Jerome Baker – September 16, 2021
Download PDF version
Thursday, September 16, 2021
LB Jerome Baker
(Just how difficult this challenge is obviously with very good skill position players, receivers, a quarterback who can run. Is this as tough a challenge as you face all year?) – “Yeah, this is definitely one of our toughest challenges, but we are built to have tough challenges. We are going to do our thing. We are going to come out Sunday and do what we are supposed to do. It’s as simple as that.”
(As an inside linebacker, you are someone that could be asked to spy QB Josh Allen. What’s the key when you are an inside linebacker, trying to be disciplined and rush him but also make sure he doesn’t get out of the pocket?) – “It’s really a front seven thing. It’s really a defensive thing. You don’t want to just get out of your lanes. You don’t want to rush the guy and end up behind him. You just want to stay in the frame of our defense and if my job is to spy him one time, I guess I’ll do it; but it’s more of a defensive thing. You don’t want to just leave it all on one guy or leave it all on the d-line. You all want to put it together and truly work as a defense.”
(Does Week 17 last year still leave a sour taste in your mouth?) – “Last year is last year. We watched the film. We saw what we did wrong. We are a whole new team now. We’ve got a whole new mindset. We watched it but at the end of the day, it was last year.”
(How painful was it to watch it?) – “I wouldn’t say it was painful. It was just disappointing. We were just disappointed with how we played and we knew we were a better team than that. Like I said, it’s a new year so we are just going to perform and do our thing on Sunday.”
(How much time was spent on watching that film of the finale last year? How many hours ballpark?) – “That’s hard to say. Coaches, they spend a lot more hours than us. For us, we just saw the mistakes we did and see where we can improve. Honestly, we definitely could have played better. This year, we are a new team, so we are going to try to not make those mistakes again.”
(What are some of the things that the Steelers did – not very specific scheme but just generally – that you would like to repeat on Sunday?) – “They played as a defense and they really played together. They did a great job of just getting after the quarterback. As soon as you pop on the tape, you can see that. That’s one thing that they definitely did well.”
(This is probably the fifth or six time – you’ve been playing against QB Josh Allen since 2018 when you guys came into the league together. Does it get any easier going up against him or reviewing film of him knowing that you have a base to work with or is every time you see him play, he does something new and it brings a new challenge?) – “He’s one of those quarterbacks who’s going to get better every year and that’s exactly what he’s been doing. He’s Josh Allen, so he’s been doing his thing and he’s definitely going to be a tough challenge for us on Sunday.”
(For many years, the Patriots were the team to beat in the AFC East. They won it like almost every year and now the Bills have found their traction. How do you feel about the Dolphins-Bills rivalry and where you’d like to see it go?) – “Where I’d like to see it go? I don’t know. I just want to get as many wins as we can. I’d love for us to be that team to beat. This year, we are just trying to do our thing and truly just take it one game at a time. We know what we have in this building and we are definitely confident in the guys we have. Sunday is going to be a great challenge for us.”
(This will be the first time in 21 months that you guys get to play in front of a full house with fans. Is there an extra level of excitement and what would you say to those fans coming on Sunday?) – “Yeah, we are all excited to go out there and play in front of fans. One thing I think we want to prove to our fans is that we are going to go out there every Sunday and compete and truly play as a team. We’re excited. Hopefully the fans are excited. It’s going to be a good one Sunday.”
(Got your mom a ticket already? Know where she’s going to be sitting?) – “Yeah (laughter), it’s funny that you just said that. She texted me last weekend and told me that she’d be here. I’ll definitely look out for her.”
(Following up the other question on the Patriots having been the top dog, do you guys in the locker room look at the Bills as the team that everyone is chasing or do you feel like the AFC East is kind of wide open now?) – “I don’t think we look at other teams as far as things like that. It’s early in the season right now. Right now, we know we can be as good as we want to be so we are just taking it one game at a time and Sunday is definitely going to be a good test for us.”
(What has stood out to you the most about where QB Josh Allen has improved? Despite the success he had against the team in recent years, he had a rough rookie season, improved in year two and then in year three, he has an MVP-like season. What stood out to you in terms of his growth?) – “I think truly he just developed his game as a whole. He always had a strong arm and he truly just improved on every little thing that he possibly can. It’s his pocket awareness, knowing where a guy is going to be. He truly – you can just tell every year he truly works on something and he gets better at it. Praise to him. He’s definitely been doing it and like I said, Sunday is going to be a great test and I’m excited to play him. He’s one of those guys that when you get a chance to play him, it’s a fun one. He’s one of the best quarterbacks in the league and it’s definitely going to be a good challenge for us.”
