SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR CHRIS HORTON
Opening Statement: "It's good to see everyone today. I hope everyone's doing well. Our guys are excited just to get back out there this Sunday and just continue to build on what we did, what we felt like we did [well] in that Rams game [and] really just playing our style of football. We have a good challenge this week against the Bears. Those guys do a great job on special teams, and we're just ready to go. Questions?"
Having a chance to assess during the bye week, what have you liked about your special teams units? What has been a point of emphasis or two that you want to see the team get better at coming out of the bye week getting into the second half of the season? (Luke Jones) "There are a lot of good things to like about what we've done in those first six games – getting a lot of these young guys going and just playing. We're doing a really good job in our punt return game. LaJohntay [Wester] has been outstanding. The guys out on the perimeter blocking for him have been outstanding. I thought our interior guys have done an extremely good job of just giving them opportunities once we get them. Then, outside of that, just our ability [and] just adding our veteran presence when we get opportunities to rush punts and those things present themselves. I think we're doing a good job there. I thought our kick returns have been very good. Obviously, we want to be better. There are a lot of things we can do better, and I don't want to hit every phase – I could be up here forever expanding on it – but one of the things that we really want to hone in on, as we move forward in these next games, is really our kickoff cover [team]. That's one of the things that we had an opportunity to sit back and watch and just go back through all the plays and figure out, 'OK, what are some of the issues?' We have a pretty good handle on it, and I'm looking forward to that coming to life against Chicago."
You guys used the practice elevation on S Keondre Jackson. What do you like about him on special teams? What has stood out to you about him and his play on special teams? (Jeff Zrebiec) "[Keondre Jackson has] size, speed, physicality – all the things that make up a good special teams player, while those guys wait on their opportunity to go perform on a defense. But Keondre has done a great job since he got here, and then, two weeks ago was an opportunity to get him up there. He went out there, and he played exactly how we thought he would play. You watch him practice. We're big on watching guys practice, and guys tell you a lot about who they are through the practices. They wait for those opportunities to go out in the game, and it comes to life. I thought he did a really good job. [He's a] smart, instinctive guy, physical guy, just playing the game the way we want the game played."
Specifically with K Tyler Loop through the first six games, how would you also break down his progression and learning kickoffs? (Valerie Preactor) "Early on with the kickoffs with Tyler [Loop], he's done an outstanding job. We look at those four penalties we got on a kickoff – one out of bounds, three [in the] landing zone I think it was – and those are just things that we're trying. He's young, but in my opinion, we need to be able to cover kicks without having to do some of those things. Yes, it's a trend across the league, but it's not that big of a trend. There are advantages to being able to do those things in certain situations, but we don't have to do it all the time. That's been our thing, and that's why we resulted into, 'Hey man, let's just go let these other guys cover well.' Those are some of the things that we're working on."
Did you get an explanation on the touchback you guys had that they only brought the ball up to the 20-yard line? (Noah Trister) "Yes, we did. I thought Keaton [Mitchell] did a great job of just ... That ball was going in the end zone, he wanted to be in the end zone, and we thought that was one that was going to go to the 35 [-yard line], but because his feet were originally established in the field of play, when he caught the ball in the air, he landed in the end zone, which is true, but he was last established in the field of play, so that's why that ball went to the 20-yard line. It was a great coaching moment for all our guys in the room. 'Hey, although you were in the end zone when you actually caught the ball, you were last established in the field of play.' So, it was just something that I think a lot of guys across the league learned, and we just happened to be on the other end of it."
As we all know, kicking in later months like October, November and December in M&T Bank Stadium is going to be tricky. Is there anything that you do to prepare K Tyler Loop for the elements? (Ryan Mink) "Yes, we come out here [to practice], and it's windy. We go on Field Three, and we kick. Those guys have experience kicking in the wind, but like [senior special teams coach] Randy [Brown] always tells them, 'Kick a straight ball. If you kick a straight ball, we'll be fine.'"
