BALTIMORE RAVENS POST-GAME QUOTES
HEAD COACH JOHN HARBAUGH
Opening Statement:
Harbaugh:"Hey, everybody. I appreciate you guys coming out and being here. Obviously, hard fought win against a very good football team. The Raiders, like they always do, when we got out in front, but they came back. Kept fighting, kept punching. They were fighting like the spirit of their coach. That was a good football game. A well appreciated win for us to come out here against this team in this environment and to play the way that we did was a real plus for us."
Q: Were you pleased with the offensive efficiency in the fourth quarter and the fact that they did what they needed to do?
Harbaugh:Yeah, I think that probably sums it up. There were some probably in the third quarter that their defense rose up and knocked us out of there. A couple of three and outs. That was tough, but to overcome it in the fourth. Find out footing a little bit. [QB] Joe Flacco made a couple of throws under duress. The one where he stumbled out and scrambled in the pocket and found [WR] Mike Wallace on the crossing route. That was really a big play and to be able to run the ball the way we did in the fourth quarter obviously, was what closed the game out."
Q: How satisfied were you with the way with the Offensive line with protection of [QB] Flacco and the run game?
Harbaugh: "Both of those things for sure. The pass protection was very good, and our offensive linemen did a good job, and that is one of the best pass rushing units in football. No question. It was a group effort. We had the ball out at times. Our offensive line, obviously, did a very good job. Our backs did a good job protecting, and our tight ends were involved quite a bit with chips and things like that, so it was a good game plan too. I thought our offensive coaches put together an excellent plan in that way."
Q: Was this win a turning point for the team in a crucial week after two losses?
Harbaugh:"That's all good. I think it is good to write about and think about, but for us it doesn't help us. It doesn't mean anything. It's not a great use of energy for us. We just have to figure out how to play the next game. It's a one week league. If this doesn't show this, and when you look around the NFL. Any fan in the NFL should know that by now. It's an every week league. It can change. Every, every, every week is a different week, and you just got to come out and find a way to play your best football and try to win your next game. That's really what it is. Think in terms like that is valuable I think. From the outside, but from the inside we just have got to think about the Chicago Bears. We have got to prepare for the Chicago Bears. All we're looking at right now is the Chicago Bears. That's our job."
Q: Big week for [RCB] Jimmy Smith. He scored a touchdown and had a new baby. What are you thoughts on him?
Harbaugh: "Ahh, yeah good point. Jimmy Smith had a child, got a touchdown, as you just pointed out. Congratulations to Jimmy. It's a big week. He's all smiles right now I'm sure."
Q: How much were you told the [RCB] Smith was hurt with his achilles with him not playing as much as he usual?
Harbaugh:"It's been bothering him for a few weeks. It's been sore. It's like I told you it's one of those things. It's a nag. It's a nagging deal right now for him, but he's out there and plays, and this game worked out where we rested him a little bit. He kind of went in there when he needed to. [LCB] Marlon Humphrey stepped up and played so well and that's why we drafted him, so Marlon played well. [LCB] Brandon Carr played well. [FS] Lardarius Webb played well. They really went after [Lardarius] Webb in the slot. They put 89 [WR Amari Cooper] in there and they put 15 [WR Michael Crabtree] in there. They got 10 [WR Seth Roberts] in there who is a good player. They were going after Webb a little bit and he did a good job."
Q: How do you feel about [QB] Joe Flacco coming out and playing well after he hasn't played so well the last two weeks?
Harbaugh:"Joe, like we said during the week you just play the next game. You really do. That's the way it works. Joe is always going to do that. He is going to try to put together the best game together that he can every week and you're not always going to have your best game, but hey we want to string together as many good games as we can and Joe [Flacco} wants to do that, so I was happy for Joe because probably sometimes there is pressure in that position and he handles it so well which we are always very proud of, but to see him play well like that, of course you're happy."
Q: Is [RB] Terrance West going to be okay long term?
Harbaugh:"I don't know. I don't know. I have a line for that. Can I share it with you? We were joking about it in the locker room. I'm not a doctor, but I play one in press conferences. I really don't know the answer to that."
QB JOE FLACCO
Q: How did the first play feel?
Flacco:"I mean yeah, it definitely feels good, but it felt better to get the ball in the endzone at the end of the drive. It means nothing if we don't score a touchdown. That's what we've been wanting to do, get the ball in the endzone and we were able to do that a few times today. That was the biggest thing. But it definitely feels good to let the ball go down the field and let Mike [Wallace] go get one. You can see it on his face when he starts getting involved. Just how much he gets revved up and how much that really helps our offense."
Q: What were your thoughts on how the offensive line played today?
Flacco:"Yeah, they played awesome. I told them all game that, specifically at the end of the game, how great a job they did all day. Then at end just putting it on them and being able to run the clock down and do what we did there. That was huge. You have to give credit to our tight ends, too. We put them in spots to kind of help out on [Khalil] Mack a good amount of times. They did really good. Bruce Irvin over on the other side and whoever they have coming on the other side, they're really good players too. You have to give a lot of credit to our backside to have Bruce 1-on-1 a lot of those times. They did awesome."
