Head Coach John Harbaugh
(opening statement) "OK, appreciate you all being here. Obviously a very exciting football game. A little too exciting there at the end. I want to congratulate our guys – Jerraud Powers and C.J. [Mosley] – for making the game-winning play at the end of the game. It was just a great play. C.J. got a tip, and Jerraud got the ball batted out. Ultimately, [those plays] won us a football game, so congratulations to those two guys. I would say, for our guys, we have a lot of heart. We have a lot of guys that will fight right until the end, so I'm proud of them for that. A couple of other things ... [Justin] Tucker tied an NFL record for 50-plus-yard field goals in a season, I think with 10. Congratulations to 'Tuck.' Obviously, it has been big for us throughout the course of the year, throughout the course of the season."
(on what went through his head when the Eagles went for the two-point conversion to end the game) "We figured that's what they were going to do. We kind of anticipated it. What was going through my mind was what defense we were going to play. [We needed to] figure out what defense we were going to get into and how we were going to play it. The idea was, 'What are we going to play?' It was a consensus to blitz them – an all-out blitz – to get the ball out quick, and we played it well."
(on the late-game decision to throw the ball deep in Eagles territory instead of running the ball and taking more time off of the clock) "All-time worst call ever. I'll take responsibility for it. I should have vetoed it right away. I like an aggressive mindset, but that was way too aggressive. It's the worst play call we've had, and it's my fault. It should have never happened. We should have never been in that situation [with Philadelphia having a chance to win the game] as a result of that [play call]."
(on the Eagles' success with the run game) "I think they did a good job of scheming us up and just blocking us. It's a stretch-zone scheme, and they were doing a great job of reaching our guys and cutting us off on the backside. We're going to have to go to work on that, because we could see that next week."
(on what makes K Justin Tucker so good at 50-plus-yard field goal kicks) "[Justin] Tucker is just so good. Probably, that's why. He's just really good, and he has got a great leg. He kicked it straight. The challenge on long field goals is kicking it straight. You have to kick it straight, straight, because obviously, the further it travels, the more it deviates. 'Tuck' is so accurate, and he has such a strong leg – he can make those kicks. Today was tough. There was a lot of wind out there, so that's a credit to him."
*Please note, head coach John Harbaugh's session with the media ended early due to coughing. *
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QB Joe Flacco
(on how he played) "I honestly think it was, for most of that game, it was a tough-going game, typical December football game. I thought our offense grinded it out and played a pretty good game."
(on how nervous he was watching the Eagles' final drive) "Well, obviously, I didn't feel too good about because we, I turned the ball over there at the end, and that was the only reason it was really a game."
(on that turnover) "I didn't see that guy. I had my eyes down the middle of the field and then I came back, thought there was a hole to throw to Steve [Smith Sr.]…basically one-on-one with the corner. It got tight in there, and the guy went up and made the play."
(on if running would have been better there) "Well, you can say it all you want but, I mean, to be honest with you, my thought was 'shoot, [offensive coordinator] Marty [Mornhinweg] is going to give me a third touchdown pass on the day.' I was kind of happy about it at that point, I mean, being selfish, but you've got to just to take care of the football and it's a non-issue."
(on how the running game improved today) "I think, at times in the game, the offensive line really got going. We popped some big ones. I think that was some of the difference. I think those guys do a good job with their front. They're pretty physical, but they let us crack through with some big ones, and that kind of made the difference in the end."
(on if he checked out of a play on the late interception) "No, no, no. That was the call. I got it and was thinking 'Shoot, Marty's giving me one here. We're going to get another touchdown pass.'"
(on if he was surprised at the call) "No, not really."
(on his feelings on the upcoming match-up at Pittsburgh) "It's kind of looked this way for a while, and obviously we had to take care of business and do our thing. I'm sure it's what everybody wants, you know, and we're up for the challenge. It's going to be a fun day, going in there on Christmas, into Pittsburgh, into that environment. It'll be a pretty cool place to go."
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ILB C.J. Mosley
(on the final play) "Well, it was an all-out blitz. We knew the ball was going to come out quick. I rushed the B-gap and got my hands up, and so J.P. [CB Jerraud Powers] got a hand on the ball."
(on the way the defense played on that last drive) "Well, it was just a bend-don't-break kind of drive. They had a lot of momentum going on that drive. They got a few runs, a few passes here and there. [QB Carson] Wentz threw a great pass to the sidelines to the tight end. They had a good scramble, just scored a touchdown, but, you know, it was, like I said, a bend-don't-break type of a drive, and we got a good call and got a hand on the ball."
