Welcome into the Ravens Press Pass Podcast. Today is Thursday, November twenty first, and the Ravens are preparing to face off for the LA Chargers on Monday. Today we heard from head coach John Hardball.
Good seeing everybody, appreciate everybody being here. What question do you have, John.
As you know third time you're gonna be pacing your brother in an NFL game.
How your thoughts from the matchup?
Again, it's a tough matchup.
It's a very good football team we're playing this week and highly ranked pretty much in every area. Winning football team, very physical, very tough, extremely well coached football team, no question about it. One of the best coaches of this generation, no question. I believe that even if it weren't my brother, I would say the same thing. So we've got our work cutout. Force, got to travel across the country and play on Monday night football.
The guy that you're facing gets a lot of know riot the other coach, even though you're undefeated against him.
Are you surprised that the amount of attention he continues to get.
It's uh.
Jim is a is a great great He's a fun guys. He's he's he's my brother. I've known him, you know, since he was born, and uh, I've got that on him, you know, a couple of months. But uh uh he's he's uh. He loves football man, he loves his players, he loves football. He's he's uh, he's always got some way of seeing things. I think that's really interesting and uh, you know that's why people are interested in hearing from him.
The nature between you two guys.
I mean, obviously you've based off in the biggest stage of them all in this sport. But just where does it get How hot does the competitive nature get between the Yeah.
It used to get hot, you know.
I mean back back when we were younger, it was it was every day it was one fight or another. He was reminding me a couple couple of weeks ago, months ago about this a little I was. I used to be bigger than him most of the time. Then he would he ended up bigger. Obviously, he's a he's a Pro Bowl quarterback. You know, he's seventeen year player in the National Football League. He's a great athlete, always was.
But most of the time I had the edge on him in growth until we got to be you know, about eighteen nineteen and I'd hold him down on stuff, and he had this technique called the crab technique, he called it, and he would basically get out his back and he gets hands and his feet up there and he just fend me off, you know, his hands and his feet and I couldn't get to him.
It's really athletic. So I came up with the technique.
We had these big brown pillows in our basement that you land to watch TV, these old suede brown pillows, corduroy brown pillows, and I would be able to take the pillow and i'd you know, swipe his feet down and pin him and then get back on top of him, you know. And I had forgotten about it. I mean, I did not remember it. But when you're the younger brother, that's the kind of thing you remember, you know. So
I take a little credit for his toughness. I guess, you know, he's probably one of the toughest people I know.
He was on the he was on the rich Iscean Show the other day and he talked about when he looks at your team carefully, when he looks at you guys on tape, there is an element of kind of staring in the mirror. I guess in part because of all the people they have there who are from here.
But I mean, do you do you see that?
I mean, do you see a powerful connection between the teams, whether it's the people and solid or whatever.
Yeah, all of it, all of it.
The you know, the culture, the way things are done, but the how they play. Certainly, the schemes very similar. You know, the schemes are a lot of ways not exactly the same, but a lot of ways mirror images the people coaching, a lot of the guys playing. But you know, with that, it's two different football teams. You know, it's two teams squaring off in a really important game. You know, and that's really what it's gonna be about. It's gonna be about the guys out there playing the game.
You know, it takes a lot of curds to play this game, man, It takes an incredible amount of toughness to play this game with these guys put into.
It that kind of an effort week after week.
And we're coming off one of those games, we're going into one of those games. There'll be one of those games the next week after that. That's what the National Football League is That's why I think these players deserve so much respect for what they do. It's a player's game, you know. It's an honor to be in this game coach. It's I told the players just this week in the opening meeting, you know, and it's a quote that they didn't probably get you'll get it.
I told him.
I feel like the luckiest man on the face of the earth, you know, and I do because you get a chance to coach these guys and be around them every day.
What is it like just coaching against someone that you are so close with has been your sounding board both of you throughout your entire careers.
Like, is there that element that you do know him really well and can anticipate.
That on a game day.
I don't know about anticipating stuff.
I think it's more in the emotional world, you know, It's more in the in that in that in that place. I mean, it's very it's unique and it's never been done before, you know, and I don't know if it will happen again for a long time. You know, this this particular thing. So I think it's hard to describe it and say to people. If you have a sibling,
you know, you're close to you probably understand it. You probably can put yourself in those shoes and just kind of imagine what it's like to be across the sidelines in an NFL game, coaching your teams.
Everything else is the same.
Your parents handling it this week, And what's the conversation been.
Like, Uh, yeah, it's been. It's been. We've talked about a lot of different things besides football. You know, is that off limits?
