Henry, Smith, Stephens & More: Ravens Press Conferences 12/12/24

Welcome into the Ravens Press Pass Podcast. It is Thursday, December twelfth. The Ravens are gearing up for a game against the New York Giants on Sunday, and today we had a chance to hear from the coordinators. Let's kick it off with offensive coordinator Todd Monkin.

So during the.

Bye, I was this week you're focusing on the Giants? During the bye?

How did you kind of split up your time knowing that you had three games in eleven days.

Spend a decent amount on us, spend some time on the future opponents, and then the back end of the week we turned our focus to the Giants.

When you go back and look you and take that week, how much or how much value do you find in this self from the self scouting and self reflection you get the little extra time to do that you find that particularly beneficial this week?

Do you find a few nuggets? I mean, our coaches do a great job each week trying to self scout ourselves, but there's a few things that come up that you know when you have a little bit more extended time that you're able to look at and say, okay, we can be better here. Whether it's calling it preparation concepts, whatever it might be.

Do you feel that bye week was just necessary at this point? I mean this team started earlier than just about everybody. With the Chiefs, you had the latest bye week, and now you're heading into you know, three games eleven day is just time wise. Just how challenging has that been and what was the.

Benefits of the vibe?

The benefits were again, you know, the things we talked about in terms of looking ourselves and then future opponents. You can see it in terms of our injury report. You can see in terms of having the week for our guys. To me, it's it's more for our players and their bodies more than it is us.

I mean, it's what we do.

I mean we came in, we worked just like we would as if we were you know, it was a game week, so you know it.

You always say that comes at the right time, but I think it did.

Mark Andrews is one touchdown from the organization record, in your perspective, would make.

Them so special.

Competitiveness, I mean, he's, uh, he's an elite competitor. I think that's the best way to put it. Football is important to him. Everything we do is important. To him, meetings are important to him, his body is important to him, how he plays, So he's a He's a top, top level competitor, one of the top competitors I've ever I've ever been around.

Do you ever have to dial him back, like in trading camp in July or you know, just because he's so intense in everything he.

Does, he does a pretty good job of monitoring himself. You'd have to ask him that. I haven't ever. I think we've had to do that with you know, any of our players that go as hard as he goes.

I think that's uh.

He probably would run himself in the ground, But you'd have to ask him that, Like I don't. It doesn't feel like we've ever monitored that other than when he's been nicked up a little bit because he doesn't want to be out.

He really wants to be in there. I mean, he loves playing the game.

You have Army and Navy playing here in this area this week. I know you're not a disinterested observer to that. Do you being able to see jet.

At all and dec or?

I would doubt it, but go Army.

Obviously that a few Giants have lost some guys up front, for their in their past rush, you guys have had the opportunity for the upsive line to every group and get healthy over the bridge.

Just how do you kind of see.

That that uh, that matchup shaping up in I guess what are your kind of expectations for the line over these next four weeks?

Well, I thought the guys that they played last week played played pretty well. Like I did, I didn't see, you know, a significant drop off. I mean, they're pros. You know, they've been waiting for their opportunity. So we're gonna have to play well. We're gonna play a lot better than we did a couple of weeks ago, and our guys are up to that challenge. I think the byeway's going to help, and we've got to be ready

I mean, let's let's say it like it is.

They're certainly more than capable, and they do a good job on defense. Schematically, they get good players. We're gonna have to play butts off.

As he gets to these December January games, how much does weather affect game planning.

I guess it could if you knew in advance, you know what you're getting. We don't always know in advance what we're getting. I do think your ability to be able to run the ball, play with physicality, control the game that way certainly carries you maybe more win than it does rain. But you know, it hasn't come up yet this year to where I've thought about that part of it.

I don't know if you've followed it at all, but I'm curious to get any reaction to Bill Belichick taking the UNC job.

Huh, all right, I don't know how to react. Good for him, I mean, if that's what he wants to do, Good for anybody that has an opportunity to be a head coach again, whatever level that might be. I'm sure it's an exciting time for him those that go with him there, and for the University North Carolina. I mean, you know, so good for him.

Next up is defensive coordinator Sac War.

How y'all doing y'are doing? Alright? Alright? I'm doing good zat.

I know the focus is kind of is going to be the Giants all week, but you do have three games and eleve days.

