HEAD COACH JESSE MINTER
Opening Statement: "[I] give them a lot of credit. [It was a] tale of two halves, obviously. [The] team came out, ready to roll. I didn't feel like we took advantage of enough opportunities in the first half to continue to create separation. Then in the second half, [the Bengals] made a few plays early [and] got momentum. Right now, we're too much of a momentum team. We're riding the wave when it's good, and we're riding the wave when it's bad. I think that's a main focus for us to be able to stay a little bit more even-keeled and continue to make plays and do things. [Give] credit to them for the second half."
What's your message to the team after a second half like that? (Jamison Hensley) "The message is that I think in every game we've proven that we're good enough to be the type of team that we want to be, and we've proven that we're bad enough to be a not very good team as well. There's a consistency level that we need to find where it's less riding the wave of momentum and more about staying even-keeled and finding a way to have each other's back and finding a way to pick each other up. You can look at really all three phases in the second half of completely momentum-losing type of plays. That is what it is. In the first half, I thought there was really some good in all three phases. Then again, [there were] some opportunities where you can create even more that we didn't take advantage of. Then in the second half, we let the game kind of snowball on us once it got going, and obviously, [we have] got to find a way for that not to happen."
Was there one play that you could identify that changed momentum in the second half? (Jerry Coleman) "I don't know that there was one play. [The Bengals] went on a nice drive right out [after halftime]. Again, we didn't really get anything going offensively. They went on another drive. And then I think when they got the short field ... But, it's all three phases. There's a ton of plays in that game where we had a chance to potentially flip it back when we were able to. They kept rolling. They hit a bunch of explosives on us in the second half, throwing the ball down to those guys. [It] just really not good enough, starting with me and all the way down."
Does this become a psychological thing where it just starts happening, snowballing, and guys are saying, 'Here we go again'? (Jeff Zrebiec) "Yes, but only we can change that. I would say there was a little bit of that. But we have control over that. That's what we need to understand is we have complete control over that mentality. We have an opportunity ... Again, we've proven that we can play, and regardless of what the circumstances are, we can play [the way we want to and not] lose momentum. We have total control over that, and that's what we need to understand."
How do you keep this from becoming a psychological problem that continues to happen? (Brian Wacker) "Great question. I think it's tough conversations over and over and just continuing to work through it and talk through it. Right now, I think it's just a big point in the season for us to determine what type of team we want to be. That's what I would say."
Were you OK with the effort level particularly from the defense in the second half? (Josh Tolentino) "I thought we missed some tackles. When you miss tackles on those guys, they're capable of making you pay and making explosives. Tackles that we made earlier, we didn't make in the second half, so we'll have to look at the tape and see what it was. Yes, we certainly missed a bunch of plays where they're throwing the ball for a 2-to-3-yard gain, and we're not getting people on the ground."
Are you concerned at all about you guys being so inefficient in the run game? (Cordell Woodland) "Yes, I'm certainly concerned about that. I mean, we [have] to search for those better answers and how people are playing us. [We need to] continue to try to create continuity on our O-line with what we have going on. We certainly need to find a way to create plays in the run game where we can at least sustain some drives and do those types of things when a game's going like that. We'll continue to search for that."
You obviously had Bengals QB Joe Burrow under a lot of pressure in the first half. Were the adjustment the Bengals made just to get him more protection? Did he just do more coverage or a mixture of both? (Kyle Goon) "I really felt like it was us not winning normal downs, and so we didn't create very many good third-down situations for ourselves. And they were getting the ball out quick and things like that, which we figured they would, especially on normal downs. And that's where they're throwing the ball short, we're missing some tackles, and all of a sudden, these plays that were maybe third-and-5 or third-and-6 in the first half are now second-and-1 or creating more momentum for them by making yards after the catch and things like that. So really just a – starting with me – it was just a bad effort by the defense in the second half and one that I know our guys will look at and not feel good about, and only we can do something about it."
Is there any update on G Vega Ioane and how soon could he return? (Jamison Hensley) "I don't have any update on that right now."
Are there any defensive adjustments you'd make differently, looking back, at halftime? (Reporter) "We made a few, and I thought, again, they did a good job mixing up, throwing the ball short of the sticks a bunch at the start of that drive, and then [they] hit a couple of hole-shot type plays on us in the corner. So, we'll look at a bunch of things. But I think if we had just played with the physicality, the tackling and the fundamentals, we would have been OK."
