RB DERRICK HENRY
On what it's going to be like playing in the playoffs again: "I'm excited. It's a different atmosphere during the postseason, because everybody knows what's at stake, so I'm just excited to be back in that atmosphere. Like I said, I'm excited. It's been a while."
On if the focus and intensity go up a notch in the playoffs: "That's what you expect from yourself and what everybody expects out of each other. Just be locked in more than you were before, and just pay more attention to the details, and just go out there and play the best game you can but not try to get overwhelmed or make it more than what it is."
On the difference between playing a regular playoff game versus a playoff game against a division opponent: "We're playing the Steelers, so we know it's always tough. During the season, those AFC North matchups are four-quarter battles, so that's what we anticipate. We don't take the opponent lightly, but we know it's an AFC North division opponent rivalry. We know it's going to be a four-quarter battle."
On if he wants to make it uncomfortable for defenders to tackle him: "I'm focused on doing my job the best way that I can every single play, to be effective on offense, help us get in the end zone [and] put ourselves in the best position to win. I'm not really focused on what somebody else is thinking."
On what playing alongside QB Lamar Jackson has done for him this season: "I've answered this a lot during the season, but Lamar [Jackson] is Lamar. [He's] the best player in this league, and I feel like if anyone plays with him, he's a benefit to any player. I'm happy and glad to be able to play beside him. [He's] a future [Pro Football] Hall of Famer, and he makes everything different for everybody. He's a dynamic player. You have to respect his arm and his legs. With [No.] 8, you always have a chance."
On the bond and respect he has for FB Patrick Ricard: "[Patrick Ricard is] a juggernaut [and] an unsung hero to go out there and mash people out the way for me every single game, especially in the cold, which is not easy. I know he played at Maine, but it's a little different in the NFL. I have a ton of respect for Pat being his teammate [and even] when I wasn't. I'm happy that I'm finally his teammate. He's blocking for me, and he's doing a hell of a job this season. He deserves all of the recognition."
On the atmosphere of a primetime game at M&T Bank Stadium: "The fans are just as locked in as we are, and we're definitely going to need that on Saturday. Bring your coats, your blankets, your hot chocolate, coffee – whatever you need to be loud – and we're going to need it loud in that stadium. We're going to need that energy. We're need the fans to [be] intense, for sure, on Saturday."
On how it feels to close football games: "Yes, just close the game out. Securing the win is all I'm focused on. Finishing is what we preach, and that's what we say to each other in the huddle. 'Just finish. Just finish the game, and let's get out here with a victory.'"
On pundits saying his impact on the offense hurts QB Lamar Jackson's chances at winning the MVP Award: "You can put anybody by Lamar [Jackson], and they're going to have a hell of a year. That's just the type of player he is. My success shouldn't knock his or vice versa. Lamar is the main reason why I came here – to play with a Hall of Fame [-caliber] quarterback, MVP-caliber quarterback. I've been seeing all the chatter. I forgot who said it, [but we should] celebrate the two – him and Josh Allen. They both had a hell of a year this year. I feel like Lamar – in his case – I feel like his stats can be even better. I feel like he's the best player in the league, and it's only going to get better from here. I don't feel like what I've done should hurt him. I feel like he's helped me even more."
On how his mentality in the playoffs differs as opposed to his mentality in the regular season: "It doesn't at all. I still have a job to do, whether it's the regular season or the playoffs, but I think it's just that we know what's at stake, and we know what we have to do to get where we want to go."
On if he likes cold-weather games: "I don't care. We have to play, whether it's cold, raining [or] hot. We have to go out there and get the job. It doesn't matter to me."
On if he thought he could be the difference in the team winning the Super Bowl: "I'm not going to get into all of that. I just wanted to come here to make an impact and be an adding piece to this offense, to this team, to help them get to where they want to go, and this week is a first step. We have to work hard this week and practice execution to go out there and do it on Saturday."
QB LAMAR JACKSON
On if he has any birthday plans: "Not that I know of – there's probably a surprise or something. I'm chilling."
On if he ever has any birthday celebrations: "No, not really. I'm just thankful [and] grateful. That's all."
On the preparation and focus going into this week: "Yes, we know what's at stake. It's win or go home, and it's a team we're very familiar with [and] a great team at that. [It's] win or go home. You're just locked in [and] dialed in."
On what he's taken away from previous playoff games he's played in: "To me, a playoff game is a lot slower. You have to try to be mistake free. The game is won with the turnover battle and keeping the ball in your control – moving the ball down the field, getting first downs, putting points on the board, obviously. That's how you win those games."
On what he means by playoff games slowing down: "It's going to be quick turnarounds I believe. It's offensive [football]. This opponent is offensive [football]. It's just a lot of back-and-forth. That's what I mean by slow – like a lot of back-and-forth."
