RB Nick Chubb and G Joel Bitonio (12.4.19)
Included below are select quotes from interviews with the following Browns players during today’s media availability:
- G Joel Bitonio
- RB Nick Chubb
G Joel Bitonio:
On the defense Cincinnati presents:
“They have like 10 or 12 points given up the last three games. They won their first game so they are going to come in high. (Bengals QB) Andy Dalton is a good football player. He has played in this league for a long time, and he knows how to win games. It will be a good test for us.”
On confidence QB Baker Mayfield can be effective with a banged up hand:
“I do not know the severity of any of that. I just know he came out and played the second half. He was not complaining about anything to me personally so I do not know the extent of those injuries or what is going on. I know he is going to do everything he can to be on the field, and I do not think that there is going to be a disadvantage. I do not think it is going to be a weather game or anything this weekend. I think it is going to be 50 degrees. We are going to be ready to roll with him.”
On if he is curious to see how this team reacts after losing to the Steelers:
“I want to see how we respond as a team. It was not our best performance. We wanted to go out there and get a win last week, a team that we thought we could beat, and they took it to us in the second half. It was disappointing for sure. I think we do have the right guys in this room to respond. I think not much has been said in that sense where we need to respond. We are just focusing on beating Cincinnati this week and doing everything we can to get that victory. It is a challenge. You come back and you think you are rolling, you have a chance and it kind of knocks you down a bit, but that is the NFL. It is a week-to-week business and how good can we be this week.”
On how does the Browns OL bounces back after the pass rush by the Steelers:
“They have four or five guys out there that can do some serious damage, playing at a really high level. It is one of those things you go back and we watched tape already. We try to correct the fundamental issues that we had or if it was a mental issue, fix those things. We have some guys this week that can really rush the passer again. Every week in the NFL you have a new challenge. I think Pittsburgh probably has the best mix of run and pass guys in the league, but I have to block (Bengals DT) Geno (Atkins) this week and he is a heck of a player, too. There is no shortage of that. You have to be ready to go each and every week, and it is something that we try to improve on. We worked on fundamentals today. We worked on the proper sets and taking the right angles, using our hands and all those things that we can improve on. Hopefully, it works for us.”
RB Nick Chubb:
On how tough it is to move on from the loss to Pittsburgh after winning three consecutive games and the significance of the Steelers game:
“It was a huge game. It sucks for us that we were not able to pull it out, but right now, it is what is it is. We just have to learn from it and continue to get better.”
On if it tough to get over a game like last week, given the magnitude:
“Yeah, I think just how the game played out. We were winning at first and we just let them come back and end up just beating us. I think because how the game folded out, it is tougher to get over.”
On his mindset for the final four games as the Browns look to make a push for the playoffs:
“Just still the same mindset. Take it game by game, day by day and try to go 1-0 this week. Do not lose sight of that. We know anything can happen.”
On the Bengals defense:
“I have not had a chance to look at them yet, but I just know form the past, their front and their defensive linemen, (Bengals DE Carlos) Dunlap and (Bengals DT Geno) Atkins, those guys are really good.”
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