Now?
The football?
It's not off limits, but it's really just not it's just what have we gott to talk about? You know, I mean everybody kind of understands the situation. They're not going to the game. They're going to watch it down in Florida at my sister house or with Joni and Tom Crane, and that's their plan. I understand why they're doing that. You know, it's it's great, but it's hard.
It's our anniversary in practic is their anniversary?
Yep, it is their anniversary November twenty fifth. They got married in nineteen in nineteen sixty, nineteen sixty one, because I was nineteen sixty two, right, sure, yeah, yeah, it was over a year later, so yeah, that'll be their anniversary.
Technically, told the team stories about your guys's previous meeting, or stories like you just told us about growing up with Jim. What was it you told your players stories about you guys growing up or just to not really, I mean.
I told we've talked, we've told some stories over over in the past, but not this week, you know, really this week it's it's there's it's just too it's two for the players and the coaches. It's not about that because we have such a challenge. I mean, the challenge is playing the game. Getting in that game and playing that game against that team is the biggest challenge you could have, you know, and that's what everybody's focused on.
To your point, Obviously you're focused on the game. Jim focused on the game. Will there be a moment where you are able to step back from it and appreciated or have a moment with him at some point? Is that and is that different than maybe it would have been earlier in your guys' career when you faced each other.
Uh.
Sure, we'll talk before the game, you know, the chit chat before the game, and it'll be different because it's my brother, you know, than it is with other coaches and it'll be it'll be great. We had that kind of moment for the Thanksgiving game. We talked before the super Bowl same way, and they I don't think it's different in that sense. It's a it's really it's really cool. But you know, really, even when you're talking, there's your thoughts around the game.
You know, the teams, John, this team, the Charges have already kind of turned the corner pretty quickly under jump.
Can you when you watch the team, can you kind.
Of see some of the elements that you can kind of pinpoint his fingerprint as to how this team has changed just within the last year.
Absolutely.
I mean to me, it's it's it's a it's a it's a reflection of his coaching style, it's it's a reflection of his football personality. I think they've taken that on. They've gotten those kind of people, and you guys all pointed out with your questions. I mean they've they they've surrounded themselves with people that that see the game the same way, and their team reflects that players and coaches and uh, they're doing a great job.
Yeah, I Jim, have you can you ever remember facing with you or both the offensive ringer and the if it's coordinator had worked through you in the basket.
No, no, I have to I can't say that I can recall that along those lines.
I mean, when you look at the connections between the two teams, it's a long sheet of guys that are interchanged, I don't want to say interchangeable.
They've worked for both our balls, right, it's a it's an amazing number.
Does that change the game in any way in terms.
Of planning and what the knowledge.
Some of these people may have on you.
It's different than other games, sure, because you know, we we we we know the schemes pretty much. But they'll be wrinkles, you know, there'll be ideas. It's it's kind of the old you know, they know what we know, that we know that, they know that we know that they know what we know, you know, and with that they'll be uh, they'll be wrinkles, I'm sure. But it's going to come down in the end to the players.
Just just to emphasize that, you know, all the scheme stuff is important, but most important is really how the game is played, you know, and who plays the best football game out there in terms of making the plays and and playing discipline football and playing physical football and blocking and tackling all those things. The players. It's a players game. The players will be determining the outcome of it.
Smith and is it and is he one of those players that you'll have to battle if he The trainers are saying, I don't know.
About this season.
Uh, he's he's working hard to get healthy. He's not ruled out by any stretch.
I can say that. And uh, and he's working toward the game at this point.
D one week away, Thanks, give me one week away. What do you look like? Fall understand?
Gee?
Oh gosh, that's a great question. You kind of forget to be thankful sometimes, But like I told the team, I'm grateful for the blessings of of family. First, I told the guys in the meeting, you know, you go through these these games and uh, you know, tough losses. You know we don't play as well as as we're capable of playing, and you know it it cuts you right to the bone. You know we all feel that way. And even in the winds, you know you still want to try to get better. It's all you think about.
There's really not too many things I care about. You don't care about my relationship with my creator, you know, number one, and and my family. I really care about my family and the football team, you know. And I was joking with it.
You know.
It's like call your buddies up from college or something and want to know how they're doing, and you know, how's your family doing? You know. And the truth is, during the season, it's like I might ask. I'm sorry, guys, I might ask, but I really don't care. You know, I really don't care. I can't think about that because we have we have these these things that are so important to us going on right now, and I'm grateful to have those things in my life that are so meaningful. Faith, family,
and for us football. You know, that's kind of what it is.
