CLEVELAND -- Observed and heard in the locker room after the Cleveland Browns' 23-13 win over the Oakland Raiders.
Haden feeling fresh: Cornerback Joe Haden, fresh off his 34-yard fumble recovery return, two pass deflections and nine tackles, responded to Raiders quarterback Derek Carr trying to test him. "If throwing the ball at me, I feel I'm one of the best corners in the league, so I have to do my job and keep knocking the balls down."
Rush offense problematic: The Browns knew defenses would try to stop a rushing attack that flourished through the first five games. But running back Ben Tate didn’t expect Cleveland to average 1.6 yards per carry. Re-igniting the rush will be huge for Tampa Bay prep. "It's frustrating -- I don't know what other word to put it to," said Tate, who finished with 26 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries.
Nice hat, dude: A funny postgame exchange between quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains and quarterback Brian Hoyer, who was wearing a green ivy cap … "What's up with the hat?" Loggains asked. "It's stylish,” Hoyer responded. Loggain's follow-up: "Is that a Tom Brady thing?" Brady and Hoyer were teammates in New England from 2009 to 2011.
Mack impresses Browns: Apparently, Oakland rookie linebacker Khalil Mack was one of the best players the Browns faced all year. "That's a unanimous decision in our locker room," Hoyer said. "He gained all of our respect."
The Browns missed Jordan Cameron: Cameron, who left the game with a concussion in the second quarter, will undergo concussion protocol during the week. He finished with 40 yards on three catches. "So much of what we do is anchored off of what Jordan has the ability to do," said receiver Andrew Hawkins, who set the tone in Cameron's absence with 88 yards and a score.
