Welcome into Ravens Press Pass. The Ravens beat the Charters twenty.
To ten on Sunday Night Football to move the nine and three this season. Big win for the Ravens and let's hear tonight from John Harball.
We're also gonna hear from Lamar Jackson and then safety Toy Hamilton. Let's start with Harps.
All right, tough game, obviously, Chargers are very good football team. I thought they played really well, very well coached team, and that's just a big win for us. You can tell we're really really happy with this win. This is a challenging place to play. It's loud, This team we're playing is really good, and I thought our guys just played a great football game to come out here on Sunday Night Football win the game. Just proud of the players,
the way they played. I thought the fourth quarter was a statement and putting next commation point in the fourth quarter, defense getting the stops and offense finishing it at the end there. So just proud of the guys. So many guys deserve credit. I'm sure we'll get to him as we as answer the questions and stuff like that, but defensively, I think deserves an.
Extra extra shout. That's a really good offense. Uh.
The pressure coverage and the turnovers were big, and then broader Q Washington getting a.
Sack at Dan was really special. So okay, what questions you have John?
After they scored that one touchdown one then you kept saying, oh, I can envision many more for these kind of the couples that you could have envisioned.
Oh yeah, right, didn't think about that. That's an interesting you know tie together there. But uh's electric uh he he ball in his hands.
We have a lot of guys like that.
I mean, it starts with our quarterback Lamar Jackson, who just set the all time rushing record for a quarterback in the NFL history. That's a that's a that's a historic statement for him. But he's just playing the game out there and competing. I think Odell came out, especially in the first half, and I had a bunch of plays. I mean, you can name guy after guy who made
plays when plays had to be made. Gusts running the ball down, He'll keep Mitchell uh with his speed on the outside and inside stuff.
So a lot of players doing what they had to do.
Sehan given some of the questions. You were asked about fourth quarters early in this year. How important is it to go into the buy, you know, by kind of changing that narrative a little bit by gift winning a game, a close.
Game fourth quarter, right, Well, I mean a narrative is not something that we really care about.
It's the fact that the guys stepped up and won the game.
And you know, you have to we've won We've won nine games and and uh and all those games had to be closed out in the fourth quarter one one way or another. A couple of them were closed out in the third quarter, so three of them weren't, you know, and we want the three back, but we got the one tonight, you know. And I'm proud of the guys for that.
John.
I know you said you said last week that he'll take a lot of guys to fill Mark Andrews' shoes. But given what Zay has already showed you, does it feel like with his sort of ability, he needs to be one of those guys really taking a headlining role in this offense.
Zay Flowers Isaiah likely, Well, yeah, Jay Flowers already, Yeah, sure he is.
He is in a headlining role.
He already was you know, and uh, I just think all those guys together, I stand by that all those guys together are headliners, every single one of those guys. I mean, you got to give Isaiah Likely a lot of credit. He made some really athletic plays out there. Lamar found him catch and run plays that were just really special.
Yeah, you talk about the defense's ability not only to create turner, but getting counted some so many different ways. Seemed like you never know in this defense who might make a big play at anything.
Just every single guy comes up and makes a play. You know, every single play. Somebody's got to put a period on the play. Somebody on defense has got to make a stop, make a tackle, You got to bat a ball down, You gotta do something to stop the play or it's gonna run into the end zone. And you know, the sooner the better obviously on any given play. But where there's a couple of plays that we'll learn from and we want back. But overall, the defensive effort
was just just tremendous. I mean, guys were on point, locked in doing their job, playing as hard as they could, fundamentally sound, tackling people, keeping the quarterback in the pocket. Believe it or not all but one play really and and that's a big challenge with with Herbert, So feel good about that.
When did you know that your defense is going to have be a special unit?
Well, these guys will tell you.
Obviously. I've been saying it's this last summer. You know, we had a chance to be to be this kind of a unit. And we've got five more regular season games and whatever comes after that to really to determine what the final you know, the final chapters are going to be in the story of our defense.
But pretty proud of those guys.
Did you consider challenging the spot on the Lamar run and that preceded the fourth and one that you didn't get and the one with Aguilar and the long play by Aguilar that preceded the fourth down, You did right.
We had I'll say this, we had trouble with the down and distance and and what what the spots were pretty much the whole game, just understanding what it was going to be. The Lamar run, I'd say, no, we could see that one. It did look short to us. The Aguilar one we thought was a first down. In all honesty, we thought it was rule first down, and we thought it was a first down. It wasn't ntil if to the next play that we realized that it
was short. So that was that was That was the challenge that we had pretty mu four or five times during the game.
Just I mean heading into the buy nine to three and you're a top.
The AFC right now, Well, it's it's it's you know, we were gonna go to this point till we had we had an opportunity to get a buy, and we wanted to be the very best team we could be. And I think we're becoming what we're capable of becoming. But uh, it's not over yet. We got a lot
of work to do. The guys are going to get a little time, a little spirit, little mind, a little body, take care of their families, and then get back next Monday and we'll be ready to come out of the gates the final part of the season.
