Welcome into the Ravens Press Pass podcast.
The Ravens improved to eleven and three on Sunday with a prime time win.
Over the Jacksonville Jywars.
The Ravens took down the Jags twenty three to seven, and they punched their ticket to the postseason. The Ravens maintained their top spot in the AFC and became the first team in the AFC to secure a playoff. Bit Now, it was an all hands on deck effort, but Lamar Jackson delivered an iconic performance. He showed just about everybody while he remains in that MVP conversation. Lamar finished the game with just under one hundred yards on the ground.
He also completed fourteen to twenty four passes for one hundred and seventy one yards and a touchdown.
But he was remarkable throughout the game.
He was avoiding tacklers and finding guys down the field, delivering some iconic plays like a big play touchdown to Isaiah Likely and then also another scrambling.
Play where he hit Likely down the field.
It was a depressive showing for Lamar and head coach John Harball talked after the game about the win and what it means for this team.
Okay, appreciate everybody being here. Thank you late night with a great outcome for the Ravens. Really proud of our guys, I mean, coming here. Very good football team, very well coached team that played well. Kind of a playoff type environment that we were in. The place was rocking, man, it was loud, it was full. It was a night game here. I'm I think it might have been the first Sunday night game here in a while. And they
were into it. Their team was into it, and we had to play a really good football game, a playoff style football game to win. That's kind of how it played out, that kind of a football game, which we expected. So proud of our guys for the win. A lot of guys played really well. Of course, there's things we can do better, but that's a big win. So we'll get a day or two and then we'll be onto
San Francisco. We do have some injury announcements. Keaton is going to be a serious injury, knee injury, so it looks like he won't be back for the rest of the season. Marcus is going to be kind of day to day probably, we'll see. We'll know more tomorrow, but that looks like it would probably.
Be day to day. Is everybody else.
Ronnie Ronnie think will be okay? Do those guys be looked at concussion wise? We'll see how that how that plays out? What questions Jeff.
John Uh, you said last week that you know Lamar played that game as well as you know, what do you say about this correct this week?
You know?
And so he gave Amar Lamar Jackson the game ball.
Every single game.
You know, he wouldn't take him, you know, he's he wouldn't know everywhere to put him in his.
House, you know, many game balls.
But that's the way he plays, you know, that's that's that's uh just I think I've said it before. I believe he's the best quarterback in the National Football League. I've said it many times before, and uh and he continues to prove it. He proves me right, you know, he proves he's Uh, He's just he took the game over in so many different ways, all the different ways he does it, but some tips, spectacular throws. Handled the game.
We had a lot of no huddle stuff. We had a lot of plays at the line we were switching to and calling and changing around and getting we had a lot of motions and shifts they had to deal with. And then the play clock comes in the factor. There nobody's better handling the play clock than Lamar Jackson managing the game, but also uh making the plays. So just very proud of 'em obviously, John.
Over the years, do you develop any sort of uh are are you kind of experiencing the thrill ride of seeing Lamar you know, escape from the pocket or kind of make it the duke and and sort of there's this element where he's kind of always close to the danger or kind of escaping the danger. Do you develop sort of resistance of that or you kind.
Of go up along for the ride for us?
You know, I I just think you just it's simply have it gets a player's game, you know. And as a coach, you know, coaches get get a lot of credit sometimes for things that they really don't do, you know. And if if you're if you're a good coach, you you build your your your system and your plays and your schemes and and uh and everything your operation basically around your players. Players are the guys out there playing
the game. We have a great football player Lamar Jackson and not just Lamar, so many guys just like that that you try to build it around. So before smart we we build. We tried to build our offense in a way that Lamar can thrive in it as best we can best we can figure out, you know, and he's a big part of that. He's involved in all the game planning every single week, you know, and has input and helps decide those plays. So but you know what, he's out there just playing the game, and that's what
the game is. You go out there and you play the game like that.
Yeah, you rush for over two hundred yards, I believe the second half is that kind of is a difference and really getting.
