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Andrew Van Ginkel – November 11, 2021 (Postgame)

Thursday, November 11, 2021
Postgame – Baltimore

LB Andrew Van Ginkel

Q: You have two straight weeks right you’re getting in with a sack and you are hitting the quarterback. You’re the second-leading QB hit man on the team. How do you think that defensive scheme is getting you and you are getting to the quarterback and getting more sacks and overall as a defense you guys are getting more pressures it seems?

ANDREW VAN GINKEL: I think it’s just buying in on what the coaches are preaching each and every day. It’s coming into work and just figuring out little things within my game and how I can get better and ultimately get to the quarterback. That’s my job description so that’s what I’m trying to do.

Q: How does it clear things up for you or does it clear things up for you at all when the defense calls so many defensive back, safety and cornerback blitzes? Do you think it keeps offenses on their toes, or do you think it helps you in any way?

ANDREW VAN GINKEL: Ultimately, it comes down to us just being able to execute what the coaches call, everybody doing their job and don’t do anything beyond that. If everybody takes care of their business and coaches are going to put us in the right place to succeed and yeah.

Q: I guess when you line so many people up at the line of scrimmage, do you notice that an offense maybe either panics or causes some chaos for the protection team?

ANDREW VAN GINKEL: Yeah, it’s going to put pressure on them and that’s what we’re trying to do Make them communicate, make them execute and then us just taking care of that.

Q: How close if at all do you feel this defense performance is to what you guys were able to do last season?

ANDREW VAN GINKEL: Yeah, I think we’re right there and once again, the coaches just do a phenomenal job of taking it week by week and figuring out how we can get better. There’s a lot that goes into it schematically and then everybody doing their job. I think if we just continue to hone in on that and get better each and every week, I think you are going to see improvements from this defense and from this team.

Q: Was it frustrating knowing that you were capable of this kind of performance, but it wasn’t happening earlier in the year?

ANDREW VAN GINKEL: Yeah, I would say so. I would say just not winning early on really puts a lot — gets everybody frustrated and that’s what we all want to do. We’re competitive and we’re going to work our tails off to win and obviously, the first part of the season didn’t go the way we wanted but there’s still a lot of games left to play and hopefully we can keep improving and getting better.

Q: What did you think of CB Xavien Howard’s touchdown?

ANDREW VAN GINKEL: I thought it was phenomenal. Yeah, that dude is always making big plays. Any time you see him around the ball or with the ball you know something great happened because he is just a phenomenal player.

Q: We have a nine-series stretch where you forced QB Lamar Jackson and the Ravens’ offense into eight punts and that CB Xavien Howard touchdown. What can that do? What do you think that does do with the collective confidence of the defense?

ANDREW VAN GINKEL: Man, it’s awesome. Any time you are getting three and outs and off the field it’s a huge momentum swing. Any time we can feed the offense, give them the ball they’re bound to make something happen. You saw that tonight. Any time you can just get off the field and try to limit the defensive plays, I think that goes a long way as a defense and builds your confidence from week to week.

Q: What did LB Jerome Baker do lining up on the edge?

ANDREW VAN GINKEL: Yeah. Honestly, I’ll have to go back and look at it. I didn’t — I was kind of doing my own responsibility. I thought he played great and he is always around the ball as well so doesn’t shock me whenever he makes a big play.

Q: Do you feel like the pups are coming? When I say pups, the LB Jaelen Phillipses and the S Jevon Hollands of the world.

ANDREW VAN GINKEL: Oh, yeah, for sure. You see that week in and week out. Their confidence is beginning to grow and you can just see how they handle their business off the field and on a day-to-day basis that you guys don’t get to see. They’re coming in and putting in the extra work and I love what I’m seeing from both of them. They’re only going to keep getting better.

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