HEAD COACH JESSE MINTER
Opening Statement: "All right, [it was a] really good Wednesday practice for our guys. [It was a] really good response from the last game and [we have a] great challenge this weekend that we're excited about. [The Buffalo Bills are] one of the top teams in the AFC and [it's] a great challenge in really all three phases. [We are] putting in the work so that we're ready to roll on Sunday."
We did see QB Lamar Jackson out there. Do you think he'll be a limited or full participant? (Jamison Hensley) "[Lamar Jackson] was able to get some work in, but I think that'll come out around 4 p.m., I believe."
Are you optimistic given what you've seen, given last week and today, that QB Lamar Jackson is trending in the right direction? (Brian Wacker) "I think the more you're able to do and respond from and feel from certainly raises your optimism. But again, we'll kind of see how it goes throughout the week."
We didn't see S Kyle Hamilton out there today. Is he doing OK? It looked like maybe he tweaked something early in the game and played through it on Sunday. (Luke Jones) "Yeah, [we had] a few guys that missed today I would say dealing with typical after-game things, and so [we] feel pretty good about it. We'll kind of see how they are throughout the week."
With QB Lamar Jackson, would you say he was able to do more today than he did last week? (Alex Glaze) "I think the injury report will say kind of how the practice went."
The guys we talked to earlier said it was obviously very difficult watching the film. What's sort of your philosophy after a loss like you guys had? Do you try to make the process as like any other as possible? Is there a little bit of extra we have to look at the bad things we did in the eye? How does it go? (Kyle Goon) "I think it starts with taking accountability myself. How we play is really my responsibility. And so, I think when you own that first — I told the team a bunch of things that I would have done different in that game, from play calls to leadership opportunities to everything. I think when you do that, then you allow for some of the tough conversations. It's any game, whether you win or lose, [there's] the ability to go back and look at every play as kind of its own individual entity to learn from. But then in a game like that, there's moments where you need to learn from too, besides just plays. I think we were able to do that over the last few days. There's that fine line of making sure that we learn from it and also clearing our minds and clearing our heads and getting ready for the next challenge. But those are certainly some of the problems we needed to address. [I] feel good about where we're at, but our actions will really determine our future [and] nothing else."
You talked about on Monday players taking ownership of how they respond. In your film prep or film study, did you see any guys take a different tone this week? (Kyle Goon) "Listen, we have a great locker room. We've got a great bunch of guys that really, really care. We have a ton of capable leaders on our team. One of the reasons I wanted this particular job was because of the guys in the locker room and the leadership capabilities that they have. And so, I think again, me, all of us, there's things that we could have done better — as players, coaches, play callers, leaders [and] all those things. When stuff like that happens, the really good ones respond in the right way. That's what I've seen, obviously, in the last couple days."
It was a full padded practice today. What do you like about being in pads? How do you go about making that decision over the course of the season? (Garrett Downing) "It is a week-to-week thing. [When] you're early in the year, there's thoughts of — obviously we have a short week next week where we won't be [in pads]. There was a little bit of talk today. [It] felt like with the run game that we're getting ready to defend, that we really needed some work in that area. Sometimes it's based on schematics of what the other team really majors in and what you really need to emphasize. But the guys came out with a great mentality today, and [I] really enjoyed the practice."
Is there a certain mindset that defenses have when you're going against QB Josh Allen? He's a unique talent in that he's not only able to run, but because of him being so physical, he can break tackles as well. (Jamison Hensley) "[I have] so much respect for Josh [Allen]. He's a great player. When you play against guys like that, at times you're defending an extra running back on the field when he's running the ball. At times you're defending just a playmaker in general when he's running around — his ability to break tackles [and] his ability to keep plays alive. You're defending sometimes a three-second play, a six-second play, an eight-second play, a 10-second play. He's able to really keep those plays alive. The players around him do a really good job of playing off of his style. They make a lot of plays downfield on scramble drills and extended plays. It's an 11-on-1 mentality, but it's a real strain until the whistle blows, till the ball's down, whatever the case may be. I thought the guys in practice — the quarterbacks did a really good job giving us some of those looks today, [as well as] the receivers. That's something we have to continue to do throughout the week, and really every week, with the way a lot of these guys play now."