Me run game ranks up two hundred and four, as it was pointed out to me in the locker room, and I think two fifty one overall. I think we just kind of kept coming it, you know, and after a while it had its impact. You know, our guys were blocking really well, backs were running really well, and Lamar had had a number of yards as well, so, uh yeah, that was a big factor in the fourth
quarter too. We had a bunch of yards maybe one hundred and fourth quarter or something like that, so it was it was good.
By the way, John, your team actually clinched a playoff the broth.
We didn't know that. We didn't know that. Yeah, no, we're very grateful. We're very excited about that. And that's the first step. That's our starting point goal, you know, and then go from there.
Jacksonville kind of had these moments, especially at the end of the first half where they runt of time and I think there was another play where you guys kind of quick snapped it and got them with twelve minute on the field. What do you make up your guys as poise in some of those moments as there was a lot of chaos and being able to take.
Advantage both sides of the ball.
You know, Margan and the office doing a great job substitutions and that becomes part of the game within the game, and Lamar catching them there and getting that penalty, and then look at Marcus Williams to play at the end of the half. You know, Mike made a great call. Marcus makes a great play, tackled their guy run the flat run in bounds of play. We had anticipated. It's just to play people run that situation and with no huddle and Marcus made a great play and that's saved
us right there at least the field goals. Just a fabulous play. And there were other plays like that in the game. How about how about Isaiah Likely, I mean the catches that he made, you know, how about how about Arthur Molette, you know, getting that fumble early in the game and really turning the momentum.
A little bit.
So you know, they got some yards in the first half, but we made plays we need to make to keep them on of the end zone.
The plan right now, Melvin Gordon up on the roster, is it? You know, is that what you foresee yourself doing?
Yes, yeah, we'll bring Melvin up. He's he's been working super hard. He's in great shape, and he'll be ready to go.
How difficult, I mean, Heaton was just starting to get up. I mean, for him to suffer that injury, you know, how how difficulty you think it's.
Gonna be hark you know, I mean, he's he's the guy that I was just in there. We were just in there, you know, and we were talking and we prayed, and he's just got a great attitude and demeanor about him. And you know, it's a guy that she wants to do well, he deserves to do well, and just feel first parents right now, you know they're watching and they're sure they're feeling it too.
Uh.
There's been a lot of hype around this next game against the forty nine ers that does the fourth the twenty four hour rules to apply to you know, this team and kind of handling the noise that's going to be coming its way when you guys get talk to Baltimore.
Oh absolutely, that's how these guys are. These guys are gonna thinking about one thing, think about the next game. You know, want to know has been there mantra. You know Lamar talked about it before the season ever started and it's not gonna change.
That was head coach John Harbor. We was to talk with quarterback Lamar Jackson, Mark, you can.
You talk about the play when you kind of skating sack and then through the long high sase and likely just kind of what you saw in that play in for Isaiah go up and and make that play in that situation.
Well yeah, uh, these gonna quarters, they end up the quarters on me.
Uh.
We had verts I'm going little stick nods and uh uh, I don't know if it was ninety one. I wanna say it right side. You know, he just made a good play, you know, beat our guy, and I just had to make a play, make something happen. And I seen likely if I I I believe if he wasn't so free, I likely would have scored cause I already seen him. But I couldn't throw it cause ninety one rushing and I don't wanna have a phone would happen.
So now I just made something happen, and I seen him, I see thirty one flying under I'm like, ruh, If I try to drive it, he's gonna be in axception. And I already threw one, so I'm I was pissed off. So it's like, just get likely a shot. You know he I know he can jump a little, so it's like, you get I'm a shot and he made a play.
Great play.
Your heads when you're dropping back and your face pressure and you're ducking under people, scrambling all the whole scramboard park.
What gets to your head?
Uh, make something happen, Make a positive play.
You know, I'm not tryna get sacked, but I'm also trying to keep the ball safe at the same time, that's the most important thing.
We were playing offense and points.
So we were dropping the ball down the fields like you know, we can't mess up if anything, we can't score, you know, Tucker Kicker field goal cup points matter in all these games.
I think people were amazed by the way you're just dodging around rushers and and and buying more time, buying more time to do you feel calm when that's happening all around you, Like, what are your emotions in this one?
