BALTIMORE RAVENS
Head Coach John Harbaugh
(opening statement) "Good to see everybody here still. Obviously, very pleased with the result, but more pleased with the process. I felt like our guys did a good job throughout the week with the Rams. You're probably looking at more like a three-day experience, in terms of improving and getting better in the two practices and the game. I thought both teams did a good job. We're just happy we're a better team now than we were four days ago. We need to continue to improve."
(on being able to get full reps from the starters and everyone coming out healthy) "I think we should just leave that alone. It's like the dugout – you know where I'm going with that. You kind of just leave some things alone sometimes. Not that we're superstitious. How does the old saying with Michael Scott go? 'I'm not superstitious, but I am a little stitious.'" (laughter)
(on what he saw from QB Joe Flacco in his limited play) "Basically, we felt good about that. Get Lamar [Jackson] out there with a lot of reps, get Robert [Griffin III] out there. But, that's all we needed from Joe. We talked about maybe one more series, but you get out there in the situation and you're the coach, you had a good series … and that was enough."
(on if he felt that QB Lamar Jackson took a step forward) "Absolutely. I thought [he] had good throws. [He was] really poised in the pocket, and he got good protection. The offensive line did a really nice job. The receivers made some plays, but Lamar really stepped up and made some plays. The run was nice to see – all of it."
(on if he was able to see QB Lamar Jackson's touchdown run) "Yes, it was a great run. I thought he was tackled twice, and then he wasn't. So, that was good. You can always appreciate that if he's on your team." (Reporter: "He seems awfully poised for a rookie.") "Yeah, he does. He does seem poised for a rookie. Even on the sideline … He may not know everything. He took a sack in the fringe when we had a chance for a field goal – twice now. He knows that, but he comes off the field and knows exactly what he did. And I think he's really going to continue to blossom for that reason. He handles situations very well."
(on if the touchdown run shows that he can be a weapon under center in the red zone) "It helps, no question. That's part of it. It's hard enough to cover guys down there because things happen so fast, and windows are so small. Then, when you have the running element, you maybe have to slow your pass rush down a little bit. You can't always … You like to rush three down there, too, sometimes. You can't do that as often with him."
(on the performance of WR Breshad Perriman) "I think the Breshad Perriman thing tonight might be the story. Here is a guy that has been battling back from injuries. Obviously, he is taking a lot of heat. He's a young guy, and he's a good person – he works very hard. He has been under siege with it – and that's part of it. He understands that more than anybody. But I think he deserves a lot of credit for the way he has handled it. He has handled it professionally on the outside, but also on the inside. He has worked really hard at his craft, and to see it pay off with a game like tonight's … The throw and the catch … Robert [Griffin III]'s throw and his catch were as good as you're ever going to see. So I'm just really happy for him – he deserves it."
(on how good it was to see QB Joe Flacco have chemistry with the new guys in game action) "That's exactly right. It's good to see it in training camp, and you get a feel – you get a sense – of, 'Hey, maybe we're going to be good on offense.' But, you want to see it in a game. And we'll want to see it in another game. Then we'll want to see it in a regular season game. We're all going to feel that way, about our offense and our defense. But to take this step at this time was really gratifying."
(on if OLB Tim Williams is getting him excited about how he can contribute) "He is. I think he has practiced that way, too. And not just the pass rush, although the pass rush – obviously, tonight everybody saw it – and that's what he has been doing in practice. But to see the run defense too, he's playing the run defense very well, too. I'm pretty happy with how Tim is doing."
(on how gratifying it is to see QB Joe Flacco's mobility) "It has been so underrated his whole career – I really believe that. His athleticism and his ability to move in the pocket – to run and make plays – have been absolutely underrated – maybe to our advantage. People disregard him a bit sometimes. I hope they continue to do it. He gets out and makes plays on the move; he can throw on the run. He has always had that ability. Now, the injury part of it, to your point – I guess it's good to see him back 100 percent. But, I think he's always had that ability."
QB Joe Flacco
(on if the first drive was as good as it could have turned out) "It's tough, these preseason games. You know you're probably only going to play 20 snaps or so. You've got to get yourself ready to play an NFL football game, so it's just these weird situations in the preseason. To go up there and have a drive like we did, it's obviously the way we wanted it to go."
