Ravens-Bengals Week 2 Postgame Press Conference 9/17

The Ravens improved to two and zero on Sunday with a twenty seven to twenty four victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, hard fought division matchup and an excited locker room after that game. After the win, we had a chance to hear from head coach John Harbaugh about the victory.

Team win, rough, tough, physical, smart win, and win with playmakers making plays when they had to make plays. Just couldn't be more proud of those guys in this environment opening day, the crowd was crazy and the team we're playing, the Bengals, are outstanding, So that's a that's an awesome team win. I'm just proud of every single guy on the team. Resiliency, tenacity, you know, long drives, plays made when had to be made, stopsmen had to be made.

John.

I know we talked about this before and you said, he you know, you don't talk about as a team, but we came in here without five starters, five interest starters, and you were still able to beat the two time depending to his camp.

What does that What does that say about it?

It says a lot. It says a lot about the guys that played.

It says that those guys are starting caliber players that played winning football against a great football team in their house. You know, That's what it says, and they deserve it them. Geno Stone just got a game ball, you know, and he played great.

Football, you know.

And uh and uh and Pat McCarry had a great football And look at the way the offensive line played. Offensive line played a great football game. Pass protection was outstanding, run blocking was outstanding. Uh, just just all across the board. And Pat was a great part that Sam Mustaford stepped in and there was just played tremendously well. And then uh, of course the corners, I mean, you know, we pressed them. We got up there and we pressed them and we

Lamire seemed like he got better as the game went.

All us talk about his performance today, I thought, yeah, I.

Thought Lamar played great football. I mean, Lamar played winning football. He was you know, he got on rhythm early, hit some passes, made some huge plays throwing the ball down the field. I mean they played his zay and the start off the second half was as good as it gets, and they made a great catch. He gave his guy a chance and he made the play. Trusted his guy. Uh and then of course what he did with his legs. I mean, you know, he was a difference maker in

He wins offensively, rush sundry yards sat the field.

Is fitting to end the game that way, and a third one with gust being able to pick up those yards.

Right up to God.

Yeah, very fitting. And that's that's kind of Ravens football right there. I would say that's I think Ravens fans appreciate that play, you know.

And so SODA's.

An old coach up in Anrebury Michigan, Jack Carboll, power to the right, you know, power to the left, power to the right, power to the left.

That's that's Jack harball football.

And that's why we we said in there, who's got it better than us?

Yeah?

Did you hear it?

What was the answer? What was the answer to who's got a better than us?

Nobody?

Nobody, nobody? And it was just it was awesome. It was a great We love the power play.

For Lamar on that throw to Nelly, just to trust that he's gonna win. I mean, I think when he threw it the ball, he was still basically running cipher side with him.

But to put a guy in space like that and trust him to go make that.

Play, I think that's a great observation. I mean, to me, that's exactly what it is. And we've been practicing that. We've been hitting him in practice. Those guys run great routes. Lamar put that thing right where it had to be, and and and uh and and Nelly.

Made a great catch.

And that's what we're gonna That's not the end of that, you know, that's that's a big part of what we need to do. When they get up and get in your face and press you you have to make him pay for it, and Lamar and Nelson did that.

You have any updates on the back him in the whole way?

And see, yeah, I don't think it's serious injuries for either person. Well, we'll learn more tomorrow, but I don't believe either one of those are gonna be serious as it looks right now.

That was head coach Sean Harball. You're listening to the Ravens Press Pass podcast after the Ravens beat the Bengals twenty seven to twenty four on Sunday. We also had a chance to hear from quarterback Lamar Jackson.

Beat the defending division champs. What did that say about this team?

Uh, like I've been saying, you know, uh since camp. You know, the sky's the limit for this team. You know, all phases. I believe we we fought the day how were supposed to. You know, had a tough game, like you said at the former division champs, A great team by the way, all phases as well.

We you know, we just did what we were supposed to do.

Touchdown Ford and.

Nelly, Yeah, I seen, I've seen it was man coverage. Uh, Nellie one did a great drought get did a great route, kept his head down Doug, you know, for a few more yards, and made a great catch.

After last week's.

