HEAD COACH JOHN HARBAUGH
(opening statement) "OK, appreciate everyone being here. [Today was] Salute to Service Day, a great day. We had a number of military personnel here, and we really appreciate them [and] all they do for us. What we did out here today – what we all got to enjoy today – would not be possible without our military, and we're very grateful for them.
Great win. This guy right here [Demarcus Robinson] again came up big, 'D-Rob' making many plays. I was going to give him a game ball, but he just got the one last week, so we'll have to see. He just played great again. [I'm] proud of our guys. It was a workman like win, it was a team win. It wasn't pretty, but our defense stepped up in a big way, controlling the run and getting the turnovers. [The] offense was able to maintain time of possession. We could have done better at the end in the fourth quarter to put it away certainly, but I thought they got the key score in the fourth quarter that separated us. That was big, and then special teams was solid. So, what questions do you have?"
(on if he has any injury updates) "No, I don't have any updates on that. Nothing there to report."
(on the defense hitting its stride over the past two games) "Yes, I think we've been steadily improving all year because everyone comes to work every day and just tries to communicate and tries to do their best. When you do that and you work together, you have a chance to improve, and that's basically what guys have done. So, I kind of give everyone credit, but we have a long way to go, and we have a lot of work to do."
(on the defense emphasizing creating more turnovers this offseason and seeing that come to fruition now) "It's a great point; it's a major, major point. For us to be able kind of turn that back, back into being a turnover-creating defense is really a big deal. We have some guys that are ball hawks. How about 'J.P.P.' [Jason Pierre-Paul] catching that pass? Then 'Broddy' [Broderick Washington] batted it down, 'J.P.P.' caught it. He claimed, he said, 'I've always had great hands.' (laughter) So, that was kind of fun and funny, and then Marlon [Humphrey] had the deal, Marcus [Peters] had the strip. That was a great play on the strip, then Marlon picked it up. It would have been nice if it was a touchdown, but it wasn't. Then, Marlon had the pick. So, just great to see, and I think our defensive line deserves a ton of credit. I probably... If I had to go back in there and do it again, I'd give it to the D-line just because they dominated. This is a very good running team, and they pretty much dominated the run game, really dominated the run game – not pretty much; completely dominated the run game. And, we were making it really hard on Baker [Mayfield] all day. So, those guys did a great job."
(on what he thinks Carolina's approach on defense was and if they tried to take the run game away) "Yes, now they have a really good front; They have really athletic defensive ends, they have one dominant tackle there, they have two inside linebackers that are really tough to block in the run game, and they basically played us in a four-three stack type of a look where they were exchanging responsibilities between the defensive end and the linebacker in terms of who was going to play the C-gap and who was going to step outside for the quarterback or for the bounce play. Then, they were bringing the safeties down in split-safety and they were getting involved in the run, or they were playing cover-3 and putting the safety in the box. So, those were all the run type of deals. We were able to get some outside throwing lanes, that's why 'D-Rob' [Demarcus Robinson], one of the reasons he did so well; the outside throwing lanes were a big part of that, so we did well with that. We just weren't real precise on offense. We can be a little more precise with the things that we're doing, and then the last part – the penalties hurt us. So, that knocked us back a few times."
(on WR Demarcus Robinson taking advantage of his opportunity at wide receiver) "It's big; it's just big; it's massive. Here's a guy that gets an opportunity like he does, and he comes in here and does nothing but go to work the first day and work as hard as he can every day to be as good as he can be. It pays off."
(on the decision to receive after winning the coin toss and if that was weather related) "It was wind related, yes. We wanted to try to set ourselves up, if we were going to win the toss, to have the wind [in our favor] in the fourth quarter. That's why we kicked off into the wind in the third quarter, in case it came down to a longer field goal."
(on if the defense took it on themselves to go out and win the game after the forced fumble and fumble recovery) "Yes, thanks. I think the defense did that. They always talk about that. The offense talks about it too, and they talk about it in their room. The defense, basically what they said at halftime was, 'If they don't score, they can't win.' That was their mindset, and I think at the end of the game, that was the same mindset, 'It's on us.'"
