POST-GAME QUOTES
BALTIMORE RAVENS
HEAD COACH JOHN HARBAUGH
(Opening Statement)
"Okay, first of all congratulations to our football team. It was a very methodical victory. We did what we had to do against a real tough, physical football team, which is play a tough, physical football game. Our guys did that. This Raiders football team is a good football team. They are an up and coming team. The quarterback is really going to be good. He made some plays. I thought they did a great job of getting the ball down the field in some situations. Some of the receivers made some really good plays. I thought our defense stood up and made a sudden change when they had to. The front seven did a great job defending the run against a really good run offense. That was impressive. I am disappointed with the penalties, especially on the offensive side. That is something we can get better at. I thought we had some big plays on offense. That was good to see. We ran the ball well on offense. We got the ball in the end zone for the most part in the red zone. That was really important. I'm just proud of the way our guys played all in all."
(On QB Joe Flacco's reception)
"I think it's a credit, obviously, to Joe for making those plays. And to Cam [Cameron], for coming up with that stuff. To Hue Jackson and to Troy [Smith] for throwing it. We want to be real aggressive. We want to be very creative in what we're doing offensively. We're going to try to come up with stuff every week for those guys to do. It was good to see."
(On Flacco's pass-catching ability)
"We've seen it in practice. We practiced it and he's caught the balls in practice. Although I will say in practice he was way more open than that. The Raiders did a good job defending it. He just made a nice play."
(On the name of the package)
"We're calling it the Suggs package. We thought of that before he came up with his quote. It was already in."
(On if Suggs created the package)
"No, absolutely not. It was funny because it was already in on Monday. It was in, and then the stuff came out on Wednesday I think. So, we're like 'He's going to get all the credit for this.'''
"It's what we kind of said we wanted to do three or four weeks ago. If you look at what we're doing, it's stuff that's been in since Spring. Troy can run the whole offense obviously. But that stuff is kind of tailor made to him, and some of the things he did at Ohio State. So we want to keep building on that for sure."
(On having to call a timeout in the first attempt of the package)
"Yes, we had a little substitution issue. The officials told us he had to check in, which we were not aware of, because of the dot. We're going to find out about that rule. So it's just some things as far as operating the thing that we have to get cleaned up a little bit."
(On using Haloti Ngata on the offense)
"He can block. He was at the end of the line and more of a tight end-type guy. He's a big physical guy and he can block. He wants to be back there in the backfield running the football, so we're getting him closer to that spot. But he figures as long as he's on the field, he has a chance."
(On clarifying the Troy Smith check-in)
"Well, the way we understand the rule is if you don't have the dot on the helmet, you don't have to check in. So we didn't check in. They told us, when the dot's not on the helmet that we have to check in. So there was some discussion. At first they agreed with us, and then they decided they wanted him to check in every time. So we'll get it cleared up."
(On the play of RB Ray Rice)
"I thought Ray ran really well. He broke a lot of tackles, made people miss, ran through some arm tackles. The big third down run was just huge. It was impressive. He ran the ball well."
(On S Jim Leonhard)
"Field position was a big part of the game. The punt return early was big. He made a bunch of tackles in the back end, I don't know how many. It seemed like he did a great job back there, tackling coverage-wise. I thought all three phases contributed to the field position in the first half in a big way. The defense forcing three-and-outs. The offense getting first downs, so we can at least punt [the Raiders] down in there. And special teams pinning them down in there, both in the punt game and the kickoff game. That was a huge part of the first half."
(On Terrell Suggs play)
"It seemed like he had a great game. Just watching him from the sideline, I think he had a sack early, didn't he. He really did a great job in the run game, establishing an edge on the defense. They couldn't get the ball on the outside very well, thanks to Suggs. And Jarret Johnson did a great job with that. So, defensively, the run defense was really strong."
(On if Suggs' comments affected the team during the week)
"No. We talked about this a little bit on Friday. That stuff gets so much attention in the media world, and I think it draws people's attention, because they're watching t.v. and they're listening to the radio, but it's a small part of what goes on inside our building. He's focusing on football, practice, meetings. Then he has to deal with the questions for a half hour, whatever the time frame is. I don't think it distracts guys as much as you would think, when you look from the outside in."
(On LB Jameel McClain)
"The thing about Jameel that we found out…I think our scouts did a great job of finding him first of all. But, we found out that he's a football player. He's a guy that's very versatile, he gets off blocks, he can make tackles. Just a good defensive football player. I think Rex did a really nice job of incorporating him into the defensive scheme for the first time this week, and it paid off."
