Welcome to the Ravens Press Pass podcast. Today's Wednesday, January fifteenth, and the Ravens like the practice field as it prepare for their Sunday AFC Divisional matchup against the Buffalo Bills. After practice, we heard from head coach John Harbaugh.
It'll be colder in here tomorrow when I get all the water shut off in here so the pipes don't freeze, so we even be colder, so we'll have a cold. Love to be outside, but we just can't. The fields are too hard and they're too frozen. But we'll get to work in We've had a lot of work in the cold. We've got a lot of work in the wind, and the elements are part of it, you know. And the other thing's going to be the footing on their field. We're thinking about that too. We want to make sure
we've got good footing on the field. It's a turf field and it'll be hard and kind of frozen, so we're trying to think about all that. But really what we're thinking about is just executing our plays at the highest level we possibly can.
I have you a share of big cold wins since you lead here.
What is the the other things to sign whether.
You have besides going on, well, just kind of what we're talking about in terms of operating and executing is the main thing. I mean, you've got you operate under duress. You know, it's the address of the of the opponent. It's also the address of the environment. And it's really the noise as much as anything, especially for the offense. But that's a two way street. I mean, you know,
we we have it at our stadium. Our defense has to operate that way too, and you know, both groups have to deal with communication, with with noise, you know, so being being on the same page, but also being on the same page as the snap count things like that, trying not to you know, put ourselves in first and fifteen those kind of things is very important.
Looking seems to group preparing different mentally comparing with the regular seas.
I don't see any different.
I mean, we've been preparing at a really high level and maybe notched up a little bit. I mean you I think it's natural to kind of turn it up a notch, tighten it down a notch at the same time, and really get locked in for the task at hand. Every step along way, but every step along the way, we're trying to do it to the highest level we possibly can anyway, So our guys have done a great job of that. They continue to do a great job
of that. That's why they're in the position they're in right now to have a chance to play a game like this.
John even a part of so many big playoff games, and you know, everything goes into it, whether it's on the field, off the field, the hype, the tightness, the intensity when you're in those moments coaching. Does that leave and it gets back to football or is that constantly kind of in your mind of any big play, any big mistake and it's winner go home.
No, it really did. You don't think that way during the game. You think about the game itself. I think one thing I've found is the margin for air in these games is tighter because you're playing really good teams. It's not so much that it's the opportunity to advance or or or the downside of not advancing. It's more the fact that you're playing, you know, one of the
best teams in the National Football League. So you feel that way in those type games, like every position is really going to make the difference, and you want to make the most of every play, every possession.
Point turnovers or you know, obviously a big deal, especially this time of year. I think they've had the fewest. You guys who are like third, Why have you been so successful in that area and how much of a player of emphasis has been particularly in.
This time of the year.
Well, it's a point of emphasis always and it's a point of emphasis right now big time because you know, for our offense, this defense takes the ball away a lot. We're going to try to take the ball away from them as much as we can and try to get them as uncomfortable as we can, of course, but also on on on on offense understanding that's how they play. You know, they try to put you in position where they create turnovers. So yeah, protecting the football is job one.
You know, that was in our meeting today. It's pretty much in our meeting every week, but it was definitely in our meeting today. Might have been the number one point job one, number one, Uh, protect the football.
Put you about Josh, Now you've seen dot R times every years, but what I presures you worry about him?
Well, I mean an ultimate type competitor. You know, obviously he's got he's a fiery personality. He saw that a rookie year. I remember he came over the sideline and him and Suggs or something. I don't know what happened. He got hit on the sideline or something.
He came up.
He came up.
Swinging, man, and I respected that, you know. And I did tell him, I said, who whoa? You know, calm down? And I saw him at the Masters like that next year that spring and had a chance to hang out with him. He was there with Sam Darnold and had a few laughs about that whole deal. But a lot of respect for him. Competitive guy.
I mean, you guys expect to be in this kind of round the playoffs every year, Like what didn't you kind of preached the scene whether it's an off season during the season. Pushing would have been a few years expresspect the quartificationis and and kind of knowing that if you do everything right, kind of put yourself in a position to have a win special seasons.
