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December 9, 2012
FedExField
Head Coach/Executive Vice President Mike Shanahan
On the game:
“Obviously, I’m very proud of our team on the way we kept fighting. We had some outs in the game, but with the way we finished it, the way the guys stepped up and made some plays at the end of the game was very impressive. Obviously, we hit it. It’s a big game for us coming back into our stadium after winning three games. We knew if we didn’t get the win today, obviously those other three didn’t mean a whole lot. I’m really proud of the way the guys played.”
On the severity of the injury to quarterback Robert Griffin III:
“I really don’t. It’s sore right now. He wanted to go back in the game, which is a good sign. That was a positive, but I won’t know until we have an MRI.”
On quarterback Kirk Cousins’ designed run for a two-point conversion:
“You’ve got some options on the play. You really don’t know what defense you’re going to be in, but we didn’t think they’d be expecting it either. We got the right defense and Kirk did a great job getting in the end zone.”
On cornerback Richard Crawford and Cousins making big plays as backups:
“You always want your second-team quarterback prepared – just like it’s the first-team quarterback. He’s done that since he’s been here. It’s really tough on that second- and third-team quarterback to not get very many reps, but you expect them to go in a game situation and play as a starter. His preparation has been great throughout the whole year. He’s very on top of everything. He went in there and didn’t miss a beat, so I was pleased with the way he played. Richard Crawford – we gave him an opportunity. We thought he did a great job in preseason by catching the ball and getting the ball upfield. We saw that in the Buffalo game and we thought it was in our best interest of our team to give him an opportunity, as well as [tight end] Niles Paul. Obviously, Richard really took advantage of the opportunity today.”
On what Griffin III said to him about the injury:
“I could see that he was hurting the second time he came out. You could see his face. I did talk to the doctor and he felt like it was in his best interest not to come back in, but he wanted to. We had to keep him from going back in. He was trying to get out there, so that’s a great sign. Hopefully, the MRI will be negative.”
On what he saw when Griffin III took the hit:
“I can’t tell you. I have the worst seat in the house. I knew he got hit. You could see it a little bit on the replay. I knew he was hurting the first time, but he came on the sideline and Kirk went to play. I knew he wanted to go back in after that second hit. The way his body language was, I thought it was in his best interest not to go back in.”
On if this win feels better than others because of the close proximity of the teams:
“To be honest with you, we don’t get a chance to spend a lot of time [playing Baltimore]. Anytime someone is in the AFC compared to the NFC… It [a rivalry] is always within your division. We have so much respect for the organization and what they’ve accomplished and how hard they’ve played and how many times they’ve found ways to win over the last how many years. That was a good challenge for us because we knew we were playing a very well-coached team, a team that played extremely hard to find a way to win. It was special for us.”
On kicker Kai Forbath:
“I’m glad he’s on our football team. That’s for sure. He’s made everything and we gave him a game ball in front of the team. It doesn’t surprise me how he handles himself. The reason why we ran back in there at the end [is] I thought everybody was ready. He was not ready. They were on the other side. I’m not sure where they were, so I’m going to keep the normal timing for a field goal. We ran another play. I thank the players for not fumbling that ball. That was a big plus.”
On Cousins staying poised and making the necessary throws:
“I thought he did it all through preseason. I thought he really took advantage of his opportunity when he was in there. I’ve got a lot of confidence in Kirk and I got a lot of confidence in [quarterback] Rex [Grossman]. For me to put Kirk in that situation at the second-team quarterback so early in his career kind of gives you an idea what I think of Kirk. It’s been great, too, with Robert and Kirk. From day one, learning the system together and going out there and working every day, you get a chance for a couple quarterbacks to start from scratch and learn the system. They pushed each other and they support each other. It’s kind of nice to get two rookies in that type of environment.”
On what changes the defense made at halftime:
“We talked about it the week before. I think they had around 80 yards in that first half. You’re running that ball for 160-170 yards, usually it’s going to take its toll. But our guys kept on fighting. You saw how many plays we made and the turnovers in there obviously helped. That’s what you have to have. You have to make a couple plays on defense and our guys found way to get it done. In the game, you have to find a way to win – whatever the score is. Some days, you’re going to have 7-6 games, other games you’re going to have 40-30.”
On the performance of the rookies:
“Obviously very impressive, but it takes everyone to win a game like that – all 46 guys that were dressed. We played extremely hard and it was a nice win for us.”
On Cousins’ performance:
“You can see the way guys prepare during the week, when they are on the scout team, how they handle themselves and how hard they work. You know if guys have a chance to step up and take advantage of the opportunity. It really didn’t surprise with the way he handled himself.”
On the decision to deactivate wide receiver Brandon Banks:
“I sat down with Brandon and I said it was going to be a tough decision. I was going to bring a defensive lineman up and I’m going to have somebody down. I wanted to give [cornerback Richard Crawford] a chance to return punts and I’m going to give [tight end] Niles Paul an opportunity. I said 'You be ready. I think these guys deserve an opportunity to show us what they can do, both on the kickoff return and punt return, but we may need you next week or the week after that. Keep on working. We are not sure when the next opportunity will come, but you have to help our football team win, even if you’re working the scout team. You can help us.’ Brandon was all in. He was very supportive and had two good days of practice. After I told him what direction we were going to go, I really liked the way he handled himself. A lot of guys pout and whine and feel sorry for themselves, but he went out there and did a good job on the scout team for us.”
On Crawford’s punt return:
“Well, first of all, he took it up field and made a lot of people miss. I might get at him a little bit with his run right at the end of the punt return. It looked like he saw that it was free and started to slow down a little bit, but it was a heck of a job. A heck of a job for your first game to return punts in the National Football League with a lot on the line. It’s always good to see guys step up and he did.”
Quarterback Robert Griffin III
On what happened on the play in which he sustained his injury:
“I was trying to make a play. I got outside and turned inside, and once I turned inside, I said 'Oh lord, here we go,’ and got down. I protected myself in that regard. It was just a freak play. My leg got hit while I was going down and after I was already down, my leg got hit again. It was a pretty painful experience, but I will be alright.”
On his body after all the hits:
“I got hit in the back. Usually you get hit in the lower back or the upper back, I got hit right in the middle of my back, so it was just a weird experience. When I came out after that play with my leg, I told them I was going back in. They looked at me for a second. I just wanted them to know that I wanted to go back in and I did for a few plays. I made the throw to Santana Moss and the throw to Pierre Garçon down the field. I knew I needed to get out at that point. I couldn’t move. At some point you have to do what’s right for the team. If I would have played for the rest of the game, I probably would have hurt myself even more. You just need to trust those guys and trust yourself when you know enough is enough. When I first came on, I didn’t think enough was enough, but after being out there for a few plays and realizing that I really couldn’t do too much, I had to get out.”
On if it feels like an ACL injury:
“I am not a doctor, but I know what an ACL feels like and it doesn’t feel like an ACL, so hopefully we can have some positive things that come out of the MRI. We took an X-ray and it was a very good X-ray. I feel the positive vibes coming my way and hopefully everything will be alright.”
On if he is nervous about his injury:
“I know what an ACL feels like, so if I felt that I’d probably be pretty nervous. We won the game, everybody’s praying for me. I feel pretty good right now about the whole situation so I’m not too nervous, but I’ll definitely be praying through the MRI.”
On the doctor’s observation:
“They looked at my knee a lot. If you are having pain, they constantly push on that same spot. They told me that they felt like my ligaments feel good, it’s just a matter of what the MRI says. They told me my ACL looked good so, like I said, I was feeling the positive vibes from them, feeling the positive vibes from the team and just the fact that we won the game makes everyone feel a lot better.”
