HEAD COACH JOHN HARBAUGH
Opening statement: "Alright, it's good to see everybody. [I] really appreciate everybody being here. [It was a] good win for us and a division win. [It was] very important [to] get going. [It was] our first win of the season, [of] regular season football, so that's important. I was pleased with the way the guys played, the way they competed, the way they handled the game, the way the game went, the pace of the game and the way they persevered throughout the game and then found a way to extend it all at the end. So, all of that was positive. What questions do you have?"
With QB Lamar Jackson now, he had another day with four touchdown passes and no interceptions. How have you seen him really orchestrate the entire offense over the past few years? How has he improved in orchestrating in the offense? (*Jamison Hensley)* "OK, that wasn't on my [prep] sheet as far as a possible question." (laughter) "The past few years I would say Lamar [Jackson]'s been great the past few years. I think it's indicative – your point is really good because he's been – I mean it was a tough game yesterday against a really great defense. Just this last game, it was tough sledding, and that wasn't just coming our way in terms of field position or in terms of opportunities for plays or things like that. And yet just he kept pressing; he kept making the checks he needed to make. A couple of times there were plays that we were in trouble, and he bailed them out. Probably three of his big plays were plays that he made something out of absolutely nothing and made a bad play into a great play with the help of his teammates. That's Lamar, that's the thing about Lamar that really just makes him [be] on another level as a player. Yet all the solid stuff, all the basic stuff, the outs on time, the 'Check With Mes,' all the different things like that are the things that over the last few years – I guess what you're kind of referring to – are the things that he's really built into his game as well. It's just Lamar being Lamar."
When you look at the rushing numbers from yesterday, in addition to the Cleveland Browns having good players on their defense, did they just scheme to take away RB Derrick Henry? Is that what you saw when you looked back at it? (*Childs Walker)* "Well, [the Cleveland Browns] definitely had a bunch of guys at the line of scrimmage, and they were triggering the run right away. When I was coaching with [former Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator] Jim Johnson in Philly way back when, we had a way of playing a four-three defense, which is somewhat similar to what [Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Jim] Schwartz does in Cleveland, not exactly the same, but it was called 'blitz the run.' So basically, it's when you get a run key, you're hitting gaps and running through gaps, and I would say they were quote-unquote 'blitzing the run.' It wasn't a blitz call, but it's a blitz reaction to the run, and those guys were coming downhill immediately. They were all close to the line of scrimmage to start with. That was the plan for them – make sure that the Ravens don't run the ball; we're not going to get beat by the run. That's smart football, and they had success with that part of it."
With QB Lamar Jackson, he said yesterday that he takes an IV for every game. Was the heat a big factor you think for him yesterday in terms of the run game or anything like that? It was overly hot, obviously. (*Jerry Coleman)* "No, I don't think that was a factor with the run game part of it. I thought [Lamar Jackson] handled the heat well; so he was OK."
And as far as the hydration thing, are you aware that QB Lamar Jackson's doing that on a regular basis? (*Jerry Coleman)* "Yes, different guys have different plans. We just do a great job here. [Director of sports nutrition] Sarah Snyder does a great job. The trainers and staff do a great job of monitoring all that. Guys get monitored – you can't believe how much information we have on guys and [their] hydration, nutrition, performance type things. It's great. We have great a staff of people who do a great job, and of course Lamar [Jackson]'s kind of an important guy, so he gets a lot of attention with that as well."
Do you have an update on OLB Kyle Van Noy? I know you were mentioning you're waiting for more today. (*Bo Smolka)* "I can tell you the update that I probably want to give just would be that there's nothing season-ending or long, long term. Everything else is either day-to-day. Maybe something might stretch into a week-to-week, but there's really no advantage for us in sharing that information today for our opponent. So [I will] probably stay away from it."
