Jackson, Henry, Andrews & Harbaugh: Ravens Press Conferences 11/13/24

Welcome to the Ravens Press Pass podcast. It is Wednesday, November thirteenth. The Ravens are gearing up for an AFC North showdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers this week. This is a matchup between the top two teams in the division and whoever wins it is going to be leading the way in the division race. As the Ravens prepare for that matchup, today, we heard from several players and head coach Jean Harbal. So, let's kick things off with coach Hardball.

Good to see everybody appreciate you being here. Well, questions you have.

John, when you look Steelers defense, what kind of just stands out to you every one?

Well, I mean it's what they've always done, you know. They it starts with the front guys, the pass rush, stopping the run. Then they play downhill from there with those guys. But you got to handle those guys trying to get trying to make the play get over with quick. You know, they're a quick outcome type of the defense. So they strive for and their guys understand it and they do a good job.

I mean, it was a lot of questions obviously outside of their build and when they decided to change from Justin Fields to Russell Wilson's despite the record that they had, they haven't lost with Russ. I mean, why do you think this team has been able to make such a huge change at that point in the season and kind of not miss the stride.

Well, we're getting ready for these guys. They are a very good offense right now. I mean, they've done some good things. Russ brings a lot to the table kind of playing the way he plays, and they've got weapons around him, good offensive lines. So we're just getting ready to try to play our best defensive game Sunday.

John, Certain you guys do differently in practice just in the year two, you know, like years ago, maybe you know, practice more than pants and stuff like that. Realized now it's a different time. But do you guys do anything different? I guess in terms of the preferation's given, the sort of intensity to physicality each routh.

We always try to practice the highest level, right you know what I mean? We really work hard to practice the highest level, whatever it might be. Try to the best practice we can have. Try to focus on fundamentals.

John tut hows games are just getting a field different energy. These guys have played great Steelers have not played the division of pumb it yet this year. Do you view that as an advantage or if there are seasoning as that you feel like you guys had I know.

That we're playing the Steelers this week. You know that's they're the guys on the schedule this week, and try we try to do the best weekend do to be one to know each week and stack up as many wins as we can. But we're focused on the challenge this week against this team that we're playing.

John, you guys are facing a couple of moiliar faces on the Steelers defense and Patrick Finn and Deshaun Elliott. What have you seen on the tape for those two?

Yeah, I just think their defense is playing really well. I mean every piece of it fits. They've They've got roles for their guys every piece fits in a way that they wanted to fit. Those two guys specifically are playing at a high level doing the roles that I think that they've that they've always.

Been good at.

I mean that you say, and you see Pat play, and you see Deshaun play. That's the type of stuff that they've always done well. They did it well here as well. So they're playing well when you're.

Going up against guys that you are familiar with that have been a part of this team, especially somebody like Patrick Quaint who was just here a big part of the communication part. Do you have to worry about changing things in terms of looks you guys normally do or the word play? I mean, do you worry at all about them knowing kind of the secrets of the blames.

No, we don't worry about that at all.

John, you love We saw Kyle Hamilton run a little bit out here.

You have an update on him.

Do you think you're still possibility for him Sunday.

It's the same as we talked about.

Goya. I've seen North Football always won in the trunches. You know, they got a great one second offensive line, and you guys have been playing really.

Well in the past uple wins in this year about how can.

You guys match up against them?

We hope to be able to block them. Until we match up against them, We're getting ready for a tough game. I guess a really good front seven, as you said, and we're gonna try to do our best.

Tell me whether Mark has been doing so many fans in so many aspects of the game.

Well, and you guys, could you get all the self studies, maybe put yourself through the shoes at Currens.

It kind of just like helps.

To get every pinion this year. Dat it doesn't make it kind of tough to ging you to put yourself in the home shoes like Natalie what they'll do because it doesn't have it as well.

This is this season.

I think that we just try to prepare for the defense that we're playing. I mean, the Steelers are good defense. I'm sure they're gonna play their defense, their calls, the way they play them against the plays that they perceive.

The players that we have.

Next up is quarterback Lamar Jackson.

Or uh the battles against the Steelers, what what could have? What's kind of standing out? And they're one of the few teams that have actually had s bro toal success against you. What putting out against the Steelers put out?

I don't know what it is, man, It's just that I I believe that rival uh atmosphere. I believe last year we we supposed to have 'em, but things just didn't go our way. You know, the football guys wasn't on the other side. But it's a whole another yees new year. I'm looking forward to the game, Lamar.

