STEELERS VS. RAVENS
Post-Game Quotes
Sunday, November 26, 2006
at M&T Bank Stadium

Ravens Quotes

HEAD COACH BRIAN BILLICK

"Incredible day. Incredible win for us. It was total team circumstances, who we're playing, the respect we have for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the division, where that puts us just across the bar. All of the things that we said going in were valid, and it was a good day."

(On if the team's play was a surprise)

"I'm constantly surprised by what goes on in this league. These guys are a special group of guys and the way they took the bit this week about what they had to do, not peaking early, understanding what was there for them, it's an amazing group of guys."

(On the two-game tournament)

"We're on to the second one. The plane for Cincinnati leaves in five hours I think. It's going to be quite a challenge for us, on a short week, having to leave on Wednesday, but these guys are up to it."

(On the significance of this game)

"Next step. It's the next step. It's against a championship-caliber organization. They have a Super Bowl ring, a number of them, and we can feel very good about it. But now we're very quickly on to the next step."

(On the comparison to the 2000 team)

"I can't remember last week, let alone 2000. This is a hell of a group of guys that are making a name for themselves."

(On Corey Ivy)

"I don't know that I've ever been around a tougher player than Corey Ivy."

(On the impact of the touchdown by the defense)

"Huge. Obviously the way the defense was playing you had a sense that it would be that kind of day. It was a little greedy on my part to want the shutout, but you can see we might have that kind of temperament. I was very pleased how physical we ran the ball, particularly the second drive for the score. That will bode well for the future."

(On the impact of the twelfth man)

"Huge. It was huge. I always appreciate it. We said we need them, that's what home field is about. That's why we're fighting so hard to have it, if we are fortunate to make the playoffs, because this crowd will make a difference."

(On how significant the quarterback pressure was)

"Very important. You can't just sit back and let the kind of caliber athlete they have just pick you apart. We have to put that kind of pressure on them. They did it beautifully."

(On if he encouraged a fast start)

"That intimates that you go in at some point and go 'Guys, now let's start out really slow, and not play well to start.' So yes, you always have to start coming out of the gate fast and being physical. That's every week you want to get that done."

QB STEVE M^CNAIR

(On the win)

"We played solid all the way around in all three phases. This one is against the defending champions. I think we had a good showing. I think we came ready to play. It was a division game [and] our next game [is]. That's how important this game was. We just went out there today; we executed in all three phases. Everything else will take care of itself. That's our mind-set. We played for each other, and we went out there today and did it."

(On the short week)

"It's a short week. Tonight's the only night you're going to be able to enjoy it because it's a short week. We want to go out and play well on Thursday night against another division rival. [We have] to be ready to play."

(On the Bengals and earlier remarks about them being a better team)

"We're just going to play ball regardless of what's been said. We know what's happening in this locker room. We know what kind of football team we have here, and we're just going to go out and compete week in and week out, and not worry about anything and just let our play take care of itself and speak for itself."

(On how the offense is playing)

"I think week in and week out we're getting better. We're not that explosive offense. I think we did well executing today. We had some mishaps, but we overcame that. I think that's the sign of a great team, we've just got to continue to get better week in and week out."

(On the offensive line's blocking)

"It felt good. The guys have been blocking their butts off the last four or five weeks, and I think it's been showing. They give me time enough to throw the football and time and give me time enough to do the things I need to do in the passing game and check in the running game. My hat goes off to them because if you look at our O line, we're probably oversized every week and those guys are out there busting their butt, protecting me and making holes for Jamal (Lewis) and the running game."

RB OVIE MUGHELLI

(On not being just a blocker)

"I've been more than a blocking back for a long time, you [guys] are just realizing that. I'm happy out there."

(On scoring on the first drive)

"We definitely wanted to get up on them quick. We've had this problem of only being a second-half team, coming back in the second half, doing great in the fourth quarter, and that's all well and good. But against a team like Pittsburgh, you've got to know…they mean business."

WR DERRICK MASON

(On if it was a perfect game)

"It's close, but we're still not there, but that's a good thing because we can always improve on one area. We played a very good game against a very good opponent, but there's still some areas that we can do well on. That's why we've got film. We can go back and watch it on a very, very short week, watch it and then prepare for a very good Cincinnati team."

