Browns transcripts -- Saturday, Dec. 12, 2020

Rob McBurnett

Director, Community & Corporate Communications

Head Coach Kevin Stefanski:

Opening statement: 

“On the injury front, you saw we ruled out (CB) Denzel (Ward) and (WR) KhaDarel (Hodge), and we will list (TE Austin) Hooper as questionable.

“Thought it was a really good work week. Just getting off the field here, thought it was a very crisp day today. We understand the challenge that we have with a very good football team coming into our building. Looking forward to getting in front of our fans again there on Monday night.

“I do want to mention Anthony Hughes Jr. He was the young man who lost his life on Wednesday night in our city. I just want to extend my condolences to his friends and his family. I know he was active in the Boys & Girls Club. Such a tragic, senseless thing that happened. I encourage everybody to read this young man’s story and then find a way that we can be a part of making sure things like this do not happen again.”

On Hooper’s injury and when it occurred, as well as Hooper’s chances of playing this week : 

“I do not know when it happened. It kind of popped up, if you will. I do not know [Hooper’s chances of playing]. I can’t put odds on it. We will see. The next 24-48 hours, we will monitor it and then make a decision before game time.”

On the impact of Hooper sustaining an injury late in the week, another late-week injury for the Browns: 

“Not ideal, but like you said, we have been here before. We will just make sure if we do not have Hoop, we have guys that are ready to go. If we do have him, we are full speed ahead.”

On if Hooper’s neck injury is serious: 

“No. If it was, we would rule him out for the game. He is truly questionable.”

On if the Browns are hopeful Ward will be back next week, given he said earlier in the week that Ward was not a ‘longshot’ to play this week: 

“It depends on your percentage of a longshot that you believe in (laughter). He is working hard. He is moving around. He is progressing about where you would expect. I am hopeful. It did not happen this week, but I am definitely hopeful for next week.”

On if G Wyatt Teller is still on track to return prior to Monday: 

“We are right on schedule in that regard, but as you know, it is kind of wait-and-see mode there, as well.”

On WR Marvin Hall and if Hall could have a role in the return game: 

“We are having those discussions as we speak in terms of his role. He is a speedster. He has made a bunch of plays over his career so we will see where he fits in.”

On how much of a difference having fans in the stadium makes and if he notices the fans on gameday: 

“Yeah, I definitely do. Our fans in our building have done a great job. They are compliant. They wear their masks, but they make a lot of noise. I definitely hear them. I probably hear them more than I would in a full stadium. We really appreciate having them there. Again, they are being very smart about it, but we appreciate them being there to cheer us on.”

On if he watched film of the Steelers-Ravens game and takeaways from it, given the Ravens’ competitiveness despite needing to activate several new players: 

“I did watch a lot of the film this week. That was one of them. I would tell you (Ravens Head) Coach (John) Harbaugh and their staff in general – I know a lot of their coaches – they do a great job. I know that they have expectations, regardless of who is in there so it did not surprise me one bit that they had guys ready to go.”

On Ravens DE Calais Campbell and Campbell’s impact on the Ravens defense: 

“He is a very, very large man. I remember seeing him when he was a young man there with the Cardinals over the years. He is a physical player. He is long, as you know. He is powerful. He is really a player who can be disruptive. I have a ton of respect for him as a player. I have a ton of respect for what he does off of the field. He is certainly a big part of what they do.”

On if the Browns DL is playing its best football of the year now and how much their health is a factor: 

“In total we are all at every position trying to play the best ball. When you get guys back healthy and you get to put guys in roles where they can excel, that is important. I think that is something that you are seeing along the defensive front.”

On defensive coordinator Joe Woods and Woods’ ability to adapt to adversity and missing players due to injury or other factors: 

“Nothing fazes Joe. Whoever is available to him, he is going to use and he is going to use utilize them to the best of their skillset. Every time the word comes up that so and so is not going be available, he really does not blink. He just goes into how they are going to put a plan together to find a way to go get a victory. I really appreciate that about Joe and the entire defensive staff.”