(on ILB Patrick Queen's performance today) "It was just fantastic. He comes in here, and [it was] just fantastic. He was all over the field – you said it – in the run, in the pass, tackling in open field, tackling with a guy blocking him in the back while he's blocking him in the back. Those kind of plays are just amazing plays. Patrick Queen has been playing great football, and today just took another step in that direction."
(on the explanation he got on his second challenge where the line to gain was ruled unchallengeable) "It turns out it's unchallengeable; it's only challengeable... We saw that he was inbounds, so we challenged it. I thought he had a chance for the first down there, and that would be the line to gain for the first down. [The referee] said you can only do that within two steps of the goal line. That's a little bit more obscure of one of the challenge rules, and I don't think anyone picked that up until they picked it up probably upstairs somewhere. So, we didn't lose a challenge on that, but it's one of those nuanced rules I guess."
QB LAMAR JACKSON
(on WR Demarcus Robinson's performance today) "He played lights out. We've known what he's capable of though; we just have to keep feeding him the ball."
(on his health after missing practice on Friday due to illness) "Yes, I had a little stomach bug, but I played. (Reporter: 'Did you watch Squid Game?) Did I watch Squid Game? Yes, I was watching Squid Game. (laughter) It's dope, too. They need to add more episodes or a new season. I did hear there's supposed to be a Season 2, so I'm looking forward to it."
(on how he's feeling today and if he feels completely better) "Yes, I feel great; I feel great; I feel great."
(on the offense struggling for most of the game and what the Carolina defense was doing) "I wouldn't say the whole game; it was here and there when we did our little RPOs and stuff like that, they just played great defense. They watched film; I can tell they watched film on it because sometimes they made great plays. Sometimes, it was iffy reads, no great reads right there, but I feel like they just played pretty good defense all around."
(on how the Baltimore defense helped the offense out today with stops and takeaways) "Tremendously. We weren't putting a lot of points on the board like we're used to doing, and our defense just played lights out. I don't know, did we have four [forced] turnovers? They just played lights out."
(on what kind of confidence, the offense has knowing that the defense has its back) "[It was] a huge boost; we just didn't get it done today. We moved the ball a little bit second half, but we weren't punching it in. [There were] a lot of penalties here and there, so I feel like it slowed us down a little."
(on how nice it was to have TE Mark Andrews back) "It's self-explanatory; that's my guy. He's been my guy since 2018, so it felt great to have him back, as always."
(on how tough the weather conditions were today) "The wind wasn't as really bad as I thought it was going to be. At practice it was, and in pre-game it was, but when we got out there, it was actually pretty alright, but it was blowing sometimes, and it was pretty cold."
(on lowering his shoulder on his one-yard touchdown run and if it was a sign of his added muscle) "I was just being competitive right there; it wasn't about the weight or anything. [The safety] was right there, the end zone was right there. We hadn't put any points up besides 'Tuck' [Justin Tucker], so I just had to risk it right there."
(on what happened on his interception and if the defensive tackle made a great play) "[It was] a great play, a great play by him. I was going to Mark [Andrews], and he just got his hands up, and (claps his hands)it went right to him. It happens."
(on how tough it was to see T Ronnie Stanley exit the game with an ankle injury given his injury history) "[It was] very tough. I went in the locker room after the game, and I checked on him, but he said he's pretty good. He told me just don't fall into him. So, it was me who hurt him, so I'm a little [ticked] off about that, but he's good. That's all that matters."
(on how important it is to just win by whatever means necessary) "That November, December football, you just find a way to win to get in the playoffs. That's what it's all about right now. Some of them are going to be ugly, some of them are going to be pretty, but a win is a win."
(on CB Marlon Humphrey and CB Marcus Peters being back at full strength and going against them in practice every day) "It's crazy, two All-Pro, future Hall of Famer cornerbacks on one team just locking down both sides of the field. I feel like that gives our defense a boost at all phases; defensive line, linebackers and the secondary [with] the safeties. So, those guys are playing out of their minds right now. [They] just have to keep doing it."
(on how valuable OL Patrick Mekari coming in at multiple positions on the offensive line has been) "[He's] very valuable because it's, 'Next Man Up.' It's the NFL; anything can happen [on] any play. For him to just [go] from sitting on the sideline, being cold to get out there and block his tail off, hats off to him. We need that sometimes."
