DAILY INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTS
Head Coach John Harbaugh
On how confident he is that DT Haloti Ngata will be ready for Sunday's game: "No comment."
On whether the combination of Bill Belichick and QB Tom Brady still strikes fear in opponents: "Just a ridiculous question. [You can] rephrase it though, make it a serious question. I'd be happy to answer."
On the media thinking that the Ravens will beat the Patriots Sunday after winning in Foxborough in January:"You just asked the same question. Everybody in the world doesn't think that. You don't know that. We don't' think that. We're in for a tough ball game. So to try to frame it that way is not even worth answering. It's going to be a tough football game against a really good football team. They're 3-1. They're good in all phases. They're very well-coached. They've had a week to prepare, and we're going to their place. So, it's pretty simple."
On what it says about RB Ray Rice that he bounced back after not getting the numbers he expected at the start of the season:"I think it says, like it says for most of our guys, when you talk to our guys, they want to win, they want to contribute, they want to be a part of it, and they want to do the best they can. They want to do as much as they can all the time. I don't think they get too caught up in numbers. Everybody wants to have big games, because that means they're contributing more. But guys contribute in other ways. In the Pittsburgh game, I was pretty happy with Ray Rice's pass protection [and] pretty happy with that screen he broke out to the left side and got the first down. So, you make plays in critical situations that make the difference of winning the game. And then everybody else, you guys can get caught up in the numbers and try to ask the question that fractures people. But that's not what we're going to be about."
On whether going into New England and getting that first regular season win ever there could benefit the team down the road:"I think every game stands on its own two feet. We play teams over and over again, and you try to learn from the experiences that you've had in the past, and try to apply them, you know, to become better from one week to the next. So, hopefully because of those experiences that we've had, we continue to grow as a team. So, I think that's how it helps you. Other than that, it's a totally different type situation."
On whether you would ever look back at WR Deion Branch's tape from his previous time in New England, or if you just look at the role he'll play this time around:"I think you look at like… Study him as a football player. And everybody has a concept of what they want to do, offensively, defensively, special teams, then they have personnel that they build around. And then those things get meshed. So, you're always trying to mesh those two things as best you can when you're coaching. And we try to look at them and say, 'OK, what do we have to defend, who do we have to defend, what plays do you defend?' And really, just play the defense that you call. That's all, really, that you can do."
On how much CB/RS Josh Wilson's injury impacts what the team wants to do on kickoff returns:"No comment."
On whether the Ravens have to account for S Patrick Chung, much like other teams have to account for a guy like S Ed Reed, especially on special teams:"Yeah, you do. I mean, Patrick Chung, gosh he's turned games around. You know, in college, he was, I think, two-time Player of the Year in the Pac 10 on special teams. And man, he's playing that way now. He's just all over the field. He's really doing the same thing on defense. We're going to have to know where he's at on both phases."
On how LB/DE Paul Kruger responded to getting back on the practice field yesterday, and if he returned to practice a little quicker than anticipated:"Who? Paul? I'm not talking about that."
