Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Rob Ryan's Friday news conference.
Transcript of Friday news conference with Browns defensive coordinator Rob Ryan
Defensive coordinator Roby Ryan says that overall, the Browns' defense is getting better but defenders need to make some big plays to give the team a boost.(On if he expects to see more Ray Rice than the Ravens used last week)- "They have two great half backs. Cam Cameron does a fantastic job, I've always said that, utilizing his personnel amongst other things. He's got a vast offensive play book. He throws everything at you and you have to be on your toes at all times. He's outstanding. He does trick plays. He's always in the top of the league in offense. In every situation he does a great job. I'm sure he's got roles for those guys and both of them are excellent football players."
(On how he accounts on defense for Ray Rice's receiving ability along with the receivers on the team)- "It's very difficult and I think (Joe) Flacco really gets in a comfort level when he's able to set his feet, look down field, he's got all those weapons to throw to now and then he can always dump it off at the last second to Ray Rice and he can get 20 yards. It's real difficult, we've got our work cut out for us. We've worked really hard, we've had a good week in practice. They got a lot of weapons and I think we do too and looking forward to that challenge. We know it's going to be a great game and I can't wait to get there."
(On Joe Haden)- "I think he's done an excellent job of tackling and hitting. On special teams he blew up a guy, ran right down the sideline right by us and we watched it and it's one of the harder hits I've seen in a long time. He's always been a good hitter and tackler. I think he's covering really well. He competes. This week is going to be a big challenge. He's got perhaps one of the best pattern runners in the game in (Derrick) Mason, and obviously with (Anquan) Boldin and (T.J.) Houshmandzadeh there's two of the better wide outs in football. He'll have his hands full but again he is growing fast and I think he's doing a nice job."
(On if he misses having D'Qwell Jackson)- "D'Qwell is a real good player, but it seems like forever since we've had D'Qwell. I'm kind of used to going into battle without him but that doesn't mean he's not an excellent football player, he is. Right now, everybody's getting banged up. It's a little early in the season but when you look around the league everybody's got injuries. We do too but we're just going to keep rolling."
(On how the defense this year is better personnel wise than last year)- "I like our personnel on defense here a lot. I think also we have another year of experience together and we don't make as many mistakes which is huge. That can make any good personnel look bad if you're making mental mistakes. I really do like our personnel here I like the way they work together, they're smart and they're tough. We're going to have to be both against this team. They've got one of the better groups in the league. They go to the playoffs every year. (John) Harbaugh does a great job out there. We know it's a hostile environment but shoot we can't wait to go."
(On how Joe Flacco not playing well recently)- "I think when you look at that game you see four interceptions, he's trying to force it and make a play on a couple of those at the very end of the game and a couple tipped balls. The numbers can say what they want to say. I think the guy's still a (darn) good quarterback. He's got the great arm, he makes all the throws and you can't take anything away from him. They've played two of the better defenses in football the last two weeks and this guy still a super player. He's on the verge of Pro Bowls. I think he's another excellent player. They've got an excellent line so again it's going to be a heck of a challenge."
(On Ray Lewis)- "He's tremendous. He's a measuring stick. I don't know if there's ever been a player that great that's played middle linebacker. He's tremendous, he's fun to watch. Unfortunately, I've seen him up close too many times when he's just been just a violent wrecking ball. But what a warrior. He loves the game, he loves to compete, he makes everybody around him better. I know my brother has had the chance to be around him a lot and he just loves him and respects him so much. It's always fun to see those guys play knowing that my brother was there for eight years or whatever it was and guys like him and Ed Reed. They've got a couple guys I coached in Oakland Fabian (Washington) and Chris Carr so I know they got one (heck) of a defense over there."
(On if there were situations where they just missed making big plays happen last week)- "Yes, we did. Again, those inches hopefully we can get there. Get a little bit quicker, a quicker read on something, we can make a play on a ball maybe we're not getting to, a little bit better with our blitzes. To be a good blitzing team you have to be precise. We missed a couple again where we're not exactly where we need to be and that hurts you. If you're going to send a lot of people you got to make sure it's right and make sure we hit it correctly. Why guys make mistakes on that is protections change and the protection you may think you're getting, you may not get and so now that gap gets a little bit tighter to get in than what it may have looked like in practice. It could lead to some mistakes but I think we got a real sharp group. I just see us getting better each week."
(On if he coaches his players by telling them to make plays)- "I always want them to make a play believe me. The game is played with so much emotion you always have to do your job right and that's just the defensive player. We have to adjust on defense. On offense you can call a play and you just go out there and play, but on defense you have to be smart, you have to adjust and you have to be where you're supposed to be and on top of that you got to make a play. You have to go out there and do it. I think we've got play makers. I see us getting better each week and I think those turnovers will start coming to us."
(On if he thinks the defense can set the tone for the team for the rest of the season)- "Things are bad at 0-2, but I think we've got a team here. We've got an offense, a defense and a special teams and I think we've all got to get better together. Just judging on how we did last year at the very end of the year when everybody was counting us out and things, those guys rallied and played really well together and that's how it is. We've moved the ball on offense, we're doing pretty good it's just a turnover will cost you sometimes and that's what happens. I have all the confidence in the world in our offense and with Brad Seely as our special teams coach and (Joshua) Cribbs as our returner (heck) we're going to be number one on special teams like they are every year. I just hope to hold up our end on defense and have a great defense because I know those other sides will get taken care of too."
