Browns Defensive Coordinator Rob Ryan press conference 9-25-09

(Opening statement)- “How’s everybody doing? Good. I’m real good, ready to go. Guys have worked really hard this week and looking for better results, as I’m sure you are.”

(On if it hard to keep the players going emotionally)- “That’s a great question. It obviously hasn’t started off like a house of fire, like we were hoping. Our guys are emotionally really into the game. They’ve worked hard. Bottom line in that game, our effort was outstanding on defense, I thought. Could we have executed better? Sure. I really think I took them out of the game. I called an all-out pressure. I know we’ve asked about pressure, someone threw a cat on it I guess, because we got burned in a max pressure and it really took us out of the game. It took the whole life out of our team. I think we were in there fighting like heck. We had a great chance to win that game. You try to take the emotion out of it. We had given up a screen play the play before. We had a tip on it, we knew when it was coming. I think I just got frustrated and called a play that, usually I’m smarter than that, usually a better coach than that, and it really hurt us. It really deflated out team. It’s unfortunate. I think if I hadn’t have made that call, we probably would have been in the top 10 in defense, even with the mistakes we’d made. Giving up 180 yards in the fourth quarter, you just put them all on me. It wasn’t the players. It wasn’t them quitting. It was just me having an ill-advised play and I’m smarter than that. It really hurt our team.”

(On how tough it is to keep the players aggressive while managing where you are in the game)- “It’s difficult. You’re playing against the best players and the best coaches in the world. It’s a real difficult challenge to play a team like last week. You have to have a lot of checks up. You really have to tip your hat to Eric Barton and the job that he does for us. We had more checks in on our defense then you see in a hockey game. The guy does a great job. You just have to be smart with it. You have to really think about everything. You’re making split-second decisions, but you have to have a lot of thought into them. That’s why you put the hours in that you do, so you’ll call a good play. I think I let emotion get the better of me in that situation and it really hurt us. It did. It’s really annoying to sit here and stand up here and admit that to you, but that’s what happened.”

(On how you defend against Baltimore)- “The first game you see you say, ‘Golly, that’s a lot of yards on offense,’ like 500 and some odd yards against Kansas City, who I think do a good job on defense. Then you look and there are 90 plays. Cam Cameron’s up to his old tricks. He’s always in the top five in offense wherever he coaches. I think the guy does a great job. He has a real physical football team over there in Baltimore, on both sides of the ball. There are physical players all over that team. Their punters and kickers are probably physical. It’s going to be that kind of game. I think we need that kind of game right now. I think we’re ready to fight. It’s going to be on.”

(On taking a gamble in a game)- “There’s a right way to do things and a wrong way. Obviously, my path was the wrong path. You just have to be smart. As the game was going on, things weren’t going that well for, really, either team. They kept missing field goals and things like that. You just have to stay patient and do the things, we were zone pressuring, we were getting the ball out quickly. I know statistically there’s nothing on there that says we had any sacks, no turnovers, no anything and it’s a frustrating thing. I think they were doing a good job in trying to stick with their plan. We were just looking for that one big mistake that could have got us in the game. You just have to be patient. When you sell your soul out there, you have to be ready to suffer the consequences. Unfortunately, I threw it out there and ruined the whole game for everybody.”

(On how different Joe Flacco looks from last year to this year)- “I tell you what, I played him, the Raiders played him when I was there. I say I, I haven’t played a snap. I’ve seen him. I’ve prepared for the guy. It’s about a year, because we played them about the fifth week of the season. They were really patient with the football and all that. Now, they’re just giving him the keys and letting him play. He sure is a mature guy, for just the limited snaps that he’s had in the National Football League. He is very talented. The game’s in slow motion for him. You can see him make all his reads, going through one, two, three, ‘Oh, I think I’ll just scramble out here.’ The guy is really doing a good job. You see Ozzie Newsome comparing him to some great quarterbacks that have played in the past and they know a lot about players. He’s an outstanding guy. With all the talent around him, they’re just really hard to handle.”

(On what it’s like to go against the elite quarterbacks of the AFC North)- “I think it’s just elite teams. I think pretty much, nowadays, you’re going against top-tier quarterbacks and halfbacks. In this league, everybody seems to have one or two of them. It’s just trying to come in here, establish what we’re working for. We need some positives. We need to win a game around here. Everybody’s doing their part. We’re working as hard as we can, as a defense. As for our players, you can’t work harder than they are. They’re pouring everything they have into it every week. It’s a frustrating thing. I’m sure it’s frustrating for our guys. They want to do well. They had that game right there. I just took it away from them. Hopefully that won’t happen this week. Hopefully we put them in a situation to win.”

