BALTIMORE RAVENS
Head Coach John Harbaugh
(opening statement) "Good to see everybody here. We appreciate you being here. Congratulations to the Ravens, to the players, to the coaches, to the fans. The Ravens are the AFC North champs, and we're very proud of that. That's a great accomplishment. It's a great division, and it's our first goal. It's not our top goal, but it's our first goal. So, we're proud of that. That's done. We move on, and we'll get to work. We have to get better. The Jets played a good game. I felt like they came out and played really hard, kept playing right to the end. That's a credit and testament to their coaching staff and to their players. [They] made some plays against us. So, we're really happy with the victory. It'll be very good for us to get some time to get rested up and to get healthy. And then we'll be back against our two tough division foes [at Cleveland and vs. Pittsburgh] in the next two weeks, and we need to play better football. So, that's what we'll be shooting to do."
(Is there anything left to possibly say about QB Lamar Jackson and what he's done for your team?) "No, I'll leave that to you guys. His performance speaks for itself. Our guys played well, made some plays. We had some critical plays in the passing game – Marquise [Brown] getting those feet down in the back of the end zone were awesome. Seth [Roberts] making the conversion on the third down – that was huge in third-and-long. And plays like that, guys are making plays. Lamar [Jackson] is definitely the leader there. He's the catalyst, but those guys are making plays together, and that's what you need to do to win."
(How important of a theme has it been … You guys have had the turnover differential advantage week after week this season. When you look at the whole season, how important has that been?) "The turnover differential is the No. 1 stat that affects winning and losing. We always feel that way. We had a goal for a really high number this year. We aren't really there where we wanted to be, but we're pretty darn good. Our defense has done a great job. Offensively, we've really protected the ball well the last number of weeks. That's big. We have to keep doing a good job of that."
(What were they doing on special teams to get as many yards as they did?) "We just have to get better. They were basically blocking us. They blocked our guys on the kickoff return. They did a great job with it. They ran a little pick-stunt on the blocked punt that we should have picked up with no problem, and we didn't. That's an issue for us. We played really well on special teams last week. We played not well at all this week. So, that's an area of concern right now. I give them credit. They played really well, but we didn't."
(With the five touchdown passes, a lot of them came not in the red zone but close to it. Is there something about QB Lamar Jackson and throwing that he can make those tougher throws?0 "You mean red zone-type throws or high-red zone throws or those kinds of areas? Yes, he's good at that. The protection has been really good. Some of those routes in that score area, or whatever you want to call it, the big red area – sometimes it's in the 20-35 [yard] range are longer-developing routes. They're touchdown-, check down-routes. They're usually top-down reads. You get zone coverages sometimes, and that's what we got today, a couple times. And it takes some of those routes time to develop because they're deep zone-beaters, and you have to have great protection. Lamar [Jackson] is really patient. He hangs in there. He trusts his protection. He can also trust his ability to get away if the protection breaks down. That's probably the second part of it. And he's a really accurate thrower in that range. He just does a great job, and our guys made some catches, too. So, all of those things."
(The drive before QB Lamar Jackson threw the touchdown pass to WR Marquise Brown, I think it was like the third-straight punt, and Lamar came to the sideline. He looked pretty agitated and demonstrative. How do you notice his teammates respond to his fire?) "Oh yes, they do. They respond great to it. Lamar [Jackson] is a competitor. He wasn't mad at anybody. He was upset with the fact that we weren't extending drives, we weren't getting the job done. 'We can be better.' That's exactly what he said. 'We have to convert. We have to convert. We're better than that.' And they respect him, and they respond to it great. You love the fire and competitiveness, and he wants to be great on every single series. That reflects all of their attitudes about it, so they appreciate it."
(On fourth-and-1, on your own 29 [yard line], it looked like QB Lamar Jackson was motioning the punt team …) "Just for the record, we were already going for it there, OK? (laughter) He was motioning to me like, 'Keep the punt team off.' But I went like, 'I am, alright? OK?'" (laughter)
(We've known that the quarterback rushing record, break Michael Vick's record, has been coming. Now that it's broken, what can you say about QB Lamar Jackson breaking that record, where that puts him among the all-time rushing quarterbacks?) "It puts him at the top of the all-time rushing quarterbacks for one season, as he has the record. (laughter) I don't know. I don't think I care, really. Michael Vick is great. I've met him a couple of times. He's a wonderful guy. I love how he's supported Lamar [Jackson]. That's been the best part of it, how he has been in Lamar's corner from Day One. And it just really says a lot about our sport and about these guys. But it's really, it's something that I'm sure Lamar, as he says, he'll look back on some day fondly. But right now, he has other things to think about."
(Did the referee not see G Parker Ehinger declare himself eligible? What happened on that touchdown?) "Yes, he definitely didn't see it, and our guy definitely felt like he declared himself. So, there was a miscommunication there, I guess you could say. When you ask [Ehinger] in [the locker room], he'll tell you, forcefully, that he did report." (laughter)
(Is it significant to you at all that QB Lamar Jackson was so accurate in 30-degree weather? He brought it up both times that that was a factor before the last two games...) "Didn't we have cold weather games last year, a couple of cold weather games? Not just the Chargers game, weren't there some other ones?" (Executive vice president of public and community relations Kevin Byrne: "It was colder in Kansas City last year than today.") "Colder in Kansas City last year than today. (laughter) So, I don't think it's a big deal. I do think that the wind was a factor [last week in Buffalo], and the rain was a factor [vs. the 49ers on Dec. 1]. But they were factors for both teams in both those games. But the cold, I really don't think that's a factor."