On how impactful Pro Football Hall of Fame Finalist G Marshal Yanda was early in his career: "Very impactful, just how [Marshal Yanda] used to adjust the [offensive] line. I really didn't have to say too much. I really didn't have anything to say at all. It was my first full year taking over, and he would pretty much let me lead in a way, but lead by example, because I didn't really have the voice, it would be Marshal getting things done. And just how he went about himself and how he conducted business – I feel like he should have been in the [Pro Football] Hall of Fame. He's just a great all-around guard, player, person and a great football player and just a football head. He's just a different guy. He has a demeanor about him, the way he carries himself – he's a great guy. He's well deserved [to go into the Hall of Fame]."
On if there's anything extra about playing against the Steelers for the third time this season: "No, not really. It's going to be a very aggressive game. I'll say that. That's what I believe it will be."
On if winning against the Steelers in Week 16 adds confidence to playing against them: "I was always confident, but that game doesn't even matter anymore. It's win or go home right now, so I'm locked in with the same mindset I had before that last game."
On how he can avoid the turnovers against the Steelers: "Keeping the ball in our hands. Keeping it away from those guys, those scripts; don't throw the ball into traffic – stuff like that – and what we should be knowing that we should not do."
On what stands out to him about the night atmosphere at M&T Bank Stadium: "Just the noise, the fans, the whole Flock Nation in the building, feeling like they're on the field with on us, the lights – how they do the lights in certain parts of the game – and just everything about it. Plus, we're at home."
On going into a cold-weather playoff game with RB Derrick Henry: "I'd rather it not be cold." (laughter) "But you say we have Derrick Henry, so that's a bonus. It's great. I don't believe anybody likes hitting in the cold – not even the defenders like hitting in the cold, I believe, especially with a 250-pound, all-muscle running back running downhill at you. I wouldn't want to do it, but it's great for us."
On if he's ready for a possible snow game this Saturday: "It doesn't matter; I'm ready for any game."
On how the offense's mindset if WR Zay Flowers can't play Saturday: "Oh man, next guy up. We're hoping [Zay Flowers] can come back, hoping that he has a chance. I don't know what's going on, but hopefully we have him, but if not, other guys will step up, and we're going to be ready to roll."
On how WR Rashod Bateman being healthy all year has helped him progress: "Yes, like you said, him being healthy. [Rashod Bateman] has had that in him. Bateman has always been that type of guy. There are still things that got left out that he didn't get on the field during the regular season, but hopefully this playoff run, he'll make things happen."
On if he ever thinks about past playoff games, or if he is just focused on the present: "No, my mind is going forward. I was young in the beginning, and it happened fast. To be honest with you, the only one I do think about is the AFC Championship. That's probably the only playoff game I do think about – we were right there. But I'm focused now though. It is what it is at this point. We have to worry about the Steelers."
On what he remembers about the AFC Championship game last season: "We lost. That's it."
On if the AFC Championship has motivated the team throughout the season: "I believe I said that throughout the season. I thought about that, definitely. We have to worry about the Steelers now though."
On how big of a deal having a healthy TE Mark Andrews will be: "It's huge. I always say this – Mark [Andrews] is like a security blanket. We're like peanut butter and jelly – he's that guy. For him starting slow this year, and people were doubting him – I don't know where the doubt came from with Mark. I just don't know. It still amazes me. But, for him to be a team player and help other guys get open and do this and that, and still have a magnificent season he's had, that just shows what type of player Mark is and what he's going to bring to the table come this playoff run."
On if he has to remind himself to not be too amped up for these playoffs game: "Yes, I'm [usually] just too excited – that's all. [I'm] too antsy, that's all. I'm seeing things before it happens like, 'Oh, I have to calm myself down.' But just being more experienced, I've found a way to balance it out."
On whom he's tried to learn leadership skills from: "I've never really tried to mimic my leadership after anyone [or] get things from them. I pretty much just lead by ... how I carry myself – lead by example like that. I never looked at anyone else and tried to learn anything from them with leadership. I don't know."
On what he's seen from the defense in the last few weeks: "Just the chemistry. I just felt like guys had to build chemistry with one another, and they're just playing like they've been playing since last year. There's a couple of new guys, but it's the same defense."
On how he decides whether or not to wear long sleeves for cold games: "It probably depends on how cold it is. I feel like I've been doing pretty good with how I've been playing without them."
DL NNAMDI MADUBUIKE
On when he sensed the defense had turned the corner: "I've always had that sense, but in every season, you're going to go through your hills and your valleys and stuff like that. It's about just catching momentum and [keeping] going, and guys in the locker room never gave up, and we're starting to catch our rhythm, and we're playing good football right now."
On if he likes that they have to go through Pittsburgh in the playoffs: "Yes, I mean [the Steelers are] just another person in our way – the team in our way to get to where we want to get to. And that's why we're out there practicing and working hard and doing everything we can to be our best self on Saturday."
