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Listening to Cleveland Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer for the first time produces no great revelations but does reinforce the notion that perhaps for many, the Hoyer path is the best path.

Which does not mean a player should be released twice before he finds success.

It does mean, though, that there is benefit to watching and learning -- especially when it’s behind one of the NFL’s best.

Consider Brandon Weeden. The Browns' first-round draft choice in 2012 was put in the starting lineup immediately. He took over a bad team, with little talent around him. Any talent that was around him was young as well.

He did his best, then arrived as the starter in 2013. But he had to learn another system, a new coaching staff, new language and plays. He started two games, struggled and hurt his thumb.

Compare that to the experience of Hoyer, who spent three years in New England and part of a fourth in Arizona. While with the Patriots, Hoyer backed up Tom Brady, which meant he learned behind Brady. Hoyer also played for Bill Belichick. Given the opportunity to observe, he did just that -- and he absorbed.

Proof is that Hoyer is 2-0 as Cleveland's starter, combining for 590 passing yards and five touchdown passes.

“I learned how to prepare and cover all the bases,” Hoyer said in his locker room session Tuesday.

Prepare is the key. Hoyer said he lives in a bubble, going from home to work and back again. His key, he said, is being ready, which he learned in part from Brady.

“I believe in luck,” Hoyer said. “And the harder I prepare, the more luck I have.”

Luck certainly has something to do with Hoyer’s good fortune. Without an injury, he might still be watching. But when the injury occurred, Hoyer was ready.

Many of the things the Browns do offensively are similar to that of Belichick and the Patriots. To have three years' experience in that system had to help Hoyer in this one.

There’s a long way to go for Hoyer to firmly establish himself. But clearly he’s been helped by the fact that he had to be patient, and learn. And that he was willing to learn.

A weekly examination of the Browns’ ESPN.com Power Ranking:

Preseason: 28 | Last week: 25 | ESPN.com Power Ranking since 2002

The Cleveland Browns are close to moving into unfamiliar territory, and they and their fans have to be thrilled about it.

The Browns moved from No. 31 in the Week 3 rankings to 20 after trading running back Trent Richardson and moving third quarterback Brian Hoyer into the starting spot. Those moves were treated as cataclysmic by many, but the result has been two consecutive wins over playoff teams in 2012 (Minnesota and Cincinnati) and an 11-spot jump in the Power Rankings.

The last time the Browns were ranked 20th was the 15th week of the 2012 season.

A win Thursday night over Buffalo might even move the Browns into the teens. That hasn’t happened since the Browns were ranked 17th in Week 2 of the 2008 season.

CLEVELAND -- When the play started, the Browns were 1 yard shy of the goal line. Cleveland quarterback Brian Hoyer was behind center, handed a direct snap.

By the time the ball left his hand on a fall-away pass, he felt like he had been magically transported halfway downfield, carried closer to the far end zone by disbelief, an exuberant, boyish joy and an overwhelming sense of relief.

At that instant, he and the other 71,000 people inside FirstEnergy Stadium could tell: Hoyer, the hometown kid, was about to be 2-0 as the starting quarterback for the team he grew up cheering.

"I was a little embarrassed," Hoyer later said, joking about his fall-away. "By the time he caught it, I was at the 40-yard line because he was so wide open."

The player who hauled in Hoyer's late fourth-quarter touchdown pass was running back Chris Ogbonnaya, and when he easily crossed the goal line for the 1-yard score with 4:54 remaining, a brash message was sent to the rest of the AFC North and reluctantly received. The Browns, it said, are the division doormat no more. Even without Trent Richardson, they are very much in this race and plan to make life difficult for those teams, like the Bengals, who so many had hitched their hopes to in the preseason.

As the calendar quickly turns to Week 5 -- Cleveland has a short turnaround after Sunday's 17-6 win over Cincinnati with a Thursday night game against Buffalo -- Browns fans are now similarly hitching their hopes onto Hoyer.

The North Olmstead, Ohio, native was impressive in his home debut, compiling a 103.9 passer rating and throwing for 269 yards and two touchdowns. After the first quarter alone, a period that saw him complete all of his first eight passes, Hoyer posted a 147.9 passer rating.

"He did a great job," Browns coach Rob Chudzinski said. "We were a little bit too hyped up early on, I'd say. Guys settled in. He settled in and made some good decisions with throws and made good plays. Certainly he's been the spark that I had hoped for."

Chudzinski decided to go with Hoyer two games ago after starter Brandon Weeden had difficulty leading the offense through the first two games. Weeden also got injured in that stretch, making the decision to stick with Hoyer even easier. Part of the decision was to simply shake things up, another part was to see how change might affect the team.

The decision, so far, has paid great dividends.

If it will for a third straight week is anyone's guess at this point. Chudzinski told reporters after the game he still wanted to evaluate game film Monday and determine whether he'll be sticking with Hoyer, going with Weeden or progressing in a whole different direction at quarterback.

