HEAD COACH JOHN HARBAUGH
Opening Statement: "It's good to see everybody. I appreciate you guys being here. [We] had a good start to the week. What questions do you have?"
Going against the Giants and being a heavy favorite, the players are going to hear all week about how they're supposed to win. Is there any concern about that? And do you try to do anything to kind of counteract that? (Jamison Hensley) "We're excited to get back to work. We had a good week. I think our guys made the most of the [bye] week – different guys [did] different things. We had some rest player-wise; we also had a bunch of guys training and working and getting ready for what's ahead. We have a four-game season in front of us right now. This is the season; it kind of begins now. The season is important to determine the important outcomes for the rest of the way – that's what we're focused on. We'll be focusing on this game, putting everything we've got into it, and then we'll go from there."
We obviously all reported about the statement on WR Diontae Johnson last week, but is there a path for him to be back with the team after the suspension? (Childs Walker) "The [organization's] statement said that there would be no further comment on that, so we'll just kind of leave it at that and see where it goes as time permits."
Does the suspension include practice as well? (Cordell Woodland) "I just said what it says. It's a suspension this week – that's what it is. There's no practice during suspensions, yes, that's how suspensions work."
Bigger picture, just in general, not just WR Diontae Johnson, but there have been three instances with guys that have kind of come out unhappy with their roles. Are you OK with the buy in, in the locker room, in terms of roles and all of that, or is that just always a challenge in individual situations? (Jeff Zrebiec) "I think we've been doing great. We have guys that are out there playing hard. Are you talking about the receiver room? Is that what you're talking about?"
Not just the wide receiver room. I was talking about S Eddie Jackson and S Marcus Williams... (Jeff Zrebiec) "Yes. Guys have been professional – they work hard. Guys want to play, and it's based on opportunity, it's based on performance, it's based on need, all of those things. Our locker room has been fantastic, and guys have been working hard; you saw the way they practiced out here today, so I'm really happy. You see how hard they play every single week. We're in a great place, and I love our guys."
Do you have any update on WR/RS Deonte Harty's injury situation? (Jonas Shaffer) "No, I have no update on that."
How pleased are you – you had just about everyone on the practice field today – you had the bye week, you talked about some of the guys and how that time off could help. Do you feel good about where your team is health-wise? (Luke Jones) "I do. I feel great about where our team is at. We had all but one guy out there today, and [Sanoussi Kane] is dealing with a hamstring [injury], so he'll be day-to-day going into the game. We'll see if he can make it to the game, and the rest of the guys out there are practicing fast and good, and [we're] excited for what's in front of us. I'm really happy with where we're at, and I can't wait to see what we do over the next week, two weeks, three weeks, four weeks [and] into the playoffs."
I know a Week 14 bye is probably a little unusual, but did you feel like it came at the right time for a little reset, or would you have liked to keep it going? (Cordell Woodland) "It might have; I'm happy with where it's at. It's like any circumstance – you take it as you find it, but I can find a lot of positives in it being this past week. It felt like it was at the right time. I think it's an opportunity for us to kind of just heal up, freshen up, and continue to get stronger. We want to play our best football right now – that's what we're really focusing on doing. Everything else is just a sideshow; everything else is just a distraction. None of it is important. What's important is our football. The football. Getting the football right, playing our best football that we're capable of playing, everybody locked in for that – that's really what it's all about. Nothing else matters; everything else is just static."
How close is DL Michael Pierce being able to come back? I know he got some time in his window... (Brian Wacker) "He practiced [in] full today."
DLTravis Jones as well...*(Brian Wacker)* "He practiced [in] full today, too."
Having DL Michael Pierce and DL Travis Jones back, how much does that help that interior? (Brian Wacker) "It's huge. [Michael Pierce and Travis Jones] are great players. Those guys are game-wreckers inside. Those guys being ready to go, being 100% is a possibility for us – a massive possibility. [They're] two massive guys playing massively good football. That's the idea – inside the trenches – there. These games are going to be won in the trenches – that's where it's going to start. That's what we want to do. We want those guys out there doing what they do."
