Kevin Stefanski's post-game press conference following the Browns 39-38 victory over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 7. He talks about Deshaun Watson, Myles Garrett, PJ Walker, and the Browns' Victory!
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00:00 >> [LAUGH]
00:06 >> Okay, injury is Jerome Ford has an ankle
00:09 injury, he's getting evaluated.
00:11 Alex Wright is in concussion protocol.
00:13 Deshawn took that big hit on the shoulder.
00:17 He cleared concussion protocol, but I just did not want to put him back out there.
00:20 I wanted to protect our franchise quarterback.
00:22 That was my decision, and that's what it was.
00:25 The game itself, this is a team that fights.
00:29 We knew that this was gonna be a game, could come down to the wire, and it did.
00:34 And I mean, a ton of big plays individually, obviously Dustin coming
00:38 through was unbelievable in that game, I think a long 58 miles.
00:43 Wreaked havoc on defense and then blocked a field goal on offense, or
00:47 excuse me, on special teams, which we turned into three points,
00:49 which was a six point swing in a small game.
00:52 But that's tight to make plays like that was unbelievable.
00:55 And a bunch of guys just fighting like crazy.
00:57 I mean, Kreamon jamming in there on that last play on fourth down.
01:03 But really proud of those guys.
01:05 We knew it was gonna be hard, good football team, good AFC football team.
01:08 So it's good to come out here with a win, and with that I'll take any questions.
01:11 >> Could you explain more about the decision to not put Watson back out there?
01:16 What does this mean for him going forward?
01:17 Was there any re-injury of any kind?
01:19 >> Yeah, he's our starter moving forward.
01:22 He's our starter in Seattle.
01:24 It's always been my decision to protect our players.
01:27 >> So is he gonna practice this week?
01:29 >> Well, it's Sunday, so I'll update you guys later.
01:31 >> But you don't think he hurt it any worse?
01:34 >> I mean, we evaluate all those things like we do.
01:36 >> How did you think he threw the ball when he was in there?
01:40 >> I'm sorry?
01:41 >> Excuse me, how did you think he threw the ball when he was in there?
01:44 >> He was in there only a few plays, apart from the same.
01:47 >> What do you think enabled you guys?
01:50 You lose to Sean, it seems like a lot of bad stuff is going on.
01:53 >> Yeah, it's football.
01:55 You know what I mean?
01:57 You got guys are in and out.
01:59 Things don't always go your way and you gotta fight.
02:02 And you gotta, in the fourth quarter, if you're down, you gotta go on an 80-yard
02:04 drive.
02:05 I mean, that's what this game is.
02:07 There's not a lot of blowouts in this game, but they're close.
02:10 And you gotta be able to win those close ones.
02:12 So just proud of those guys.
02:14 Getting a road win was important for us, and I thought the guys did a nice job.
02:18 >> Kevin, have you ever seen anybody do a milestone on that field goal?
02:22 >> Well, yeah, I think we've all seen it across, guys have done that before.
02:27 We had it in this week, thought that Bubba did a great job.
02:31 He thought it was there, and then Miles did a great job executing.
02:33 You really gotta be careful not to leverage, as you know.
02:36 But if there's anybody on the Earth that can do it, it's Miles Garret.
02:40 >> On that first pick of DeSean's, did that give you the knowledge that perhaps
02:45 maybe he just didn't have the velocity on the ball, or
02:47 they just didn't see himself- >> No, yeah.
02:48 >> Yeah, no.
02:49 >> I didn't feel that at all, no.
02:51 >> It looked like at one point during a break,
02:53 you went over and talked to him, was on the sideline.
02:55 Did you have to explain your decision, or talk about it, or try to play?
02:59 >> Yeah, of course.
03:00 I mean, listen, as you guys know, my job to make tough decisions,
03:03 I just felt like I wanted to protect him.
03:06 I did not wanna see him get hit.
03:08 He was hit hard, and I know he cleared all that, but
03:12 I just thought it was, I gotta protect him.
03:14 >> What about just the way that PJ showed so much moxie and everything on that?
