Brandon Weeden, Jason Campbell

Cleveland Browns quarterbacks Brandon Weeden and Jason Campbell, shown here during an offseason workout at the training facility, started the season as a 1-2 punch. But Brian Hoyer's season-ending injury still feels like such a punch in the gut (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

(AP, Tony Dejak)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Damn the torpedoes, especially if they strike you broadside ...

NFL head coaches field a thousand questions during a long season.

It’s understandable if some answers are better, or more inspiring, than others.

(When the rest of us can maneuver past, “Do these jeans make me look fat?” without taking self-inflicted shrapnel, we’ll be more critical.)

Rob Chudzinski no doubt has some good feelings about the work Brandon Weeden did in relief of Brian Hoyer Thursday against Buffalo. He said as much following the 37-24 win.

But when asked Friday why he thought Weeden Part II could produce better results than Part 1, this is what he said:

“Because we have no other choice. That’s what we’re going to do. Everybody who plays, regardless of position, we expect to do well.”

Feel better?

According to reports, the Browns won't pursue former Tampa quarterback Josh Freeman. Whether because of talent evaluation or the contentious circumstances around his final days in Tampa, showing no interest in Freeman means the Browns still could use a Plan B to their Plan B.

Best-case scenario, Weeden proves to be better than Freeman.

Still, the way Weeden holds the ball in the pocket invites sacks. Sacks invite injury.

Then what?

Jason Campbell, leapfrogged by Hoyer for the Minnesota start despite having made 70 more career starts than the St. Ignatius grad, wasn't active Thursday.

Freeman makes sense for the Browns as Campbell’s replacement, at the very least.

Maybe Freeman wouldn’t have had interest in a backup role -- believing he’s still a starter – as he shops for a new job.

The Weeden-Campbell pairing is the way we thought it would be before Hoyer became available. So why is it a problem now?

Well, for one thing, Campbell is less than we thought. The Browns’ coaching staff doesn’t seem particularly enamored with him either.

Hoyer vaulted past him by playing the entirety of the final preseason game while Campbell sat out.

(By the way, there is no medical possibility he caught strep from Peyton Hillis)

In his brief relief work against Baltimore, he looked old, slow and – on one Joe Smith submarine pitch – less than trustworthy.

“Next man up” is a brave battle cry. The more promising phrase is the one about necessity being the mother of invention.

Can Norv Turner and Chudzinski coach Weeden up? Isn't that what training camp was about?

It will take more than just expecting him to play better.

Weeden should improve. Hopefully for the Browns, he saw Hoyer’s quick trigger and can learn from it.

But so much of quarterbacking is instinct and anticipation. You can’t teach either.

Weeden will be 30 a few days after his next start. He occupies an uncomfortable place between old dog and new kid on the block.

This would be less complicated if Hoyer hadn’t provided the spark that turned the season around. Nobody expected contention.

The Browns are hardly outclassed in the AFC North, not by a long shot. Good quarterback play to go with a defense that should only get better could keep them relevant deep into the season.



This is where front offices and coaching staffs build their reputation: making good decisions on the fly.

Chudzinski made one when he named Hoyer the starter over Campbell.

Pass on Freeman? OK.

But they could use another bullet to fire because the quarterback position could become vulnerable enough to take the season down with it.

SPINOFFS

• Alex Rodriguez is suing Major League Baseball. The suit alleges MLB and commissioner Bud Selig have tried to improperly gather evidence to "destroy the reputation and career of Alex Rodriguez."

Yes. Yes. That’s what it would take to destroy the reputation of Alex Rodriguez.

More evidence.

• Iowa State head coach Paul Rhoads ripped Big 12 officials for a non-fumble call that led to Texas punching it in from the 1-yard line for a 31-30 victory.

“I’ve got pretty good eyesight,” Rhoads said. “The view I had of that gigantic screen in the north end zone showed a player that was not down and our guy with the football.”

Pretty good eyesight and no bias whatsoever.

• NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is emailing fans, highlighting the league's attempts to make the game safer for players.

“Safety related rules will always be clearly defined and strictly enforced, and we will continue to work with our players, coaches and others to identify new and safer ways to play the game,” Goodell wrote.