(On the defensive pressure of Raiders QB JaMarcus Russell)
"It was big. It was really big in the first half. That was really important. I thought he did a really good job of protecting the football. We were hoping to get the ball out a little bit, but he did a nice job with that. We didn't get some pressure there in the middle, and they made some plays on us. I thought our coverage was there and they made some really good plays. They've got some good, young receivers. Then at the end of the game, when we needed it most, our guys cranked it up a notch and got the sacks. That was big."
(On the sibling rivalry between Rex Ryan and Raiders Defensive Coordinator Rob Ryan)
"We talked about that during the week. Rex is not going to make a big deal about the family aspect of the game. Rob is a great coach. I think those coaches over there do a great job. I'm really impressed with Coach Cable. The defensive coaches, especially, do a great job. But all their coaches do. So, a little sibling rivalry. Both defenses played pretty well. It means more to [Rex] than he probably wants to admit."
ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR REX RYAN
(Opening statement)
"Just another victory over my brother [Rob Ryan, Raiders' defensive coordinator]. It was a great win, and obviously a great team effort. I thought in the first half that we really established ourselves on defense, dominant performance, and then in the second half we really needed our offense to pick us up. And that's what this team is all about this year. So we're getting both sides picking each other up, and I thought that the special teams picked us both up. So, it's everything that Harbs [Harbaugh] talked about in his plan. You're watching and it's exciting."
(On if he said anything to his brother after the game)
"No, just like, 'Hey, see you in the parking lot.' It's just one of those things, he just happens to be the coordinator on the other side, that's all."
(On if he would rub the win in at all to his brother)
"I'll let him get on that plane, go home, and then I'll call him and rub it in a little bit. No, you know it's tough, because you want him to always do well except for when he plays your team. So I don't feel real bad about it right now. Like I said, I'm a huge Raiders fan. When they win, sometimes I wear that Raider hat and stuff like that. So I'm sure this is a tough loss for them, but they've got a good football team, a lot of outstanding individuals.
"I think with us, you see sometimes the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. We are basically without five starters on defense, and it makes it tough for most teams, but I'm saying for most teams. Our guys just line up no matter who is in there. 'We've got a guy with a hamstring, let's put somebody else in.' I think it's a great credit to George Kokinis and Ozzie [Newsome] for really adding to our team with the depth. We really made some upgrades this year, especially in the secondary with the players we added. Normally if you go into a game when you have three starters out in the secondary, you're probably a little nervous, like we were last year, I don't know how many times. But now, you're able to play Ravens defense, and that's exciting to me. We're only going to get better when those guys get back."
(On if he will start setting Terrell Suggs up for more interviews after the way he played today)
"[Laughing] I've got no comment on that."
(On the play of LB Jameel McClain)
"He did get the safety, but I think Suggs is trying to buy that from him. The young man shows it in practice. Like I say, again, it's about the whole unit. The more players you can use, the better off we are. They practice better, and the guys believe in it, and it's really a team."
QB JOE FLACCO
(On if he would forfeit his starting QB position to help the wide receivers)
"[Laughing] I'm not going to help those guys out. You've got to be kidding me, that's a one time thing there."
(On the last time he caught a pass)
"Senior year."
(On if he was a QB or a WR when that pass was caught)
"I played quarterback, they lined me up out and threw me two fades on two point conversions. My sophomore year I caught a 60-yard touchdown, a post, and… They kind of threw another quarterback in there, lined me up as a receiver, and I ran out a post. I caught those conversions, and I caught a 60-yard touchdown pass."
(On how many times they practiced his reception play)
"We kind of just walked through it and just laid it out. I was basically standing there while I caught it. Other than that, I didn't really work on it too much. I trusted myself that if they called it I would catch it, and I was hoping I would catch it. I didn't want to make a fool of myself. I ran out there, and saw everybody run to the right, and No. 57 [Ricky Brown] kind of started to bite that way, and then he ran out with me. I was just hoping Troy [Smith] was still going to throw it to me even though there was a guy kind of running out there with me. I saw him put it up and I was like, 'Alright Joe, you've got to go get it now.'"
(On if he was upset he wasn't able to score a touchdown on the reception)
"No. I would have like to score a touchdown, but I'm also just happy that I ran out there and caught the ball. It would have been big if I had scored a touchdown but I don't think we scored there. By the time I caught the ball and I was leaning over, my feet, I somehow tried to stumble as long as I could, but my feet were just getting drug by the rest of my body, and they were trying to keep up but they couldn't."
