Select Browns players (11.19.23)
OL JOEL BITONIO
What was the offensive plan today?
“We wanted to try and control the ball. Short gains and get it out with timing routes. Get it out of our hands and try and run the ball when we could. I thought it worked well in the first half. We pretty much started to bring a lot more base to our zebra package. They had one more big than us on the field so the running game kind of fell apart in the second half. But we did enough and our defense played well and gave us a chance to win at the end.”
Do you think the biggest difference between the first and second half was what they did defensively?
“Yeah, we still have to execute the plays called. When we play the Steelers a lot of times and we’re running the ball well, they always try to put one more big out on the field than us. We just weren’t executing enough. We had a couple penalties. Little things like that. You don’t want to have negative plays.”
What was DTR’s (Dorian Thompson-Robinson) demeanor in the huddle on the field throughout the game?
“Great. I mean all game it was great. Calm. He was good. The first drive I was like you’re a little loud right now. He was calling the plays a little loud. I was like they might be able to hear you five yards away. It’s quiet at home. Besides that, he was locked in all week and today helped too.”
What was the difference in the game-winning drive? Until then, in the second half, you weren’t moving the ball.
“We just executed better. I think we protected enough. We got some completions. We made some things happen. It came close sometimes. We’re playing against the Steelers. They’ve won some ugly games this year and we just had to find a way to win. Our defense gave us enough opportunities and we figured out a way.”
What can you say about the defense?
“They’ve been great all year. We had a couple chances in the fourth quarter and we didn’t execute our drives. They gave us one more chance. They gave us a stop and got the ball. They’ve been playing so good and we’re going to work to be complementary to them.”
What can that final drive do to DTR after having an uneven day?
“He’s a rookie, you know, but I think that’s a confidence booster. At the end of the year, it’s a win, and I think that’s a confidence booster in itself. We know we have faith in him and he executed when it mattered most.”
RB JEROME FORD
This is normally how Pittsburgh wins games. It has to feel good to beat them this way?
“It felt really good to beat them today, especially with Nick (Chubb) being here and being in the stands.”
What did it mean to have Nick Chubb in the intros, and they showed him during the game?
“It meant a lot. I honestly didn’t know he was going to be at the game, so when I saw him, it gave me extra juice.”
When did you see him for the first time?
“When he came in the locker room and then, when he came out – I didn’t know he was going to come out like that, so yeah, it gave us a lot of juice.”
Jerome, this is exactly how you drew this one up, right?
“Definitely — a W. To fight, scratch, claw, whatever we have to do, as long as we get the W. It’s the best stat in football.”
What was the biggest difference in that last drive?
“Just executing. Coming to the sideline, talking about the mistakes we made and having each other’s back. That’s what is big about our team, we have each other’s back. We gelled and I think it really showed on that last drive.”
K DUSTIN HOPKINS
What did it do to you when the Steelers called a timeout to freeze you right before the kick?
“I just like to reset. That’s why I walked back to the sideline and started the whole mental process over again. I have always found that if you try and lock in for a minute and a half, it’s hard to focus that long at a high level. I kind of zone out, focus-wise, and as you start getting set up again, you hone in. I try not to pay attention to the timeout, because in my mind, I don’t care. I’m just going to make it when the time comes. If they call it before, fine, we’ll do it again.”
At what point in the game did you think this was going to come down to a game-winning kick and when did you start to prepare mentally?
“When did the game start? (laughter) You never know, it’s crazy the way a game unfolds. There are certain times when you’re almost sure you are going to kick throughout the flow of the game, and we don’t. Other times, when you’re like we’re probably not in a kicking situation’ and then all of a sudden it happens. I guess probably, not the last drive, but the drive before. I thought that might be the one we do it and then our defense gets a stop after that. I was just pleased with – obviously, our defense is amazing, so I was pleased that we got like a minute twenty-eight after they made their stops.”
When the offense took over during that final drive, what kind of communication did you have with Bubba Ventrone?
“Before the game starts, we have those conversations of our lines each way. During the game, if it’s an end of half or end of game scenario. We communicated again, because over the course of the game, for example today, the wind changes. You get a little less help or maybe it’s not as hard at one end as it was early on. Those are conversations you have on the sidelines – found Bubba and he asked me what we were thinking. I told him a number. I’ve seen some offenses where once they get to a line, they kind of shut down, they don’t move the ball anymore and it’s a testament to these guys. Put me in a great position to potentially be successful by moving the ball downfield.”
WR ELIJAH MOORE
How proud are you of QB Dorian Thompson Robinson, especially in that last drive?
“Super proud, a young quarterback that plays through that you cannot deny him.”
What were you guys saying to Dorian as maybe he was struggling a little bit as the game into it?
“We just said be you. We did not say anything out of the ordinary. He has been in this moment before. You play football your entire life. Whenever we practice we put players in a position to be ready for those situations.”
What can you say about the defense?
“Defense wins championships. We would not have been in the situations we were without them.”
Special teams K Dustin Hopkins another game winner. What was going through your mind as he went up to take that kick?
