Select Browns players (9.10.23)
S Grant Delpit
It looked like you got hurt at the end of the 3rd quarter and then came back out, so what was going on there?
“Double leg cramp. Nothing to play with. No, it was good though. I just came out, got a quick IV and then was back out there..”
Did you know all summer that the defense could look like this today?
“Of course. We know what we have, we just have to put it together. You can have it on paper, you can have the guys, but if it doesn’t work out, you don’t have that charisma. I think as a defense we gel well. We’re close in the locker room. We are just getting started.”
How does it feel to take it from on paper to putting it on grass?
“Set a high standard for ourselves and we are going to look to uphold that throughout the season.”
What did you think of the way the defensive line played and how you complemented them on the backend with the coverage?
“It’s like Kobe and Shaq (laughter). They did a great job up front. We didn’t come away with any takeaways, but we were making it hard for them all game.”
What do you think about the way you guys made life difficult for (Joe) Burrow today?
“Me and Joe (Burrow) are cool. I told him congrats on the big contract, but it’s war when we step on the field. He knows that. It’s all competition. We have a great d-line that has a lot to do with it– the pressure we were making, tight coverage, it works hand in hand.”
K Dustin Hopkins
Do you feel like a hero with how you played in this weather?
“There are worse days, I’ve played in them. Setting the standard as far as what the weather should be is really rough. A day like today, I was almost pleasantly surprised. I’ve commented on it probably too much already, but weather’s a factor in Cleveland and a number of other places, and especially in this division. It’s like every week you go out there and try to hit your best ball. That’s all you can do and that’s all you can ask of yourself. It does feel good to make them, but at the same time, I’m a big believer in you’re never as good as someone says you are and you’re never as bad as someone says you are. After a good week, fans are typically high on somebody, and after a bad one, they aren’t so high on somebody anymore. Not just me, any position. I just try to stay here.”
Do kickers generally overthink in weather like this?
“Today, luckily when you feel like you’re hitting a good ball, you don’t try to have to manufacture too much. Once again, I got such great looks at the ball today. Charley (Hughlett) and Cory (Bojorquez) gave me awesome operations. The line protected so well. It makes my job a lot easier. Honestly, I think it was a lot harder for them on a wet day to snap a wet ball, to catch a wet ball, put laces where they need to be on a wet ball. I think today was more of a testament to them and how good they’ve gotten in this kind of weather.”
Does it feel good to step up and help with a win in Week 1?
“Sure, it feels great. Any time you’re new to a team, I think it helps to get to know guys to perform well at least to start. Then hopefully guys get behind you that way. There’s no question that feels good, but at the same time, like I mentioned, not too high, not too low, regardless of results. I try to stay process-oriented and just trust that if I put myself in a position to be successful and I’m constantly working to be the best version of myself on and off the field, the results are going to come.”
T Dawand Jones
What was the whole experience, how prepared did you feel going out there?
“I felt prepared, honestly really the vets make sure I know everything. When I’m leaving the meeting room, our coaches as well as Jon Decoster. When I have downtime, going over plays making sure I have everything down to the tee.”
What has been like for you to come into Cleveland and make a statement and you see yourself getting all these snaps your first game?
“Honestly, it’s a blessing. The only thing I can do is thank the man above. I wouldn’t be here without him. He put me in this position, when he puts you in this position you have to go take advantage of it, honestly.”
Blocking for Deshaun, the number of times he was able to extend plays, getting to do it in a game, what was that like?
“It was really good. I played for a couple quarterbacks like that. It actually kind of helped me out in the end, having that experience before, it helped me out in the present.”
How much do you think college prepared for what you saw out there today?
“I say some of the moves I’ve seen from Sam (Hubbard) , I’ve seen those from Larry Johnson, that’s our D-line coach down there, So I kind of had a little bit of an advantage, I felt like down there.”
WR Elijah Moore
What was it like getting your number called, knowing you had to step up and do your job?
“I was super ready. Back field, receiver, whatever I got to do, you know I’m definitely grateful and going to move my best foot forward to get the job done.
Not typical weather conditions, so what did you learn about your offense today in that situation?