(on why the Eagles ran it so well) "Everybody watches film. They schemed us up; they've got good running backs, too. They made good cuts and made good plays. So it means you got to get back in the film room this week because we know what kind of running back we're going against and what kind of offensive line that [Pittsburgh has], so we've got to make sure we don't let that happen next week."
(on the emotion he felt when he saw the ball on the ground after the incomplete pass at the end) "I don't really know. I just got a hand on it, looked back, and it was incomplete, so I mean, I was just happy to get off the field with the win."
(on if the Ravens knew the Steelers had come back in their game) "Well, they always show the scores during the game, but you really don't focus on that. I mean, you're going to win out no matter what. So, I mean, we got the win today, and we know what we've got to do next Sunday, so we've just got to make sure to prepare like we've always been doing."
(on the emotions of next Sunday's game in Pittsburgh) "Well, we put ourself in a great scenario—they did too. We know what they're going to do. They know what we're going to do. Obviously, they're going to scheme up some stuff, and we're going to do the same, but at the end of the day, it's Pittsburgh versus the Ravens. So, we know it's going to be four quarters, so I mean, we've just got to get ready."
(on the conversation in the huddle when they realized the Eagles would go for two) "There was no conversation. We got the call. This is one of our calls we call a lot down there in the red zone. Like I said, it was an all-out blitz. So, you know, just everybody executed. Even if I didn't get a hand on the ball, J.P. did a great job covering. He probably would have got this hand on the ball, too. So, I mean, we just executed."
(on if the defense was thinking about jamming more in the box in the second half to slow the run) "No, we stayed two-high most of the game. We've been defending the run like that all year, so like I said, they did a great job with their scheme of running, so we've got to get in there and watch film and see what kind of things we can get better on to avoid those kind of situations. But that's the kind of defense we play. We don't have to jam up the box to stop the run."
CB Jerraud Powers
(on if his pass deflection on the two-point conversion was the biggest play he could imagine making) "No, I mean, I just wanted to make a play. We have a lot of playmakers on defense. Guys have been making plays all year. It was a gutsy call by the Eagles, so [that's] a tribute to them. We knew it was win or go home. We are playing playoff football now. We know what is at stake and what we have to do these last three games. So, my whole mindset was, if the ball comes to me, I just have to do my part on defense. I got the opportunity to make a play."
(on if he was surprised that the Eagles moved the ball so well) "No, they are in the NFL just like we are. Those guys have a good scheme over there and a lot of young players. [Head coach Doug Pederson] and those guys are trying to build something special, and they had a good scheme today. I know everyone is normally used to us stuffing the run and playing lights out, but sometimes the scheme can beat you a little bit. Of course, we didn't do what we were supposed to do on our end, so we have a lot of things we have to clean up and get better at before we get to Pittsburgh. But, like they always say, Ravens football is not the prettiest, and it has been like that all year."
(on what the win does for the team mentally) "Mentally, I think, ever since we had that four-game losing stretch, our mentality has been that we can't afford to lose games that we know we should win. Right now, we're trying to get into the playoffs, and you need all the momentum possible. We know that if we get hot at the right time, heading into the playoffs, we can cause some damage. When the New York Giants won their Super Bowls, they had to win their last four or five games to get into the playoffs. They were just hot, and they did it. It is the same situation for us. We need to make sure we are hot on all phases. No matter if we get a home playoff game or we go on the road, wherever. We are confident enough in our team – in our abilities – that we can play wherever."
(on if he saw LB C.J. Mosley get a hand up and tip the ball on the two-point conversion) "I didn't see C.J. get his hand on it until afterwards. I don't really credit a lot of Alabama guys on their play, but C.J. is a hell of a player. *(laughter) *He has been leading our defense from the start. He is one of the best linebackers in the league, but he is just so quiet that a lot of times he goes unnoticed. C.J. had a heck of a game. He had a [tipped pass], and I was over there just in position to finish it. Like I always say, Alabama guys never help Auburn guys with anything, but I kind of have to thank him for that one."
