Welcome to the Ravens Press Pass Podcast. It is Friday, November twenty second. The Ravens are preparing to face off with the LA Chargers this week, and today we heard from the coordinators. So let's kick it off with offensive coordinator Tom Muckett.
Got I think this Chargers defense, you know, leads the league and hit the amount of light boxes if they've played it. I guess what do they do that maybe could be advantageous for you guys in your running.
Well, first off, they do a great job, like I said, with light boxes. Their interior guys do a great job of anchoring. You know, you don't see a ton of movement. They're outside backers do a great job of setting the edge so there's not a lot of space there, and the linebackers do an excellent job of fitting off of that.
You know, when backs are hesitant and they don't press the hole, you know, then all of a sudden they kind of they whatever, however you want the term of, you know, play off the block and play back into the back.
So we got to do a great job.
They're forcing trying to force their hand, you know, and trying to force them to get an extra defender down there.
I mean, that's like any game plan.
They've been They've been really good in the reds and what do you see you from their defense in the reds And then of course they're just doing a good job not giving up any points.
So if it carries over from that, like when you can play a light box and still stop the run, because if you're really we're really good in the red zone because we're able to run the football, and then when we're not, we have the equalizer and lamar. I mean that's you know, for us, we're lucky that way, and for them it's like, okay, why A, you're good in the red zone because you stop people from running the ball in it just becomes more and more difficult to throw it.
So we got to work it out. For us, are really good.
When you went back in with the Pittsburgh game, other than the penalties on the turnovers, did you see any other reasons why you guys didn't get in the offensive flow as much as usual?
Well, they're good.
They're good on defense, that's part of it. I mean, when you play good people or well coached, they got good players. Obviously, turning the ball over is gonna put a damn for on that. The penalties that set you back to put you, you know, off track. We had some other opportunities for some big plays which we didn't
end up capitalizing on. To the naked eye might not have seen it, but either a protection issue here or just progressing or the rail route to justice that you know most of the time we come down with it.
We didn't. That's still plays you got to make.
But at the end of the day, we just we didn't play clean enough on the road, didn't start fast enough, and that's what happens. We did give ourselves a chance, but didn't play didn't play good enough.
I had to kind of follow up on that, and like Lamar talked about, and see, you know, needing to be more consistent on offense for alas before that sort of thing again, aside from the handles laws and kind of playing behind the sticks, just curiously, what would that look like to you and understanding it's different in meek, but what would that consistency look like to you in terms.
Of it, Well, like most teams, it looks pretty simple.
You're pretty good on first and you're in front of the chains and you're so you can dictate run pass. You know, when you're having penalties inefficient on first down run or pass. We were inefficient throwing it. We weren't as bad running it. We were just inefficient throwing it, you know. And that hasn't been us. I mean, we're pretty good, you know, we just uh, it happened a little bit in the Cincinnati game. Penalties. You know, some inefficiency in what you're doing that set you back. And
that's gonna happen from time to time. But it's it's all of us. It's from coaching to play. We got to coach better, got to play better, uh, to be as consistent as we're capable of, and we are teth What have.
You made of the ineligible downfield penalties that have seemed to pop up a little more frequently the last couple weeks. I mean, is it as simple as the ball not coming out on time?
Like, what do you make of that?
Well, some of it's RPOs where if we end up keeping it and then throwing it later, you're gonna be called for it, you know, the screen if it gets delayed.
We gotta stay flatter, We got to dust it.
We had one against the Bengals where they sent it back and said we had maintained contact and shouldn't have been, but we got to do a better job. Usually it shows up in the screen game in your RPOs. Some of that is the price of doing business. But we gotta gotta be a little more lateral, little flatter, all right.
How you to explain the seemed like, like Len Aguilar, we're a little confused on that two point play with where they were lying up. Can you talk a little bit of that play and just the confusion maybe pre snap. Did you see that confusion or.
