HEAD COACH JOHN HARBAUGH
Opening Statement: "I appreciate everybody being here. [It's] a beautiful day. [It's] a beautiful day for football; every day is a great day for football, and our guys had a great day for football. I appreciate the way we practiced. [We're] getting on point for a very tough game on Sunday against the Broncos at our place. We're looking forward to the challenge, and we're excited to play the game. I would like to say that our prayers and thoughts, and I have my fingers crossed and my toes crossed for Art and Pat Modell. [Art] made the final nine finalists for the [Pro Football] Hall of Fame. [It is] richly deserved in my opinion. I love that guy. I love their family [and] what he's done to make this organization what it is, so, Art Modell for the Hall of Fame."
QB Lamar Jackson was not at practice today. Why was he not at practice today? (Jamison Hensley) "Yes. [He had] a rest day. He's been playing great, and we have a lot of football in front of us. We have another big game coming up, so that was warranted today."
What can you tell us about WR Diontae Johnson? Is he going to have the same role as a returner, punt returner? Something like that? (David Andrade) "Right. Diontae [Johnson] is a guy, obviously, we know a little bit about, playing against him all of those years with the Steelers. [He] was in Carolina; [we] studied him on tape, [and] he looked good. [He] was out here today in practice, and he looked good, and he's in the process in trying to pick up the offense and be ready to contribute as soon as he can."
I know he hasn't done it in a few seasons, but would you look at WR Diontae Johnson in the return game at all here? (Morgan Adsit) "We sure would. [Diontae Johnson has] talked about it. He was out there today with the punt returners – just trying to get the rust knocked off probably – and help us in that area as well."
Was the wide receiver room something you wanted to address? Or was it just a situation that just made a lot of sense to bring WR Diontae Johnson in? (Alex Glaze) "To me, it's what we talked about all along. We're always looking for an opportunity to make our team better, and that opportunity came along. [Executive vice president and general manager] Eric [DeCosta] found it, along with the personnel staff and all of the work that they put it in, and [they] made it happen. So we're excited; our team is better because of it. It raises everybody up and makes us better, and we're moving forward, and we're excited about it."
Do you feel like WR Diontae Johnson fits into the current state of the offense? And what element about his game could he bring to the offense to maybe give you guys a different wrinkle? (Cordell Woodland) "Yes. [Diontae Johnson] brings himself; he brings all the talents that he has. He's quick, he's fast, he's got great hands, [he's] an explosive player [and] a big, strong [and] tough player. All of things that you've seen over the years, that's what he brings, so you take those talents, and you fit him into what you're doing, and let's roll."
CB Marlon Humphrey and CB Nate Wiggins were back at practice today. What kind of energy do they bring to a unit that's obviously looking to regroup? (Kyle Goon) "I thought Marlon [Humphrey] and Nate [Wiggins] had really good practices today, so we'll go day by day. They looked good today, and we're looking forward to hopefully seeing them out there Sunday."
Do you feel like you have what you need right now as far as interior defensive linemen? Obviously, I know NT Michael Pierce going onto IR is certainly a blow, but are the guys on the practice squad ready to come up? (Pete Gilbert) "Yes. We love our guys. Those guys will be ready to go."
What have you seen against Denver's defense? They're stout against the run and pass. What have you seen from those guys on film? (Todd Karpovich) "[They're] a very sound defense [and] they're playing together really well. They're the [third]-ranked defense, [they're seventh] and fourth in the two categories. [They're] really looking good statistically [and] playing good ball."
With the offensive line, I know a couple of weeks back, you said you're going to continue to look at the roster as a whole. But in terms of the offensive line, it's been the same starting lineup here for the past couple of weeks. Is that a group that you feel like is still a week-to-week in terms of what they unit may look like? Or are you content with what you have there? (Cordell Woodland) "Those guys are working hard and great and getting better, and I just want to keep seeing them take one step at a time and keep improving [and] play better football every week. That group that's been in there, it's good. That's a blessing for us, but anybody that has to go in there, I'm confident those guys will do well."