One week after helping beat Minnesota late on the road, Hoyer routinely put the Browns in position to score against their in-state rival Sunday afternoon. Even though the Bengals had multiple chances to make the game closer, they probably should have lost by much more. A pair of missed Billy Cundiff field goals took points away from the Browns, and a couple of failed third-down conversions that led to them took away Cleveland scoring chances. Cleveland's 17 total points very easily could been 23 or 24 or 28.

"They've [the offensive players] definitely improved as the season has gone on," Chudzinski said. "The thing that I like about these guys is any time you challenge them or talk about the things we need to improve on, they respond. It's great when you have a group of guys that feel that way and respond that way."

Hoyer's homecoming was aided in large part by tight end Jordan Cameron's 10-catch, one-touchdown effort. It was the second time this season Cameron had nine or more receptions, and it followed up his six-catch performance in Hoyer's debut last week.

"He's taking advantage of the opportunities in front of him," Cameron said of Hoyer. "It's good to see that, especially because he is from this area. He talked about it being a dream to play in front of these fans and get a win against another Ohio team. It's a big day for him and I'm really happy for him."

CLEVELAND -- A few thoughts on the Cleveland Browns' 17-6 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

What it means: The Browns' win means we all of a sudden have a three-team race in the AFC North. While Pittsburgh continues its difficult slide to start the season, Cincinnati's loss triggered a race that now includes Cleveland and Baltimore. The Browns, a team the entire sports media universe was willing to write off two weeks ago, suddenly has a chance to really compete for the postseason. The Bengals are in need of some serious offensive help if they want to keep their Super Bowl hopes alive.

Dark hour for Dalton: Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton has had his share of successes in the three years he has worn a Bengals uniform, but he also has compiled his share of moments to remember for vastly different reasons. Sunday afternoon, he had one of the latter. After throwing at least one touchdown in each of his first three starts this season, he didn't have one. He also threw for only 206 yards. The problem, it seemed, was that he never looked comfortable at any point in the game. He and his receivers appeared to be on different pages. Once, in the second half, Dalton threw a comeback route to A.J. Green, who was sprinting downfield on a straight fly route. Other times, his throws were too high, too low or too far behind his receivers.

Hoyer homecoming: Dalton might have had a day to forget, but hometown kid and Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer will remember it for the rest of his life. Not only was the Cleveland native making his first professional start in the stadium where he attended games as a teenager, but he had the type of showing that made Browns fans believe he could be their starting quarterback for the long haul. Hoyer replaced Brandon Weeden two weeks ago and looks to continue starting after passing for 269 yards and two touchdowns.

Penalty problem: The only real issue the Browns had Sunday was their apparent penchant for penalties. They had five in the game for 80 yards. Two of the penalties that came in what appeared to be pivotal situations in the second and third quarters were called on defensive back Buster Skrine. He made up for them, but the Browns will want to clean those up as they move forward.

Stock watch: In the wake of the Trent Richardson trade and their decision to name Hoyer the starting quarterback, the Browns have been dominating headlines because of their offense. After the defense's performance in Sunday's win, it deserves some attention, too. The unit entered the game ranked third in the NFL in sacks with 12 and continued the pressure against Dalton. The Browns sacked him twice and held the Bengals to a season-low 266 yards of total offense. Despite being called for two penalties in the second and third quarters, Skrine had an otherwise strong performance, intercepting a pass and breaking up three more. D'Qwell Jackson led the Browns with 10 tackles.

What's next: Cincinnati (2-2) will have one of its biggest conference games of the season next Sunday when New England makes a trip to Paul Brown Stadium. The Browns (2-2) look to build upon their momentum when they host Buffalo on Thursday night in the second game of a three-game homestand.

Plain and simple, teams in the AFC North just don't like one another. They can't stand each other. If there is a division in the NFL in which the teams involved have the truest sense of hate for one another, it's this one.

Just think about it. Whenever the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns get together, enormous, vocal crowds usually turn out. Both franchises can enter a particular meeting having a poor season, stumbling to their respective losing records and still, FirstEnergy Stadium or Paul Brown Stadium will be rocking. That's what makes a true football rivalry.

This year, though, neither team appears to be bad. Far from it. The Bengals are a hot pick to end up in the AFC Championship Game, and the Browns, post-Trent Richardson trade, are suddenly the darling upstart of the conference. If there has been an underdog in the AFC to root for the last two weeks, Cleveland has been it.