Q: How big is today's win?
Flacco:"Listen, I think every win is big. It adds another win to your total. I think this one is a little more significant because just what it does for the mentality and the confidence of the football team, and what the other side, what not winning would have done to the mentality of the football team. It counts the same, just as any other. It doesn't matter when you lose them, necessarily, or when you win them, you just have to have the right amount of wins at the end. As far as the mentality of this football team and the confidence of our offense, of our defense, I think this will definitely go a little bit longer than a normal win."
Q: Did you sense this game could be a turning point?
Flacco:"Yeah, there's no doubt. Listen, we've played two tough games the last couple of weeks. We haven't played well. They're good football teams, too. You could see Jacksonville, they're not a bad football team. Then Pittsburgh coming in our house, we would have obviously liked to keep our end of the bargain there at home. But we weren't able to do it and that happens. It's definitely good to be able to play those kind of games that we did and be able to respond the way we did today. Obviously, their team was a little shorthanded with the quarterback, but our defense played well. I thought EJ [Manuel], on their side, played really well. We were able to get after them on offense a little bit today, especially earlier in the game. I wish we would have carried it into the second half, but we didn't today."
Q: Are you relieved to have the media abuse end?
Flacco:"I don't hear about it anyway. You might see it while you're scrolling through Instagram. Doing stupid things while you're bored. It's part of being an NFL quarterback, is dealing with tough times. When you don't play well, you own it and you go on to the next one. I have confidence in who I am as a player and a person. I have confidence in our football team. I'm never going to waver. I may not play well one week, but it's not going to change who I am and who I believe I am."
Q: So no worries going through Instagram tonight?
Flacco:"There's always going to be fans hating on Instagram (laughing). It is what it is. There's good things too."
MLB CJ MOSLEY
Q: Was there an adjustment in the run game? The first couple drives the Raiders were moving the ball.
Mosley: "Yeah. I mean this is the NFL. Players are going to make plays. I feel like, for the most part, we handled it well. We stopped the run when we had to."
Q: It looks like you guys locked in the rotations. How do you think you guys played?
Mosley: "I told my guys they played well. That's one of the better offensive lines that we're going to see. They have some good running backs behind them too. Definitely a game for the young guys to learn the experience and resiliency. We just have to keep getting better and better."
Q: What does it mean for you guys, after two straight losses, to come in here and get a win?
Mosley: "It just shows our resiliency. We didn't start pointing the finger. We kept our head down, didn't make excuses, or blame the other side of the ball. We just stepped up to the plate, corrected our mistakes on each side, and came back better."
S ERIC WEDDLE
Opening Statement:"What a good game! Yeah you guys get me when we win! It's all good, I've been up here a few times. What a team win. The only thing on my mind is that I get to smash some ice cream tonight! Shoot!"
Q: How does that gash feel?
Weddle:"It's alright! What a finish. There was a big hit at the end. Talk about a team effort - offense, defense, special teams. What we talked about, we started fast and a great drive by the offense. Defense started fast, but I gotta give it up for the whole team running the ball. The last series to get a field goal really took the heart out of the Raiders and showed the kind of will that we can possess when the game is on the line. I couldn't be more proud of this group. The coaching staff put a great game plan together and the players run to execute. Defensively, for the most part we did well. Talk about two great plays by [QB] EJ Manuel. I thought he did an outstanding job out there under the circumstances. Broken play on the one touchdown where Brandon Carr was all over the grid and turned it up, which was unfortunate and on third down late in the game sprint-out and again Brandon was all over him and then he turns and drops it away. So Brandon was on a couple plays that were unfortunately, again unbelievable coverage. But we battled, we got stops when we needed and put a couple new blitzes in there that showed up when we got some pressure. There's nothing like coming on the road against a good team and getting a win. We have to carry it out next week."
Q: How impressed were you with QB Joe Flacco's performance this week?
Weddle:"Yeah, it doesn't surprise me at all. Joe's a competitor, he's a fighter. He takes all the criticism and as the offense struggles, it's on him and as a team we respect that. We believe in him and just like us, we all try to take account for the play, us as players. Coaches do a great job, it's us as players that are going and executing, so if we don't get it done, it's on us. For him to come out and throw a ball the way he did and make plays, almost getting a sack, and throwing it to complete a first down to Jeremy Maclin, that last drive to complete balls to get first downs. He made some incredible throws out there and it shows why he can be one of the best when he's playing like that. That's what we need from him and he knows that, we all know that. If he throws like that and we get a lead, we're tough to beat."
Q: How beneficial is the defense when getting a fast start?
Weddle: "We just stressed all week to play loose and to have fun and not get so down. Don't think you gave up a first down or you gave up a long pass or if things don't go your way early it's not the end of the world. It's a four quarter game, we can finish and we can play four quarters. We wanted to just start fast and play aggressive from jump street and a perfect example, the offense drove down, got a score and then we get fumbled and Jimmy ran it back which was huge. We go 14-0, then everything plays into our favor, then we can gallop our pressures get more dimensional and really hold them off there."