(on if he thought about the season being on the line prior to the two-point conversion) "No, our whole thought process was … Nobody panicked. If you watched it, I don't think anyone on defense ran off the field. It was almost like we knew what was about to happen. They had the momentum – they just had a drive and a touchdown. They could have easily kicked it. But, they really have nothing that they're playing for, so of course they're going to go for the win. We knew, as a defense, that we have so many great leaders and so many great players, that if everyone just stayed calm and everyone respected the process, and if the opportunity was there, we were going to make a play. And we did it."
(on the emotions heading into the Pittsburgh for next week's Steelers game) "We will celebrate this one. It is so hard to win in the NFL, so we will celebrate this one for the next 12 hours or so. If we talk this coming week, I'll tell you what I think about Pittsburgh. Did they end up winning? *(Reporter: yes) *They did end up winning? Well, we know what's at stake for next week, so it will be another fun Steeler-Raven matchup."
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K Justin Tucker
(on if the kicking today was difficult due to weather conditions) "It was pretty difficult. Trying to nail down exactly what the wind was doing – it was swirling pretty good in there – but, it wouldn't be a Ravens game if we didn't have to deal with some sort of adversity, [like] weather conditions. It certainly wouldn't be a Ravens game if it didn't come down to the last possession. Shout out to our defense for getting the job done. That was a huge win to keep our season alive."
(on if his game is well suited for whatever the weather conditions are) "I think the way that we practice as specialists – that would include Morgan Cox and Sam Koch, and our coaches [kicking consultant] Randy Brown and [special teams coordinator/associate head coach] Jerry Rosburg – and the way that we prepare during the week, [it is] not just looking at the weather report and saying, 'This week, there might be tougher conditions to deal with.' Every single week, we are outside, and we are kicking in the elements, whatever they may be. This last week, the [practice] field was literally frozen, and Sam [Koch] was out there punting the ball, trying to pin it inside the 5-yard line. I think, more than anything, we just let our work speak for itself on Sundays."
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DB/RS Lardarius Webb
(on stopping the two-point conversion) "We had the defense just for it. The way our corners and the way our defensive front put pressure on him, it made it easy, but I hate to be in those situations."
(on defensive coordinator Dean Pees calling a blitz on the two-point conversion) "We're just going to play the call. I know we have the guys on the outside that can play that call. We had some calls in the end, but my guys competed until the end. That's all you can ask for."
(on next week's game against the Steelers) "It's a great feeling. It would hurt a lot to lose this game. As long as you know you can control your own destiny, that's all you can ask for. We have to go back and put the work in and learn from our mistakes, and we have a shot."
(on playing on Christmas at Heinz field) "I wouldn't say I'm excited. I would like to be with my family, but playing for the division is awesome too. I get to be with my brothers for a big game. Everybody is going to be watching, so it's going to be a nice experience."
(on how surprised he was at the Eagles run game success) "Very, very, very surprised. The way our guys play up front, you never go into a game and think a running back is going to get 100 yards – never going to get 100 yards rushing on our guys – but they came out and had good schemes. They had our guys moving around a little bit. We bounced back. We recovered and we kept fighting. That's all you can ask for. The guys never gave up. No matter how close they got to the end zone, we just kept fighting. They kept going for it on fourth down the whole game, but my guys just kept fighting."
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WR Kamar Aiken
(on his first touchdown reception of the season) "It was man-to-man and we have to win those battles. If it's man-to-man and there's a chance for me … I don't get very many chances, so I had to take advantage of it, especially in the red zone."
(on the Eagles' final drive) "We should have never put our defense in that situation. That's on us as an offense. We should have just taken care of the ball. It should have never gotten to that."
(on it being one year since his last touchdown catch) "It wasn't like a monkey on my back. I was just waiting for my opportunity to come."
(on this season compared to last season) "It's been very difficult. I'll have to look back at it at the end of the year and see how I handled it and how I dealt with it, but it has been a difficult year."
(on the game against the Steelers next week) "It's Christmas day. It's going to be national TV. Everybody is going to be home, so we're going to be up and ready. Steelers-Ravens, it's the best rivalry in football."
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RB Kenneth Dixon
(on his first rushing touchdown of his career) "It was great, especially when it was a game like that. It was neck-and-neck the whole game, and we're fighting for a division championship. There's no better way to score a touchdown at the end of a game like that. I don't know if it was the game-winner. Our defense stood up and played some real tough football. They did their thing. That touchdown put us ahead, and I'm thankful for it."
(on if he was surprised at the Eagles going for two) "No, not really. They came in as a five-win team and still looking for a playoff berth. If they make that, they win the game, so I'm not surprised. I just knew that our defense was going to hold them."