(You often preach about how challenging it is to win week to week in this league. How would you describe the degree of difficulty in winning 10-straight games and being 12-2 at this point?) "I'm sure there are some analytics on that, if you can get us some numbers on that. (laughter) But it's hard. It's hard to win a game in this league. Everybody you play puts everything into it. You stand on that sideline … It's a real blessing to be able to stand on the sideline all these years and see these guys play and see how hard they play, how fast they are, how big they are, how well-trained they are. And they go at it. They go at it. So, to win a game is big. To be able to stack this number of wins is remarkable. And yet, you get to this point, and the next one becomes the most important one. And that's just the way it works. We tell our guys all the time, the last one doesn't mean anything unless you win the next one. And then, once you start stacking wins, the next one means more than the last one because they become more meaningful, they reward you more to stay. So, we need to take that into account. We need to come back to work next week. We need to be ... Everything we need to do needs to be at championship level, because that's what we're chasing."
(With T Ronnie Stanley out, how did you feel G/T James Hurst played tonight?) "I felt like he played well. I'm looking forward to seeing the tape on James [Hurst], but [I] felt like he played well. I didn't see any problems, which is good for an offensive lineman. So, you probably had a better view than I did. Did you think he did alright?" (Reporter: "He didn't seem to make any mistakes.") "Yes, he looked pretty good. So, I thought the whole offensive line played really well. I thought the whole team played well. There were certainly things that we could have done better, especially on special teams, but even defensively, we're going to look at that tape, and we're not going to love everything we see. We have to take those things and go to work on them."
(Late in the fourth quarter there when you're trying to decide when to take QB Lamar Jackson out, what goes into that decision? And as you get closer to the playoffs, do you have to think about being precautious?) "Yes, it was not an easy decision right there. Probably, the biggest thing is we have so much confidence in Robert [Griffin III]. It makes you feel really good about doing it. So, if it's great right now, we've been taking him out. I don't know that too many teams do that. If you look around the league, you look historically, most teams keep their quarterback in right to the end. We've kind of changed that a little bit. We've done differently than most teams have. We've taken him out. It's been good, and it speaks well to our backup, Robert Griffin."
(With RB Mark Ingram II, even with a play that doesn't break open, do you feel like he consistently just gets the most he can out of every situation?) "I totally think that. I'll tell you, there are times when I think Mark Ingram is stopped, and then, all of a sudden, he gets five more yards or more. He always makes the most every single run. He slipped one time coming out to the right, got back up, and got three or four yards. How does he do that? So, yes, that's a great point."
(Did you get out of this game healthy, and how do you plan with the schedule with the Thursday game? How do you plan to handle that going forward?) "We're going to take advantage of it this late in the year. We're going to give the guys off until next Tuesday. We won't practice until next Wednesday. So, we're going to try to take full advantage of it, recovery-wise, both emotionally and physically, and try to heal up and be at full strength against the Browns next week."
(This is your fourth AFC North Division clinch. How does this team differ from those in the past?) "No comparisons, really, until you do something. Those other teams, some did more. A lot of those teams, two of those teams won some playoff games. One of them won a Super Bowl. So, until we do that, we don't compare. That's really it."
(I know you're focusing on your team, but on Sunday, if a couple other teams lose, you can clinch a couple more things. Do you … How much do you watch …?) "Oh yes. (laughter) I'll have a rooting interest, not a betting interest. Let's make that clear." (laughter)
QB Lamar Jackson
(on breaking Michael Vick's rushing record) "It's pretty cool. My favorite player growing up; it's amazing and I'm going to cherish that forever and just got to keep it going. Records are made to be broken, like he said. I heard him say that, and it's an honor for me to do it."
(on how much he's enjoying the season) "I'm enjoying it. I love the game, and I've got a great group of guys [and] coaching staff with me, and I couldn't wish to be any place else."
(on his quad injury and how it looked just fine) "Like I said, you guys got to trust me. I told you all it was good. It was good. Just off the [Buffalo] game, I was sore, and that's all it was. Got a little maintenance and I was good."
(on how important it was to get the receivers more into the game) "It's always important. Those guys work so hard, and our system is built on guys sometimes have to block more than they want to, and it's great to get everyone involved in it each and every time I can."
(on tying a franchise record for most TD passes in a season) "That's hat's off to the tight ends, the running backs, Pat Ricard, the fullback, the receivers, because it's them. They're catching the passes and scoring the touchdowns."
(on how proud he is of the efficiency of the passing offense) "That's just the chemistry and hard work. You know, we take practice like it's a game, and that's one thing I had to work on individually by myself – because our guys work so hard, I [wanted] to throw dimes to them and make sure their job is a lot easier catching them in stride, and they just help me out by catching the ball and doing what they do."
