JOHN HARBAUGH FRIDAY QUOTES: DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF VS. TEXANS
Opening statement: "Congratulations to Matt Birk [for winning the Ravens' Walter Payton Man of the Year], and thanks to Governor [Martin] O'Malley for coming out and sharing that with us, and also for being with our team today at practice. We most definitely appreciate it, and it's good to have his support, and, we know, everybody in the state's support. We had a good practice. From an injury standpoint, again, nothing has really changed. The guys with the concussions will play. The two guys that you would be asking about probably are Jameel [McClain] and Brendon [Ayanbadejo]. It's going to come down to a game-day decision. They both practiced to different degrees. We'll just have to see how they are on Sunday right before the game. We are optimistic about both guys."
Can you talk about the Texans' talent at linebacker? The guys in the inside, [DeMeco] Ryans and [Brian] Cushing, and then they are able to get the pass rush with the outside guys. (Matt Vensel) "They've got a 3-4 set up as far as the personnel. They play more of an under front, more of a 4-3 type front, but they can morph into a 3-4 configuration. Both guys can rush the pass on the outside. Both inside 'backers can play outside. They play in the middle, they move them around, they are very versatile with what they do, they are young, they run, and they hit. They are a very aggressive group."
What do you have to say to the fans this weekend? It's a home game; they are fired up. (Jim Forner) "Congratulations on getting the home game, but we've got a game to play. It's going to be a huge challenge. We're playing a very good football team, a highly-motivated football team, and we're going to need our fans. We're going to need every one of them. We're going to need them in the stadium, we're going to need them at home, we're going to need them everywhere. [We're going to] try to do this thing together. But, we've got something we need to accomplish this weekend."
We've come up from Houston. What can the Texans' fans expect at the stadium on Sunday? (Jeff Ehling) "Are there going to be some Texans fans here? (Reporter: "There will be. A couple hundred.") Is that right? OK. I'm hoping I don't hear them. (laughing) The Texans fans can expect hospitality, no question. Our fans are great. Our fans do a great job of doing it with class, doing it the right way. They're not going to be heard, so hopefully they'll understand that. But, we welcome them. (Reporter: "But it's not like Oakland?") No, no, it's nothing like that. Baltimore is a great town, good people. It's a first-class operation. Thanks for asking, that's great."