(on if there is any satisfaction in being able to win without playing their best as a team) "I feel like we played alright; we just have to put points on the board. It's the NFL; sometimes it won't be those high-scoring games. I don't think we ever had a game where we scored this amount of points with a victory, but hopefully it doesn't happen like that for the rest of the season. Hopefully we put points on the board like we're used to doing."
(on if it feels like the offense will be able to take off once it figures out how to play more situationally) "Situationally, we were doing pretty good. Penalties slowed us down. When we hit those plays, when we converted on third down, we got knocked out of the red zone with penalties. So, we can't do anything about that. The ref has to make those calls, and we just have to try to get our yards back or try to convert for the first down."
(on if delay of game penalties frustrate him the most and punting a ball after a delay of game) "Anything that doesn't go our way frustrates me. (laughter) It's not about delay of game; it's anything. If it's not going our way, [and] we're not scoring, I'm going to be [ticked]. I want to win the right way."
(on if he's left-footed) "Yes, I'm left-footed. Who told you? Oh, you saw me punt the ball! (laughter) I forgot I did that. Yes, I'm left footed. Right-handed, left-footed."
(on the Panthers' defense playing them similar to how the Browns did) "Teams have been doing that. Sometimes it's a hit or miss sometimes; sometimes they might have success, sometimes we might have success. It's any given play."
DE CALAIS CAMPBELL
(on the three sacks and three takeaways in the fourth quarter) "That's been a point of emphasis since the beginning of the season. When we were struggling in the fourth quarter earlier in the season, we put a lot of time and effort to make sure that we were locked in, focusing, and being able to execute in end-of-game situations. In this game, that team was desperately trying to make some plays, and we were able to take advantage of that. It's great when it works out."
(on the progress of the defense and the addition of ILB Roquan Smith)
"First thing is, we have a new defensive coordinator in [Mike Macdonald], and he needed time to put his own spin on things. We were also depending on some young players, and it took a little time to gel together. We had a lot of new faces and it just takes time. Coach [Harbaugh] talks about the trajectory of where you're trying to go, and right now that matters, 100%. So, we're on that trajectory and it's continuing to build. I feel like that trajectory is getting us to where we want to be. Earlier in the season everything was new. We have great players, and we expect success, and we had a lot, but for whatever reason couldn't finish. There were moments we couldn't make plays and that cost us. But now, we're rolling. We come out of the bye, got rested up, had some time off, and now Coach is challenging the guys to really step up and play football. And with Roquan [Smith], he's just another guy that plays Ravens football. Intensity, high motor, the way he communicates, hustles on screens and short passes in the running game. That really helps us at the line of scrimmage. He's such a big studier and knows where the ball is going. Most of the time before the snap. Also, he communicates that to us. But as a whole, I think we just have a lot of guys. Shoutout to Eric DeCosta for getting us together, we've got some great guys."
(on going from 3-3 to 7-3) "It sounds great and it is great, and this is going to sound cliche, but we really are taking this one game at a time. We're going to stay in the moment. This game, we'll celebrate it for 24 hours, enjoy it, watch the tape, fix it. And then we're on to Jacksonville, because that's our next opponent. This business is fleeting. No one cares where you are right now, they only care where you are going. We just got to lock in, play some good football, stay in the moment, and enjoy the ride."
(on going back to Jacksonville) "I'm excited. Very excited. I have a lot of respect for that team [and] organization. I love to play there. The fan base is so strong. On that field I made a lot of plays, so I'm excited to go back there, play the game, have some fun. Yeah, I'm motivated."
RB KENYAN DRAKE
(on what a hard-fought win like that means) "That's the name of the game. The NFL season is a long, hard-fought season, and it's any given Sunday, especially when you're playing against a hard-nosed team like the Panthers. Us coming off a bye, it was kind of a tough task to come out here. Obviously, we are home, but they were coming off a hard-fought win last week against the Falcons. They had a great scheme against us, especially against our zone read scheme. So, it was tough all game, but we made the plays when it mattered, and our defense bailed us out time and time again. So just excited about the three-facet game and complete team football we played today."