What's the biggest challenges as far as a coaching staff when you have that many games.

In that short run.

I think just making sure you guys prepared, making sure they can go out there and execute what you're asking them to do and put them in the best position to succeed. I know, me personally and us personally, like I'm all on the giants. I haven't even worried about nobody else, Like I'll stay up late or get up early when those guys, you know, when those guys show up.

But I'll focus on the giants.

So just preparing that way and whatever challenges other teams may present.

You know, we're having me days, we had to prepare for them.

We'll make sure we get the work done and being a best position to see Zack.

There's there's a randomness to turnovers to some degree. You know, they come in bunches and it's just how the ball bounces some But for the numbers to be down where they are as you had this buy, we did you go back and look and see, like how much are you creating the plays you want to create to try and force them? You know, maybe is that not matching the results or is it just or you're not creating enough of those.

Kinds of plays. I think that it's a combination.

I think that we've had opportunities that we didn't take advantage of, even whether it's drop interceptions or we get a sack, but we're not stripping at the ball. And then I think also with you know, some of the plays, you know, with some of the plays you know obviously you know blitzes and stuff that causes more you know, turnover. So we look at all that throughout the bye week.

So my guys are aware of it, they practice at it. We got a good chance.

We got a good job getting a ball out today, and practice good job geting the ball out Monday and yesterday as well. So I'm excited to go out there and see what these guys do Sunday.

Yeah, along those.

Lines, Kyle Hamilton yesterday was kind of asked what was the next step, and he said, you guys have done a good job of limiting the big plays, you know, the last few games before the vibe, but he kind of said it's time to start attacking people. Yeah, do you feel a growing sense of confidence and these guys maybe kind of you know, eliminating those big players, but getting to a point now where you can start playing downhill.

A little bit more.

Yeah, I definitely, I definitely think so. Man.

I think that you know, the guys would eliminating explosives. You definitely build confidence just in defense and just with the guys.

Out there, you know, playing along with each other.

So I think that, you know, it was something that we didn't want to have happened early, and you can lose a little bit of confidence and you kind of get, you know, play a little bit on your heels when you start getting up a lot of explode is every single game like we were doing or for a good bit. And I think now that that has calmed down a

To get back off that question, Chris, you when we talked to him last week, said that the defense had been simplified someway, at least on the back end. I mean, does being more aggressive and being more exotic kind of going hand in hand?

Are those two separate notions?

I think you can still be aggressive and exotic and still keep it simple. You know a lot of times, you know you can. You can try to do a lot of stuff and have a lot of different play calls in and I think we've done a good job of just simplifying just a verbiage and just trusting our guys that it might not be the perfect play call for the perfect situation, but just trust them that they go out there and play their fundamentals and play the technique that they'll be fine. So I think that's what

Sometimes in the buying week, a team will really maybe make a substantive change to something and your team kind of.

Did it on the fly before you ever got to the bye week? Specifically, what did you what did.

You take care of in terms of self scouting over the what was your focus in self scouting over the bye week?

Just really looking at what the issues were, what we did, what we did well, and then where we struggled at and why we why we were struggling and what they what we can build on and what we can do going on these last four weeks. So I think we looked at everything. Man, it was a real productive week. I felt like we got a lot done as a coaching staff. But I specifically looked at, you know, the players we were giving up.

While we're giving up, was.

It you know, certain calls or certain opponents we're going against, certain coverages, certain blitzes, certain players. We looked at all that and then looked at what our guys are doing well and then how how we can build on that and how we continue to do that, and how we can uh you know, compliment I'm met that with other things and new things that the offense may not see, and just really put our guys in the best position.

So I think it was real productive.

I'm excited about you know, what we got done in the bye week and excited about you know what we're gonna be able to do going forward.

What stands out to you about Molik Nabors.

Yeah, man, I remember watching just crossover tape, watching a lot of guys in sec DBS and him sticking out. Man, he's explosive player. He kind of you know, he's not he's not there yet, but he kind of reminded me just from his college tape, kind of like Jamar Chase from a sense of he's explosive, he can make contested catches, he gets the ball in his hands. He's a good rat guy. So you know he's he's a good player.

You know he's a good player.

We definitely got to, you know, know where he's at and make sure we take care of him and not let him wreak the game TVs.