RT AUSTIN HOWARD
Q: Did you guys put a little more emphasis on buying your quarterback some time so he can make a good throw?
Howard: "Absolutely. Especially the last two weeks, Joe [Flacco] has been taking a little bit of heat. We take that personal. We still aren't done, we have a lot more to go."
Q: Any extra satisfaction in not giving up any sacks today?
Howard: "Oh yeah, absolutely. No matter who we're playing, we take a lot of pride in making those holes for the running back and keeping our quarterback clean. So we feel good about that. But with that being said, we know that we can't just stay the same, we have to get better each week."
Q: Did you guys feel any different out there today?
Howard: "I think our entire team felt different. Practice was different than what it's been. Our preparation was there. The process was great this week. We had a lot of intent in everything we did. We were able to carry that into the game, and it was a great win for us."
CB JIMMY SMITH
Q: Can you talk about the emotions of this week and today's touchdown?
Smith: "I actually had my second son, Jalen Smith, 7 pounds and 3 ounces. Truly a blessing. 25 hours of labor. It was truly a blessing. I couldn't be more excited about that. And then getting a touchdown and coming around for the team."
Q: How did the 2 game losing streak impact your perspective?
Smith: "We all know, it's a 16-game season. It's very long. Losing 2 games, it's not a 4 game losing skid. I've been there, those are hard to come back. 2 games, that's nothing. You gotta bounce back. This team is very resilient, so we bounce back."
*Q: Can you talk about QB Joe Flacco's performance? *
Smith:"He's our quarterback. I ride or die with him. The media, the naysayers, they can say what they want. As long as we're on this team together, I ride with him."
WR MIKE WALLCE
Q: How did it feel to get two long passes today?
Wallace:"It felt great. We do it all the time at practice, so we know what we can do. It's just a matter of it playing out the way we want it to. The right coverage, the right timing, everything. It's a lot going into catching long passes. Whether it be dropping back and throwing it. (Inaudible). We started right out of the gate. It was great. I was hyped when I saw the play call. I was just like, 'I have to win.' You have to. You can't get a play call like that and not win. [Offensive coordinator] Marty [Mornhinweg] might not ever call it again. You have to make it work when you get a situation like that. I just knew last night when I saw the play call, I said, 'If we get this play, it's going to be on me to start the game off.' It's going be going from that a snowball effect. I just had thoughts about it last night. We came out and we called it on the first play. I wish I would've scored."
Q: How long did you know about call? Were there talks about it being the first play last night?
Wallace:"I mean when we go through the plays, there's a possibility. I was like, 'I just give me it.' Possibility is great for me. I just wanted the possibility. When we got the first drive coach was like, 'Alright, we're going to go with the go route on the first play.' Say less."
Q: Do you feel like you answer questions offensively?
Wallace:"No. Not enough. Not to ourselves. We know who we are. We're just going to go out and continue to play our game. I don't care about questions. I'll sit up here two hours and answer questions. It doesn't matter to me. It's about performance. Whether we have questions about it or we are making plays. People are always going to have something to say. So we might as well go out and just have a good game."
Q: What some of the questions you have to answer yourself about improving as an offense?
Wallace:"Oh, just scoring 50? How can you score 40? How can you score 50? The Patriots did it. That's the kind of team you want to try to be like on the offense. You want to be a high scoring team. If your team comes out and you're not scoring 30, 40 points a game, you have some work to do. You have a lot more to do."
Q: Did you sense early that the offensive line was really controlling the front?
Wallace:"Oh yeah, from the first play. Like I said, you get the mojo rolling. We have a lot of good players on the team, it's just the rhythm. You get into a rhythm, you're going to be hard to stop. You don't get into a rhythm, you're going to go three-and-out. If you get those guys going, you make big plays for them, they're going to get hyped. Just like anybody else. (inaudible) Obviously, I had a great game. The whole O-line was awesome. It was hyped. It was crazy."
CB MARLON HUMPHREY
Q: For you guys, what does this win mean?
Humphrey:"It means a lot, you know? We're back on track. It's always good to come to someone else's stadium and get a win, so I'm really happy that we came out with the win."
Q: You played more snaps than you have all season today. How did you feel out there getting more action?
Humphrey: "It was definitely fun getting some more snaps. Jimmy [Smith] couldn't really go so, you know, going against two pretty good receivers, Pro Bowl receivers, so I think getting a lot of snaps, I kind of got my rhythm in there. I enjoyed some extended action."
Q: Did you feel any more pressure to step up after you learned it was going to be tough for Jimmy Smith to stay out there after they scored a touchdown?
Humphrey: "No, but it didn't seem like much more pressure. It kind of just came pretty quick, I didn't know he wasn't going to be able to go but um I think he could have but he didn't want to push it too hard. I felt good out there, felt relaxed, had some learning lessons so I was proud about that."