(on what it means seeing the defense getting turnovers late in the game) "Yeah, that's complimentary football. Special teams did their job, pinning them deep, making them have to drive the length of the field. And then defense would go out there and make timely stops, timely turnovers, and that put us in a great field position to go out there and make those splash plays when it mattered. And also, earlier in the game, get those three points on the board right before halftime, that was big. Like I said, complimentary football, three-facet game, that's what this team is built on and we continue to build upon this win as the season goes."
(on the challenges the Panthers presented up front) "They just did a good job taking away the zone read, having someone at the line of scrimmage kind of dive and take me away that gave the read to Lamar [Jackson] to pull it. And then they had a linebacker scrape the top, and a safety also come down to take away his ability to run the ball as well. So, obviously, I feel like that's something [Carolina] did well, and that type of read option realm. But at the end of the day, teams, they're going to scheme us. We have a great quarterback, we have a great scheme, we have great playmakers in general. But when they take away something, we're going to use that to get somebody else involved, and that's why [Demarcus Robinson] had a great game, and we're excited about him to mature in this offense. You know somebody's number is always going to be called away from the norm in a sense, and I'm excited about who's going to continue to step up for this offense."
RB JUSTICE HILL
(on the defense in the fourth quarter) "They went out there and made plays, and that was really the difference in the game. Offense struggled a bit, weather, weren't able to move the ball all that much. So, the defense came out in the fourth quarter, and put us in position to win."
(on Carolina's defensive front) "They are a really good defense. Tough to run against, and they were executing. But we kept at it, play after play, pounding and pounding, down after down, and we were finally able to break some runs in the fourth quarter."
(on being 7-3) "It's great, but we're just taking it one game at a time. Now we have Jacksonville. We're going to go in there and try to win it and keep rolling."
(on the backfield producing without RBs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards) "The truth is, everybody in this backfield can run the ball. When your number is called upon, you have to produce. That's our job, and it's fun to be able to prove people wrong."
CB MARLON HUMPHREY
(on the defensive effort) "Last night, we were talking as a defense, and [defensive coordinator] Mike [Macdonald] asked us what we were thinking going into this game, and everybody said the same thing; we wanted to have a goose egg today. So, obviously, three … You can't be too mad with three [points allowed], but we're really trying to chase Ravens' defenses [from] the past that have just showed an elite greatness. So, that's kind of what we're chasing, and we're looking better and better every week."
(on the forced fumble by CB Marcus Peters) "Yes, that was a big play by Marcus [Peters]. It's crazy to see him do those things on air every practice. Almost every time the ball is near him, he just does it on air, does it on a guy. And practice habits, obviously, translate to the game, so to see that happen, I don't think anybody on the defense was too surprised. But it was a really big play by Marcus."
(on if this could be the best defense he's played on as a Raven) "It's so hard to tell. It's crazy; just this week, I think Jimmy [Smith] put me, Eric Weddle, Tony [Jefferson II] and that No. 1 defense in a group message, and we just reminisced on good times back in my rookie or second year. So, it's just hard to tell, but I think if we keep stacking … We obviously had a rough first half of the season. Not … [There were] a couple games early, but since then I think we've really been showing that we can be a really, really elite defense."
(on how much it fires up a defense to see an offense capitalize on their takeaways) "Man, [it's] great. We get that turnover … It was electric in there with the fans and everything, and I feel like the fans played a big part in today's game. And then the offense goes down and scores. So, it's really great when you have home-field advantage and your crowd really shows up, and a lot of energy comes from that crowd. It just helps us out, and we just want to keep playing well for the crowd."
(on how much more locked in the defense is when knowing that the offense isn't at its best) "I've been here a lot in the past, when, obviously, we've struggled on offense, but this was probably the first time I didn't hear a single person say, 'Man, come on offense. You've got to do something.' We just were kind of locked in all day today, honestly. I didn't even really think about it until you just said that. I didn't hear that one time; 'Offense, come on. Let's do something. We need a play.' We just were playing defense, controlling what we can control. So, that's a positive right there that I didn't even think of. But obviously, when the offense is … They're going to have those games, and we're going to have games when we play bad, as well. But we were just really locked in, so I think that was a big key in our victory."
(on how much better the Thanksgiving meal will be) "It's going to be pretty good now."
