On if it is strange getting first-team snaps while not knowing who will start Sunday:
"No. When I got here this morning and looked at the script I saw my number on the script as who was getting the reps, so no I don't think it is weird."
On grading himself after watching the Cincinnati film:
"As cliché as it is, there was a lot of good and there were some things that were easy that I missed. I would have liked to have some stuff back. In the first half, we did some good things and moved the ball before the half. In the second half, once the score got to 24-10, I know we had a quick three-and-out on three passes that drive after having gotten close but still stalled the two drives prior in the second half was probably what I look back at most and regret a little bit. The ball down the middle to (TE) Gary (Barnidge) that was close but I probably had a better completion outside to try to get it to a third and four, instead of keeping it at third-and-10 and helping Flip (offensive coordinator John DeFilippo) on the play call with the call sheet a little bit there. I think I did some good things, and I think there were some things there that I didn't see or missed a little bit."
On if is it hard to check it down after having success with the deep ball against Tennessee:
"Each game is its own game. There were definitely times where I could have checked it down instead of running. There were a couple times where we sat there with Flip or (quarterback coach) Kevin (O'Connell) and said, 'Who knows? If you get it out there, you probably would have gotten the same amount of yardage if you had dumped it off.' They played us a little differently there and they were going to say, 'We are going to make you check it down and make you keep the ball in play and not let you beat us with anything deep down the field.' That worked for them. We have to do a better job as a whole trying to get completions and methodically take the ball down the field."
On what he can do to get better in the pocket:
"I think I made a couple throws in the pocket here and there. We obviously hit some deeper balls down the field – one on them jumping offside and one to (RB) Duke (Johnson Jr.) down the sideline getting out of the pocket. Not every play was made outside the pocket, but obviously, the touchdown and a couple of our bigger ones were. The times that we were in the pocket, I know we had a second-and-long to Gabe (WR Taylor Gabriel) that might have gotten tipped or whatever and bounced off his knee. As far as knowing where guys are and knowing where the defenders are and staying in the pocket and making the throw, there is a time and a place for me to get out. I don't think is a bad thing when I get out of the pocket and run around. I don't think anyone wants to take that away from me, but there are times where I could definitely stay in a little bit longer. That is just a fact of the way I play and the way I have to try and continue to adapt."
On if the heat of the moment causes him to leave the pocket:
"I don't know. That is the way I have played a lot of my life so I am sure when things do tend to break down that is what I kind of fall back onto. At the same time, you can take that with the check-downs and continue to move the ball and take a little bit here and give a little bit there. I think that is the name of the game in what I am searching for and trying to do."
On how difficult it is to potentially play one week and then return as the backup QB for a few weeks:
"I think it is tough. Obviously, every week of practice I get with the guys, every game, every game speed rep – as I was telling Flip and everybody, as the game went on, I felt things starting to slow down more and more and seeing guys here and there. Not every game is going to be perfect in that aspect. I have only played four starts. At the same time, I feel that I am getting more comfortable so it is going to be hard knowing that I feel like I am getting better and learning a lot being out there and having to go back. We don't know if that has been decided yet or what the case may be. We will cross that bridge when we get there."
On if he is comfortable how he is living his life now, given the public scrutiny for all of his decisions:
"Yeah, I have changed and adapted my lifestyle incredibly since last year. We did get some time off this week. For me, my personal life is my personal life, but at the same time, I got a chance and an incredible opportunity to go back to a place that myself and a ton of other teammates at Texas A&M helped build, and with the help of donors and the success we had in those years build an incredible stadium. It was probably one of the nicest things I have ever seen. I got to go back to a place that they have so much love for me there and I got to see so many old teammates and old coaches and watch the game in that stadium with family and friends. It was the luck of the draw for me that it worked out that way and being able to go back home. It was an awesome time for me, and I was excited to be back in Aggieland."
On if there will always be scrutiny on his life outside of football:
"I think there is going to continue to always be a cloud over my head from everything that has happened in the past. That is not going to go away. I am sure any time anyone sees me in any type of aspect or any type of situation, the way anything would have been before they are just going to say he is back to doing the same thing over and over again. I am smart enough to have learned a lot over the past year-and-a-half of my life. That is for sure."