On preparing for the variety of ways the Ravens defense brings pressure: 

“It is a rules game. You have to stick to your rules because you are right, they do bring a multitude of pressures from various looks. If we tried to block every single one of the pressures they brought this season and a season’s worth of pressures, we will bog ourselves down. It is a rules game. We have to stick to them and put the quarterback in position to make a big play when they pressure. They do a nice job. They do it well. They are sound in what they do so it is a big challenge for us.”

On who on the Browns offense identifies the Ravens’ pressures: 

“I think in most teams, it is between the quarterback and the center that really drive the communication at the line of scrimmage.”

On why he feels strongly about C JC Tretter being able to identify pressures: 

“JC has seen a lot of defense. He has played this defense many times. It is hard to give him a look that he has not seen. Obviously, a very smart player.”

On what DT Larry Ogunjobi is doing to make an impact on defense that the average fan may not see from stats: 

“I encourage that average fan to watch the tape and go see the impact that he is making play to play. He gives us great reps, great energy and effort and defeats one-on-one blocks. He is doing a really nice job.”

Closing statement:

“I just want to wish the Crew best of luck tonight. Go get that MLS Cup.”

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DT Larry Ogunjobi:

On what makes Ravens QB Lamar Jackson so tough to bring down:

“His illusiveness. I have been playing him against him – my first encounter with him really was in college, and he is the same guy as far as being able to create plays and make plays with his feet. Agile, quick and knows how to make people miss. That is one of his really special abilities. It just makes it hard for everyone to try to tackle him just because he is so gifted in that aspect.”

On if he does anything different facing Jackson as opposed to a ‘normal’ QB:

“The main goal is try to keep him in front of you, kind close the cage around and not giving him fresh lanes to kind of escape through, making sure that you are tackling at the right angles. He is going to make plays with his feet, but at the same time, you just have to keep him corralled. That is the biggest thing.”

On how the Browns defense is playing together better now compared to the season opener:

“I feel like everybody at this point in the season understands their role. Like I always say, this is a team effort. In a unique season like we have been having, that is the narrative that everybody has to do their job. It is not one guy. It is the entire defense finding ways to work together to make plays and find ways to get off of the field. I think that is just what everybody has kind of understood. We have taken that identity that we all play off each other and work off each other, and just continue to do that moving forward.”

On if there is a certain part of his game he felt like he improved most this season:

“It is really just going out there and playing but not over-thinking or over-analyzing. Just playing my game and allowing myself to make plays when the opportunity presents itself. Understanding what is front of you. As you get older, the game slows down. You start to see things more clearly. You start to understand your reads. Just to be able to play quickly and not over-think things. The biggest thing is just understanding how to maximize my role in what I am doing.”

On if he is OK with being under the radar, given DE Myles Garrett gets many headlines:

“It is all good. Everybody has their time so you just have to keep working. Like I said before, the biggest thing is just understanding your role and what you to do. Once again, it takes all of ours. I help Myles. Myles helps me. (DT) Sheldon (Richardson) helps OV (DE Olivier Vernon). OV helps Sheldon. We all work together. Rush helps coverage. Coverage helps rush. I feel like once you understand that aspect of it and how everybody works together, that is when you start seeing what you see now, a 9-3 football team. Things are just clicking on the right things so things are firing.”

On defensive coordinator Joe Woods:

“Just understanding he wants to win. His style of defense: attack up front. He just gets it as far as allowing us to play and make plays and just understand how it all kind of works together. Sometimes you can be in certain defenses where you kind of feel like you have to walk on egg shells, you can’t make a mistake and you are kind of nervous to make plays because you do not want to be wrong. Coach Woods gives us the freedom to go out there and make plays, to be playmakers and to understand. He gives you the background behind the defense, why it works, understanding your fit and how it fits the entire defense as a whole. When guys understand how their role effects the entire picture, they know what plays they can go out and try to make but understand at the same time, ‘I have to be in my gap, I have to be in my spot so that the other guy can make this play.’ He just does a great job of helping people understand their role and what they are trying to do.”

On comments that Woods is unfazed by adversity and if that mentality trickles down to everybody else: 

“It is a unique season. It is ever-changing. We get new information every day. We are dealing with different things, the pandemic and everything that is going on. You kind of have to have this mentality that every day you have to be prepared, you have to take what comes with it and just be ready to put your best foot forward.”

