Welcome into the Lounge Podcast. It is Tuesday, December third. The Ravens are in the midst of their bye week and the coaching staff is taking a look at everything right now and finding ways for this team to improve for the final stretch of the season. Today, we had a chance to hear from the coordinators of some of the assistant coaches, So let's kick it off with offensive coordinator Todd Munkett.
When you look at Lamar in your kind of times with him, has there been anything this year that has kind of impressed you with what he has kind of grown or really improved upon.
Oh, there's a lot of things he's improved upon. He was already a great player, you know, And I think some of that just comes through experience and playing and the same system, same terminology, a lot of the same players, a lot of the same guys he's throwing to, same center, you know, a lot of things from a communications standpoint. But I think he's always been able to see the field great. I think he's doing a better job of
working through his progressions. He's he does a great job of seeing receivers down the field when he gets outside the pockets. So I just think he's doing a great job. I don't know where before I got here where he was. I know he was a great player. I don't I don't mean to say that. It just I just see a lot of things. He protects the football. He doesn't want to put us at risk. He wants to win
in the worst way. So, you know, like I said, I don't know exactly where where it started, but he's an elite player.
Cions the progressions, you know, how do you weigh you know, going through those progressions and the balance of whether he runs continues to go through those progressions, like he talked about that obviously Sunday A little Well.
That's that's hard because he's such a weapon, you know, when he's got the ball in his hands and when he gets outside the pocket and finding guys down the field, and you know, so he's got such a great.
Feel for the rush. It's unique.
It's rare, you know, to see defenders and escape and make those plays. Gets us out of a lot of you know, tough plays, you know, tough situations. So that balance, I don't know where to start and where to finish with it, because it's yeah, there's times I think maybe he could check it down, but then he gets outside of it and he makes a play. So it's just's unique, you know, in terms of his ability to to do that.
Did you know he was one.
Main thing the fact that he didn't run more, as Mom said that he should have run.
I don't know where that comes from. I did not see that in the game. But mom knows best, you know, so I mean, I guess that's I did not see that in the game, that he should have taken off more and that there were those opportunities. I did not see that. But I'm not criticizing Mom. I mean, she says he should have run more than he should have run more, but I didn't see that. I don't want to be critical in that matter. I thought he did an outstanding job the other night, Todd.
Obviously, the Eagles have a heck of a defensive line.
But when when you're.
Having some struggles blocking any team's interior, as a play caller, how do you really try to account for that? I mean, edge players, you chip guys, you can, you know you have a blocking tight end, but when it's that inside, you know, inside problems like that, how do you account.
For that.
Well?
From a protection standpoint, there's things you can do, there's ways you can slide the protection. Being able to run the ball helps at. Staying out of the chains helps at. That doesn't mean that that doesn't occur even on play actions and other things. But and you're not expecting it. Again, guys are gonna get beat, Guys are gonna get covered, Guys are gonna drop a pass, We're gonna make a poor throw and we haven't you know, hasn't shown up to where it's been multiple you know, issues.
With it, so we don't ever expect that.
But they're really good upfront, and we got to do a better job myself coaching, protecting, being able to run the ball, move the pocket, be able to screen some take the pressure of those guys as part of it.
Time.
You heard Zach on the defensive side talk about, you know, early on he felt like he was maybe trying to disguise too much or do too much.
Just curious.
On the offensive side, are there is that you know, you've so many weapons and the offense is obviously played really well in the most parts, but is there a challenge of or what is the challenge of when you have all of that at your disposal and maybe trying to do too much or trying to find that tw we'd spot against.
It's a great question. Doesn't bother me at all.
I mean, as much as I'd love for every skilled players, I've said this before, I'd love for all of them to be a huge part of when we when we move the ball and we score, but I don't always control that. Some of that I do, and some of that I don't. The defense controls it where Lamar ends up with it or we don't get a protection, you know, But at the end of the day, we're paid to score or not. I can't always control who touches it, and so we don't ever try to do too much.
I don't believe. I don't think we're trying to do too many things, do I think, you know, we're all cognizant of using our weapons and having those guys be a part of it. But you know, we didn't get Bigsa the ball, you know, early in the game, but we tried to. You know, we had a banana route that we didn't end up hitting for a couple of reasons. And you know, across again, it just it just shows up. It's not not a problem for me. I'm glad we have all those guys. It's a good problem to have.
When you don't have those guys, you're pissed. You know that that's tougher than having a lot of weapons.
You've talked about the best protection in the philadelph game in particular. Bit when you look at the offensive line overall and kind of take stock, is it, is it where you wanted to be at this point of the season.
Sure, I mean, and it's.
Overall.
Offensively, we forget the offensive We did not play as well as we're capable of, so irrespective of that, we could certainly coach better and play better.
That's that's what we have to do.
You know, in the games that we we've lost the last couple of weeks. A few weeks ago, it was turnovers and penalties. This week it was touchdowns in the red zone. The penalties you know, we didn't have this week. We really hadn't been turning it over and we've been really good in the red zone. We just didn't take advantage of the opportunities we had. That's us offensively scoring touchdowns.
So those are the ways you win, you know, the ways you win is don't turn it over, be explosive, don't have lost sharage plays, you know, touchdowns in the red zone, third down conversions, off schedule plays, bear quarterback. All of those are the reasons you win and you score and you move the football. And in those two games, weren't we weren't as efficient as we had been.
Considering how many questions there were about the one coming into the season.
I guess, how have they compared to what you thought they might be.
Or what the price will?
Oh?
I think they played great, you know.
I mean, you know, everybody has their moments or they don't play as well as they'd like to. There's calls i'd like back, you know, every game may you can only imagine. And if you have sixty play calls in a game and twenty of them go for nothing or lost yard, It's like, well, it's a third of my calls. I'm like, well, I wasn't worth the damn, you know.
I mean, So that goes with players. They're gonna make mistakes, they're gonna lose, They're not who's going to win, and we got to help them out at every position.
You know, sometimes receivers need help getting off the line of scrimmage. You need a motion.
Sometimes you're alignment against certain matchups, need us to help them in pass pro. You know that that's just the way it is that every team goes through that. We're not the only team that deals with certain matchup issues.
It's the NFL.
There's great players on the other side, and so we just got to do a better gut job coaching them, preparing them, and uh and then playing on Sunday.
Got get the first episode of Hard Knocks tonight. I know you've been that all access thing at Oklahoma State. In your position as off a supporting I mean, you can have the time of day to kind of wonder what makes the final cut or is it just completely.
Help your radar.