I just think they were communicating. I didn't see it as much as confusion. It looks like that. Obviously we didn't execute it at a high level and obviously got to call it better. That goes along with every call that I make in the game. We got to execute better, gotta call it better. That's we've got to plan it better. Disappointing, you know, I'm just like the two point play we got against the Bengals was not disappointing.
I mean it was, you know it just when.
It looks like that, I thought Lamar did a great job of trying to at least make a play. I mean, it's just just disappointing at a critical point of that. What you're paid to do is execute at high level, starting with me and then our players.
Todd, this is you know, when fancy this game, they see number one offense versus number one defense, Just what would you more describe this game as rather than just the number one first? Number one is looking at it?
Well, every team's different, you know, and I say this every week.
You can't carry over points and you can't carry over yards like an execution, Like you know, what's that got to do with this week? They're really good. We're really good.
You know.
That's why we're where we're at. You know, so we got to execute at a better clip. You know, we kind of saved ourselves at Cincinnati, you know, we really did. We really weren't playing very good. We got a turnover, and we're certainly cable better. A lot of self inflicted starting with coaching. How do we get our guys really dialed in? Okay, that's every team talk around the league. It's how do they get their guys really dialed in to what we're looking for to get them to let
their talent shine. And we're certainly capable that we're not where we're at this year without having done that. But to me, that's the biggest thing is who's going to execute, you know, play in and play out and have it looked the way you want wanted to look because they're trying to get us behind the chains and we're trying to stay on track.
That's really the nature of the game.
Next up, as defensive coordinator, Zach Or.
Last week you.
Talked about feeling crushed after a win because of defensive performance. It's almost the inverse here where the defense appear to be strong, didn't allow a touchdown for the final score, wasn't what you wanted it to be. Just as full as your reaction after such a turn of.
Events, Man, it was honestly with the saying Phil, just because I'll honestly take a win over anything else, like obviously selfishly, and what I'm responsible for is the defense. And you know we have to play well, and we know we have to play well to get to where we want to go.
But I want to win the game. Ultimately. If we win the game, you know, that's all that matters.
You know, the numbers, they matter in a sense, I'm not gonna act like they don't, but The most important is a w now from our standpoint, from defensive standpoint, did see improvement, did see things that we wanted to see out there that we talked about during the week. So I'm proud of the guys in that sense. But it wasn't good enough to win. We talked about it. We like, you know, we have to help put our
offense in better positions to win the game. And obviously we did some good things, but for this particular game, it wasn't good enough. So you know, we just keep on coaching, keep on looking at things we got to get better at and correct and got to keep on improving.
Coach.
After watching JAK and Gus here for so many years and then you see the season that JK is having now in particular, do you know anything different about what's anything they're doing out there right now?
Nah? Man.
I mean both of those guys they real talented. JK and Gus got a chance to know those guys really well, watch them grow up here in Baltimore, and anything that they're doing right now is no surprise at all. I mean JK he's been a top back, Gus has been a top back. They've helped us win many games here, so we knew once they signed there that they were gonna help those guys out. And what we're seeing on film are two explosive physical backs and I'm happy that those guys are finally healthy.
Hearts mentioned the other day, you know, Kyle and Darius kind of being the plan going forward back there.
What do you like from.
What you saw, you know, particularly from more Darius last week? What do you like about that?
YEA, man, I like the communication.
I like I like you know him, him and KM taking charge back there, leading, directing, making quick calls, getting everybody on the same page. And then the competitiveness man, the effort to the football, the toughness tackling, and I mean, AD's what five seven five eight, but he throws his stuff in there, and that's what you want, that's what you appreciate.
And he played like a raven, so I thought.
I thought his first start was real good and got some stuff he could clean up, and I'm looking forward to see what he's gonna do Monday night.
H bros. The practice all week and you know his goo a building. You guys have had to that's the case.
You talk about the challenges not having it and how you guys feel.
