misdirection plays.

2. The Browns talk about "build your house." That's means the basics of blocking and tackling. Also, pay attention to your assignment on defense. In the second half, some of those values returned.

Terrance West (28) ran for 100 yards in his NFL regular-season debut against the Steelers.

3. Brian Hoyer was able to rally the offense. While Hoyer had a very poor first half -- 4-of-11 passing for 57 yards -- there was no sense of panic from the quarterback at halftime. He remained confident, and worked with offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan to make some adjustments for the second half. The composure that Hoyer showed was the same impressive trait that the Browns saw last season.

4. Coach Mike Pettine and Shanahan didn't give up on running the ball. That was the plan heading into the game -- and into the season. Develop a power running game. Despite the score being 27-3 at the half, the Browns still stayed true to the run. For the game, they threw 31 passes compared to 30 runs. In last season's opener, they led 7-6 at the half and it was tied 10-10 after three quarters -- but the Browns and Brandon Weeden heaved 53 passes in their loss to Miami (23-10).

5. To start the third quarter against the Steelers, Hoyer connected on a 16-yard pass to Andrew Hawkins. Then Terrance West ran the ball twice for a total of 24 yards. Hoyer completed two more passes, then Isaiah Crowell launched into the end zone from three yards away. Six plays, 80 yards -- three runs, three passes. And it took only 93 seconds.

6. Yes, the Browns were effective in the no-huddle and they will use it in spots again this week. But the key is "building your house." For the offense, that meant the power running game spiced up with quick-hitting passes.

7. The Browns know the importance of this game. Since 2010, only one team (Carolina in 2013) lost its first two games and then made the playoffs. They also want to make a statement at home that things are indeed different. But they also know another catastrophic first half will lead to doom once again.



ABOUT JUSTIN GILBERT

The Browns have been talking about how rookie cornerbacks struggle, and they usually do.

Justin Gilbert certainly did in his first game. Receivers caught 6-of-7 passes thrown when Gilbert was in coverage. And that was for 122 yards. The rookie's tackling also was very iffy.

The Browns mentioned the rookie season of Joe Haden as an example of how it takes time for a young cornerback to develop. Looking at Haden's 2010 season, here's what you see about him as a rookie. Most of these stats come from behind the pay wall of Profootball Focus:

1. He didn't start until the final seven games of the season. Early in the year, Coach Eric Mangini was frustrated with the rookie from Florida. Too often, Haden turned his head backward to check on the ball when in coverage -- and lost ground to the receiver.

2. In his first game, Haden played 35-of-64 snaps. The only other time in the first six games that he played at least 50 percent of the snaps was in Game 5 (45-of-66).

3. In the first six games, he played only 46 percent of the snaps. Receivers caught 17-of-24 passes thrown in his direction.

4. While Haden didn't start Game 7, it's when he began to see regular duty. In the final 10 games of the year, receivers caught only 24-of-53 passes thrown in his direction.

5. Haden also played on special teams. He had eight tackles and even returned four kickoffs.

6. He was a different player in the second half of the season. He ended the year on the field for 74 percent of the snaps. He had six interceptions. But five of those interceptions came in the final eight games.

7. That's why patience is required with Gilbert. It's also why the Browns probably had him on the field too much in the opener, 60-of-72 snaps. Cutting back is not a bad idea, it's what the Browns did in 2010 with Haden.

Cleveland Browns outside linebacker Barkevious Mingo (51) caught up with Ben Roethlisberger, tackling the quarterback from behind.

ABOUT THE BROWNS

1. When the Browns looked at tape of the Pittsburgh game, they were pleased with Barkevious Mingo. He wasn't credited with a sack, but he had some pressure on quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. But what really impressed the Browns was how Mingo rushed from the outside, and often drew two blockers (either a tight end/tackle or tight end/fullback) to stop him. That prevented Pittsburgh from running some sweeps and helped other Browns make tackles because Mingo required so much attention.

