Browns QB Baker Mayfield at Saturday's Orange and Brown Scrimmage. (John Kuntz, cleveland.com)

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EXPLAINING 3RD & SHORT

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CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Bob Wylie had coached in the NFL for two of the previous 12 years when Hue Jackson pulled him from the hinterlands of the Canadian Football League and installed him as the offensive line coach of the Browns in 2017. Wylie’s previous accomplishments with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders are nothing to sneeze at (Wylie put in six years in the CFL), but when Johnny Manziel played in the CFL and then said he wanted to come back to the NFL, everyone laughed at him.

So we're not here to disparage anyone who has worked in the CFL. We're here to … set hut … contextualize … set hut …. the comments of Wylie in … set hut … a radio interview on Saturday is which he … set hut …. declared that Gregg Williams was "too strong a candidate" for John Dorsey as the permanent Browns coach, and that Dorsey … set hut ... didn't want to have to battle Williams, who has been an NFL coach and coordinator previously.

Kitchens … set hut … has not.

Wylie was … set hut … on the inside last year, a vital piece of the Jackson staff that went … set hut … 3-36-1. He has coached a long time -- five of the last 15 years have even been in the NFL (four of the five in the NFL with Jackson). Also, he knows magic tricks.

But does he … set hut … have a point here?

I’d … set hut … consider the source.

Now … set hut … it’s 3rd & Short.

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Bob Wylie (shown with the Browns in 2017) is a veteran CFL coach. (John Kuntz, cleveland.com)

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THE FACES OF NFL CITIES

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For the last two weeks, we've described how Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield has affected everything about the Cleveland sports scene with our series on How Baker Mayfield Changed Everything. It makes for delightful reading over the next several weeks if you need to catch up.

Along the way, what Mayfield has clearly done is step in for LeBron James as the face of Cleveland sports.

So how does his face compare?

I went through the 31 other NFL teams and picked a face for the other 29 cities (with two teams in New York and two in Los Angeles). Generally … Cleveland should like its face.

Here are my rankings of those faces in cities that have NFL teams, ranked in reverse order of faceness, with Cleveland in there somewhere.

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What do you do when the sports face of your city retires and there's no on to replace him? Miami is finding out. (Sarah Stier, Getty Images)

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30. Miami

Dwyane Wade, retired Heat star: We aren't mocking South Beach by picking a retired guy. But boy Miami, a lot has changed since "take my talents to South Beach."

The Miami New Times ranked the best player on each Miami pro team in June, and the winners were Justice Winslow, Kenny Stills, Jose Urena and Jonathan Huberdeau. That list is a bit wanting. Miami Herald columnist Greg Cote put together a list in March 2018 of top Miami athletes, and leading the way were Wade and Serena Williams. We're only doing team players, so sorry to the tennis legend. But the next seven names on Cote's list were either coaches, front office people or guys who have since left Miami, including Jarvis Landry.

At this rate, Wade may be the face of Miami sports until he’s collecting Medicare. So Miami is last.

29. Detroit

Miguel Cabrera, Tigers first baseman: Detroit's in a bit of a sports hole. So give it to Cabrera, an 11-time All-Star, two-time MVP and one-time World Series champ on the back end of his career, a 36-year-old three years removed from his last All-Star season and now stuck on a rebuilding Tigers team.

Blake Griffin with the Pistons isn’t it. And I don’t think Matthew Stafford is either after a decade as the Lions starting quarterback and a record of 66-75 and no playoff wins. So congrats Miggy.

28. Buffalo

Jack Eichel, Sabres center: At age 17, Eichel in 2014 was described by the New York Times as the "new face of American hockey." These are the things you find when you Google "Buffalo" and "face." He's made two NHL All-Star teams. Bills second-year quarterback Josh Allen also has a face, so it might be him by October.

27. New York

Henrik Lundqvist, Rangers goaltender: This is half trolling New York, half serious.

In the summer of 2018, New York Post columnist Steve Serby made a list of the 15 biggest sports stars in the city. No. 1 was Eli Manning. I'm not making this Eli Manning. No. 2 was Aaron Judge, who hit 52 home runs in 542 at-bats in 2017, and in the last two injury-riddled seasons has 38 home runs in 606 at-bats. Not him. No. 3 was Odell Beckham. Gone. No. 4 was Kristaps Porzingas. Gone. And No. 5 was Lundqvist.

The right answer now might be Giants running back Saquon Barkley. It also might be out-of-nowhere Yankees MVP candidate DJ LeMahieu. That’s New York sports right now -- owned by Lundqvist and LeMahieu.

26. Baltimore

Lamar Jackson, Ravens quarterback: The Ravens lost a lot of veterans off last year's defense, led by Terrell Suggs and Eric Weddle. The Orioles are like a Triple A team. So it's Lamar time.