On the injury:
“I knew as soon as I got hit, as I screamed – like a man, of course – I knew it hurt really bad, but, like I said, it didn’t feel like an ACL or anything like that so Larry [Hess] and them came on the field and I told them, 'Just get me to the sideline, and I’m coming back in the next play.’ There’s some marks that you have to have. It’s not about me or myself; it’s about the team. I think the guys were proud of me for going back out there and fighting, and they told me they’d fight with me any day.”
On how his injury affected his mechanics:
“It makes you a little unsure about what you are doing. Everybody’s had an injury before trying to do something athletic so I knew I wasn’t myself, but I still felt like I still could go out and help the team win, and then after I threw the pass to Pierre [Garcon], and we completed it, then immediately, after I planted, I knew I couldn’t help the team win anymore. Even though I did complete that pass, I felt a certain way, and after that throw, as you all saw, I kind of limped down the field to get down there. I had to get out. I’ll still be able to run and do those things if it’s just a really bad bruise, and then if it is anything else, like I told Coach, I’ll fight through it, and I’ll be playing next week.”
Quarterback Kirk Cousins
On the final sequence:
“It all happened so fast, I am not sure I can replay it all correctly until I watch the tape again. From what I remember, Robert [Griffin III] went down. He has taken a lot of those hits before and I was not sure if he really needed to come out, but I grabbed my helmet and started throwing. I came in and tried to take a look at the situation. It was third down and we needed to move the chains. Fortunately the pass interference call enabled us to do that. Then I saw Robert come back. I was expecting to have to finish the game. I saw Robert come back out, which was great, so I ran back to the sidelines. He threw a couple big time plays. He was limping after the second completion and I did not know what to do, did not know what the plan was. I tried to find Coach Shanahan to let him make the call. He said, 'Where is Kirk?’ and I said, 'Here I am.’ He said, 'Go out there and take his spot.’ Going out there, I wanted to make sure he actually was hurt and he [Griffin III] said 'Yeah, I can’t do it.’ So he went down and we went from there.”
On the final touchdown to Pierre Garçon:
“The touchdown was an off-schedule play, I tried to start my read and did not feel comfortable in the pocket and waiting on it. I think in some respects I had learned from the [Atlanta] Falcons game, when I threw my second interception in that game I just waited too long on it and tried to do too much. So I thought 'I am going to make something happen and try to do my best 'RGIII,’ if you will. Pierre ended up coming off his route and breaking away, breaking open, wide open, all I had to do was put it in his arms.”
On his pump fake during the touchdown to move the Ravens’ defense:
“I am not sure exactly, it happened so fast but we do have a double move on that play. So if I can remember correctly it was probably because I was trying to get them to bite on that double move.”
On how much the Falcons game helped him:
“Any time I can get experience, a practice rep in training camp, a preseason game, a real game, it is going to help me. So there is no doubt I learned from that, it is still a challenge to come out here after standing in the cold for three quarters and be ready to go. Fortunately, I had 10 guys around me who were doing their job at a high level and it made my job much, much easier.”
On the amount of reps he gets each week in practice:
“I don’t get reps with the offense; I get reps with the scout team. I try to work on my fundamentals, try to look at the scout team plays. For example, this week the [Baltimore] Ravens’ plays and try to put them in our language as to what they would be like and read them like I would read our plays. I am obviously getting mental reps watching Robert take the reps in practice and doing all I can outside of meetings to be ready. That is the life of a backup quarterback in this league.”
On calling his number for the quarterback draw to tie the game:
“They gave us a look for it; it was obviously a great call. I have been very impressed with both [offensive coordinator] Kyle [Shanahan] and [head coach Mike] Shanahan’s ability to call plays and put quarterbacks in a position to be successful and I think their track record shows that with the quarterbacks they have been around but certainly I felt like they did that with me, the little bit I was in there.”
On if he was surprised when the quarterback draw was called:
“I wouldn’t say surprised because that is a play we feel confident running in the red zone near the goal line. I believe Rex [Grossman] scored on a quarterback draw against Dallas, so it is not something they are afraid to do.”
On if you have to sell a quarterback draw:
“I think you do want to sell pass a little bit, get the defense to be thinking pass and catch them off guard. But obviously you have a running back leading up making a great block and the offensive line making the blocks necessary. I am not as fast as Robert [Griffin III] so those blocks will have to be made for me to score and they were, so I just had to dive across the goal line to do the rest of it.”
On what the confidence of veteran players means to a rookie quarterback:
“There is no doubt that it has been communicated by some veterans that they believe in me and that if my name has to be called upon that they believe I can get it done and that means the world. First and foremost, Robert has been doing an awesome job and I have a lot to live up to if my number does get called because of the way he has played. Even once he got banged up, I went in and came back out, he then made a couple of tremendous plays that got us down to the red zone and made my job that much easier when I had to go in. He is doing a tremendous job and I am trying to learn from him as I watch and stay locked into these games when I am not playing. He has certainly taught me a lot on how to be a better quarterback.”
On what he said to Griffin III and how he mentally prepares for possibly having to start:
“As far as words said between Robert and I, I told him 'I am proud of you, let’s try to make the playoffs now, let’s make the playoffs.’ I asked him how he is feeling and he doesn’t know, he doesn’t know until more time passes, so I know very little as far as his condition. I have to approach it like I have since day one when I came here in May. That is to think like I am the starter and prepare like I am the starter and if my number is called I am prepared to go, and if not, I am still ready to go. Any preparation I do can’t hurt, so any time I spend this week getting ready, even if my number doesn’t get called upon next Sunday, I am still helping myself for down the road. I will be doing my preparation this week and we will see what happens. Obviously I will be praying for Robert’s health going forward.”
On what it has been like watching Griffin III lead the team the last month or so:
“I can’t say that I am surprised. He is a tremendous athlete, tremendous talent. He was the Heisman Trophy winner, the second overall pick in the draft for a reason and on top of all that he is a great leader. He is well-spoken, he is the full package in that sense. It does not surprise me. I think it is encouraging to watch a quarterback master this offense because you feel like you are in a place to succeed if your number does get called upon. As I mentioned earlier, Coach Shanahan’s track record with quarterbacks, this is a place you want to play. Quarterbacks want to play for the Shanahans. In that sense it is a good position for me to be in and I am just trying to develop myself and have my career last as long as it can.”
On his preparation during the week:
“It does start with the scout team reps, so I am getting some football in. It is not ideal but it is the best I can do as far as physical practice. I stay after every day with our quarterbacks coach and some of the younger receivers and throw routes. Basically go back through the practice script, run the plays that were run by our offense and run them with a couple of receivers so that I can try to rehearse what it would be like. I go into meetings, watch lots of film and talk with the coaches. Just trying to watch cut-ups and plays and games and saying, 'What would I do if I was in this area on the field?’ It is a learning process; I am nowhere near where I want to be two or three years from now. Day by day, I am trying to get better.”
Wide Receiver Pierre Garçon
On the win:
“It was a great victory. A lot of guys stepped up. [Quarterback] Kirk [Cousins] stepped up great, ran the ball well, did a lot of great things. The defense played well in the second half and in the first half, and Kirk gave us a chance and it came through when we really needed it.”
On his touchdown toward the end of regulation:
“The Ravens played good defense. They had the original route covered and just from looking at the defense, it just kind of slow played in and kind of went to the open area. Kirk saw me, got lucky, threw the ball and it was just a great play that ended well.”
On the difference he’s made to the team upon returning from injury:
“I don’t think I’ve made any spectacular difference. I just try to go out there and play hard, just giving it everything I got. I think the guys see that and they’re happy and when a guy goes extremely hard, it kind of motivates you to go hard, so I just try to play my game and I continue to fight hard.”
