Ravens RB J.K. Dobbins, QB Lamar Jackson, WR Marquise Brown, LB Patrick Queen and TE Mark Andrews (9.13.20)
QB Lamar Jackson
(on how he stays so composed when starting a drive on the 1-yard line) “That’s a situation we go over in practice and stuff like that. I feel like our coach built us up for this, that type of environment or situation, and all of our guys do a great job of keeping their poise as well. We just moved the ball like we’re supposed to.”
(on picking up right where he left off after his MVP season) “It’s just hard work and dedication. It started with the COVID, our guys coming down [to South Florida in the offseason], trying to get some chemistry down pat. The quick turnaround with [training] camp, we started getting chemistry there, and our guys just dialed in, and they helped me out a lot, made my job a lot easier.”
(on if he feels like he is a better passer today than in 2019 Week 1 in Miami) “I do. [It’s] just dedication. Coach ‘Urb [Quarterbacks coach James Urban] is doing a great job – the QB drills, being consistent, even though sometimes, we might just repeat it, just to keep that dialed in in our heads and keep my body dialed in.”
(on if there was a point in the game, not having a preseason, where you felt you would be good) “[It was during] our pre-game speech, I’ll start there. Mark [Ingram II] gave us great energy, and I got to just look into guys’ eyes, and I could just tell, not knowing the score, but how offense, defense and special teams was going to play.”
(on if the team did anything differently today to keep the energy going) “Not really. Everybody had their headphones on inside the locker room, listening to their music, getting their own vibe. And like I said, Mark Ingram gave us a good speech, and so did [Pernell] McPhee when he came inside the locker room.”
(on TE Mark Andrews’ big day and the two of them not missing a beat from last year) “We’ve got Top 2, not two, in the league right now at tight end. He makes my job way easier. If it’s a DB guarding him, a safety or linebacker, it doesn’t really matter. He’s going to do a great job of getting open. He’s going to score a touchdown nine times out of 10. That’s my guy. He makes my job easier for sure.”
(on the atmosphere at the stadium without fans and whether or not he was able to hear what the defense was doing) “I was focused on what we had to do, just getting my eyes up as we went to the line of scrimmage. I wasn’t really trying to listen to what the defense was doing, just knowing what coverage they were going to be in, [inaudible] I really wasn’t paying attention to what they were saying.”
RB J.K. Dobbins
(On scoring his first two touchdowns in the NFL) “It’s a blessing to have two touchdowns in my first NFL game, but it was all because of my teammates. The linemen were blocking well. And then, I feel comfortable with all my teammates. They [have taken] me in, and they showed me the way.”
(On his emotions throughout the day) “I never really get nervous. When I played my first game in college, I didn’t get nervous. Today, I wasn’t nervous. I think it just comes with practicing super hard [and] building my confidence in practice. It’s definitely a blessing just to be in the league and playing with this great team. Right now, [we’re] 1-0 – it’s time to lock in on the next opponent. I’m definitely happy about my touchdowns, and things like that, and everything my teammates did. But now, we’ve got to move on to the next game.”
(On if there was any difference in the contact and the physicality of the game as compared to college) “I didn’t think so. I thought it felt the same. The competition is good though. It’s the NFL – you definitely could see a little change in it. But the contact wasn’t that crazy.”
(On if playing with QB Lamar Jackson eases any missed opportunities the offense may have had) “That’s a tough question. My boy [Lamar Jackson] is definitely a playmaker. When we mess up a few times, he can definitely make it right. It definitely helps a lot having him back there under the center.”
(On what it feels like to score a touchdown on a 99-yard drive) “My teammates, they drove the ball down the field. They made it look pretty easy. I just capped it off – with great blocking, great play-call, everything. It was just the right situation.”
WR Marquise Brown
(On the Ravens’ execution of the gameplan) “Yes, we did a good job of executing the gameplan. Lamar [Jackson] was out there, on point, putting the ball where it needed to be, and we had to just make our catches and make plays.”
(On QB Lamar Jackson’s improvements as a passer) “Yes, you can tell he’s a lot more comfortable, and he’s a lot more pinpoint with it. It’s now our job to be at the spot, because that’s where he’s putting it. He’s doing a good job of throwing it away from defenders and throwing it to where you can catch and run. So, he’s been doing a good job of just improving his game.”