With OLB Kyle Van Noy leaving earlier, it was an opportunity for some other guys to play more. OLB Mike Green upped his snap count. What are you seeing from him? Not just yesterday but just in his development now, knowing whether Van Noy is going to be? (*Luke Jones)* "You [can] put Malaki [Starks] in that category as well, of young or rookie players [who] made another step in this game. I think [Mike Green] tightened it up a little bit with some of his angles on his pass rushes and his run defense. [He was] very physical off the edge, both of those a couple times, a few times; yet still, like rookies, there's a ways to go, but [he will] keep making the same kind of progress every single week. I'm happy with the way Mike's playing. He's playing good football for us and [he] just has to keep growing as a player, as a young player."
Similarly, with ILB Teddye Buchanan, it seems like his snaps continue to improve over the first two weeks. What is he doing that getting him more playing time? (*Cordell Woodland)* "Yes, that's a great point to put Teddye [Buchanan] in that same category with [Mike Green and Malaki Starks], and he's playing well. He's just playing really solid football. He is in the right place doing the right things, [with] specific things that we were doing in this game. I just thought Teddye played another really good game. Again, [there are] things he can work on and get better at, but [he] played a really good game for us."
Do you anticipate that snap count being – I know every game is different – but anticipate that being the plan going forward and getting similar reps for ILB Teddye Buchanan? (*Brian Wacker)* "We just kind of keep going week-to-week and day-to-day. You just never know what direction it's going to go, but when guys play well, they continue to play, and there's nobody not playing well. So, if there's someone that we need to take out, we would, but that's kind of just how it works."
Speaking of guys playing well, yesterday you were, obviously, down a guy in the secondary. You had a nice play by CB T.J. Tampa Jr. there, you've had WR Tylan Wallace with some nice plays, and then WR Devontez Walker. How important is it for those guys to step up when RB Derrick Henry and some of the other guys are being contained? (Brian Wacker) "I think your point is exactly right. You need a whole team. Everybody is on the team for a reason, because you need them. You want the guys on your team to contribute. Everybody wants to contribute. Everybody wants their opportunity. They want their shot, and it really doesn't matter where you are [on the roster], you are on the roster. If you're the star player – [like] Lamar [Jackson]; Lamar wants to contribute and make plays. And if you're a guy that's fighting for that playing time, you want to contribute and make plays. If you get out there on a punt rush, you want to go block a punt if you can. If you get your shot at wide receiver, you want to go catch a pass or a touchdown pass when you can. Guys want to win, first and foremost, but they also want contribute just as much, because that's what they work hard for. So yes, it's very important to build that into your team, from the inside out, where everybody feels like and knows it when they go out there that they know the standard, the expectation is just as high for them as it is for everybody. We are putting them out there because we're planning on them. We're expecting them to make those plays."
With FB Patrick Ricard, it seemed like – it felt like you guys might have thought he might've been ready for that season opener. Did he have a setback? (Jamison Hensley) "It's hard to put a term on it like [a setback], and I think it's a good [and] fair question. I'm not sure what you want to call it, but [Patrick Ricard's recovery process] hasn't been as quick as we thought. It just hasn't been, there's no way around it. I'm disappointed, but Pat is more disappointed than anybody that it hasn't gotten there faster than what was expected when he first did it. So yes, it's been slower than we hoped, that's for sure. And we're kind of in that, I'd say probably week-to-week mode with Pat right now."
And just to clarify, the update you gave on OLB Kyle Van Noy, does that apply to CB Marlon Humphrey as well? (Childs Walker) "What part of it?"
That you don't want to get into specifics? (Childs Walker) "Yes." (Laughter) "The answer is yes. Thank you for asking it like that."
Maybe week-to-week is what you said about OLB Kyle Van Noy. (Childs Walker) "I'm just staying away from it right now because I just don't want to let you guys bleed that information out. I'm doing my best here not to ... You're pulling my fingernails out; you're trying to share some information that I don't want to give you. It's not that I want to give it to you, or the fans, I just don't want to give it to the Lions. That's the main thing right now."
If someone, say OLB Kyle Van Noy, would have to miss time, do you feel confident with the group you have, even if it ended up being sort of longer than maybe expected? (Brian Wacker) "Absolutely. It kind of goes to the last question that you asked. I would absolutely [feel comfortable feel comfortable with the group we have]. The expectations would be, for that to be the exact same, and let's go. [That is] 100 percent true."