On if he and Cousins practiced the touchdown play:
“It just happened. We practiced the play a lot, but Kirk really never had practiced that particular play, but Kirk is always on his job. He’s always studying. He’s always preparing well as if he can come in at any time… It just played out well for us today.”
On his confidence in the rookie quarterbacks:
“Kirk’s a great quarterback. He’s preparing very well. We have a lot of confidence in him. He has a strong arm. He throws it well. He knows the playbook very well and he studies the defense as well with the coaches and the quarterbacks. He has a lot [going] for him. It’s no real drop-off from RGIII and Kirk. Kirk just can’t run as fast as him but he can read defenses, sit in the pocket and throw it.”
Cornerback Richard Crawford
On the overtime punt return:
“It was kind of like the Red Sea. I saw where I had to go and I just ran that way. I credit my teammates for blocking. I’ve just got to finish it and score next time.”
On why he didn’t score on the punt return:
“I ran out of gas. When I hit midfield, I was dead tired. I don’t know what happened. I never get tired. They use to call me Energizer Bunny at practice because I’m always running around. I don’t know what happened, I just got tired.”
On what the win means:
“You’ve just got to keep playing. I’m just happy that we won and just try to make the playoffs, so I don’t really take it for myself. I’m just happy the team won and that we’re happy as a team.”
On his reaction when quarterback Robert Griffin III went down:
“We have the utmost confidence in [quarterback] Kirk [Cousins]. You saw what he did. He went in there with poise. He came in against Atlanta and threw [two] interceptions but he learned from his mistakes, came back and made plays. That’s all you can do in this league.”
On coming back to win the game:
“We’re trying to go to the playoffs. That’s all we have been saying – playoffs, playoffs, playoffs.”
Wide Receiver Santana Moss
On how it feels to win the game:
“It feels good. I’m out of body right now. I’m floating somewhere around here. I’ve been waiting for this moment where we can beat this kind of team and it’s one of the reasons why I wanted to be here a couple of years ago when it was time for me to sign back. There’s nothing more important for me than to come out here and be part of something like this.”
On Robert Griffin III leaving the game:
“Unfortunately when he went down, I told him in the huddle on that last drive when we got to the red zone we were going to overtime. So just put that in your head. That mindset has to be there that we are going to take it to overtime. Kirk came in and handled himself well.”
Center Will Montgomery
On running the quarterback draw for the two-point conversion:
“That was a great play call. I think that was the last thing they were expecting. They actually dropped one of their defensive ends in coverage. It kind of opened up the middle.”
Kicker Kai Forbath
On the win:
“It was huge. Huge win for our team. I was telling [punter] Sav [Rocca] that a lot of NFL games come down to field goals and we hadn’t had one, so I kind of had a feeling today was going to and it did. Fortunately, we came out on the right side of it.”
On what his nerves were like when he went out to attempt the game-winning field goal:
“Just a little more than normal. I was trying to just think about like being out at practice every day, so I just tried to stay calm. I just made good contact with it and knocked it through.”
On winning the game after Robert Griffin III left the game with an injury:
“For [quarterback] Kirk [Cousins] to come in there and do what he did was awesome. I hope Robert’s OK. We sure need him and thankfully we got it done for him.”
On the momentum and mentality of the team during the game-winning drive:
“It was huge. Everyone was on the sideline cheering. That punt return was just awesome for us. That set up the field goal, so give credit to [Richard] Crawford getting in position to do that.”
On if he can believe he hit the game-winning field goal:
“No, not yet. It hasn’t really hit me yet. Those are the moments that kickers want, and when they come you’ve got to take advantage of them and thankfully we did.”
Running Back Alfred Morris
On his thoughts when quarterback Robert Griffin III went down with an injury:
“I hope it’s not serious. He’s our leader. A lot of our success has come from him and everyone surrounding him and buying in. I was like, 'Oh, no,’ but I didn’t doubt because I know Kirk [Cousins] is a great quarterback. I told him that a long time ago. I was like, 'You’re going to be great in this league, whether it’s with the Washington Redskins or anywhere else. Just keep your head up.’ I told him that a long time ago, so I wasn’t worried once he came in the game.”
On Mike Shanahan keeping Griffin III out of the game even though Griffin III insisted on playing:
“That speaks volumes for him. His heart, his character, his passion, his love for the game and just how much he wants to be out there for his teammates. I know exactly how he feels, because once in college I was in the same position of playing hurt. I wanted to get back out there but wasn’t able to. I definitely know how he feels so that just speaks volumes about him. I’m not surprised at all because that’s the type of person Robert is.”
On other rookies – backup quarterback Kirk Cousins and cornerback Richard Crawford -- stepping up big in the win:
“They definitely did. Before Kirk got in, I said, 'You’ve got this, Kirk,’ I gave him a pat on the back and nothing else needed to be said. Before [Richard Crawford] went out there and ran, I was like, 'Hey, put us in good field position,’ and he got us great field position, so kudos to him. Coach has done a great job of getting this rookie class that we have – we not only have talented guys but just high-character guys, so it’s been great and I’m glad to be a part of it.”
On if he said anything to Griffin III on the sideline while he was hurt:
“He just said, 'Let’s just finish this off. Just go out and finish this off.’ I told him, 'That says a lot about your character. That’s huge for you getting back in there when you were hurt.’ I’m just happy that’s my quarterback. He’s just a great guy.”
On if Griffin III was emotional on the sideline:
“He was. That’s just his love and passion for the game like I spoke about earlier. That’s just the type of person Robert is. He loves doing this and I’m not surprised by his actions, by him wanting to get back into the game, by him shedding a tear or two because he wasn’t able to be out there and help his team win.”
On how it feels to come back and win:
“It’s huge to come back and do that, especially against a team that’s known for their defense. It was a great job. We never got down and we still had faith. We were fighting for each other, fighting to keep our hopes alive, and fighting to be in the playoffs. Just taking it one game at a time and against all odds, we came out there and we got it done as a team.”
On how he keeps the team from becoming complacent:
“It’s the NFL. Any level of football, on any given day, you can be beaten. I don’t care if it’s the worst-record team or a best-record team. You never know and have to bring your 'A’ game. When you underestimate an opponent, that’s when upsets happen. You have to play any team like it’s your last.”
Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh
On the game:
“It was a hard, tough and disappointing loss. Congratulations to the Redskins for getting it done the way they did at the end of the game. They deserved to win because of the way they played at the end of the game, but we are not going to be disheartened. We understand what we are fighting for, where we have to go as a football team and the things we have to do to be the football team we want to be in December. From an injury standpoint, [linebacker] Jameel McClain has a neck injury but the X-rays were negative. [Fullback Vonta] Leach has an ankle sprain, [running back] Ray Rice has a hip pointer and [offensive lineman] Marshal [Yanda] sprained his ankle at the end.”
On the Redskins’ punt return in overtime:
“Well, I saw it break out. He was able to negotiate the first wave and cut back. There was not a cutback defender to take him.”
On the play of his offense:
“I thought our defense did a nice job after the first quarter of getting a grip on their offense. The timing of it is a little different and especially with the athlete they have leading their offense, I thought we had a good handle on it and played well the rest of the game. Offensively, I will have to look at that and see.”
On what the team has to do to bounce back from the loss:
“I think it will take us handling adversity and that is what you have to do. It was a tough week and we have had a tough run with four challenging games. We are fighting through all the things you fight through at this stage of the season as a football team. That is why you don’t overreact to these things. It is a tough loss and it is going to be a fight to the division championship and that is what we are fighting for right now. We have to bounce back next week with a very good Denver team in our stadium.”
On responding to back-to-back losses:
“It is nothing that we haven’t been through before. Our guys do a great job at that.”