(On how he feels after being so involved in the game)
"We feel good. I think the whole offense feels good. We went out there and got a win. And that's the main goal. I think we played well, but when we go back and look at the film, there are going to be a lot of things that we can learn from. We got down in the scoring zone a handful of times, and we've just got to eliminate those penalties and put the ball in the end zone, and we'll score more points, which is what we should have done today. The way things worked out, it was a great game, and we should be excited about the way we played."
(On the evolution of the offense)
"The stuff that we did today gave us an advantage and it worked against those guys. We wouldn't do that stuff if we didn't feel like it was going to give us an advantage, and it was going to be something that hit those guys. You see those things put in during practice and you're always just hoping that they actually get called. I think Cam Cameron has shown that he is going to call those things, and that's great for us. We know that what we work on in practice will get called in a game."
(On if it was hard to have two QBs on the field at the same time)
"No, not really. We thought we would have an advantage if we did that. I got in the huddle, called the play, and ran out to my receivers position and just ran out the ball for a few yards."
(On if he was surprised to see WR Demetrius Williams so open for that TD play)
"I started inside, started scanning the field inside. I told the O-linemen, that's their touchdown. They gave me so much time in there and I think the corner ended up jumping the seam, I think he ended up jumping onto Mark Clayton and leaving Demetrius out there wide open. Of course I was surprised a little bit, but that was a pretty exciting touchdown."
(On what is next for him, field goals? Punts?)
"I'm not a very good kicker, so I told the coaches 'No thanks' on that one. I don't think I can do it."
(On if today's rushing TD showed that the first one wasn't a fluke)
"Yeah, I don't think so. This one was much shorter than that."
(On if his rushing TD was a designed play)
"I could have either handed it off or took it. When the guy went with Derrick [Mason] in motion they left really nobody out there. Me and the coaches were the only ones that knew. I still could have handed it off, but they gave me the option and I said, 'Alright, I'm going to take you up on that one.'"
(On if the guys are excited with the trick plays)
"I think any time somebody sees that, the other guys and the rest of the team sees that kind of stuff going on, they get a little bit excited to actually see it get called in a game. That's what's so great, we did use it in a game and we had some good plays off of it."
(On how much further the offense's creativity can go)
"I don't know. Cam comes up with all kinds of stuff. I don't know what he's going to come up with, I have no idea. But we're growing as an offense and we're only going to do these things if it gives us an advantage to win. And as long as they do that, then you're going to see… Who knows what we'll see. But it was a lot of fun today and I think the guys did a great job."
DT HALOTI NGATA
(On the Ravens' pass rush)
"We knew with JaMarcus [Russell] being a young quarterback, we needed to get a lot of pressure on him so that we could get him off his game. We did that for a little bit. He got back on in the second half, but we got to him again in the fourth quarter. Just getting him off his game, disrupting stuff and getting to him, so that was good."
(On his sack that took the Raiders out of field goal range)
"The center and the guard let me loose. They saw blitzers coming, and it was a great show by our linebackers to show and get out of there. They just let me loose, and I got to the quarterback. It was a great play call from Rex [Ryan]."
LB TERRELL SUGGS
(On the importance of maintaining the intensity of their quick start)
"Definitely, they're a professional team, too. They line up, and they're great athletes, too, so they were going to make some plays. We knew that coming in. It was just how you react to them, and we didn't flinch. Once they had the two big series, we got back to business as usual after that."
(On recording his 50th career sack, which is "not a bad number")
"It's not, but I look at a guy like Jason Taylor, and he's already in the hundreds. I know he's got a couple years on me, but that's just inspiration. That guys already in the hundreds. A hundred sacks. He's up there with the Bruce Smiths and all the legendary [players] and the greats. It's a good thing, but I want to keep churning it. I want to keep chucking away. At the end of my career, we'll just see where I end up."
(On playing a dominant game while still leaving plays on the field)
"That just goes to show we can still get better. We have yet to play the perfect game, but you can expect that out of a young team. We are a veteran team and a young team all in the same. It just goes to show that we've still got some work to do. We can get better. Let's not jump [on] our own bandwagon just yet. Let's just keep playing and try to get some consistency out of this season."
(On the defense coming out with energy and having quick start)
"The Ryan Bowl. It was the Ryan Bowl. Like I said, I've been saying it all day, we love Rob Ryan. He and Rex are the same person in two different bodies. But, when it comes to the Ryan Bowl, we love Rex more. We had to go out there and set the tone for Rex and let them know we were going to come out of here with a win by any means necessary."
