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BEREA, Ohio - Quarterback Brian Hoyer is positive he should be the starter for the rest of this season. He should be the one leading his team to the playoffs. Hes convinced.The Browns arent as certain.A day after he was benched by coach Mike Pettine in the fourth quarter of a loss at Buffalo, Hoyer said Monday that he hasnt lost any of his confidence despite three straight poor performances and believes he should keep his job over rookie Johnny Manziel.You dont get to 7-5 in the NFL just lucking into it, Hoyer said. Its been a lot of hard work, and I think Ive proven that Ive gotten us to this point. I feel like I can carry us through the next four games.Hoyer was replaced by Manziel in the fourth quarter of Sundays 26-10 loss to Buffalo after throwing two interceptions, continuing a pattern of bad games over the past month.In his past three games, Hoyer has thrown just one touchdown pass, six interceptions and the Browns have scored just 36 points.Pettine has not yet decided who will start this week against Indianapolis. Hell meet with his staff — and general manager Ray Farmer — on Tuesday and intends to inform Hoyer and Manziel of his decision Wednesday. Pettine said hes not leaning in either direction, and insists the choice comes down to one standard.Ive said it a million times, he said. Who gives us the best chance to win this weekend? Period.The Browns (7-5) remain in the thick of the AFC playoff race, but Pettine said Clevelands post-season hopes wont affect whether he sticks with Hoyer or switches to Manziel, who came in and sparked a stagnant offence on Sunday.For us involving the playoffs, we have to win and thats the bottom line, Pettine said. Its not like anything beyond that would influence the decision. Its Who gives us the best chance to win this weekend? Its that simple. It makes it easy when you look at it like that and shut out everything else.As Hoyer has done all season — after a win or loss — he was at his locker Monday to discuss the previous days game.For the first time since September, he walked away not knowing if hell be doing it again next week. Hoyer, though, isnt worried about anything other than getting ready for the Colts.Hes the starter, and thats the starters duty.Im studying my tape on Indy, and I would do the same if I wasnt, he said. Thats just the way Ive always prepared. For me, nothings changed. I go about my business the way I handle it every week, and thats his right. Hes the head coach. He gets to make those decisions.Pettine acknowledged the Browns discussed making a move at quarterback following a 23-7 loss to Houston on Nov. 16. Hoyer threw a franchise-record 30 incompletions that day while being harassed by J.J. Watt and the Texans defensive front.In his first season as an NFL head coach, Pettine hasnt been faced with a tougher decision than the one hes about to make. Hes conflicted.I dont know where I want to go, and its certainly important, he said. Well spend a lot of time on it. Ill lean on the people I trust to help make it.Up until his recent slide, Hoyer had earned the trust of Pettine and his teammates. He hasnt completely lost it, and Clevelands issues are not specific to the quarterback position. Hoyer has spent the season trying to hold off the immensely popular Manziel, whom the Browns drafted in the first round to be their future quarterback.Hoyer may have finally lost the fight.Browns right guard John Greco appreciates what Hoyer has been up against.Give the guy credit. Hes got a lot of things hes battling, Greco said. He feels like hes the guy and we do, too, and its his job. And hes been our leader all year, but decisions are out of our hands, and were going to roll with it no matter what they choose.For Hoyer, theres a bottom line, too. Hes helped get the Browns, who had lost at least 11 games in each of the past six seasons, back in the playoff hunt. No, he doesnt run like Manziel or have as strong an arm, but hes won and that should mean something.Were 7-5 here, he said. We won three games last year here when I started, so 10-5 as a starting quarterback, thats not bad.NOTES: Browns WR Miles Austin remains hospitalized in the Buffalo area with a kidney injury sustained Sunday. Pettine doesnt know when Austin, who had seven catches for 86 yards, got hurt. ... Pettine said the team is waiting for the rib injury to TE Gary Barnidge to quiet down before its known how long hell be out. Pettine was drilled in the side by the helmet of a Bills defender after making a catch in the first quarter.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Luguentz Dort Jersey . The mood in Seattle was electrified as the parade featuring the NFL champions began near the Space Needle and made its way to CenturyLink Field, the home of the team. At a ceremony inside the stadium, the team thanked its loyal followers -- the 12th Man -- capping a day of boisterous celebration that drew an estimated 700,000 revelers to Seattle. Abdel Nader Thunder Jersey . 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By releasing Bailey, the Broncos would open up cap space with the 12-time Pro Bowl player scheduled to make around $10 million next season.The Miami Heat will try to remain undefeated in this postseason Thursday night when they host the Brooklyn Nets for Game 2 of their Eastern Conference semifinals series at AmericanAirlines Arena. The Heat, the two-time defending NBA champion, swept the Charlotte Bobcats in round one, then knocked off the Nets, who went 4-0 against Miami during the regular season, 107-86, Tuesday. Dating back to Game 6 of the 2013 Finals, the Heat have won seven straight playoff games, which is one shy of tying the franchise record, which has been done twice. The Heat led by three points at the half Tuesday, but pulled away in the third quarter after outscoring the Nets 33-23 and shooting 70.6 percent (12-of-17) from the floor. They took a 13-point advantage into the fourth, where Miami cruised to victory. LeBron James had 22 points and five rebounds, followed by Chris Bosh, who posted 15 points and 11 rebounds. Ray Allen knocked down four 3-pointers off the bench and finished with 19 points for the Heat. Dwyane Wade had 14 points and Mario Chalmers added 12. The Heat shot 56.8 percent from the floor and only committed 10 turnovers. Their precision was impressive considering Miami hadnt played since last Monday after their sweep of the Bobcats. "I was concerned just a little bit about our rhythm and our flow because we were off eight days as far as playing a game," James said after practice on Wednesday. "When we got there, it was like we never missed a beat. Thats a great sign for us." Joe Johnson and Deron Williams nettedd 17 points apiece to lead the Nets, while Kevin Garnett went scoreless for the first time in his playoff career.dddddddddddd "We need to attack them more than we did tonight," Garnett said. Marcus Thornton was the only other Brooklyn player in double figures with 11 for the second unit. The Nets advanced to the East semis after barely hanging on to beat the Toronto Raptors in a Game 7 at Air Canada Centre when Paul Pierce blocked Kyle Lowrys floater right before the buzzer. With the season sweep fresh in their minds, the Nets felt some degree of confidence and played with the Heat for the first half. Miami extended its halftime advantage with a 15-2 run during the middle stages of the third quarter. Bosh put in the first seven points of the surge, which included a triple and a three-point play from the Miami center, and Chalmers capped it with a layup for a 70-54 spread. The Heat built a margin as high 23 points down the stretch. "We know a lot of the things we did wrong defensively," Williams said after practice on Wednesday. "We made a lot of mistakes in our defensive gameplan. The focus going forward is keeping them out of the lane, keeping them from getting so many layups, so many easy baskets. When they do that, they get a lot of confidence and then they start hitting shots from everywhere." This is the third meeting between the two in the postseason and Miami has won the first two series. Game 3 of the series will be Saturday night when the action shifts to Barclays Center in Brooklyn. ' ' '