HEAD COACH JOHN HARBAUGH
Opening Statement: "OK. [I] appreciate you being here. [It was] a disappointing loss, a tough loss [that] could have gone our way for sure, but we didn't get the job done. [We're] 0-2. We're going to play a 17-game season, and we will be defined by the next 15 games, so that's going to be our objective – to play the best 15 games we can, be the best football team we can be, and if we do that, then we're going to have a really good season, have a shot to win a lot of games and get in the playoffs and make a run, so that's what we have to do. Big picture – short-term – we have to go back and look at every little thing, continue to clean up the things that we know we can clean up and get better at the things that make a difference in games. We'll continue to work very hard to do that. What questions do you have?"
With CB Brandon Stephens and the pass interference penalty call, did you have a good vantage point to see that, and what was your view? (Jamison Hensley) "I saw that one, and I saw the Marlon [Humphrey] one on the big screen, so until I see the TV copy, I'm not going to be able to say, because on the big screen, it looked like [Brandon Stephens] had his hands completely off of him. I wouldn't know, on either one of those, what to say to those two guys for better technique. It looked like perfect technique from where I was, but I'll have to look at the TV copy to see what the official thought he saw when he called that."
What did you make of the second-half defense? You guys held them to like 40 yards in the first half. What changed? What did you see? Did they start doing anything differently? (*Luke Jones*)** "I think the penalties extended drives; that was the biggest thing. If those drives don't get extended, [and] you have them backed up, you're going to be off the field, and then they don't have an opportunity to make plays, but when the drive gets extended, for some reason, and you're playing really good playmakers, and all of a sudden, the play gets made, a pass gets made here and there and all that. But, we held up really well. We were fighting right down there. You [almost] have a fourth-and-forever, and a pass interference takes it down to the 1 [-yard line]. They're going to score from the 1, so that's just hard to control that one."
Similar influence on your offense as it seemed like, especially late in the fourth quarter, penalties kind of set your drives back. (Kyle Goon) "Yes, we had the false starts; those really shouldn't happen. Those are things we just need to take a deep breath and clean [up], and that shouldn't happen. We're better than that. We will be. I'm not worried about those going forward, but we have to make sure we're diligent and intentional about not having those false starts. That would have extended drives, especially that one coming out there in the mid-fourth quarter with the quarterback sneak. The holding [penalty] on Ronnie [Stanley], I don't know. I just have to look at it and see. [There was] nothing that I could really coach him on that I saw on the replay, but maybe there is something more there than meets the eye."
You were 0-for-2 on the challenges today. Were you surprised with the decision in the end on both of those? (Cordell Woodland) "Well, the one in the first half, that was close. I think if they ... I thought that one had a real chance. It was also ... we had two timeouts. We had plenty of time. [I] almost felt like it was calling a timeout and kind of giving our guys a chance to get a breath of air, which I wanted to do, so it was worth taking a shot there. The other one was such a high-leverage play. We had such an opportunity, [and] we went so fast. I just thought it was worth, in the heat of battle, taking a shot at it. I would have hated to [have seen] it later that he was clearly off the ground and not out, so that's the challenge [with] the speed of the situation sometimes."
I know you're going to look at the tape going forward, but could you consider any changes up front along the offensive line? I know T Roger Rosengarten is already rotating in. (Jeff Zrebiec) "Yes, I'm just going to look and try to coach the guys and keep getting better with the guys. I'll look at the tape, and we'll see. We're always going to play the best players; that's part of it, if that is what your question is. We'll always try to do that."
In the process of the challenges, is that something where upstairs you have someone telling you if it's worthy of a challenge? (Kyle Phoenix) "Yes, yes. You do, and it's just going fast. They're running to the line, they're going to snap it [to] try to make sure you don't get the challenge off, so it's not like you have all day. You don't get much of a look. [It's] just the high leverage of it. I just felt like ... it was on me. I just felt like, 'You know what. I'm just going to take a shot here and see if we'll win this one,' because it was a big-chunk play. You're not going to be undefeated on challenges over the course of the season. I don't think that's the difference in the game. It would have been nice to have the timeout, but you have to take a shot sometimes, too."
It's been 9 years since you've had a team go 0-2, 2015. It's kind of uncharted territory for you. What is the message that you give to the players? (Jamison Hensley) "The message is we define our season. We're not going to be defined by everyone that's saying we're not any good, that we're good [or] that the season is over after two games. That's what's going to be said, and we understand that, but they're not here; they're not inside. No one inside is going to say that. We have to take care of our stuff, take care of our business [and] take care of our work. We know that we're a good football team, and we're going to go keep getting better and better and better and define the season by the way we play."
