John Harbaugh: Ravens Press Conference 9/15/25

SPEAKER_1 (0:02)

Welcome in to the Ravens Press Pass Podcasts. It's Monday, September 15th, and we just had the chance to hear from head coach John Harbaugh after the Ravens 41 to 17 win over the Browns on Sunday.

John Harbaugh (0:15)

Good to see everybody. Really appreciate everybody being here. Good win for us. And this division win, very important, get going on our first win of the season, regular season football. So that's important. I was pleased with the way the guys played, the way they competed, the way they handled the game, the way the game went, the pace of the game, and the way they persevered throughout the game, and then found a way to extend it all at the end. So all that was positive. What questions you have?

SPEAKER_3 (0:45)

John, I mean, with Lamar now, I mean, he had another day where four touchdown passes, no interceptions. How have you seen him really orchestrate the entire offense over the past few years now?

John Harbaugh (0:58)

Over the past few years?

SPEAKER_3 (1:00)

How has he improved in orchestrating in the offense, do you feel?

John Harbaugh (1:02)

Okay, that wasn't on my sheet as far as a possible question. The past few years, I would say Lamar's been, thanks, Jed, Lamar's been great the past few years. Does that answer your question?

I know. I think it's indicative. Your point is really good because he's been, that shows you. There was a tough game yesterday against a really great defense. So just this last game, it was tough sledding, and that wasn't just coming our way in terms of field position or in terms of opportunities for plays or things like that. Yet, he just kept pressing, he kept making checks he needed to make, and a couple of times there was plays that were, I think, really in trouble, and he bailed them out. Probably three of his big plays were plays that he made something out of absolutely nothing and made a bad play into a great play with the help of his teammates. So, that was pretty, that's Lamar. I mean, that's the thing about Lamar that is really just makes him another level probably of a player, and yet all the solid stuff, all the basic stuff, the outs on time, you know, the check with me's, all the different things like that, are the things that over the last few years, I guess what you're kind of referring to, are the things that he's really built into his game as well. So, yeah, it's just Lamar being Lamar.

SPEAKER_4 (2:30)

When you look at the running numbers yesterday, I mean, in addition to them having good players on their defense, was that, did they just seem to take away Derrick? Is that what you saw when you looked back at it?

John Harbaugh (2:38)

Well, they definitely had a bunch of guys at the last scrimmage, and they were triggering the run right away. You know, when I was coaching with Jim Johnson in Philly way back when, we had a way of playing that 4-3 defense, which is somewhat similar to what Schwartz does, what he does in Cleveland, not exactly the same, but it was called Blitz the Run, you know. So basically, when you get a run key, you're hitting gaps and running through gaps. And I would say they were, quote, unquote, blitzing the run. It wasn't a blitz call, but it's a blitz reaction to the run. And those guys were coming downhill immediately, and they were all close to the line of scrimmage to start with. So that was the plan for them, make sure that we don't run the ball, the Ravens don't run the ball. We're not going to get beat by the run. And that's smart, you know, smart football, and they had success with that part of it.

SPEAKER_5 (3:26)

Coach, with Lamar, he said yesterday that he takes an IV, I think, for every game. Was the heat a big factor, you think, for him yesterday, in terms of the run game or anything like that? Because it was overly hot, obviously.

John Harbaugh (3:38)

No, I don't think that was a factor with the run game part of it. I thought he handled the heat well, you know, so it was okay.

SPEAKER_5 (3:45)

And as far as the hydration thing, I mean, is that, are you aware that he's doing that on a regular basis?

John Harbaugh (3:50)

Yeah, the different guys have the different plans. We have, we just do a great job here. You know, Sarah Snyder does a great job. The trainers and stuff do a great job of monitoring all that. I mean, guys get monitored. You can't believe how much information we have on guys and hydration, nutrition, performance type things.