Wide Receiver Michael Crabtree
Raiders Head Coach Jack Del Rio
(general statement) "A lot to smile about there. A heck of a ballgame to be a part of. This is a tough place to play. I spent three years here. A part of the organization. It was a tremendous part of my life. I see a lot of those good people are still here. That was a great game. A great finish. A back-and-forth affair. Our ability to come back. And for Derek [Carr] to come back against a really good defense. And to come back and lead us to a victory like he did. For us to do enough defensively to do a stop like we did when they got a field goal kicker that's out of this world. Their quarterback got hot in the second half. I'm real proud of a couple of things. We had some young guys who were playing. We had a rookie right tackle, and as an offensive line, we don't allow any sacks. We had a couple of holding calls, which is ok because we were protecting our guy. But we got two sacks, and they got none. And we forced three fumbles on the day. We didn't recover them all, but it was a good job going after the ball. At the end of the day, just a real gritty win against a really good football team. I'm really proud of our guys."
(on going forward on fourth-and-1 as the team's identity) "I'm not looking at it in terms of trying to establish an identity. I'm doing the things that I think are best for our football team when we're in those different situations. We had a couple of other times where I elected to punt. I'm going to have the courage to do what I think is the right thing for the football team in any given situation."
(on the pass rush making an impact) "Our guys are rushing really hard. I thought there were some drag-downs where, usually, they come back and say 'Yeah, we could have called holding there,' but it's a tough deal. Officials, that's a lot of judgment calls. We're not getting as many as I'm seeing. The way they are trying to hold off our edge rushers, it's natural they are going to want to grab a little bit. We'll keep working though. As you see, coverage and rush go together, and they will only get better. I thought it was really good at glimpses, and a couple of times, we broke down. Again, I'll go back and correct. I have no problem correcting."
(on how impressed he is with Michael Crabtree) "I said it on the TV show that we do each week, He's been sensational since Day One. The guy is a real pro. He's a tough guy. He loves football. He's going to be real competitive, and he has great hands. A guy, Cris Carter, who had exceptional hands, and I think 'Crab' has those kind of hands. He's exceptional, and he has played really well for us."
(on whether anything has surprised him about Michael Crabtree) "He has been a great leader for us. There were questions that were brought up. That hasn't been a part of what we are getting. We're getting a guy who is a great teammate, who works hard every day, and who is very friendly for the quarterback. So, we're really glad we have him."
(on Derek Carr) "We have every confidence that No. 4 [Derek Carr] can get it done and lead us. He's very poised in his decisions. Some tough sledding there against a really good defense, and he just continues to play at a high level. He can make that decision. He's really getting his feet right to make accurate throws. Smart, tough, and accurate is what we have in Derek."
(on the defensive turnaround) "We've got a good group of guys working hard who take pride in doing the things that it takes to help this football team. I'm pleased with the way we continue to work at it. And we're going to continue to improve throughout the year."
(on DJ Hayden making plays) "I think our guys were very gritty. It was a good effort throughout. I think the guys are battling. And where we are coming up a little short, we will improve. We've got a good group of guys. They are very prideful, and they will continue to work at it."
(on whether he had a play called or whether he was trying to draw the Ravens offside penalty) "We had a play called."
(on the injury update) "Lee Smith was not able to return because of his leg. Malcolm Smith was not able to return because of a groin injury. Clive Walford had a leg injury. He would have been able to return."
(on being 3-0 on the road) "First of all, at some point, we really stop talking about the time zone. Good football teams find a way to win wherever they are. There are some things you have to do as a team, and we've embraced that. As far as traveling and being able to cross time zones like we do, we play in the early time zone like we're asked to do. For whatever reason, the league likes to put us in that window, and we're going to need to do well. I think we've learned how to travel well. Our guys are taking on that challenge. We're going to have to travel all year. We've got extensive travel. So, it will be important that we continue to take care of business no matter where we are."