(on the success of the Ravens run game today) "We're just getting better every week. We'll go back and evaluate film. We'll evaluate ourselves and look at ourselves and see what we can do better. Getting coached up, trusting our offensive line, hitting the hole hard and just getting better."
(on the Steelers game next week) "We have to keep our focus, just like we did this week. It's all about focus and what you want to do. We want to win a Super Bowl, so we have to go through Pittsburgh next week to get there. That's what we're going to do. We're going to go prepare and do our best."
(on what he saw on his touchdown run) "I just saw a touchdown. He flipped it to me, and I had one guy to beat. Not being cocky or anything, but one guy is never going to tackle me."
(on the amount of carries he is getting) "We can't control how many touches we get, but we can control what we do when we get the touches. We're thankful for the touches we get, and we just want to keep pushing."
(on his role in the offense increasing) "I love it. I just want to thank everybody around the organization for believing in me and knowing that I could embrace that role, take it on head on and do things with that role. I'm thankful for it, and I'm going to keep pressing to get better."
DT Brandon Williams
(on the last play) "Defense fought their butt off. Everybody was just finding a way to win. Things happened that we liked, things happened that we didn't like. It just came down to one play and that was the play we made. I'm definitely proud of the defense fighting. Kudos to the Eagles. They really schemed us up good in the run game, with their run schemes. But in the end, we stuck together and fought it out."
(on the red zone defense holding them to three field goals) "Bend, don't break defense, you know. We just had each other's backs and that's the kind of group we are. We just fought our butts off and we knew, when it came down to it, they couldn't get seven, they wouldn't get seven. We just looked at each other and fought. The biggest thing about the Ravens is we're resilient. We take pressure really well. That's just what we do, especially in the red zone."
(on the defense being resilient) "Hey, that's just who we are. The people upstairs do a great job of bringing in people who are fighters. That's what we got on defense. We've got a bunch of fighters. It's in our DNA. It's being a Raven. It's taught down from generation, to generation."
(on Pittsburgh) "It's a good spot to be in. Christmas Day, fighting for the division. Basically, winner takes the division. We're ready."
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WR Steve Smith Sr.
(on his touchdown catch) "It was cover-two. Heavy outside coverage. It was a go-route. My guy jumped outside, so I went inside and I widened back out to keep the integrity of the route. Great throw, turkey-hole throw. It was great."
(on the play he got injured) "They call it the 'Paul Pierce-Willis Reed.' I dinged my shoulder a little bit, but I just got up and kept playing."
(on passing Marvin Harrison for seventh in receiving yardage) "It really means a lot, but this win means more. This was a great win, an edge-of-the-seat win, but we've got a big game next week, Christmas Day at Pittsburgh."
(on the defense making the plays when it mattered the most) "Offensively, we just can't put our defense in a position like that. It was tough, it was really tough to watch. I watched it with one eye open and one eye closed. I wasn't as brave as Mike Wallace. I was squinting."
(on if he was surprised they went for two) "No, they're out of the playoffs right? They just wanted to play one big spoiler, plus they wanted to show their fan base they are not quitting."
(on Flacco's interception in the red zone) "I've played a lot of football so I've seen a lot of worse decisions. I've witnessed a lot worse, so I'm not getting into that."
G/T Marshal Yanda
(on how nervous he was on the sideline for the last play) "We were all nervous. Obviously, it's tough on us just watching, but we understand that it could've easily gone the other way too. Great job by the defense. They bailed us out at the end."
(on the Philadelphia defense) "They're a stout front. They've got some really good players in their front seven. I thought we did a good job of getting after it and sticking with the run game. But they're good. Fletcher [Cox] is really good. Yup, they're good."
(on the running backs production) "It was nice to see them run the ball and have good chunks."
(on Pittsburgh) "We understand we have to win out. It started with today and it came down to the wire, but hey, a win is a win. And all eyes are on Pittsburgh."
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DE Lawrence Guy
(on winning a nail-biter) "This builds confidence. Every win at this time of the year builds confidence and brings the team together. We're going to enjoy this win, but look at our mistakes, come back and game plan for Pittsburgh."
(on Philadelphia's ability to run the ball) "It just happens. As the game went on, they figured out how to run on us a little bit. We needed to figure out how to adjust. We'll figure it out watching the film and get it right. I could tell you this, it's not going to happen again."
