On QB Josh McCown's enthusiasm and how that impacts the Browns:
"That's what we preach. We talk about positive work atmosphere and guys being excited about coming to work. When you have guys like that, it can't help but have an effect on others. Just that contagiousness, especially when it's from the quarterback position – here's a guy that loves the game, wants to win, he's passionate but he's competitive – I think he showed that in the Tampa game a little bit, maybe a little too competitive. We knew that. I'm very close with some coaches in the league that had been with him. That's how they described him and it was very accurate."
On DL Danny Shelton's maturity as a rookie, referring to his comparison to OL Joel Bitonio last year:
"That is what I meant, just if you were he as an observer and didn't have a flip card, you didn't know who he was and just said, 'OK, pick out the rookie,' he wouldn't be a guy that you'd identify early on. Although at times can be very immature, for the most part handles himself very professionally, gets his work done but also very similar to Josh (McCown) has that type of personality, too. You can tell he loves to play, loves being out there with his teammates and that has an effect on everybody else."
On Jets C Nick Mangold as a test for Shelton in Sunday's game:
"It'll be a good one. That's why I was glad we got to go against Buffalo because I think (Bills C) Eric Wood, he and Nick, having been with those guys in consecutive years, I think there's a lot of similarities in that style of play. Nick is a very intelligent veteran player, knows a lot of the tricks of the trade and that's why it'll be a real good test for Danny."
On having hope the Browns' sack total will increase this season:
"I've never been into the numbers, and I know I've said this before. Our business on defense is to affect the quarterback. If we're forcing the ball out quicker and we're getting hits and then that way later in the game when the quarterback starts to maybe see some ghosts, then we've done our job. Given our history and our reputation for pressure, we'll play some teams that will look to get it out quick or will max their protections. I don't get overly caught up in the numbers. I want to make sure that we're affecting them, that we're forcing the ball out early, we're forcing some errant throws. "
On applying more pressure to opposing QBs:
"I think also sacks and quarterback pressure will function as a situation in the game. When you have leads in the fourth quarter, when you have two score leads, especially in the fourth quarter, when teams have to throw the ball and it's very predictable, that's when pressure defenses thrive. You're going to get hits, you're going to get sacks, you're going to get turnovers.
On where Jets CB Darrelle Revis ranks among players he's coached:
"He's right up there among the best. Just the way he approaches the game, his mentality – there are some players that will go through the week and put their work in and go out there and really turn it on on Sunday – he is full go all the time and he is as relentless with his preparation as he is on the practice field as he is on gameday. I talked to our guys about and I use him as an example that you don't want to watch film, you want to study film. Don't tell me you watched four games; you studied four games. What did you learn from it? Where are your notes? He was, I think, one of the best I've been around as far as just detailed preparation, understanding receiver splits and formations and situations of the game, just to hedge the bet a little bit to have a sense of what was coming, and then carried that to the practice field, ultra-competitive. Never wanted a ball caught on him in a walkthrough. He'd accelerate to knock a throw down in walkthroughs. To me, my best story of his competitiveness was we were having a Friday practice, it was towards the end and all of a sudden the play ended, we looked over and he's over and he's rolling on the ground fighting with the scout team wide receiver. The reason was the receiver was not running the route the way it was supposed to be run as the opponent had run it. He was freelancing a little bit too much and wasn't giving him the right look. They exchange words, and next thing I know, they had to be pulled apart. That looks like there hasn't been any drop off. To me, that's what separated him and that's what makes him great."
On adjusting to calling plays at regular season speed:
"I think the preseason prepares you. I think you also have to test yourself. You have to simulate that in practice. That's why I did it and it was something I learned from Rex (Jets head coach Rex Ryan) and something I passed on to Jimmy O' (defensive coordinator Jim O'Neil) was go ahead and test yourself in practice of the tempo, getting them in quick, kind of simulating that game pace, that game rhythm. Also, when I went to Buffalo I went to the other extreme because we were up-tempo no huddle, snapping the ball every 15 seconds in practice. I called it much faster then so that, to me, helped me as far as learning and just getting in a rhythm of calling it quickly."
On if there will be a steep learning curve for offensive coordinator John DeFilippo:
"I don't think so because I think he's handled it. Practice situations, I think he's tested himself and then also I thought there were very few time in the preseason games where I felt we were up against the play clock. Even going back to the scrimmage, I think there was only one instance where it would have been a delay of game. I think he does a good job of as the play is ending he's already getting the information from above, down and distance, hash mark, where are we on the field and he's on to the next one."