Yeah, it's been. It's been a big point of emphasis for US patients in this sense. You can't win a game in one play. You can't win a game in one series or one drive or one quarter or even one half. You have to do it one play at a time for a whole game, and you've got to be patient and understand that there's gonna be there's gonna be momentum swings, there's gonna be good plays, there's gonna
be they're gonna make plays. It's how you respond and and what you make of the next opportunity, really and understanding that so you don't lose yourself in the emotion. The momentum of the game is really important, and that's been a big emphasis and I think our guys, I believe our guys. I believe our guys have done a really good job of that and are very much aware of that.
Right now, John, do you ask a veteran like Kyle van Noyd, He's been a lot of these battles, has been through Super Bowls.
I know you have a couple justin.
Tucker hazards well, but do you lean on him to talk to younger players at.
All of this at this time.
Sure, they do a great he does a great job of that, Tuck. Our veteran guys who have been in these games, they do a good job of that, Sure, and I appreciate that and our guys ask him.
An you think that made the bag yourself to a reliable tight.
Zone that thought?
Well, I think he runs great routes, you know, and it's tight area. Things happen fast in the red zone and the good route runner is a big deal. I mean, people assume it's just size and you know, fifty to fifty and go get a ball type thing. But I think route running, that value of rout running the red zone really goes up.
Next up is quarterback Lamar Jackson.
You're not going specifically against Josh Allen in this game, but what you know as a fellow quarterback, what has always touched you about Josh Allen?
His uniqueness of just making things happen when please break down strong on you make any throw in a field?
Definitely youmar How can you describe by excitement going down in too, you know against Bills?
Uh?
The same as last week? Uh? I.
I feel like our guys just locked in playoff atmospheres pretty much serious around the building. Our guys haven't been We been joking, but like not that much. You know, God's just locked in. Cause, like I said, a lot of us was here last year and we know, like, what's that state for us.
Marsh Mart's supposed to be even colder in Buffalo than it was last weekend here.
What what will you do to manage level?
Uh?
Hopefully we have some heaters on the salone.
Uh bigger jacket, Yeah, probably, I gotta talk to a kaniko to see what he got going on equipment. Guys, they pretty much do a great job though, so we should be good.
But you gor, you don't do gloves under any circumshance.
Nah, I tried it in practice. I was horrible. Lead that up to Teddy. T to gloves Teddy Bridgewater try.
Out of ten deside it it seems like you do handle the cold water pretty well.
I mean, being a Florida guy.
You know, everythink, Yeah, man, I'm tryna win, so it it really don't matter. I can't go into a game and be like missed too cold. I can't make things happen, you know, coaching them probably send me home. Every the'm'a be probably tryna come, you know, have me go up there upstairs and talk to him and stuff. So I gotta lock in in the cole well looking, you think it's.
Made just thought They make such as a liabils of.
Practice and stuff.
Man him just being him, like we we seeing we we planting film on w Bateman just getting open on guys, you know. But the ball wasn't going his way, you know, cause it was always out of my hands or uh it's pressure or something back size, so he he wasn't able to get the ball. But us just watching film and just building chemistry over and over, you know, day and day out, and him just being the best feel he can be. He just lighting things up, making my
job a lot easier, getting open even more, you know. Uh, And we got a lot of guys on our on our offense, Man tight ends a lot more. See, he was running back, so it's it's hard to keep a eye on one guy.
Do you kind of get the sensitive This game is the main event this weekend and this this is a sort of the matchup that everybody wants to see.
Then excuse me for everyone watching him, But I really don't care. Who's why you're in life?
No, it it to me Like the players, us players, we just tryna win. We really don't care like how people feel about it. We tryna go in there and just win.
You know.
That's a tough environment, tough, tough team, offense, defense, special team.
We just tryna go down and win. So you don't feel any different as far as the build up to this match up.
So we ah, I believe we already built up. You know, it's it's playoffs. It's like, it's not like we can go out there, lose a game and then get prepare for another game. You know, it's win to go home. So we we already like, let.