You said you were concerned about the way the team handles shifts in momentum. Could that start to factor into the way you look at things like going for it on fourth down versus kicking? (Noah Trister) "I think after every game, the first thing I do is look at myself — just like all the decisions that you make — what the factors were [and] what led you to make that decision. If you could wipe the slate clean and do it — obviously that's not realistic, but it is a way to learn and a way to keep going through the process — would you have maybe thought about it differently? I think there's always some yeses and nos in those types of questions. That's definitely something we're always looking at based on how the second halves have gone and things like that, certainly all those things we look at."
Outside of Bills QB Josh Allen, what's one or two things that stood out to you as impressive about Buffalo when you watch the film? (Samantha Croston) "I think what they've really done more of this year is a really physical, big-boy running game, with three tight ends on the field, two big tight ends on the field. They've always had a pretty physical running game, but sometimes it's been in three-receiver sets or two-receiver sets. They play a lot of snaps with condensing the box, bringing people in. You kind of know what they're going to run, and they still run it and they still run it well. They force defensive backs on the edge to tackle by some of the run schemes, the duos and the things like that where the ball bounces out. I think their commitment to kind of playing that way, and when you do that, it helps open up a lot of other things. So now they have the play action and the boot game, which obviously Josh [Allen] kind of thrives in. Then you get to their normal drop back and the third downs and the red zone where he becomes just an unbelievable weapon. So, [it's] just a lot of things, but I think just some of the things they're doing schematically make them pretty tough to defend."
You mentioned the mentality from the team today. How do you make sure that translates particularly when it comes to tackling, where sure tackling the past couple weeks has kind of evaded you guys? (Josh Tolentino) "You have to practice it. There were some guys even in the huddle today and parts of practice [who were] like, 'Hey, this is now the first series out of the second half. This is the third quarter. This is the fourth quarter. Let's make sure that we're sustaining.' So, the guys take great ownership when you come off of a game like that. Then, it's [about] doing it over and over again. It's being very demanding and teaching why it's really important to do it a certain way from a fundamental standpoint, from an effort, angles and how many guys you need at the ball standpoint. So, harping on those things and showing plays in practice where it was really good, and showing plays where, in a game, this might be a miss because we only have one guy at the point of attack and a couple other guys relaxed. So, that's what we try to do [and] we'll continue to try to do, and it's obviously a huge part of the game."
If G Vega Ioane misses several weeks, do you view this as an open decision at RG between G Andrew Vorhees, who I assume is now healthy because he's not on the injury report, or is it G/T Emery Jones Jr.'s job in your mind? (Jeff Zrebiec) "I think it's open. I think it's a week of practice, and we'll see where it's at with 'V' [Vega Ioane]. If there's anybody that can do something crazy and overcome things, he's got the right mentality. So, we'll see how that goes, and we'll put the best guy out there that we feel gives us the best opportunity for this particular game."
You talked a couple days ago about the psychology of this team and not getting too high and not getting too low. I know these guys have enough on their plate, but do the Ravens have a dedicated sports psychologist or mental performance coach? Is there a resource like that available to these guys? (Jonas Shaffer) "There is. There's some different people in the building that have some of those backgrounds and some of those specialties. I keep a lot of that stuff in-house, but again, I think it's [about] the ability to thrive and the ability to be your best self in any situation. That's, I think, what any team is after, and these guys have proven at times that they can do that. So, I don't think it's some crazy thing, but I think we're harping on it. We're harping on trying to play for four quarters, play loose, play free, play together [with] kind of an 'us-against-the-world' mentality. Again, [I'm] excited about the response so far, but it's Wednesday, and we have to have a really good week to prepare and play the way we want to play on Sunday."