On where the Browns secondary ranks among those he's coached:
"I think on paper you can make some comparisons, but as I talked about our theme for this year, 'Words into action,' we talk about wanting to be mentioned among the elite; we have to go out and show it. We have to prove it. We've talked about we want to improve our run defense, but the backbone of us defensively is the secondary. It's comforting to know that we have that confidence back there and they we showed it on the field last year, at least statistically. I still think at times we have a chance to close the game we have to close the game. We don't want to be good; we want to be dominant, and that's the challenge for that room."
On if OL Cameron Erving's role changes in practice during the regular season compared to training camp:
"It does just because of the circumstances of how we practice and what we are getting ready for that he takes his reps with the twos. Now, it is a little bit different on the day we rest (OL) Joe Thomas. He will bounce around there some. He will get some left tackle work. He will get some center work today and tomorrow. He'll potentially get moved around but not as much."
On DB Buster Skrine's Jets' film and if Skrine has developed more:
"It is hard to base it off of preseason tape, knowing exactly what they are in and his assignment was on a particular play, but Buster is being Buster. You could tell he is going 100 miles per hour. He plays hard. That is what we loved about Bust. He was passionate about football and very competitive and practiced just as hard as he played in the game."
On if the Browns have decided whether or not to elevate RB Shaun Draughn from the practice squad:
"I won't talk about pending roster moves. That has been our practice and will continue to be."
On an update on RB Duke Johnson Jr., WR Terrelle Pryor, WR Dwayne Bowe and QB Johnny Manziel's status after practice yesterday:
"It was all positive. They will all be out there today. I can safely say that."
On dealing with criticism from a player, specifically referring to Jets DB Antonio Cromartie:
"I think you have to. It is hard, especially in a competitive environment and when things get escalated, it is hard to get anything done. I think it is best when you get a chance to step away and cool down and reflect on it. I think the disagreements that I had with Crow (Cromartie) were over his competitiveness, his just not appreciating criticism. He was so competitive that he didn't want to get that minus on the grade sheet or he didn't want to get called out. I have a lot of respect for Crow (Cromartie). He has played at a high level in this league for a long time. I know certain coaching styles are not going to fit with 100 percent of your players. To me, he is one of the better corners that I have coached and he continues to prove it now."
On how he and Cromartie left their relationship:
"We left on good terms. I can say that."
On his role with the offense during the games this season, considering he is in the offensive meeting rooms more this season:
"Just to be there as a sounding board. I am not going to get into it as far as suggesting plays. Knowing what he wants to call in certain situations and how the game plan was set up, being a part of that now, I can give him gentle nudges and reminders that, 'Hey, don't forget you like this here or hey, they are in this defense or this coverage. We like this.' Just an extra resource for him. The game management part of it, being much more involved with the offensive end of it, not leaving it up to the coordinator, now that I have a much better sense of some of the things we have available in certain situations. I think that is where Josh really comes into it. When you talk about having a coach on the field, you literally have a coach on the field in (QB) Josh (McCown), a guy who has been through it. That is why we are confident – that is a hidden part of the game with him, but he is very much in tune with a lot of those game management situations."
On McCown knowing how to handle game-management situations such, as when to take timeouts or go for it:
"Milking the clock, kind of changing the tempo, I think you have to vary tempos in this league to be successful. To me, that comes with the quarterback. Sometimes the coordinator can control it by holding the call, but I think your quarterback kind of has to have a sense of when you want to break the huddle at a certain time. The quarterback controls all of that, how long you are at the line of scrimmage. That is one thing we are very pleased we have in Josh."
On if the offense will show it's full playbook Week 1 or does if it will vary on a week-to-week basis:
"I have always looked at game planning as you are tailoring a suit. You never want to just pull a suit off the rack. Each game plan is custom made to that opponent. A lot of the stuff that we have held back has been as a result of work we have done on the Jets throughout the offseason, practiced it, have it up for this plan, but then every week, usually we will look ahead to the first quarter of the season in the offseason once the schedule comes out and at least have preliminary game thoughts. We worked primarily on our core concepts in training camp and in the preseason but then have things that are specifically designed for each opponent as we start the year."