Like definitely, definitely it'll be It would be challenge if Rokwan can't go, like said, you know, we're holding out, we're holding out hope and everything like that. But I think he'll just be by committee. You know, you know, not one person is gonna place replace Rokwan. Every down linebacker, top linebacker in this league, all pro h for a reason, so not one guy is gonna replace him. But we like our guys that we have in the room, they're
here for a reason, and somebody gotta step up. You know, they got to step up, and we got to step up collectively as a as a defense, and that linebacker room got to step up collectively as a group.
Yeah, obviously, what do you see from Elik?
You know in that situation, you know, being thrown at God thrown it. If I know, he played something that was a good situation.
Yeah, it was a different situation than Malik's a PROB man, he's been around, and we tell these guys, man, you won play away man that going in there you never know, so you got to stay ready.
And Malik he was ready.
I thought he went in there and did a good job, especially after the first series he settled down, and that's what we expect from him. He's in that room. He knows what to do, he knows how to play. He's played a lot of ball for so you know, I was pleased with what he did. And that's just showing the young guys that you never know when your number is gonna be called, so you better be ready because it can happen at any time.
Obviously, Kyle Hamilton, we've seen him move around a lot, We've seen him play deep safety in the past, but this past Sunday was the most we've seen him back there this year. Understanding you've had a need to clean up the back end of the defense. Is there still a balance also with wanting to still have opportunities for him to play closer to the line of scrimpers so you'll almost like get you know, Rob Peter to pay Paul scenario that you at least seem to be mindful of it.
Yeah, and that's definitely something I mean, you always look at your best players and try to figure out how do you get him shots? And for defensive players, it's like how do you get them close? For college in particular, how you're getting close to line scrimmage, how you how can you send him on the blitz and how can you just utilize his whole skill set? So it's definitely
trying to find balance in that. But you know the good thing about Kyle Halilton he a great player, So wherever you put him, he can make it happen and be great there. And I thought he played a great game last Sunday.
Zamy know, Zach, would you do you anticipate him calling being the green doc guy if if he has.
To be, Yeah, if he has to be, if he has to be, like we did this last game when when Rowe was out, I fully expect Kyle Hamilton to do that.
He's great at it.
Uh, we got reps at it throughout training camp and really throughout the season, so he'll be ready.
Zack.
Can you anticipate if if ro Punk can't go and Simpson more slides to the micro position and fills in for ro punt and you've had the league maybe on the opposing side, or just what kind of goes into making those determinations.
Honestly, it really just depends on what what the charges give us, you know what I mean? So, like I said, it's gonna be Uh, if ro can't go, it'll be it'll be linedbacker by committee, depending on what we want to run and and what they want to run as well, So it's a mixture of both. So you'll see, you know, ro kwon k go. You'll see a mixture of guys in there.
Did you feel like Travis why I'd earned more snaps with the way and he played.
In this VERU?
Oh yeah, definitely definitely.
When you can make plays on the football and compete at that type of level, you definitely earned your ways for some more snaps. And I'm real pleased with Trey how he's came in, how he's worked so hard to learn to play book, and he's been vocal in the meetings, which I appreciate.
So he's a pro pro.
I see why everybody we talk to about him likes him and say that you guys will you guys would like him in y'all building. So I'm pleased and I'm eager to see, you know where he's gonna take this.
Brandon Stevens.
So Brandon Stevens is still you know, part of the defense and plays a lot of snaps, but been balancing with him and Tradavious maybe on that outside spot and you just maybe he could be more near the box or playing in the slots because his versatility has been you know, from safety, playing outside corner, just with everything that he can.
Yeah.
Yeah, I think now Adam tra Davis that as tar room to ast our secondary depth, and that allows us to do more things. I think you've seen a couple of times throughout the game that we had both of those guys in there at the same time. It allows us to do a lot because those guys, they can do a lot of different things.
And specifically be Steve, he's.
Been at corner, but he can move all around. We haven't had to, but you know, if we have to, he's gonna be perfect.
Fine.
He could blitz, he could play zone coverage, and then he can still play man.
So, you know, the more guys who can go out there and make plays for us in.
The back end, I'm loving it because we'll put you out there.
