S Juan Thornhill (9.25.23)
I know you had huge expectations for this defense. Is how it’s playing out what you envisioned?
“Oh yeah, definitely. You know, I’ve been talking about it since I first got here. Like I see the pieces each and every day. Just seeing the talent that we have and it’s finally coming together and the world is starting to see it. Guys are making a lot of plays and everyone is starting to recognize what we’re really capable of.”
You guys have been on the field for so few plays every week. Just how different is that? How different does it feel? Does your body feel better the next day? And how important is that to the overall success, getting the ball back to your offense as quickly as you guys do?
“I mean, it’s great. Honestly, when you’re not playing a lot of snaps, that means you’re getting three and outs, making them punt the football. And it definitely helps your body. Like you’re playing, let’s say, 50 plays a game and you’re not having to make as many tackles. So, you’re fresher going into the next week. But also, when you can play less plays, that means the offense has more opportunities to make plays and allows us to get more points up on the board.”
I know you guys have not even probably really gotten into the Baltimore preparation, but you’ve seen Lamar (Jackson) a number of times before in your career. What’s the challenge that you, especially in the back end of the defense, have to worry about when you’re facing a guy like that and off of that, you guys play with this aggression you talk about? How much is there a balance between playing aggressive and playing smart where a guy like Lamar can kind of capitalize on if you’re too aggressive?
“I mean, if you got a quarterback that can throw the ball and run, it’s always going to make it a lot more difficult on the defense. Most teams, when they have a quarterback like that, they tend to slow down a little bit. But our goal is to not slow down, just to keep playing as fast as we’ve been playing. But for the secondary, that might just add one thing to us that we have to look for is that QB run game. So we’re excited for the challenge and I think we’ll be ready for it.”
Coach (Kevin Stefanski) was telling us that he delivered a game ball to Nick Chubb. So just wondering from you how cool was it for you guys to go out and win that first game without Nick Chubb, that first full game without Nick and then how cool was it for you guys to be able to or for Coach to be able to give him the game ball and show appreciation like that?
“Like a lot of people – we were really bummed about losing Nick and you know, the natural thing to do is to panic a little bit. Nick, he’s a big part of this team. Like our offense, they relied on him big time. And not having him, it’s just like, you have some questions sometimes. But it was great being able to get out there and get a win for Nick. We’re still praying for him. Hopefully, he recovers well. But it was pretty cool that coach actually kept Nick in his thoughts and gave him that game ball.”
Now that you’ve gotten a chance to see Myles Garrett, you know, a front row seat to what Myles is all about, what are your thoughts on just what he’s all about?
“I mean, everyone knows about him, like when I was in Kansas City, I knew a little bit about him. I didn’t watch him too much, but every single time I turn on a clip, he’s on there in some kind of way making a play. But now that I’m playing next to him, just like, being able to watch him work each and every day is incredible. He’s so much better than what I thought, and that’s crazy to say. Teams are trying to scheme to block him. If you got two and three guys trying to block one guy and he’s still beating, I don’t really know what you can do to stop a guy like him. But I just hope that Myles just keeps it going. Hopefully, he can get four sacks next time instead of three and a half.”
I mean, you guys in the secondary have had you know your share of injuries already. You had to miss the first game. Greg (Newsome II) has obviously been out, but it just seems like the guys coming in that you’re not really skipping a beat. What’s allowed you guys to still have success even with key players battling injuries here early?
“With me, I feel like everyone’s a starter. You might not be the one that is starting the game, but everyone’s literally one or two plays away. If you’re dressed out, one guy can go down. You have to be able to step in and make a play that first guy will make. But I think that coach (Jim) Schwartz, he just helps us out with that big time. He pushes each and every day, and he holds everyone accountable the same exact way. Even if you’re a third corner or a third safety, he expects you to get in there and know what you’re doing and do it to a high level.”
And what do you think? You’re one of the new guys, obviously, on this defense, and there’s a handful of you. What’s allowed you guys to gel really well as a defense and I mean, it just seems like everyone’s bought into Jim Schwartz’s philosophies here. What’s allowed that?
