Bengals-Texans connections:
Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton is from Greater Houston (Katy, Texas; Katy High) and played at Texas Christian . ... Five Bengals list their hometown as Houston — safety George Iloka, wide receiver Brandon LaFell, cornerback William Jackson, guard Trey Hopkins and safety Brandon Wilson . ... Jackson and Wilson played at the University of Houston . ... Iloka attended Kempner High, LaFell is from Lamar High, Jackson is from
AFC NORTH OUTLOOK
The Browns have lost eight of their last nine games at Baltimore. The Ravens are 9-2 in their last 11 home openers, with both losses coming against the Bengals.
The Steelers face an opponent on a short week after a Monday night game, but Pittsburgh is just 4-4 in the last eight home games against NFC opponents. Wheatley High and the Univer- sity of Houston, and Brown and Hopkins are both from North Shore High and the University of Texas . ... Bengals OT Cedric Ogbuehi played at Texas A&M ... Bengals kicker Randy Bullock was a Texans fifth-round draft pick in 2012, and was with the Texans through September 2015; he played in college at Texas A&M. ... Texans cornerback Johnathan Joseph was a first-round pick of the Bengals (24th overall) in 2006, and was with Cincinnati from ’06-10 . ... Bengals long snap- per Clark Harris played for the Texans in 2008 and briefly in ’09 . ... Texans defensive coordinator Mike Vrabel played at Ohio State from 1993-96 and coached there from 2011-13 . ... Texans center Greg Mancz is from Cincinnati (Anderson High) . ... Texans defensive end Joel Heath is from Cincinnati (Mount Healthy High) . ... Texans wide receiver Braxton Miller is from Wayne High and played at Ohio State.
He would not get the chance to conjure any late magic. With a big hand from Antonio Brown — who pulled in everything inside of a three zip-code radius and proved the biggest difference between a Browns team that won one game last year and one that has the second-best Super Bowl odds — Steelers counterpart and fellow northwest Ohio native Ben Roethlisberger played keep away in the final minutes.
But as the stadium known locally as the Factory of Sadness roared to life, I left the place with the strangest feeling.
I couldn’t wait to watch Kizer play next week.
When’s the last time you could say that about a Browns quarterback?
Tim Couch? Maybe, but the Browns’ No. 1 overall pick came here with the fresh slate of a new era.
The conga line of passers who have followed arrived under the cloud of desperation that thickens with each lost season. Kizer — the Browns’ most physically gifted passer in decades — represents the latest, best hope.
On the field afterward, Roethlisberger made sure to find Kizer.
“What an awesome start,” the Findlay native told the Toledo kid, who was 20 of 30 passing for 222 yards and a touchdown, and ran for another score.
“I know it’s not getting a win,” Big Ben said, “but just to play the way he did, I was proud of him.”
So, too, were his family and friends and fans — a base that has expanded from Toledo to include all of northern Ohio.
The Browns’ locker room in the entrails of the stadium sits opposite a field-level bar for suiteholders. After changing into jeans and a sport coat, Kizer exited to a standing ovation from fans cheering his name.
“This guy gave us a chance,” Jackson said. “He put the team in position to give us an opportunity to make something special happen.” Of course, a long road awaits. Kizer must improve first at avoiding hits. The Browns are fortunate their cornerstone passer from the Glass City — unlike cornerstone rookie pass rusher Myles Garrett — is not made of glass. A brick wall but without the brick feet, the 6-foot-4, 233-pound Kizer said he felt fine after the bruising.
“I’m good,” he said. “Completely healthy through it.”
Working with next to no running game — Isaiah Crowell rushed for 33 yards on 17 carries — and an underwhelming cast of receivers, he left the place dreaming.
For so many years, the Browns and their eternal search for a quarterback resembled the taunting old sign at the corner bar: “Free Beer Tomorrow.”
Finally, Sunday, just maybe tomorrow arrived.