HEAD COACH BILL BELICHICK
Postgame Press Conference
Sunday, September 25, 2022
BB: All right. I mean, we all saw it here. We certainly had our chances today. We weren't able to take advantage of some of them. The Ravens made more plays than we did. They're a good team. They were able to take advantage of our mistakes. We weren't able to capitalize on I would say probably as many of theirs, so. All the way across the board, just a few plays here and there that we need to play better, need to coach better, need to do better. But, you know, certainly made too many mistakes today to be able to win.
Q: Have you had the chance to see Mac since he left the field today? Any update on his condition?
BB: No. Just got in.
Q: Can you share even what happened, if there was any contact on the play? I'm sorry, but they didn't show a replay. Why was Mac limping?
BB: No.
Q: Defensively three touchdowns of 70-plus yards surrendered defensively. What were the problems today?
BB: They had a couple explosive plays. Their drives were 70 yards, so it wasn't 70-yard plays. We had a couple opportunities to get off the field on third down, but they are a good first- and second-down team. That's really where they hurt us the most. They had a couple of third down conversions that kept those drives going.
We had some stops, we had some turnovers. We just weren't able to capitalize on those when we got them. That's really just total team football.
Q: You talked about the opportunities late in the game. Can you talk about the four late turnovers, really the dagger in this one, how upsetting that is to happen late in the game.
BB: Yeah, you're not going to win turning the ball over in the fourth quarter. You're behind, you got to be aggressive. But still on those, we got to do a better job than we did on those plays, for sure.
Q: 30 seconds before halftime you get some passes, go for the field goal. The past couple years you have been pretty conservative in that area before halftime. What is different this year that led you to being more aggressive in that scenario?
BB: Yeah, I think each game, each situation is different, so... Not really sure what game or what situation you're referring to in the past. Doesn't really matter. Today we thought we had an opportunity to do that. We were able to get the ball in the field goal range, get out of bounds with no timeouts on the next-to-last play, and Nick [Folk] made a good kick.
Q.: What did the Ravens do in the second half there with the Lamar Jackson run game that led to them being as effective as they were?
BB: I don't think there were any new plays. They ran their C gap plays. Lamar did a good job on keeping some of those, not keeping those, the option choices that he made. We lost leverage, missed a couple of tackles there, so... Combination of all those things.
Q: Going for the two-point in that spot, what are some of the situational things you're weighing when making that call?
BB: What are what?
Q: What are some of the situational things, factors you're considering when you're deciding whether or not to go for two in that spot?
BB: The score and the time left in the game.
Q: What is your upshot through three games? Do you feel this was a couple turnovers here and there, plays here and there? Do you feel like the team is progressing the way you'd like in all three phases?
BB: I made my comments on today's game. I think that's really all that matters. All right. Thank you.
CENTER DAVID ANDREWS
Postgame Press Conference
Sunday, September 25, 2022
(On the mentality of the locker room)
"Baltimore is a good team, good defense and good overall team. We did a lot of things to hurt ourselves. The defense came up with a couple of big plays there. Two turnovers late in the game on kind of big plays. Old adage, you can't win until you keep from losing. I think this game kind of sums that up. We did a lot of really good things, moved the ball well. Some good situational football, but at the end of the day you can't win until you keep from losing, so I think we'll come in tomorrow and that's the thing, the NFL is a game where a couple of plays can mean all of the difference. That was today."
(On his confidence in Brian Hoyer)
"Tons. Brian [Hoyer] has been here for a long time. I've got a lot of respect for how he comes in, works every day and prepares like he is going to play."
(On Mac Jones' performance today)
"He played his tail off. He was doing everything he could to help us win. That's what you want out of your guy."
LINEBACKER JA'WHAUN BENTLEY
Postgame Press Conference
Sunday, September 25, 2022
(On defending Lamar Jackson in the first half and what changed in the second half)
"First, kudos to [Lamar Jackson], a dynamic player. I mean, at the end of the day, our goal was to do the same thing, well kind of to contain him, that's everybody's goal. But to contain him and kind of get our d-line going, which we did a good job of, but obviously we want to do that for the full amount of time. Obviously some things we need to get better at, but at the end of the day, we need to move on and flip the page."
