Ravens at The Podium

**TL24x7** · 10-13-2019, 10:10 PM

OLB Matthew Judon

(on how he feels about where the team is after two-straight wins) “It feels good to go out there and get a win. We stacked them up on division opponents. It was really good. We’ve just got to keep rolling. We’ve got some stuff that we’ve got to work on, execution-wise, but at the end of the day, we pulled it out. All phases got stuff to work on, but it feels good to get back-to-back wins.”

(on if he ever takes time to watch QB Lamar Jackson in action) “I catch myself on the sideline stretching because, you know, they’ll be holding the ball for a minute, and we’ve got to stay warm. He picks us up in critical times and keeps getting first downs. It’s hard. It’s hard, man. You can’t cover everybody and keep a spy on him [at] all times. I’m just so glad – I've been saying this since we got him – I'm glad I don’t [have] to face him.”

(on the pass rush and what QB Andy Dalton did) “I just felt like he was getting the ball out kind of quick. They [were] trying to do their run game and that stuff. They hit us with some screens but when we needed to apply some pressure, and we knew it was a passing down, we got to him. We’ve just got to keep working. We’ve got to keep going out there and executing at a high level as a D-line and get to him with just force so we don’t have to blitz.”

(on how the new players have pitched in so far on defense) “I said this a week ago about [ILB] Josh Bynes but all those guys came in, [and] they learned the playbook very fast to where they can execute at a high level. Those guys helped us out. [ILB L.J.] Fort was running around, making plays. Josh Bynes keeps executing at a high level and being where he needs to be and being a true ‘Mike’ linebacker, and [DT Jihad] Ward, he did a good job. He relieved some of our ends on rush downs, and he played fast. I think those guys, they’re only going to get better, and they’re only going to get faster.”

(on how the defense did with S Chuck Clark getting the green dot) “I’ve already said this about Chuck—he practices like that. He practices like that. He practices as a starter—since he came in, and it was no let up. When he got the mic, he rallied the troops, huddled us up, gave us the call and got to where he needed to be and made sure that the coverage was on point, and that’s what he has to do when he has the mic. That’s exactly what he has to do, so he did his job at a high level.”

RB Mark Ingram II

(on the last two wins and doing well as a team) “Yeah, I think we have a lot to be proud of, but at the same time, I think there is a lot to improve on. There is a lot of things, a lot of areas we could improve on to get better. So, we will just continue to work on that.”

(on what is going through his mind when Lamar has the kind of day he had) “He is the man. You know, if they choose to stop the QB drive like that, I tell him, ‘Trust your eye, trust your read and run all day.’ You know what I mean, so he is special. You know, he is only going to continue to improve. He is only going to continue to get better. And that’s us. That is our offense. You know, sometimes we will have big days, sometimes he will go for 150.”

(on the 9-minute drive) “Yeah, we know how important of a drive it was. We were backed up. We definitely wanted to take time off the clock and get points on the board. We just told each other, ‘Just one play at a time, everybody do their job, everybody focus on their technique.’ Execute their assignment, and that was the result.”

(on if he is pleased with how his season is going so far) “I feel like there are a lot of areas to improve on, but it definitely has been a good start to the season. The offensive line is doing a great job, receivers down field, everybody. I cannot get in the end zone without those guys. I just keep running hard, trying to get in the end zone, trying to run the ball, catch the ball, whatever I can do to make plays to help us have success. I am excited about the start, but [there is] definitely a lot to improve on.”

**TL24x7** · 10-13-2019, 10:11 PM

S Earl Thomas III

(on taking away the main weapons of the Bengals) “We talked about it last night in meetings. We understood their top target, [and] we were going to take him away. We put Marlon [Humphrey] on him, and Marlon did a great job. We did great in the run game, I think they only hit us with one screen. Other than that, I think we did really well.”

(on the defensive performance despite all the new players) “It is the communication part that you always have to worry about. The game started off kind of weird with the kickoff return. I was thinking, let’s not just give this game away, because I know we were better than this team. I feel like we played solid football all the way through, even through some questionable calls at the end. I still think we played good football.”

(on Ravens S Chuck Clark) “Chuck did amazing today. He kept his poise; he got the call out to us, and we echoed it across the defense so that everyone could get it. I think he did a great job today.”

(on Lamar Jackson’s performance) “He is amazing, you can’t take that for granted. It is just something special. I am definitely glad that he is on our team, and hopefully he can continue to do that. You don’t see that every day, a guy that can rush for 150 and throw for over 200 yards. We need that from him; he is definitely special.”

(on the Ravens’ 10-minute fourth-quarter drive) “As a defense, when we get up on them like that, it definitely gives us a calming sense. We don’t want to make it harder on ourselves. When the offense is constantly putting pressure on their defense, and we are playing with the lead, it feels so good.”

(on if the Ravens have simplified their defense) “It is business as usual; we are not going to simplify anything. We still run our calls, we still make the communication, and today we got it done.”

