Cleveland Browns HC Kevin Stefanski gives a strong statement as they host the Bears…
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski took questions from reporters on Friday at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus regarding hosting the Bears, player injuries including Denzel Ward and Ogbo Okoronkwo, and more.
Below is the transcript as provided by the Browns media relations department:
“Good week of preparation and we need one because this is a great challenge for us playing this football team, 3-1 in their last four. I think they’re playing really well. Ton of respect for Coach (Matt) Eberflus and his staff, a bunch of good players. So, we have to be at our best on Sunday and we’re looking forward to getting down there, looking forward to being in front of our fans. They’ve made a huge, huge difference in these ball games and I expect that this week as well. And with that, I’ll take any questions.”
“Yeah, there’s some guys that we trust back there, Mary Kay (Cabot), that have given us good reps. We have different options and combinations that we can work through. But bottom line is that’s why these guys work so hard throughout training camp, throughout the season to stay ready because you never know when your number is going to be called.”
“Yeah, I think he continues to progress every single day. I think he’s getting better. We’ll use the next 48 hours to see whether he can make it.”
“We talked about Nick this week. He’s a guy that we trust. We’ve won with Nick. We know what it’s like with him in there. He plays at a high level, plays really hard, smart player. So we have a lot of trust in him. His teammates have a lot of trust in him. As you know, you’re right in the center of it all and he does a great job leading that because there’s so much communication that takes place there. So, you really don’t miss a beat when it comes to communication.”
“It’s not new. But again, when you’re a great football player, you’re going to get the attention. What’s again, I think unbelievable is how he still makes plays throughout that. And I think his effort plays speak to who he is, what he means to this team. And our team feeds off of that.”
“They’re taking the ball away. I mean, they’re eleven in the last three. I think it’s nine interceptions in the last three. I think they intercepted Minnesota four times, Detroit five times in their last two games. It’s tipped balls. It’s making plays on the ball. It’s zone defenders being visual on the quarterback. They have great ball skills throughout their defense. So, it’s definitely a part of certainly their success recently. It’s also a part of their scheme. They’re playing a lot of visual zones and doing a very good job. So it’s really important that your entire offense is keyed in. It’s not just the quarterback, it’s everybody. From running the routes at the proper depth to having great protection to the offensive line. When it’s time to get the defensive lines hands down, that’s as important as anything.”
“Yeah. As I’ve said it before, we’re not the thought police. Our guys can voice their opinions. Again, talked about it a little bit earlier, Mary Kay, but he gets a ton of attention. I remind the officials of it every game. Just so they’re aware that teams are going to be doing everything in their power to slow down 95. That’s what they’re talking about in their building. So, when he’s being clearly restricted, we expect it to be called.”
“Yeah, big challenge. Great size, great catch radius. A threat in that red zone, as you know, because he can go up and get the football. They utilize him really well and I think he’s got the trust of the quarterback.”
“It’s hard to compare guys. Just in general, you don’t want to do that. I would just tell you, Justin Fields, he’s got great strength, play strength. He’s fast. He can throw the ball to all areas of the field. They utilize him really well. Whether it’s on schedule in the quarterback-driven run game or it’s off schedule, he can make plays. So again, he’s a huge challenge.”
“Yeah, I mean, I can’t say enough good things about Ogbo. Just what he’s provided on the field is one thing, but what he’s provided off the field is a whole other thing. Game day, he’s an unbelievable amount of energy and positive juice that he brings to the sideline, a guy that puts his teammates first. So his impact, while it’s huge on the field, it’s also huge off the field.”
“Yeah, Jordan tweaked his leg yesterday. So similar with a lot of these guys, just want to see how he does over the next 48 hours.”
“No. It’s a matter of fact. It’s part of our league. We’ve talked about it, we don’t like injuries. Nobody likes them. I feel very bad for our guys that we lose, especially guys that you lose for the season. You feel bad for them on a personal level, but we all have a job to do and that’s how we treat it.”
“Yeah, I think we have pros on our team. I think we have great leadership on our team. Our coaches understand the challenges week in and week out. But again, we have a job to do. We have a job to do this Sunday regardless.”