Lamar, we know what your goal has been since you've gotten drafted here and you get to this time of year in the playoffs, obviously you're getting closer. But when you win a playoff game, what does that build? Does it make you think about the end goal anymore?
How how do you handle playoff win? S lock in for the next week?
You know, probably that night, you know, you cool talking about things that happen within the game. But after that, it's like, alright, we got another game. You know, it's no get high, get low, just stay focused.
Oh, you guys have a.
Lot of different polidations of receivers and tight ends in your game, various.
Time class But how did that go operational?
Interesting trands of everyone being on the same page.
It was pretty smooth.
D you, Like you said, everyone being on the same page. It just had everything flow smooth for us on the off the side of the ball.
Lamar we saw art knots.
In another instance, are you ha any catch your pants were falling.
Down and that after? Nah, they put my pants down, one of 'em.
Like, I guess they were just trying to tackle me, not literally pants a man, No, nothing like that, not nothing like that.
But yeah, I was, you know, they just.
Tacking me, got me, I guess, to aggress it, just making sure I was down. My pants slipped so hard. Knot stop putting that up.
A new quarterbacks from the two thousand eighteen rap class, right, you're kind of this group, you're viewed as this group.
What's your relationship with Josh Allen?
Do you ever see him off season and any at any of these charity events or anything like that.
Do you see Josh had it? I don't know.
I probably seen Josh like early on in our career, like going to certain events like Super Bowl ro Super Bowl time and stuff like that, But off season, I really I don't really chill with people off season, like especially not other quarterbacks, like nothing like like, don't get me wrong, there's no problem or nothing like that. But it's like we compete against each other, like I'm trying to beat you. I'm not trying to be your friend.
Do you think though, that because you guys were from the sting PFT past, that you'll kind of always be winked together? Yeah?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, no doubt, no doubt. When we're older, we'll probably laugh about it. But right now it's serious. I ain't laughing with you.
Right been probably two months I think, since you've thrown an interception. This is a team that well, but this is a team that I think is up there second or third in most takeaways. What if you and we saw it even last week at that end a half drive, you know, being intentional about you know, steal your are gonna be swiping get the ball and that sort of thing. What what have you done this season to to really tighten.
That part of of your game?
Like, uh, just overly focused on that that part of the game. Uh, just protecting the ball. Cause just going back, like I said, just watching film. Uh, a lot of our games came down to us what turned over us
getting back on track stuff like that. So coach over emphasizing that on us, like making sure you know, ball security this and that and that plays a part with me not just fumbling, but keeping the ball out of the receiv uh defender's hands as well, you know, put the ball with my own of my receiver can catch the ball and make moves. So that's pretty much just been a uh all around over emphasis focus for us.
The more you p were able to put up twenty points without s having say out there, uh, it's say is still unable to play? How big of a challenge does that put on this offense when you don't have a say out there?
Uh?
Y I it's a huge challenge.
You know.
That's God been been with us all season long, been making things happen for us, and just him being him what he brings to the game. Uh, it's like we gonna miss that. But you know we got guys who locked in and and ready to step up to the plate for us.
Come on, this this a you're seven for you?
I mean, do you think you have as a greater appreciation of understand what it takes foot wave in the play less than in say clean fifteen twenty twenty.
Uh I always had the appreciation, we just didn't come out with successful. But yeah, it's just it's just different from like you, like you said, like they experienced part of it, like certain things you had to clean up in those playoff games that the ones we won, we didn't really have those problems th the with the ones we lost. You know, So just me watching like I said, watching film and learning from my mistakes should make things a lot easier, make things a lot easier for me.
T more two more you.
Uh's a team you're coming off again when you put up almost three hundred yards on the ground and get success, runs ball that this guys the first time around? How important did you take especially kind of full light of the one games w G this game?
Uh uh, I feel like that.
Just play a football, especially in the playing up north, you gotta be a run football, especially with the.
Cold to win the cold, really, the cold really don't play that part.
It would be the win really, you know. So sometimes you got to run that ball. You know, it'll be a huge part.