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Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray has gone from face of the 2019 NFL Draft to face of Arizona sports. (Christian Petersen, Getty Images)

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25. Minneapolis

Stefon Diggs/Adam Thielen, Vikings receivers: The Twins are leading the Indians with a lot of guys chipping in with career years. But there's no one face. The Timberwolves have Karl-Anthony Towns, but the franchise hasn't won a playoff series in 15 years. Vikings QB Kirk Cousins has only been there a year, so give it to his top two targets, who are hard to separate. Diggs has 302 catches for 3,493 years in four seasons. Thielen has 293 catches for 3,897 yards in five seasons. At the very least, they're the hands of Minneapolis.

24. Tampa

Steven Stamkos, Lightning forward: After embarking on this list as the end of our series about Mayfield, I stumbled across the fact that Tampa Bay Times columnist John Romano undertook a similar endeavor three weeks ago. I never said I was original. He picked Stamkos for Tampa, so I'll yield to his expertise. And feel sorry for the Buccaneers.

23. Phoenix

Kyler Murray, Cardinals quarterback: There's young talent in this city, but not a lot of recent winning. So give it to the rookie No. 1 pick that the entire league is waiting to see.

22. Jacksonville

Jalen Ramsey, Jaguars cornerback: He showed up at camp in a Brinks truck with his own hype man. He's also probably under ranked at No. 27 on the NFL Network's list of the league's top 100 players. Jacksonville will gladly take Ramsay as their guy.

21. Nashville

Pekka Rinne, Predators goaltender: This vote arrived courtesy of Joe Rexrode, the sports columnist for The Tennessean. It tells you something about the Titans, who have finished 9-7 each of the last three seasons, and former overall No. 2 pick Marcus Mariota. The QB isn't the guy. The 11-year goaltender for one of the best franchises in the NHL, which reached the Stanley Cup finals three seasons ago and won its division each of the last two years, is the guy.

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Former Buckeye Ezekiel Elliott might be the face of Dallas sports, but he's currently not in training camp. (Tom Pennington, Getty Images)

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20. Cincinnati

Joey Votto, Reds first baseman: Votto raked for a decade. We're here for claims it should be a Bengal.

19. Carolina

Cam Newton, Panthers quarterback: The right answer might be a NASCAR driver. But between the Hurricanes, Hornets and Panthers, go Panthers, And between offense and defense, go Newton over linebacker Luke Kuechly.

18. Atlanta

Julio Jones, Falcons receiver: Basketball's Trae Young? Could get there. Baseball's Ronald Acuna Jr.? Could get there. But the choice is between Jones and quarterback Matt Ryan, just like the choice in Cleveland could come down to Mayfield or Odell Beckham. In Cleveland, which was so thirsty for a quarterback, and where the drafting of Mayfield led to everything, I think it has to be the QB. Maybe someone in Atlanta would say the same about Ryan, who landed with the Falcons three years before Jones, and who went 13-3 as a starter in Year 3 while Jones was still in college.

They're connected, obviously, so the right answer may be both. But from afar, I'm giving the edge to the pass catcher here, the guy who has led the NFL in receiving yards per game in three of the last four seasons.

17. Cleveland

Baker Mayfield, Browns quarterback: Middle-of-the-pack faceness for a second-year QB? Not bad. You argue he should be behind Newton and Jones, and maybe ahead of Elliott. But many of the faces ahead of Mayfield have won a title. (Author's note: Mayfield shotgunned a beer at the Indians game on Saturday night after the completion of this list. Had he done it before the list was completed, he might be in the top 10.)

16. Dallas

Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys running back: Is the face of Dallas holding out? Dirk Nowitzki makes a case as one of the most beloved Dallas athletes ever, but he's done and second-year Maverick Luka Doncic isn't there yet. The Rangers don't really have a contender since Adrian Beltre's retirement. But America's Team has to be first be Dallas' team. Right now, the former Ohio State back working toward a new contract is the face under the helmet.

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James Harden got the nod for Houston, which features a host of face of the city sports options. (Scott Halleran, Getty Images)

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15. Philadelphia

Carson Wentz, Eagles quarterback: With apologies to Joel Embiid's persona, Bryce Harper's contract and the Flyers' mesmerizingly bizarre mascot, it's the quarterback, even if he wasn't on the field when the Eagles lifted their Super Bowl trophy. Some of you may now take a moment to imagine Cleveland as Wentzville and decide if you're OK with Mayfield Heights instead.

14. Chicago

Khalil Mack, Bears defensive end: Baseball splits the city between the White Sox and Cubs. Everyone's favorite basketball player is still Michael Jordan. Patrick Kane has led the Blackhawks to three Stanley Cups, and he's a very tempting choice. But the arrival of Mack before last season changed the Bears. As Bears offensive lineman Kyle Long told ESPN last November, "It's a quarterback-driven league, but this is a defensive-driven town. That's why they're falling in love with a guy like Khalil Mack."

13. Indianapolis

Andrew Luck, Colts quarterback: Pacers guard Victor Oladipo is a true star and fun to watch, and he seems like a great guy in a basketball state. But people think the Colts are lined up for a Super Bowl run. Not sure you can get away from the QB here.

12. Seattle

Russell Wilson, Seahawks quarterback: The Mariners are tanking. The Sonics have been gone for more than a decade. It's all about Russ.

