John Harbaugh & Players: Ravens Practice 10/25 Press Conferences

It is Wednesday, October twenty fifth, and you're listening to the Ravens Press Pass podcast. The Ravens are gearing up for Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals, and head coach John Harball talk with the media today after practice.

Okay, good seeing everybody. Appreciate everybody being here. Beautiful day. I guess we're getting ready for Arizona weather. How about that.

But guys have been good, locked in and focused and we're trying to prepare for Sunday's game.

What questions you have?

No, we didn't see ro Corn out there or anything anything.

No, he just wasn't out there. I'm not commenting on any of that really at this point in time. But the injury report will be coming out four o'clock. All right, I guess that's it.

John.

Do you spend any time this week with Eric dealing with the un even trade deadline or is that out of your.

Michael, No, No, we'll we'll all we all have conversations about everything that can happen, and we'll talk about all those things.

Done. The you know, the offense obviously had a big week or last week, just curious seven games in now your thoughts on todd and and scheme and what's impressed you and stood out as you said, you know.

What you have the games on.

Yeah, I mean it's just like the overarching themes, the big picture. You know, I don't know evaluations, that's for another time. You know, we're just locked in trying to be the best team we can be this week against in this game. That's what you have to do. You can't be thinking that way. So I can answer the question and just tell you something that's just kind of off the top of my head, but it wouldn't have any meeting.

You know, we had a good game last week.

You gotta have the best game we can have this week against a completely different defense, completely different situation.

We're on the road.

All those things change, So you know, that'll be our goal, our mission. Just keep trying to have a good game from week to week and overarchingly continue to improve and get better at all the little things you do, because if you don't improve, then you get you you know, you got to keep improving. So that's really that's the one theme that I could probably share that that would be in our minds as coaches and players right now.

Improvement or the steps are going into Oh there's about.

A hundred of them.

You know, we don't really have time to go through all of them right now, but I appreciate you asking.

I know you're you talked about how you were involved in lamars, running and passing, how you're typically playing. You guys have gotten off to some really good starts, and how involved are you as far as the scripting of the players, I mean, you know, the input and uh, everything that goes into that.

I think we've done a good job scripting plays, you know. And you know, we've done a good job with starting games obviously because we've executed well coming out. It's been a big plus for us. I mean, obviously, you don't want to start behind the eight ball. You want to start with the lead. You want to get the lead, you want to extend the lead as much as you can. You want you want to create a good field position. Early we had games where we haven't had that, you know,

Every week, John, I know Arizona is a one win team, but they've had some hard, pull up games this year. When you watch them, what what do you see on field?

Yeah, I mean I see a really a really tough team. I mean, they got a lot of great players, and they're they're they're uh, they're building in their new offense and defensive systems.

Uh.

They play super hard. Both sides of the ball are very physical.

Uh.

I just think it's a it's a young team. You've got guys that boot a Bake over there. I mean, you know, that's one of the best players in the National Football League. Uh, they're they're they're uh, they're impressive with what you're trying to get done. They've been in a lot of close games. Uh, they've been in games, you know, in the fourth quarter they were one score or less games or they had to lead, you know, uh and then didn't finish.

You know.

So I'm sure that's what they're talking about, is get the game, you know, you know, play play hard, get the game of the fourth court, and try to find a way to finish the game. You know, That's that's what any team will be talking about right now. And I'm sure that's what they're talking about.

Honestly, you guys are comfortable with Hollyo market Marquis Brown, with him being out here. What have you seen from him since his time in Arizona? Anything different in his game from maybe when you guys had a meet or.

Yeah, I mean you kind of look at him more from a a standpoint of an opponent receiver at this point.

I mean, he's he looks good, you know.

I mean obviously we've always respected him as a player, we love him as a person.

Uh, marquis a great guy. Uh, and he uh looks.

Go out there, he's he's he's their number one target threat, uh for sure at crossing the routes, salo routes, go routes, over routes. I mean those are things that are just uh his in his wheelhouse, you know, catch and run on the run guy. So, uh, we'll have a hands full of definitely be a guy that we're gonna know his number out there.

Yeah.

Could you mentioned the other day going out for early, which I guess you guys would typically do from those Western Coast games, you know, day early, and he's is that something you know you figured out at some points you just terms of getting guys adjusted or what what's the thought process that it's gonna.

Like try to just to the time a little bit.

