G Joel Bitonio (12.14.22)
On the mindset of the team understanding that the Browns could win out and still not be guaranteed a playoff spot:
“We are trying to beat the Ravens. We understand and we didn’t shy away from where we are. (Head) Coach (Kevin) Stefanski has told us straight up and he understands and we understand where we are. It is unfortunate, but we understand we have business to handle. Nothing changes that mindset of trying to win out because we still have a chance – it is not zero. I think the guys have a lot of pride in this locker room. We understand we haven’t put what we want to put on tape throughout the year. It has been very sporadic sometimes. Our goal all week has been 1-0. We understand where we are, but we are going to try to beat the Ravens. They have been playing really good defense and finding ways to win games.”
On if the Ravens defense is significantly different with recent additions, including defensive coordinator Mike McDonald and other defensive players like Ravens ILB Roquan Smith:
“No, I think their base stuff and their schemes are pretty similar. The coordinator kind of picks and chooses a little bit more of when he wants to bring the house, throw games out there and stuff. They do a really good job. They have stymied some [offenses]. Since we have played them, I think they have held everybody pretty low in the rushing totals and yards per carry, blitzing and they have been one of the best third-down defenses in the league. They are definitely a challenge. It is the same base stuff, but he has a couple of little wrinkles in there that are different, as well.”
On how Smith impacts the Ravens defense:
“They have two linebackers who can run, that can cover and that can blitz. (Ravens ILB) Patrick Queen and Roquan are both really good players. To have them both there, they can kind of pick and choose who is going to blitz. You can’t really key one guy.”
On how the Browns running game can get back on track:
“For us, it has been back to the fundamentals this week, really focusing on your assignment each time and having that mindset where your guy is not going to make a play. We understand it is football, but just getting back to that mindset and you watch the tape, everybody had a play or two where it is just like, ‘Man, we make that one block and it is a gainer.’ We do one thing differently and you have a big play. That is football, though. That is football, and that is how it pretty much is every week. On the O line especially, we have been back to the fundamentals and just really focusing on each play and winning your 1/11th.”
On how the Browns offense and blocking schemes change when running more plays out of pistol and shotgun formations compared to under center:
“There are differences for sure. When you get to the wide-zone stuff, it doesn’t hit quite as fast because you usually are next to the guy if you are in the shotgun. There are different aspects to it that we have been working on. We understood this was going to happen in how we play. We are really working on it. There are definitely small aspects that are different in pistol, shotgun and under center.”
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