“It’s hard not to buy in. Like, if you’re a part of a defense that’s not really successful, not making any plays, you start questioning some things. But with this defense that we’re in, obviously it’s showing that guys are making a lot of plays, so it’s easy to buy in. You just got to keep playing each and every week for the guy next to you.”
What has made you guys so successful on third downs? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a defense allow opponents and convert less than 20% on third down.
“It’s simple, honestly. We meet as a unit – discussing third downs, finding ways we can get off the field, because that’s the money down. That’s what we talk about each and every week, and we hold ourselves to a high standard. Like, each and every day we talk about not giving up a catch like on third down or giving up a first down or something like that. So literally, just holding ourselves accountable, working hard at it at practice. That’s pretty much all it is.”
And one of the key moments in yesterday’s game really seemed to be after the turnover, that first red zone series that you guys had to defend, and then you pushed them back nine yards and forced a field goal. Just take me if you could, just that sequence. How important was that, and what did that tell you about you guys as a defense there when you’re put in such a tough spot like that?
“We always want points from our offense, but you never know it’s football. You could turn the football over, but we really don’t care about what the offense does. Honestly, you just got to attack it. I don’t care if the ball is at the 1-yard line. You got to go out there just trying to eliminate points any way possible. So that’s what we did. We just went out there and attacked it, and the ball somehow they lost nine yards. You know, just playing hard and getting the backfield.”
There are quite a few new guys on this defense. You, Dalvin (Tomlinson), a bunch of others. Are you surprised at all that you guys have come together so quickly?
“Oh, not at all. We’ve been here multiple hours together. OTAs it was a little slow when we first came together just because we have to learn the defense, get to know your teammates. But I feel like we’ve been doing a really good job, like hanging outside the facility. That’s what’s allowing us to play so much better, because we know our teammates. It just makes you want to play better for the guy next to you when he’s basically your brother and not just a teammate.”
You guys have said you bought into Jim Schwartz and the scheme and what he wants you guys to do. But about your specific skill sets, is there something that stands out to you as this is what complements each other so well on each level of defense, it seems like there are a lot of things working well from the defensive line to the linebackers, corners and safeties. What stands out to you about that?
“With some coaches, they basically just have their scheme and then they just stick to what they do. But with Coach Schwartz, what I’ve learned is that he calls plays basically in our favor. For example, if I’m a really good cover guy, he’s going to put me in situations where I’m going to cover. Like if you look at Grant (Delpit), he’s really good at working in the box, so he’s going to find a way to put Grant down in the box. He’s putting us in the right positions to make plays.”
Everyone’s talking about the end of the half play that Myles (Garrett) made, obviously with the sack and then sending the Titans away with no points. But the play before that was you out in the flat making that tackle. How big was that making that first big play as a Cleveland Brown in Cleveland Brown Stadium, how’d that feel for you?
“I mean, it was nice. Honestly, I didn’t really think too much about it. I was just trying to do my job and the ball just came my way and I made a tackle and I just heard the crowd go crazy. So I just had to celebrate with it and bring a little bit of swag. But it definitely did feel good to finally make a play and the fans be able to cheer for you. That’s pretty much all I can say about that.”
Of all the good stats that the defense put together, do you have a favorite? What is it?
“My favorite is obviously points. Not giving the offense opportunity to step in the end zone is huge.”
And then when you see Myles (Garrett) go back and forth and the two tight ends follow him and then they got to burn that time out. What are you thinking when you’re watching that?
“I mean, the guy’s a freak. If you have to have two guys protect him, like said, like it’s hard to stop it. I mean his IQ is at another level because I never would have thought about doing something like that. And I thought it was something that was called in the defense, but I guess it wasn’t. He was just saying that they were just trying to double team and he just kept running back and forth just to play games. And I’m starting to see that’s something that Myles likes to do, because I think the last home game, he was doing the basketball crossover. So I think he’s just one of those guys. He likes to get in there and just have fun with it at the same time.”
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