C JC Tretter and LB Joe Schobert (9.30.19)
Below are full transcripts of today’s conference calls with the following Browns players:
- LB Joe Schobert
- C JC Tretter
LB Joe Schobert:
On when the Browns get a sense that they could be so dominant yesterday:
“I think we put together a good week of practice. We had a good gameplan. Everybody was confident in their job so we knew we were going to have a good chance of playing well.”
On where the Browns stand at the quarter mark of the season relative to where it should be:
“Obviously, we were a little bit inconsistent the first couple of games, but we were able to pull ourselves and put ourselves right where we want to be – on top of our division with a division win. If we just keep building on that and become more consistent the rest of the season, we should be right where we want to be. I think just keep rebuilding proves that we belong where we are. If we can keep putting together wins, we are going to be a playoff team at the end of the year. We have known the whole time that we have all the talent. We just have to get it meshed together and play a complete game. I think yesterday proved against another good team that we are able to do that and no telling how far we can go this season.”
On Head Coach Freddie Kitchens’ message that the Browns would not ‘push the panic button’ and it was early in the season:
“That is kind of just the overall vibe the whole building has. The really good playoff teams – like the Patriots year in and year out – they do not go undefeated in September and October very much, but when November and December goes around, you do not see teams that go to playoffs lose very many games. Obviously, the start of the season with injuries preseason, training camp and we take time to mesh in the real live action games, I think we get everybody on the same page and put together a that week in and week out is going out there and performing at the best of our ability, and we should win a lot of games. We have the talent, and we have the guys with the mindset. There should be no reason that should not happen.”
On the depth on this year’s team compared to past years:
“I just think there is a lot more. There is a lot of depth and there is a lot more veteran depth at every position both sides of the ball and special teams. Guys that have been in the league for a long time. Ever since I have been here, it has been an extremely young team with a lot of first or second year guys playing. I was one of them. Keep rocking, keep rolling until the backups become veteran guys. It is definitely different. There is just a lot more veteran depth of guys that have been around the league.”
On if the Browns learned about the character of the team yesterday following the loss to the Rams and public criticism of Kitchens and QB Baker Mayfield:
“Yeah, I think it is the same. If someone is going to doubt Baker or somebody is going to doubt Freddie, they are going to stand up and say, ‘F you. You guys do not know the work that we put in. You do not know what we got through. You do not know how we play football.’ That is just kind of the whole vibe with the team. The whole media seemed to count us out after last week’s loss. We started the season 1-2. Freddie’s main message is that you can’t read any of the things. Everybody outside of this building, they do not know what we go through, and they do not matter. It is about the guys in the building, the bond between positions, between units and the whole team and all that. That is all that matters. If we can rock with that and roll with that and play how we should, we will be alright.”
On if he is more comfortable at this part of his career, including due to playing with more veterans:
“Every year, I feel like I just keep taking steps to be a better football player. I still feel there are a lot of things to improve upon and get better at. Being out there with a lot of veterans guys on the defense definitely just makes it an experience and makes it a little more comfortable just being out there with guys that have played. You can talk about things that you have seen stuff in the past and they can relate to, and they have seen stuff that you can relate to. It makes it a lot easier when you are playing with guys who have had that experience in the NFL and who have played against specific players, specific teams before. I think that definitely helps, and like I said, keep taking steps forward in my own game.”
On if it has ‘been a scramble’ for him being the QB of the defense and having new personnel in the Browns secondary following injuries:
“No, not really. Communication is the biggest key, and everybody has been communicating. Everybody has been knowing their jobs and doing it to the best of their ability. I really have not noticed too much of a change. That is throughout training camp and OTAs. You are on the field with all those guys at different points so it really has not changed too much in my opinion.”
On posting a career-high 17 tackles on Sunday and his consistent goal to be involved in games:
“It felt very involved (laughter). There are some games where I think I had 13 a couple of games ago, where I thought, ‘Man, I had a lot of tackles.’ At the end of this game, it did not really register. I did not think anything like during the game too much was going on. The Ravens are obviously a huge running team. There is a lot of availability for tackles in between the boxes if you are doing your job and if you can run down a few more extra plays. I think that obviously makes a difference. Body is a little sore today but feeling pretty good about it.”
