S Grant Delpit (12.6.23)
Do you have any theory on the defensive difference between on the road and at home?
“Yeah, I mean, we haven’t been playing well overall on defense on the road these past two games. We’ve been late to work. Both games started slow, and that’s never going to help winning, so definitely got to start faster this game, and we have a tendency of playing well at home, so hopefully we keep that up.
Why do you think you guys have had those slow starts in the first quarter?
“I don’t think there’s an answer why, man, just how some games go. We can’t have that. If we’re the championship defense that we say we are, we put on tape already. We can’t run from it, man. We put some greatness on tape, but we also put some stuff that’s not us on tape as well. So, this is December football, man, so it’s time to get going now. We can’t have any slip ups or anything like that. So put this thing in super drive right now.”
When you were watching the game the other night, what did you think when you saw Trevor (Lawrence) suffer that ankle injury?
“Yeah, off the bat, I was watching the play. I just seen him kind of fall down awkwardly, and I was just praying right away that it wasn’t anything serious because we already lost so many people in this league this year, so I think they said it’s an ankle sprain right now, so that’s a great outcome for him. If he’s not healthy this week, so be it, but if he is, we’re preparing for him either way.”
How much do you guys miss Denzel Ward and do you expect him back?
“Yeah. Anytime you have a Pro Bowl player like Denzel, man, you’re going to miss him. Just the stuff that he brings to the table, his leadership, his play on the field is remarkable this year. So he feeling healthy. I don’t know if he’ll be back this week, but we could for sure use him.”
How do you prepare for Trevor (Lawrence) with the ankle sprain? Do you kind of prepare for both or do you expect to see Trevor just because the competitor that he is to come out on Sunday?
“I’m sure he’s doing everything in his power to play because this is a critical time in the year, so of course we’re going to prepare for him. He’s playing great right now, so props to him, but we have to prepare for both quarterbacks in that case.”
Despite those two losses in a row, you guys are still sixth in the AFC seeding. How do you feel about where you’re at with five games left to go?
“I feel we got to beat the Jaguars. That’s how I feel, man. If we don’t win, go 1-0 you know every week, none of that stuff matters. To be honest with you, I don’t really look at that. Focused on Jacksonville.”
Grant, how impressive is it to see (Joe) Flacco come in here kind of coming off the couch and playing as well as he did the first time out?
“Yeah, that first drive was great. To see that as a defense, man. Unfortunately, we gave up another touchdown right behind that, but we love to see the offense go down there and score, so whatever he could bring, man, he brings a veteran leadership. He throws the ball down the field a lot and make good decisions. So, defense, we got to have his back. He’s playing well like that. We didn’t have it last game, so we’re going to get him this game.”
AWalk (Anthony Walker) won a couple of awards yesterday. Summarize what he means to you guys?
“Yeah, man. AWalk, that’s a great choice for our team for that Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, man. What’s the other one? Yeah the Ed Block Courage. He’s getting all the awards (joking), but, man, this testimony in the AWalk, man, when I first got here, my second year, coming back from injury, man, he really helped me out. He’s always a guy that you can come through with anything, and he’s going to make sure you’re right on and off the field, man. So definitely like a lockdown guy. And we’re so glad to have him back this year.”
You had come back from your own season ending injury, obviously, before he did. What did it say about him, the way he came back? And he spent so much time here rehabbing and what you saw him go through last year.
“Yeah, like I said, when leaders like that have your back, man, you got to have theirs when they go through serious injuries because it’s a part of the sport. It’s a tough sport we play, and it’s tough mentally as well. But guys like him, man, he shows up day in, day out. Same character every day when he walks in the building. So, I try to preach that to the young guys, too.”
Has his absence caused the biggest impact on the defense and they way you all are playing right now?
“I don’t want to say that he’s a big voice on the defense. He’s a MIKE linebacker, so he has the green dot as well. But this man got to step up. This NFL, we the number one defense in the league. You got to carry yourself like that every time you step on the field. And we ain’t been doing it the past two weeks.”
How big would it be to go out there and start this stretch run for the playoffs? Just get back to playing the way you did and shut this team down.
“We’re going to play behind our home crowd, man. We can’t wait to get back in front of our home crowd. It’s been a long two weeks. I know the city of Cleveland needs this win. We need wins in general to set us up for playoffs, but we lean on our home crowd this week.”
Regardless of if Trevor (Lawrence) plays or not. When you watch Jacksonville players, what’s the biggest challenge that they present to the defense?
“Yeah, I mean, they got playmakers all over the field. Calvin Ridley really is a crazy route runner. He has the most, I think, caused defensive pass interferences this year. Evan Engram, finally, you know, I get to play a tight end they try to get involved in the game plan. Zay Jones is seven years in. He’s been around for a while. (Travis) Etienne, of course, a strong runner, tries to get to the edge a lot and use his speed. Of course, Trevor Lawrence dealing, and they got it going in a good position right now in Jacksonville. So, it’s going to be a great game.”
Why do you finally get the tight end?
“It’s been cold for me recently, man. I like competition games where they try to get tight ends involved. Me playing safety, it goes hand in hand. Yeah, he gets a lot of targets. I don’t know if he’s their leading receiver, but he’s like a close second, I think. So, it’s going to be a good game for me.”
When you think of all the quarterbacks that have gone down this year, isn’t it just so unfortunate in the league? No Deshaun (Watson), no Aaron Rodgers, no Joe Burrow. Hopefully Trevor’s (Lawrence) okay. Isn’t it just unfortunate to have it happen like that?
“Of course, just for an aspect of the things the quarterbacks have to know and their leadership role on the team. A lot of teams are driven by the quarterback and seeing teams lose their QB1s, man, is hard, but it’s part of the game. I’m sure fans don’t want to see it, players don’t want to see it. But with anything, man, you just got to move on and next man up.”
Grant, you mentioned needing wins, and from the fan perspective, I think they’re always about the term of like, this one feels like it’s a must win. Just in terms of you guys making the playoffs, how much do you guys recognize when there’s a game going into that maybe has ramped up pressure behind it because you feel like the timeline is closing on trying to be a playoff team. But also how do you guys compartmentalize that?
“Well, that’s a good question, but I think we just don’t stress about it, man. We don’t want to put too much on every week. It’s too much of a hassle to say every week is a must win. Of course, we go into the mentality that we have to win every single week, but it’s 1-0 every week. That’s the mentality, man. I know the fans probably think about it like that. It’s a lot of people on Twitter with scenarios and stuff like that. But we focus on Jacksonville, man, and what comes after that.”
You and Myles (Garrett) and some of the guys had talked about taking ownership of the lot. How does this defense hold themselves accountable for the past two games and what do you learn from that headed into this week?
“Yeah, I mean, we put it on us as leaders—as players—individually. I haven’t been doing enough. I’m sure Myles feels the same way. Playmakers got to make plays regardless of the situation. When everybody does their job. Man, we have success, and we just haven’t been doing the little things right. Been starting slow. We’re giving up big plays, and it’s not us. So we’re looking to correct that this week. Play in front of a crazy crowd and get a good win on Sunday.”
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