CLEVELAND, Ohio — Tuesday night featured the Browns and the rest of the division in the second episode of HBO’s “Hard Knocks: In Season With the AFC North.”
Having aired since 2001, the series usually would examine one team during the training camp period, and has recently examined a second team during the season.
But this is the first time the series will take on an in-season look at a whole division, diving behind the scenes into the mindsets of each team through the last month of the regular season.
The second episode continued off the cliffhanger from episode one, showing the Browns playing Denver in Week 13, and preparing for Pittsburgh ahead of Week 14.
Here are three interesting things we learned about the Browns from episode two.
1. Winston on his NFL Journey
Quarterback Jameis Winston spoke on his NFL journey, first starting with Tampa Bay, the squad who drafted him number one overall in 2015 and where he played for five seasons.
But he also spoke on it from a statistical standpoint.
“Five years there, the last (year) being the most memorable,” Winston said. “Second in the league in touchdowns, first in the league in yards, and also first in the league in interceptions.”
Winston noted finishing second in passing touchdowns (33), first in passing yards (5,109), and first in interceptions (30) during the 2019 NFL season. That would be his last with Tampa Bay, as they didn’t resign him and opted to sign Tom Brady.
“ (A) complete paradigm shift from making a lot of money to looking for an opportunity, and I found that opportunity in New Orleans,” Winston said.
He spent four seasons with New Orleans, where he experienced solid play and setbacks due to injuries, prompting him to be a backup as well. A scene showed former teammate, Drew Brees, giving him encouraging words ahead of a game.
“You got everything, you got everything it takes,” Brees said.
The episode then panned to Winston’s opportunity to start with the Browns, and his personality around his teammates.
“My energy just comes from my love for the game. Every time that I’m interacting with my teammates, I want them to feel the love, I want them to feel the authentic side,” Winston said.
2. D-Line on its struggles
Jacques Cesaire, Browns' defensive line coach, spoke on his standards for the unit despite the struggles they’ve experienced this season, and opened the floor for additional comments from the players.
“My standard for you guys is really high, everybody in this room. I know you guys have a high standard for yourself,” Cesaire said.
Myles Garrett spoke up first regarding the mentality the guys in the room should have for the rest of the season.
“You’ve got to play for something. Pride, individual accolades, your brother next to you. You got to find a ‘why’ for these last five games,” Garrett said. “You’re not going out there just playing to play ... it’s about making a name for yourself out there.”
Shelby Harris, another veteran along the line, added his thoughts to the discussion from a different perspective.
“You’re not just playing for this year, you’re playing for next year, you’re playing for your life in the league,” Harris said. “This is an evaluation period, this is not the time to let (expletive) down … these next couple weeks is truly an audition.”
3. Stuff happens
In the beginning and toward the end of the episode, head coach Kevin Stefanski uttered this statement, although he didn’t say “stuff.” After all, it’s HBO.
Early on, it was regarding Winston’s second pick-six to ice the loss to Denver. Stefanski brought a different perspective regarding players hitting their top speed during that play, and it indicating their love for football.
“We had our top speed ... every single one of these guys hit their top speeds for this season .... ” Stefanski said. “You don’t do this (expletive) unless you love football and unless you love each other”.
The motto continued the next game versus Pittsburgh, where Winston threw his first of two interceptions to Pittsburgh’s Keeanu Benton in the second quarter.
“Keep making great decisions with the ball, get it out of your hand,” Stefanski said.
That would change after Winston threw the second pick in the fourth quarter to James Pierre, resulting in Stefanski walking along the sideline beside himself.
“Man, oh man, oh man,” Stefanski said.
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