HEAD COACH JOHN HARBAUGH
Opening statement: "I appreciate everybody being here. [It was a] good game for us. I was really, really happy for [and] proud of the young guys, the way they played. The guys who played, they brought it. They held the standard in a really strong way. [We] ran the ball well, protected the ball well [and] got the turnovers. Our defense gave up some yards early, and we got the run defense tightened up a little bit, which is good to see. I thought our special teams was really outstanding, so it's a good way to finish. We have a lot of tough decisions to make for sure over the next couple of days, and we'll see how it shakes out. What questions do you have?"
I know the official decision on the roster comes on Tuesday, but a guy like CB Keyon Martin, how much did he help his case today? (*Jamison Hensley)* "[Keyon Martin] played well. He keeps making big plays, and that's something that is accounted for, for sure. I think he played sound as well; he did things the right way. He's played just like that [throughout] the whole camp."
Did you like the 'INT' or the vice block from CB Keyon Martin? (*Luke Jones)* "I think I might've liked the vice block even better. You see that? That was impressive. The whole sideline was fired up on that. We work hard at that. That was impressive."
Turnovers have been an emphasis throughout training camp, today, and I think just throughout the preseason. How pleased have you been with the guys responding to that challenge? (*Alex Glaze)* "It's been intentional. It's been something that we've been thinking about, talking about, drilling, practicing and trying to make sure we try to make it happen. [We] try to challenge our offense as much as we can, because it's good for your offense, too, to protect the ball, work against each other in that way. I thought it showed up today just like you'd want it to, or just like you would hope it would. Now we have to continue down that road and make it show up during the regular season."
We know the run game is so important to you guys. During the first two drives, it just seemed like that was a huge part of emphasis, and you did it very successfully. What did that mean to see your depth guys carry that out? (*Cordell Woodland)* "It's just important to be able to control the line of scrimmage. Running the ball, obviously, is something that's been important here for a long time. I think it's established that we're going to play that way. So, to see it happen in the preseason is a good thing. We didn't do as well last year in the preseason with that. We still were able to turn it around during the season, but we have a good foundation right now. We're going to see some really good fronts. We're going to see some run defenses that are loaded up against us, and we want to try to find a way to run the ball anyway. That'll be important to us."
A follow up to the turnovers, ILB Trenton Simpson helped force the two of those. How do you think he's handled his responsibilities, and everything that's been asked of him this summer? (*Josh Tolentino)* "Trenton [Simpson] has really made a big step this year. I just feel like the way he's processing the game has been a big step. He is a guy that was an All-American running back in high school. He went to Clemson and was learning to play defense all along, came here, and I think you could see that the talent was evident, but this year, he's really taken a big step in terms of just keeping it simple. Maybe it slowed down, maybe his brain processes faster, so his game has slowed down just a little bit. He seems like he's very comfortable."
Did you like how K Tyler Loop responded in this preseason? (*Noah Trister)* "Well, we wanted to get [Tyler Loop] a long field goal. So, we were going to try it back there at [the] 63 [-yard line] I think it was before we hit the screen pass. Then we got the screen pass and went backwards again to get him over 60 yards. So, see how well that worked out for us? But it was a great kick. It was nice to see."
Why did some of those decisions that are going to have to be made, whether it's CB Keyon Martin, some of the other guys like RB Rasheen Ali, does it make it that much more difficult to try to narrow it down? (*Brian Wacker)* "The good problem is when guys play well. That's what you want. You want to see guys play well, and that's what we try to do. That's the goal as a coach; you want to do everything you can to help your guys be successful. That's why we coach. So, to see the guys be successful, that's what you want. So that's the problem we want to have. And like I said, it's a good problem to have."
You said you specifically wanted K Tyler Loop to get a long kick. Is that a confidence thing? Is it that you want to get a sense of his range? What's the reason? (*Childs Walker)* "No, I'd say we have a sense of [Tyler Loop]'s range, but it's a confidence thing just to get out there in a game and be in that circumstance and having done it one time like that more than maybe he would've is valuable."