More of a tale of two halves, but offensively, it's been that way for you guys at this point in the season. Why do you feel like that is? (Cordell Woodland) "We've kind of been that way, I would say, the last couple of games for sure. Obviously, one of the games was where the injury happened, but we need to make sure that we go into the game with enough plays and enough adjustments – and forward-thinking adjustments – of what teams may do so that in the second half we have a great plan to help us be able to move the ball."
What are the chances of QB Lamar Jackson returning to practice and being able to play next week? (Jamison Hensley) "Yes, I think over the next couple days we'll figure that out."
DL CALAIS CAMPBELL
Head coach Jesse Minter said this team rides momentum too much, whether it's highs or lows. You're nodding your head. What's just kind of your take on that? Would you agree, and what's your perspective? (Morgan Adsit) "Well, it seems to be that way just based off results. Obviously, that's not what we want to be, right? We want to be consistent across the board, no matter the circumstances. We have to find a way to do that, right? And I think a lot of it is being process-driven. The results are the results. They have good players. They made some big-time plays, but it's a tale of two halves, right? In the first half, I feel like we were making a lot of plays, were playing really good football, and then once momentum got away from us. It was like quicksand, and it went fast, and you look up and it's like, 'Wow, it's 35-13.' We'll watch the tape, and we'll figure out exactly what went wrong, because when you're in the moment, like, you don't really know all the reasons why things are happening. But I know for a fact we can play a whole lot better than we played that second half. We're going to have to, for the team that we want to be. We've got to find a way to be able to just be consistent across the board at all times, making our plays when they're there for us."
What's the feeling in that locker room after a second half like that? Is it embarrassed, ticked off, stunned? What's the feeling in there? (Jamison Hensley) "It hurts more than anything, because we work so hard to win ballgames, and you feel like, 'OK, we put ourselves in position to win a ballgame.' We're up 13-0 at halftime, we're feeling pretty good about ourselves, and then for us to let that lead slip away and then to find ourselves in a big hole – I mean, more than anything, when you end the game, you look at that and it's just like, 'Man.' But as a veteran player, my mindset is, 'All right, let's relax, reset and get back to work.' Because it's one game at the end of the day, whether we lost by one point or whatever the score was, it's one loss, and how we respond is going to be the most important thing. Getting back to work tomorrow, study the tape, figuring out what we could have done better, and then moving on to the next opponent, which is another big game. But that's the NFL. Every week's a tough matchup. You're never going to have an easy game because of the parity in this league. It's always hard, but this is definitely going to be one of the bigger games. My mindset is just [to] reset and relax for a second, and we just got to get back to what matters, and that's the work we put in."
Obviously, QB Lamar Jackson is one of the most valuable players in the league and a multiple-time MVP. What do you feel is the difference for this team with him and without him? How much maybe you have to guard against that mindset of, that's the crutch—like, everything's OK when he's there, and that's sort of maybe the excuse when he's not? (Reporter) "Well, we don't want to give up 35 points when he's on the field or not. That's just not something we want to do on defense. But obviously, [Lamar Jackson]'s one of the best players in football and one of the best players to ever play the game of football. So, when he's on the field, you feel a whole lot better, of course. But we also believe in [Tyler] Huntley. Huntley's been playing good ball for us, he's put us in position to have a chance to win, but we have to do better and execute – especially on defense. I mean, we can be so much better than we're playing, and I think everybody knows that. You see it in spurts. But this game isn't a 40-minute ballgame, it's not a 30-minute ballgame, it's a 60-minute ballgame [with] four quarters, and we have to find a way to play a complete game with all of them."
From where you were standing today, did they change up what they were doing in any significant way in the second half? Their offense? (Childs Walker) "I'll have to watch the tape to figure out exactly what was different. It didn't seem like it was a whole lot different from my perspective. Obviously, in the trenches up front, it's different than in the back end."