(on his pride in throwing the deep pass to WR Marquise Brown) "He's fast. I just throw it; he's just going to go and get it. I believe in him 100 percent."
(on if he'll still nitpick the few mistakes he made in this game) "I missed [fullback] Pat [Ricard] in the flat. I threw the ball way behind him. That was a horrible pass, and [tight end] Mark [Andrews] you know, he [was open] in the middle, and I threw the ball high over his head, so I'm ticked about those because those … That's like the back of my hand in practice. Those routine passes and catches, we've got to hit those because we don't know where the game was going to go. We were playing a good team. A great offense and great defense. We were able to find ourselves and get the win."
(on giving out jerseys to three Jets players) "Yeah, [running back] Le'Veon [Bell], [wide receiver] Robby Anderson and my former teammate [linebacker] James Burgess. I didn't want to say no because different people were hitting me up. I was just going to try to do it. I asked Will [Sheridan], the equipment guy, he was all with it, so that's how it went."
(on QB Tom Brady's offer for a unique race – 40-yard dash on grass but Lamar would need to be wearing roller blades) "He probably [could] win that race. Roller blades on grass? I'm going to see what I can do. Tom's still got a little bit in him. I've seen him."
(on how good it will be for a few days of rest) "I feel our guys deserve it. I appreciated coach [John Harbaugh] for letting it happen, because he doesn't have to do that. I feel our offensive line needs it. Our defensive line, those guys [have] been grinding throughout the whole game. Those guys need it the most."
(on why he wanted to go for it on fourth-and-one from Ravens' territory after not doing it on an earlier series) "I think that was just building up until it had to come out. I just feel like the game wasn't going our way. We got off the field, all ticked off we put our defense back out there on no points, so I'm heated. The next time is like, no, I'm not waiting. We need it. We need to go make something happening."
(on how the celebration for this AFC North title compares to last year's) "Last year, you know, two different teams, two different mindsets, but last year we worked so hard for that. We [were 4-5 when he took over] and we lost one game on that run and people didn't think our team would make it to the playoffs, and we had a strong team last year and we made it happen. That's my fault we lost in that first-round last year, but this year is a different team, different mindset. It's a brotherhood going on right now, and we've just got to keep it going."
(on his thoughts about if the rules might change regarding quarterback protection since more are running) "Defensive linemen will do a great job. They're working hard. [There's] great defensive linemen, got great offensive linemen, but you can't just hold a grown man there for too long. Sometimes, you've got to buy time, make stuff happen on a run. That's what the football game is about. Sometimes that's fun to do; you just got to make stuff happen sometimes."
(on if he thinks the rules will change in that area) "I don't know. It's not my job to be making rules or saying whatever. I just got to play ball."
(on if he wanted to be more aggressive in the third quarter) "That's each and every game. We had perfect weather conditions to throw the ball around. We've got the guys to do it. I just wish I should have hit [tight end Hayden] Hurst on that touchdown faster. I want to throw touchdowns. I want to win. That's what we're all here for."
(on throwing five touchdowns for a third time) "We're trying to win. It's going to happen. Guys are open; guys doing whatever it takes to get open, and my job is to deliver the bagel, and that's what I'm going to do."
(on having no turnovers) "I had one last week. Definitely. I hate throwing interceptions. I hate fumbles. I hate turnovers. I want to keep the ball in our hands as much as possible. That's how you win games, keeping the ball to yourselves, driving the ball down the field and scoring points."
(on when he got hit hard on a run) "I had to get away. I just got popped. I was hot about that. I wasn't expecting that. We didn't draw the play up [like that]. I moved [tight end] Nick [Boyle] over; he was arching. We didn't really sort it out. That won't ever happen again. You've just got to flow with it and play football."
(on getting tackled hard on his record-breaking run) "I was hot. I just got hit on national TV. 'Oooh,' that's all I heard. I got to get up and go. Got to score some points. I got [the ball]. People want to sell it, so I'm going to keep it."
(on helping TE Mark Andrews break a team record for TD catches by a TE) "He was going to leave the ball on the field, and I heard that he needed only one touchdown. So, I picked that ball up. I was happy for him. I wish he had scored another time, and I overthrew him. He looked a little tired, a little fatigued, and I put too much on that pass. If I would have just took a little bit off it, it would have been another touchdown for him. He deserved it. All the tight ends deserve touchdowns."
RB Mark Ingram II
(on how it feels to see QB Lamar Jackson break the all-time quarterback rushing record and how it feels to be a part of this team) "It's special. It's just a blessing to be a part of it. The good Lord put me in a great situation where I'm here with the Baltimore Ravens, and I'm here with great teammates, a great organization. I thank the good Lord for putting me here, and it's a special thing to be able to witness 'L.J.' [Lamar Jackson] accomplish special things – franchise record for TD passes, the league record for QB rushing yards. So, I'm just happy for 'L.J.' He deserves it. He's a hard worker. And that's what we're here for, to make his job easy and let him do what he does."