(On the offense's balance)

"When we had opportunities, we made the best of them. We were running the ball effectively early in the game. I think that was a plus because they weren't able to do a lot of things in their defense. They had to pounce for Jamal running the ball so that opened up the things in the passing game. When we're balanced like that, and Jamal's running the way he's running, and the offensive line is blocking the way they're blocking, it's very, very tough to stop any team, not just us, any team."

(On getting to their goal)

"We're not going to limit ourselves to just winning the division because if you do that, you set yourself up to lose in the playoffs. So we've got bigger goals. Yes, it's great that we have an opportunity to win the division, but I think we, as a team and as an organization, we have bigger aspirations and bigger goals that just winning a conference. I think that's why, each and every week, we get better as a team. We know where we want to get to."

(On what the win means)

"It's worth the same each and every week. We're on the top of our division so everyone's going to come in gunning for us. We're going to get the best from each team. Yes, it was great that we beat Pittsburgh because they're a division team. I think that's the added plus."

RB JAMAL LEWIS

(On the team's effort)

"We just went out and executed. Everybody just did their job and played hard. We knew what to expect, they were going to play and physical like Pittsburgh always does. Even though the score was what it was, they still played physical. We got the upper hard and we started out fast, and that's how we like to start every game."

(On the early start)

"The line, they opened up some big holes for me and it was impossible for me not to see them so I just did it. They rallied behind me, and I went behind them and we just put together a good effort."

(On the running game)

"That felt like old times. When the lanes open up like they did today, it's just you and the safeties and you and the corners so you have to deliver that punch and make it easier for that third and fourth quarter."

(On that first drive)

"It was great to get [that] drive. It was just the drive that really gave it to us, and getting that drive. It was good to really put that together and be able to put it in the end zone."

DE TREVOR PRYCE

(On putting two complete halves together)

"This was the same exact score of the Tampa game, so we needed this at this point in the season. It builds a lot of confidence, and people don't like watching it on tape. We look like world beaters. It's a great feeling to have but we have to play in 72 hours."

(On defense pressure)

"They don't do a lot of things a lot of other teams do because they have good lineman and that tells you what they think of their lineman. Jeff Hartings is the best guard in the NFL. He's the only guy I didn't beat today. They have this thing where they say our five are better than your four. Ninety percent of the time its true, but today was the other ten percent."

(On his knee injury)

"I strained it, but I think I will be fine. I planted on it, and if I didn't get hurt I would have sacked him again."

(On if QB Ben Roethlisberger looked frustrated)

"No, he didn't. The thing is, when he got hurt all of us were saying, 'Ben get up, get up.' The thing is I have been through that thing before. I have been through a Super Bowl season and the next season we went 6-10. It was a similar situation, we lost our quarterback. Their quarterback (Ben) had all of those problems in the off-season.

(On why he thinks teams who go to the Super Bowl don't perform as well in the following season)

"Everybody who wins the Super Bowl; the next year more than likely seventy-five percent of them have problems. If you become a Super Bowl Champ, the season is so long and by the time you recover, it's June and you are staring training camp in the face. So, that's the downside of playing in the Super Bowl, but if you win guess what you are World Champions and no one can take that away from them. We didn't take that away from them today, they have the trophy, the banner. They will always be last year's Super Bowl Champion."

(On being the only defense end on the field at times and what defensive package that is)

"I'm the only defense lineman on the field most of the time. It's called the four best pass rusher's we have. That's what it boils down to. I think they brought me here to put as much pressure on the inside as possible. It works out really well and I haven't been able to rush like this on my own probably in about three years."

LB BART SCOTT

(On the defensive performance)

"It feels great to get nine sacks, and I believe that it is a record for them to get sacked nine times. It was a huge win and it is historic. It is something that we can be proud of, but when you have a short week, you have a lot of short memories."

(On putting up points for the offense this year)

"It is more or less for the offense. You want to set up the offense with good field position, and play the field position game. Whenever the offense gets an opportunity to rest, and then goes out and puts points on the board, it's like a double bonus."

