HEAD COACH JOHN HARBAUGH
Opening statement: "It's good to see everyone. I appreciate you all being here. It was a good win, and we will focus on the next challenge, which will be the [New York] Jets on Sunday. [It will be a] very important game again and an opportunity to get above .500 and keep in the hunt for the division title. We are a game behind there. That's the big picture, but the focus is on preparing for the next game. What question do you have?"
As far as injury-wise, did you guys come out of this game OK? (Jamison Hensley) "We looked pretty good. We had an issue after the game. Keyon Martin had to stay in Cleveland. They were looking at a chest injury. Looks like he's OK. He had a bunch of testing there in the hospital last night. [It] all came out negative – in a good way – and he's back now. So, we'll see how that kind of progresses in the next 24 hours."
Is your sense that CB Marlon Humphrey is available this week possibly? You said a week or two based on if he did have the surgery? (Bo Smolka) "Yes. I am optimistic about that right now."
Is that something where CB Marlon Humphrey would play with that wrap on? (Brian Wacker) "I'm not sure right now. I'm sure they'll have some protection for [Marlon Humphrey's finger], probably, though."
When you went back and looked at the red zone possessions where you ended up having to take field goals, what were the combination of things that you saw that didn't work as well as they should have? (Childs Walker) "Well, just a lot of different things. Each place is a little bit different. Some plays could have been executed better. Some plays, [the Cleveland Browns] did a great job of defending. We tried to run it a couple of times, maybe didn't get it in. But bigger picture, that's an important part of the field for us. We want to score touchdowns down there, and you at least want to protect the three as well. We didn't do that one time. We had kind of a fluky play, but we need to score touchdowns down there. So, it's going to definitely continue to be a point of emphasis – it has been, and we want to be more successful down in the red zone for sure."
What are some of the things that you can point to that you can do to try to help improve the red zone area? (Giana Han) "We can execute better. We can call better plays. We can make plays."
When you go back and look at what Cleveland Browns DE Myles Garrett did, you knew that he was going to come in and try and wreck the game. Was there different things that you guys could have done maybe as the game went on to try and limit the way he was getting...? (Jerry Coleman) "We did about everything you can do. We tried about everything you can do, and we blocked [Myles Garrett] a number of times. That's the kind of defense, really, that you want to try to hit big plays on. That's really the way they're organized. We hit some big plays. The red zone is probably the biggest thing. If we could have gotten the job done down there a little better, we would've had a big scoring game. But it's always going to be that way when you play that defense, because they do a good job of creating chaos and then especially him. So, that's kind of how it goes with him."
Special teams coordinator, Chris Horton, last week was talking to us about the idea of decision making on the punt returns. The one that WR LaJohntay Wester returned, kind of backing up field to the 2-yard line and then on the wind-blown muff. What do you say to him? Did you tell him later in the game, 'Hey, be careful. Let those drop in the wind like this.' What do you say to him? (Bo Smolka) "Well, no, every one's different. So, the one that's tailing away from [LaJohntay Wester], you're on the run there. He definitely knows he doesn't want to catch that one. That's, hopefully, a learning experience. It's been probably his first game playing in those kind of conditions with that kind of wind in an AFC-North-type of a stadium to experience that with that kind of a 'cutter' ball. It was a left-footed punter, and the ball's cutting away from him. That's probably one of the most challenging – especially at that end of that stadium. [It's] a really challenging ball. That's one you definitely want to get away from, and so he'll learn from that, I'm sure, and he did as a game went on. He let another one get on the ground, which was good. Backing up like that, I think he lost track of where he was at. I probably would've rather had him just let that go in the end zone, but there are times when we don't always make a hard and fast – the old 10-yard-line rule. Those days have changed a little bit, because, heck, the ball comes out to the 8[-yard line] and roll down to the 1[-yard line] – that's not good. Or sometimes there's nobody near you, and you've seen some long returns happen, because it's a line drive, there's a lot of space, and you don't mind backing up and returning some of those. We've had those over the years, all these years that we've been doing it. You don't want to [use a] 'hard and fast' [rule] too much, but you do want to have principles built around the rule. He's learning. He is a rookie, and I think he's really accountable, and nobody works harder. I tell you he works hard in practice every single day at it. He's very coachable. So, I think he's going to continue to grow that way."
Ever since QB Lamar Jackson has been here, his running ability has been a big part of this offense. This year, I think his rushing yards per game is probably the lowest he's had since he's been there. Is there a reason for that? Have you guys made a conscious decision not to call as many quarterback rushes? Why do you think he hasn't been running as much as he has in the past? (Jamison Hensley) "I was happy with some of the runs yesterday. [Lamar Jackson] got out of the pocket a few times when we really needed him to and got us some yards and saved us a couple of times. I thought he also – I give him a lot of credit – he was under duress a few times where, in that kind of a game, he made some decisions, too, to protect the football, which was big. So, I thought he played a really smart game that way. We had some quarterback runs called, [but the Browns defense] took away the quarterback a number of times. They're not always going to let him run either, so it's week to week."