(on if few players wearing the division title hat is indicative of the fact that the team is looking forward to bigger things) "Yeah man, to start off the year, you obviously want to win your division. So, that's the first step on our checklist. We're excited, and deservedly so. We'll enjoy this until we start preparing for Cleveland. But we have a lot more work to do. We didn't play our best game today. I didn't play my best game today. So, we still have improvements [to make] and a lot of work to do in order to get where we want to go."
(on if their frustration after scoring early points shows how much this offense wants to win every single play) "Every time we go out there, we want to score. We want to score touchdowns. We want to make plays. When we're not doing that to our abilities, our capabilities, guys get frustrated. It's not frustrated with each other, it's just frustrated with us not playing to our level. So, we hold each other accountable. We hold each other to a high standard. Some of that frustration is good. We're not taking it out on each other, or we're not taking it out in the game. We're not going to let it affect us, but we want to be successful. We want to play to the best of our abilities. So, when we don't do that, we try to get everybody going so we can get to that."
(on if he put the MVP race to bed tonight as QB Lamar Jackson's personal hype man) "I didn't do anything. 'L.J.' [Lamar Jackson] did it all by himself. He was going to do this with or without me. Everybody says I'm a hype man, but it's really just genuine love, genuine support for someone who is doing great things, someone who's my brother, someone who I care about. We all care about each other in this locker room. So, he was going to do it with or without me, but I'm just here to support him any way I can."
(on what it means to accumulate a 12-2 record and to win 10-straight games in this league) "It's just one day at a time. Guys believing in each other, guys trusting in each other, and guys just understanding the value of one meeting at a time, one walk-through at a time, one rep at a time, one day at a time. Not getting too far ahead of yourself, but just taking advantage of the day and being where your feet are, and just trying to get better. Fighting for one another, fighting for you teammates, believing in your teammates. And it takes a lot. It's not easy to win in this league. It's a tough league, and we just have a lot of guys who believe in each other, care about each other and understand the value of hard work."
G/T Marshal Yanda
(on QB Lamar Jackson) "I mean, just a tremendous athlete. Obviously, he has a lot of God-given ability, making people miss in the open field, and he hurts people with his arm, too. He's got that quick, quick release, and he's a hyper-competitive guy, too. He wants to win everything on Sundays."
(on how QB Lamar Jackson compares to other quarterbacks) "I mean, obviously, he's changing the games for us, and we've won a lot of good games. It starts with the quarterback playing well. He's played well for a long time now. As far as being a young player, you would think … I'm thinking, in the back of my mind, sooner or later he's going to have a young, second-year growing-pains game, and the kid just keeps playing winning football. Ten games in-a-row, and it's awesome."
(on how teams struggle to prepare for QB Lamar Jackson) "They can have him bottled up, and he can break a guy's ankles and go make a 10-yard run. They have everybody in the right defensive position, and he makes those guys miss – just because his agility out in open space. Linebackers and the secondary have a really tough time tackling him."
(on the offense's success) "Yeah, give [the Jets] credit – they were stout upfront. It was tough sledding out there for a while, but we just stuck to the game plan and kept chopping wood at them, and finally broke some runs – broke some good passes. But, like I said, they were stout up front though. They've got a good, good front and we definitely respect them. It was more about us than them, but you know, it was fun."
(on putting up points even when you're struggling) "At half time, we definitely felt like we could play a lot better, and we still went three-and-out as an offense. It's just … Keep your head down and keep grinding. The plays came, and we made the plays in the passing game. It was good."
(on how good this team is) "We've won 10 games in-a-row. Obviously, we've never done that here. This is definitely the best team I've ever been on. We've won 10 games in-a-row. That's all I need to say." (Reporter: "You've played on some good teams.")"No doubt. I've been on some great teams. We didn't win 10 in a row, though."
WR Seth Roberts
(on his touchdown) "That play was awesome, man. I told Lamar [Jackson], I was like, 'I'm going to score on this drive.' That safety was just sitting in the middle, and he wasn't supposed to be sitting there. I stuck it and then headed to the back of the end zone."
(on the offense being explosive) "I just try to keep my head down. I didn't even know it was third-and-20."
(on his third-down conversions) "I just always stay ready. It's always been like this. I just keep my head down and keep playing ball. No matter what the critics say, or what anybody says, all I do is go out and play ball and stay locked in."
(on playing with QB Lamar Jackson and this offense) "Since I got here on Day One, I've been saying that I didn't want to play anywhere else but here – I mean that, I've been saying that."
(on QB Lamar Jackson) "I've never been with anybody like him."
(on what it means to win the AFC North) "Where I'm from, or where I've been at … I told the guys when I first came here that I'm not used to this. This is an awesome feeling. I'm thankful for it in my heart – it means a lot."
(on how close the team is) "Yeah, we're family. We come to work every day. Sometimes it's tough. It's kind of like we're cousins. We're always together, we're always playing around. When it's time to play ball, we're ready. I love it. It's a different group right here."
S Chuck Clark
(on what it means to win the AFC North) "Last week we clinched the playoffs, this week we got the AFC North. As a team, we feel like that's just one step to the big goal that we're trying to achieve."
(on his interception) "That's just coach making the right call and the quarterback making a bad throw."
(on the defense making plays when it counts) "That's what we emphasize. Our defense is always making turnovers and trying to score. That's our goal, week-in and week-out."