I look him, got be looking cool?
Run nah, you know, just keep keeping the level head, you know, like I said, I'm not tryna make make a mistake. I'm tryna just keep us with positive yards, keep us moving, you know. And that's what we had to do tonight.
Last week.
You kind of I mean throw over three hundred yards kind of pass first offensive book this the second half to night over two hundred yards and the second half of long Did it feel like you're kind of going back to the team you used to be?
Does it feel like this team has gears you can kind of shift between.
I mean they I I I believe they were prepared you know for far pass.
You know, they they rushed the the guys would just rush, you know, plugging up the the line and stuff like that.
So you know, we can't make our reason progress sometimes. But I believe we left some players out there on.
That field, cause, uh, if I to throw a better passive bateman than that ends been a touchdown, you know.
So I'm I'm pissed off about that as well.
But we got dug, you know, we clached the playoffs, so I'm I'm happy a little bit by that.
You know, when Mark's out there, you're you're as looking at out preparing. Do you feel like Isaiah that relationship, especially the the.
Number of catches that he's made in the last three games?
Do you think he used to be coming that for you right now?
I mean marking likely to different players, you know, but both of 'em bring, you know, greatness of the game, and uh we already knew it. Uh likely was capable of know. But nobody's like Mark, and nobody's like likely it.
Why were you trying to touch.
So on your cause?
How does it feel to.
Reach that first goal of getting into the playoffs and then also having the fast chant in VP as you came off the fields?
Man a man that's first of all found nations in the building.
You know, I I should have been a shout of tho the uh, the fans out may they was wanted for the night, you know, for us. But you know, I didn't know we clinched the playoffs. You know, I'm just tryna win. I'm tryna get there. I'm tryna win the game at a time, you know. But I'm grateful for it. I'm grateful for the opportunity.
And you're saying every single person on the offense.
And you step up, see saw a guy of one person?
Can how have you felt everyone not trust the tight guy and step up to for those ob sense?
Yeah, ah, gods, who you know, we been at those guys. You know, we got Bateman and Bateman is that guy. You know, we got Old Hell, he's that guys. Hey, that guy you know, Net is that guy. We got guys who gonna step up.
They just need the opportunity, that's all.
Oh, help was it to see he can get down?
What's kind of the the beat of the team.
Shit?
That was?
That was very tough, you know cause I believe that was gonna be a touchdown. You know, he's lights out, man, he was just starting to get s. He was just starting to get started, you know, so that's that's tough to see.
You know.
So my pres my thoughts and praiserent with him cause he a guy. You know that that was a crazy injury.
You do one more for one more?
Uh?
What does it say about this team? I mean, I know I obviously seen you weren't happy that's in the place. Who left out there? But for you guys leave for the double digit victory against the team that was leadingst divisions on Sunday night in their place?
What does it say about this team?
You know, I believe we just getting started, you know, but that was a tough team. You know, that was a great team. We just played. You came down play what was going on out there on that field, even though, like you said, it was double double digit score. But that was a tough That was a tough team. You know, things just just don't happen like that in the league. So you gotta be prepared each and every job, each and every place. You gotta stay focusing. I believe both teams were alright.
Thanks for work, Cooch, appreciate y'all.
That was quarterback Lamar Jackson. We also heard from linebacker Rogue wants Smith.
Playoffs first, What does that mean for for this team? It was a big time.
You know, that's the vision starting at the beginning of the year, winning the vision, Uh, make the playoffs. So uh, we're just getting started, man, So we're happy about it, but we're not satisfied, you know that.
You know playoff was it was a winning your n type situation or like Lamorrow where you kind of it was.
Out of sight my mind.
Pret Well, no, I'm pretty locked in all the time, you know, just thinking want to know for each and every week. But you know, obviously I have friends and family that say things to me like, oh, got you guys win?
You know, you guys are in the playoffs. So I hear that.
But you know it's big time. You know, love being the playoffs, but you know that's part of it.
But we're not done.
Well.
You know, Jacks were able to kind of move the ball between the twenties, but a lot of those red zone sessions, the turnovers, the the stopping.
