Run Game Coordinator Ben Bloom (10.14.22)
On how to make improvements in run defense:
“I always think you need to start with fundamentals, things alignment, assignment, techniques and how we are coaching it, and making sure those things are right from an individual level. It is a team game so then collectively that we are all executing together, on the same page and understanding how it all works together. From there, just keep on working together collectively players and coaches, build some momentum and have some success.”
On if the Browns rush defense was an issue before the second half of the Falcons game:
“With run defense, everyone has to be on same page, doing their job and executing. It is never just one thing. If one person is out of their gap or the execution is not right, yards can happen. Sometimes, a play gains 3 yards that could have gained 30 yards, but someone made a great play. The end of it is you try not to get overly concerned with the result all of the time but the process, what it looks like, and understand, ‘Hey, they lost 2 yards on this play because somebody made a great play, but shoot, if we didn’t make that tackle, are we in the right position everywhere else?’ Even the really successful plays you have to evaluate to make sure that everyone is on the right page so that you try to avoid some of the more explosive runs. Every play is its own play, and we are just looking to evaluate it one play at a time and address it in that matter.”
On LB Deion Jones’ progress learning the Browns defense:
“He has done a great job. I have heard a lot about him and watched him play all of the way back to LSU, the Senior Bowl and of course in the NFL. He has some familiarity with our system. It was great to see him come in, pick up on our terminology and understand our alignments, our techniques, coverage responsibilities and run game responsibilities. He is doing a really nice job in that area. It is great to have him.”
On if the Browns discussed the potential of acquiring LB Deion Jones before Sunday’s night trade:
“It was brought to our attention that he is a guy who we might be interested in.”
On if it is too simple to say that limited playing time and injuries among the starting Browns DL contributed to recent issues in run defense:
“It is a really good question. We respect (DE) Myles (Garrett) and (DE) Jadeveon’s (Clowney) ability and (DT) Taven (Bryan). They have done a great job. They are veterans. They are competitive. They bring a lot of juice to our defense. The backups and the guys who are playing behind them and rotating in, they are doing a nice job, too. They are getting better. We have a lot of confidence with the guys on the field whoever they are to come out and execute. Everyone has done a great job in practice in this week. I am really proud of how everybody has worked.”
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On memories of former Browns CB Joe Haden, who will be officially retiring as a Brown:
“Joe, he is awesome. It was my or second year here with (former Browns Head) Coach (Eric) Mangini when we drafted him. He came in and he was just tough, humble and competitive. We had some veteran corners so he was starting in nickel outside, but in base, he didn’t start. Our outside corner (former Browns CB) Sheldon Brown I think kicked in and played nickel. It was like here is a first-round draft pick, and he is not starting every situation. He was on the kickoff team. I remember we played a game at Miami that year, he was a rookie and he was running down on kickoff tackling everybody. He was a great special teams player and then obviously, we know what he became. Just a humble guy who loved football that, was physical, could cover and did anything he was asked to do. It was cool to see that from a guy, a high draft pick like that and willing to do that. It was not a surprise to me that he had a long, productive career.”
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