On the Redskins’ touchdown at the end of the fourth quarter:
“I think you stay with your man in that situation and that’s what happened”
On the Ravens’ turnovers:
“The turnovers are always going to be an issue. That is something we have done a good job with this year but we need to clean that up. It has been the issue the last two weeks. I am pleased with a lot of things we did in all three phases of the game and running the ball was definitely one of them. You take the good with the bad and you have to try to build and improve on things. We have to come back and play a new game. It is really game-to-game and week-to-week. There is no big picture on the whole thing and no statement to be drawn. A turnover here can change a game over there. The next game, you try to find a way to win that game. Did you see how close this game was? It was tough for both teams.”
On Joe Flacco’s performance:
“I think Joe fights. I think Joe fights like the rest of our players. I’m not going to obsess about anything. There’s no grade I could give him right now. We’ll go back and look at all that. We’ll do a great job like we always do on Monday. I’m sure all of us are going to grade ourselves pretty hard. We win as a team; we lose as a team. Joe did some great things out there that I saw, put up some points. We all need to do better. We all need to find a way to finish the game better, that’s the bottom line. Finish the game the way we need to finish the game to win.”
On what kind of lift it gives the team to have an injured quarterback on the field at the end of the game:
“I don’t know; you’ll have to ask those guys. Those are the guys that had that situation.”
On if the Redskins’ defense had to make adjustments to counter the Ravens’ offense:
“I think they got some pressure in some situations, I don’t know about adjustments. I don’t think there were any adjustments there, they ran some of the pressures that they normally run and handled them successfully I think twice, on third down, as I recall.”
On what the Denver game means to him:
“It means about the same thing it meant going into last week; it’s a big game. They’re all big. Every one of these games count. You add them all up at the end and every one of them is important.”
Baltimore Ravens Quarterback Joe Flacco
On the game:
“Obviously, we were close there, but it was a back and forth game the whole day. It wasn’t really one that we thought we had in the bag, it was one that definitely could come down to the end of time and it did.”
On coming out 'on fire’ and then things 'cooling off’ in the second half:
“In the second half, I think it was probably just turnovers. We did a good job running the ball. The one down in our zone was probably the one that hurt most, on my part. Other than that I don’t think we did too bad of a job. We were able to grind some drives out there and run the ball pretty decently. We just weren’t able to finish. So I would just say that and then the combination of a couple of penalties early on. We kind of stopped ourselves today when we couldn’t get a stop.”
On if he is unhappy with the way they played as a team:
“I don’t know if unhappy is the word for how we’re playing. I’m disappointed that we didn’t win this football game, but that’s probably the extent of it. We realize that we’ve won a few close games and we’ve lost a few close games. We have to be men enough to stand up and move on to the next one and give ourselves another fighting chance and move on. I don’t think unhappy is the word to describe how we played. I think we did a good job today.”
On the interception where Redskins linebacker Ryan Kerrigan hit him unblocked:
“It was my fault, I was getting Ray [Rice] and they were in straight man. I tried to get Ray over there and it was my fault.”
On the end of regulation:
“It’s kind of tough in that situation; I don’t question what we did. It was kind of a point that it was overtime and that’s what we were playing for and that’s what happened. We just didn’t get it done.”
On what Redskins cornerback Josh Wilson did to contain wide receiver Torrey Smith:
“I don’t know if it was anything, we ran the ball well. When we did throw to Torrey, we completed it.”
On how the team let the game slip away in the fourth quarter:
“I don’t think that makes it harder moving on, but moving forward it’s just disappointing today and we have to see what we could have done not to let it get to that point. But that’s it. I don’t think there is anything else harder, it just makes it more disappointing.”
On how difficult it is to lose a game like this:
“It’s always difficult to lose a game. We knew there was a lot of time left when we scored so we were up by eight and I got in touch with our guys like, 'Guys be ready. We’re still in play. We still may have to win this football game for our guys whether it’s a four-minute drive...’ And it just didn’t happen that way. Yeah, we felt good when we scored, but this is the NFL and you always have these games.”
Baltimore Ravens Outside Linebacker Paul Kruger
On the adjustment Baltimore made on Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III in the second half:
“He’s an explosive player. He can make some plays on his feet, he can throw the ball, and he’s just an all-around guy who can hurt you in a lot of ways, so we prepared well for him. I think we did a good job against him. They just made some plays when they needed to make them and they got some calls going their way, they hurt our momentum.”
On if there were major changes made in the second half:
“Nope, I think we were playing just a little bit timid at the very beginning of the game. As soon as we got the flow of the game going after that first drive, I thought we played pretty good. We just gave up some big plays and, like I said, some calls hurt us. We just had to make those adjustments.”
On knocking Griffin III out of the game:
“I felt confident with him in the game. I think we should have won this game. It’s just a killer to come down here and play hard, play a full game like that then to lose the way we did, it’s rough. We have to do what we can to get back this week and play a good game. We really need it.”
On if he fears the team is in jeopardy of not making of the playoffs:
“There is no fear; that is not the word I would use. It is definitely an urgent feeling. We have to win. That’s the bottom line. It was the same thing coming in this week, so that just makes it more intense and we have to be clutch these last couple games. We have to make it happen. Our destiny is in our own hands right now. We just have to go make it happen.”
Baltimore Ravens Running Back Ray Rice
On the running game:
“I am definitely proud of the run game today. Myself and Bernard [Pierce] had a great day running the ball. The running game is something that we will continue to improve on and get ready for Denver next week.”
On his touchdown to give the Ravens an eight-point lead:
“It was a regular base offensive run in our playbook. We had Vonta [Leach] leading up on the linebacker and I had a three-way go. The play before is really what mattered because Anquan [Boldin] got us down there. It was our time for our leaders to step up and they did a good job with that.”
On if everything he’s looking for is still right in front of him:
“Yeah, it’s always tough to lose when you have games won. But we do still have a bright future in front of us. We are going to continue to chop away, whatever you want to call it, to get better each week. Hats off to the other team over there, they won. Needless to say we don’t have to worry about them, they are not in our division, but we would have liked to get this win today.”
Baltimore Ravens Outside Linebacker Courtney Upshaw
On his reads during the game:
“I’m just doing what I’m coached. I believe in everything the coaches here are telling me to do, the techniques and everything. Just doing what is asked of me to do, and not trying to do anybody else’s job. I just did my job and they hit home on a couple of them. It’s the NFL, man. It’s not going to go as planned every time. Of course they’re going to hit a couple runs on us.”
On John Harbaugh saying the playoffs are still right in front of them:
“I mean, I still wanted to win the game, me personally. But like he said, we’re still in the hunt of this thing, making the playoffs. [We] just have to come back, go to practice and work hard.”
On if it is hard losing two close games in a row:
“Definitely hard, it’s a hard pill to swallow. We’re in the games. You know it’s not like we’re getting beat like that. We just have to execute and just go on and just win the game basically.”
Baltimore Ravens Right Tackle Kelechi Osemele
On if the Redskins overloaded his side:
“Not much, just a couple times, normal stuff. We had it protected fine, we had the communication fine. Everybody protected well, everybody played their hearts out. So, we all left it out there.”
On where the Ravens go from here:
“We just have to improve, just like we do after every game, win or loss. We just focus on improving. Every individual works at their craft, there’s always something that everybody can get better at. You just go back to chopping wood again; you just go back to work.”
On the element of shock from the Redskins’ late comeback:
“I really can’t speak on it, it’s happened before. It happens in every NFL game, and it happens even in college. You know things like that happen. People make plays. They get paid too so, you really don’t have much control over what the other team does. We’re just more focused on what we do and what we can control and the plays that we can make.”
