Jake Browning on Bengals' Win Over Colts
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00:00 Jake, I think I read that you told the TV that you didn't drink enough water and that
00:05 was what happened with your cramps.
00:07 Can you walk us through what happened?
00:08 Because it looked like you got hit so we didn't know what was going on with you.
00:12 No, my thumb forearm just all started cramping so my thumb was just locking up on me.
00:17 I couldn't throw.
00:18 And then it came in and got in that IV and it was fine.
00:22 But yeah, it was pretty dumb.
00:25 But just needed to drink more water and electrolytes I guess.
00:28 And I think sometimes when it's cold you just aren't thirsty.
00:33 So yeah, I guess that's probably the main takeaway from the game is hydrate better.
00:36 Have your teammates already given you a hard time about water or do you think that's coming?
00:41 Yeah, but I think, I'm sure it will be.
00:44 But I think everyone's just happy we won.
00:47 And yeah, I mean it's kind of embarrassing but it is what it is.
00:52 You mentioned last week about how you wanted to follow up your performance on Monday Night
00:56 Football with another quality performance.
00:58 You did that today.
00:59 What's it feel like to go back to back?
01:01 It feels good.
01:02 I feel like we got some good rhythm going.
01:05 But I think as well as we played on offense, I thought our line had a really good game.
01:12 No sacks.
01:13 A couple explosive screens.
01:14 Ran the ball for 100 plus yards.
01:18 But I think for all these post-game press conferences you kind of go back to the same
01:23 thing of it's never as good as you think, it's never as bad as you think.
01:27 So I'm sure, I know there's some things that I can improve on and so that will kind of
01:34 be my focus.
01:35 But it feels better doing that when we won and trying to keep getting better instead
01:41 of losing and trying to get better.
01:43 So I'll take it.
01:46 Just like the other night you had a bad 20 seconds where suddenly the game changed in
01:51 your 20 seconds.
01:53 Just like Monday night you guys didn't hold.
01:56 Why is that?
01:57 Yeah, threw a bad pass to Tanner.
02:01 He tried to make a play on it.
02:02 He didn't throw it to him in the chest.
02:06 And then they returned for a pick six.
02:08 So that was, yeah, it was tough.
02:12 But I think coming into halftime, my thought process was the only time that they haven't
02:18 stopped us is when I threw it to the other team.
02:21 So just don't do that and move the ball up.
02:23 Was that just a, you threw it too far inside him?
02:26 Yeah, I thought he was going to sit and then he kind of sit and broke out a little bit.
02:31 I'm sure he was right.
02:34 Might have just threw it too far inside and he goes out and tries to make the play and
02:39 catch and he kind of goes in the guy's lap.
02:41 But I think if I just throw it to him in the chest, we'll avoid the whole problem.
02:46 What is the key Jake to a 92-yard scoring drive, three others of over 70 yards?
02:52 What's the key in your mind to having big, long drives?
02:55 Yeah, I mean I think there's, I feel like our offense is doing a good job of running
03:00 the ball well, having some plays off those runs, and some explosives.
03:06 It all seems to be kind of flowing well.
03:08 We're doing a good job of complementing each other.
03:11 I think, like I said, our line played incredible.
03:16 I think they were really the consistent force throughout the game.
03:21 And I think when we do that, there's an opportunity for some explosives.
03:25 And we obviously got the guys on the outside to do that.
03:27 Jake, why has the screen game been so good for you guys?
03:30 I don't know.
03:32 I don't spend that much time on screens.
03:37 Just kind of do my part on it, and then try and sell pass to get, I think part of what
03:43 they do on defense is limit the explosives.
03:46 Part of that is they're playing soft, they're running everybody out underneath, try and
03:50 stop the intermediate to long pass game.
03:52 So when you dump off a few and let some alignment get out in front, that's kind of the game
03:57 you play when you play defense like that.
04:01 Some of the underneath stuff's going to be there.
04:03 And I thought Chase had a really good run after catch.
04:07 I didn't get the best view of it, but went for 50 plus.
04:12 So we'll take that and the stats.
04:14 And then same with Joe Mason.
04:15 I mean, second week in a row where Joe Mason has had a big time screen to spring an explosive.