It's a at least a handful of games against the Stillers that you haven't been able to be a part of for a variety of different reasons. Is that I mean it is considering how big of an opponent it is. You guys played them twice a year. A has that ever kind of stuck with you that they've kind of escaped being able to go against you a few times?

Oh yeah, yeah, yeah definitely. But I get the chance to go up against him this year, So I'm good right now. Hopefully uh second time come around. I don't know what they say about that, but right now I'm looking forward to that, Lamar.

You were named again but the third time offensive Player of the AFC. The numbers speak for themselves. Do you consider yourself that you're in the best moment of your career.

I can't call it, you know, I'm just focused right now. I'm locked in. I'm having fun. That's all. It's all to it right now.

Mike Tomlin kind of went viral for telling reporters we call we call you mister Jackson.

Mister Jackson.

Yeah, he says, it's that's missus Jackson.

For interface the next.

Week he pulled them a thing.

You know, do you how do you take that kind of respect from the Steelers or or or do you feel like, you know they just doesn't feel different the way they approach the games against you.

Oh, I appreciate that coming from a coach, you know, all the success he's had, But when we on that field, it's a it's a different ball game. That's where any appointed or not, just as still as my mindset totally different when I'm out there, regardless I'm trying to win.

But I'm I appreciate it though, I appreciate it.

But Mari, you and said last week, do you expected your chemistry with Deontay Johnson to build pretty quickly? A week later, I'm curious how you feel like that's that's ground.

Just the chemistry Virginia two.

I feel like it's just good. Actually, we was going past out here today. Uh seven on team were looking pretty good, looking pretty solid.

Why do we have any expert runs through its defense?

Just this particular team and defense?

What do you see from living the challenges in the presense?

Those guys are flying around, they getting after, creating turnovers, explosive players for the defense.

Their front seven is amazing.

Uh, just all around great defense from what I see on film.

Marshiteaking a lit front seven. What do you think it's gonna be like going against Patrick Queen on the other side?

Uh?

Shit, it'd be different. You know, it's not practice no more with uh with PQ. But it it'll be different. It'll be different cause it's actual, it's game actually not just practice now for it'll be different that How you done that?

Right?

I mean days and days and days and years you you and him were offering.

How can that work for you or against?

You?

Knowing him and he knowing you?

Uh?

I can't call it because I I feel like you don't really you don't really get there.

No, no, no, a player just going against him to practice?

You know it it'll be different once we out there'llmrow.

I know you're always kind of looking ahead and you, like you said, you haven't played that on all these pass games.

But the Steelers they have one.

I think was it seven year pass to beat against it being a rival?

I mean, how much do you think that that bothers uh? This team?

Uh?

Uh, I don't know.

You know, it's a different team right now. It was different guys last year, it's different unit of this year. But it's always the same goal. We wanna win. We wanna be the ones that come out victorious, and that's gonna be the goal going into this game.

Right, I mean for a whole generation, Raven Silvers was like the rivalry in the unfitting.

Right there was I remember watching.

Do you feel like it's maybe been a little bit less as that in the time that you've been here, or does it so feel like the game?

I believe?

You know, social media got everyone rivals right now? You know, every team we go against, no matter who we playing, some kind of way, it's some history, you know. Uh so uh I I feel like social media just changed the difference between the how intense the rival was back then then versus none.

You said you remember watching it, you know those great rivalries back back the day. What what do you remember about it?

What sanda ETHI to me, Uh, not really not really a offensive battle. It was really like defensive battles back then. You know ray Lewis going against part of my reading ray Lewis and Sugs, those guys going against Polamalu in the defense, even though they don't feel at the same time, but mostly explosive plays came from those guys from what I watched when I was a kid.

Could you get into that even though even though you were you were on the other side of the vault.

I mean I played safety like when I was a kid, So I was. I was with it, like I was, I was intrigue with the game.

Serious, like when you're growing up, you know, youth football, whatever, middle school, high school. Was there ever like a team that frustrated you that you couldn't you know, we're a player even that frustrated you, Like, did did you ever have that experience of a guy who a guy here a team that would sometimes.

Just beat us, like and I was going against them? Yeah, oh, youth football. For a lot of that late vikings, I hated them.

I hated them.

I still hate them because I can think about the games we lost against him. I'm like, bro, how do we lose? Like yeah, man, Yeah, I hated them. I still hate them right now.

Like the kids cool now.

I love the kids now, But I wouldn't want my child to play for a lot of.

That ladies.

Steelers at all.