John, the challenge that you did throw on their lateral play, was there something you saw.
Or heard that, Well, anytime they have a play like that where you kind of got a forward pass lateral on the run, those are hard to execute and not be down downfield. So no, we didn't see it. We didn't get a good luck on TV. They certainly didn't show it on the board because around the road. But we thought it was a big enough play and there was a chance, a really good chance that it was going to be a forward pass.
It turned out to be.
Dead even you know, it's about as close as it could have been and still been legal. If we'd have seen that, we wouldn't have thrown the flag. But it was definitely worth the shot, John, what.
Was the decision in the end of the first half, eight seconds left, fourth and whatever and you go for it, you know?
Help?
What was the thought process between putt and goal?
For Yeah, I mean the chances of us converting the fourth and fifteen or whatever it was and having a chance to kick the field goal.
We had a time out.
We're better than them completing a hail Mary going back the other way, we felt like, so that's an analytic decision. We feel like our odds, it helps us to take a shot, especially with Lamar playing quarterback, we think we have a chance to possibly get that ball in there for a field goal.
John, the second to last Chargers drive where you guys got off the field, I think it was Molette on the blitz. How much did you appreciate Mike Donald's aggressiveness.
Name, I appreciate it. I did appreciate it, you know.
And I appreciated Arthur Molett making the play and the timing of the thing. And I just think our guys, that's what I'm talking about, with the execution and the timing of those things. It's one thing to call him, it's another thing to execute him. But Mike was aggressive and he mixed it up. It wasn't just that. There were plenty were times. There were times when I wanted pressure in my mind, and uh, and he played coverage
and it worked out. And there were times where I wanted coverage and he wanted pressure.
You know.
And it's not like we're I'm not saying a word. I'm just in my mind thinking maybe I do the other thing. And I thought Mike was just tremendous in this game. I mean, he called a fabulous game, and uh, you can't call it bear a game that he did tonight.
You appreciate any more of the bold decision to be exotic and have you know Mike Peers would be the ones dropping into the zone coverage.
That hey, you know what I mean? Everybody more the more you can do, you know, that's what we say.
John.
They started to give him point.
That was probably a turning point in the game, honestly. I mean the four turnovers, you know, for us to come up. We we talked about that this is not an easy team to turn over. They haven't turned it over much and that was going to be a key in the game. And then and then us not turning it over. I mean that was just as important. And our guy or we're about that all week in practice, starts with our quarterback right through the rest of the offense.
And I thought that was the other part of the turnover equation. John.
They started at matt a b Ga now the press box, and they never finished it.
Do you have an updated.
Yeah, he's gonna be in the concussion protocol, so we'll see where that goes.
I know there's a.
Lot of variance with this kind of thing, but any explanation for why you guys were so good kind of in your own territory moving the ball, but then once you cross midfield things just started.
Get down a little bit.
We we'll look at all that, definitely. I mean it's just play by play. There's certain things I'm sure that we'll we can improve on for sure.
You'reus quarterback Lamar Jackson.
More, what'd you think of they's a couple of touchdowns tonight?
It was awesome.
You know.
We we need a lot more, if anything. You know, I've been waiting him to score multiple times in the game, you know, but having that last one with dryn that was that was a nice run.
Did you see his touchdown celebrations at all?
The first one was horrible. I told him I didn't know what the I I didn't know what was going on. So I was just standing there like, alright, come along with it. Yeah, when I seen what happened, I was like, yeah, I was. I told him my fa my father. But I told him now, I'm like, that was the first center prison I ever seen. Like, but you know, he scored, so I'm good. I was still happy.
Was that a uh was the end around touchdown to day? Was that an option for you?
Yeah?
It was an option?
But uh we we kind of ran a S two s well similar plays back to back. So my read was, uh uh Matt Khalil Mack and I seen him like squeeze on the uh on the rush. I was like, let us say, just do his thing, and he did.
Mark, can you can you just describe the impact that today has had.
I mean he's had a number of big plays.
This season and obviously two big ones.
To know, how would you describe the impact he's having you guys, yum?
Uh, how I would describe the impact he's had is right on time. You know, It's every time he he did some it was right on time. You know, it was perfect situations when he scored, made the touchdown catch in that run, like I just said, And just need to keep doing it, you know, keep getting the ball in his hand. Uh, not just him, but all our receivers. You know, bait Bit is a great receiver. Ob Nelly, gotta get everybody involved, cause those guys catch the ball and they magic el What what does it.
Mean for you guys in office to close.
Out the game like.
Got tight there in the fourth quarter.
Uh, it meant a lot, you know, cause our defense was playing lights out all night and we wasn't you know, doing we usually do putting points on the board for those guys. But if I'm grateful we have a great defense, you know, cause without them, when the hottest game would have went.