(on if he values playing early in the preseason) "I think you value it, because this is what we love to do. This is what I love to do, to play football, so anytime you can go out there and get on the football field in front of the crowd and with your teammates and friends, doing what you love to do, it's a lot of fun. You've got to take a lot of stock in that. It's great to be out there playing football. We have a pretty long offseason. We have a lot of practice in it, so it's great to play games."
(on how much the first team's performance helps the overall team confidence) "I think once the regular season starts, this isn't going to mean anything, but what it does for our confidence as a group, our confidence as a team, that will carry us pretty far into the season. So, hopefully we can keep this going. I think we've got the guys to do it. We've been practicing great. That was the biggest plus – just knowing how well we've been practicing. And, to actually carry it over to the game, I think for our young guys, and I think for the fact we have new wide receivers, I think that's also a big part of it, just having those guys really feel good about the first time that we've been out here, so all I know right now are positive things. Hayden [Hurst], first play, I was able to hit him with a catch, so stuff like that, I think, goes a long way."
(on if perceptions that he is more at ease than he used to be are accurate) "It's tough to say. I think I'm pretty much the same person all the time. I pride myself in being the same person all the time. I usually have little things here and there, but I am who I am. I don't really feel comfortable being anything else. I think I pretty much have always been that. It's tough to say. I'm comfortable, for sure, but I'm always confident. I don't know if comfortable is the word, to be honest. I don't know if I'm always comfortable. I'm always confident, and I'm confident in where we are as a group. Hopefully that does show, more-so than in the past, just my personality, and how I reacted to things. I think when things aren't going well for us, which hasn't been a ton, especially early on, people develop opinions. I think just the way that my personality is, I think anytime things happen like that, people look at my demeanor and things like that, and they try to make it negative, but it is who I am, and I'm confident in who I am and proud of it, so I'll continue to do that."
(on Orlando Brown Jr. as a pass-blocker) "Him specifically, he shows up in practice like he shows up on film. Obviously, there are some things that he can work on, but you can't ignore that he's got ability. He's so big, he swallows people up. He has natural ability to play that position and be a really good football player, so it's exciting to see."
(on two successful third-down conversions and their significance) "When you're out there, and you're in the flow of a drive, you're aware that it's third down, obviously, but you're just trying to convert. You're just trying to complete passes. It's not like you're thinking, 'Oh this is third down. I've got to be extra accurate here.' You're just running the play based on what they give you. You're trying to complete some passes. I think 'Buck' [Javorius Allen] did a good job getting his eyes back to me on one of those third-down conversions, off the top of my head, I forget the other one right now. We're just executing the play, and that's what you have to do. We have a gameplan for a reason, and we've just got to execute it and see how it works out."
(on his reaction to Lamar Jackson's touchdown run) "He buckled the nose tackle there, he buckled the defensive tackle, and then when those DBs tried to get running so fast, because they feel like they can't beat him at the corner, he's so good at cutting back on guys. The ability to stop on a dime, it was pretty impressive. Obviously, it got a lot of reactions for it, as he should."
(on his assessment of Lamar Jackson's progress from last week to this week) "Good. It's good to talk to him on the sideline, and he comes as a confident young kid. I think he's doing a great job of understanding what's going on, being able to feel what's going on out there while he's doing it, and then come back and explain it, look at the pictures, see what can get better. I think he's handling himself really well. I think that's all you can ask for."
(on if he feels more confident in the offense than in years past) "I don't want to talk too much about that. We're in the moment. Right now, we're looking at what we have, and we're confident in who we are, but we still have three preseason games left before we even start the games that count, so we can't get ahead of ourselves. We've got to keep working every day, and I think if we do that, then we should be confident going in to Week 1. But we've got to keep that rolling."
OLB Tim Williams
(on how gratifying tonight's performance is) "It's just the preseason, so I'm not really getting too excited, because it doesn't count right now. I'm just building and getting better every day."
(on if he is encouraged by how he has played in his first two games) "Yes, it's encouraging, but my focus right now is on special teams and doing what I can do to help my team out on special teams. That's how I'm going to be able to help the older guys out, like [Terrell] Suggs and Matt [Judon]. It's nice to make plays out there for the defense, but my main focus right now is special teams."
