It was a jarring way for Cleveland Browns coach Todd Monken to end the press conference after the first win of his career as an NFL head coach, the 23-19, thunder-delayed victory over the Buccaneers in Week 2 on Sunday. Monken spent most of his press conference giving praise to quarterback Deshaun Watson, who was very good on the day–24-for-30 passing, 238 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions and a 121.9 rating–and, it seems saved his job as the starter with the win. But at the end of his meeting with the media, Monken pulled out an old phrase that Browns skeptics use to describe the string of bad luck and ineptitude that has has surrounded the franchise.
Browns are gonna Browns, the saying goes. In fact, former Steelers coach Mike Tomlin delivered the line after the Week 1 loss to Jacksonville.
At the end of his press conference, Monken said, “Ultimately, we are judged by wins and losses, as coaches, and we’re judged by how we play on the field. It’s not the name on the back. It’s not the player’s name, it is how they play on the field. Not their history, not what they’ve done in their past. …
“We played awful (in Week 1). It wasn’t the standard. Browns are going to Browns. (Expletive) that! OK?”
Browns Get Todd Monken’s 1st Win
The Browns are now 1-1 as they return home for their first game at Huntington Bank Field this season, with a little momentum behind them. There was speculation heading into the game that the team would pull the plug on Watson with a loss, as he was booed relentlessly in the preseason at home, and the team did not want to see a repeat of that scene.
But the win means Watson stays put as the QB1.
It was encouraging to see the Browns be able to make good adjustments on the fly in the game, after they were bogged down with penalties and poor decisions in the first half. They were much crisper in the second half, and turned around a 9-6 deficit for the win, which included a two-hour delay because of thunder.
Monken was asked about the change in the offense in the second half. “We just got the ball out of our hands,” he said. “Just get the ball out of our hands. They were pressuring us, some around the center stuff and just getting it down the field. We just decided we are going get it out of our hands. And that was without a run game, they did a good job taking that away.”
‘Week-to-Week League’
Reflecting on the fact that the Browns looked so much better after just one week since they were drubbed by the Jaguars, Monken said that scores around the league reflected how much differential there can be, especially early in the year.
He said: “It’s a week to week league. It just is. Just look around, look at the scores. We just went back to work. … You know what they did, they pulled their big-boy pants on, go back to work and fight like hell to fix it. That’s all we can do, and that’s what they did. And that’s what we’re gonna do, enjoy this win, go back to work and get ready for the Carolina Panthers.
Browns’ Todd Monken Delivers Surprise 2-Word Statement After Win