Browns Offensive Lineman Joel Bitonio talks with reporters ahead of the Browns home match-up vs Cardinals.
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00:00 What does that mean for you and your team as you have a team that's just a match up to [INAUDIBLE]
00:06 >> Yeah, we're trying to work,
00:08 there's a little spelling error on the ball.
00:11 Well enough and we're trying to get back to that kind of a three,
00:14 head of group between Ford and Pierre out there.
00:18 They'll kind of do their own thing well, but
00:21 last few games we've ran the ball pretty well and we're trying to keep those.
00:25 But we get used to those guys, we don't roll them back and
00:28 we get used to Jeff's guys that have been starting our back together.
00:33 So it's a good.
00:35 >> [INAUDIBLE]
00:41 >> I mean we always,
00:41 obviously when Nick's here, he's pretty good once you punch.
00:47 But now we're gonna go three guys in charity.
00:49 The other side step up a couple times for us last couple years.
00:54 So I think we're in best of one's function, we get guys in there.
00:57 But I think we're getting, we have three guys that are jigging it.
01:00 Eight to 12 carries a week and kind of spread out the well so
01:03 they kind of stay fresh and that's the things we're working on.
01:06 >> Do you guys have to deal with DeJuan this week?
01:10 Just how well has he been playing and adapting to that pass?
01:15 >> Yeah, hopefully we get him out there.
01:18 I don't know the extent of how he's feeling himself.
01:21 But he's doing a really good job and I think that's his strength,
01:25 his pass blocking, he's done a really good job.
01:28 He's had some tough challenges going against certain guys, but
01:31 he's really stepped up to it.
01:32 I think if he walks out a few weeks, it's also for a game,
01:36 Simon has his understanding of the details and
01:40 takes that he's successful.
01:42 So obviously we want him out there to keep improving and working.
01:45 But he has that raw talent to be as good as he really wants to be.
01:50 So we'll keep pushing him and hopefully he keeps taking steps.
01:54 >> Joel, this is the game now where you're starting quarterbacks.
01:59 Just how taxing has that been on you guys on the offensive line when it comes
02:05 to preparing, not knowing definitively who you're gonna be blocking?
02:11 >> I mean, obviously, brother, the sun's out there and
02:14 we're ready to roll with your starting quarterback.
02:17 But coach talked about being resilient in the year.
02:21 That's kind of what we focus on.
02:24 We control, we control and focus on that.
02:27 Poe really does a good job whenever I talk to him, he's got control,
02:31 we control and I think it's a great plan.
02:33 Cuz we can only do what's called, we can only do block who's out there.
02:38 And that's kind of been our mindset since we've had this injury.
02:43 >> In that way, it's gonna be difficult, but
02:47 is it manageable cuz you have a job to do no matter who's back there?
02:51 Isn't that kind of the focus?
02:52 >> Yeah, I agree with that.
02:54 I think we're gonna go out there and we're gonna have to play 70 snaps of football,
02:58 no matter who's playing quarterback out there.
03:00 So it's kind of been the whole mindset.
03:03 We, like you said, control, we control and we really just go out there and
03:06 focus on our jobs.
03:07 And obviously, everybody wants to shine their back when it's ready to go.
03:12 But that's really been our mindset the last four or five years.
03:15 >> Joel, guys are saying after the game that you guys work the screen game all
03:18 the time in practice.
03:19 So is this the most you've done that under a coach or a coordinator with Kevin?
03:23 And then what goes into a successful screen game?
03:27 >> Yeah, so since coach Fancy's been here with Bill and
03:31 AVP, we always have a screen period.
03:34 And it might not be full speed, but
03:35 we always have some sort of screen period pretty much every day.
03:38 Especially Wednesday, Thursday, we're out there running around.
03:41 Even if I'm not practicing, usually I'll jump in there just timing down and stuff.
03:46 But it's really timing, understanding who's out on the screen,
03:52 finding your landmarks.
03:54 And now we can't cut, so it's really they can't cut us.
03:57 But it's really pressing in field and space,
04:00 trying to get bodies on bodies out there.
04:04 But the main thing is the timing aspect.
04:05 If you can get out when guys are getting out and no one's down field,
04:09 I think that's when you have the best opportunity.
04:12 And I think the scheme wise, we have a bunch of different schemes.
04:14 So we're not just running the same scheme, but scheme over and over.
04:18 But it does take time.
04:20 We've been working on it for four years now, trying to get the screens in.
04:24 I think since Kevin's been here, we've had a very good,
04:27 one of the top in the league.
04:28 So it's something that we wanna pride ourselves on and take back in.
04:32 And then we'll show them that we can get the best screens in the league.
04:36 >> Your evaluation of Nick Harris' route running skills?
04:38 >> Pretty good, he hasn't got a ball yet.
04:42 >> Yet.
04:43 >> But we wanna get him here.
04:47 Now he's doing a great job.
04:48 I mean, that's a guy that was a starter.
04:52 Really, since he's been here, he's practiced like a starter because JC was
04:56 a little bit banged up when he was here.
04:58 And then obviously he's gotten hurt a couple times.
05:00 But we think of him as our six lineman and friend on the field and
05:04 kinda take that role as a fullback.
05:06 But also be able to be our backup center is huge cuz not very many teams put a
05:09 fullback on the roster.
05:11 So it's been good for him.
05:13 And we love having him out there.
05:14 We can run the ball and we can play action.
05:17 >> You want one crack at that spot though?
05:19 >> You know, when I was a young guy, I was a little excited.
05:20 I'm gonna get the ball.
05:21 >> [LAUGH] >> And I was like, I'll just stay in and
05:23 block.
05:24 I've lost my edge on that a little bit.
05:27 >> You get excited because it looks like everybody's trying to go for
05:30 a [INAUDIBLE] so.