If QB Lamar Jackson plays on Sunday, there is going to be this perception that he needs to come in and save the Ravens. How much do you need the other aspects around Lamar, whether he plays or not, to kind of raise their level, whether that's the running game, whether that's more explosives down the field, or whether it's the defense? (Jeff Zrebiec) "I think that's a great question, and obviously, like I said, I've talked a lot about Lamar [Jackson] and what he means to our team and what he means to this organization, [and] obviously what he's done [and] what he's accomplished. But there are opportunities throughout the year when you're missing a key guy or whatever for other people to step up, and we've had three games now where, at times it has, and at times it hasn't. So, it's [about] everybody. It's [about] everybody in the building, whether the head coach, the play-callers, the coordinators, the position coaches, the people running the scout team, all the players, the trainers, the strength staff, everybody to do a little bit more to improve and find improvement, and that's really all we're after."
What did you think of S K'Von Wallace with the additional reps that he had? What did you like about S Rayshawn Jenkins? What does the team like about bringing him on? (Josh Tolentino) "I give K'Von [Wallace] a lot of credit. I thought him and Keondre Jackson both came in and played with just a spirit and an energy that, I think, when you watch the film, it shows how they were playing. The juice that they bring, the energy, they're flying around [and] they're making tackles. So, I thought both those guys handled themselves well with the opportunity presented. Rayshawn [Jenkins] is a guy that I'm excited to have here. He's played a bunch of football. He's played in a ton of games. He's experienced. He kind of flies around. He's got position flexibility in a sense of he's played some big nickel; he's played some dime [and] he's played some safety. He's kind of played all over the back end. He's had some success. He's been in some similar schemes before, so just excited to get a guy like that and add him to the mix."
WR ZAY FLOWERS
You are on the leadership council of this team. What do you view as your responsibility in this locker room to kind of pick this team up after a game like you guys had on Sunday? "I don't really know much to say to that, but yes, we have to pick each other up. We have a long season with 10 games left. We have to pick each other up to move on to the next one and get that one, because we need a jumpstart."
What did the way head coach Jesse Minter handled the loss show you guys about him as a head coach and a person? "There's a little adversity going on right now, and it just showed me that we have to fight through it. And if [head coach Jesse Minter] is fighting through it, we have to do the same thing."
I know there's no guarantees, but you said we need a jumpstart. How much could having QB Lamar Jackson back on the field kind of provide that and help the offense be a little more consistent? "I felt like we could have gotten the win without Lamar [Jackson] last week. I don't think it was anything that had to do with 'Snoop' [Tyler Huntley]. I don't think Snoop played badly. I don't think Snoop played bad at all. I just think we weren't on the field long enough to help the defense out and keep the ball out of the [Cincinnati] Bengals' hands. So, having Lamar back definitely gives us a jumpstart and just seeing him back on the field running around [with] the plays he can create."
You obviously got off to a great start last game. How do you kind of keep that going through halftime into the second half? How do you kind of build off the success that you guys have been able to put together in the first halves of these games? "We just have to keep playing. The game is not played in one half. We have to play the full game. So, that's really all we have to do."
When you saw QB Lamar Jackson get out there today, did you notice a little extra pep in his step or any extra spring that he had today? How have you kind of seen him attack this rehab process since he's been kind of dealing with this injury? "Oh, man, you know Lamar [Jackson], Lamar wants to play. He wants to play when he is fully healthy. And seeing him out there today, obviously it gave everybody a smile on their face. He is the same player. He is the same person. He wasn't trying to force anything. He wasn't trying to make everybody overexcited. He just came out and did what he normally does."
You're one of the leaders on this team, and you're on the leadership council. We heard head coach Jesse Minter talk about leaders sort of gathering the troops, if you will, on the sideline. What does that look like to you? How has it manifested from what you've seen? "To me, it just looks like everybody in their group. Each group on our team has a leader, and that player has to do a good job of leading the team by not just saying it, but by action."