Robinson has parked out of a bigger role without necessarily getting a lot of tension for it from me outside from your standpoint, where is he growing the most this year?

I think in all aspects. I think in all aspects. I mean, t Rob always been a hard worker, a physical player. I think now that the game has kind of just slowed down for him and you were able to see him just even play even more faster, play faster, play more aggressive, and play even more physical. And I think he's even developed better as a rusher as well. So t Rob's one of those guys who I mean, he's a raven through and through. He's a guy that we love, you know, not talked about a lot, but

So actually knowing how these last four are, how big they are for you, and it's an unusual schedule to it.

Do you have to hit.

More one out of time with the guys and then when you played was it hard not to peek ahead and kind.

Of think what if now?

I think you definitely know what's on the I think you definitely know what's on the horizon. But I think we do a good job here, even when I was a player expressing like, man, you got to stay singular, focus on what's going on. You know, we know that this is a day to day game, a week the week league, and you know, before you get down the line,

You made that an emphasis? Have you made that an emphasis?

Though?

I mean, you're the giants at two and eleven.

They're missing a bunch of guys they're down to their thirst string quarterback and with you know Pittsburgh Casey right there to follow them to make sure that they do stay here in this moment this week.

Yeah, I mean, truthfully be told, we haven't talked nothing about the record. We haven't talked to anything about the opponents on the rise, and like our mindset, you know, we got Yeah, we're playing a little bit better, you know, but we're not where we want to be at, especially as a defense. I know we're not where we want to be at as a team, and just a mindset come out to buy was good for us to reload, refocus and we got back.

We said, I don't care who.

On the schedule, you know, we got, we got, we got, we got, we got business to handle. So that's what we got to go out there and go do. So we're not really looking at that. I don't care who it is, you know what I mean, it could be one of the greatest teams ever that everybody say we're going against. You know, we got to prepare the right way and make sure we have our stuff ready.

To rolla with the both of the season behind you, and as you navigate this role as coordinator, what are some of the adjustments you've had to make to continue to learn and grow in your role.

That's a good that's a good question. I got to think about that for a second. I gotta think about it for a second. I think that a lot of it's trust, you know, trust the instincts, Trust the instincts.

Unit position for a reason.

And you know, I would probably honestly say that just trust, trust instincts. You know, that's I think that. And also just you know, trust the players.

Let them. Let them go out there and go do their thing. Man. And not that I not that I.

Haven't, but just even more, just like the players are the ones who make the plays.

You know.

It's so it's a it's a great call.

When when if a player make great play, even if it's even if they didn't do the right thing that you wanted them to do, you know, and it could be a it could be a bad call. They did everything right and somebody made a great play. So just let them go out there, don't overthink it. Just trust your instincts and and let the chips follow what they may.

Thank you, we appreciate y'all.

Next, we heard from Special Teams coordinator Chris Horton, good to.

See everyone today. I hope you guys are doing well.

What do you got for me today, Chris, As your approach to returning kickoffs changed since you've been learning this.

New kickoff and all that it requires, that you want a kind of your structure on that.

As is progressed.

I think looking forward to what we what we did earlier in the year, I don't think the approach has changed as much as what we would have initially thought. I think if teams give gives us a ball, we our philosophy still is a we want to return that ball depending on how deep the ball is in the end zone and things like that. I think again, I don't still don't see any benefit of a ball that's two to three yards deep in the end zone for

As it gets colder, you know, generally the ability to just kick the ball you know, deep into the end zone or out of it may not be there as much as it has been earlier in the season. So you what have you learned about returning and also covering in this new format. Do you think now that it's more like you have to deal with it on are more often times.

In a game.

It's one of the things that Uh, again we're still continuing to look at. We still don't have a lot of a lot of plays. From our standpoint, I think we we tend to do things a little bit differently than than what I've seen from across the league, from as far as you know, how we want to set up on the ball, how we want to block. So I think as we continue to go through the practices, uh, we continue.

To force ourselves.

You know, while we're out here, we don't we don't put the ball in the end zone and we're returning the ball. So it gives us a little bit, uh of some some tape to watch to kind of see how these things work out. But you know, as the weather changes, yes, we are gonna get we are going to get more kicks and uh, I think if our guys are doing a pretty good job of blocking now and putting ourselves in positions to to hit big returns, and I like the two guys that we have back there.

