Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh – Rams-Ravens Postgame Quotes – Nov. 25, 2019
(Opening Remarks)
“Ok, I appreciate you guys sticking around. Great win, proud of our guys. We’ll be moving on – we’ve got 5 days and about 20 minutes before we play San Francisco, so we’ve got to work on those guys next.”
(On his thoughts on the big win tonight)
“I’m proud of the guys. I told them in the locker room just from the focus standpoint – these guys went to work all week. Our two guys were just up here talking about how good the look came for them. That’s exactly right. I mean, it hit right in the head – they come to practice, they work hard, they’re locked in – they’re locked in in meetings, they’re locked in in travel. They’re thinking about football, keeping it about football, and keeping it simple. I feel like they’re on a mission – it’s one mission at a time. That’s the way they approached this game, that showed up in the result. I’m proud of them for it.”
(On if they practice as well as they played today)
“Yes. They play just like they practice.”
(On if he feels his team’s success has to do with the players having a special chemistry)
“I do. I felt that way last year too. I think it’s a unique group of guys. They really are close. They really do love one another. They have a certain belief in one another and things greater than that. They have faith, they trust – and they work. They go to the next play, and they keep it simple that way. So, just like you said – I agree there’s something special here but, you know what? There’s nobody crowned in November, so, we have a lot of work to do.”
(On if anything Ravens QB Lamar Jackson does amazes him)
“You know, we just don’t look at it like that. Yeah, he’s a great football player, he makes great plays. The thing that I’m really so impressed with is his decision making – the way he handles the offense, and runs the offense, and the choices he makes in critical situations. I mean – take the end of the half. The way he worked the clock, worked the ball down the field, left no time for the Rams at the end. Scored right at the end when we were out of timeouts. That’s just operating at the highest level you can operate at as a quarterback. So that’s the thing I’m probably most amazed at if it’s anything – is how he operates as a quarterback.”
(On continuing their successful season by beating the Rams by such a large margin)
“Yeah – I mean it’s good for this week, but next week it doesn’t give you anything – you get one win no matter how many you win by. But, the fact that we’re playing so well from one week to the next is, to me, an indication of how hard the guys are working and how focused they are. But they know next week’s a new week. We have a great opponent coming up – San Francisco. These guys are the best team in football, they’re playing at the highest level right now. Nobody’s crowned like I said. There’s no best team in football right now. February’s when they make that decision.”
(On the focus going onto Jackson with his performances week after week and being in the spot light and if he can take a step back and be a historian)
“No, I can’t. I really can’t. I love history and I talk history all the time, the guys know that. But, at this point in time, no, I can’t. I absolutely cannot. Five days we’re playing the San Francisco 49ers, right?”
(On what he might see emerging here)
“I don’t know. I mean, that’s for you guys to decide. That’s what you do. I coach football, these guys play.”
(On any of his impressions of the 49ers and what they’ve done so far)
“They look great. They’re killing people. They’ve got a great football team who you as coaches, we’ve gone to work on them already. We know what we’re up against. We’ve got to get back, we’ve got to get rested and we’ve got to get to work.”
(On what he has to say about this offense and losing Ravens C Matt Skura and replacing him with Ravens Rookie G Patrick Mekari)
“I think it says a lot about (Ravens G Patrick) ‘Pat’ Mekari and it says a lot about (Ravens Offensive Line Coach) Joe ‘D.’ (D’Alessandris) and the job he does with those guys. To step in there and still play at that high level. I mean (Ravens C) Matt Skura was playing at a very high level. It looks Patrick did the same, there was no drop off at all. Rookie, it says a lot.”
(On if he knows anymore about Skura and if he needs to get an MRI)
“Yeah, I don’t know anything definitive yet.”
(On if he is surprised about winning against a team that knew that this game meant a lot)
“I don’t think we think about that stuff. We’re just thinking about us and trying to be the best football team we can be, really. That’s the honest answer.”
(On what specifically made them so good against DT Aaron Donald)
“I thought our coaches did a great job with the gameplan. But, really it goes to the offensive line. The linemen did it and we did it with double teams, no doubt. They were good, tight-fit double teams which our guys do well, but they were also one-on-one blocks. I mean, (Ravens G) Marshal Yanda is one of the best players ever to play the game at right guard, there’s just no question about it. Then, (Ravens G) Bradley Bozeman did a nice job. They move them everywhere, so all of our guys, but I think the offensive line deserves the credit for that.”
(On what he was thinking on the play before halftime when Ravens OLB Matthew Judon forced a fumble and then picked it up and there was a sack)
“I don’t remember. I hardly remember the play, to be honest with you.”
(On that play)
“I don’t know. I’d rather not get into it. I can’t remember.”
(On having seven-consecutive wins in the NFL being an accomplishment and if he sees this team thinking about getting better)
“Well, the plan is to get better, yes. The plan is to get 1% better every single day. It’s hard to do that, but our guys are up to the task.”