Head coach Jesse Minter said that this team can be sometimes too high on its own momentum and sometimes too low on its own momentum. What does that mean to you, and do you feel like you are in any ways vulnerable to that kind of thing? "I just feel like we just have to stay consistent throughout the whole game. Whether it's a low or whether it's a high, we have to stay the same and play our ball."
You lead the league in yards after catch. What's your mentality when you get the ball? "I try to score every time, if I'm being honest, or go pick up a first down. I do whatever I can to help our team be successful."
That's an area in your career that you've improved each year. What work goes into that from a technicality standpoint to be able to lead the league in that category? "I do a lot of drills in the offseason. I do a lot of YAC [yards after catch] drills in the offseason – and a lot of running back drills if I'm being honest – to be able to help me in those areas."
To kind of go back to how you guys are resetting this week, what have you kind of seen from head coach Jesse Minter, offensive coordinator Declan Doyle and those new coaches and how they handle it? "I don't think you're going to see [anything] different. I think we're going to do the same thing. Because we've been successful in the first half, we have just come out sluggish in the second. So, I don't think you're going to see anything different in anybody's mentality, besides coming out and playing the same ball that you do in the first and second [half]."
OLB MIKE GREEN
What's the feeling right now in the locker room after losing two divisional games that you guys feel like you probably should've won, and now going up against a 5-1 Buffalo Bills team? (Jamison Hensley) "I think what our team does a great job on is just identifying the problem and taking it head on. We know that there are corrections that need to be made, but I think we've just been doing a great job at just looking forward and keeping the past in the past, and then also just making sure that we're being intentional with making the corrections."
How do you correct missed tackles? (Jerry Coleman) "That differs per person. There are definitely leverages and certain situations that can put you in different positions, but I guess the only real thing you can train is just the angles and making sure that you're getting at the right level or whatever the case may be."
Especially in that first half, you guys were really pressuring Bengals QB Joe Burrow. What do you feel like sort of changed about the dynamic, and why do you think not being able to quite finish some of the pressures with a sack is sort of still a lingering issue for you guys? (Kyle Goon) "I just think rushing the passer and the coverage behind us [have] to marry each other. When you have both of those things together, you can be a very effective defense. I think what we just have to continue to do is make sure that we're putting the two together, make sure our rushes are going great and make sure that we're covering well, and that will just generate sacks or pressures or hits."
We've all seen, particularly in big spots, Bills QB Josh Allen make big plays with his legs and kind of take over games as a runner. How much is discipline stressed this week with pass rush discipline and kind of rushing off each other? How much do you guys have to kind of work on that this week? (Jeff Zrebiec) "It's extremely important, just like it is pretty much every other week. We know the type of quarterback that [Josh Allen] is. We know that he's a bigger body, and we know that he's fast as well and he can scramble out well to his right. So, I think just going into this week, we just have to be intentional in making sure that whatever the call may be and whatever rush plan we have going into this game, we stick true to it and make sure that we're counting on our brothers to take care of what they need to do, and we're doing what we need to do. That will just take care of everything. So, I think that's pretty much it."
As a team, how tough was it to rewatch Sunday's game, specifically the second half? (Cordell Woodland) "I think for the most part, it was pretty tough. There are a lot of things that I know that a lot of us feel like we could redo, but I think going into the meetings, we made sure that we were all on the same page, and we knew that we had to get those corrections corrected. We knew that there's a lot more football ahead of us. So, yes, it was tough to watch, but I think that's going to make us stronger at the end of the day."
We know OLB Trey Hendrickson wants to rush off the right side of the defense. How comfortable do you feel on the left side? (Ryan Mink) "I'm pretty comfortable. I feel like I did a great job, especially when Trey [Hendrickson] got here, of when we're rotating, I'm going [to] both sides. I'm just as confident rushing from the left side than I am rushing from the right side. I just think that as time goes on, I just [try to] make sure that I'm being intentional of making sure that I'm getting reps at both sides regardless. I think when you do that, you can kind of just mold your body into being comfortable in rushing on both sides."