I mean, you know, I hate everybody in the league, well every team in the league. When I'm going against them, I don't I don't have no heart for a team I'm going against them. I'm trying to win because they don't have a heart for me when they're going against me. Probably after the game, it's all love. But on FLA pros mm no, you know actually, uhay, they younger though they was on younger pounds. But he actually played for the like those guys that that uh team that that.

I hate that team. I don't hate nothing, but I hate that team. They always.

Played against his brothers.

Or his brother older, his brother a little older, so I didn't get the pair. I just watched his brother. His brother was joystick first, like I remember watching him, and then you know, look he's used to make noise, you know, on the younger pounds and he was doing He's doing the same thing.

You know. It was always the same thing.

Actually, I think Eddie Eddie Eddie was on the older pounds though he played for a lot of the Lakes. Yeah, Eddie Jackson, Yeah, yeah, I beat him. I beat him in the count him, but they they beat me. They beat me regular season all the time. As I used to get ticked off, like bruh, I used to be crying bugger nose, not like kid like I'm hurt. But you know, uh, i'd be the winning count that we won the Super Bowl.

So I the mom on the stillers. They've got Elliott and and Quaint over there, guys that have been a part of this team. Was there ever times when they were here that they used to talk about? But what happened if they were on the other side of.

The ball against you?

I played against the Sun last year. But DeShawn, you know, man, DeShawn, we came to lead together.

You know that.

That's like that's my brother right there. But nah, we nah, not really, we don't really. We don't really talk like that among each other. Probably uh, probably on the practice field, but not in the locker room. Not that I can remember hopefully.

I don't know. M he tryna win do That's all I know you trying to.

Tom was spent a lot of time talking about.

But like in cofferens and all the avarious weapons, do you think that this year's offense has a different feel for what they've.

Been in the past. I can't call it, uh, I can't call it. It's a it's a different team.

We h.

We have different guys who who bring different things to the table for us to help us out on the h office side of the ball. But I can't call it cause different guys do different things, uh uh better than other guys.

So I could call him.

Uh.

But Mark, think on one of your touchdown passes to say, against the Bronco's, I think.

There were shot last week and kind.

Of leave your hand up there like follows through. It's like like a shot in basketball. So that's sort of basketball inspire for you to kind of like wait after you make the touchdown, bros, kind of leave your hand take the follows.

Dude. I think that's just from practice.

Me just tryna make something happen and just I don't know, it's the risk just getting a putting the ball in a uh great place for.

The receiver to catch the ball. That's all Lamar, That's what.

If everyone's talking about wanna get Gionte Johnson more involved?

Is there a final line between you know, look, wanting to give him involved balls not destructing the rhythm of the rest of the offense. Cause see what things seem to be working as they.

Been for a while.

Yeah, I feel like that's part of it, you know, just on uh rush things. You know, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. That's probably that's probably you know, how probably how coach you know tho those guys feeling. But we definite wanna get him cause he's a great talent. You know, he's a great, a disciptiar offense explosive, uh great receiver from what I've seen, you know, I we played against some plenty of times and I see it on the practice field.

Definitely wanna get him involved.

Next, we heard from running back Derrick Henry.

So, I'm sure you've seen many of the Ravens Steelers games in the in the past.

Do you kind of have any interest pats work, you know, your first time in this Robert.

No, I'm gonna treat you like another games, my first game, so I can't treat it like I've been in this probably for a long time. Treat like another game, prepared the same way and get ready for a dog fight.

There's the same year that maybe you've heard of the tweet that you're not really a Raven until you beat the Steelers.

Have you heard that in the locker room?

What do you think of that?

Yeah, I mean I've I've heard it. I mean something that they've had gone here for a while, and I guess I'm gonna be Raven until we get to w So.

You know, when you look at how you play the game, your physicality, you just feel like just a kind of rivalry where you just slide right in and and you play like you've been in it before.

I mean, you probably ourself in being physical doing a physical team, have a physical defense, a very good defense, a top ten defense. So then you gotta embrace the physicality through your pr through your preparation throughout the week, and then let it go and play off on Sunday.

What do you remember about watching Raven Steelers game and when you were on your couch, was there something that really stood out to you?

I mean, two physical, physical teams to uh playoff teams, two really good defenses that will knock your head off on any given play, and this a uh a physical game. I feel like since I was a kid watching 'em, every game against them is just physical.

That's the only thing you can say.

Yah, what the you know, these two teams are obviously the part record top two teams leads and I know every week you're you and you wanna be thilty.

Have you noticed is there any difference this week either in practice, locker room.

UH as far as going into a uh, you know what everyone can serve probably be one of the biggest schemes of the year.

