HEAD COACH JOHN HARBAUGH
Opening statement: "[It is] good to see everybody. [I] appreciate everybody being here. [It was a] good start to the week. [We have] a short turnaround, obviously, but [we're] right back to it. Guys are in good spirits, and we are working hard today. We're looking forward to the opportunity on Sunday to get at it in Kansas City with the Chiefs, who we have great respect for. [We have] been in a lot of fights and battles there against them, and it's always a big challenge. So, we're going to get ready and be prepared to go play our best football game of the year. That's what we're hoping to do, and that's what we're working for. What questions do you have?"
After going 1-2 and like you said, Kansas City is obviously a tough place to play, what is the message that you've told the players in the meeting? (*Jamison Hensley)* "We're just locked in on trying to play the best football we can. We're still in the process of developing ourselves as a football team. We do a lot of good things, and we do a lot of not good things. That's the way it is for every team in the league right now. Nobody's playing perfect football. It's early in the season. We're playing some good football teams; that's a good thing, because that forces you to be your best. You can't worry too much about any kind of record or anything like that at this point. It's a long season. [There are] a lot of games to be played, but what kind of team we become is really the important thing right now, and that's really what we're focused on."
When looking at the film, how do you repair the run defense from what you've seen? (*Jerry Coleman)* "We'll be OK. We'll be fine. There's a lot of really simple things that we didn't do very well at times. We'll have the same play, really against the same defense, two different times, and one time it's no gain, because we're pretty much exactly where we're supposed to be, and another time we're not where we're supposed to be. Part of it is just trying to do too much sometimes. Sometimes we try to do more than our job, and that's not really required. Playing with a little more calmness and belief in the whole structure and the 10 guys around you, and then also tackling in the back end; that's the other thing. Those runs, they shouldn't go to what they did. Those runs should be tackled [after] eight to 10 yards if they break through the line, and we're focusing on that as well."
Especially with the run defense, when you get together as a team, is that something where the coaches have to tell hard truths, or is it a situation where guys have already looked at film, they are already sort of self-assessing and picking it apart? (*Kyle Goon)* "Well, it's both. Yes, the guys definitely self-assess and definitely look at it, and they've seen it. As coaches, we all speak hard truths all the time about everything we do. One of our biggest points of emphasis here is [that] we confront everything that has to do with football, and it's what you have to do. You have to be right out about it. We're a football team, so everything that has to do with football is going to get talked about and worked on, because we all want to be on the same page, and we want to play our best football together. It's a team sport. Everybody has to be working together, and that's what you're chasing all the time. You're doing it against an opponent that's trying to separate you. They're trying to move you out of a gap or a hole. They're trying to fool you and get you out of position if you're on defense; that's the competitive nature of the game. It's what makes it so great. So, it's a big challenge, and it's tough to do. Communication and being willing to confront every aspect of football are the important things. We don't take anything for granted that way. We talk about everything. We look at everything. We self-assess all the time. We try to be our own best critic in every aspect of what we do – coaches and players – and try to embrace that. So, our guys uniquely do a really good job of that. I really like our team that way. They're really, really, really good at that, and that's why I feel very confident that we're going to continue to improve as a football team."
On those lines, with some of the simple things you're talking about like adjustments and trying to do too much, is that a matter of adjustments in the game, or is that a matter of just simple execution by the guys on the field? (*Brian Wacker)* "It's execution on the field. Yes, it's definitely execution. That's why I say it's not the simplest thing in the world. It's not like you're going against cones. You're going against really good players who are executing really good schemes really well, and it's happening really fast. Processing football is a challenging thing, and you're up against a good physical opponent that's playing well. So, that's football. That's the National Football League. That's how it is. To think you're going to go out there every game and be perfect – we actually do think that, and we actually try to do that; that's our goal, but we weren't up to par in the run defense part of it, so we'll look at it, and we'll fight really hard to get better."
Do you know anything more about DL Nnamdi Madubuike's situation? Are you concerned it's maybe a long-term thing? (*Jeff Zrebiec)* "Well, I would say I am concerned about it, but I'm not really in a position to comment on it right now. I haven't been given the 'OK' to comment on it at this point. So, [Nnamdi Madubuike] is not going to play this week. I can tell you that. We're going to have to see going forward when [the medical staff] knows what they need to know."
