Myles Gaskin – November 9, 2021
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Tuesday, November 9, 2021
RB Myles Gaskin
(What have you noticed about the Ravens defense?) – “They bring a lot of pressure on third downs, kind of all around in general, but everybody runs to the ball. Very good defense. I think they’re well-coached, very aggressive, so it’s definitely a great challenge.”
(Head Coach Brian Flores, Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends George Godsey, G/T Robert Hunt and everybody has brought up the desire to run more and run more efficiently. What do you think about that and how important it is to do that as a group?) – “It’s very important. I think that opens up everything for the passing game, just having a very well-balanced team, very well-balanced offensive obviously. I think that’s just the challenge that I got to put on myself, the running back room has to put on themselves, and the o-line put it on themselves and everybody as a collective unit. It goes to the receivers too. They got to go out there and block for us and all of those types of things. It’s just a collective unit challenge. As a running back, obviously, you take that as for yourself the biggest challenge. Just ready to get after it this week. Last week did not go as planned. That’s the good thing about the NFL – you got another week, got a new opponent and we got a short week. That’s in the wind now.”
(You scored out of the Wildcat on Sunday. What are some of the intricacies that change about your position once you’re actually taking the snap under center?) – “Nothing at all. I did it in college a lot. It’s just one of those things once you’ve done it a couple of times, it’s just kind of playing football. You’re just catching the snap instead of having somebody hand it to you.”
(When you look back at last game, do you feel like there just wasn’t running room? Did you feel that there were some places that you could have found holes there?) – “I think I always look at the film and look at things I could have done better, so yeah I think I could have done a few things better. Broke out of some tackles, some shoe-string tackles and stuff like that. Just like I said though, on to the next week. I’m not really worried about last week. I mean we won so at the end of the day we won and that’s the biggest thing, so on to this week.”
(Going back to the Wildcat touchdown, it seemed like you hesitated a little bit to see where the hole was after you took the snap. Is that something you had predetermined? I’m going to get the snap and see where it is or was that just a reaction?) – “As a Wildcat quarterback, in that situation, you got to kind of give it the time that you would take the handoff. That would be kind of like that, the hesitation. You’re just kind of seeing the blocks develop.”
Robert Hunt – November 9, 2021
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Tuesday, November 9, 2021
G/T Robert Hunt
(Have you gone back to right tackle at practice this week? Have you practiced there this week?) – “No. Not at all. No.”
(So you are staying at right guard?) – “Yeah we’re keeping the same lineup right now. We haven’t really worked on anything yet.”
(How tough have the offensive line meetings been this week? Obviously as a group, you all want to play better than you did Sunday.) – “Yeah. Tough outing for us. Like you said, we want to play better. We are all pretty pissed off about the performance we put out Sunday but thank God that we got another chance to try to come out and prove ourselves Thursday.”
(What jumps out at you when you look at the Ravens on film?) – “Big, physical group. Big, physical, tough group. Veterans. Guys that have been playing the game for a while. We’ve got to do our best to get in the film and know the guys we are going against. A lot of gameplan.”
(How did you come away feeling from last game the way you guys run blocked the run game and what can you do to fix that?) – “Of course you want to run the ball better. I think we had a lot of chances to get the run game going. It just didn’t work out in our favor. The only thing we can do is come in and continue to try to work on it and get better. It’s the NFL. Every game is not going to be pretty but we get another chance to try to come out and run the ball again Thursday.”
(Two teams have to go through this every week, I get that, but this week it’s your turn. What’s it like trying to get ready for a game in four days?) – “We knew what it was already. We got us a good win this past weekend and after that, you’ve just got to lock in and know you’ve got a game coming up Thursday and try to get in the film and get on top of the guys you are going against. It’s our job so we got to do what we can do to put ourselves in the best situation.”
(WR Mack Hollins said after the game that your body hurts less after a win. Is there any validity to that?) – “Yeah, that’s right. It’s hard to win. We went down a losing streak for (seven) weeks so yeah, I didn’t care if my body hurt or not. At least we got a win.”