What is his range? (*Jamison Hensley)* "Well, what was it today? Now that you're talking, he had little breeze at his back. It's hot. It's summertime, so that's going to be the ideal circumstance. There's been a bunch of kicks – you guys have probably noticed – a bunch of long kicks that have been made so far this year, so you're seeing it around the league."
Obviously, you ran the ball well, but how do you think QB Cooper Rush played? (*Mike Preston)* "I thought [Cooper Rush] played well. I thought he was on point, made a few throws, flipped the protection a couple of times, and that was good. They were pressuring us and calling a lot of different defenses to try to get a stop. So, I think he's played well the whole [training] camp. He's a very good backup quarterback. I thought Devin [Leary] played well. To see Devin's progress from the first game to today, it's pretty remarkable the way he played, as well. So, it seemed like both those guys played well."
John, do you expect QB Lamar Jackson to practice on Monday? (*Cordell Woodland)* "Yes, absolutely. Unless [Lamar Jackson] doesn't want to." (laughter) "He is Lamar."
Have you seen enough of CB Reuben Lowery III? He had seven tackles at halftime. Have you've seen enough on him to really feel good about his chances on making the roster? (*Jeff Zrebiec)* "I do. I think you're probably going to put more guys in that category that you're talking about than can make the team though. I think [Reuben Lowery III]'s definitely in that category, and that'll be one of those decisions that we'll have to make. He did it again today and played really well."
Along those lines, you did talk at the beginning of summer about identifying that No. 3 safety job, and we've seen S Sanoussi Kane and S Beau Brade. How do you feel about your safety depth, obviously from S Malaki Starks in there, because he's a rookie as well. (*Luke Jones*) "I feel really good about those guys. I think all Malaki [Starks] is going to play really well. He's a rookie. We all have to understand that he's going to be a rookie, but I think he's a very advanced rookie. Of course, [we also have] Kyle [Hamilton] – and then you've got Sanoussi [Kane], Beau [Brade] and Reuben [Lowery III]. Those guys are going to be a part of that, too. So, we thought we had Ar'Darius [Washington], and it didn't turn out that way. But I'm happy with the way those guys have played. I think you have to play to their strengths. You look at what Sanoussi can do, if he's out there, and play to his strengths, or Reuben or Beau, if they're out there, you play to their strengths if they're on the field."
You talked in Dallas about RB Rasheen Ali being a part of your running back group. How much of that, I guess, reflects your desire to be more explosive with the dynamic kickoffs and everything? (*Jonas Shaffer)* "[Rasheen Ali] would be a depth running back, obviously, but he's proven himself to be a good back in the preseason. Then he's a big part of special teams right now. He's starting on every special teams, so something would have to change for that not to be the case. So yes, [he's part of our] dynamic kickoff return [plan]. He's on the punt team. He's on punt return team. He's on the kickoff team. So, he's a big part of that right now."
OLB MIKE GREEN
On his evaluation of the final preseason game: "Yes, I think we're good. Of course, there [were] a lot of things that I had to clean up. There's still a lot of things I need to clean up, but I think overall it's [gone] well, just being able to experience what it feels like to be an NFL player has been enough, because I've just been soaking in all the experiences, all the challenges, all the fun that we have. So overall, I think it's been great."
On what he's taken from the first three games of his pro career: "I'd probably say the biggest thing is [that] these dudes are bigger, stronger and faster, of course. The speed of the game is just so much faster, and of course the competition is going to go way up, because these are guys' jobs. There are people competing for a job, and I think that brings a little bit more of a competitive edge, just because this is their job. So yes, we've been able to go out here and compete against each other and go against these other teams, and it's been great so far."