(on making the last play) "We needed to figure out how to win this game, so we did everything we have in our arsenal. We were a little upset that they ran on us as much as they did, but we made the play at the end. We had to."
(on if he was surprised if they went for two) "No, wouldn't you have gone for two? If I was a head coach, I'd probably take that chance to go for two. I mean, you're right down there. Do you think you can get it? Yeah, they thought they could. I would've done the same thing. Go for two."
(on the play call for the two-point conversion) "We were ready for anything. Run or pass. Didn't matter, we were ready."
(on stopping Philadelphia in the red zone) "We pride ourselves on our overall defense. We're even upset they got in the red zone."
(on if the defense likes it last play, game on the line) "Our defense wants it to be straight domination. Our goal is to make sure we can put points on the board and make takeaways. But, when we are in a situation like that, we need to make the play to pull out the win."
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WR/RS Michael Campanaro
(on his long run) "It was just like we drew it up; some great blocks by Dennis [Pitta] and Steve [Smith Sr.] out there, and I was able to make a play."
(on how it felt to be back returning punts again) "It felt good, it felt good. The first one is always the toughest one, so it felt good just to be back there. The wind was a little tough to deal with, but we handled it and we didn't make any too terrible plays. But it worked out great and it felt good to be back out there."
(on if they put the jet-sweep in the game plan all week and if he thought it could be called) "Yeah, I did. We had some plays in there for me, but I knew that was a play. We saw something on film that we thought we could attack, so … I think last time I played a game I ran a jet-sweep, so had it back in there and it worked out great."
(on what he was thinking when they handed the ball off to him) "I saw daylight. I saw a lot of open field and Dennis [Pitta] and Steve [Smith Sr.] were able just to make some great blocks. We were able to get the drive going, just get a little spark going on offense and we were excited and it set up a nice field goal to get things going."
(on if he was surprised at how many offensive snaps he had today) "No, I wasn't. Going into the game I thought I'd be contributing a little bit on offense, and I think as the season goes on I could be out there a little more, and we'll see how things go. But I'm very comfortable with the offense [and] I know it very well, so not too surprised."
S Eric Weddle
(on the emotions after allowing the late touchdown and the two-point conversion attempt) "It was just a lot of emotions that whole second half of the fourth quarter. You feel like the game is away, put away comfortably, then we turn it over, hold them to a field goal, so you're still feeling confident, we go three-and-out quick and then it's a toss-up from there. So, you just know that you've got to make a play however it comes. They got down there, the guy made a great play on the quarterback run, but shoot, we got the last laugh when 'J.P.' [Jerraud Powers] and C.J. [Mosley] tipped the ball. That's going to happen. It's going to come down to those one or two plays a game. You always look back, and if you're on the right side of those plays you usually win. This is December, this is playoff football, [we] keep our dreams and hopes alive, and what a matchup for us next week."
(on what the Eagles were doing to give Baltimore's run defense difficulty) "It was a different scheme of running, and their offensive linemen are just athletic, they're fast, so they tend to get on your side, they get your leverage on you, move you side-to-side and it's not so much power football. It's side-to-side and let Ryan [Mathews] cut off it. And then they had some good scheme runs that we weren't prepared for. It's just tough to go against. It's not a normal style of running game, but we battled. Obviously, we've got to correct it before next week. We'll look at it, guys will look at each other first, and how we can get it corrected. Our coaches are going to coach their tails off and we'll get better next week."
(on the mentality of the defense when you think the game is over, and then you're right back out on the field) "You've got to control your emotions and kind of reel in where you were at previously 10 seconds prior. You feel like the game is pretty much in hand, and now you've got to go out there and get a stop. And we did, we held them to a field goal, which was big, and obviously it could have [gone] the other way – you give up a touchdown then get a stop and then a field goal or touchdown wins the game. So, it was big to get a stop. We had a couple times throughout that game where there's a turnover or they got the ball at midfield and we got a stop. So, we pride ourselves on making those stops, and we did at the end of the game."
(on how much guys like him like being in the situation they'll find themselves in Pittsburgh on Sunday) "Always. This is what you live for. It's all the hours, all the sacrifice, all the time, it's for a chance to win the division and get into the dance. You hope and dream every day you're getting up at 6 a.m. or 5 a.m., you don't see your kids – it's for this chance, and it's all worth it. We'll be ready to roll, [there's] nothing more out there for us [than] to have a chance at the division against a rival team. It's going to be amazing."