We noticed there were two defensive linemen added to the practice squad today. Are you concerned with the other guys that missed today might be unavailable like DLs Travis Jones and Broderick Washington Jr.? (*Bo Smolka)* "Anything is possible. I'm not [concerned] per se, but they're nursing some things. We're only less than 48 hours out from the end of the [Monday night] game, so I have a good feeling about those guys, but we will have to wait and see."
You talked about the run defense. On the other side of the ball, you guys probably have not run the ball the way that you wanted to for the last couple of weeks. When you looked at the tape, are there similar things, just a lot of details to be cleaned up, or what was your takeaway on that? (*Childs Walker)* "There are definitely things that we can clean up, be better at and be on the same page about that we'll work on. We could block things better. Again, they're committed to stopping it, but we've also run against that quite a bit in the past. So, we don't really say that that's going to preclude us from running the ball, just because they put a defense up there that's meant to stop the run. So, it's a lot of the same things. It's a matter of just trying to improve, get better, work hard and be the best we can be. We were [going] against a good opponent, and we have another good opponent this week."
As you watch Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes now compared to early on, how has he evolved into the quarterback that is? (*Pete Gilbert)* "Oh, has [Patrick Mahomes] evolved? It seems like he's always been great. I can't remember a time that he wasn't Patrick Mahomes. He's the same quarterback to me. I'm sure he has improved in some little areas that [Kansas City Chiefs head coach] Andy [Reid] could tell you about, but he's the same problem. When you try to defend him, it's the same issues. He's just capable of making incredible plays. I think they build the offense around him really well. It's also a well-principled offense, in terms of just fundamental football and all that. It's built for the quarterback, and the quarterback operates really well in it. Obviously, he's just talented and makes a bunch of plays, and we're going to have to deal with it."
What issues have you seen with the red zone offense? (*Cordell Woodland)* "Well, we try to score touchdowns as best we can. When we got inside the five-yard line, they stopped us in some runs. That's the biggest thing I saw last week. We got stopped coming off the one-yard line, so we're disappointed with that. We'd like to get that ball in [the end zone] there. We didn't block those plays particularly well. We got outplayed probably at the point of attack a couple times right there, and that's what happened."
Along those lines, are you considering any changes on the offensive line, or do you like what you have there? (*Brian Wacker)* "Well, [with] the offensive line, you look at the grades. I look at [offensive line] Coach [George] Warhop's grades. They're pretty good. If you look at the whole game, Coach had those guys playing pretty darn well. That one series was disappointing, but we just try to get better and improve, and that's what we're doing."
RB Derrick Henry said he's his own worst critic when talking about the fumbling this season. When it's a player like that, with that resume, how do you even coach up or talk to him and discuss moving forward to not do that? (*Morgan Adsit)* "Derrick [Henry] doesn't need that. As he said, he's his own worst critic. I like to say he's his own best critic. He is very, very accountable. When somebody cares so much about what they're doing, and they're so accomplished – so talented and so good, works so hard – as a coach, you just can't worry about that. I don't worry about that. He wants to be his best even more than I want him to be great, and I want him to be great really a lot. To a high degree, I want all of our players to play at the highest level. When you have players that feel even more strongly about that than the coach does, well they should, because it's their career. They're the owner of their career, but he certainly does, and I'm not worried about Derrick Henry at all."
To go back to what you were talking about earlier about the whole offensive linemen having pretty good grades from offensive line coach George Warhop. With that being said, there were seven sacks on QB Lamar Jackson. Is there something structural that can be adjusted in the offense to put a little less heat on him in some of those drop backs? (*Kyle Goon)* "There's a lot of things that you do. We look at all those things as a coach. We're going to turn over every stone. We have a lot of offensive options. There's a lot of things we do in our offense that we'll be pursuing in any one game. That's what you do. That's a game-to-game thing, and we've been down this road before. I think we had the same conversation last year, so we'll be fine. We're going to play really good on offense; I promise you. We're going to play really good. So, our offensive line's going to play really well, and they're going to block people, too, because we're going to work really hard at it. We have great coaches and great players, and I believe in those guys."
Another week back at practice for TE Isaiah Likely. Do you hope to have him perhaps in the lineup this week? (*Gerry Sandusky)* "Yes, yes I do. I don't know what else to say." (laughter)
How big of a role could TE Isiah Likely have? (*Gerry Sandusky)* "[Isaiah Likely] could have a huge role. He could be out there every snap, or he might not be; it's hard to say, but he's out there practicing. In all seriousness, he's out there practicing. He looks good, he had a good day, but we weren't at full speed today. So, we'll see how he does tomorrow when we get up to speed, and I'm looking forward to that."
