DB Joe Haden:
On Titans WR Kendall Wright:
"He's strong with the ball. He runs and is really good after the catch so you just have to make sure you wrap him up once he gets the ball in his hands."
On how important it is to bounce back as a secondary:
"It's important for us to bounce back as a secondary, but every time we say that I feel like we got hit for 400 yards and four touchdowns. I think we definitely have to tighten up, we have to make our plays, get off the field on third down. It's everybody – like me, (DB) Donte (Whitner) and everybody – we feel like we didn't play up to our ability. We're just ready to go back out there and get after it."
On the plan for Titans QB Marcus Mariota:
"You try to throw different looks at him. Don't let him see you sitting in a certain defense. Try to switch it up. Try to make good looks. Try to disguise your coverages. Just try to confuse him as much as you can."
On if he was surprised at Tampa Bay's defense against Mariota:
"You throwing him a Cover 2, he knows what it is. Just standing out there in 2 and he's going to be able to eat that alive. You just have to try to disguise, try to throw him off. Try to disguise your defense. Don't let him know what you're sitting in."
On the matchup between two Heisman trophy winners, QB Johnny Manziel and Mariota:
"I see the Browns vs. the Titans. They have their offense, defense and special teams. It's going to be a team win no matter what. I don't think Johnny is going to be able to win the game by himself. I think it's going to be their team versus our team. We're going to be able to stop Mariota and our offense is going to have to put points up on their defense."
On how he expects Manziel to perform:
"I hope he'll do good. He's been looking better and better in practice. He got reps with the ones. He has the game plan, has everything down. It's just on him to go out there and execute it."
On his confidence in Manziel this year:
"A lot more confidence, a lot more confidence. He looks a lot more comfortable. I think with that if he's out there, he's making checks, he's making calls, he's making plays, he's checking the protection. That's all you can really ask for. As long as he knows where to go with the ball, knows what the checks are, then he's going to be solid."
On if he was more hopeful than confident in Manziel last year:
"You definitely hope for the best. I'll say that, for sure."
On how important it is to get to 1-1:
"0-2 is not a good look and you definitely want to get to 1-1. Especially it being a home game and especially after all that we put into the first game and then go out there and lay and egg like that, you want to just get that taste out of your mouth and go out there and show that that's not the team that we want this team to be this season."
QB Johnny Manziel:
On how comfortable he is starting Sunday after a full week of practice:
"I think it was a good week. I am extremely comfortable. I think everyone that has been in there this week feels really good about what our scheme is and what our plan is and looks forward to Sunday and getting ready for the game."
On how his elbow held up this week:
"Good. No problems."
On if he was prepared for his first start last year, looking back on it now:
"I think we are talking about this week and getting into that. I definitely feel that I am in a lot better place now. I guess if I thought I was prepared then, than I am even more prepared now with the experience and those two starts and through the offseason, through the last week and just where I am at today. I definitely feel a lot better."
On facing Titans QB Marcus Mariota:
"Two guys who had careers like we did in college, both Heisman Trophy winners, I think it is cool. I think it makes obviously for a little bit of excitement, but the bigger thing is I think you have to look at this game as far as last year. I am sure they come in here with a little bit of a chip on their shoulder, as well, going up 28-3 and us storming back like that to win the game the way that we did. I think just looking at the team matchup it is a good one."
On the importance of this game after losing the opener and it being the home opener:
"I don't think we should put any more pressure on ourselves, but at the same time, to get to 1-1 and get the first win of the season and get that first one behind you I think is really big and key for us this week."
On if he expects WR Dwayne Bowe to play:
"Yeah, he has practiced this week and looked good. Through this week, he looks like he a guy that is going to go out on the field ad play. Obviously, we will see when Sunday comes."
On how much Bowe adds to the offense:
"I think he will add a little bit. We obviously brought Dwayne here for a reason. He is a very talented guy and a guy that can go up and make some plays so I am looking forward to throwing the ball to him."
On looking at this as an opportunity to seize a job:
"No, I know right now, for me, Josh is injured so I am the next guy up. My role here is to go out and play way and lead us to a win. I am not looking anything past this game, anything past the next week. It is really go into this week and do my best and from there on, and we will see what happens."
On facing a Titans assistant head coach Dick LeBeau and defense coordinator Ray Horton led defense and the challenges that presents:
"Obviously, those guys with their scheme over the years have presented a lot of problems for a lot of people. The good thing for us is that we have played against the Steelers, this coaching staff, for the past couple years. I think they are prepared to handle it and have us prepared. We will be on top of it and be ready to go when Sunday comes around."
