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Topics this week include the Browns next steps at quarterback, rookie signal-caller?Carson Wentzs sensational debut -- and what could have been -- plus, the connection Texans coach Bill OBrien had to his first-round pick.Browns forced to change QB plans -- againFor now, the best guess on the time?Robert Griffin III will miss is 10-12 weeks, per sources. With Griffin sidelined with a shoulder injury, Josh McCown becomes the starter, and rookie third-round pick Cody Kessler becomes the backup. But there are more questions there, as is usually the case at quarterback in Cleveland.Browns sources say Kessler is not close to?being ready to play -- which doesnt mean he wont -- but expectations for him arent particularly high. Yet there are those in the Browns building who think Griffins injury could turn out to be a good thing for the franchise, because coach Hue Jackson was so focused on righting Griffin. The team now can move on and do what it needs.Where the Browns?go and what they do next are significant issues. Their recent track record at quarterback is not overly favorable. The quarterbacks the Browns loved in the offseason?were Jared Goff, Kessler and Griffin, per team sources. The quarterbacks they didnt care for were Carson Wentz and Dak Prescott, per the same sources. Those same men who?appear to have missed last offseason will be in charge of finding Clevelands next quarterback, whoever that is, this offseason. They need to find Clevelands quarterback of the future, which is tied to the other issue.Since rejoining the NFL in 1999, the Browns have had 25 starting quarterbacks, the most in the NFL. At the rate this is going, Kessler is likely to be the 26th, practice squad quarterback Kevin Hogan could be the 27th ... and either Deshaun Watson or DeShone Kizer, two of college footballs top QBs, could be the 28th.--?Adam SchefterIts early, but Carson Wentz has traits to succeedTo be fair, it will take more than one game and probably more than a year to determine whether the Cleveland Browns blew it by not giving more consideration to draft Carson Wentz with the No. 2 overall pick.Nevertheless, before the Browns traded that pick to the Eagles, there were some NFL evaluators who agreed that Wentz fit the mold of an AFC North quarterback.At 6-foot-5, 235 pounds, Wentz has the prototype size of QBs such as the Steelers Ben Roethlisberger, the Ravens Joe Flacco and former Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer. Current Bengals QB Andy Dalton, though not as?big as those three quarterbacks, does not have a frail frame.The dome-free AFC North is portrayed as the NFLs real black-and-blue division because of its physical DNA. One personnel man opined that the quarterbacks in the division will not go physically unscathed but argued that their stature allows them to recover from injuries. In fact, every one of the aforementioned quarterbacks -- Roethlisberger, Flacco, Palmer and Dalton -- have missed games because of injuries.Wentz also is not immune to injury. Last October, he broke his wrist. The injury required surgery, but he came back to lead North Dakota State to an FCS national title. He also fractured ribs last month in his first preseason game,?but the Eagles deemed him ready to open the season as the starter when Sam Bradford was traded to the Vikings. They see him as a physically and mentally resilient quarterback but still emphasize that he needs to get the ball out of his hands quickly, because the pounding takes its toll.More than one personnel man also suggested Wentzs hand size (10 inches) projected well in a division that often plays in inclement weather later in the season (the NFC East would also qualify).Then is it a worthy counterpoint to note that Wentz played his college home games indoors at the Fargodome at North Dakota State? That did not bother one general manager, who pointed out that the Green Bay Packers largely practice indoors when the weather turns frosty, yet have a decided home-field advantage outdoors at Lambeau Field. The GM said Wentz being acclimated to?that?climate all his life was a more favorable factor.Its nothing more than a snapshot, but it was a snapshot taken by some evaluators before the 2016 draft.