WR Odell Beckham Jr., RB Nick Chubb, DT Sheldon Richardson, C JC Tretter and LB Mack Wilson (9.22.19)
BROWNS PLAYERS
WR Odell Beckham Jr.:
On the loss:
“We didn’t make enough plays to win the game. We’re going against the team that was just in the Super Bowl last year so we’re going against a team that is very experienced and knows how to play this game. Not to say we don’t, but it’s a grit-game early in the season. You never want to have any loss and you never accept any loss, but that’s a good, hard lesson to learn early in the season that will help up later in the season when we have tougher games like that. They made more plays today, and we just have to get better.”
On the missed opportunities, especially on the last drive:
“When you have No. 99 (Rams DT Aaron Donald) chasing you, everything goes out the window. They say everybody has a plan until you get hit in the mouth. When you have him running at you, you just have to try and make a play. We didn’t make enough plays down there, and we couldn’t score when we needed to. Hats off to this team and hats off to our defense for playing the way they did and coming up with turnovers. We just have to capitalize on them.”
On the red zone play calling:
“We have nothing but support for Coach Freddie (Kitchens). He has done and phenomenal job. We just have to take a look at the film to see it. It is a good lesson for us to learn now, and now we know when we are in these kind of games what necessarily we need to do. I think that will be very good for this team.”
On the offensive trying to develop their connection:
“It is still early. It’s the third week of the season. This is a new team that has been put together so we are still trying to find ourselves and find our pieces. Right now, what I do know is that this team has heart, and is going to fight and fight to the end of every single game. That is all you can ask for now. As far as completion percentage, I don’t necessarily know about it. It is just finding ways to win and finding ways to make plays for him (QB Baker Mayfield) when he is under duress. When he is rolling out, we need to find a way to get open for him. If he can stay in the pocket and sling it every single time, then he would. If he has to get flushed out, he is going to try and make plays. That is what Baker has done well all his career so I think we will get it together for sure.”
RB Nick Chubb:
On his night rushing the ball:
“I think overall we did a great job of getting the initial push up front, and we didn’t back down at all. Our O line was getting off the ball and it worked out for us.”
On Head Coach Freddie Kitchens saying he wanted to run the ball on the final red zone drive:
“Whatever he calls, that is what we are going to do. No matter what he calls, we need to execute, run our paths and find a way into the end zone.”
On the lack of offensive consistency:
“I felt that. There were times where we were rolling and everything looked great, and then we would find a way to not do as well and mess it up. We kept hurting ourselves a little bit, but I felt that the potential of this offense can be great.”
On the 4th and 9 draw play:
“That was on me. I got tackled by one person and I need to find a way to be better and break the tackle, get around him, over him, or something. I am taking that one upon myself.”
On the red zone play calling on the last drive:
“I am just doing the plays that they call. I am not questioning anything. I am not questioning the coaching staff. Whatever they call, we need to find a way to make plays and execute.”
On his performance tonight:
“Whatever the team needs me to do, I’ll do it. Give me the ball as many times as you want, and I will try to make something out of it.”
On what is contributing to the offensive struggles:
“For one, the penalties here and there. When we get behind the sticks, it is hard for us to overcome that. We have to watch the film, be critical of ourselves and find a way to get better and improve.”
DT Sheldon Richardson:
On what the team needs to do better:
“It’s tough to see right now. I don’t know off the top of my head. It was probably just a few plays that we messed up on.”
On the team fighting through injuries:
“Next man up. Just because a guy went to the Pro Bowl or whatever he did earlier in his career, it’s the next guy up. You learn a lot working with them. That’s how you want your team to work. If I get hurt, next man up. Doesn’t matter who is out there. We just want everybody to ball.”
On the interception by DB Juston Burris:
“He was on the team in training camp so he knows the defense a little bit. He was a rookie when I was with the Jets so I know him and what he brings to the table.”
On the mentality of the defense when the offense is struggling:
“More plays for us to make, more money to be made. That’s how you look at it. Play defense.”
C JC Tretter:
On the play calls for the last series:
“Whatever the play call is, we need to execute. Whether it is pass play, run play or screen play, we have to go out and execute and put the ball in the end zone. We have to finish. We drove the ball all the way down there. We had four shots at it, and we could not put it in there. So that also is on us.”
On if there are any moral victories from taking an NFC Championship caliber team to the wire:
“No, it either goes in the win column or the loss column. This one goes in the loss column so we do not get anything out of that except a missed opportunity.”
On RB Nick Chubb:
“He is a really good runner, especially understanding where we are in the game, whether it is third-and-2, he has to put his head down and make sure he gets those two yards. He is a smart player. Today was a tough game, but he played well.”
LB Mack Wilson:
On filling in for LB Christian Kirksey:
“Filling in for him is big. I know the level that Kirko (LB Christian Kirksey) plays up to. He’s a hard worker and an elite player on the field so those are big shoes to fill. When I was out on the field tonight, I was thinking about Kirko and how hard he plays, along with the passion he brings on the field. I tried to bring that same passion and go out and compete on the field on every play.”
On the defensive mindset:
“We are going to try and beat them with the most physical group on the field. That is always going to be our approach. When we are on the field, we need to take it one play at a time and beat your man. We just have to be physical and do our jobs. We hold each other accountable.”
On the Rams offensive scheme:
“They were trying to get us out flanked a few times and were getting to the line of scrimmage quick. We made those adjustments and got better as the game went on. We just continued to fight and continued to play.”
On the challenge of defending the Rams WRs:
“A guy like (WR) Cooper Kupp is someone you have to respect when he is on the field, especially with the other guys like (WR Brandin) Cooks and No. 17 (WR Robert Woods). You have to read your keys and play with your eyes because they do a lot of motion and play action to get your eyes off of where you are supposed to have them. When that happens that leaves guys wide open so you have to pay attention to the details and read your keys.”
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