I know with three games in 11 days, you're trying to scout as much as possible ahead. I know a lot of times during your bye week, you do a lot of self-scouting as well. Were you able to do that, or was it more focused as coaches looking ahead? (Jamison Hensley) "It's focused on all of that. The self-scouting is part of it because you want to understand how people see you and how they're going to game-plan against you. You try to do that as you go. We do a really good job of that as we go, but I also think a chance to really kind of take a deep dive and then plan going forward. The players – they focus on the rest. The coaches – they get to work on all of these things, and it's very comprehensive. Everything that has to do with the next four weeks and past that is what we're looking at, in terms of finding ways to make plays, score points [and] get stops. All of the different things we can do to keep people off-balanced, create problems for our opponents, put our players in the position to make plays – those are the things that we're trying to find [and] turn over every stone along those lines and see what we can come up with, and that's what we did."
You said K Justin Tucker was going to have to figure his things out. Have you talked to him since he's returned? And where does his head seem to be at? (Giana Han) "I talked to [Justin Tucker]. He's in a great place."
Have you had a chance to watch the first episode of "Hard Knocks" at all? (Jamison Hensley) "I did not. I will say, you do get home at night. Usually, we work pretty late at night. We don't get a lot of TV watching time in this football coaching world during the season, so there were a couple of shows that I got caught up on, but that wasn't one of them." (Looks to his left) "Is that [the Hard Knocks camera] right there?" (laughter) "Sorry guys." (laughter) "I was there. I know what happened already, I didn't have to see it." (laughter)
What did you watch? (Jonas Shaffer) "I watched Yellowstone. I'm fired up to see Yellowstone back."
Do you plan to watch "Hard Knocks?" (Cordell Woodland) "Do I plan to watch? I don't know. We'll see. We'll see how it goes." (laughter) "If it's a good story, yes."
With this key stretch coming up, what's been your message to the team, or did you feel like you even have to stay anything? Do you guys kind of know what it is? (Carita Parks) "I've pretty much shared most of it with you already through the press conference. Guys know, but we try to speak it. We're all trying to be on the same page, but this is our opportunity, and it's about the football. Let's go play our best football. We're in a good place. We have a bunch of great players, a bunch of great coaches. We have some tough opponents in front of us starting with the Giants on Sunday, and let's go see what we're all about."
WR RASHOD BATEMAN
On how he manages the situation with WR Diontae Johnson: "That's more so a situation for [Diontae Johnson] to figure out, rather than me. He'll figure it out, and he'll be back with us."
On if the situation with WR Diontae Johnson becomes a distraction for the team: "No, I don't think so. Everybody in here [are] grown men. We all know we've got a task at hand, individually, and [Diontae Johnson] knows that, too. We're all aware of the situation. So, hopefully, we'll see him back next week."
On how he's feeling: "I feel good. I got a little banged up [in the] Eagles game, but the bye week was big for me. I was able to get healthy. I got back on the practice field [today], [and I] felt good, so I'm looking forward to finishing the season strong."
On how much the bye week allowed everyone to reset: "Yes, I would definitely say that. We've been playing for a long time, now – 13 games straight. Some teams [had] already had their bye, but we didn't, so [it's] definitely good to go take a break, see some family and come back to the game. I think we all did [that]."
On how he goes about not overlooking the Giants: "Being a Ravens football player, I think we should beat the Giants, but obviously, we've got to go out and do what we need to do. I think that's what we need to focus on right now – is doing our job."
On having a late bye week to reset for the stretch run: "I definitely think it comes at the right time. We've all been going hard, like I said earlier. But it just gives guys a mental break [and allows us to] come back fresh mentally. [We're] eager to play [and] finish the season. We've got playoffs coming up, so [it] definitely [came at] a much-needed time, right now."