11. Houston

James Harden, Rockets guard: So many choices. Deshaun Watson and J.J Watt for the Texans. A rash of candidates from the Astros, the best team in baseball. But Houston Chronicle columnist Brian T. Smith picked Harden when I asked, and that was my instinct. Houston is stacked, but Harden is a one-of-a-kind talent.

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Sidney Crosby and the Stanley Cup. (Christian Petersen, Getty Images)

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10. Washington

Alex Ovechkin, Capitals forward: A three-time MVP, he broke Washington's title drought of more than 25 years by leading the Caps to the Stanley Cup. The Wizards are a mess, so for the hearts of Washington fans, this 33-year-old Russian is the man that new Redskins quarterback Dwayne Haskins is chasing.

9. Denver

Von Miller, Broncos defensive end: It's a football city. The answer isn't Joe Flacco. Peyton Manning said this summer the seven-time Pro Bowl defensive end is the best athlete he ever played with. Plus, Miller is wonderfully weird.

8. Pittsburgh

Sidney Crosby, Penguins forward: Sorry Big Ben. But everyone loves Sid The Kid. Crosby hit Pittsburgh one year after Roethlisberger, so it's been quite a run over more than a decade for both. Two tilles for Roethlisberger, three for Crosby.

7. Kansas City

Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs quarterback: He's not going anywhere for a very long time

6. Green Bay/Milwaukee

Aaron Rodgers, Packers quarterback: I'm including Milwaukee in this equation, with the Packers 120 miles away from the rest of the pro teams in the state. And check out Milwaukee. The Brewers' Christian Yelich is the reigning American League MVP. The Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo just won the NBA MVP, and is having a LeBron effect on the Milwaukee economy. The competition for the face pushes the city up the list.

Only an all-time great quarterback with a six-year head start with the fans could hold off Giannis, and that’s what the Packers have.

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LeBron James remains the face of L.A. sports for now. Probably. Just don't tell Kahwi. (Harry How, Getty Images)

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5. New Orleans

Drew Brees, Saints quarterback: Anthony Davis is out, Zion Williamson is in, Michael Thomas is getting paid and Brees, entering Year 14 as the starting QB in New Orleans, is the only answer.

4. Oakland

Steph Curry, Warriors guard: Golden State has played its last home game at Oracle Arena in Oakland, but the Raiders are actually moving, and the A's don't actually retain their best players. The Warriors will play their games in San Francisco now, but Curry should keep his status in Oakland.

3. San Francisco

Steph Curry, Warriors guard: I tried to consider the Giants, who have won three of the last 10 World Series, but they shopped ace Madison Bumgarner at the trade deadline. I tried to consider the 49ers, but for now their best player is a tight end, George Kittle. I tried to consider the San Jose Sharks as part of the market, but I couldn't get all the way there, so sorry Joe Pavelski. So Steph owns two cities.

2. Los Angeles

LeBron James, Lakers forward: The Rams won the AFC last year. The Clippers won the NBA offseason. Mike Trout and Clayton Kershaw play baseball here. Anthony Davis has arrived. The pack, led by Kawhi Leonard, is coming. But LeBron holds on. New York, by the way, would take any of them.

1. Boston

Tom Brady, Patriots quarterback: An annual survey of Boston sports fans from Channel Media and Market Research found the Patriots were the most popular team in town, with 47 percent of the vote last August. The Red Sox got 30 percent, the Celtics 14 percent and the Bruins 8 percent. Despite that, I would have leaned toward the lovable Kyrie Irving if he had stayed instead of blowing up the basketball franchise and hightailing it to Brooklyn. So, Mr. Six Rings wins. The NBA creates global superstars. But for now, in America, if you're the face of football, you're at the top of this list.

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THREE THINGS WE LEARNED FROM THIS FACE LIST

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Alex Ovechkin is a bigger face in Washington than any Redskin, National or Wizard. (Bruce Bennett, Getty Images)

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3. The NHL is saving some cities

The breakdown by sport was 17 cities led by a football face, six by a hockey face, five by a basketball face and two by a baseball face. That’s more hockey than I anticipated, but it happened in a lot of cities where the football team -- the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins, Tennessee Titans -- hadn’t produced a star worthy of facedom.

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That's the face of Tom Brady. He's a quarterback. (Kevin C. Cox, Getty Images)

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2. Quarterbacks are quarterbacks

This was an NFL exercise, so we didn’t deal with cities lacking an NFL team. But to reinforce what Cleveland was missing for so long, if you don’t have a franchise quarterback, there’s a hole in the fabric of your sports scene. Ten faces were quarterbacks.

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A lot of cities would take Odell Beckham has the face of their sports scene. (Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com)

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1. Cleveland stacks up pretty well

Winning matters and not many athletes in Cleveland have won anything -- Kevin Love wasn’t taking this faceoff in Cleveland. But looking at Mayfield, Beckham, Myles Garrett and Francisco Lindor, Cleveland can claim four players with the type of star power that could capture the hearts of an entire city. Cleveland has players other cities long for.

We’re talking to you, South Beach.

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