Them with eleven run out of clas at the end of the half.
How do you feel like the defense bote up in some of those red zone situations today?
Yeah, man, I think that's what we do then and don't break. And the biggest thing in this game, it's not yards or anything like that. That's about how many points you score, because that's because that's what winning games. You can go out there and run for five hundred yards, throw for three hundred and then you score three points.
What good is that?
You know? So just thinking about it from my perspective, us as a defense, we've been don't break. But you know, we're just trying to impose our will on people weekend and week out. And obviously those guys I heard their little model this week was like it takes the bully or something like that.
I overheard that saying they want to be a bully.
That was that thing this week. So, hey, I guess the bully get hit in the mouth sometimes and you know, how do they respond? But you know, it's a great team win.
Real corn last year's game, you know, Patrick Queen brought it out this week.
Was that discussed in the meeting.
Rooms or that kind of sticking your crawl a little bit?
Knowing how that game went down to the fourth quarter.
Honestly, mant it didn't have to be discus meeting room I think amongst ourselves, each and every guy, including the coaches, we knew everything that was at Stan and we knew we didn't finish the game last year. But that's a whole it's a whole different year than this year and whole different team the way we wanted to But like for the guys that was on the team, some of us, it was definitely personal. So you know, we came in to their house and we got the job done.
I know, when you go to silence, it's a lot of times stripp focus on defense and justice things like that.
Are you able to, like tonight see and Lamar out there and how he escapes pressure and things like that. Yeah, it's it's pretty unique.
Man.
I'm like, I'm glad he's on my team. I'll say that at least. But some of the things that God do, man, he's the only one that's doing it because some of the things he get himself out of or get the team out of, that just goes to show man. He put it on his back, put the city on his back, put the team on his back, and say let's go, and we're all about it.
This is not a dk time the sacks record the sacks.
Shoot you guys kind of celebrate with him in.
Any way as a defense and just what makes him so special as as a rusher.
Honestly, I had no idea about it and tools in the locker room when Harves just mentioned it. But like man beaks, we kick it man all during the week. The way he worked throughout the week, even out of the building. Man, I'm just so proud of the guy. God just put his head down, don't really say a lot, but bust his tail day in and day out. You can't do anything but respect them. And I think the guy can do all. If you're running games with him,
he's elite. If you just want him to rush the pass, he can do that.
Run game.
The guy can strike blockers, guards, whatever the case may be. And he's shredded.
You ever seen the.
Guy with his shirt off, got looked like a wild I don't like I wish I looked like that, you know, but he's Yeah, he's shredded, and I see why he's able to do some of the things he do, and I'm just proud to be his teammate.
I talk this week about Kyle him multi's status. Did he show you anything this week?
With his toughness and wanting to make sure that he was out on the field today.
Man, I got the utmost respect for Kyle. That guy's a fucking warrior. Like the way he came out there, everything he's been going through this season, man, and just the way he forgot about it all and just said, They'm gonna put it all on the line for us. And like, when you think about that, that's like the ultimate teammate that you want in the locker room. A god is willing to sacrifice himself for the betterment of the team, knowing if he was good enough to go, he was gonna go.
And I'm just proud of him. And he's a he's a tough guy.
But you know that's how they raised him down in Georgia.
In the locker room, we also heard from defensive lineman Justin Mattabik, who actually tied an NFL record made Bik got his twelfth sack of the season on Sunday, and he tied in an NFL record by notching at least a half sack in eleven straight games.
Here's what he had to say about that.
So, just what does it mean to you to make history?
Tell you I don't think he really hit me yet. It feels good. It feels good, especially when we get to win with it. But I'm just out there, trust I'm trying to make plays how my team win. That's just what the bottom line is. When glad both happened, we let to win in the plays. But I'll Gordy God. Honestly, there's a lot of hard working off season, just a lot of sacrifices of being made and just paying off. But season ain't over hanging down yet. Uh.
After the sack on the bench, it looked like you were having a lot of laughs with some teammates and something like that.
Can you take us in some of those those conversations.