(on playing Seattle next) “You definitely enjoy this. In this league, it is definitely hard to win. When we get back to work on Wednesday, that is when we will start thinking about Seattle.”

WR Miles Boykin

(on the win) “The biggest thing about today was getting another win in the division, that is what matters at this point. I thought we did a great job of moving the ball and executing.”

(on his first-quarter catch) “It was a great play call. I think that early in the game getting on the same page with Lamar [Jackson], it shows that we can be balanced at times, we can throw the ball when we want to throw the ball and we can run the ball when we want to run it.”

(on being a blocking Wide Receiver) “It starts up front with the linemen, and it is contagious, the way they block is how we block down the field. We look at those guys as inspiration. If they can do it every single play, then we can do it five or six plays during the game. They set the tone, and we just follow it.”

OLB Pernell McPhee

(on the win) “I think it was a normal AFC North battle. The team that played the most physical and executed the best came out on top.”

(on why he didn’t sack Andy Dalton) “It wasn’t my day today. I tried to get him. I think they did a great job with the gameplan. They got the ball out of his hands fast. We had other guys get him. Still early.”

(on winning two-straight games) “We stuck towards our goals. These are definitely wins we should have gotten. We go on the road next week, play a playoff-contending team, so we are going to see where we are at next week.”

(on his third-down pressure) “I was just trying to make a play for my teammates. Obviously, everyone has been preaching we need to get pressure on the quarterback. But when you have a quarterback that gets the ball out in .2 seconds, it gets hard. I was just trying to make the play.”

(on playing better defense the last two games) “Still early in the season. If you look at it last year, Patriots were 25th or 26th early in the season, and they ended up winning the Super Bowl late in the season. It is still early in the season. The longer the season goes, the better we are going to be on defense. We are going to start communicating better and playing as one.”

(on the Ravens bringing in veteran players) “We need more vets in the NFL. They want to go young now, the NFL wants to go young, they want to cut all of us out. It is all good, but that is what happens when you get guys that know how to play the game and have been in the game a long time.”

**TL24x7** · 10-13-2019, 10:15 PM

K Justin Tucker

(on being the fastest kicker to 1,000 points in NFL history) “I find the coolest thing about reaching this milestone is that I get to share it with Sam [Koch] who has held for every single one of those points, and Morgan [Cox], who has snapped for almost all of them. They are not just great teammates, but they are great friends. I should also throw in Randy Brown. Getting 1,000 points is no small task, although every single one of us will tell you the same thing. It is not about looking back at the last 1,000 or thinking about the next 1,000, it is about thinking about the next one, or three. Or more importantly, the next kick on a Wednesday at practice. Keeping it as simple as that.”

(on his field goal that hit the upright) “Sometimes there is that saying that it is better to be lucky than good. I’d like to think it is a combination of them both. That is the first time, I’ve experienced that. I have hit an upright a couple times before and not been as fortunate. Anybody that wants to talk about Heinz [Field] or Cleveland, or anywhere else for that matter, when we start talking about M&T Bank Stadium, it is a tough place to get the ball to go through the uprights. It is a tough place to figure out the wind and all that stuff. I am thankful that the ball was tracking straight enough. I definitely want to get that cleaned up; I want to get it more down the middle, so everyone isn’t holding their breath.”

S Chuck Clark

(on having a baby girl this weekend) “She was born on Friday; nine pounds, five ounces. (Reporter: “What is her name?”) Charleé. Charleé Reign [Clark].”

(on getting a big win and having a baby) “Just blessed, man. Thankful. God gave me a great weekend; I had the birth of my daughter and to get the win this week, I’m just blessed and thankful.”

(on filling in for S Tony Jefferson and wearing the green dot on his helmet) “It went [well]. We had great communication out there on the field; talking, getting lined up, making plays. Here and there, there was a few things, but we were good for the most part.”

(on how it helps the defense when the offense is putting together long drives and allowing the defense to rest) “You love that, sitting over there on the sidelines, and you’re just watching them march down the field. [They’re] keeping us off the field, and they’re just racking up yards and getting points – getting some type of score at least. Love it.”

(on his appreciation for what QB Lamar Jackson can do as a defensive player) “Man, you see him on the field; third-and-17, pick up a first down, juking guys. It’s amazing. We love that. We love to have him.”

(on if he gets any gratification from the team entrusting him to step in and wear the green dot right away) “Yeah, I just feel like I’ve been getting prepared for it the past three years I’ve been here, and now that it’s finally time, just take it and run with it.”

G/T Marshal Yanda

(on QB Lamar Jackson) “He makes a lot of guys miss. He’s special for sure. What’s great about him is that he makes a big play, but we’re already on to the next play after that. He’s obviously very special, but we stay locked in on our job and just keep rolling on.”

(on the 9-minute drive in the fourth quarter) “That was obviously a big key to closing out the game. In general, those long drives, that takes a lot out of a defense and keeps our defense fresh, too. So, it’s great for everyone. I was really proud of the way we ground it out and basically put the game away.”