(Who in the offensive line room has helped keep things together and upbeat?) – “I think all of us. We want to be good and we hear all the noise, of course. We just got to stick together, be a tightknit group, because it is five of us playing and us five have to be on the same page. We all know that and we all try to keep each other up and we are keeping each other up. That starts with all of us from our position coach to the older guys in that room. That’s pretty much that on that.”
(You guys have had a lot of, I guess change this year whether it’s through injuries or play. How has that impacted your continuity or cohesion as a group?) – “I guess it’s just a next man up mentality I guess in the league. We got to be ready no matter who’s playing. Whoever is playing where, no matter what position it is, anybody can go anywhere. We just got to be ready to play. We got to be ready to try to compete and try to win. We got to be on the same page.”
(The Dolphins have the national stage, the prime time audience, the only game, and that really hasn’t been discussed this week. Is that something that appeals to you? What do you like about that?) – “It’s the only game on Thursday you know what I mean, so that’s exciting. I think that will be my first game on Thursday Night Football, so I’m pretty excited about it. I’m sure the whole team is, so it’ll be fun.”
(Is it different playing at night here in Miami than playing than playing at 1 p.m.? I guess for you guys, you can feel it with the heat and all of that.) – “Yeah, it is. Yeah, it definitely is. I only played once and that was the Atlanta game. But yeah, there definitely is a difference. It goes from 90 to maybe 80 so that’s good. (laughter)”
(I got something positive. Home teams have historically had success on short weeks on the Thursday night game.) – “I get that. I can see that. We’re coming in, preparing and hopefully we can keep that going.”
Jacoby Brissett – November 9, 2021
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Tuesday, November 9, 2021
QB Jacoby Brissett
(Obviously you probably watched the film of the game. What was your biggest takeaway about how you performed and the offense performed?) – “I think we left some plays out there. I think that was the biggest takeaway from it. We obviously – the turnovers and things like that are definitely unacceptable. The plays that we left out there, I think that was the biggest thing.”
(You and QB Lamar Jackson have something in coming – the Palm Beach connection. How well do you know him personally, if at all really?) – “I think he would mostly claim probably Broward (County). We’ve met each other in passing a couple of times. I obviously played against him in college. Just playing with him and stuff like that, we have a lot of mutual friends. But we’ve never like hung out with each other.”
(Was there a different bounce in here on Monday? Head Coach Brian Flores has been saying all year that you guys are resilient, close and all of that. But it had to feel a little different coming back after a win.) – “Definitely. Obviously coming off a win and then having to turn the clock to come back for another game this week, a short week. It definitely put a different pep in for a Monday, for sure. I think everybody is excited. Everybody is ready to go. I think we did a good job of turning the page because we got right into them yesterday. Looking forward to the challenge.”
(What stands out about the Ravens defense?) – “The Ravens of Ravens defense – fast, physical, tough, fly to the ball. They obviously got good players and they’re a hungry bunch. They’re playing well right now. We’re going to have to play our best game of the season this week.”
(Do you feel like there’s anything that you took or learned from your first three starts this season and then applied it to what you did on Sunday?) – “Just finding ways to be myself at all times through the adversity and through the rough times throughout the game, and the ebbs and flows of the game. Being the steady head of the ship. I think that’s the most important thing for the quarterback when you go through those rough times is you want the offense and the players on the team to be able to find somebody that’s going to be level-headed. So I try to be that. Obviously I get emotional in the game. You saw me with the ref and stuff like that. It’s part of it. But other than that, I hope I am the same guy.”
(How much fun is it to play with TE Mike Gesicki this year?) – “Aw, man it’s a lot of fun. He’s a joy to play with. It’s no surprise. You say it and it kind of sounds cliché but the things that he does in games, he practices it in practice. It’s cool when you see it come to fruition in games and hopefully it just continues, which I know he will. Because right after that, the next day – well, yesterday, he came and was practicing those same catches. He’s definitely fun to play with. A guy that I have a ton of respect for. I enjoy playing with him, coming to work with him and hanging out with him outside of football. I’m happy for him.”
(Forgive me if this one is a little out there but you guys are used to getting up Sunday morning, you go to the stadium and you play a game at 1 o’clock. How much hard is it to wait until 8 or 9 o’clock at night to play a game? How much harder is that process of waiting around all day to play?) – “I hope that it isn’t that hard because you’re still playing in the NFL. You’re still playing in the National Football League. If you can’t wake up and play for that, no matter the time, I don’t know what’s wrong with you. I think we’ll be all right.”
