The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Haley, Jackson say they are ‘on same page’
Youth in receiving group a factor in offensive woes
All is well between offensive coordinator Todd Haley and head coach Hue Jackson, Haley said during a news conference on Oct. 25 at Browns headquarters in Berea.
Jackson seemed to deliver a headset-to-headset blow to Haley after the Browns lost to the Buccaneers on Oct. 21 by announcing: “Trust me when I say I’m not trying to create any issue here. But I think if the offense is not playing well — and we haven’t over a period of time — being a head coach and an offensive guy who’s done this, I think I have every right as a head coach to jump in and see if I can help and assist and get this thing to where I think it needs to be because we need to be better on offense.”
The Oct. 25 news conference was the first opportunity reporters
had to interview Haley after Jackson spoke in Tampa. Jackson spent part of Oct. 22 and Oct. 24 softening his postgame comments.
Haley said Jackson’s emotions got the better of him in the heat of a bitter overtime loss.
“That’s what it sounded like, and we talked about it,’ Haley said. “This is an emotional game. Coaching in the NFL, especially being in that spot, is not for everyone. It’s a high-pressure and high stressed job. We just have to keep doing what we know is right.
“I’ve been around this league a long time, been around a lot of different personalities. One thing I’ll never be is reactionary. I’m here for one purpose, and that’s to help this offense, continue to grow this offense. We’re all on the same page.
“Nothing has changed. We have a lot of game-plan meetings
as a staff. Hue sits in a lot of those. I don’t care where good ideas come from. Everybody gives their ideas, and when they’re good ones, we go with them.”
The Browns’ next chance to get the offense going comes Oct. 28 when they play the Steelers at Heinz Field.
Haley has been coaching for 23 years in the NFL with stops with the Jets, Bears, Cowboys, Cardinals and Steelers before joining Jackson’s staff. He has been an offensive coordinator or head coach since 2006. He was asked whether a “clear the air” session with Jackson was needed.
Jackson seemed to think a powwow was needed, because he said he spoke with Haley on Monday morning after what he described as “fuming” a day earlier. Neither would reveal what was said.
“My sole focus is on trying to get this offense to be as good as it can as fast as it can,” Haley said. “That’s all in the rearview mirror. As I said, everybody’s on the same page, everybody has the same goal in mind. And that’s to score enough points to win.”
Haley will continue to call plays.
The bigger issue is producing more touchdowns. The Browns have 17 touchdowns and 10 field goals through seven games. That’s ahead of last year’s pace when the Browns had 26 offensive touchdowns all season, but Haley wants more.
Part of the problem is rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield is throwing to rookie wide receivers Antonio Callaway, Damion Ratley and Da’Mari Scott. Breshard Perriman, in his third season, has played one game with the Browns. Rashard Higgins has missed two games with a knee injury. The lone reliable receiver is fifth-year veteran
Jarvis Landry.
“This is a young group,” said Haley, joking that he gets the names of his five children mixed up and saying he does the same thing with the receivers. “All you can do is continue to coach those guys.
“I know I beat it like a dead horse, but it is a process to get these young guys to do what they’re supposed to do. You coach ‘em hard, make sure they know you care. They know you believe in them. We’re doing the same thing with Baker.
“The difference is with the quarterback is he has to have trust. There are guys he trusts more than others. In critical moments, situational football sometimes he’ll lean on those guys a little more than others.”
Callaway caught only three passes over the last two games. He was targeted twice in Tampa despite being on the field for 51 snaps.