We also heard from quarterback Lamar Jackson.
So more one of the big stray lines.
Of course, it's going to be John Jim Harball coaching against each other as as players. Does that even does that even you guys even think about it? Does it impact the game at all from a player level?
To be honest, I don't think about it. I don't. I can't speak for everyone else, you know. I remember watching them play, uh well, not them literally playing against each other. But coaching against each other for the Super Bowl game. I remember watching that. I thought that was dope, but I don't think about it right now.
In fact, there are so many connections on that team though that you to look about JK and Gush and Bows all playing there, guys that have if you weren't back, and you probably wanted to be here but weren't allowed, you know, to get off to come back. Yeah, the extra motivation they may have against you, you feel that, how do you you know? I mean, you're you know, obviously defending them, but just team wise, you sense what that means.
Yeah? Absolutely, man, I know guy's gonna try to get after it. Those guys going to get after it. But I don't have to try to stop those guys, So I'm not worried about it. You know, I'm gonna be worried about pump punts on the board, but it's gonna be great to see those guys. I just don't want to have a good game against.
Us Lamar know how superstitious you are with numbers.
Say, now, you've had tremendous success though on Onday night football.
Is there something that you embraced about that or do you realize Are you aware of the success you've had.
Nah, I'm not aware at all.
You know.
I'm just playing football. It's something I love. Just trying to win, that's all.
Do you think it's any help to them that obviously Jiro was here until two years ago, Jesse Minter, their defensive coordinator, was here until twenty twenty? Does that give them any any leg up?
And I don't know. I can't call it. You know, I'm not over there in those guys meeting rooms. I don't really know what they're gonna bring to the table for those guys. I don't know. I really don't know.
Lamar, slow start for the first two and a half quarters against Cinc. And then I'd imagine you can play as well offensively as you've like throughout the Pittsburgh game. What do you think is holding you back now? Is it a penalty issue more than anything? Or are there certain you're seeing that have given you guys submissions?
Uh?
Just being consistent when we're doing things out there on that field. We gotta be consistent and that's that's what we chasing. And we're not doing a good job at being consistent. You know. We here, we having our moments where going to the game scoring first drive. Then it's been a couple of weeks we haven't been going for a drive, you know, and it's just been taking us a little while to get our groove and we gotta
rik on that. That's that's the biggest thing for us right now, just being consistent, like I said earlier, just putting points on the board, cause that's our job.
This tortures defensive down fourteen points five points to gain, that's the NFL.
When you look at that film, what makes this tortuous defensive cult.
When they're just flying around creating chaos, getting turnovers, stuff like that, and that that'll be a that's a huge, huge, uh job for the defense to do, you know, for those guys to keep the offense out the field, create turnovers. That's possibly holding teams to fourteen points of lower.
You know.
That's all going back.
To the consistency brought up. How do you have to go about either recapturing that or finding that just from you know, a practice standpoint and and kind of getting doctors out.
I guess it starts in practice or just being locked in in practice at every little detail, you know, the smallest details things from the game that we probably made a mistake on cleaning that up. Small things like that, and I feel like we'll we'll be on our way to being consistent. Go back in the morning.
That football team.
You know, you your cliches.
Everybody's watching and all.
Wives are years What what do you like about by ice?
Uh?
We the only show everyone's watching. So that's a That's probably the biggest thing about it. And you just gotta get after it. And tomorrow real Thanksgiving, the one week away. One feet about us like foot four s, great health, my family being in the National Football League, Thank God God first, you know that's no brainer. But uh you guys, man, I appreciate y'all. Man, uh I just love life. I'm thankful for life.
Oh my goodness. How do you kind of look back at your your time with Giro?
It was good. I mean we had a lot of success. Uh no, won my first m v P g RO system. We had a lot of great seasons. I believe it was just short. It was just short. That's all all right, Thank you, appreciate y'all.
Next to safety Kyle Hamilton, he ya, dude, So how's it.
Gonna feel the You know you've tackled other running backs before. But when you see guys that we've actually played with, like JK and Gus Helsach, it could be feel any different when you're going against former guys.
Uh No, I don't. I don't think so.
I think before the game you maybe think about it once or twice, but while your plan is just nameless, faceless opponents. So you know, we're attacking this week like we would any other week. You look at the film that they played this year, just go back to the practice film.
Had them as teammates.
No, I mean it's week twelve now, so we got to get him out on tape that we can go off. But it's always good. I'm sure after the game will say what's up, and you know, it's always good to see those guys kindly.