We see the defensive backs catching extra passes out there after practice. Did you bring that up? Did you talk to them about that? Or is that something that you leave for the position coaches? (Jamison Hensley) "Well, I mean, both. You talk about everything, and most everything is understood. We try to turn over every stone – I think said that – to get better. And that's certainly one of them. Don't take anything for granted; they're out there catching passes right now as we speak, and that's something that we need to get better at. If you catch all of eight of those, then the whole statistical story is moot. If you catch six of them, it's moot. If you catch four of them, it's pretty much mitigated. So that's how fine of a line it is in the National Football League, so I'm confident in our guys. I believe that we're going to play great football on defense, but you have to work at it. You have to work at every part of it."
Along those lines, what has been the gist or tone of conversations with S Marcus Williams? And what have you seen out of him this week? (Brian Wacker) "Marcus [Williams] was out there practicing today. I thought he had a heck of a practice. He looked good, and I'm excited for Marcus Williams. I always have been and always will be. He's one of the top safeties in the league in my opinion, and I'm looking forward to him playing great football."
QB Bo Nix has really improved in the last few weeks. What have you kind of seen out of the tape from him? (Kyle Goon) "I've seen a talented guy who is a competitor. [Bo Nix] has all of the throws. He's certainly young – he's learning as he goes, as far as the reads and all of that. But [he] moves around, he makes plays [and] gets away from the rush. I think he's probably made more scramble tacklers miss in the backfield probably than any other quarterback in the league and has made a lot of plays that way, too. [He's] a talented guy, and we're going to have to be at our very best."
Is NT Michael Pierce on season-ending IR? (Jeff Zrebiec) "No. [Michael Pierce] is not [on] season-ending [Injured Reserve]."
I know executive vice president and general manager Eric DeCosta makes the moves, but do you feel like you guys have maybe a few more moves left in you as far as trades? (Jamison Hensley) "You are exactly right, [executive vice president and general manager] Eric [DeCosta] makes the moves. That is well said." (laughter) "I'm excited for whatever comes across the board, but our job is to make our team better [in] any way we can, and from our end of it, it's with our guys we have – the guys that we're coaching. And I love our players, I'm confident in them, I enjoyed working with them today, and I have no doubt in my mind that they're going to play great football."
S KYLE HAMILTON
On how long the play at the end of the Browns game stuck with him: "I was obviously pissed about it after the game. I was probably the most mad out of anybody. I feel like that's part of being a good football player. You have to let the good stuff go, let the bad stuff go [and] just move on. I feel like I've done that, and I'm ready to go play the Broncos."
On the drills of catching balls during practice and if that's out of habit: "Yes, it's just a repetition thing, and I can't blame the coaches for wanting us to get out there on the JUGS [machine] and catch extra passes. I feel like it's something we should do whether we're dropping picks or not dropping picks – [we should] just make a habit of it."
On if people would feel differently about the pass defense if the team had a few more interceptions: "I don't think so. I don't think we would feel any different. Picks are cool, but picks don't tell the whole story of the game, and we're close to the bottom of the league right now in pass yards per game as a defense, and that's something that picks aren't just going to solve. You're not just going to go out and get a pick every possession. That's something schematically and execution-wise [that] I feel like we can get better at, and I feel like we're striving towards that."
On what the checklist is to make the pass defense better: "I'd say just execution, winning one-on-ones – it really comes down to that at the end of the day – and guys just going out there and being confident in what they do and having the belief that we're going to go get it done, no matter whether it's at the end of the half two-minute [mark,] end of the game two-minute [mark or] first drive of the game, just going out there having belief that we're going to dominate."
On what happened on the first Browns touchdown drive and if he feels like it's too late in the season for things like that to happen: "Yes, definitely, and I don't think there is a time for it at any point in the season. Obviously, [when] you get deeper in the season, you want to cut down on those errors like that. I don't think it was one person's [fault] in particular. I think the ball was in the middle of the field, and the D-Line was having trouble getting lined up. The offense went quick, and we weren't aligned, and obviously, bad stuff happens when that happens. We can learn from that, and we can say it won't happen again, but we have to prove it at the same time."
On what good communication among the defense feels like: "I feel like it's loud. I feel like we do a good job in practice simulating it. We try to be on one accord, especially with the split safety stuff that we kind of have, whether it's cover 6, cloud the boundary or quarters [coverage]. We're kind of split in half in the defense, but at the same time, you need to be talking to each other, because if I can help this safety if I don't have any work on my side, and talking about that pre-snap [and] post-snap alignment, anticipating checks. Safeties [and] linebackers, we have to be really vocal, so we try to do that as much as possible."
