Offensive coordinator Todd Haley:
On communication problems in Week 4 impacting last week's game:
"I would not say communication problems. An underlying issue for our group has been just doing what you are supposed to do. More so that than communication. The communication in that game was very good. What we need to get better at going forward is knowing what our job is on each particular play because that creates trust. A lot of the things that I have talked about in here a number of times – we are making too many mental errors or more than you can make in a game and expect to win. That is what our emphasis has been and will be. As I told the guys, the first quarter of the season is over. I am looking for us to have new issues. I do not want to have to be dealing with old issues. That has been the emphasis with us as a coaching staff. Those old problems have to be cleaned up, and let's see what the new issues potential are. Lining up and knowing what you are supposed to do on each particular play is part of the guys' job description, the entire group."
On the Browns offense's performance in Week 4, including dropped passes:
"I was really proud of the group in general. We overcame a lot of adversity, starting with the interception for a touchdown and spotting them seven points. We showed a lot of resilience coming back there. We came back from behind multiple times in that game. All of those things were really good. We had almost 500 yards of offense, which I believe strongly that yards equal points. We maximized our point total for the yards made. Drops are going to happen, but nine was excessive. When you go back and look at the drops, it was probably 100-plus more yards. We have done a very good job of protecting the football. We did not in that game for various reasons, but we overcame it. We overcame all of that and had ourselves in a position to win. The mental stuff is really what got us right down to the wire."
On QB Baker Mayfield's performance and facing the Ravens this week:
"I thought that he did a lot of good things. He made good decisions throughout the day. I thought he ball came out quick for the most part throughout the day, which increases our margin of error and allows playmakers to make plays. The Ravens, I have a lot of experience against these guys over the last six years. They are still the heart of that team, starting with No. 55 (Ravens OLB Terrell) Suggs, who is a tremendous, tremendous player and has been for a very long time, somebody that has my full respect. They are well coached. (Ravens S Eric) Weddle, I have had to deal with. As a head coach in Kansas City, I had to deal with him in San Diego. Then he stinking comes to Baltimore, and I have to deal with him more. He is a heck of a player. He is a pain in the butt because he is extremely smart and is able to camouflage a lot of looks and create issues that really should not be issues. When you have two leaders like that on your team that are smart, smart football players on top of really talented physically guys, it makes for a very good defense. For our guys, we are showing that we are going in the right direction but by no means perfect. This will be a big test for us. I am really anxious to see how it plays out because I think that we have a chance to be pretty good offensively, if we can clean up some of the mental side of it. I am not talking about being physically deficient in areas. We mentally really have to be able to do our job. I am interested to see how it goes on Sunday."
On Ravens defensive coordinator Don Martindale comparing Mayfield to Pro Football Hall of Fame QBs Brett Favre and John Elway:
"He is carving a (Pro Football Hall of Fame) bust (laughter)? I will hold my stance. I am excited about a lot of the things that he is doing. Like I said, this week will be a real test. We will know a lot more come Sunday evening."
On if the Browns offensive production in Week 4 should be 'the norm':
"You want 42 points a game? That would break every record ever. I want enough points to win. That is No. 1. I keep it pretty black and white for our group in that yards equal points. If you have 100 yards, you better have seven points; if you have 200, 14 and so on. I feel good about the fact that we were able to score. We maximized our points for yards gained. I am excited about the backs. I am excited at the way that our line is coming together. Like I said, that is all it is. Excitement off of the pass now. As we start this quarter of the season, this will be a very good measuring stick to see where we are."
On Mayfield handling the starting role and if any pressures of being a rookie QB clearly impacted his performance:
"No, his demeanor is great. I think that those are the things that you really like about Baker. I have a feeling that he could throw one right to them, and he is going to come right back the next play and try to put a ball in a tight place. Those are the things last week that I was talking about. We do not want a careless or reckless guy, and I did not see any of that. I take the blame for the interception at the end of the game because we added a double move to a play. Really, that is not fair to do to a young guy. I think that is what we will kind of grow and learn about each other is that we do not want to be each other's own worst enemy. He is aggressive minded so I have to keep that in mind in certain situational football."