I even forgot about it till you brought it up, So that sucks you brought that up. I think it's a major distraction. So I don't deal with it. So I know it's not that what they want to hear. But it's hard enough to focus and get ready and then worry about I just have to worry about this once a week, you know, I don't want to worry about it every day of what I say, how I say it, how it's perceived. Whatever it is, it's it's hard enough to win in the NFL than to stay focused.
And what we got to do this week is a coaching staff, let our guys get rest, get ready to go for this four game stretch, analyze who we are, where we want to continue to go, how we've got to continue to get better, who we're going to be playing to give us the best chance to win every week.
Tn't that one of all?
Good? Hut?
I mean kind of, I guess, kind of along similar lines. This is the time of year when people start to speculate about the job openings and the tussing names around all the rumor columns. I mean, your name is in some of those. How do you deal with that?
No, I don't deal with it. I don't deal with it because it's got nothing to do with the here and the now, and nobody really knows anyways.
Now.
I don't control that. All I control is the job I have here. That's the most important thing, is us winning here and scoring points. Because you don't worry about that, then you don't have the job here, and then the other stuff doesn't happen. So the idea is, right, now, are players, how we get better this week and again playing winning football. That's what we're paid to do here. The rest of it takes care of itself. I mean,
that's just the way it is. And I again, I don't control what's being said one side of the other. I've been on both sides of it. You know, when you're not very good, or you're good, or you're not whatever, And I don't. I really don't pay attention to it, to be real honest.
Just going back to some lamar and just what have you seen in a leadership since or hidden from you know? A step forward? Even from last year to this year. It seems like he's been more vocal. Maybe he's full of last year, but maybe taking another step forward if you've seen that.
And if so, in some ways, I think the more.
Success you have, which he's had success, but he's also been healthy, the same players you're around every day, it becomes easier to to say things to guys, same system, you know. I just think he's more comfortable being able to say things to the players. He's done a great job with him in terms of promoting that, you know, which is part of that, like it's okay, you know, the players love to play with Lamar because he's highly competitive and he's such a good dude. He's such a good person.
They love him. It's hard not to love Lamar Jackson.
But with that, when you become the quarterback, is okay, how do you want it to look? You're an extension of us. I mean, you're the closest thing tied to winning that we are. The quarterback is I mean, that's a fact. I mean, no one critiques a skilled player for not winning the Super Bowl. I've ever one person critique one of our players for not winning Super Bowl. Well, they're all over his ass. You know, that's just the way it comes with So he's an extension of us.
So okay, how do you evolve to you know, hey, okay, you're an extension of us. You're an extension of our team. How do you want it to look? And that's not easy. It's not easy for us, not easy for him to be that. But winning is important to him. Being a great teammates important to him, Being coachable is important to him.
All the things that you want in a quarterback. And he's just starting to grow and he's bringing that out in him, you know, to be able to do that again, that's not easy for any player to do that with their teammates.
How you developed in the film room.
I know some of the guys said, he's pointing out more things than not, just.
Like all of you guys are meetings.
The outside the facility as well.
No, I think and T can speak to that. You know, it's I just think he's dialed in. I really do.
I think he's always been dialed in. But you know, in terms of what he's seeing, you know, and what he likes, what he dislikes. I just think he's from what I've seen, and again he can speak to that is I think they've got a great rapport and I think they've got a way of communicating, Hey, what they're seeing, why we're doing what we're doing. It gives us the best chance to win. That's really It doesn't matter what I see. It's always through the eyes of the quarterback.
Always does not matter. That's how this works. You know, everything's got to be through the eyes of your players, especially the quarterback, how he sees it, how he sees the game, and that's our job to make sure that we do the best job we can possible to fit around his skill set and that he sees it.
The way we see it.
Up is quarterbacks coach t Martin.
The second year system.
Just where have you seen mars developments with Todd Monkeys?
Where is he I improved?
Right? Development wise? Physically? I think as a passer, you know, he's taken leaps and bounds from where we started off season last year, spring training camp last season and then picking up where we left off. He made some goals to be quicker, you know, on his feet. We saw how he looks now when he reported the training camp and past technique wise, being more accurate at all of
the throws and all field zones. We made a key point to work on throws outside the numbers, in the deeper field zones, outside the numbers, post route go routes, things of that nature. On the run, scrambled throws. Those are things that we intentionally wanted to come into the season to be improved at and better at. So as you look at his numbers, you look at statistically where
he's at, he's improved in all of those areas. As far as the system, he's just another year advanced in it from protections, from progressions, from knowing what to expect, so that he can anticipate and get the ball out. He's not being sacked as much, he's not being flushed as much. That helps out the whole line and so
on and so forth. But the addition of Derrick Henry having another complimentary back, another explosive weapon with him and being able to make it all work together and still have the type of performance that he's having at quarterback. You know it's complimentary to him and the work that he's been putting in. But you know, coaching every day, listening to him, working with him, you know his mind
is on another level. What he sees, what he thinks about, what he anticipates, and how he acts on it is another year advanced and really proud of where he's come from and where he's at right now, how he's playing.
And the physical improvement talk about with him from a technical standpoint, is it is it fullwork elements, arm angle stuff and is your where what's sort of evolved in.
That sense right? Just being consistently accurate all the time when he does all those things. And what I did when I first started coaching was I went back and watched over seven hundred passes throughout his career and what he naturally did and created an environment around his natural movements and started coaching from there because he's already talented.
He was Lamar Jackson before I ever met him, you know, Heisman, first round pick, MVP, all of this stuff, And what you look at is how do you make those things better by creating an environment so that he does it all the time to where he doesn't think about it when those things happen. And so with that being said, something that would have caused anxiety early in his career is now not causing anxiety and it's just like an
everyday play for him. So that's what we try to create in our individual drills, sometimes within the play scheme, but allowing him to be who he is, which is one of the best in the world at doing what he does.
You said, his mind's on another level. Just can you talk about that aspect of his game and where you've seen those strikes?
Yeah, last year was a year for me. It's like when we first started dating somebody, like, I can't believe what they're saying, you know, is that right? I don't see it that way, you know, But we're gonna work it out. We're gonna work it out. And then the second year you're like, yeah, he really sees that, he really knows exactly what he's thinking, exactly what he's doing,
and he's acting on it. And so just the second year of our relationship, second year of him trusting me and just that relationship, he's more vocal about how he feels and what he sees and he stands on it. And so he's very defining to who he is and what he wants to do. And with his footage now his footage down as we all know, and uh, but he's just being more within himself and the things that
we're asking him to do and the feedback. You know, last year he wasn't so comfortable with saying this is what I want, you know, this year is like, now I want it this way, this is how I want to do it. And so that's just growth and development. Really proud of that from him.