(On if he is gun shy now)- “No, next time I’m going to run max pressure, shoot, we’re going to hit them. The truth of the matter is, that game situation, a junior high coach would have called it better than I did on that play. That was just a bad decision and I’m a smart guy than that.”

(On who the tone setter is on defense)- “I think we have several guys that can set a tone. You’re talking about a physical presence and a tone and a big hit, we have some big hitters on this defense. I think when you play like a Denver Broncos, they never give you that chance to knock somebody’s teeth out, because they spread you out so far. You’re just hanging on. It’s like they try to make it basketball. This team’s not going to hide. This teams going to put theirs on ours and we’ll see who’s the toughest team. I know they have great, violent players on their defense and I know we have some tough, violent guys on our defense. We’ll see some big hits and I’m looking forward to it. I’m looking forward to hearing the big hits and watching some football.”

(On if Shaun Rogers can be the tone setter on defense)- “Absolutely. Shaun Rogers is that guy. Shaun Rogers is a guy like that. He’s a grown man. There’s no question about it. Obviously, Eric Barton is in the middle of our defense. If you watch him play, you really appreciate a guy like him. Besides, not only the intelligence he brings, but the toughness, the genuine toughness, the genuine attitude, the leadership and he’s a winner. That in the middle of your defense is what you need. I’d see the first big hit probably would be dished out by a guy like him. I’ve seen a big hit change seasons. We were in a situation in New England, we were 0-2. We had a very poor season the year before. We added a guy named Bryan Cox. We’re playing Indianapolis, like the number two offense in football, kind of sounds like this week. A guy runs a little duck under, I think his name was (Jerome) Pathon, but Cox absolutely ripped his face off and we went on to win the Super Bowl. I tell you what, his hit changed our team. Hopefully we’ll get a shot like that.”

(On open field tackling)- “We had the game going the way we wanted it, and I’m telling you, that long run there that came out on us was after a deflated team. We deflated. When I made the bad call, whatever happened after that, we were out of gas. We were done. We were deflated and it was just bad and it was all me. It wasn’t open field tackling, it wasn’t anything. It was just me. That’s the truth and that’s a hard thing to swallow, especially when you’re on a road trip and you have to live with yourself the rest of the week, but it happens.”

(On if he told the players that the loss to Denver was his fault)- “No, I don’t tell them that. I correct exactly what they did wrong, but you can’t hide in this league. Everybody knows I screwed it up. I can’t hide and I won’t hide. I messed it up, messed up the whole game for the Cleveland Browns. I’m standing here in front of you telling you that’s what happened. I don’t care what happened after that, it was me.”

(On if players respect you more if you admit your faults)- “You’d have to ask them. I don’t know. I don’t know who they’ve played for before. I’m an honest guy. I’m a tough guy and I’m legit, so whatever. I don’t pat myself on the back when I do great either, well, as far as you know I don’t (jokingly).”

(On throwing tackling dummies during practice drills and if he has always been a hands-on coach)- “That’s a kid (Marcus Benard) that I brought to us from Jackson State that I know is going to be a great player. I just like having fun with a young guy like that. My style may be unique. I think I have the tempo of the team pretty good and sometimes you have to step on the gas and sometimes you have to be able to pull up a little bit. I think as long as you’re real, I love this game. I love what I do. It’s not always fun, as witnessed Sunday, but it’s a heck of a lot of fun most of the time. We’re coaching with grown men, but everybody’s a kid at heard. I enjoy being around it. Last year I got tackled by Kirk Morrison and broke two ribs. I’m probably not looking to do that again, but you know, whatever it takes to get a message across and for the guys to have fun to just be able to relax and then go out and play the best football, I’ll do it.”

(On how you coach at the end of the season without making practice boring)- “I don’t know, I think you just have to find ways to make things fun and to make things learnable and likeable. I think that’s a job of a teacher and that’s a job of a coach. Anybody can coach. When things are going well, God almighty is this a great job. It’s the greatest job there is. When you win 15 games in a row, like we did in New England, it was great. You show up every week like, ‘Sweet, we’re going to win again. This is so great.’ Family says, ‘Oh, we’re going to go to the Super Bowl.’ Yeah, not always that easy kids, so they’re finding out the hard way. We’re looking forward to a return visit. It might take a little time, but it’s always worth it. I’ve had great moments on losing teams. I love watching the players grow, watching them respond. You see a Nnamdi Asomugha, a young corner, doesn’t know anything. We’re moving him from safety. You move him around because you have no idea what to do with him, because he can’t function wherever you put him, and then he’s the best corner in football. You love watching guys like that. You love watching free agents that you pick up, that have two sacks, the next year lead the league in quarterback sacks and he’s playing for you. You love dealing with Hall of Fame players, Warren Sapp, on a day-to-day basis. It’s not always easy, but you grow as a person. You grow being around guys and you love the competitiveness and that’s why this job is so fantastic.”