When the two teams meet for the first time this season at 1 p.m. ET Sunday, here are four things you'll want to watch for:

1. The homecoming. As a teenager in Cleveland, Brian Hoyer attended Browns games, dreaming he'd one day get an opportunity to start a game there as a professional quarterback. That day is on the horizon. It's Sunday. For the first time in his five-year career, the longtime backup will be taking starting snaps for the team he grew up cheering, in the city that raised him. After his impressive performance in last week's win over Minnesota, Hoyer was given the starting nod again this week, playing in place of Brandon Weeden, who has been dealing with a thumb injury. Watch for Hoyer's excitement level. Understandably, it will be high, and a packed home crowd ought to make it even higher. If he's too pumped up, though, it could be a problem for the Browns. If the Bengals can put pressure on him early and fluster him, the homecoming could be a long one for Hoyer.

2. The battle in the trenches. Both teams feature offensive and defensive lines with a mix of young, promising talent and cagey, wily veterans. Cleveland's offensive line is anchored by six-time Pro Bowler Joe Thomas. The left tackle will be matched up with Bengals fifth-year defensive end Michael Johnson, who had his best game of the season last week against Green Bay. Among Johnson's more memorable plays from the win was his forced fumble that led to Terence Newman's recovery and 58-yard touchdown return, and his pass deflection on a fourth-and-5 one drive later that iced the win. Cincinnati's offensive line is anchored by Pro Bowl left tackle Andrew Whitworth. He likely will be paired against defensive end Desmond Bryant. When Bryant isn't giving him trouble, though, rookie outside linebacker Barkevious Mingo could. Mingo and Whitworth hail from the same Louisiana town and college football power (LSU) and have a long friendship that will be put to the test on the field for the first time.

3. Cameron coverage belongs to ... Be on the lookout for where Browns tight end Jordan Cameron lines up on the line of scrimmage, and keep an eye out for which Bengals linebacker gets awarded the responsibility of covering him. Through three games, Cameron already has tied a career high in receptions (20) and set career marks with 269 receiving yards and four touchdowns. At the start of his third season, Cameron is blossoming into another one of the NFL's bright, young, pass-catching talents at tight end. Cincinnati certainly has had its eye on him all week, and the team feels confident it has a game plan that will stop him. Against the Vikings last week, Cameron had six receptions for 66 yards and three touchdowns.

This will be the first such test for the Bengals since the season opener, when Chicago's Martellus Bennett had three catches, including a touchdown in the Bears' 24-21 win. In the Bengals' other two games, injuries kept them from seeing just how effective the tight end could be in those offenses. The Packers' Jermichael Finley went down with a concussion in the first quarter of Cincinnati's 34-30 win last week.

4. Cornerback watch. There may be more attention paid to the Bengals' pregame by their fans than anything else Sunday as they await the fate of their cornerbacks. Three of them, Leon Hall, Dre Kirkpatrick and Newman, were dealing with injuries this week. Safety Reggie Nelson also had his own injury concerns. Only Newman appears set to go, though, after Kirkpatrick, Hall and Nelson were listed as doubtful on the Bengals' injury report Friday. Coach Marvin Lewis is holding out hope that more optimistic news may come Sunday morning, but there is a strong possibility it might not. If it doesn't, look for Brandon Ghee, a young cornerback who is just returning from a concussion that had kept him out since the preseason, to slip into Hall's role. Newly re-signed safety Chris Crocker also could be in the mix to replace Nelson if need be. The cornerback watch will be a captivating one because it could have an impact on the Bengals' efforts at slowing Browns receiver Josh Gordon, who hauled in 10 passes from Hoyer last week.

The 80th edition of the Battle of Ohio may be one of the more intriguing ones in quite some time.

Then again, it is still very early in the season, so maybe not.

Yes, in general, victories have seemed to elude both teams throughout their long tenures. But perhaps the winds have shifted this year. With a new quarterback and a revamped offensive look after the blockbuster trade of their biggest young star, the Cleveland Browns enter the game buoyed by a win and believing in Brian Hoyer.

For the Cincinnati Bengals, hope and hype have meshed this season as their fans think this might finally be the year Cincinnati gets past its first-round playoff hurdle.

As you get set for Sunday afternoon's contest between the 2-1 Bengals and 1-2 Browns, check out the spirited exchange between Coley Harvey and Matt Williamson as they pondered a few storylines:

Matt Williamson: The Browns' pass protection improved dramatically in Week 3 in Minnesota. Joe Thomas and the edge protection did a great job against Jared Allen & Co., but Michael Johnson is coming off a spectacular performance himself. Do you think the Bengals’ pass-rushers continue their dominant ways?

Coley Harvey: It certainly seems the Bengals’ pass rush has finally hit its stride. All season their fans had been waiting for a performance like Sunday’s against the Packers, when they hurried quarterback Aaron Rodgers for eight sacks, and limited him to just 244 yards of passing offense. The week before, he threw for 480. The line also accomplished something that hadn’t been done in five years: batting down three of Rodgers' passes at the line of scrimmage. Johnson was key in those deflections, coming away with arguably the game’s biggest when he swatted Rodgers’ fourth-and-5 passing attempt on Green Bay’s last play of the 34-30 Cincinnati win.