How close did you come to challenging the endzone play with TE Mark Andrews, where the ball's knocked down. And not just that, but when you decided not to challenge a ruling like that, do you send that into the league to try to get clarification, just for information gathering? (Luke Jones) "So close. And yes, that was a hard 'don't challenge' for my guys upstairs, because [the league officials] had a long time to look at [the play] and they were not going to change what they are – they looked at it, and they made their decision already from upstairs, in New York. So that wasn't going to get overturned. There was no third act even in the end zone, there was nothing. There was no football act at all, and the ball got knocked out. So that's what was explained to me at the time, that we were going to lose the challenge if we did it. Now, if we call in, and we find out that ... Because I'll be honest with you, it hasn't been 100 percent consistent. Maybe sometimes they look the same to us, and you try to get a gauge on what's going to get overturned, and what's not going to get overturned, and then you get surprised. So, I'm not saying that's not possible, but it looked like at the time, and I think it's probably going to be confirmed that we'd have lost the challenge and lost the timeout. So, if you're going to lose the challenge, then you don't want to make the challenge. That was the same thing on the one with 'Hop' [DeAndre Hopkins], you could see the knee down, but did he have control when the knee was down? 'Hop' said he didn't control it until he was in the end zone. So that was Hop's argument. And I don't know, but they looked at that for a long time before they overturned it. So, when they overturned it, they're telling you that's their decision. So that was what happened on those two, and I'm sure that the guys upstairs who were helping me had it right. I can see the point. But yes, if we get something back that says otherwise, I'll be happy to share it with you."
Has the new replay assist changed your approach on challenges at all? (Garrett Downing) "That's a great point. Yes, I would say it probably has in a sense that they basically are going to do most of that already. I don't think they want that red flag out as much. I don't think they care about it, but they'd rather get it right and [use] replay assist than take it to a challenge. So, if they have time to look at those, they're going to probably look at them and put it where they want it."
We've seen QB Lamar Jackson look for TE Mark Andrews and TE Charlie Kolar lot during training camp. So far, there have been just four total targets for those two guys through the first two games. What do you make of the relative lack of activity from tight ends in terms of the target shares? (Jonas Shaffer) "I make of it [that it is] just football, probably. It's going to happen. [Mark Andrews and Charlie Kolar] are going to catch a lot of passes. I expect those guys to be a big part of what we're doing. If we start going four or five weeks, and you don't see the tight ends getting targets, I'll probably be asking 'Monk' [offensive coordinator Todd Monken] and Lamar [Jackson] and the guys, 'What do you think?' But, the ball goes where it goes based on the reads. That's where the ball goes based on Lamar's reads, and that's what quarterbacks do. So, those guys know that, and they're fighting to run good routes and [are] just trying to make the plays that come to them."
The catches that we've seen WR DeAndre Hopkins make with defenders just all over him. Why do you think he's so good at that? You were a defensive backs coach. What would you even tell a guy who was covering him? (Childs Walker) "It's funny, I was watching the tape this morning very early, and I just thought that [the Browns'] young corner was covering DeAndre as well as he could. He couldn't cover him any better, and yet, Lamar [Jackson] puts the ball in a great spot, and DeAndre makes a great catch. Why is he as good as he is? That's a question for the Lord. He gave him that talent, and he's just great at making plays."
With WR DeAndre Hopkins, is less kind of more when it comes to his snap count to this point? He doesn't play a lot, but he's obviously made impact plays in those short times. Do you foresee him getting more playing time? Or is this kind of what you want it to look like? (Cordell Woodland) "I think we'll see as we go. I think in some games, it might be one way or another, but we have a lot of guys that can play and do different things. So, it's not a bad thing to do it that way, but I'm sure that every player wants to be on the field as much as they can. So, the more DeAndre [Hopkins] is on the field, I'm happy about that. But if we don't have to have him out there too much doing things that aren't kind of difference-making things, too, that kind of makes sense as well. And then you've got guys that can go out there and make plays. You [can] put 'Tez' [Devontez Walker] out there, and he does some things, and he changes it up on the defense. That's a nice thing, too. And Tylan [Wallace] is the same way. Of course, you've already got 'Bate' [Rashod Bateman] and Zay [Flowers], they're going to play a lot of snaps, and you want to get the ball to the tight ends. That was just brought up. When are the tight ends going to get those chances? So, those are all things that we're kind of grappling with and trying to put together the offense for every week. And [offensive coordinator] Todd [Monken] and [quarterbacks coach] Tee [Martin] and the offensive coaches, they all do a great job of that. So, that's kind of a blessing, but it's also a dilemma, and we're working through it, but hopefully it's a tiny dilemma that puts a lot of points on the board. That's what we're hoping for."