What were the conversations on the sideline in the second half? You talk about trying to figure out, 'Hey guys, what do we do?' Do you think there was enough of that? Rod Woodson on the broadcast was looking going, 'Why aren't guys screaming and yelling at each other a little bit?' That's an old-school guy saying that. Did you feel that was enough? (Pete Gilbert) "I don't think that emotion was what we needed. From my perspective, in that moment, I didn't feel like that's what we needed. There have been times where we've called the defense up and tried to get some energy going. But we have good coaching, and we believe in our coaching. When we're on the sideline, it's going through what's happening, what can we play better and why things happened? And it's on every position group. Usually, that leads to stopping the bleeding and getting back into a good position to win a ballgame. But you have to tip your hat off to them. They lit it up in that second half and played a good game of football. And the beauty of this game is, it's just one game. So, as much as it stings and as much as we want to play better, I can't wait to put this one behind us and move on to next week."
Did you notice any trends between last week's second half on defense and this week's second half on defense? (Reporter) "No. It's really an execution thing. It always is. No matter the circumstances, it comes down to executing and doing your job at an elite level. And in the first half, I think in both games, we did our job very well. But we have to be able to, when something happens bad, stop the bleeding and get back to playing good football."
WR ZAY FLOWERS
You had 8 receptions for 137 yards and a touchdown, but obviously in a losing cause. Can you just talk a little bit about it? "Oh man, I like to win. The stats don't really matter if you lose. That's all I really got."
What happened in the second half offensively for you guys? "We came out flat. We needed to put up points. We know they could score, so we [have] got to do the same thing."
You saw a lot of frustration on your end with the false starts and the pre-snap penalties. How frustrating is that for you guys? "I mean, we [have] got to get better. We know the snap count. We [are] on offense. We know when the ball [is] being snapped."
How surprised are you at this point in the season that those injuries are still cropping up? "I feel like everybody in the league [is] getting hurt, so I can't really blame it on that. [There's] a lot of people right now that [are] hurt. We just [have] got to play ball."
How do you deal with being 0-2 in the AFC North division right now and just with four games left in the division, but they're all at the end of the year? "We [have] got to get better and we [have] got to get healthy."
Where do you think this team is at right now? Is this a pulse-check for you guys? "We're not losing hope, man. It was like an up-and-down season last year, and we still had a chance to go to the playoffs. [There isn't any] hope lost, we just [have] got to get better."
In your past experiences what does it usually take for a team to stop the momentum from sliding the wrong way? "We just [have] got to build our own momentum. That's all it really is. We [have] got to come out and play the same ball that we played in the first half."
When the other team starts to build momentum, is there any way to stop that while it's happening? "[We need to] make plays. Our playmakers [have] got to make plays. That's the way to stop it."
Did the Cincinnati Bengals do anything different in the second half? "No. We just [have] got to come out and execute."
OLB TREY HENDRICKSON
Where are you guys at after this game emotionally? Where do you think this team is at? "Well, first and foremost, I'm thankful for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He's my foundation for everything. Wins and losses, they come and go in this league. I mean, there's a standard of defense that we have in this building, and we've set for ourselves for the 2026 Ravens. So, we have to look at the tape. We have to play better, get the ball back to our offense and correct these things pretty soon."
How disappointing was it to see them move the ball as well as they did, especially in the second half? "I don't know if very many Ravens fans enjoyed seeing that, so that question kind of answers itself."
In the first half, you're up double digits. What was the conversation at halftime, during that time? "Pretty similar message that we've had. It's [to] continue to do what is working and again, credit to them, they made plays. It's the National Football League, and we have a lot to correct in the second half there."
Head coach Jesse Minter said this team is really riding the momentum the last few games. What do you kind of see as a way to get out of riding the highs and riding the lows as hard as you guys have? "Yeah, you just said it. I mean, it's a dangerous game to play. I think one-snap mentality — the highs aren't too high [and] the lows aren't too low — is a standard of how you should play football."
As a defense, what are you guys thinking and saying to each other when they score 35 unanswered? What are you guys saying to each other? "Well, I can tell you this — the game isn't over until it's over. And we have, like I said, a standard of our play. So, continuing to go out there and finishing the game was most important. I can't speak for everybody else, but there is a standard to the way we should prepare, and nobody should be having these side conversations on the sidelines, if there is any."
To this point in the season, it's been a tale of two halves. Head coach Jesse Minter said today was a tale of two halves. Why do you feel like as strong as you guys start games, you're not able to complete it in the second half? "I can't answer for what he's saying, but I can say that I go out there with everything I've got every play and the will to win is not out of my lungs. So, taking care of my 1-of-11 is my job and elevating other people around me also. So, again, our standard for our defense has been set. It's now on us to elevate that to get to that level."