One name that hasn’t appeared much on stat sheets through the first three games is Geno Atkins. The newly re-signed defensive tackle has been swallowed up by double-teams and has been chipped by virtually every player on the offensive lines he has faced. The attention teams are giving him has benefited players such as Johnson and fellow defensive end Carlos Dunlap. You have to imagine that trend continues.

Pressure is something Hoyer seemed to handle pretty well in his start against Minnesota last week. If he gets the nod behind center again this week, do you think he’ll pick up where he left off?

Williamson: I like Hoyer quite a bit ... as the Browns’ long-term backup quarterback. It has surprised me a great deal that he bounced around the league so much in a short amount of time, and I respect how he played in Minnesota, but again, I think his ceiling is that of a high-end backup. Can he spark this team, though? For sure. He clearly has eyes for Jordan Cameron and especially Josh Gordon -- for good reason. Gordon being out of Cleveland’s lineup had a much bigger effect on this offense than many realize. But overall, yes, I think Hoyer can have a nice day once again targeting Gordon and Cameron.

A.J. Green is obviously a very special wide receiver, but the Bengals have gotten away from him at times. They now have a wealth of other receiving options, including the rookies Giovani Bernard and Tyler Eifert, but if Joe Haden can slow down Green one-on-one, much as Ike Taylor did in Week 2, could the Bengals struggle to create offense through the air?

Harvey: Yeah, I suppose that could happen, but I’m not banking on it. There’s just something about playing on the road that seems to get Green going. His home-road splits are actually quite creepy. In the 16 road games he has played in his career, Green has 106 receptions for 1,619 yards and 16 touchdowns. In the 18 games he has played at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, he’s caught just 75 passes for 1,037 yards and eight touchdowns. He’s even been targeted by quarterback Andy Dalton about 8 percent more often on the road than he has been at home. The two games in which Green was stifled this season? Yep, you guessed it: They were at home.

OK, so maybe I’m reading too far into the home-road splits, but I have a feeling Green will do well this weekend. He had a tough matchup in Week 1 at Chicago. Even though Charles Tillman intercepted two passes while covering him, Green still caught nine passes and two touchdowns. Still, Browns fans should watch Bernard and Eifert. The two rookies figure to be an even larger part of the offense.

There obviously has been a lot made of Cleveland’s offense in the past few weeks, but it looks like D'Qwell Jackson has been the unsung hero of the defense. He had 10 tackles last week. How much should Bengals wideouts and running backs be wary of going across the middle with Jackson out there?

Williamson: Jackson has played very well and is highly productive, for sure. He has excellent range, reads plays well and is excelling against the run and in coverage. But I would say the true unsung heroes are those in front of him. Phil Taylor is a personal favorite of mine as a dominant interior presence that demands extra blocking attention. Taylor makes room for everyone, especially Jackson, to do what they do best, but Desmond Bryant, Ahtyba Rubin, John Hughes and others are also playing very well on the interior for Cleveland and should give Cincinnati’s guards and center all they can handle against both the run and pass.

I briefly mentioned Gio Bernard earlier and I must say, I don’t think it will be long before he is putting up Pro Bowl numbers year after year for the Bengals. But right now, he and BenJarvus Green-Ellis split carries, which makes some sense so early in Bernard’s career. However, coach Marvin Lewis needs to unleash his rookie running back. When do you see that happening?

Harvey: I agree with you, Matt. At some point, Lewis needs to start going even more with Gio. And that’s not a slight to Green-Ellis. He’s been a solid back since he arrived in Cincinnati, and has even benefited from having Bernard on the field. When they’re on the field together, Green-Ellis’ yards-per-carry average is higher than it is when he’s back there in a one-back formation.

I suspect the Bengals will keep bringing along Bernard slowly, but before the season is over he should be seeing 20 touches.

A weekly analysis of the Cleveland Browns' quarterback play:

Rewind: Replacing the injured Brandon Weeden, Brian Hoyer became the first quarterback in Browns history to throw for at least 300 yards in his debut with the team, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. He completed 30 of 54 passes for 321 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions Sunday, exploiting the Minnesota Vikings' 25th-ranked pass defense. Coach Rob Chudzinski hasn't named Hoyer the starting quarterback for this coming Sunday yet because Weeden could be available. But it would be surprising if Chudzinski pulled Hoyer after he led the Browns to a comeback win.

Fast-forward: It's going to be a tougher test against the Cincinnati Bengals than the Vikings. The Bengals are coming off a game in which they sacked Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers four times and intercepted him twice. What makes Cincinnati so tough against quarterbacks is the fact that the Bengals can get pressure with their front four, which allows them to drop seven defenders back into coverage. But, over the past four seasons, Browns quarterbacks have had 12 touchdowns and five interceptions against the Bengals.

