Head Coach Kevin Stefanski (10.14.22)
Opening statement:
“A good Friday practice out there. Guys are working hard and preparing hard, spending extra time in the meeting room, walkthrough and practice. Have another day tomorrow to put some finishing touches on the gameplan and really let it crystalize so we can go out there and play fast. A great challenge, as we all know. A tough team coming into our house. Really well coached. A very, very balanced team. Offense, defense and special teams, just a really good challenge for us. Like I mentioned before, you have to be about your business versus this team. Looking forward to the challenge.”
On DE Jadeveon Clowney sharing feeling close to being able to return and being ruled out today for Sunday’s game:
“He is not going to make it this week.”
On an additional civil lawsuit being filed in Texas against QB Deshaun Watson:
“I don’t have much to comment. I know the league put out a statement, but I have not comment.”
On Clowney’s status and if additional injuries were sustained in last week’s game:
“I don’t know that I want to get into specifics with injuries. Just felt like he couldn’t make it this week.”
On the impact of Clowney not being able to play this week:
“As you know, you want all of your guys to make it to the game. This is the league. Guys are injured. It happens to every team. You lose a guy sometimes in pregame. Sometimes you lose them during practices. You just have to move on.”
On if Clowney’s unavailability this week is due to playing more than initially planned last week:
“No.”
On if T Joe Haeg sustained a concussion and is in the concussion protocol:
“Yes.”
On Haeg sustaining two concussions in recent weeks and if both occurred during practice:
“Yes.”
On how Haeg is doing after sustaining two concussions in recent weeks:
“Obviously, anytime you are talking about those type of things, you take them very seriously, and we will follow every protocol in this case.”
On preparing to face talented coaches every week in the NFL but if there is a different element to it when playing against Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick:
“Obviously, I have a ton of respect for Coach Belichick and their entire staff. I think they have a really good coaching staff. Across the board, they play disciplined, sound schemes, they have good technique and those type of things. It definitely shows up on tape.”
On confidence in the Browns’ depth at CB with CB Denzel Ward ruled out this week:
“As you know, all of your corners are going to play throughout the season. Young guys are continuing to get better. (CB) Greedy (Williams) makes it back for this game. We will see obviously what he can give us. Throughout the season, you are going to use all of those guys so it is really all hands on deck.”
On if LB Deion Jones will be ready to play in this week’s game:
“He is working hard. We will see about the game, but I know this, he is working very hard in the meeting room and working very hard on the field. We will see how it goes over the next 48 hours.”
On how quickly Jones can pick up the Browns defense:
“He is a vet. He has played a lot of football. He has played a lot of football in a similar scheme, too, down there in Atlanta with (former Falcons Head Coach and Cowboys defensive coordinator) Dan Quinn and (former Falcons coach and NY Jets defensive coordinator) Jeff Ulbrich. There are a lot of similarities schematically and certain things we called that they called it. (Linebackers) Coach (Jason) Tarver knows all of the language from that previous system, as well, so he can translate for him. He is a vet. He is a pro. He is getting it.”
On if the Browns have any indication if Patriots QB Mac Jones or Patriots QB Bailey Zappe will start on Sunday:
“I don’t. Do you (laughter)?”
On Jones being limited in practice this week and the Patriots starting QB potentially being a game-time decision:
“Again, we have to prepare for both guys. There is two-seasons plus of tape on Mac Jones. Bailey Zappe, we have watched a lot of his college tape and obviously watched the games that he has played this season. Two good players. They are different in their own right, but two really good players. Zappe, I have been really impressed. He has run their offense really well, making plays outside of the pocket, getting the ball out of his hands and all of those type of things. Either guy, they are both talented so we have to be about our business.”
On the Browns defense struggling against the Patriots last season and then performing at a high level for the remainder of the year and if that provides confidence the unit can correct mistakes and perform better moving forward:
“More than anything, as a team, we have to put it all together. You have to play good offense, good defense and good special teams. You have to coach well. You have to do all of the simple, little things like we have talked about this week because all of those little things add up to the big things. For me, I just think as a team we have to play well.”
On how CB Martin Emerson Jr. has played so far this season, given Emerson may have a larger role in the defense this week:
“With him, I go back to the spring, I really do. He impressed us right away in understanding of techniques. Obviously, a physically gifted kid. Played well in the preseason. Carried it over into games. He is a rookie. He is going to continue to get better. He is going to have some things that he is seeing for the first time. That is no surprise when you are dealing with rookies. I like how he is wired. I think he understands how we want to play and those type of things.”
On defensive coordinator Joe Woods comment about not paying attention to external criticism and how Woods has worked to make corrections on defense:
“Our entire defensive staff wants to be problem solvers, whatever it is – in game or out of game. We know that there are things that we absolutely want to shore up, and that is what we do. We get in the meeting rooms, you start watching the tape, you start talking, you get on the whiteboard and you figure out how to fix what the ill is for that particular moment. That is how we operate as coaches. That is kind of our mentality.”
On the Patriots OL and how they may look to minimize DE Myles Garrett’s impact on the game, particularly with Clowney out this week:
“They are good up front. They are physical. They will obviously have a plan for Myles. As teams do, they will try to get a beat on where he is, get the ball out of the quarterback’s hands and those type of things. In this case, you are looking for some guys to step up. Guys are going to get increased reps, but they have gotten increased reps. We have seen those guys in there. Just have to be the best versions of themselves; they don’t have to be anybody else.”
On how K Cade York has responded this week after two missed FGs in last week’s game:
“He has done a great job. Kicked it well out there today. A ton of confidence in the kid. He has a ton of confidence in himself.”
On how his and special team’s coordinator Mike Priefer’s experience with former Vikings and Raiders K Daniel Carlson may benefit York and the team:
“I think it is not just that situation. Rookie kickers, it is hard to just show up and make everything every single time. That is not realistic. We understand that. Cade is no different than any one of our rookies. We anticipate those guys to get better. They are not finished products. That is how I look at it.”
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