QB Baker Mayfield (11.15.20)
QB Baker Mayfield:
On getting RB Nick Chubb back and Chubb’s decision to go out of bounds at the end of the game:
“Obviously, Nick is a tremendous player and a leader by example for this team. We are very excited to get him back. Not only does he help our team out, but he helps (RB) Kareem (Hunt) – that one-two punch late in the game and those guys wearing on them. There were a lot of yards after contact where they just kept dragging people along with them. He is a huge part of our offense. We are very happy to have him back. That is a football awareness thing by him. It is one of a kind to be that team-first [mentality] to step out of bounds or get down before the end zone.”
On the weather conditions in today’s game, given Head Coach Kevin Stefanski said they were worse than the Raiders game:
“It was way worse than the Raiders game to be quite honest with you, just the random gusts of winds. There was a lull in the game there, but it would just pick up out of nowhere. When it gets in, it just swirls in circles through the stadium and you don’t know which way it is really blowing. We were affected by a couple of passes with the wind, but we dealt with it, and a win is a win. We dealt with the circumstances and came out with a win, and that is the most important part.”
On takeaways and improvements from the game against the Raiders:
“I think we ran the ball when we really needed to. Some of those key short yardage situations that we converted on, we did the things we needed to whereas we did not convert against the Raiders. Obviously, our third-down conversion rate was not what it needs to be, but we converted when we needed to.”
On sticking to the gameplan after not having a productive rushing game in the first half and if that can be challenging:
“No, that is part of trusting the gameplan, trusting the system and believing in whatever play we have called and the guys we have out there lined up. Kudos to everybody just accomplishing what we needed to do whatever it takes to win.”
On how bad weather conditions impact him as a QB, knowing there will be limited opportunities:
“It just means to be more zeroed-in and focused on those critical downs when we need to convert and just to make those count and to make those opportunities count. If you look at it against the Raiders, we only had a limited amount of series. Not just from my perspective, but in these games when both teams are trying to run the ball a little bit more, your opportunities are very limited so you have to take advantage of them.”
On the drive to set up RB Nick Chubb’s TD:
“It was third down, and they had 3 Buzz coverage. I stepped up in the pocket and the defender in the flat did not get deep enough so I was able to deliver the ball and he (WR Rashard Higgins) made a great catch on the sidelines and dragged his toes. The look on the PI, they showed us a zero-blitz look earlier in the game and bailed out of it so I made a little check, gave him a chance and the PI was called.”
On the success of the Browns run game today, particularly late in the game and if wearing the Texans down and having Chubb and RB Kareem Hunt were factors:
“I think it is both. I think when you are able to have that one-two punch of those guys being able to have somewhat fresh legs coming in late in the game, but you could tell that some of these runs that were going for 2-3 yards were starting to pop for longer. It really does wear those teams down, which is why we are blessed to have those guys in our backfield.”
On how the Browns came out of the bye strong and started the second half of the season with a win:
“I am very proud of our team just overall with dealing with the circumstances. Defense playing lights out. Offense, we can be better, but we did what it took to win. Special teams for (K) Cody (Parkey) to make all his kicks in this wind, that is pretty special. It is a great team win, but we are not done yet. We talked about it. It is just something to build on and continue to improve because there is still a lot of room for improvement.”
On DE Myles Garrett making a big fourth-down stop on Texans QB Deshaun Watson and the defense getting significant stops on third and fourth down:
“Yeah, they made great plays when they needed to. I think Myles took the approach that real Gs move in silence like lasagna.”
On Hunt’s contributions today and the RB tandem with Chubb and Hunt:
“Kareem, he brings that tempo and the electric runs to us. Nick will break those off and make long runs, but Kareem, the energy he brings into the huddle, he is constantly talking. They are two very different people, but I think that is the great part about it. Kareem brings energy into the huddle, continues to fight off tackles and just does not care what happens, just really wants to win in any way, which Nick is the same way. It is great to see how they both lead in two very different ways.”
On the fumbled snap during the opening series and coming out of the game with no turnovers:
“It is a tough one because the ball was wet and (C) JC (Tretter) told me to give him a second. We are trying to snap the ball quick, break the huddle quick and get up there lined up and snap it. He told me to give him a second. I thought it did, but with the circumstances, I did not give him long enough so I will take the blame on that one. I thought I got the ball out of bounds. They claimed that there was nobody in the area and then changed their minds and said it did not get past line of scrimmage. I do not know. That is a tough one for us.”
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