Browns QB Deshaun Watson (Post-Game Transcript)
On the running game opening up in the second half to assist in the passing game:
“It helped a lot. That’s what we have to do with the offense; you’ve got to be balanced. You’ve got to have them play honest to the run game. And you can see in the second half, it kind of opened up play-action and different things like that. It also opened up the checkdowns, and it doesn’t put so much stress on the O-line, necessarily.”
On how difficult it is to play with three unfamiliar offensive lineman and loud crowd noise on the road:
“It’s very difficult. With [Browns OL Michael Dunn] Dunny in his first game back and having to go play guard and then center, you have to be able to adjust. Then [Browns T] Jack [Conklin] in his first game back, [Browns G] Zach [Zinter] having to come back in. The biggest thing: just have to communicate and just play one play at a time. Make sure we’re on the same page so each and every one of us can operate and try to execute that play.”
On the offensive penalties today and how to fix them:
“Just keep working on it, I guess. Try to rep it and practice it as much as possible. Biggest thing, again, is each one of us has got to lock in, and it’s just self-inflicted. We’re putting ourselves in danger zones for not being able to accomplish what we want to accomplish. And that’s on the goal line and 3rd down.”
On if there were any operational changes in the game:
“Yeah, it was here and there. It’s really just how the game and the flow of the game go. Biggest thing is just, we had opportunities. We just, again, shot ourselves in the foot and went backwards instead of going forward.”
On how frustrating it is to not score a touchdown on a 3rd-and-goal at the 3 yard line:
“It’s tough, yeah. It’s very frustrating. That was our chance. Especially, all day we’d been working there, there had been penalties and stops and just things like that. And the one time, the opportunity at the top of the game to try to put ourselves in position to go in. We didn’t do it. And, yeah, it’s tough. It’s definitely frustrating.”
On what has to change on offense to score more touchdowns:
“Just, again, stop shooting ourselves in the foot, putting ourselves in 3rd-and-long. When we do capitalize on 3rd down, there’s a penalty. Goal line, just being able to score and not going back. Especially the last two weeks, we were right there at the 1 or 3 or 2 [yard line], and we’re going backwards. And that’s two weeks in a row where things could have gone differently, who knows? But that’s tough. Super tough.
On if he felt like he played with more confidence in this game:
“I think, especially in the first half, I missed out on some opportunities. The biggest thing was a couple of deep shots. The timing was a little bit off. Just miscommunication with a couple of receivers on what I’m seeing and what they’re seeing. And I think that – I take responsibility for that because they [the Eagles defense] showed a little bit differently. Usually, their defensive corners played a lot of soft coverage, off coverage. Today, they pressed us up, and we were expecting off, but they pressed us up. So that’s where we didn’t – I guess during the week, I should’ve emphasized a little bit more with the receivers on what I wanted to do with that. But overall, I think the second half was much better. Defense, our special teams did a great job of getting us 10-10, and it was pinned together, a good drive, and then it kind of stalled. Yeah, man, we lost at the end of the day.”
On if returning home next week against Cincinnati comes at a good time:
“I’m not even worried about the timing, honestly. I want to correct these little things that are costing us games. So Monday, Tuesday, we have got to really lock in and really be truthful with ourselves in what we are doing. Not just one or two guys, but all of us. And I’m being the quarterback of this offense with [Browns HC] Kevin [Stefanski] and [Browns OC] Ken [Dorsey], we have to do something a little bit – I don’t know what we have to do, but we need to do something. Lock in so we don’t cost ourselves any more games because we’ve got to really turn this around.”
On how he feels about the team’s chances next week:
“The chance is there, the opportunity is there. We see it. I think everyone sees it. But, just, the margin for error is super small in this league. We can’t, we can’t do that. We’ve lost these games 20 – 16 twice. The Vegas game was very similar, [the] Giants game. So all these games are super, super close, outside of [games against] Dallas and Washington. Man, it’s right there in our hands, and we’re not taking it. So, yeah, the chances are there. We just – one week at a time and just try to find a different way.”
On how receiving snaps from Browns OL Michael Dunn went throughout the game:
“That was the first time I’ve ever worked with [Browns OL] Michael Dunn. Because we always had [Browns OL Ethan Pocic] Po, we had [Browns OL] Nick [Harris], and then sometimes [Browns OL] Joel [Bitonio] did it [play center] a little bit, or [Browns OL] Zak [Zinter]. But that was the first time I’ve ever worked with Michael Dunn, and I think he did a heck of a job, honestly. He had to step over in that position and hold his own.”
On Browns T Jack Conklin’s first game back since last season:
“[Browns T Jack] Conklin is definitely a veteran guy. He’s definitely motivated. His first game back, so just getting in his groove. And I think he’s going to be able to help us out, for sure. So, we’re excited with Conklin, and whoever else is in that game in that position, we’re going to be super excited for them to be able to hold their own and play to a center.”