On the five DL look the Browns used against the Titans and if that was more fun for the Browns DL than usual: 

“It is always fun when you have a lot of D lineman on the field. It was cool. You had young (DT) Jordan (Elliott) in there playing fast and getting off the rock. Just a seeing how it all worked together, going against a great rushing offense and being able to do what we did was an awesome feeling. It is always cool when your boys are all out there with you. It was good to win.”

On if the Browns DL is hoping or lobbying for Woods to use the five DL look again: 

“We will see. You can’t go to the well too many times (laughter).”

On how the focus on Ravens QB Lamar Jackson affects the rest of the Ravens running game: 

“They have great backs at the same time so you can’t overlook the backs. (Ravens RB J.K.) Dobbins is running extremely well. You have (Ravens RB Mark) Ingram (II) and you have (Ravens RB) Gus Edwards. You have a stable of backs so you have to respect them. Once again, you have to play with your keys, you have to play with great gap integrity and you have to keep everything in front of you.”

On the Browns winning close games and if the team is creating a toughness or attitude to finish games in those moments:

“Of course when you are winning, you want to keep that. At the same time, you do have to kind of understand when you are playing this game the attention to detail. When you are winning, you have to earn it every week. Nothing is ever given. The biggest thing that we do a great job of this year is that we do not get hung up on the wins or the losses. It is going 1-0 every week. That is the goal. That is the focus is keeping everything right in front of you, not looking too far ahead and not trying to focus on next Sunday night. Really focusing on the main thing, which is to go 1-0 each and every week. I feel like guys understand it is not about what you did last week and it is not about what you did the week before, it is about you do this week. After this week is gone, it is gone, and we go onto the next one. I feel like we are just adopting that mentality that it is onto the next, staying focused on the goal ahead and the task at hand, and what is done is done.”

On Head Coach Kevin Stefanski’s leadership:

“He just gets it. It goes back to what I just said. He does a great job of keeping the main thing the main thing, staying focused and understanding that you have to earn this thing each and every week. Nobody is going to lay down for you. Nobody is going to give you what you want. You have to go out each and every week and you have to take it. You have to earn it. He does a great job of telling guys that is the goal: each and every week going 1-0. How do you win the week? How do you win the day? How do you win the practice? How do you win meetings? Then you go into gameday to win. I feel like that is a special characteristic that he has. They guys – obviously, you have seen the results – have really adopted that and are running with it.”

On if the Browns DL is playing as well as it has all season:

“We are just trying to get better each and every week. It is knowing your role, understanding your role and mastering it, making the plays that you can make. Really, just understanding that you are a piece of a very big puzzle, and when you do your job to the best of your ability, you give your entire team a chance to win. I feel like guys are understanding that and guys are executing that.”

On if he gets a sense that the Browns DL can do even more after seeing more players make significant contributions recently, including DT Sheldon Richardson and DE Olivier Vernon:

“Of course. I feel like that is the goal is to continue to get better and continue to push the envelope and challenge each other. We feed off of each other and we push each other. Like I said, the biggest thing is just getting better each and every week.”

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Pass game coordinator/wide receivers coach Chad O’Shea:

On how important WR Rashard Higgins has been to the Browns offense the past few weeks: 

“He has been an important part of what we have done offensively, especially in the pass game. He has done a really good job, as he has done all season, of working extremely hard. That is where it starts with Rashard is that he really both on field and in the classroom just works so hard, and our group collectively has done the same. He has put himself in position in his preparation to have success and he continues to work hard and be an important part of what we are doing offensively.”

On QB Baker Mayfield’s willingness to throw to anyone and also come back to Browns players after a drop or mistake, specifically referencing WR Donovan Peoples-Jones last week: 

“At the receiver position, it is our job to be very detailed and precise in the pass game and to be exactly where we need to be at all times and have consistency in that area. I think Baker is trusting our guys to do that. He has definitely showed that by his play. I appreciate greatly when Baker has the ability to come back to a receiver after a drop. It really displays the confidence that he has in our guys. A good example of that was when Donovan Peoples-Jones had the early drop in the last game and then Baker had enough confidence to come back to him. That confidence in my opinion is built over time. It is not something that just happens overnight, and it is built on the practice field. These guys have been working together now for some time, and they have really developed chemistry and they have developed confidence in each other. I appreciate Baker’s willingness to come back to a player, especially after you experience an early drop. My hat is also off to Donovan for coming back and having enough mental toughness to move on from that and to be willing to make a great play for us after a drop.”