I guess along those lines, when you have that clarity and of what he wants, how does that affect the offense as a whole.
I think what it does for the players that play with him, what it does for Todd calling the players, what it does for me having to coach and navigate all the things. It's just clear. It's clear cut. It's black and white, it's no gray, and you rather be that way than greatness. And sometimes when you're going from a system to a different system, it's all trusted. It's all I've never done this before. What is he asking me to do? And now you have it on tape.
You have it on tape against opponents from last season, off season, against our defense, preseason, so on and so forth. And so there's a body of work that builds trust, and you know what does work, and you know what doesn't work, and so and you combine that with his career and totality and his experience. He knows what he's talking about, and we trust him.
He seemed mad and kind of an energized way after Sunday's game. Having gone through that game with him at this point, what do you think was kind of at the.
Root of that. I'll tell you what. That last drive. You know, you're down two scores, and anybody could have chosen to put the backup in and gott of the game, or put the starters in and ran the ball and got out the game. But for him to continue to play get completions the Scramble says, it all about who he is and how much he wants to win and not quit, because anybody could have just got out the pocket, slid or whatever he was trying to score and get in the game on side kick, get the ball back,
win the game. He never quit, and so he cared that energy into the locker room. We spoke after the game and he spoke to his mom, shout out Miss Felicia. Got out of him a little bit, but by the time he got to the podium, it was that energy that you guys felt, but it never stopped. It was that way the whole game. He was He was ready to play that game. He wanted to win it for everybody.
And but it really started, you know during the game, late in the game, that last drive, you know, our conversations on the sideline, and that energy led to he kind of had the feeling of I hate that we have about week because I want to play next week, you know, to get this off my chest type of feeling. And so he was that way yesterday too. So hopefully, you know, get away a little bit for the body, for the mind and comes back refreshed with that same energy head into Giants week.
There's gonna be a digprecating around the part of the season where you know the narrative will be will will Mark Jackson leave the Ravens to a super Bowl? It's been that way for the past couple of years. How much do you think that those way on Lamar? And do you is that a concern of yours and trying to help him not feed too much win?
Yeah, No, I don't think it's a concern because that's what we're here to do. You know. We see it as eight games left, you know, and that's the way we talk. And so it's not like this, you know, everyday conversation talking about the super Bowl. As you guys know, it's about the next practice. It is about the next game. You can't get there before you win the next one. And we know what we have to do now to get to those points. So it's not like a stress
anxiety type thing. I think in his career in total, is something that he wants to do right now. Yes, is get to the super Bowl and win the super Bowl. But we know we have to do weekend and week out to get to that point. The conversations that we do have are about what do championship teams do to win tough games, whether it's in our division Steelers, Browns, Bengals, whether it's against a super Bowl caliber team that we saw Sunday night. How do you win those games? All right?
Taking care of the football execution on first and second down, scoring touchdowns in the red zone, and learning to win ugly And sometimes it's boring that quarterback. Sometimes they force you to check it down because they're afraid they're supposed to play. Sometimes you lean on the run game. Sometimes it's a play that happens in the fourth quarter that
changes the game. Who knows, But those are the conversations that we have in terms of what is the difference in a talented team that doesn't win championships and talented teams that do win championships. And those are the things that we're trying to capture in the conversations that we're having Sunday.
Waitful, sorry, just going back to Sunday. After the game, What did Lamar say to the guys.
It was the same energy as you guys saw. He was just really agitated that we lost the game in the fashion that we lost the game. And it's always the frustration of leaving plays out there, you know, when you something devel or you got pressure, when guys were open, or the guys were open, you didn't see him. You know, all of those things happened, and when you look at the you know, the surface on the sideline, you see the picture, you're like, oh, you know it. There's a frustration.
But it's only one football. It's only you know, if you're looking this way, someone's open that way, sometimes you don't see them, and so uh it's always wait til the next time. But sometimes you don't have the next time, and so that's where the frustration lies. And so it's really just trying to get them back centered, you know, to like, that's what just happened, what's the reality at all, and what's our plan moving forward to to be better? You know in those moments.
Mark w one of vine H Jonas and them one ing of Ryne.
Okay, right, sure, yeah, we we've always seen this burning desire from Lamardo Wynn.
I think just always had that.
But have you seen it even ratchet up a little bit higher from last.
Year to this year?
I think it's about the same. I think what's happening this year is with the talent we have. It's like expected, you know. I think last year was new system. It was playing with different people a different way, and so I think last year was more about my job and I'm learning my job. I'm trying to do the best I can at my job with all these other moving parts.
I think this year coming in, you got a lot of the receivers of return, the tight ends return, the addition of Derrick Henry, you know, things that opening up with Kansas City on the road. I think the way this season started, it started off with a fight, you know, And I think that that's the only difference I think.
I think, you know, Obvitually we just talked about his desire to get to a super Bowl, But I think this year it's more of walking on the field expecting us to win, but doing the things that it takes to win to get to that point.
Ye see, I think Mark is one of the best in the NFL right now at sitting sacrate and you just like to start a great job and not letting pressors get turned in sacks. But I'm is is that just his experience in pocket? Is that him dropping the weight to be a little bit more mobile? I mean, what do you printed together to explain the way that he's coming into the part.
Well, first, it's DNA. I mean, he's just better than most people, UH, quite honestly, faster, smarter processes, mentally faster, better uh with the addition of experience and what people are doing throughout his career to try to keep him in the pocket and say you can't beat us from the pocket. So then he sets records doing that, and then everyone says we're gonna pressure you, and then he's best quarter regularly versus pressure, so he can't do that.
So long story short, I just think that he's seen it all to where he has this body of work at Okay, what is it gonna be this night? How are you guys gonna choose to do it? Okay, I'm gonna go to this mode and he can he can do it all. You know. We talked about r mangles, we talked about uh elusiveness. There's times where he is moving to allow raps to develop. There are times where
he's moving to extend and play. There's time where he's truly scrambling, and there's times I don't think he even knows that he becomes Lamar Jackson and we are all surprised with the outcome and so. But or for me, it's just be yourself, go out and play. Being Lamar Jackson is enough and so but with all those things being said, he's the best in the world at doing
it throughout the history of the game. My job is to not screw him up and let him go out there and be the best that he could be doing it the way that he wants to do it.
Next, we heard from running backs coach Willie Tiger.
What what do you see it from Derek? I mean, I know before the season we talked to you, you were just so impressed with his work, actin and things like that. As the season is going on, what's kind of stood out to you about the way he's going about his business?
