First Call: Browns fans troll Pittsburgh during win; Devin Bush on emotions toward Steelers

The final “First Call” of 2023 gives us some AFC North trash talk from Browns fans toward the Pittsburgh Steelers. Cameron Heyward shares his thoughts on Joe Flacco’s success in Cleveland. Hines Ward is done as an XFL head coach. Devin Bush discusses the prospect of playing the Steelers.

And we preview the weekend’s college basketball slate.

Still top of mind

The Cleveland Browns clinched a playoff spot Thursday night with a win over the New York Jets, 37-20. It’s just the second time in 21 years that the Browns are heading to the postseason.

The victory also boosts Cleveland’s record to 11-5. That assures that the Browns will finish with more wins and in a higher spot within the division than the Steelers for the first time in 34 years.

The Steelers can’t finish better than 10-7 and in third place.

Browns fans seemed acutely aware of that fact as their fans were heard chanting “Pitts-burgh (stinks)” during the network broadcast.

Back in 1989, Cleveland won the AFC Central at 9-6-1. The Oilers finished second at 9-7. The Steelers also ended up 9-7, went to Houston and upset the Oilers in the wild-card round of the playoffs.

The Steelers then went to Denver and lost, as the Browns beat the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round. John Elway and the Broncos then ousted Cleveland at Mile High Stadium in the AFC Championship game.

Couldn’t do it

Former Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco is the biggest reason for the Browns making the postseason. He kept the team afloat after Deshaun Watson and Dorian Thompson-Robinson sustained injuries, winning four of five starts.

The 38-year-old threw for 309 yards and three touchdowns Thursday night. After playing 21 career games against the Browns in AFC North battles with the Ravens, Flacco has seamlessly changed his allegiances. Steelers captain Cameron Heyward told the NFL Network that is something that just doesn’t compute for him when he considers former Steelers teammates playing elsewhere in the division.

“I’d be very confused,” Heyward told “Good Morning Football” on Thursday. “Having those great rivalries, and then having a guy that you’ve played all those times going over to the other side. It’s that Darth Vader thing — you put on that cloak, everybody starts treating you differently. If I ever saw any of my teammates go to Cleveland, (or) Cincinnati, (or) Baltimore willingly, I think I’d have a problem with it.”

Flacco has 13 touchdowns in five games this season. All three Steelers quarterbacks — Kenny Pickett, Mason Rudolph and Mitch Trubisky — have totaled 12 for the whole year.

One and done

Former Steeler Hines Ward is out as the head coach of the XFL’s San Antonio Brahmas. They were 3-7 last year.

The Brahmas are now going to be run by longtime former NFL coach Wade Phillips. XFL/USFL reporter James Larsen broke the news. Phillips had been the coach of the Houston Roughnecks. The organization is part of the ongoing merger between the two leagues.

BREAKING: In another turn of events, the San Antonio Brahmas have a new coach.

Per sources, Hines Ward is out. Wade Phillips, formerly with the @XFLRoughnecks, is lined up to take over as Head Coach of the @XFLBrahmas.

Another bizarre twist in the #USFL-#XFL merger. #UFL pic.twitter.com/ZesHv5T3C1

— James Larsen (@JamesLarsenPFN) December 28, 2023

A reason for the change wasn’t announced. Former Steelers teammate Joey Porter Sr. was also on the staff.

Ward also found out Wednesday that he was not a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The USFL’s Pittsburgh Maulers were folded as part of this merger as well.

More sports

• Football Footnotes: Examining the scenarios for the Steelers to avoid AFC playoff elimination
• Tim Benz: While the NFL celebrates parity, Pittsburgh shouldn't applaud Steelers' mediocrity
• Pitt's Blake Hinson feels the pulse of the team, provides the scoring touch it needs

Devin’s day

One player to watch for the Seahawks on Sunday when the Steelers visit Seattle will be Devin Bush. The former Steelers linebacker may well get a start because Jordyn Brooks, who sits in front of him on the depth chart, is dealing with an ankle injury.

When asked about the prospect of taking on that role against his former team, Bush told the Seattle Times that the Steelers are just “another team that’s in the way” of making the playoffs.

The Times’ Shane Lantz asked Bush if there might be some hard feelings toward the Steelers.

“Only if they beat us,” Bush said. “That’s probably the only way I can answer that.”

Bush was a first-round draft choice of the Steelers in 2019. After injuries and inconsistent play dogged his four years in Pittsburgh, he left the Steelers after not getting a fifth-year extension and signed a one-year deal with the Seahawks.

He has 13 tackles and two starts in Seattle so far this year.

What lies ahead

Looking at this weekend’s local college basketball action, the Pitt Panthers travel to Syracuse for a noon game Saturday. Both clubs are 9-3 overall, and both are 0-1 in ACC play.

ESPN analytics give Pitt a 59.3% chance of winning. The Panthers won an 84-82 contest at the JMA Dome last year, nearly blowing a 20-point lead. They then smoked the Orange 99-82 at the Petersen Events Center in February.

This will be Pitt’s first game against Syracuse without Jim Boeheim as the Orange’s head coach since 1976. Former Orange point guard Adrian Autry is now Syracuse’s head coach.

Duquesne (8-3) is at home at 2 p.m. Saturday hosting Cleary (NAIA). The Cougars play in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference. They are coached by Carl Thomas, a former assistant under Dukes coach Keith Dambrot.

Dambrot’s club is looking to bounce back from an 81-73 loss to Santa Clara in Las Vegas at Orleans Arena. Senior guard Dae Dae Grant had a career-high 32 points in that game.

Also, Robert Morris is looking for its first Horizon Conference win of the year on its third try. The Colonials (4-9/0-2) are on the road Friday, facing the Milwaukee Panthers (5-7/0-1). Tipoff is at 8 p.m. Andy Toole’s team last played Dec. 22. That was a 90-85 loss to Cornell. RMU’s Markeese Hastings is ninth in the Horizon League among scorers at 14.8 points per game.