2. The Browns often played tight ends Jim Dray and Gary Barnidge together. Dray was on the field for 75 percent of the snaps, Barnidge for 64 percent. They played more than expected because Jordan Cameron (sore shoulder) played only a single snap in the second half. Both backup tight ends received praise for their blocking, which helped with the power running game. They combined to catch 3-of-4 passes thrown in their direction for 43 yards.

3. With Ben Tate (knee) out, the Browns may have Glenn Winston on the active roster. He was claimed on waivers from the 49ers and he is a bullish back, much like Isaiah Crowell and Terrance West. The Browns want punishing backs to wear down the defense, and they think Winston may fit. He ran for 113 yards in 19 carries for the 49ers in the preseason.

4. Mitchell Schwartz had some poor games last season and a few rocky moments in the preseason -- but he was very solid at right tackle in the opener. The Browns were thrilled with how the offensive line has adapted to the new zone blocking scheme installed by Kyle Shanahan.

5. One of the goals this season was to revive the career of Paul Kruger, who had only 4.5 sacks last season. That was a drop from 9.0 with Baltimore in 2012. Kruger had two sacks in the opener. He has lost some weight and seems quicker -- something the new Browns coaching staff asked him to do in the off-season.

6. Rookie Chris Kirksey played 60 snaps at inside linebacker, compared to 12 for Craig Robertson. The reason was that Pittsburgh often was in passing formations. Kirksey played very well. The Browns took him in the third round because of his pass coverage skills.

7. Profootball focus had an interesting stat that Hoyer threw only one pass to the far right side of the field. He picked up 208-of-230 yards throwing into the middle of the field.

8. But the Browns ran to the right side for 136 yards. That is with John Greco (guard), Schwartz (tackle) and one of the tight ends (Dray or Barnidge) blocking.

9. While newly acquired receiver LaRon Byrd didn't see any snaps on offense, he did play on seven snaps for special teams. He could see some action as a receiver this week. He is 6-foot-4 and is the type of big target that the Browns need.

10. The Browns will continue to push growth and development. General Manager Ray Farmer and his staff will bring in players at the bottom of the roster who have a chance to help at some point during the season. For example, Winston and/or Byrd (both claimed on waivers) could see action in the next few weeks. So most weeks, there probably will be roster moves.

T.J. House has walked only seven in his last seven starts.

ABOUT T.J. HOUSE

On July 30, T.J. House had a 4.50 ERA in his first 10 games with the Tribe this season.

Since then, House's ERA is a sparkling 2.14 in his last seven starts.

Obviously, part of the reason is that House is simply pitching better. The lefty's control is sharp. He is turning into a lefty Corey Kluber when it comes to walks. He has walked one in his last three starts.

During his seven-game revival, House has 41 strikeouts compared to only seven walks. The 24-year-old is growing in confidence, and maybe the Indians have indeed found a lefty starter.

Consider that the last lefty starter to make his Major League debut with the Tribe was David Huff in 2009. In the last 10 years, the only other lefties with that distinction are Scott Lewis (2008), Aaron Laffey (2007) and Jeremy Sowers (2005).

But something else happened at the end of July, other than House starting his hot streak.

Asdrubal Cabrera was traded, and Jose Ramirez took over at shortstop. Ramirez has more range than Cabrera, and he's helped stabilize the infield.

Lonnie Chisenhall settled down at third base. He has only four errors since August 1 (33 games). He had 13 errors in his first 64 games.

House has been helped more than any other Tribe pitcher by the improved defense. The Indians stats show that he gives up more ground balls than 97 percent of the pitchers in baseball.

Being a lefty, he faces a lot of right-handed hitters. House's slider and sinker tend to come low and inside to right-handed batters, who often pull it on the ground to short or third. And that's where the defense has improved.

And it's one of the keys to the success of House.

Shortstop Jose Ramirez has only three errors in 40 games.

ABOUT JOSE RAMIREZ

The success of Jose Ramirez at short means the Tribe doesn't have to rush Francisco Lindor. At this point, Lindor will probably open 2015 at Class AAA -- with Ramirez at short in Cleveland.

A lot can happen between now and April of 2015. Lindor can have a monster spring and force his way on to the roster. Lindor finished this season batting .276 (.727 OPS) with 11 homers and 62 RBI split between Class AA Akron and Class AAA Columbus.