With as often as they run play action and just as often as they have dropped like the pass. Especially since Justin Herbert has gotten more healthy. What kind of stresses have put on you guys, especially in the spine of that defense.
Yeah, definitely, man, they're rolling right now. The offense, Herbert's playing a high level. You could definitely see from early on in the season to now that he's feeling better, he's feeling healthy, he's feeling more comfortable in the system.
So it's definitely a challenge.
With the run game, then you got to play action and then they just got to drop back. I was I was laughing. I was like breaking them down. I said, man, they run everything over there in LA. So it's definitely a challenge. We have to be on our p's and q's. But I really honestly feel this way, like if we do our job and we read our keys and we play fundamentally sound, that will be okay.
You look at this version of Giro's offense, how much is familiar and how much is maybe different with Herbert in place of Lamar a quarterback.
So it's real, it's real familiar. It's real familiar. A lot of different things. Now you could tell that he's added a couple of wrinkles here and there, but for the most part, the offense real familiar to what we've seen since g Ro's been here.
Next is special teams coordinator Chris.
Horby, good to see everyone today.
I hope you guys are all doing well.
What a good challenge for us this week to go out, go out to La Monday night football and just get ready to try to go play our best football. You know, it's something that we've been focusing on since we really started the season. We have our moments, it's been up and down, but I do believe our guys are going out there, They're they're competing at a high level, and they're doing everything we asked of them, although not perfect
all the time. Those are the things that we're going to continue to chase questions.
Chris nick Moore was talking on the podcast this weekend talk about how Senousie came is just embracing being the special teams guy when there's been a history of them throughout the course of this organization. Just what have you seen from Sanousie in year one and take off the role?
You know, I just think so far after after eleven weeks of football, the preseason, of training camp, just just seeing him come in the way he approached the game, he's since he got here, he's been all in, he's been fully invested. And then when he got out on the field, the physicality, the effort that he plays with, and then his attention to details. I think for a young guy, what he's done as far as you know, getting guys, rallying guys, he's kind of like he's kind
of like the energizer buddy for our group. And and he's just a rookie, you know, and our guys are pleased with him. I've been very pleased with him. And he's out there. I mean, he's doing a heck of a job for us.
Chris so justin the other day he's seen probably not as irritated, you know, for help as as he just you know, when he has a day like Pittsburgh, what you say anything or what's the conversation with what's been play kind of throughout all these helps of bats.
I think throughout the whole I think throughout the whole process. Uh, you know, and I've said this before, I really game day, I really don't. I don't spend much time talking to Justin, But did you know I did after the Pittsburgh game. I go, I went up to him, and you know, and I just talked and you know, just told her, hey man, you have to just find a way to continue to be you and being great at the things that you're great at, and and kicking the ball is
what he's really great at, you know. And uh, and it hasn't been going his way as much as we like this this year. But you know, we got I got full confidence in him. He's got a lot of confidence in them, in himself, and and he'll he'll get back to where he needs to get to with just a couple uh, technique things, a couple of little things like that. And I do believe we're on the we're on the right track.
There's how much of a challenge can that be mentally, not just for a kicker, but any professional athlete who's accustomed to success and suddenly isn't having that same level of success. Just how much of the mental side of that is is tough.
You could see it, You could see it probably being being a lot for a guy. But I think when you when you have a bunch of guys and a bunch of people that love you, a bunch of people that that have your back, that that you're surrounded around, they can lift you up. They can they can give you, you know, the things that you need to really kind of clear your mind and and and just try to help you understand. You are a hell of a football player, you are a hell of a kicker, and you have
done it. You have done a great job. And I think he's built him such such a long resume of of making kicks and winning games, uh through making kicks.
That it's just it's just not there anymore. It's not to say he's lost it.
He's just we just got to help him find that, uh, find that momentum and those and those swings to get him back to where he is.
You kind of have to avoid overreacting in the situation like this and maybe trying to tick her too much.
I don't think.