Favorite target: Hoyer wasn't the only one making his 2013 debut this past Sunday. Wide receiver Josh Gordon was coming off a two-game suspension, and Hoyer certainly noticed he was on the field. More than one-third of Hoyer's throws -- 19 of 54 -- went in Gordon's direction. Also, 45 percent of Hoyer's passing yards were accounted for by Gordon.

Prediction: It's difficult to think Hoyer can produce a repeat performance. The Bengals haven't allowed Rodgers, Jay Cutler or Ben Roethlisberger to throw for more than 251 yards. But the Browns will continue to attack with Gordon and tight end Jordan Cameron, especially if they fall behind. It could be another game in which Hoyer throws multiple touchdowns and interceptions.

An examination of four hot issues from the Cleveland Browns' 31-27 win at the Minnesota Vikings:

Hometown hero: Quarterback Brian Hoyer, a Cleveland native, made a historic first impression for his hometown team. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Hoyer became the first quarterback in Browns history to throw for at least 300 yards in his debut with the team. He completed 30 of 54 passes for 321 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions, exploiting the 25th-ranked pass defense in the league. In his five-year career, Hoyer had one previous start and threw two touchdown passes. He passed for 330 yards all of last season.

Busy day: Spencer Lanning is typically the Browns' punter and holder on kicks. He had a few more responsibilities Sunday. He threw a touchdown pass to tight end Jordan Cameron on a fake field goal attempt in the second quarter and later kicked the extra point because Billy Cundiff injured his quadriceps. According to the NFL, Lanning is the first player since Philadelphia's Sam Baker in 1968 to have a punt, an extra point and a touchdown pass in the same game.

Can't run them over: The Browns made a commitment to upgrade their pass rush. Not many expected such an improvement out of their run defense. The Browns made their biggest stand of the season against Vikings running back Adrian Peterson. Cleveland limited the All-Pro running back to 88 yards on 25 carries, a 3.5 average. His longest run was 9 yards. The Browns ranked 19th in the NFL last season in run defense. They're No. 8 in the league after three games this season.

Who needs to run the ball? In their first game since trading running back Trent Richardson, the Browns didn't even attempt to establish the run. Of the Browns' 75 plays, they handed the ball off to a running back 14 times. That's 18 percent of the time. The biggest runs were gained by safety Josh Aubrey off a fake punt (34 yards), wide receiver Josh Gordon (22 yards) and fullback Chris Ogbonnaya (22 yards). Cleveland's tailbacks -- Willis McGahee and Bobby Rainey -- combined for 26 yards on 12 carries.

MINNEAPOLIS -- There was little about the Cleveland Browns' week that befitted a typical NFL team's approach to preparing for a game. The Browns traded away running back Trent Richardson on the same day they named third-string quarterback Brian Hoyer their injury replacement for Brandon Weeden, generating more talk about whether they had given up on their season than whether they would beat the Minnesota Vikings.

Not much about how the Browns pulled off a 31-27 win over the Vikings on Sunday was conventional, either. Their leading rusher was defensive back Josh Aubrey, who gained 34 yards on a fake punt. Wide receiver Josh Gordon ran a reverse that gained 22 yards -- or 4 yards fewer than running backs Bobby Rainey and Willis McGahee combined to gain all day. Hoyer last season completed 30 of the 53 passes he threw; Sunday he was 30-for-54.

The approach might not work again, and it probably shouldn't have worked Sunday. But against a Vikings team that is reeling after a playoff season, the Browns created a victory they won't apologize for.

"It couldn't be a more fitting game in terms of the back-and-forth and the resiliency that our guys showed," coach Rob Chudzinski said. "I told them I believed in them, and they responded and came out and played a complete game."

Hoyer might not get another chance to start if Weeden is ready to return next week, but the impression he left Sunday was of a quarterback able to respond after a mistake-filled second half. He threw two interceptions that appeared to have the Vikings positioned for victory until Minnesota couldn't run out the clock and the Browns got the ball back with 3:21 left. Hoyer found Gordon for 11 yards on third down and connected on four of his next five throws to move the Browns to the Vikings' 7. Then, on third down, he lofted a ball to the corner of the end zone that Jordan Cameron caught for the game-winning touchdown.

The Browns spent some time in the national spotlight during the week as a punchline, with pundits suggesting they'd mailed in their season and even a few Vikings players joking about the team trading Richardson. But for one week, with some trick plays and a two-minute drill from Hoyer, the Browns coaxed a win out of their disjointed week.

Asked about the woe-is-us nature of Cleveland fans, Hoyer -- who grew up in the area -- said, "I used to think that way, too. Hopefully, this is a change."