(on playing with a high-powered offense) "It's crazy – we'll be on the field, we get off the field, they go back on the field … They can mess around and have a two-play drive, or big plays, or they can keep the ball and carry it for 10 minutes. It's unreal sometimes … It's crazy what they can do."
S Earl Thomas III
(on QB Lamar Jackson) "I think it's a couple of factors. I think you have the right perspective as well. He has so many weapons around him. What 'G Ro' [offensive coordinator Greg Roman] asks him to do … We have a great running game, great tight ends and capable receivers that people sleep on."
(on how he would defend QB Lamar Jackson) "It would be very, very tough. I mean, you come to play man and you turn your back against him … Once he gets past the front, he can run. I really don't have the answer. I keep telling guys, even if I did, I probably wouldn't tell anybody about it."
(on the Ravens going for it on fourth-and-1 on their own 30-yard line) "We've been doing it all season. We've been doing it all year. I'm not sure what the score was. You saw Lamar [Jackson]'s reaction – he wanted to go for it. He saw something maybe we didn't see. It was a great pass down the field, 30-plus yards. We were very happy because we didn't want to go back on the field."
(on if winning the AFC North is why he came here) "This is the best scenario I could possibly be in. I've got a great offense, I've got a great defense and I'm just one of 11 men. It just happens to be my first year here, and it's pretty cool."
(on the defense making key plays at key times) "We were kind of upset with us. We kind of played down to our competition. But, in the second half, we played really good football."
(on playing with the explosive offense) "It makes it very easy for us. Even when it's close at the beginning, we just try to stay and play sound football until the offense catches fire."
(on S Chuck Clark) "He's doing a really good job. We ask a lot of him. He's got the green dot. He's communicating the calls back-and-forth, and he came up with a big pick today."
(on how important a No.1 seed would be) "I think that's very important. I've been on teams where we've gotten to two-straight Super Bowls. That's the goal."
OLB Matthew Judon
(on how it feels to be AFC North champions) "We're not done yet. We ain't done yet."
(on having a great offense) "It's good, man. That's what their job is. Our job is to stop people, and we're doing that. It's combining into big wins – and it turned into what we are now – 12-2. When you can stop people and score points, that's what you get."
(on whether this is the best team he's ever played on) "I'm not going to lie, when I was a junior, my high school team … It rivaled this. We were pretty cold in high school. Shout out to West Bloomfield [High School]."
(on making key plays at key times) "That's what it is, man. We have a bunch of big-play players. People are acting like they've been in this situation, even though they've never been in this situation. We're playing big. When it comes up with situations and they get yards, we don't get down on each other – we continue to play and continue to work. We're grinding stuff out. We're coming up with stops, and we're coming up with wins."
(on guys like DE Jihad Ward and ILB L.J. Fort making plays) "Yeah, don't sleep on them, man. They are good players. I think Jihad went in the second round and he just found his niche in our defense. And L.J. Fort has been around forever. Right now, he's just getting opportunities to play, he's getting opportunities to make those plays, and he's doing it and capitalizing. I always say good for them, but it's also good for us."
WR Marquise Brown
(on QB Lamar Jackson's pass on his touchdown play) "His awareness on the field… He threw a great ball on the play, I just had to track it and get my feet down."
(on how big the pass interference play against him was) "I wanted a touchdown; I didn't want pass interference. I've got to find a way to stay on my feet, but, you know, [Lamar] put up a great ball and gave me a chance. I drew the flag, but I ultimately wanted the touchdown."
(on how big getting rest is at this point) "Just keep taking care of [your body] how we did going into this year. Coach [Harbaugh] has been doing a great job in practice with us, and I think we've got a good plan in place."
(on his touchdown catch) "As wide receivers, you've got to get the feet down. [Lamar] threw a great ball in the back of the end zone, and I just had to make a play. I made a similar play like that when I was in junior college, the same as that."
(on if he knew his feet were down) "Yeah, as soon as I scored, I was pointing at the ref like, 'I know you saw that.' I saw it, too."
DT Michael Pierce
(on things the defense can improve on) "We gave up too many points today, for sure. So we need to stop drives, we have to keep teams from rushing and [from gaining] 300 yards total. To our defensive standard, that's not the best, but on a short week, we will take it; but to do what we want to do, we definitely have to play a little better than we did today."
(on if QB Lamar Jackson is the MVP) "Without a doubt, without a doubt. This kid is young, man. He is doing all these amazing things, and he is leading us like nothing I have ever seen. He is amazing. I am at a loss for words, obviously, it happens rarely, but he is amazing. If he doesn't get it, I will be surprised."
CB Jimmy Smith
(on how opposing defenses can prepare for QB Lamar Jackson) "You know what's good about that? I don't have to come up with that answer. I don't know how you prepare for that man. He is just a superb athlete, and he can really, really run the ball and command our offense. You just try to slow him down, put 11 hats on him every time he runs the ball, that's what teams are trying to do."
(on if he has seen anything like QB Lamar Jackson before) "[Michael] Vick could throw, and he could run. He wasn't as big as Lamar, but he was like that, yeah."