What is that standard for the defense? "I think we're a relentless defense that's physical and fast. We have to continue to rely on the technique that we've been coached and not make the moment bigger than it is. It's just the details that win games. Going through the process one play at a time will result in the way we want it to go. But, like I said, if momentum is something that we're riding on, we're going to snuff that out and figure it out."
Is there a common theme that you can pinpoint and say this is what we have to correct as a defense moving forward? "We're going to have to look at the tape on Monday and get those corrections done. They're unique week in and week out. It's not some [overarching] thing. It's something different occasionally each week and it has to be corrected."
RB DERRICK HENRY
How frustrating is it to not be able to score or do much in the second half? "[It's] just not good enough at all. We started off, I feel like, on a good note, getting things going and then [it] fazed out. [That's] two weeks straight of that. I think it's on us. We [have] to go execute the plays and we [aren't] doing that at all. We didn't do that."
What were they doing in the second half to stop the run? "I don't think it was more so what they were doing. Me, I [have] got to be better. It's not good enough. [It was] terrible. I'm looking at myself. I think every man can look in the mirror, but as far as myself, I can speak on me. It's not good enough at all. We just [have] got to figure it out. Everybody evaluates themselves, coaches are going to evaluate and, we can go from there. It's just not good enough at all for us to be able to win games and be able to string drives together [and] have an impact on the game as far as the running game. It just hasn't been good enough."
Head coach Jesse Minter talked about momentum and how you guys are really relying on that. Can you feel the offense losing momentum in the second half? "I think when you [have] got momentum, you [have] got to fight to keep it, stay locked in [and] keep that energy up no matter how the game's going. I feel like it fizzled out throughout the game as far as us. It showed. Because we weren't able to capitalize on anything in the second half, and they did. They were the better team and credit goes to them."
You're seven games into the season. It's now back-to-back divisional losses. Where would you say this team is at as one of the leaders. The season's halfway over. Where would you say everyone's at? "I mean, we lost two divisional games, which we feel like we were in position to win. It did not happen. Like I said, we all [have] got to look in the mirror at ourselves and see where we need to be better individually and collectively and respond. That's all you can do. We still [have] got to come back and work in the morning, and we've got a game next week. It's just [about] flushing this. It stings. We've lost two straight. Of course we didn't see this coming, but we all [have] got to respond in the right way for us to get this thing back on track. Like you said there's plenty of football ahead of us but, we have got to look in the mirror and be real with yourself."
Head coach Jesse Minter said he is starting to be concerned with the run game. You were very critical of yourself. What do you feel like you're not doing right now? "We just [aren't] making the plays. We are stagnant, not effective. There are no explosives. I mean, [head coach Jesse Minter] said it. It has not been good."
Do you feel like it can become or has become psychological at times when you guys get these first half leads, and you can't hold them in the second half, and you can't get the offense going in the second half? "I mean, you can look at a lot of things psychologically. We are just not executing, everything. Like I said, we just need to refocus, lock back in, evaluate, and come back to work. I mean, that's all you can do. It's over now."
What's your confidence level in this group to be able to do that? "I mean I still believe in this group. We got knocked down. We know how to get back up. That's what we [have] got to focus on doing. It's all about how you respond. I feel like everybody on this team responds well to it."
What about having QB Lamar Jackson back? Do you think that might inspire everyone? "I mean, anytime you have Lamar [Jackson] back, it's always a great thing. I know he's itching to get back, so we're excited and will be ready to go when he gets back."
QB TYLER HUNTLEY
What's kind of the overall feeling in that locker room after you have a dominating first half and then have a second half like that one? (Jamison Hensley) "We just have to hit the drawing board and see where we went wrong. And we have to be ready to fight next week."
Were the Cincinnati Bengals doing anything differently in the second half defensively? Or what from your view was the difference? (Cliff Brown) "We didn't make the plays we needed to make in the second half, and we have to do that. It's going to look like a whole different ballgame if we do that."
Was there something the Bengals did in the second half that changed things up? (Jerry Coleman) "Like I said, I feel like we didn't make the plays. That's what changed up."