05:31 >> [LAUGH] >> I would get excited.
05:34 I didn't know what option he was on the route.
05:35 Sometimes we put in a play and it's like, one, two, three, four, run.
05:38 And then mix your fifth option, you know what I mean?
05:41 So there's a little bit of a tree there.
05:44 But no, I mean, we had Kendall Lambscore touch down I think three or
05:47 four years ago when he was playing tight end.
05:49 So, Cam or James or someone that's a touchdown guy,
05:52 I think they'll kind of be different.
05:54 >> Has there been a tackle eligible play since you've been here?
05:59 Post to go to the tackle, but the play never materialized.
06:05 >> Gosh, I'm sure it has happened, you know what I mean?
06:08 I remember though Kendall one worked.
06:10 I think that's the only one we've thrown to a guy.
06:15 We've had plays with guys before, but I think that's the only one that's been
06:19 executed, so I'm sure there's one or two in there that weren't called or
06:22 weren't executed.
06:23 >> Do you have a favorite big man touchdown?
06:25 >> Gosh, I like guys that are [INAUDIBLE]
06:29 >> Kendall was the one I was part of,
06:30 but any of those ones where the guy's wide open and
06:33 he's kind of waiting for the ball to go up there.
06:35 You see if he's a true athlete or not, if he's coming down with it.
06:39 >> Joel, with James Hudson, I mean, the coaches in the training camp praised him
06:42 and how hard he's worked.
06:43 Just how do you think when he has to step in and
06:45 if he has to step in this week, how he handles that kind of role?
06:49 >> Yeah, it was big.
06:50 He hadn't really got too much extended time this year, but
06:53 obviously last game he stepped in and I thought he played very solid.
06:57 And he's been working, he knows he has to be kind of our big tight end,
07:01 right side, left side, do it all as a backup, but he stays ready.
07:05 I talked to him a lot, just being like, stay ready, be focused.
07:11 As a backup lineman, you have to truly be ready to play at any moment.
07:14 You don't know when it's gonna happen.
07:16 And he's always locked in, he's always like, I'm ready, I'm ready.
07:19 And this week we were talking, he wasn't sure if Jed was gonna be able to go.
07:25 And so I was like, all right, let's go.
07:26 If you're ready, he's like, I'll be ready.
07:27 And then he ended up having to go on the right side.
07:28 So it was a little bit different than the reps he got in practice.
07:31 But no, his work ethic in Coach Kylian, Coach Peters,
07:35 John all working with them to make sure the back is ready.
07:38 >> You guys were able to get 155 yards from the 300 monster at the top.
07:43 Are you guys feeling better with your run game right now?
07:48 >> Yeah, we've been stretching, we've been working it.
07:51 Especially, you don't have your quarterback on it, you know what I mean?
07:55 You gotta try and get him on the run a little bit.
07:57 But it's better, like I said, we were bottled up for a couple weeks there.
08:01 But it's been waking up a little bit, I think, the last couple weeks.
08:04 And I think we're seeing what forwards get out, what piers get out,
08:06 what freaks get out.
08:08 And we can kinda use that to our advantage.
08:10 >> I think our eight and six, we're 24, and 11 guys have lost one.
08:16 So even though they're one, seven, eight, eight, we're in a great,
08:20 great win, guys have to watch out for.
08:22 >> Yeah, it's actually pretty impressive, I'll tell you how hard they go and
08:26 how hard they rush.
08:27 Like you said, it's not one guy making all the plays for them.
08:30 They got guys, we looked at the sheet and it was like four, three and a half,
08:34 two and a half, two and a half, you know what I mean?
08:35 Like a bunch of guys with multiple sacks.
08:37 And I think it's how they play out, because they run a lot of games.
08:40 They kinda have a couple of front sacks, they're moving around a lot,
08:42 where you have to kinda ID who you wanna block.
08:44 But it's really an impressive effort group.
08:47 Like the guys just keep going and sometimes, they block them up pretty good.
08:51 And the guy will just keep turning the corner, step up and do a sack, and
08:54 make those plays.
08:55 So they work well together.
08:57 This is one of the things I've come across and I think in team play,
09:02 this league, I've been in those situations where we haven't been great.
09:05 But teams are fighting for wins and
09:08 everybody's always playing for that next game or that next tournament.
09:12 >> There's a lot like Philly.
09:14 >> They do a lot of things like Philly.
09:15 Like there's some Philly stuff that we've taken, but they're pretty multiple.
09:19 There probably is multiple fronts we've seen this year.
09:22 They're a base three down, but they have all types of different looks that they
09:25 can give you.
09:26 And they kinda do a weird thing with the Sam's and
09:28 those are built off the ball sometimes.
09:30 But still, you gotta come forward and protect them.
09:34 >> Joel, this might be kinda big picture.
09:37 But do you guys talk about, as a group, how proud you are of the fact that
09:40 sometimes injuries happen and you've gotta just plug in pieces?
09:44 And as a group, you guys have been really steady throughout the course of the year.
09:47 >> Yeah, it's, you know,
09:50 Calhoun does a great job of stressing this, this summer.
09:54 But every game we know who's gonna be the first center and the first guard and
09:57 the first tackle, and who's gonna be up, who's gonna be down.
10:00 So there's always a stress of like, you have to prepare for these positions.
10:03 And I think it's a credit to the guys and the coaching that they're always usually
10:09 pretty ready and they understand what they're doing when they come in the game.
10:12 But it's something, you don't wanna talk about where like, yeah,
10:16 a wide, people get banged up.
10:17 But it's one of those tough positions in this league, this NFL belt.
10:22 But I think we've done a good job of that and
10:24 it's really that next man mentality.
10:26 [BLANK_AUDIO]
10:29 >> Thanks, Joel.