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR TODD MONKEN
What's something you went into the bye week with that you're hoping to change with this first game back? (Cordell Woodland) "I think we just looked at ourselves – where we're at now, what we've been doing personnel-wise, schematic-wise and where we want to go moving forward. I think there's a lot of things you look at – what we've put on tape [and] who we want be moving forward. There's a lot of really good stuff you get [from the bye week], whether it was the last two years, [it] has been later in the year, or this [one] was earlier in the year."
Do you anticipate personnel changes? (Cordell Woodland) "I don't anticipate too many personnel changes in terms of [us being] excited to get 'Pat' [Patrick Ricard] back and excited to get Ronnie [Stanley] healthy. So, we're excited."
Do you feel like you've been able to follow your gameplans once you get to game time? Do you feel like there's any element that it has become too predictable? (Giana Han) "Oh, I don't. Are you getting at tendencies or what they're saying? Is that what the point is? Or the gameplan? We've had tendencies the last two years. If you're really good, you have tendencies. That's what you do. When they look on film, they look at what you do well and what you don't do well. When you're struggling, you have tendencies. When you're not doing well, you have tendencies. Tendencies aren't really the issue. It's do you know them? Do you know what they're seeing, and then how do you combat that?"
How challenging is it to manage quarterback reps when your starters are limited; just coming back these last couple of days and you had two other guys play in the game in your last game before bye. How tough is that to manage that? Even with some unknown about whether, 'Oh, QB Lamar Jackson is out there today.' (Luke Jones) "That's what it is. That's what you do. You give the guys the reps [to the player] that you think are going to play in the game. The guys that are out there to practice, I thought they all looked good today."
The tendencies you mentioned before, how much is that something you look at offensively in terms of what you guys do, and what goes into that? (Brian Wacker) "A lot. A lot of it is every week, you're looking at personnel. Who's on the field? What are you doing with that personnel? What are you doing situationally? What are you doing [depending on your] position on the field? Everybody [does that]. [Are you] backed up, [is it the] regular, normal course of the game, red zone, [in the] two-minute – we're looking at them; they're looking at us, and that's just what you do."
Do you feel like any of the difficulties with this season have tested your relationships with other coaches or players? (Giana Han) "That it's tested my relationship with the players? No, not at all. I don't see it that way. Coach [John Harbaugh] has set an unbelievable culture of confronting everything that gets in the way of winning football. We're frustrated, but we're not deterred. I love our energy this week. We're fired up. We're ready to go. We've had a couple of great practices. [We are] looking forward to seeing how it turns out on Sunday, but I don't feel that way. This isn't my first rodeo here. This isn't like I just showed up. So, I've said that before. We've been really damn good around here, and we expect to be good again."
I thought you touched on it, but to get FB Patrick Ricard back, knowing what kind of physicality he brings, how much of a different element can that bring to the running game after it got going pretty well against the Los Angeles Rams? (Luke Jones) "We're excited to have 'Pat' [Patrick Ricard] back. And [to have a] guy that's played as much football as he has, and he can play on the line of scrimmage. He can play in the backfield. He's a guy that doesn't get dented. He doesn't overreact to what he sees as he is trying to fit up a run or on the line of scrimmage. There's just a lot to be said. That's why he's been an elite football player at his position over the last few years."
What did you take away from Rams game with running the ball and what you guys would like to do? Are there specific elements that you took away from it? (Brian Wacker) "I felt like we were – well, first of all, it was pretty obvious – we ran the ball more effectively on first down. That's been our issue – not only the last few weeks, but early in the year, [it] was our inefficiencies on first down. Being inefficient, [having] penalties, lost-yardage plays that we were a quick outcome – score, or we were off the field, and that's not good. That's not a great world to be living in. So, our ability to run the ball on first down, be efficient on first down, and then obviously, we've got to capitalize once we get in the red zone, the black zone. We had a couple of fourth-down opportunities we didn't take care of."