Yeah, you know, interesting storyline of this game is of course with two brothers Coach Jallam, but like kind of cool aspects and thin going into this. What are your thoughts on playing in a game where you have two brothers.
Yeah, I've I've actually talked to coach ours about it a little bit here and there, like having breakfast whatever, And I think he's from his perspective he's done a good job just kind of managing emotions and you know, we still have a game to play. But at the same time, I think everybody else just understands it's kind of historic and it's cool to be part of history us. Correct me if I'm wrong, But I don't think this has happened before other than them playing each other the
previous time. So, uh, it's always cool to see, like their family, what they've done and what they've done for football and be a part of it. And by the end of the day, we still got a job to do to.
Him, though.
Do you think this could be some fragging rights with this play? Yeah, yeah, for sure, for sure. I mean I know that me and my brother would would be having this bragging rights. And you know, I'm sure coach Jim is ready to play us again after the last time they played, and uh, you know, coach Harvest, being the older brother, gotta put him in his place.
So it's pretty cool to be part of it in botsway.
Do you think it matters at all that their GM came from their defensive coordinator game, premire their offensive coordinator game from here?
Like, does that?
Do you do you think that makes any difference in playing for the game or.
Yeah, I think so.
I think although we haven't played each other this year, obviously we're not in the same division or anything like that, I think we're fairly familiar with each other and how each other operates. And I think it would be a good game. I think it's too like minded teams and hard nos, hard working and people who just love good results and love the process, and I think it's it's gonna be a fun game.
Who do you think that last week?
Mar Darius Washington started last game, played every snap.
What did you see when playing beside him running the Comcast?
Yeah?
I think in my three years here, Ad has been one of the more resilient people on the team. He's had injuries, he's had times where he might have not been in rotation, He's had times when he's put it in the rotation, had another injury, and he's just been super consistent ever since I've been here. And to see him get the opportunity and excel with the opportunity, I think he's not just back there. I think he's back there making plays and doing his job at a high level.
So super happy for him and just thankful I get to play beside somebody like that and have somebody who's as much of a professional as he is to maybe not be in the position that he wanted to be in start of the season. You know, we're getting down to the crunch time of the season and he's he's a big part of our defense. So I'm just happy for him, excited.
I really think you can build.
On last week, you know, keeping them out of the end zone for the entire game than really kind of one of your guys, certainly in the secondary best performances of this season.
Yeah, I think it's easier said than done, and you know, it's something that we kind of got caught up saying against Buffalo and then coming out the next week and not doing. And so I included as well as everybody else in the building, definitely doesn't want that result again. So you know, we're aware of it now and know that we had played a good game, but I think we can get a lot better.
And I think that's kind of the mindset everybody on defense as right now.
You've obviously played deep safety in the past, but this past Sunday was the most you'd played in a.
Too high alignment in quite a while what's that adjustment like for you?
I mean, ideally, do you like being closer to the line of scrimmage?
How did you think that went for you?
Yeah?
I think in college, even starting in high school, college, and even in the league, I've always seen myself as a safety, a versatile a versatile one. But at the end of the day, I think I play safety. So if I'm asked to go play safety, I feel like that's not an issue for me to play safety if I'm a safety, So I just want to do whatever the defense and Zo needs for me on a week
to week basis. If that's going to play safety for the whole game, then I'm one hundredcent final with doing that and we'll do the best.
My abilities has been really down.
I have couldn't play.
But if you didn't, are you t people wearing a green dot or that's something you worked.
On over from training camp?
If you wear a how much green.
Do have a practice field? And that's something I need a lot of spirit.
Yeah.
Yeah, I've had it in my helmet pretty much every day of practice for the past twelve weeks. So I remember if they never told me I didn't had the dot or had the mic and my helmet, so like they want to practice. I heard ze on my ear and it was a surprise, but gotten used to it now. And I remember rookie Mini camp I came out here and I had a dot and that was definitely a lot different than now. My head was spinning, so I didn't really have a chance to get the guys calls.
Kind of feel bad for that, but I've grown since then. But yeah, if I'm asked to do so, then I will.
Now justin harbor and he wait, he throws the ball miss in a way that almost nobody else does. Just preparing for him, watching on tape and having faced him two before, what do you what do you see and getting ready for the scame detent.
