QB Baker Mayfield (12.2.20)
QB Baker Mayfield:
On playing turnover free football during the past five games and if it is a result of making better decisions and not taking unnecessary risks:
“I think it is feeling the flow of the game. Knowing when we need to be aggressive. Putting us in the best position to win. That is taking care of the ball, and that is what I have been harping on. We need to continue to do that.”
On the physicality of the Titans:
“They are [physical]. I saw it firsthand last year. Obviously, new personnel or some turnover, but they are a physical team. That is what they are about offense and defense, but that is also what we are about. I think it is going to be a physical game, and we are looking forward to it.”
On how much he is looking forward to seeing the matchup between RB Nick Chubb and Titans RB Derrick Henry:
“You forgot to mention (RB) Kareem (Hunt). I am looking forward to it.”
On if he feels like it will almost be like two versus one because the Browns have Chubb and Hunt while the Tiatns have Henry:
“I know everybody is going to want to say it is all about these running backs – the three of them, they are extremely special; do not get me wrong – but this is a great game and great teams. It is going to be all three phases against each other. We are going to have to play complementary football and play as a team to win this game. It is going to be a physical one. We said our identity on offense starts in the run game, and we know that so that is what we are worried about.”
On if any of the disappointment from Chubb barely losing the rushing title to Henry last year still lingers with the team:
“I think it bothers everybody else besides Nick Chubb, just to be quite honest.”
On if this game gives the Browns a chance to show how the team has improved since facing the Steelers in Week 6:
“You look forward to any Sunday, no matter who you are playing. Obviously, the better teams, you get to kind of evaluate yourself and where you are. We are looking forward to a great matchup just because it is the next one.”
On the Browns turning around the team’s culture and what it means to be playing in a meaningful game in December against another 8-3 team:
“This is the stretch of the season where every game counts and every play counts. You have to make these moments count. These are the things that we have been trying to build up to, and we are here now. We are in the middle of it so let’s seize the moment.”
On what it means to be playing meaningful football and being in the playoff hunt in December:
“We are worried about right here now. We have a big picture mindset – there is no doubt about that, and I would lying to you if I said otherwise – but we have a very singular-game focus week to week. Like I said, we have a great matchup against the Titans, and this game is an AFC matchup that obviously means a lot. We know that.”
On what has allowed the Browns to be so consistent week to week:
“Everything that we set as our goals, it is very obvious. We are vocal about it so everybody is on the same page. I think it starts with the foundation laid in the offseason. We set our goals, and we are going to stick to those week to week because it does not matter who you are playing, you have to show up every Sunday trying your best.”
On why he felt the needs to say ‘I know I can be better’ after last week’s game and if he puts more pressure on himself to pick up his game at this point in the season:
“No, I am not going to add any more pressure on myself, but I am very critical of my play. I pride myself on being an accurate passer, and I did not do that. I am going to beat myself up about that because I know I can be better, and it pisses me off I do not do the things I need to.”
On if he motivates himself when rethinking his missed passes, even after a win:
“Yes and no. You are always going to go back at the end of the game and have a couple plays that you want back. I just had a few more than I wanted to, especially they were scoring plays. That game was closer than I wanted it to be because of some of the mistakes that I made so that is why I was hard on myself.”
On if he thinks more about his missed passes than the fact that he has not thrown an interception in four games:
“I am trying to get better each week. That is taking care of the ball and that is completing these passes that should be made my sleep.”
On what had led to the Browns’ success in the four-minute offense:
“We have obviously great players, but the schemes we are running late the game, it is very obvious that we are going to run the ball so we have to come up with unique ways and format stuff to do certain things. The guys up front, including the O line and the tight ends, everybody has a hand in it. Just being able to accomplish it when everybody knows in the stadium that we are running the ball, that is an ego thing and that is a pride thing of just beating the guy in front of you, doing your job and making those plays when it counts. That is what we have been able to do the past few weeks, and we need to continue to do that.”
On WR KhaDarel Hodge:
“He is the ultimate team guy. You look back at when he started in LA with the Rams, he was a [special] teamer and a very good one at that. He is never going to complain about not getting the ball. He is going to do his job, he is going to do the dirty work and he is going to get up and do it again. He is a team guy through and through. He is an incredible athlete, but he is all about his business. He is like Nick Chubb in the way that he leads. He is more just lead by example instead of talking about it. He is a great guy to have on this team because offensively, he carries that mindset in that he is just going to do his job no matter what, and then on [special] teams, he goes and makes a ton of plays for us.”
On how far the Browns organization has come since the season opener against the Titans last year:
“It is night and day. Obviously, staff and personnel on the team, but like we talked about, it starts with culture. A lot of that was the moves in the offseason to create this culture change. We are going to continue to build on it. We are not satisfied whatsoever.”
On if he noticed anything on his missed throws last week:
“A couple. I would say the bootleg to the right to (WR) Jarvis (Landry), just following through on the throws and not drifting towards the sideline. The throw to the left, just getting on top of ball and getting my hips around. The one to Higgy (WR Rashard Higgins), instead of reading it low to high, I went high to low so I was late instead of being on time with it so my feet were a little out of whack and tried to rush it. They are just things that are extremely fixable, but they should not have to be fixed.”
On if he believes he has not yet played his best football this season, given his comment that the team has yet to play its best, and why that is possible to finish the season:
“It starts with me just kind of looking at my game that I can definitely always improve. We have not played a complete game as a team, complementary through and through, but we are improving as the weeks go on and we are improving at the right time. I am going to be hard on myself because these moments here down the stretch are the ones that you have to make every play count, especially in a game like this where it is going to be two strong rushing attacks that you do not know how many series you are going to get. We have to make these counts. We need to keep improving. Sunday is going to be a great matchup.”
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