RB RAY RICE
(On coming into the game knowing that plays designed for you are in the game plan)
"You've got to make it work in practice before you go out there and execute it in the game. The way practice is, if it works in practice, he's going to call it in a game. That's been proven. We just continue to expand and grow. Whatever I can do to help our offense and help our team, I'm ready to embrace that role."
(On seeing QB Troy Smith on the field in a 'Wildcat' type of formation)
"We actually didn't call it a 'Wildcat.' It's Troy. He's able to make plays. With Troy, Joe [Flacco] and me, we've got some weapons. Cam [Cameron] did a great job of using us the right way. When the game calls for it, we'll be ready."
(On being a major force in the game, both running and catching the ball)
"The new thing for me is catching it. The running feels good because you work on it all week in practice. The catching thing, it's something I've always wanted to do and show guys I could do. I was a runner in college, but whatever I can do now to help my team, that's what I'm trying to do. It just feels good, especially when you're winning. [When] you've got a defense the way we have, we have to help those guys. I think, as an offense, we'll continue to grow."
(On his touchdown being called back and Flacco running for a score on the subsequent play)
"We laughed about it. It's a funny feeling. You know, you want a touchdown, but it wasn't Joe's fault. We don't like to place fault. But, as long as it got in, then that's what matters. It's a team effort. As long as he got in, it's good."
QB TROY SMITH
(On being back on the field)
" After a series of weeks of not doing anything and then getting in there and getting your first pop, it kind of wakes you back up to real live football. It felt good being out there with the guys."
(On QB Joe Flacco's catch)
"It was incredible. It just shows what kind of all around player Joe is. At 6'6" you really don't talk about his versatility and athleticism, but it shows you right there. That was an incredible play. I can't say if I was in that situation I would have made it, but it shows right there what he can really do."
(On if the Ravens will run more creative plays in the future)
"So far Cam has done an incredible job game planning. He is coming up with different ways to get guys the ball in certain situations. We haven't second guessed him so far. So we will just keep moving forward."
(On if he was excited leading up to this week)
"I was pretty excited. At the same time I tried to stay even keeled because I didn't want to make too big of a fuss about it. I just wanted to stay on that level where I am going to be ready when my number is called and try to make plays."
(On how tough it has been coming back)
"It hasn't been tough at all. My team has done an incredible job with helping me out along the way and that is what it is really all about. Those weeks of being down, that is what I missed the most: the camaraderie."
(On if he is 100%)
"Yeah. I feel really good stepping back into that 215 pound range and feeling good and running around making plays. Hopefully we just continue to win."
(On how much more the offense can open up)
"The sky is the limit. We haven't even touched the tip of the iceberg yet. There are so many different things that we can still get better at. We are young. Very young. We've got a glass ceiling on top of this team, so we can do nothing but get better."
(On comparison between Miami's Offense and the Ravens)
"It didn't have anything to do with Miami at all. Miami's whole idea is something great for them. This is something totally different. This way I am not a running back, I am a quarterback. So we just used versatility that way. Cam Cameron has done an incredible job. Hue Jackson spends countless hours putting things together. He doesn't get enough credit. He does an incredible job also. Our offense staff is going to continue to put us in a good place."
(On the last time he ran the option)
"It has been a while. Ray Rice is an incredible running back. When you get a running back like him you just have to give him touches and watch him grow."
(On if he's ever thrown to another QB)
"No, that was my first time. That is a credit to Joe and the offensive line. Without those guys, the play doesn't work. They did an incredible job."
(On if Oakland was surprised by that play)
"Probably a little bit. It did exactly what we wanted it to do. Obviously, the countless hours of film study, looking at the different things that Rex's brother [ Rob Ryan] does, this was just the exact opposite of what he wanted to stop."
WR DEMETRIUS WILLIAMS
(On getting so wide open on his TD catch)
"I didn't realize it until the ball got in the air. After that, it's just the same play, make sure you catch the ball and run."
(On being surprised at being open on the play)
"Yeah, I was [surprised] at first because you never get that open in the NFL. It's just something that's just not heard of. It happened today, and it's a blessing, and we keep rolling from there."
(On Flacco's skills as a WR)
"He's an athlete, what can I say? He showed some pretty good skills today, but I think we want to stick with him at quarterback."
S/RS JIM LEONHARD
(On making plays in different way)
"It doesn't really matter, as long as you're contributing. That's my role, [they] kind of plug me in wherever we need somebody and luckily making plays in different areas…and I have to continue to do that for us to have success."
