HEAD COACH JOHN HARBAUGH
Opening Statement: "Congrats to the Browns. [It was a] tough loss for us, [but it was] hard fought [and I] appreciate the effort and the fight with our guys as always. We'll get ourselves organized; get back to Baltimore and start getting ready for Denver next week at home. What questions do you have?"
How much did the injuries – not having the two corners and having defensive linemen go down – how much did that change things defensively for you? (Jamison Hensley) "I mean it's impossible to really put a metric on that. It's obviously a factor, but I appreciate the guys going in there [and] playing, fighting and competing. [I] love our guys, and I thought that they competed out there – the guys that were out there playing in those spots that you're talking about."
Was S Marcus Williams a health decision or something else? (Jeff Zrebiec) "It was a personnel decision. We're kind of working through some things there, [and] I feel very confident Marcus [Williams] is going to be out there playing great football the rest of the season. I'll just talk about it being an internal type of situation."
You guys have a quarter stretch coming up against teams like the Steelers, Chargers, Eagles – teams that are more than capable of passing the ball. How do you guys expect to overcome these defensive struggles when it comes to defending the pass? (Reporter) "We're very confident in our guys – we always are. We've played great defense, and we'll keep working, and we'll put up some good defensive games – I'll promise you that."
You see a couple times where the defense played ... Balls were in those guys' hands. Does that show you how close you guys are to finishing and it only takes one play to do so? (Jamison Hensley) "Yes, sure. I mean, that's part of it, no doubt."
I think the TV cameras caught you saying something on that first opening drive where you guys went for it on fourth-and-1. Did you think it was first down? Did you know it was fourth-and-1? (Jonas Shaffer) "Yes. We were going to go for it [on anything from] one [or] one-and-a-half [yards] – anything inside of two. Early in the game, that was our metric the whole time. We were planning on doing that. That was what we were doing. The thing that you have to understand is that's a long gain right there. You don't exactly think you're going to probably get it in on one [chance] right there. I don't know what the odds would be. What was it [on the previous play] – third-and-what? You're asking me the question, help me with the details. That's kind of the point there – you don't really expect to gain one short ... so we were trying to work through that plus there was a penalty before that."
Were you expecting more from your pass rush component to the game? (Jonas Shaffer) "Yes, we're just going to go out there and try to compete and do the best we can. I mean we fight; we fight to get pass rush; we fight for everything; we fight for everything. You always want to do enough to win the game. We weren't able to do that in this game. We'll definitely break it all down. We'll break every aspect of it down. When we sit there and watch the film, everybody will look at everything that they can do better and everything we did, and we'll try to continue to keep improving. I mean, there's a lot of football left to be played. You're not going to win every game. It was a tough situation coming in here. I think our guys handled all of that pretty well – we operated pretty well. We didn't do enough; we didn't make the plays; we didn't make the calls that we need to make to win the game, and that's really what it boils down to."
The Browns ... Not the last touchdown – the other Tillman touchdown where he caught the slant inside. Looked like you guys weren't lined up defensively. There was a lot of movement. (Jeff Zrebiec) "Yes, we weren't well organized on that play. There's no doubt about it. That play was not a good play for us."
With the direct snap to RB Derrick Henry early in the game and then the third down with TE Charlie Kolar. Obviously, you guys go on to score there but what was the thought there... (Brian Wacker) "Well the third down with Charlie [Kolar] was a quarterback sneak. You try to draw them offsides. They said he moved his head too much when he was calling his cadence. That's tough. I guess that's the interpretation on that. That's what happened on that – we overcame that one. The 'Wildcat' off-tackle play – we just didn't do a good enough job with it. It is what it is as a call. You look back, [and] you wish you hadn't called that. You wish it maybe it would've been better as a play, but that's football – that happens. We understand that, so you keep fighting; you have them backed up, and you keep fighting."
How difficult are the penalties making it when you're behind? On special teams they're forcing you guys back inside deep in your own territory... (*Jeff Zrebiec)* "Yes, the special teams – you're talking about the return penalties specifically? Is that what you're talking about, specifically? Yes, those balls should've been kept in the end zone. So, we set ourselves up on that one. That was not good."
WR RASHOD BATEMAN
On the offensive performance today: "I just don't think we followed the script. First and foremost, I don't think we executed at the highest level. We played behind the chains a lot, and we can't do that. We've just got to continue to make plays – somehow, someway – and [be] consistent going down the field."
On if the sun was a factor on his drop: "Yes, the sun got me on that one deep ball. I've got to catch those, still, though."
On if he saw the ball late due to the sun on his drop: "No, I saw the ball all the way up to the last minute, and then the ball went directly into the sun. I can't do anything about that, so God just got me on that one, I guess. That's all I can say."
On the big-picture plan for the offense this week: "We're just looking to be in the red zone, as much as we could be with the plays that were called. We didn't do that. Cleveland did a good job of defending us towards the end of the game, and we came up short."
