HEAD COACH JOHN HARBAUGH
Opening Statement: "OK, good seeing everybody. I sure appreciate you being here. [We had a] good day, a good workday. Guys are locked in, and we are all hands on deck pointed toward Saturday night at 'The Bank,' and I can't wait to see how our guys play. I can't wait to take the field with them. I'm proud of them. It's the last game of the regular season, and we want to play our best game. That's what we'll be trying to do, and that's what we've been focusing on. So, what questions do you have?"
Do you think with everyone knowing the AFC North title is on the line, is that something you've even had to mention at all this week to the team? (Jamison Hensley) "Well, I haven't had to, but I have. Obviously, we have so much to play for. We try to take it one game at a time, one series at a time [and] one play at a time. That's what we'll be trying to do in this game, again. This game, because of all of the other games behind it, is an opportunity to put a banner up here. That means a lot, especially in the AFC North. It's a tough division, so winning the AFC North is even a greater accomplishment. That's the opportunity we have this week, and that's what we're going to be fighting for."
Temperatures are going to be close to freezing with I think gusts over 30 miles per hour on Saturday. Is it useful to have a kind of potential primer for playoff weather going forward? (Jonas Shaffer) "Sure. I mean, it's January, so whatever weather you get, you get. That's how it works. We had a chance to get out there this week. Today, obviously, was very cold and windy, and we were out there in it. The guys were on point, and they were sharp, and it was good."
Great representation from the Ravens for the Pro Bowl. Nine players made the team, including WR Zay Flowers becoming the first homegrown wide receiver ever for a Raven. I know you're focused on Saturday night, but when those accolades come in, what does that mean to you? (Pete Gilbert) "The individual awards are team awards. That's kind of how we look at it. Football is the ultimate team sport, so the awards are the ultimate team awards. To see guys accomplish that, as a coach – to fulfill dreams and those kinds of things and be a part of that – we all take great pride in that. [We had] so many guys. We had nine guys [and] also a number of alternates. It's a great thing, and it means a lot, and it's something that ... My brother [Jim Harbaugh] was a Pro Bowler, and once a Pro Bowler always a Pro Bowler; you're a Pro Bowl player, and you earned that. How many people in the world can say that. It's just a pretty incredible thing, so I'm proud if those guys [and] happy for them, and it means a lot to us."
You guys have gone over, as an organization, over 50 sacks for the third time ever but second year in a row. What is it about pass rush coach Chuck Smith and what that puss rush group has done the last two years to be able to sustain that success? (Sam Cohn) "I just think it's another thing; it's another group effort. Obviously, the people involved with it deserve so much credit. Hats off to the guys. It's certainly the pass rushers, and it's certainly the pass rush coaches. [Pass rush coach] Chuck [Smith] and [assistant defensive line/outside linebackers coach] Matt [Robinson] and [defensive line coach] Dennis [Johnson] are a big part of that and all the coaches, but it's also the coverage. The coverage lends itself to sacks, and the linebackers, they're blitzing and doing things like that, so it's a team effort. I'm proud of those guys. [Let's] see how many we can get on Saturday. That's the next one, the next challenge."
Back to the Pro Bowl, how good do you feel for G Daniel Faalele, with him being an alternate and knowing what he's gone through this year, becoming a first-year starter and all of that? (Ryan Mink) "I feel great for [Daniel Faalele]. He had to take a lot of criticism from some, some standing around this very circle right here. 'When are you going to replace Daniel Faalale?', and we didn't bite. It paid off. His best football ... This is just the beginning for Daniel, and I expect him to go play his best game on Saturday night, but I think it's also a confidence boost for him that people ... He doesn't just have to read what people think he's not; he gets the chance to realize that players and coaches around the league – what they think he is – proven by when they vote for you to be in the Pro Bowl. So, heck yes for Daniel. It's a great thing, and I'm really happy for him and excited for him, but I'm more excited for the player he's going to become."
How's RB Justice Hill? Is it more the illness, or is he still in the concussion protocol? (Luke Jones) "[It's] illness, illness. [Justice Hill]'s still in the protocol because he has to come out and practice. The illness is what's keeping him off the field right now; it's not the concussion. The concussion's gone."
Does that make it challenging for Saturday for RB Justice Hill even to clear the protocol, like you said he hasn't been practicing? (Cordell Woodland) "It's challenging, sure. [There's] a lot of challenges, challenges everywhere. [It's a] challenging sport, challenging everything. [There are] challenges, challenges left and right, challenges everywhere. The way you asked the question cracks me up, so I had to call it out."
G DANIEL FAALELE
On what it means to be named a Pro Bowl alternate: "It means a lot. It just gives me more confidence in myself, just knowing that I belong. It's a good achievement. Next year, I want to be in the Pro Bowl, though."
