Defensive Coordinator Jim Schwartz (11.13.25)
Hey Jim (Schwartz), when you looked back at that game, did it feel weird? Just, there weren’t that many snaps and there weren’t that many passes. It just felt like a different game? For you calling it how do you feel?
“Well, I mean, there weren’t that many plays because, like we missed a couple series because of special team scores, but also were three and out, three and out, one and out. You know, when you have combination and then there’s two non-scores in there, basically you didn’t get drives there, that’s sort of the way that goes. But yeah, I mean, it was a little bit different. We made three mistakes in that game – we get a holding penalty on third and extra-long when they’re just trying to keep the clock running. And then we jump offsides, cardinal sin in four-minute, really embarrassing play for us. And the other one where we’re aggressive to try to keep them out of field goal range. It’s a tight game, we were behind the eight ball early in the game and we’re trying to keep them out of field goal range. So, you’re aggressive and you’re blitzing, and they get one block and all of a sudden they can score a touchdown. You know, even though when you look at a lot of the stats and things like that looks good, it wasn’t enough for a win. And if we either make a play here, or don’t commit a penalty or just make a mistake, then maybe we have a better chance to win that game. But there were a lot of things that we’re proud of with the game, but we’re never proud of the loss.”
When you talk about how that was such an embarrassing play, the neutral zone infraction, and I know you guys obviously work on all those details, coach it up. How can something like that happen? Is that just a total mental error or how does something like that?
“Yeah, I mean, it’s hard to describe. I mean, I’ve made mistakes in games where you do something, make a bad call or something like that, it’s not as evident as that. You know, I mean, I think that if you look across that game, I’m sure dozens of people on both sides made mistakes and plays that they’re not proud of. The thing is, when you make it in that situation, it’s magnified, and that’s the spotlight that players live under, that’s the spotlight coaches live under. I think you have to learn from it, you have to flush it, and you have to be able to move on. The thing I’m disappointed with Cam (Thomas) is that he played a really good game other than that. But that one he’s going to, that one play defines his game, as opposed to his pressures, his run defense, he got a sack, did a lot of good things in the game. But that’s just the way this game goes, and that’s the spotlight we all live under, and we have to do better.”
I think around training camp or OTA’s, you talked about Ronnie Hickman’s development, and you said he’s like putting out the fires, but now you need him to make plays. With him having an interception against the (New York) Jets, two on the season, where have you seen the growth where he’s been able to make these impactful plays now?
“Yeah, Ronnie’s been such a consistent player for us this year in the back end. Great communicator. The week before against the (New England) Patriots, he had a couple missed tackles, which was really out of character for him. He’s been a really sure tackler for us in a lot of our cleanup tackling. I would say on that play, Ronnie gets the interception, but Grant Delpit had a lot to do with that play. Grant’s playing the backside, the play that the Jets ran was a play that had gotten us early in the year. And we had worked it in our self-scout on the bye week, knowing that people would try to copycat and say, ‘hey, we can get this’. And Grant just did an outstanding job on the backside of that and pushed the first route off, which allowed Ronnie to fall into the second window and make that play. So, Ronnie gets all the attention right there. But Grant’s the one that helped make that – and that’s just football. I mean, there’s a lot of those, like Myles (Garrett), Myles had a great sack – you get a sack when the quarterback’s dashing the other way. But Alex Wright did a good job pulling the quarterback up, Grant did a good job pulling it here, here comes Carson (Schwesinger), pulled the quarterback, and that allowed Grant. So, nobody really stands on their own in the NFL on a football field. You know, there’s 11 guys and everybody has to do their job for somebody else to make a play, I think what you saw there. But I think Ronnie’s really stepped into a leadership role for us. He’s been an extremely consistent player, not a lot of ups and downs in his play, and he’s got some, obviously got some ball hawk in him. So, that’s a good sign going forward for us and for him.”
Jim, what do you think about the job Carson did to come back and work through that high ankle sprain and play, and just the season he’s having in general and acclimating for the defense?
“Yeah, it’s a tough injury to come back from, but he turned every stone – is that the word? Turned over every stone? He turned every stone over in his rehab, and he basically lived at the facility for the bye week, and that was one of the things that helped him. I think he’s got a little bit of Wolverine blood in him too. You know, to be able to bounce back, and obviously you got to be able to play with some pain and do those kinds of things. You know, he had about as good teach-tape rep on a zone read that you could imagine. I mean, Justin Fields is a 4-3 type athlete, hard to bring down. Carson, because he made it look easy, but made it look easier than a lot of other people make it. Yeah, I mean, we could talk a long time, I mean, I think that trumpet has been sounded a long time, the quality of play that he’s given us. And I think it’s not just the quality of play but the communication, and every week he gains more confidence, and he gains a higher respect from his teammates and becomes more of a leader for us. And when you do something like that, when you have an injury that has a chance to keep you out for a few weeks, and you go out and lay it on the line for your teammates, that means something in the locker room and those guys know it. And that helps you win leadership roles, and that’s one of the things we need from him.”
