CLEVELAND -- Cleveland Browns interim coach Gregg Williams wanted to see what kind of competitive spirit the players had in the face of adversity when they took on one of the NFL’s highest-flying offenses in Kansas City Chiefs at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland Sunday.
And Williams was pleased with the fact that the Browns (2-6-1) did not settle on any excuses, and instead, used the unprecedented midseason dismissals of coach Hue Jackson and offensive coordinator Todd Haley as a rallying point and had only their second 20-point showing in the last month in the 37-21 loss to the Chiefs (8-1).
“It was good to see our team respond,” Williams said. “We wanted to see our team respond and wanted to see Baker (Mayfield) respond, and he did a really good job with that and how he led us in those situations. He did a good job.”
Williams “tried to be business-like at all times” throughout the week as the Browns prepared for the Chiefs, who averaged better than 35 points per game heading into Sunday’s game.
Also, Williams was plenty aggressive in his mindset, electing to go for three two-point conversions as well as three times on fourth-down situations, two of which resulted in new sets of downs for the Browns’ offense.
“The big thing was to be aggressive and to play aggressively,” Williams said. “Our guys responded in that way. We have to play better in some situations, but we played aggressively.”
And the players appreciated Williams’ aggressive mindset.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield completed 29 of his 42 attempts for 297 yards and two touchdowns against one interception, while running back Duke Johnson Jr. got his most extensive work of the season against the Chiefs.
Johnson Jr. caught all nine of the passes thrown to him by Mayfield and turned them into a team-best 78 yards and two touchdowns.
“Yeah, I loved going for it on fourth down, especially when we are getting it,” Mayfield said. “That definitely helps. I do not think I would answer it that way if we did not get those.
“When it comes down to the two-pointers, that was one of those things that we talked about. We were going to go for it on that drive when we scored. After that, you are kind of playing catch up, but we were also playing catch up over all in the game, so trying to earn points back.”
The adversity did not just come in the form of upheaval on the coaching staff, as an already depleted secondary lost both starting cornerbacks, Denzel Ward (hip) and E.J. Gaines (concussion) were lost in the first half of the game.
“We fought through some of the health issues,” Williams said. “We have to get some of the other guys -- they have an opportunity to play -- we have to get them to move up a little bit more. They have to step up a little more and do their jobs, and I have to help them do their jobs. That is what I have to do.
“Every day, I never saw any flinch. Never saw a flinch. Never saw body language poor. You have to build on that. This is the National Football League. There are no excuses. You have to continue to get better. You have to. We all have to.”
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