G Joel Bitonio and RB Nick Chubb (10.15.19)
Included below are select quotes from interviews with the following Browns players during today’s media availability:
- G Joel Bitonio
- RB Nick Chubb
G Joel Bitonio:
On the mental state of the team now:
“I think we are fine in a mental state. We are obviously disappointed that we have not started off as crisp as we wanted to. The issue is that we gave some games away that we had a chance to play better in. It is that simple. We just have to be more consistent. You go from week of not doing anything on the offense to the next week of playing pretty well on offense besides turnovers, which are the deciding factor in a lot of games. You just have to find that consistency and be the same team week to week, and hopefully, it is a good team.”
On how does the team get to playing like a team rather than a group, referencing Head Coach Freddie Kitchens’ comments:
“I think it is accountability. I think it is having pride in your work. If you are accountable to yourself and your teammates when you go out there and you know exactly what you are doing on every play and you give your best each and every play, usually good things are going to happen, you now. There have just been a play here and there where someone has not been accountable, we have made a mistake and it has not been good. It just seems like it is all on one play. We have a play here, a play there, a play there and it is four or five plays and your are like, ‘Well, there are three interceptions, a blocked punt and we lose the game by four points.’ You score 28, you have 400 yards of offense, run the ball pretty well and we passed the ball pretty well, but you can’t find a way to win, which is tough. It is just coming together and doing all the little things right. You have to have pride in the way you prepare each week through the play. A focus that I am not going to be the one who lets the team down. As everybody takes that step and keeps growing as a group and does not want to let the guy next to him now, then I think we will play well as a team.”
On QB Baker Mayfield playing through a hip injury and the importance of a team leader staying on the field to compete:
“He is tough. He does not want to come out of the game, and that is a credit to him as a player, as a person and as a leader. It is just who he is, and you knew that before that. You do not need to see him toughing it out. Obviously, if you can’t do it, do not be out there, but he thought he could play, he was fighting through it and I give him all of the credit. He took a weird hit and just he keeps fighting for us. He has had some bad luck on some of the throws this year and stuff, but he keeps going out there and he keeps trying to will us to victory.”
On Mayfield continuing to demonstrate he is not shaken by adversity and remaining the same person through it:
“Yeah, he is the same guy. He comes, he works, he has fun with it and he is focused. I thought we were ready to roll this week. I thought we had a good week of practice and I thought we were ready to come out and play. We started off hot. We had some drives that petered out and those turnovers, and it just was not quite enough. I think if we continue with that and go back to the Ravens and those type of game plans, run the ball well, get the ball out of his hands quick, have some plays in there that are big shot plays and after that, we will see what happens.”
RB Nick Chubb:
On his performances this season:
“I want to win games so I am just doing what I can to better us and win the games. It has worked out for us a little bit. I think our O line has done a great job, too. They deserve most of the credit, opening up holes. I think we found kind of what is working better for us in the run game so we will stick with that. Overall, I am just here to win.”
On if the success in the run games makes the team’s 2-4 record more frustrating:
“Yeah, it is. It definitely does because for the most part, we are definitely beating ourselves and where we are into our schedule thus far.”
On the relief of being stopped on fourth down, regaining possession quickly and quickly scoring a rushing TD:
“Yeah, if our defense plays like they can play, then we are going to go for it on fourth down that close to the end zone because we know they will do a great job of stopping them and our special teams puts the pressure on them like they did and forced a bad punt. I think it all plays a role.”
On Head Coach Freddie Kitchens’ comment that the Browns have been playing more as a group than a team and if they are starting to gel now:
“Yeah, it has been a long process, but I think we are getting there slowly but surely. Every day we are getting closer and closer, and eventually, things will turn around here. It is just a matter of time and when.”
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