Have you felt the need to be any more involved, more than usual, on the defensive side of the ball at this point? (*Cordell Woodland)* "I'm always involved in the defense. I don't know if I could be more involved. With every part, I try to be that kind of a head coach. I try to be involved in everything – offense, defense and special teams – but also give people an opportunity to do their job and give them the leeway to make a lot of decisions, which our guys do a great job of. But it's always done in a conversation. We're always talking [and] confronting everything we do, so I'm not worried about our defense, either. I'm very determined, just like all of the guys are, to pursue excellence. That's what we do, so we're not wringing our hands about it. [Are we] bitterly disappointed? Sure, of course, but we play next week. We'll be playing on Sunday, and we'll be playing the Sunday after that and the Sunday after that. All of those Sundays are going to be what determines the season, so we know we can do something about it. You go out there, and you go play, and you play well. Our coaches know what they're doing, our players know what they're doing, and we will be out there competing. We will show up – I promise you – and we'll be ready to play. That's how we do it, and the track record is proven along those lines."
With as many explosives as you had with RB Derrick Henry and even QB Lamar Jackson, is it surprising that the down-to-down consistency of the run game hasn't been what it was even early last year? (*Jonas Shaffer)* "I think it's hard if the expectation is that you're going to set the standard at the expectation that we are going to be perfect – you're going to run for 300 yards every week. And if you don't do that, then you're not up to par. I just think that's kind of unrealistic. There's going to be games where you're going to run the ball, there's going to be games where you're going to pass the ball, [and] there's going to be games where you're going to get the ball downfield. There's going to be games where they are not going to let you do that, and you're going to throw it short. There are going to be games where you execute more consistently than other games. They're going to be games where you have better gameplans than other games. But if we weren't putting up points, you would probably be talking about that, but we are putting up points, so that's good, too. Do we want to run better? You're darn right we do. We also want to complete more passes, and we want to have more time of possession. We look at all of that stuff very, very thoroughly [with] every gameplan, and [we] try to do the best we can with it when we go out there and play. But you have to go out there and play. It's tough. It's a competitive league."
RB DERRICK HENRY
On how he's digested the last few days following Monday's game vs. Detroit: "[Shoot], I'm still pissed off. I'm still mad at myself. I'm my worst critic, so I don't try to harp on it too much. I talk to my family and the people that I get advice from. My teammates, I lean on them, but at the same time, it's a problem I have to get fixed, so I'm working on it. I'm working as hard as I can to get this issue resolved, and it's tough right now. It's just been consecutive weeks, back-to-back-to back, which is crazy. That's why you all saw me distraught. I was just like, 'I can't believe this happened for a third time.' But, I've just got to go back to work and push forward even though it's hard. Nobody can fix it but yourself, so I've got to accept it like a man. Everything that comes with it, I accept, because it's my responsibility to take care of the ball for this organization."
On his approach having never dealt with this type of adversity before: "Never. Never. Maybe it's just something God wanted to put me through, and maybe he's testing my faith right now. I just have to keep believing and keep working. I told my family the other day, 'Those tables turn, and this hasn't turned my way, but when they do, I'll be ready.'"
On the difficulty of keeping Monday's game off of his mind: "It is tough because of the situation and how it's happening. You have the Buffalo [game] and the Cleveland [game] – by the grace of God, we recovered that – but it was early in the game. Then that one [against Detroit] happens late in the game in a critical situation, so it's just the situations that it happens in, I feel like I'm letting my teammates down, which I don't want to do. Everybody knows it's not happening on purpose, but it's a problem that I have to get fixed, and I'm going to go out there and work every day to make sure that the problem is resolved. But at the same time, it's still tough because it was just two days ago."
On if he's making adjustments to where he holds the ball to avoid fumbling: "Yes, definitely. As a running back, you want to hold the ball high and tight. It's embarrassing for me to be talking about this, because I am having this issue, but you have to hold the ball high and tight to keep it away from the defense [and] keep it away from the defender so you keep the ball. We have a thing we call 'Raven claw' around here to have another arm around it, to keep it protected and keep the defense from getting to it. I just have to keep doing that in practice and let it transition to the game. But just know I'm working. I'm working, and it's rough right now, but it's going to come back around; I promise you."