On how much better he knows the Browns WRs compared to Week 1 and how that has helped preparations for this week’s game: 

“Anytime you have been around guys for a long period of time, you definitely have a better feel for what our strengths are as a group. That that is our job as coaches is to play to the strengths of our players, and it takes some time to identify what exactly those are. We definitely have a lot of strengths, especially throughout the entire offense, but we are fortunate to have some strengths at the receiver position. We identified what those are, and our players have worked extremely hard to get on the same page, which the passing game is definitely something that is always a work in progress to be on the same page in regards to timing and the overall execution. Obviously, where we were at the beginning of the season and where we are now are two different places and it is two different times. I look forward to the challenge of playing really an outstanding secondary in the Ravens on Monday night.”

On if he is aware of whether or not TE Austin Hooper will practice today: 

“I will leave (Head) Coach (Kevin) Stefanski to answer that. I was with the receivers in the receiver room and getting those guys ready for practice. I will let him answer that question.”

On WR Jarvis Landry highly producing in recent weeks and what that does for the entire Browns offense: 

“Jarvis has done an outstanding job for us throughout the season of his preparation, working hard and being a great leader for us offensively and in the receiver room. He has had some production here in the last of couple games. As Jarvis has done throughout the season, he is going out there and he is trying to execute the plan that is in place. He has worked extremely hard on the practice field with Baker to make sure that the timing, the execution and the details of the passes are what they need to be. It has been great to have him be in a position where he has had success because he is definitely one of our strong leaders on the team and guys look to him for his leadership.”

On what makes Peoples-Jones so resilient: 

“He has good mental toughness. I think that is where it starts. He has the ability to stay in the moment and move on to the future when he needs to. He has done a really good job of when anything negative has happened – which as a rookie there are going to be a share of things that happen when you are a rookie football player in a negative way – he has had the ability to move on. We have asked Donovan from the day he walked in, as we have asked all over rookie players, to work extremely hard to put the team first in everything they do. Donovan has done that. He has continued, whether it is good or bad, the next thing you are going to get from him is you are going to get hard work and you are going to get him to try to be better at everything he is doing. I certainly have a lot of respect for his ability to deal with adversity and to move on from a negative, which would be a drop in a game, and to put the team first in everything he has done, and that is what he has done.”

On if he has spoken to WR Odell Beckham Jr. about rehab and how Beckham is doing: 

“I will leave those conversations private. I am very supportive of Odell and his rehab right now. I have been so consumed with what we are doing here as a group on a daily basis, but I am definitely supportive of all his rehab. As I know Odell, I am sure he is working extremely hard and doing what he needs to do to be back.”

On preparing Browns WRs for the physical nature of playing the Ravens and the Ravens CBs: 

“That is a great question because this is a really big challenge for us facing this defense. They have outstanding players throughout their defense, but specifically, the secondary has done such a good job. They have dealt with injuries, and they still manage to really do an outstanding job of playing very good defense. It is going to be a great challenge for our guys. They are very physical. They do a great job in their coverage. They make it really hard to get open. We have really tried to put a big emphasis on them understanding the challenge that is ahead of them, which is a great challenge this week. We have worked hard at practice. Clearly, this opponent is one we have a tremendous amount of respect for, and we know it is going to be hard.”

On why people may say the Browns passing game looks better without Beckham on the field: 

“That question is one I have never even thought about. What we have thought about is we try to tell our players and ask our players, ‘Let’s get better.’ The Odell injury happened when it did. Obviously, regardless of if Odell was hurt or not, we are going to ask our players to improve on a daily basis. That is all we ask of them is we need to get better. It is my expectation that this time of the year we should be better than we were at the beginning of the year or midyear. It comes down to progress is made when you go out and you work extremely hard, which this group has done an outstanding job of working. When they put the time in and they invest in the preparation that they have, there is going to be improvement, regardless of who is out there playing. I know we are very fortunate to have the group of players that we have right now that are out there playing for us, and it is a group that I love to coach because they come out every day and they work extremely hard. When you work extremely hard, you take the coaching and you are receptive to doing the things we want to be done and the details, you are going to improve. I think the improvement is based off of them working hard and time.”