Lam you played obviously beat these guys earlier this year, but and it's been a few years since you played them in the playoffs.
But does that last playoff game matter to you?
Do you?
Yeah, I just saw like I just you know, I just hear the clip they always like to post like they like to throw that out, the little interception return. Yeah we yeah, yeah, Yeah, That's all I'm gonna say about that.
Though.
Then we heard from tight end Mark Andrews.
What stood up for here from that last playoff?
You remember, now?
Yeah, you know, of course you know, and I think you know Lamar talked about it's just being able to learn from your mistakes and you know, growing throughout the years. And I think that this team is is different than you know, all the teams in.
The past, and uh, we're be ready to go.
Sorry, we've seen you play a physical brand of football. Obviously, Derek Carry is piece himself.
Is there if you think you appreciate.
The difference for defenders and trying to tackle someone or your degree whether as opposed to get especially after football kind.
Of season, the guys involving a part of yeah, I think there is. But at the same time, it's both teams going through it. It's both teams, you know, just being out to be physical and have a guy like that and you know, he's a he's a tough tackle to begin with. But you know, these are two teams that are are used to you know, cold type weather. It's it's all business for for us, and we're not gonna be thinking about that.
Do you have really good mental process that you go through when you know the conditions are going to be rough? I mean you seem like a no sleeves guy pretty much any any any type of year. But like, how do you get in that space?
You know, it's just it's like it's war time. You know, it's time to go to war. It's accepting anything and everything.
Do you have any tricks for how you try to stay war?
Just keep moving, That's all it is.
Just keep moving.
Or you talk about just kind of the experience of past playoff games, how do you think that like those experiences when we went to even Buffalo, other playoff games, how have those shape that you as a team and to help you be in a good position to summer?
Well, I think you know, this team right now is playing really good football, you know, offensively, uh and moving the ball, being efficient, you know, not making mistakes. And I think that we've grown throughout the year and then uh, we're we're not hurting ourselves as much and just being able to to play efficient in football. Take care of the football is the main thing, especially in the playoffs, when you have you know, our type of team.
Mark mark Mark.
When you go into a game where you know everyone's talking about, hey, this is the game of the week. Some people are going, hey, this could be the one of the best playoff games. And in recent memory, with all this build up, you're you're gonna be playing this game. Do you feel that build up or is this just a regular playoff game?
It's it's the you know, for us, it's it's week by week. We're focused on this individual week against a great opponent, but focused on ourselves and uh and doing our job to the best of our ability. If we if we do that and we're militant and we do the right things, you know, there's gonna be great things.
I had along those lines. You know, outside everyone's talking about Lamar versus Josh Allen, and Lamar always says a lot playing against you always, he reported that planning against How do you think that that mentality that he has on that front helps the team of the offense not get caught off the hapa an area.
Well, I think that it's just you know, not trying to do too much just being himself, and he does that weekend and week out, you know, fighting fighting for the win. And it's no different this game. You know, it's just gonna be him competing his butt off.
Like the worry he is.
Markin is not so much about what Labar is able to do. On the theme, it's almost every week they talk about the next thing he's done. Is there anything this season or even this playoff run that is different about him off the field with his preparations or even just from your personality.
Stay play the stays out to him.
I just think the knowledge and and everything of seeing things, it's like, uh, you know when he's in the game and seeing different looks, seeing you know, you know, maybe what to check to, what to go to, and and making incredible reason decisions. And that's what it boils down to. And you know he's always been great at that, but he's he's able to you know, kind of you reach another level.
Mark Anthony Miller catches something last weekend Tyle the wall inside of Big Wan encouraging is it to be able to be spreading.
The ball around through the pool re seat in that way and then say is it's awesome it's awesome. We have we have a bunch of depth and guys that can step up and make plays and and that are playing really good football. And for us to be able to do that and spread the ball around and be dangerous at all the positions is is tough on a defense. So you know, we're we're counting on those guys to continue to make plays, step up and and fit in different roles to help this offense.
Go markod pry Johnson the step first catch up against you guys, and he's what's the guy can playing at a high level.
Holmpart to see.
