HC Kevin Stefanski (10.9.20)
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski:
On DT Jordan Elliott’s performance through the first four weeks, given DT Larry Ogunjobi is listed as out:
“I thought he has played pretty well so far. We are counting on him. He is pretty responsible. He follows through on study, and he makes sure he is in the right spot and right place. We just need him to go out there, and then whatever is asked of him, he has to do his job.”
On if the Browns will need to add depth at DT before Sunday with Ogunjobi out:
“We will see. We are talking about it.”
On S Karl Joseph being listed on the injury report:
“Just something that happened yesterday. We just have to use the next 50 hours or so to see how he responds and take it from there. I do not know exactly how it happened, but with some of these muscle injuries, that is just what happens.”
On S Ronnie Harrison Jr.’s readiness if needed to start in place of Joseph:
“He is ready. He has been here now over a month. He studies hard. He is ready if called upon.”
On if it is too late to consider putting CB Greedy Williams on IR, given the time it has taken for Williams to return:
“Good question. I will tell you that (Executive Vice President of Football Operations and General Manage) Andrew (Berry) and staff have talk about all these types of things. We are hopeful that we have some good news hopefully in the next couple of weeks.”
On the Browns hosting 12,000 fans at FirstEnergy Stadium on Sunday:
“It is great. I love that there will be 12,000 fans there. I hope they sound like 120,000. Wear your mask, though. Really looking forward to having them in the building.”
On if DE Myles Garrett is embracing the role and responsibility of affecting games with big plays at key moments:
“He is so talented. We are counting on him. He knows that. He has been making plays in all these ball games, and the offenses are well aware of that and they are chipping him with the back or chipping him with the tight end and he is still making plays. We are counting on him, and he knows that.”
On if opponents are scheming their offense to try to slow down Garrett in different ways:
“You see that across the NFL with premier rushers. That is good news for us. It is one less guy out there in the pass route.”
On how defensive coordinator Joe Woods has done preparing the Browns defense each week, given the number of injuries the team has sustained:
“I think Joe and the defensive staff do an outstanding job. You are right, it has kind of been guys in and out of the lineup, really all the way back through July. Those guys have put together plans to put our guys in position to have success. It is a work in progress, just like it is on the offensive side. Our goal is to get better, one game better each week.”
On how tough it is when a player sustains an injury on Thursday and the uncertainty of if that player will be available on Sunday, given the timing as it relates to installing the gameplan on offense or defense:
“Yeah, but that is life in the big city for these guys. They have to be ready to go at a moment’s notice. That is why we make sure our guys are studying and understanding their roles and understand the roles that they may be not necessarily the starter today, and at a moment’s notice, they are.”
On how tough it is to focus the one game at a time focus:
“Honestly, not very hard. I think week in and week out, these opponents are really, really tough games. Right now, we have our work cut out with this Indianapolis Colts team coming to our building. It is a well-coached team. The stats are what they are. They are a very good football team. We have to make sure we play these one-game seasons.
On if Elliott will be the next man up with Ogunjobi out:
“Yes.”
On what Elliott has been able to contribute early in the season:
“I think everything we have thrown at him, he has been ready to roll. He studies really hard, practices really hard and knows his job. For a young player, I think he is ascending.”
On what QB Baker Mayfield needs to watch out for against the Colts defense and their ability to force turnovers:
“I think he just needs to stay true to his reads and stay true to the timing of the offense. It takes 11 guys to protect that rock, though, so the ball security goes to whoever is touching it – the center, the quarterback and the running backs. All the eligibles, once they have that ball, they have to do a great job, and the quarterback just has to stay true to his reads.”
On how Colts CB Xavier Rhodes is playing this season:
“Excellent. He is playing at a high level. I know his coaches there with (Colts defensive backs/cornerbacks coach) John Gannon and (Colts defensive backs/safeties coach) Alan Williams, they have familiarity with Xavier back to Minnesota. He looks physically great. He is long. He is tough. He has make-up speed. He is the complete package at corner. He is playing really well.”
On the Colts defense mixing up their coverages and if it makes it tough for the offense to know what they are going to play:
“Yeah, they do a good job at disguise, for sure. That is a big part of who they are. I think they are just so sound that they do not care that you know that they are playing zone and they do not care that you know they are playing man. They are just so sound and disciplined in what they do.”
On if TE David Njoku made it through the week of practice healthy and if Njoku is expected to be activate on Sunday:
“Yes. Yes to both.”
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