Browns

NBC analyst and former Steelers HC Mike Tomlin was critical of Cleveland’s 34-10 loss to the Jaguars in Week 1, saying “the Browns is the Browns.” When asked about Tomlin’s words, HC Todd Monken took offense at his opinion but admitted they have to change the stigma around the organization. 

“Well, again, everybody’s afforded their opinions. That’s what you do when you go from coaching to television,” Monken said, via ProFootballTalk. “We have to own that. We have to own that. We didn’t play very well. I don’t see it that way, Browns being Browns. I don’t see it that way. Every week is different, every team is different. We just didn’t play well. That’s one week. That’s not Browns being Browns, that’s Browns being poorly on one week. So, again, everybody’s afforded their opinion. And the only way to change people’s opinion is to play better. That’s a fact. We don’t want to be considered an also-ran, then we have to play better. We have to coach better, and we have to play better.”

Chiefs

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes started Week 1 just nine months after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ACL and LCL in his left knee. Mahomes said his knee is “the least of my worries” and that the rest of his body is sore. 

“I feel normal, actually; I mean, it’s like a blessing and a curse. You get sore everywhere else because you haven’t played football in so long. And so the leg is like the least of my worries right now. So I’m just excited to be out there and playing,” Mahomes said, via ChiefsWire. “At the end of the day, you don’t know until you get out there and play. And I was able to go out there and play, and I feel good today. So now it’s about getting in the ice bath or whatever it takes to be ready for this Sunday night game.”

Colts 

Colts’ second-round LB C.J. Allen didn’t play a single snap in their Week 1 loss to the Ravens. Indianapolis DC Lou Anarumo said Allen is still developing how they envision after missing time in training camp on the physically unable to perform list. 

“It takes some time, especially at his position, but he’s really progressing the way we want to, and every day he gets better physically,” Anarumo said, via Mike Chappell of Fox59.

Colts’ third-round S A.J. Haulcy got the start despite dealing with an ankle injury in training camp. Anarumo pointed out that Allen missed nearly a month with a calf injury followed by a hamstring issue, while Haulcy missed only a week.  

“[Allen] was set back nearly a month with his injury, where A.J. was really set back a week,” Anarumo said. “So, it’s totally different in comparison (and) time off between the two. A.J.’s injury, luckily for him, occurred when we had the little mini-bye over the Labor Day break. CJ kind of came in, hurt it right away and he was down for a while. It just set him back some. He’s a rookie. It takes some time, especially at his position, but he’s really progressing the way want to and every day he gets better physically.”

Colts STs coordinator Brian Mason added that Allen wasn’t able to contribute on special teams because of the time he missed.

“It’s really competitive to get depth chart reps,” Mason said. “CJ had more than one injury in training camp and as he was working back from those injuries, was limited in practice. A lot of times when guys are limited in practice, usually means that they’re focusing on getting offensive and defensive reps and not special teams reps. So, the number of special teams reps that he had banked up is not a lot.”