But look at them, TOSSI, yeah, I got so much respect for those guys. And you know they got they got a couple of guys coming back, and so we know the tope of players that they are and how are they play, and the type of defense they're very sound and everything like that. So for us, it's about doing our job and playing as hard as we can.
You see when Derek Hery goes out there and he's stepping on the guys to the ground like fans go crazy as an outfit. How much does that kind of does that have an effect one on the offense as well, when you see Derrick Henry and his physicalness out there.
Yeah, personally, I just I feel like every time you know, you know, the balls he's gonna get, you get a touch, it's you know, you just want to fight for him. You want to fight for him because he's so good at you know, finding space and and and and hitting it downhill and and and rolling rolling fast. And so when you have a guy like that, just being able to get on a guy and he's going to make you right. So it's it's playing as hard as you can and find out a block because he's dangerous.
Mark on hard knocks.
We heard, uh, we heard Derek and Lamar say, you know, first of four after you after you won the Pittsburgh game. I've heard you many times over the year say it's really one week at a time, But do you also sort of keep the super Bowl? Is that is that somewhere in the corner of your mind kind of that bigger picture of the mission or not?
Really?
I think the focus of this team is, like you said, it's week by week, but you know this is you know, three four weeks, you know, for the rest of our lives, you know, why not give it everything? You got to be the best that we can. And I think that just the focus and the energy and the the camaraderie of this group is buying in and they're all in.
Finally we heard from cornerback Marlin Humphrey.
Well, and then you're going against the Josha Allen you've faith in a few times in the past.
What have you kind of learned from those matchups.
He's definite a competitor, I would say, I mean, it's ah, I guess it's the some of the guys were talking. It's we were talking about quarterbacks you hate playing the most based off who would be like closest to Lamar? How is it able to just keep a play going? You know, it's the play is really never over. And then you know when he runs he is a big dude, you know he he he can joke you, but he can run you over and keep running very easily. So
just a super tough quarterback to go against. But that's the biggest thing, if I had to put on one thing, it is just the places never over.
Marlin.
It seems like a lot of commentators around the NFL world are sort of treating this as the main event of the weekend, everybody is excited to watch this, or do you do you enjoy being a part of that or do you sort of have to keep it narrower than that.
I I don't know. I can't really speak on the behalf of you know, knowing that the or the main event thing.
Something I've realized is as the playoffs go, our locker room TV usually says on ESPN, but as the playoffs get smaller, there's only a couple team to talk about. So we've gone that to change some channels in the locker room. So we're we're we're missing.
Uh.
I guess I'm not knowing as much of the main event, the media stuff as much, but no, I think I would definitely be lying if I didn't. I feel like this is a chance for you know, who's gonna win the m v P type thing, and uh, I feel like on our side on defense, you know, we want to play well. So our quarterback can you know, get that praise, get that glory. We want him to go out and shine. But it's uh, it's it's gonna be
a iconic event. I think I just saw Richard clip from Richard Sherman and he was like, not.
That it's all about the quarterback. But it is essentially about the quarterback.
But he was saying, you know, whoever comes out of this game will kind of be that next quarterback up and whoever goes down. So it's a I definitely think it'll be a huge game for the NFL, huge game for the fans.
I think, uh it'll be uh, it'll be a very very good, uh good day.
Like you've you've watched Derek Henry for a while, you're going against him, you know, having him on your side for a game where it's being be really cold. How big of an asset is that, you know for a team that to know that he's he's in the backfield on a cold night where running the Balkans unimportant.
Yeah, having having him is huge.
You know he's you know, he's upset us in our in our stadium, and uh he also just put on a great performance with us, so I know it's it's no fun taking those hits because he usually brings the hit to you, to the defender. So it's great having
him on the team. I think something that I've really been impressed with with with him, you know, being with him in college, but seeing him the you know, he's always a pretty locked in guy, but seeing the urgency he takes the approach, just the locked inness that I've seen him over these these past couple of weeks end of the season. I mean, he's it seems like he's locked in on a different level, and I think, uh that that's really helping keep the poise, keep the team.