(on a Thanksgiving food take he has) "Oh, gosh. I don't know, but I will not be having Thanksgiving food this year – I don't think. I think I'll just get me a nice steak and potatoes and just call it a day. So, Happy Thanksgiving to everybody. I'm very thankful for this team and thankful for just life, in general."
OLB JASON PIERRE-PAUL
(on the defensive effort) "I just think everybody played accordingly, and we did our best job. We've got our offenses back, and we just did our best job out there as a defense. We tried to create turnovers, and that's what we did."
(on his fourth-quarter interception) "I was just playing football – that's it. I saw the ball in the air, and I just grabbed it."
(on a challenging day but coming out of it 7-3) "Man, one game at a time. Each game counts, and we're just playing one game at a time, and that's all that matters."
(on CB Marcus Peters' key forced fumble) "That was a big change – a big turnover that we needed. He's a good player, and we expect him to do stuff like that."
ILB PATRICK QUEEN
(on if there was a turnaround that led to the defense dominating the past few weeks) "Yes, basically. We already knew what it was coming into the season, and the biggest focus point was execution. Early in the season, we weren't executing to the standard that we needed to be, so now we all know that. We were lacking trust, and we didn't realize it. So, we all talked about it, gathered around, and it's still stuff that we're working through right now. So, it's just coming down to the point of us actually trusting each other. I think that we're taking a step forward in that each day."
(on how the addition of ILB Roquan Smith has changed his role) "I guess the offense is just picking him up as another threat, honestly. That guy [Roquan Smith] is All-Pro for a reason, and I guess now they have two guys that they have to really account for in the blitzing game and just being an all-around playmaker flying around. Just all around, the whole defense is helping me do what I do best, honestly."
(on if the defense has been playing faster and what he would attribute that to) "I think we're just all trusting each other to make the play, not leaving anyone to hang out dry. We're all running to the ball, being physical. Everyone is just doing their job, one-by-one, one play at a time. So, I think that if we keep doing that, and we keep stacking and building the trust like I said earlier, then we'll be just fine."
(on the defense's mindset after halftime that the Panthers couldn't win if they didn't score) "Yes, that's always the standard around here. If they can't score, they can't win; it's as simple as that. Like I said earlier, if we keep taking the steps that we're taking, we'll be able to do those things, but in order to do those things, we have to keep coming to work every day, trusting each other, building off the standard that we have here, and just take control of the game, honestly."
(on how gratifying it was to hold the Carolina offense out of the endzone and for the Baltimore offense to be able to cash in for a touchdown after the defense forced the takeaway) "It felt incredible; it felt like Ravens football honestly. [The] offense wasn't at the standard at the beginning of the game, then they finally picked it up at the end and put points on the board. Then, we just kept going out there and doing our thing. We weren't even focused on the offense; we were just on defense talking about, 'Let's do our job; simple as that.'"
WR DEMARCUS ROBINSON
(on why the defensive backs played off him so much) "I don't know; I don't know. That was their scheme, I guess."
(on if he envisioned having this type of role when he joined the team late during training camp) "I felt like I could be a big focal point wherever I would have [gone]. I'm glad it's here, obviously. I feel like I can be a big focal point, for sure."
(on what his mindset was when WR Rashod Bateman went down and he knew more was going to be asked of himself among the rest of the group) "Just to be able to step up, gather guys around in our room and tell them, 'It's on us,' because he [Rashod Bateman] was our first round pick a couple years ago, or last year. So, we just have to step up in that room and try to make plays, for sure."
(on if he's felt more comfortable taking on a leadership role in young wide receivers room) "Yes, I do. I've been to higher levels, and I'm just trying to get these guys to understand that, which I'm sure they do. We just talk about it a lot. Just to let them know that we're not even halfway to accomplishing our goals, so we just have to keep going harder and harder, because we don't have one of our best players."
(on if the offense had confidence in the defense to win the game at the end, even if the offense was having trouble scoring) "I wish we could have played as well as the defense did. It would really be another level to the team. The defense plays outstanding almost every week; I think we just need to keep upping our ante on offense so we can meet their standard. Then, I feel like we'll be unstoppable."
(on his ability to run after the catch) "Yes, I'm trying to make a play, whether it's a screen or a down-the-field pass, I'm trying to make a play."
