CLEVELAND - Before he earned Pro Bowl trips, adulation and an enormous multimillion-dollar contract, Joe Thomas was just a talented rookie left tackle on a winning team.The Browns were 5-3 at the midway point in 2007, and Thomas figured it would be like that every season.It aint so, Joe.Seven years, several coaching changes and a carousel of starting quarterbacks later, Cleveland is 5-3 again.It feels pretty good, Thomas said after a 22-17 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. Its been a long time. I like where we are.The Browns, beaten down for so long, are legit.Brian Hoyer threw a 34-yard TD pass to wide receiver Taylor Gabriel with 8:59 remaining, helping Cleveland complete a favourable three-game stretch with their fourth win in five games. The Browns are in the mix, and with a big game ahead on Thursday night in Cincinnati, they can make something special of this season.Cleveland was trailing 17-16 when Hoyer held on to the ball a little longer and completed his second TD pass, this one to Gabriel, an emerging undrafted free agent who has been making big plays all year.It wasnt always pretty with the way our offence was playing, said Hoyer, who ignored some boos and improved to 8-3 as Clevelands starter. But were 5-3 and weve just got to continue to improve.Hoyer finished 21 of 34 for a season-high 300 yards, two TDs and two interceptions.The Browns went 2-1 the past three weeks against Jacksonville, Oakland and Tampa Bay, who entered a combined 2-19. Cleveland may have struggled against teams it should have handled with ease, but past Browns teams would have likely lost these types of games.Things have changed quite a bit, Pro Bowl cornerback Joe Haden said. To be 5-3 is just amazing. Five games is the most Ive won since Ive been here.Tampa Bays Mike Glennon threw a pair of 24-yard TDs to rookie Mike Evans for the Buccaneers (1-7), who have lost four in a row and five this season by six points or less.Weve got to find a way to win a game now is what we have to do, said first-year coach Lovie Smith. Were running out of time.Billy Cundiff kicked three field goals for the improved Browns, who have the leagues attention under first-year coach Mike Pettine.Well celebrate a little bit tonight, but emphasis on a little, Pettine said. Were in a good spot and our guys are confident, but this is one here where we know we have to be all in this week.Tampa Bay had a chance in the final two minutes, but couldnt convert on a fourth-and-11 with 1:45 left. The Bucs appeared to pick up a first down on the previous play, but Evans was called for pass interference.Hoyers TD pass to Gabriel was set up by Cleveland linebacker Craig Robertson, who broke through and deflected a Tampa Bay punt to give the Browns the ball at the Bucs 35.Two plays later, Hoyer dropped back and was about to be hit by Tampa Bays Lavonte David on a blitz. But rookie running back Terrance West alertly stepped up and got a piece of the Buccaneers linebacker, giving Hoyer enough time to loft his scoring pass to Gabriel and giving the Browns a 22-17 lead.I had three good blocks today, West said. That was the best one, though.Glennon went 17 of 33 for 260 yards, and fell to 1-4 while filling in for injured starter Josh McCown.His second 24-yard scoring pass to Evans put the Bucs ahead 17-16.Glennon floated a pass to the back shoulder of Evans, who made a twisting catch and was able to get both feet in for the score. As he did after his first score, Evans looked at Clevelands sideline and rubbed his fingers together in the money-making gesture his former college teammate, Browns rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel, made famous at Texas A&M.It just came to my mind, Evans said of his celebration. Thats one of my best buds. I just wanted to give him a hard time.A costly penalty by Tampa Bay star defensive end Gerald McCoy helped the Browns take a 16-10 lead. The Browns were lining up for a go-ahead field goal when McCoy, who signed a six-year, $95.2 million in October, was whistled for a neutral-zone infraction. Cleveland converted on fourth-and-1 and two plays later, Hoyer hit a wide-open West.NOTES: Browns S Tashaun Gipson got his sixth interception. ... Browns DE Billy Winn set up Clevelands first score by blocking a 31-yard field-goal attempt by Tampa Bays Patrick Murray. ... The Buccaneers led at halftime for the first time this season. ... Hoyers 300 yards are his most since his first start last season at Minnesota (321).___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFLCheap MLB Jerseys Nike 2020 . - Mathew Barzal scored 3:47 into overtime as the Seattle Thunderbirds downed the visiting Everett Silvertips 4-3 on Tuesday in Western Hockey League playoff action. MLB Jerseys China . Pearce had a career-high four hits and drove in two runs, and Wei-Yin Chen shut down Texas again as the Orioles completed a four-game sweep of the Rangers with a 5-2 victory on Thursday night. https://www.mlbjerseyschina.us/ .J. -- Jaromir Jagr has hit so many NHL milestones this season for the New Jersey Devils that he is starting to downplay them. Cheap MLB Jerseys Authentic . -- The Oakland Raiders expect to have starting right tackle Tony Pashos back for Sundays game against the Houston Texans. Fake Nike MLB Jerseys . On the day the club activated Casey Janssen from the 15-day disabled list, his return from a strained oblique that cost him the first six weeks of the regular season, it announced Sergio Santos would be placed on the disabled list on Monday with discomfort in his right forearm.Charlottesville, VA (SportsNetwork.com) - Ralph Sampson was in attendance for Thursday nights ACC showdown between No. 2 Virginia and Georgia Tech, but mightve had mixed feelings. His alma mater is still undefeated following another splendid defensive effort. His son Robert, meanwhile, felt some of the brunt of that stingy Cavaliers Pack Line defense. Malcom Brogdon had 13 points and four assists as Virginia shut down the Yellow Jackets 57-28 to remain one of two unbeaten teams in the country. Virginia (18-0, 6-0 ACC) held Georgia Tech to just 24.5 percent (12-of-49) shooting from the floor and didnt allow a 3-point basket (0-of-12). The Cavs are off to their best start since 1980-81, when Ralph Sampson helped them win their first 23 games. Marcus Georges-Hunt led the Yellow Jackets (9-9, 0-6) with just seven points. Robert Sampson was 1-of-6 from the field and finished with two points and seven rebounds for Georgia Tech, which is off to its worst start in ACC play since beginning 0-6 during the 2008-09 campaign. Final Score: (8) Notre Dame 85, Virginia Tech 60 Blacksburg, VA (SportsNetwork.com) - Pat Connaughton made five of Notre Dames 12 3-pointers and the eighth-ranked Fighting Irish cruised to an 85-60 road victory over Virginia Tech on Thursdday.dddddddddddd Connaughton finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds in the wire-to-wire win for the Irish (18-2, 6-1 ACC), whose only loss in the last 15 games came against No. 2 Virginia. Jerian Grant totaled 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists, Zach Auguste added 16 points and eight boards, and Demetrius Jackson scored 12 in the rout. The Hokies (8-10, 0-5) have been trending the opposite way and dropped their sixth straight overall, though the last three came against ranked opponents. Ahmed Hills 13 points paced Virginia Tech in the absence of leading scorer Justin Bibbs, who sat out a second straight game due to a concussion. Final Score: DePaul 64, (24) Seton Hall 60 Newark, NJ (SportsNetwork.com) - Myke Henry collected 14 points and Billy Garrett posted 13 points and DePaul dispatched No. 24 Seton Hall by a 64-60 count on Thursday. Darrick Wood added 11 points while Rashaun Stimage had 10 points with seven rebounds for the Blue Demons (11-9, 5-2 Big East), who have won two in a row and four of their last six. Angel Delgado poured in 19 points and 19 boards for the Pirates (13-5, 3-3), who have dropped three of four since beating Villanova on Jan. 3. Khadeen Carrington picked up 12 points in a losing cause. ' ' '