(on winning back-to-back division games) “We knew the Bengals were going to be tough coming in; throw out the records. Division game, division rivalry – they always play us tough. It doesn’t matter how we got it done today, we needed to get the win. We talked about it as a team before the game. Doesn’t matter if we win by one or 28. We knew it was going to be a dog fight – they know us and we know them. It’s important to get these wins early in the season.”

(on the state of the team) “We’re still young and finding ourselves for sure on offense and defense. But, if we can win while we’re still doing that, that’s great. No one wants to lose the hard way. We’d rather fix things up that need to be fixed while we’re winning.”

**TL24x7** · 10-13-2019, 10:16 PM

TE Mark Andrews

(on the 9-minute drive in the fourth quarter) “That was big. Our team needed that to go down the field, run the ball, grind it out. Our offensive line did an impressive job. You don’t see many teams in the NFL doing that. It was nice to see.”

(on the talents of QB Lamar Jackson) “Special man. That’s the only way to describe what he does and who he is as a player. Special. He does everything and he makes everyone else look good. It’s so hard for defenses to game plan for him and game plan for us – it makes our jobs so much easier. At the same time, he’s growing each and every week. It’s a thrill to play with a guy like that.”

(on the hurdle that resulted in a fumble) “Look, I mean, it is what it is. I’m not going to stop being me, being the player that I am. It wasn’t anything they did. I hit the ball off my knee. I’ve got to be better than that. I can’t do that to my team, it’s unacceptable. But, I’m not going to not be me. I’m still going to keep making plays the way I do, and do what I can to help this team win.”

(on the offense cutting out little mistakes) “For sure, we’re going to have to watch this film and get better at the little things. My fumble, penalties, little stuff like that is going to happen, but we have to keep it to a minimum and be more efficient. We’re going to face some good teams coming up, and we can’t do these things.”

(on how he handled the fumble on the sideline) “It just sucks to do that to the team, so I came to the sideline and fist-bumped everybody to let them know I would make it up to them, and it wasn’t going to happen again. I was sorry, and the guys were understanding. I’m just thankful for the win.”

(on if hurdling is something he practices) “I don’t know if you can practice it, but I’ve been pretty good so far. This is the first time I’ve ever fumbled in an NFL game. This is not something that’s going to happen again.”

(on how the offense changes without WR Marquise Brown) “He’s such a threat over the top and he brings a different dimension to the game. But, we have a lot of great receivers and tight ends that are playmakers, so when one guy is down, another one steps up.”

CB Maurice Canady

(on his first game without S Tony Jefferson) “We had a heavy heart going out there without Tony. But, we’ve got two young guys in Chuck [Clark] and DeShon [Elliott] and we believe in those guys. We got the win and it played out pretty well.”

(on the compliment he received from head coach John Harbaugh during the week) “I’m always thankful to play football. I’ve been playing this game since I was five years old, and to even make it to the NFL is like a dream come true, and I’m so excited.”

(on the offense’s 9-minute drive that cemented the game) “You can’t draw that up any more perfect. Those guys really brought us home, you know? They practice that every day, their technique, low pad, and it all happened on that drive for the offense.”

(on the play of QB Lamar Jackson) “It’s his playground out there – it's playground football out there. Former Heisman winner, and now we look at him as a veteran. We just have to put him in the position to win the ball game. I thought our defense helped with that today.”

**TL24x7** · 10-13-2019, 10:17 PM

T Orlando Brown Jr.

(on QB Lamar Jackson’s performance today) “I’m just happy to be a part of this team. Everything that he does makes everyone else’s job so much easier. He’s been consistent in his game and his preparation throughout the weeks. I’m just blessed to have him as my quarterback.”

(on looking forward to games like these as an offensive lineman where you run the ball a lot) “Absolutely. I love running the ball. It’s one of the reasons I play the game. It’s to pound other teams and dominate their fronts. Obviously, we were able to have a lot of yards, offensively. Don’t get me wrong, that’s still a very talented team. Credit to our coaches for putting us in great position in our offense to make plays.”

(on if there was a point in the game when he realized QB Lamar Jackson was putting up a really special performance) “No. Honestly, I didn’t even know until we looked at it at the end of the game, and I saw that. Like I said, he’s an elite player. He’s an elite talent, especially at the quarterback position. I’m just so blessed to play here with him in this system and have him as my quarterback – the good, the bad, he’s elite. He’s elite in his preparation and everything that he does.”

CB Brandon Carr

(on how important it was to win back-to-back AFC North games over the past two weeks) “I mean, every game is important to us. We try to win them all. And like you said, the last two weeks … We just try to build on each and every week. We won last week, got to 1-0 in the second quarter of the season. Today, it was our job to get to 2-0. Division game, you can throw out the records because it doesn’t matter. It’s a rivalry. Guys are going to get up for this game and play as hard as they can, and it came down to the wire.”

