CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 18: Head coach Kevin Stefanski of the Cleveland Browns looks on during warmups before the game against the New York Jets at FirstEnergy Stadium on September 18, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
Opening statement:
“We win as a team; we lose as a team. We lost. We got beat. Did not play a 60-minute game. It is really frustrating – frustrating to me, to our players in the locker room and I am sure to our fans. It is not how we play. It is we have to finish and do the things that allow you to win games, and we didn’t do that. Everybody is going to want to point fingers and say, ‘Whose fault was this?’ Put it on everybody. It is all of us, me, coaches and players. It is everybody. What we can’t do is let this linger because we have a game Thursday night against a division opponent right back here. We have to real quickly move on from this one, and that was my message to the team. It is frustrating. I know you guys have to ask the questions and I will try my best to answer them, but it is frustrating for everybody.”
On how NY Jets WR Corey Davis was that open on the 66-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter:
“Obviously, guys not on the same page. It was very, very clear what we were doing. We talked about it on the sideline before everybody went out and talked to the entire defense about what they were about to do, which was try and throw it over our head. We can’t let that happen. We have a young football team, and unfortunately, that youth at times has shown up here, and we have to grow up real fast.”
On the message to the team during the timeout prior to the NY Jets’ onside kick:
“Just wanted to look at how they were setting up with their kicker. Just trying to look at his approach and just confirm with the side that type of kick was coming was what we were trying to do.”
On if the Browns believed the onside kick was going to the NY Jets P Braden Mann’s left:
“Yes.”
On the NY Jets’ fake punt early in the game:
“They made a play. To their credit, they are going to make plays. It was a good call. It was well-executed by them.”
On the mindset with a 30-17 lead late in the game:
“I think like everybody, you want to play a complete game. We have to just go play defense, keep everything in front of us, tackle them in front of us and do our job to go try and get a team win. We didn’t do that and then we just did not close out that game. That is really, really frustrating.”
On accounting for another lapse in coverage that led to a long TD:
“I don’t have a great answer for you. I saw it happen. All of us saw it happen right in front of us. I don’t have a great answer for that.”
On what happened on K Cade York’s missed PAT:
“I don’t know. Yeah, I don’t know.”
On if there was a thought to have RB Nick Chubb stop short of scoring to let more time run off the clock:
“That is a scenario where that is on me to communicate that to the huddle. We have done that before. Having said that, we need to close that game out.”
On what QB Jacoby Brissett’s status is after noticeably limping late in the game:
“I don’t. It was his ankle. I don’t know the prognosis.”
On losing DE Jadeveon Clowney to an ankle injury in the second half:
“He was playing well. Certainly, in that type of game when they are throwing it to try and catch up, you want your best guys on the field, but guys have to step up and young guys have to step up.”
On if he knows the severity of Clowney’s ankle injury:
“I don’t. Yeah, I don’t.”
On if this loss hurts more being in front of the fans in the home opener:
“It all hurts. These games are hard. You are trying to do everything you can to win the game. We didn’t, and that is a ‘We’, capital W. We didn’t win the game. Ultimately, that is my job. I need to win that football game for this football team. For our fans, like you mentioned, it is really tough to watch, and I get that. What is really important though is that we fix this and get back in here Thursday night against a good division opponent.”
On how to get the team to bounce back after this loss:
“Yeah, you have to message it to them.”
On how to help York shake off the missed PAT and refocus for Thursday night:
“He will. Again, I don’t know exactly what happened on that one, but he will be OK.”
On what he would have done differently at the end of the game:
“I think we will talk about it. I say that just because everything that happens on that field is my responsibility. Everything: offense, defense and special teams. I am not going to hide from that, and I am not going to point fingers. I am going to tell you we are going to get it fixed.”
On why the team has surrendered double-digit points in the fourth quarter in consecutive weeks:
“I don’t have an answer for that. Again, we have to get it fixed. I don’t have a good answer.”
On if it was not CB Denzel Ward’s responsibility for the open receiver downfield on the 66-yard TD:
“I am not going to get into the specifics. When we do not do our job as one person, it is a reflection of the entire defense. We just all have to be on the same page and really just all understand the moment of the game, having awareness of what is going on in the game.”
On if the team took their foot off the gas pedal when up 30-17:
“I don’t think so. We had a lot of conversations on the sideline about what was about to occur on that ensuing drive, how we needed to defend what they were about to do and those type of things. No, I did not get that sense.”
On if there was anything strange about the NY Jets’ onside kick or if it was simply an unlucky bounce:
“I didn’t see it so I don’t know.”
On if the loss was any worse given RB Nick Chubb and RB Kareem Hunt performed well, especially in the fourth quarter:
“All of it hurts. Like we talked about, all of it is frustrating. You win as a team in this league. You lose as a team. We are going to own it. We are just going to own it, not going to hide from it.”