MINNEAPOLIS -- Observed in the locker room following the Minnesota Vikings' 31-27 loss to the Cleveland Browns:

Challenge controversy: The Vikings -- who felt like they were victimized against Green Bay in the NFL's last incident involving an automatically reviewable play -- might have gotten burned by a misinterpretation of the league's new rule on Sunday. Coach Leslie Frazier challenged Travis Benjamin's fumbled punt near the end of the second quarter, mistakenly arguing that the Vikings had returned the loose ball for a touchdown, but was penalized 15 yards for challenging the play, which was set for a booth review since it involved a change of possession. By rule, the Vikings could not advance the fumbled punt, but referee Bill Leavy admitted after the game that he should have charged the Vikings a timeout, not 15 yards. That pushed the Vikings from the Browns' 26-yard line to their 41, and the Vikings wound up with a Blair Walsh field goal.

'Terrible' two-minute drill: For the second time in two weeks, the Vikings gave up a last-minute touchdown on their way to a loss. On Sunday, that came against third-string Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer, who hit tight end Jordan Cameron for a touchdown with just under a minute to play. The Vikings put pressure on Hoyer in the second half with some well-timed blitzes, but they weren't able to get to him on the final drive. "Our two-minute drill is actually terrible right now and it cost us, in my opinion, three games," defensive end Jared Allen said. The Vikings gave up a touchdown with 10 seconds left in the first half in Week 1 against Detroit, too, and allowed the Lions to head into halftime down by a point instead of trailing by eight.

Frazier backs Ponder, for now: Frazier said Christian Ponder is "still our starting quarterback," but the coach's defenses of Ponder -- who went 10-for-20 for 63 yards and was sacked three times in the second half -- were more lukewarm than usual. "I've got to go back and look at it, see what's creating the inconsistency, why we're not executing as well as we need to in certain situations," Frazier said. "We'll evaluate it, and make the decision that you have to make. But as we speak, I don't see [a quarterback change] happening."

MINNEAPOLIS -- My thoughts on the Cleveland Browns' 31-27 win over the Minnesota Vikings at Mall of America Field on Sunday.

What it means: The Browns pulled out their first victory of the season days after trading running back Trent Richardson, with third-string quarterback Brian Hoyer shaking off three interceptions to lead a late-game scoring drive. The Vikings, meanwhile, blew a lead and gave up a last-minute touchdown for the second straight week. A team that went 10-6 last season is now 0-3, heading into a quasi-home game in London, and the loss to the Browns exposed serious issues on both sides of the ball.

Vikings stock watch: Falling -- Vikings' secondary. Minnesota lost Chris Cook, A.J. Jefferson and Jamarca Sanford to injuries, and while it remains to be seen if any of them are long-term problems, the injuries left an already-thin secondary vulnerable to Hoyer, who recovered from a miserable second half to stun the Vikings at home. Antoine Winfield is sitting at home, and though the Vikings so far have been reluctant to talk their former Pro Bowl defensive back out of retirement, Sunday's events could change their minds.

Browns stock watch: Rising -- Browns' run defense. Cleveland had given up an average of just 59.5 yards per game in its first two losses, and even though Adrian Peterson ran for 88 on Sunday, the Browns made sure they didn't come easy. Peterson's longest gain of the day was 9 yards, and the Vikings had to rely on Christian Ponder and their passing game more than they would have liked to.

Hoyer Watch: In the first half, Hoyer looked capable of pulling out a surprising victory, making a number of effective throws on rollouts to keep him away from the Vikings' defensive line and burning cornerback A.J. Jefferson on a stop-and-go route to Josh Gordon for a 47-yard touchdown. He threw a pair of interceptions in the second half, when the Vikings turned up the heat with blitzing linebackers, but he rebounded to lead an 11-play, 55-yard drive for Cleveland's final touchdown, finding Jordan Cameron in the corner of the end zone.

Ponder Watch: In a game that exposed plenty of issues for the Vikings, Ponder's play was what got fans the most riled up. He crumbled after leading a couple of drives early in the game, throwing for just 7 yards in the third quarter, and was unable to direct a late-game drive to put the game away after the Vikings took a 27-24 lead on a Blair Walsh field goal. The Vikings' play calling will come into question after the team handed Peterson the ball just five times in the fourth quarter, and the team's offensive line again left Ponder running for his life. But a quarterback the Vikings drafted 12th overall still has not shown any signs of being a fixture at the position, and on Sunday, a quarterback making his second career start got the last laugh on Ponder.

What's next: The Vikings (0-3) head to London to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers at Wembley Stadium, while the Browns return home for their first division home game of the season, playing host to the Cincinnati Bengals next Sunday afternoon.

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Vikings' secondary depth, which already looked like an issue early this season, is being tested against the Cleveland Browns today.