Yeah, I mean, like you said, he throws a pretty ball,
and it's a super accurate ball. It's you can throw it deep and you can throw it short, accurately, carries out his fakes very well, and I think one thing that's underrated is his legs, especially last week just watching the film, I think on second and long third down he's able to pick up some first downs and kept since now he's defense on the field, and that's something we have to be very cognizant of just rush lanes and keeping him in the pocket because obviously we're worried
about him throwing on the ball, but at the same time, we can't let him get easy yards. When you watch the Chargers film, does it remind you of the Ravens offenses that you were coordinated and what you.
Face the practice to today? And then second, like, do you expect Giro to switch things up to try to give you some change ups for a lot?
Yeah, I agree with both of those points. I think it is somewhat similar. Obviously, don't have the same people you don't have them are but that's nothing taken away from Justin or anybody on that side the ball. You know, you gotta adapt. I think g Ro has done a good job of adapting his offense to his players and.
Not the other way around.
And you know, they're playing with the big fullbacks and big tight ends and it's hard to as football. You like, you know where the ball's going, you know what's gonna happen. It is just can you stop it or not? And I think there's some beauty in that. There's some ugliness in that too, just the way the games played but you know, we're all tough guys. But yeah, I think
there are some similarities there that we're cognizant of. But you know, at the end of the day, I'm sure he's gonna have some wrinkles to keep us on our toes.
Obviously, a couple of former Notre dan guys on that on that buzzing sidelines, which I know you're closed with cam Hart if he talked to with him at all about you know, the kind of fun.
Being on the same guild together after playing after living a spos he head did.
Yeah, so I and camp came in class of nineteen Notre Dame. Uh lived together for a year my junior year and pretty much best friends and so cool to see what he's done. And he was a fifth rounder this past year, never complained, never did anything, put his head down and went to work. And I think if you guys have watched any cam Hart film, you know that he's been playing really well this year and I'm super happy for him, and I think he's just scratching the surface.
You know. I'm sure just like Jim and John.
Have bragging rights, we're gonna have bragging rights too on this, So that'd be an added w for us we get the win.
Uh, yes, we're gonna do jersey swap.
I don't want to put it out there, but if we did happen to lose, then I might have to just wait on that because I don't want to be out there swapping jerseys after we lose. But hopefully we win in and I'll be happy to go lucky to go swaping jersey there.
How Dave if White, he has some key plays last week, what what have you?
What's it been like working with him? I should say?
And what do you think he's able to bring? Just fastuff that you're speaking.
Yeah, I was actually talking to Trey and I grew up a big ALSU fan, So I remember growing up watching him, Jamal Adams, all those guys play together. And uh so I was a Trade White fan before Trade even knew who I was or even though I existed. But I mean, he's been a great pro in this league for a while, and having somebody like that to add to our already room that I think is deep and just that added wisdom and I think he's super talented. It's such a big win for our team to get
somebody like that. So Obviously he did a good job last week. I'm sure he's gonna build on it this week. Thank you, appreciate y'all.
Thank you.
In locker room today, we also heard from safety our Darius Washington.
I mean it meant a lot of auto hard work that I put in, you know, the finally come to play for sure.
Just how do you think you matched up well with Kyle Hamilton on the other side, and just going against the Steelers and what that meant to play against them.
Too, and that cer certain sting.
I mean it meant a lot, you know what I'm saying. That's a rival team. You know, we stepped up, we had made a huge step, but we lost the game at the end of the day, you know, so we're trying to come out underside of that for sure.
Kyle Hamilton talks about your resiliency and that was something that you appreciated, just knowing how hard it's been for you to battle through injuries, to get back and then to get bumped up and down the depth chart and to finally get back into that starting role. Just what's been that journey for you?
I mean, just having faith in myself, you know what I'm saying. Testing to God, having that faith, in that confidence and within myself knowing that, like once I give my opportunity that I was going to make some plays.
For sure, as a defensive role, how do you try to build off you know, you can give up a touchdown last game?
How do you try to build off of that?
I mean, just keep stacking, paying attention to the details and the little things and things like that.
For sure.
Do you think that just as a secondary overall, that game is kind of a big step in the right direction to you that there are things that you need to take from what you guys were able to do last game.
Of course, I mean we gave them no touchdown, So I definitely think it's a step in the right direction for sure. You know, saying we got it is a week by week. We gotta do that this weekend and next week, and we got to that.
You know, just what was that process?
Like, I mean, you're an undrafted rookie.
You suffered to kind of basically season iving injuries to battle through that on O.
The other side, how tough was that for us?
I mean, that process is tough, you know what I mean? But like I said, I just kept that confidence within myself, you know what I'm saying, Knowing that I was going to be back and come back and be the same exact player that I was when I got those injuries, you know, So all I knew was the opportunity. On the shows.
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