I mean, just pretty much it's the same. You know, you get the same from Derek every single day. You know, he he wakes up wanting to be great at what he does. Like I told you guys earlier year, he hate making mistakes. You know, I don't care what mistake it is.
He hated.
It can be the smallest thing. He he just he hated so much. I got a call last I'm not a call, but a text last night. He said, Coach, I'm still ticked about this game. You know, It's just a lot of those things when it don't go right for him. It it it bothered him, but it it it also motivated him to come back to work the next day and try to do everything he can to
make sure it doesn't happen again. And for me, you love that out of him being a veteran with so much experience and so much success and still wake up every day this in this career and still want to be the best. And and he's set an example for the younger guys that's in the room as well, and that's been very beneficial for us.
Coach.
Uh, When when Derek was in Tennessee, you know, his production in in December and January was typically a lot better than it was in September. I mean, is there anything from what you've seen from him here in Baltimore that leads to believe that's not just a Tennessee types phenomenon, but that he could have that same kind of you know, you know, kind of accumulative approach.
Heated, Yeah, I think if you just look at it, there hadn't had a lot of cares, a lot of wear and tear on him this year, you know, So I think it's set up perfectly for him to finish the year like he's he's capable of and and and what we expect out of him. You know, Derek's fresh right now and it's great. And I think this bye week is is perfect timing for us. And again he's homeer. He wanted to get back, he's he wished we were
playing this week, you know. But I think the way he trains himself, the way he practiced, the way he prepares, He's gonna be ready to finish the year like we need him to.
I was, uh, I was Keaton during is he is? He kind of chomping at the bit to get more opportunity.
Like where where is he going?
Of course, Keaton is just like any other player on our team, you know, they want to get out there and play and help our football team. And Keaton is into every meeting, studying, asking questions. He's out of practice, continued to get better.
You know.
He had a tough injury, you know, and and for him to to work and get back so fast, it's impressive by hisself, but it also speaks value for him and just wanting to be back out there with his teammates and play. And I think with Keaton, he understand that he got continued to get himself back in the football shape like he was when he played last year
for us and did some extraordinary things for us. And I think Keaton, as he continued practicing, come along, we're starting to get the keyting that we all know.
Speaking of a key. And you know, I think there's probably a lot of expectation when he came back from fans that like think Derek and Keaton, like here we go. Can you articulate the underappreciation maybe of what Justice Hills broad this season.
Justice is I called Justice the junkyard dog. He does everything for us, you know, and uh, and he does it with a smile. He don't he don't complain, he don't want. I mean every single day that guy come into office, he is smiling, ready to go. And then you see it on the football field when we when we need the first down, Uh call Justine, you know, Justice to go out and and and get it for us. I mean, he just he's a workhorse. Uh, He's a
phenomenal pro. He just he studied the game, and again just want to do his part to help this football team and he takes pride in that. And again he understands Derek's the lead back and he understands his role and he tries best to do his role to the best of his ability. And I think we all appreciate
what he does for us every single day. And I think he's he's done a great job, uh integrating just Derek into our into our organization and and those guys have hit it off really well and created a ice bond that's really helped the running back.
Room follow what what have you seen just from a growth standpoint from him from last year to this year?
Is he faster?
Is he physical?
Does he like?
I think from a physical standpoint, Justice is pretty much the same as he was last year. I just think he have better knowledge of what we're doing, a better understanding of what we're doing. And he's getting more opportunities now, you know. So I think with anything, with more opportunities, you get to see more a player can do, and he's getting them and the beauty of he's taking advantage
of those opportunities that come his way. So I think just a matter of year or two in the offense and opportunities that he's getting and he's taken advantage of him.
He was just saying that Lamar sees the game so differently than any other player.
How would you compare that to how Derek sees the game?
And do they kind of share.
Notes about what they're seeing with the consilias.
And defensive Uh, of course Derek does. He see it all the time, and he'd come back. He gonna let you know, whether it's in the game or practice, you're gonna get I get a text of a picture, a frame from a game saying coach, I should have hit this hole, you know, or we should we should do this.
And then there's time where he'll see some things on the film and whether it's in practice or in the game, he'll go over to Lamar and those guys will talk some things out, which is is cool, you know, seeing those guys, you know, talk football and how they can
help each other out on plays. And I think that's just again him being the vet and the player that he is, and the same with Lamar, and those guys are locked arm and armor and and and want the same thing, you know, So being able to share things with each other throughout the game, throughout practices, is really helping.
They get you know, Tom one can Special early on the spring talked about Derek being kind of the closer, you know, especially in the fourth quarter.
How much do you think Derek.
Kind of relishes that role of kind of being the guy that at the end of the games getting in wearing down.
The guy and he wants the ball, you know, Derek wants the ball whenever, whether it's the beginning of the game, at the end of the game, at halftime, after the game, he wants the ball, you know. And uh, but whenever there's a time to again to close out a game and help his his teammates and help the team win again, Derrick wants the ball in his hands so he can
do those things, you know. But he again, he whenever he can get the ball in his hand, he he's gonna he's gonna take it, you know, and do his part when it when he gets it.
Really, going back to Keaton, just along with recoveries from the injury, just do you think that he's a bit of a it's a victim of circumstance that he's behind Derrick Henry And then he said a Junkyard dog Get in Justice Hill that it's just tough for him to see the the field as much just because that he has in front of him.
No, I wouldn't necessarily say say that part of it. I just think it's just again him coming back and getting himself back to to where we all know Keaton can play and and play at that level. And and then again, just like I said with with Justice, when those opportunities come, being able to take advantage of him, you know, and I think ask Keaton continue to to get healthy. Any I think those opportunities are gonna continue to come, and I know Keaton don't take advantage of
him when they do come. And he's bit, he's biting at the bit that the photos opportunity and.
The beauty of you.
He comes to work every day, he's training, he's practicing to get himself back to where.
He needs to be.
X up his offensive line.
Coach George Warhop, all right, boys, boys and girls, what you got for me today? There can't be much left after you've gone through everybody else where?
Do you think the line that's really kind of taking you know, the strides, uh, you know, from the from beginning season to at this.
Point, I think they've done a nice job of every week trying to gain where we need to gain and staying focused somewhat important. So it's not always perfect, but they're striving for that, and I think for the most part, between the schemes we use schematically to help them and how they go about their business has been pretty good to this point.
The struggles super interior pressure on Sunday against Philly, Is that as simple as them just having really good players or was there more to it.