(On defending the Ravens' run game)
"They did a good job at just making plays at the end of the day. Obviously, our goal going in was to stop the run game. Whether that's the A gap, B gap or C gap. Obviously, they started to attack the C gap. They did a good job at it and they schemed us up pretty well. We'll go back in, watch the film, make some corrections to it and look to move forward. Again, kudos to them. They had a good scheme for us."
LINEBACKER MATTHEW JUDON
Postgame Press Conference
Sunday, September 25, 2022
(On the three touchdowns the Ravens scored after the interception in the second quarter)
"All three of those drives, they had explosive plays, running the ball and passing the ball. We've got to stop that. We've got to play better defense and execute better. We'll watch it on film, but I know that's the big thing, the explosive plays."
(On how hard it was to tackle Lamar)
"I mean, we all see it in how shifty he is. The dipping and ducking, we all see it, and you respect a guy like that. He's just slippery. When you get there, you got to get him down. [Deatrich] Wise [Jr.] did a hell of a job at that, we just have to be better on a couple more situations. Especially me, got to get him down when I get there."
(On Deatrich Wise Jr.'s improvement this season and his game tonight)
"You've seen it through OTA's and all camp. That's the reason why he's one of our leaders, one of our captains, vocal. Deatrich has been putting in so much work off the field. Countless hours that nobody's seen and it's just showing up now. He didn't come out here and it just happens in a game. It's so much work during practice, it's films, study by himself that he's getting better. Like I said, Mac [Jones] is one of the first guys in the building, last guys in the building, same with D-Wise. I don't know who gets here first. They both get a lot of work done before anybody else gets in the building and after."
SAFETY DEVIN MCCOURTY
Postgame Press Conference
Sunday, September 25, 2022
Q: You've been around this team for a long time, seen a lot of incidents involving the quarterback. What sort of impact does it have when the quarterback goes down like that, the uncertainty?
DM: It was at the end of the game. So evaluate it. There's nothing we can do. See what it is. Especially when it happens at the end of the game, no one knows. I don't think some people probably kind of paid attention because of the game. Obviously key player, key part of what we do. Have to evaluate and see what it is.
Q: Devin, you were able to sack Jackson four times and pick him off once. But would you consider it an unsuccessful day trying to stop this dynamic player?
DM: Yeah, I mean, that's the thing when playing against him. Stat-wise, overall, can look like you did some good things, but he changes games with a couple different plays. Some of those QB run plays at the end of the game were huge for them, changing the field, big gains. That's the thing, when you play against a team like this, an offense like this, we battled, we had some really good possessions, we had some good I would say back-to-back drives where we were able to get off the field. We had good moments. But against a team like this, an offense like that, it's 60 minutes consistently of trying to show up, doing a good job with some of the sudden change opportunities we had. One of the things we'll walk away with is just playing better in the red area.
Q: You've dealt with plenty over your years in the NFL, we don't know Mac's physical condition. If something changes, how do you rally around that and your level of concern for him?
DM: Yeah, I mean, just have no idea, so I couldn't tell you level of concern or anything because we have no idea if he would have went back in the game. Like we just don't know. We'll evaluate it, see what it is. We'll get ready to go next week to go play Green Bay.
Q: Obviously Mark Andrews is a very good player. What about the design of their offense, the way they use their tight ends, make the most of the packages?
DM: Yeah, I mean, it's an offense – I said it earlier in the week. It's like when you play the triple option in college, it's an offense that you don't see every week. It's the play-action, it's the threat of the QB run, the pistol formations you don't see all the time, then it's the tight end streaking across the middle. You have so much to look at, and that's what makes it tough. You put a good player in the middle of it like Andrews, who is fast, puts a lot of pressure on the defense because of his speed at tight end. He's a bigger guy. Especially in the red area. We talk about tight ends show up big-time in the red area. Lamar Jackson is also more dangerous in the red area to run the ball and score. That's what I was saying, we'll walk away and feel if we could have played a little bit better in the red area, turned some of those touchdowns into field goals, it could have helped us out a lot.