To go back to Bills QB Josh Allen for a second, that Week 1 game in Buffalo last year was your first NFL game, right? (Kyle Goon) "Correct."
What was it like lining up against Bills QB Josh Allen and getting a sense for his size, his physicality and his willingness to hit? (Kyle Goon) "I think it was definitely a 'Welcome to the NFL' moment. [Josh Allen] is a great quarterback. Like I said, we know the size and the speed that he comes with, and I think there are a lot of quarterbacks that are just fast. There are a lot of quarterbacks that are just bigger or have a great arm. He's technically probably got it all. So, it was definitely a good experience, and I feel like early on in my career, with that being my first game, that kind of just set the foundation of how I know the NFL can be, and I took that challenge head on."
Losing OLB Tavius Robinson, can you put into perspective what that means for your room and what you guys are going to look for to make up for that production? (Alex Glaze) "'T-Rob' [Tavius Robinson], he's one of those guys that I have looked up to a lot. He's helped me out through a lot of things, and it's a very unfortunate situation. I think our room did a spectacular job of just making sure that we stick together, and we not only move forward and try to fill in gaps, but also include him and make sure that we're checking up on him. We got him a few things just to make sure that his spirit is right because we know that he's going through a challenging time right now. I think, especially, in our room, that gives me a chance to step up and make sure that I'm being a leader — a younger leader — and make sure that the rookies are on point, and if they have any questions like I had that I asked 'T-Rob,' that they can get [those] answered."
Can you just kind of take us behind the scenes of film watching after a game like Sunday? Are you watching film with outside linebackers coach Harland Bower? Is it with head coach Jesse Minter or defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver? Do they show only bad stuff, or is there a mix of good stuff as well? (Jonas Shaffer) "It's everything. We'll watch the bad stuff. We'll watch the good [and] we'll watch the ugly things. We technically watch the film with every single coach. I watch it with [Harland] Bower. I watch it with Jesse [Minter], and we'll separate in different groups or whatever, but yes, we watch the film with every single one of our coaches."
What stood out to you most from the film? (Brian Wacker) "I think when we're all together and we're playing on one accord, we're a very effective defense. To go with that, when we're not playing up to our capability, then that's when we're not playing up to our standard."
Were you happy with the defense's effort level in general, just watching back that second half? (Jonas Shaffer) "Yes. The effort, the motivation, the mindset, I don't think that's ever been a problem for our defense."
OLB TREY HENDRICKSON
What's the challenge of going against Bills QB Josh Allen? "[He's a] very elusive quarterback [and] very talented. Game plan-wise, we are going through that, and as we get into the third-down day and first and second down, they do a great job of disguising run and pass, so it's going to be a good one."
ILB Teddye Buchanan was talking about defending the "second play" when facing Bills QB Josh Allen. Do you think you guys are at any kind of advantage when you have quarterbacks like QB Lamar Jackson and QB Tyler Huntley that you face every day in practice when you're defending the second play with Josh Allen? "Yes. Specifically this practice, I think we got a great look from our quarterbacks, and getting that look before you get into the game can only help."
What stands out to you about the way the team has responded coming off the loss and refocused going into this week? "It's the National Football League. There's not a lot of time to wallow or anything like that, so we're on to the next, and I think we've done a good job of resetting and focusing our sights on the next opponent and attacking this work week."
You were voted to the team's leadership council. After a game like Sunday, what is required of you during a week like this? "It's just [about upholding] the standard. Echoing what's being coached and also what we're saying as players is saying our defensive standard, which I kind of alluded to. So, getting back to that, playing a physical game of football, setting the edge up front is our job in our room, and each one of us in our collective rooms elevating the guys around us is what we're planning on doing."