Them that That's an interesting question because I never viewed the opponent as the problem. We play a lot of good defenses. I don't think we handled it as well as we have U so I always put it on us. So Philly's got good players, the Chargers has good have good players, Denver has good players, Pittsburgh has good players. We just didn't handle it as well this past Sundays. We have handy with so uh, it's hard for me
to give them credit. And when we handle most of our s our stuff either good or bad.
All right, how have you seen Daniel fa progress? And obviously is tackling moving the guards. There is a little bit of a learning for there. How have you seen the progressively?
Of course this season, I think Daniel's doing a great job. I mean, I am excited about him. Every week he gets a little bit better. He's a big, physical dou What's really impressive is his pass row. What's really impressive to watch him change the direction in short area and get his hands on guys. That's still work in progress, his hands, But the way he moves laterally and the things he can do in pastro I think is pretty impressive. So I'm excited about him in this future.
You guys mentioned his past protection, but him as a run blocker. You look at his size and intuitively you would think he would use his physicality maybe a little bit more than he does on tape. Is that something You're still trying to get more and more out of.
Him every week, all of them, It's not just Daniel, all of them, Right, He's a big man. Sometimes it's hard to uncoil your hips when guys are right on top of you. Right, It's a matter of also adjusting where you are at the line of scrimmage. We tend to crowd the ball sometimes, what negates our power at the point of attack in the run game, right, So really, if you want to get technical about it, all your power is generated on your second and third step, right.
If you're crowding the ball and you don't get your second step in the dirt, you're not generating enough power. So that's part of his issue, is getting his feet in the dirt to go forward.
So Ronnie Stanley's had a your searching years. Just playing in the isle of you put in perspective just how well he has played this year.
We just let him play over there.
We don't do much for him, so that says a lot. I think Ronnie approaches each week with fresh eyes. I think he has a plan going into the game. I think he practices his plan. I think on the sidelines he's very intuitive, great communication, talks about what's going on, talks to the other guys. I'm just excited to have him here and have him doing what he's doing physically right and the other thing with him. I think he's in his ninth yeary we don't give him veteran days.
He practices all the time. I think that's huge and part of how he's playing.
On the sideline after practice, working with a lot of young guys.
How have you seen him and just elevate the very on.
That line, I just think anytime you can have a veteran guy pouring in to young players, it doesn't matter whether you're in the NFL or if you're in college. The better your room is that that the more progress you're gonna make within the room. We have several guys that do that. We got Tyler that does it, Pat does it, Ronnie does it. They all communicate with the young guys and just build on what we're trying to do in there. So when you have that going on,
the foundation only gets stronger throughout. And so he's done that since I've been here, and I'm sure he's been doing that since before I got here.
So yeah, headalleeves are a huge talking point obviously coming out of the Pittsburgh game. Have been a few different times throughout the year. How do you coach that, especially when you're talking to a really experienced player like a Ronnie or McCarey, Just get.
Your hands inside. I mean when most of them are holding penalty. So we've had a few down the field penalties on RPOs and screens. That's just being conscious of not being too far down the field. You know, we got I always say we have about a two yard margin. I think in the NFL now it's less than that. Just really they're really watching the line of scrimmage, so we have to be really intent on the screens the RPOs.
Sometimes we get caught right we're running a run and if the ball doesn't come out on time, we're going to be downfielding the rest of it. We just got to get our hands inside and we got to be smart about letting guys go. I mean holding in the NFL is one hundred percent. Everybody holds. The guys that get caught when you get your hands outside the frame, and that's what we do. Or the guy's getting away from you, you tug in instead of letting them go. So we got to be smart about it.
Georgia, I think we see on Friday when we go into the locker room, guys kind of be up as a linement doing some homeworker looks like, you know, fool, what is that something you've always kind of done? Has that been a legacy.
Of job I've done that?
I learned that from Jim Hannathan probably in like nineteen ninety seven. I used to write the tip sheet one hundred percent myself for him, and then I started making them rite up players, probably ninety nine, just so the young guys learn how to look at tape evaluate players, and then I want them to write it up for each other so if I miss something, they might see something subtly that will help them during the game. And then I got tired of writing the whole game plan,
so I make them right of place. So that's just taking something off of me, to be honest with you.
We also heard from defensive coordinator Zach or the defense with the others and those song performances recently. Do you feel like kind of have to go on through some struggles early on to figure some things out personnel, scheme of everything, this approach to turn the corner a little bit.
Yeah, I think so. I think we definitely improved. I think we definitely got better. It's good to see it start showing up in games.
Guys have always worked hard.
Obviously we tweaked some tweaks, some stuff with personnel, with scheme and communication, but I still think there's a whole another level we can get to. Man Like, we're just getting started where we need to be at, and we got four weeks left. We're gonna be continued to work hard throughout this week as coaches, players get some time off, and the expectation we come back is, Man, we got
to be dominant on defense. So we took a step in the right direction definitely from earlier in the season, but there's still a whole lot we can get better at.
What's the next step in your mind as far as getting there, I mean, you guys have cut out given up the big plays the past. Defense is stabilized in the back end.
What's next in number one thing is getting some take Getting takeaways. Man, we not turned the ball over enough and we got to get the football like we have to.
That changes games.
That now help us out tremendously from a defense standpoint and for our team. So takeaways and then just even you know, being more dominant in the in the red zone, like if teams the teams are going to get down there is National Football League, but let's hold them to maximum three points or field goal attempt. So I think takeaways and then just limited eliminating some of the touchdowns when they get into the red zone, Zach.
Merlin said after the game. But he feels like there's been a real mentality flip over the last month to six weeks and then like, no matter what your name is, if you're not meeting this under you're you're not gonna be out there.
Like do you have you.
Seen that as well?
Definitely? Definitely.
Man, it's like, you know, holding guys accountable if it's not looking the way we wanna look at from an effort standpoint, from an execution standpoint, you know, obviously give guys a chance to correct it, and you coach things up some you know, guys are gonna make mistakes, but you know, the tolerance isn't isn't high for guys who who don't play hard or guys who continue to make
the same mistakes over and over again. So we have to find guys who were gonna go out there and play hard and g and do things the right way and do things we wanted to be done. So I think guys have started have started to see that, and the players, you know, they take ownership in that.
Like as a player who you know, you don't want.
People out there with you who are not doing their job or not executing their job. So I think I think Marlon was right on with what he said exactly, but.
You know the Marlin say some the point of things. He said, on a couple of occasions, what do you think of that as a as a coach? And and how does that do you think impact you guys?
Uh?
And what particular?
What particularly?
Uh?
He said term?