On if difficult moments in his career serve as extra motivation: "Yes, for sure. When stuff like that happens, I feel like the week goes by slower. You're just waiting and itching for another opportunity, but I think that's just God putting you in the situation to see how I respond to it, and I'm ready to respond."
On if he's changed anything in his practice routine: "No, I just have to take care of the ball. That's all it is."
On what the offense needs to do to get back to where they were in Week 1: "I think just executing, playing our style, doing what we do, what we have done, what they've done around here for years and just keep trusting and believing in one another. We have everybody to be explosive and have big plays in the run game and be physical [and] dominate the line of scrimmage. We've just got to go do it. Everybody practices hard. Nobody isn't trying to do it. It's just execution. We've just have to go out there and do that."
On if there's an awareness of how big this week's game is or if they're treating it like just another game: "No, it is a huge game. We're 1-2. We don't want to be 1-2, and the same thing [goes] for them. Last year was a close game. We were a toe from going into overtime, but this team has been a dynasty for a while now. They're solid on all three phases. On defense, I think they're solid from top to bottom, and they've got game-wreckers. The preparation is very key this week to be prepared, and [so is] the practice execution in practice just so it relates and turns into the game of us being able to make plays. But, we've got to be focused and do what we need to do to be ready for Sunday."
On if he likes playing in an environment like Kansas City: "Yes, their fans and that stadium gets loud, so you live for big games like that. As a kid, you want to play in environments like that. That stadium rocks, for sure."
QB LAMAR JACKSON
On if not having a win on the road at Kansas City adds any extra motivation to this week: "Like I always say, each and every week, I'm going to be motivated no matter who the opponent is, no matter where it is. I'm just trying to win. But no, not really. I'm already motivated."
On if he saw more opportunities on film to run with the football in Monday's game vs. Detroit: "No, I didn't look at the film and think, 'I should have ran [more] times,' or 'I don't think I was holding onto the ball.' If anything, I was trying to let the routes develop, but they did a great job with the pass rushing, their stunts and their rush to cover linebackers diving at my feet and stuff like that. They did a pretty good job. We've just got to execute better next time."
On keeping past games against Kansas City out of their mind when preparing for this week: "It's in the past. You can't bring what happened back whenever to this year. We've just have to lock in on what's ahead right now. Just getting better in practice, watching film on those guys, watching ourselves, scouting ourselves and just get after it come Sunday."
On what Detroit did well with their four-man pass rush on Monday: "Like I just said, [it was] the stunts. It's not anything we've never seen before. I just feel like we need to do a better job at executing."
On the vibe in the locker room this week: "We've got to lock in. I feel like the last three games, even with the win versus Cleveland, we started off slow. We've just got to play how we play ball and play Ravens football, like I said, self-scout ourselves and just get ready for Sunday."
On if they look back at last year's 1-2 start: "Yes, and going back – I want to say to 2019 – we were like 2-2 to start the season, as well. So, I play week-to-week. I don't really care about what happened in the past. I'll be mad about the situation – don't get me wrong – when it happens, but we've got to get ready for the Chiefs. We can't dwell on old history. We have to worry about what's going on now."
On what kind of challenges the Chiefs' defense presents to them: "[They] play Cover 0, Cover 6 sometimes, quarters [defense and] invert [Cover] 2. They do it all, but we just have to execute, stay positive and ahead of the sticks, get first downs [and] put points on the board."
On if proper execution on offense helps everything else take care of itself during games: "Yes, absolutely. When we're playing to our level of football, we score nonstop, no matter who we're playing against, and I feel like once we get to that level, the sky's the limit."
On not having DL Nnamdi Madubuike this week: "We're just going to have to win it for [Nnamdi Madubuike]. We'll go in there and try to win for him. That's all. I don't know about how long and stuff like that. I don't know about all that."
On what he makes of leading the league in scoring while having a 1-2 record: "Put more points on the board. [We'll] try to score more. We only can worry about ourselves. It's a team game, but we only can worry about offense."
On how he feels RB Derrick Henry will respond to some of the adversity he's faced: "I feel like it's a Capricorn thing. You want to win, and once you feel like you are a part of something – it might be a loss, or you felt like you did something wrong – you're going to always put the blame on yourself. Like I said after the game Monday, there was like six and a half minutes left. We still could have executed and made something happen. We can't fault [Derrick Henry] for that. Players mess up."