Q: Obviously you don't know anything about Mac's injury, but can you talk about his toughness.
DM: Yeah, I mean, he shows up, is ready to go each week. Obviously playing quarterback in this league, you take some hits. It's tough. You ask level of concern. I have no idea because I know if he has something he can go and play with, he's going to play with it. We'll have to see what it is and go from there as a team. I think we'll continue to rally around him. I think we've always talked about it my whole time here, it's always the next-man-up mentality if it comes to that. We'll wait and see what Monday and Tuesday look like. We'll get ready to go Wednesday for next week.
Q: On your defense, got to be a little frustrating that you limited the big plays, but still weren't able to stop them.
DM: Yeah, again, it goes back to the red area. When you play an explosive offense, you want to try to force them to drive the field. You got to show up in the red area when they do do that. Like I said, they're going to make some plays, and they did that. Andrews had a catch over me that was tough. Duvernay had a tough catch in the corner of the end zone. I think just playing better in the red area, kicking field goals, you got to limit. Give up 37 points, it's going to be tough to win in this league.
Q: You had some words during the week seeing from afar Lamar's growth. Do you see that with Mac? Were there moments where you can see that arc with him as well?
DM: I do. But I'm not going to lie to you, I don't evaluate Mac like at all. I think for us, like you just said, we're playing against Lamar Jackson. If I'm wasting any time to evaluate what Mac is doing, where he's at, it's going to be the worst out there. I think defensively our task is each week – this week Lamar Jackson, next week is Aaron Rodgers. I think that needs to be our focus and it has been. That will remain our focus, the quarterbacks we're playing against, leave Mac and the offense up to them.
Q: A lot of attention on the way the game finished. How nice was it to see Vince Wilfork get honored during the game and over the weekend?
DM: Yeah, I mean, he's meant a lot to me in my career. Obviously not even just him, him and his whole family. I've spent Thanksgivings there. I've spent different holidays with his family hanging out. He took me in just like a little brother. Kind of means I'm old that I played with a guy that's now in the Patriots Hall of Fame. It was cool to be there yesterday. I know more than anything, he would have loved for us to get a win. A true Patriot. Tough, but like you said, awesome to see a guy that meant so much to a lot of guys' careers and this organization to be celebrated and honored the right way.
WIDE RECEIVER DEVANTE PARKER
Postgame Press Conference
Sunday, September 25, 2022
(On the connection him and Mac Jones had on the field today)
"Mac [Jones] was just putting the ball in the right spot. I'm just in the right area at the right time. I'm just coming down with it, making plays. Just doing what I can to help the team."
(On what changed to unlock his performance today)
"Nothing was different. I felt good, like I've always been. When they call my plays, I just have to go out and make the plays."
RUNNING BACK RHAMONDRE STEVENSON
Postgame Press Conference
Sunday, September 25, 2022
(On the two-point conversion try)
"Well, we were trying to run a screen pass to me so I could get into the endzone. But it didn't really work how we wanted it to. So I just tried to make a play and flip it back Mac [Jones]. Ultimately, like you said, they called it back. But I was just trying to make a play."
(On if he and Damien Harris being more involved in the passing game was a point of emphasis)
"In our offense it's always a point of emphasis just for third down and passing plays. The running back has to know the protection and get out on the route. That just got called a lot more today. It's always a point of emphasis."
(On if this is the best game offensively from start to finish minus the penalties and turnovers)
"You could say that. I just feel like we need to be more – we need to play a complete game and just finish the games better. Just not let one play dictate the next play and things like that. We just need to go play-by-play and just forget the last play and just play the next play."