Uh, it was a lot of conversations, So I don't know which one you want me to talk about, but just everybody just congratulating me, just telling me I probably am in me and just making plays and stuff like that, and I just I just hyped out, man. I was just hyped out cause we were winning and people were making plays, art myself, Marlowe, b Steve, everybody was making plays, so great team went.
Honestly, what what does this streak feel like for you?
Emotionally?
I mean, is it kind of just hard to wrap your head around that that you're getting so many sacks or what?
Uh? Kind of But I every every game, I told myself, I'm just trying to get back there at least one time, and after the one time, I wanna get there out again and again and again and again. But uh, you know, it's just a lot of her hard work plays off and you know I'm not doing it.
What does it mean for the Ravens?
They clinch a playoff spot to night, so huge, huge, huge, that's the expectation. Honestly, we go out every game and get their attention to win. That's what we did today, and we're going to the playoffs. That's a regret. I know everybody's happy about that. But John's not finished though. You know, we have a next opponent, so we're gonna celebrate this for twenty four and get back to work. Honestly, what's it mean to you?
I mean, s some of the other guys you're tied with for the record now, I mean Jared Allen, Chris Jones, Kerry Henderson.
I mean, these are some really good players that.
Have been for a long time to be in their company, you know, what does that kind of mean to you?
Uh, it's huge. You know those are guys that I watched film on, uh when I was a rookie, when I was on second year, even third yok I watched film on. I just wanna just keep elevating my game every year, and it's it's it's showing now which Uh. I'm in conversation with those guys, and it's huge, and it just makes me more hungry to wanna stay there and makes it more hungry and wanna keep working harder. M you know, Uh, my mom was just texting me
and my congratulations. I was just like, noll, this is just beginning.
You know.
I love this I love this game. I love I love playing with these guys. I love this team. It's great.
Yeah.
So with Chris Jens, the one you watch a lot of film.
On, Chris, Aaron Donald obviously, Fletcher Cox a little bit. Just a lot of guys, a lot of guys, a lot of guys do different things well, and I just try to emulate it and put my little spin on it and try to create my own.
Yeah.
Cool, how much that's the fact that you guys are about to play the forty nine ers it's gonna be primetime games alive.
That's that's even across the radar orders. It still like you said twenty.
Twenty four, roll like he just said, uh like the next game. I don't eve know who we're playing, but yeah, for the forty nine ers, Yeah, they're a great They're a good team. They've one of the best backs in the league, good quarterback. I'm excited for it. I know you're excited for it too. It's gonna be a great game.
That was justin mattabeak it. We also heard from quarterback.
Look how h help sold just almost seems like from everything from getting the extra workout, uh, being the first one in, you know, breaking the team down, uh with speeches, getting on guys. He told me, hey, bro, you do need you to play better, uh this this past week. So you know, it's all these things. It's it's been really encouraging, you know, to to have you know, he gets his big contract and he's really filled all the the roles up them from even what he's already done
his plays. You know, he's he's always gonna step up and play. But I think how he's carried himself leadership wise, you know, just people see it, and uh, people really respect him.
You've seen him play a lot of times now for a long time.
It does the still ball go.
Your mind when you see him escape pressure.
The way he was tonight.
No, it d it doesn't.
Uh. I hate to I hate to say that, but uh, he's become such a just baller, like this magician that it's it's kind of normal now, even though it's it's to the fans. Everyone else is probably crazy, but we're just like, wow, he just escaped like five people like nice. So but I love seeing it.
Obviously a good player, what does this defensive performance for you guys? Obviously you know they love some points out there end of.
Half and all that.
But to hold a good Jaguars team.
A good quarterback to seven points, I mean that says something.
Yeah, it's a lot, it's really big. I think it's hard. I think Trevor Lawrence is one of the better quarterbacks.
In the league.
To hold them to that was was pretty big. I know they had some stuff they left out there, but you know, it's kind of thing when because it gets a goal line, if you can bow up, you can you can have a big success. So hold that team, I think we'll give us some good moment. I'm going into San France.
It was quarterback Marlin Humphrey.
We also talked with tight end Isaiah Likely about his big catch and touchdown.