(on how it feels to win the AFC North) "It's always good to win your division, win these games. It feels great to get a victory on Thursday night. Obviously you read our shirt though ['AFC North is not enough'], this isn't the end for us. At least we don't want it to be, so we will keep pushing forward."
(on what is says about this team to win 10 straight) "It wasn't our best performance by any stretch, but we stuck to it. We grinded a win out, scored some points, played some good defense. We had our bad spots, but our team is very resilient. We are going on a long run here. It's kind of funny to see everyone count us out each week, just because if you do too good, you have to be counted out. At the same time, it is just encouraging to see our team always bounce back."
(on the OLB Tyus Bowser sack and the DE Jihad Ward fumble recovery being a momentum-turning moment) "That was definitely one of them. Anytime you get a turnover and then score off of it, that's a huge momentum changer, so yes it's huge for us."
(on if this is the best team he has been on) "I have been on two teams that... That 2012 team, that was a very, very talented team, and we are definitely right there with them."
DT Domata Peko Sr.
(on joining the Ravens midstream and then winning the AFC North) "First of all, I just want to give thanks to God for giving me this opportunity for allowing me to come back and play in the AFC North, and then yes, like you said, coming out here, I think this is my fourth or fifth game since I have been here, and I am just trying to do my part. [I'm] just trying to make sure I am on point with my job, and it is paying off. The team has been rolling and riding high, but the best part about it is everyone works. Everyone works their tail off. That's why we are winning games. We are winning it from Monday to Saturday, putting that hard work in, and then Sunday we are just out here having fun, and it makes it easy. But yes, it's been a blessing to be back in it, to win the North. It is frickin' awesome, and we are just getting started."
(on the defense's performance tonight) "I feel like we had some good plays, and some sloppy plays out there. But anytime you get a win in this league, you have to take it and make the most of it. We are definitely going to look at the film and see what we can clean up. There are a couple things that I know we need to clean up, but when you are winning, it just makes things a lot easier. It makes it a lot better. We are definitely going to look at the film and try to clean some stuff up, but yes, we just have to keep it rolling. We have two division games coming up in a row here. Cleveland, they got us last time, but I think we are a whole different team now. That seems like ages ago."
(on if this is the best team he has ever been on) "Oh, hell yes. Without a doubt. It's a solid team, from special teams, to the 53rd person, to the first person, it's a solid roster, man. We have depth at every position. When you have someone like Lamar Jackson, someone that special, someone that is a once-in-a-lifetime-type of person like him, he could lead us all the way."
NEW YORK JETS
Head Coach Adam Gase
(opening statement) "The only guy that did not finish the game was Jeff Smith with an ankle."
(on Lamar [Jackson] being able to hit open receivers) "We knew we had to play a tough offense tonight and that we had to commit to the run. We struggled early, and this is a really tough offense to play."
(on how frustrating it was that the offense was moving the ball but could not produce plays) "We knew coming into this game how we had to play offensively. We created time of possession, and we did a good job of ball security, and we had some opportunities to score touchdowns. But we did not do it. We did not finish the job. That one drive where we threw the interception near the end of the half, that was a tough one."
(on who Sam Darnold was throwing to during that interception) "I think he was just waiting for someone to come to the window."
(on Sam Darnold throwing the ball to that spot, did someone run the wrong route) "No, the route was right. His [Darnold] vision was kind of messed up, because there was a lot of crossing going on."
(on his thinking on the fourth-and-1 call) "We knew it was going to be some kind of man-to-man coverage, there are not a lot of good calls in that situation when they bring everybody. We knew we had to block some extra guys and get it out on time."
(on if it was frustrating not getting the intended result) "There were a lot of positives that were working for us tonight. I felt we were moving it good enough when we were moving the ball, getting some third-down conversions. We just could not finish when we needed to. Coming into this game, our thing was keeping it close going into the fourth quarter. But we just could not stop them, and it got away from us."
(on the play of Le'Veon Bell) "He had some good runs tonight, and we were trying to match him up in the passing game. Earl [Thomas III] was doing a good job of matching him up, and we kind of felt like there were two guys on him. It is really the kind of defense where he could help a lot of guys. [Thomas III] is the type of guy that can make a lot of plays. They were on Le'Veon quick."
(on why they have struggled coming out of halftime in games) "I think every game is different. I mean, we had a third-and-2 opportunity, and we did not convert it, and we were not on the same page on that one."
(on why Neville Hewitt would be covering Marquise Brown on the pass interference call) "Zone coverage. It happens occasionally. We played like the Tampa 2. We were in the zone, and we had to carry one or two routes, and that is how he ended up on Brown."
(on the overall assessment of Sam Darnold's game) "There was a lot of good. One of the things we asked of him was not to turn it over, but he had two turnovers. I will have to go back and watch the film, and I am sure there will be things he will not like. But he will get them fixed. When we do not win, we have to find those mistakes that we make, fix them up and go back to work on Wednesday."
(on if he thought the defense was on its heels due to Lamar's speed) "I think we were just trying to figure out what was going on. Sometimes against this group, you do not want to commit, because you are unsure. They run their offense well, but you have to pull the trigger and make a decision in real time, and it is not easy."