Is it kind of convenient to have the tune up game against Justin Fields just before this game?
“Yeah, I mean we see a lot of mobile quarterbacks, and that’s just part of the NFL now. You know, most guys have the ability to scramble and make plays. Some teams use them a little bit more than others, but we’ve already played Baltimore once this year. But even going back to the week before, Drake Maye – he doesn’t get the reputation for that, but he made us pay a couple times on some scrambles. And all these guys have the ability to go get first downs, go get big plays with their legs – that’s just where football has evolved. And like we talked before, it just spreads you just a little bit thinner on defense because you have to account for the quarterback, whether it’s a quarterback scramble, or it’s his own read or design quarterback run. It’s just, a whisker away from playing triple option football.”
How does having (Patrick) Ricard and (Isaiah) Likely back, kind of change the complexion of their offense in terms of some of the personnel you’re expecting to see again?
“Yeah, you know, they kept their package. Zaire (Mitchell-Paden) actually played the fullback, a guy we were very familiar with in the first game, so they kept it. But you know, getting Ricard back is big for them. Getting their two backs set stuff. You know, he’s a 300-pound guy that can play with power and that means a lot to a guy like Derrick Henry, getting him started. You know, we’ve done a good job of getting Derrick a lot of times before he can get started while having a guy, a fullback like that, can help him. So, he was an important part of their offense that they didn’t have the first time. And (Isaiah) Likely, all three of their tight ends are good players. You know, (Charlie) Kolar really stepped into a role and he’s a trusted player for them, he’s made a lot of plays for the Ravens. So, they have three of them, all of them a little bit different, but they use all three of them and you know, that’ll be a big part of things.”
When you talk about Derrick (Henry) and when you guys were able to hold him to under 50 rushing yards or your last meeting, and Lamar (Jackson) to just 13. How much different is it going to be a challenge for you guys with them already having seen what you guys were able to do in the run stopping ability?
“Yeah, scheme wise, there’s really not a whole lot. It’s more just attitude. I mean, I think they had pretty good idea what we were going to do in the first game. I mean, you know, when you play division games like this, particularly coaching staffs that have been around for a few years and players that have been around for a few years. There’s not a whole lot of secrets this time year. I mean, there’s probably, there’s very little in this game that we’re going to do that the Ravens are going to be like, ‘woah, where did that come from?’ Because if it was, we would have been doing it last game, the game before that, you know, like, you already sort of know, they know us, we know them. It’s classic division games. And it comes down to who plays physical, who does the techniques well, who plays with the best fundamentals, who plays with the best spirit, who makes the fewest mistakes. It comes down to those things as opposed to a coach coming up with a with a magic scheme or something like that. That’s what division football is all about. The weather’s changed, you’re into November, you have two physical teams. That’s what the AFC North is about.”
(Grant) Delpit had a little bit of an edge to him today. Maybe it was because he had to wear that Alabama shirt losing that bet, but he said something like, with everything else going on this team, it’s time for our pride to show up on defense.
“He’s a prideful player. He played that way. You know, that first third down of the game, we’re in a blitz and got a pretty good play dialed up against that swing screen. And I don’t know if you guys noticed because Tyson (Campbell) did a really good job of visual on that and knifed through and made the tackle. But Grant was the blitzer on the boundary side and he chased that play all the way over to our sideline. It was just unbelievable effort, play and physicality when he hit him at the end. So, Grant backs up statements like that with his play on the field.”
With Alex (Wright) out, I would think that Isaiah (McGuire) would get more playing time. What have you seen from him this season?
“Yeah, Zay (Isaiah McGuire) had an outstanding training camp for us and really won the starting spot. And then he had a little bit of little setback early in the season and just wasn’t as productive as he wanted to be and as we wanted him to be. And at the same time, Alex was really being productive. And Alex sort of out snapped him. We really don’t have him. We know that Myles really don’t have, quote, starters, but he out snapped him in there. And, you know, this was a great opportunity for Zay to get that back and to be the consistent playmaker that we know he can be.”
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