(On if he finished last season with a flap jacket on)- “No, but I probably should have had one on before I ran that drill. Then we won that week, so I was like, ‘Maybe I should do it again.’”

(On if Kirk Morrison played well the following game)- “Yes, that’s more important. He played well. My breathing came back to me about a month later. I know we’re all looking for a great effort this week. I know our guys are excited about it. This isn’t an easy team to play, because you have to fight every play, but I know our guys are ready to fight. I know they are. From talking to them, I guess last year wasn’t great either, playing against the Ravens. Our defensive guys felt they got pushed around a little bit. We’re looking forward to a great fight and, hopefully, a great victory for us.”

(On what makes him think that there is hope for the team this year)- “You can really see them working. When you watch the guys, and you’re out there, I know you see them working hard. They’re starting to care for each other and you do better. If you’re going to go into a big war like you’re playing the Baltimore Ravens, because it is a war, bodies are getting laid out all over the field, you better have guys that you care about, that you can count on, that you know that when it gets tough, they’re not going to run on you. They’re going to run with you, into the thing. I know that’s what we have. Right now, stats and everything, they say we’re not worth a crap, but man I can see it. We’re coming together. I can see it. If you throw out that fourth quarter, we’re not a bad defense.”

(On David Veikune and Kaluka Maiava)- “I tell you, it’s exciting. It is exciting. These kids are coming on. Those two young men you mentioned right there, they’re going to be good players. They really are. You can see them growing. It’s like all of a sudden now they have beards. It’s like, ‘Gosh, they’re men now.’ They’re just waiting for their opportunity. They really are and they’re going to be good when they get in there, they really are. Here are guys, probably used to playing every snap they’ve ever played, now they’re backups. Usually you see a little lull in the action, it takes a while, but now, they’re growing. They’re coming on fast. Both those kids, they’re coming on fast and they’re going to be good players. It’s really exciting to see those guys every day, because they work hard and they’re getting better.”

TRANSCRIPTS
Offensive Coordinator Brian Daboll press conference 9-25-09
09.25.09

Browns Offensive Coordinator Brian Daboll press conference 9-25-09

(On what has to be done to be better on first and second down)- “I think it’s a collective effort from coaching and playing. You have to get positive yards, you can’t have any penalties, they put us behind the eight ball. Power running, north and south, good decisions at quarterback. We have to get on the right track early on, on first and second down, and prevent us from third-and-long. We’ve had quite a bit of third-and-longs this year so far. It’s hard to convert in this league on third-and-long.”

(On if Brady Quinn was trying to throw the ball too hard)- “I don’t think he was throwing it too hard. I think he was trying to go to the right guy for the most part. I certainly think he wishes he had a couple back, but I don’t think he was trying to throw it too hard.”

(On if it is tougher to call plays in the red zone)- “You prepare for every situation throughout the week, and sometimes there are teams down in the red zone that like to play a cover two shell, or drop eight and play some max coverage, where it’s a little harder to throw the football in. You game plan according to what they do. Other teams like to max pressure you. You do some different things there, but I don’t get a sense of that. I think collectively it’s been all across the board. One time we’re a little bit late off the snap, next time probably could have called a different call on that wildcat one. I think it’s a collective effort, just to continue to stress it every week. We worked on it today again and hope to progress.”

(On if you have to prepare as though you won’t have Jamal Lewis )- “We prepare the same way, every week, and whoever is ready to go at the end of the week that’s who we’re going to go with. We have the same type of package whether we have him or whether we don’t.”

(On if the Ravens are as tough to scheme for as any team in the league)- “They’re pretty tough. Not only do they have a great scheme, they have some great players, two of the best at their positions at safety and linebacker with (Ray) Lewis and (Ed) Reed. They have an outstanding cast of characters over there that play hard, that play tough. You watch them on tape and you’re like, man they’re pretty good.”

(On what Ed Reed does to the game plan)- “You have to be conscious of him at all times, and if you’re not he’s going to get you. He’s a ball hawk, he reads the quarterback extremely well, and he comes up and makes good tackles. If you’re not aware of him on every play he’s going to get you. I talked to Chad (Pennington) last year, they played him in the playoff game. I showed a clip to the quarterbacks. He was playing a cover two safety on the opposite side of the field and they were running a little route to the left side of the field short and he came all the way across the field and intercepted the ball. I talked to Chad after the game and I said, ‘What coverage was that?’ He said, ‘It was cover two, can you believe where he came from?’ He’s an outstanding player, and he’s one of the best.”