On if the loss of three experienced defensive coaches last offseason is having an impact: "I don't think so. I don't think that necessarily there was a loss of talent. I feel like we kept a good amount of people in our [defensive] room – players and coaches – and I don't feel like the room feels super different from last year. It's just [about] executing, and last year, we were executing. I can't pinpoint [or] give you an exact answer on why that isn't happening right now, but that's still something that we're trying to figure out, [and] we're trying to perfect. We'll never get to that point; nobody will [get to perfection]. I think that's the beauty of football – you're always chasing something. We're just in the process of working out the kinks right now."
On if he feels like the defense is trying to do too much and it needs to be simplified in terms of disguises: "No. I don't think so. I think in its simplest form, we just have to run and hit better."
On his reaction to the pass defense being ranked No. 32: "I'm pissed to see it, because I feel like I'm one of the leaders in that room. I feel like I kind of take a big part of the blame for that – guys not being on the same page and not executing. Obviously, especially if we had guys in the room that couldn't do it, it would be a different story, but we have everything we could ever want in that room, so we know we have all the answers in the room. We just have to find them."
On what he sees from Broncos rookie QB Bo Nix and if he looks less like a rookie than he expected: "Yes, I think [Bo Nix] has done a great job so far. I don't think people accounted for his mobility as much as they should have [when he was] coming out of college, and he put that on tape for I think the six years he was in college. [He] was a great quarterback in college, and it's translated to the NFL, obviously. He does a good job of keeping plays alive and taking what he can get. [He] checks the ball down, and [he] lets his guys go make plays and stuff like that. He adds a different aspect to the offense, just [his] grittiness and his toughness and extending plays, and I think it gives their offense a lot of hope and confidence going into games. They've been physical, so that whole Broncos unit – the offense as a whole – has done a good job so far this year, so it's on us to have a good gameplan, go in and execute it this week."
WR DIONTAE JOHNSON
On how he's settling in with the Ravens: "Pretty good. Just taking it one thing at a time. [I'm] just trying to get in my playbook and study what I can [and] what they want me to learn. Like I said, take it one day at a time, and I'm excited to be here."
On where he sees himself fitting into the offense: "Just out of respect for everybody else, just wherever they need me to be at right now until I learn everything [and] until they feel comfortable with me playing something else, then that'll be my focus. But right now, just trying to get acclimated and work with what they're giving me right now."
On what it was like yesterday being traded: "I was just at the crib when my agent called me and said ... I talked to the GM Eric [DeCosta] before I came here just to chop it up with him, and he knows I'm ready to be here and excited to be here with him and just getting ready to work. But once I found out where I was going, I was excited. A lot of stuff I get to just ..." (exhales) "Sigh of relief. So, I'm ready to work."
On how excited he is to play with QB Lamar Jackson and the Ravens' potent offense: "I know what Lamar [Jackson] brings to the table, so just to be able to contribute to the offense that he's a part of and that he leads [and] is a leader of is a blessing. I'm going [to] do whatever I can to help this offense continue to get better."
On what it's like to go to a contending team: "It still [doesn't] seem real to me. It's a blessing for me just to get another opportunity to come back to the AFC North – that's one thing that stuck out to me. Just to be a part of this great organization. I know what this organization's about, because I played against them [for] a few years. Just to be on this side, like I said, is a blessing to me."
On having two matchups with the Steelers later this season: "I'm looking forward to [the Steelers] game, but like I said, I'm focused on right now. Whatever game comes first before we get to that point – I'm going to do my job and just keep preparing."
On what he remembers of the Ravens-Steelers matchups from his time in Pittsburgh: "Just how hard we compete against each other. Getting the football out; just making plays and everybody tackling. It's a big rivalry game, so just to be on this side now is different. I'm excited."
On what he can add to the Ravens' offense: "Just getting open; moving the sticks. Just trying to be that guy that the young guys can come to – just for route stuff [or] just little stuff that I know I can help them out with – and my playmaking skills out there, getting the ball and just [making] plays; bringing that energy to the offense."
On learning the Ravens' playbook: "It's really just [the] terminology of the playbook and lining up, and once you line up [and] get the splits and stuff like that, the route concepts will come to you naturally. It's really just trying to compare it to playbooks you've already been through – just little stuff like that. So, it's not too tough for me, but I'm just staying locked in and dialed into it, and just being prepared for when my number is called."
