Head Coach John Harbaugh
(opening statement) "First of all, hats off to the Dallas Cowboys. What a hard fought football game that was from beginning to end in every single way. That is a really good team. That is a physical, rough football team. Give them credit. Offensively, defensively and special teams – they played really well. So, I'm really proud of this football team. We're really proud of this football team. A couple of things on injuries. Lardarius Webb does not look good right now. It's a potential ACL. We've got a problem there. We don't know for sure, but that's what it looks like right now. Haloti [Ngata] tweaked his knee a little bit, but he came back and played a little bit, as you know. Ray [Lewis] has a triceps [injury], but I don't think it's really bad. We'll have to see on that. 'Kemo' [Ma'ake Kemoeatu] it's OK, I think at the end there. We'll just have to look at it. And, Jimmy Smith has a strain and he needed to come out. That leads me into one of the main points of this whole victory, was our guys stepped up in the face of some real adversity. We had some injuries, especially on the defensive side. We were in a physical fist fight, from beginning to the end. They threw a lot of haymakers at us, and our guys stepped up at the end and found a way to win. But, throughout the game, we had guys going in there to play positions that they hadn't played. We had packages that we hadn't had a chance to practice, and guys were stepping up and getting the job done in the end. So, I'm proud of the guys that stepped up, Chykie Brown is an example right at the end there, but there's plenty of other guys too. The 108-yard kickoff return by Jacoby Jones and the special teams … We've been talking about getting a big play and breaking a play like that all year, and we have been close. To set the National Football League record for a kickoff return, in what was the difference in the game, was pretty special. I thought our offense really came through. They didn't have the ball a lot, but when they had the ball, they made the most of it. We had a drive at the end of the second quarter there, when we finally got the ball and took it right down and scored, and we got the ball in the fourth quarter, we were able to take the ball right down and score the seven points. I'm just proud of this team. It was a team victory. Was it perfect? Was it pretty? No. And, I'm sure that's all stuff that will get written about, and it's all fine. But, a victory is still a victory. I'm proud of these guys for understanding and figuring out a way to win. We do have a bunch of fighters on this team. We have a bunch of fighters on this football team."
(on his end-of-game emotions) "It was 'Let's keep them out of field goal range.' That was what was going through my mind. We were just talking about calls… I thought [defensive coordinator] Dean [Pees] came up with some very good calls there. And, our guys executed them pretty well."
(on if his main emotion was relief) "I don't know. I wish I could get a handle on these emotions and their definitions, I just don't have them now, but I will say it was emotional. That's for sure. You guys were on the same roller coaster, you were watching the game."
(on Jimmy Smith having to step up now with Webb's injury) "Jimmy played well in this game. Jimmy played really well, and I thought Cary [Williams] played really well. Corey Graham stepped in and played really well, that's why we brought him here. And, then, Chykie… so we went deep in that position. I thought all of the guys played really well, and you're right they're going to have to."
(on the decision to start G Bobbie Williams over Ramon Harewood) "Well, I think the decision to start Bobbie was that Bobbie is getting healthy right now, and that ankle is starting to really come around. He's practicing well. Ramon had been playing well, that's the thing I want to make sure everyone understands. It's not that we're down about Ramon. It's nothing that Ramon did. He stepped in there and played well for a guy who hadn't played much football at all is a testament to him and what kind of football player he's going to be. But, we felt like the experience was something that would benefit us."
(on the importance of home-field advantage) "I think it's important to the win because they were so loud at the end that it made the communication difficult. The snap clock was running down a number of times on those guys, and they were having some communications issues, so that's a tribute to our crowd. I think the [14-game regular season] win streak speaks for itself. But, we think of ourselves as being 1-0 every week. So, we don't really concern ourselves with [the streak]. It's tough to be 1-0 every week, so that's what we'll concern ourselves with the next time we come back here and play."
(on how tough it was with the different packages and the injuries throughout the game) "You're going to try and make me say a word again, and I'm not going to be able to think of one, but I think our coaches did a really great job of handling everything in a really challenging environment. There's a lot that goes into this thing, there's a lot of moving parts, and for our coaches to get the guys coached up on the run – just to get 11 guys on the field is a challenge at times – and they were in different personnel groupings and different packages, so our coaches did a great job, and our players did a great job."