On what has stood out about the way the defense has played after three preseason games: "[We want to] attack, attack, attack. I think when you have guys that are able to attack, and you have a defense that schemes up to where the attacking players can attack, that's all you can really ask for. I feel like, schematically, the way that this defense is built, [there's] a lot of history behind it, and they've done a lot of research and have been able to dig up the oldest of [video] files [from Ravens defenses in the past] and has tried to put everything together at once. I feel like [defensive coordinator] Zach [Orr] did a great job of just combining what's been here with what he's brought here, so I think defense is good."
On if there were conversations about him not playing in the final preseason game: "There was no conversation about it. I just knew that if I had the opportunity to [play], of course, [I] would want to go out there and capitalize [with] what I could do. But with the other [side of the] stick, if I came out here [and the coaches] told me that I wasn't [going to play], then I was just going to try to prepare for the Bills. So, I did play today, which I think was great for me just to build up my football endurance and just get a better feel of the defense for another game. I think being able to dress and play this last preseason game has been great for me."
On what he thinks he can take from the preseason heading into the regular season: "I would say just how the whole program and how everything is built, and just the schedule – the time we wake up, the time we lift, [the time of] certain practices – and just having a regimen every day, that's probably something that I've been building up to since I got to the League and something I'm just going to continue to do."
On how excited he is to make his regular season debut: "I'm really excited, simply because I know just being a younger guy [and] a rookie, teams try to sometimes take advantage of that. I think, for me, it's going to be a good challenge, because I know there's going to be a lot of teams that try to go my way and try to see what I'm capable of doing. So, it's going to be exciting. It's going to be great. I'm excited for it, and I just can't wait."
K TYLER LOOP
On how he felt after hitting a 61-yard field goal: "It was good. It was fun. We kind of talked about it on the sideline. Randy [senior special teams coach Randy Brown] was like, 'Hey, do you want to go hit this?' And I was like, 'Heck yes, why not?' We went out, [I] got a great snap from Nick [Moore], a great hold from Jordan [Stout] and yes, I hit it. It was a good time."
On the valuable experience of practicing long kicks in the preseason: "I think it's good. It's always good to practice those, but the thing that's going through my head when I go out there is, 'I just want to hit every ball the same.' We talked about the process; I get out there, and I just want to go through my process, hit my ball and trust those guys that are helping me out with snapping, holding and blocking. I know that they're going to do their job, so yes, it was good."
On what he thinks his field goal range is: "It kind of depends. We'll pick a line before the game, so it's pretty fluid. I talk with [senior special teams coach] Randy [Brown]. [It's] depending on how the wind is playing in the stadium, how I'm hitting [the ball] pregame and stuff like that. Today, when we were going that way, we were joking. We were like, 'Hey, if it's on the 50 [-yard line], let's just try it for fun.' But yes, I'm just trying to hit every ball the same. That's kind of the big part of it."
CB KEYON MARTIN
On his interception returned for a touchdown in today's game: "[It was] my first one. Doing it in the last preseason game to end off my last preseason as a rookie; it was just a special moment. Just celebrating with the team, that just made it even better. The rookies here, we have such a great bond. [It's cool to see] how happy we [are] for each other. I couldn't be happier."
On if he feels he has put himself in position to make the 53-man roster: "Wherever the ball falls, that's where it's going to fall. I just focus on me. I know if I do what I have to do, then things [are] going to play out in my favor. If I make the 53 [-man roster], I make the 53 [-man roster]. It's not something that's on my mind these last couple of days."
On what it means to have the team rally behind him and celebrate: "It's a good feeling. They love the Florida boys here. Back at home, they say, 'Broward County raised us.' [The Ravens already have] Lamar Jackson [and] Zay Flowers. They brought me in, and they've been treating me like family ever since. I've been enjoying it."
On if he was able to read the quarterback on his interception: "It's a play that we've been going through all week, so I kind of figured, but yes, [I was] mainly just reading the quarterback's eyes. The quarterback told me everything I needed to know since we were in a zone defense. I just executed a play, and he threw it right to me, so I was grateful for that."