Game, cause sort of feeling was the offense haven't quite gotten into the rhythm yet.

Did you feel that coming during the week that you were obviously much more comfortable? Uh?

Yeah, just from experience just playing that first game. Our first game was like a preseason game for us, especially the starters, cause we haven't played UH in a while together. But I feel like today we started up and more.

Was the rewarding close that game out the way you did. I guess it was like three thirty eight and you guys took over.

There to couple of finals just to be able to close that game without putting the UH defense back up the field.

How rewarding was that for you guys? Yeah?

I felt like it was great cause previous years, UH we've been finishing with our defense on the field, and we really haven't been doing a great job at finishing the the last drive for our defense and our special teams.

And today we did more big pictures. What does this this early season win mean for you guys?

And we know that these two teams have been battling in in recent games and you go, kme of here that all those players hurt.

You know, what does this win mean for you guys in this division?

To me, it don't mean nothing anything yet.

We that's just two wins, you know in the seventeen game season. Uh, So we have to stay focused and get ready for our next opponents.

We can't.

We can deal well today on this victory, but other than that, we gotta stay locked down because it's not a championship game.

Did did you bristol it all over the preseason hype over the thing was being the AFC my favorites.

Nah, I was pretty much focused on us, you know, and getting focused with this offense, for this new offense, and just getting back with my guys and focusing on what we have to focus on for.

You this week as compared to the last week. How much more comfortable did you feel?

Uh?

Absolutely? Uh?

Our officers line blocked, they tail off every bloud they tail off. Guds were getting open. So it made my decision making way faster.

You know.

I just gotta put the ball away and need to be and let those guys do what they do.

Tell them.

Martha Jay Flowers said that big play he said, you earlier in the game and he felt like that would be there again h later. Did you feel like, what what does it say about a young player to kind of see that and it sees the moment when you give him a chance.

We've seen it.

We've seen it together.

You know.

They they went cover zero when he was open on the post and I had to get the ball out my hand, you know, but the line did a great job.

So and uh, you know, just watching.

Film and knowing what they was gonna do.

You know, we had a crossing road and I seen the safety driving on that cross road and say, you know, he gonna get away from you know, corners and stuff like I got explosive, god fast guy. I just had to give him a chance and he made a heck of a catch.

This year, there's so much attention on the improved group of pass catchers.

Does a game like this show you that you guys are gonna need everybody? I mean I think pretty much.

You know, Eja went down, but it seems like everybody got involved at one point or another and made a big play.

Yeah.

Absolutely, we gonna need everyone.

We showed that today.

You know, everyone touching the ball getting yards after the catch, keeping the chains moving. We're gonna need everyone, you know, praying everyone stay healthy and we just stay locked in.

A knock there on that.

I'm good.

I'm good, like a little stinger in my in my in my hand, but I'm good good.

That was quarterback Lamar Jackson. Tight End Mark Andrews also returned to the lineup and caught a touchdown, passing his first game of the season. Really big for this team, and he talked with reporters after the game.

What do you think, click, I mean, I know you weren't on the field last week, but obviously you were watching close, so you're watching them.

What did you feel like was a big difference between what you guys were able to do in the step you took offensively.

I just think we were sharp, you know, I think we were efficient. You were we were doing our doing our job.

You know.

I think at at the end of the day, we all just got to do our.

Job and it will be the best that we can be.

So I thought guys came out here focused, ready to go, and and a lot of big plays made from everybody. There's things we got to clean up, and that's the exciting part. Just keeping a level head, getting better each and every day. That's the main goal.

How many friend kid Lamar looked to you today, I think, I mean he looked incredible. He looked incredible.

I always think that though, But so you know some of the some of his ball placement, like like Tanelly z A Flowers, those are two big time, big time throws, big time catches, and you know, guys step up and make plays like that, we're going to win some games.

What it means to you to be the guy that he leaned on in some critical situations and to score a touchdown your first game.

Just trying to be there for him, you know, I mean, I mean he just he's on the money. Yeah, that's that's money Lamar. And I'm just thankful to be able to play with him. He makes my job easy. So just trying to make plays and there's things that I need to clean up and get better at. But that's the exciting thing moving forward. It's my first one and I'm excited to play the next couple of games.