You had that incident involving the man on the chain gang who collapsed on your sideline. What did you see, and did it affect your guys being so close to your team? (Kyle Goon) "I'm just grateful that he was revived. Thank God. Thank God, first of all, because there were prayers being made. I promise you there were prayers being made right there touching him for God to bring him back, bring him back, bring him back, and God answered that. For the EMS people, they were on the spot. They jumped right into action, man. They were heroes out there today. That gentleman has been on our sideline, he's a wonderful person – we see him every week – and to see those guys do their job and him come back like that was just ... it was a miracle."
We all know how great K Justin Tucker has been throughout his career. It seems like 50-plus-yarder field goals have been a struggle for him dating back to last year. What do you say to him, and I'm sure you have the utmost confidence in him and continue to send him out there. (Cordell Woodland) "Yes, right. [We have the] utmost confidence in Justin [Tucker], absolutely. [We have the] utmost confidence in him to send him out there every time we need a kick, and [we have] the utmost confidence that he's going to be the best at it and do a great job and do what he does. He's our guy. We believe in Justin, for sure."
On the game-tying touchdown drive that they had, did you feel like the coverage was pretty good for most of that drive and that TE Brock Bowers and WR Davante Adams are just really good players? What did you make of that? (Childs Walker) "I thought they made a few plays. I thought we had them at fourth-and-forever, and then we got a pass interference call in the end zone. That's what I thought. That's what I saw."
TE MARK ANDREWS
On the momentum shift in the second half: "It's just a part of the game. There were a lot of different scenarios that we wish could have gone differently, but having said that, it's one of those games where we are going to learn from this. Going forward, we need to focus on the details and being efficient and be able to close the game out."
On looking ahead to the Dallas game: "We just need to keep getting better. There were a lot of good things in this game, but there is a lot we need to work on. We have a great team [and] a great group of coaches and players, so for us, it's just about coming together. We've been here before with our backs up against the wall, and that's never stopped us. So, I'm excited about going forward and playing the next games."
On if the feeling between this loss and the Kansas City loss is different: "Yes, but I think every game is different in general. What's different is how this game played out with the different scenarios that played out. I wish we could have gotten this one under our belts – I think we deserved it, but it is what it is."
On the result not matching the statistics: "That's just football. Anytime, anywhere, anything can happen. It really is a game of inches, but at the end of the day, we all have to be better, and that's our goal."
On Raiders DE Maxx Crosby being a game wrecker: "Yes, he's a good player, but they have a lot of great players. Hats off to them, congratulations. But right now, we are focused on us. We are focused on Dallas coming up and looking to get better as a group."
RB DERRICK HENRY
On the sense of the locker room after beginning the season 0-2: "We definitely don't want to be 0-2. We wanted to get off to a good start, but we've just got to keep working [and] keep having faith in one another. There are a lot of teams that start 0-2 and then finish the season strong, and we've just got to look at it that way. We're out to a slow start right now, but we'll just keep believing in each other and keep working and keep getting better, and the wins will come soon."
On the running game picking up in the second half: "I just think execution. It's all [about] executing in the run game, me doing my job and guys out there blocking doing theirs. The run game takes all 11 [guys], and I think we did a great job executing to get that started."
On how he felt after scoring the rushing touchdown: "I felt like we were starting to get momentum. We were executing, moving the ball, and just things were going the way we wanted to, as far as in the run game. I thought Pat [Ricard] did a great job, and I thought we had a lot of momentum once we got going."
On what happened on his false start: "I wasn't moving forward; I just moved my leg to the side. I was trying to get my balance, and he snapped it right after. But I wasn't false starting; I was just moving my leg. I guess they called it a false start. It is what it is. I've got to be better."
On why the team didn't continue executing all the way through until the end: "They were just the better team; that's why they won. We didn't make the plays when we needed to, as an offense. We'll just go back to the drawing board, look at the film and correct the mistakes. The execution just has to be better. We just didn't execute as an offense [and] as a team when we needed to, and they did. That's why they won."
On if the momentum running the football towards the end of the game gives him hope moving forward that the running game is starting to get on track: "Yes, I feel [that], eventually, it will happen. We've just got to stay with it [and] not lose faith. We've got [great] guys blocking, and they do a great job. It's just a matter of time for it to happen."
On what lessons he can take from starting slow in Tennessee and getting on the right track: "I mean, these guys know how to win. They've been winning around here for a long time, so there's nothing that I can say to them that ... I don't want to let them think anything other [or] different; they know how to win. We know the problems, so we'll get back to it. It's a slow start right now, but it's all about execution, getting each other better, holding each other accountable and turning this thing around."