(on the decision to go with Jacoby Jones at kickoff return) "I really don't have any thoughts on it. I guess, he's an experienced guy, similar to Bobbie [Williams], he's a guy that's got experience in there that's probably the biggest thing. He's done it before. I know one thing he wants the ball in his hands, so that might be as big a part of it as any."
(on the Ravens' missed tackles and the rush defense the last two weeks) "You are exactly right. Those were the two things that were really a problem, and I was hoping those things wouldn't show up. I'm surprised about the tackling. We're, historically, a very good tackling team. And, we were not a very good tackling team today. Our players will tell you. That's nothing that our players won't tell you. They're going to tell you we've got to tackle better, and they're going to tell you we've got to play our run defense better at the point of attack. Those are things we're going to have to get better at, especially this week. Look what we're going to play [at Houston]."
(on Ray Lewis not playing at the end of the fourth quarter) "He had a triceps issue, but I don't know how serious. It was an injury issue."
(on the Ravens' wide receivers) "I thought they did well. There was a lot of physical play outside there on the edge. A lot was going on out there, and I thought our guys did a good job of playing right through it, especially Anquan [Boldin]. He did a great job, all of them did, though."
(on the play of Dez Bryant) "Dez Bryant is for real. They've got weapons. That's a really good football team. Dez Bryant is for real. And, Tony Romo is a really good football player, too. And, you saw that."
QB Joe Flacco
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(on if they wanted to establish the run today) "I don't necessarily think it was a point of emphasis to come out and establish it. I think we wanted to be balanced, and you know, they've played a lot of two-high, were playing pretty soft, and I think we did a good job of running the ball. It was just a good start for us, and we were able to keep it going."
(on getting momentum when they don't have possession as much) "The biggest thing, when you don't get the ball that much, is you have to go out there, and you have to get that first first down. I think when you get the first first down, you can kind of get into your rhythm and settle in a little bit. The two drives there in the second half, we went three-and-out, and kind of went back over to the sideline and sat there for 10 more minutes. It got a little frustrating. We kept our heads on great, went out there and, when we needed to, we drove all the way down there and got some points."
(on watching the final minutes) "It was pretty tough to watch. I don't know if this is a good thing, I'm miked up anyway, I said to Dennis [Pitta] when the ball is probably around the 30-yard line, I said they should probably just put the ball on the two-yard line and play this two-point conversion out and see what happens. You see so many of those games, and Dallas is playing well. I thought they did a great job of, when we ran that kick back and jumped out a little bit, I thought they did a great job of staying patient and sticking to the way they were playing. They played really well, and they fought back. It was crazy the way it turned out. It was crazy to watch it over there, but we did what we needed to. I guess maybe they didn't quite do what they had to do, but it was a crazy finish."
(on adjusting offensively after the first two drives of the second half) "Like I said, we got that first first down and you get into a little rhythm there and you get going. We get to get in our no-huddle and just go. Those first two series, we were a little slow. They kind of stalled us. We didn't get a first down. They batted a pass down here. Incompletion on for Torrey long. If those things work, we're happy, but they didn't, and we had to make sure when we did get a chance we stepped up – and we were able to."
(on winning close games and how close the Ravens are to playing their best) "I don't know. It's tough to really say what your best football is. We can come out and say we played our best football, and the other team can be playing really good, too, and the game might not turn out the way you want it. These games are crazy. Both sides of the ball have really good players, and you have to go out there and give it your best each week and prepare your best each week, and you've just got to perform. You've got to take it play-by-play because if you don't do that, there's so many different things that can happen. And I think we're close. But like I said, it's kind of tough to quantify that and really say how close you are. We're playing good football now. We're 5-1; I know that some of the games have been close. But that's the way it is in this league, and we're happy to get them. Last year, we didn't get some of those, and we're happy to get these when we can. Like I said, I said out there, I don't know if we necessarily deserve to win this game, but we'll take it, we'll get the hell out of here really quick and go home and fall asleep and wake up the next morning with a win."
(on how it feels to be 5-1) "It feels good. It feels good, and we've got a great team coming in here next week. I mean, we're going there next week. We're going to have to get a lot better from this time to next time, and go out there and get another win. We've positioned ourself very good right now, and we're looking real good in our division, but we've still got a lot of division games to play, and a lot of tough games against Cincinnati, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and we've just got to move on, continue to improve and get better and better each week."