(On the hit he had on Ben Roethlisberger)

"It is a dream shot. You dream as a child of hitting the Quarterback like that. Adalius Thomas did a great job drawing the tackle out of position."

LB RAY LEWIS

(On the total team effort, and where the team is at now)

"It is the same thing we've always said, it's the next game, bottom line. We're not going to take it any farther than that. We were 8-2 before this game, and we said the only bottom line was 9-2. No matter how it came, we were going to stick together, and we came out with a great victory. Pittsburgh is a great football team. They are the defending Super Bowl Champion, until there is another Super Bowl Champion. So you always have to come in and play them with the type of respect for who they are. Some great things happened for us Offensively, Defensively and Special Teams wise. I think we had a pretty good game plan all the way around."

(On the key to getting pressure on Ben)

"I think that everyone who plays us finds it very difficult because we have so many different packages. We have so many different looks, and you never know who is coming from where or where they are coming from. Once again, our crowd played a big part in it. They (Steelers) couldn't hear a couple times and the momentum just kept rolling and rolling. For our defense, I think we did some great things today by giving them some different looks, some things that they haven't seen before."

(On the number of different packages the Ravens have)

"We have a lot. Every week, our packages change. We can change thirty to forty different packages a week, and I am just talking about schemes. It is amazing who can go from here, who can go from there. And not even from week to week, even in a game adjustment. We can switch up things so easily. Some people think they have this, some people think they have that, but then we are running something totally different."

(On feeling sorry for the defending Super Bowl Champions)

"When you play this game, I don't think it is about feeling sorry about anybody. Like I said, the respect goes to them because of who they are. I will always respect the Pittsburgh Steelers because of Bill Cowher, first and foremost, and their organization. But we try to keep our mentality the way it is over here, and our mentality is bottom line, we are 9-2 right now. For me to think about another locker room, I would be cheating my teammates."

DE JARRET JOHNSON

(On the play of the defense)

"Yes, we were able to get to them. Nine sacks was huge. I don't know, but I believe it was a franchise record. The back end did a great job, too. It was an overall good defense."

TE TODD HEAP

(On his touchdown)

"It was a good play. Good play call, good thrown by Steve (M^cNair). Everything fell into place on that one. You know, it's good to get up early on a team like that. The last few weeks, we haven't got off to a good start. So, to get up early this week and really make a stamp on the game, that opened it up for us and we were able to really shut them out the rest of the game. Our defense played unbelievable today. The special teams played great. When we play like that, we're going to be tough to beat."

(On if he moved around more)

"Yes, we changed it up a lot. That was part of our game plan. They're a tough defense, so you have to try to catch them moving, try to move them around and make sure they can't just sit back and dig their feet in. Our game plan was to get them moving a little bit and run the ball, and we were able to establish that early as well with Jamal (Lewis). As soon as we got the run established, things started to open up on the outside as well. So, it was just an all around good game today."

(On the 9-2 record)

"9-2 means we have the opportunity to go 10-2. It's all great, but usually 9 games isn't going to get you into the playoffs. In our division, the way it is right now, it might, but we can't sit and relax on that. We have to make sure we get the 10^th one, and on a short week this week against a divisional opponent, we have to go out and really prepare and get focused right now."

T JONATHAN OGDEN

(On the 9-2 record)

"You have to put the pedal to the medal and keep going with it."

(On when he knew that the offense would be different with Billick as offensive coordinator)

"Oh, I don't know. I guess the first game (vs. Saints). The play-action, that's pretty much what we do. Still, we might throw it a little more than we did in that game. It's almost all play-action pass. We might run the ball better, which we've been during the last couple of weeks. We ran [well] in the first half this week and the second half last week. They have to respect it. And when they respect it, things open up. Steve's doing good. Everybody's doing a good job right now."

(On if the Ravens are sending a message with the run)

"That's how I like it. I like going downhill, 'mano y mano,' so to speak, and if you can do it, keep doing it. That opens up a world of opportunity and options for everything else."

(On the younger players stepping in)

"I think they're doing an admirable job. I think that, sometimes, they're out there like a chicken with its head cut off, but they're always scrappy and working hard, and that's all you can ask. They're doing a good job for the most part, so I can't say anything negative about them at all. They're going a good job."