On the difficulty of deciding to run or pass when scrambling: "I'm playing football. I'm not thinking, 'Oh, should I run here? Should I throw it here?' No. I'm just, like I said, letting the play develop, and if it's your lane for me to run, I'm going to take that lane, and if not, I'm going to try to let my receiver get open as much as I can. I can't throw it from the pocket with the pocket collapsing. It'd be intentional grounding, especially with no one going on outbreaking routes, so I'd rather not take 15 yards back. I'd rather take that little 5-yard sack or 10-yard sack instead of 15 [yards]."
On the importance of setting the tone in the locker room to move forward: "I feel like it's extremely important. Guys look to me for that leadership role, so I'm going try, to the best of my ability, to let those guys know [that] it's on. We have to tighten up. Even though we're 1-2, and we were there last year, but that's not pretty to be sitting at. It's a long season ahead of us, but we have to just lock in."
On if he'd like to try to sustain drives longer to try to keep the defense off the field: "No, I don't think about it like that. If anything, let's score again fast. If the opposing team offense is having a day, we've still got to put points on the board. We can't rely on slowing down because, if you go back to the Bills game, when we did that, those guys made a comeback. So, we just have to do our job and put points on the board each and every drive if we could."
On how close they are to executing the way they can: "I feel like we're close, but we've just have to be consistent, if anything, because we do it. We put 30-something points up against the Lions. We put 40 points up against Buffalo and Cleveland. We've just have to be consistent. That's the biggest thing for us right now."
OLB ODAFE OWEH
On not having DT Nnamdi Madubuike available this week: "Yes, it's big. Obviously, he's a guy that we need. He's dominant. I feel bad, but [we have] a 'Next Man Up' mentality. We'll be ready."
On the biggest challenge of facing Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes in Arrowhead Stadium: "Just [Patrick Mahomes'] playmaking ability. He's Mahomes for a reason, so we have to do a good job of canceling that [out]. And then my [pass rush] room has to do a good job with pressuring him [and] making him uncomfortable, forcing him off the spot, and then when we get there, tackling."
On if the team thinks about the difficulty the Ravens have had beating the Chiefs on the road: "No, we don't really think about it."
On the message within the defense with DT Nnamdi Madubuike out: "Just keep on going. Obviously, like I said, he's a good player. We're going to need him, but you can't have that message to the guys that are working their tails off and trying to dominate. So, you have to keep on putting confidence into them, knowing that it's a 'Next Man Up' mentality. We'd be doing him a disservice if we were out here not playing hard, [not] trying to get to the QB or [not] trying to get more TFLs, all the things that he does. So, [it's a] 'Next Man Up' mentality, that's what you have to tell them."
On if he's spoken to DT Nnamdi Madubuike following his injury: "Yes, I talked to him. He was [at the facility] a few days before the game [against the Detroit Lions], so I talked to him then."
On what his conversation with DT Nnamdi Madubuike was like: "I was just trying to get in his head, see how he feels and everything. He feels good; he's just trying to get back on the field."
On how he handles the pressure of trying to avoid being 1-3 going into Week 5: "You have to just go out there and try to win [and] dominate. You can't think about mistakes, what happens if you lose, because then you're going to lose. You have to think that you're going to be the winners after the game. You can't think about what your record is going to be."
On how they are game-planning against QB Patrick Mahomes: "I think one thing we touched on today was just staying on your feet when he pump fakes. And then when you get there, try to hit him legally, as legally as you can in today's NFL. We have to respect his playmaking ability, but at the same time be physical, because he does a lot of things where he's running out of bounds, and he's trying to [make contact with] guys. So, we have to be smart, but at the same time show him that we're not scared to hit him."
On if there is a right way as a defender to respond to QB Patrick Mahomes when he's pump faking: "I mean, [you] just try to hit him right here [in his midsection]. Like I said, don't jump. He's going to try to pump fake [and do] savvy stuff, so stick to your technique, up-field shoulder. Don't patter your feet, because that's when he's going to try to dance with you. So, just beeline [to him]. I feel like that's the best answer for you."
On if his basketball background helps him stay disciplined with a pump fake: "It doesn't, because I'm jumping if someone is shooting." (Laughter) "I'm going to just try to run it right through him."
