x
Breaking News
More () »

Jabrill Peppers: Cleveland Browns still have 'overall belief in ourselves' despite 0-6 start

Rookie safety Jabrill Peppers believes the Cleveland Browns still have an "overall belief in ourselves" despite an 0-6 start to the 2017 season.
Rookie safety Jabrill Peppers believes the Cleveland Browns still have an "overall belief in ourselves" despite an 0-6 start to the 2017 season.

CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Browns are not going to fold up the tent and go home after some early-season issues.

Despite the struggles that have them winless, the Browns began their preparations for Sunday’s game against the Tennessee Titans at FirstEnergy Stadium confident in their abilities and ready to embrace the opportunity to turn around the fortunes of the franchise.

“Just an overall belief in ourselves,” rookie defensive back Jabrill Peppers said. “We are a group of guys who don’t have any quit in us or any fold. When things get tough, we get tougher. That is our mindset. We believe in each other.

“We know what we expect out of each other each and every time we go out there. We know there isn’t hopelessness, but we kind of have to get this thing rolling because we are better than what we have put forth.”

At 0-6, the Browns find themselves in last place in the AFC North Division, one of just two winless teams remaining in the National Football League and are on the wrong side of the worst point differential in the league.

“I think that is the only frustrating thing is that we know we are way better than what we are showing right now,” Peppers said.

“That is on us to be corrected, go out there and really take the game plan and call the game that the coaches are trying to do with us to heart, even if there is nothing left because we have to go out there and perform the way we know we can and like we need to.”

Over the last three years, the Browns have gone 4-34, and the record has not been much better since Jimmy and Dee Haslam officially purchased the team in October of 2012.

In five seasons under Haslam’s majority ownership, the Browns have posted an NFL-worst 15-55 record. Factoring in the remaining games of the 2012 season after the sale was approved at an NFL Owners Meeting in Chicago, Haslam’s Browns have gone 19-60.

Under coach Hue Jackson’s leadership, the Browns are 1-21 and have set the franchise record for the longest losing streak to start a season, 14 games, and extended club marks for the most consecutive setbacks and the most road losses in a row.

“His overall message is just it doesn’t matter what happens -- this game is about winning and losing,” Peppers said. “It is about having one more point than the other team. That is all it comes down to. I don’t care how it happens. As long as you have one more point than the other team, that gets you a win.

“He stresses ball security, forcing turnovers and big explosive plays to help our team out. There is no sense of fear or flight. You just have to work harder. We know what we have to do to get this win. It is just about going out there and doing it.”

Before You Leave, Check This Out