Amari Cooper 'just didn't squeeze' ball on big drop, determined to rebound after hits to pride

BEREA — Amari Cooper doesn't forget when he drops a pass. Especially when it bounces off his chest for a game-changing interception.So he has no need for the constant reminders and stream of negativity waiting on his phone."Usually if I don't have a good game, I try to stay off of social media," he said Thursday. "That's one thing that I've learned, because I can be kind of sensitive about the way that I play, and just being on social media, there's nothing about hiding that."Nick Chubb on 'dream' of finally practicing again, when he'll be ready to play and if he'll be the same dominant forceThe first four games have been filled with trials and tribulations for Cooper, a five-time Pro Bowl receiver. He had big drops in the first two games, rebounded for two touchdowns against the Giants, then had the drop-turned-interception Sunday in the 20-16 loss in Las Vegas."I just didn't squeeze it," he said.A catch of the perfectly thrown Deshaun Watson pass would've put the Browns inside Las Vegas' 30-yard line. The Raiders took over at midfield after the return and scored a touchdown for a 20-10 lead in the third quarter."Sometimes I do wish I could erase memories from my brain, but unfortunately that's not the case," said Cooper, who has 16 catches for 148 yards and two touchdowns. "So you do have to be extremely resilient. It's not always the easiest thing to do, but it's part of being a pro. It can be difficult for sure."Deshaun Watson says he's getting better, more confident each week and offense just needs to stop hurting itselfCooper was one of the first players off the field Sunday and wasn't in the locker room to talk to reporters as he struggled to deal with another loss and the 1-3 start."I didn't feel good about the way we performed, about the way I performed," he said.The admission of being "sensitive" after a rough outing is interesting for a 30-year-old with a track record of excellence."I think every athlete has a sense of pride in the way that they play," Cooper said. "We all just want to be respected for our performance, and you tend to get disrespected if you don't hold yourself to that standard. It has a lot to do with pride."Zone Coverage PodcastHe's built a reputation as one of the league's most consistent and reliable receivers, with seven 1,000-yard seasons and 62 touchdowns in nine-plus seasons. So the early-season drops stand out even more."I'd say uncharacteristic," coach Kevin Stefanski said. "Amari's made big plays for us this season, last season."He wants to contribute to winning football, being a big part of what we do offensively. Obviously you're disappointed when a result doesn't go your way, but he's committed to getting better."Cooper was involved in several key plays against the Raiders.He was open on what would've been a 40-yard touchdown at the end of the second quarter, but Watson was quickly pressured, didn't have time to wait and threw toward the sideline as Cooper bent toward the seam. In the fourth quarter, his 82-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown was called back by a holding penalty."Plays get called back for penalties. That's why you have to play clean football because you never know when a huge opportunity like that will be for naught," Cooper said. "It's extremely devastating."#Browns Amari Cooper on big plays slipping away last week. pic.twitter.com/VdNSLMRDQW— Scott Petrak ct (@ScottPetrak) October 3, 2024https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsThen on fourth-and-3 from the 9 in the final minute, he went in motion from right to left and was the No. 1 option. Watson double-clutched, tried to scramble and was sacked."First and foremost, I know I could have ran a better route," Cooper said. "I didn't like the leverage that the defensive back was giving me and so I kind of chopped off the route and just prepared for a scramble drill when I should have probably just broke it off."We all could have done better on that play."The answer about social media was in an answer to a question about an ESPN report that the Chiefs could be interested in trading for Cooper depending on the injury situation of receiver Rashee Rice. The Browns are trying to fight their way back from 1-3 and need their No. 1 wideout. But if the losses pile up before the trade deadline Nov. 5, that could change with Cooper in the last year of his contract."I'm not aware of it, no," Cooper said of the trade speculation.Watson said he'll continue to throw to Cooper regardless of any missteps."I have full 100 percent trust in Coop and anytime I need to get him the ball and give him an opportunity, usually he makes those plays," Watson said. "So I'm gonna rely on that percentage rather than a couple plays that haven't happened."Cooper appreciates the support but wishes it wasn't needed."It means a lot," he said. "You never really want to put your quarterback in that position to lose faith in you, and even have to answer those type of questions. I'm more so looking at it from the other way around, just him having complete faith in me based off my performance, not lack thereof. So looking to get the ball back rolling with my play and not have to even talk about these type of things."The post Amari Cooper 'just didn't squeeze' ball on big drop, determined to rebound after hits to pride first appeared on BrownsZone with Scott Petrak.