WR Zay Flowers had a really nice first half and then didn't get a touch until the fourth quarter. Why do you think that was? (Pete Gilbert) "I'm in the moment, so I don't .... I'm just out there going through my reads and trying to get us in the best position [to win]."
What happened on the fourth-and-two attempt to TE Josh Cuevas? (Jeff Zrebiec) "I feel like [Josh Cuevas] got ran into. But at that moment, that's a key play in the drive right there."
Can you feel the momentum shift in a game like that? You guys have had these multiple games now where you guys have jumped out to a lead with a fast start, playing efficiently and all that. And then in the second half, it's not the same. Does that psychologically seep into your head at all when these other teams start making these comebacks on you guys? (Brian Wacker) "No, like I said, we just have to turn that clock and start making plays later in the game. We fell short of that. I feel like our third-down rate in the first half was pretty decent. We got down to the second half, and it fell out the window a little bit. So, like I said, we have to make those plays in the second half and it will be a different ballgame."
C CAM JURGENS
You moved the ball to sustain drives in the first half, but couldn't really get anything going in the second half. From your perspective, what changed? "We have to watch the film and go over it. But it's weird when you look at it, I feel like in the first half we were shooting ourselves in the foot. We had some second-and-longs and were able to overcome a lot of those and get the first downs and sustain some drives, and we just weren't able to put the points on the board. Even in the first half, we should have scored more than we did. But, we'll get back to the film and see what we can do better."
How did it feel playing with this offense for the first time? "It felt great. I love being out there. It's been weird, not being able to play football for a couple of weeks, and to come back was just fun. Getting to talk and communicate, getting to go out there and play with some warriors, it was fun."
How tough was it to see G Vega Ioane go down and then leave the game? "It was very tough. I think [Emery] 'Em' [Jones Jr.] came in and did a great job, and he still communicated at a great level. I didn't even see the play when [Vega Ioane's injury] happened. I just went and snapped the ball and the next one I was like, 'Oh, he's not there.' I didn't even notice. It's tough, but we'll see how he's doing. That's the tough part about football. It has a 100% injury rate, and that's just how it goes. It's always next man up. I know it's been tough here with injuries this year, and you always hate to see that."
It seemed like you guys had trouble down near the goal line, especially on third-and-one. Can you talk a little bit about that? "Anytime you get down there [in the red zone], you want to score points. It's frustrating, you always want to go over the film and see what we can do better. What do you think, from your perspective on that third-and-one?" (Reporter: There were a bunch of them.) "There were a bunch. I thought we converted on a few of them and did great, but you always want to be 100% on some of those third and fourth [downs]."
How frustrating are the pre-snap penalties and the false starts when you guys are in those third-and-one situations, when you're pressed to go for fourth-and-one? "That's tough. Those are things we can control, and you always want to check that box and do as well as you can on the things you can control, and we didn't do well enough on that. But just the mentality of the guys today of turning around and ... We had a false start and then we had a delay of game, and then we throw a strike and get a first down. It's just the mentality of coming back and continuing to fight."
You've obviously been a part of some successful teams. What do you feel like it takes when things start to snowball like this, to stop that? "It takes just treating every week the same, whether it's a win or a loss. You're going to - even if you win, you're going to grade yourself just as hard as a loss. You're going about the business, this is a business of routines. You're going to do the same thing whether you win or lose, and treating it the same, that's just what you have to do. [You have to] come in, work, do the same thing every day, build and just keep getting better."
When the other team has the momentum, is there any way to stop that in-game while it's happening? "Yes, you play well. We had the ball and time of possession pretty much the whole first half and we didn't do well enough in the second half on sustaining drives and I think that's part of it."
ILB ROQUAN SMITH
S Malaki Starks said that you were telling the team you need to be detached from results and play with disregard to results. Do you feel like you guys have ever been able to successfully do that since you've been here? "Definitely at times, but it's not about doing things at times. It's about doing things consistently throughout and being able to be counted on to do the things regardless of the circumstances, regardless of the situation. Obviously, looking at it, we didn't do that. So, it falls on all of us and we have to figure it out. It's like a missing piece that we have to figure out, and [we] have to get it done. So, that's what we're chasing."
How is your knee feeling? "I'm alright. I went back out there, so I'm alright. I'm good enough."