04:21 You guys have found a style that fits your strengths as an offense.
04:24 Why has that worked with the process of booming and stabbing?
04:31 I'm not sure, but I think I would keep going back to I think it really does start up front
04:35 with Joe Mix.
04:36 And we were able to run the ball well.
04:39 And you have to dedicate more resources to stopping the run than we have really good
04:44 skill players on the outside.
04:45 And I think Zach, I feel very comfortable with how everything's going.
04:49 Zach calling the game, feeling like we're staying a step ahead as far as run, pass,
04:55 having everything kind of look the same, and then mixing in some screens.
04:58 And it makes my job easy.
05:01 How much is going on your center maybe help everything kind of look the same as we kind
05:05 of keep things maybe pre-game, open up some of those unique stuff?
05:09 Yeah, I think the more you can do, the more looks you present to the defense and the more
05:14 that all those looks have multiple things you can run out of those formations or those
05:19 sets.
05:20 I think it makes it difficult.
05:21 And I feel like we're doing a good job of that.
05:25 Did you know Chase Brown was this explosive?
05:26 Have you seen it in practice?
05:27 Yeah.
05:28 The last two weeks?
05:29 Yeah, I mean, I knew Chase was super fast.
05:32 He gets, you know, when he's running the ball in practice, he does a good job of getting
05:36 vertical, putting his foot in the ground and being explosive.
05:39 And so it was awesome to see him.
05:40 You know, I think he saw a little bit of it last week, a couple big runs.
05:45 And then today with the screen, it's obviously a huge play.
05:49 And I think he'll continue to do a lot for us.
05:51 It's kind of nice to have the one-two punch with him and Joe Mixon.
05:54 And I think every good offense needs two legit running backs.
05:58 And I think we got them.
05:59 It's safe to say they complement each other well.
06:01 Yeah, very.
06:02 Joe Mixon was just asked if he thinks this is a playoff team.
06:05 He started his answer by saying, "Damn right."
06:07 What do you think?
06:08 Is this a playoff team?
06:09 Damn right.
06:10 Say it kind of...
06:11 Go ahead.
06:12 Your family got some serious air time in it.
06:13 You didn't see that, but they are very proud of you.
06:19 What did it mean to you to have them on the field?
06:22 Right in the box?
06:24 Yeah, in the box.
06:25 Well, first of all, it is not my box.
06:28 I did not buy that in the preseason.
06:30 Very expensive.
06:32 So Joe Burrow was nice enough to give them some tickets so they didn't have to sit up
06:38 in the cold.
06:39 You know, we're all from California, so I'm used to it.
06:43 They're not.
06:44 So I'm sure they were much more excited in the box.
06:46 But it's awesome to have them here.
06:48 I think it was two friends from back home, a girlfriend, and then my brother, and my
06:55 sister, sister's boyfriend.
06:57 So it's always nice to have people there, and it's mostly nice after you win to go grab
07:03 dinner or something somewhere.
07:04 Did Burrow say anything when you came back on the field after the air clearance?
07:07 I think he was just laughing.
07:08 I was just kind of...
07:09 It's like, yeah, it was kind of embarrassing.
07:15 So did you do it the whole time?
07:17 So you didn't do the whole time, or was it broken?
07:18 Yeah, I kept slowly cramping on me.
07:22 I started trying to chug water.
07:24 I think it was too late.
07:26 I don't know.
07:27 I think I started getting an IV at halftime, I guess.
07:29 I'm not sure.
07:30 It's kind of the same concept on third guard.
07:32 It looked like there was a set of sectionary protections, the third and ninth.
07:38 I don't think they pressured us a ton.
07:41 That's not really what they do.
07:43 Some games are there.
07:44 It's all of a sudden a pressure game, but I don't think they pressured us a ton, partially
07:50 probably because they're working in a new linebacker and they want to make sure that
07:54 everything's sound.
07:55 But yeah, I mean, I thought our third down plan was good, and our overall scheme was
08:03 good.
08:04 Jay, Jonah said that you guys as a team have been playing looser since you took over as
08:10 the starting quarterback.
08:11 Are you cognizant of how much how you handle situations, ways throughout the locker room
08:17 in terms of you get tense or tired, things aren't going well, like how much that can
08:22 affect the team?