Were talking about.

How hard you been working to get back on the field, But what did it mean to you to get back and come up?

As they played and touchdown in your.

First team A lot, a lot. You know, we've I've worked hard to trying to get back here. And this was actually the last game that I played was in the playoffs, So just kind of like riding a bike. But it's good to be back here, good to play here again. And I thought the team fought hard. I'm very proud of these guys and proud to call these guys my brothers.

You guys are as good as you know you think are. The Bengals are as good as you think they are.

I mean, what could this win mean long term?

You know, I think at the end of the day, it's not getting too high or too low. It's being a team that keeps their head down, stays focused, moves in a straight line, and it just.

Gets better each and every day.

You know, we'll take our wins. They're hard to come by in the NFL, but we know that any given Sunday, anything could happen. So if we keep our head down, we keep working, keep trying to get better, keep working on the details, Uh, we're gonna be a good teams.

So just encourage my.

Guys to keep a level head and and uh, let's get this thing rolling was.

The motivation, you know, losing three straight here?

Was there a chip on your guys shot coming in here, like we gotta we gotta snap that.

It's the division game, you know.

Obviously we've had a you know, kind of a rough pass in history last year and the year before. But like I said, I'm probably the way the guys fought, there was definitely some energy and it's a good divisional win.

Did you I know it's different seasons, different teams, but did you take any outside amount of conference from the fact that you kind of had them on the roops last year with a bunch of guys missing.

I didn't really think about that. You know.

Obviously, you go into a game and you've got to trust your guys, trust to trust your brothers, and just thankful that you guys came out here today and it made some big time play as we spread the ball around and uh I did their thing, running backs to their thing. It's an exciting thing to see.

Do you think offensively, I know there's way you still have to go, but.

You showed today when you need the big plays and when you have the long catch on like second twenty three, but.

You also show you could run the clock out when you need it and get to yours and the ground.

You think kind of today showed the breath of potential that you guys have offensive.

Leads to, you know, get to face teams in different ways.

Yeah, I think, you know, great offenses are able to do a lot of different things and and maybe it's tempo, maybe it's four minutes, maybe it's you know, just just different things and that requires everybody to be on the same page and focusing on the details. And I think that was something that was good to see today. Obviously there was that one drive you kind of started off and got that five yard penalty, But you know, there's

Mark, I think you guys have every time you've gone up tempo and like Burd'm short this season, you've got it.

Uh.

Well, I guess you could just talk about kind of the advantages that Tom munkin it is giving this offense in ways that maybe you know previously.

I just think situationally talk he talks about being a coordinator and what that means, and that's being coordinated. And and so I think that you know, when he uh, when he talks about that, it hits home because you know, that's what we need to be. We need to be coordinated.

We need to be on the same page.

And if that means go faster, if that means you know, to slow it down, whatever it means. We got to be on the same page, like I said before, and and just do our job. And I think guys did a good job of that today.

In the Ravens locker room, it was clearly an excited atmosphere and we talked with a better on linebacker ro Quan Smith about setting the tone for this team. Uh, we'll work on. What does this win mean? I mean, you guys came in here shorthanded divisional game and we're able to come up with a very big victory.

Uh.

First, I don't I didn't see us being shorthanded. I got faith in every guy has h step out down to the field with us. So it was an amazing vigory coming in here, taking over their place, getting a dub. And you know, obviously the guys talk a lot, you know, don't have a lot respect for a lot of individuals, so.

You know, you take you take that stuff personal.

But it was a great win for the team, and I'm just excited to be able to head back to Baltimore on the plane relaxing feet kicked up with a nice dub.

What does kind of exercising the demons from last year mean to the seed?

Oh, it means a lot. Last year is a whole nother thing.

But definitely for us that was here over ninety percent of the team, you know, we definitely knew exactly what it felt like, you know.

So, but it's a new year.

We're excited that we came in here to the jungle that I think they called his place, I'm not sure, h and we got the job done.

What's it mean to see Geno make a huge play like that?