On if soreness is not felt as much after a game when doing more:
“It is pretty accurate. I feel pretty good this morning. Went in and worked out at the facility. Nothing is really bothering me. Felt pretty good.”
On S Jermaine Whitehead’s performance:
“I think we have been seeing this with White through the whole offseason program, and he is just continuing it through training camp and the season. He is a very good football player who has been in the NFL. He has been around. He knows what he is doing. Honestly, he is one of the biggest keys with the communication between me and the secondary in the last couple of weeks. He is out there talking. He is getting everybody on the same page in the backend, communicating with me to make sure that things are going right. Obviously, you saw him make a bunch of big plays this last game and that is just what he has been doing. Sometimes turnovers come in bunches. You do the right things all the time, you do not get any, and then all of a sudden, boom, it all happens to pop up at once. I think he took advantage of all the opportunities he had yesterday. He was able to them pay. He is playing great this year.”
On if he sensed a turning point in the game yesterday:
“I think it was a couple and not just the defense. When the Ravens were driving and we were able to force a fumble on (Ravens RB) Mark Ingram (II) and get that back as they were setting themselves up in scoring position, and we were able to take the wind out of their sails a little bit. We were able to get the ball back to our offense and get some points out of it. I think when (RB) (Nick) Chubb has his 88-yard touchdown run, it really took the sails out of the whole stadium. You turn and see people turning and leaving, getting ready to go home. Those two moments of the game were the two biggest momentum swings where you really felt like, ‘Yeah, we have it now.’”
On the Cleveland Fire Department greeting the team when returning to Cleveland:
“It was cool. We were on the runway taxiing back to where we get dropped off and get to pick our cars up. The fire truck was out there spraying water all over the plane. It was a pretty unique experience. I have not experienced that since I have been here. It was just cool to see the City of Cleveland and the guys who work in the fire department behind us, supporting us and how excited everybody is to get a win like that.”
C JC Tretter:
On if the Browns’ performance against the Ravens eases tension and allows the team to be more relaxed moving forward, understanding the team is always under pressure to perform:
“No, I do not think so. Every game is different, and obviously, yesterday was probably the best game we have played as a team – all of the units doing what they needed to do to get us a win. I do not think we were feeling any pressure. Obviously, you do not want to be 1-2 where we were standing at that time, but the season is so long and there is so much time still to go in the year. We were not nearly at the point where we were worried, anxious or had any of those feelings. We just knew we had to go out and play better, and I think we went out and did that.”
On what the Browns learned about themselves during yesterday’s win:
“I am not sure we learned anything about ourselves, but I think we just kind of showed what we knew about ourselves already. I think we knew that was the type of game we were going to be capable of and that was kind of the first full-game taste on offense of what we thought we may always have been able to do. We have seen it in spurts for the first three games, but that was kind of a full showing of what we feel we were able to do when we put it all together. I do not think we learned anything new about ourselves. I just think we reaffirmed what we knew inside this building we had all along.”
On being successful in the run game against a solid Ravens run defense:
“I think we did some good things schematically, showing them some different looks with guys in motion moving and kind of moving our offense around. Then we just blocked them up well. (RB Nick) Chubb does what Chubb does, and that is when he finds a crease, he takes it the distance. I think we just put together a really good run gameplan and then we just did our jobs really well.”
On the Browns’ run blocking and pass blocking:
“I think we did both of them pretty well yesterday. Obviously, we had some early troubles in both, but I think we can do a good job in both categories. A game like yesterday kind of reminds me of a game like the Falcons game where we kept (QB) Baker (Mayfield) clean last year and then we ran the ball really well. That is kind of what we go into a game hoping we can do. It is about executing in both facets, both pass blocking and run blocking.”
On playing with Chubb and his development:
“He is a very patient runner, but he is a homerun hitter. We go into the week knowing if we block up our runs, he is going to find the hole and take it the distance. It is great having him back there. He is also very smart in pass protection and very smart in the scheme that we are trying to put out there in the run game. He has grown a lot in the last year. He is a true pro. He works hard and studies hard. He is a great player for us.”