While his stats seem rather modest, keep in mind the shortstop won't turn 21 until November 14. This is the first time he has showed any power with 11 homers. In his first three pro seasons, Lindor had a combined eight homers.

Scouts believe Lindor has a chance to be an elite player.

Ramirez has always been considered a second-level prospect -- perhaps a utility man in the majors. Ramirez will turn 22 on September 17. He has a career .307 batting average in the minors. He was hitting .302 in Class AAA when promoted this season.

Like Lindor, Ramirez is a switch-hitter.

He was with Cleveland early in the season and was 2-of-25. He then was sent to Columbus.

Since his return on July 23, Ramirez is batting .285 with one homer and 10 RBI. He is 8-of-8 in stolen bases. He leads the team with 11 sacrifice bunts.

Ramirez plays with poise, as his success on the bases, his bunting and his defense point out. Defensively, he went into the weekend with three errors in 40 games at shortstop.

While he has been mostly a shortstop with the Tribe, Ramirez was an excellent second baseman in the minors. He played 199 games at second in the minors compared to 74 at short.

Carlos Santana had 14 homers and is batting .280 since the All-Star break.

ABOUT CARLOS SANTANA

Because Santana is quiet and because the Dominican speaks English as a second language, it's easy for the media and fans to miss the fact that Santana has matured into a very determined veteran player.

The Indians have been so pleased with his willingness to try other positions to help the team. He lost his starting catcher's job to Yan Gomes last season. In an attempt to find a spot in the field, he went to winter ball to learn to play third base.

He did a lot of extra work in spring training, trying to play third. That wasn't a smooth adjustment. He also has played first base at different points in his career.

Now, he has taken over at first (with Nick Swisher injured) and is above-average with the glove.

This season, he played 26 games at third, 11 as a catcher and 82 at first base.

He has played for the last three weeks with a painful quad injury, and that's why he's not running well. The Indians offered to rest him, but Santana insisted on staying in the lineup to help the playoff push.

Santana had a terrible first two months of the season, hitting .164. His overall batting average is up to .235 with 27 homers and 77 RBI.

Since the All-Star break, Santana is batting .280 with 13 homers and 40 RBI. He also hit 27 homers in 2011. The last Tribe player to hit more than 27 homers was Grady Sizemore in 2008 with 33.

Tristan Thompson is eligible for an extension, but that Cavs may wait and see how he plays this season.

ABOUT TRISTAN THOMPSON

The Cavs can offer Tristan Thompson an extension. The forward is under contract for $5.1 million this season.

He will be a restricted free agent at the 2014-15 season, meaning the Cavs can match any offer he receives. They also can give him the $6.8 million qualifying offer.

An interesting sidelight is that Thompson is represented by Rich Paul, the agent for LeBron James.

The question is this: What kind of player do the Cavs have in the 6-foot-10 Thompson, who is only 23?

1. He played nearly the same the last two seasons, averaging exactly 11.7 points. His rebounding was almost identical (9.4 and 9.2). His shooting was right in the 48 percent range from the field.

2. Thompson is believed to be the first NBA player of note to switch from shooting primarily with one hand to the other during his pro career. Thompson was a lefty shooter in 2012-13, and a righty in 2013-14. Will that improve this season? His free throw shooting did from 61 to 69 percent.

3. The Cavs want Thompson to be a high energy player. His rebounding (9.3 over the last two seasons) is solid, but the Cavs believe it can be even better. They also want to see him run more on the fast break because he is athletic enough to catch passes and dunk on the move.

4. How will he fit with the new Cavs of LeBron James and Kevin Love. Those will be the starting forwards. Anderson Varejao is expected to start at center. Thompson also could play a lot of center. That's because Shawn Marion is expected to be the first forward to come off the bench -- and he can play both forward spots.

5. Thompson shot only 58 percent in shots within three feet of the rim. He also had a lot of shots blocked. The Cavs want him to concentrate more on scoring off missed shots and on the fast break rather than trying to score in the low post.