(On making good cuts on returns)
"Yeah, you do kind of have to have that clock in your head and today he was booming, he was outkicking his coverage a little bit. He's been doing that all year, and they've been covering it. They've been doing a great job. But our guys up front did a great job. You obviously saw how much space I had."
(On having good communication in the secondary)
"It's all about communication, no matter who's in there. I think the thing is, that everyone can see, is we're still leaving plays out there. We're playing well, but we're leaving some plays out there, and we've still got to clean that up, and we can continue to get better."
RB WILLIS MCGAHEE
(On the offense's performance)
"The boys did a really good job up front. Our goal was to come out and move the ball against them, and that's what we did."
(On the game plan)
"There were a lot of different things today. Coach did a real good job as far as keeping the defense off balance, and we just had to execute the plays."
(On WR Flacco)
"Joe Flacco, that's the man. He is the man."
S ED REED
(On the play of the Ravens' defense)
"I think we had a very good week of focus and knowing what we have to do. We're starting to have fun with it as we're getting into the middle part of the season. There's not as much pressure, per se, it's just about relaxing and playing football. I think we had a great game today. Hats off to the Raiders, they played a great game, but somebody had to come out on top."
(On the defensive depth)
"We're having tough times with guys being injured, Chris [McAlister] has been toughing it out since training camp. He's going through a tough time right now with his knee. It's great to have depth and guys that can step up. Guys like Corey Ivy, Fabian Washington and Frank Walker. Guys that we know can play. Even guys like Jimmy [Leonhard] stepping up, Haruki [Nakamura] and Zibby [Tom Zbikowski]. We have a lot of versatility in the secondary."
(On the Ravens' front seven)
"Every game, those boys are trouble for everyone. We know that, so it's going to be on us to cover a lot tighter and give them more time with four- and five-man rushes so they can get to the quarterback."
(On his dropped interception)
"I think we left a couple of plays out there today, but the game plan was simple. When Coach talked to me before the game, he told me to just be patient. He knew that is might be a boring game for me, so he told me to just do my job and I didn't have to do anything spectacular today. It's nice to know there is enough versatility in my game for me to let the game come to me."
(On his neck injury)
"I still feel it a little bit. The last couple of weeks I have been feeling it a little bit more, there has been more nagging injuries that have kept my mind off of it a little bit, but you always think about your neck. It's still there. It's always going to be there. I am just trying to be smart about it and not be too aggressive with making tackles."
CB FABIAN WASHINGTON
(On his dropped interception)
"I'm going to have nightmares thinking about that one. That would have been a great ending. I could have put all the Raiders stuff behind me and, well I already have. It would have been like eating that juicy steak. That is what it would have been like, but I am glad we got the win."
(On the defensive play overall)
"That is our defense every week. We try to put it to everybody, it just so happened this week we watched a lot of film on them and knew a lot of the things they were going to do and I think we played a hell of a game today."
(On the Ravens offense)
"I don't think that they though we were going to throw the ball as much as we did, because we've shown that we just run, run, run, but Joe is a very capable quarterback and he can definitely throw the ball."
(On Raiders QB JaMarcus Russell)
"He's a big guy. That is my guy too. He is getting better each game. This is almost like his rookie year because he didn't get to play last year. I wish him the best of luck and I know that he will continue to improve."
(On the importance of today's win)
"Every win is a big win, but you really need to win at home. It will be tough being on the road for three weeks but hopefully we can win all three of them."
(On the secondary coming together)
"We are getting constituency because we are getting a chance to play together. I didn't play the first game then I played the second game but I didn't play the third game. Samari is out, Frank was getting a little banged up, before today we never got a chance to get four guys and just play. But after today we are finally getting a chance to do that."
(On the front seven)
"Wow. Wow. I don't know how many sacks we had but that was amazing. That was something nice to see. If we have that every week that will be fun to play with."
LB RAY LEWIS
(On today's win)
"The special thing about it is, it kind of started in practice this week. One thing about this team is that we practice at a very, very high level. This whole season we have really had some great practices. It was great to come out and execute the way we did offensively and defensively and Sam punted the ball freaking incredible today. Anytime you give our defense that type of position. We show up. Anytime you get that kind of production out of all three phases it is hard to beat us."
(On the Ravens offenses trick plays)
"It's nothing new for us; we see it everyday in practice. I've been dealing with Cam for a long time now, its just now he is on my side of the ball. It's always good for them. It kind of keeps it fresh. When we are at practice we see the same things and we see where our offense is going. It's kind of exciting when you see a new flavor.