So proud of Geno for the play he made. Man, I think Burrow thought he had me. I was hogh loow and me or something, But we had another trick. So that was an amazing play by Geno. I'm excited for him and the way he stepped up made the play and I thought, if he probably didn't run out of gas he cut it back across, maybe could have had six.

We heard everyone kind of excited in here with the locker room. Can you describe what this atmosphere was like when you guys came here to celebrate this.

Oh yeah, it was an excited in the atmosphere for sure. You know, back back to the when I'm not having a lot of respect, you know, saying a lot of things about this and you know, doing this stuff after they won last year in the playoffs, some things about nature. So revenge is best served as a cold dish. So it's great to come in here start their year off. Oh and two into a the division too, if I'm not mistaken. So it's it's great and you know we're happy about it, but we're on to next week.

Great man.

Yeah, John's talks appreciations about how impressed he is by this. Coaches gay you guys, you know, it seemed like they didn't really have any answers to what you guys had.

Did you feel like extremely well prepared just coming to this game? They?

Oh, absolutely, I feel well prepared weekend and week out with Mike at the hem and with it being echoed through Z my position coach and on the back end, D D Wilson and d will and Chris, those guys the way they prepare weekend and week out. Man, I got a lot of respect for those guys in the way they had those guys ready to step up today. You know, some say shorthanded, but like I said earlier, I got the most respect and faith and every guy that stepped onto the field with us.

The man next to him. Patrick Queen also had a big role in limiting this Spangals defense that he talked about that today.

A couple of different guys gave speeches pre game. Can you kind of talking about like what the message Russ from like ro Kwan and some of the guys in and how they helped you guys.

For this one. Just come out and play our football.

I think that's the biggest thing that we were all talking about, just being physical, Uh, not giving them anything, Uh, just coming out playing our type of game played to the best of our ability to play raven football.

Did you guys have Obviously every divisional game has kind of an edge to it, but do you guys have a little bit more of an extra one of this one just given how the last few games have gone.

Yeah, we definitely definitely had more motivation this one. You know, we had a couple of players out each time and not try to make it excuse well still laying those games still could have won, those games, still should have won those games. And uh, now you got everybody back, and you know, it still was a close game, you see, and that's how the Visios games be. And uh, we had chances to get off the field on those scores and we just didn't.

So it's up.

It's definitely something improving. But as a whole, we got everybody back, so we just gotta keep this rolling.

What was your mentality given all the injuries? You know, I think a lot of people saw how banged up you were and said.

You know, I mean we know, uh who we got any in in our uh on our team and stuff, and you know, we got all the confidence and everybody just step up and do their job.

Uh.

We got the coaches, we got the game plan, we got to player. So at the end of the day, as long as we got eleving on the field on both sides were good.

Patrick.

You were asked this week what difference kend of Lamar Jackson making uh Cincinnati?

What was it like.

Watching the healthy with Mark Jackson on the sideline run at all those unanimous MVP for a reason.

H M.

Lamar's gonna make plays. Lamar's gonna do what his do his job to the best of his ability every time. And you know, as a defense, we got his back, you know, the one turnover, We had his back if we had to go out.

On the field and stuff.

And at the end of the day, we have a out of the faith in him to go out there and make those plays that he made. And you see him at the end of the game he took over.

Not that you wouldn't want him to go back out there and finish that game with defense on the field, but what was it like, you know, everyone knew they were gonna run that offense and they were still get the yard tools that like to see them close that out.

There, We know they could do that. And that's what we were, me and him actually talking about that just now. It was just there's so many opportunities out there for us to make plays, and we just got to capitalize every time. We capitalize every time. It's really should be no team that can stay on the field with us. We just got to take it upon ourselves to make those plays.

I just you and rowand kind of take it upon yourself to be the tones centers on this defense. It felt like that even more so today. I mean, how do you guys try to take take on that challenge, especially in a physical game like this.

We want to be great man, you know the guy became before us.

Trying to make them.

Proud, try to make our families, probably try to make ourselves proud, and just try to play for one another.

I think when you do that, you got a good.

Recipe for success.

Another player who talked with the media is safety Kyle Hamilton, and he discussed what this win meant for the Ravens.

Gus said that Lamar and Rowan Roman, those who stood up before the game kind of delivered some words. What stuck out about their message?

