Monthly Archives: September 2014

On not being able to get a first down on the final drive of the game:

“As much as it hurts to lose the game, there were times when we have a chance to put it away and we didn’t do it yesterday. It’s disappointing, and as an offense, we’ve got to be better when it comes to a chance to put the game away.”

On what being 1-2 going into the bye week and having all three games coming down to the last possession means:

“We’ve got to clean some stuff up. I think we’ve proven to ourselves that we can play with anyone. Now, it comes down to the point where it only matters if you win or lose. We have to do what we’ve been doing, but figure out a way to win the close games.”

On if he feels like there are enough playmakers on this team on both sides of the ball:

“Yeah, no doubt. I have full confidence in the players we have in this locker room. I just…really, we’re hurting ourselves. When it comes down to it, if we eliminate the self-inflicted wounds we win those games. That’s what it comes down to. Hopefully, we take this extra week and try to clean some of that stuff up and really put ourselves in a position to win those games.”

On what has surprised him at this point in the season:

“Nothing really. I think, if anything, we need to find a way to finish out those games and really eliminate the self-inflicted wounds.”

On why the run offense is working so much better this year:

“I think (it’s) just the emphasis on it. I think obviously (offensive coordinator) Kyle (Shanahan) has a history of having a great run game, and we have some good backs who are able to run the ball. I think we’re at our best when we can be balanced, and we’ve been able to do that throughout three games.”

On what his take is on having two division losses:

“We still have 13 games to play. Obviously those count a little bit more, but there’s no time to panic. We have 13 games to play. Like I said, we have this bye week early which obviously isn’t the best time to have it, but it’s a time for us to recharge, reset the button and figure out what we need to do to fix the self-inflicted penalties, the mental errors and go on and have the next 13 games to really try to get better.”

On if the problems are a bunch of small things adding up:

“Yeah. No doubt. It’s small things. We have to a better job paying attention to detail. Like I said, it’s the little things that add up to the big things. All three games came down to the last play. That’s what this league is about. When it comes down to it, it doesn’t matter how well you play; if you don’t win the game, it’s all for nothing.”

On if he thinks that they try to be ‘too cute’ on offense sometimes:

“I don’t think so. This offense is based on keeping people on their toes and throwing a lot at them. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t. There’s always a risk and a reward. The first end around, you get 12 yards, so then you try to run a counter off of it. That’s the risk you take. (Ravens LB) Terrell Suggs is a great player, and he stays home. Unfortunately, he wasn’t the guy who was on that side when we ran the other way, so he stayed home. He wasn’t worried about…he was letting his other 10 guys handle that and he stayed home. I mean, that’s why he’s Terrell Suggs. He’s a smart player. You can’t just go out and play safe. You’ve got to throw everything out at them, especially a defense like that. That’s probably one of the better defenses we’ll see all year. We had a great plan for them, and we’ve just got to capitalize in the end and finish the game out.”

On how he would evaluate his play through the first three games:

“I’m just always trying to get better. You’re always trying to make improvements. I think as an offense as a whole, we have gotten better. We need to improve. Obviously right now what we’re doing isn’t enough. As long as you’re always trying to get better – you’re always coming out and working and trying to fix things – you put yourself in position to get better each week and win more games.”

On if he can give more detail on the miscommunication on the play before the blocked field goal:

“No, I’m not going to give more detail. It was a miscommunication.”

On how the team stays focused going into the bye week:

“I think as a group, we’re committed to this. We realize where we’re at. We realize how close we are. I think guys realize that. Having the bye week so early…I mean yeah, it’s good to get away, but do you really need to get away? It’s only been three weeks. I know I’ll be in here and focused on Tennessee, and I’m not worried about that. We’re a mature enough team to handle that.”

On if he thinks the offense could give the running backs more carries:

“I don’t know. You’re better off asking (Browns offensive coordinator) Kyle (Shanahan) that question. For me, I call the play. Sometimes, I don’t even know which back is in there. I’m so consumed with everything else. I think the coaches get a feel for who has the hot hand, and they go with him.”

On if TE Jordan Cameron looking backed to normal and on two of his completions being intended for Cameron:

“Yeah, but he had a big play that kept us alive on that first drive, and the other one I thought it was a pass interference call. Jordan’s definitely a huge part of this offense. I have a very comfortable feeling going with him with the ball. I think maybe he only got targeted a few times, but that’s just the way the game played out. That’s how the play calls were played.”

On the Browns trying to match Cameron up against Ravens S Matt Elam:

“Yeah, and we didn’t get as many man-coverage looks as we thought we were going to. There was a few times where we split him out and there was a corner over there and it wasn’t a safety. Not that that is a bad matchup, but you’re really trying to take advantage of him against a safety.”

On if the Ravens adjusted how they were playing Cameron:

“Yeah, I think they knew what we were trying to accomplish by splitting him out. At that point, they probably thought it was better to keep a corner on him than a safety.”

On if the wind bothered him throwing the ball:

“No, I think, for me, I never had an issue throwing in any type of weather. I think as long as you can throw a tight spiral…we always thought that the wind will affect the kicking game before it affects the passing game because we’re able to throw a spiral. Kickers have got to kick it end over end and so forth. For me, I’ve always been able to spin it well, and I think when you do that you really eliminate the wind.”

On if WR Taylor Gabriel stopped and then had to catch up on his 70-yard reception from Hoyer:
“It’s hard to tell from the angle that I saw. I think, if anything, he was making sure he secured the catch, and obviously, in that situation that’s understandable.”

On if he is surprised that the offense has clicked this early in the season despite the unit’s play in the preseason:

“No, I think a big deal is made of the preseason. There were a lot of interchangeable parts, myself included. That’s going to happen, but when you really get to get into game planning, focusing on who’s going to be out there playing things really start to come together. I think that’s why you see, obviously, a totally different type of offense now than it was in the preseason.”

On if the miscommunication on running back exchanges against Pittsburgh and Baltimore are results of working with young running backs:

“I’m not going to go any further into that. It was a miscommunication, and we’ve got to get better at it. There’s no excuse for it.”