(on how challenging it has been with the injuries on the defense and having players step up) “We pride ourselves on adapting to situations. Whenever duty calls, we’re ready for it. And right now, we have a lot of moving pieces on our side of the football. But guys are making the most of it, making plays, and ready to go out there for 70 plays. Do your job and execute and try to get off the field. So, a lot of moving pieces, but the name of the game is next man up. Everybody on board, locked in throughout the week and on gameday.”

(on what it does for the defense when the Ravens’ offense goes on long drives) “It wears down the opposing defense, allows us to correct our mistakes on the sideline, gives us a blow. But at the end of the day, our offense, which is controlling the game, controlling the clock. It was great for us, so we could go out there and play faster, get off the field a little quicker, so we could get the ball back and stay out there as long as they want to. It was good complementary football. They were doing a great job of possessing the ball, controlling it. We were trying to get off the field as fast as we could.”

(on what it’s like having QB Lamar Jackson on his team) “I think about it all the time. It’s truly a blessing to have a guy like that – a playmaker, but a guy that’s so humble off the field, just with his characteristics and who he is as a person. It carries over from the locker room, to the classroom, to the game. We rally around him. We rally around each other. We’re just having fun playing football.”

**TL24x7** · 10-15-2019, 06:53 AM

Monday October 14, 2019

JOHN HARBAUGH MONDAY PRESSER TRANSCRIPT

Part 1 of 2

You said yesterday you may or may not elaborate on the injuries coming out of the game. Is there any information you can tell us? (Child Walker) “I do have bad news with DeShon Elliott. It looks like he's going to be out for the year, unfortunately. It's just way worse than we thought it was going to be – that the doctors thought after the game. So, that's preliminary, but it sounded like they were pretty confident that it wasn't good. We'll go with that until further notice, and that’s where we’re at. We'll have to find a replacement there and move forward.”

What was the injury? (Jamison Hensley) “It's in his knee.”

CB Maurice Canady’s injury wasn’t serious? (Childs Walker) “[Maurice] Canady has a hamstring, so I don’t know to what degree. I’d say he’s probably day-to-day. We’ll see how he does Wednesday, Thursday.”

You potentially now lost two safeties to season-ending injuries. Do you have one guy on the practice squad that you’re just getting to know? Or is it something where you think you’re going to go outside the organization? (Jeff Zrebiec) “Possibly, yes. Very possibly. We have to have that person, too.”

You guys ran quite a few sub packages yesterday where you didn’t have a traditional inside linebacker. You’ve done that a little bit in the past, but not as much as yesterday. What do you like about that? And does it speak to the versatility of some of your defensive backs? (Luke Jones) “It does. Chuck [Clark] was playing the MIKE in that case, different guys in different spots. It's something we've been pretty much doing all year with a lot of different groups in different situations and matchups and things like that. It was good for us. It worked well. When you do that, the communication, assignments, things like that have to be really on point. I give our coaches and players a lot of credit for working those things out and talking it out on the field and all that. It was positive and it's something we'll have to consider week to week, to what degree and what groups go out there. But we do want to play a number of guys. That's how we're built. We're really not built for a few guys to play a lot of reps. It's more spread out for us, the way our personnel sets up, and it was effective in the game.”

Did you like the mixture you had there on offense with QB Lamar Jackson passing enough times to make the running game effective? Is that ideal? (David Ginsburg) “Yes, I mean, ‘ideal’ doesn't really matter. It matters how you move the ball and how many points you score, and I thought we moved the ball very effectively – run and pass. They were pretty much the same in terms of the yards, which is unusual. You usually have a lot more passing yards in this league than running yards, so that makes us a little bit different. What is ideal? That depends on what your view is of things. I was happy with it. The only thing we all would have wanted was more points off of it, and that was because we didn't always finish like we needed to. We had some penalties – way too many penalties – and we had the turnovers. So, those were things that we could have finished with a touchdown down there at the end. Those are the things that we're going to continue to work on to try to tack more points on with those yards and become the offense that we can be.”

With the penalties, are you seeing some things that should be cleaned up? Like 12 men on the field has happened a couple times this year. (Jerry Coleman) “Well, that’s something that I don't know if you're ever going to clean up everything, because situations are different. There are going to be times when you're going to have 12 men on the field, not that we're accepting it. There are going to be times that you have 10 on the field. That happens in the heat of battle. That was an easy one that probably shouldn't have happened. We just overreacted. We just misread something on the sideline. It happens. But yes, the other stuff – the big penalties, whether it's roughing the passer or some of the holding penalties, those are things that we just have to keep working on to make sure that we understand. Pass interference, those are things that we have to understand how they're going to call them. Sometimes they may come back and say it wasn't or it was or whatever, but we have to understand how they're calling them and make sure that we recognize that and don't get called. We just had too many penalties. The pre-snap ones we never want, whether we're jumping offsides or are in the wrong formation. Those, to us, are unacceptable. Those are things that shouldn't happen along with 12 [men] on the field. I'll grant you that, too. I can't say they're never going to happen, is my point, but we have to get a lot better in those areas.”

