HC Kevin Stefanski (11.29.20)
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski:
Opening statement:
“A good team win right there. Never easy. We made it hard on ourselves there at the end. I think we can be better, but it is a good team win. The guys fought, and we knew they were going to have to fight to get that one.
“With injuries, really the only thing of note is (S) Ronnie Harrison (Jr.) has an injury to his shoulder. We will get an MRI on that, and I will know more about that after the MRI.”
On if he expected the game to be as challenging as it was, given the challenges faced during the week:
“We expect anything. You are right, and that is OK. We are ready for it. We have played in a bunch of different games. We have had to find a way to win a bunch of different ways, and that is not going to change.”
On his evaluation of DE Olivier Vernon’s penalty late in the game:
“I would have to look at it again. Really disappointing that we are can’t get off the field and we are off the field. I would have to look at it, but it is what it is.”
On S Andrew Sendejo’s performance today:
“He does a nice job back there. Really playing hard and playing with great effort. Gets his hands on the ball there. You are right, stopping them on those two-point conversions ended up being a big deal. Really happy for him to make that play, and that is what we need. We need guys in the back end that will make plays on the ball.”
On the Browns offense not converting on short yardage on third and fourth down in the fourth quarter:
“I am just disappointed. We need to be able to get that, bottom line. It is inches. Like you mentioned, we had a play in the flat and did not make it, but then we should make a play on fourth down. It is inches. That is disappointing. That is something that we will talk about with the team. I say that because our offense has high expectations of themselves. If we get in those moments, they need to convert and they know that, and I can help them out with play calls, also obviously. I just think we have to have the mentality that if we are going for it there, we have to get it.”
On how fortunate he feels to come out with a victory with how well the Jaguars battled back and how well Jaguars QB Mike Glennon played:
“We knew it was going to be tough. It was not going to be easy, and that is what we signed up for coming down here. We knew that. Again, I am always going to point the finger at myself, and we are always going to look in the mirror and say ‘What can we do better?’ because there is a plenty. To know that the guys late in these games playing smart situational ball and find a way to win.”
On WR Jarvis Landry playing his best game of the season today:
“A week older. Had his birthday yesterday so that maybe played into it (laughter). Talking about team guys, he does whatever it takes to win. You can find a ton of clips of him blocking down the field and finishing his guys. When he gets his hands on the ball and he has strong hands – the one catch he made when we were backed up was incredible – he does a great job with the ball in his hands. He is a guy I really love to coach because he wants to be coached, he wants to be great and he also wants the team to win.”
On the significance of getting to eight wins this season and clinching a non-losing season for the first time since 2007:
“We are just trying to go 1-0 each week. We get to eight, and we have a bunch more games here to go. We are really not concerned with the past.”
On QB Baker Mayfield’s performance today:
“I thought he played OK. He made some amazing plays with his feet. I know, like all of these quarterbacks, every guy gets out of a game and they are going to want throws back. I know he is like that. He is hard on himself. He is making plays on third down. He is making plays on the perimeter. He is running the show. He is doing a nice job of helping us win.”
On the decision to not attempt a field goal on fourth down late in the game:
“Those are the things I always consider. In the moment, you are considering that. I just felt like the plays that we had would convert. I take all of that into account – our matchups, the plays themselves and the players that are running those plays – and I felt confident in them that we could continue to move the chains and have an opportunity to score a touchdown or run a few more minutes off the clock and kick a field goal. We did not get it done, and ultimately, I have to look back and see what I can do better for the guys.”
On RB Nick Chubb’s performance, including the screen to seal the win:
“He did a nice job on that screen. We needed the clock to be running, and he made sure we got the first and the clock was running. He is a very smart player as everybody knows, just understanding the situation. I thought both he and (RB) Kareem (Hunt) ran really hard. I thought we did a nice job up front. We had [207] yards rushing so great effort by all of the people involved that make that running game go.”
On how to assess Mayfield’s overall performance when considering completions in tight windows and incompletions on passes where receivers are open:
“Listen, I want him to make them all. There is nobody that makes every throw. It just does not happen. That is just the nature of playing the game. He does a great job of playing this game and makes an amazing play for us to win. He is doing a good job with that. A 100 percent completion percentage I do not think has happened very often.”
On not challenging the plan on fourth and inches:
“I would have to go back and look. We were talking about it on the headset, but I do not believe I had that challenge. I got the timeout back, but I do not think I got the challenge back.”
On Chief of Staff Callie Brownson serving as the Browns tight end coach after tight ends coach Drew Petzing did not travel following the birth of his first child:
“First of all, congrats to Drew and Louisa and the birth of their baby girl – that is the big news so we are excited about them. The other big news is Callie is a great utility player for us, and she can fill in anywhere. She is involved with the offense, defense and special teams and what she does behind the scenes for us. With what 2020 has brought to us, to me and to this organization, we need people to be team players. Callie will do anything – she is folding towels in the equipment room because we are down a few people there – so anything it takes. I am proud of her and proud of her journey, and it is going to continue here.”
# # #