(on the offensive line) "We did a good job all day up front. They're a pretty physical defense. They're a good defense, and they've got guys that can get to the passer, so I think we did a good job all day of limiting that and getting the ball out of my hands. I think our receivers did a good job of beating the coverage pretty quickly so I didn't have to hold on to it too long."
WR Jacoby Jones
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(on when he saw the opening on his 108-yard kickoff return for a touchdown) "Right before. We were getting all crazy kicks before the first couple of them, so right before … They did a great job of blocking for me. We worked on it all week at practice. When I saw it, I heard the crowd, that's when I knew I was free, and I just opened it up, and I just ran as fast as possible."
(on when he found out he was going to be on the kick return game) "In practice, at kick return practice, 'Hey Jacoby, you're up.' 'Alright.'" (laughter)
(on if he was waiting to get back on the kick return game) "It is what it is. I play my role however it comes. Whatever they want me to do, I'm ready to do it."
(on if he just played out the kickoff) "Honestly, in practice, we had one that hit the same way, so I already had a vision. So, when I caught it, I found Anthony Allen, and he said, 'Follow me.' He was my eyes; he led me to daylight. That thing spread like the Red Sea."
(on how big it is to be where the team is right now) "If you look at it, we are the Ravens. We do our thing no matter what. Being the Ravens, people come to play us hard, no matter what. It's the NFL, it's hard to get a win in the NFL. That's accomplishing, to be 5-1. We're on to the next game, try to get another one. That's what it is."
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(on how big it was for him to make that play) "Honestly, after I scored, I was like, 'Alright, get back to reality, because the game's still going on.' We still have a whole second half to play, suck it up. I was gassed. I think I kind of threw up a little bit on the sidelines, but I was ready to go again."
(on why he went for it on that particular kickoff return) "You just get that itch, and I wanted to scratch it. So, I took it."
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T Michael Oher
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(on today's win) "It's a great win. And, we won it against a great defense as well. We have a lot of things to work on. We look to get better this week against the Texans."
(on the offense being off the field for the whole third quarter) "You just have to stay into the game and get ready for when it's time for you to get back on the field. You have to stay loose and just wait for your time."
(on the Ravens' fourth-quarter drive) "We just have a bunch of guys who put in a lot of work every week – guys who get the job done. And, if that's what it takes, we're just trying to do our best."
(on how tough the Dallas defense was today) "Oh man. Those guys were great. That's one of the best defenses we'll see all year. Those guys are great across the board. They do a great job at a lot of different things."
(on the Cowboys' missed field goal at the end) "I was very excited to get the win to go to 5-1 and to get ready for the Houston Texans."
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WR Torrey Smith
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(on his touchdown) "It was just press-man. I ran a fade route and I was just able to beat him. He got tangled up with me, and I was able to beat him for the touchdown. I didn't think I pushed off. I was looking like 'Hold-on, what's the flag for?' because I didn't think he really pushed me. We just got tangled up. They threw the flag, but I thought it was more of a no-call. We got the touchdown. That's all that matters."
(on Jacoby Jones' 108-yard kickoff return) "He ran a 108, and I ran about 60 with him on the sideline. It was huge. It was a huge momentum shift for us. And, the way the Cowboys came out and played against us, that was huge for us."
(on getting ready for the Texans) "It's just another work week. We have a tough team coming to town. We're going to have to tighten up. They're arguably the best team in the League right now. We're going to have our hands full down there."
(on how they dealt with press-man coverage) "We just ran our offense. I'm so glad we were able to move the ball so you guys can stop asking us about press-man. We were able to finish and make enough plays. Plus, we got a little bit of luck. We still have a lot of work to do as a team."
(on the offensive performance in general) "We did alright. We can do better. We definitely need to do better against the Texans' defense."
(on being off the field for a long time in the third quarter) "I was on the sideline like 'We haven't even been in the game yet because of Jacoby's [Jones] touchdown.' But, we'll take that because it puts points on the board. When we got the ball in the fourth quarter, we knew we were going to have to run some time off to give our defense a break, and we were able to get it done."