(Head Coach Brian Flores said if the game were tonight, you would start. But that there is still a possibility that QB Tua Tagovailoa could improve to play Thursday. You seem to do very well with the highs and lows of NFL life and adjusting. If you’re not told you’re starting until 6 p.m. Thursday, does it make a difference to you in terms of your game-day routine? Or does it have no impact at all?) – “You pretty much answered the question so I can’t give you a good answer. (laughter) But yeah, it doesn’t matter. Whenever my time is called, I know and I trust in myself that I’ll be ready to go.”
(No game day routine for you that…) – “No, I do my same thing no matter what.”
(I see that you have the Cactus Jack lows on. Do you have a pretty big shoe collection?) – “Yeah, too many. It’s a bad habit. (laughter) Yeah, a lot of shoes that I couldn’t get when I was growing up, I got them now.”
(What was the last pair that you just picked up?) – “Well I got the other lows of the other version. And I bought another version of these because you can see these are beat. I think that was pretty much it. I’ve kind of been buying other shoes that aren’t like sneakers.”
(Do you notice if there’s a teammate or two that has particularly good fashion or style?) – “I don’t know. A lot of these dudes wear sweatsuits too much. (laughter) Nah, it’s Miami. It’s easy to dress in Miami. You just put on some shorts and a nice pair of shoes and everyone will think you’re like GQ. I mean my man here, I see you with your suit and your shoes right there. I wouldn’t wear those socks with him. (laughter) You’re doing like a Zoom interview or something.”
(P.J. Tucker from the Heat has like 6,500 pairs of shoes that he admits to having in his collection. He said somewhere along the way, it feels like you’re collecting art. Do you kind of look at it the same way?) – “Oh, for sure. That’s kind of how I see it. It’s just like ways of expression and stuff like that. That’s one of like my sneaker Gods is P.J. I follow him on Instagram just because of his shoes. I don’t even know the guy. (laughter)”
(He’s also a big wine guy now. Are you a wine guy too?) – “His price tag on wine is way higher than mine. I’ll drink a little of what I can find. (laughter)”
Brian Flores – November 9, 2021
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Tuesday, November 9, 2021
Head Coach Brian Flores
(Is QB Tua Tagovailoa able yet to make all the throws to play on Thursday?) – “He threw yesterday. Looked good. He’s making some progress. Still somewhat limited. We’re just going to take it day-to-day and see how he looks today, tomorrow and probably take it right up to the day of the game.”
(You mentioned that he looked good. Did you see any progress from when you worked him out last week?) – “Yes. He’s definitely making progress. Look, he’s got a fracture in the finger and there’s definitely discomfort. It’s getting better. The swelling is down. It’s getting better and progress from last week but there’s still some limitations for sure.”
(You mentioned choosing QB Jacoby Brissett because he gave you the best chance to win. How do you weigh how much a percentage of QB Tua Tagovailoa is versus a fully healthy Jacoby when you make that call? It seems like he won’t be 100 percent regardless for Thursday.) – “I think there’s a lot of things that go into that decision. Obviously, the health of the player No. 1 and whether or not Tua, in this instance, no different than last week, can do all the things we need him to do to have success in the game. Again, then there’s the short week and knowing there’s discomfort. There’s a lot that goes into it. We’ll always do what we feel is best for the team.”
(If he plays, would he wear anything on the finger? Is there anything you can put on it to help him?) – “Help the fracture? I guess as far as splints and tape and things like that, that’s not really my wheelhouse. I know our training staff, our medical staff, they will do and have done everything to help him get back as quickly as possible. Tua is doing everything to get back as quickly as possible also. There’s still time here. We’re 48 hours from the game, so there’s still time. I would say look if the game was tonight, it’d be Jacoby (Brissett). That’s kind of where we’re at.”
(Is the right way to look at it that you make the final decision after the consultation with the trainers and QB Tua Tagovailoa? Is that fair?) – “It’s a medical decision. It’s a team decision. Obviously I have a lot of say in that. I always try to keep the team first. The health of the player obviously is at the forefront but also want to put the team in the best position.”