QB LAMAR JACKSON
On what's going through his head being 0-2: "[We've] just got to find a way to win. Like you said, I'm not used to being 0-2. [We've] just got to catch our momentum and get it started right away."
On his interception intended for WR Rashod Bateman: "It was just a good play by both players. I threw it to [Rashod] Bateman, and it was accurate. [The] guy made a play on it, [and] it was just tipped. [Number] 41 [Robert Spillane] just made a good play on that ball."
On where the Ravens' offensive momentum stalled: "I can't call it. Like you said, we had the momentum. We [were] up in the fourth quarter, 23-13; usually, we just finish teams by then. We [usually] just go get the ball rolling [and] just go to punishing people, but I guess [Las] Vegas had the best of us today, I'd say."
On what caused the Ravens to give up their 10-point lead in the fourth quarter: "I just feel like we just need to do what we do. At the end of the day, those guys made plays, and they got us off the field. We [have] got to find a way to stay on the field."
On DE Maxx Crosby's impact: "We've got to find a way to ... Those impactful guys, we've got to find a way to just knock them out the game [and] get them out the game. Not literally knock them out, but just find a way to just protect and just get them out [of] the game [and] not let them just run around and do what they do."
On if getting the right protections falls under his responsibilities: "We were in the right protections. They didn't get us on any blitzes when they brought their blitzes. [Maxx Crosby] was just being an impactful player – the high motor guy [that] he was – and he got two sacks today. He was just doing what he was doing."
On what the challenges are to get to where the team wants to be at 0-2: "Put points on the board and just finish people – just finish them. When we have the lead, just keep scoring [and] find a way to keep scoring; just keep milking the clock; keep doing what we do. Play Ravens football."
On if he feels the need to say more to the team this week, as a leader: "It's always business. We are going to see; we are going to see. I'm definitely going to talk to my guys, though, because we've got to find our mojo. We've got to find [it], and do what we do, because that's not us at all."
On if the team is still trying to find its offensive identity: "No, I wouldn't say that. I believe we've got young guys on the team [and] on our offense this year. We've just got to do what we do still, because Derrick [Henry] was running the ball tremendously today. He had a few bursts out there [and] a few plays that he burst out on, and [the offensive] line was doing their job. We've just got to find a way to just get the ball rolling and stay consistent."
On what wasn't working offensively in the first half: "We weren't scoring [touchdowns], but the field goals are part of football. [The Raiders] did the same thing, and they had 6 points, [while] we had 9. We want to score, but we put points on the board. Next time it will be touchdowns."
On if keeping DE Maxx Crosby away from him was communicated on the teams' drive following the Raiders tying the game in the fourth quarter: "I can't call it. I'm not the one who [is] having to block [Maxx Crosby] or anything like that or talking on the line. But we had the right protections up. Sometimes, you've got to have those one-on-one fights. Sometimes we've got to win those."
C TYLER LINDERBAUM
On what he thought of the game: "Obviously, [I'm] very disappointed to come out on the wrong side of it. [It was a] tough loss to a tough team, and there's a lot of stuff that we can clean up from this game to play better as we move forward. We need to be more consistent. I just don't think we had that today, but it's early in the season, and we have to move on from this and learn from it. We need to keep pushing and fighting to get wins."
On being 0-2: "It's not the ideal situation. We'd certainly like to be 2-0 and feel like we could be 2-0, but we're not. We have a tough team next week, and that's the most important thing to focus on. We need to learn from this game, watch the film and move on. All we have to think about is going 1-0 next week."
On the progress of the offensive line from Week 1 to 2: "We just have to continue to get better. We look at the film, we know there are things to clean up here [and] things we need to work on. At the same time, I have the upmost confidence in these guys, and no one is hanging their head."
OLB ODAFE OWEH
On what changed in the fourth quarter for Las Vegas to find success: "They just kept doing what they were doing – staying consistent, running the ball, creasing us up in the middle. I thought [that] we were stopping them on the edge and stuff like that, but they were just more persistent in making the plays that we didn't want them to make, and they made them, so [I thought that] was what it was. We had our foot on the gas in the beginning, but [we] kind of let up towards the end."
On the emotions after letting the game get away: "It sucks. It definitely sucks. [The] only light at the end of the tunnel is that Dallas lost, too. They lost pretty badly, so we've got to just go back to the next week and work, because nobody is going to save us but us. So, it definitely sucks. I felt like we were there, but I [feel] like it's best [that] we go through this right now, so we get all the growing pains out and we start cruising towards the end of the season."