03:19 >> Good word.
03:19 >> Final deflect.
03:21 >> Yeah, we needed moxie, we needed guts, we needed grip, we needed all of it today.
03:24 And PJ's done that.
03:26 I mean, as you guys know, we talk about backup, quarterback, sound,
03:29 carry backup, anything.
03:31 You have to be ready to go.
03:32 And sometimes you get the rep, sometimes you don't.
03:34 So I thought he performed admirably, and got us in the end zone there at the end.
03:39 >> Was that your guys' game plan going- >> Where's your hat?
03:42 >> It's gone now.
03:43 I felt better this time.
03:45 Did you guys have that game plan going in, saying, okay,
03:48 Deshaun takes a hit like that.
03:50 We're gonna have to kind of reevaluate and see how he kind of progresses through it.
03:54 I wouldn't say we have a game plan per se, but again,
03:56 you're always looking to protect our quarterbacks, period.
04:01 >> So is this gonna be touch and go going forward, or
04:04 is this kind of a one game situation?
04:06 >> It's Sunday, I can't speak past anything, but I'd expect Deshaun to be,
04:11 if everything clears, he's ready to roll, he's our starter on Wednesday.
04:14 >> When third down goes incomplete right away, do you make the call on Kareem?
04:18 What's your thought process there?
04:20 >> Yeah, thought process was I didn't wanna run it before fourth down,
04:26 cuz I just didn't want the clock to be ticking and trying to line up.
04:29 And it's hard to do that in certain personnel groupings.
04:32 So the guys were begging for a run.
04:34 I told them, it's coming, just hang with me.
04:36 And that was always gonna be the call on fourth down.
04:39 Now, if we could have gotten it in there without taking some time off the clock,
04:45 that was also our goal, but there was method demands.
04:49 >> Back to back weeks, your team just coming out with gutsy performances and
04:53 hanging in there and finishing the game and
04:56 pulling off just two wild victories, and what can you say about it?
05:00 >> I don't remember last week, Mary Kay.
05:01 >> [LAUGH] >> Yeah, we talked about it, Mary Kay.
05:06 Again, you cannot predict this league, you can't predict things that are coming.
05:10 And so it's so, so important that you stick together.
05:13 And I think you have a locker room in there that understands that,
05:16 that they're gonna stick together.
05:18 Even when it's hard, it's gonna be hard, it's always hard.
05:20 That's, everything you want in this league is on the other side of hard.
05:26 >> Excuse me, I'm not being able to predict.
05:28 The defense gave up a lot of points, a lot of yards, how do you explain that?
05:32 >> Yeah, I mean, as you know, Tony, our defense has played really well.
05:36 You knew that there was gonna be a game where teams make a few plays.
05:40 We knew it's hard to pitch a shutout every game.
05:44 So they fought, made plays when we had to.
05:46 I mean, we got four takeaways today, which was outstanding.
05:49 And that really turned the tide of the game.
05:51 >> What's the value of winning on the road for the first time,
05:54 winning back to back games for the first time?
05:55 >> Yeah, I mean, the value is, and we talked about this this week.
05:59 I mean, you wanna be a good team, you gotta win multiple back to backs.
06:02 I mean, you just, if you wanna be there at the end,
06:06 you gotta put streaks together, that's just how it works.
06:08 So you gotta get one, then you gotta get two.
06:11 And then really, if you focus on just those one games,
06:14 if you focus on those games as themselves and you pour everything you have into it,
06:18 you got a chance.
06:18 I thought that's what they did.
06:19 We poured everything we had into this one and we needed all of it.
06:22 >> Why wasn't Dorian dressed as the emergency QB?
06:26 >> He, I think all three guys have to be on the 53 in order to use that.
06:32 >> With Dustin, the way he's kicked the ball,
06:35 the 50 plus, did you hesitate at all on the 50 yard?
06:38 >> I didn't.
06:40 Yeah, I didn't.
06:40 Inside, what he's capable of, I did not.