08:23 Is that something you're consciously thinking?
08:25 Yeah, I think my relationship with guys on the team kind of goes back to being here for
08:33 a while and not really being in like that.
08:36 People are going to approach Joe differently than they approach me when I'm the backup.
08:40 So I kind of get to know all these guys really well on a pretty personal level.
08:46 So I think now that I'm playing and all that, we still have that same relationship and I
08:51 still feel like the exact same person.
08:55 And I think also just genuinely just being myself and I struggle to get outside of that.
09:03 Jay, you said this week over here you weren't going to ride the roller coaster, obviously,
09:07 with all the emotions, but you showed some emotion walking out the field with the crowd
09:12 cheering for you, first home win.
09:14 Was that a little extra meaningful for you, just that moment, to kind of soak that in
09:17 there for a minute?
09:18 Yeah, yeah, I think it was.
09:20 I mean, yes and maybe not.
09:24 I don't know.
09:25 It was cool to have, to get a win at home.
09:29 Last time we had a home game, we put up 10 points.
09:32 And so it was nice to put up some points and get a win.
09:36 And yeah, I think enjoying those moments is part of it.
09:39 And so it wasn't really well thought through.
09:44 It was just something that kind of happened.
09:47 The biggest difference in the offense since you took over seems to be the running game,
09:52 the Alliance running game.
09:53 Yeah, I mean, I think, like I said, a couple of times now our Alliance is playing great
09:59 football and I think there's a lot written about our guys on the outside.
10:02 And obviously, they're some of the best players in the NFL too.
10:04 And Joe makes a great running back.
10:06 But our whole line of tight ends have been bucking their ass up.
10:09 And I think that's a big part of why we've been successful.
10:12 How important was that first drive of the second half for you?
10:17 I mean, very important, just because I felt like they probably had the momentum.
10:22 But I don't really feel that that much as the game's going on.
10:28 I don't know if maybe I'm the outlier there, but I just feel like the more I focus on doing
10:33 my job and holding my attention to each play and executing each play how I'm supposed to,
10:39 kind of when I play my best, I just like to stay right there.
10:42 So you don't come out at halftime saying, "We get the ball here.
10:45 We need to make an impact, score a three or a seven."
10:49 I think every drive, I'm just, "Let's go score."
10:51 And everybody should do their job and play talented enough, get a great play caller,
10:57 a great scheme, and just do your job.
11:00 The first time you got the ball to Tee, I think it was one of the first plays of the
11:05 second half, anything you saw.
11:07 I can't remember which play it was.
11:11 Sorry.
11:12 Doug, over the last few weeks you've really focused on just handling what's immediately
11:16 in front of you, what's going to be the next play of the game, whatever.
11:19 But winning on the short loop, two times in a row, two very different ways, can you feel
11:22 the momentum building on this team in the locker room?
11:26 Yeah.
11:27 I mean, this was our first short week.
11:28 The last one was kind of a long week.
11:30 And Thursday night game was a long week.
11:32 And now we got the two short weeks back to back.
11:35 And honestly, it's kind of nice because you just kind of stay in the moment and you're
11:40 so busy trying to prepare on a short week that you don't really have any free time.
11:47 The worst thing that happens is, I think with a lot of this stuff, is idle mind and free
11:51 time.
11:52 And so I don't really have either one of those on short weeks.
11:55 And so probably an advantage.
11:58 The play before you took a knee, it looked like you had a receiver down the right side,
12:01 you pulled it down and scrambled.
12:03 Was that in the moment though, feeling the cramp and pulling it down and taking off?
12:08 I think we...
12:11 No.
12:12 I was going to throw a hitch to the right and I think he converted it to a go.
12:19 And so I was kind of in scramble mode at that point.
12:23 And I really started to feel it like when I threw the one to T, I should have given
12:27 him a better ball.
12:28 Then he went out 100 yards.
12:32 But I kind of started feeling it a little bit and it was kind of too late at that point.
12:37 So and then it got to third down, I figured, all right, we need to throw it here.
12:41 And my thumb is just completely locked up.
12:43 So went down.
12:46 Need to hydrate better.