Kevin Stefanski on win over the Steelers, Aaron Rodgers, Denzel Ward, Shedeur Sanders, and more: Transcript

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski took questions from reporters connected Sunday pinch respect to the 13-6 triumph complete nan Pittsburgh Steelers, Aaron Rodgers, Denzel Ward, Shedeur Sanders, and more.

Below is nan transcript arsenic provided by nan Browns media relations department:

• For 1 soggy, windy Sunday afternoon, joyousness comes to Browns Town – Terry Pluto
• Browns’ disfigured triumph complete Steelers highlights a season-long missed opportunity — Jimmy Watkins
• What people do you springiness Browns backmost Shedeur Sanders successful Week 17 vs. nan Steelers? (poll)

Opening Statement:

“Love really this shot squad fights. Love that we get to moreover that season-series versus a section rival, get to do it successful beforehand of our fans. So I’m conscionable highly grateful for that group successful there, really difficult they play for 60 minutes. That’s what they do astatine practice, shows up successful games. So plentifulness to cleanable up for illustration location ever is. But to hit a bully shot squad says a batch astir that locker room. So I’m proud of those guys. But pinch that, I’ll return immoderate questions.”

What tin you opportunity about… would it person been truthful overmuch nicer evidently for Myles (Garrett) to beryllium capable to get nan sack grounds astatine location today? 

“He’s celebrating successful there, truthful he likes to win.”

What do you deliberation his presence, really did that impact nan measurement Aaron Rodgers played today? 

“Yeah, I deliberation Myles affects each azygous game, Jeff (Schudel). Obviously he shows up successful nan stat expanse successful a bunch of different areas, but moreover nan things you don’t spot – really they person to play nan game, I mean, they person to play an quiet nan full crippled and spot some sides. Those are 2 eligibles that aren’t getting retired connected nan way immediately. So it affects really teams play us.”

Kevin, you talk astir nan effort and nan measurement these guys are playing, you know, nan measurement nan play has gone, it would person been easy for a batch of group would opportunity to benignant of battalion things up. What is it astir this group that they don’t look to…?

“Yeah,  I cognize this group excessively well. I cognize really important this crippled is to them, really important it is to me. We only cognize 1 way.”

What tin you opportunity astir Denzel (Ward), location astatine nan end.

“Yeah, he played really well. You know, he’s a awesome player. Great to person him backmost retired there. You know, that’s a batch of clip location for a Hall of Famer. So we knew they were going to make their plays, but our guys made 1 much than they did.”

What tin you say, conscionable successful wide astir this protect effort to clasp them down? And clasp Aaron Rodgers down nan measurement they did. 

“Yeah, outstanding. And a bunch of individual efforts. Obviously, Myles getting each nan attraction he got. I thought Tyson (Campbell) was outstanding. I thought Carson (Schwesinger) battled and fought for illustration he ever does and ends up tackling nan feline to nan ground. You know, conscionable a bunch of individual efforts and conscionable that was what was required today.”

You talk astir individual efforts – nan typical teams person been benignant of aligned each season, but erstwhile you needed the field flipped, really large was that punt that Corey (Bojorquez) sewage off? 

“That was huge. You know, Dre (Andre Szmyt) coming done connected his section extremity attempts. Corey, erstwhile we needed him, doing a awesome occupation playing that section position game. Yeah, I thought nan guys did a awesome job.”

How astir Shedeur? How do you wrap up Shedeur’s capacity today?

“Yeah, evidently he wins, you know, gotta win. So that’s awesome for nan young man. Gets to hit Pittsburgh, gets to hit a section rival. So, they’re not going to beryllium easy, not successful this division. So proud of him for that. There are ever things he tin cleanable up. I thought we sewage a small unlucky connected that first interception. We tin surely study from nan 2nd 1 and he will. But, yeah, he continued to battle.”

Kevin, what do you deliberation changed? Because it seemed for illustration Shedeur was really successful control, and slow he sewage deed connected that first interception – it wasn’t really his fault. But aft that, conscionable immoderate mistakes maybe he would’ve liked to person back. What do you deliberation changed?

“I don’t deliberation thing changed, Daniel (Oyefusi). I deliberation it’s a bully defense. You know, we made a fewer plays early. We’ll look astatine nan ways that we tin make a fewer plays later, too.”

How difficult is it to suffer Harold (Fannin Jr.), your apical limb successful a crippled for illustration this? 

“Yeah, that was unfortunate. You know, we had nan 4 tight ends up conscionable because of that wounded connected Friday, truthful he’s a immense portion of what we do. You saw it correct distant erstwhile it happened, but that was an unthinkable occupation adjusting to that football. It was a bully publication by Shedeur, past to get successful nan extremity area was great. But yeah, he was missed, for illustration you tin imagine.”

Kevin, did Wyatt (Teller) reaggravate nan calf? 

“He did.”

It looked for illustration Carson was fighting done something. Did you spot that too? 

“Yeah, he was fighting through… I’ll update you guys tomorrow, but a bruise.”

And past you mentioned winning astatine location successful your opening. But conscionable really typical is it to triumph nan finale this year?

“Yeah, you know, we emotion playing successful beforehand of our fans. We emotion that they instrumentality pinch us. We emotion nan power that they bring to this building. And we wanted to reward them pinch a triumph versus a section opponent.”

Is location immoderate restitution successful preventing nan Steelers from clinching coming connected your grass?

“Honestly, Mary Kay (Cabot), that’s a section game. That’s really each you person to say. I’m alert of each those type of things, but that’s not what’s important to us.”

How overmuch was nan upwind a factor, and is that why you didn’t spell for nan one? 

“Yeah. Huge factor. Didn’t cognize that nan upwind was going to beryllium arsenic important arsenic it was today. Thought there’d beryllium much precipitation, location was not, astatine slightest passim nan game. So, early, conscionable watching done pregame, thought that it would beryllium nan champion point to return that shot and past get nan upwind successful nan fourth.”

Is that why you didn’t effort that agelong section goal?

“Correct.”

I cognize you talked astir this a small bit, but what is it astir this shot squad that they are fighting truthful difficult and they show truthful overmuch bosom and soul, and present they are astatine nan end? 

“It’s conscionable our DNA, Mary Kay, obviously. We tin talk astir nan large image later, but successful nan meantime, mini picture, section force successful beforehand of us. They emotion playing together. They emotion playing adjacent to, you know, their brothers, and that’s conscionable what we’re about.”