I haven't seen the numbers league wide, but from your standpoint, do you feel like it's any harder to break a long return than it was on the previous system.

I wouldn't. I wouldn't.

I wouldn't necessarily think it's a it's a lot, it's a lot harder. I think the angles have changed a little bit, and kind of how you're setting up on the play.

I think the play happens a lot faster.

Guys, the coverage guys get on you a lot quicker, which closes the lanes a little bit faster. But I wouldn't I don't necessarily think that you can't hit big returns because we've seen across this league there there has been touchdowns, there has been.

Forty plus yard returns. Those things are showing up weekly.

But again, if the cut, I think it all goes back to how the coverage team also plays that play because there is a defense on the other side of it.

How has Justin been in practice this week? You're seeing what you want to see out of him.

I've seen what I want to see, I see what I what I'm saying out him every week in practice. You know he's been doing He's been doing awesome in practice. He's in a good place, and I know he's ready. He's ready to get out there and go play.

Anything that you can do to kind of simulate the game, like pressures during practice, or is it just basically when the lights come on, you've got to be ready.

It's just, you know, we we try to get out there. We say we want to go out there and practice how we're going to play. Obviously we can't. We can't be out there knocking each other around and things like that, but we do do a good job of sending edge pressure off the edges and things like that to get guys in his face.

Again, you just got to go out there and you got to go play. It's it's game day.

I think Justin was kicking in there with pretty strong rains for m yesterday. Did he want to go out there and do that in the elements just to get that work or what?

I don't necessarily think Ryan it was the elements.

I think once we were done with our special teams practice, you know this, this indoor isn't big enough for us to kick on both ends of the field.

You got an offense in the defense.

So as a part of hey we can go outside and we can get some work with a great day to go out there and do it, because the guys wasn't done yet.

That's all I think it was.

I just saw that the league meetings Troy Bevinzi was talking about the onside kick and it being a dead play. As he said, I'm just curious your perspective on our onside kicks and whether you feel like, hey, that's a part of the game that should continue or what.

You know. I haven't really thought that much into it.

Obviously, when you're in it, when you're on the on the hands team, your hands teams out there, it's a it's a important that you recover the football, right, you know. Obviously there's what been three we've been on the other end of it. Two of them you know, happened against us. But you know what, you go out there, man, it's a hard play. It's a hard play to get that ball. You can't you really can't do a lot. You got to be stationary. You can't move guys around and things

This team signed Deontay Hardy in the off season. There's a lot of excitement about adding a returner of his level. Just how disappointing has it been just for him to not be able to see, I feel due to injury and not being able to be out here after adding a guy that a.

Little so dynamic.

Yeah, really, I really can't speak to you know, you know how how he feels. I know it's probably got to be frustrating for him. But for us, man, it's just, hey, let's coach the guys that are out there, Let's get the most out of the guys that are out there, and let's be as productive as we can, you know. And I think for him it's you know, I don't know, I don't know how he feels and things like that. I've had conversations with him, but he's and good.

Raschine Alee had a larger role of returning kicks prior to the bye.

What did you like?

What did you see from him?

What did you like?

What do you need to potato?

Oh?

Man, uh Rashine's just he's just a ball player, you know, He's he's good with the ball in his hands, he's got good.

Burds, he's he's fast, he's physical. Uh you know.

And and again uh to the question that was asked earlier about just just the ability to hit big returns. Uh, that hole opens up and it closes pretty quickly. Now it doesn't stay as open as as long. So I think, what what rashine season? What the backs give us as an opportunity? They see that all the time, and so I just think, Uh, the more touches he get, the more yards we're going to be getting on kickoff return.

All right, thank you.

In locker room today we also heard from a handful of players, including running back Derrick Henry.

He was good bye for you or was it more he physically or mentally from you?

Getting that by with this play the season?

I mean, I think it's key for everybody.

Get your money in I uh, your mind and body's right, get away for a little bit, reset and then come back ready to work.

And you have that at this point just years if your final four so critical where you wanna get So you have four three games in eleven days, cause the final two and you're a big playoff teams, you get this team that's two and eleven could be a trap game? How do you make sure you guys are avoid them?

But I think you just take it one game at a time.

Focus on what we need to do, executing wise on on all three phases, and go out there.