-- Chris MortensenBill OBrien commits to former commitmentAs the 2016 NFL draft approached, most expected Texans coach Bill OBrien to make a major push for one of his former Penn State recruits. And he did.Only it wasnt Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg, but rather Notre Dame wide receiver Will Fuller.When Fuller was starring at Roman Catholic High School in Philadelphia, his first scholarship offer came from none other than OBrien and Penn State. Fuller verbally committed to OBrien and Penn State. But when the Jerry Sandusky sanctions were handed down, he opened his recruiting again and opted for Notre Dame.When OBrien had another chance to land Fuller last spring, he and the Texans traded up one slot in the first round to draft the wide receiver who?escaped Penn State.Sure enough, Fuller reeled in five catches for 107 yards and a touchdown in Week 1. When OBrien was asked about how Fuller was able to bounce back with a strong game after dropping the first pass thrown in his direction, he knew why, perhaps better than anyone.The one thing I know about Will, having known him for a while, hes a very resilient guy, OBrien said. He grew up in a great family, hard-working parents. Im sure they taught him about, Look, sometimes youre going to get knocked down. You have to be able to pick yourself back up. Thats something he does well.OBrien knows Fuller, trusts Fuller and believes in Fuller. Now, with Houston heading into Week 2 matchup vs. the Kansas City Chiefs, he has already been rewarded by him, too.-- Adam SchefterHammerhead?shows why fullbacks matterWhen Denver Broncos rookie fullback Andy Janovich broke loose for a 28-yard touchdown run in the season-opening win over the Panthers, the NFLs first rushing score of the 2016 season, former Cowboys great Daryl Moose Johnston noted that when he glanced at his Twitter account there were three mentions that he says were almost identical: Somewhere, Moose Johnston is smiling.Johnston was indeed smiling. He believes the fullback position, which was on a path toward NFL extinction, still has a future.Were seeing defenses, especially teams like the Arizona Cardinals, that are loading up the back eight essentially using a safety as that extra linebacker, and it gives an offense an opportunity for a fullback like Janovich to create some favorable matchups in blocking, said Johnston, who studies the game when prepping for his Fox Sports broadcast assignments. The big thing, though, is you have to find that guy who is not just a thumper, but one who can be versatile in formations, on a free release where he can recognize coverages and be a viable receiver down in that red zone, where points are a premium. Janovich appears to have that type of ability.A sixth-round draft pick, Janovich was a walk-on at Nebraska who earned a scholarship and became known as Hammerhead when he was the often the lead blocker for Ameer Abdullah, who had three 1,000-yard rushing seasons before being drafted by the Lions in 2015. Janovich also was a special teams standout, a must if a fullback is going to land a job in the NFL. His Hammerhead moniker has stuck with the Broncos. Janovich was on the field for almost half the offensive snaps in the opener against the Panthers.-- Chris MortensenGrowing branches from Patriots-Colts rivalryThe rivalry between New England and Indianapolis has been so good that it has had a lasting impact on four teams this weekend not named the Patriots or the Colts.The general managers of the Titans and the Lions, who play each other Sunday, are Bill Belichick disciples. Tennessee GM Jon Robinson spent 12 years in New England (2002-2013), during which time he worked with Bob Quinn, who was with the Patriots from 2000-2015 and is now Detroits GM. The Patriot Ways already have come into play in Tennessee and Detroit, with Robinson and Quinns own influence on their respective rosters.The general managers of the Jaguars and the Chargers, who play each other Sunday, are Bill Polian disciples. Jacksonville GM Dave Caldwell spent 10 years with the Colts (1998-2007), during which time he worked with Tom Telesco, who was with the Colts from 1998-2012 and is now San Diegos GM. The Colts Ways already have come into play in Jacksonville and San Diego, with Caldwell and Telescos own influence on their respective rosters.So even in the NFL, trees grow branches. The tree that was the home of the NFLs best rivalry this century, Patriots vs. Colts, produced branches that now will be tangled Sunday.