On the offense's struggles on third down today: "Honestly, it honestly goes back to execution. Whatever the play [was], somehow, someway, no matter what it [was], we beat ourselves. I don't know what [better] position [we] could have been in. It could have been [on] the receivers, [or] it could have been [on the] O-Line; you never know. But we are a team, and I just feel like we all failed when we should excel. We're very aware of that, and we'll just continue to work to fix those things."
On how much of a reality check this will serve as after five consecutive wins: "Reality check? This is the NFL; this happens, week in and week out. This is reality for us. We're going to treat this just how we treat any other game – win or loss. We're going to work tomorrow, the next day and the next days after that."
S EDDIE JACKSON
On what the frustration is for the defense currently: "It's very frustrating. I left a lot of opportunities out there. [We] have to come out and get better, everybody [needs to] be on one accord and just make plays when they come to us."
On how the defense can catch interceptions: "[We] just [need] to keep getting on the JUGS [machines], making those plays in practice – we just have to make them. You can say this or say that; we've been on the JUGS and doing everything, [but] we're just in a funk right now."
On if not intercepting passes are mental errors: "We're just not making those plays when they come to us; it's just [as] simple as that. We just have to make them. There's no big theory behind it, we're just in a funk right now that we have to get out of, because a lot of those are big game-changing plays, if we make those."
On when he found out that he and S Ar'Darius Washington would be starting the game: "During the week, we kind of figured that it was going to be me and 'A.D.' [Ar'Darius Washington] out there."
On his two dropped interceptions: "[I] just have to come down with it. [I] just have to continue to work on it [and] see the ball through. It's like a funk right now. Like I said, there's no big theory behind it, [I] just have to catch the ball. It sounds crazy, but I just have to come up with them."
On what the defense needs to do to finish off games: "We just have to keep our foot on the pedal. Everyone [has] to be on one accord, continue to play [and] not get relaxed. Like I said, we have to make those plays. There's no excuse for anything that happened out there, we just have to make those plays when they come to us. They were huge game-changing plays for us, and we have the guys that can do it in the room, we just have to continue to work at it and come up with it."
On if the secondary is still having communication issues: "It's here and there, [but] we just have to echo the call to everyone so that everybody can be on the same page. That's something that we can continue to work on and keep improving, but like I said, we had some big opportunities that we missed out there that a lot of us wish we could have back. But we just have to live with this one, take it on the chin and get ready for next week, but it's going to suck."
On what it will take for the defense to get back to its "standard": [We] just [have to] keep working. I feel like we work hard. We come in every week, we work hard in practice, [and] we just have to let it translate to the game. Then again, like I said, we have to make those plays when [the football] comes to us. I had a few of them out there that's got me sick. We just have to come out there and make them. Coach [defensive coordinator Zach Orr] is putting us in that position to make those plays. We just have to get out of this funk that we're in."
On how tough of a position he was in on WR Cedric Tillman's go-ahead touchdown catch: "Cover 0 is a tough spot, but I have to play it better. [It's] as simple as that."
QB LAMAR JACKSON
On if this loss is more frustrating than others: "Yes, like you said, every loss is frustrating. Yes, because we've been doing so good on the offensive side of the ball [and] the defensive side of the ball. We've just been putting points on the board, keeping teams out of the end zone. We just have to play better."
On if took the offense a while to get settled in: "We just have to put points on the board. We're doing a good job of moving the ball, and then we just get stopped as soon as we change fields. We just have to do a good job of making downs count. [On] first and second down – [we have to] stay out of third-and-long, stuff like that, second-and-long."
On if the Browns having familiarity with the Ravens was one of the reasons Baltimore lost: "People probably look at the Browns record and [say], 'Oh, that's a sorry team,' but this is the NFL. I always say that 'This is the NFL,' and any given Sunday, a team can be good. Any given Sunday, a team can wake up, and it could be their day. We just have to play better all around, that's all. They did a great job. [The] Browns did a great job [in] all phases."
On if the wide receivers were complaining about losing track of the football in the sun: "No, they didn't tell me that. If they did, I'd believe it, because the sun was glaring today. [It was] shining."
On if there was any thought of going out of bounds on the last drive with short passes to get a little closer to the end zone: "That would be easier to catch the ball inbounds if we had a couple more timeouts; We probably [would have] been closer to the end zone. We were far out, so we were just trying to get the ball as close as possible to the end zone to give our guys a shot."
On the offense being 2-of-10 on third downs: "[The Browns defense] was doing a good job of stopping us. We weren't converting on third down, obviously. Sometimes, we had a couple of penalties here and there to push us back further or a sack or something like that, [but] we just have to do a better job at sustaining that."
On how aggressive the Browns were in stopping the read option: "[The Browns defense] were triggering. They had the safeties all down [and] linebackers. They were switching it up; they were doing a good job of switching it up, but the read was still the same. They did a good job though."