And practice that and let let it transition to the game.

And it's focus on what we need to do, not not so much to the opponent, and not uh killing ourselves and uh there's one there playing our stolid football.

Give ourselves the best chance to win.

Yar got your career, You've got a great track record, you're playing well. Wait in the season December January? What do you think is the key and me.

To be a.

I don't know.

I think players I played with doing a great job and you know them making my job easier for me to do my job. You know, the guys up front, you'll have to do a great job and you know credit to you know that's you know, that's that's happened in the past.

But you know, just focus on the right now.

I know the just disemilar history, but uh, I'm just focused on me playing better, being better and me and the best part I can to help this team As you.

Come back from the boy how would you kind of describe the teams?

Might say going into these fine.

Up the river seas.

Yeah, everybody's in the job. Everybody's uh glad to be back. Had a great boy week. You'll be able to reset and no, I know we define I know we definitely miss uh playing football, but great to be back flying around and get ready to play this week.

You're one with the team.

One touchdown shot or setting the whole time franchise record for touchdowns? What what does that mean to you?

What would that means to you if you got with I try to try to leave the individual stuff, you know, out of it, try to focus.

On the team.

And you know that is like I said, you would have credit all the guys that made it possible for me to get to the end zone. And you know, just thankful, you know for this her whole journey and it's organization and everybody's been a part of it.

Arrek.

Obviously a change that you doing about with hair style.

I mean we went into kind of going away from the dregs.

Uh just wanted to change something I've been wanting to do and you know, I finally did it feel lighter.

Yeah for sure, So Derek ash and Jackson he's the running back and where he stayed.

What have you kind of seen from Evan? I know he's up for the hydro and would be the first running back since you to win it. Do you do you kind of think that that that he should get that?

Yeah, he's incredible, man. You know, a player that.

Is the whole game plan and you know, defenses know what's what's gonna happen. Then you know they still can't stop it. But I haven't seen it like that for for a long time. And uh, I know he's closer to getting getting to the record.

I hope he gets it.

And yeah, man, running backs, man, you know, I got a special place you know for running backs.

In my heart.

So you know, hopefully, you know, he gets to to win it. But him and Travis, they both had a great year. I mean, he can go either way, and I feel like the c the close ones, you know, it always happens that way. He can go to eat the side. But it just been balling out and I'm bad to see him in the playoffs.

See what it does.

We also heard from a Linebackerkwan Smith.

My week, what did you.

Take from that and how did they kind of serve as.

A reset for this team?

Oh?

Yeah, no, the BI week was great. You know, it's a long season for a reason, and yeah it was. It was really good. And being able just to get away have that reset, even just mentally, like getting back here on Monday, it was just like wow, like felt like a brand new person in a sense. Like the game is definitely stressful, but you know, we're excited about this run we're about to make and uh it starts this week with New York, so excited about the opportunity.

Along those lines of what is your your view going into this final four game stretch of the regular.

Season treated like the playoffs, treated like the playoffs, each and every game, each and every play treated like I said last, because it very well could be regardless of like how you want to approach it, knowing that they're there are other games that are guaranteed, but you're not guaranteed another play.

Anything can happen.

So just having that type of mindset and have that type of mindset and play with no governor, no cyling on yourself. Uh, each and every guy, and the sky's the limit.

Three games in eleven days, like first on Sunday, Just I don't think you've probably ever have ever done that.

So how do you handle where is that physically? In that way? Have ideas?

Uh, you know, line it up, chin up, chest out like I always live.

I don't really care too.

Much about that.

It's cause at the end of the day, when there's an opponent out there like that, individual's tryna provide for their family. So regardless of how bad someone is HEARDing, uh, what they're thinking mentally, you gonna go put it all on the line because that's your job and you're trying to provide for your family and as well for yourself.

Defensively, the production has gotten a lot better of the last three games, turn the points allowed, just bringing big plays away. How do you get back to Mino also for some turnovers, Well, I'll still allowing your big plays to.

Not be there.

Yeah, And it just goes back to doing your job. Like it's hard for offense to just continue play in and play out play mistake free football. So when those opportunities come, those takeaways come, they come in bunches, and we believe in that and we can't press at all. We just gotta keep doing our job. Each and every guy do your job, including myself, and if we do that, the stuff everything else will take care of yourself.

