On if he wondered this whether or not he would be with the Browns, given trade rumors and that he is now the starting QB:
"No, we pretty much had an idea. My plan was to be here because you can't get into that game because you do not know. Coming out of the spring, I just gave all of my energy to this team and trying to learn (Head) Coach (Hue) Jackson's and (associate head coach-offense) Coach (Pep) Hamilton's offense and then get ready to go. Like I said before, if/when those things happen, they happen and then you move on and now you are on that team. I did not want it to change. I did not anticipate it changing. My mind was to be present and on this team for just this reason. The adverse effect is if you think you are leaving, think you are leaving and now you are the Week 2 starter and you are not ready to go. For me, it was just to be present and be in the moment day to day so we could prepare for a moment like this."
On if the Browns offense changes significantly with him at starting QB in place of QB Robert Griffin III:
"No, obviously, we have different skillsets but it is really on the play calling, but it is on the play calling and the way Coach Jackson sees the game. For us, it is learning the gameplan and going out and executing it. My plan is to go out and execute it at a high level. That is the mindset. That was (QB) Robert's (Griffin III) mindset going into last week. That is where we go as a quarterback room. Whoever is up, you play. For me, my mindset is to go out and execute and play at a high level. I got the gameplan yesterday, start internalizing it right now and go out and have a good day at practice."
On anticipating having to push along so young players on the team:
"Absolutely, it is continuing to get them to believe in what we are doing and to believe that they can make plays at this level. (WR) Corey (Coleman) had some ups and downs the other day but had a big catch for us. He adjusted to a long ball and had a big catch for us. Absolutely but those guys, they are all over it. (Senior offensive assistant) Coach (Al) Saunders, especially with the young receivers, is doing a great job with them. They will be ready to go. It is just about continuing to carry the energy and the belief. We want to be a high-level offense. We want to play at a high level. You have to behave that way and think in that mindset even before that happens. It is just everybody on the same page and thinking that way that this is what we are going to do. We are going to go out and execute at a high level. It is a standard that we hold ourselves to in the walkthroughs, practice and then ultimately on Sunday."
On Jimmy Haslam stating he called Griffin and McCown on Monday:
"I do not want to get into that conversation because he has a lot of swing here (laughter). Just suffice to say, it was encouraging. What makes him special as an owner is that he cares about his guys. For him to call Rob, obviously going through a tough time, and to call me and encourage me, was good."
On hanging out with WRs Josh Gordon and Terrelle Pryor when he received the call from Haslam:
"When the invite is there, I will go hang. It is good to be around those guys. It keeps me young, and we just enjoy watching football together and talking ball and talking life. It was good."
On if he feels like the 'old guy':
"Well, I have been feeling like the 'old guy' for the past five years (laughter). That is what is fun is the energy is good. There are a few guys here that are behind – they are not far behind – but they are behind me; I'll make sure I eat with (OL) Joe Thomas and those guys every now and then. It is part of this business. I think it is the cool thing about this business is that you have varying ages, but you go out and you all play the same game. I enjoy it because it gives me the same opportunity to go out and play the same game that I have been playing since I was 21, 22, 23. I do not take that lightly. That is an honor and privilege to be able to compete and do this at this age. I am thankful for that and look forward to playing Sunday."
On how he is different as a QB than a year ago:
"I think every year you are improving. Whether it is different things that you set out to do in the offseason to improve on, I think every quarterback is always chasing accuracy and timing. Just for us, when you learn a new system, it starts there. It is just mastering the system and learning the system. I have had plenty of opportunities to learn new offenses. For me, the challenge is how fast can I get to where I am really good in this offense. It is different study habits and different things. I continue to tweak my process to allow me to learn better and to internalize this offense better because you get better every week in a new offense because you learn it better. For us, we have said it before, this is the AFC North. There are a lot of good quarterbacks in this league and a lot of good offenses. The learning curve, we have to speed it up and go fast. It is what can I do in my process to help speed that up and feel like I am playing at an even higher level by learning it better."
On breaking the single-game franchise record for passing yards last season against Baltimore, what he remembers from it and if it can be repeated:
"I remember we won that game. We certainly needed to win that game. That was No. 1. No. 2 was just where the game took us and we were able to throw the ball. 450-yard passing games are rare so I do not know if you expect a repeat performance, but if the game takes us there, we certainly want to be able to deliver that. That is my mindset."
On how he can help OL Cameron Erving, given the errant snap on Sunday:
"I think for Cam it is just the work in practice. Obviously, we will get extra time and snaps and stuff like that. Like I said the other day, those are things that sometimes come out when you are on the road and in that environment. It is hard to re-create that at practice but you can give yourself enough repetitions and a better chance for that not to happen. We will certainly do those things, but I have full confidence in Cam. He is moving on from that and it is not something that we expect to happen again."
On sustaining an injury in the home game against Baltimore last year:
"The first thing that comes to mind is just the heartbreaking way to lose. Wanted to win the football game and (former Browns and Broncos QB) Austin (Davis) comes in and puts in great position to have a chance and we do not finish with a field goal. That is the first thing for me is that we did not finish the game. We didn't win. Obviously, it is heartbreaking when you get hurt and finish your season. That was frustrating, but it is part of it. I'm looking forward to coming back against these guys. Like I said before, it is a familiar opponent for me, and I'm looking forward to competing against them."
On if he carried the frustration from the season-ending injury throughout the offseason:
"Yeah, you want to play. For my age, these opportunities. I don't take them lightly. The opportunity to get out there, certainly when that is taken away, it eats at you. Throughout the offseason, it is always in the back of your mind and the next opportunity you have to make the most of it because you do not know. That is my plan this time around."
On Baltimore's defense:
"They obviously had a good game this weekend against Buffalo. They are flying around and they are doing a good job with their defense. They have good players and good leadership over there. It will be on us to take this gameplan and master it in these next three or four days and then go out and execute it against them."
On his chemistry with TE Gary Barnidge, who is coming off of a 'rough week' with two dropped passes:
"That is a onetime thing for Gary. We expect Gary to be back playing at a high level. Regardless, we knew Gary was going to bounce back. I am looking forward to getting back out there with him and us executing our offense at a high level. We were able to establish a rhythm last year. Our mindset is just to draw on that and to utilize that to help this offense play at a high level."