Yeah, we don't try to get overwhelmed or overhype then the next opponent, you know, we just try to prepare her the same way. They're a great team. We are os uh absolutely know that on all three phases. But you know, we just gotta trust in our preparation and continue to c to prepare or continue to practice execution and do all that throughout the week just so it happens on Sunday. But you know, they're they're a great team, that's no doubt about it.

There do you have any memories about going against Patrick Key previous senior career. I know a lot of Ravens fans just reporting to that match up the year.

I mean, I'll played some when I was on titsan he was here, just a game going against each other and playing defense, be playing offense, nothing more than nothing less. I mean he's a great players. He's playing good football for them.

So yeah, so.

You the right, Uh how do you feel, h how hiding another element to the back field with kinting Mitchell?

You consider him?

Uh probably the backfield three headed monster now with Justice and your tell what do you say, Yah, hiding KTT and Mitchell in the backfield huh uh that's where you having that extra element and you consider maybe a three headed monster in Baltimore.

I mean, King's a a great player, you know. Uh everybody saw the dynamic and uh big playability that he had last year. You know, he's worked hard to get back. So excited to have him back and him getting there and making plays and being another asset for us on on the offense. And you know, me just helping him and me Justice helping him anyway we can do.

You d do you believe in rivalries?

In the NFL, Like, do you think that's a real thing. I mean, obviously you're in college in Alabama. I mean everybody knows Aladama ordered, right, Yeah.

Is there anything equivalent to that in the NFL. It's your to your mind. I really don't know.

I mean I feel like every sport has a has a rival, and in the FEL team has a rival. Before I got an NFL, they were a rivals. So I mean not just been going on since porsts we're created.

In the locker room today, we also heard from tight end Mark Andrews, what do you think of this game against Steelers?

What all the stage rounds against each other?

You know, it's a it's a game of a lot of tradition, a lot of great games, a lot of close games, and two teams that fight against each other, and it's an exciting one. It's one of the best rivalriers around.

Does it just kind of feel right.

To have a high six s greame against them in November?

First places?

It's exciting, it's exciting, and you know, but like like we always say, it's one week at a time, this is you know, Steelers are up next, and we're excited about that. Challenge.

It's a really good team we're going against Mark. I mean, Mar's had so much success against you know, but Steelers are one of the few teams that actually head success again.

Do you know, is there a reason why do you think over the years that that might have happened that he has an attitude with success against them?

No, I'm not sure. You know, I think that you know, every week's different, every week's tough, and obviously being in this division, you know, we all know each other pretty well. But you know, for us, just about doing our job, which we will and you know, hopefully you have a great game that.

It's just been weird that Lamar hasn't played in a lot of Steelers game for a variety of reasons.

Injury, I mean, he's been held out of a couple of It's just something that's just.

Kind of been strange not having them out there for you know, what's been your guys biggest rivalry of.

The Yeah, like you said, everything's you know, certain years, different things going on and sometimes been in a good position. But you know, we're glad to have him this week and it'll be fun.

You can be one against the patch Queen and Shawn Elliott and practice plenty. But you know it's gonna be like seeing.

Them on the other side of this, two guys that have nothing but great things to say about you know, we're we're we're incredible teammates. You know, guys that you go to both playing really good ball, and it'll be a fun matchup against with both those guys.

Thank you.

I'm sure if you guys had all those uncharacteristic drops, is that one you come away from maybe.

More pissed off than an average lass.

Even Yeah, you know, any any losses is a tough one, and especially when you kind of beat yourself, you kind of look at that. But you know, we're not thinking about any of that, you know, worried about, you know, our job, doing our job this week and being efficient and helping this team win games on the off the side of the ball and as a team doing our job.

They have a team that runs through its defense.

Just what are the obvious challenges that you.

See are in the Steelers season.

They played incredibly hard, they're well coached, and they got a lot of great players, So matchup, there's a lot of great matchups, you know, all throughout the game. Really Mark Over the.

Years, raven Steelers has been known for defense on both sides.

Do you kind of look forward to maybe changing that narrative?

You know, I don't know about changing the narrative. I think that again, we're not gonna look too far into it. You know, I can't have a you know, a crystal ball and predict what's gonna happen. But and you as an offense, we're looking to grow and improve every week, and this is the next step.

If you're listening to the Ravens Press Pass podcast, make sure you head over to the Lounge podcast feed. We sat down with Nondi Madabique for really good conversation about his season the big contract he got this offseason, so check that out over on the Lounge Feed. Subscribe here and on the Lounge Feed as well. Thank you so much for listening. We'll be back with you again tomorrow.