I know, but overall for the season ... (Jamison Hensley) "I don't really have an answer for that. It's not required. Next thing you know, Lamar [Jackson] will break out and run for 100 yards. So, that's always – I'm sure defenses have to consider that as a possibility, and that's a good thing for us."
You guys have been banged up on and off in the secondary. How much has CB Chidobe Awuzie – really, his ability to kind of step in and keep things going and just play sound football? How important has that been for that group? (Jeff Zrebiec) "I think [Chidobe Awuzie has been] very important. I told [executive vice president and general manager] Eric [DeCosta] on the plane last night, I think that might be his most underrated signing [last offseason]. It's just a really big – [he has] really been a big signing for us. He's done great, and we knew he was a good player [because] we'd seen him over the years. I'd say [he is] even better than advertised. He's played really good football. He had a heck of a game [yesterday]."
People use the expression 'teaching tape' all the time, but how CB Chidobe Awuzie kept working through the ball in the end zone there, is that an example of what you try to preach? (Jeff Zrebiec) "It was a great play, yes. The ability to not panic when you're playing the ball downfield like that – especially with your back to the ball, chasing a fade route – that's probably the toughest thing a corner has to do. And to play it in a way that you get into the 'catch cylinder' is what we call it, in front of the receiver and affect the hands, affect the ball, find the ball, play the ball, not hinder the receiver in too much of a way where you get called for interference or anything like that – [Chidobe Awuzie] has really done well with that. I think a lot of our guys have. I think our coaches do a great job of teaching that. He's had some training tape – to your point – with that kind of technique."
I know we spoke about CB Keyon Martin at the beginning, but how important – just his on-field play – how has that been, especially when he's been able to step out and play corner as well? (Jamison Hensley) "Yes, [Keyon Martin] did great. He did great; he had a sack, [and] he had a couple good coverages and had a batted ball. I thought he played really well. [He also] played well in special teams – he has been playing well on special teams. He's done a really good job."
The TE Mark Andrews fourth-down play sounded like – we talked to some guys last night – that it kind of came up just during the week. I know you talked about it last night. A couple of things, was that born kind of out of that toss to QB Lamar Jackson, at all, that you guys had run the previous week? I guess I'm trying to get to the root of how you guys sort came up with that play. (Brian Wacker) "We're going to do a historical biography on the game-planning process of a play?" (Laughter) "How did it happen? It happened like all plays happen. When you look at the quarterback sneak, and the people going to great lengths to get that stop ... We've run a number of the tush pushes over the last three or four years, the sneaks with Mark [Andrews], and at some point in time, it gets to the extent where they just take the play away, and you have to have an answer. You have to have a counter punch. And those two plays have been in the hopper for a few weeks – maybe a month, maybe a little more. We've just kind of been designing and stuff like that, trying to figure it out. And yes, part of it is – it's just not one thing, it's all the different plays that everybody talks about. So, we started working on that one – two weeks ago we started working on it a little bit, and then this week, we had a bunch of reps in practice on it, and that was it. [And then] we had a chance to call it."
With QB Lamar Jackson and RB Derrick Henry going in that direction, how much does that obviously drive the ... (Brian Wacker) "Yes, you saw [Ronnie] Hickman went that way with it. He was probably responsible for Lamar [Jackson] in there, and then the corner on the backside, that held him, so that kept your pursuit away a little bit. And then you look at what happened with [Carson] Schwesinger – he's a heck of a player. This guy – wow – this guy is all over the field. What a great pick those guys made there. We loved him, too, and he probably would've made the play except Charlie [Kolar] pinned his guy in and got up and got a piece of him there, too, which was really a heads-up play by Charlie. [It was an] excellent play by Charlie to get that block; that's what made the difference. And then Mark [Andrews], obviously, ran really fast. So, that was it. And it was a big play. It's going to be historic – it's going to be one of those iconic plays, I think. One thing about it that's kind of interesting – you guys cover the Ravens – and you look at all these games in Cleveland over the years; down 20-0 in the first quarter or a blocked field goal in overtime for a touchdown or Lamar coming back on the field after we go from fourth-and-1 to fourth-and-5 and throwing a touchdown pass. There are so many crazy games in that stadium over the last 20 years. So, this goes in the annals, for sure, with all those games."
You guys gave the play the name "Hurricane" and not the tush push, but the trifecta of having RB Derrick Henry, TE Mark Andrews and, of course, FB Patrick Ricard back. How instrumental was having FB Patrick Ricard back in a situation like that and making QB Lamar Jackson the decoy? (Jerry Coleman) "Probably, I would think of it more in the big picture. [Patrick Ricard] is instrumental in everything as far as the run game, and he's also [instrumental in] play-action, protection, and he's caught passes, too. It's not like he can't catch passes, so yes, that play is part of it. Yes, it's been a big deal having Pat back."
I guess I'm saying having those three though, those massive bodies right there, and QB Lamar Jackson as the decoy – going forward that's something more you can work with, I would presume and be more creative with. (Jerry Coleman) "Well, yes. They're all out there. They're all out there together in certain plays, so it's definitely something that defenses have to contend with."