(On only giving up one touchdown drive this season)- "I think our guys are coming together. I think we are going to have one (heck) of a unit, I do. Every team's different, every game's different. We played well early and could have played a little bit better in that Tampa game on that one drive I called that all out pressure on third and 10 and that deflated us pretty good there. Then last week I thought we were playing pretty well and then we miss some assignments, we are better than, we're sharper than and we need to be. I think for us to be a great defense, and we want to be a great defense you have to do stuff right all the time. I always tell our guys all the time, I don't think it's unfair to ask at this point, we have such sharp guys in the room, that they play 100 percent perfect mentally. I think you can ask that. I don't think you can ask a guy to physically beat someone 100 percent of the time because there's going to be match-ups on the field that don't work in our favor every time. I think mentally our guys are to the point and hopefully we can keep going and get better each week and we can put together a (heck) of a defense, and I really think we can."
(On if it is hard game planning without knowing how much he can use Shaun Rogers each week)- "I'm just going to work with the players that are playing right now. Obviously Shaun is a great player, a super talent, but again, you can only coach the guys that are out there putting the uniform on. When they are ready to go, that's great, and you can always use good football players. Until they are out there, we have good players already on defense and we are going to keep playing them."
(On his impressions of Seneca Wallace from practicing against him all week)- "I know Seneca Wallace from beating us twice at Oakland. He's an excellent player, he's a great competitor and I think he can make plays with his arm and his feet. He's one of those dual threat guys that are really difficult to prepare for. I think he's a fine player, he really is. I've seen him in practice and he can get hot. To me, he throws some great passes in that red zone, where you have to be perfect and sharp and have a big arm. Seneca has got all of that, so he has got all the tools, he's got experience. It's great that he gets a chance to get out there and see what he can do."
(On if the referees are doing too much to protect the quarterbacks)- "The rules are specific. There's only certain ways you can hit them, there are certain spots that you have to hit the quarterback. All of it is to make our game better, to protect the quarterback because some teams have got a great quarterback and then they have got somebody that's not real good behind them. The integrity of the game is you want to see those great players play, especially I'm sure those owners want to see the best guys play. The rules are there to protect the guy that sometimes is defenseless. The one thing is, on defense, yes, you want to kill everybody, but the fact is that it's a great game. We don't have to like all of the rules, we have to play by them and that's what we do."
(On if there are guys on this team that have enough passion and confidence about the way they play and how important that attitude is)- "I think everybody has confidence in their ability, especially at this level or it would be hard to compete if you didn't. I'm not into comparing our guys versus their guys or anybody else's. I know we have good football players here. We have a real fine nucleus. We have guys that love football, that work hard on football every day and they're going to get better every day. Together, as a group, I can see us advancing and really coming out and being special."
(On if Baltimore's receivers can do a lot more than they could last year with their new additions)- "Obviously, they've got the credentials. They've put up the numbers in this league for a long time. They definitely can. They can make plays in tight coverage that a lot of guys can't make. Not only can they get open and work their body through traffic, they can also go get the ball, which I think all of them do really well. I think you've got some real fine competitors in (Anquan) Boldin and (T.J.) Houshmandzadeh that they added to already go with the outstanding veteran they already had with (Derrick) Mason."
(On if it will be a good matchup with Baltimore's receivers because Sheldon Brown and Joe Haden are physical cornerbacks)- "I think they are. They're physical guys. Our corners are physical, they can run and they can hit and tackle. These guys are going to be out there trying to block them and we are going to be out there trying to get rid of them and throw them down. It's going to be a great war and we're going to have to be at our very best to get out there and get after these guys. We have been working our (butts) off, so it will pay off."
(On if the crowd noise will make a difference in Baltimore)- "That's a great question. I really don't hear it very well. We have got these headsets on and all I hear is that. Our guys last week were commenting on how loud it was out on the field. I was like, "Really? Is it that loud out there?" I have got a headset on, you really can't hear much anyway except for the guy that I'm talking to and the other coaches. It's probably because I don't hear that well anyway (joking). I'm not sure if that ever gets into a player's head or not. That is an interesting question, but I'm not really sure of the answer."
(On Scott Fujita and Matt Roth having trouble hearing the calls in last week's game)- "We do a lot of talking on defense, we use a lot of hand signals for those situations that are too noisy. I think Eric (Mangini), obviously, does a great job with the music. We are used to having loud sounds out there that make communication difficult. Calls can be made and missed, absolutely they could. I think on offense, with so many calls being in the huddle and I know there's some check with me things, check opposites and things like that that the quarterback runs, but he's right there in the middle over the ball and I'm sure he's just getting it to those guys that are next to him without a whole lot of pressure because he's the one who's got to snap the ball. The center's going to snap it to him. On defense you got to react and you got to be able to communicate. You don't know what the snap counts are so you really got to get it done, you got use hand signals you got to do everything to get communicated and to be on the same page."
(On if the pass rush is meshing with the coverage)- "Last week we had more of a plan to cover last week than to rush. We had more rushes, more blitzes and schemed rushes up against Tampa than we did last week. If you noticed the style of offense they play is a little different than most, but we thought we'd slow them down better with our coverage. For the most part we did. We had a couple moments there where we weren't perfect by any stretch, but pass rush can be what you want to make it. My dad always had the philosophy of one. What's that? That's one more than you can block, but in today's game there are different ways to rush. There are zone pressures, there are man pressures and so there are different ways you can rush the quarterback so we do some of each."
(On Buddy Ryan)- "He's doing well. He's had some off the field things, some surgeries he's had to get over but he'll be here. He'll be staying a week here with me and my family over Thanksgiving so we're looking forward to that."
(On if they talk on a regular basis)- "Oh yeah, he claims I don't call him as much but that's not true. I call him all the time. I just don't bother him as much probably."
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