Uh.

We've been doing that since, uh since nineteen ninety eight, So it's worked.

That you could just opens done that and it's well.

It's been good and you really don't see uh an argument to to go out the day before going west.

But so that's cooing.

Kyle van Noy. What does he meant to your defense? And have you noticed Kyle becoming more comfortable with the defensive scheme and just being out there on game day over the last couple of weeks because his his numbers showing.

I think he's playing great, you know.

I mean he came in, he wasn't in training camp anywhere, so it's probably an element of getting in football shape. I think he's definitely working in the football shape there. He's he was really strong at the end of the game this last week and playing great football John Rookie receivers.

So often take a longer time to get activated, trying to find a way to get up out with day from day one, he really just seemed to be ready to go. He's very comfortable from the beginning why do you think he's been so good at being ready to immediate.

Well, I mean he's probably just a really great player, you know, and that's why we drafted him where we did, you know. And but hey, listen, I mean it's it's almost the middle of the season. He's got a challenge in front of him. I don't think he's looking back, you know, to to say ask you that question. I think he's looking forward to try to have the best game that he can have on Sunday and help us win the game.

John.

I think Nick Say talks about his teams of winning rat poison.

When they're doing really well.

Nick Sady talks about his teams are winning rat poison when they're doing Yeah, if they're any kindatography for your guys.

Like Sunday, we talked to him along those lines. I mean, that's something we talk about for sure. I don't really have a clever a clever rat poison comment. I'll try to think of one next time.

That was head coach John Harbaugh. We also heard from quarterback Lamar and Jackson.

That's what it's come down to, you know, as long as you're winning, that's when you're getting all the praise.

And stuff like that.

But once you lose or things don't look right, so that's when the praise and stuff turns into something else.

So I'm just focusing on winning. We'll go from there.

That winning Cincinnati followed by lost in Indianapolis, the win in Cleveland, followed by the struggles with Pittsburgh.

What do you think so far as prevented his team from finding the week to week consistency where you guys are able to kind of put forth consistent effort every week.

You didn't say we won in London and then we won again, and then we came back and won again.

You didn't say that.

So I believe we're going in the right direction right now. If anything, you need to keep going, like I said, keep being consistent.

Do you believe in the idea of a trap game or a leftout game or whatever you want to call it. After you've had a big win, you know, and then you play a team that you're expected to beat.

I mean, do you have to fight that at all?

Or I believe you have a trap game or something like that when you've been complecent or thinking the team is okay, yeah, we we just beat this team thirty something to six, So we're not rid about this team. I believe that's when that stuff pops into your brain. But I don't believe our guys like that. You know, we know it's any given Sunday, it's the NFL. You know, anybody can be beaten. So we're just gonna go in there, go out there to Arizona and fight our butt off.

I said, a lot more success last game than the beating past. A game eight passes for twenty yards or more. One of the biggest skeed of that.

And every how do you guys.

Effect on preparation, everybody doing the assignments full speed?

Uh F, I don't know.

God's was everybody was alive, you know, all of us was alive, was on the same accord.

And that's what it needs to be every game.

Or what is it a a about, said Young?

Is that classis and that's clear to everybody that you feel like he has allowed him to get off yourself a fast start.

Sh Man, He's explosive, he wants to be great, you know, he he's willing to learn, and he doing everything full speed and that's what you need to do in the league, and everything full speed. Make everything look the same, and it'd be hard for God's to come.

Wow.

More, what do you.

Make of being the AFC Offensive Player of the week as a quarterback?

Is that something that you look at weekend and week out?

Mm, I'm tryna win weekend week out. Uh if that happened, but oh nah, uh no, But I'm just trying to focus on winning. Like I said, weekend week out. Uh, when stuff like that happens, I feel like that's a team award.

You know.

Without those guys, I won't be the FC Player of the week. So cats out to my teammates.

Guys you said, if it's only one ball out there, or feel like you got a bunch of guys you can make plays. Do you talk to guys like Isaiah likely do Vernee that really haven't been involved with much offensively in terms of getting the ball and try, you know, assure them that, look, your time's coming, and uh, you know i'm'a get you the ball absolutely.

Uh.

Gotta keep my guys head in the game, you know, cause they used to making plays for us. So just letting them know, you know, it's your time, Like you said, your time's gonna come. Opportunities gonna gonna happen. Just make the most of it when the time come.