(On QB Joe Flacco's running ability)
"A lot of people don't know this, but Joe Flacco can run. Joe is really taking control of this offense. It's great to see the sprinkles that they did with Troy and the productivity they got out of it. I just think overall, we gave a lot of people something to think about."
(On Jameel McClain's performance)
"It gets nor better than that. Jameel is a true Raven. He practices like that and he is always after the ball. He comes to work with his hard hat everyday. You just love to see kids step in and make plays like that. We inserted him, we gave him some special plays and on all his plays he came in and played well."
(On Raiders QB JaMarcus Russell)
"I think he is a great guy and I think his future is going to be bright. He can make the big throws and he has a big arm. He is a big kid, a real big kid. He moves way better than people think he can. I think the kid is going to be good overall."
(On importance of today's win)
"I think it always just he next game. It is what we try to reiterate to all the young guys. Bottom line is that it is next game. Win. Lose. or Draw. Home games are always important especially because we are on the road for the next three games, the bottom line is just playing 60 minutes of football, whether it is here or away."
(On Jon Ogden)
"I told him I remember the first day that we were roommates on the road and now I am sending you out, but it's going to be a while before I look for that. First of all, it is just an honor to come in and play with a guy like that, a true first ballot Hall of Famer. It's freaking incredible. Personally, I think he is a much better guy off the field than he was on the field. I told him how much I love him and to just let life come to him and just enjoy it. It was a pleasure for me to be around a man like that."
OAKLAND RAIDERS
HEAD COACH TOM CABLE
(Opening statement)
"In the first half, we got our tails whipped at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. There's not way to put it. That's the bottom line. We talked about who they are and what they are in terms of the physicalness, and we didn't take that back to them in the first half. We struggled with our run blocking and protection, and it is what it is. In the second half, we made a couple good adjustments and came out and played with much better intensity, and it was a ball game. But far too much damage in the first half to recover."
(On the offense's first-half struggles)
"It was huge. We've not been able to go in at halftime with the lead or feeling like we're in control. Obviously, we'll address that, and that will really be the lift that this team needs, just to get the ball across the goal line early."
(On the play of QB JaMarcus Russell)
"I thought he played well. I thought one poor decision on the overthrow on the go route, but he'll learn from that. He was under duress pretty much in the first half, and I thought he handled himself pretty well. When it got into a come-from-behind game, they brought a lot of stuff at him. From there, you have to try to get rid of the ball and do what you have to. But I think he grew today."
(On the Ravens' rush defense)
"We didn't play well enough in the first half at the line of scrimmage to give ourselves a chance to win. I'm not sure that Darren McFadden or anyone else would've mattered. It is what it is. We got whipped in the first half."
(On keeping McFadden out of the game)
"He woke up with some soreness this morning, and it was a situation where, if he was to play, it would worsen. So I decided to sit him and dress a third tight end."
(On the lack of intensity in the first half)
"This is a good football team. I see them every day, and I have belief in them. But I somehow have to get them to believe that and accept it, that that's who they are. Instead of, if something goes wrong, 'Here we go again.' We have to phase that mentality out of them. I believe we are on the right track, and now we have to get over the hump with that and having a real belief in ourselves and each other."
LB RICKY BROWN
(On whether the Ravens did anything unexpected)
"They didn't do anything we didn't expect. We knew that the minute they stepped on the field, they wanted to run the ball. They get that mentality from their head coach. In the first half, they tried to turn the game into a tough guy match."
(On how the Raiders' defense responded)
"I think we were really flat in the first half. Football is a 4-quarter game and we have to play all 4 quarters. I am proud of our guys for the way they stayed with it and fought back in the second half. We just can't dig ourselves such a deep hole if we want to win games."
QB JaMARCUS RUSSELL
(On how the game went)
"It was really a tough game. We played a really good defense today. We fought back hard in the second half. We just wish things would have gone better in the first half."
(On the way the Raiders passed the ball in the second half)
"Our offensive line did a great job in the second half and gave me time to throw. The receivers made a few great catches too. We were happy to be able to move the ball and put some points on the scoreboard."
(On what he learned against the Ravens)
"In this league, you have to grow up fast and we're going to keep working and we're going to keep fighting. I am never going to stop fighting. Now, it's back to the drawing board and we'll keep at it."
(On what the Ravens were saying to him on the field)
"At one point in the first half, Ray Lewis came over to me and told me 'you need to protect yourself. Go down when you're going to get hit.' But I am going to keep battling and take their best shots. I am always going to keep fighting for my team."