(On how much confidence they have going forward due to the success of this game)
"I feel like that gave us some confidence. But it obviously wasn't good enough. We didn't win."
DEFENSIVE LINEMAN DEATRICH WISE JR.
Postgame Press Conference
Sunday, September 25, 2022
(On the locker room post game)
"With any loss that we have, it's going to be disappointing. You always go into a game wanting to win, wanting to do our best and it didn't happen."
(On why the defense struggled to stop the Ravens in the red zone)
"I don't really know at this moment in time. After I look at the film I think I'll have a better answer for you."
(On if the Ravens adjusted to prevent the defense from getting more sacks)
"They did a great job in their protection. They definitely made some game plan changes at the halftime with slides and extra guys chipping the ends which gave him just .2 more seconds to get the ball off. But I think that was probably it."
(On his three sacks)
"Honestly, I want to give thanks to all my guys in the back end. They were able to hold their guy, defend their guy. A lot of pressure was in on [Matthew] Judon, I want to say it was [Matthew] Judon and [Christian] Barmore. But all my guys in the middle who were pushing the pocket, keeping him contained honestly as I came around the edge and had a few of my sacks. Another one is all coverage. The guys in the back end who were covering the guys and did a marvelous job in the back end which allowed us to get to the rush. I just happened to get there a few more times.
PLAYERS IN THE LOCKER ROOM
Nelson Agholor, WR
(On his fumble)
"That was tough. The most important thing is ball security. That loses games and I had an opportunity at the end to make a play and it could have been a big play. At the end of the day, a guy comes out of nowhere and makes a good play and it is the balls you don't see so you have to make sure you are holding it secure enough where no one can dislodge it."
(On how he feels when he loses the ball during a play)
"That's play mentality. You don't play with fear, you play with confidence, and you play to be explosive. When you make explosive plays you just have to run away from everyone. That guy came out of nowhere and made a great play and I hate to be on the other side of a play like that but I have to pay respect to a guy who can make a good play like that."
(On emotions throughout today's game)
"Different people take it different ways but for me, I love to see fundamental things like ball security. The Ravens are a good team, but ball security is a key factor especially at the end, we had an opportunity to secure a first down and secure a good position for us. It is tough when that happens, but you move on, you focus on the plays. We know what it is like, we know good ball security and for I have to just run a little more aggressive."
(On if they removed the ball security issues, what positive plays did the offense make)
"We moved the ball well and at the end of the day, I think we can be better as a whole, everybody."
Jonathan Jones, DB
(On what changed towards the end of the game)
"I think we made enough plays to be able to win the game, I just don't think we didn't make enough bad plays. We have to start from the bad plays that we didn't have. We made a lot of plays, we just have to make more."
(On not being able to stop long drives on the Ravens)
"They were able to stay ahead of the chains, move the ball, they had a couple of long runs and the pass at the end that I gave up. They were doing enough to move the ball and keep it going."
(On what areas they feel they need to improve moving forward into the season)
"We just have to get on the field and make plays. There were a few third downs that we would like to have back to get the ball back to our offense."
(On how costly the turnovers were at the end of the game)
"That is a part of the game. There have been a lot of games here where we win the turnover battle, and we just weren't able to do that today."
Jonnu Smith, TE
(On how the offense made strides but was impacted by turnovers)
"Those mistakes will cost you against a good team. Those good teams capitalize on mistakes. I'm confident in everybody in this unit that we will fix these mistakes. We got guys that play hard, play tough, that are talented and care about the team more than anything. It's not necessarily about guys going out worrying about themselves but just about what they can do for this team. I think we have a bunch of selfless guys, so it's nothing but great things that I see for us."
(On the success of the passing game despite the turnovers)
"We emphasize on executing during the week. Whatever that takes. This is a league where you have to do well in both the running game and passing game."
(On his takeaways on the offense)
"Turnovers against a good team will cost us. They'll feast off of mental mistakes collectively made as a unit. We got to fix it and I'm confident that we will do so."