(Speaking of finger injuries, with WR Will Fuller, are you concerned that his finger injury has taken him so long to recover from? I understand he needs his fingers to make catches and catch a football, but could you shed some detail on why it has taken him since Week 4 to return from this one?) – “It was a significant injury. He’s made a lot of progress. We actually got some favorable news in the last couple days. I’m hopeful that we can get him back out there quickly but look, he’s been in, he’s been working. It was a pretty significant injury. That’s why it’s taken so long. He’s doing everything he can. That’s trending in the right direction.”
(Given the fact that you said QB Tua Tagovailoa’s status will likely be a game-time decision, would you expect to elevate QB Jake Dolegala from the practice squad or if Tua can’t start, will he just serve in an emergency role again?) – “I would say if he can’t start, he would be in the same role he was in last week.”
(What are the top mental challenges for trying to get ready for a game in three days? Obviously the schedule differs greatly of course but guys talk about a 24-hour rule and DT Christian Wilkins famously says it every week and then he said that doesn’t even apply this week because you have to turn it around so quickly. What do you tell guys about how to handle the daunting part of getting ready for a game in 72 hours?) – “I think I can speak for myself personally. You turn the page on the last game. There’s already been some preparation on Baltimore, understanding that it would be a quick turnaround. Then for the players, you’ve just got to speed up your weekly routine as far as their roster, who their players are, who their coaches are, what they do on early down, what they do on third down, what they do in the red zone. You’ve just got to speed up that entire process. We as coaches, we want to give them all the information, give them the install. Obviously it can’t be as expansive as it is when you have more time. In a lot of instances, you have to rely on a lot of the things you’ve already put in. Core plays offensively, core defenses, core things in the kicking game. More than anything, it’s trying to get them mentally prepared and physically prepared because we just got done playing a game. Those are kind of the points that I try to hit on. They’ve got to get themselves physically prepared to go in four days – two days now. As far as getting mentally prepared and the preparation against a team like this, they do a lot in all three phases and they do a good job in all three phases. Just having a good understanding of how they want to play, their style and how we are going to need to play to combat that.”
(At the risk of answering my own question, I know it’s a different year, different team, different circumstances. But obviously the last time you saw these guys it was not a pleasant experience for you in any way. For the guys who went through that, should that matter? You should never need more reason to want to win a game or to play well, but for the people who went through Week 1 against Baltimore, should that be a motivating factor at all?) – “No, it’s really not something that – I mean you look back, you go and watch that film and see some of the things they were doing then. Some are similar to what they are doing now and some things aren’t. But you try to learn from that experience. We didn’t play well that day. The goal is to always get better and improve and try to get better and play better Thursday night. But there is always motivation in this league.”
(On a short week, have you and Offensive Line Coach Lemuel Jeanpierre decided to stick with the quintet of linemen and give them another shot Thursday to get their act together or might we see changes?) – “Definitely a lot of conversation there. We had a walkthrough yesterday. We’ll have a walkthrough today. Tomorrow we’ll have a little bit more pace. We’ve had some conversations about moving some guys around. No final decisions yet, but definitely some conversations being had.”
(I know fractures can be kind of fluky in QB Tua Tagovailoa’s case, but at what point do you have to factor availability into your determination of a player?) – “Obviously availability is very important. There are a lot of factors that play into that. You mentioned it, some of them are fluky. That’s not the only factor. It’s the person, the player, the talent. I think Tua is competitive. He’s smart. He wants to be out there. I think he’s getting better. I think we all know that in order to continue to get better, you’ve got to be out there and get the experience. I think he’ll get that. I think this is another bump in the road for him. He’ll get through it and he’ll be fine.”
(I’m thinking about pressures allowed, particularly at the offensive tackle position. There has been three or more players that have been tried. What, if anything, do you think has been the common denominator, or reason or reasons, that have led to too many pressures?) – “There is so much that goes into that. Obviously in some instances, and it’s been the case for us, is just not playing well enough – technique, communication, or things of that nature. There are other instances where we could help the situation by getting rid of the ball, stepping up into the pocket. It’s a team effort, it’s a team situation. We’ve got to do a better job. We’ve got to do a better job of not allowing as many pressures, getting the ball out. There is running the football better so that we don’t have to pass it as many times and put ourselves in those situations where it’s pass, pass, pass, and they know it and they get off. There is a lot that goes into it. I think there are some things we can do on early downs that can help the obvious pass situations.”
