Head Coach Kevin Stefanski (9.24.21)
Opening statement:
“Good to see everybody. Excited for the challenge this week. A 1-1 Bears team coming into our place. I think it is going to be a great challenge really for our offense, defense and special teams. I have a ton of respect for this coaching staff so we have to really focus on playing our best to try and get a W.
“I am also excited it is Alumni Weekend for the Browns so we are going to induct some guys in the Legends [program tomorrow] evening. For me to meet some of our Alumni, which I have not been able to do yet, I am really looking forward to.
“Our fans, they were really, really good last week. Like I told the team, we have to be better, I have to coach better and our players have to play better; I am expecting a little bit more from our fans even this week. We can affect the game. When we are playing down there on the lake, they have a major effect on the game. They have a rookie quarterback (Bears QB Justin Fields) starting and making his first start, who a lot of our fans are probably used to cheering for. In this case, we have to make life really hard on their offense. Expect everybody in their seats at kickoff and then really expecting everybody to be loud throughout – do not wait until third down. That is my challenge to our fans this week. Again, they were great last week, and I am asking them to be even better this week.”
On if WR Odell Beckham Jr. is playing on Sunday, given Beckham was not listed with an injury status for Sunday’s game:
“Yes.”
On how Beckham looked in practice this week:
“He looked good. He had a good week, and I think he is ready to go.”
On if he has a sense of how much Beckham will be used on Sunday:
“I do not. Like with every player, I am in constant communication with the player and with their coach so those are things that we talk about throughout the game, but he is ready to go.”
On how much of a difference there was for Beckham being a full participant rather than limited in practice this week:
“Hard to describe it. There were no limitations. He did everything, he took every rep and he felt good coming off of this field.”
On if there is comfort knowing Beckham will not be a game-time decision this week:
“I think it was really just getting through these three practices, and we feel comfortable. That is really what it comes down to.”
On if T Jedrick Wills Jr. is in a better spot than this time one week ago:
“Yes. For sure. He is ready to go.”
On the balance for a player like Wills understanding the importance of walking the fine line of being injured versus hurt when wanting to be out there with the team:
“He pushed really hard to play last week. He worked out before the game. He gutted it out. I have mentioned this before, it sends a great message to your teammates to do that. This week, he did not practice Wednesday or Thursday. He got through it pretty well today. We will see how he responds over the next 24 hours. He is trending in the right direction, but I think ultimately, it is a great message to your teammates when you are injured, you do not stay injured, and you really fight to get back out there and compete with them.”
On if it fair say that the Browns are optimistic that Wills’ ankle injury will not linger for five to six weeks:
“Yeah, I feel good about that.”
On if he will talk with Beckham about being cognizant of not doing too much in his first game back from the season-ending knee injury:
“He is a professional. His attitude throughout this entire process has been really good. He understands that he is out there, and he is going to go and try and help his team win. I think it is pretty simple.”
On if the Browns need more pass rush from the front four:
“As a defense, I think some of those high-leverage moments like third down, we just have to play better defense. Sometimes it is rush. Sometimes it is coverage. We have had good pressure and then you need those pressures to translate into a sack or translate into an incompletion and those type of things. I will tell you, the guys are working very hard. I was very pleased with the week of practice that we had, specifically with our front. I thought the guys really worked very hard this week.”
On if any week can be one where DE Myles Garrett has a dominant performance:
“Yeah, I do think Myles is that type of player. He gets a ton of attention. He is getting chipped. He is getting double-teamed. The production in terms of sacks, as we all know, they sometimes come in bunches, but we have really focused on playing solid defense, being true to our rush lanes and being sound in what we do as a defense.”
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