(On the Ravens’ offensive performance) “It just shows you that we can do it in both phases; we can run it, and we can pass it. So, it’s going to make it hard for each team to gameplan for us. There are going to be some games where we run it more and some games where we have to pass it more. It’s our job just to go out and execute and do what we do.”
(On how it felt to play and not have to worry about his foot) “Yes, it felt good just to be back out there. It’s been a long, long journey to even get to this point. So just to be out there – going against somebody else – with my teammates was pretty fun. I’m not having to worry about injuries and whatnot. I get to go out there and try to play for my team.”
(On QB Lamar Jackson) “Yes, that guy, he’s probably not going to ever change. All he wants is to win Super Bowls – head down and go to work.”
(On the environment and communication) “Going into it, I didn’t know how it was going to be. But just being out there with the guys, everybody was fired up. Everybody had their own energy; bring your own energy. So, we were out there having fun. We didn’t really notice, but whenever we do get fans, it’s going to be a lot better.”
(On how different it was with no preseason and no fans) “It was different. Like you said, there was no preseason. So, we could talk about what we’re going to do and this and that, but until you actually get on the field and go against an opponent, you really don’t know – it’s uncertain. So, to go out there, play for each other, make mistakes that we learn from and build on the good plays, it was a good experience.”
(On the 99-yard drive) “Yes, from the point when we took the field, it was like, ‘Let’s go 99 [yards] and score. Let’s go 99 and score.’ So, for us to actually do it … On the drive before, we drove it down, and we had a turnover. So, this time around, we knew that we can’t stop ourselves. We just had to play our game and drive the ball.”
(On if he was able to hear certain things due to no crowd noise that he wouldn’t typically hear) “Yes, you definitely could hear the defense and hear what they’re calling out there. So, that was pretty good for us. But other than that, you just have to lock in on your assignment. It’s football between those lines.”
LB Patrick Queen
(on how comfortable he felt out there today) “Yes, I felt pretty comfortable. Coming in, Day One, the guys greeted me and treated me as family from the jump. Even before I got here, a lot of people reached out, so I felt very comfortable going into this game. Coaches prepared me the best way they could, trainers, even the head guys came and talked to me some. I just felt like I was at home.”
(on if this is what he expected from his NFL debut) “It’s what I expected. I wanted to do better than I did, but I’m grateful for what I got. I prayed about it, slept on it, dreamed about making plays. I actually dreamed about that same play that I made the tackle on, so it’s crazy how things work when you pray about it. But I can’t ask for a better first game.”
(on his LB Ray Lewis t-shirt and following in the footsteps of some Ravens greats at LB) “It’s all about respect. Just growing up, the Ravens’ defense was physical. Ray Lewis really set the picture for me for the Ravens’ defense, and I’m just giving him his respect by wearing this shirt, letting him know that I respect his game, and I respect what he did for this organization. I’m just trying to follow in the same footsteps.”
(on his QB sack and forced fumble) “[On the] sack, just an open gap, took it and ripped through. Baker [Mayfield] was standing right there trying to burst out to his right, and [I] just made a play. The next one [the forced fumble], a puller came, and I had to take on a puller. I got him out of the way, and then L.J. [Fort] was on the tackle, and the first thing I saw was the ball, so I went for the ball and got it out of there.”
(on if there was a lot pride from the rookie class today and how they played) “Yes, of course. It’s the NFL – we’re rookies, but at the same time, we’re all in the same place, doing the same thing, and we’re all trying to make a statement. Anytime our number is called, we’re coming to play and coming to dominate. Everybody that comes in, they’re going to get our all, and that’s all we can ask as a team. As a coaching staff, they just want us to play 100%.”
(on his t-shirt and if LB Ray Lewis sent it to him) “No, a person that my mom knows made it for me. Just like I said, it’s just a sign of respect for him. Mom said that we got the shirt made, so I wanted to wear it and show him respect. I know everything he did for this organization, I know how he played; there’s just so much that goes into it, I can’t really describe it.”
(on if there are any areas of his game that he needs to work harder on this week) “Everything in my game. Just technique, pad level, hands, coming downhill, not getting stiff-armed like I got on the last drive. There is a lot of stuff to clean up, and that’s what you come in the next day and get better at watching film, and then you’ve got to practice.”
(on how he adjusted to playing with no fans today) “At the end of the day, it’s football; you’ve got to love the game. If you don’t love the game of football, then you worry about fans, and you’re not going to have fun. But I wish they were out there, I wish I could put on for them, but I know they were at home watching, and we still got some excitement out of them and gave them some good stuff on TV to get them excited. I can’t wait for them to be back.”