“That it doesn’t matter and we can adapt. That was something I knew going into the game already. We practice out there and we are very fundamentally sound despite the weather. In Cleveland, it’s not always the best weather so I think those challenges actually help us for the game.”
Take us through that reverse run that you did, what were you thinking and what was going through your mind at the time?
“I was thinking just get as much out as I can and I saw the cut back and I had to get jiggy that’s all, and they blocked it out perfectly.”
What kind of statement do you guys feel like you made today to the rest of the league?
“We’re day-by-day. We ain’t out here to prove no statements to no one, we are just proving statements to ourselves. I don’t think we focus on how we make other people feel.”
At halftime you guys were only up 10-0, did you feel like it could have been more?
“Of course, you know football is not perfect, nothing is perfect. You have to adapt, that was the main thing. I know their team (Bengals) throws a whole bunch, they had to adapt too. So, The games are going to go based on where and how we’re playing.”
DE Ogbo Okoronkwo
How does it feel to implement the defensive plan (Defensive) Coordinator Jim Schwartz had?
“Honestly, it felt good. We just want to get back to practice and just keep stacking, get even better because we feel like we haven’t scratched the surface.”
How did you feel that energy shifting as the game went on?
“I mean, we were just having fun, you know, from beginning to the end. We never really thought about what they were doing over there. It’s about us, we were just doing this.”
When you hear stats like QB Joe Burrow was two of 15 on third downs, what do you think?
“Of course I’m proud, but we don’t really focus on the stats. We just try to play as hard as we can, play for each other, play for coach, and we like the results. So we’re just going to keep doing that, not really too into stats.”
How big of a statement was week 1?
“I guess it was a pretty big statement if you’re looking for something like that, but we’re just trying to stack the wins. Just one week at a time, go one and oh each week.”
It seems like you guys have had the Cincinnati Bengals number the last 10 years, what do you think?
“Yesterday is gone, we’re just trying to be where our feet are. We’re happy with what we did. We got next week, and when we play the Bengals again, we will worry about it then, but we’re not too worried about it.”
We have been hearing about you guys throwing five defensive lineman out there at one time. To be able to go out there and actually do that against another team, how fun was that?
“It was fun to see just the offensive linemen confused and not knowing who was going where. It worked out exactly how Coach (Jim) Schwartz said. We listen to Coach Schwartz and in Coach Schwartz we trust.”
DE Za’Darius Smith
Did you know all summer that this is what it was going to look like right away?
“We’re just trying to build chemistry. I think it started when we were in West Virginia. We got a chance to get everything out of the way and basically be around each other for seven days. I felt like that’s what really started the chemistry on this football team.”
You just hit Joe Burrow over and over and over. What does that do for the defense?
“I feel like it sets the tone. Being able to hit him I feel like is sometimes more important than sacks. Sometimes, you can get one sack in a game, but hit the quarterback five times. But we got guys – we’ve got speed guys, we’ve got big guys, all types of guys on our d-line up front, so we’re able to do a great job up front.”
Ogbo said with all of the moving you were doing, he could get a sense the Bengals getting confused.
“I think it affects the offensive line being able to set protections because they can’t figure us out. I can play inside, Ogbo can play inside, MG (Myles Garrett) can play outside and end. Being able to do things like that really helps our defense.”
DT Dalvin Tomlinson
What was the thought process and mentality from Coach Jim Schwartz telling you to go out there and represent?
“Go out there, play hard and play until the whistle blows. The energy was just feeding off of each other and everyone was getting hyped and everyone was super happy for each other making plays and it just kept going play after play.”
They were two of fifteen on third down, when you hear that stat what did you think?
“You don’t hear a stat like that often. Just keep building the chemistry up front and keep improving on top of it.”
I think it was career lows for Joe (Burrow) and how was it to keep him under pressure all game?
“The front seven and our DB’s coming off the edges and stuff. Guys want to go out there and have fun just the energy like I said. The energy helped us out a lot. Go out there hitting people and making plays.”
Is this what you thought it would look like?
“This is what we all think it would look like.”
Is this the type of performance you think can send a message that this defense is real and watch out for us?
“Take it today, go break down the film tomorrow. We are always looking for improvements. Just focus on keep growing and keep trying to have more performances like today.”
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