BEREA, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Joe Woods has no issue with Myles Garrett or criticism from fans.
Woods has taken a beating from fans following their 45-7 loss at New England and after the game, Garrett bemoaned a lack of defensive adjustments against the Patriots while fielding questions from reporters.
“That stuff does not really bother me,” Woods said Thursday. “If there is anything that is on your mind and you want to come to talk to me, the guys know I am there.”
Woods mentioned that spoke with Garrett at halftime about adjustments, and he points to their three-and-out coming out of the locker room in the third quarter being a result of them.
“When you get beat like that, everybody is looking for what went wrong,” Woods said.
Woods doesn't feel there is any friction between him and Garrett.
“I have a great relationship with Myles” Woods said. “He has the respect of all of the players on defense. There is nothing going on in the building or anything of that nature. I talked to him. I talked to him today. Everything is good. Again, just frustrating losing the way we did.”
The Patriots converted their first six tries on third down and 7 of 9 for the game while racking up 452 yards of offense and scoring touchdowns three times on drives of 90 or more yards.
“In the first half, we got them to third down, and we were not able to get off the field,” Woods said. “In the second half, we only got them to two third downs. It was just really like two different games in terms of what happened. Again, when you get beat like that, everybody is looking for what went wrong.”
As for fan criticism, Woods believes no one can be a tougher critic of himself than himself.
“First of all, I put a lot of pressure on myself to make sure that the gameplan is right,” Woods said. “I am not saying that I blame myself, but I always look in the mirror first. Whenever I grade the tape, as I am grading the players, I grade myself. No. 1, I always look at myself and what can I do better.”
Kelly activated, Chubb next? – Running back John Kelly was activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list Thursday giving hope that Nick Chubb could be next.
Kelly was placed on the list a day before Chubb was and there is hope Chubb will be activated next.
“That will help,” Van Pelt said of Kelly’s return. “I think things are trending in the right direction for the other guys. Maybe we will get to see them later in the week as the protocols run out for those guys. We are hoping.”
Should Chubb be activated Friday, it appears he would be available against the Lions, but on a carry count.
“Guys come off of the COVID list and play all of the time across the league,” Van Pelt said. “If he is available, I am sure we will be very smart with how we handle his carries, but he is obviously a big part of what we do offensively.”
Despite missing three games to date, Chubb ranks third in the NFL in rushing and is averaging over six yards per carry this season.
Under siege – Mayfield has been sacked 26 times this season in just nine games and 24 of those coming since he tore his labrum in Week 2 against the Texans.
“Obviously we’re not happy with our sack numbers, they’re a lot higher than we want them to be,” left guard Joel Bitonio said. “But it’s a mix. There’s some times when guys get beat and give up a sack. There’s some times where it’s a scheme thing where they have six guys rushing and we have five guys blocking and the ball doesn’t get out. But it’s a group effort.
“We’ve given up too many sacks on third and fourth down and that’s something we’re trying to focus on. Make sure we’re in the right scheme, make sure guys are winning their one-on-ones and that’s really what it comes down to.”
Mayfield was sacked 26 times during the regular season last year. Is there a fix with seven games remaining?
“It is not always the answer of max protection. Max protection means more people around the quarterback,” Van Pelt said. “Maybe it is the answer of getting into more empty formations and spreading them out and keeping guys away from him. I thought our protection unit has been doing a good job. We have to get the ball out of his hands, and that is our mindset.”
Lazy catch – Tight end David Njoku took responsibility for dropping a potential touchdown on the Browns’ opening drive against the Patriots.
The drop came on second-and-goal when the ball got knocked from his hands before he could complete the catch.
“It was a very lazy play on my behalf,” Njoku said Thursday. “I have no excuse for that. So now I’m playing like I have my hair on fire.”
With better focus, it would have been a touchdown.
“It is unfortunate for him – it cost him a touchdown,” Van Pelt said. “That is the lesson that he learned on that one is that you have to finish every play with the intensity until the play is over. He will learn from that, no question.”
Njoku is third on the team with 22 catches, but he leads the Browns with 352 yards this season. He hopes to be part of getting the pass game going again.
“I know what we have here,” Njoku said. “Obviously through adversity, things do not really go according to plan, and you can’t go back in the past. It is what it is. We have to just keep moving forward.”
Injury report – DNP: C J.C. Tretter (knee), CB A.J. Green (concussion), CB Troy Hill (neck), WR Anthony Schwartz (concussion), WR Donovan Peoples-Jones (groin); LIMITED: DT Malik Jackson (knee), WR Jarvis Landry (knee), QB Baker Mayfield (left shoulder, foot, knee), DE Jadeveon Clowney (wrist, ankle, knee), DE Takkarist McKinley (groin); FULL: OT Blake Hance (thumb), DE Myles Garrett (not injury related/personal), CB Greedy Williams (shoulder)
Up next – Practice Friday.