On the message regarding the importance of these next four games: "All we know is every game is important. Yes, these last four are important, but this team, we're just thinking about winning every single game – whatever that looks like. We're not worried about ... We are [thinking] about the playoffs, but we're not worried about what games are going to get us there [or] the losses and this and that. We're just worried about playing our best."
On how he approaches the schedule, with three games in 10 days approaching: "We've got to find a way, so it is what it is. It is what it is. It's hard, but guys will find a way."
WR ZAY FLOWERS
On how much the WR Diontae Johnson suspension becomes a distraction: "It's not a distraction. That isn't my decision to make. Diontae [Johnson] is still going to ... He's one of my guys. He's one of our guys, so I don't really have much to say about it."
On if WR Diontae Johnson would be welcomed back to the locker room: "Yes, [Diontae Johnson] will be welcome back."
On if it's difficult to block out the distraction: "It's not a distraction. No, it's not a distraction."
On if he can remember another time in his career where they were this close to achieving their goals as a team: "Yes, but we're still trying to take it one game at a time. We [just] came off a bye week, so we're just trying to get our legs back under us and just take it week-by-week from here on out. It's eight weeks left in the season – the full regular season and the full [postseason] to the Super Bowl – so we're going to take it one [game] at a time."
On if the late bye week came at the right time: "Yes, I feel like it came [at the] perfect time. We can get our body more ready for the playoffs and get our body more ready for the last four games and go on a run."
On if the message among the players after the loss to the Eagles: "We're just going to play our ball. It's nothing to it, for real. We made mistakes [in that game]. We made mistakes on all parts – offense, defense [and] special teams – so you can't blame no one [person]. It's all of us, so we're all going to take it, and we're going to keep move forward."
On if he watched football during the bye week: "No. I don't watch football once I'm off."
On if being removed from football on the bye helps him refocus: "I don't watch it. It felt weird not playing on Sunday, but no, I don't watch football that much."
On how he spent his Sunday: "[I was] at a pool party with my family. I hung out with my family the whole time."
On staying hungry and how he approaches the games: "Honestly, I'm not even going to lie, I just want to win, so anything I can do, or anything I have to do, I'm going to try to do that to help to team. If that's catching one pass, [or] if that's catching 10 passes, that's what I'm going to do."
On QB Lamar Jackson's mom cussing her son out after the game: "That's a Florida mom." (laughter)
On if he believes there are chances for QB Lamar Jackson to run more: "If I'm going to be honest, [Lamar Jackson] can run the ball whenever he wants. It's just up to him if he wants to run it, so it's not [anybody] stopping him from running. It's really [up to] himself if he wants to pass it, [or] if he wants to run. I can't really tell him what to do. He has two MVPs, so I'm going to let him do what he [does] best."
On if he's had the conversation with QB Lamar Jackson about him running less: "No, not really. We just play the game. We play off [Lamar Jackson]. Whatever he wants to do, that's what we go off of."
K JUSTIN TUCKER
On how he feels after the Ravens' Bye week: "Very good. [I'm] ready to go. It was good to get back in here first thing this morning [and] see all the guys. I was here all week, for the most part, anyways – in and out of the building. It's good to come back in and see everybody; getting in the meeting room; get out on the practice field and just get right back to work."
On how the team approaches their upcoming schedule: "I think we all understand the challenge that's ahead of us. It almost doesn't make too much sense to look too far ahead and concern ourselves with the schedule – everybody's got different challenges that they're facing schedule-wise across the league. What we can control is how we approach our meetings today, how we approach practice and how we approach our preparation heading into this game – the most important game of the season – as far as we're concerned – we feel like that every week, but maintaining that mindset is what will serve us well down the stretch here these last several weeks of the regular season."
On if the Ravens have what it takes to make a run at a Super Bowl: "Absolutely. I think it starts with our leadership. You know, I say that, and every single man in here with a roster spot or with a locker [or] with a little real estate in this locker room – every single one of us will be counted on in a significant way at some point, and when the time comes, I'm sure each and every guy in this locker room will be ready to perform."
