COURTESY OF BALTIMORE RAVENS MEDIA RELATIONS DEPARTMENT
Do you find it a little bit different these days with the coaches wearing masks and everything that's going on in the locker room? Or does it seem like a normal camp?(David Ginsburg) "No, it's not normal at all, but it's just the normal that we have to adjust to. So, it is what it is."
How much more comfortable are you coming in, starting camp here, instead of coming in halfway through the season? It must be much easier to get acclimated, coming in and starting out with everybody. (Kirk McEwen) "Yes, it's easier than coming in on a Tuesday and then you have to play on a Sunday, but other than that, everything's been cool. I kind of just picked up from where I left off at and just go about it every day as it comes."
Yesterday, OLB Matthew Judon told us that he would love to get his first pick-six this season. Has he asked you for any advice? (Ximena Lugo-Latorre) "All I can tell him is, 'Just catch it, man. You have to take care of the rest.' That's about it."
Since you entered the league, your interception total is the highest in the league. Why do you think you're so much better at getting those interceptions than everybody else? (Jamison Hensley) "I've just had more opportunities, and I capitalize on my opportunities more than they do. That's about it."
Along those same lines, CB Marlon Humphrey told a story yesterday, how you told him that on every single play, you should be looking to make an interception. Is that how you approach it? Every play that you line up, you think, 'Alright, how am I going to get a pick on this play?' (Ryan Mink) "Every time the quarterback drops back to pass, our chance of picking it off is 50-50, so why not give yourself the chance and opportunity of making a play. Once the ball is in the air it's, 'See-ball, get-ball.' It's whoever can go get it first, so it is what it is after that."
It's your first training camp with the Ravens, and now it's the second one for S Earl Thomas III. I don't know how much familiarity you need, because you're kind of on an island on the outside, but what's it like working with him, as a guy who has been such a playmaker, like yourself, throughout your careers? (Pete Gilbert) "It's fun to work with everybody. It's not just me and him; it's everybody. We are a group out there, so we have to communicate and handle things as a group. Overall, it's fun when you have some people like that out there that can play ball at a high level. But, like I said, it's a group effort out there; it's not just me and him."
How do you feel about going in to the first regular season game – just like everyone else – without taking a hit? The last time you all took hits was your last game, and like you said in the beginning, it's an unusual season. (Jerry Coleman) "We're pros at the end of the day, so tackling is going to be tackling, and football is going to be football. We can't change anything about that. We just do what we can do about handling practice the way we can. We're trying to keep everybody healthy and safe and make it to the first game of the season, overall. So, all the rest of those things, we'll handle them as we handle them."
I know you're a guy who likes film study, and I'm just curious, going into a Week One game against a team with a new coach and no preseason, how do you end up film-studying for that? Do you look back at where the coach was previously? Do you look back at the team last year? How do you go about that? (Aaron Kasinitz) "I think you just answered your question. He [Kevin Stefanski] wasn't there with them last year. We know who their personnel is going to be, and we are going into Week One without even seeing anything. Usually, you can get a grasp of what they are going to run with the basics from preseason. But now, we're just playing ball. We're just going to go out there and have fun – play fast, play physical, play our brand of football, and we'll be good with that."
You've seen a lot of quarterbacks that you've played against. You have one on your team that you will go against in practice. What is your perspective on QB Lamar Jackson, his skillset, and what he brings to a team? (Mark Viviano) "He's the MVP. He's not the MVP for no reason. He goes out there, and he's going to make the plays. He's a smart guy. He attacks the game the right way, and it means something to him. You can see a difference in somebody when the game means something to [them]. There are a lot of quarterbacks around this league, and I'm sorry to say it, but they are getting paid just to play football because of where they came from, or they've got a great connection. You don't find too many quarterbacks who love to play the game like him. So, in the ones who do love to play the game like him, you see what they do. They go out there, and they put a product on the field that's remarkable."
Some quarterbacks say they will remember every touchdown pass they've ever thrown. Do you remember every interception you've ever made in your career, and is there one interception that stands out for you the most? (Jamison Hensley) "No, I can't put a gist on all my interceptions, but my favorite interception is my first one."
Going back to last year, what is it that you think allowed it to work so well, so quickly, once you arrived here? And then, how will that help you going into this season? (Garrett Downing) "I think it was just the team, overall. The team welcomed me in with open arms. And, with me and my personality, I'm coming in just to do my job, and that's to be dominant on defense and help this team win games, so we can ultimately get to our Number One goal. And it wasn't about me; it was about this team. So, when I got here, it was just me adding on whatever I can bring from where I was coming from to this team. That's just all I can say about that. I'm here to do my part, and that's just to do whatever I can to help us win championships."