OLB ADALIUS THOMAS

(On what he learned watching Steelers' film)

"We knew that they were going to come out and start the run first. And after that, we just really had to play good coverage. Hat's off to the secondary. They covered those guys today like never before. I think we clicked on all cylinders on our defense."

(On the variety of blitzes)

"We ran a lot of them and even blew some of them. And the second one we blew, so sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. We wanted to get with them on a lot of different notes. We knew if we let him (Roethlisberger) sit in there and pass the ball, you know he would pick you apart. So we continued to bring pressure."

(On shutting out the Steelers)

"It just means that we are 9-2. That's what we wanted to get to when we came in here. We came in here by any means necessary to get to 9-2 and we wanted to start fast."

(On Corey Ivy's contribution)

"Corey Ivy's a warrior. He's a dog. He comes everyday to play. He has a pit-bull mentality and he fits right into our defense. Anything that you ask him to do, he's right there to do it."

(On his TD return)

"I didn't know. My leg's all taped up, but when you see the end zone, it gets the adrenaline rolling and the stadium got quiet for a couple seconds. We always say when we get a turnover that's the beginning of the play. We don't just look to get a turnover, but a score." 

(On setting the tone of the game)

"I think Jamal started that. The way he ran the ball, the way the offense really set the tone, where he started rolling over guys and started running in there like, 'I don't want any of this'. That really set the tone for us. And we got a chance to get some big hits. Bart (Scott) set the tone with the hit on Roethlisberger and me hitting Hines Ward. So, we just try to be physical. And we say that the most physical team will win."

(On being so physical against another physical team)

"It's just let's you know that we're just starting. It gives you the potential that we've had throughout the year. Whenever you go out there, you put all yourselves together on offense, defense and special teams. It lets you know how physical you can be."

(On the 12^th man)

"It means a lot. The crowd was out there and they were hooting and hollering. Hat's off to the 12^th man. They did a decent job."

LB/DE TERRELL SUGGS

(On if the team did anything different in today's game)

"We do what we do. The bottom line is that we knew we had that general back, so he (Ray Lewis) said 'Go ahead and turn it loose'. It's a big difference when you have #52 out there in the middle. We got the home field, we had the crowd. They get crazy, and get a few up in them and they just go wild."

(On the Steelers offense collapsing)

"We just knew that they came back last week. They weren't going to do that on us. We knew that we just had to keep sending it out. We had to stay after them and that's what we did."

(On Bart Scott's hit on Ben Roethlisberger)

"It was pretty hard. I was 30 yards downfield and I heard it. And I stopped coverage. Bart's been able to do that since I got here, that's why he's the 'Mad Backer'. It was pretty loud, though."

(On the Ravens bullying another physical team)

"A big part of it is that 12^th man. If you can't hear, you don't know where blitzes are coming from. Therefore, we can play full-speed and they can't. They are kind of just guessing. Rex Ryan did a good job putting the scheme together and the crowd really helped us today."

(On if this was his biggest game)

"It wasn't our biggest. We pretty much do what we always do. We just did a little bit more of it and came from places that don't usually do. It was probably up there, but I'm not going to tell you about it."

(On if the Ravens wore down the Steelers)

"They didn't stand a chance. Regardless of what their record is, we knew they weren't going to quit, but we just had to keep our foot on their throats for as long as we could."

(On the importance of the shutout)

"It was very important. We got a rivalry game, and they didn't score. You're not only sending a message for the next time you play them, you sending a message for the next team you play. We just send a message that we're here now."

(On the defense putting points on the board)

"That just means the chemistry's flowing. That mean's that you're in sync. Everybody's where they're supposed to be. We have a lot of guys on this defense that can make plays and Corey Ivy had a hell of a game out there today and he played his heart out, just like everybody else. AD (Adalius Thomas), Bart (Scott), Ray (Lewis), it was good to have him out there and the secondary did a great job."

(On shutting out the Super Bowl XL Champions)

"We weren't really focused on them. We're just trying to get all the wins we can so we can have everything rolling for us in the playoffs. It was good knocking them out, but that's a small victory alongside another. We go 9-2."

