HC Freddie Kitchens (9.29.19)

(opening statement) “It was a good team win. We executed offensively, and everybody did a hell of a job of executing their job. We did an outstanding job offensively. We executed well defensively. They took it as a challenge to stop the run, and they did a good job of that. They created four turnovers and four sacks. We just did a good job defensively all day, keeping up the pressure, and that is the way we want to try to approach it. We still have a lot of improvements to make special teams-wise. Our return yards weren’t quite where we wanted them. We did a good job of covering the kicks, our field goal kicker and our protections were good and solid, and he made his kicks. We have to keep getting better. We’re going to learn just as much from this game as last game – that’s not going to change. We’re going to keep striving to get better and better every week.”

 

(on RB Nick Chubb’s 88-yard touchdown run) “Nick [Chubb] will be the first one to tell you that the offensive line blocked up front. There were some creases in there, and Nick was able to get through. He did a hell of a job. He broke that one out when we were backed up a little bit. That was a huge play in the game. The touchdown he scored in the red zone was a huge play in the game. Nick’s a great football player.”

 

(on RB Nick Chubb’s long touchdown run taking the crowd out of the game) “Our job as an offense is to answer. We had an answer, and it just happened to be in one play. The play was blocked excellently, and Nick finished it. What can I say? They did a hell of a job. Our guys committed this week to doing whatever it took to win their matchups. I think we did a good job of that. The Ravens are a very good football team, and this is a tough place to play. Their crowd was amazing. We have to answer when they score, and we have to stop them when they answer. That’s kind of the chess match.”

 

(on if this is a turnaround game for the season) “To answer your question, who knows? But I do know this, if you keep your head down and keep working, usually good things happen. You turn the corner. I think our guys have done a good job of staying focused. Inside of our locker room is truly the only thing that matters. They’ve done a good job of just trying to get better. We’re going to build off of this game, too. This is only one game. Just like last week, it was only one game. We’ve got 12 more to go, OK? That’s all it is, just one game. We have to go to San Francisco, and that’s going to be a huge game. Monday Night Football again. That’ll be a huge challenge for us, to go out on the west coast and play football again. We’ll see how we respond and handle that situation. There’s a lot of new things for this team, and I just want to see improvement.”

 

(on any special significance of winning the game in the division) “Again, I told our guys just now, we haven’t really won anything. This was just one game. You would have to ask me at the end of the year. 12 games from now, you’d have to ask me, and I’ll tell you how big this was. Today, we played well. We played to the best of our abilities and we saw where the chips fell.”

 

(on the play of QB Baker Mayfield) “I thought he was consistent. He made some good throws, but again, this was just one game for Baker. He’s going to try to get better. We’re just going to try to get better with Baker, too. Guys, it’s just one game. I thought he trusted those guys up front, and I thought he played pretty well.”

 

(on the Ravens’ defense taking away WR Odell Beckham Jr., and if it opened up other options within the offense) “Odell [Beckham Jr.] is a dynamic player, truly dynamic. So, it really doesn’t matter to me however they want to defend us. Hopefully, we can do a good job of doing whatever we can depending on the coverage given. Odell is a great player and requires a lot of attention.”

 

(on his approach to this game) “Every week, we as coaches try to put our players in the best position to win. That’s what we owe to them, that’s what we owe to the team, and that’s what we owe to the game of football – to put our guys in the position to be successful. So, if they’re not successful, that falls on me. My job is to put them in the position to be successful. I think our guys did a good job this week of executing the plan. This credit needs to go to the players. The game of football is about the players. Our guys played well today and did what they were supposed to do.”

 

(on TE Ricky Seals-Jones’ role in the game plan) “We trust our guys when we put them out there. If they’re on our team, they’re good enough to play. So, we’re going to trust them when they go out there. And if we don’t trust them, they’re not going to be on the team. Same thing with our secondary. We were banged up, but we trusted them. On Seals-Jones, that’s why we can come out with a tight end that we picked up off the street two weeks ago. He lines up and plays well, because we trusted that he could do that. So, he’s done a good job of making an impact on us, from the standpoint of what he’s learned, what he knows, and how he does things. If they’re here, they’re going to play well. And if they’re going to play, they’re going to play well.”

 

(on if it was disappointing to see WR Jarvis Landry go down with a concussion) “Jarvis brings energy. Odell [Beckham Jr.] brings energy. Those guys bring energy to the huddle and to the field, and when Jarvis goes out, it’s a shock. But, we adjusted well. Any time someone goes out, we need to adjust in another area. ‘Rat’ [Damion Ratley] did a really good job even switching positions – he played all three positions today. That’s a testament to his knowledge and his desire to get into the playbook and learn the system. Because that’s what happens, you only have so many receivers, so somebody has to be that guy.”

 

(on if he thinks the team looked more comfortable today) “I’ll just say this – our guys did a good job this week of keeping their heads down. Listen, at the end of the day, our guys played well. Our guys played well. The credit needs to go to those guys. It wasn’t the play, it wasn’t the play calls, it was our guys. They played well. They deserve all the credit.”

 

(on the play of S Jermaine Whitehead who was involved in three turnovers) “That’s what we expect out of our guys. We don’t care if they’re backups or not three weeks ago – they’re playing. They’re good enough to play, so we expect them to play well. They expect that out of themselves, so why should we not expect that out of them? What are we doing? Are we putting somebody out there that we don’t trust? No, hell, he’s on the field, so we expect him to play well, you know?”

 

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