Speaking of penalties, G Bradley Bozeman was flagged four times. One was an illegal block, another was holding. Did they look like that on film? Is that something he just has to clean up going forward? (Jamison Hensley) “Yes, the two pre-snap ones – one was his fault, one wasn’t. And then the block in the back, I didn’t see it on tape. The holding was a hold. So, that’s what we’ll do in our meeting – go through those different situations and talk through them. Our guys are great about being accountable. Our guys want to do the right things, and we’ll keep chasing that.”

The whole hurdling thing with the tight ends. Pro? Con? I guess when it doesn’t work everyone harps on it. I think you’ve expressed your feelings against it in the past. (Jerry Coleman) “Hurdling, per se, is not the issue. The issue is ball security. You pick your spots; you pick them well. That obviously wasn’t a great spot at all. I think he [Mark Andrews] said it after the game, didn’t he? I’m pretty sure he said it. The football is the issue. The football is the issue. The game is the football – possession of the football, maintaining it, doing smart things with it. That’s the issue for anybody who is entrusted with the ball, and those guys know that so well. And that has to be our focus at all times, 100 percent, is protecting the football when we have it and taking it away when they have it. That’s Job One, and that has to be the first thing.”

How much do you think CB Marlon Humphrey rises to the challenge, like when you’ve had him shadow the other team’s top receiver? And how much do you think he’s grown into that role over the last couple years? (Jeff Zrebiec) “He’s done a great job this year in everything we’ve asked him to do, and we’ve asked a lot, to your point. We put a lot on his plate. He’s been asked to play different positions in the back end on different guys. There’s a lot to that, and he’s made it look pretty easy. To his credit, he’s playing great. He’ll tell you that he can play better, and he can. And we’ll keep chasing that, too, along with all the other guys.”

You guys put a lot on S Chuck Clark’s plate yesterday. Once you got to look at the total picture, did you feel like he handled it well? (Childs Walker) “He did. He did. He played well. He was always in the right spot, made the plays he had to make. Chuck [Clark] did a real nice job. I thought everybody did a really good job. You can pull plays here and there and say they need to be better, which they certainly do, but all in all, I thought our defense played pretty darn well.”

You’ve talked about ILB Josh Bynes before, but just the fact that he didn’t go through the regular process of training camp, OTAs and all that, does that make it even more impressive – the fact that he didn’t go through the regular routine that some of his teammates went through? (Jerry Coleman) “It’s a big concern always, because you worry about guys being in shape, football shape. You’ve heard that, right? Guys will say, ‘I need to get into football shape.’ Apparently, he didn’t. Apparently, he was already in football shape, because he’s done well. He’s made it happen.”

**TL24x7** · 10-15-2019, 06:54 AM

Part 2 of 2

I know you don’t like to look at it too much, but the way the schedule shapes up, you’ve got the game in Seattle on the road, then the bye week, then New England. How do you like the way it fell? You’re 4-2 and have a lead in the division. (David Ginsburg) “I think about it. I’ll be honest with you, I think about it, and I have my thoughts on it. But they really don’t matter. I’m going to give you the cliché, but it’s the truth: We just have to focus on Seattle. So, how the schedule fell or how we fit … It’s better to be 4-2 than 3-3 or 2-4, but not as good as 6-0 or 5-1. That’s my thought on it. And 5-2 would be a lot better than 4-3. And if you want to go past that, you can just extrapolate. So yes, it’s really important. But I think the next game is critical. It won’t make or break us, but it will go a long way in setting us up for where we’re headed down the road and what kind of season we’re going to have. That’s the kind of an article that is a great article to write, and I think it’s something the fans think about. And we certainly think about it, but it’s not something that we dwell on, because first things first – we have to go play our best football. We have to be 1-0 this week. And though you hear it and you might say, ‘Well, it’s cliché.’ Yes, but it’s true, too. We need to be 1-0 this week. We need to play our best football of the year in Seattle to win the game, and that’s what we’re planning on doing. And that’s what we’re going to work for.”

Going to Seattle, obviously, there’s going to be a lot of focus on S Earl Thomas III. When you get a great player in from somewhere else, do you find it kind of fascinating, just as someone who loves football, to observe them day to day and sort of get a feel for how they do what they do? (Childs Walker) “Yes, I think so, sure. It’s interesting to see, especially guys at the top of their profession, how they operate and how they think and how they see the game and [to] talk ball with. That’s a real joy, man. That’s a real blessing of being a coach if you love football – to be able to interact with guys who are at the top of the heap, like Anquan [Boldin], and learn from them and just be around them every day and enjoy what we do. I would say that’s a resounding ‘yes.’”

Bringing in a guy like S Earl Thomas III, there is, obviously, going to be high expectations. How do you feel he has played for you guys this year? (Jamison Hensley) “He’s played well. He’s getting healthier. He had a broken leg last year, and coming back from that is not something you should really take lightly. And so, I think he gets stronger every week and faster every week and looks good. But he has taken to the whole thing. He’s been a leader. He believes in what we’re doing and how we’re doing it, culture-wise and football-wise. I love being around him. I love his demeanor. I love his desire to be great, and I think it’s rubbing off on the guys.”