Head coach Jesse Minter talked about it being kind of a physical practice today knowing the Bills have a powerful run game. What was the takeaway from today's practice of getting ready to play that run game that they have in Buffalo? "[I give] credit to the scout team. I felt the elevation from them as well. You can see that it's not just the 53 guys that were out there that were like-minded in raising that standard. You had the scout team guys wanting to give a better look, [and] you had everybody collectively buying in. It is Wednesday. Wins and losses happen on Sunday, but you take of the proper steps in the process of winning, it should take care of itself. So, for Day 1 and having everybody in a collective group, I feel good about it."
RB DERRICK HENRY
After losing a couple of straight games, I think there's a little interest on head coach Jesse Minter being a first-year head coach. How do you think he's kind of handled the team this week, and what kind of has been his message? (Jamison Hensley) "[Head coach Jesse Minter] gave to us straight, and [said that] nobody can fix it but us. So, it's about how you respond. We have all the right guys to get it done – coaches and players. So, nobody's going to fix it but us. So, it's about the response. It starts with us going out there and preparing the right way, getting ready for a game. So, nobody's running away from this. We know what it's been, and we know we have the right guys to get it where we want it to go."
I know you can't say everything that players are talking about right now, but just about trying to stop that second-half slide, have you guys talked about what maybe should have been done or what could have been done to reverse the momentum and maybe claw back in the game? (Kyle Goon) "In the first half, we get things rolling, and somehow, it dies down. But we have to collectively just find more together on the sidelines, have more energy, have more juice, not let it go flat, but stay encouraged and keep encouraging one another to go out there and put a drive together. But when it's not going well or we're not stringing plays together or having great execution, we have to find a way to make that happen, have more juice and bring more life to the offense and to the team – offense, defense and special teams – to get that spark back going."
How much do you think not having QB Lamar Jackson out there has impacted your game with the deception and the way you guys work together? (Jerry Coleman) "I don't really try to look at it as an excuse, not having Lamar [Jackson out on the field]. I just have to play better. I have to be better, and that's what it comes down to – me doing my job effectively, every single play, and it just hasn't been up to that standard. But I know what I'm capable of. I know the work that I put in, and I know the work we put in collectively as an offense that it will happen. We're going to have adverse moments and adverse times. I do believe a lot of things happen the way they're supposed to and also look at the table's turning, and eventually, it will. You have to have faith in one another and belief that everything will work out the way it's supposed to. That's been my mindset, but I just need to be better."
Do you believe that games and moments can be kind of wake-up calls? With something like what happened on Sunday, is any of that true that it could kind of be a jump-start of this team needing to kind of maybe refocus and move forward? (Morgan Adsit) "You can look at it in a negative way or a positive way. I know we definitely want to look at it in a positive way. Those things happen. [There's] a lot to learn from, a lot to grow from and carry on into this week and so on, and that's all that you can do. You can't change the past. You can try to fix what happened in the past, just so you're better moving forward, and [we need to] just focus on how can we be better in those situations in games that we came up short or didn't play the style we wanted to [in order] to be the best version of ourselves."
Head coach Jesse Minter said something about looking for more from leaders on the team. When you hear that and go back to these late-game situations, is there something that you think is missing, I guess, just among the leaders on your team? When Coach is challenging you like that, how do you guys discuss that? (Alex Glaze) "I can speak for myself. I pride myself in being one of the leaders on this team. [I am] one of the vets, and I haven't been doing a good enough job as far as leading. When I talked about it being flat on the sidelines, when we don't have energy or things are not going the way they're supposed to, somebody has to bring that spark, whether it's speaking or out there on the field making a play that turns everything around. That's what I need to do. That's the standard I hold myself to, and that's what I will do going forward and continue to push myself, continue to push my teammates to be the best that we need to be, so we can play the style we want to play and put ourselves in position to win."
Does that include halftime? I mean, that's where the discrepancy has been. (Jerry Coleman) "It includes the whole game, not just halftime – the whole game. We have to be locked in. The leaders have to lead, have to have accountability [and] have to bring the juice. No matter how the game is going, [we need to] keep encouraging guys, keep that standard the standard and go out there and play that way as well."