I don't think you uh, there's ever an overreaction, you know. I think there's there's things that that we have to get done. You know, we send him out there, and uh, I think it just came up. I mean, there's no one that puts more pressure on himself than Justin Tucker. So no matter what we say, uh, no matter you know, the encouragement we're giving him, he's he's he's saying to himself, Man, I gotta go out there and I gotta make these kicks.
So I don't think there's any overreaction. I think we look at every kick and we just trying to analyze it from each individual kick and say, hey, what can we have done here?
Chris along those line, I think you know Boswell on on Pittsburgh's side, you know, said that somewhat recently that you know he's stopped kicking two days before games. I mean, is there any kind of thing where you think, maybe, because these guys are creatures of habit, changing some part of how they approach the games could be beneficial in the long rum or is it just this thing where you defer a job to do it to Justin because he has been doing.
It for so long?
I think I think what with the plan that Randy and Sam have built for Justin over time throughout the years, Uh, I think we've we've kind of tweaked kind of what we've done with Justin over the years. And I think we also rely on Justin and say, hey, do you feel like you've kicked enough? Do you feel like you need more kicks? He's done it for so long. I think he knows his body better than Randy and I and so we just kind of look at him and we kind of say hey, do we need to kick more?
And if we don't need to kick more, we don't kick more. If we need more kicks, we kick more.
So we just kind of rely on him.
Next we heard from running back Derrick Henry.
Heard about that.
I know, I know, I'm pressed to be looking for my work ethic and you want the playoff.
Uh.
When the season came around, I defeated the opportunity, And like other guys feel the same way. You know, the g I know guys wanna get their words, but we're just focused on as a forman since you know by the way you work in the first work.
Every day you talk about the other guys wanting to get that work. And you see a guy like Safewan having a really nice year with in Philly. Yeah, uh, Josh Jacobs in Green Bay. For those free agents to having strong seasons in that first season, what do you think that will do coming forward for the position?
Oh, it does a lot. Even know they're they're franchise players, They're they're showing that they're proving that week at the week. Those guys work hard to uh let it showcase during the season, and I'm glad that they're uh able to you know, showcase their talents and been h having a great year and hopefully the open doors for the future and the other running backs that's coming up to free agency and get opportunity to get paid as well.
I know you guys have kind of talked a little bit during the past off seasons together, but with the conversation like during the season when you guys are all playing different teams and.
Yeah, I mean we all focused.
I mean we just tell each other great jobs, that we have a great game and just happing each other up.
You know, when the back.
Simple, you gotta see together and I'm glad to see everybody doing well.
Do you ever have.
Games like that where there's a running back on the other side where you're excited to face or guys around the league that obviously you're not the same on the field the same time, but guys you're kind of excited to go up against like that.
I mean, I don't say I'm excited to go up against anybody, but just uh, it's good to go up against other great players, and you know, especially our opposition guys who are uh franchise players making a big impact, you know, to see them doing well and go up against them and you know, just uh, you know, group for them to do well as well. So, I mean that's the cool thing about it, man, just going to get against guys that you wanna see.
Do well and you hate 'em to mind over and you wanna come to mind over the course of your career. Uh, just guys you'd like kind of like going against or think about going against.
Nah, not at all.
Nah. I love every moment and think any any player that gets a chance to play in this league and start and have a big impact, it's uh, it's always specially.
Just on that note, are you familiar with Jk's backstory and what he's going through to get to this point? Are you kind of happy for him?
You know, even though he's playing for the Chargers this week, that he's had the season he's had after the injuries.
Yeah, I'm alas gonna be happy for for any running back on you know, Jason JK had you know, a little short time of injuries, but he's bounced back and shore his hard work and his heart to get back into it and he's having a great year.
He's doing a great job for him.
Hats off to him and any year he's happen and glad to see him back out making plays and.
Do a big things for his team.
You're listening to the Ravens Press Pass podcast. Make sure you're subscribed. Also subscribed to the Lounge feed as well. Thank you so much for listening. We'll be back with you again on Saturday.