He was very emotional about his departure from Seattle. Might you have a conversation with him? Or is he such a veteran that that isn’t necessary? (Jerry Coleman) “No, I probably won’t. I think it’s a good question. I wouldn’t presume to have a conversation about that with him. That’s something he’ll know how to handle. He knows what to do, how to handle himself.”

Whenever we talk to S Earl Thomas III, he answers very directly. (Childs Walker) “What is this? A probe into Earl’s [Thomas] personality?” (laughter) (Reporter: “Yes!”) “Yes, he’s direct. He’s direct that way with us, too, but he’s fun. He laughs and has a great time. I think he’s really starting to fit and feel good about being here and all that. We appreciate that.”

How can you evaluate whether or not a player who has been great can be great into his 30s? (Aaron Kasinitz) “You just go by what you see. I remember Bill Parcells said it, and I love it and I’ve used it many times since: ‘I go by what I see, not by what I hear. Not by what I read, but by what I see.’ And I think as a coach, that’s what you go by – what you see. That’s all you can do, and I see pretty good with Earl Thomas right now, pretty darn good.”

Is CB Iman Marshall eligible to return to practice this week? (Jeff Zrebiec) “I don’t know. That’s a good question. I haven’t talked to Eric [DeCosta] about that yet. I’m not sure.”

QB Lamar Jackson took some pretty good hits downfield yesterday. Did you cringe at any of them? Or did they just look worse to us up in the press box than maybe it was on the field? “I just think it’s part of the game right now with the way we play and the way Lamar [Jackson] plays. I am impressed with his toughness; there’s no question about that. The goal is not for him to take certain hits. There were probably two of them there that I would have rather seen him not get hit on, but we also have to acknowledge that those are going to happen during the course of the year — hopefully less rather than more. You don’t want a quarterback … I wouldn’t expect him to be running that many times very many times this year. That’s just the way it went. It was part of the plan, because of the way they played, and it turned out to hold up during the game, and it actually, probably, was a big factor in winning the game. That’s what we’re here for, so we’re certainly not going to apologize for that. Going forward, we’ll try to manage it the best we can.”

Do you have any updates on WR Marquise Brown and ILB Patrick Onwuasor? (Jonas Shaffer) “I would say they are day-to-day. They’re day-to-day. If we see them practicing as the week goes on, we’ll be confident that they can play. If we don’t, then we won’t. They both have ankles that they’re dealing with, and those things just kind of heal when they heal. They had a chance [to play Sunday]. We thought last week … I was told that they had a chance for the game. After Friday, it didn’t look as good. They just didn’t feel that they were there, and they weren’t. And then now, if they practice, I think they’ll play. If they don’t, I think they probably won’t.”

With the potential that WR Marquise Brown has to stretch the defense, with him being out, did that make what QB Lamar Jackson was able to do with that kind of compressed area in the secondary even more impressive – the accuracy that he showed Sunday? (Jonas Shaffer) “I don’t know, because I think they were getting back on the coverage pretty good, too. Give our guys credit, they were rolling through the vertical routes. Our guys were running fast, and they pulled the coverage out. And that’s why some of that stuff opened up, even for the scramble stuff. So yes, I thought our guys did a good job with that.”

At least statistically, it looks like QB Russell Wilson is playing as well as he ever has. Have you been able to watch the tape on him yet? How well has he been playing? (Aaron Kasinitz) “You follow football, right? You don’t have to watch the tape. He’s been amazing. You know it. He’s been amazing. He’s made plays in the pocket. He’s made plays out of the pocket. He’s made plays with his arm, with his legs, with his head. I think he’s the heart and soul of their offense, at least, probably their team. They have some veterans on defense, too. I love the two inside ‘backers. We’ll study it more now in the next two days. But they’re 5-1 for a reason, a really good coaching staff, and they have a winning tradition there. And, they have a heck of a stadium. So, all those things are the challenges we’re going to face.”

**TL24x7** · 10-15-2019, 06:55 AM

ANQUAN BOLDIN RETIREMENT PRESS CONFERENCE

Part 1 of 2

Executive Vice President Ozzie Newsome Opening Statement:

“If my count is correct, this is the sixth guy that has retired a Raven [in 2019]. Five of them played for other teams. Lardarius Webb never played for another team. So, what that says to me is that this organization does a very good job, and it begins at the top with Steve [Bisciotti, owner]. When we are in the process of evaluating players, whether it’s for the draft, free agency, for trades, we have a lot of information that we get, and we try to process it. But normally, we get to a point that we ask ourselves, ‘Is he a football player, and does he play like a Raven?’ Anquan [Boldin] fits both of those. I can remember when he came out in the draft, he was getting beat up for a lot of different reasons, but what the scouts and Eric [DeCosta, now executive vice president and general manager] kept saying, ‘He’s a football player.’ He gets drafted by Arizona, he goes to Arizona, and we were fortunate enough to get involved in a trade with Anquan [in 2010]. I can remember the day that I finalized it, because I was on my way to get my haircut. (laughter) And I was talking with Tom Condon [Boldin’s agent] about the contract, because we had to get the contract worked out before I could make the trade with Rod Graves [former Cardinals general manager] and the Arizona Cardinals.