Right cornerback Chris Cook is questionable to return with a groin injury, and A.J. Jefferson -- who got beat on a stop-and-go move for a 47-yard Josh Gordon touchdown after he replaced Cook -- has also received treatment on the sideline for an apparent leg injury. Marcus Sherels, the team's fifth cornerback, is currently playing the right cornerback spot in the Vikings' base defense while first-round pick Xavier Rhodes is only on the field in the team's nickel package, playing left cornerback while Josh Robinson moves to the slot.

All that has helped the Browns -- who are starting third-string quarterback Brian Hoyer -- tally up 161 yards passing and 17 points in the first 1 1/2 quarters of the game.

The Vikings' cornerback situation seemed like it could become an issue when the team cut Antoine Winfield in March, but what's been puzzling so far today is how the Vikings have used Rhodes. Evidently, they aren't comfortable moving him across the field in their base defense and asking him to play a different side of the field than what he's done in the nickel. Cook is usually responsible for facing an opposing team's best receivers, so the Vikings might not trust Rhodes to handle that yet.

In any case, they're struggling with Hoyer in their home opener, and their cornerback depth is a big reason why.

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- In the hyper-regimented world of the NFL, a team trading its top running back hours after naming its third-string quarterback the starter qualifies as a major disruption: not just for the Cleveland Browns, but for the Minnesota Vikings, who play them this weekend. In fact, it's such a departure from the normal routine that the Vikings spent more time on Thursday morning talking about the hardship of trying to find film on Brian Hoyer and Willis McGahee more than the help of not facing the injured Brandon Weeden or the departed Trent Richardson.

Only defensive end Jared Allen would admit a little joy about the news -- "I'm not going to say I didn't smile about it," he said -- but the rest of the talk from the Vikings' defense about the Richardson trade was centered on what an inconvenience it is.

"It's a little bit mixed up right now, but it's the NFL. I think everybody has to adjust at some point in some phase," defensive coordinator Alan Williams said. "It's tough, but preparing for a team, knowing what they have, is tough also. The coaches are good about doing the research, seeing what guys can do. It's a (Rob) Chudzinksi, Norv Turner-type of scheme. They do have some characteristics they've shown in the past."

That might be enough to keep the Vikings from drifting to the school of thought that the Browns, who are also 0-2, will be a pushover this weekend. Hoyer is making just his second NFL start, and McGahee -- who was reportedly set to sign with the Browns pending a physical -- has only started more than 10 games in a season once since 2007.

But the Vikings, who are also 0-2, can ill afford to take anyone lightly at the moment. Williams said they'll focus more on the Browns' scheme than the people running it, while looking at tape of Hoyer in the team's fourth preseason game and whatever they can find of the Browns' running backs.

In the process, the Vikings hope they'll avoid turning the Browns' turmoil into an advantage.

"They know," Williams said. "I know our guys are mature enough and professional enough to not fall into the trap that maybe my boys at home, looking at fantasy football, think that, 'Oh, Dad, you've got 'em.' Our guys are brighter and smarter than that."

A pair of teams desperate for their first victory square off in Minneapolis this weekend when the Minnesota Vikings host the Cleveland Browns.

The Vikings are coming off a last-second loss in Chicago, after which players were venting about the defensive call that led to the Bears’ touchdown with 10 seconds left. Minnesota goes from Minneapolis to London for a date with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Vikings are in dire need of some positive momentum.

The Browns, meanwhile, have scored just 16 points in a pair of losses, and already have made major changes. They will start Brian Hoyer at quarterback this weekend with starter Brandon Weeden out because of a thumb injury. Meanwhile, the Browns traded running back Trent Richardson on Wednesday, parting with their top playmaker in exchange for the Indianapolis Colts' 2014 first-round draft pick.

As the teams meet for the first time since 2009, ESPN.com Vikings reporter Ben Goessling and ESPN NFL Insider Matt Williamson break down the game:

Goessling: Matt, the last time these two teams faced each other, it was on opening day in 2009, Brady Quinn was under center for the Browns and Brett Favre was playing his first regular-season game in a Vikings uniform. How things have changed since then. The Vikings have their own quarterback issues -- Christian Ponder probably keeps his job for now after a solid second half in Chicago last week, though he’s in serious need of some consistency. With Hoyer at quarterback, Richardson gone to Indianapolis and Josh Gordon coming back from a suspension, what can we expect from the Browns’ offense?

Williamson: I was feeling optimistic about Cleveland's offense going into Week 3 with Gordon returning and the disaster at the right guard position seemingly resolved. But now Weeden is out and Hoyer is in. That doesn’t bother me nearly as much as the loss of Richardson, who should be the foundation of this offense as a runner and underrated receiver. I truly think the Colts got themselves a great young back. But that leaves the Browns in a very precarious situation in the backfield. It is going to be a long year on this side of the ball.