To that point, what do you say to guys, whether it's in the locker room at halftime, whether it's during games or whether it's in the meeting rooms? What are the ways you encourage them, lead them and the things that you actually say to them? (Brian Wacker) "[I say to] just stay locked in, keep believing in one another, [and that] we just have to execute. [We're] one play away. We know we have plenty of guys on this team that can make a play, that can spark the game and change the whole dynamic of how the game is going, and believe in one another. We're capable of doing it. Rather than not saying [anything], [there should be] somebody communicating. I think we need more communication, more energy, and that's something we're working on."
When you hear after QB Lamar Jackson is sidelined that he's heading in the right direction, it seems like he is getting closer and closer for him to come back. If and when he does return, how much does that help you guys? You know about this offense – how much does Lamar Jackson's return impact this offense? (Jamison Hensley) "I don't want to speak for Lamar [Jackson], but he's the heart and soul of this team [and] of the offense. He's the leader of this offense, so anytime he's out there, it's always great. I know he wants to be out there with us and to put us in the best position to win. He wants the guys to play great as well. So, I'll be excited whenever he's back out there, and I look forward to it."
Obviously, Buffalo is a really challenging team, but in that light, is it good to have a big challenge up ahead? You, personally, have had very explosive games against Buffalo. Is it nice to sort of think that, 'Yes, our work is cut out for us,' after a loss like you just took? (Kyle Goon) "Every year is not going to be like the year before. Every year is different – the scheme, new players – but I think you just trust in the work that you put in. It's a challenge. Every week is going to be a challenge, [especially] coming off a two-game loss, so we're kind of in the hole, [and we] have to dig ourselves out of it. So, you have to approach every week with getting better and a growth mentality, and it's going to be a four-quarter battle. Buffalo's a good team. [They have] good players and play very good football. They played with the lead in every single game with how explosive their offense is. Their receivers are doing a great job, and their defense plays solid as well. So, every week is a challenge, and Buffalo is that challenge this week."
There's always outside noise if you're coming off a tough result. What stands out to you about the way that the team has responded and kind of gathered itself this week? (Garrett Downing) "Coming off a two-game loss, divisional loss – it stings. We still have 10 games in front of us. We still have plenty of time to turn this thing around, but [we have to] take it one week at a time, not get too overwhelmed with what's happened in the past, focus on what we can do right now and just be close, have belief, continue to work together in all three phases and don't run from adversity – run towards it – and then see where we're at when it's all said and done. But [we need to] take it one week at a time and have that belief in one another that we can get it done."
Do you feel like the short-yardage issues you guys have had are sort of holding the offense back a little bit and have become problematic? (Jeff Zrebiec) "Yes, especially when you have operational issues, self-inflicted wounds [and] not executing well – those things are going to happen. You're not going to have success, but we just have to work on fixing those things, having the will and the want to get those corrected – for myself [to] be better – and I know every guy on offense holds each other to a high standard as an offense. We just have to be better in those critical moments, which we haven't been, and all you can do is work towards it. The only way you can fix it is continue to harp on it, continue to work on those things and then let the result show when the time comes again."
T RONNIE STANLEY
With the team losing a couple of games that you think you probably should have won, with head coach Jesse Minter, what's been his message? What's been his tone that he's set today? (Jamison Hensley) "It's been a very positive tone. I mean, there's a lot of things that we know we need to get better at, but we also know that we're really close to where we want to be. Everything that we want is still in front of us. He just wants us as the leaders on the team, the guys that have been here for a while, to just step up and really convey that message and everything that we're trying to be to the rest of the team."
Does that mean you being more vocal going forward? (Jerry Coleman) "Yeah, I think that means me, not just me, but me being more vocal. A lot of people have different ways they lead and different leadership styles, but I think being more vocal is something that I can get better at personally."