On how last year's playoff experiences shape this season's approach: "That feeling in the playoffs last year is not a good feeling, because we know where we could've been, and it's definitely a different focus now with the guys in the locker room. Guys [are] just dialed in and doing everything we can to make sure that we're playing our best football out there now, especially in playoff time, turning it up another notch. I can feel it; everybody is locked in, so it's a good feeling."
On both OLBs Odafe Oweh and Kyle Van Noy recording double-digit sacks: "Yes, it's great; it's great. Everybody's balling on the D-Line. 'Dafe' [Odafe Oweh] is having a career year, Kyle Van Noy as well. It's a great feeling. Everybody's going out there; everybody's hungry; everybody's hunting, so we're going to take that momentum from the regular season and bring it to the playoffs. That's the only way to do it."
On how tough it would be to face RB Derrick Henry in the playoffs: "Super tough, because [Derrick Henry is a] super strong guy who is super fast. It's getting cold now, so things are going to hurt a little bit more, so thank God I'm not on the other side of the team. He's going to do his thing, and [those] guys better be ready."
On how he feeds off of the energy in the stadium during primetime games: "It's going to be a different environment. This is the first time we're hosting Pittsburgh in Baltimore in a playoff game, so it's going to be high energy. Everybody needs to come out and bring whatever you've got to bring to be as rowdy as possible, because the energy's going to be electric, and we're going to feed off that, and we're going to play to that standard that we can, and we know we can. So, it's going to be exciting."
On how he stepped into his role of giving pre-game speeches to the team: "Yes, I think I guess around [you all], I'm more soft spoken, but out there, I'm a little wild – I'm loud, [and] I do my thing. 'Ro' [Roquan Smith] and I have been talking, saying, 'I feed off you, too. You need to get everybody going,' and I've been starting to ... At first it was kind of different, but now I'm starting to get a [hang] of it, and it's definitely somebody that ... Roquan, I respect, and he's like, 'If I feed off you,' so I'm like, 'Yes, I definitely need to talk more.' So, I've been doing that, and now it's kind of been my little thing and me and Roquan's little thing, but overall, if he feels it before the game, he does it. If I feel it before the game, I do it. Whatever we got to do to get everybody going to play our best ball."
On how much of his pregame speeches are prepared: "All of it is really off the cuff, really. It's not something that we talk about Friday or Saturday. It's really a gameday [thing] and just however you're feeling; just whatever is in your heart, say it, and just play your heart out, out there."
On if he ever thinks about his speech on the way to the stadium: "No, I just let it flow. I feel like if I think too much, it doesn't come as authentic. I just let it flow and just say what's on my heart, and everybody feels it, and everybody's ready to go."
On if he draws inspiration from any movies or TV shows during his speeches: "No, no, no." (laughter) "No, no, not at all."
On if last year's AFC Championship game loss comes up in defensive meetings as a motivator: "It does – it does as a motivator. It doesn't [come] up that much, but when it does come up, 'Z.O.' [defensive coordinator Zach Orr] just talks about how that feels, and how [at] the end of that game [what] everybody was thinking about [was], 'What I could have done better,' or 'What I should've done to make us win that game.' But now is the time to do it. Now is that time to capitalize on the things that you believe that you should've done, so we do it the right way this time. So, it's motivation."
On if there's a sense of pride and motivation in hosting the Steelers in the playoffs: "Absolutely. The energy [and] the focus, it's all there. It's playoff football. It's win, or you go home, and everybody knows what's at stake, and everybody's locked in, in the locker room. You can feel it. And it's just one day at a time at this point."
On how much of a focus the defense will put on eliminating checkdowns by RB Jaylen Warren against the Steelers: "All of their running backs have been a focus. [Jaylen Warren] hasn't been the main focus, but he's somebody that we're accounting for, obviously [No.] 22 [Najee Harris]; all the backs are good. They're downhill backs [and] strong backs, so we know what's ahead of us, and we're preparing for it. We're doing everything we can to make sure that we eliminate those things from slipping away [from] our hands, and we have the right men for the job to do it."
On Steelers RG Mason McCormick potentially playing with a broken hand: "I didn't know that, but whoever's out there, I'm ready to play. It doesn't ... It's playoff football. It's win or go home, so yes. So that's my take on it."
On what has surprised him most about OLB Kyle Van Noy's career year: "Kyle [Van Noy], he's like a football guru. He knows so much about the game. He knows so much about secondary and all [this] stuff that, like me and 'Dafe' [Odafe Oweh] are like, 'Huh, how'd you know that?' Or like, 'How'd you pick up on that?' He's just so knowledgeable about the game of football. He takes care of his body. He knows what it's like to win a championship. He knows what it's like to win a Super Bowl, so he knows a lot of stuff about football that a lot of us players that haven't got to that point yet don't know. So, he kind of gives us insight of things that we can do – little things that we can polish up to just be [our] best self on gameday, and he helps us a lot, a lot."