(on if a loss like this on national TV is demoralizing to the team) "I did not see that at all. On the sideline, I was really impressed with how our guys were. The attitude throughout the entire game, they kept fighting, and they fought until the last snap. I was really frustrated because I wanted to win, but this is not a group that quits. They fight, they come back to work, they put their head down and try to find a way to get better."
(on how to eliminate Sam Darnold's mistakes) "Experience. Experience. It is coming. He is improving every week. Throughout the entire year, he is getting better every week. There is going to be a point where he is a good player."
QB Sam Darnold
(on the play sequence at the end of the first half) "Really bad decision by me. You know, it sucks against any team in the NFL, especially against these guys... Especially with the way they're playing and especially the way we're playing. We were moving the ball really well. Our offensive line played really well today. I just wished I could've played better. That decision at the end of the first half wasn't good. We just want to get points in that scenario."
(on the last play at the end of the first half) "I felt like that was the best decision. You know, I got a lot of pressure. I tried to give our guys a chance on fourth down and it just didn't work out for us."
(on their ongoing struggles during the first possession of the second half) "I don't know. I think we got to start out a lot sharper in the second half. That's something we got to continue to work on."
(on the running game) "The run game was amazing. Our offensive line, running backs, receivers and tight ends are awesome. I felt like we made our plays in the passing game when they were there as well. There were just a couple throws I'd like to get back. We ran the ball well. There's a couple throws I'd like to get back."
(on playing against the Ravens after winning four of the last five games) "We had a really good plan going into it. On a few plays, we didn't execute the plays how I was supposed to. So, you know, again, I just wish I had a few plays back."
(on getting into a rhythm) "I just got to continue to play smart at all times. When you slip up in the NFL, you get exposed. For me, I just got to continue to play ball and not have those critical one or two mistakes a game."
(on the throw to TE Daniel Brown) "It was a poor decision by me."
(on how the addition of new players affected communication) "I think our guys did a great job all week doing what we had to do during the week to get guys in there who may not have been in there before a lot of reps. They were locked in all game. I never felt anything different from those guys. I'm super proud of them."
RB Le'Veon Bell
(on his play) "My wind felt good. The guys up front did a great job of moving guys off the ball and giving me some lanes. Coach gave me some opportunities today, so it was overall a good feeling for me...coming out of the game healthy. So, I was glad to come out of the game healthy, and I feel good right now. We will see how I feel tomorrow."
(on the Baltimore Ravens' defense) "It was nothing that we weren't prepared for. They ran their normal things. We know on third downs, I was probably going to be matched up one-on-one a lot. They had a guy on me."
(on the offense not being able to score many touchdowns) "Anytime you move the ball, and you can't put the ball in the end zone, it gets a little frustrating. There were points that we missed out on, but you have to take the good with the bad. We didn't play nearly a perfect game. You've got to credit the Ravens. Those guys played better than us today, and that's why they got the W. I don't think we had to play perfect, but we needed to play better than we did today. I think the biggest difference was they had two take-aways, and we got the punt block. But that was at the end. At that point, it's kind of like over."
(on having a lot of rushing attempts) "I think when you get the ball, kind of like sporadic. When you get it in doses, it allows you to kind of feel the defense out. You get in a rhythm with the O line, that's when special things start to happen. I think we got a little sense of that today and it felt good."
(on how he feels after being ill) "I felt good. Breathing felt fine. Coaches did a good job of getting me out of the game every now and then. I'd never put myself out, but personnel changes; get me out of the game, get me a breather, kind of protecting me from myself. So, I give credit to Coach, he did a good job today."
(on the loss) "Every loss feels the same to me. Especially when you feel you didn't play as well as you could have played. The game kind of got away from us, but credit those guys [Baltimore Ravens]. They did everything they were asked to do on offense; defense. They executed better than us today, and you've got to give them credit."
WR Jamison Crowder
(on the offense) "I think we left a lot of plays out there on the field. We looked good in spurts. I think we've just got to keep going to where we can have consistency throughout the game."
(on scoring a touchdown right after he dropped a touchdown pass) "Shoot, it's just the next play. That's my mindset. You just keep playing. It's by far the easiest touchdown I've ever dropped, so I'm grateful that I could come back and make that play."
(on the season) "It's been a roller coaster. We were hit with a lot of adversity. We've just got to keep going. This is the NFL, and nobody's going to feel sorry for us. We've got to keep running."
WR Vyncint Smith
(on his play) "I was just trying to come in and relieve DT's [Demaryius Thomas] position and prove that I can be the next guy to step up and make plays."
(on the offense's play in cold weather) "We were close today. We didn't execute good enough, but we were close. Once you get going, and you warm up. The benches are heated, so you really don't think about the weather."
(on his rapport with QB Sam Darnold) "It's getting better every week. I wish I would have had an offseason with him, but it's getting better every week. The more plays you make in the game, the more he's going to want to come to you."
(on what he can take away from this game) "We're getting better. That's point blank. We know we'll be something serious next year. We fought the whole game, and as a team, we're going to stick together. It's been a tough season, but we're on the rise."
LB Tarell Basham
(on QB Lamar Jackson's play) "He is probably one of the best skill players on the team. And being at the quarterback position, the ball is always in his hands. He has a lot of opportunities to make plays."