That's all and hard When uh you mentioned you're happy for Marquis where he is, how he's doing. Hey, when you're close to a teammate. Did he make some business decision he wanted to be elsewhere? How do you how do you see that? How do you describe that to people who wonder how that happens?

I mean that that's his decision.

You know, he gotta feed his family at the end of the day, and he believes it's the right decision for him.

That's that's on him. It's not on me.

It's not my decision to make. You know, he would have still be been here if it was up to me.

After I for a game like some of that, what is kind of a film study except the coach to you right, you played pretty well, didn't make a whole lot of asacks. I mean, w what is the kind of takeaways from after you?

GOVI was dom did go pretty much critiquing me for the for the things I did wrong or stuff like that, W which I do to myself anyways, So I'm I'm pretty cool with that. You know, it's not really no praise or anything like that in the meeting rooms. Just how you can get better, you know, from the film and then from the past game and on to the next pretty much.

Lamar uh on Monday, Harves gave you guys's a lot of qua being able to uh be successful when the first play doesn't work. Thing like that Nelson agular play where you're extending the play case that a is that something that you really focus on as well? Kind of uh, not just extending the play, but making something happen when the the original play breaks down.

To be honest, cry now, I try to focus on everything. But yeah, like you said, you know, things don't don't work out, you know, just try to go to the next progression, you know, go scramber drill because we actually did work on scrimbing drill. But go scrimbing drill. Hope the guys get open, you know, and try to make a play because we always trying to score. We're always trying to keep the keep the ball rolling.

So what do you know such a great command of the offense, you know, just one scrimmage and throughout you know the pass union and what has allowed back to.

Be the case watching film, Uh, just being locked in Uh, when it starts in practice, practicing, trying to command the offense and practice and it make the transition for the game easy.

That was quarterback Lamar Jackson. He is really focused on setting the tone this week as the Ravens know they cannot get complacent after a big win on Sunday against the Detroit Lions. Today, we also heard from veteran linebacker Kyle van Noy. He joined the team earlier this year and he clearly is flourishing here in Baltimore.

So what do you think has made is adjusted? It seems like there has been no transition. Are you into this defense? Why do you think that it's been such a great transition for you? I think it'll start from me. Uh, when I wasn't on a team. That started then when I was working out by myself in my backyard with my son watching and putting in the work when nobody was watching, and then just being ready for that opportunity when it came and the Ravens happened to be the team,

Has set the tone.

Culture and the lock rooms that makes the easiers come in for everybody w each other. So did you feel well this year?

Yeah?

The culture has been set I think before any of the players that are here now, that's been set a long time ago, especially on defense with the standard. So me coming in and not only having a high standard for myself but a standard that's already been set, it's been pretty kind of easy to jump in because it's like they've done something well for multiple years along like

Imagine you must have thought that coming in, you would you would be knew what you were getting into. Like you said, you had that idea. This has been here for decades. Its defensively at standard, but it seems like it's been even better. Is it even better what you've thought? As hard being even your maybe what you thought it might be from when you got here.

I think playing the NFL is never easy, But if we're making it look easy, I guess that's good. I mean it goes back to the work ethic that goes out on the practice facility and how guys take care of their bodies and how they approach the game, and the coaches and the game plan. So it's all tied in hand, and we've been doing a really good job and we only need to increase that urgency and continue to build on what we have. They played on the teams at Wow, that's impressive. Sorry, thank you for all

Just I know you haven't been here for long, But how would you describe at level that the Mars when.

I have right now?

You got to say he's playing at an MVP level. And you know, I think they take a lot of pride in protecting Lamar and just how Lamar approaches the game. It starts at practice for him and the way he holds himself to a high standard, and then everybody else wants to be at that standard as well. He makes practices competitive and it's really fun to be on the opposite side, talking trash against him and competing with them

Along those lines, You've seen a lot of great offenses, think you've been a part of than just in the league. What's it like going against this offense in particular? Has not to compare it to others, but how would you sort of describe what it's like to go against them in practice?

I mean, I can't really compare it because every offense is different, and when you have a quarterback like that, it's he's one of one. I don't think there hasn't been many like him ever to play the game, So it's hard to compare it. It's just you know what he's doing and how he's progressed, and his passing game approach has been really really awesome to see and awesome for him to grow. He's always known he's had that, and I think it's awesome to see it on display.

