JACKSONVILLE, FL - AUGUST 12: Joshua Dobbs #15 of the Cleveland Browns looks to throw against the Jacksonville Jaguars during a football game at TIAA Bank Field on August 12, 2022 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)Photo: (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)
On his performance today:
“It was fun. It was fun to get back out there again this week and move the ball up and down the field. A lot of guys made a lot of plays. We wish we would have punched it in at the end of the half in the two-minute drill. When you go 94 yards of 96, you want to get those last two. It was fun. It was a productive day. I thought we moved the ball up and down the field well. Guys made plays. It was good to see D-Bell (WR David) out there for the first time and making a lot of plays in the slot for us. Yeah, it was a good day.”
On if he feels his performance in training camp has been better than training camps with his past teams, including with the Steelers:
“I would say it is pretty consistent with what I have been doing during my time there and during my time in Jacksonville during the COVID year. It is just great to get this opportunity – the opportunity to go out and play, get in a rhythm, get significant reps in practice and go out and be able to get reps in the game with the guys you are going to play with and to gel with them and play ball.”
On the broken play that resulted in his TD run:
“The ball was snapped a little bit to the left, and I dropped it. We were just running inside zone so I kind of ran exactly what the running back would have run. I may or may not have stolen his touchdown (laughter). I told (RB) D’Ernest (Johnson) that I would get him back for it for sure.”
On his determination to prove that he should be the backup QB behind QB Jacoby Brissett to start the season:
“I would not say determined to prove anything. I would say just go out and play and control what I can control. That is all I can do. The reps I get, whether that is in practice, a game, in a walkthrough or whatever it is, it is just maximizing those reps and those opportunities because they prepare you for these opportunities obviously in the preseason, but when the real lights are on, they prepare you for those opportunities. I know there is a lot of chatter and there are a lot of people above me who make a lot of the decisions that go on with the team and I am not worried about that because they control that and that is their job. My job is every time they put No. 15 on the field or in practice at the quarterback position to go out and execute it to the gameplan.”
On how he stayed in bounds on his 36-yard run:
“I knew I was going to stay in bounds. I was not worried about that. I was worried about I saw the linebacker coming over, and I was like, ‘It is a foot race. If I can get around him, I have a shot.’ Then everyone stopped, but I kept going obviously. It was a little confusing. I just have to keep my feet and make one more guy miss for a touchdown. It was a good play.”
On whether he thinks about running out of bounds on a play like that when seeing the LB:
“It just depends on the circumstance. I do play smart, and I do like to protect myself out there. Obviously, when you get on the edge, more is in your position where you can go and take a hit and you have to get an extra yard or get out of bounds. Like a couple of plays before that, I ran out of bounds on one. It just depends on a lot of things. A lot of things are going through your mind when you are running. If it is green grass around you, you can extend it for a longer play. You can try to get around it and stay in bounds, but if you are running and there are eight more people that you have to juke and dodge, you are probably going to step out of bounds and take the positive play. It was a first-and-10 play. The one before it was also a first-and-10 play. You like to stay ahead of the chains so if you are able to do that with your feet and keep the offense moving in the right direction, that is what I like to do.”
On what the defender grabbed on his long run, given the white stretch seen:
“He grabbed my undershirt. I don’t know how he got it because it was barely under my jersey. He got my undershirt. He just made it a nice little crop top (laughter). I did feel him grab it, but I saw the string down to my ankle when I was looking at the sideline. I thought, ‘Just don’t step on it.’ He got my undershirt, but it is all good.”
On if he feels like he is opening people’s eyes, even though he said that is not his objective:
“I would say I am playing well. I am doing everything that I expect myself to do. I know if I do that, then I will be in the right position that I need to be.”
On WR Anthony Schwartz’s performance after a tough showing in Jacksonville:
“It was just great for him to get out there and get in the flow and the rhythm. He played more snaps too this week. On two-minute, he did a great job dragging his feet and getting first downs for us. It was good to see him out there running fast, as we all know he does, but also making some big catches.”