On if there is something inside him that makes him want to quiet people like ESPN Merrill Hoge:
"I think Merrill Hoge needs to worry about his big neckties more than anything (laughter). Talking about Merril, he has been that way since I decided to come out into the draft. That is really part of it. No, no extra motivation or extra bump for me or anything like that. It is just go out and play and quiet him with the way we go out and win on Sunday. That is what we want to do."
On if there is a big mindset change for him when all week he has been told to be prepared to start and then finally is told that he will start:
"No because for me this week getting all the reps and being the guy in the meetings while Josh is handling all of his other business, I was the guy that if anybody had questions to come and ask this week. Josh was in and out a little bit, obviously, dealing with his stuff. Everybody that came up to me, every meeting and every single thing was kind of revolved around me being the guy. I think it would have been a little different if it had been the other way around."
On if he shortened his perspective in the way he looks at a game:
"I think it is just making it simple. We are looking forward to this week. Everything else outside of that, I can't control what is going to happen. If I went out and I played well this week, things don't go the way we want or whatever the case may be, that is just a big what if right now looking at that question. For me, keep it simple, go out and try to get these guys rallied around me, being the guy and being the leader this week and everything else will play itself out."
On if his approach has changed:
"Sure, absolutely."
On how big last week was when he was able to play three quarters:
"That definitely helps. Getting pretty much a full game last week and then having a week to prepare and practice, getting into a little bit of rhythm with these guys, I think it is huge."
On if throwing the ball downfield will help him get into a rhythm:
"Yeah, I think obviously trying to come out and get some completions and see the ball and catch the ball and work down the field. I think the big thing with us, the offense as a whole, from the scrimmages to the first game to the preseason games, we really have started pretty early and started pretty fast and moved the ball well. We want to continue to do that and jump out early and try do some positive things early in the game."
On if he has done anything this week to make sure he secures the ball in the pocket under pressure:
"Sure. Coach Pett (Head Coach Mike Pettine) is harping on that day after day and practice after practice. If there is one person that is really making that a key point of the week, it is definitely Coach Pett."
DB Donte Whitner:
On being eager to make up for last week:
"We'll come out and do what we're supposed to do, do what we practice to do – not turn the football over. If a lot of those drives end with punts instead of turnovers, it's a totally different game."
On how the Browns will perform better defensively:
"We don't feel like we played that all that bad on the defensive side of the ball. Score might look differently than the game actually looks. It didn't start to get out of hand until the second half, until we started to turn it over, a mishap here on defense, a mishap here. We'll be alright."
On the defensive plan for a rookie QB like Titans QB Marcus Mariota:
"It's not even about being a rookie. Nowadays in the National Football League, you can be caught up to speed pretty fast. It's about what we want to do to every quarterback. First and foremost, we have to be good on the early downs, put them in second and longs, third and longs and then we'll be able to confuse them a bit. We've been able to confuse veteran quarterbacks so it's not even about being veteran or rookie. It's about getting in the quarterbacks head, getting them in third and long and make them have to read and look at certain things. That's our game plan this week; that's our game plan every week. The offensive game plan is to stay out of second and long, stay out of third and long. It's a battle of wills when it comes to that. We understand if we get a lot of third and longs, it's a good chance that we'll win the football game."
On his expectations for QB Johnny Manziel:
"I don't know what I think Johnny will do. Only he knows that, only the offensive guys know that, the intricate details of what they're doing on that side of the ball. Whatever he does, we just can't turn that football over. Hopefully, he comes out, he plays lights out, no turnovers and we win the football game."
On seeing Manziel improve since last year:
"I haven't really been paying attention right now. In practice, I've really been focusing on what we do on the defense side of the ball. The offensive coaches or players on that side will be able to answer that question."
On how the Titans run the ball:
"Similar to the New York Jets – downhill runs, a lot of zone runs. Their back is a little smaller than it was last week but he works hard. They have (Titans RB) Terrance West over there. He's going to be pretty juiced up for this game. Similar to the New York Jets."
On if quarterbacks coach Kevin O'Connell has given any tips on Mariota:
"I don't think we really need to. They're not doing a whole lot of things over there with him. They're not making it very difficult. They're doing a lot of play action passes, a lot of quick passes. His receivers are making him look good. A lot of quick things, a lot of simple things, get the ball into the play makers' hands and let them make plays. It's not making him drop back and read two, three guys. They're giving him one, two guys, use his legs and get the ball out quick."
On if he is looking forward to facing Titans RB Terrance West:
"Yeah, I think we all are. I think he'll be looking forward to going against us, too. It's a good opportunity for us both."
