The Browns aren't spending any time on a short week lamenting their close loss to the rival Ravens on Monday Night Football. (Cleveland Browns)
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.
Takeaways from Browns practice and interviews …
The possibility of a Browns letdown after leaving everything on the field in that 47-42 heart-breaking loss to the Baltimore Ravens?
Doesn’t sound like it’s going to be a problem.
The Browns were putting the game out of their minds even before they left the FirstEnergy Stadium locker room late Monday night.
In his opening comments following the game, coach Kevin Stefanski said, “It is almost going to be midnight here and it is almost going to be Tuesday, and we have a game coming up on Sunday. We will own this, and we will move on and put all of our efforts into next week.”
It's the same message Stefanski spread after the Week 1 blowout loss to the Ravens. Back then, the Browns had a really short week prior to a Thursday night game against the Bengals. This week, the Browns play the Giants on Sunday night.
By Wednesday, players were tired of rehashing the loss to the Ravens.
Linebacker B.J. Goodson was asked what happened to the defense as Lamar Jackson was streaking his team 38 yards in the final minute for Justin Tucker’s audacious 55-yard game-winning field goal.
“So you want me to tell you what is beautiful? I am just going to take a second just to say what is beautiful. I do not mean to harp in on your time,” Goodson said apologetically.
“Do you want to know what is beautiful? Kobe Bryant is my favorite basketball player of all time. They have those Christmas games, and I would want them to win. Sometimes they would not win those Christmas games, and at the end of those games, I would see Kobe on the bench. Instead of moping, he would be over there teaching. Whenever they took him out, he would be over there teaching, and it was always about the next. Therefore, I think in his mind he never lost; it was always a learning opportunity. I just take that in my process and the way that I process things. I am not one to go backwards much. Just correct it and move on. That is kind of how I operate.”
Goodson said he did not relate the story to his teammates, but he did convey a similar message.
“Definitely along the lines of that as far as moving forward, learning from that and not letting that linger and not letting that taste linger,” he said.
As for Stefanski, he was putting a hard sell on his team that the Giants (5-8) are not to be taken lightly.
“A really good football team,” Stefanski said. “Second in their division, just like us. Winners of four of their last five, just like us. It is a very, very well-coached team. You can see what Coach Joe Judge is doing there.
“That is a disciplined, physical group that they have. I have a lot of respect for their coaches. They have a bunch of players at really every level and at every position that give you problems. Really are going to have to play our best ball, and that is the message going on the road and trying to get a victory.”
Injury report
Cornerback Denzel Ward, receiver KhaDarel Hodge and tight end Austin Hooper returned to practice on Wednesday after missing three, two and one game, respectively. All could be back on the field Sunday night if all goes well.
Ward’s absence in the Ravens’ game was felt the most. Stefanski wouldn’t commit to Ward playing against the Giants and characterized his return “day to day.”
“If Denzel is able to make it back, obviously, that would be a big boost to our team,” the coach said.
All players practiced except safety Andrew Sendejo (concussion) and right guard Wyatt Teller (ankle).
Ward, Hodge and Hooper were among eight players who were “limited” at practice.
Defensive end Myles Garrett, who missed a few plays Monday after his right elbow took an accidental blow from teammate Jacob Phillips, had “full” participation.
Texas QB legends may collide
On a Zoom call, Judge confirmed that mobile quarterback Daniel Jones, who already was slowed by a hamstring injury, also suffered a mild ankle injury in New York’s loss to the Cardinals. Jones was limited at practice on Wednesday and Judge deferred a decision on his starting quarterback until later in the week.
If Jones doesn’t play, ex-Brown Colt McCoy would be his replacement.
McCoy joined the Giants in free agency after six years with Washington. McCoy is in his 11th NFL season since taken in the third round of the 2010 draft by former Browns President Mike Holmgren.
McCoy preceded Baker Mayfield by about eight years as a Texas high school legend. McCoy proceeded to set records at University of Texas and won every individual honor except the Heisman Trophy.
Mayfield, a native of Austin, TX, walked on to Texas-rival Oklahoma after one season as a walk-on at Texas Tech.
Now they could meet as opposing starting quarterbacks Sunday night in MetLife Stadium if Jones can’t go.
“I was never a Texas fan, but I did appreciate the way Colt played,” Mayfield said. “He is a winner. There is no doubt about that. Everything he did for that program, obviously, being right in the backyard of it, I saw all of it. He is a winner. He led his team all of the time.
“I followed him closely because [Cowboys quarterback] Garrett Gilbert, who was with us and one of my friends, was Colt’s backup his freshman year. I have always respected Colt. He is a winner. He is a great guy.”
Brownie bits
Goodson had an interesting answer when asked to describe how the defense has been inspired by the play of Mayfield of late. “It is poetry in motion,” he said. “It is just that simple. It is beautiful. It is beautiful to watch. Poetry in motion.” …
Running back Nick Chubb added, “When he is on like this, he does not miss. We all know that, and we all like that because we can’t get off the field when he is on like that – third down and fourth down he is going to make the perfect pass. I feel like the whole team sees that. We feel it, and it makes everyone play harder.” ...
More teams than ever are going for it on fourth down and eschewing the punt. The Browns are last in the league in yielding 20 conversions on 23 tries (87 percent).