Head Coach Kevin Stefanski (12.18.24)
Opening Statement:
“Okay, divisional opponent on the road, going down to Cincinnati. Obviously, a team we know well. Well coached, good players, all three sides of the ball. So, we got to be about our business. As you guys know, going to start Dorian (Thompson-Robinson) in this game. Just wanted to give him an opportunity and give him an entire week to prepare as a starter. So that’s what went into the decision. But with that I’ll take any questions.”
Dorian had to get thrown in at the deep end of the pool last year. What are your expectations now that he’s had, not a lot of work, but enough to…
“I think he had two games where he had the whole week’s worth of preparation. So that’s important here. I think obviously diving into the preparation, using every single one of these days to get better. Understand the ‘whys’ of all the plays.”
Is this to get a look at him or is this an indictment of the interceptions that Jameis (Winston) had been throwing?
“I wouldn’t characterize it that way. We’re trying to find a way to win against a division opponent on the road. Obviously, we need to take better care of the football as an offense. That’s the obvious part of it. And that’s Dorian’s job, that’s the offense’s job, that’s everybody who touches the ball’s job. It’s not about one person.”
Is Jameis going to be the number two quarterback?
“Yes.”
Would you expect Dorian to start the last three games?
“I’m so week-to-week in this business, Scott (Petrak).”
How did Jameis react?
“He’s a pro, and I think you guys know that about him. He wants to do whatever he can do to help this football team. He will continue to do that. He’ll continue to lead in his own way. He’ll continue to provide great leadership to his football team. So, he’s a pro’s pro.”
Do you think that DTR (Dorian Thompson-Robinson) gives you a better opportunity this week than Winston?
“We just look at it week to week, Jeff (Schudel). You want to give your team the best chance to win. Obviously, we want to see Dorian out there, want to give him a week’s worth of preparation to get ready. But this is the greatest team game there is. And I know so much gets put on the quarterback and a lot of discussion about the quarterback and we understand that. But this is about the Cleveland Browns.”
Is Cedric (Tillman) out of the concussion protocol yet?
“Not yet.”
You spend a lot of time talking to your team about avoiding self-inflicted wounds in games and unfortunately this year, every week there are self-inflicted wounds. Why do you think that just hasn’t taken this year? Whether it’s the turnovers, whether it’s the penalties, pre-snap penalties, what do you think is going on?
“Well, I think it’s important to understand that that turnover margin is the most important stat there is. That determines winning and losing. We led the league in giveaways last year and we had a bunch of takeaways as well and survived. But we have given the ball away too many times. And like I’ve told our team; we’ve turned up the degree of difficulty when you do that. So, our ability as a football team to take care of the ball, whether it’s the center-quarterback exchange, it’s the running back, it’s our kick returner, punt returner, whomever is in possession of that ball, it is critical to our success that we maintain possession. And we haven’t done a good enough job of that to date. So, looking this week to make sure that we take care of the ball to give our team a chance ultimately to find that win.”
Do you see Dorian as a shotgun quarterback or an under-center quarterback?
“I think they’re all different, Tony (Grossi), and I don’t think it’s one or the other. I think there’s certainly elements to his game that he can operate from the gun. I’ve seen him under center quite a bit and know he’s comfortable there as well. So, I think it’s so specific to the concept.”
Broader look at DTR, what did you want him to work on in the offseason? I know it was a small sample size last year, but what did you need him to work on and what development have you seen even on the practice field?
“I think a young player, Tom (Withers), that’s really gotten better in every area. I mean, I can go back to when we first got Dorian and some of the things were different in terms of calling the plays in the huddle and some of the cadence stuff at the line of scrimmage. So, he’s done a very, very good job of getting up to speed on all the nuance of the position. He’s done a very good job of keeping himself prepared for when a moment comes that he’s being put in there. So, he’s really taken to the preparation part of this really well.”
Building on Tony’s (Grossi) shotgun question, would you expect the offense to look more like it did early in the season with Deshaun (Watson) than it did with Jameis as the starter?