On if that explanation would also apply to why Mayfield has not thrown an interception in consecutive weeks: 

“Yeah, Baker has certainly done the things I just spoke about. He has worked extremely hard. He is this much further in an offense that was new to all of us when we got started. This offense has really done a great job of following Coach Stefanski and Coach (offensive coordinator Alex) Van Pelt’s lead of we are going to go out there and work hard, and our preparation will make us better in time, and that is what has happened.”

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Linebackers coach Jason Tarver:

On LB B.J. Goodson:

“What has been great about B.J. is he is the same every day. He just keeps getting better. When he makes a mistake, the next time it happens, he gets it perfect. It happens throughout the week of practice as we are learning, and then he gets in the game and he sees it, and he has been to close and make plays. He had two really big ones in that first half last week that you mentioned. One was when they attempted to throw to their eligible offensive lineman. He did a great job of filling and then how he finished. He did not look back. He just went and wrapped him up and got the ball out. That was huge. That was that third-and-1, and then we were able to stop [the Titans] and (DT) Sheldon (Richardson) did a great job on that fourth-and-one. Anytime you can take possession by winning a fourth down, that is just like a takeaway. That is a possession. That was huge, and then our offense went down and converted. That was a big time play. The other one was on the attempted two-point conversion when he went and the saw the angle of the backs play that they have not run before, and he went and tracked No. 22 (Titans RB Derrick Henry), wrapped him up and (S) Andrew Sendejo came and helped finish him. That was a big play because that kept points off the board, and that was a play that they had not run yet. Those two plays, those really helped us in that football game. By doing your job play-in and play-out, when the big play comes, it is because of doing your job over and over and over. That is what we have been impressed by from BJ.”

On LB Sione Takitaki’ development:

“You have to smile when you speak about Sione because of the way he plays. He is right where he needs to be. He had a lot of experience early in the year when some of our other guys were not back yet. What is great about this position group is we have guys embrace and compete to get playing time. Sione is outstanding with contact. He is really good at same foot, same shoulder. What that means is if you are supposed to set the edge of the defense and you are on the run, you want to hit everything with your left foot and your left shoulder and extend your hands. He had two or three last week that were outstanding. He hit the fullback and he hit a tackle and a tight end that way. He is really good and getting better on the edges of the defense so that is where he plays some of his time, but he has improved playing off the ball, as well. He is right where he needs to be in his progression. He is getting better and better. I love the confidence, and we love the confidence coming from Sione right now. We are going to need that the next time we play at night. It is going to be awesome.”

On how Takitaki responded to coming off of the reserve/COVID-19 list following the interception-return TD and then returning to contribute last week:

“We talk about ‘find a way.’ We talk about treating each day being itself. We do not know. It is next man up to us. The room and the guys have been outstanding at this part because they just do not blink. What we did, Sione and I, had a little extra meetings – Zoom meetings of course. Sione, one day of practice came out and played well. That is the training that Sione has done on his own and with us and how he has practiced throughout the year. Him and us are getting the benefits of that. We just prepare and go and deal with each day one day at a time. That is every coaches’ phrase and it always is, but we have been lining that. We are very proud of the players and the team, and we need to keep doing it.”

On LB Malcolm Smith’s performance in an increased role on defense:

“Malcolm played really, really well. One of the best plays with Malcolm was something that goes unnoticed a lot, and that was the play at the end of the first half. They were in a position where they did not have any timeouts left and they were trying to get more yards rather than throwing a Hail Mary. We were in a defense to make sure that they could not get out of bounds, Malcolm was all the way away from the play, timed it right and burst all of the way across the field and went and punched the ball out, and we got that ball. He does things that are very smart. He knows where he is on the field down and distance, space and time. He just has a great feel. What happens with Malcolm is we put him in those positions, and that is where he can be really successful. We rotate. Everybody plays. It was really cool that (LB) Tae Davis made a great play at the end of the game – side bar. Really happy for him because he lives in Nashville and his family was there, and he made great plays on special teams also and went in and batted a pass away. It was awesome because anytime you play in front of your home people, it is awesome to make the play. So sidebar, proud of him. Malcolm excels in understanding situational football, and we use him that way.”

