Trent Dilfer has calibrated his quality of play almost perfectly. He keeps doing just enough to keep himself from getting canned, but stinks just enough to lose a lot of games. His numbers yesterday really don’t look all that bad. 17-34, 253 yards, 1 TD, 1 pick. But he missed key throws at key points, especially the wide open Braylon Edwards post that would have made the score 14-0.

And of course, it just keeps the Charlie Frye drumbeat going.

My 4 year old niece loves Lebron James. She’s not very impressed with 26 points last night, though, and ain’t real happy that Lebron was a decoy on the last play of regulation, which went to Donyell Marshall for the game-tying three. I gotta say, though, Donyell Marshall is the hero. That one shot pays for half the guy’s salary.

These kids watching Lebron James for the next, oh 15 years are gonna be spoiled. They’re gonna think this is how it always was for Cleveland basketball fans. Didn’t we always have the best player in the game? Didn’t we always hit a three at the end of regulation to send a game into OT?

Just one of them from the ABJ.

Browns receiver Braylon Edwards had knifed between two defenders on a skinny post. Nothing except well-worn sod separated Edwards and the end zone about 60 yards away. It was late in the first quarter and the Browns already owned a surprising 7-0 lead over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night. All quarterback Trent Dilfer needed was a strike. In baseball parlance, he threw a 98-mph fastball to the screen. The pass sailed past Edwards’ outstretched hands.

There were several of these moments last night, including Northcutt’s drop near the end of the half. Story of the Browns for the last, oh, 12 years?