QB CODY KESSLER
(on how tough it is after not being able to pull out a win)
[
](http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/article-5/1986-Browns-team-to-be-honored-1030/5bf3d609-a3ab-49e9-8ffe-2736870a4f04)It was another game where we fought really hard and came up short. Like I said before, they hurt, they hurt really bad. I wanted so bad for the guys in the locker room, and I told 'Hawk' (Andrew Hawkins) and Joe Thomas, "I'm giving you everything I have every time," because they deserve it. We put in so much work and we work so hard and we come so close, we just need to learn how to finish. That's on me and us as a team on being able to finish and being consistent throughout the entire game.
(on taking a lot of hard hits in the game)
Yeah, it was a lot of hits but that's football, and it's a violent game. Some of them hurt, but like I told you earlier in the week about my brother, you know, he's fighting through what he's fighting through. So unless they force me to stay out like they did last week, I'm not coming out. It was tough and it was a little painful, but at the same time, you want to do it for the guys as well. My brother is at home watching and I'm out here with these guys who have been playing in the NFL for a long time and have taken much worse hits than I did today. It's more so not for myself but the guys around you.
(on the offensive struggles in the third quarter)
It was tough. We were trying to get the running game going and they did a great job of containing us there and doing a great job in coverage. They were getting us in some third-and-long, and we need to do a better job of winning on first and second down to set us up for some better chances on third down. But we were also playing the field position game during that stretch and it seemed like we were always getting backed up. There's no excuse. We still have to put drives together like we did at the end of the half. That was a great drive to build off of. Our guys kept fighting and fought through as much as they could. Unfortunately we need to put together a full game and be more consistent.
(on going for two)
Yea, I knew we had to go for two at some point, that one or the next one. Just the way our offense was rolling, we had a real good rhythm on that drive. We had worked on two-point plays all week and unfortunately we didn't convert there. At some point we had to go for two and I thought that was the right time as well. Coach (Hue) Jackson called it in, we were rolling and unfortunately we didn't convert.
(on what happened on the two-point play)
They just played it well. We were hoping to get man coverage and we had a fade to Terrelle (Terrelle Pryor, Sr.) and they just played it well. They played off on him and dropped everybody underneath on that. I tried to scramble and make something happen. Ricardo (Louis) flashed open but unfortunately they were kind of double-teaming TP and dropped off on Ricardo (Louis).
(on how tough his job is when the running game isn't working)
I think my job maybe becomes more important because they're loading the box, and we're a good running team and it puts more pressure on me to make those throws. That's something we've taken a lot of pride in is that we're a great running team. Last week, like I said we had a bit of a speed bump but at the same time a lot of it's on me. I have to be efficient with the ball and make the right throws. They did a great job. They have a great front seven.
(on not going for two after the first touchdown in the fourth)
Yeah, but at some point you have to go for two. That's the reality of it. If you're down by 15, you can't kick an extra point each time. At that time we were rolling and we should have converted. It's on me to execute it. At the end of the day, if we get that, that's not the question.
(on his connection with Pryor)
Yeah, he has done a great job and I told him after the game and the other guys that I appreciate them not giving up on me and still fighting with me the whole time, not checking out when we were down 15 in the fourth quarter. Those guys are in the huddle and locked in and excited and we kept going. They kept trusting me and we kept going down the field. Terrelle (Pryor Sr.), Hawk (Andrew Hawkins), Ricardo (Louis), they all made some great plays in this game. We just want to be able to finish and you can't question the heart of this team.
(on what he's going through personally and how his brother is doing)
My brother, he's doing better. He has a heart condition and he has been through a lot in his life. He had a heart condition last week and it scared me, it frightened me. But they got on top of it in time and he's doing better. He can't do anything for two months. He misses football and can't play football the rest of the time and it has been tough on him. I've been so proud of the way he has handled everything. He hasn't gotten down or been depressed. That plays a big part in my role. I lost my grandmother earlier this week who was like another mom to me. This was the first game she didn't get to see me play which was tough. It's stuff you can't control and you just have to move on.
WR TERRELLE PRYOR SR.
(on the fight of the team)
I want to talk about something real quick. Whoever asked that to Cody Kessler about his grandma after this loss, that's very disrespectful and I don't like it. He's my quarterback and that's not cool. I'm ticked off, that's very rude.
(on the fight his team showed)
It starts with the quarterback play and he did a phenomenal job fighting all game long. I love the passion Kessler has and I love playing with him. This whole team – from a defensive side, special teams, Coach Tabor had those guys ready to go. We just couldn't come up with a victory.
(on Kessler taking big hits)
He's a warrior. That's what pushes us all no matter what. When the game's going wrong, I took a little hit as well and didn't feel good but it makes you keep pushing. I know from standing back that it's not a very comfortable situation. I just saw him, he was getting creamed and he got up and kept fighting. The kid has unbelievable heart and I'm a big fan of his and I'll do anything to protect him and make a play for him.
(on the team's outlook)
My outlook is we have to come back Monday (tomorrow) and grind even harder and go to Cincinnati and try to get a victory just like every week. Can't control what happened today because it's over with. I know everybody back home and in Cleveland, they're not happy and we're the same. We want to win for the fans, we want to win for the coaches and for each other. Sometimes, all the bad stuff that's going on, it's out of our control.
(on Kessler being an inspiration to him and the team)
Yea, absolutely. There's a lot of stuff going on with his family and you'd never know. It's the heart and the passion that he has, it's unbelievable. All he wants to do is win, the kid is a winner, period. Just because we're losing, doesn't mean we're losers. There's a lot of guys on this team fighting and working their butts off on a weekly basis to try and win the game before we get here. Hats off to Tennessee, they played a great game.
(on Kessler thanking him after the game)
I'm telling you guys right now. When Coach Jackson said trust me, the kid is a baller, period. There's no other way to put it, he has the heart of a lion. He just doesn't stop until he gets done what he wants done. Unfortunately we weren't able to pull off the victory but I'm very proud of my teammates especially defensively. Those guys on the D-line, they were fighting their butts off stopping the run. Right off the bat, we need to keep on getting better from that standpoint. Offensively we obviously have to get better. I'm just proud of my teammates.
(on making plays down the stretch and having the mindset)
I was trying to come back to the ball. It was a little short and I had him beat so I just tried to at least break up the play. My main thing, all of us as receivers, Andrew, Ricardo, Higgy, all those guys, all we want to do is catch the ball and help the team win. I don't care if I'm double covered, just put it up there and I'm going to make a play and do something for the team. That's kind of how I look at it, sometimes it's not always the right way but that's the kind of mindset you have to have is that nobody can stop you and you're going to do your best to make a play for your teammates.
(on Jordan Poyer's injury)
What happened? (reporter says he has a lacerated kidney) TP: Geez, I didn't know that. Poyer is a good friend of mine. I didn't know that. That caught me by surprise so I'm going to get out and message him. That's the tough thing about this sport. Guys like him, he gives his all and it's unfortunate that it happened. Hopefully everything goes well and he's fine.
