CLEVELAND — After struggling in a loss to the Jaguars this past weekend, rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer was understandably frustrated and disappointed.
Kizer, who has been through a rollercoaster of high and lows this season, believed he took a step backward following a breakout performance the week before in Detroit and was particularly critical of himself because of it.
With some time to refocus, however, that rough afternoon at the office didn't keep the youngster down for too long.
"I was quite emotional after the game. Kind of an aggressive statement," he said. "(There were) just some improvements that were made out there."
Specifically, Kizer lamented a pair of missed throws and said snowy, blustery conditions this past Sunday got into his head against a Jacksonville defense that sacked him five times and forced four turnovers.
"I just can't do that. As quarterback in the NFL, those opportunities you can't miss," he said. "Those two balls kind of cost us some prime opportunities, which could've led to some additional points."
On a day in which the Browns' offense finished with a season-low 284 yards, Kizer completed 16-of-32 passes for 179 yards, a touchdown, two interceptions and two fumbles. It came one week after he got off to a fast start against a tough Lions defense and amassed nearly 300 total yards.
"That Detroit game, I had an extra week of preparation. I felt very confident walking into it," Kizer said, referencing the team's Week 9 bye. "Now, I just have to make sure that confidence that I felt before that game I feel before every game. Last week, when there's a little bit less time before that game because of the bye week before Detroit, I have to take that same preparation that I took for two weeks and condense that into one and have that confidence going into every week and hopefully, that well every time I step on the field."
Kizer hopes to apply that approach as the Browns prepare to face off against the Bengals, who beat them 31-7 back in early October.
"This will be the first opportunity for me to step out there and learn from my mistakes at that time," he said. "I believe I've grown a lot since then and look forward to making corrections from that game, understanding what they've done since that game and properly preparing myself."