On his decision to jump toward the goal line when he took a significant hit and if that is a decision he would take back now:
“No, not at all. Honestly, looking back at the situation, I think there were 11 seconds left before the play. They covered us up pretty well. In hindsight, it would be more to throw the ball away. We are on the 4-yard line, give us two more shots at the end zone and maybe we score a touchdown instead of a field goal.”
On leaving everything on the field today and fighting for extra yards:
“I do that every time I step on the field. That is just how I play. Football is a very fragile game. I learned that really quickly last year. Football is a very fragile game, but it is something that I have been playing since I was five. No matter the circumstances, every time I step on the field it is No. 1 to win, No. 2 to play well and No. 3 to put my team in the best position to win. Whether it is throwing the ball, using my legs and extending plays, however I need to do it all in the framework of the game, I am going to do it every time I step on the field.”
On saying he ‘learned football is a very fragile game really quickly last year’:
“I hurt my foot last year at the end of the preseason game – in the Panthers game, I hurt my foot. I had to miss the whole year because of it. It was definitely a long year. It was not really publicized obviously. It definitely was a long year just rehabbing. Everything happens for a reason. It is all in God’s plan. I am excited for this opportunity and excited to keep moving forward.”
On playing QB since he was five years old:
“Yeah, I was always a quarterback. Actually my first year, we were five and played up with six-year olds so I think played like nose guard, and I was awful. I was always running around – I did not hold the A gap (laughter). Then at six, they put me at quarterback and I have played it ever since.”
On his ability to process the field and the game seeming slow to him:
“It all goes back to preparation. Just preparing and mentally getting as many reps as I can. Obviously, I have seen some practice reps, but the ones I do not get in practice or if it is plays that I do not get in practice, being able to take the young guys… That is what has been great really is we have some great young guys, whether it is the tight end position or the receiver position. D-Bell (WR David Bell) is out with me after practice every day going through plays we did not get because at some point, you know you are going to get those plays. The first time you get them might be in the game. You have to be able to take what you have done on the practice field, whether it is live reps on the practice field or mental reps after practice, and apply it to the game. We have been able to be productive in that preparation, which obviously helps you play well on gameday.”
On not getting many reps against the Eagles this week prior to starting today:
“No, I did not. I knew I was going to get a lot of reps in the game. Of course, I know the coaches have a plan with what we are doing with the QB position and how we are preparing everyone to play this upcoming season. I never really look at it as a detriment to what I have done in the past, right? I just know when I am in there, you have to go out and you have to execute. That is all that matters.”
On G Michael Dunn preforming well at C in what was essentially Dunn’s first time ever playing the position in a game:
“I had not clue until he told me on the sideline in like the beginning of the fourth quarter. I was like, ‘This is your first time playing center in a game?’ That is pretty impressive.’ He did a great job. Snaps were perfect – gun snaps and under center. It is easy in practice sometimes when you are not going against a live rush. When you have a live rush and you have a 300-pounder across from you, it is a little different out there. He did a great job. If I did not notice that it was his first time, I think he is doing a pretty good job. Good to see.”
On how important it was for Dunn to step up and show depth at C:
“Definitely. Given (C) Nick’s (Harris) injury, I think it is extremely important. It is good to see what they were able to do today. Just throwing from the pocket, it was really perfect pockets all day. It was really good to see that on the two-minute drive. Both sides of the line of scrimmage were getting tired, and the pocket is still really good. That helps us at the QB position because we know that if we have to take an extra hitch or have to let a guy get open, we have trust in our O line because they are locking up the guys up front. They did a great job handling the Eagles’ four down rush and the blitzes they were bringing. It was good. Very comfortable to throw from that pocket.”
On if he ever played this much during a preseason game while with the Steelers:
“I think my rookie year, I did, but after that, honestly, no I did not.”
On how ready he feels if he is called on to play or start a game early in the season:
“I always feel ready. Whenever my number is called, I have prepared a ton and watched a lot of football in my time in the NFL. Whenever my number is called as you saw today and last week and in the future, I plan on being prepared and going out and executing.”