-- Adam SchefterEmptying out the notebookBrowns veteran QB Josh McCown, who takes over the starting job for injured Robert Griffin III, had a reasonable protest about the notion the Browns should tank for the No. 1 pick in 2017. McCown mentioned the need to respect veterans on the team such as tackle Joe Thomas. Thats not lip service to Thomas, who declined to push the front office for a trade to the Broncos last October when it was in discussion. The same sources say Thomas then privately cited the loyalty to other veterans in the Browns locker room and the organization that made him the third overall pick in 2006.The most surprising statistic about Spencer Wares opening game for the Chiefs was?his seven catches for 129 yards. He had just?six catches for 5 yards in 2015. Hes got good hands, Chiefs general manager?John Dorsey said. He was a pretty good baseball player in high school, good enough to play baseball at LSU his freshman year. You cant be a good baseball player and have bad hands.When the Ravens passed on overpaying pending free-agent receiver Torrey Smith in 2015, they knew they were subtracting a player who played to one of quarterback Joe Flaccos strengths -- deep-ball accuracy. Thats one reason they drafted Breshad Perriman (4.25 in the 40-yard dash)?last year, but Perriman missed his rookie season with an injury. Then GM Ozzie Newsome got insurance with Mike Wallace (4.33 in the 40) this offseason. Big plays from Flacco to Wallace (66-yard TD) and to Perriman (35 yards to help set up a field goal) were moments the Ravens needed to beat the Bills 13-7 in their opener.Hall of Fame coach Bill Parcells has never been a proponent of paying cornerbacks huge bucks, though he acknowledges the cost of doing business is going up. Parcells, however, is a proponent of loading up on defensive backs. I tell my guys still coaching that you need more than four or five cornerbacks. You better have seven of those guys in todays game.The Patriots play the Dolphins on Sunday, one of three consecutive home games before Tom Brady returns from suspension. A breeze after a tough road win at Arizona? Maybe not. The Seahawks believe the Dolphins defense will be a challenge for any opponent after a narrow 12-10 home-opening win over Miami. Theyre pretty darn good, Seahawks GM John Schneider said. Theyre deep, especially on the defensive line. ... Theyve got talented guys positionally playing where they should play.Titans coach Mike Mularkey this weekend will indirectly face his son, Patrick Mularkey, who is the Lions pro scouting coordinator. Its pretty neat, Mike Mularkey said. I actually asked him yesterday -- it never really dawned on me -- who my wife and his mom is rooting for to win this game. I havent asked her yet, but its special, because Im proud of him. Very proud of the job hes done. I love that hes in this business, because I think hes really good at what he does. Regardless, I think theres a win in this somehow, in the outcome of this game. Tyrone Wallace Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. Kevin Huerter Jersey . Dukurs winning time was 1 minute, 45.76 seconds, a quarter-second better than Russias Alexander Tretiakov. Lativas Tomass Dukurs was third, 1.41 seconds off the pace. Jon Montgomery of Eckville, Alta. https://www.cheaphawks.com/1574r-deandre-bembry-jersey-hawks.html . -- Eastern Kentucky thrives off creating havoc for others. Cheap Hawks Jerseys . Emery skated the length of the ice and fought an unwilling Holtby during the third period of the Flyers 7-0 loss Friday night in Philadelphia. He was given 29 penalty minutes, including a game misconduct. But Emery did not face even a disciplinary hearing with NHL senior vice president of player safety Brendan Shanahan because rules 46. Bob Harrison Jersey . Houston won 3-0 to advance to face New York in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Last in the game, Di Vaio and Romero got into a shoving match with several Houston players. Romero appeared to elbow and kick Houston defender Kofi Sarkodie. TORONTO -- Some time ago, I likened Team USAs chances at the World Cup of Hockey to a grand experiment.Because GM Dean Lombardi and his management team purposefully eschewed more talented players in the hopes of building an American team that could quickly become more than the sum of its parts, there was great anticipation about how the experiment would play out in Toronto.Well sum it up in one word: Kaboom.Two days after the U.S. was whipped 4-2 by Canada, which effectively ended its tournament just two games in, the dust is still settling around Team USA from the rafters. How long the reverberations from the disaster in Toronto will last -- well, thats a different matter altogether.Lombardi addressed the issues about how his team was built and why it failed so miserably at the World Cup for the first time on Thursday. Like Team USA head coach John Tortorella, he defended the roster construction.Fair enough. The razor-thin edge that Lombardi has always walked along with the?Los Angeles Kings?has been his devotion to his players. That kind of unwavering belief has earned him two Stanley Cup championships -- as well as contracts that will haunt him for years, and perhaps making winning more championships impossible.The