On if he wishes pictures were not posted of his personal life from this past weekend:
"I probably took 2,000 pictures this weekend, and those are the ones that happened to be blasted out on social media. I took a lot of pictures with a lot of people, and I think made a lot of people happy. I can't really control who does what with those and what people say about them."
On if he anticipates opposing teams to start in Cover 2 defense, given the Bengals' success in the second half:
"Yeah, I would think with the success they had, teams will mix it in there a little bit. Cover 2 is Cover 2. I can remember back to a time in high school where I was like, 'Oh man, that is Cover 2. Here is where you go with the ball.' They tried to eliminate us from taking huge chunk shots down the field. It all comes back to the saying, 'Take what the defense gives you.' We have to be better about that. I have to better about that. I will put a lot of that on me. Check the ball down, move on and take it down the field. It doesn't have to be huge plays."
On why the Browns have been outscored significantly in the second half the past three games:
"Earlier in the season, we were getting out to a hot start. It is about continuing that. It is a two-half game for a reason. We need to come out in the second half and bring some juice and put some points on the board. Being outscored like that can't happen for us to be successful. It is just continuing to be efficient throughout the entirety of the game. We can't just start fast and do good things early and then fizzle out as the game goes on. I think it is on each and every one of us."
On if he has heard from the NFL regarding its investigation:
"I have not."
On if he expects a punishment from the NFL:
"It is out of my control at this point. It is not anything that I expect. Like I said, I haven't heard anything on that front."
On if getting experience playing in games is the only way to correct mistake:
"I think some of those throws that we are talking about, they were playing that Cloud Corner the whole time. There were times where they tried to get us to dish it out in the flat early, and when you get to a certain point and there is a trap corner sitting out there and you throw one in the flat, then your receiver gets smacked because (the trap corner) is sitting there waiting. It is about seeing and identifying and making sure when that flat is open and that guy is not sitting there trapping, get it out there and get it on the perimeter. I think I kind of got scared off as it went on with them playing so much Cover 2 and having that trap corner sitting out there, the fact of just dishing it out there really quick, I probably got away from that."
On if WR Taylor Gabriel needs to be encouraged this week, given their communication against Cincinnati:
"I think he is hungry. We sat out here every day after practice. We are in there working out and he is in there catching balls on the JUGS machine. That is an undrafted guy from a small school out of Texas that made this roster last year and did a lot of good things. He made the roster this year and has done some good things for us. He is here for a reason. I have all the faith in the world for him. That is what I was trying to tell him during the game. You could see it in his eyes – he was down a little bit on himself. I knew even if we got to the end of the game, whatever the score was, I didn't care. Just keep fighting and keep plugging away, and I am going to keep coming to him and try to keep his head up the best I could."
On if the Browns said anything to him about the pictures that surfaced this past weekend:
"No, I come back and talk to the coaching staff just as always. Looking forward to the next week. Getting ready to play Pittsburgh."
On if the offense's structure must be revamped for him to be successful, given he's known for adlib abilities:
"I don't think so. I have a lot of confidence in my ability. I am continuing to gain confidence in playing in this system and playing in this offense. It takes a lot of time getting used to seeing these coverages, knowing where people are going to be and exploiting that. I am not going to be able to sit there like some of these taller quarterbacks in the league and just be able to see everything happen as it plays on. There are going to be times where I am not going to be able to see something and I am going to have to make a faith throw, knowing that it is Cover 3and this guy is here and this guy went there with where this person is. As I continue to watch film, continue to play in these games, there are going to be times when I am not going to be able to see everything like everyone else is as clear as day. I think I am getting better at it, but I am nowhere near perfect, that is for sure."
On what he means when he says he won't be able to see:
"Well, (Bengals DL) Michael Johnson is 6-7 and Carlos Dunlap is 6-8 so I am like 5-11 and a half, I guess, so… (laughter)
