QB Baker Mayfield (9.4.19)
QB Baker Mayfield:
On expectations for the Browns offense on Sunday with full personnel available:
“I think it is going to look like a lot of matchups that we need to take advantage of a numbers game and seeing how they are going to play us and adjusting up to that. Just being able to do our basic stuff but adjust to what they are doing.”
On if working with WR Odell Beckham Jr. helps prepare for game speed:
“Yes, it does.”
On if he has noticed a sense of urgency developing and elevation of the team’s play as the season opener approaches:
“I would say as soon as that third preseason game was over, a lot guys knew they would sit out that fourth week and some of the guys know that it is crunch time and the next time they put on those pads it is going to be for real. You start to see that sense of urgency. Once the final cuts were made, you kind of see the type of team we are putting together. It is pretty exciting to see the energy we are bringing.”
On if he can feel the excitement from Browns fans and how it impacts him:
“Obviously, it has been an unreal offseason being able to get excited and come out to the training camp, and we felt that energy the whole time. We are expecting a good home crowd and a lot of noise.”
On being able to see the full offense on Sunday:
“Very excited to see what we can do, what we are capable of doing out there and adjusting off what they are doing. Seeing if we can take care of some one on ones throughout the field.”
On if the impact of not playing in the preseason with WR Odell Beckham Jr. and WR Jarvis Landry is publicly overblown:
“I did not take a snap with Jarvis all of last year during the preseason so yes, it is probably a pretty overblown.”
On the challenge to meet external expectations this year:
“Nobody has done anything yet so I would say everybody is starting from the same square one. I would say it is pretty hard to live up to any hype if you are listening to the outside. None of that really matters so I think we have a bunch of guys who have bought in to what is going on in this building and the standards we are setting. To us, that is all that matters.”
On if he could be any more excited about this year than past seasons or if he is able to tone it down and take care of business:
“I am still excited. It is finally putting the pads on. It is real. We have had a long offseason. It has been a long wait. I feel like it has been a longer one than last year. We are ready to go. I am ready to go. It is all business.”
On if it more comforting to open the season at home than on the road:
“I would play them in the parking lot. I do not really care.”
On if it is significant to start the season off with a victory:
“Yeah, I would say the singular game mindset is very important in getting off to a good start. For us, it is important. We have a pretty tough first half of the season looking at the schedule, but we have a singular focus of taking care of business one week at a time. The focus is on the Titans right now.”
On the challenges preparing for a team Week 1 when there is not much film to study:
“Obviously, with a team like that that has a bunch of veterans in the secondary and up front, as well, they communicate well. They are able to do a lot of stuff in disguise and make it look like certain things which is what great defenses do is give you one look and completely show another one. It is tough, but I think that comes down to us doing our basics, going through my reads, adjusting on the fly, seeing what their gameplan is and just being able to adjust.”
On the Browns’ depth and next man up mentality, particularly if another player is being targeted by a defense:
“Absolutely, I have full confidence in all of our guys, all of our playmaker skill position guys. If they have one on ones, they should be licking their chops because they should all take that as disrespect. That is the type of team we have, and we need to take advantage of it. It is going to be a matchup game.”
On if he feels Beckham is out to prove people wrong this season:
“I think that he is excited to get back to football. He is feeling healthy and he is ready to go. I would say just talking to him and knowing who he is, he is very excited to get back on the field with a fresh start. I would not say it has anything to do with the outside, but he is ready to do it for himself.”
On if he has reflected on being the starter going into Week 1this season in comparison to last year:
“I have not really, but it is definitely a lot different going into this week knowing I am starting the game. Last year, I prepared like I was going to play, though, but the game has definitely slowed down for me so preparation has been different.”
On if he has more control knowing he is the starting QB from Day 1:
“Absolutely, with this offseason, it was very beneficial being the guy going into it and being able to give my input on certain things, certain concepts and how we are doing things.”
On the Browns defense’s potential:
“I have definitely been paying attention. They looked great in the preseason. Once you get those guys all out there on the field at the same time, it is going to be pretty scary. Looking to see what they can disrupt and handle up front and make plays for those guys on the back end. I think that is something that people forget is we have a great front, but that allows the defensive secondary to play aggressively and the linebackers to run free.”
On where he expects to show the most growth this season:
“I would say a big problem last year was turnovers and sacks early on in the season so just in general, eliminating negative plays early on, taking care of the ball and getting it out quickly.”
On what makes Titans S Kevin Byard one of the best in the NFL:
“His veteran leadership skills and recognizing the concepts of stuff to where he can get in certain spots and he can roam free. Him being surrounded by some of the best in the league helps, as well, but he is a playmaker. He is always around the ball.”
On having a receiver with Beckham’s talent:
“I always pride myself on being an accurate guy, but knowing that he is kind of a security blanket if I do make a mistake or as not on target as much as I would like to, he is going to make it right. Just knowing what can do to effect the defense, it helps us as an offense as a whole but also just to know that I have that throw at all times is great.”
On if he did anything different after the Tampa Bay game:
“No. Started getting more reps with guys, building chemistry. At that point, we had installed everything, run over all the basics. Now, it is really about getting little details down, fine tuning certain things, talking through with everybody. At a certain time, you are just running over plays and you look back on them and perfect them. From then, building on what type of team we are going to be and that is what we have been doing.”
On Head Coach Freddie Kitchens calling plays in his first regular season game as a head coach on Sunday with a reference to getting ‘too cute’ with a pass from RB Dontrell Hilliard:
“That one play? Freddie is calling games to win it. I think if you look at what he did in the second half of the year compared to the first half, if you do not see the success – you are going to dress some stuff up, that is what you do against teams that have veterans on defense that recognize things – Freddie is going to call it for who he is and I really do not think he cares what you think if it is too cute.”
On P Jamie Gillan:
“Jamie is very talented. Just his mindset of a very physical punter. He is a rugby player punting the ball back there. He is running down. Obviously, you do not want your punter making tackles and that is something that our special teams coach (Mike) Priefer prides on is making sure that they cover well for him, but he is very talented, strong leg. I like being around him. He has great energy.”
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