(On how the team prepares the same whether Jamal Lewis will play or not)- “The team’s we’re playing, based on what they do defensively, and the runs that we think are good runs that week, it’s not different if it was Jamal or if it was J.C. (Jerome Harrison). We’re going to put the runs in that we think will be most effective for that particular week. We expect all the guys to be able to do that.”

(On if he expects the same result out of Jerome Harrison or James Davis)- “Yes, that is what we expect.”

(On if it would be a tall order for Harrison or Davis to go against Baltimore’s defense)- “It’s going to be a task for everybody, not just those two guys. This is an outstanding defense and these guys have worked during the week. They know what our expectations are. This is a tough, hard hitting linebacker core, front core with (Haloti) Ngata and Trevor Pryce in there. These guys understand what the expectations are and they’re going to go in and give their best effort, and whoever is in there that’s what we expect.”

(On where Brady Quinn’s development is at)- “It’s a day-to-day basis. He works his tail off. He’s in here a bunch. In terms of the game plan, game plan specific things, he’s improved with that from week-to-week. I’m sure, certainly, that he wishes he’s improved more, just like all the other guys too. We expect them to improve each and every week.”

(On if it is hard trying to keep the guys from pushing to do too much)- “It’s not hard to do that, I think they understand what their roles are. I don’t think anybody is pushing to do more than what they’re job is, and that’s something that we always stress all the time is, make sure you do you’re job and the guy next to you does his, and hopefully the rewards will come with it.”

(On if it is human nature to try to do too much)- “It’s just something that from Eric, on down, stresses is, make sure you do your job, trust the guy next to you is going to do his. Don’t press, make sure you’re doing exactly what we need you to do and hopefully the rewards will come from it.”

(On if there is reason to believe the season will get back on track)- “I told those guys the other day, here’s the reality of it, we’re 0-2. How we got here, is how we got here. What are we going to do starting when we talk to them on Monday from this point forward? We prepare, we practice, we’re doing everything we can do to make sure that we get it on the right track.”

(On if there are signs that this season could still be a good team)- “It’s early on in the season, and like I just said before we’re 0-2, that’s where were at. Nobody wanted to start the season 0-2, but everybody has the right mindset. They’re coming in, they’re working, they’re practicing, they’re preparing and that’s what we’re going to do every week.”

(On if Josh Cribbs can make it work being a number two receiver)- “Mary Kay (Cabot), it’s a collective effort, you can’t just look at one guy. There’s 11, 12 reasons on every play that maybe one play doesn’t work here or there. The first thing we need to do offensively is prevent turnovers. We’ve had five turnovers in two games, and there’s a long study that has been done. If you turn the football over, it doesn’t matter about the 60 or 70 other plays in the game, you minimize your chances to win greatly.”

(On injuries on the offensive line)- “We’ve been practicing, we practiced a ton of guys during the camp during preseason. That’s why you do it, everybody has played some different spots, they’re jelling together this particular week, but we just move in and out and at the end of the week we’ll be ready to go.”

(On if it will confuse Alex Mack facing the Baltimore defense)- “I don’t think it would be confusing to Alex. Pork chop (Floyd Womack) helps out too, he makes the calls, Alex makes the calls, (John) St. Clair, Steiny (Eric Steinbach), they’re all communicating with one, those five guys need to play as one and they all need to be on the same page.”

(On Rob Ryan taking the blame for the loss at Denver)- “Rob is an accountable guy, but whether I agree with that it doesn’t matter. I think everybody is accountable, I’m accountable, players and coaches. When you don’t play well I think you have to take ownership in it. You have to be up front about it and say, what can we do to be better the next week? Whether it’s a different call, whether it’s more preparation, whether it’s a better throw, a better block, I think everybody has to be accountable for it.”

(On what it says about Brady Quinn throwing to the end zone once while at the goal line)- “It says that we’ve done a lot of work, and we’re anticipating certain coverages in certain situations. You go with what you prepared for in the week. A seven man box versus an eight man box. Sometimes we have check with me plays, where you don’t want to throw it versus a particular look, you’d rather run it. That’s going to be pretty much the same every week with that. Whether you’re going to run it in or pass it in. Based on a particular look in some situations it might put you in what you’re trying to get into.”

(On being on the field as opposed to upstairs during the game)- “I’ve never thought about it. I’m down on the field giving the signals on the coach’s quarterback. I’ve been upstairs too when I was working with the secondary. I’ve been upstairs working with the quarterbacks. I’ve done a little of both. If you’re upstairs, you communicate it down to the person that would have the coach’s quarterback and then he would communicate it in.”

(On if adjustments have been made to cut down on sacks)- “It could always be better, obviously it’s not good enough and it needs to be better. We go in with a plan trying to take away certain guys or put certain protection to somebody and that needs to be better all the way around.”