06:44 >> Kevin, you mentioned that PJ Walker, obviously, the gutsiness,
06:47 the competitiveness, but give us an idea, his practice habits and
06:51 what gives him the ability to go out when his number's called like that and
06:54 go make plays?
06:55 >> Yeah, I think those backup quarterbacks, they're pros.
06:59 They know how to prepare.
07:00 AVP, our offense coordinator, is a long time backup quarterback.
07:05 He's a good player too, doesn't mean he wasn't a good player.
07:08 But those guys, if you don't get a ton of reps,
07:11 sometimes you're in there in the first quarter,
07:13 sometimes you're in there in the fourth quarter.
07:14 You have to stay ready so you don't have to get ready, and
07:16 I think PJ certainly embodies that.
07:18 >> Denzel Ward, did he have a concussion?
07:20 >> No.
07:21 >> Coach, what have you seen from your rookie right tackle, Ruan Johnson?
07:24 How has he been able to hold up so well in pass protection as a fourth under?
07:27 >> Yeah, the hometown kid.
07:29 >> Yep.
07:30 >> Yeah, I had some really good moments today.
07:33 Obviously, we'll look at it, always things to clean up, but he's playing hard.
07:36 It's not perfect.
07:38 He's getting better every single day at practice.
07:40 He works very, very hard, loves this game, loves to compete.
07:43 >> So I saw DeJong over there on the surface and cheering guys on and
07:46 staying into it.
07:47 Can you just address his demeanor?
07:49 >> Yeah, he's the leader of the football team.
07:51 He's a captain.
07:52 So we always need him.
07:54 He was a great, great supporter of BJ today,
07:57 was great on the sidelines keeping the guys in there.
07:59 >> Did he push back against your decision at all?
08:02 >> It's my job to make those tough decisions.
08:05 >> With Miles, those two, it's obviously they're huge, but
08:08 going into a game, did you know that there's potential for
08:11 him to kind of take that over for him?
08:13 >> Yeah, I think you go into every game with Miles,
08:16 anticipating that you're gonna like your matchups.
08:18 And he gets a ton of attention.
08:20 And when he doesn't get attention, when he doesn't get that chip or
08:22 that running back to his side, he can make a play.
08:27 >> How'd you feel about Tony Fields today?
08:29 I know you guys were a little thin at linebacker, but
08:30 he obviously made some good plays.
08:31 >> Yeah, I thought Tony, did he have the touchdown?
08:34 >> Yep. >> He's got a knack for that.
08:36 >> Yeah, Tony battled, has given us good reps when he's had to go in there.
08:40 So he did a good job.
08:41 >> Kevin, is there anybody else or anything maybe we haven't talked about that was
08:48 maybe a real key part of the game or something, maybe anything,
08:50 just a couple of things come to mind?
08:52 >> [INAUDIBLE]
08:57 >> I gotta watch it, but
08:58 I would tell you just that fourth quarter, the defense, the way they played.
09:04 Special teams came through.
09:05 It's the quintessential, I mean, it's a team game, and
09:07 we needed all three sides of the ball in that fourth quarter especially.
09:10 >> Did you put DeSean back in after PJ got hurt?
09:12 >> Yes.
09:14 >> Did you disagree?
09:15 >> What about just the heart and soul of your team?
09:18 How much do you admire all of that that they're giving you?
09:23 >> Yeah, I mean, that's this game, Mary Kay, it takes all of that.
09:27 It takes that grit that we talked about.
09:30 And again, we're early in the season, but we're in this thing for
09:34 the long haul, so you're gonna need everybody, but
09:38 it's a good one to get on the road for us.
09:41 >> Did you disagree with any of the defensive penalties at the end?
09:46 >> Probably.
09:48 Yeah, not gonna help me talk about it here, Tony.
09:51 Okay, thanks guys.
09:52 >> Thanks, Kevin.
09:53 [BLANK_AUDIO]
10:00 >> PJ Walker coming in?
10:02 >> Yes.
10:04 >> PJ Walker.
10:05 [BLANK_AUDIO]
10:15 [BLANK_AUDIO]