(About the absence of Darren McFadden)
"We definitely could have used him out there. There were a few packages we ran where he would have helped. But, he couldn't go so we'll wait for him and hopefully he will be back next week."
CB DEANGELO HALL
(On the defense)
"It wasn't good at all. Not good at all. We still had blown coverages out there. We still didn't stop the run like we had set out to do. It's definitely frustrating. Any time you have a game plan and in order to be successful you have to execute it and we didn't execute it at all."
(On being prepared for the Ravens offense with QB's Joe Flacco and Troy Smith)
"That's all new stuff but you have to prepare for stuff on the run. We knew that after they hit us with a couple of running plays, we knew they were going to throw it off of that formation. You know, Cam Cameron, our hat goes off to him. They schemed us and they executed. They had that ball club ready. Rex Ryan had that defense ready and they out executed us. They wanted it more."
WR CHAZ SCHILENS
(On the offense)
"Bad in the first half, and I thought we did a lot of positive things in the second half. We just need to correct the mistakes we made in the first half and just keep moving, keep improving."
(On the long pass in the third quarter)
"It came up because we had been trying to run the ball and the safeties had been coming up for run support. So, we knew we could get them to bite on the run and we could get over top. All I saw was my corner just stuttered his feet for one second and we had a post pattern on and I thought I had him. [Jamarcus Russell] made a good throw and we were able to take advantage of it."
(On going forward)
"I think there's a lot of stuff we can build on. Obviously, I thought we moved the ball very good in the second half. Our defense played very good in the second half. We threw the ball a little bit. We could have run the ball a little better. But we'll fix it and move forward. Learn what we can from the first half, move forward and stay positive."
S GIBRIL WILSON
(On the game)
"You always try to get a little something out of the game. Win or lose. It's a little better when you win obviously. I think we have to realize that we can't play thirty minutes of good football and expect to win. Those guys get paid. Those guys are a good football team. We have to play a full sixty minutes of focused football and we can play with anybody in this league."
(On the defense)
"I feel like the defense didn't do their job in the first half. We didn't play very well in the first half. The second half was a little better. But we have to be able to stop the run. We have to get off the field after third down. Those two things have been our achilles heel this game and we have to do a better job."
(On the Ravens offense with QBs Joe Flacco and Troy Smith)
"I mean, that's the new thing in the NFL, to have little option plays and we were ready for it. We practiced for it. We practice for it every week because teams have been doing it. The difference is Troy Smith. He is a quarterback who can throw the ball and also run the ball. He's the dimension to that."
LB THOMAS HOWARD
(On the defense)
"We didn't play well. I thought it was a couple breakdowns. I hate giving up the big play. We gave up one in the first half. We had some bad field position. We started up kind of backed up on our own opposite side of the 50, and they made a couple of plays. We could definitely play better. We strive to be the best. We think we can be the best defense in the league. We want up against a real good defense. We thought it was going to be a defensive battle. We played good, but not our best."
(On the positives from this game)
"The second half is how we should have came out and played. If we can get four quarters like the third and fourth, then we would probably be in overtime right now, and it would have been a closer game. But we have to take the positives from it. The first half we didn't feel like we played our best on both sides of the ball. And it was Raider football in the second half. That is how we play football here in the Raiders organization."
MLB KIRK MORRISON
(On the play of the defense)
"We had a bad first half. The second half we came out and played more of our game plan. We wanted to give our offense more opportunities. Going up those guys, it was going to be a hard task. Especially with them on defense. It was going to put us in some hard situations for our offense. But we felt like we just wanted to go out there and play our game. We thought it would be a low scoring game and whatever team had the most offensive opportunities would win the game. And they capitalized on their opportunities."
RB JUSTIN FARGAS
(On the play of the offense)
"It wasn't good enough to win. The first half we weren't physical enough and they brought the fight to us. We put ourselves in the whole. I don't think it's about who was in there or what we were doing, it's about how we came out and played."
(On the safety with JaMarcus Russell)
"It looked like a misprotection. That's all I can say."
JONATHAN OGDEN RING OF HONOR HALFTIME CEREMONY
Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome WBAL-TV sports director and the voice of the Baltimore Ravens, Gerry Sandusky.