(on defensive adjustments that were made to control the run game after Cleveland had two long runs early, and what was said after their long drive) “It was stuff that we hadn’t spaced on; just not getting lined up, getting the call but not thinking about what we had to do and execute. It was all on us, it was all stuff that we can fix and get better at and eliminate.”
(on how the overall communication was on the field) “It was great. You could hear it way better without the fans yelling and echoing in your ears. You could barely hear the call, but even with fans being there, we’ll still have to communicate. Just having no fans, it was an extra benefit for us to be able to hear calls from each other and know what to expect.”
TE Mark Andrews
(On if he feels QB Lamar Jackson is a better passer this year than last season) “For me personally, looking at Lamar [Jackson], I’ve known the type of player he’s been just [by] playing with him. The guys is incredible; he was incredible last year. To me, he’s, obviously, the best player in the world, and his arm reflects that. It reflected that last year; it’s this year as well. He’s going to continue to grow, and he has. It’s just a blessing to be able to play with him. He says I make his job easy, but it’s the other way around for sure.”
(On if he wants more recognition around the NFL as the best tight end in the league) “I try not to put too much thought into that stuff. It’s just about going out every week, playing the best you can and doing everything you can to win games and help your team. Today was a good day. We have a lot to learn from and to grow from. I think as the season goes on, we’re only going to get better. I try not to look at that stuff, but I want to be the best, and I’ve said that. I’ve been open about that.”
(On playing without fans and crowd noise) “It’s just different, it’s definitely different. Being able to hear calls and what the defense is saying and stuff like that – there’s that aspect of it, a little bit. You hear what they’re doing. And then, obviously, we have to communicate on offense as well. Trying to be quiet, trying to stay [quiet] so they can’t hear what we’re doing. It’s just different. You’ve got to bring your own energy. And I think that’s the biggest thing – just being able to come out there, bring your own energy and play fast without these fans – because Baltimore fans are incredible, and I can’t tell you how much they help us out. Definitely felt that – [we] missed them today. I’m looking forward to, hopefully, having fans soon.”
(On if returning much of the offense from last season was an advantage with team chemistry) “It’s big – the chemistry is there for sure. All these guys that … We’ve got a lot of young guys coming back. It was, kind of, nice to see. Our [offensive] line was probably the biggest change with guys moving around, and stuff like that – and they played great. There’s a lot of chemistry going on. But, again, there was a lot of mistakes, a lot of things that we’ve got to correct. You want to be the best, you want to get to where we want to go, we’ve got to get better. I know we’re going to. We have a lot of great guys in this locker room, and I’m excited for it.”
(On the performance of RB J.K. Dobbins and G Tyre Phillips without having preseason games) “It’s huge – I think those guys are just ball players. J.K. [Dobbins] had a great game. You see it in training camp – the type of player that he is, the versatility that he can bring to our offense. It’s great – he’s got Mark Ingram [II] to, kind of, show him the ropes. When you have that kind of combination of things, it’s a good recipe. And, obviously, Tyre [Phillips] played his butt off. That’s exciting to see him get in there and play and do well. He’s only going to grow. That’s a position where – when you’re young – you’ve got a lot to learn. He’s only going to grow, get better, and he’s a great player.”
(On the importance of the team having a great rushing performance against the Browns) “It’s good – I think the, kind of, misconception of our offense is that we’re only a run-first team. We’ve, kind of, shown time and time again that we can throw the ball. We used the run game to throw off that. We’re going to be dangerous in the passing game. You’ve seen it last year, you’re going to see it this year. We’re going to continue to grow in that area, and we’ve got to continue to grow in the run game. We’ve got to be the best at that both.”
(On the last drive before halftime with only 41 seconds left on the clock) “First off, it’s two-minute drill. We rep this all the time in practice. This is a twice a week, or more, type of thing. All the guys know what to do. So, it’s get up [and] get out, two timeouts – so we know if we’re going to be able to use those. Those two early timeouts, really, made the difference for us. Guys [were] just making plays. I think the consistency with that drive was incredible. I haven’t been a part of many two-minute drills that were that efficient. That was an efficient drive. It’s really good to see that. That’s not an easy thing to do. To be able to come out of there with points and get six [points], it’s very encouraging. We get the ball [to start] the second half. It’s very uplifting to this team, and we’ve got to be able to do that time and time again.”