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On today's performance:**
"We started slow and that wasn't good. Especially the way that they started, we needed to answer and respond, and offensively, we didn't do that. That's what we've got to do better. It was not typical of us. Every time we've been out, in the beginning, we've started fast. So that was not typical of us, We've got to be better there."
On if he saw WR Travis Benjamin late on the pass or if he could've got to him quicker:
"No, it was something I was trying to hold (Raiders S) Charles (Woodson) with my eyes and I got him where I wanted to. I just didn't put enough on the ball. I didn't put enough on the ball, and we would've had a shot. It's one of those where I'd like to put a little more air on it and go over the top. You have to bet on the safety taking a bad angle and I think we would've had it. I just didn't put enough air on it. I didn't throw it the way I wanted to throw."
On trying to throw to Benjamin on the start of the drive from the 1-yard line:
"Same thing. Just trying to take a shot. Same thing. Did not throw the deep ball as well as I'd like to today."
On how tough a loss is after rallying:
"It's very tough. As a competitor, you sit there and you don't want to be in those situations, but when you have that moment – you're in front of your home crowd and you can go 99 and tie the game up and give yourself a chance to hopefully win – that's all you can ask for. We were sitting right there knocking on the door, and we just didn't finish it. I'm proud of how we rallied on both sides of the ball, but it was just too messy all day for us. Just collectively, everybody took their turns in not doing what needed done to win the game. Offensively, we were too up and down and inconsistent. For me, I look at me and focus on the things I can do to help that not happen and us not play that way and have more continuity."
On coming out of this game feeling good about the second half:
"Yeah, it leads right back where you started. You pick the good and the bad, and at the end of the day, you lost and you don't really feel good about anything. We tend to, especially in our quarterback room, we work on, we're just very optimistic about bouncing back and responding. You have to be that way. Obviously, we'll look at the good and bad and draw from the good and from the bad. We'll make those corrections and move on. It's still very early. It's a loss that stings because you feel like you could have gone out there and won this one. We should've won this one. We just did things that took ourselves out of this one."
On how the Browns' false start penalty when they were down 10-0 changed things:
"For us, it was a great job. Got down there after stalling and stalling, finally got something going. We really have to finish that thing off and finish it in the end zone. It's just unfortunate that we didn't get the ball snapped. We had the look that we wanted. It appeared on the pictures that it was a touchdown to (RB) Duke (Johnson). We walked in feeling good about that. We didn't get it. When you move the ball down there that quickly and that effectively, when you don't finish with seven, it kills some momentum for sure. You always like to get points, no doubt about it, but when you feel like you're moving the ball as well as we were, you have to finish up with seven. Obviously, we'll look at those things and all of those plays leading up to where we could have had chances to get in the end zone, and we'll just clean up the snap on that thing. I'm not worried about that."
On the fans' "Johnny" chants and boos and their impact on him:
"There were "Johnny" chants? I understand the situation that I'm in and this part of it. He's an exciting young player that I know people want to see play. I understand that part, but for me, I have to just focus on where we are and what we're doing. We had our own problems and our own issues just trying to move the ball and so that's really where my focus is. Just staying present in those situations, you have to block that stuff out. You can't allow that to become a part of it because then it snowballs. Now, you're fighting both the crowd and the defense. You have to take that out of it. I've been around long enough to have gone through those things, and I feel pretty good about my ability to block that out."
On if he liked the Browns' chance punting from the 40 with four minutes left, prior to the muffed punt:
"Yeah, absolutely, just because you have a little more of your playbook open to you with that time left. It's just a bummer. Like I said, everybody did one or two things that they wish they'd have back. I know Trav (Benjamin) hates that that happened, but kudos to our defense for going out there and getting that stop and getting us the ball back. At the end of the day, even with that and the things that happened, we're sitting there moving the ball and having a chance. That's all you can ask for. We've just got to finish. Those are the things that I'll look at and just reflect on, the things that I could've done, including that last play, to help us finish."
On his protection:
"I felt like it was pretty good. There were some times, you know, you get into a throwing situation and guys like (Raiders LB) Aldon Smith and (Raiders DE) Khalil Mack on the outside and you get into a situation where they know you're throwing, those guys are really good players and so to sit back and say they're not going to win one of those. How many times did I throw? How many times did we throw? Does anybody know? (46 times.) Forty-six times. You throw it 46 times and you've got those guys on the edges? They're probably going to get a win here and there, I thought our guys fought hard. Our offensive line fought hard. I don't think that's any kind of issue because I feel like our guys fought hard. Again, you get the throw number up there, that's a hard job for those guys. By and large, they did a great job."
On how he came out of this game physically:
"Just normal bumps and bruises. Nothing too serious."
On if he got X-rays after today's game:
"I did. I don't want to speak on it. I'll let Coach (Pettine) speak on it, but I feel good."
On if he knew there'd be a lot of opportunities for TE Gary Barnidge coming into today:
"Yeah, Gary is Gary. He's solid. He makes plays when the ball is thrown his way. We understand that and we need to continue to get him more involved and utilize him even more. We knew we'd have an opportunity with tight ends. We saw what (Bengals TE Tyler) Eifert had done and (Ravens TE Crockett) Gillmore had done against him in Baltimore. We really felt like we could utilize Gary in a big way this game so it was good to get him going."
On if his X-rays were negative:
"Again, I just don't want to comment about it, but I feel good."