On if he needed the journey to become the player he is today: "Yes, I feel like everything happens for a reason, and I was able to just learn from my losses and just get better each week and just trust my coaches, trust each other and just apply it each week."
On how he found out he was a Pro Bowl alternate: "'EDC' [executive vice president and general manager Eric DeCosta] told me two days ago or yesterday."
On his reaction to learning the news: "For me, I was like completely shocked. Yes, I was just shocked. I was not expecting that at all, but [it's] great news."
On who he told the news to first: "I told my mom. She was going crazy [with] voting, so I had to tell her I appreciated that." (laughter)
On where he feels like he's grown the most over the course of the season: "I feel like [I'm] just learning the position overall, just understanding where I have to be at, body-position wise, and just elevating my game each week."
On how he's handled the outside noise: "For me, I just don't listen to any outside noise. All I care about is my coaches and my teammates and what they think of me and where I can get better to help them and us win games."
S KYLE HAMILTON
On earning his second-consecutive Pro Bowl nod: "It's a blessing. It's something that I try to ... It doesn't happen often, and I have to appreciate what I have, and I'm super thankful [and] super just blessed to be in the position that I'm in, and [I] can't take it for granted. My family just reminds me every day, 'You're a special kid,' and I appreciate them, because I wouldn't be here without them."
On if it's significant that he's made multiple Pro Bowls now: "Yes, I don't think it's something I'll really realize right now. When I'm done playing football and just see the culmination of everything that I've done, I think it'll be a little more satisfactory then [and] a little cooler when I look back on it and have my kids say, 'My dad was a multi-time Pro Bowler.' But at the same time, we have bigger things to accomplish. We're trying to hopefully not be in the Pro Bowl and be in the Super Bowl, but [I'm] still thankful, still honored [and] still blessed."
On what having nine Pro Bowl selections and several alternates says about the roster: "I think it's just, top-to-bottom, one of, if not, the strongest roster in the league, and we have a bunch of talent and a bunch of guys around here making each other better. We're all focused on one goal, and when you have a lot of people who are like-minded and work hard ... 'Harbs' [head coach John Harbaugh] said it yesterday: 'People getting individual awards just proves that we're having team success.' We're all blessed and thankful to be in the position that we're in, and it's something that we don't take for granted."
On if there's something he likes about playing in the first game this weekend, knowing that they don't have to scoreboard watch, and if the team wins, they'll clinch the division: "Yes, I think it's a little bittersweet. It kind of threw our weekly schedule for a turn there. We got back, and I think they changed it late Sunday night or something like that, but it just goes to show that everybody is locked in. It's kind of the same schedule that we had the last few weeks – it's not a usual, conventional schedule. I feel like we've had very minimal of those this year, and guys have adapted really well and hopefully go showcase that on Saturday."
On if the team talks amongst each other about winning the AFC North division title: "Yes, [when] we're setting goals in the offseason, it's win the division, with the AFC ... Actually, let me rewind that; win the next game, win the division, win the AFC, win the Super Bowl. You kind of have to take it one step at a time. So, we're on our way to winning the AFC North right now, and that will put us on a good track to go win the AFC and then win the Super Bowl. So, looking at it from that perspective, we have a big opportunity this weekend to accomplish one of those steps."
On if there is any revenge from Week 8 on the team's mind going into Saturday's game: "I think a little bit. We still have a sour taste in our mouth from that game, and [we] had a lot of opportunities to win that one and obviously didn't come out with a win. So, I think we're going to play with a little bit of a chip on our shoulder and really prove ourselves right – more than anything – that we're going to go out and ... It doesn't matter the implications [or] whatever; we need to go out and play a good football game, and if we do, then we'll be AFC champs."
On if he feels for teammates like OLB Kyle Van Noy that didn't make the Pro Bowl: "Yes, I wish everybody could get in. That doesn't go to say that their seasons aren't recognized by a bunch of dudes. I'm trying to think who else ... Who else got snubbed?" (Reporter: Mark [Andrews], Ronnie [Stanley]) "Yes. See, like all of those guys. But we'll all know what they did. Obviously, not everybody can be in it, but it's still a blessing that we have all of these people on our team who were able to make the Pro Bowl and then a bunch of people who – quote-on-quote – [were] snubbed from the Pro Bowl. It means that you have a pretty good team. So, we're just going to keep that rolling going into the playoffs."
On if he grew up dreaming about being a Pro Bowl player, and at what point he thought he was good enough to make it: "I've always wanted to be in the NFL, one. [The] Pro Bowl would've been a plus, for sure, but growing up [and] just seeing Sean Taylor hit that punter in the Pro Bowl, that was pretty cool, and I was like, 'Yes, I want to do that someday.'" (laughter) "Obviously, you can't do that now, but yes, it's always been a dream of mine. That's why I'm kind of saying [that] you have to take a step back and just see where you're at and just be thankful for everything that's come to fruition."