How about not asking players to play on three days rest as the Browns and Bills did Thursday night?

No? Didn’t think so.

• Terrell Suggs thinks Goodell "had a hand" in the Super Bowl blackout because the Ravens led 28-6 and the league wanted to stall their momentum so San Francisco could catch up.

Like NASCAR fabricating a caution flag to bunch cars together for an exciting finish, I guess.

Suggs' old teammate Ray Lewis previously insinuated the same about the blackout.

The only thing crazier than the accusation? When you know you're agreeing with Ray Lewis and that still doesn't give you hesitation.

• Just because Ubaldo Jimenez led the Indians to a playoff run and Hoyer quarterbacked the Browns to a renaissance before Thursday's knee injury is no reason for DeSagana Diop to get any big ideas about the upcoming season.

• Diop's invitation to camp might suggest uncertainty about Andrew Bynum's health.

The former Cavaliers’ draft choice played in 22 games last year.

Mathematicians in Philadelphia, where Bynum played last year, will tell you that's 22 more than Bynum.

• Bynum was healthy enough last year to practice one day with the 76ers before re-injuring his knee while bowling.

The more we talk about this, Diop looks like Cal Ripken.

• Turns out Weeden’s contention last week that he still feels as if “it’s my team” was not a reference Oklahoma State.

• LeBron James will no longer discuss his 2014 free agent options.

Except if asked.

• Jay-Z tells Vanity Fair he'll be a good sports agent in part because of his previous work history.

“I know about budgets, I was a drug dealer,” said the entertainer who has sold his share of the Brooklyn Nets to launch his agent business.

This is promising news for "Brody Baum and Associates" of Rocky River.

• People are ripping Congress as “reckless” for the government shutdown.

Not true.

They’ve taken extra care to make sure they get paid.

So "shameless and "fraudulent" are the better word choices. Maybe they think that by giving us Army and Air Force football as scheduled, we're all good?

• Jerry Jones and son Stephen Jones admit disappointment in high draft picks such as Morris Claiiborne and Bruce Carter.

Jones is a demanding owner. There might be retribution against the people who drafted them if the people who drafted them weren’t Jerry Jones and son Stephen Jones.

• The one-game wild card playoff format is unforgiving, as the Indians found out.

But the sense of this team is that it maxed out its potential during a season Nick Swisher called "amazing."

Yes, anything can happen in the postseason. But it doesn’t seem likely a three-game or five-game series would’ve told us anything new the Indians’ 12-27 record against Detroit, Boston, Oakland and Tampa didn't tell us during the regular season, bro.

• The Reds fired Dusty Baker as manager after the Pirates ousted them in the wild-card game.

It happened just three days later.

Or what Baker critic Derek Lowe calls "early Christmas."

YOU SAID IT

(The Expanded Back-By-Unpopular-Demand Edition)

Bud:

What names does Joe Smith use when he checks into a hotel? -- Jim W

I can only tell you it's probably not "Chris Perez."

Dear Bud:

Have you started to worry about the 3rd string sports columnist at the PD? – George, Stow

I did until I remembered it was me.

Hey Bud,

With the seventh overall pick in the 2014 NASCAR Draft, The Penske Racing Team selects Greg Little, WR, Cleveland Browns! – Kevin O, Brunswick

Why do I get the impression that if Little were a NASCAR driver, he’d do celebratory burnouts and doughnuts after finishing fifth?

Bud:

Does your writing improve during your contract year? – Foggy

No. And, sadly, my salary never does either.

Bud:

Have you ever advised your bosses at the PD to shut down Spin for the good of the paper because you "couldn't locate?" If so, what were you having trouble locating? –- Dale, Medina

You mean besides my pride.

Bud:

Did Greg Little change to number 18 to match the points on his license? – Michael Sarro

First-time winners (this one’s not) receive a T-shirt from the Mental Floss collection.

Bud:

In the Cavaliers' media guide, will the team list Andrew Bynum's actual height or his treadmill height ? – Jim Corrigan, Fairview Park

Repeat winners receive a second chance, just not a second shirt.