What the Browns are saying about the Patriots this week
Terrelle Pryor may be the star Sunday, but it was the veterans who spoke on this week's challenge.
The winless, and occasionally hapless, Browns have drawn the short straw and get to face Tom Brady in his return to the Patriots. Many believed this game would mark the onset of the 2016 Patriots revenge campaign after last year’s Deflategate drama, but Bill Belichick instituted the scorched earth policy ahead of schedule. While last week’s loss against the Bills ruined the chance at a perfect season, Hue Jackson knows that playing the Patriots after a loss with Brady back will be, in his own words, “Not fun at all.”
Head coach Hue Jackson
- on Tom Brady: “Let me say this much – I hope there is an adjustment period. I would not think there would be for him. He is well prepared. He understands how to play this game and he will come back. This is Tom Brady we are talking about, and he is chomping at the bit to play. He does not like sitting out games so he will come back and he will play as well as he has played. We just have to do everything we can to make sure that he does not play as well.”
- on the defense: “They are very tough and they take away your strengths. They make you work for everything you get. It has never been about where they rank or are they good at this or good at that because they are such good coaches at making sure that they minimize what you do well. It is a tremendous challenge but it is part of football.”
- on Martellus Bennett:“He is tough. He is strong. He can run routes. To me, he is a ferocious blocker. He is one of the best players in my opinion that is kind of unknown at his position… because the guy can run routes with anybody… can block, whether it is outside linebackers or defensive ends – it does not matter – he has that makeup, he has that body strength and structure, and he is as good as there is.”
#Browns Hue Jax said Pryor will have to fight thru #Patriots trying to take him away. Others, like Barnidge, will have to step up
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) October 6, 2016
Quarterback Cody Kessler
- on Brady: “I just control what I can control and that is how I prepare. Obviously, Tom Brady is one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game, and he has played it for a long time and done a lot of great things. As a young quarterback, that is something you want to do. You want to play for a long time and be as successful as he has and continue to work hard…”
- on the Patriots: “The Patriots are a great team. They are a great franchise, and they have established themselves… We just want to be ready to go and come out and compete. It is going to be a tough game. The Patriots are a great football team and a great organization, and we are going to have to work very hard this week and get prepared.”
#Browns Cody Kessler grew up a Tom Brady fan and has studied his film, but won’t let himself be in awe on Sunday pic.twitter.com/2EzztKaKUg
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) October 3, 2016
Offensive Lineman Joe Thomas
- on former teammate Jabaal Sheard: “Jabaal’s playing great. From the first game that he got to New England, he’s played exceptionally well. I think he’s got four sacks or something like that on the season right now, he’s a force in the run game. And I’m sure New England’s very happy that they got him.”
#Browns Joe Thomas still believes that Tom Brady “was unfairly targeted”
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) October 5, 2016
Cornerback Joe Haden
- on Tom Brady: “You can’t really get too much involved that – he is what he is, he is going to be able to make his plays, but at the same time we have to make sure that we are in our gaps. We have to make sure that we are doing our things and making sure we are winning our one-on-one matchups so end of the day, if the guys are not open, he can’t throw the ball.”
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com