On who he is referencing when saying it was 'not fair' to add the double move to the play that resulted in an interception:
"Baker because we tagged a double move on a play, which is a potential shot, along with the rest of the play. Somebody like Baker, he wants to score every play. He does not want to check it down a whole bunch. I think that those are just things that we will learn and grow. I have been sick about it for a week because I wish that I had not done what I had done because I think that put him in an unfair position. I have let him know that and the guys. I think that is part of the process."
On giving RB Nick Chubb more carries after his performance last week:
"Yeah, I think you have to. Otherwise, my dad would be mad, because his rule is if a guy is averaging double-digits you better give it to him enough until it is single digits (laughter). I can't go against what he taught me a long, long time ago. When a guy is averaging 50 yards a carry, you better keep giving it to him. It is a good problem because Carlos has done nothing but get stronger as each game has gone on. It is a fine line you are walking because – we have talked about this as a staff – if (RB) Carlos (Hyde) does not go into that goal line series with 15, 16, 18 carries – I do not know what it was, I do not know that you get the same. That was a great run down at the goal line – two great runs to get 1 yard and then closing out the game, we needed 10 yards from him and just knowing backs and being with good backs for a long time, those guys need the carries. It is not as easy as saying, 'Alright, we need to split these carries,' because is our starter. He is our workhorse, but at the same time, we have a guy that is making huge plays, difference-making plays. Around here, I believe strongly in you earn the right to make plays, and he has certainly earned the right with a couple of those runs."
On if Chubb should have had more than three carries last week, given his average:
"In hindsight, but we had it scheduled for him to be in there more by series. In those particular series, it was not necessarily when you wanted another young guy in the game having to deal with some of the things that he would have to deal with. At the same time, from a self-scout standpoint, you do not want him just being there for runs. You have to keep it semi-balanced. I think they are good problems. Certainly, you would say after the fact, 'Man, the guy had 100-plus yards on three carries. We are the [dummy].'"
On OL Desmond Harrison's development:
"He has gotten better every game – what he has done from a communications standpoint, showing discipline, eliminating some of the penalties – knock on wood – demeanor on the sideline. I have told all of these young guys, we are four games in; you are not young guys anymore. That is part of the old problems. This will be a big, big test for them. We have to do everything we can to help them when we can without disrupting everything we are trying to get done. I have confidence in the kid. He has been an exciting young player to watch."
On third-and-2 at the end of regulation and how much the team considered a passing play:
"We talk about it. I am a big 'I want to hear a lot of voices' guy. I think nobody regretted anything we did about that situation, especially when they signal first down. One of our things that we really from Day 1 with these guys with the entire group has been to be a good offense and an offense that people talk about, you have to be able to run the ball when the other team knows you are going to run it. I had great confidence in our group that we would be able to get it in that situation. Other situations, we may not. We may decide to go a different route, but in that situation, I would not change anything we did, and we still could have executed better in the situation. We all felt like we were going to be kneeing on it the next play."
On if he understood the officials overturning the call:
"Not going there."
On not running the ball while up two touchdowns with five minutes to go in the third quarter, when the Browns ultimately fumbled inside the red zone:
"I wish I would have. We are trying to have this group develop into a top-10, top-five group. I think we have the potential to do that. I say it all the time, we are not going to live in our fears. We needed to execute better there. The ball needs to come out. Part of that increases our margin of error. We are not going to take the foot off the gas in the third quarter. We have a chance to continue doing the things we had done throughout the game to move the ball and score points."
On where Chubb is progressing:
"He is making progress across the board. The Raiders in particular with some of their blitz packages, they are a tough group and everybody needs to be on the same page. We were just semi-cautious in that situation, treating him the right way and being fair to him. At the same time, we have high expectations for all of those guys, and we expect all of them to – I am not saying he is not good at protection – but when you are on the road and in those situations, we are not going to throw complete caution to the wind."
On if the Steelers considered the Ravens their biggest rival while he was in Pittsburgh:
"I prefer not to talk about that. I am here. I am here. I know they were a tough, tough opponent, and usually, the team that came out on top in that series had a chance to be playing more games in the end. There were a couple times we played three times in a season. I think it has been for a long time now a well-coached team across the board that is physical, and there are no easy wins against that group."