What do you need to see from QB Lamar Jackson to feel like he's closer to game ready and he's on the right track to getting healthy? (Jeff Zrebiec) "Well, it's really not what I have to see. It's the player that really has to feel comfortable going out there and putting themselves in position to play. [If Lamar Jackson] says he's ready to go, [then] I'm ready to go. I feel great. I don't want to say – any great player that says they want to play, I'm all in. It's up to him, and I thought he looked really good today. I thought there were things he did out there today that he took another step forward."
Do you think it added a boost of energy just yesterday, seeing QB Lamar Jackson come back to the practice field just as a team? (Cordell Woodland) "You'd have to ask those guys. I was excited. I'll speak for me. I was excited."
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR ZACH ORR
What does it mean to get ILB Roquan Smith back and have him be fully ready, against his former team, too? (Valerie Preactor) "It means a lot. I think Roquan Smith – he's obviously one of the best linebackers in football, and you cannot take that away from him. He's done that consistently over his career. I thought that he was playing really good football for us before he had the injury in Kansas City, so whenever you get one of the best players in the league back, it is great. He's looked great these last couple weeks throughout the bye week and this week. He's ready to roll. I'm excited to go see him play on Sunday. He's been going about his business the same as he does any week, but I know deep down, just knowing him, that he wants this one. He's going to go out there and prepare the right way to make sure that he can do whatever he can to help us play good defense and get a win."
What are some of your takeaways from the bye week after having a chance to step back and review everything? (Carita Parks) "In taking a step back, I don't think ... We're not far off. We're not far off. We have a couple plays here and there, a couple of things to clean up that we feel like can help us. And I think, positively, what we've done is; we've limited explosive plays, our run defense was really good early [on]. The problem is, we haven't created enough negative plays, especially on first and second down, to get into third-and-long situations. So, we looked at that hard and have a plan to try to create more negatives, and we look forward to doing that."
You mentioned negative plays, but one thing about the Bears that's really stood out the last couple of weeks is they've really run the ball very well. They are currently averaging 5.5 yards a carry or so. What stands out about what they're doing that poses a challenge for you guys? (Luke Jones) "I think they do a good job of running their base concept runs that they love to run, [their] core runs that they love to run, but every week, it's going to be out of a different formation, a different motion, a different shift and a different personnel group. So, I think that they do a good job of disguising their runs in the run game. And then, showing you something in the game and having a play off of it. It's one of those games where – we told our guys, 'Look, you're not going to be able to guess what run is coming because it's probably going to be something different that we haven't seen. We could tell you the basic core concept of the run, so you have to line up, you have to be aligned right, read your keys and go play football.'"
The last couple of weeks we've heard head coach John Harbaugh – and you – talk about the importance of creating a pass rush or manufacturing one. How much time in the bye week did you guys spend on that, trying to kind of come up with ideas to scheme up pressure and get free runners at the quarterback? (Jeff Zrebiec) "We spent a lot of time [on that]. That was probably the main focus that we looked at [during the bye week]. I think the coaches – all of the coaches – have done a great job, including Coach [John] Harbaugh and our defensive coaches, of coming up with a pressure plan and a blitz plan, and I'm excited about it. I can't talk too much about it right now, but I think it's going to be good for us."
How much has the addition of S Alohi Gilman helped to get S Kyle Hamilton closer to the line of scrimmage and all of the ways you can use him? (Brian Wacker) "That definitely helps. 'Lo' [Alohi Gilman] has been great since he's been here. He played really good in the Rams game, especially for somebody who just got here the week of the game. He's an elite communicator, he's seen a lot of football, and that helps us out. You always want to look at how you can get your best 11 on the field and where they fit at, and 'Lo' is one of our best 11 players. So, that allows us to move Kyle [Hamilton] around more and really play to his strengths. So, we're excited about that."
S Kyle Hamilton said yesterday, being the record that it is, this is "playoff mode" for players. Is it that mindset for you, does it change as well, knowing you're 1-5 and how big this week is? (Morgan Adsit) "No, not [really]. Honestly, I look at every game like it's do or die. So, every game, I'm trying to win and trying to not let [the other team] score any points. We do understand where we're at. I'm not going to deny that fact that ... we really have no room for margin of error, so we understand the importance of it. But look, being here [with the Ravens for a long time, we've been in big games [before]. So, I just approach it that same way. Every game is a big game here [is] how I look at it, and that won't change the way we approach things."