(on surviving and getting a win) "It was huge. We've been there before. And, we didn't panic. We knew what we needed to do and we were able to get it done."
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S Ed Reed
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(on how he feels physically right now) "Very exhausted. But, to be 5-1 after playing all these tough teams, we're grateful. All the teams have been tough all these games. We knew that coming into this. We knew what we signed up for, and we understand everyone is a professional. There's going to be some hard-fought games."
(on Lardarius Webb's injury) "I'm hurting for that guy right now. I know how hard he works to be out here and what he brings to the game. If we lost him for the year, it's going to kill us. But, we have to play for him and pick him up because he's young. I've known guys that have come back from this. [Denver Broncos' running back] Willis McGahee had multiple injuries like that and Reggie Wayne [Indianapolis Colts wide receiver] had an ACL. So, I've known guys who have come back from this. And, the way he plays, I know he can come back from this."
(on playing with back-ups) "We're professionals and guys prepare in the film room. I was confident guys would come out there and make a play. We had some calls out there that were a little suspect, but those guys [Dallas Cowboys] get paid just like we get paid. They're professionals and they're going to make plays also. Chykie [Brown] came in, Corey [Graham] came in and 'Dig' [James Ihedigbo] came in and stepped it up and did what we needed them to do."
(on home-field advantage at M&T Bank Stadium) "It definitely makes a difference when you play at home. I'm sure that if we were in Dallas and the game was tight like this, those guys would have a little bit more motivation because they would be getting the cheers. They had a lot of Dallas fans supporting those guys, but there's nothing like playing here in Baltimore. We know it and we felt it. And, I know it had some effect on that last kick – a little push of the wind."
(on if he's concerned about all the missed tackles) "Not at all. We know that's about fundamentals and technique and wrapping up. That's what it comes down to. We know everybody here has the attitude to tackle. It's just a matter of us putting it all together. Guys are a little fatigued and this was a great team [Cowboys]. They came in here with the heart of a champion today, and they played a hard fought game. Hats off to them. I actually started counting their running backs – like 'How many did they have? Here's another one.' They came out and they had a really good scheme. And, we're going to have to stop it. They had 120 yards rushing and only 80 yards passing at one point. Something's got to give. You can't win when you're that one-dimensional. And, we knew that."
(on Jacoby Jones' 108-yard kickoff return breaking his record 107-yard interception return) "No, no, no. It's different though. Kickoff return to interception is a little bit different because interceptions don't usually happen like that. Hats off to Jacoby. He's a great teammate. Being from New Orleans, me and him joke a lot. But, we definitely support each other. We want that for him or anybody else who is back there. I don't think about records. I leave that stuff for you guys, and I look at that stuff after. Records are meant to be broken."
(on the Ravens' offense's fourth-quarter touchdown drive) "Did you see me cheering? Those guys are amazing over there. This is the ultimate team sport. They started with some bad field goal positions sometimes and they dug us out of some holes. We stepped it up, gave up some field goals when we had to instead of touchdowns. And, the offense played great."
(on making adjustments in the secondary) "That's what we do. That's how we prepare in the meeting room. We hate the fact that a guy would get hurt, especially Lardarius Webb. It hurts us a lot like I said earlier. But, that's why you prepare as a professional. So, guys can come in like a Chykie Brown and allow me to go down and play the nickel. It definitely helps us."
(on other teams being able to run the ball on the Ravens' defense) "We know teams are going to come in now and try to run. We're conscious of that. We have to make the corrections. But, it's like I told the guys on the sidelines, stats don't win the game. There's only one stat that wins the game for you and that's points."
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C Matt Birk
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(on playing in his 200th NFL game) "Certainly, it's a great honor to play in this league for any amount of time, but I'm glad it's over, and I'm obviously glad we won the game. That was a heck of a game and a heck of a win."
(on playing high-scoring, close games) "We don't try to predict how it's gonna go. Certainly, we've had some games come down to the wire and we just find a way to win those games. Whatever it takes to win, that's what good teams do. The great thing about this team is the veteran leadership. We understand the season is a journey, and we just have to keep going to work and keep trying to get better."