DT NNAMDI MADUBUIKE
On the defensive performance today: "It's frustrating for sure. We're the Ravens. We pride ourselves on defense, and obviously, everybody is referring to how great we were last year and just comparing it to this year, it's just not the same ... But hey, we're just going to go back to practice [and] just fix those little things. That's where it starts, and that's where it can transfer to the game [from] so we can win these games. This is a game we should have won, and we didn't, so it's very frustrating. And I know a lot of guys feel the same way I feel. But, we have an opponent coming into our house [next week], and that's the next thing we're going to focus on."
On how confident the defense was in its ability to stop the Browns on their last scoring drive: "Very confident. We were very confident. And the fact that we didn't [stop the Browns from scoring], it hurts a little bit; it hurts a little bit. But hey, what can you do? The game is over. [We can] come out, make sure you feel good, healthy and keep going to practice and building those good habits so we can execute the right way that we're supposed to in the game. So, that's all I can do."
On how difficult it is to not make the most of interception or sack opportunities: "Yes, it's frustrating. It's just point blank frustrating. Those are things that ... We're supposed to pick the ball off, and we're supposed get the ball, and we didn't do those things, so it's frustrating. But hey, what can you do? [We can] go to practice [and] get on the JUGS. Even me, myself, I need to get better. We all need to get better, in terms of [the] run game, pass game – everything. Kudos to the Browns; they played a good game, and they won, and congratulations to them. But we know who should have really won that game, and it was just [on] us. We just didn't capitalize on those opportunities, and it hurts. But we have a new opponent coming up, and that's what we're going to focus on, really."
On if the short week to prepare factored into the performance at all: "No, I'm not going to make any excuses at all. No, it didn't; we just didn't execute today, period – point blank, period. We're not going to make excuses; that's not what we do. We're just going to go to the drawing board, get to practice, build those good habits and prepare to win games – period – and get back to the defensive standard that we are supposed to [have]."
On the conversations amongst the defensive groups during halftime: "We were hyped up. We were juiced up. We were ready to go out there in the third quarter and dominate, and we did for moments, but then we let it slip a little bit, and then [it got to a point that] when we're supposed to make those plays – in the fourth quarter – we didn't. It's just frustrating, but it's over. Everybody [should] make sure [they] feel good, healthy and just get to practice [and] get back to work. That's all you can do. [There's the] next opponent coming up. That's it."
CB BRANDON STEPHENS
On if the secondary is still having miscommunications: "I think our communication was good this game. We definitely had our plays and gave up some explosives, but I think we're good with communication. We just have to execute better – plain and simple."
On how challenging it was without CB Nate Wiggins & CB Marlon Humphrey, then losing DE Brent Urban and NT Michael Pierce early in the game: "When you're missing some guys that mean a lot to this defense [and] to this team, but it's no excuse. The guys out on the field – we're here for a reason – so we have to play to our standard."
On what led to the Browns having multiple open receivers making catches throughout the game: "I have to look at the film for me to [be able to] answer that, but right now, we just have to execute. We have to make plays on the ball and just get off the field."
On what it's going to take for the defense to finish games: "It's going to take [a] want to, and the will to just want to in the game. We pride ourselves in finishing, and we haven't done that – especially we didn't do it today – but it's just going to take work – day in and day out – to excel."
On how much dropping interceptions are holding the defense back: "We definitely have had our opportunities. We had some opportunities in this game, even late in the fourth to end it. But it's tough – we just have to capitalize when we get our hands on the ball – that [would] give us an opportunity to get off the field and give our offense the ball back."
S AR'DARIUS WASHINGTON
On if there were differences playing with a different defensive unit than usual: "I mean a little bit, it's a little different. Of course we miss Marlon [Humphrey] out there – he's the head of the snake, so of course we miss him being out there. But all those guys have been in that role and go out there and compete."
On how the secondary played: "I mean we just have to get better. We really got to catch the ones that they throw to us. We had a couple chances to end the game, and even on that third-and-6 when I was out there – I should've been in a little tighter to him and made that play. So that's kind of how it is."
On the secondary's dropped interceptions: "You can get on the JUGS [machine] and everything like that, but at the end of the day, we all can catch. So, [we] just [have to] block out all the noise, stop thinking about everything that's going on and just focus on the catching the ball."
On why the defense isn't playing as well as they know they can: "Honestly, just locking in. Each and every snap thinking about everything that we're going to do out there – our job and our assignment. Just locking in and just blocking out the noise that's outside noise and anything that's going on."
On how the team would be doing if the defense was playing at a higher level: "I mean, we'd probably be undefeated right now. We really got to get back to ... We [are] in the middle of the season right now, and so we've got to get back to doing what we do. It's kind of like [a sense of] urgency right now, but just stay calm and everything like that. But it's definitely urgent."
On being without CBs Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins: "It's tough, but we trust the guys that are going to go out there. Even the backups or anything like that – everybody can play. We trust those guys, but of course it's tough. Marlon [Humphrey] is the head of the snake, so he leads us in his energy, and it definitely is felt out there when he's there."
On the main focuses for the defense going forward: "Yes, just focus on the details. Knowing our gameplan, knowing our job and everything like that. But other than that, really just catching the ball when they throw it to us – we left some money out there for sure."