(on what the difference is with him from last year to this year) "I'm [more] comfortable. My second year, I know what to expect. You can't catch me off my heels now – I'm back on my Alabama stuff."
(on how much last year frustrated him and how much he learned) "It didn't necessarily frustrate me – it was just a learning experience. Like I said, the learning curve was special teams. That's the Raven way. That's how you're going to get your reps, [and] that's how you're going to get your plays. You've got to ball out on special teams and show the other guys that you're willing to step outside your position to make a play. So, that's the main focus right now, is to gain the trust of my teammates to be able to go out there and make plays."
FB/DL Patrick Ricard
(on the team's overall performance) "From the start of the game, the offense did a great job just continuing to drive down the field. And then defensively, for the first half, we gave up like 50 total yards. I think practicing with them all week gave us a good idea of how to play them in a game. Having our starters back just set that bar even higher. Execution, physicality, that was a great game, especially for us to play at home."
(on being in camp for an extra week) "We've had camp now for that extra week and an extra game and two joint practices with a good team. Just being able to play that much longer and getting acclimated to the new defense that coach [Don] Martindale has installed, yes, I think we are advanced."
(on the touchdown catch) "I don't know if I'd say if I am a touchdown maker just yet, but the coaches trust me to put me in for that type of play. I just ran it; Joe just threw a great pass."
(on playing both ways) "Oh man, it's great. Touchdowns, sacks, football – it's what I love to do. But touchdowns are the best."
(on does he consider himself a two-way player) "At this point, yes, because I think I do both pretty well. That's my value, and that's why I am able to stay on this team and keep playing. I'll do whatever it takes to play on game day."
(on his unusual story) "Undrafted, played at an FCS school, ended up playing fullback and now playing both. I think it's just a testament to our coaches to trust me and be able to play both, do both and to do it to their standards. I couldn't be happier."
WR Breshad Perriman
(on what did this game do for his confidence) "Well, it definitely helps. Being back in the end zone for what, the first time in two years? [QB Robert Griffin III] threw me a great pass in the end zone, and every other pass he threw me was perfect. I am just thankful for God for me being here because I've been hurt and haven't really been playing in preseason the last couple years and really my whole career. I am thankful to him for allowing me to be here, healthy and playing."
(on the touchdown catch) "I had a go-route, and I thought the DB was going to come out and press me. But he was off me, and I just told myself to come off the ball fast and try to beat him with my speed. [Robert Griffin III] threw me a great pass, and that was it."
(on how it feels to come back after the dropped pass in the HOF game) "It was good to do it (laughter). I mean of course it was good to do it. I mean look, drops are going to happen I am not saying they won't. I am going to have drops. I am going to let you know that now. Every receiver drops a pass. But hey, tonight was an overall good performance, and I think I am heading in the right direction."
WR/RS Janarion Grant
(on returning every punt tonight) "It felt great. Just to get that opportunity out there each and every time to make plays, that's what I do, I am a playmaker. I just want to play hard, and I am happy to be out there playing for my guys and come out with a victory."
(on his story coming out of college) "I come from Rutgers University, played four years as a punt returner/kick returner. But then I broke my ankle and came back for my fifth year and did well but didn't get drafted. So I got a lot on my plate right now, time to make up for, and that's what I am going to do. I am not going to stop until I am satisfied."
(on if his confidence is growing over the last three weeks) "I think it's getting better and better each day, just getting comfortable out there, playing against other teams and getting the feeling of everything. My confidence is helping me work hard."
(on if he was surprised he returned every punt tonight) "Not really. It was part of the gameplan, and I knew I was going to be up, so I had to be ready."
QB Lamar Jackson
(on his TD run) "I dropped back, and everyone was covered on that play. They tried to get to me, and I made a guy miss. Then I did what I do best and tried to get in the end zone."
(on playing in the first half and completing some nice passes) "That was the thing I was trying to concentrate on this week. I was just trying to be a better passer in the pocket."
(on if he improved from last week's game) "I feel like I did better, but I didn't throw a touchdown this game, so I'm kind of ticked off. I'm going to have to throw one next week. I want to do that bad."
(on his poise) "Sometimes as quarterbacks, we get trigger-happy with our legs when we sense pressure. I'm just trying to deliver the ball and get it into my receivers' hands."
(on playing at M&T Bank Stadium) "It was awesome. I loved it. The crowd was into it, and we came out with a 'W.'"