“Anquan came here, and not only did he [make an] impact on the field, he was huge in the locker room, and he was huge in the community. And even now, in the NFL community across the league, Anquan is still playing a big part with the social justice stuff. Having him here, watching him on the field at practice, watching him in games, he has some pretty good hands – close to somebody else I know, and I’m not talking about Shannon Sharpe, either. (laughter) But Anquan made a lot of contested catches. Joe [Flacco] would throw it in there, and Anquan would make the catch. So, thank you, Anquan, for those years.”

Head Coach John Harbaugh Opening Statement:

“Thanks, Ozzie. And thanks, Anquan, for many, many things – most of all, the man that you are, the family man that you are and the example that you set for our young guys to show them how it’s done as a professional football player, but as a family man first, and a man of faith. That’s, to me, what sets the culture here and the value system, is players that live that and embody that every single day for the young guys to see it. And then it takes on a life of its own. It’s like planting a seed. The next thing you know, it’s a harvest. And we have that here with our team right now. And you and the guys like you that were here in those years – ’10, ’11, ’12 – those years are the years that kind of set the tone for this organization and for the team that we are right now.

“So, thank you for that, but also for all the plays that you made. I can remember us having a conversation the first year, two big conversations. The first year, in training camp and earlier in the year, Joe [Flacco] was having a tough time figuring you out a little bit, remember? Basically, we both had the same thought, and we let Joe know: ‘Just put it on Anquan. Don’t worry that there’s a defender there. [Act like] there is no defender there, as if there’s no defender there; throw it to him. He will catch it. He doesn’t need anything. He doesn’t need separation. His separation is the fact that he’s going to make a contested catch, and he’s going to come down with the ball.’ And how true did that end up being over the years? We all saw it. And then there was the Arizona game, the first year when they came in. We were down at halftime by a pretty good amount. And Anquan came up, and he said, ‘Just tell Joe to throw me the ball. Just tell Joe to throw me the ball.’ And how many catches did you have, and touchdowns? You won the game by yourself, basically, in the second half. That was a big win.

“Then, of course, all the wins in between. But then the Super Bowl … The Super Bowl, the touchdown catch and the third-down catch – plays that had to be made. That’s the difference between winning those games and not winning those games, is players making plays in big moments. And that’s what Anquan Boldin did. The fact that you want to retire a Raven is probably one of the biggest honors that we’ve ever had around here. I think we all wish you had been here for three or four more years and finished up here, and we only have ourselves to blame for that, Ozzie. (laughter) We can address the elephant in the room here, too. That’s OK, too. We get it, we get it. We’re not afraid to confront that. (laughter) But you’re back, and you’re a Raven. You won us a championship. You did it. We’re very grateful. Congratulations.”

**TL24x7** · 10-15-2019, 06:56 AM

Anquan Boldin (Part 2 of 2)

Opening Statement:

“First off, I would like to say thank you to the Raven organization – Ozzie, for bringing me in here, Coach Harbaugh. This is truly a first-class organization, starting with Mr. [Steve] Bisciotti at the top. For me, it’s definitely an honor to retire a Raven. I’ve played with four different organizations, but there is no other organization, I would say, that has had the impact on myself and my family like this organization. I was in Arizona my first seven years, and I played three here, three in San Francisco, and then finished my last year in Detroit. But I can truly say this organization, this community, embraced us fully from the first day we got here.

“I remember coming over from Arizona, we were pregnant with our youngest, and my oldest son was six years old at the time. Our first day moving here, it was tough because my wife was actually just getting cut off from traveling. She was that far along. And moving in, how the organization stepped in and helped us with everything [was amazing]. How truly grateful we were having, just, neighbors who, the first day we got here, invited us over to a cookout. I remember that starting every Friday, us getting together as a community and having a cookout with about 18 kids in the community. It was a joy. And just to see the fanbase, how they embraced us, the winning culture here … Everything about it is a first-class organization. There are still people in the organization, to this day, that I keep in contact with, have opportunities to go to dinners with and things like that. That’s not common in a lot of organizations. A lot of times, it’s just, you see the coaches and the players that usually have a relationship, but not outside of that. But here, you talk about Val [Valarie Wideman, receptionist], Craig [Singleterry, senior manager of security], Darren [Sanders, vice president of security] … The list goes on and on of people that we’ve kept in contact with, people who have had an impact on our lives. We truly appreciate you guys and how you took us in as family. So, this day is special for not only myself but my wife and my two boys, because we truly feel like we are Ravens for life. We appreciate you guys for accepting us.”

How long ago did you decide you wanted to do this, and can you take us through the process in coming home and doing this? (Jeff Zrebiec) “For us, it had always been a thought of ours to retire as a Raven. Although we didn’t finish here, playing career-wise, it was always our thought to come back and finish up as a Raven.”