In this game.
Be ready, you know when the game come, because it did take time to learn how to kind of keep moving when Lamar's doing.
His thing, kind of getting out of the pocket, escaping.
And yeah, so uh, you know that's just you know, petition, repetition. And I felt like, you know, now I got a you know, a good idea where he's gonna be most of the time, you know, when he's back there being the.
Maar, do you feel like a players never ever? I mean y'all seen it when he threw the ball.
I didn't even know he broke three tackles before he threw the ball before seen the video.
But you know that's just Lamar. You know, may it happened when nothing to Let's go through your head when two defenders cause you know, spent your money. Uh, I didn't see the one behind me.
But the golden rules, if you wave your hands trying to get the quarterback extension, you got come down with the ball.
So that's definitely what I went through.
My head, it's two weeks in a row now for you get a little more.
Yeah, you got to maybe.
What it was the feeling in a hoddle or a third quarter and started to get downhill with the runners out like you can kind to get treating challenges of the yards in the running game, and did you kind of get the feeling right they.
Were kind of breaking them a little bit?
Uh?
Yeah, you know.
The the emphasis was really just you know that one play mentality. I mean never said like always look at a home run shot, and like we knew they were a good team. We knew that was gonna take off fourth quarter. So really just you know, staying true to who he.
Was and ended up working our favorite you said this week, and you wanted to make some of those gritty catches, right, those contested catches like Marc has made so many times. To make that play near the goal line. What does that do for you?
I mean it just you know, puts trust in Lamar. I mean to be able to throw in those type windows still and really just be able to still have that outlet you know when going to get row.
That was tight end Isaiah likely. We also talked with safety Kyle Hamilton, how important was.
It for you to play, even given the injury from last week?
How important was it for you to get out there? Yeah?
I mean my parents always raised me, if you can go, go, so I felt like I could go, and throughout the week got better, so decent Friday, and then it was just up to me whether I felt like Panton's is good enough. Went out there before the game, just had some pain. It was really just paining doing management throughout the game, so you know, adrenaline was going and everything, and so feel good.
I think you had a early maybe first drive and brave a screen.
Was that kind of when you kind of felt like, Okay, this pain ain't nothing.
Or yeah yeah, Maybe first a couple of plays I was maybe babing a little bit, But after that I think I think I kind of trusted it after that.
What does means to cutch the playoff spot?
It's dope.
I mean the beginning of what we want to do, not the end goal obviously, but I think we just keep building and we're I don't think we're even close to how good we can be. So you know, everybody stepping up, injuries, people going down. Uh, it's a team.
Effort, big big games coming up, you know, obviously forty nine Ers and the Dolphins.
You know, these are.
Playoff games, right Being a playoff atmosphere like tonight was against a very good team to get that wins, does that sharpen you for kind of what's ahead.
In the playoffs?
Yes and no.
I mean it's always good getting wins against good teams, and that was a good team. At the same time, you know, playoffs is different and people we play different. In else it's winner go home, so you never know who you're gonna get.
Uh So, I mean we got to be prepared for anybody.
It seems to be really in total at the end of the half when they ran out of the clock and after getting.
A big provision getting all.
The way down the wall line, what you kind of remember.
About that and the defensive poison that right then?
Yeah, I mean we was just giving him a big play and for us to get lined up, you know, bro give us the call and everybody gets set and Marcus makes a great tackle on the sideline. Keep the clock running, and uh fortunately they ran ran out of time and that was a big stop for us going to a half time. You know, kept them at I think zero at that point going into halftime, and you know, that's a good offensive team over there, and I think we did a good job overall and still stop to improve on though.
Something.
Yeah.
I remember on the sideline just watching him. He had a bunch of crazy plays it but one player I just leaned over, I think Geno or somebody.
I was like, I do a special like.
It's just it's I'm glad we don't have to play him because it would be so frustrated the defense. You know, you got them bottled up and I don't know where he scrambles and dudes back there covering for ten seconds and it's hard to do that in this league, and guys get the open and making plays. It's just it's he provides presents a lot of problems for defenses, and I'm glad he's on our team.
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