Head Coach Mike McDaniel
(on facing a 21-point deficit) "We've been talking about it. We just had a game where we were able to have the lead the whole game. So, the night before, I told the guys that I was really hoping that we would get some adversity in this game, and I wanted to see how we respond to a deficit. Apparently, they took me way too literal. I called them out, it's something we all kind of expected. They're investing more than they ever have. They're really all in. And it was way disappointing. So, when you're down, the tendency is to kind of hang your head. I just challenge them to say, 'Who cares what the score is?' It's about how we play football together. This is an opportunity. It's a tough one, but it doesn't even matter. Let's go and get something out of this game to feel good about in the second half, and we will worry about the score sometime in the fourth quarter. Let's just string some stuff together on both sides of the ball. They had a spirited effort. Talk about what it takes to be able to do something like that. It's an entire team with the right type of people. Everyone echoing the same type of messages. All the credit goes to Baltimore for putting us in that bind. And then we had a lot of players make a lot of plays to get out of it. So that was very encouraging."
(on QB Lamar Jackson's performance after last game) "Credit to them. Both sides of the ball knew what happened in the last game. They both knew there would be different preparations. Our defense knew that they couldn't surprise the guys. To his credit, he took advantage. He definitely rectified and can put to bed these issues he had last year. Everyone gets frustrated when that happens. But we knew as an organization, you don't get to be where the Baltimore Ravens are as an organization. How well coached they are, and as an organization in general without getting that fix. So, we knew it wasn't going to be the same formula. Some situations did come up where we audibled to some of the pressures and they took advantage of it. Good for them. That's to their credit. They did a great job with that, and I was happy that the guys got this learning experience. Fortunately, you can end up winning the game as well. But, I know my guys learned a lot from this game, which we need to move forward."
QB Tua Tagovailoa
(on what it feels like when the offense is doing what it did today) "It feels good. I think you look at the first half; we couldn't stick to our rhythm. You know, for me, I wanted big plays. And big plays now. And so, really, the second half we came in and played the way we wanted to. That's what I'd say about that."
(on what he was thinking in the fourth quarter after throwing touchdown after touchdown) "It felt good. We were executing on all cylinders. And then there were times when we didn't execute, and no one panicked. Everyone just came back into the huddle, and we regrouped, and we went back out there and tried to execute whatever play we were given."
(on when he knew that WR Tyreek Hill was going to come back into the game) "I'm going to be honest, I didn't know that we weren't going to have Tyreek [Hill], or that we didn't have Tyreek [Hill] out there for the first couple of snaps. I just found out that he had cramps, but you know, big time players make big time plays in big time games. And that's what Tyreek [Hill] did when he came in."
(on the 60-yard touchdown pass to WR Tyreek Hill) "Well, Tyreek [Hill] was first in the progression, but I think that they busted their coverage. They were all up, it looked like it was going to be a zero look, and then they dropped out, and so I think that might have just been an error. We found that and took advantage of it."
(on what was said when the team was down 35-14) "I mean, we were playing normal football still. We weren't doing anything out of the ordinary until they did give us opportunities to take shots down the field. Then that's what we did. But normal play calls."
(on if he's had time to process what he did on the field) "Well, yeah, you know, I would say I processed what we did out there. That's a big win. That's tough to come into a hostile environment and beat a really good team. We'll go and enjoy it on the plane, and then when we get back home, back to work."
(on if he is aware of what QB Lamar Jackson is doing on the other side of the field) "Oh my gosh, yeah. Oh, my goodness, of course. I mean, how can you not watch someone like that? You know he had a great game as well. But, yeah, I would say the resiliency of our team had shown coming out of halftime, and with that big deficit of a lead that they had."
WR Tyreek Hill
(on what he saw on the 60-yard touchdown) "I'm cheesing already. I'm cheesing, man. I did my thing to Tua, 'yeet,' and he knows when I do that, 'yeet,yeet,' just throw it no matter what and I'll make a play for you. So, he already knows that's kind of the chemistry that me and him built this offseason. Just being able to see cover zero together. You know, because I've seen it, he's seen it, the whole stadium [had] seen it.
(on if the long touchdown was a checkdown or the actual play call) "It was already the play call. No, it was already the play call, you've just got to dress it up a little bit – 'yeet, yeet.' This is it right there, so this is one of those. So, it's one of those."
WR Jaylen Waddle
(on scoring the last touchdown) "Yes, it was an exciting time. Tua [Tagovailoa] told us in the huddle, 'It's us or them right now,' so he called a play, we executed, and luckily, we got the win."
(on being down at halftime, and what Mike McDaniel told the team about overcoming adversity) "He was talking about it the whole week. I think he preached adversity; he said, 'It was going to come. They have a great team, a great quarterback, a great defense. Adversity was going to hit at some point in the game.' It hit early, then we came back. We needed halftime to regroup, and [we] came out with a different mindset."
T Christian Wilkins
(on the overall defense) "Biggest thing was that it wasn't pretty. It was a gutsy win. It was a gritty win on both sides of the ball and on special teams. We stuck together when we needed to and made plays when it mattered. We still gave up a lot of plays and a lot of yards, but when we needed them, we had them."
(on if there was a difference on the game strategy this season versus last season with cover zero blitzing) "Definitely. Respect to them. They did some good things. They made a lot of good plays and they had us early. It wasn't pretty for three quarters. But we were able to come back and make adjustments and keep fighting. Glad we were able to poke it out in the end."
(on last season's defensive scheme) "We tried to do some similarities on defense. We are still the same defense. We are still the same structure. They are basically the same offense."
(on success against QB Lamar Jackson in the second half) "We let up a lot of plays, but we made plays when we needed to. That's all that matters to get the win."
CB Xavien Howard
(on the difference of QB Lamar Jackson between the first and second half) "You know, you have to play four quarters of football. We played four quarters of football, especially in that second half. We made adjustments and made plays."
S Eric Rowe
(on beating the Ravens) "We knew it was going to be tough from the jump because, I mean, it's a good team. I know everyone was thinking about last year and how we crushed them, but every year is a new year, so coming in we knew it was going to be a tough game. We didn't really expect to be down like that at the half, but we came back and played through some adversity."
(on the defense playing big at times during the game) "The two stands that we made, the one on the goal line and the one in the middle of the field, on fourth down, I mean those are huge. We know this is a power running team. They're very good at it. That just kind of shows us that as a defense, we can stand our ground."