How do you lift yourself emotionally out of this? "I think it's definitely going to sting today because, as a competitor, you love the game, and you play the game to win. But, it's a very long season. Obviously dropping two in a row is not fun. So, it's about letting this sting, learning from it and just finding a way to figure out that method of consistency. That's what we're chasing, including myself, play in and play out. You have to get it done by any means necessary."
S Kyle Hamilton has referred to this as Groundhog Day. I don't know if you guys get that same old feeling again and again, but what was it like in the locker room for you guys after 35 second-half points? "I'm not too familiar with the Groundhog Day [expression]. But obviously, in the second half, they scored points and we didn't stop them from scoring points. So, at the end of the day, we have to stop them from scoring points. They made more plays than what we made on the defensive side of the ball. So, it's about chasing that consistency, and that's something that we've been harping on. When you're building a tower, there's a piece [and] if the piece is not there, things can crumble. So, it's about finding that piece to have that consistency play in and play out, because obviously we've shown we can do it for a half. We can do it for a quarter, but it's about doing it for four quarters consistently, and when the moment's big, that's when we should step up at our biggest, including myself."
The second half has been a struggle all year to this point. We've had a lot of these same press conferences in the past about things going wrong in the second half. How does that change? How does the narrative around you guys in the second half change? "It's definitely something I'm tired of hearing as well, not just you guys. But it's about what I said, chasing that consistency, and finding that missing piece to where that consistency that we're chasing — there's something in there that's missing. But, obviously [it's] there a lot, but it's not there all the time. So, just finding that and chasing that play-in and play-out, quarter-in and quarter-out regardless of the circumstance and being detached from the result like I said. We will do that. But obviously it's tough dropping these two [and] losing at home. They made more plays than what we made, so it's about getting back in the lab. Obviously, it's going to sting today, but we have to hit it even harder this coming week."
You're now 0-2 in the division. Where would you say this team is at? Obviously, you're a leader in this locker room and have been here for a long time. Where do you think guys are at? "Obviously, it's a tough spot for anyone. When you lose games, obviously divisional games count a little more, but at the end of the day, the season is not over. The season is not over. There's a lot of ball that's still to be played out there. We have to get everybody back, and we obviously know what our mission is. And our mission is [that] it's a week-to-week league, and it's about playing our best. Obviously, we have to do that. We didn't do that today for four quarters. So, it's about coming out next week, learning from this [and] obviously learning from these mistakes. It's a week-to-week league, so [we're] just not letting this game beat us twice. It's all about next week and learning from this week. We all have to look ourselves in the mirror and see what we can do better. What can I do better? Each and every person should ask themselves that because, at the end of the day, no one played perfect regardless of it. So, we all have things that we should be chasing, and that consistency is the main thing."
T RONNIE STANLEY
You weren't able to convert those third downs and sustain drives in the first half. You couldn't really get anything going in the second half. What changed from your point of view? "It's kind of hard to tell. We have to go back and look at the film. I think as momentum happens during the game, from [the] offense's perspective, we just have to focus on our own game and stay in our own universe. They get a touchdown, and then we kind of lapse in our focus. I think there's a lot of opportunity out there for us."
Head coach Jesse Minter talked about how you guys are maybe too much of a momentum team right now. Do you think that's a fair criticism? "I think that's a fair criticism. I think we're too caught up in what's happening in the game, and [we] really just need to focus on our job and think one play at a time, really not look at the scoreboard and just have our own identity of how we're going to play when we go out there, no matter what the score is."
I don't know if there's been many times since your time in here that this team has ever been outscored 35-0 in a half. What's kind of the feeling of the players in here? Is it anger, embarrassment, ticked off? "We're definitely not satisfied. I think we know that we're way better than this. From offense, we know we can give our defense more breathing room. We had a lot of opportunities to put up more points, and we came [up] short. For our defense, I think that's something that I'm not too sure of what's happening on that side, but I know those guys are going to get that fixed. Like [head coach Jesse Minter] said, I think momentum plays a big part in that, and we need to make sure that that's not affecting us."
How much do you think the offensive inconsistencies are predicated on just not being able to run the ball consistently or pick up short yardage? "I wouldn't say it's predicated on that. I would just say it's predicated on lack of focus on technique and fundamentals. I think one person here [and] one person there can ruin the whole run play, and 10 other players could be doing it right. For those things to be successful, everyone has to be on the same page with their technique and fundamentals. I think, sometimes, we're lapsing in that."