One thing that people always said when you played here was how well you fit with the physical style that the Ravens played and the physical style that you brought to the wide receiver position. Was there a specific moment or a point when you got here that you really knew that this was going to be a good and special fit for you? (Luke Jones) “Actually, for me, I kind of realized that before I got here. I was telling somebody the story … A lot of people don’t know [that] I was actually trying to get here before I actually got here. It was two years prior. I was in Arizona. We played in the Super Bowl against Pittsburgh. Back then, you played in the Super Bowl, and then the Pro Bowl was the following week. So, we ended up getting to the Pro Bowl about that Wednesday, and me and Ray [Lewis] actually had a conversation poolside. And that was the whole conversation, trying to figure out how I was going to get here, how we were going to make it happen. The only thing on his mind was, ‘Man, we have to beat Pittsburgh. Can you help us do that?’ And I told him, ‘Get me there, and I’ll take care of it.’ (laughter) So, me trying to become a Raven, it happened two years prior to [the trade].”

Do you ever think about what might have happened had you not been traded? (Luke Jones) (laughter) “Yes. For me, I was brought here to do a job. The one thing I felt good about leaving here was that I helped accomplish that job. I was brought in to help bring a championship to the city, and I was able to help do that. So, you understand the business side of it. That wasn’t my first time being traded, but I did want to make sure that when I left here, I did everything in my power to make this a better organization and just to continue to play that way.”

You’ve had so many big moments with the Ravens – the Super Bowl, coming back against the Cardinals. Is there a moment that stands out for you as being a member of the Ravens? (Jamison Hensley) “Yes. The Super Bowl parade stands out. Just being able to share that moment with this entire city – having schools shut down, businesses shut down, everybody out in the streets celebrating this organization. You know how much this organization means to the City of Baltimore, so to be able to share that moment with them was amazing.”

After you did get traded, it seemed like the fans didn’t get over it for years. Did that almost feel like sort of a final sign of their love? (Childs Walker) “Definitely. I still get hit up from fans asking, ‘Would I come back for another year or so?’ But it does show how much this fanbase embraced us, and I was definitely appreciative of it. That’s why every time I stepped on the field, I tried to give it my all.”

How fulfilling has your social activism, the Players Coalition, all the stuff you’re doing, how fulfilling is that in your post-NFL career? (Jeff Zrebiec) “For me, it’s been very fulfilling. It’s the reason I stepped away from football. I felt like God was calling me to do something different. I had a chance to live out my dream, but there are just some things that are bigger than football. There are some things that are bigger than things that you want to achieve personally. And I felt like starting the Players Coalition and affecting change in this country was one of those things.”

Along those lines, how did your time in Baltimore, your three years here, maybe affect how you viewed your work in the community and the impact on you? (Aaron Kasinitz) “For me, I’ve always been involved in the communities that I played in. We still are actively involved in all of those communities. But I think the thing that sparked me the most was losing my cousin [in 2015]. My cousin was gunned down [in Florida] by an officer after he had just broken down on the side of the road. So, that was something that really hit me, and I just didn’t want any other family to go through that. So, for me, that really sparked me getting involved in social justice. I’m like a lot of other people – you see it, and it happens so much in our country. Actually, sometimes, you get numb to it. And although you are sympathetic, it’s a different thing once it hits your front door. So, when you have to deal with it personally, it affects you in a different way.”

**Laxdad24** · 10-15-2019, 08:14 AM

Q ( even though it was short) IS a Raven. Dude is like Ray and Ed And JO and others. He just has that way about him that makes him a Raven. Well ...what used to be a Raven. Lol. He’s certainly not a “Mighty Man”.

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**TL24x7** · 10-15-2019, 08:31 AM

Originally Posted by Laxdad24

Q ( even though it was short) IS a Raven. Dude is like Ray and Ed And JO and others. He just has that way about him that makes him a Raven. Well ...what used to be a Raven. Lol. He’s certainly not a “Mighty Man”.

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It was interesting what Harbaugh said:

"I think we all wish you had been here for three or four more years and finished up here, and we only have ourselves to blame for that, Ozzie. (laughter) We can address the elephant in the room here, too. That’s OK, too. We get it, we get it. We’re not afraid to confront that. (laughter) But you’re back, and you’re a Raven. You won us a championship. You did it. We’re very grateful. Congratulations.”

**Laxdad24** · 10-15-2019, 08:59 AM

Originally Posted by TL24x7

It was interesting what Harbaugh said:

"I think we all wish you had been here for three or four more years and finished up here, and we only have ourselves to blame for that, Ozzie. (laughter) We can address the elephant in the room here, too. That’s OK, too. We get it, we get it. We’re not afraid to confront that. (laughter) But you’re back, and you’re a Raven. You won us a championship. You did it. We’re very grateful. Congratulations.”

Kinda strange for Harbs. Maybe this kills the “Harbs didn’t want him “ story. And is Harbs gonna “blame” things like that in Oz since he’s “gone” now??

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