FedExField
Head Coach/Executive Vice President Mike Shanahan
On the game:
“Obviously, I’m very proud of our team on the way we kept fighting. We had some outs in the game, but with the way we finished it, the way the guys stepped up and made some plays at the end of the game was very impressive. Obviously, we hit it. It’s a big game for us coming back into our stadium after winning three games. We knew if we didn’t get the win today, obviously those other three didn’t mean a whole lot. I’m really proud of the way the guys played.”
On the severity of the injury to quarterback Robert Griffin III:
“I really don’t. It’s sore right now. He wanted to go back in the game, which is a good sign. That was a positive, but I won’t know until we have an MRI.”
On quarterback Kirk Cousins’ designed run for a two-point conversion:
“You’ve got some options on the play. You really don’t know what defense you’re going to be in, but we didn’t think they’d be expecting it either. We got the right defense and Kirk did a great job getting in the end zone.”
On cornerback Richard Crawford and Cousins making big plays as backups:
“You always want your second-team quarterback prepared – just like it’s the first-team quarterback. He’s done that since he’s been here. It’s really tough on that second- and third-team quarterback to not get very many reps, but you expect them to go in a game situation and play as a starter. His preparation has been great throughout the whole year. He’s very on top of everything. He went in there and didn’t miss a beat, so I was pleased with the way he played. Richard Crawford – we gave him an opportunity. We thought he did a great job in preseason by catching the ball and getting the ball upfield. We saw that in the Buffalo game and we thought it was in our best interest of our team to give him an opportunity, as well as [tight end] Niles Paul. Obviously, Richard really took advantage of the opportunity today.”
On what Griffin III said to him about the injury:
“I could see that he was hurting the second time he came out. You could see his face. I did talk to the doctor and he felt like it was in his best interest not to come back in, but he wanted to. We had to keep him from going back in. He was trying to get out there, so that’s a great sign. Hopefully, the MRI will be negative.”
On what he saw when Griffin III took the hit:
“I can’t tell you. I have the worst seat in the house. I knew he got hit. You could see it a little bit on the replay. I knew he was hurting the first time, but he came on the sideline and Kirk went to play. I knew he wanted to go back in after that second hit. The way his body language was, I thought it was in his best interest not to go back in.”
On if this win feels better than others because of the close proximity of the teams:
“To be honest with you, we don’t get a chance to spend a lot of time [playing Baltimore]. Anytime someone is in the AFC compared to the NFC… It [a rivalry] is always within your division. We have so much respect for the organization and what they’ve accomplished and how hard they’ve played and how many times they’ve found ways to win over the last how many years. That was a good challenge for us because we knew we were playing a very well-coached team, a team that played extremely hard to find a way to win. It was special for us.”
On kicker Kai Forbath:
“I’m glad he’s on our football team. That’s for sure. He’s made everything and we gave him a game ball in front of the team. It doesn’t surprise me how he handles himself. The reason why we ran back in there at the end [is] I thought everybody was ready. He was not ready. They were on the other side. I’m not sure where they were, so I’m going to keep the normal timing for a field goal. We ran another play. I thank the players for not fumbling that ball. That was a big plus.”
On Cousins staying poised and making the necessary throws:
“I thought he did it all through preseason. I thought he really took advantage of his opportunity when he was in there. I’ve got a lot of confidence in Kirk and I got a lot of confidence in [quarterback] Rex [Grossman]. For me to put Kirk in that situation at the second-team quarterback so early in his career kind of gives you an idea what I think of Kirk. It’s been great, too, with Robert and Kirk. From day one, learning the system together and going out there and working every day, you get a chance for a couple quarterbacks to start from scratch and learn the system. They pushed each other and they support each other. It’s kind of nice to get two rookies in that type of environment.”
On what changes the defense made at halftime:
“We talked about it the week before. I think they had around 80 yards in that first half. You’re running that ball for 160-170 yards, usually it’s going to take its toll. But our guys kept on fighting. You saw how many plays we made and the turnovers in there obviously helped. That’s what you have to have. You have to make a couple plays on defense and our guys found way to get it done. In the game, you have to find a way to win – whatever the score is. Some days, you’re going to have 7-6 games, other games you’re going to have 40-30.”
On the performance of the rookies:
“Obviously very impressive, but it takes everyone to win a game like that – all 46 guys that were dressed. We played extremely hard and it was a nice win for us.”
On Cousins’ performance:
“You can see the way guys prepare during the week, when they are on the scout team, how they handle themselves and how hard they work. You know if guys have a chance to step up and take advantage of the opportunity. It really didn’t surprise with the way he handled himself.”
On the decision to deactivate wide receiver Brandon Banks:
“I sat down with Brandon and I said it was going to be a tough decision. I was going to bring a defensive lineman up and I’m going to have somebody down. I wanted to give [cornerback Richard Crawford] a chance to return punts and I’m going to give [tight end] Niles Paul an opportunity. I said 'You be ready. I think these guys deserve an opportunity to show us what they can do, both on the kickoff return and punt return, but we may need you next week or the week after that. Keep on working. We are not sure when the next opportunity will come, but you have to help our football team win, even if you’re working the scout team. You can help us.’ Brandon was all in. He was very supportive and had two good days of practice. After I told him what direction we were going to go, I really liked the way he handled himself. A lot of guys pout and whine and feel sorry for themselves, but he went out there and did a good job on the scout team for us.”
On Crawford’s punt return:
“Well, first of all, he took it up field and made a lot of people miss. I might get at him a little bit with his run right at the end of the punt return. It looked like he saw that it was free and started to slow down a little bit, but it was a heck of a job. A heck of a job for your first game to return punts in the National Football League with a lot on the line. It’s always good to see guys step up and he did.”
Quarterback Robert Griffin III
On what happened on the play in which he sustained his injury:
“I was trying to make a play. I got outside and turned inside, and once I turned inside, I said 'Oh lord, here we go,’ and got down. I protected myself in that regard. It was just a freak play. My leg got hit while I was going down and after I was already down, my leg got hit again. It was a pretty painful experience, but I will be alright.”
On his body after all the hits:
“I got hit in the back. Usually you get hit in the lower back or the upper back, I got hit right in the middle of my back, so it was just a weird experience. When I came out after that play with my leg, I told them I was going back in. They looked at me for a second. I just wanted them to know that I wanted to go back in and I did for a few plays. I made the throw to Santana Moss and the throw to Pierre Garçon down the field. I knew I needed to get out at that point. I couldn’t move. At some point you have to do what’s right for the team. If I would have played for the rest of the game, I probably would have hurt myself even more. You just need to trust those guys and trust yourself when you know enough is enough. When I first came on, I didn’t think enough was enough, but after being out there for a few plays and realizing that I really couldn’t do too much, I had to get out.”
On if it feels like an ACL injury:
“I am not a doctor, but I know what an ACL feels like and it doesn’t feel like an ACL, so hopefully we can have some positive things that come out of the MRI. We took an X-ray and it was a very good X-ray. I feel the positive vibes coming my way and hopefully everything will be alright.”
On if he is nervous about his injury:
“I know what an ACL feels like, so if I felt that I’d probably be pretty nervous. We won the game, everybody’s praying for me. I feel pretty good right now about the whole situation so I’m not too nervous, but I’ll definitely be praying through the MRI.”
On the doctor’s observation:
“They looked at my knee a lot. If you are having pain, they constantly push on that same spot. They told me that they felt like my ligaments feel good, it’s just a matter of what the MRI says. They told me my ACL looked good so, like I said, I was feeling the positive vibes from them, feeling the positive vibes from the team and just the fact that we won the game makes everyone feel a lot better.”