(on if he has built chemistry with QB Lamar Jackson on 10-plus yard passes) "Yes, we try to work on timing on all our routes through the week. They were just playing off today, so it gave us a chance to hit that type of route. Yes, we work on that all through the week."
(on being patient waiting for the offense to have an explosive moment) "We're trying to create a play [on] every play that we call, but as we get deeper into the game and [the] defense is playing as well as [it] is playing, we're like, 'If we can put it in the endzone right here,' … Like on the drive we did score, we're like, 'We have to feed off of this.' That's the type of energy we need; we have to push each other every play to try to get in the endzone, for sure."
ILB ROQUAN SMITH
(on what he takes from today's performance) "Just the defense playing 60 minutes of good ball, and those guys did something. The offense took a little while, but hey, we've got those guys' backs every single time, and it was just amazing to get this team win."
(on ILB Patrick Queen) "Man, I love to see it. I told the guy [Patrick Queen] on the sideline, 'When you make a play, we all make a play. So, I'm very happy for the guy's success. We're just trying to make each other better and keep gelling together."
(on the late-game takeaways) "That's big-time. Big-time players step up. 'MP' [Marcus Peters has been playing good ball for a long time in this league, and he made a heck of a play. And that's what the 'O' [offense] does – capitalize on their mistakes – so I'm happy to see it. It's just great, complementary ball."
(on how much better this victory will make Thanksgiving) "Oh, absolutely, it will make it a little better. I'll maybe eat a little bit of extra turkey." (laughter)
(on the mindset of this defense being that if the Panthers don't score, they can't win) "If they don't score … It's as simple as it sounds. If they don't score, they don't win, so if they didn't get any more points, and we didn't give up anything, they don't win. We knew the offense was going to keep getting more points and just keep rolling on them and leaning on those guys. Late in the game, that's when teams fold, and that's what happened."
(on experiencing his first home game at M&T Bank Stadium) "Oh, man, it was amazing. The fans were out here. It was a little nippy for them outside, but they were still cheering us on. I saw a couple times that Lamar [Jackson] had to try to lower the crowd down. So, it was pretty sweet, man, and it was amazing to get my first 'dub' here."
(on if he feels like this defense is on track) "Oh, absolutely, without a doubt. By just sticking together throughout and not getting complacent at any moment and always just trusting one another throughout the entire game … We just keep getting better throughout the entire week. And I think if we just do that, hey, who knows?"
(on what he takes from today's performance) "Just the defense playing 60 minutes of good ball, and those guys did something. The offense took a little while, but hey, we've got those guys' backs every single time, and it was just amazing to get this team win."
(on what it means to work with ILB Josh Bynes throughout the week) "It means a lot, man. Just knowing the type of guys that are on this team. When I first got here … The guys are doing whatever it takes to make this team better. He [Josh Bynes] is helping me with things. I'm asking him questions. He's just coming to me, trying to comfort me and giving me things that I would need and that he's seen in this defense, because he's played in this defense for a while. So, I've got the utmost respect for that guy, and man, I can't thank him enough for being able to just help me through little things, because he knows little things about the defense that I don't know. I'm still learning things. So, yes, I've got a great deal of respect for him."
G KEVIN ZEITLER
(on the running game coming alive in the second half) "Well, obviously, we came out of the bye week, and I'd say everybody was a little sleepy. Nobody on either side of the ball was truly executing up to our standard. And huge shoutout to the defense in the second half – making big plays, bringing us some juice and energy. We were finally able to take advantage and get some things going."
(on how the offensive line responded after T Ronnie Stanley left the game) "Obviously, I'm hoping Ronnie [Stanley] is alright. It always sucks to see someone who battled back so hard to get back and play so well – but huge shoutout to Patrick Mekari. His ability to play every position on the [offensive] line. He's always ready. He's played so many positions this year already, and also last year. We're truly blessed that we have him on our team, and we know he can go out there and give everything that we need him to."
(on what it does for an offense to know that the defense is playing at an extremely high level) "It's huge. Knowing our defense can play that well no matter what the situation is, no matter how close it is or whatever, it's huge. We'll have belief in them all year long, and we're hoping they can set us up next week."