ILB ROQUAN SMITH
On his mentality for Saturday's game: "The mentality is real simple: win or go home. We're at 'The Bank,' and we've got to protect it by any means necessary, so we'll be fighting for our lives. Everybody knows that, and hey, get your popcorn ready. We're ready."
On the challenges of facing a team for the third time in a season: "We know what they're going to do. They know what we're going to do, so it's going to be about the best man [to] win. I have a lot of respect for the guys. 'Russ' [Russell Wilson] has been doing it a long time. Their running back runs very hard. Tight ends make plays, [and] obviously [George] Pickens on the outside, and the O-line plays well together, so [we're] excited about the matchup. They know us. We know them, so it's going to be about the best man at the end of the day."
On if finishing the season 4-0 does anything for confidence and momentum: "The game is all about momentum at the end of the day, but the game is played for a reason, so we have to go out and do our jobs to the best of our ability. If we do things to the best of our ability, we'll like the results, and I think it's just that simple, just going out, imposing your will, doing your 1-[of]-11, myself included. [If] we do that, I like the chances."
On having one win over the Steelers as a Raven and knowing what that feels like: "I've beat them prior to [last] game." (Reporter: "I mean as a Raven.") "I've beaten them prior to [last] game, so I'm not sure where that came from. But no, we can beat any team that's out there on the field. We know that. I have the utmost respect and confidence in each and every guy I go out there on the field with, and it's about going out there and doing our job to the best of our ability, regardless of who the opponent is. It's a division rival, Pittsburgh, so we're excited for it."
On what's impressed him about OLBs Kyle Van Noy and Odafe Oweh: "How those guys just remain consistent. [Pass rush coach] Chuck [Smith], [defensive line coach] Dennis [Johnson], all those guys preparing those guys day in and day out. 'KV' [Kyle Van Noy], the ageless wonder, and then 'Dafe,' [Odafe Oweh], man, I have a lot of respect for him, just putting his head down and worked, despite what the critics and nah sayers say. He's always a guy that's just put in the work, come in, busts his tail day in and day out, and he's reaping some of his rewards. I think he's just getting started, and as well as 'KV.' I think 'KV' is just showing what he can do, and whatever age he's at, he's not slowing down. I'm excited about those guys, and I'm excited what they're going to do on this playoff run."
On how much last year's playoff situation fuels the team this year: "Every time you go to the playoffs, you go in the playoffs wanting to win the big game, and at the end of the day, you just have to take it one game at a time, knowing that last year didn't end the way we wanted, so just using that as fuel. But, you can't jump right back to the AFC Championship game, because it's a damn good Pittsburgh team that's coming in here, and we have to take care of business at the end of the day."
On if players in the locker room talk about the mentality of having a bigger goal in mind: "It's understood. Like they said, what's understood doesn't need to be explained. Each and every guy understands what the goal is. Each and every day, we go out on the field [in hopes to] hoist the Lombardi [trophy], but at the end of the day, it starts one game at a time, and it starts at 'The Bank,' Saturday versus Pittsburgh. That's what it is, but it started today with practice and preparation. We're excited, and we know what this team has a stake, and we know what we can do as a team, as well."
On if he's happy he doesn't have to tackle RB Derrick Henry: "Yes, I'm very excited that Derrick [Henry] is on my team, and he's bruising other guys throughout the AFC right now, so yes, he's a big man, and once he gets going, man, it's going to be a long night for a lot of people. Yes, I'm definitely excited he's on my team, and I'm not going up against him, because he can create a lot of problems for any defense."
On where the laser focus comes from: "I think it comes from just each and every guy knowing how close we were, but also, knowing how good we are, as well, and knowing that opportunities don't come like this so often, so it's about taking advantage of each and every opportunity you get. As far as on the field, taking advantage of each and every play, doing your job, and I feel that if each and every guy – and when each and every guy – does their job to the best of their ability each and every play, we'll like the results, but it's going to take each and every guy doing their job consistently, play in and play out. Hey, they're going to make plays, sure, it's the National Football League and the playoffs, but we have to make more plays, and we have to impose our will at the end of the day."
On what a good DL Nnamdi Madubuike pre-game speech sounds like and what makes a good pre-game speech: (quick yelling, laughter) "[Nnamdi Madubuike]'s got some good stuff. He's fiery, man. That guy, his eyes, it looks like, 'Man, I do not want to run up on that guy.' It looks like he'll send me to the ICU or something. He gets the guys going, and he knows exactly what to say [and] when to say it, so he'll have the guys ready to go. He's been doing it a long time with the D-line, and now, when he gets it with the [full team], it's pretty special. I have a lot of respect for 'Beeks.'"