On the injury:
“I knew as soon as I got hit, as I screamed – like a man, of course – I knew it hurt really bad, but, like I said, it didn’t feel like an ACL or anything like that so Larry [Hess] and them came on the field and I told them, 'Just get me to the sideline, and I’m coming back in the next play.’ There’s some marks that you have to have. It’s not about me or myself; it’s about the team. I think the guys were proud of me for going back out there and fighting, and they told me they’d fight with me any day.”
On how his injury affected his mechanics:
“It makes you a little unsure about what you are doing. Everybody’s had an injury before trying to do something athletic so I knew I wasn’t myself, but I still felt like I still could go out and help the team win, and then after I threw the pass to Pierre [Garcon], and we completed it, then immediately, after I planted, I knew I couldn’t help the team win anymore. Even though I did complete that pass, I felt a certain way, and after that throw, as you all saw, I kind of limped down the field to get down there. I had to get out. I’ll still be able to run and do those things if it’s just a really bad bruise, and then if it is anything else, like I told Coach, I’ll fight through it, and I’ll be playing next week.”
Quarterback Kirk Cousins
On the final sequence:
“It all happened so fast, I am not sure I can replay it all correctly until I watch the tape again. From what I remember, Robert [Griffin III] went down. He has taken a lot of those hits before and I was not sure if he really needed to come out, but I grabbed my helmet and started throwing. I came in and tried to take a look at the situation. It was third down and we needed to move the chains. Fortunately the pass interference call enabled us to do that. Then I saw Robert come back. I was expecting to have to finish the game. I saw Robert come back out, which was great, so I ran back to the sidelines. He threw a couple big time plays. He was limping after the second completion and I did not know what to do, did not know what the plan was. I tried to find Coach Shanahan to let him make the call. He said, 'Where is Kirk?’ and I said, 'Here I am.’ He said, 'Go out there and take his spot.’ Going out there, I wanted to make sure he actually was hurt and he [Griffin III] said 'Yeah, I can’t do it.’ So he went down and we went from there.”
On the final touchdown to Pierre Garçon:
“The touchdown was an off-schedule play, I tried to start my read and did not feel comfortable in the pocket and waiting on it. I think in some respects I had learned from the [Atlanta] Falcons game, when I threw my second interception in that game I just waited too long on it and tried to do too much. So I thought 'I am going to make something happen and try to do my best 'RGIII,’ if you will. Pierre ended up coming off his route and breaking away, breaking open, wide open, all I had to do was put it in his arms.”
On his pump fake during the touchdown to move the Ravens’ defense:
“I am not sure exactly, it happened so fast but we do have a double move on that play. So if I can remember correctly it was probably because I was trying to get them to bite on that double move.”
On how much the Falcons game helped him:
“Any time I can get experience, a practice rep in training camp, a preseason game, a real game, it is going to help me. So there is no doubt I learned from that, it is still a challenge to come out here after standing in the cold for three quarters and be ready to go. Fortunately, I had 10 guys around me who were doing their job at a high level and it made my job much, much easier.”
On the amount of reps he gets each week in practice:
“I don’t get reps with the offense; I get reps with the scout team. I try to work on my fundamentals, try to look at the scout team plays. For example, this week the [Baltimore] Ravens’ plays and try to put them in our language as to what they would be like and read them like I would read our plays. I am obviously getting mental reps watching Robert take the reps in practice and doing all I can outside of meetings to be ready. That is the life of a backup quarterback in this league.”
On calling his number for the quarterback draw to tie the game:
“They gave us a look for it; it was obviously a great call. I have been very impressed with both [offensive coordinator] Kyle [Shanahan] and [head coach Mike] Shanahan’s ability to call plays and put quarterbacks in a position to be successful and I think their track record shows that with the quarterbacks they have been around but certainly I felt like they did that with me, the little bit I was in there.”
On if he was surprised when the quarterback draw was called:
“I wouldn’t say surprised because that is a play we feel confident running in the red zone near the goal line. I believe Rex [Grossman] scored on a quarterback draw against Dallas, so it is not something they are afraid to do.”
On if you have to sell a quarterback draw:
“I think you do want to sell pass a little bit, get the defense to be thinking pass and catch them off guard. But obviously you have a running back leading up making a great block and the offensive line making the blocks necessary. I am not as fast as Robert [Griffin III] so those blocks will have to be made for me to score and they were, so I just had to dive across the goal line to do the rest of it.”
On what the confidence of veteran players means to a rookie quarterback:
“There is no doubt that it has been communicated by some veterans that they believe in me and that if my name has to be called upon that they believe I can get it done and that means the world. First and foremost, Robert has been doing an awesome job and I have a lot to live up to if my number does get called because of the way he has played. Even once he got banged up, I went in and came back out, he then made a couple of tremendous plays that got us down to the red zone and made my job that much easier when I had to go in. He is doing a tremendous job and I am trying to learn from him as I watch and stay locked into these games when I am not playing. He has certainly taught me a lot on how to be a better quarterback.”
On what he said to Griffin III and how he mentally prepares for possibly having to start:
“As far as words said between Robert and I, I told him 'I am proud of you, let’s try to make the playoffs now, let’s make the playoffs.’ I asked him how he is feeling and he doesn’t know, he doesn’t know until more time passes, so I know very little as far as his condition. I have to approach it like I have since day one when I came here in May. That is to think like I am the starter and prepare like I am the starter and if my number is called I am prepared to go, and if not, I am still ready to go. Any preparation I do can’t hurt, so any time I spend this week getting ready, even if my number doesn’t get called upon next Sunday, I am still helping myself for down the road. I will be doing my preparation this week and we will see what happens. Obviously I will be praying for Robert’s health going forward.”
On what it has been like watching Griffin III lead the team the last month or so:
“I can’t say that I am surprised. He is a tremendous athlete, tremendous talent. He was the Heisman Trophy winner, the second overall pick in the draft for a reason and on top of all that he is a great leader. He is well-spoken, he is the full package in that sense. It does not surprise me. I think it is encouraging to watch a quarterback master this offense because you feel like you are in a place to succeed if your number does get called upon. As I mentioned earlier, Coach Shanahan’s track record with quarterbacks, this is a place you want to play. Quarterbacks want to play for the Shanahans. In that sense it is a good position for me to be in and I am just trying to develop myself and have my career last as long as it can.”
On his preparation during the week:
“It does start with the scout team reps, so I am getting some football in. It is not ideal but it is the best I can do as far as physical practice. I stay after every day with our quarterbacks coach and some of the younger receivers and throw routes. Basically go back through the practice script, run the plays that were run by our offense and run them with a couple of receivers so that I can try to rehearse what it would be like. I go into meetings, watch lots of film and talk with the coaches. Just trying to watch cut-ups and plays and games and saying, 'What would I do if I was in this area on the field?’ It is a learning process; I am nowhere near where I want to be two or three years from now. Day by day, I am trying to get better.”
Wide Receiver Pierre Garçon
On the win:
“It was a great victory. A lot of guys stepped up. [Quarterback] Kirk [Cousins] stepped up great, ran the ball well, did a lot of great things. The defense played well in the second half and in the first half, and Kirk gave us a chance and it came through when we really needed it.”
On his touchdown toward the end of regulation:
“The Ravens played good defense. They had the original route covered and just from looking at the defense, it just kind of slow played in and kind of went to the open area. Kirk saw me, got lucky, threw the ball and it was just a great play that ended well.”
On the difference he’s made to the team upon returning from injury:
“I don’t think I’ve made any spectacular difference. I just try to go out there and play hard, just giving it everything I got. I think the guys see that and they’re happy and when a guy goes extremely hard, it kind of motivates you to go hard, so I just try to play my game and I continue to fight hard.”