The second half has given you guys trouble all year. We've had a lot of past times, even before this year, where we've talked about second-half collapses. Why do you feel like that is still an issue for you guys? "I think it goes back to the momentum thing. I think we're just too much [in our] heads [during] the game. We have one bad drive and they have one good drive, [and] we start to feel something happening in the game. I think, for us, it's just [about] a refocus and just focus on our identity and what we need to do, and really just not look at the scoreboard. That's something that we talk about a lot, but I don't think that we've really put that into action. I think it's something easier said than done, but that's really our focus."
Is that something you can address during the week? Does it have to be addressed on game day? How do you go about addressing that? "I think that's something you address during the week. That's something we did address during the week. Like I said, it's easier said than done, but going into these games, especially these division games, that really has to be a focus."
Do you think last year's kind of second-half struggles or fourth-quarter struggles are kind of influencing this year as well? "I think it goes back to the momentum thing. Whatever the case may be, we have [had a] comfortable lead going into the half multiple times, and we just can't seem to finish that out through the second half. That's something that happened last year, and it's something we talk about, and it's something that we're attacking. I know it's something that we're going to focus on, and that's what we're going to do."
The pre-snap penalties obviously are a huge key in not necessarily helping you guys continue a drive. What did you see in this game about those pre-snap penalties? "Yes, they definitely affect the drive. [On] some of those drives, we were back 15 [or] 20 yards and just shooting ourselves in the foot. Luckily, we were able to overcome them a little bit in the first half, but I think we could have still put up more points if we didn't. During those long drives, I think that focus on your technique, fundamentals [and] the snap count, it all comes back to your focus, and throughout the second half, that focus has to increase. I think that's what we need to do."
Has it become a psychological issue out there? Like, do you start to think 'Here we go again,' when these things happen? "I'm sure that can seep into the psyche of guys out there. Guys are humans, and that's something that we're trying to beat. We talk about it a lot. We can't just live by momentum and what's going on in the game. We have to just focus on our standard and what we expect. If we're down 40 [points], if we're up 40, we should have the same mentality going out there on the field."
When you look at the offensive line and the injuries that you guys have dealt with all year, and G Vega Ioane goes down today, do you think the shuffling of the offensive line has impacted the ability to run the ball and to sustain drives? "Sure, but that's no excuse. We have a lot of players hurt; they have players hurt. That's happened throughout the league. We still have enough to get the job done, and that's what we expect from our players."
S MALAKI STARKS
What changed for you guys in the second half? "I think the biggest thing is that we just have to figure out a way to finish. I think we've shown in the first half we can be the team that we want to be, and in the second half, we haven't shown that. So I think it's just [about] day-in and day-out, sticking together and finding a way to finish in the second half."
Does it feel like they were doing something to beat you guys, or were you guys beating yourselves? "I think we shot ourselves in the foot a lot, so just being on one accord and being able to play a 60-minute game, or whatever it takes, would be huge for us moving forward."
Head coach Jesse Minter just talked about the use of momentum, and you guys are really a momentum-style team right now and trying to get away from that and be more even-keeled. How do you see this team doing that going forward? "I think, I mean Roquan [Smith] talked about it during the week, just being detached from the results. I think that's a big thing for us moving forward and just seeing how we can do that as a defense, as a special teams [unit] [and] as an offense, and just come together as a unit."
Is there something you could pinpoint as the issue with the second half? Is it a mental thing for you guys? "Not necessarily. I think it's just [about] being able to go out there and finish together as a group [and] playing complementary football. That doesn't mean if something happens on special teams, defense makes it up, or [if] something happens on offense, the defense makes it up, or defense and offense. I think complementary football is just having each other's back, no matter what that looks like. I think we're taking the right steps. We just have to get there."
As you're out there on the field, do you get the sense it starts snowballing when something goes wrong? "I think you feel the momentum. I think football is a game of momentum and you feel that. But I think us being detached from the results will help with that, not focusing on how the game is scoring or how things may seem, and just go out there and play ball."
Once there is that snowball effect, is there any way to stop it? "I think just going and playing ball. It sounds simple, but being detached from the results allows you to go out there and just be the defense we want to be, play as a unit, and I think that will allow us to be who we are and who we want to be when stuff starts to snowball."