Browns Offensive Coordinator Alex Van Pelt Press Conference November 9, 2023
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00:33 Oh, yeah.
00:33 There's no question.
00:34 I mean, he threw the ball accurately down the field all day.
00:38 So that was good.
00:39 Getting him back out there was awesome.
00:41 Felt like he was close to back to normal.
00:45 I think he missed some things early, shorter, but
00:47 the long balls were indication of where we're heading.
00:50 We're really happy.
00:51 >> Why might it be almost easier with that kind of injury to hit the long ball than
00:56 the shorter?
00:57 >> It is, I think so.
00:58 As a thrower, it's a longer motion, you put more body into it.
01:01 Your legs are involved more as opposed to the shorter ones where you may not get
01:04 your full body into those throws and rely more on just your shoulder strength.
01:07 But that'll continue to grow.
01:08 >> How much difference will it make to your offense to have
01:13 Deshaun back compared to DTR when he wasn't really expecting to play that?
01:20 >> Yeah, big difference, I hope.
01:21 That's the plan going in, have a good week of preparation.
01:25 Deshaun's played this group before, so know what to expect there.
01:29 And he played well last time he played him here at home.
01:32 >> After what you said about the long balls,
01:34 do you think his shorter throws, which in other words,
01:38 not to his satisfaction, were the more the result of the injury than the longer?
01:44 >> I think so, that and just knocking that rust off again.
01:48 Now the first couple throws, I was like, man, he missed those.
01:51 But then you look back on the tape, there's some circumstances that come up
01:54 where the receiver maybe took his eyes off and
01:56 slowed down a hair where it was a little too far out in front.
01:58 So as I watched the tape, I felt better.
02:00 >> Alex, how do you know you're in the practice yesterday without DeJuan?
02:06 How are you approaching that tackle spot or both tackle spots?
02:08 >> Yeah, just really, Kev said it best,
02:10 he's working through everything right now, all the different possibilities.
02:15 And we'll obviously let that go all the way up to game time to see who's there.
02:19 But James has always worked hard, he's played both sides,
02:23 does a nice job when he gets in.
02:26 So, but we have other options and we'll see, we'll let that go right up to game
02:29 time. >> How unsettling is it against a pass rush
02:31 like the Rams?
02:33 >> Yeah, I mean, anybody that goes out there,
02:35 if you had the full healthy boat alignment out there, it's still a challenge.
02:37 That's a good defense and the edge rushers are special.
02:39 So yeah, it's always a challenge and that's part of football.
02:43 We gotta find a way to make it work.
02:45 >> Other than the change to quarterback,
02:47 what do you guys have to do to be better than that first ball?
02:52 >> Man, not turn the ball over.
02:53 I mean, that's the first and foremost.
02:55 Really, we had a small victory party on Monday.
02:58 As we got the team back together, literally we shot off confetti,
03:02 blue air horns, yeah, it was cool.
03:04 Celebrate no turnover.
03:05 So first and foremost, we gotta take care of the football.
03:08 And then in the hostile environment on the road,
03:10 your operation has to be elite.
03:12 We talk about that often.
03:14 If we could prepare and get ready for the game the same way we did in Seattle,
03:19 from an operational standpoint, we'll feel good.
03:21 Then it's just about outworking these guys and trying to finish.
03:24 It's a very physical good defense.
03:25 We know that.
03:26 It's AFC North.
03:28 It's never easy playing our division opponents and this won't be any difference.
03:31 >> How do you see the evolution of the [INAUDIBLE]
03:35 >> Just kind of grow over the last few
03:37 weeks.
03:37 And I know you talked to the cops, but the way that they complement one another
03:42 as a unit.
03:43 >> Yeah, no, it's good.
03:44 You got guys like Kareem, that's just a grinder, man.
03:47 He's a hard runner and makes good cuts, gets positive yards.
03:50 Jerome has ability to catch a ball, the backfield has ability to make guys miss.
03:55 It has that speed, the long speed as well.
03:57 Then you get Pierre into the mix and he's a true speed guy.
04:00 He can get to the corner and chew up yards quickly.
04:04 So it's a good complement of backs and they do complement each other.
04:07 Again, it'll be giving them all touches and
04:10 then finding out who's feeling it that day and maybe giving them a few more.
04:14 >> Separates, what sets their linebackers apart from other groups around the league?
04:20 >> Freakish athletes, big bodies, their instincts and
04:26 their ability to diagnose play schemes, I think is what separates them.
04:32 Definitely two of the elite linebackers in the league,
04:35 probably one of the better duos in the league.
04:38 So it's a challenge every time you play those guys and
04:41 we gotta be up for it for sure.
04:44 They pressure with those guys, they do a lot with those linebackers.
04:47 And it's a team that rarely plays dime,
04:50 cuz they wanna keep those two players on the field at all times.
04:53 I don't blame them.
04:55 >> Kevin's talked about the attention that defenses give Amari week in and
04:59 week out, and he's still having a really productive season for you.
05:02 So how's Amari able to do that despite the attention?
05:05 >> Well, for starters, he has to be patient, I think, and he has been.
05:07 The last throw to him in the game was something that those guys came up with on
05:13 the sideline.
05:14 Every third down, Amari was getting doubled.
05:17 And oftentimes, they were doubling from low and not getting back over the top.
05:22 So those guys saw that on the tape and brought it to our attention.
05:24 We dialed it up and drew it up real quickly on the sideline and
05:26 then executed it in the next drive.
05:28 So finding ways just to find balls for him, whether it's moving around,
05:34 putting him in motion, hiding him in the backfield, whatever we need to do.
05:37 But very productive player force, and
05:40 teams are definitely doing their due diligence in trying to take him away.
05:44 >> A lot of focus is on Amari as far as his production goes.
05:49 How do you get more production out of the rest of that receiving core?
05:53 I know David's a big part of the pass game.
05:55 >> Sure.
05:56 >> Jerome and that, but just from a receiver's standpoint, it just feels like,
06:00 yeah, other guys are getting targets, but the production's coming from Amari.
06:03 That's how do you improve that?
06:05 >> Well, anytime you double one guy, you're gonna have to single some other guys up.
06:08 So we got to win our one on ones there.
06:11 Elijah's done some really good things for us as well.
06:13 Said just really getting into it now, expect to see him have some more
06:16 productivity.
06:17 And then Dave, I mean, Dave's playing at an elite level right now from the tight end
06:21 position both in the run and the pass game.
06:22 So finding ways to spread the ball, using the backs more in the pass game,
06:27 all that's available.
06:27 >> I know Nick Harris has kind of become your fullback,
06:31 I don't know if that's really beneficial to announce like that.
06:35 Is it fair to consider him on the offensive line this week,
06:39 given all of the challenges you guys have to tackle?
06:41 >> Yeah, he's a Swiss Army watcher, knife for us really.
06:44 So he can get in there and do a lot of different things.
06:48 We'll still continue to use him in multiple spots.
06:50 >> Yeah.
06:50 >> Pretty good.
06:53 >> All right, thanks guys.
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