On Chubb’s demeanor as an old-school player who would fit in well with the Browns OL:
“Yeah, he is quiet and keeps to himself but is always working. You love having those guys on your team.”
On Chubb’s 92-yard TD run against Falcons in 2018 and his 88-yard TD run vs. the Ravens on Sunday, and which play he appreciates more:
“I can’t pick between the two. Those are two great runs for us, two of the longest – one being the longest – in Browns history. They both hold special places. Obviously, yesterday feels great going out there after the Ravens had scored and gotten a little hope and scoring another touchdown and giving our defense another chance to make another play for us. Getting those long touchdown runs are just great feelings for the entire offense and the entire team.”
On the satisfaction blocking for a big run like Chubb’s 88-yard TD run against the Ravens:
“As offensive linemen, we just try to go out and do our job so we are not much into the appreciation business or the credit business. If our quarterback and our running backs are getting a lot of credit, then that is credit for ourselves. We take pride in our quarterback and our running back being successful. Chubb being able to outrun the defenders and go for a touchdown, that makes us feel great. We are not too worried about us getting credit or us having people notice us. Usually, offensive linemen go into a game hoping nobody notices what we do because that usually means we had a pretty good game.”
On if he assesses QB Baker Mayfield’s confidence and where he is mentally:
“I do not think with Baker you ever have to worry about him losing confidence, and no one in this building is going to lose confidence in Baker. Baker is a hell of a player. He showed it yesterday. I do not think we are worried about Baker’s confidence level, and no one in this building is losing confidence in him, as well. He has played extremely well for us. He is the leader of this football team and he is a great player.”
On if he saw the altercation between Ravens CB Marlon Humphrey and WR Odell Beckham Jr. and if one or both of the players should have been disqualified:
“I looked back and saw the guy on top of Odell. I did not see what was exactly going on. I just knew that Odell was on his back and the guy was on top of him so I ran over. Obviously, that is up to the officials to make the call on that. Sometimes tempers flare and stuff happens, but that is really up to the officials on the field and the league office to make determinations on that. Obviously, it is not something that should be in our game, but that is really up to them on what they want to do with it.”
On if Humphrey putting his hands on Beckham’s neck was way over the line:
“I would not say I condone choking so obviously I am not for it, but there is not really anything I can do about it or change anything. That is clearly what happened, and whatever the league wants to do about it, they will do about it.”
On the explanation he received for receiving a personal foul during the Humphrey-Beckham altercation:
“I did not really get an explanation. Obviously, whenever a scrum like that kind of happens, you almost expect one. It is almost like a ‘calm everyone down’ flag of just get everyone separated, throw a couple flags to get everyone to calm down and break up the scrum. There really was no explanation, but that is just what happened. I would not change anything I did. Seeing a teammate pinned down like that, I am not just going to stand there and let that go on. I went over and pulled the guy off Odell and then obviously the scrum happened. That is part of football where that 15-yard penalty is just kind of the ending of it.”
On T Chris Hubbard returning from injury and Hubbard’s performance yesterday:
“It is always great to have another veteran out there with you like Chris. He just comes to work, works hard, knows what he is doing and knows where he is supposed to be. Obviously, he got back, got ready to play and went out there and did his job. It was good to have him out there. He went out there and did everything we asked of him. It is always nice when you get older guys back in the lineup. It just kind of calms the whole group down.”
On Browns players dealing with the schedule changes playing Sunday night, Monday night and Sunday afternoon:
“I think we are so kind of routine oriented as players that you really just have to find what your routine is. Whether you play a Monday night game, a Sunday game or whatever it is, you just follow your routine. Same thing if you have a night game versus an early game. You know how long it takes you to get ready for the game. You know what that is like, and then you just try to stick to it. The times change and the days change, but you try to keep those same daily routines down. Now that we have seen a couple of those games, I think we all kind of have an understanding what as individuals we need going into a game to be prepared.”
On the Cleveland Fire Department greeting the team upon landing in Cleveland:
“That was really cool. We got the announcement over the loud speaker on the plane, and everybody had their phones out videoing it. Something I have never experienced. That was an awesome thing to see. It was really cool.”
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