(on sacking QB Lamar Jackson) "We were trying to cage him in all day, trying to keep him in the pocket and keep him from scrambling out. I saw an opportunity to make an inside move. He had his back turned to me, and I was able to get him. We tried to keep eyes on him all night and not react too quick to his moves."
(on blocking P Sam Koch) "Our special teams coordinator [Bryant Boyer] put together a great gameplan for this snapper [Morgan Cox]. He [Boyer] knew we could get after him [Cox]. He [Boyer] aligned me on him [Cox] and let me rush him and beat him however I could. I was able to just run him over, and then dive for the block."
(on the special teams play) "We definitely played pretty well on special teams. The kick return team kicked it up a notch today. We have been talking about doing that all year. We were able to get some good blocks and get some returns today. The returners were able to find the holes and hit it."
LB Jordan Jenkins
(on facing QB Lamar Jackson) "He is definitely the real deal. Granted, we could have played a lot better on defense. You have to give credit where credit is due. We had the gameplan for when we could stop the run. We tried to cage rush him a little bit, but he was just as deadly in the pocket. Once we were behind, it was sort of hard to change it up. If you rush too high, he is going to gas you like he did for about 30 or 40 yards before the half."
(on the Ravens' offense following QB Lamar Jackson's lead) "They have all bought into the system. They embrace it pretty well."
(on the character of the Jets' locker room) "We did not split. We did not falter. But that's just who we are. Ultimately, we just did not put our best football out there. We were not detailed, but we still are not going to quit no matter what. We did not get the result we want. We are not going to quit. That is not what a man does. Defensively, we did not play sound football tonight. Against a great football team, when you make mistakes, they are going to capitalize on them."
LB B.J. Bello
(on the blocked punt) "We had a good gameplan going in. Coach [Bryant] Boyer [special teams coordinator] had a good gameplan, as far as the rushes. We went out there and executed. 'Bash' [Tarell Basham] made a good play by blocking the punt. I got through on my side and heard the ball get blocked. I was able to get my eyes on it and jump up and grab it, and then get it into the end zone."
(on the Jets' special teams play) "Especially with it being a short week, the mental aspect is the most important part. I have to give a shout out to Coach Boyer and the special teams staff. They had a great gameplan for us and got it across to us in a short week. We were not going to be able to run a lot in practice. We had to take as many mental reps as we could, even at the hotel. Everybody did a good job. We wish we could have made a few more plays, scored a couple more touchdowns to help us win. But we live to fight another week."
(on the Jets' defense) "Hats off to the Ravens. They are a very good ball team. Their offense is electric. We are not happy with the outcome. We felt like we could have done better. We hold our defense to a high standard, especially stopping the run. We are definitely not satisfied with the way things went."
LB James Burgess
(on Lamar Jackson) "The guy is a freak of nature. One of a kind."
(on whether Jackson is faster than on tape) "Definitely. A guy like that is hard to prepare for. He showed why is the MVP right now. He had a great game. We tried to game plan it, but when you have a guy like that who is in the zone right now, and their offense is hot right now, we did not do enough to win."
(on whether the defense used a spy on Lamar Jackson) "Yeah, a couple times. He did not run when we spied him. He did a good job of reading coverages and making throws when he was supposed to. We did not spy him when he had that long run. You just have to tip your hat to a guy like that."
(on not setting the edge well) "Definitely. It was our weakest point tonight. With a guy like that, you have to set the edge. Because, once he gets around the corner, he has top-end speed, and when you do not, stuff like what happens tonight, happens."
(on whether the Lamar Jackson's style could hurt him) "He runs the ball a lot, but he knows when to go down. He takes hits sometimes, but sometimes he does not. He knows for his better health, he makes a good decision."
OL Alex Lewis
(on the offense) "We've just got to finish. We got down in the red zone a couple of times and didn't get points out of it. You know against a good team, you've got to take advantage of every opportunity you're given, and we just didn't capitalize."
(on his play) "It's hard to tell right now. I'll look at the tape, see what we did wrong and correct it."
(on being an ex-Raven and playing in M&T Stadium) "It's always fun to come back to your ex-girlfriend, but we just need to go out there and compete more and get it corrected. The crowd was awesome. Baltimore fans are great. They're loyal and outstanding fans. Hats off to them. But now I've got to move on and get ready for next week."
S Marcus Maye
(on the defense) "We didn't play up to how we know how to play. We gave up too many yards on the ground. We let the ball get over our head too many times."
(on Lamar Jackson) "He still got outside of the pocket. He still extended plays. I don't think we did a good enough job of keeping him in the pocket, so it's just something we need to correct. We knew he had the ability to do that. But you have to find a way to make that happen. He's different. He's not like the rest of them. He has the ability to run around and make plays. There's probably only a handful of guys who can do it the way he does it."
(on does he think Lamar Jackson is an MVP candidate) "Yeah. Everybody is watching the game. Everybody's watching the film, and it is what it is."
(on his play) "It wasn't the best outing. There are 11 guys out on the field. We've all got to do our job to the best of our ability. We let a few plays go, and for the most part, we didn't do our job on defense."
