BEREA, Ohio — The Browns can’t always count on being called “The Elfs” or “Cleveland is Cleveland” or “Browns is the Browns” to get their hair on fire for a game.
But Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith managed to throw gas on the fire Wednesday. Smith explained his mindset for coming to Cleveland Browns Stadium Sunday in a battle for at least a share of first place in the AFC North between two 2-1 teams.
When asked if he embraces the villain role when invading enemy territory, he went there in a way that has the Browns licking their chops.
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“At the end of the day, you’re considered the bad guy because you’re going into essentially another man’s house, and you’re trying to take over,” Smith told reporters in Baltimore. “His wife, kids, (and) everyone is there to watch them. So, we’re going over there to beat their tails in front of their wife and kids.
“So, when you think about it from that perspective, any man is going to fight till the death at that point. I know if that’s me in that case, I know I would. So, I think about it from that standpoint. I’m just going in just like I prepared for any other game – play till (you hear) the whistle, play physical and hit anything that moves.”
He also talked tough about the Ravens’ mindset heading into the lakefront home where the Browns have outscored opponents 51-6 this season. A brave man, that Roquan Smith.
“You go in there as the enemy to go take over and that’s our plan to actually go take over,” he said. “I think they call it the Dawg Pound, (and) I consider myself a dog, so I’m right at home in that place. So, I’m excited to get back in there. I know they’re a physical football team, but so are we.
“At the end of the day, it’s going to be the most physical football team that comes out of there, and whoever is the most physical football team in that game, that’s who’s going to come out victorious. In my opinion, it’s the best division in football, without a doubt, if you look at it from top to bottom.”
Granted, Smith had a smile on his face at times, but that won’t stop the Browns from blowing it up and using it to get their game faces on. Ja’Marr Chase’s “Elfs” and “Cleveland is Cleveland” worked like charm in their 24-3 rout of the Bengals in Week 1, and JuJu Smith-Schuster “Browns is the Browns” got them ready for their 48-37 thumping of the Steelers in the wild card game in 2020.
“No freaking way,” linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah told cleveland.com. “There’s no way he said that. It’s post board material, I guess. Locker room material.”
Owusu-Koramoah said he hadn’t seen the whole interview, just the key part about “beating their tails in front of their wives and kids” that has the Browns riled up. Any little bit of extra fire helps, and Smith lit the fuse.
“Guys say things,” Owusu-Koramoah said. “They’re able to push themselves out there in a certain way and I guess that’s the way he wants to be presented, but I leave it to the offense to deal with it.”
Anthony Walker Jr. was equally surprised that Smith would give the Browns such good material, especially in light of “Elfs” and how that went for the Bengals.
“They keep setting themselves up for this, so that’s on him,” Walker told cleveland.com.
He acknowledged that he had seen the clip, which circulated on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday.
“We never need motivation to go play football,” he said. “This is our livelihood and we’re blessed to play in the NFL each week. We’ve got an opportunity to play a game this Sunday.
“We don’t need any extra motivation — but we always appreciate it.”
Safety Grant Delpit had Smith’s words on his mind too. After talking with reporters, he walked away saying, “I thought you were going to ask me about Roquan.”
Smith, who’s being mentored by Ravens fiery Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis, was asked about sharing the field with such a good Browns defense — one that’s ranked No. 1 overall, No. 1 in points allowed, No. 1 on third down, and No. 1 in the red zone.
“This is Week 4,” he said. “You’re not defined by being the best defense in the league (based) off of Week 4, period. It’s a 17-game season, so it’s what you’re going to do late in the season. But hats off to those guys. I haven’t watched them, so I’m not really sure. I know they have some good players over there and whatnot, but I haven’t really watched them. I don’t really care too much if I’m being perfectly honest. I’m just more focused on our defense and what we’re going to do to make sure we come out victorious in this game.”
Smith may be trying to get himself fired for the brutal stretch the Ravens are in — with three tough AFC games on the road. After this, they visit the Steelers and then play the Titans in London.
“Honestly, I love it,” he said. “I love a challenge. At the end of the day, I love looking something square in the face and saying, ‘Bring it on,’ whatever it is. ‘Chin up, Chest out,’ I live by that. ‘Sun sets, no regrets.’ So, I’m looking forward to it, and I can’t wait.”
The Browns can’t either.
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