Cleveland Browns safety Juan Thornhill joined Afternoon Drive on The Fan to talk about training camp to this point, the team's stadium situation and proposed dome project, his health coming off a calf injury last season, the key for this defense in the second season under coordinator Jim Schwartz and the tough schedule ahead against top quarterbacks.
On the defense going into the second season under DC Jim Schwartz:
"We're just trying to take it one day at a time. Yeah, we were one of the top defenses last year, but last year was last year. We're not trying to go into it, 'yeah, we're the No. 1 defense this year'. I mean, you've got to bring that type of swagger with you, but no one cares. Last year, I feel like we kind of shocked people because they knew we were going to be a good defense, but they didn't know we were going to be that good. So, it took a couple weeks for teams to really be like 'alright, this defense is really crazy. We have to come in with our A-game'."
"But, this year is going to be a lot different. We were one of the top defenses last year, so they're going to come in Week 1 knowing what they're going against. They're going to know we have a serious front. They're going to know we have good DBs. So, they're going to come in, they're going to try and prepare as hard as they can each and every week to get ready for us because they know that we're one of the top defenses."
On tough schedule against the top QBs in the league:
"Would you want to go into the playoffs, playing a bunch of teams that are at the bottom of the NFL, thinking you're really good and then you get into the playoffs and you get smacked in the mouth because you haven't prepared, played against one of these top-caliber teams? Or, would you rather play against the best talent each and every week that's going to be in the playoffs, you know what you have going into the playoffs and you know what you're going to be facing, so you're not smacked in the mouth at all?"
"I would definitely rather play against the best. If you're playing against the best each and every week, you know what you really have. I think we look forward to that. It's going to be a lot of fun. Definitely with me, as a safety, a guy that's on the back-end a lot, I like to play against the teams that are going to throw the football. Patrick Mahomes, Tua, Jalen Hurts. All these guys coming in here, they're going to want to throw the football, so I'm licking my chops a little bit. I'm super excited about that."
On if there's extra motivation for the game against the Chiefs in Week 15 (December 15):
"Oh yeah. I'm excited about each and every game. I've got a little chip on my shoulder every week because last year I dealt with that injury. I just feel like I'm going to go out there and prove what type of player I am each and every week, but you better believe I've got a little dot...I'm not going to say I've got a circle on the map for Kansas City, but I've got a little dot beside them because I'm going to have a little more juice for that one, for sure."
