 |
I don't think they are necessarily playing better. They are just a great defense and they play great week in and week out. They win a lot of games and they put themselves in a position to win a lot of games. They help their offense out a lot by getting a lot of turnovers. They turn into an offense when they get turnovers. They block well and do a good job of getting the ball to guys who can run with it like Ed Reed. They end up scoring a lot of points. I don't think they were necessarily playing better than they were a couple weeks ago. I think they're just a great defense.
Q: Can you put your finger on what is allowing this offense to operate at a higher level?CP:
We're doing everything better. But with playing these guys this week, the first Baltimore game is the film we are looking at. It hurts looking at it because it's embarrassing. We're embarrassed as a unit at the way we played. We've got a lot to live up to. We have to come out firing. We have to come out playing like we have the past couple weeks and get back on track. When I say it hurts, it literally hurts watching what we did against them last time. We just didn't play well at all. I feel like we've come a long way and made a lot of progress offensively. They're going to be seeing a different unit than they've seen before; maybe in years past, but not this past game.
Q: What is the difference between the level of confidence from when you last played Baltimore to now?CP:
We've been so much more successful since we played them. We've done a lot of different things and put in some new stuff. And we've made some great adjustments. We don't need confidence against these guys. We've handled them in the past. It's not a confidence issue, it's an execution issue. We were 1-10 on third down. That's embarrassing. That's not us and we've come along way since then. We need to go out and execute our plays like we have been the past few weeks.
Q: The first game was a very inaccurate game for you and since then, you have had your three best games:CP:
I didn't play well. There's no excuse. Like I said, I was embarrassed, and disgusted for that type of play to be put on film. Other teams have to watch that and I have to watch that again and again as we are getting ready to play them a second time. We need to come out and play better. I need to come out and play better, and I will play better.
Q: Is there something that happened individually or was it just growth through the season?CP:
It's a number of different things. It's nothing I did individually, it's us coming together as a unit and finding ways to move the ball, the chains, and put points on the board.
Q: How much of a disadvantage is it, having such a short week?CP:
Not to us. It's a Thursday night game and these guys, in this locker room, are ready to play these guys tonight. We know them. They are always going to have a couple wrinkles for us and we are going to have a couple wrinkles for them. But when it comes down to it, it's execution. They're going to be physical, and we're going to be physical. They're going to be fast and we're going to be fast. Its going to come down to executing.
Q: If they win, they would have a chance to take the division title away from you guys. Is that something you guys have talked about?CP:
I don't think we need any extra motivation, or anything other than thinking about beating the Ravens. We know how to do it. We've done it a number of times. We realize what's at stake. We don't need to talk about it. We don't need to talk about the past. We don't need to talk about the future. We need to talk about this one game and how to get past it.
