Baker Mayfield is known for his entertaining quotes, and he got on a roll talking about good friend Mark Andrews this week.
Mayfield and Andrews became friends during their playing days together at Oklahoma and are so close that Andrews was a groomsman in Mayfield's wedding.
However, Mayfield claims that Andrews has been giving him the silent treatment as the Ravens and Buccaneers prepare to meet for "Monday Night Football."
"Even though Mark and I are best friends, him and I don't talk in-season. He's a weirdo. He can't exactly separate friendship and football," Mayfield said.
"He struggles with that on a year-to-year basis. There's a few months at a time when we're friends again, but for right now, no. It hurts. It hurts my feelings. Guy was in my wedding, won't talk to me."
With his tongue firmly planted in his cheek, Mayfield said Andrews has "changed."
"He's got a very serious girlfriend," Mayfield said. "Some people think he's gone soft. I'm not one of those people, but the people are murmuring. There's whispers out there."
With a grin on his face, Andrews responded Friday in the Ravens locker room.
"He's one of my best friends. We've been close for such a long time. No quote from me, but always good to see Bake being Bake," Andrews said.
"He kind of laid it out there. But, you know, he wasn't 100% factual. I think I was the last one to hit him up. We exchanged some words a couple weeks back, but I was the one that initiated it."
Andrews is coming off his best game of the season, in which he caught three passes for 66 yards and a touchdown – his first of the year. Andrews let out a huge scream after the score and admitted that one did feel different. Perhaps it's the start of more.
"It was a really cool moment for me," Andrews said. "I love scoring. I love catching the ball. I love doing all those things. It's kind of my bread and butter. It just felt really, really, really good to be back in there."
Marcus Williams: You've Got to Stay Patient
Ravens safety Marcus Williams is a ball-hawking player, but he has yet to make an interception this season and is part of a 31st-ranked Baltimore secondary looking for better results.
Asked about Williams' play this season, Defensive Coordinator Zach Orr said this has been his best week of practice during the season so far, as he's gotten his hands on the football and "made some of the plays we're accustomed to seeing."
"First thing, we still have the utmost faith and belief in him," Orr said. "He's a safety, so on film and on TV and during the games, he's the last line of defense, so it always looks like he might be at fault, but that's far from the truth. He's doing some good things.
"Obviously, just like a lot of our guys, he can play better, and he knows that, and he's working at that. My biggest thing for him is, 'You're back there for a reason. We brought you here for a reason. You've made many impact plays in this league, not just at your previous spot, but for us,' and he's made plays this year. 'Just have that confidence. You're one of the top free safeties in the league; go be that.' … I think we're going to see Marcus Williams really turn it up in these next couple of games."
Williams hasn't been targeted all that much this season. According to Pro Football Focus, he's had just 11 targets, which is less than seven of his teammates despite playing nearly every snap.
"I practice hard every single week, every day. I try and do my job. And if the
ball comes my way, I just want to make a play on it," Williams said. "If the ball hasn't come my way this year, it hasn't come my way. And if I do my job, eventually it will.
"You've got to stay patient. You just got to stay patient and do your job. As soon as you start doing something else, then big plays happen."
Brandon Stephens Is Mentoring Nate Wiggins
For the second straight day, the last player off the Ravens practice field was cornerback Brandon Stephens.
Stephens and Wiggins have been getting in extra reps following practice, particularly working on deep throws down the sideline. Stephens, who has done well making plays on the ball this season, has been coaching up the first-round speedster on his technique and getting his head turned around.
"I just wanted to get with him. Nothing about this game or anything, but, you know, just get with them and work some technique things that I see, like there in practice or whatnot," Stephens said. "And just ask him stuff that he wants to work on. Just trying to be a mentor to him and just trying to help our game out a little bit."
Justice Hill's Pass Protection Is a Major Plus
Justice Hill's season started with a pair of one-on-one blocks against monstrous Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones, and that was just a precursor to the job Hill has done as a pass blocker for the Ravens.
Hill received the NFL's second-highest pass blocking grade among running backs from PFF for Week 6, and his work in that phase of the game has been a big factor for Baltimore's offense.
"Justice does a great job. He's a weapon out of the backfield, and he does a great job on pass pro," Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken said. "He really understands what we're trying to do and isn't afraid to stick his nose in there. And with our depth at running back, [and] with us being banged up, it's been everything for us on third downs and situational football."