So I've really been impressed with just just how he how he operates. I mean, he's he's a he's a pro, he's been all year. But you know, seems like as we got closer to the postseason, finishing up some of those games and in this past game, and it seems like his his poise is locked in.
This is kind of went to another level.
What's it like though, when you you know, you go ahead to have at times had to be on the other side of Derrick Henry.
What's it like to try to tackle him? He's moving a lot faster than what he looks.
That's probably what really messes up the corners when he hits the edge head messed up the linebacks. And then he's his arms are he is a specimen of a of a build, of a of a it. You know, you kind of think you can tackle him and sometimes it works, but if he stiff arms you, it's it's just different, and it's uh, it's he's definitely one of one. But I think the the visual and what's actually happening
doesn't really match up. He's like, oh, I have a perfect angle, then he gets around you, or is like, oh I can tackle him right here, and then you know not to get on my Gymenca Mincas was right there. It was looking all good and then just out of nowhere, just a stiff arms to the face and it's it's a strong it's more of a punch.
Honestly, probably should be Mike.
She could be illegal, honestly because it's really a punch almost, But you know, if he's on my team, it's good. If it's against me, I want it to be illegal, but it uh, he's just different. So I know, uh, the the Bills will have there and uh they it'll be tough.
Well, obviously you guys are viewing week four when when you played the Bills, what really stood out that you guys did well as.
A defense and as a veteran player.
When you have a rematch three months later, how do you try to approach that and even.
Maybe vocalized talking with younger players to not be over confident or assume that it's going to go the same way.
To pretend to before.
Yeah, for for us and them, it seems like all their best numbers came, you know, after that game, as far as them offensively, and then for us, you know, we've moved around a lot of pieces as well on defense. So I feel like it's you know, and that seems so long ago. I mean, I had to, we had to really look back and and see even what we did, what they did, but it's it's definitely a different different on both sides. So it really we haven't really watched too much as a team tape of of that game
just because they've done so many things different. Added Coop got some guys back on the defensive side, so it's just such a different That was actually a game on defense we actually were able to play decently well. But some of the changes and that we made since then, it's kind of some of the calls that we've changed. We kind of feel like we have a different identity ourselves, So it kind of seems like pretty fresh being there.
It was just so long ago, so there really isn't much, you know, comparison really to that that Week four game.
How you handle cold weather games like what you're gonna get in Buffalo.
I thinking of the last time we were in Buffalo, or maybe the playoffs in Buffalo. I don't really handle it too different. I remember Marcus Peters on the team at that time, and you know, we have the heaters on the sideline, and you know, you can look up and see the timeout clock. It usually starts in like two minutes, then it goes all the way down in the ref will give the you know, ten seconds mark, and Marcus Peters will still be on the sideliness about
the heater. So that is not how I will handle it. But I will stay on the I might stay on the sideline a little longer with the heater, but I will I will cut it a lot closer than the ten second mark. I will I am more of a thirty second guy. But really really no different. I've always wanted to play in like three feet of snow to where all they can do is run the ball. It
will not be that snowy, but really no different. I know they're very used to the cold, but I mean it gets cold enough in Baltimore, so, uh, I don't I don't think it'll be much different.
I think the coldest home game in team history.
You warmed up without a shirt.
Yeah, well, you know there's a possibility, there's a possibility if my mom doesn't, you know, get too mad at me and tell them, tell me I'm gonna get sick and getting my.
Yah and everything. But yeah, so that that was.
That was a cold game.
I do remember that one. But now I'm excited. I'm glad to go to Buffalo. I know they're fans, It'll it'll be crazy in there. So it's it's kind of a football player's dream to to be in a tough environment, you know, really crazy profful fans. And I'm sure the flock we'll we'll bring whoever can make the trip, and we'll appreciate uh all that can come.
Thank you for listening to The Ravens Press Past podcast. Be sure to subscribe to the Press Past podcast feed and the Lounge feed. Today, we had an exclusive interview with quarterback Lamar Jackson on the Lounge, so be sure to check that episode out. Thanks for listening, and we'll be back with you tomorrow.