6. The Cavs desperately need a shot-blocker. Right now, only Brendan Haywood (if healthy) has that ability. At the very least, the Cavs want Thompson to emulate Varejao and do a better job of defending the rim by drawing charges.

7. The Cavs may wait before offering Thompson a new contract. They want to see exactly how he fits with the new players and in Coach David Blatt's new system.

LeBron James stands on the sidelines of St. Vincent-St. Mary watching his alma mater play football against Walsh Jesuit. James has lost about 10 pounds since the end of the season.

ABOUT THE CAVS

1. LeBron James has been working out with several players at the Cavs facility. Some days, the Cavs have had 10-12 players taking part. James was out of the country for part of the summer. He is in good shape, and dropped about 10 pounds. As he approaches his 30th birthday on December 30, he knows it's wise to have a little less weight to carry around. James is listed at 6-foot-8, 250 pounds.

2. Playing for their national teams, Kyrie Irving (USA), Matthew Dellavedova (Australia) and Anderson Varejao (Brazil) have not been in town, but most of the other players already have shown up at the practice facility in the last few weeks. Dion Waiters has been a regular. He has lost some weight and worked harder in the weight room than any time in his first two years with the Cavs.

3. While General Manager David Griffin has mentioned that he'd like to add another point guard, it's not a priority. He is still looking for more big men. John Lucas III interests the Cavs because he is a good outside shooter (.347 career on 3-pointers) and a decent ball handler. He is generously listed at 5-foot-11, 165 pounds. His size is a only a problem when it comes to defense. The Cavs did have Julyan Stone working out. He's a 6-foot-6 point guard known for his defense. He is most likely a candidate for the Canton Charge of the D-League, although he has received interest from some European teams.

4. Kevin Love impressed Cavs trainers by losing about 15 pounds and being leaner. He was listed at 6-foot-10, 260 pounds last season. He wants to improve his quickness.

5. The Cavs are very surprised by Brendan Haywood, who is in town and working out with the players at the practice facility. The 7-footer missed all of last season with a broken foot. The Cavs thought he may not be ready until January. But Haywood has been determined to play. In 2012-13, he averaged 3.5 points and 4.8 rebounds in 19 minutes a game. He is a shot-blocker, something the Cavs could use. He would be a bench player, assuming he stays healthy.

Luol Deng battled several injuries in his half-season with the Cavs.

ABOUT DANNY FERRY

I first met Danny Ferry when he was playing basketball in Italy during the 1989-90 season. I spent four days with him in Rome.

When Ferry joined the Cavs for the 1990-91 season, I covered them home and away for the Akron Beacon Journal. While I never claimed to be close to Ferry, I knew him reasonably well.

When Ferry became the Cavs general manager in 2005 and held that job for the next five seasons, we talked nearly every week. I spent hundreds of hours talking to Ferry during that time. I never heard anything remotely racist. That's why I feel sick about what has happened to him with Hawks.

Ferry read a scouting report on Luol Deng during an ownership meeting, and most fans know it contained a racist comment on the former Cavs small forward. He has been suspended indefinitely as general manager of the Atlanta Hawks.

I offer no excuses for Ferry. Why he bothered to read that part of the report made no sense. I have always considered Ferry a good man, and it pains me to see his entire career viewed through this lens.

As for Deng, the case against signing him is what I know the Cavs considered:

1. He's only 29, but has been in the NBA for 10 years. He has played monster minutes. He led the NBA in minutes played in 2011-12 and 2012-13. All that time on the court has beaten up his body.

2. Last season, Deng missed 19 games. After being traded to the Cavs, he often was too injured to practice. He had problems with his Achilles, his back and his neck.

3. Deng is moving from being one of the better smaller forwards in the NBA to a role player because of his physical problems. He shot only .417 from the field (.315 on 3-pointers). His production is declining. It's why the Bulls traded Deng to the Cavs at mid-season.

4. Miami signed Deng to replace James. He received a two-year deal worth $10 million annually.



5. There is a strong basketball case to be made against committing to Deng long term, and Ferry should have stuck with that. But I also can say there is far more good about Danny Ferry than what this lack of judgment showed.