On QB Gardner Minshew II fighting back again, like last year with the Colts: "I don't know. I didn't play last time [Gardner Minshew II] was here, but I guess [that] he's a fighter. He got hit a few times. We muddied the picture for him a little bit, but he kept on going. Kudos to him, hats off to him, but I felt like it was more so what we did wrong."
On what the team needs to do to bounce back after the 0-2 start: "Just keep on working hard – working how Ravens do – but we're going to have to change something so that we stop slipping [with] the little mental errors. I don't know what it's going to be. We're going to have to look back at the film and see where we're lacking at, but [we'll] just continue to do what we're doing – just working hard, closing out the outside noise. We've been in this spot before, and [we'll] just do what we've got to do."
On if things feel different for him so far in Year Four: "It feels good, but it's kind of like, I knew who I was; you all just didn't. So, it's kind of like, I thank God that the results happen and [that Gardner Minshew II] was able to slip in the pocket and I was able to get him, but I knew who I was. So, it's kind of like, 'Thank you, God,' but it's like, 'What's next?'"
T ROGER ROSENGARTEN
On today's game: "I thought we had a good gameplan going in [and] a good week of prep. We did a really good job of just preparation in practice. We wanted to make a big emphasis on practicing the way we want to play and get better and better each week, and there are a few things we didn't execute on. The penalties – if, ands, or buts – can't happen. You can make all of the excuses in the world, but we just have to execute."
On dealing with DE Maxx Crosby: "[Maxx Crosby] is a great player. We knew going in that he would be a game wrecker, so we had to do everything we could to minimize that. He's going to make plays; that's why he's out there. But I thought we had a good gameplan going in, [and] like I said before, we've just got to execute."
On being able to run the ball more effectively in the second half: "Just starting from quarter one, to quarter four, we wanted to implement that – running the ball – and we needed to make sure [that we got No.] 22 [Derrick Henry] back there going, and I think once that ... It's that snowball effect; once you get a couple of good hits, it will start breaking open. Like I said before, we've just got to execute on the other things."
On what the emotions are like after falling to 0-2: "Like I said, anytime you lose, it's a horrible feeling, especially [when], personally, as a player, you wish you could have a few plays back – going back on it – but we can't. It's a long season, so we can't mope around. And like I said, this week of practice is going to be crucial for us."
ILB ROQUAN SMITH
On what his thoughts are with the team being 0-2: "Absolutely. It's the past now when you think about it, but all we can do is respond, and I think that's what [defines] each and every human being – how you [are] defined in adverse moments. I know the guys in the locker room and how we feel about it. Trust me, it sucks more for us than anyone else, and I just know we're going to put our head down and keep going and correct our mistakes, because there's no way we should be 0-2, but it is what it is."
On the penalties that extended the Raiders' drives: "At the end of the day the refs make a call regardless [of] if I agree with it, or even if some of them even don't agree with it. It's what they called on the field and we have to go with it. [It] definitely sucks in some of those moments, but it is what it is."
On the adjustments the Raiders made on offense in the second half: "I think just extending the plays. I think extended plays [and] penalties and some of [their] guys winning their matchups. It just goes back to each and every individual."
On if the Ravens' defensive communication improved from Week 1: "Yes, the communication definitely improved from last week, but there were still some lapses in communication in different situations throughout the game. It's just something that we've got to improve on with the noise and everything like that. It's just [about] each and every guy and it starts with myself – making sure each and every guy got the call, echoing the checks and whatever the case may be. But we'll get better at that for sure."
On what was going through his head and his message to the team after the game: "Not a lot going through my head – more so just how this [press conference] was going to go. As always, chin up, chest out, regardless of what we're going through [and] what I'm going through. At the end of the day, we have a job, and our job is to win and be the best football team we can be. And we haven't been that just quite, so it's about us looking ourselves in the mirror and how we're going to respond from here regardless of what everyone else says. It's more so about what each and every guy believes in the locker room and actually go out and showcase when we get the opportunity next week. But hats off to [Las] Vegas, they played a good game, and they won. So, hats off to them and [head coach Antonio] Pierce."
T RONNIE STANLEY
On being the first team in the league to go 0-2 this season: "I feel like we're doing a lot of good things. There's a lot to clean up. I think it's our own lack of discipline that's causing these problems on ourselves, whatever it is. Something we're going to figure out, and I'm very confident that we're going to figure it out, because I'm very proud of how our guys played. Effort isn't an issue. It's just details, and those details are making a difference for us right now, and that's something we need to fix."
