Roquan Smith sent his best wishes to Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin, who suffered a potentially season-ending ankle injury Monday night while being tackled by Smith.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the league is examining Smith's tackle to see if it meets the criteria of a hip-drop tackle that was banned by the NFL in March.
Smith was asked if he had heard a ruling from the NFL on the play.
"That's not really something to discuss in this moment," Smith said.
However, Smith feels for Godwin after the injury.
"First and foremost, just send prayers and a speedy recovery out to Chris," Smith said. "I've got a lot of respect for him as a player, what he's accomplished throughout this league, and the little I've seen of him he seems like a really good dude, and what I've heard, a good family man.
"You never want to see anybody go down with any kind of injury, but we play a very physical game and it demands a lot. Bullets are flying pretty fast, but I never go into any game meaning to injure any player. I want every player to go back home safe and sound to their family, maybe a little sore, but I definitely want you to get back home safe and sound."
Arthur Maulet Feels 'Ready to Play'
Nickel cornerback Arthur Maulet (knee/ankle) was a full participant in Thursday's practice and hopes to play Week 8 against the Cleveland Browns. It would be the season debut for Maulet, who was activated to the 53-man roster on Tuesday.
Maulet believes his communication and tenacity will be a boost to the defense, after being re-signed to a two-year contract in March.
"I'm ready to play," Maulet said. "I'm the dirty work guy. I get my nose dirty, I do all the stuff that everybody doesn't want to do.
"When I signed that two-year contract, I told Harbs (Head Coach John Harbaugh) and the coaching staff I want to make sure that the investment they gave me was worth it. I was ready to prove myself. I'm behind the eight ball right now so I've got a lot of stuff I've got to make up on."
Maulet was one of the top players during training camp prior to his knee injury. He doesn't think it will take him long to find his groove.
"I'll just pick up where I left off during training camp," Maulet said. "I was making plays. Guys were flying around, I could just plug in. I feel great. I'm excited, I'm ready to play with my guys. Words can't even explain how excited I am."
Zach Orr Says Mental Lapses Are Still Hurting Defense
There was good and not-so-good for the Ravens' defense against Tampa Bay.
The good was holding the Buccaneers scoreless on six straight possessions in the second and third quarters, which helped Baltimore score 34 unanswered points. The not-so-good was giving up 10 points on Tampa Bay's first two drives and surrendering 21 points in the fourth quarter.
Defensive Coordinator Zach Orr said the finish to the game left a bad taste despite the 41-31 victory, but that it will serve as added motivation.
"I think we did have a couple mental lapses in that fourth quarter, and that was frustrating," Orr said. "We were happy we won the game, but we kind of felt really bad.
"The thing that we've been talking about these last couple days is, it's how you finish. Our players did a hell of a job from, really, the second quarter all the way through that fourth quarter, and then the fourth quarter was terrible, and that's what everybody is going to talk about – rightfully so. We've definitely got to finish better. It's something that we have to do if we want to be the team that we want to be."
A point of emphasis against Cleveland will be containing running back Nick Chubb, who returned to action in Week 7 after a serious knee injury last season. Chubb was limited to 22 yards on 11 carries in his debut, but also found the end zone.
"He's still Nick Chubb," Orr said. "He had a run in the low red zone, they hit him at the five-yard line, and he ended up getting tackled at the 1-yard line, so the strength is still there. We know in his first game back, they were kind of easing him back. We expect a Nick Chubb of old, which is a top running back in the league, and we expect them to give him the ball a lot more."
Todd Monken Has Regrets About Misfire on Backward Pass
Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken is receiving well-deserved praise with the Ravens leading the NFL in total offense. However, the Ravens are striving for perfection, and Monken wasn't happy with the Ravens' fourth-quarter turnover against the Buccaneers that led to a Tampa Bay touchdown.
Lamar Jackson threw a backward pass to Zay Flowers that became a fumble when he didn't control it, and the Buccaneers recovered. Monken said the play was not designed to be a backward pass.
"It's bad football," Monken said. "It put them back in the game. There's no other way to put it; it can't happen. Not with me who's running it or us doing it – it's just bad football. That's what gave them life.
"It can't be a lateral; we can't end up with the ball on the ground, and we have to get him on the ground. Yes, we touched his knee, but for God's sakes, [Zyon McCollum] carried us for 20 yards. We're tougher than that."
As for highlights, Monken said he loved seeing Jackson run downfield to throw a lead block for Derrick Henry.
"He's like a big kid," Monken said of Jackson. "He's fun to be around. It's rare that, from my perspective, he has a bad day. I'm sure he does, but you have to love his personality and how much he loves to play football. He loves to compete and loves to win, and that's a great start. That's what shows up.
"At that moment, he's not afraid of getting hurt. He's not afraid of pulling a hamstring. He's happy for his teammates, he's happy for us, he's happy that we're having success, and I think that's an unbelievable attribute."
