On the Browns’ confidence in RB D’Ernest Johnson if called upon to start at RB on Sunday:
“We are extremely confident in D’Ernest. That has not been a question yet. You guys got to see that on display during the Thursday night game. Obviously, very unfortunate news about (RB) Demetric (Felton) and (RB) Nick (Chubb). Obviously, we have been here before. We had to deal with a lot of issues last year with this. It is kind of one of those fluid situations. One day at a time, and hopefully, they get two negative tests in a row before the game. We will see what happens. We just have to be ready to go. Next man up mentality, and we are confident in D’Ernest, that is for sure.”
On the team’s ability to focus on what is ahead regardless of the circumstances, including winning last week’s game following the situation with free agent WR Odell Beckham Jr.:
“Our focus is one week at a time. Last week at this point, it does not even matter. We just have to focus on trying to find a way to win this week and go 1-0.”
On if he threw at all in practice today, given he did not appear to throw during the portion of practice open to media:
“I did. Made a couple throws. Threw the football around.”
On if today was different than a normal Wednesday and why, if so:
“Just a little sore today. Other than that, just went through the routine. Yeah, a normal Wednesday for everybody.”
On what was sore:
“Just a little sore on my foot. Nothing major by any means.”
On Gs Joel Bitonio and Wyatt Teller signing contract extensions with the Browns and if that makes him more inclined to get his contract done soon:
“No. First, congratulations to both of them. I already told them that in person. Two extremely deserving guys of those extensions. They deserve that. They protect me. They protect all of our guys. They are team-first guys. Joel has obviously been the consistent guy here for a long time, and Wyatt for the past few years. We are very happy to have them extended obviously, but that changes nothing with me. I am still trying to just find a way to win games, and everything else will take care of itself.”
On if he is more comfortable now when playing with the left, non-throwing shoulder harness, given the team’s success in the deep passing game last week:
“I definitely would say there is more comfort with that on. Just as the weeks go on, it is going to continue to hopefully improve each day with the rehab and everything we are doing here. Yeah, more comfortable with that, and just trusting those guys down the field, as well.”
On what Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick does to gameplan for opposing offenses:
“I definitely would say that the mindset is it is always a gameplan defense. They are very versatile. They can do a lot of disguising, but the emphasis for them is to stop what you are best at. Going into it, we would expect them to try and stop the run and for that to be the emphasis. We will see how they handle it with obviously the news about our running backs. We have to be prepared to react and adapt to whatever we are seeing.”
On if his foot injury is related to the ‘flesh wound’ he sustained against the Bengals:
“No, it is separate.”
On if the sore foot is a result from last week’s game:
“It is just some nagging thing that has gone a little bit over time. I do not know. It could be turf. It could be a lot of things. I will be alright.”
On recalling the last time he played at New England and the challenges playing at Foxboro:
“The emphasis for us right now is continuing to build and take care of the football because they are a team that is always situationally aware and a complementary football team. That is just how they are coached. That is how that organization has been for a long time now. We have to take care of the football and capitalize on mistakes, and just be able to play complimentary football once again and just continue to improve. It is one of those weeks where we have to be patient on our side of the ball, and like I said, adapt. They are going to have some plays where they have it schemed up, and we just have to eliminate negative plays.”
On his 60-yard TD pass to WR Donovan Peoples-Jones last week:
“It was great timing with the call and how they reacted to it – the safety bit on (TE) David (Njoku) coming across the field. We got everything we wanted, and just put it up there landmark-wise for Donovan to go catch and make a play. He did the rest. They made it easy on me.”
On his and the Browns’ ability to rally when facing adversity:
“We have a resilient group. I would say that everybody knows that they have an extremely important job here and not that anyone job is the same as the other. Everybody has a role. Like I said, our guys are bought in to be able to accomplish those roles, the job and whatever they have to do to win the game and help us win. That is just the type of group that we have.”
On what the Browns running game has meant to him as the starting QB, given the team has recently signed extensions with Bitonio, Teller, Chubb and RB Kareem Hunt:
“To win in this league, you have to be able to run the football when it matters, especially in our division. It is a focal point for us, and that is what we are based off of – run the ball first, physical team, mindset-wise and mentality-wise to how we approach it. It takes everybody in the run game. It takes play fakes on my end and receivers digging people out in the run game, and obviously, up front and the running backs taking care of the ball. It takes everybody. It starts with that and then play action goes with that. Those guys are very, very deserving of those extensions, and I am truly very happy for them.”
On Teller’s block on Chubb’s 70-yard run:
“He is a slappy (laughter).”
On his aggressiveness and if he has had to lobby to be more aggressive at times during games:
“For me, it is I am the one out there and to see and you have to feel as the game is going on. It is just a matter of keeping defenses on their toes and taking advantage of these one-on-one shots. I have always been a quarterback with one-on-one plays, and with our guys, I trust those guys to make a play on the ball. Giving them a chance is first and foremost the most important thing. It is about making plays when you need to and just being a guy who obviously takes advantage of those one-on-one situations.”
On if he is fine if WR Jarvis Landry is asked to spend some time at RB this week:
“Whatever it takes for us to win, that is all that matters.”
On if the size of the Patriots defensive front stands out to him and how that impacts the Browns offense:
“They are a big front. A lot of familiar faces and guys who have been there. Obviously, that and (Patriots LB) Matthew Judon in there. It is going to be a physical game. We are about running the ball. Obviously, they know that so I would expect them to prepare to stop it. It will be a good matchup for us. We have to be able to continue at it. It might not hit early, but you have to chunk away and see if those small runs turn into big ones later in the game.”
On Patriots CB JC Jackson:
“He is a very, very talented player. He is always around the ball. He has extremely good ball skills when it is in the air. He has hands like a skill player on offense so he is able to make plays on the ball. A smart guy. He has been in their zone coverage. He is pattern reading. He is doing all of that. He is a guy who you definitely need to know where he is and see where he is playing technique-wise and all of that. Just one of those guys who you do not want to let ruin the game.”
On Johnson’s ability to capitalize on opportunities:
“He is a very opportunistic guy, a positive mindset. When he gets his chances, he is always going to take advantage of them because he is always giving 110 percent effort. That is just the type of guy he is. He is not begging for more of this or that. He is just going to get those opportunities and take advantage of them. We are lucky to have guys like that with that team-first mentality so when he gets his opportunity, that is why you see everybody truly happy for him when he has success.”
On if he will be able to throw more as the week goes on with the foot soreness:
“Yeah, I will be able to throw more as the week goes on.”
On Patriots QB Mac Jones:
“Been able to catch some of their games early in the year. Like (Head Coach) Kevin (Stefanski) said, he is not playing like a rookie at all. Going through his reads, you see him hitting his check-downs – not that he is just going, ‘Hey, do I have this throw? No, check it down.’ – he is truly going through his progressions and taking care of the ball. It is pretty rare to see for a guy of that age and that young in the offense to be able to harness all of that and deliver the ball to his teammates so I am happy for him.”