On what was going through his mind in that moment: "'Catch the ball.' That's it. 'Don't be one of those DBs.' They'd [say], 'Oh, you dropped it.' And then everybody would [say], 'Oh, you should have caught [the ball].' Just catch the ball. Once you catch the ball, everything else will go smoothly after that."
On what he thinks he's been able to show throughout training camp: "I feel like I've just been able to show the player that I've been, in my opinion, since high school. I've been the same player since high school [and] since college. [I feel like I have been able to show] my savviness, my competitive edge [and the] chip on my shoulder. I've been the same player ever since high school, and now, it's starting to be seen in a bigger light. So, that's been all that I've been showing since the start of training camp."
On how long he's dreamt of getting a pick-six: "You dream about it a lot. Shoot, [since] high school [or] middle school, [you dream about an] NFL touchdown, but I did visualize it. I always talk to my dad, he always says visualize [yourself] making plays. And I visualized it last night. I didn't visualize the [tackle for loss], but I did visualize the [interception]. I didn't know how it was going to come. It kind of came in a different way in my mind, but at the end of the day, it still came with a pick-six."
On how much influence his dad has had on him as a former NFL player: "My dad, he has influenced me a lot. I don't have the No. 21 right now, but that's the number I've worn my whole life, and that's the number he had. I talk to him before every game. I talk to him after every game. He has been a huge influence on me. He's been in my corner. He's my No. 1 supporter. I couldn't ask for a better father."
On his social media post asking to be tagged in the NFL's posts: "I like to troll. I like to have fun. Marlon [Humphrey] is a better troll than me on social media. But yes, I just like to troll, have fun on social media and entertain the fans. At the end of the day, football is the entertainment. I want to entertain on and off the field."
On the importance of being valuable on special teams: "You have to find a way to impact the team somehow. Going into camp, a lot of teams know who is going to be out there, so you have to find a way to impact the team somehow, and I've been playing special teams since, like I said, high school and college. Even when I was starting in college, I never took on the role of just playing defense. I embrace special teams, so coming here to play special team has been nothing new to me."
On if he feels like he has done enough to make the 53-man roster: "I just go out there [and] embrace every opportunity I get. That's not really my call, to see if I've done enough. If I did, I did. If I didn't, I didn't."
ILB TRENTON SIMPSON
On his confidence after three preseason games: "I feel great. I had a great training camp. I stacked days on top of days. In this defense, everybody's playing at a high level. Just seeing this team, like us competing against the best every day – like our offense is great – [and] the defense, so I feel like it's definitely causing everybody's level to raise up."
On how today's performance can impact his confidence: "For me, it just shows that my work is paying off. This offseason, I was definitely grinding [and] just kept the main thing the main thing. But, definitely confidence-wise, I'm ready for Week One and for all the weeks of the season. I know the work I put in, and I know God has me, so that's all I can control."
On how the defense is taking defensive coordinator Zach Orr's emphasis on turnovers to heart: "I feel like our defensive staff makes it an emphasis in practice. So, shots on goal and tips and overthrows, we have to get those, and those are the things we've been doing in practice, so just to see it translate to the game is huge for sure."
On what's different about him now versus this time last year: "I would say just a year of growth, and I feel like with everybody, you're either getting better or getting worse. So, for me, [it's about] just trying to take it one day at a time. Then like you said, confidence, just going out there playing confident and making sure everybody's lined up in front of me, just going out there playing fast and physical."
On if he's noticed that he's processing the game more naturally or quicker: "Yes, for sure. It's just slowed down a lot. I'm going into my third year in the National Football League. I've seen ball now at a high level, so it's definitely slowing down a lot for me."
On what's impressed him about ILB Jay Higgins IV: "[Jay Higgins IV] is just a playmaker. The Ravens bring in great players, and he's a playmaker every time he's out there. He's around the ball. As a linebacker, having a knack for the ball, it takes you a long way."