Yeah, I mean those are obviously two better players on our team and leaders on both sides of the ball. So I think when they talk, guys really listen and the gist of it, I think it's we used need to go out there and in our respect every single week. I think we took a big step towards that today, But it's only week two. We got a long way to go, and uh making our way there on a good path. But still gotta gotta grind it out every week.

It's why he's so great.

And I think.

Without him out there, it's a completely different deference. He's just topped the bottom mentally physically, he gets his going how.

To work with you and Gino playing side by side, And is that interception gonna be one year?

You're talking about a lot when you're playing video games.

Yeah, for sure.

Shout out to my boy Gino on his first regular season picked today.

But yeah, that was awesome.

We saw that play and practiced out the week and we're talking pre snap before it happened and lucky. I'm glad that he got the pick. He needs to cut that back though and take it to the crib. We had some blockers ready for I thought I was gonna hit the Bobby Bouchet down the sideline for him, But now he played great. I think he let us and tackles too, so I think he's just getting started as well.

Kind of how much trusted the show agains and the guy like Brandon he's matched up. I think mar chanks one on one and you know, Gino has the court, has the half field, and he moves over the middlefield to pick that off.

I mean, what was that saying that?

Just him being the guy who knows where to be and trust on the rest.

Of the defense.

Yeah, it's just no one to do. But playing in stinks you at the same time, you don't want to let your brain slow your feet down. But we know that they wanted him on the fade in the boundary red zone. I'm sure everybody the league knows that, and they've done it a lot in the past. They've had success with it. So shout out to b Steve for keeping his leverage and taking that away, and then Gino for holding the backside and then puts it to the fielding in the pig. It was really just a perfect

Did you guys learn anything from beating Cincinnati early last year? You know, things happening down the stretch where you are looking.

Up at them and they yes, you know work at the end. I mean, like, how much stock.

Do you put into the win like this in Cincinnati considering just how long.

The season is.

Yeah, I mean these wines matter at the end of it all. Just because we're in week two doesn't mean that it's not gonna have any implications from week seventeen and sixteen. So and at the same time, we won all our division's games the first go around last year and then lost all of them in the second game. So we still got a long season ago. They're still a really good team. We're going to see him again and refocus.

We also talked with running back and Gus Edwards, who sealed game with a big run to give the ray was a first down and put them in a position to deal out the game and get the win. He talked about that today.

What does it mean come in here, guys not fully healthy and so it would come in and beat the Beagles on their home field.

I mean they oldest one.

Uh.

I think it was a great team win.

A lot of guys, different guys made it plays on both on offense and on defense.

Uh.

We started a game with a little bit of.

With a little bit of adversity with that with that kick return, but God's bounced back and we kept on fighting.

What you mean to finish the game with power running, just to move the chains like that and finish it out the game.

On offense, credit to the old rune. I mean, everybody knew what Tom it was. It was pretty much for a minute offense and we needed to get first downs and everybody had that mindset that it was first down.

So do you feel that the offense as a hole was coming into its own.

Yes, Yes, I feel like we show a lot of a lot of just let's potential. Every every now and then, we show a lot of potential. Like I said, a lot of different guys touching the balls and making plays and we loaded. We just gotta we just gotta keep building off of that and just keep getting better.

What was practice like this week? And what was Todd Monkin like after last week?

Fired up? Fired up?

I mean he's a real he's a real grinder, he he, he loves to to to win. He likes spreading the ball around, and he bring energy when we when we play good, and he keeps it real a hundred percent of the time.

So yeah, gotsa.

Did anyone you know step up three games to time and deliver that the fiery speech?

I mean that, I like that.

A lot of different guys roll quand said something that that got everybody going with Mark said song. A lot of different gods said a lot of things. I everybody knew what type of game it was, what Tom it was. So yeah, we kept on fighting and we we got it.

Gun.

What's it mean for you personally to step into a lead leading role along with Justice and kind of step in and play it.

Well with jk out?

It means a lot, And I mean, this is what you want. You want, you want the ball in your hands. You wanna make place and contribute to the team. So I'm grateful for the opportunity and I just gotta keep making the best of it.

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