So what w when you have one of your defensive leaders kind of coming out and saying those things, what sort of impact does that carry?
I think it's good.
I think carry is a big impact because you know, first thing, to be a leader, you know, you got to lead by example.
And I think Marlin Humphreys has led by example.
I mean you see it in his play, you see it in his work at their care on the practice field. He plays hard, he's the heck of a player, tries to do everything right.
So he's leading by example.
So when you have a guy who leads by example, they they got they got credibility to say say that, and guy's gonna listen and guy's gonna follow that. So I think it's good. Man Like, we encourage our guys to you know, leading their own way. But if you have something to say, if you feel strongly about it, you know, speak on it. And I think Marlin has done that, and I think a lot of guys have followed his lead, which which is good for us.
Zach, you said a couple of weeks ago there was a meeting where guys were holding each other more accountable. Maybe feels like in retrospect, that's where things started to get better. Is it reading too much into it to say maybe that was the turning point for you whatever having that meeting.
I wouldn't say it's reading too much into I think the meeting definitely had an impact, just because we had to do a lot of some deep soul searching and it was it was a long meeting, and I think it was good from a player and coach standpoint that you know, we expressed what we wanted to get done, they expressed how they felt, and we know we was able to come together and figure out solutions because that's
how we were about. Man, it's a partnership between players and coaches, and our job as player and coaches go out there and go play dominant, winning football, you know, from a defensive standpoint, So everything that we do is trying to come to that solution. So I definitely think that meeting definitely had a part in it. So I wouldn't say that's out of reach coming from.
Multiple players in the term has been more accountability.
What does holding themselves accountable look like?
What does it mean to hold their teammates accountable? But it's like for you to hold your players accountable?
What is that looking?
I think that is just first thing. First is holding yourself accountable. So guys got to look themselves in the mirror and be like, am I doing everything possible to go out there and be the best football player I can be for this team and for this defense. And once once you do that, once you hold yourself accountable, now you can hold with others accountable and holding each
other accountable. I see the guys if somebody you know, makes a mistake or anything that's not necessarily they're just lashing out at a guy, anything that they're pulling the guy to the side, asking them what they saw and how they can get better, how they can help them out, or just teaching them.
And I think when you get.
The players holding each other accountable, that's when you really getting some done, you know. And as coaches, that's our job to hold the players accountable. And I think, but when players hold each other accountable and they hold themselves accountable. I think that's that's where you really start to build something special. And I think we've seen that, you know, rise to a whole nother level over the last couple of weeks. And I think that they're they're you know,
they're meeting even more together. They was already meeting together as players, but they're meeting even more together and just trying to get things figured out. So I'm proud of how they taken accountability and how they you know, put it amongst themselves, like, man, we're gonna figure this thing out together.
Robinson has place more snaps in the past three weeks. I know part of that's personnel Steelers, Chargers, Eagles on heavy teams.
Is it more that or you see means something.
From trevious to says, hey, we just want this guy.
Boring the field. It's both.
Man, I'm real happy with Tavious man t rob He's a heck of a Player's growing to a heck of a player for us. He does a lot of multiple things. Obviously it has a lot to do with some of the opponents we're playing. But he's earned snaps too. He's
earned snaps, I mean everything. He every time he goes out there, he's in the right position, he does the right thing, He's physical, he plays hard, plays the run well, gets after the quarterback from the edge point, and you can reduce him inside as a three technique and rush him in there.
So you know, we're in the.
Business if you if you're productive and you do things the right way and you're going hard, you're gonna be out there. So t Rob's done that and he's earned more snaps, and I think you'll continue to see that as well.
I mean you're seeing a lot more variety at linebacker this year. I mean last year, I mean both were up on the peak basically three down backers. Why does that feel like the right thing at the moment.
Yeah, I think just because all the different guys next to Row offer different abilities and different strengths. And I think the best thing for us right now is we just need production out of that production out of that position overall his linebacker and specifically the will and dying position. And I think the best way for us to get that production is to, you know, rope take those guys in there.
We've seen Travis Stones play through an ankle injury for six seven weeks, now he's been on the injury report sometimes he's played a lot of other times not so much.
How do you think he's handled that?
And how helpful do you think this bye week is going to be for him for the stretch run knowing how important he is to your defensive line from a run stopping standpoint, but also with.
The past round.
He's a warrior man, He's a warrior. I mean he's been He does everything he can to go out there and go play for us, and we know he's not a one hundred percent nowhere near it. And I've actually talked about with the staff today. I said, this is gonna help him. The Bible's gonna help him the most. You know, on our team from a defensive standpoints, a lot of people's gonna help, but it's gonna help him because you know, when he's when he's healthy, when he's feeling good, I mean,
he's gonna be dominant. And I can't wait, you know, for him to get some rest and come back out of his bye week feeling real good and and get him back playing to how he was playing.
And he's been playing good.
But you know he's he's he's ain't he's out there basically on you know, on one leg essentially, so it's not as it's not it's not as dominant as it's been. But the bowie he's gonna do great for him. I'm excited about Big Traft. I'm really excited about it. I'm glad to buy a week. It came at a good time for him, and he's gonna be ready to roll.
Zach is going for being you know, since training camp to being a guy who wasn't getting on the field down Now he's like an integral part of the secondary. You just talk about what he's bringing to the table and I guess the.
Persistence he's had to kind of grow into that role.
He's being good man.
I mean he's bringing great communication, great aggressiveness, physicality.
And then range in the back end, which what we value man.
So we've been real happy with a D and I think the more he plays, the bet he's gonna get. He's continued to get better every single game that he's he's been starting, and I think it just comes with the reps and like, I'm.
Real happy with him. We're real happy with him.
But I think, you know, it's a credit to him every single day in practice, even when he's on the look team going out here making play, He's always staying ready and being ready for his opportunity. And he got his opportunity and he's took it and ran with it. So you know, I'm happy for him and I respect him to get even better.
Organ tech what what do you what would you like to see more of from Marcus Williams to kind of for him to get back on the field more.
Yeah, I mean, just continue to continue to grind, continue to get better, and continue to you know, play hard, physicality, make plays. I just think right now, just you know, essentially the two guys that we've been rolling with A D and k Ham, they just they just been you know, playing a little bit better. So it's nothing, it's no indictment to Marcus, you know, It's just it's a it's a production business, and those guys been you know, more productive.
I truly believe that Marcus is still a.
Good, real good football player, and I feel like if he has to step in for us, that he will be able to go in there and do a heck of a job for us.
Next, we heard from Raven's assistant head coach and pass game coordinator Chris Hewitt.