On where he prefers lining up on offense: "Whenever they need me to play, I'm going to play. Right know they got me learning the 'Z' and the 'F,' so I'm just trying to learn the 'Z' right now and then learn the 'F.' [There's] nothing I can't play."
On if he anticipates getting work on special teams: "Yes, I was. It's been a minute since I've been back at punt returner. Sort of like I said, whatever they need me to do to help the team win or anywhere I can contribute – right now, that's my main focus."
ILB ROQUAN SMITH
On how quickly he's able to put last week behind him: "It's a next-week league. It sucked, for sure, but [we] flushed that Monday and part of Tuesday, so that's behind us. You can't let one game beat you twice, so it's about moving on and preparing this week for a good Denver team that's coming to town."
On the defense dropping several interception opportunities: "It's definitely an interesting thing, for sure, but each and every person just has to look themselves in the mirror and just say, 'Hey, I'm going to [give] it my best and make it my business not to drop any more.' And [for] each and every guy, that's definitely been a focus, so, knowing how much focus we're putting into that ... There have been countless opportunities that we've dropped throughout the season, but it's about capitalizing on those mistakes and making teams pay for them, as opposed to giving them a flyby."
On Denver QB Bo Nix and the Broncos' offense: "First and foremost, those guys, they want to run the ball – make no mistake about it. [They've] got two really good [running] backs and a pretty good offensive line, as well. But yes, [Bo] Nix [is] a really good quarterback. [When] things are not there downfield, he doesn't mind pulling it down and running, so the guy doesn't have any fear out there. But we're excited about the matchup. And again, [he's] a rookie quarterback, so we'll give him some things he hasn't seen."
On how much greater the challenge is to stop the run with NT Michael Pierce out and DE Brent Urban's status up in the air: "I'm not talking about injuries. I don't know; whoever is out there is out there. At the end of the day, my job is to show up and show out and get the call to the guys that are out there. So, whoever is out there, if it's Mike [Pierce], 'Urb' [Brent Urban] or whoever the case may be, I know those guys will be prepared throughout the week, and they'll be ready to rock and roll come Sunday. And that's what we pride ourselves on – stopping the run [and] making teams one dimensional."
On if his approach has changed, given the defense's struggles and his role as a leader: "We're going to be fine. There is a lot of outside noise, and there is a lot of adversity, as well, but you can't get rattled. We keep receipts. At the end of the day, [we've] just got to make 'cats' pay for it, when the time comes. We're going to be perfectly fine. We'll look back at this interview pretty soon, and you'll be like, 'You were right.' So, just trust the process, and I'm trusting that, and I have the utmost faith in each and every guy that's in the back seven – including myself – that we're going to get things the way things need to be done. So, just tune in Sunday."
On the addition of WR Diontae Johnson: "[Diontae Johnson]'s another weapon on the offensive side of the ball, and yes, I'm excited about him – from seeing him in Pittsburgh, and then [I] heard he was playing some really good ball down in Carolina this year. So, I've got a lot of respect for him [from] going up against him, so I know he's a great addition for this team and [is] going to help us down the stretch. So, I'm excited about that, and I know Lamar [Jackson] is, as well."
On if there is pressure for guys to solve the defensive woes all at once and if that creates an environment where people are trying to do too much: "Pressure does two things; it either bursts pipes or makes diamonds, and like I said last year, [I'm] in the diamond-making business. And if you don't enjoy pressure as a defender and on this defense, what are you doing it for? So, that's what we're all about, and at the end of the day ... I'm sweating a little bit – I [just] came out of a hot shower. Yes, we've just got to make ends meet and do what we have to do, and if we do that ... We're in the right position a lot of times; it's just (snaps fingers) bang-bang things. [We've] just got to capitalize, hone in on the details even more, and then, each and every guy has just got to look themselves in the mirror before going out there, knowing you're going to put your best foot forward starting out throughout the week and definitely on Sunday. But like I said, just be there Sunday [at] 1 o'clock."
On why the defense hasn't been able to execute at the level it did last season: "Every year is different. Nothing is the same, just like yesterday is different for all of us. None of you guys are the same as you were last year. So, regardless of if it's the same players or what, every year is different. But I'm excited about this group, and I know this group. We're at the midpoint of the season, and I know we've got a lot in store. So, like I said, we keep receipts, and just tune in Sunday."