How does there go three right now that at the buy What does that.
Mean to you?
Let's take a breath, uh step away, regroup, cause you know it's still our season left, Lamar.
I know it's not always this simple, but you know, four four and for thirteen on third down tonight? Does that feel like a city four for thirteen on third down conversion to.
Night for your offense four for thirteen? Yeah?
Does that feel like a some w an area where specifically you miss Mark in this offense?
Missus Mark.
We gonna miss Mark regardless. But I believe we can get it done still, you know, cause we got great guys who stepped up when our brother went down.
Lamar, All effective word, what's your running game tonight?
Very fact, the very fact if guns had great runs, Keaton had great runs, Justice, you know, and gods just gods just do a great job. You know they're doing their job. Is at that you know our offer line they had great push, So just keep that, you know, keep our offense balance and I feel like, you know, we'll put points on the board.
Yeah.
We had uh injury designations for Obj going into the game.
He played through it.
They obviously played through it. An injury designation what does it mean to you to kind of see those guys step up and play play through some injuries, uh on a week where you just trying to get to the buy.
We have tough guys, you know, and know we got guys who wanna win. You know, they gonna put their heart, heart on the line, you know, bluds, wedding tears, that's that's part of football. And you know, Raven's known for being a tough team, and those got showed it.
You guys are number one, seeing areas a bye week, it's finishing number one in the AFC a goal of yours, or it's just getting into the playoffs.
It doesn't matter.
Getting to the super Bowl as a goal, you know, but we gonna just take it a week at a time.
That's all we can do.
We can't worry about being a number one seed or anything like that. You know, it's the NFL. Anything can happen any given Sunday, Thursday, whenever you play Monday. You know, we just gotta keep focusing, keep trying to win these games, cause it's a tough lead.
Lamar, does it feel good to go on to buy with the game where you guys close it out late? In the fourth quarter when things got closed. Things were tight, and you guys made the plays late, which hasn't always had, you know, in your couple losses. It didn't always happen.
I mean, yeah, it's a it's a plus for us, but we try not to be in those situations, you know. But I believe tonight was like a playoff atmosphere game, you know, going back and forth, a short game, uh, you know, close game, having a success on the drive getting stopped. That was like playoff football.
You know.
And I believe just not having a turnover it helped us out as well.
Mark.
There was the fourth and one where you guys didn't get it, but it looks like on the previous.
Play you had scrambled for that.
I thought I got the first down, and when when I almost feel well, when I did fall there for.
Communication, like not from your side, but just from the officials to you about what was happening.
I didn't say that you said that. Don't try to put that on me, nah, but you know it's part of the game. Things that happened fast, so sometimes you know, it is what it is. Hopefully we get the first down next time and make it easy on the rest of anything on.
That agular throat. It looked like when you came to the sideline you said that was the first down. I thought that was the first down. Is that accurate?
They trying to get me right now? Yeah, I did say that, you know, I thought it was the first down. But it is what it is. You know, they had to fight another.
Day last, but not least a defensive surf in Lake Kyle Hamilton, So.
So, Kyle ninety three yo. Right now you're a top the AFC and entering that by Does that mean anything you feel for these guys?
Yeah, I think it's a good showing where we're at as a team, how good we are. And also nine and three, you know, those three losses, we feel like we could have won easily, so gives us something to work on still after the bye week. I know goal is getting the playoffs, geting a super Bowl, but I think first seed is a bye and homefield advantage, right, I'm new, so I think that's the rules. But but yeah, that would be added plus. But I think it's cool.
You're talking about the mindset defensively fourth quarter, you know, closing this game out and how satisfying feels to be able to do that.
Yeah, I mean we've been in that position and not came out on the winning side more times than we have won in the past two years. And God stepped up there.
You know.
Arthur Malett came at the end. They didn't play a lot today, came in at the end of it.
His job.
Got a huge pressure cause a bad pass or I don't know if it was a sack or not. Broderick Washington. Shout out to the offense for getting it done as well. We were up three points, could have given the ball back again. But I mean shout out to zay Uh for scoring a touchdown. We were a little salty about the defense, but I'm glad he I'm glad he got.
In the bots.
Do you want to take the knee obviously, yeah, yeah, yeah, we were ready to unstrap the pass and stuff, but no, I'm glad he scored a touchdown.
That's cool.
Was anything the second to last drive where Molett made that play on fourth down to get you off the field, Was anything said in the huddle there at that point to you know, because as you said, there have been times where that situation hasn't always gotten your way.
Yeah, I mean, chips weren't falling our way at that point, and you know, we missed the field when we go out and I think we were up three at that point, and I think Rokwar somebody said it was just like the fun score, they don't win. So it's on us at the end of the day, no matter what happened in this moment right now in the fourth quarter, it's on us to get a stop, and we did so It's a big part of our dub. But I feel like individual efforts from a lot of guys around the field can really up.
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