With CB Jaire Alexander, you said yesterday you want to focus on getting him in football shape. What do you need to see to determine that he's ready to go back out there and play? (Carita Parks) "Yes, it's such a great question. I wish it was really black and white, but I think [Jaire Alexander] will be out there soon. It could be as early as this week, but it's going to be when he feels [right] and [when] you can see that he's right to go out there and just play like top-level Jaire. I don't want to put him in a situation where he's got to try to overcome not quite being [as] right as he can be, especially if we've got guys that can play well. So, that's just almost a great problem to have that you don't have to force a player out there when he's [working his way back from an injury]. That was a tough injury he had last year, and he's been rehabbing that thing in the offseason, and rehabbing it now through training camp. He ended up rehabbing it for about three or four weeks in training camp with no practice. That was probably the toughest part of it. If he had been able to practice there, maybe that would've helped, but he wasn't quite there yet. It's good now, though. I don't know, we'll just see in practice. He and I will talk about it, and we'll get him out there as soon as we can. But I think it's going to be really soon. It'll be much sooner rather than later, and I can't wait until he is out there, and maybe it'll be this week."
So, it's a collaborative situation with you and CB Jaire Alexander? (Jerry Coleman) "Yes, [it will be] me and [Jaire Alexander] and [looking at] the performance stuff. You'll see the numbers with the performance numbers and all those kinds of things that we do, and that's it."
With the new kickoff rules, you try to land the ball between the 20-yard line and the goal lines. Is the difference between the 40-yard line and the 35-yard line almost worth the risk of trying to be that precise? (Noah Trister) "The challenges right now with field position are really becoming interesting with this kickoff, because the field position now is a problem when you kick off, because it potentially puts you backed up. There's more [teams] backed up right now than there has [ever] been. You saw us backed up three times in the first half. So, when an offense takes possession of the ball, it's going to be [around] at least the 30-yard line, it seems like. You've got to really do something to get them at the 25-[yard line], or the 23 or the 24 to get them somewhat in a normal field position spot. Even when you kick them the ball, if the ball's up in the air, and they get a running start, they can push the ball to the 30-[yard line] pretty normally, right? So, now you try to get the ball on the ground, [and] you try to put them in the corner, or you try to get them moving to catch [the ball], or to make it bounce so you can get a [head] start to not put yourself in a situation where there's one first down, and they're punting the ball back down to the 10-yard line, and that's really what's happening. So, every time now – if you think about this – every time you score, the more you score, and the more you kick off, the more likely you are to be backed up on your next offensive possession. So, teams are experimenting with [the idea of what they [can] do to push the kickoff return back with their kickoff team? And so, you're seeing the ball come up short or come up out of bounds, and we've just got to decide whether we want to risk that or not, but I don't really want Tyler [Loop] kicking the ball out of bounds, and he knows that. That for sure shouldn't happen in my mind. The drive kick that comes up short, that's tougher, because that can happen. The ball is shaped funny, but we don't love that either. We still want to have a chance to cover the kick."
Do you think it's been good for the game, just with all the variation we're seeing as opposed to 12 touchbacks a game? (Childs Walker) "I think it's better than 12 touchbacks a game if that's the question. Is this better than 12 touchbacks a game? Yes."