(We talked a little bit about development and particularly the offensive line. How do you balance wanting young guys to play through some of their struggles versus needing better production to have success now?) – “It’s a fine line. It’s a very fine line. Young guys need reps to get better, but we also want to win and have success. Those guys need to step up and play better. We need to do a better job of coaching them and putting them in better positions to have success and that starts with me. I’ll be the first one to say that. What I’ll say about these guys is it’s important to them, and they are working hard to get it right.”
(There is only one QB Lamar Jackson. How difficult is it to simulate him in practice? How does that change your practice routine or how impossible is it against him?) – “Impossible is probably a better term. He’s one of the best players in the league and he’s gotten a lot better, I would say, over the course of his career. He’s dynamic, explosive. There are a lot of words like that you can use to describe Lamar. I have a lot of respect for his game and the way he’s grown. Obviously we’re competing against him on Thursday, but as a coach, watching guys develop and grow is a good thing to see. They’ve done a good job of getting him coached up. He’s done a nice job and he’s a very good player in this league.”
(Piggy-backing off of the question about the 2019 game, you often talk about learning through adversity. What, if anything, were you able to take away from that game?) – “It feels like a while ago. I came out of that feeling like we have a long way to go, and we’ve got to try to get better and improve and get better. That was the goal that day. That’s always the goal. That’s really it. We weren’t good enough that day and we had a long way to go and we’ve got to get better. That’s really what I took from it.”
Zach Sieler – November 8, 2021
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Monday, November 8, 2021
DT Zach Sieler
(Obviously you have a little bit of familiarity with Baltimore having spent some time with them. I guess as you kind of start to do the quick turnaround, what sticks out from that offense with Offensive Coordinator Greg Roman, QB Lamar Jackson, and where do you think they’ve grown the most over the past couple of years?) – “They’re a powerful offense. Coach (Harbaugh) is going to have them running the ball, getting the ball. They’re going to be a hardworking team. They’re not going to be soft. They’re going to really try to take the game in their hands.”
(I know there’s obviously turnover from year to year, but guys like DT Brandon Williams or maybe LB Pernell McPhee, do you have any relationships with those guys still?) – “Yeah there’s a few guys there I still enjoy talking to and seeing them. My first two years were there. It was a great organization and some great guys there.”
(As somebody who has been a part of the Ravens organization, they have what somebody here interviewed as the Ravens DNA in terms of the physical brand of football. How do you get that DNA?) – “They definitely try to make their guys have that when they bring them in and they’re going to try to instill it in them every day, every practice and it’s something they look for. I think it’s something we know going into this week and we know we got to out-physical them.”
(So it’s like a toughness DNA? Like they have to be tough?) – “Mentally tough, physically tough, it’s everything. It’s just as a person.”
(You were talking a lot about your Baltimore days. Obviously you played a lot against them at practice. What do you see form QB Lamar Jackson up close that makes him different?) – “He’s a great quarterback, he’s got some really good quick-twitch as everyone has seen probably by now. We’ve got to control him and help the defense have a great game.”
(I’m a little intrigued about this whole thing about their DNA and their philosophy. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a football coach say I don’t want my team to be physical. Nobody ever says that. So if everybody wants to be physical, how come the Ravens are able to do it no matter who’s lining up for them? What are they doing that other teams aren’t?) – “I don’t know. I don’t know. It’s what they do. We have a very physical team here. I think we do the best to instill that on our players here as well and that’s what we look for here as well.”
(I know it’s been more than about two years but this is going to be the first time you face the Ravens. Any extra, any special motivation for you facing the team that gave up on you back then?) – “I’m thankful for all my time there. I’m thankful for the opportunity they gave me. Learned a lot while I was there but I’m more thankful for Miami and what I’ve been able to do here and what they’ve done for me in teaching me, coaching me and grooming me into the player I am today.”
