John Harbaugh: Ravens Press Conference 1/13/25

SPEAKER_1 (0:03)

Welcome in to the Ravens Press Pass Podcast. The Ravens are going to face the Buffalo Bills on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. on CBS, in a divisional round matchup. As the Ravens prepare for this game today, we had a chance to hear from head coach John Harbaugh.

John Harbaugh (0:20)

Okay, appreciate everybody being here. Good to see you. Getting ready for a big game. A big divisional game against a very tough opponent who we know well. We're looking forward to it. We're very deep into the preparations for that. And we're looking forward to the week and looking forward to the game. What questions do you have?

SPEAKER_3 (0:40)

And John, obviously you're familiar with this team after playing them earlier. But what, I mean, just to watch them film all of them just recently, what kind of just stands out to you as just as for the Bills in general?

John Harbaugh (0:50)

Well, yeah, I mean, it's a big question because so many things stand out. They're such a good team. All three phases are playing at a very high level. I think the biggest thing that stands out is how well coached they are, how well tied together they are. They play complimentary football. All three phases play off of each other. They have a defined personality in every phase and as a team. They're very physical. They play very hard. They're cohesive. They're on the same page. I think offensively, they're very coordinated in terms of blocking schemes and timing of routes and pass protections and how it's all put together.

You know, the quarterback, obviously, is playing at high level. Josh Allen is a great player and they're well built around him. You know, he did a good job of building the offense around him and they have a lot of complementary pieces. I mean, all their receivers, wide receivers and tight ends and backs, and the backs also serve as receivers, but they're all very talented and skilled catchers. They all understand the passing game really well. They run hard. They protect the football. They're all good ball carriers, whether it's handed to them or after the catch. So big physical offensive line. Defensively, very active, very, very tied together defense. Back end to the second level, to the front. Pass rush, run defense, defensive backs showing up in the run game, linebackers playing downhill, the gaps in the run game, pop punching out in zone coverage as well, getting their depth, breaking on the ball, tackling. Just all the things that you would expect from a well-coached team like they are. So that's the type of challenge that we're facing.

SPEAKER_4 (2:25)

John, in a general sense, when you play a team back in week four, I mean, like three and a half months ago, how much weight do you put in that in terms of reviewing that and prep compared to what they've done in, say, like their last five or six games?

John Harbaugh (2:36)

Well, you do both. I mean, it's both. I'd say it's, you know, it's some, I don't know what the percentage of it is, but you're involved. That's definitely in your breakdown. You kind of go back and you pick the games.

You watch all the games and you even go back to past years. You know, that's part of your breakdown as well. And then you choose the games that you want to put in there and that you want to kind of emphasize and that you think apply to the game coming up. So there's games we throw out, too, just based on what we see. And it might be some recent games that we don't use just because we don't think they apply.

The last game of this regular season, we're not using. We don't, we've seen it. We know what's in it, but it's not applying to our necessarily to our game plan. So we use all of that.

SPEAKER_5 (3:15)

John, I'm sure you'll have a better sense later in the week, but are you confident that Zay Flowers will be able to play, or is that still very much up in the air?

John Harbaugh (3:25)

Yeah, that's in will-see mode. He's working hard to get back, and we'll see toward the end of the week if he's practicing. And he could play without practicing, for sure, if he feels healthy enough and if it's safe for him.

SPEAKER_6 (3:39)

John, kind of piggybacking on Jameson's question. I mean, the excitement to see this matchup seemed immediate. I mean, you had Tony Romo kind of almost salivating on air talking about it. Is there a part of you that can step outside of it for a second and just say, as someone who loves football, this is a matchup that everybody should want to see?