Browns QB Baker Mayfield (10.27.19)
Q: How do you explain those three turnovers before you had a first down?
BM: Well, there was two fumbles, and then there was one interception, and they happened fumble, fumble, interception.
Q: You made it a point of emphasis to limit turnovers against the most opportunistic defense in the NFL. How do you explain that?
BM: They’re going to take advantage of stuff like that. That’s just what kind of team they are. I said it earlier in the week, they’re in the right place at the right time because they’re a sound defense, they play with each other and they capitalize on mistakes. So, all that being said, this isn’t Nick Chubb’s fault whatsoever. Yeah, he definitely is going to be very hard on himself. He knows what he has to do, but there’s so many other things that if we do it the right way, then we’re still in that game. And so, we’ve pointed out the problem, now it’s about executing it on Sundays.
Q: What happened on the shovel pass?
BM: [Lawrence] Guy made a good play. We’re not expecting him to be there, obviously. A little misdirection, just pitching it to Jarvis [Landry]. I’d like to say that I’d be able to hold onto it, but it’s a quick exchange that we’ve practiced and Guy made a good play.
Q: With all of the penalties every week, it seems like those things could be corrected?
BM: It’s just non-disciplined; guys not being focused on doing their job. It starts first-and-foremost with me, to be a leader every single down. Get our guys lined up, make sure that we’re set, we’re paying attention because if we can’t use cadence we’re hurting ourselves. Any time we try to use a double-count, it seems like we’re false starting a little bit, but we’ll get the discipline part fixed, the accountability. Like I said, we’ve pointed out the problem, now we have to execute it on Sundays. Once again, I feel like we had a great week of practice, we just didn’t translate it.
Q: Does it drive you crazy to be talking about this week after week?
BM: Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. Stuff that we’ve already pointed out the problem and haven’t fixed it? Yeah, it’s frustrating. Very frustrating. I hate to keep saying it again, but everything is in front of us. But, to get to where we want to go, we’ve got to take care of business one week at a time, and it starts tomorrow. It starts preparation for the Broncos.
Q: Defensively, did the Patriots throw anything at you that confused you, or did you understand the concepts they were trying to throw at you?
BM: No, I had my eyes in the right spot. I felt like we were prepared for their blitz package, and they got to where – we had shown that we protected it up and didn’t have a problem with it. So, they started showing it and then backing out of it. I feel like we did a good job of reacting and protecting up stuff that normally they capitalize on.
Q: What did it show for you guys to come back and hang in there after a rough first quarter?
BM: Yeah. Obviously, that last drive before the half – if we could score right there and then we got the ball coming out in the second half, that would have been huge, and we talked about it at halftime. We got the ball first if we came out, we’re down 10 points. Any points are good right there. It would have made it a one score game, we got a field goal. It’s just the consistency and a lack of discipline and accountability right now on Sunday seems to be the problem. So, whatever our guys have to do. Whatever we have to do overall to translate that into the game, no matter the environment, no matter where we’re at, no matter who we’re playing. We have to do our job, and it always comes back to that. I’ve said we can be a great team when we do our job, but we just haven’t translated it yet.
Q: Did you think that you would clean that stuff up during the bye week?
BM: Yeah. We came back and we had a great week of practice. I told you guys that on Wednesday, and we continued to have a great week of practice. So, disappointing.
Q: Why do you think the lack of discipline and accountability is still happening at this point in the season?
BM: I wish I could put my finger on one thing because I’d do everything I could to get it fixed. I just think everyone has to be singular focused on doing your job, not worrying about what’s going on on the outside. We have to be willing to sacrifice the ultimate price to get to what we talked about preseason, our ultimate goals. We have to be able to sacrifice stuff each and every day: time, focus. It’s going to be a long stretch, but our guys are capable of doing that, and so it’s my job to make sure we do that each and every day. Like I said earlier, it starts tomorrow.
Q: At 2-5, do you still feel like you can turn this around?
BM: Yeah. I still think we can turn it around. We have another AFC opponent in the Broncos. A road game and then five more division games after that, and there’s some good teams. We play the Bills as well, at home. So, there’s some good competition, some very important games, division games. But, we’re not going to get ahead of ourselves. I’m not going to lie to you guys and say that if we win all of our division games, we’re going to be fine. We have to take care of business against the Broncos, and it starts tomorrow.
Q: How important is it to make sure everyone sticks together and does what they’re supposed to do when things aren’t looking pretty?
BM: There’s no finger pointing going on, and that’s not the type of team we are. So, we just need to be harder on ourselves. The accountability thing is making sure everybody’s locked in each and every play. I can’t have eyes on everybody at every single time, neither can the coaches. It’s got to be within the position groups in making sure everybody’s in the right place at the right time.
Q: Do you feel like there’s something you need to do different to make sure your receivers and tight ends aren’t false starting?
BM: I’m going to continue to practice different cadence throughout the week until we grind that out, and then come Sunday, we’ll be completely focused each and every snap to do that one job. Nowhere else besides doing your job and knowing exactly what we have to do. That’s how you get it fixed.
Q: What about that locker room makes you feel like you can turn it around?
BM: We know exactly what’s wrong. It’s not something like we’re looking at, “Wow, why didn’t we win?” We know exactly why we didn’t win. We know the problem, and now it’s – like I said, continue to prepare like we have and then translate it on Sundays. We have to show up. All the talk, it doesn’t matter until you go out there and prove it on Sundays. And the week of practice is great, but unless it out there on Sundays, it still doesn’t matter.
Q: What is stopping it from translating on Sundays?
BM: Just shooting yourself in the foot. I don’t know. Like I said, I can’t put a finger on exactly what it is, but I said earlier in the week, we have to do, as individuals, our 1/11th. Whether it’s offense, defense, special teams, and that needs to be the focus for each of our guys starting tomorrow.
Q: It seems like the team will be more successful when you and Odell Beckham Jr. start connecting more. Do you still see that on the horizon?
BM: We connected on a few today, but yeah. Any time you have a guy like that, that can take over a game, yeah. It’s going to be better, but I felt like overall we had a good connection today.
Q: How did the hip hold up today?
BM: Good. I feel fine. I’m ready to get back at it tomorrow.
Q: Was the weather a problem on the turnovers?
BM: No. Well, I can’t say no. I’m not Nick Chubb; I can’t say for him. No, they’re just a savvy defense. The one on the long run, you can tell the guy chased him down and came with the club over the top. It’s just – it’s tough. When it’s wet outside you’ve got to be extra careful with the ball, but Nick knows that. I’m not going to say it’s all on the weather because it’s not. It’s about doing our job.
Q: Can you talk about how unfortunate it is for that to happen to a guy that has been the heart and soul of the offense this season?
BM: It’s tough because everybody in that locker room and on our staff knows exactly who Nick Chubb is, and nothing we can say to him right now or throughout the week will do anything to really push him off his motive. He’s going to go back to work; I know exactly who he is. That’s why we love having Nick Chubb. We’re not going to stray away from giving him the ball, that’s why we continued to give it to him, and we’ll continue to do so as well.
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