On if he and Cousins practiced the touchdown play:
“It just happened. We practiced the play a lot, but Kirk really never had practiced that particular play, but Kirk is always on his job. He’s always studying. He’s always preparing well as if he can come in at any time… It just played out well for us today.”
On his confidence in the rookie quarterbacks:
“Kirk’s a great quarterback. He’s preparing very well. We have a lot of confidence in him. He has a strong arm. He throws it well. He knows the playbook very well and he studies the defense as well with the coaches and the quarterbacks. He has a lot [going] for him. It’s no real drop-off from RGIII and Kirk. Kirk just can’t run as fast as him but he can read defenses, sit in the pocket and throw it.”
Cornerback Richard Crawford
On the overtime punt return:
“It was kind of like the Red Sea. I saw where I had to go and I just ran that way. I credit my teammates for blocking. I’ve just got to finish it and score next time.”
On why he didn’t score on the punt return:
“I ran out of gas. When I hit midfield, I was dead tired. I don’t know what happened. I never get tired. They use to call me Energizer Bunny at practice because I’m always running around. I don’t know what happened, I just got tired.”
On what the win means:
“You’ve just got to keep playing. I’m just happy that we won and just try to make the playoffs, so I don’t really take it for myself. I’m just happy the team won and that we’re happy as a team.”
On his reaction when quarterback Robert Griffin III went down:
“We have the utmost confidence in [quarterback] Kirk [Cousins]. You saw what he did. He went in there with poise. He came in against Atlanta and threw [two] interceptions but he learned from his mistakes, came back and made plays. That’s all you can do in this league.”
On coming back to win the game:
“We’re trying to go to the playoffs. That’s all we have been saying – playoffs, playoffs, playoffs.”
Wide Receiver Santana Moss
On how it feels to win the game:
“It feels good. I’m out of body right now. I’m floating somewhere around here. I’ve been waiting for this moment where we can beat this kind of team and it’s one of the reasons why I wanted to be here a couple of years ago when it was time for me to sign back. There’s nothing more important for me than to come out here and be part of something like this.”
On Robert Griffin III leaving the game:
“Unfortunately when he went down, I told him in the huddle on that last drive when we got to the red zone we were going to overtime. So just put that in your head. That mindset has to be there that we are going to take it to overtime. Kirk came in and handled himself well.”
Center Will Montgomery
On running the quarterback draw for the two-point conversion:
“That was a great play call. I think that was the last thing they were expecting. They actually dropped one of their defensive ends in coverage. It kind of opened up the middle.”
Kicker Kai Forbath
On the win:
“It was huge. Huge win for our team. I was telling [punter] Sav [Rocca] that a lot of NFL games come down to field goals and we hadn’t had one, so I kind of had a feeling today was going to and it did. Fortunately, we came out on the right side of it.”
On what his nerves were like when he went out to attempt the game-winning field goal:
“Just a little more than normal. I was trying to just think about like being out at practice every day, so I just tried to stay calm. I just made good contact with it and knocked it through.”
On winning the game after Robert Griffin III left the game with an injury:
“For [quarterback] Kirk [Cousins] to come in there and do what he did was awesome. I hope Robert’s OK. We sure need him and thankfully we got it done for him.”
On the momentum and mentality of the team during the game-winning drive:
“It was huge. Everyone was on the sideline cheering. That punt return was just awesome for us. That set up the field goal, so give credit to [Richard] Crawford getting in position to do that.”
On if he can believe he hit the game-winning field goal:
“No, not yet. It hasn’t really hit me yet. Those are the moments that kickers want, and when they come you’ve got to take advantage of them and thankfully we did.”
Running Back Alfred Morris
On his thoughts when quarterback Robert Griffin III went down with an injury:
“I hope it’s not serious. He’s our leader. A lot of our success has come from him and everyone surrounding him and buying in. I was like, 'Oh, no,’ but I didn’t doubt because I know Kirk [Cousins] is a great quarterback. I told him that a long time ago. I was like, 'You’re going to be great in this league, whether it’s with the Washington Redskins or anywhere else. Just keep your head up.’ I told him that a long time ago, so I wasn’t worried once he came in the game.”
On Mike Shanahan keeping Griffin III out of the game even though Griffin III insisted on playing:
“That speaks volumes for him. His heart, his character, his passion, his love for the game and just how much he wants to be out there for his teammates. I know exactly how he feels, because once in college I was in the same position of playing hurt. I wanted to get back out there but wasn’t able to. I definitely know how he feels so that just speaks volumes about him. I’m not surprised at all because that’s the type of person Robert is.”
On other rookies – backup quarterback Kirk Cousins and cornerback Richard Crawford -- stepping up big in the win:
“They definitely did. Before Kirk got in, I said, 'You’ve got this, Kirk,’ I gave him a pat on the back and nothing else needed to be said. Before [Richard Crawford] went out there and ran, I was like, 'Hey, put us in good field position,’ and he got us great field position, so kudos to him. Coach has done a great job of getting this rookie class that we have – we not only have talented guys but just high-character guys, so it’s been great and I’m glad to be a part of it.”
On if he said anything to Griffin III on the sideline while he was hurt:
“He just said, 'Let’s just finish this off. Just go out and finish this off.’ I told him, 'That says a lot about your character. That’s huge for you getting back in there when you were hurt.’ I’m just happy that’s my quarterback. He’s just a great guy.”
On if Griffin III was emotional on the sideline:
“He was. That’s just his love and passion for the game like I spoke about earlier. That’s just the type of person Robert is. He loves doing this and I’m not surprised by his actions, by him wanting to get back into the game, by him shedding a tear or two because he wasn’t able to be out there and help his team win.”
On how it feels to come back and win:
“It’s huge to come back and do that, especially against a team that’s known for their defense. It was a great job. We never got down and we still had faith. We were fighting for each other, fighting to keep our hopes alive, and fighting to be in the playoffs. Just taking it one game at a time and against all odds, we came out there and we got it done as a team.”
On how he keeps the team from becoming complacent:
“It’s the NFL. Any level of football, on any given day, you can be beaten. I don’t care if it’s the worst-record team or a best-record team. You never know and have to bring your 'A’ game. When you underestimate an opponent, that’s when upsets happen. You have to play any team like it’s your last.”
Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh
On the game:
“It was a hard, tough and disappointing loss. Congratulations to the Redskins for getting it done the way they did at the end of the game. They deserved to win because of the way they played at the end of the game, but we are not going to be disheartened. We understand what we are fighting for, where we have to go as a football team and the things we have to do to be the football team we want to be in December. From an injury standpoint, [linebacker] Jameel McClain has a neck injury but the X-rays were negative. [Fullback Vonta] Leach has an ankle sprain, [running back] Ray Rice has a hip pointer and [offensive lineman] Marshal [Yanda] sprained his ankle at the end.”
On the Redskins’ punt return in overtime:
“Well, I saw it break out. He was able to negotiate the first wave and cut back. There was not a cutback defender to take him.”
On the play of his offense:
“I thought our defense did a nice job after the first quarter of getting a grip on their offense. The timing of it is a little different and especially with the athlete they have leading their offense, I thought we had a good handle on it and played well the rest of the game. Offensively, I will have to look at that and see.”
On what the team has to do to bounce back from the loss:
“I think it will take us handling adversity and that is what you have to do. It was a tough week and we have had a tough run with four challenging games. We are fighting through all the things you fight through at this stage of the season as a football team. That is why you don’t overreact to these things. It is a tough loss and it is going to be a fight to the division championship and that is what we are fighting for right now. We have to bounce back next week with a very good Denver team in our stadium.”
On responding to back-to-back losses:
“It is nothing that we haven’t been through before. Our guys do a great job at that.”