On the Browns LBs preparing for Ravens QB Lamar Jackson:

“We know that he is really good with the ball in his hands, an incredible athletic and a competitor. What we have to do is we have to work. We do not how long the play is going to take because the football team we are about to play can extend plays, and he is a piece of that, of course. What we want to do is we not want to count and play hard for six seconds, we just want to play until we get the man with the ball on the ground or take the ball and get it back to the offense. That is what you have to stress when you play a team like this because they can extend plays. We just have to work, and we have to play. We have to trust what we see, and when the ball comes out of his hands, we have to bring it. If the ball is still in his hand, we need to approach him and not jump up in the air because he is crafty. We need to run and track him and find a way to get him on the ground. Sometimes that is going to take one person, and most of the time, it is going to take more than one.”

On how is the Browns defense is different compared to Week 1:

“Our guys, the reps and the experience that they have and how tight they have become as a unit and as a football team and watching them grow week to week, it is not even close. When you are in that first one, we did some really good things. Sione played well in the beginning of that game where we made some plays in the run game, but there are also plays that we saw that we have been able to correct and work through throughout the year. We have come further and so have they. Each game is different. It is not going to be the same game, but we need to learn from the things that have happened and then trust what we are seeing when we get in this football game and use our knowledge of how they use their players and what kind of plays they run to our advantage. Each game is totally different, and this is a long gap between games. Like when we played Cincinnati, those were close gaps so those were pretty similar. This one is a long gap so it is two totally different teams, but we have to take what we learned. That is for sure.”

On if he expects Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman to show new wrinkles this game compared to Week 1:

“Oh yeah. We have to use our rules. That is the key with defense. The offense, you can say a coaching phrase is ‘They get the pen last’ so they call the play right, and we have to use our rules to defend the play. Some of the things that they are doing a little different is some third downs and fourth downs that they are using some different type of run or pass games so we have to use or rules within our calls to stop that. Some of our rules are going to be different than the first game.”

On defensive coordinator Joe Woods and Woods handling adversity this season:

“Stuart Scott, an outstanding man, one of his phrases was ‘cooler than the other side of the pillow.’ Of course, I can’t do it justice because Stuart said it a lot better than me. That is how I describe Coach Woods. He is consistent. Things do not faze him. He is direct, he is exact and he is precise. If something hurts us, he is constantly working to find the next answer and make a call. He is cool, he is calm and he is patient, but he is demanding and he is truthful. We all hope to be like that. When you are that way, people follow you, and more often than not, you come up with the right answer. So proud to work with him. He is just the same all of the time – direct and just wants to put the guys in positions to make plays.”

On finding opportunities for LB Jacob Phillips to get more playing time to help development after getting healthier: 

“His reps have increased on defense. I think he got 18 last week. The week before, the emphasis was getting the calls out and making sure he could get the calls. He was outstanding with it last week in the game. He played pretty well in the first game way back against these guys. You could see his speed. Probably because as a 21-year old young man in the NFL, you may not have ever had to work through an injury so he worked through an injury. You should see him, he just stretches and works all the time. He is very direct. He worked his way back, and then he had to earn his right to get playing time. You have seen his reps increase. He has been bringing it. He had a really good day yesterday, and that is what we are about. He and I check in at the end of every day. He watches the video, and I watch the video. He tells me what he thinks, and we are just growing up together. The better you play, the more you earn. You will see him some and he will roll in because he is fast, he is strong and he is getting better. It maybe set him back, but he is right where he needs to be right now, which is improving, and he will be in the game. We are excited to watch him again.”

On if the emphasis on speed with the LBs has Ravens QB Lamar Jackson’s in mind: 

“Oh, yeah, you are going to see everybody. You are going to see us all. We roll in and embrace our roles, and that is what makes this group fun to be around, and as a coach, you are proud – I know I have used that word a lot today, but that is what you are. We have to go and do the best we can to go 1-0, and everybody is going to get a chance. The better you play in your chance, the more you earn. He is right where he needs to be and we just want to see him go in, make the right call, and run, shed and tackle the guy with the ball because that is what we as linebackers.”

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