(on coming out of the tunnel before the game) "You know I'm a rookie, so coming out through the tunnel I was kind of lost. I didn't want to mess up anything like a routine. So I asked, 'Where do I go when I go out?' But it was pretty cool."
(on QB Joe Flacco's performance) "He was awesome. He was smooth, and he had a lot of poise in the pocket. He made a lot of nice throws. He was awesome."
S DeShon Elliott
(on his fumble recovery) "It's just a matter of reading your keys and running to the ball. Then good things happen. My motto is, 'Just run to the ball, and everything else will fall into place.' "
(on his near-interception) "It was a deep, deep punt. I was trying to run back, and I almost had it. I didn't make the play, but I know I will get more opportunities."
(on playing at home for the first time) "It finally hit me that I was playing for the Baltimore Ravens and that I was in the NFL. Running out of the tunnel, being at home and seeing all the fans screaming, it felt good. It felt like I was home again. I plan on playing here a long time. I can't wait for the future."
(on what he's learned in the first two preseason games) "It's more about learning route combinations. I can adjust to the speed of the game because I'm a ballplayer. It's just getting used to the route combinations and better quarterbacks than I faced in college. The separation that you're going to have here for where a pass is going to be thrown in is a lot smaller than it was in college. That's the big difference."
(on coming up and supporting the run) "That's the one thing that I bring to the table. I love to hit. I love contact. It is what it is. That's how I was raised."
RT Orlando Brown Jr.
(on how he felt about tonight's performance) "I feel like I definitely took a step forward. I need to watch the film to see how much of a step I took forward, but I can definitely tell you I didn't take a step back."
(on how much playing well in two games helps his confidence) "A lot. A lot. I love the game of football. I love everything that comes with it. So, I like to approach it with a very confident mindset, but it's definitely helping."
(on how much more confidence he had because the Ravens practiced vs. the Rams) "Honestly, it was more nerve-racking. These guys know your timing. They know the plays, calls, all of that different stuff, the stances. It was more so making sure I switch it up enough to where they didn't know what was coming."
(on how valuable all of this preseason play is to him) "I'm just soaking it all. I'm learning. I'm a rookie. Whatever they ask me to do – four quarters, three quarters, two quarters – I'm going to give it my all."
(on playing with QB Joe Flacco in the game) "That was exciting. Obviously, to go out there and to have him at QB. It was special. Growing up here in this building, knowing what he's done for the team and the franchise, it was really cool."
(on if his play in these first two games has answered critics) "If you would ask me, if anyone would ask me after the Combine if I was going to have a good NFL career, I would have told you yes. This is what I do—I play football. I'm not the strongest guy. I'm not the fastest guy. But no one on the field plays with more will than me, more effort and more hustle. That's been one of the reasons that I've been able to be so successful is because I focus on that. I focus on my craft, and I try to never take a step back and only go forward. Being here at the franchise…The sky's the limit. I'm just going to continue to grow as a person and as a player."
RB Gus Edwards
(on his thoughts on how he played) "I definitely think I'm getting better. I try every time I come off the field to take some tips from the vets. [RB] Alex [Collins] and [RB] 'Buck' [Allen], they talk to me as I'm out there, kind of giving me a feel for what I'm doing right and what I'm doing wrong. It was fun being out there."
(on if he's gaining more confidence with each game) "Yeah, I definitely am. That's on my coaches. [Running backs] coach Thomas [Hammock] has a lot of trust in me because he keeps putting me out there, and that's just making me a lot better."
(on how it felt running well against the Rams after practicing against them) "I think practice had a lot to do with my performance. We kind of got a feel for what they were going to do with us. We watched a lot of film with the guys and the coaches and everything, and it prepared us a lot for the game."
(on how much he feels like he's getting a chance to show what he's got) "I'm just taking my reps and trying to make the most out of it. At the end of the day, it's on the coaches."
(on how he ended up here in Baltimore after the draft) "I was in contact with coach Thomas a lot, and he showed me a lot that he believed in me. I think he's a great coach. He could really get me better, and he's been doing that. He's getting me better every week, and I have tremendous trust in him, and it's not far from home. I'm a Staten Island guy from New York City, three hours away. I thought it was a great opportunity to come in here."