“I knew he had it. We have all the confidence in him. He does not miss.”
What has K Dustin Hopkins meant to this team?
“Everything, you could see today we could not do this without him.”
Is this exactly how you guys drew this game up?
“The game will never go the way it is supposed to go.”
What was working between you and QB Dorian Thompson Robinson today?
“I just feel like we got on the same page. I had a drop and that was on me. You have to bounce back, and play the next play.”
What was the biggest difference between this game and the Baltimore Ravens game for QB Dorian Thompson Robinson?
“He had more time to prepare. That was the difference.”
TE DAVID NJOKU
David, this is just the way you guys drew the game up right?
“Not at all. It was a very ugly game. Especially on my behalf, that is unacceptable. My teammates picked up the slack. It is back to work from here on out.”
You made the catch when you needed to late. How much did that pick you up to get you guys in field goal range?
“I am going right home to use the jug machine. It was a good victory, but it is back to work”
What does the win say about QB Dorian Thompson Robinson?
“He is a warrior. It is not easy being in his shoes. Especially being a rookie. He is such an incredible athlete. He got the job done today. He did a great job.”
How much did you guys feed off the energy from the fans today?
“We love them. They push us to do better than we had that in mind. Dawg Pound, we need you every game.”
Did you say anything to QB Dorian Thompson Robinson, he kept coming back to you?
“We have exceptional confidence in each other. Even though what I displayed was unacceptable. We found a way to get the job done.”
What can you say about the play of your defense?
“Best defense in the league. They are really playing at a very high level. We are very excited to have them on our side.”
DE OGBO OKORONKWO
How’d it feel out there?
“It felt good. I felt like the defense played as one. We had some bad plays but we didn’t let that kill us. We bounced back and we just kept playing connected football. ”
How good did it feel to be able to beat the Steelers at home in front of Nick Chubb up there?
“Everyone feels good but you know there’s a little bit more sugar on the top for this one.”
How about your first game as a dad?
“You felt the Dad strength out there, right? I was doing my thing. I felt strong, it was cool.”
Did you plan that celebration (the rocking the baby) or did it come to you in the moment?
“See, I planned it but then I panicked, and then I almost did my old celebration. It was cool though. I was a little too excited. ”
What was working for you guys today defensively?
“Playing physical. We didn’t get away from anything that we do. We play our blackboard defense. It’s about us, it’s not about what they do so we’re just playing physical, trying to be the more physical football team at the point of attack and that worked.”
We know your reaction to the last game winner that Dustin Hopkins hit, what was your reaction this time?
“Same thing. I didn’t look. The same three guys, every time we get in that situation we have our little ritual and if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.”
What can you say about him?
“D-Hop? You talking about D-Hop? That’s my dawg. Hey look, that guy, he came to our team and he’s just showed us how to be a Pro, how to be a vet. He’s so consistent. We love him, we hope he’s not going anywhere.”
Seemed like even if they had some of those big runs you guys would bounce back, what does that say about that unit and your mentality even when those explosive plays do happen?
“Yeah, when those explosive plays happened of course we didn’t like them but we’re such a connected team, we know how to bounce back we know how to make our corrections and go out there and fix it..”
In the fourth quarter, you had two plays in a row where you got the hands in his face and he threw it into the ground and then the run stopped. How important did those plays end up being on that drive and the momentum shift do you think that drive was to get them off the field after five plays?
“Coach, he called the play, I ran the play. I was just doing my job. It could have been anybody in that spot. We trust everybody. It could have been literally any of our defensive ends in that spot that would have made those same plays.”
What does it say about DTR, struggled there in the second half, but when it mattered most he made the plays to get you guys in field goal range?
“I didn’t see him struggle, I saw him win the game for us. DTR, he went out there, he didn’t play like a rookie, he was poised, he won us the game and that’s what I am going to remember”
What’s going through you guys’ head when it’s 1:42 remaining and they get the ball back at the end of the game?
“Nothing. We shrugged our shoulders and said let’s go win the game, it’s all good.”
CB DENZEL WARD
What have you guys learned about finishing and getting the job done?
“That’s the biggest thing. I mean being in close games, we’re just trying to finish and find ways to finish those games with the win. We’ve been playing good complementary football right now.The guys have been doing a great job on offense and driving the ball. (QB) Dorian Thompson-Robinson did great controlling the game and defense did good as well.”
How tough is it finishing without (LB) Anthony Walker and (S) Rodney Mcleod Jr.?
“It’s tough, we’ve been dealing with some injuries on the team, but the guys have been doing a great job of stepping up and finding a way to still make us find a way to get the win still. Hopefully, those guys’ injuries aren’t too bad and we can get those guys back.”
What did Thompson-Robinson’s game look like to you?
“He didn’t look like a rookie at all. He was out there controlling the game, making great decisions and passes. He had played a great game, so definitely appreciative for his performance out there. He helped us out and helped us get this win.”
# # #
***Visit the Browns Media Center for materials provided by the Browns communications department, including media schedules, press releases, quotes, photos, media guides, rosters, depth charts and more.***