The Vikings had an outstanding rookie class in 2012 and made three picks in the first round of this latest draft. Although there are obvious concerns at the quarterback position, Minnesota has quietly established a fine young nucleus. What roles do you see for its three first-round picks for this game, as well as going forward in 2013?

Goessling: It’s interesting you bring that up, because Cordarrelle Patterson's role -- or perhaps his absence -- has been a big topic of conversation this week. He got only five snaps in the Vikings’ first game, and had just six as a receiver last Sunday, even after he ran the opening kickoff back 105 yards for a touchdown. He’s young, and raw, but he might also be one of the most dangerous players the Vikings can put on the field, aside from Adrian Peterson. Coach Leslie Frazier all but called for Patterson to be on the field more during his news conference Monday. The challenge for the Vikings is to either work him into their base offense or go to enough multiple-receiver sets that they can use him, but I don’t doubt we’ll see him more going forward.

That could be especially important considering how good the Browns have been against the run in their first two games. They’ve allowed just 59.5 yards per game -- how will they fare against Peterson this weekend?

Williamson: Well, facing Peterson is obviously the ultimate challenge, and his run blocking, including the tight ends and fullbacks, is quite good as well. But I am very impressed with the Browns’ run defense -- and it starts up front. I believe that Phil Taylor is on the verge of stardom; his battle with John Sullivan, an excellent center in his own right, in the middle of the formation, will be crucial for the success of Cleveland’s interior run defense. But the Browns also have very good size at outside linebacker and do a nice job containing the outside run; their second- and third-level defenders get to the ball carrier well.

I mentioned before that the right guard position has been a nightmare, but the Browns’ excellent set of offensive tackles, Joe Thomas and Mitchell Schwartz, also has struggled much more than would be expected against two formidable defenses. As you know, Jared Allen is still playing at a very high level. But as some might not know, Brian Robison is also excelling this year and Everson Griffen is a highly athletic and intriguing end, too. Could Minnesota’s defensive ends rule the day?

Goessling: They certainly could. They struggled in Week 1 in Detroit, as Matthew Stafford found Reggie Bush on a number of early screen passes before the rush could get home. But the Vikings put consistent pressure on Jay Cutler last week, and Allen caused a Cutler fumble that Robison returned 61 yards for a touchdown. The Vikings also have not played at home yet, which means they will have the advantage of the crowd disrupting the opposing offense’s snap count for the first time this year. Minnesota has enough issues on the back end of its defense that it needs a strong pass rush to cover up for some of those deficiencies, and if the defensive line can get to Hoyer, the Vikings should be able to slow the Browns down and win the game.

To close this up, what’s the biggest thing you think the Browns need to do to win the game? What kind of a shot will they have without Weeden and Richardson?

Williamson: I really don’t like Cleveland’s chances at all, but its defense could keep this game close and limit Peterson’s production. Of course, Ponder could have a very poor game, or the Browns could score on defense or special teams. But I can’t see their offense this week moving the football with any sort of consistency. As Cleveland's front office is doing, it is time to start looking toward next year.

 

A weekly analysis of the Cleveland Browns' quarterback play:

Rewind: It was another painful outing for Brandon Weeden, who was sacked five times by the Ravens and hit a total of 12 times. Weeden left the game in the fourth quarter with an injured thumb. Before he hurt his throwing hand, he didn't have much time to look downfield, which is why 18 of his 21 completions went for less than 20 yards. The struggles continue on third down, where he was 4-of-14 (28.5 percent) against the Ravens. He fell to 0-3 against Baltimore.

Fast-forward: Weeden is out, and No. 2 quarterback Jason Campbell isn't in. The Browns announced Wednesday morning that third-string Brian Hoyer will make the start Sunday at the Minnesota Vikings. It's an interesting decision considering Campbell has a stronger arm than Hoyer, and offensive coordinator Norv Turner wants to drive the ball downfield in the passing attack. But general manager Mike Lombardi is a well-known admirer of Hoyer, applauding his leadership and toughness in the past. This will be the second career start for the 27-year-old Cleveland native. It came for the Arizona Cardinals last season, when he completed 19 of 34 passes for 225 yards with one touchdown and one interception against the San Francisco 49ers.

Not much support: If the Browns continue to block like they have the first two games, it won't matter if Hoyer, Weeden or Bernie Kosar is throwing passes for Cleveland. Weeden has been sacked a league-high 11 times this season. Only nine quarterbacks have half that amount. On the positive side for the Browns, the Vikings have one sack this season.

Prediction: Hoyer is going against a Vikings pass defense that ranks 25th in the NFL, but Cleveland's passing attack has struggled more. The Browns have scored one touchdown in two games and they're converting 17 percent of their third downs. Wide receiver Josh Gordon returns, but wide receiver Greg Little is still dropping passes and the right side of the offensive line can't pass protect. Don't expect a change in quarterback to change Cleveland's fortunes.