We've seen as far as Marlin.
I think Marlon before the season talking about you wanted to kind of stay healthy. That was a big problem with one last year. What have you seen kind of his season this year?
Well, you already stated it. It's health. He's been healthy.
And when Marlin's healthy and playing at the level that he's playing at, he makes us a better defense. He brings that grit, he brings the energy, and that's that's what this defense is made up of. He embodies everything that we talk about as far as being a raven. So when he's playing that way, we played better.
It's obviously the big places he has put down on it is the past several weeks.
Right, What do you attribute that to.
I think it's a little bit more of continuity with the guys that we're playing with, not so much more mix and match. Putting Kyle back in a deeper position, all those things that has helped, and then Marlin solidifying himself down as the U as the nickel UH him being in going there and and and fit on a run as well playing in the past, all the things that UH that Kyle has excelled at. But he can
he can do the other thing. So all those things uh in compassed together has uh made us cut down on all of those explosive plays, which we're not gonna talk about right.
What about the communication?
How is that?
How much has that been an interact?
Just like I said, it's just it's really about the continuity. And we probably have uh simplified a lot of things in our defense too. We're not doing as much. So when you don't do as much, try to do too much out there on defense. Cause you when when you got new guys and you got all these toys, you want to try to put them in positions to try to you know, confuse the offense and in turn sometimes to confuse as the defense. So I think all those things have have has helped us moving forward.
I Handlin type of display.
He just talked about his contents. I mean he's been the thing up a few times in games.
Yep, he's bought back the jury to getting back on the field, and he looks upset any time he has to leave it through that, and he just talked about his toughness and desire.
Well, I mean he's a that's that's that's pretty much like a lot of our guys, the guys that we have playing out there, they they don't want to miss playing time and they will fight them, fight them way back on the field whenever they were hurt. And he's just he's just kind of fitting in what the culture is that these guys they want to play and they they're they want to be out there with their brothers and they want to go to battle with those guys, and he never wants to not be a part of a battle.
What what's stood out to you about your names.
Whites since he's road here.
He's a pro guy that has a lot of experience brings uh play making ability. Uh, he just got to get real comfortable with what we're doing is on the defense. But all those attributes as far as his play making and you know, being being a pro, a former pro bowler, Uh, he sees things on on on on on.
Game tape that we talk about.
So he he's one of those guys kind of stays ahead of the Uh, stays ahead of the game and looking forward to see him makes more plays for us.
Teams.
We're targeting Brandon Stevens of it.
There are some of those big plays against him.
What did you see from him.
That made me keep him out there.
And what do you think the putt?
Well, you you if you look at all the like the plays that people have made on Brandon, it's it's about him locating the football or whatever. But he's always been a guy that's he He's sticky, he competes, he's always right there at the catchpoint. And you know it's a quarterback throwing a perfect ball. I mean, you playing dB, you know things like that are gonna happen and you're gonna give up some plays. Has he given up more than he'd liked to. Absolutely, But there's a lot of
factors that go and go involved with that. But Brandon has been he always plays hard. He knows what to do, but he's got to make those plays on the ball. So that's really that's all it is.
Because when we when we just asked the act about Marcus Williams, he said, look, it's it's a production bus. But I mean you have a player like that who's used to being out there for every snap, right, he's.
A healthy scratch.
How big a jolt is that?
And how can he sort of come back to guy?
Well, for one thing, Marcus is a he's a professional. Okay, he still approaches the game the same way. He's gonna come into the meeting rooms and take the game plan and you know, continue to try to contribute as much as he possibly can.
Is it a jult to a system? Absolutely?
He wants to be out there, and you know, moving forward, you know we'll find out where we stand in health wise or whatever. But he's always going to be the guy that's gonna be ready to go out there and go play.
And we have the utmost.
Confidence in that Marcus. To ever come to it, he'd been back out there and making plays for us.
Mark Darius as he's stepped in the deposition.
What I've seen is a guy that.
Basically he just triggers and he just goes seaball, go getball, and he's made plays and every game that he's been in and that's why he's earned the right to be out there.
He just makes plays.
He's a guy that's been hurt in his first three years, and I've always felt this way about him.
He's just he's just a dog.
He's a guy that's just go out there and compete, plays with passion, plays with with with fire, and that's why he's out there.
What I don't think we've asked you about Nate Wiggins. What have you seen from him, you know, more than halfway through his rookie season, and kind of what's the next step for him as far as he continues to play more and more for you, right.
I mean his he's been inconsistent, inconsistent, inconsistent, inconsistent. So that's something that you do. What you do, you take to take the good with the bad with the rookie. But you he has he has a lot of ability, so you see the upside with that. And he's made those strides from early in the season going late into the season, and I continue to see him continue to keep on getting better, like to see him get his hands on the ball a little bit more, at least
complete the catches instead of just breaking it up. But yeah, I love where Nate is at right now.
How do you think the kind of platoon you guys have a linebackers help you guys shore up the middle of the field defense, especially on those kind of intermediate stuff.
I'm sorry say that one.
Time, Tune.
You guys have a linebacker you know more Chris bord more Malik has it helped kind of show up in the middle of the field.
Well, I mean that's just been an emphasis on you know, the last six or seven weeks, we've been really really been working on shoring up the middle of the field as well as you call it. And that's really just about guys getting back to their spots in our zone coverage, vision on the quarterback and breaking on the ball. And you know, that's just been an emphasis going forward. It really doesn't have anything to do with the platoon or whatever we're doing. It's just really about the emphasis for
all the line back, the second there everybody. So that's just really been an emphasis that we had been going with the last couple of weeks.
And lastly we heard from a special teams coordinator at Chris.
Hort, how are we doing guys? Good to see everyone. What do you got for me today? UK?
With Justin and the his struggles lately, have you noticed any kind of and dealing with Justin, any any kind of difference in just you know, his attitude or anything like that, you know, you know or you know, just in going through the struggle, any kind of difference in.
Your dealings with them as far as uh, noticing anything different with him. I think Justin approaches his job every day. He's the same.
Uh.
He's full of energy when he goes out on the practice field. He works hard and he's doing the right thing. So there hasn't been anything unusual about him as far as you know, outside of his ability. He hasn't been making kicks. But other than that, I mean, he's he's been the same guy. Every day. He's working diligently to get himself going.
Chris, is there something to be said for getting away from this for a week for him for the operation when when it hasn't been going well? And you know, sometimes I guess the expression try easier and having a bye week maybe allows you guys.
To do that a little bit.
