Welcome to the Ravens Press Pass Podcast. The Ravens are gearing up for Sunday's game coming up against the Cincinnati Bengals. Today, we had a chance to hear from head coach John Harbaugh.
Good to see everybody. Appreciate you guys being here. Good practice, a big game, looking forward to it. We're just trying to prepare. We've got about forty eight more hours to get ready, and we'll try to prepare right up till game time.
What questions you have, John.
Yesterday Todd was talking about how Lamar and his control of the offense even called the conductor of the offense. How you seen him over the years, especially in this year, take even more control of the offense.
Definitely has been a conductor. Good analogy. I like like driver, like race car driver. To me, he's driving the car. I'm making those decisions in real time while the race is going on out there, and and also feeling how the car is handling, you know, and and letting, letting Todd, and you know that during the game, Hey this is good, let's try this. But he's making great decisions in real time, challenging thing to do. I mean, it's a it's a there's a lot going on out there for a quarterback.
I just think he's been a plus for that.
A good test for date way against going against the receivers.
We remember the past a couple of weeks, how he's developing your quarterback, really really developing.
Nate's really Uh. I think he's learning fast. You know, that's one of those positions where I don't think you really understand it to experience it. I mean, you're in your corner, you're on the island, you're out there that you're in a great athlete, great quarterback throwing to them and you've got one on one coverage so many times and just learning how it really works. You know, how fast are these guys, What do these routes really look like?
How accurate are the quarterbacks in real time? How important is it for me to be in the right position?
Uh? And he's a real quick, very quick learner that way.
I'm talking about Nate.
He was named the NFLPA Community m VP.
That was announced today.
What can you say about just the work that.
He's done off.
The field as well.
He's been doing that going back to the Clinton date for his foundation.
You know, I guess it doesn't surprise me. Uh, he he says, A good guy. I mean, Nate Wiggins is a really good dude. You know, he's a he's respectful, he cares about people. He treats people really well that I've seen, you know, people he's around, fans or even people in the building, whoever might be. He's just a good person. So to see or you're here now for the first time that he got that award, I guess it.
Uh, it does.
It just fits who he is perfectly, and i'd say congratulations, you.
Know, I mean how physical these AFC North matchups can be at times. How excited are you to see Derrick Henry's probably the most physical back play in these.
Types of game, right.
Well, you know he's He's definitely played in uh in in all these stadiums against all these teams before.
Uh.
This will be the first time in an AFC North game, uh with an AFC North team, you know, So I think he's built for it. You know, I'm sure he's ready. And we just got to go in there as a team and be on point, play winning football across the board, uh, in every kind of in every phase, in every way, and give ourselves the best chance to come out victorious.
So you started the week you were wearing that ready for October shirt and a few words maybe about the way things went for the Orioles and their their their playoff others.
Maybe yeah, you know, yeah, I mean, I you know, hey, listen, it's I think they're a great team.
I think there. I'm a fan, you know, I'm a fan. I'm a fan.
Who has the privilege opportunity to talk to the skipper.
You know.
I think Brandon's a great, great coach and I just get a lot of a lot of respect for him, and I learned a lot talking to him, and you know, I learned I don't know much about baseball, really, my dad knows a lot about baseball.
And uh so I'm a fan and I just admire those guys.
I mean, I just think they're a great team and a great upcoming team and they got so much uh so much, so many, so much success in their future with these guys. I mean, they just compete and love to play, and that postseason success is coming. It's coming, there's no doubt about it. And uh I'm just I'm probably to be a fan of the team.
Johnny Normallett just got back a couple of days ago. We haven't seen him the last two days. Did they have a setback or anything happened in practice?
He Yeah, he had a soft tissue setback. So yeah, he'll be uh, he won't make it to this game this week, but we'll have to He'll be day to day probably going forward.
Next week, we'll have to see John. You always talk about the head feather Robbert piece has.
Come, so I know you're not gonna know anything about that, but have you seen enough from me.
Dockway, that's if you needed him this week, you feel like he's.
Ready to play, I would I would say that, Yeah.
John, Derek Henry coming up on ten thousand career rushing yards. Obviously, the biggest weapon in his toolbox is that steph farm. I guess when when you see him kind of use that, whether it's in person, film and what sticks out to you? Now?
What makes it so fack same thing?
It sticks out to all you guys At that arm sticking out you know, in the in the in the dockler's face. As an old defensive back, I just visioned myself trying to knock that thing down, you know, you know, hanging out for dear life.
You never got stive Farmers at Miami, all right, right, as far as anybody knows.
We also heard from wide receiver Zay Flowers, was that going into this game against the Bengals, first ASC North matchup of the season, what's the thought process going into this one?
Play our game, man, you know, play our game and go get this one. We need this one to improve our record to what we wanted to be in Just go play our game. That's really it.
What stood out to you about the games you've had against the Bengals, you know, in last season and what makes this rivalry of you know such a strong one?
Oh last year? Own, Like nothing really stood out. I felt more like the Pittsburgh game, like more that there was more of a rivalry in the Pittsburgh game. It wasn't like we like we got bad blood with the players, you know what I'm saying. It's like still this player came out and made it like kind of like that like bad blood. But I just feel like the Bengals is just it was just a normal game for me last year that I ain't really have nothing to worry about, honestly.
Yeah, And as you look at this game. You know, you guys been able to run the ball so effectively. Do you think that that could change how teams defend you? And then that could force you guys to have to change offensively and you potentially have to air it out more. As you look about how this is gonna kind of play.
Out, I feel like we could play any way. We need to honestly to win the game. And you know, whatever's working, and that's what's working. So can't complain as long as we winning. It ain't no complaining the winning, So I'm good.
What is when you're playing AFC North games, you know it's a division game, they always count for a little bit more. Is that something that is talked about at all during the week going into this matchup?
Absolutely, because you know it count to the end of the season record like who're gonna come out out of this vision our division on top man? Who are gonna come out second and third? So we always look at it like that, we want to win all of them.
Lamar talked this week about how look you guys are you're two and two right now, But you know the conversation two weeks ago, it was a different conversation, and that you're kind of keeping the same focused, same mindset, same energy. How do you go about riding the highs and lows of a season and not getting caught up in the roller coaster ride of it all.
I feel like you just got to know who you is. You just got to know what type of team you got and if they got fired or not. And I feel like we're a team that's gonna fight every week and try to win the game, So I feel like we always going to be in a good situation.
You're listening to the Ravens Press Pass podcast. Make sure you hit that subscribe button. Also head over to the Lounge podcast feed for a full breakdown on what to expect in this game on Sunday. Thank you so much for listening. We will be back with you on Sunday after that game against the Bengals.