Gerry Sandusky: "Have two letters ever meant so much to a town as J.O. means to Baltimore? Today, Jonathan Ogden becomes the sixth inductee into the Ring of Honor. We have his new teammates here to welcome him to that Ring. Among the honorees who will welcome Jonathan here today, representing the Baltimore Colts, Hall of Fame – the great No. 24 – say hello to Lenny Moore. A Pro Bowl defensive end, and former teammate of Jonathan Ogden, how about a Baltimore Ravens' welcome back for Michael McCrary? And the owners of the Baltimore Ravens, Mr. Steve Bisciotti and the man who brought football back to Baltimore, Mr. Art Modell.
"And today, we induct the sixth member into the Baltimore Ravens Ring of Honor, brought to you by Smyth Jewelers. Jonathan Ogden did something very few offensive linemen ever do in their career – he amassed numbers we all remember – 12 years, 11 Pro Bowls, 176 starts and the all-time tenure as THE* *left tackle of the Baltimore Ravens.
"And now, to induct Jonathan Ogden into the Ring of Honor, a man J.O. will one day join in the Hall of Fame, Ravens [executive] vice president [and general manager] Hall of Famer Ozzie Newsome."
Ozzie Newsome: "Thank you. I'd like to first begin, by saying thanks to Jonathan's family. They've been so supportive of us for the last 13 years. When this franchise was born in 1996, we needed a foundation. Well, we were fortunate enough to draft Jonathan Ogden with that first pick, and he became the foundation of the Baltimore Ravens. I can see – looking into the future, I see Lenny Moore, Johnny Unitas, Raymond Berry, Geno Marchetti, and a few others that have played their whole career in Baltimore. With that being said, I'd like to, on behalf of Steve Bisciotti and the rest of the Baltimore Ravens organization, formally induct Jonathan into the Ring of Honor."
[Jonathan Ogden's nameplate unveiled on the upper façade of M&T Bank Stadium]
Jonathan Ogden: "Wow, wow. I want to take this moment to thank Art Modell, Steve Bisciotti, Ozzie Newsome. These guys have been great to me my 12 years that I played. Thirteen years ago, this team drafted me and we were all rookies at that time. But this town, the way that you all responded to me, you guys are the ones that I really want to thank, for being the fans that you were for the last 12 years and will continue to be. With that, I want to one more time thank my family for coming out. May the Ravens continue to be the best team in the NFL and may we continue to have the best fans in the NFL."
JONATHAN OGDEN PRESS GATHERING
(On his emotions at the moment of his induction and if there were a lot of things going through his mind)
"Yeah, a lot of things, a lot of memories. But, really, it was just a really happy moment. It was just kind of the culmination of a lot of years of work, and I was really happy. I almost broke down, but I didn't. I held it together. But it's just really nice that all the hard work over all the years, people appreciate it. That's what that meant to me."
(On what it was like running out of the tunnel before the game)
"I about pulled a hamstring. [Laughter] It was good. I miss that. I miss running out of the tunnel, running through the smoke, and it was great to just run through that one more time and see all the fans in the crowd and just get that wave going that I have, that patented wave. So it was good. It was a lot of fun. It brought back a lot of memories."
(On whether he spoke to the team at all)
"Yeah, I've been talking to the guys all day. I was out there pre-game, out there on the field talking to the line, talking to everybody. Everyone was congratulating me, but I was like, 'Let's go, man. We've got a game today. Let's go.' Once a football player, always [a football player]. That's just the way it is. But I'm proud of the way they're playing right now, so it's a good day all around."
(On if he's past the point where he wakes up on Sunday and misses having a game to play)
"Oh yeah, I'm past that. I like coming to watch the games, but there was a point in my life – I remember it, a memory – when I was a fan of the NFL. I used to get up and watch games on Sunday. It's nice to be able to do that again. I did all I could do out there on the field. When you feel you've accomplished everything you can, then you don't have any regrets about how you walk away from the game. So that's just kind of the way I'm able to cope. Plus, I get to play golf in the morning before football, and that's always good. You can play nine and go watch the games."
(On the induction putting finality on his playing career)
"Well, yeah. Like I said, I'm always going to be around. I'm always going to be around the Ravens organization, but this is kind of the final step, I guess, as far as the – I don't want to say 'appreciation' – but going up into that Ring is just the ultimate that the Ravens can do for you. So that's kind of like, 'Wow.' You've made it to the pinnacle of being a Raven, so it was great."
(On what he expects in five years)
"Five years, hopefully. *[Knocks on podium] *You know me. I'm superstitious. I won't sign 'HOF' [on] anything. I won't really talk about it, but it would be nice. First ballot would be nice. I'm not even going to sit here and try to deny that I don't think about it and hope that happens, but I'm not going to stress out over it, either. You guys have got a few years to wait for that."
