Head Coach Kevin Stefanski (10.27.21)

Opening statement:

“A great opportunity this week against a division opponent – first division game for us. We know this is going to be a great challenge. They are a really, really good football team. We know them well. They know us well. They have outstanding coaches. Offense, defense and special teams, I think they do such a nice job in their scheme. Then it is great players. Again, players who we know and players who we have a ton of respect for, and they have added to those players, as well, through the offseason. A big week for us. We have to get started with a really good Wednesday today.”

 

On if the Browns are ruling anyone out of Sunday’s game today:

“No.”

 

On if WR Jarvis Landry knee injury is from what occurred at the end of last week’s game:

“It was. It was that last play there. It is unrelated to the previous injury.”

 

On if there is a chance Landry could practice this week:

“Yes.”

 

On if there is a better sense of QB Baker Mayfield’s status for the game compared to Monday:

“I do not. He is going not practice today so we will see how he does at practice and then we will take it day by day.”

 

On the determining factor for whether Mayfield will play or not:

“With all of our players and with any player dealing with an injury, we really rely on the medical team and we rely on the player to make decisions for each guy. That is what we will do in this case.”

 

On expectations for what Mayfield will do in practice today:

“Everything.”

 

On determining Mayfield’s and QB Case Keenum’s practice reps today:

“They will get their normal share that we do with those guys.”

 

On the normal share of reps in practice between Mayfield and Keenum:

“I do not know the exact number, but as a backup in this league, you are expected to perform without reps. That is kind of what Case did last week.”

 

On if Mayfield will get the starting reps in practice:

“He will get a bunch of the reps. Case will get some reps. I do not know the specific number, but it will be like we normally do.”

 

On if the share of reps in practice today will be different than last Tuesday:

“Yeah, last Tuesday, we only had a couple of live periods. It is just back to a normal Wednesday.”

 

On if the Browns need to see RB Nick Chubb in practice before determining Chubb’s status for Sunday:

“Yes, and we will see him today. I feel good about that.”

 

On T Jack Conklin saying he expects to play this week and the impact of all five stating Browns OL potentially playing together again:

“As you know, it is so important those five playing together and the communication that occurs along that front. The guys that who have gone in have really stepped up and done a great job for us, but Jack is an integral part our run attack and our pass attack so it would be great to have him back out there.”

 

On if there is any carryover from the back-to-back games against the Steelers last year:

“I think by and large, both teams are similar to who we were at the end of last season schematically. They added some guys along their defense, bringing (Steelers LB Joe) Schobert in, and on the offensive side, (Steelers RB) Najee Harris and a tight end. They have some new players, and we have some new players, but I would tell you, schematically, it is mostly similar.”

 

On if he feels good about Mayfield’s sense of whether to play or not for the short term and long term, including as it relates to Mayfield not playing if it potentially would hurt the team:

“I really do, and that is based on my conversations with Baker and my conversations with the medical team.”

 

On how the Steelers offense has evolved during the season:

“They are doing a nice job. They have good players on the perimeter and a really good running back. I think (Steelers QB) Ben Roethlisberger sees everything so clearly. You are really not going to fool him. He makes great decisions with the ball. They are doing a couple of new wrinkles with a new coordinator. Although (offensive coordinator) Coach (Matt) Canada’s influence on them, even last year, you could see. They are doing a nice job.”

 

On if the team discusses the rivalry and history of Browns-Steelers or it is just another divisional game:

“These division games are so big, and that is kind of where it is. We understand what is at stake. It is a really good football team. It is an AFC North football team.”

 

On if RB D’Ernest Johnson will be the No. 2 RB behind Chubb this week:

“Do you think he earned it (laughter)? Yeah, he is our No. 2 .”

 

On if he sees a lot of Hunt in Johnson with their play styles:

“No, I think they are all so different. I really think they are all so different. D’Ernest, like I said previously – we all saw it in that game – when he has had his opportunities, he has come through. He is a very, very accountable football player.”

 

On what is different about Johnson’s and Hunt’s play styles:

“Just those rushing styles on each of those guys, it is just a little bit different. Kareem is a great, great football player. He is a great slashing football player. He can catch it and can run it. D’Ernest in his own right is very productive. He runs behind his pads and has great forward lean, but just different styles.”

 

On if the Browns approach practice differently in slippery conditions, particularly as it relates to soft tissue injuries:

“Anytime we have injuries, we are always looking at what we are doing and what we can do better to try to prevent the ones that we can, and some of them you can’t prevent. In terms of being out here, we might have some weather on Sunday. We have to get some work on the grass. It may be slippery today. It might be slippery on Sunday.”

 

On Steelers LB T.J. Watt making big plays in big moments:

“He did in Seattle. He is a great football player. He is great. He has our respect. He has our attention.”

 

On what makes Watt great:

“Size, length, power, twitchiness and can get to the quarterback. He is disruptive when he gets there. He plays the run well.”

 

On the Steelers missing key players on defense and if that is more evident in their rush defense:

“They are still pretty stout. Those are two great players to your point, but I really think that their depth is pretty impressive. Just the way they attack blocks and how they really get penetration on the offensive line, and I think No. 97 (Steelers DT Cameron Heyward) is a great, great player.”

 

On if K Chase McLaughlin is more prepared to kick at FirstEnergy Stadium now than earlier in the season:

“Yeah, I think it is just reps. I think those reps when you go down there during the week are valuable. I think in-game reps are valuable. I think the pregame reps are valuable. I think he is adding all of those things, and he is learning about kicking down there on the lake because there is nuance in that building.”

 

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