(Last year, you guys had a lot of success for most of the year defensively. It seems like these last couple of weeks you’ve got back to whatever you guys were doing as far as the blitzes as far as the front. What has changed over the last few weeks for you guys defensively?) – “I think we’re doing a lot of the same things. I think things are finally starting to click. We’re starting to play better as a team. We’re starting to complement each other and that’s what we’ve gotten these last couple of weeks.”
(You guys just defended QB Tyrod Taylor. He’s got some mobility but maybe not the same as QB Lamar Jackson. How many of your keys or your gameplan tendencies can you roll over to defending a guy like Lamar?) – “I think when you have a quarterback like that, there’s a lot of similarities yes. We’re going to have to take this week for what it is, adjust what we need to adjust and go from there.”
Jaylen Waddle – November 8, 2021
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Monday, November 8, 2021
WR Jaylen Waddle
(I wanted to ask as you’re halfway through your rookie season, what have you most enjoyed about – I know the wins haven’t come as much as you wanted but what have you enjoyed about this first year in the NFL and where do you think you’ve grown the most?) – “I think I’ve just enjoyed going out there and competing with my team, honestly. Week in and week out, just going out there and competing with the guys that you prepare with is always fun. Obviously, a lot of the outcomes are not what we want but just going out there and competing really.”
(Where do you think you’ve grown the most? Obviously, you’re seeing a lot of different NFL defenses, different defensive backs. Where do you think you’ve improved and grown the most?) – “Truly just being more vocal. Going back to the quarterbacks, coordinators and position coaches, telling them what I see, things like that and how I can help the team.”
(I know you’re close with QB Tua Tagovailoa from the Alabama days. I’m curious how much time you’ve got from QB Jacoby Brissett and how you can quickly get that chemistry with a guy who hasn’t been taking those reps with the ones?) – “I worked with Jacoby a lot when Tua was out earlier in the season. We’ve got some stuff down with Jacoby and he just has been in the league so long it’s kind of easy to prep with him throughout the week. He steps in and gets the job done.”
(Speaking of former Alabama players, I don’t know how much contact you’ve had through the years with CB Marlon Humphrey. I’m curious what kind of contact you’ve had with him and how much are you looking forward to going up against him since he tends to cover the best receivers on the other team?) – “I got to talk to Marlon when we went back for the first Alabama game. Great guy, great player. Overall, he’s just a ball hawk. A great player who’s going to do it all and a good dude, too.”
(How have you seen your role on offense evolve from when you first got here to what it is now?) – “I honestly just do what they ask of me, to be honest, no matter what it is, where it’s at, what down. Just trying to execute when they put me out there.”
(You know QB Tua Tagovailoa well. Do you talk to him when some things like this happen? Like the injury with the ribs earlier or the finger and try to give him any encouragement?) – “Yeah, definitely. I see him every day so we talk – mostly about football, mostly not about football. It goes on and on. (laughter)”
(I saw you smile when you mentioned. I’m curious what’s the most common non-football talk that you talk about?) – “Just anything. I’m not going to lie to about it. We talk about a whole bunch of nothing to be honest.”
Austin Reiter – November 8, 2021
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Monday, November 8, 2021
C Austin Reiter
(I don’t know if you’ve had much of a chance to look at the Ravens on film yet. I’m hoping you have. I was going to ask you your impressions of them in terms of the physical nature of their game, which is nothing new to anybody it seems?) – “No. I’ve played these guys a handful of times in my tenure in Cleveland and Kansas City. They definitely have a DNA to them. They are a physical defense. They fly around. They’ve got a lot of energy.”
(How do you deal with that? What’s the best way to fight someone who’s pretty much coming for a fight?) – “I think you fight fire with fire. You’ve definitely got to figure out some ways to take away their strengths and play to our strengths. I think you’ve got to bring the fight to them. That’s what I’ve done in the past and had success versus them.”
(You guys had a commitment to the run yesterday. You ran the ball plenty. Why do you feel, in your estimation, you couldn’t get more out of it?) – “I think we just needed to play better, to be honest and frank with you. I think we had a hard time getting to the second level, which had it’s impacts in the run game and making those two-yard runs into four and five-yard runs. I think that was some of the difference there in our run game was getting on the linebackers. They were doing a good job of freeing those guys up and making tackles.”
