Welcome to the Ravens Press Pass podcast. The Ravens are gearing up for a Divisional round game. They don't know their opponent yet, but they're still working towards that game. They will find out on Sunday who they will ultimately play next weekend. Now, as the Ravens prepare for that game, they've been going through a fundamental week of practice and really focusing on themselves from a scheme and personnel standpoint, and head coach John Harball met with the media today after practice.
Good to see everybody. Appreciate you being here. It's a great day for football, right It's perfect and every day is a great day for football. Our guys were into it. I appreciate the energy, the focus. It was a good football practice. It's good to be practicing football at this time of year, and our guys were into it. So I really appreciate that from them. The The other thing is that some of the guys, some guys were named
the All Pro Team first team and second team. Just want to congratulate those guys and that a complim you know, it's a it's a it's a heck of a thing to be a Pro Bowl player. It's it's even it's a heck of a thing to be an All Pro player. And also Eric DaCosta for the I think it was an Executive of the Year, was it pff? I think it was. So that's a very very well deserved for Eric and and I think it's an honor for the whole personnel department and a great job that they've done.
So what questions you have, John, we saw Marke and Wrew's.
Who's back out on the back of the field.
Any kind of time Cable will win, he might actually be available to play game. I think we're on the same timetable that we were on. You know, we'll uh, we'll, we're in that range, you know. But uh, today was the first day did did individual. That was it, So we kind of ran from there and just, uh, we'll get into the next week and we'll have a better idea. Well, you're pretty happy with the way the guys progressing health wives leading up the next week. I'm happy with it.
You know, it's still early to really predict too much. I mean, there's there's a ways to go for guys, but they're they're they're certainly on track, and I think we'll know more next week.
Mark, you know, just having him out there participating. What kind of a lift does that give his teammates? You guys, like, just just having that type of player back out their pact with you guys.
Sure, I mean everybody's excited for Mark. I mean you guys, Mark. You see him in the training room every day, is in the weight room, he's in the meetings. Everybody knows and everybody kind of knew he's coming out and practicing, so they're they're happy for Mark. You know, it's you always want to see one of the brothers back out there doing everything.
You got all the news if this week you're running coaching staffs and everything, or with old guard that's moving.
On or moving elsewhere, just the second most tender, I don't know, coaches, what's that like?
Is there anything ti whether brother?
Just seeing more of that moving on the second most tenured and the second oldest dude. You failed to mention, you know, you were being appreciated. I appreciate that. Like my grandfather always used to say, it's it's better than the alternative, right, So we appreciate that. And uh uh, those guys, I think those guys are guys I can remember coming up as a young special teams coach in
this league. And the old guard there Scott O'Brien's and Pete Rodriguez is the Brad Steelys, the Wayne Severees, those guys who you take you under your wing and treat you with respect, you know, and and the kind of show you the ropes. You know how much those guys mean to you. And those guys some of them have passed on even you know, and are out of football
now or are with us anymore. And then now some of the head coaches that are moving on, you know and moving to the next thing that you have the same kind of regard for that you look up to and you feel so appreciative of what they gave to you, you as a coach, and what they gave to the game, you know. So and these are iconic coaches, you know, so nothing but respect and admiration for those guys and
what they've accomplished. The opportunity to compete, you know, take teams against those guys is something that I always cherish and remember, you know, for as long as as long as I live. So those guys are great coaches. Hey, you know, I wouldn't be surprised. We saw them back though, too, so we'll see what happens. Hey, coach, we were talking with some of your coordinators yesterday and obviously they're getting
calls from other teams. What type of advice have you been able to provide them, obviously with their focus being on a game. Yeah, yeah, that's uh yeah, lock in, lock in, it's my advice. But they're they they are, you know, those guys are locked in and and and and just they're they're excited about about where we're going as a team, and I think, you know, they just take the opportunities as they come. These are preliminary type interviews, get to know each other type interviews. So it's a
great experience for those guys. I'm really happy for them, really proud of them. I think you're going there and
you be yourself present who you are. The one one thing that it's important to me is I feel like, you know, this was something going way back to two thousand and eight, was you know, you want to make sure that you're genuine with with the people about who you are and what you believe in as a coach, and and that the teams are genuine and honest with you, you know, And I just look back on Steve and Ozzy and everybody involved in those interviews just presenting exactly
what they were looking for in a coach and who they were in an organization. I tell you, you know, sixteen years later, everything I learned about the Ravens organization or and and and came walking out of those interviews understanding who they were has proven to be the case. Over sixteen years, there's still who they were. And to me, and I'd like to think I'm still who I was then in terms of, you know, just being honest about it.
And to me, that gives you a chance when you're when you're honest with one another, you know, you know, walking in you know who who you're going to be and what you believe.
In Lamar the other day and he talked about how anxious he was to get to the game. How is it for you with this week off and even watching these weekend games?
Same thing? You know, you just you know, you kind of one one party wants to be out there playing and going at it, and the other party he appreciates that you already want to know for the week you know, And like I told the guys, you know they have earned this victory. Every one of the thirteen victories had a part in this, this win this week that has been accomplished in the wild card weekend because of what they did all season. That's a big deal. That's that's
something very valuable and very meaningful. Thing with that, you know, it's not a vacation week. It's not an off week. It's a work week. It's a work week to become, you know, the team that we need to be going forward into next week. And our guys are taking that real seriously, how quickly you guys kind of snap into action at the status when you figure out Bunday afternoon, Well, you know, that's right. I think what we'll do is we'll look at the Saturday, the Saturday game, and we'll
assume that's our opponent. We'll snap into action after that and we'll start working on that team, and then if it changes, then we'll resnap into action for the new opponent. But the good thing for us is that the opponents that will be the opponent that would come into the picture on Sundays one that we played very recently, so that help. It's helpful. The way it worked out for us Are you happy you don't have to play in some of the weather these guys are.
Have to play in.
My goodness? Yeah, I mean, you know, I thought the Denver playoff game in twenty twelve was cold. I know it was because I was free. I couldn't speak. I was trying to say field goal. Randy Brown last me all the time. He said, you got the f out. It's like, what do you think? I was trying to say, time for a field goal? You know. Uh So, it's gonna be interesting in Kansas City. It's gonna be very interesting. We've got we got some scouts whose flights have been
canceled going out there. We're trying to get out there to scout the game. So which is legal in pro football?
By the way, its articles giant.
Yes, yes, yes, that was hey coach John Harball. You're listening to the Ravens Press Pass podcast. If you want more of a breakdown on this team, make sure you head over to the Lounge podcast. F We actually sat down with veteran Michael Pierce, fresh off a new contract extension. Really good insight from him about this team and what the Ravens need to do to stack some wins in the postseason. We appreciate you listening. Make sure you leave a rating and a review, and make sure you go
ahead and hit that subscribe, But thanks for listening. Enjoy the playoff games this weekend. We'll be back with you next week