On the Redskins’ touchdown at the end of the fourth quarter:
“I think you stay with your man in that situation and that’s what happened”
On the Ravens’ turnovers:
“The turnovers are always going to be an issue. That is something we have done a good job with this year but we need to clean that up. It has been the issue the last two weeks. I am pleased with a lot of things we did in all three phases of the game and running the ball was definitely one of them. You take the good with the bad and you have to try to build and improve on things. We have to come back and play a new game. It is really game-to-game and week-to-week. There is no big picture on the whole thing and no statement to be drawn. A turnover here can change a game over there. The next game, you try to find a way to win that game. Did you see how close this game was? It was tough for both teams.”
On Joe Flacco’s performance:
“I think Joe fights. I think Joe fights like the rest of our players. I’m not going to obsess about anything. There’s no grade I could give him right now. We’ll go back and look at all that. We’ll do a great job like we always do on Monday. I’m sure all of us are going to grade ourselves pretty hard. We win as a team; we lose as a team. Joe did some great things out there that I saw, put up some points. We all need to do better. We all need to find a way to finish the game better, that’s the bottom line. Finish the game the way we need to finish the game to win.”
On what kind of lift it gives the team to have an injured quarterback on the field at the end of the game:
“I don’t know; you’ll have to ask those guys. Those are the guys that had that situation.”
On if the Redskins’ defense had to make adjustments to counter the Ravens’ offense:
“I think they got some pressure in some situations, I don’t know about adjustments. I don’t think there were any adjustments there, they ran some of the pressures that they normally run and handled them successfully I think twice, on third down, as I recall.”
On what the Denver game means to him:
“It means about the same thing it meant going into last week; it’s a big game. They’re all big. Every one of these games count. You add them all up at the end and every one of them is important.”
Baltimore Ravens Quarterback Joe Flacco
On the game:
“Obviously, we were close there, but it was a back and forth game the whole day. It wasn’t really one that we thought we had in the bag, it was one that definitely could come down to the end of time and it did.”
On coming out 'on fire’ and then things 'cooling off’ in the second half:
“In the second half, I think it was probably just turnovers. We did a good job running the ball. The one down in our zone was probably the one that hurt most, on my part. Other than that I don’t think we did too bad of a job. We were able to grind some drives out there and run the ball pretty decently. We just weren’t able to finish. So I would just say that and then the combination of a couple of penalties early on. We kind of stopped ourselves today when we couldn’t get a stop.”
On if he is unhappy with the way they played as a team:
“I don’t know if unhappy is the word for how we’re playing. I’m disappointed that we didn’t win this football game, but that’s probably the extent of it. We realize that we’ve won a few close games and we’ve lost a few close games. We have to be men enough to stand up and move on to the next one and give ourselves another fighting chance and move on. I don’t think unhappy is the word to describe how we played. I think we did a good job today.”
On the interception where Redskins linebacker Ryan Kerrigan hit him unblocked:
“It was my fault, I was getting Ray [Rice] and they were in straight man. I tried to get Ray over there and it was my fault.”
On the end of regulation:
“It’s kind of tough in that situation; I don’t question what we did. It was kind of a point that it was overtime and that’s what we were playing for and that’s what happened. We just didn’t get it done.”
On what Redskins cornerback Josh Wilson did to contain wide receiver Torrey Smith:
“I don’t know if it was anything, we ran the ball well. When we did throw to Torrey, we completed it.”
On how the team let the game slip away in the fourth quarter:
“I don’t think that makes it harder moving on, but moving forward it’s just disappointing today and we have to see what we could have done not to let it get to that point. But that’s it. I don’t think there is anything else harder, it just makes it more disappointing.”
On how difficult it is to lose a game like this:
“It’s always difficult to lose a game. We knew there was a lot of time left when we scored so we were up by eight and I got in touch with our guys like, 'Guys be ready. We’re still in play. We still may have to win this football game for our guys whether it’s a four-minute drive...’ And it just didn’t happen that way. Yeah, we felt good when we scored, but this is the NFL and you always have these games.”
Baltimore Ravens Outside Linebacker Paul Kruger
On the adjustment Baltimore made on Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III in the second half:
“He’s an explosive player. He can make some plays on his feet, he can throw the ball, and he’s just an all-around guy who can hurt you in a lot of ways, so we prepared well for him. I think we did a good job against him. They just made some plays when they needed to make them and they got some calls going their way, they hurt our momentum.”
On if there were major changes made in the second half:
“Nope, I think we were playing just a little bit timid at the very beginning of the game. As soon as we got the flow of the game going after that first drive, I thought we played pretty good. We just gave up some big plays and, like I said, some calls hurt us. We just had to make those adjustments.”
On knocking Griffin III out of the game:
“I felt confident with him in the game. I think we should have won this game. It’s just a killer to come down here and play hard, play a full game like that then to lose the way we did, it’s rough. We have to do what we can to get back this week and play a good game. We really need it.”
On if he fears the team is in jeopardy of not making of the playoffs:
“There is no fear; that is not the word I would use. It is definitely an urgent feeling. We have to win. That’s the bottom line. It was the same thing coming in this week, so that just makes it more intense and we have to be clutch these last couple games. We have to make it happen. Our destiny is in our own hands right now. We just have to go make it happen.”
Baltimore Ravens Running Back Ray Rice
On the running game:
“I am definitely proud of the run game today. Myself and Bernard [Pierce] had a great day running the ball. The running game is something that we will continue to improve on and get ready for Denver next week.”
On his touchdown to give the Ravens an eight-point lead:
“It was a regular base offensive run in our playbook. We had Vonta [Leach] leading up on the linebacker and I had a three-way go. The play before is really what mattered because Anquan [Boldin] got us down there. It was our time for our leaders to step up and they did a good job with that.”
On if everything he’s looking for is still right in front of him:
“Yeah, it’s always tough to lose when you have games won. But we do still have a bright future in front of us. We are going to continue to chop away, whatever you want to call it, to get better each week. Hats off to the other team over there, they won. Needless to say we don’t have to worry about them, they are not in our division, but we would have liked to get this win today.”
Baltimore Ravens Outside Linebacker Courtney Upshaw
On his reads during the game:
“I’m just doing what I’m coached. I believe in everything the coaches here are telling me to do, the techniques and everything. Just doing what is asked of me to do, and not trying to do anybody else’s job. I just did my job and they hit home on a couple of them. It’s the NFL, man. It’s not going to go as planned every time. Of course they’re going to hit a couple runs on us.”
On John Harbaugh saying the playoffs are still right in front of them:
“I mean, I still wanted to win the game, me personally. But like he said, we’re still in the hunt of this thing, making the playoffs. [We] just have to come back, go to practice and work hard.”
On if it is hard losing two close games in a row:
“Definitely hard, it’s a hard pill to swallow. We’re in the games. You know it’s not like we’re getting beat like that. We just have to execute and just go on and just win the game basically.”
Baltimore Ravens Right Tackle Kelechi Osemele
On if the Redskins overloaded his side:
“Not much, just a couple times, normal stuff. We had it protected fine, we had the communication fine. Everybody protected well, everybody played their hearts out. So, we all left it out there.”
On where the Ravens go from here:
“We just have to improve, just like we do after every game, win or loss. We just focus on improving. Every individual works at their craft, there’s always something that everybody can get better at. You just go back to chopping wood again; you just go back to work.”
On the element of shock from the Redskins’ late comeback:
“I really can’t speak on it, it’s happened before. It happens in every NFL game, and it happens even in college. You know things like that happen. People make plays. They get paid too so, you really don’t have much control over what the other team does. We’re just more focused on what we do and what we can control and the plays that we can make.”