reason we won [was because] we were a frickin team and that was a culture, Lombardi said of his Kings.Building a team for an NHL season is a different beast than building one to play in a brutally short tournament such as the World Cup, and in the end those differences werent fully recognized. Or if they were recognized, they were essentially ignored.Lombardi was predictably defiant in his support of his World Cup players.There were guys with tears in their eyes the other night and they were real, Lombardi said. I will always remember that. Some of the texts I got from players yesterday, I will treasure them the rest of my life. That is good stuff. Those are things you dont forget, even in failure. That part we got down. I told them I wish I had this group for a longer period of time, because I know we could have built that culture. But it didnt happen.The uncomfortable truth is that either heart -- which was which the key building block for this team -- cant trump skill or, worse, that Team USA simply didnt collectively possess the heart Lombardi or anyone else thought it did.When the Americans came out flat against Team Europe and lost 3-0 in a game they had to win to set themselves up for a trip to the tournament semifinals, it turned out that the lightly regarded Europeans showed greater heart.Lombardi bristled at the notion that somehow Team Europe, basically the hockey equivalent of a lean-to made out of branches and old string, with players pulled together from eight different countries, found a winning culture in a matter of days while Team USA, which included 14 members of the Sochi Olympic squad and nine members of the U.S. team that won a silver medal in 2010 in Vancouver, could not.But thats exactly what happened.So Team Europe will play against Sweden iin the semifinals Sunday afternoon (1 ET, ESPN) while Team USA is headed home after a meaningless third preliminary-round game against the Czech Republic on Thursday night, with the echoes of sharp criticism from the media and needling from former players such as?Phil Kessel,?who was left off the World Cup roster, still ringing in their ears.ddddddddddddLombardi did admit that Team USA either didnt understand or properly respond to the urgency required to overcome a European team that was considered among the weakest of the eight teams in the World Cup field.Lombardi has seen his Kings team rally from a 3-0 series deficit to win a playoff series. Thats the proverbial 8-ball, Lombardi said.When Team USA lost to Europe? This felt like a boulder, Lombardi said. It was just really strange. Like, how can this happen so quickly, where your back is against the wall after one poor game?Lombardi suggested it was almost as though the team cared too much and became paralyzed by it.Isnt having heart the opposite of that?Isnt having heart rising above those kinds of setbacks, of pushing aside the disappointment to find success?If that is so, where was it?Few people in the game are as detail-oriented as Lombardi who built those two Stanley Cup winners as GM of the Kings and wanted desperately to pay homage to past U.S. hockey glory by building a winner here.He believed that in order to do that he needed a team that could compete with Canada. He believed that, lacking the skill that Canada possesses, his U.S. squad could balance the equation by adding more heart and character.Tortorella was brutally frank about the disparity between the two hockey neighbors.Ill be honest: were not as deep as Canada, skillwise, Tortorella said. Not sure USA Hockey will like me saying that, but its the truth. Its a situation where I still think, in our mind, we could not just skill our way through Canada.The problem with the theory is that it suggests that skill and heart -- or grit -- are mutually exclusive. For Canada, skill and heart are mutually inclusive. It can be so for the Americans as well, as it was 20 years ago when the U.S. beat Canada at the inaugural World Cup of Hockey in 1996.By the time the next best-on-best tournament rolls around, maybe it will be so again.Maybe Auston Matthews, Johnny Gaudreau, Jack Eichel, Shayne Gostisbehere, Vincent Trocheck and all the other shiny young Americans who have made Team North America the darlings of the World Cup will allow the U.S. team builders to rethink the formula for success at these kinds of tournaments -- or to simply bring their best players because they will represent the same kind of balance that Canada has enjoyed for an entire generation.Who knows, maybe the memory of this experiment gone so horribly wrong in Toronto will become a historic turning point for American hockey.An explosion that cleared land for a new future. ' ' '