You were talking about the motivation, it's to kind of keep working out when.

Nobody's watching your backyard or with your son, who as a great coach.

What keeps that fire burning at that time when no one is calling and you're just working out.

On your own.

That's a good question. Honestly, I think it's just me as who I am. I haven't been satisfied all the way. There's been some seasons that have gone well, some seasons that have been not so well for me, and I just feel like I have a lot more in the tank. I feel like I'm in my prime. I know this is a what everyone says, a young man's league, but I believe it's also an experienced man league. I fall in line in that experienced and I hope to continue to develop as a player and help my teammates and

John will say you were very impressed with you as a player when you were on the other teams that put when they face What do you remember of him or what was your impression on him as a coach then? And who in this building maybe did you talk to leading up to your signing gear?

Yeah?

Thanks John, you guys can laugh, It's okay. I think what stood out to me the most was the power of the the sorry I'm thinking of the word just empowering his players. You know, one thing that goes back to me is a fourth down call. I don't remember what game, but Lamar is like, we're going for it, and he trusted Lamar and Lamar ended up picking up

K You've played for a number of great defensive coaches over the course of your career. What stands out about Mike McDonald and maybe this defense that is a little more unique for more special.

His attitude, just his attitude to never be satisfied, but at the same time giving credit when it's due. And I say that, like, you know, sometimes things happen right and he takes ownership if it's him and then he gives it like you need to take ownership in this So just his way of pushing players to be better. Just his attitude and approach to the game. He really loves his football and he really loves his players, man,

That was Kyle van Noy talking about joining this team. Also, if you want more from Kyle, check out his appearance on the Lounge podcast feed wherever you get your podcasts, also on YouTube. That episode is dropping Thursday morning. Today. We also had a chance to hear from wide receiver Zay Flowers today.

I'm sure all this fleet people talking about how you routed the Lions and now you go face a one win team in Arizona. How do you go as a team not to overlook a team after you've done so well previous week?

I mean, I feel like we got the same mentality every week, you go win the game, cause initially everybody could beat everybody. So we just got to prepare like we did that we like the weeks before, and try to go get a win.

Well, what was wanna say?

How does the long kind of set the tone.

At regard.

Just coming out and leading and having everybody ready for practice by telling us what he need during practice and what what he see and how to run around and how to do this. So just basically him doing what he do best, leading and taking over.

See the the numbers you're putting up there, you're on the place from Jamorrow.

Chase, you know, is the only other guy who put fifty scrimate yards up in the first seven years.

Did you expect this kind of fast start? What what were your expect expectations?

Can we in Honestly, it was just to go out do my job and get wins and just do my part when the ball come to me and try to do what I do best, and that's right after the catch, or get open and create separation and play from there and go for there going off of that.

Does it feel like you're doing something crazy and it's start only that's like you reasy?

Feel so much more now, I don't really feel like. Honestly, it feel like I got a lot more. Like I feel like I could do a lot more and try to get or either more yards or try to help it any way that I can. So it feel like I'm j I'm just playing right now and I'm out there.

You're playing with someone like Lamar who was extending players, keeping the players going as long as he's able to help beneficial as that to receivers and have toposit.

With you guys.

So it made it made defensive backs have to cover you two times basically, and you got two chances to make you get separation and get the ball. So we had a we had a lot of scrambled drills this year that we was able to catch touchdowns or just get a deep ball going, and that helped it. That helped get the team going. So just having him do that is very important.

How mu sure you uh inter your first touchdown state side?

Uh?

Nah, I would just let that one come to me. I ain't really interer for it. So whoever get it, I go celebrate with him, and I just wait for my.

Curious what you you had a impression obviously with what Lamar was before you got here, and you had as a training camp all that Negatis seven games, and how has that changed and and and what just kind of stood out to in that process?

I guess.

I mean just what he do honestly, like just being out there seeing him play. It's different on television cause you see you just see stuff. But when you actually out there with him and you see the stuff that he do, like it's it's super impressive. And even in times you don't like seem like you don't have a chance to win with him on the field, you always got a chance to win and the game never get out of hand with him.

I did you mention early in the season that the scheme was a lot you know, reminded you of a lot of college the a lot of spray donation stuff and things like that. How are you sort of, uh W, where do you feel like you're at in your learning process or knowing the scheme and and being.