“I think it’s so important that we as coaches obviously put our players in position to succeed. So certainly, when you’re talking about the quarterback position, you’re going to lean into plays that they’re comfortable with, concepts that they’re comfortable with. And that’s run game, that’s pass game, it’s all the above. So, with Dorian, I can’t say what it’s exactly going to look like other than to say you make sure that it’s things that he’s comfortable with.”
Regarding Dorian in the huddle, Joel Bitonio said that he was impressed by his command of the huddle. How have you seen his confidence grow and or not shift from some of the things that he experienced in his rookie year heading into this start?
“I think young players – and the huddle in college football is really going away as well. So, some of the play calls and the things that happen from the huddle to the line of scrimmage can be new for some players, depending on the system they come out of. And Dorian really has spent his career in this league getting up to speed. And he’s done a nice job, it’s not something that just happens overnight, you have to work at it. So, when you’re talking about command in the huddle, it’s really calling that play, understanding that play. When you’re telling the Y what to do, you’re staring at the Y, and when you’re telling the X what to do, you’re staring at the X. All those little things that go into having great command in the huddle, that’s something that he’s worked very hard at.”
What did you see in Dorian coming out of camp that helped you make him the co-number two with Jameis?
“I thought he performed really well throughout camp, Mary Kay (Cabot). Even going back to spring, I thought he was really good. I thought the preseason games, I thought he did a nice job in his opportunity. So, it really was a global evaluation from everything he did back from the spring through the summer.”
How have you seen Dorian grow from year one to year two to now get this opportunity late in the season?
“I think like any young player, you’re learning from everything that comes your way. On the field, off the field, I think he’s really pushed himself. But we’re excited about this opportunity for him but he understands the work that goes into it.”
David (Njoku) is not practicing today, and you sign a tight end to the active roster. Is that a signal that there’s concern that David won’t play Sunday in Cincinnati?
“We’re still not sure about his availability, but the signing of the tight end is not related to his availability.”
What about (Martin) Emerson? He’s still in protocol?
“Making his way through the protocol. But we’ll see.”
Did David get fairly close to playing on Sunday or no?
“He’s pushing himself. He’s trying to get there.”
Is Dustin (Hopkins) going to kick for you Sunday?
“Yes.”
With Shelby (Harris), is it a long-term thing with him?
“I wouldn’t say long-term. He’s going to push to try to make it this Sunday.”
What made you go back to Dustin?
“Just like we talked about, want him to work through this. I thought he had a really, really good week last week in practice, so I’m excited for him to get back out there.”
Are you going to hang on to Riley (Patterson) for now, too?
“There will be some news on Riley. Someone’s going to come and get him. But that was always our decision to turn back to Dustin. So happy for him if he’s getting an opportunity.”
Does Dorian, Tuesday, does he spend that day here?
“Yes. All the quarterbacks.”
That’s normal?
“Yes.”
With the (Cincinnati) Bengals, the ability to get (Ja’Marr) Chase the ball as often as they do when he’s the targeted guy. How are they able to do that?
“A variety of ways. I think when he’s covered, they still have great confidence in him. So, they get the ball in places where you’d say, ‘Hey, he’s not open’, but he makes himself open. They move him around the formation. He can line up in the backfield, in the slot, outside, wide. So, they do a really good job of moving him around.”
Is it possible, you guys are so familiar with the Bengals, obviously, as you noted, but do you almost watch the tape and feel like (Joe) Burrow and even Chase, on some level, are playing better than they have their entire careers together?
“They’re certainly playing at a high level, coring a lot of points, putting up a lot of yards. They’re guys that are supremely talented, understand what they’re doing in their scheme. So, it’s a very, very difficult matchup as you see week in and week out.”
How did you think that Cam (Mitchell) and Myles (Harden) did having to fill in so much at corner against the (Kansas City) Chiefs?
“Yeah, I thought those guys did a nice job. Filling in at corner where they haven’t been playing a ton of, then they fill in inside and just an increase of reps, period. And then obviously Myles getting his first real volume of reps. I think those guys will only get better with that opportunity.”