(on the Dallas front seven) "They're as legit as there is. They're stacked with talent. DeMarcus Ware, everyone knows about him. Jay Ratliff, Sean Lee, one of the best linebackers I've ever played against. And they're very well coached and have great schemes. We were fighting tooth-and-nail for every single yard we could get."
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RB Ray Rice
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(on the sideline's feeling on the Dallas 51-yard field goal attempt) "Thank you, Jesus. He may have pushed that thing a little to the left. We've been on the other end of that, obviously, so we know what that feels like. That team played really good football today, and it felt really good to come away with a win. One thing our coaches preach to us is we just have to find a way to win, by whatever means necessary. They ran the ball really well, but we look forward to getting better every week. The magical number right now is five. Five wins."
(on the offense) "We had three drives in the second half and on two of them, we were backed up. There are not too many plays you can call when you're back up. We were just trying to get the ball out of there. We also had a situation where we started at the twenty. That's fair. We were able to march down the field, eat some clock, and get seven instead of three. If we don't get seven there, we're looking at a totally different scenario."
(on getting over 100 all-purpose yards) "I've always said my role was to be an all-purpose guy. I'll take the hundred any way I can get it. We'd all like to be on the field more. We'd all like to be on the side of wearing their defense down and chewing up some clock. This week is going to be very important. I'm not looking ahead to the bye week. We're preparing for Houston. We'll try to go down there and get a win and get rested. That's going to be the main thing – getting rested and healthy. This is that halfway point where your bodies start to change."
(on what it was like to be on the sidelines in the final two minutes) "We want to be able to finish games strongly. But that's just how the cookie crumbles sometimes. A win is a win is a win. We have to do many things differently, but the overall stat is the win."
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CB Jimmy Smith
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(on his injury late in the game) "I was a little nicked up, and it was very frustrating being on the sidelines. I wanted to be out there on the field for my team but Chykie [Brown] stepped up and made a couple of big plays."
(on the numerous injuries on the defense) "It's not next man up. It's like next six guys up. But we're just stepping up, playing hard and bouncing along. For me, I think I'll be starting for a while. I feel bad for [Lardarius] Webb, but I'm very excited. That's what I've been waiting for. It's my time to shine, which is good, but I feel bad for Webb. Lardarius is a special type of guy with a lot of talent. He brings such an impact to our defense that it hurts. But, like I said, next man up. Our hearts go out to Webb and his situation, but when the game plays, you have to go."
(on how ready he feels to step into a starting role) "I'm ready. I've been waiting my turn and I've just got to go out there and keep making plays, and keep doing what's in the line for the defense."
(on if he feels the defense can be as good without CB Lardarius Webb) "I think so. No shot toward Lardarius – obviously he makes us that much better – but I think we have enough guys to step up and fill his role."
(on how tough it was to watch Webb go down with the injury) "It's terrible to see your friend/teammate go down like that, especially with the type of injury he already had to overcome in his career. So, like I said before, our hearts go out to him, but at the same time it's next man up as always. It's the NFL, you've got to go."
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S Bernard Pollard
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(on the defense's performance) "I'm the one who's going to give it to you straight. I think, for us, we have to get better. On the defensive side of the ball, we missed tackles, starting with me. I missed one, and it went for a touchdown. I pride myself on tackling, and I didn't get it done. It was a great win. Our team is very talented, our defense is very talented, but missed assignments and missed tackles are putting us in the position where it's a dogfight every game. We'll draw on that, but we have to get better."
(on whether the defense is physical enough) "We're just making mistakes. It's not about us being physical – we're very physical. This is a physical football team. We're going to go out there and fight with the best of them, but we can't allow ourselves to wrap up guys in the backfield and let them out. We've got guys on the edge, one-on-one. Me, I've got to make that tackle. I'm a little pissed off, but we've got to get better. We can't beat each other up in practice, so it's a mental thing. When you're in the position to make the tackle, make the tackle."
(on Lardarius Webb's injury) "That's what happens in the game. You hate to see a guy like that go down, because he's worked his tail off. That guy is an animal. He loves to work. He loves his team. Our prayers are with him to get a speedy recovery, but the next man has to step up. Today, I thought the guys who stepped up did a good job: Chykie [Brown], Jimmy [Smith], Corey [Graham] – big, they all came in and did a great job."