Able to have an impact and so, uh, I think I'm doing a pretty good job with learning the scheme and running around and know what I'm doing. It just we we add a lot of new stuff. So every week I just gotta be on top of it with detailed execution and just go out and do it.

Did you see it come together like it did a week ago? Does it feel like that is a launching point or is it that kind of showed like a ceiling and how good you guys can be, you know, four straight touchdowns to start the gamer?

Yeah, I don't think necessarily, I think we could do more. I think that was just the start of what everybody that you get a little taste of it. That was just a little taste.

I think another.

Veteran guys like Nelson Aguilar, Ojan Menoring, you know, some ways there's something that they've taught you specifically that you feel like you can utilize the more of this season.

I say, more off the field. It's more taking care of my body, like every Friday, like I go at Nelly and oh and take care of like get treatment and we do like little things for our body to get prepared for the game. So that's probably the biggest part, just staying healthy.

That was rookie wide receiver Zay Flowers in the locker room after practice. We also heard from a veteran offensive lineman, Morgan Moses.

Got feels like we saw a whole lot new last week, but almost like there's like there's just so much more than you had to come.

How much of this offense has seen? How much more potential is there?

I think you know, just you know, week after week, man, we're just correcting things, fixing things, fine tuning things.

You know.

I mean I think you ask anybody around in the building. Last week, the last couple of weeks, man, we've put together some really good practices on Wednesday and Thursday, and you know that's when a lot of the meat and potatoes of the end star is coming in. So to be able to take what we learned from the classroom and go in and execute it.

On the field, and obviously.

Man, we go against the top defense every day in practice, so that always helps as well. So guys are flying around, man, guys are running full speed. Receivers look great, and it's just about taking those steps and moving forward.

I feel like there's a lot more to give though, like we just the potential of the two offense, because I heard a lot of people say like, oh, well, we're seeing the ceiling from what this offense could be or is there a different level.

I mean, I don't think it's a ceiling, man. I think you know, when you have the mindset, especially a growth mindset, to get better just at the little things every day, that just opened up opportunity, you know. I think you know, you ask a lot of guys on the office, man, I feel we feel like we left a lot of things out there, you know, on the field, and you know, obviously, you know, we want to be able to get that turnover back in the red zone, which is which is points, but there's things that we

Does you have to have the mindset the way LA Market extend plays like I gotta keep locking no matter what because this thing might just keep going and going and going.

I mean, it's he's electrifying, right, So you know, nobody else in this league is doing what he's doing. Credit to him, man, but it's always uh, you know, whatever whatever it is considered a dead play is never dead with him back there, right. So you know, he's a playmaker. He's phenomenal with the ball and with the with the the amount of skill put players that we have. You know, you look across the board at the receivers, everybody's hitting

Along was lying, you know, Lamar said after the game, happy with the performance, But the key is to be consistent with that every single week. How does he kind of set the tone for avoid any kind of a place to see or any sort of celebration after year.

I mean that's the thing, right, because like we've seen it, right, we've seen it where we look really good, and we've seen where we come back next week and we shoot our foot ourself in the foot in the red zone and just to be able to you know, compliment those things and go out through the week and you know, be able to go with I think it's five for six in the red zone this past week.

It shows growth.

But right, you don't want to have to step back either, So we gotta continue chasing those those imperfections to make them perfect. And you know, Lamar as a leader, as a guy that touched the ball every every play in our offense, he sets the tone for that. So we have to be great at all cylinders and we got to chase that.

So you're the traffic, you know.

You know, it's funny you say trap game because you know, if you play in the NFL this long, or anybody that's played in the NFL, you realize that that's why everybody watches games on Sunday, right, because it doesn't matter what the record is, it doesn't matter what the score, the score predictions are. At the end of the day, you gotta line up between the lines and play that game.

And now you know, a couple of weeks ago, you're in London.

Now you're in there.

Any is there anything real to travel fatigue?

You know, we just trying to put our head down and just you know, and just go. You know, these are the cards we're dealt with, and you know, for us to complain about it, what does it do for us? So we're just focused on the things that we can control and just move forward with that.

That was veteran offensive alignment. Morgan Moses, you're listening to the Ravens Press Pass podcast. Make sure you leave a rating and a review and hit that subscribe button if you haven't already. Thanks for listening. We'll see again tomorrow.