ILB Trenton Simpson, could you get a look on him on the outside? I know he's done that before, and he did that in college. If you have injury woes, or you're missing an outside linebacker, could he be a solution there, too? (Jeff Zrebiec) "[Trenton Simpson] could play SAM [linebacker]. Yes, he could play SAM. Could he play defensive end? It's just nuanced, because Kyle Van Noy plays SAM in the base defense, but he also plays defensive end in the sub defense. He's not playing off the ball in the sub defense. Could Trenton play defensive end on the edge? Probably not right now. It's not something that, body type-wise, we'd be looking at doing at this time. But, he can play SAM, sure, in the base [defense]."
How does your team find LB Jake Hummel? How did he end up here, and what are the strengths that a guy like that, knowing that role, brings to this team? (Bo Smolka) "[Jake Hummel is] just a veteran special teams guy that knows how to play the game [and] has proven it at a high level. That's really valuable. Obviously, you saw what he did. He's made other plays maybe fans haven't seen, as far as coverage and things like that. But man, that block punt was big. The block punt, the punt return and then the two defensive plays, that set up scores. You're talking about 24 points that got set up by special teams and defense. You have to look and say that's probably the difference in the game. He was kind of the guy that got that jump started. How did we find him? Our scouts and [special teams coordinator] Chris Horton were looking in free agency, and he became available. They studied him, and they loved him. Chris showed him to me, and I'm like, 'Man, this guy, what kind of guy is he? Could he help us? Is he a good guy? Does he work hard, and would he fit?' We were able to get him here. I'm glad he is here. I'm really grateful that he is on our team."
How pleased have you been with the downfield passing game, especially with teams trying to load up the box a little bit? It seems like you guys have been able to push the ball down field. (Jamison Hensley) "The chunk throws have been good. I think we had six explosive passes, which was good [and] solid. We've had more, but it'd probably fit [in the] 60 percentile – or something like that – in the NFL in a game. That's been big. People are playing man against us, and we've taken advantage of that. You saw Zay [Flowers] have a bunch of plays this last game [and] also 'Hop' [DeAndre Hopkins]. 'Bate' [Rashod Bateman] came up early in the game, made some plays for us and got us going. So yes, the chunk passing game has been good. When people load the box up, you hope that's what happens."
There have been a lot of long field goals this year, a number of them from 55 yards or beyond. Obviously, K Tyler Loop has got plenty of leg. Why do you think there's been so many long kicks being made? Is it just as simple as the ball and kickers are better? What range would you feel comfortable with Tyler? (Brian Wacker) "[With] Tyler [Loop], we would try those. We're not opposed to 50-plus-yard kicks."
Would you go to 65- or 70-yard field goals? (Brian Wacker) "Are you going to do that in the regular course of the game? The odds go down a lot. Do you want to kick a 70-yard field goal in the middle of the first quarter, or would you rather punt? Probably, I'm punting there or going for it, maybe, if it's really short. As it gets to be more of a meaningful number – as you get later in the game where you need the points – heck yes. You could put [Tyler Loop] back there. Why is it happening? Yes, the kickers deserve a lot of credit. Snappers and holders are just as important. Well, maybe not just as important, but they're really close. They all work together, but the balls are different, too. They're not kicking the balls out of the box as much anymore. They tweaked the rule on that, which is probably more fair for those guys, so you're probably seeing what they're really more capable of doing with a football. It's a little more like the quarterback just gets a chance to throw."
Did anyone get on CB Chidobe Awuzie for his open-field tackle on CB Nate Wiggins on the sideline during the interception celebration? (Jeff Zrebiec) "I didn't see that." (Reporter: "Players were calling for a trainer. I think they thought he got hurt on the sideline.") "I don't think that was a real thing there. (Reporter: "It looked like Nate Wiggins was limping.") "No, he was fine. He is fine."
Right before the game yesterday, this report comes out that Shedeur Sanders said he didn't want to go to the Ravens, because he didn't want to have to back up QB Lamar Jackson. Did you guys have any legitimate interest in him? (Jerry Coleman) "I was in the room. We have a policy here that we don't talk about the draft room decision-making process, so I'm not going to be able to answer that for you. As much as I may like to or may not want to, I'm not going to be able to answer that for you."