How much concern is there at the edge rusher/outside linebacker position right now, with former Baltimore Ravens OLB Odafe Oweh being traded and OLB Tavius Robinson going on IR? What have you seen from OLB David Ojabo playing a little bit more the last couple weeks and potential options or not coming off the practice squad? (Luke Jones) "Obviously, we're thin at that position, so it's time for guys to take the opportunity and step up. And for us as coaches, we have to help play to those guys' strengths. So, 'Jabo' [David Ojabo] is a guy who is going to get another opportunity to go out there and showcase what he can do. So now, it's just time for him to go out there and do it. And some other guys will get the opportunity as well. So, I look forward to seeing how the guys are going to play, and we have to do a good job of putting them in position to be successful."
We've heard a lot of guys say the bye week came at a good time for a mental reset for them and a physical reset. As coaches, obviously it was not a bye week, but how important was the timing of it, from your standpoint, in terms of being about to address certain things? (Brian Wacker) "Honestly, I think it was really important. Just because when you first see the schedule, and you look at it, for me personally, I like the later bye week, so I was like, 'Dang, Week 7 bye, dang.' But knowing what we know now, we needed the bye week just to get healthy. And it is good to take a step back, because obviously, we haven't been playing good football; we're 1-5. So, I think it came at the perfect time for us to really sit back, reset our mind, really get a chance to look at what we can do better, what we don't need to do and then go forward into these last 11 weeks."
Considering your time spent under Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald, is there any kind of in-season dialogue with him or is it that more of like an offseason thing? (Jonas Shaffer) "No, it's funny, I actually talked to Mike [Macdonald], he called me on Friday. We talk; that's my guy. We're friends. Our relationship goes further than football, and I'm happy and proud to say that. We definitely catch up with each other, talk a little bit of ball, but mainly about family. We definitely talk. We have a great relationship, and that's my guy right there."
RB DERRICK HENRY
On how the bye week felt for him: "Yes, it was good to get away and, like you said, get mentally refreshed, just chill and relax. I was watching football and chilling with the family. Really, the main part was just getting away and getting your mind right [so you can] come back and be ready to go."
On the boost of having QB Lamar Jackson back out on the field: "Heck yes. We love to have '8' [Lamar Jackson] back. We [are happy to] have him back out there, just the leadership energy he brings. It's always great to have '8' back out there, and especially because we always have fun, too."
On also having FB Patrick Ricard back out at practice: "Oh, yes. [Patrick Ricard], too. He is a big, big reason why we had so much success last year, and we're excited to have him back healthy and getting back going, so heck yes. We're definitely excited about that, as well."
On how good it felt to get the running game going against the Rams: "In the moment, maybe we got some things going, but we lost. So, that's what I think about. We did some good things, but we still got a [loss]. So, it is what it is."
On what it's going to take for them to get back on track and be the team that they can be: "Yes, I think everybody's just energized. Like you said, [everyone is] refreshed and ready to get back, and it's been showing throughout the week. We've got to finish the week out the right way and go into Sunday with the right mindset to not be 1-5 when the clock hits all zeroes."
On if he feels like they have to have a perfect rest of the season to make the playoffs: "No, I don't think we have to be perfect, but I think we have to have a sense of urgency, and I think we all know what is at stake to get what we want to get done. And I think we know what we don't need to do to put ourselves in positions to not be able to win. We'll just play our style of football, 'Play like a Raven' like Coach [John] Harbaugh preaches and then hold each other accountable, do all the little things and ride the details just so it translates to the game [and] throughout the week. And then [we'll] just go play and have fun. I think some of the leaders have been saying all week how when you are a kid, and you get this opportunity, you'll do whatever it takes to get here, so never let that slip out of your mind. You've got to play every game like it is your last."
