HEAD COACH JOHN HARBAUGH
(opening statement) "Thanks everyone for being here on a really important day. It was really an honor, we felt like, to be here on 9/11, and to be in New York City and to get a chance to take a walk last night, I did with some of the other coaches. We walked around and got a chance to see the [twin] towers [memorial] site and the lights. It was just surreal. The full moon was out, the lights were incredible, and it makes you think back to that day, what, 21 years ago? My daughter was born that year. So, it's very meaningful for everybody, and we have the upmost respect and gratitude for our first responders, for the NYPD, FDNY and the Port Authority here in New York and everywhere … The Baltimore Police Department, the Baltimore County Police Department and Fire Departments, which are mostly volunteer, and all across the country. We have the upmost respect and gratitude for what they do and for our service members here and overseas for everything they do. So, what questions do you have for us?"
(on if he was concerned about handling the emotion during the first quarter after the pregame 9/11 memorials) "That's a great point, we were. We felt like with all the things going on, and the families on the field and all the people holding the flag … They were so much fun on the sideline, the people holding the flag, mostly in their Jets' stuff, but it was just neat. It was kind of a coming together, kind of a unifying type of a feeling, but we knew the enthusiasm, the emotion was going to be high. We knew the Jets were going to be very physical, very tough, very emotional; that's how they play. We have a lot of respect for this football team. This is exactly what we thought was going to happen, is what happened. They fly around, they hit you, they're a tough, physical team. They play very hard; they're very well coached. So, we were hoping to weather that first quarter as much as we could."
(on the offense's slow start and if he attributes it to their lack of playing in the preseason) "I don't know; that's a great question. I'm not sure about it, obviously we'll look at the tape and see, but the Jets are a penetrating front. They get in your backfield, and they make things tough for you. If those combination blocks don't get together, or you get on edges of blocks, it's really hard to get anything going in the run game. They were supporting well off the edges with the secondary. I thought they well tackling well, and we really couldn't get our run game going. We didn't have many yards in the first half, but we did capitalize. We got a couple of key turnovers there. We didn't make too many mistakes; our mistakes really came in the back end with some holding penalties that kind of kept some drives alive. Really other than that, we had a couple holding penalties on offense too that we probably would want back, but other than that we played a really, pretty solidly clean game. When the ball was on the ground for us, we got it back. I told Mike Davis, 'That was a fight for life in there under that pile to get that ball back,' but he got it back. Then, our guys game up with the ball when the ball was on the ground. So, those were key things that might have overcome what you're talking about just a little bit."
(on the defense being able to pressure QB Joe Flacco in the pocket today) "Yes, we did. Joe [Flacco] stands in there, [and] you can see he makes throws. We did a good job on the back end, too. We were moving our guys around, disguising quite a little bit, and I think he had to hold the ball at times too, which gave our guys a chance to get there as well. Our guys pressed the pocket really well. They were physical – Justin [Madubuike] is sitting right there – those guys were bringing it. We had a good inside pressure. Very happy with those guys. Devin Duvernay, he's sitting there too. I just saw him sitting there. What a game. He came up with plays when we needed plays made, and he made them. That's what you hope for, and we knew it was going to happen, right 'Dev' [Devin Duvernay]? (Devin Duvernay: "Yes.")We knew it, so, I'm proud of these guys."
(on injury updates on T Ja'Wuan James and CB Kyle Fuller) "I do. [Ja'Wuan] James has a torn Achilles; it's the same one. It's a little bit of a different tear; it's off the bone. It's not the one that is mid-tendon. So, he's determined, and he says he's in a way better place than he was last time, and he's determined to come back in time. [Kyle] Fuller, we don't know for sure. We'll see tomorrow with the MRI with him. We have some reason for hope there."
(on coming back and scoring the first touchdown of the game on third down immediately after T Ja'Wuan James was carted off the field) "You're right, it was a big part of the game. We were just trying to hold the fort there just a little bit. We got the turnover and then the field goal. For Devin [Duvernay] to make the play, and for Pat Mekari to come in, [he] deserves a lot of credit. He came in and he played really well. Tyler Linderbaum, for his debut playing all those plays, it looked like he played solid football. So, the O-line looked like they did a good job as the game wore on and [we] started to get a little bit of control of it."
(on WR Devin Duvernay's performance overall, and matching his career touchdown total today) "[I'm] not surprised. This guy, he's done so many things for us that really doesn't always show up in the stat book, but he's made big plays for us in the past. He works so hard; he's been doing it in camp every single day. So, I don't think any of the players are surprised, [nor the] coaches, we're just happy to see it happen in a game."
(on how WR Rashod Bateman was able to get behind the defense on his 55-yard touchdown reception) "Well, he ran a great route, obviously, back there. It was really well designed, and [offensive coordinator] Greg [Roman] was looking to find that coverage and find that route as the game was going along. They were bringing people down a little bit, and they were doing a good job against the run, and we got them one time. He ran a great route, and the protection held up. You need the protection to hold up on those longer-developing routes, and obviously Lamar [Jackson] made a great throw."
(on QB Lamar Jackson's performance today) "Lamar [Jackson] played outstanding. He played a patient, veteran quarterback game. He was in control of everything, he did a great job with the line, he handled the clock really well. There were some lengthy play calls in there that we dealt with, and he handled all of that really well. He got the guys in the right spots, and then he was poised in the pocket, held the ball, protected the ball, found guys open, moved when he had to, made a couple plays with his legs when he had to here and there. He played a really veteran, winning quarterback type of a game. He still makes his plays, obviously, two huge touchdown passes that we saw. I'm proud of him."
(on if the inside pressure against the Jets offensive line helped take the pressure off the edge) "I think that's probably why Justin [Madubuike] is sitting in this room, you're going to talk to him. Those guys did a great job of pushing the pocket inside. All those guys, [Brent] Urban, how about Michael Pierce, who had some good pass rushes? I'm sure there were others."
QB LAMAR JACKSON
(on turning it around after a slow start, and if there was a feeling-out process coming into Week One) "I feel like it was just us feeling it out, out there. Like you said, we [majority of the starters] didn't play in the preseason. I haven't played in like six games last year – not much really. Yes, we're just getting back into the swing of things. We played better, we came out better in the second half and started putting points on the board."
(on if he started relying on his legs to make plays in the second half as opposed to the first half) "No, not really. I guess I just had to. They were covering pretty well. [If] the pocket breaks down, just had to make something happen, get a first down, [and] get a few yards here and there."
(on if his second touchdown pass to WR Devin Duvernay was thrown without looking) "No, I looked, I looked. (laughter) I'm not playing street ball; I'm looking. I was going to throw it to Mark [Andrews], but the safety jumped Mark, and [Devin Duvernay] just ran his route, and he came open."
(on the wide receivers' performances today after being questioned as a group during the offseason) "Very positive. It boosts our confidence in each other. We just have to keep going. This is the first game; we have 16 more games to go, and playoffs and stuff like that, so we just have to keep it going."
(on if the ESPN report that he turned down a $250 million guaranteed offer from the Ravens is true) "No. No, there's no truth to that."