CB Cary Williams
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(on what the last couple minutes of the game were like) "It's just football, man. You're trying to play at your best and just going out there and performing and staying within your fundamentals and things like that. Fortunately for us, we came out on top."
(on having three interceptions in three-consecutive games and if they come in bunches) "I guess so, I've just been sticking to my technique, and I continue to work hard, each and every week. [I'm] just staying humble and hungry. They came."
(on CB Lardarius Webb's injury) "It's tough because me and 'Webby' are more than just teammates; he's like my little brother, and he's a great friend. We talk about anything outside of football, and everything. We confide in each other whenever we need help, and going through a situation. He's a great listening ear, and he's a great teammate, and he plays really well on the field. It was unfortunate for us to lose him. I wish him the best. I have him in my prayers, and I'm going to continue to pray for him and hope his recovery is quick."
(on the challenges of going forward without CB Lardarius Webb) "It's difficult, but we can't allow that to stop us. We have to continue to get better each and every week. We have to step up to the challenge, and we're going to be challenged. The schedule doesn't get any easier. We just have to overcome adversity and continue to play hard."
(on how tough it is to continue to keep playing after seeing an injury like that [Lardarius Webb's injury]) "It hurt me, but at the end of the day, you have to continue to fight, and I think we fought together collectively, as a team – offense, defense and special teams. We collectively got the win today."
(on how he thinks CB Chykie Brown played) "To just be put in that situation, I think he played well. I know he had a couple butterflies and things like that, but at the end of the day, he came out and did what he was supposed to. He was supposed to come in and stop, make some crucial plays, and he did it."
WR Anquan Boldin
(on the offense not having the ball very much and having to watch from the sidelines) "Yeah, it was one of those games where the offense wasn't on the field that much. So, whenever we were on the field we had to make it count as much as possible. Like you said, it was a great win for us, a hard fought win, all three phases of the game. But we just made enough plays to win."
(on him having another strong second half and Cowboys' CB Brandon Carr playing him physical) "Yeah, he tried to come up and press after we hit a couple of slants. And I was shocked to see him come up and press, but happy at the same time. Whenever a guy presses, it allows you to get open right away, and we were able to do that. But second half, they just called my number, and I was able to make plays."
(on a lot of his statistics coming in the second half of recent games) "I just think that's the way this offense is. At any time your number can get called, and any time they can go the other way. So, we had a variety of guys step up and make plays today on the offensive side of the ball. Ray Rice coming out of the backfield, Torrey [Smith], Jacoby [Jones] with the big kickoff return; that was huge for us. The O-line played great, Joe [Flacco] did a great job of taking care of the ball and getting us the ball in space so we could make plays."
(on if he enjoys watching WR Dez Bryant and what his emotions were watching from the sidelines) "Yeah, the kid played great. He's a great talent, made a lot of plays today and gave them an opportunity to get into position to win. But it was one of those games where one minute you're happy, the next minute you're disappointed, the next minute your sad, then you're back happy again. I think we went through all the emotions today."
G Bobbie Williams
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(on if he had some rust to knock off tonight and if he feels he can build from tonight) "Absolutely, absolutely. I haven't done anything since December 11 of last year. Preseason really doesn't count, these are live bullets, and I think we came out with a victory, and that's a plus."
(on if there was any pain or swelling) "No, no, it felt good. It felt good, and it was definitely something to build upon."
(on the overall strategy of trying to defend the Cowboys' pressure) "Just keep communicating. Keep communicating and let [offensive coordinator] Cam [Cameron] dial up certain plays, and just try to execute. You know, if we execute, then that means that they can't. So, that means that we win. That's just the whole X's and O's about that, and that's just the thing, just keep executing."
(on what the emotion of the offense was at the very end of the game with the defense on the field) "It's not over until it's over. Never give up, never stop fighting. We were right there all the way until the missed field goal; never stop fighting. Never. And that's the thing about the Ravens."
(on how confident the offense is that it can continue to put points on the board in games like this one) "We're very confident. The only thing we've got to do is execute. The only thing that we feel that can stop us is us. As long as we execute and just do what's called, the sky is the limit for us. We feel very confident in Joe [Flacco] and in Ray [Rice], and our offensive line, and especially the receiving corp. So, we're confident. As long as we execute, we're good."