Last week, defensive coordinator Zach Orr said he thought the game in Minnesota was DL Travis Jones' best game of his career as a pass rusher. What have you seen from Jones over the last month or so to really elevate his game? (Bo Smolka) "[Travis Jones] is notching it up. It's kind of like confidence with Travis. He's such a humble, hardworking guy, and sometimes you just want to say to him, it's like, 'Hey man.' Last year, I had him in the weight room – I just ran into him – and we were talking. I said, 'Come over here.' We looked in the mirror, and I'm standing there – he's standing there, and I'm standing there – and we're looking at each other in the mirror, and I go, 'Look at yourself. Look at yourself. Look how great you look. Oh my gosh ... You're going to dominate.' And he knows that. He works so hard, but a little bit of belief in yourself goes a long way, and I think he's starting to really feel it, that he can take over games a little bit."
Obviously, it's a small sample size, but it's been two straight games in a row for QB Lamar Jackson under 60 percent completion percentage. Obviously, it was two good defenses that he's gone against, but are there any just common denominators for some of these misses that he's been suffering these past two weeks? (Jonas Shaffer) "No. [Lamar Jackson is] winning games. Finding ways to win the game – that's what counts; that's what matters, and I think Lamar did a great job in both of those games of playing that kind of winning football."
It looks like Jets QB Tyrod Taylor is going to be the quarterback for the Jets. What do you remember from his time here? (Jamison Hensley) "I remember [Tyrod Taylor] is a great guy. It's been a while now. How long has it been?" (Reporter: 10 or 11 years. Something like that.") "[I've] run into him a couple of times since then, given him a big hug, and [I have] much respect. What a career. He was a great pick for us. He did a great job here. [He's a] really good guy, and [I have] much respect for what he's accomplished. He's been in the league a long time. He's always played well when he's played, and it'll be a dimension for us to have to deal with, for sure, because he's a really good player."
S Kyle Hamilton had a big impact in your pass rush yesterday. Even when they had a guy accounting for him, he's usually able to pressure the quarterback. How rare is that kind of skill set from someone of his size and for being a defensive back, as well? (Noah Trister) "Yes, [that's] pretty rare. [Kyle Hamilton] made it really hard on the running backs, just to block him, and then his length, too. [He's] batting balls down and those kinds of things. He was just impactful – he always is – but he was super impactful the whole game, pretty much in every way you can be impactful. He only had one bad play, and it was really after the [actual] play." (laughter) "So, we'll have to talk about that."
Just to piggyback on that, S Kyle Hamilton was all over the field, and his stat line bears that. How much is moving him around as much as you guys have changed or influenced what you want to do defensively? (Brian Wacker) "Yes, it's been great. It's been great. You see it. You see it when you watch the games, for sure. And also, we've run [Kyle Hamilton] back out, too. He has gone deep. They don't really know where he is going to show up. I think [defensive coordinator] Zach [Orr] and the guys on defense have done a great job with all of our players of moving him around and having guys show up where they're not really expected to be a lot of times."
Yesterday was not the first time that WR DeAndre Hopkins has set up the offense for a game-changing play this season. How much do you wish that he was able to get more involved earlier in the game? Or is that just really hard because you have to spread the ball around with QB Lamar Jackson? (Valerie Preactor) "Yes, I definitely want to get [DeAndre Hopkins] involved. You want to get him involved; you want to get all the guys involved, so it's not really one guy. As soon as you talk about one guy, then the next game you're talking about the next guy. And it's the same question, but it's just a different name. So, that's part of it. But 'Hop' [DeAndre Hopkins] is definitely a guy that you want to try to isolate and get him the ball because he is going to catch it. He is going to come up with it. That slant was a heck of a catch, and [it was] huge – like you said – a huge, huge play in the game. I told him that. He wants more and more, and he wants that because that's who he is. And I just told him, I said, 'Dude, you won the game.' Keaton Mitchell, [with] the screen pass – that won the game. Those are all game-winning plays that kind of go into the series of events. So, I absolutely agree with that. I definitely want to get 'Hop' as many touches as we possibly can. That's important."
You've been asked almost every week about making potential changes on the offensive line. Have you seen the progress there to where you don't think changes are necessary? (Jeff Zrebiec) "You put the best five players out there – the five guys who are playing the best. That's what you do. It's not even a hard answer. So, the [answer to the] question is pretty much, 'Yes, we're putting the best five players out there,' and they're playing pretty darn good. Can they play better? Sure. And you evaluate it, play-by-play. Every single position you evaluate it, play-for-play. And some plays are great; some plays are good. Some plays need to be better, and we want them to be better, and you try to improve on them. So, that's how it goes with every position. And there are always going to be areas that, from one game to the next, can play better. So, that's how it works. You put your team out there, and you compete. That's what we've been doing. So, all of our guys – including our offensive line – fight and compete and get after it, and that's what those guys are doing, too. So, none of our positions are perfect, and they're not perfect either, but they're trying to be. So, we put our best group out there, and we fight. That's what we do."
Do you think that the offensive line's continuity and just how relatively healthy the group has been this year has a compounding effect at this time of year with how much time on task they've been able to have? (Jonas Shaffer) "Yes, that's important, especially for that position. That's a valuable thing."