Real cool.

I'm sure you guys respect on your opponents, but obviously the Giants atty having a great season right now. When you're going on the road to play a team like this, it is it important to kind of get out to a quick start to to kind of not give putting like that confidence at all.

Yeah.

I think the main message uh this week is setting it tone early far as a uh, defensive perspective like with or But I don't I don't think about it as like, oh, these guys won what two, three games or whatever.

The case may be.

At the end of the day, each and every one of those guys have a job and they're trying to audition for a job for next year. Those guys have a family at home, some have wife kids, So at the end of the day, a man is gonna give everything he got to provide for that and willing to put his life on the line. I'm speaking from my perspective, and I know guys over there on that side of the ball on our team as well who willing to

To the last.

And lastly today we heard from cornerback Brandon Stevens.

Just what it like to get away and get some time.

Yeah, you know, obviously it was good. You know, obviously it was a laid by as well. Uh, but it was. It was good to get away, you know, good to you know, just be your family whatnot. But you know, we're back now. Gave us some time to rejuvenate, reset, and you know it's back to work defensively.

You guys have taken so many questions this season about either whether it's communications, misplays in the back end and Zach just kind of taking over and everything being new this group in particular the last month now to buying what's ahead of you?

How do you feel confidence why.

It's going into with the way.

The defense has been playing. Yeah, I think, you know, just going forward, I think we're all feeling pretty good. You know, we we definitely have a you know executed you know ways that we like, you know, still have more room to improve on.

Uh.

But yeah, we're feeling good, feeling confident. But you know, we got we got this one. Uh, you know, this this Sunday, uh, and this the one we're looking forward to.

It's a big topic.

Three games and ten days, one Sunday it happens. Just how are you planning to approach.

That son usual?

Yeah? Like you know, like I said, we're we're just focused on this one and uh, you know, and then we'll we're we're really not even looking too far ahead. You know, we know that we have three games and what ten ten days, but you know, right now the Giants is the only get where we're focused on.

What do you see Familik Neighbors when you watch it more take.

Yeah, he's a you know, talented receiver. I think that's you know, uh, that's what shows a field.

Uh.

But you know, we're all we're all looking forward to the to the matchup.

What do you think that defense do you tect area need to do? Continue to leverage that you can come this defense you started.

To be towards a quarterback. Yeah, I think we just have to continue to, uh, you know, you be on the same page, communicate, you know, like we've been doing the past couple of weeks, and just playing our style of defense, you know, just playing free and playing confident out there.

Zach talked about the defense's desire to generate more turnovers. How much of that is a mentality thing where you're like, alright, I'm I'm gonna take this chance, I'm gonna try to jump this versus changes that you actually make.

Yeah, I think you know, y, you never want to just chase plays, you know what I mean. I think we just had to continue to, you know, play our style, you know, and and when when the ball shows up, you know. But I think we have to just take take advantage of opportunities, you know, cats, the ones that give us, you know, strip the ball, whatever the case may be. We just have to take advantage of our opportunities.

Said, I don't not even mentioned the Giants record and not meet any and so forth.

Do you believe in the concept of what the trap game.

Where the Steelers moving right after this in such.

Situation, visual game and right out for now, we uh yeah, we're not paying attention to the to the uh to the record. You know, they're they're you know, any team, it's any given Sunday, you know what I mean, you have to prove yourself ea Sunday. But not I don't really feed into the trap game mentality. You know that you know, they're fully capable of of of winning, you know what I mean. And and that goes for every team.

When the quarterback has gone back and forth with them, but now, I mean, you know it's de beato. Does is that any wrinkle where kind of you know that that's a little bit late that they come and go back forth with them and lock and locks her. Does that change anything from your preparation of wasn't sure.

And now you know, and I might change.

Not not not really, it doesn't. It doesn't change much. You know, obviously you're going to study the quarterback that they have in there, but you know, we're preparing for whoever shows up. You know that. I think that's how we're imputing.

Them you're listening to Ravens Press Past podcast, also head over to the Lounge podcast feed. We sat down with safety our Darius Washington talked about his journey to a starting role. Really interesting backstory, so you can check that out on the Lounge podcast feed. Make sure you subscribe to that feed and this one as well. Thank you so much for listening and we will be back with you again tomorrow