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR REX RYAN

(On if this was his signature game) 

"My signature game? I don't know about that. You play a great game against a great opponent. Obviously, you'll feel great about that. It's great to have #52 (Ray Lewis) back in. He just energized the whole team. Then obviously everybody just set up. The nine quarterback sacks and all, that was pretty good."

(On the importance of the shutout)

"It was huge for us. The assistant coaches get a game ball if we get a shut out and I got on Brian (Billick) because we shut out Tampa and never got our game balls. So, we want this one too. But really, the assistant coaches, Jeff FitzGerald, Clarence Brooks and Dennis Thurman, all the guys did a great job."

(On the nine quarterback sacks)

"It's tough to beat a guy clean every time when you go four-man rushes. Sometimes we sit back and listen to you guys on the radio sometimes, like 'He's got plenty of time back there'. No, I'm just kidding. Really it was a combination. We rushed four guys, we rushed three guys, and then we sent a lot of people. We've got to give credit to the backend. They did a tremendous job back there. Those guys know the deal. They know what they saw at that point and Samari Rolle and Chris McAlister did a tremendous job."

(On if they blitzed 80-90% today)

"I don't think it's that high. We'll surprise you. Sometimes we'll give you the illusion of a blitz, but it's actually coverage. We run a few of those every now and then. I would say, probably, 50%"

(On Corey Ivy's contribution)

"He's just a tough little guy. He's one of the toughest cats in the league. He's a bulldog out there. He was challenged up. He had to cover Hines Ward a few time and he stepped up to the challenge. We expect that out of Corey. He's just a tough guy. I approached him in college and, quite honestly, I never thought he could make it in the NFL, but he did."

(On the crowd)

"It's tough to communicate, but we'll expect that everywhere. That will be our job. We know it's going to be loud and they're definitely a part of this as well."

(On if the defense still has room to grow)

"I don't know. That was pretty good 'D' back there. Pittsburgh's no run-of-the-mill team. They were Super Bowl Champs, the last I heard. That's pretty good, but obviously we get a huge challenge. We're going to enjoy this for about three minutes, then we're going up against Cincinnati. As (T.J.) Houshmandzadeh said, they're better than we are, so we'll find out."

(On how it feels to put points on the board on defense)

"It's a team effort. Any time you can get offense rolling like they were, it makes our job easier."

(On his game plan for Adalius Thomas)

"To be honest with you, I could have showed our game plan with AD, but we always have one every week in case he goes out. There's about four or five calls on there. He does so much for us. He's probably one of the most underrated guys in the league. Everybody knows he's tremendous, but I think he's better than that."

CB COREY IVY

(On what the game means to him after his kidney injury)

"I'm just grateful to be back out there playing the sport that I love. God healed me real fast. It's kind of scary at first, but I was able to overcome that. I'm healthy now thanks to the good doctors in Pittsburgh and Baltimore. I'm really grateful to be back out there."

(On working under Rex Ryan)

"I knew the mentality when I signed on back in March with Rex and the defense. I've always kept a close eye on Baltimore with Ray Lewis and Adalius Thomas, Terrell Suggs, Ed Reed, Chris (McAlister) and Samari (Rolle). I know their attacking defense. You always want to be a part of that and try to strive to be the best."

(On scoring after the fumble recovery)

"You always try and disrupt him somehow. I was able and fortunate enough to strip the quarterback and AD (Adalius Thomas) was in the spot, once again, and scooped it up and we took it to the house."

(On his original prognosis)

"It was a four to six week thing when I left the hospital. Actually, the doctors in Pittsburgh told me that I might have to sit out this year. I immediately called my athletic trainer here in Baltimore. He said, 'Don't listen to them. It will be about four to six weeks.' It was four to six weeks and I was able to get out there and contribute."

(On how the crowd influenced the Ravens defense)

"The crowd is definitely the 12^th, 13^th, 14^th and maybe 15^th man out there. They make it hard for the offense to communicate. As you can see, today they had a couple of false starts and we're fortunate to have a crowd. Not every crowd is like the Baltimore Ravens crowd. They're most definitely the 12^th man."