Included below are select quotes from interviews with the following Browns players during today's media availability:
- DL Myles Garrett
- LB Christian Kirksey
DL Myles Garrett:
On being cleared to play:
"It is exciting. I am ready to play, ready to show what I can do."
On his mental approach to not wanting to do too much too fast:
"It is just about doing what I can, making the plays I am supposed to make and be who I am supposed to be on the field; not be out of my gap or not missing any assignments and then once I correct all of those and I have no hesitation or anything holding me back, then I can try to step forward and have a bigger role."
On wanting to play last week but being told he would have to wait another week:
"They are just caring for my safety. They want the best for me and they want me to go out there and make an impact, but they don't want me to go out there, make an impact and then miss me for a week or two. They are just looking out for my future, and I know it was a smarter decision. I am going to want to play. I am going to want to be out there for my teammates and just try and go out there and get the win, but if I have to take it slow and build upon things week by week, then I will do that."
On if the build up to making his NFL debut has been nerve-wracking:
"Yeah, but it is just about maintaining your focus. Don't make the moment bigger than it is. Just focus on your keys and taking out the opposing offense."
On if his family will be in attendance on Sunday:
"Just my parents."
On if DL Danny Shelton has given advice on how to approach his first NFL game and what his mindset will be like:
"It is a simple game. Guys come in and even great players like Danny can over think things when they have so much going on, the crowd and their family is there. They are just trying to put on a show for everybody, just losing sight of just doing your job one play at a time and that is what I am going to do. Whether it is third down-and-6 and they are dropping back and I have to get a sack or we have to get a sack, or it is third–and-1 and we have to make a stop and get a TFL and get the offense back on the field, it is just focusing on one thing, one play at a time and if you do it like that then you won't overthink this game. It is simple. It is hard, but it is a simple game."
On if he will be used situationally:
"I am not sure yet. We will see. It just depends on the situations that we are put in and I am not sure if I will be coming out on third down or coming in on first down or if I will be starting or if I will be but in as a reliever, but we will see what happens."
On Head Coach Hue Jackson saying he will be on a 'pitch count':
"Just valuable when it comes to pass rush. Being able to have them say that we are going to put you out there on third down and we want you to flush the quarterback to one of the other guys or take him down yourself. That just means they have confidence in me and what I can do, but I will be out there as much as they want me to be, whether it is a lot or a little."
On if he is 100 percent healthy:
"Am I at my peak? No, but it is good enough for me. I can move, I can run and I can bend, and if I can do that, then I can be out there and I can make a difference."
LB Christian Kirksey:
On the lift to expect from DL Myles Garrett's return:
"We don't want to put any pressure on any individual. We are just ready to see him go out there and let it loose. I'm excited to see him play. Personally, I told him to just go out there and have fun. Don't feel like you have to stress coming back and trying to make a wild effect or anything like that. Just do what you have been doing this whole training camp, play hard, play physical. I think he is going to play well for us just seeing him out at practice. It is good to have one of our brothers back."
On if Garrett looked like himself in practice:
"Yeah, he looks like himself. He is a guy that is flying around. Just watching him come off the ball, he is so explosive. I can't wait to see him actually go out there and get some snap counts and just let him let loose."
On goals for the Browns defense in the second quarter of the season:
"We need to improve in the red zone, getting teams to stay out of the end zone – something that we definitely stressed this week. I just want to see the defense start fast and finish faster. I think that is what we put a special emphasis, and I think we can get the job done defensively. I don't know what is happening on the offensive side of the ball so I can't speak for them, but defensively, we had a good practice week, I think our gameplan is solid and I think we just have to go out there and execute it."
On if inexperience has played a role in the defense's performance this season:
"We have to execute in the red zone – definitely an area you want to stay out of, definitely an area where there is a little bit more pressure in that area because it is a little more condensed area. It could be a throw and a catch and fall right in the end zone. That is how easy it is – throw the ball, catch, fall down, touchdown. That area is very valuable for us to protect. I can't pinpoint the exact reason why things are happening the way they are happening, but we have to own it and we have to continue to try our best to keep our opponents out of the end zone. That is something that we have really been stressing this week. I think the guys are energized. I think the guys really know the importance of the practice week, know the importance of limiting them in our red zone and I think we are going to carry that over into the game. We will see where it goes from there."
On if NY Jets' QB Josh McCown's experience shows on film:
"Yes, Josh has been in this league for a long time. He is a smart quarterback, a tough quarterback, a former teammate of mine. I know he is going to be energetic for it. I know he is going to go out there and try to make plays to help them win the ball game. For us to be that good defense where we shut him down or we give him pressure or we give him different looks, this quarterback has seen it all. I think he is completing about 70 percent of his passes so he is doing well. It is for us to not let him be that impactful player in the game. Josh is a good quarterback, but he is our opponent this Sunday. We just have to make sure we stop him."
On why McCown has been successful:
"He is getting the ball out fast. He can look one way and throw another way. He can scramble out of the pocket. He is a tough guy so he is not always looking to slide. He is always looking to get another yard. The things he does well, he reads the defense and can just throw in the hole and he gets the ball out fast so it is where you are not really just sacking him like that. I think that's what he does pretty well."