I think that I think that that is a good point. You know, he's been he's been going through it right, So for him to just kind of clear his mind, uh, ease himself out of football for a little bit, I think I think that's gonna be good for him. But me knowing Justin, Justin is probably gonna be somewhere kicking uh and just trying to trying to figure this thing out. So I think it's it's good on both sides of it. But if if you know Justin he's a he's a he's a true pro, right, and then he wants to
continue to be great. So he's probably somewhere take some time off, and then he's gonna go out there. He's probably gonna go kick him.
Yes, John said that it's something that needs to be fixed and that Justin is the guy to fix it.
He also said Justin knows what's wrong and he just seems to do it.
Is it pretty much a Justin thing at this point, Like it's something that he has to find within himself or is there something.
That you guys can do as a staff. I mean, that's that's that's totally it. Obviously we're gonna we're gonna get out there, we're gonna work because when when you see physically, you see him go out there and you see him kick during the week, it's so true. Man, he's he's smashing the ball. When you see him in pregame, he's smashing the ball. You know, he's just got to continue to those things and bring him excellent into the game.
So it's something that he has to get himself out of, and we as coaches, we're gonna We're gonna stay on him, We're gonna keep working, and we're gonna help him get out of that.
Chris. I remember talking with Justin a couple of years ago for a story like and his recall for kicks five ten years ago, just where he put the ball, where the ball was was incredible. Do you think that kind of becomes a double edged sword in moments where he is struggling to kind of put it all together, just that that that kind of memory banks that he has.
H I'm not I'm not quite sure. I think I think with Justin it's it's kind of his thing, right, every kick, every kick lives on its own, and I think when he goes out there, he approaches it that way. So no matter what the elements are, where he places the ball with target line, he picks his job is and I got to make this kick and I want to smash the ball.
Going back to what you're saying about him, you know, smashing in practice and we see in warm ups. Is it is he not having the kind of contact at times? I know, I know each kick is different, but is he not having the kind of cope he would like at times at the ball during games.
I think it's a combination of I think it's a combination of a few things. It could be it could be contact, it could be uh just line angle towards the balls. So it's a it's a combination of a few things. And and it was it's kind of like it would say, like right, only only Justin can truly get himself out of that because he knows he knows how to fix those things.
It is in terms of other special teams, you know, Thailand talked about some of the fielding ponds and things so fourth on this past Sunday, and he's had a couple of other hiccups with that. How do you go about sort of finding that consistency that you guys want and cleaning up those those things.
I think from the from the from the part return standpoint, Thyland Tyland is back there because he has been he has been a good catcher for us right and I think when when he gets in certain situations and we had kind of a windy game and the balls moving on him a little bit, he's just got to be more decisive and making those decisions again. And Thailand's still
fairly still fairly young and fielding and having returns. I probably guarantee doesn't have twenty returns in his career right, So for him, it's just a matter of when you are back there, man, make a split decision, make it quick, and you understand that at the end of the day, just give the ball back to the offense because that's our model.
Obviously, there's a really high slayer here for special teams. He all have been one of the best units for a long long time across the board, just as you guys would buy. How do you kind of assess the overall play of special teams, all the all the different units, and that's kind of the focus where you really want to see improvement.
You know, first off, this is a this is a good week for us, just kind of you know, we're thirteen games in, we got four games left, and you really take a look at all your young guys. We're playing a lot of young guys, and so it's funny you asked that ron I just finished watching all of
our kickoff returns. We got twenty six on the on the season, and when you go back through there and you watch him, there's four penalties on there and they kind of hurt us on on on some longer return, so you kind of you kind of figure out, Okay, well those tech technique things, how do we get ourselves out of that? And then and then working from there, we're on the up. I'm starting to see our guys are starting to truly get a feel for for this
kickoff return system. It's just a lot different than what we've than what we've been used to. We thought early we'd come out we'd have an advantage, but we've rotated some guys. We had some guys that were that were playing, they were fairly young. They were in their third, second, second game right of the season. So throughout that process, man, I'm just looking to see our young guys continue to
grow and our veteran guys continue to lead. And I do believe that we're going to continue to make progress on all the phases. You think about our punt coverage, uh, something that we harped on a lot this offseason of covering punts and just being down there and being in the right spot and making tackles. Man, our guys have
done a great job protecting the punt covering thought. Jordan's doing a great job, you know, and just continue to find that consistency, uh, across the board, and we'll we'll be fine, and we'll continue to develop and our guys will continue to get better and we'll and we'll move forward.
Just going back to the kicking for a second, is the is the snapping and holding part of the operation where you want it to be from a consistency standpoint.
I think that's been that's been fairly that's been fairly consistent. I mean, you know, I was thinking about this the other day. You know, there's been kicks made where there's been a good snap, not not a good hole and the kick was made. There's been there, and there's been vice versa. Right, So I think for the most part, Nick is snapping the ball, great, Jordan's putting the ball on the spot again. Just remember it's a grain of rice, right,
You're trying to put that ball down there. And for the most part it has been consistent, right, And then we just got to go out there. It takes all of us men to go out there. Starts with the snap, the hold and the kick.
Is it how one thing in this field goals?
But missing the extra point?
I mean it's come automatic for for most people who adjusted.
Is that something that maybe fleeds over.
I mean, if there's something like that occurs early in a game where this is I the last Sunday, that carries over in his mind, maybe towards.
The field goal.
You know, I can't I can't speak for Justin because I'm not I'm not in his I'm not in his mind right, but you know, uh it it could have an effect. But if you if you talk to Justin again, every kick is different, right, every situation is different. So I can't speak for Justin mentally on what he's thinking after he misses that Pat.
Is there any.
Consideration to having Jordan do kickoffs or anything just to take something off of justice plate and especially as it gets older.
We've we've thought about that. We talk about it all the time. We practiced Jordan on kickoffs. If that becomes something that we want to do, we could that is a that is a consideration, but as of right now, we haven't. That hasn't been one of the things we thought about.
It's for the kickoff changes.
Do you feel like they're doing.
What they were intended to do the game?
I think so. They wanted to cut down on the injuries. I think the injuries have been cut down, and then there's teams that are putting the ball in play a lot, and then there's teams that put the ball in play strategically. And I think you're seeing more returns and I think that benefits all the guys that only truly play special teams, and it gives us, It gives us an opportunity to coach some plays.
You're listening to the Ravens Press Pass podcast, make sure you hit that subscribe button. Also head over to the Lounge podcast feed and subscribe there as well. Thank you so much for listening. We will be back with you after the bye week. The players have the rest of this week off and they will be back in the building on Monday preparing for their next game, coming up against the New York Giants.