On why certain details are being lost on the team right now: "I can't point to one thing specifically. I feel like it's just a mindset. When you're going in your week of preparation there's certain things you're going to think about more than others, and we as a group need to put more collective focus on these details versus giving this effort, which is something that I'm very confident that we're going to do, because we have a team full of soldiers, so these guys are going to go all out. Now it's just time to sharpen it all up and make things more disciplined and cleaner, because these are the type of games that we can't lose."
On if he feels like the offensive line is still gelling together: "I think we're always going to still be trying to jive together and gel together. No matter what line I've been on in my previous seasons here, we've always gotten better throughout the season, and that's going to continue to happen with the line we have now – it's going to continue to get better. I'm very proud of the guys [and] the way they played. It wasn't perfect, but those guys gave 100% effort until the last snap, and they're going to do that all year, and they're going to keep getting better."
On if this loss feels different than the team's Week 1 loss at Kansas City: "I mean this just felt more self-inflicted. I felt like there [were] many, many opportunities for us to put the nail in the coffin and we just didn't end up doing that. I'm very confident that we have the guys to do it, and I know we have the talent, we have the coaches, we have the people, [and] now it's just putting it all together. We're just going to keep getting better."
On his message to the rest of the offensive line about putting this day behind them: "You just have to learn from your mistakes and move forward; you can't dwell on these things. It's easy to dwell on it. You have media, fans, everyone wanting to [tell] you one thing or another, but there's a lot of good plays that a lot of the guys have been doing that they can focus and build off of. You take the negative, and you see what you did wrong, and then you build on it, and then you move forward."
On if the team is shocked to start off 0-2: "That's not our standard; we want to be undefeated. I can't remember the last time we lost a game, and I was like, 'Yeah, that really just beat us.' It's been a really long time since that happened. Whatever it is, football is a very complex game. There's a lot of people, [and] a lot of different moving parts, but we have the people that we need to be successful."
On if he's comfortable with how the season has started: "No. I'm not comfortable at all with how the start has gone. What we're trying to do here is win. We want to win games. Like I said, it's not like we have a lack of talent or people to do it. Our standard is very high, and that's definitely not OK for us to start that way. The type of effort and tenacity these guys are giving is second to none. I'm not doubting the type of people we have and the type of character that we have in this locker room, but we have to buckle down on these details that really make a difference when you're playing at this level."
On the holding call against him in the second quarter: "I don't agree with it, but that's their decision to make. They'll watch the film [and] make their decision, but I don't agree with that one."
On if the offense figured something out on the first drive of the second half: "I think we were just getting in the rhythm. With the run game, it's like one of those things where it's a rhythm thing, same thing with throwing. But with the run game, it's going to keep getting better throughout the game. We don't want to start off slow like that. We want to start off a little faster [and] a little sharper, so we can get those type of runs early on and keep getting better off of that."
K JUSTIN TUCKER
On what his message to the team is after falling to 0-2: "I think it's just that we have to keep going. You just have to trust the process, [and] just come in and work, each and every day. Whether it's on the field or in the meeting room. 'Harbs' mentioned to the team right after the game here in the locker room, that we just need to come together, and it's true. We've had experiences in the past where we've had to really grind to get going, or we really had to slug it out to get our first win. But this team is too talented, too hard-working with the leadership that we have in the locker room and all throughout our coaching staff. We have every reason to be confident. Every little thing that we can address, we will. I think the key is to just come together and keep working."
On being one of his last seven from 50-plus-yard field goal attempts: "As simply as I can put it, it's not my favorite topic of discussion, but I just missed the kick. I don't want to continue having this conversation. When I go out on the field, I'm confident that I'm going to nail every single kick, no matter where we are on the field. Today was no different. We got off to a pretty good start kicking the ball. The ball was coming off my foot pretty nicely. Nick [Moore] was throwing back good snaps and Jordan [Stout] was throwing back good holds. And then, I just misfired on the one from 56 [yards]. [I] left three points out there that we certainly could have used down the stretch in this game, but at the exact same time, trying to overanalyze or dwell on a mistake or a performance that is not up to our collective standard, that's not going to do us any good. What is going to help us is continuing to trust the process, and just come together as a team, and get to work. This is a long season. We're 0-2, but we have every reason to be confident. We can clean up some things. I think everybody in here would say the real accountability is taking the burden of blame on yourself so somebody else doesn't have to. And everybody else in this locker room is built just like that. I think we're going to be just fine. We're going to be a really good football team."