(Obviously you’re new because you haven’t been here for the full season and you just got elevated into a starting role, but when you have a unit that seems to be struggling just about every week, how much pressure do you guys put on yourselves to fix this for the rest of the team?) – “There’s no excuses around it. We can definitely play better ball as a unit but I think going to work everyday and finding little things each and every day that we can improve on, it’s going to work out in the end in the big picture. I think you’ve just got to keep taking the sludge hammer to the rock and keep chipping away. You’ve got to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Jerome Baker – November 8, 2021
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Monday, November 8, 2021
LB Jerome Baker
(How did you feel waking up after the first game back from a knee injury? As you look ahead to Thursday night, what are some of the key coaching points for you guys on defense when you’re facing QB Lamar Jackson?) – “When I woke up today, I felt good I guess. When it comes to the Ravens, they’re a physical team and Lamar is Lamar. He’s been making plays since he got in this league. It’s definitely going to be a challenge for us but we’re definitely excited and we’re definitely ready to take on that challenge.”
(On your interception, give me your thought when you see QB Tyrod Taylor approaching the sideline and just casually flips the ball forward? And kudos to you for having the wherewithal and the presence of mind to re-establish yourself back in the field of play. What was going through your mind through that whole thing?) – “So that play, I don’t remember exactly the call or anything but he was rolling out or whatever and was going to the sideline. I kind of relaxed and was like he’s going to throw it away. I could tell he was throwing it away but it wasn’t far enough out of bounds. I was like oh snap, it’s really coming to me. So I got my feet in, caught it and the rest is history. It’s definitely a free one and I’ll take all of those.”
(I hate to bring back bad memories but how long did the last game against Baltimore stick with you? Are you still having nightmares about how that whole afternoon went down?) – “Back in 2019? Yeah, that was a tough one. That was definitely a tough game. But this team is completely different. I always tell the story of back then, I didn’t even know some of the guys I was lined up with. I didn’t know their names. But this team is a lot different. We’re better coached, we have better players. Thursday is definitely going to be a challenge. We’re definitely going to have some fun Thursday.”
(It seems like the last couple of games, and really yesterday, you had a lot of different blitzes and got home a lot more. Has there been anything different as far as what you guys have been able to do as far as different blitzes?) – “I think that’s a credit to our coaching staff. They kind of have that mentality of they’re going to let it all loose. They’ll say let the bullets fly and empty the chamber. That’s a credit to them. They definitely put us in situations to have good blitzes and good disguises and they teach us really well. That’s a credit to all of them. We just execute but at the end of the day, they come in every week and it’s either something new or it’s something we can really expose the offense on. That’s really a credit to all of them.”
(When you are able to get the sacks, pressures and interceptions that you were yesterday, does it feel like a lot of what you guys were doing when you were at your best last year?) – “Yeah it’s definitely fun to get to the quarterback, get interceptions and get sacks. All of that is fun. But at the end of the day, you’ve got to execute that first-down play to get to that third-down special pressure you have. We understand that we can definitely do that. But we definitely have to handle the early downs before we get to all of the exotics and doing all of that. It definitely felt good to get to the quarterback and have turnovers. Definitely happy for that.”
(It seems like the coaches were kind of wondering about your availability when the day began yesterday and you wound up playing 68 out of 69 snaps. Does that surprise you? Did you go into the game thinking you were going to be able to go that far?) – “I don’t go into the game thinking how many snaps I’ll play. I’m one of those guys that when I’m on that field, I just try to do my job and try to do it well. My knee is taking it day by day but it felt good yesterday. Overall, I’m just happy we got the win.”
(Following up on the interception, you re-established yourself and then you still had to tiptoe to make sure you were in bounds, and you’re a linebacker. So where is all of that coming from? Do you have any receiving in your background going back to high school or anything?) – “Yeah, in high school I actually played running back. I was recruited to play running back coming out of high school. Linebacker was really like my second option. I’m really an offensive guy, I guess you could say. But now I play defense. I guess that’s the background of it.”
(Did you change over to defense kind of kicking and screaming or were you open to the change?) – “Nah, I was open to it. I kept getting hurt on offense and I didn’t really like that. I’d rather just hit somebody and dictate when I can hit somebody. Defense definitely worked out for me.”