Did head coach Jesse Minter have a meeting with the team captains and team leaders? Did you meet with each other separately? How did that kind of go down? (Ryan Mink) "I know a couple of us, we met together after the game, without him even having to tell us anything. We talked about it ourselves and just seeing the energy that we had on the sideline when things aren't going our way is something that needs to change."
You talk about that, even after the game on Sunday. How much do you feel like that sideline energy matters? How big of a difference does that make within a game, positive or negative? (Garrett Downing) "It makes a big difference, because you can't let the things happening on the field dictate how you're going to play, or the emotions you're going to go into that drive with. I think some of that happened a little bit, where we're letting other things dictate how we're playing and the type of football that we're playing. I think [head coach Jesse Minter] just wants the guys here that have been here for a while, that understand the standard that we need to play at throughout the game, regardless of what's going on, [we] just need to communicate that better to a lot of the other guys that haven't been here as long."
The way head coach Jesse Minter characterized it on Monday is that the team kind of needs 'that guy' to turn things around when the momentum's sliding and to kind of stem the tide. Has that guy classically been QB Lamar Jackson since you've been on this team? With Lamar out, is the challenge just finding other guys to kind of step up in that place and that role? (Kyle Goon) "No, I wouldn't say so. I would say that it's always been a collective of guys. I think maybe when [head coach Jesse Minter]'s referring to 'that guy,' it's probably for each position group specifically. He's spoken about that a lot this week, [for] guys in their own position rooms making sure that we're reiterating the standards that we want to have. I think it's more of a collective of guys from different groups coming together."
To that point, you're one of the guys on the leadership council. You just referenced the guys getting together after the game. What's been your message to the guys, even if you paraphrase, just what have you said to them in terms of leading? (Brian Wacker) "We can't let the things dictate how we're going to play. We can't let things that we can't control affect us and not being a momentum-based team. We have to be able to rise above all that and play to our own standards and as if we just do this because this is what we believe, more than because people are watching or worried about the perception."
Does that leadership team that you guys voted on before the season, do you meet? Is it just kind of an informal thing and you know who is supposed to be a leader on this team? (Jonas Shaffer) "No, we meet."
Always when the team has been struggling in the past, you always could rely on the run game, even if teams stack the box. What do you feel like you have to do to get that aspect of the game going again, where it's more consistent and you can rely on it, particularly in short yardage? (Jeff Zrebiec) "Yeah, I think that's a great point. I think we do need to be more consistent in our run game, especially when we need it. To get to where we want to be, that's something that we know we have to do. [We are] making sure we're building that identity for us that when we need those yards, we need to get them, and that comes with execution [and] technique. It's easier said than done, but we have the guys capable of doing that."
What do you think about the pre-snap penalties? What's sort of the thread that connects why, especially the last few games, that has been such an issue for you guys? (Kyle Goon) "I think that's purely a focus thing and just sitting there, whether it takes 10 seconds for the snap to happen or it's going to happen in three seconds, it's just a matter of sitting there and being focused and patient."
QB Lamar Jackson said he feels like he's headed in the right direction. It seems like things are trending well in that direction. If he is able to come back and play this week, considering where the team is right now, how much of an emotional boost would that be for you guys? (Jamison Hensley) "It's going to be a big boost. Lamar [Jackson] is the best player in the NFL, and we all know how good of a player he is, but we also don't want to rely on him having to carry us as a team. Whoever's in there, we're confident that they're going to be able to perform, and we still feel like we had enough to win all the games that we had without him, but without a doubt, him being back would definitely be a boost."
The offensive line room has dealt with a lot of injuries. G Vega Ioane is now banged up, but you had C Cam Jurgens on the field this past Sunday. In your experience, having a veteran center, even with all the different combinations you've had to play, how much can that help for you guys to kind of settle in and start building the continuity on the offensive line? (Luke Jones) "It's a huge help. [Cam Jurgens] is like the centerpiece to all our communication, and he's the speakerphone to everyone on the field. So, he kind of sets the tone, especially in the communication, to make sure we're all set, and that's a big part of any offense. He does a great job of that."