**QB Derek Carr
**
(on WR Michael Crabtree) "I've been a big fan of 'Crab's' since he was at Texas Tech. I was so thankful that he came to Oakland. When he came here as a free agent, I did my best to keep him from leaving before he signed a contract. When I talked to him, I told him that we could do something really special here in Oakland. He's a game-changer, but what has surprised me is how much we have in common. We think alike, and we are both very competitive. I know I can always count on him."
(on the game-winning TD) "They gave us a cover-4 look with their cornerbacks. 'Crab' beat his guy and dragged his foot in the end zone. That drive meant so much to us. Baltimore has had one of the best defenses in the NFL for, it seems, forever. You look at their roster, they have Pro Bowlers all over the field. Their defensive staff may be the best I've ever seen. They come up with so many different looks to try to confuse you. I'm just very happy we came in here, made some plays and got a win."
(on what it means to him to have three road wins at this stage of the season) "It means we've got to win at home. Sorry about that, Raider Nation. We'll try and do better. But our motto is "anybody, anywhere, any time."
(on the Raider's status as a young team) "We are a young team. 'Crab' is 29 years old, and he's the old veteran on this club. For a bunch of young guys, we've played a lot of football. We've been through a lot the last few years, but we will not stop working. We keep the same mindset whether we're at home or on the road, winning or losing."
(on the team's offensive numbers) "I don't care about numbers. I don't like the feeling of having lots of good statistics and losing. We care about winning. This is the culture we've been building in Oakland, and it's really starting to pay off."
**WR Michael Crabtree
**
(on the team's road success) "We're playing well. Period. It doesn't matter where the game is or who we're playing, we're just playing well. We're coming together as a team. Defense came up big on that last drive for us today. That was huge."
(on his game-winning TD catch) "The corners were playing me outside. I made up my mind I was going to execute, and I wasn't going to stop running. I knew I had to drag my toe, and that's something I've had problems with in the past. I used to just tap my toes. But you can give [WR coach] Rob Moore credit for that. He tells me to drag my toes, not tap them, all the time. I did that for him today."
(on whether he has better rapport with QBs Derek Carr than QB he's played with) "What do you think? It's no secret. We keep working hard. We keep working together, and we have a great rapport. This is a tremendous situation for me. I feel re-born in Oakland. It's a different situation. It's a different offensive coordinator and a different quarterback, and I'm so thankful for this."
(on if he politics in the huddles for passes) "DC is in charge of the huddle. On that final drive, he took control and marched us right down the field. I have a lot of confidence in my team. We don't blink. We compete to win, every play and every game. As for DC, I just let him run the show."
**LB Bruce Irvin
**
(on the defense) "I feel like we still have a long way to go. I feel like we were up and down today. The biggest thing in this league is being consistent. We got a great group of guys. Everything we need, we have here. We just have to continue getting better each and every week."
(on putting pressure on Flacco) "We had to affect [Joe] Flacco. When they started out being down, it gave us the opportunity to rush them, and I think we did a great job doing that."
(on winning close games) "It just shows that we all believe in each other. We never turn on each other, even when we gave up the big play. We just continue to believe, we just continue the fight, and it paid off."
(on the final score) "We knew the defense was going to have to go back on the field, and it was going to be on us. And that's exactly what happened, and we went out there and handled our business."
(on the new defensive players) "In Seattle, it took us a long time to be where we were. So we just have to continue to keep getting better. The biggest thing is these guys want to get better. They want to work hard. They've bought into the system, so that's the biggest thing. We've got to continue playing; it starts in practice, communicating in practice, so it can translate in a Sunday."
(on the AFC win) "Every game is big whether it's NFC or AFC. I'm just glad we got it here, the win. And we'll take it back to the West Coast."
(on the forced fumble) "I was just being opportunistic. I saw the opportunity the way [Joe] Flacco was holding the ball, and I just went and made the play."
**S Reggie Nelson
**
(on the last Ravens play) "I was just trying to make a play. Unfortunately I missed a tackle, and I knew I had to make a play to make up for it. I was reading [Joe] Flacco, and I came across the ball and made the play."
(on the defense's pass rush) "It always helps our defense when our D-line gets going. They came alive today, and that's what we need them to do. We got a lot of work still to do at the end of the day, but we came out with the win, and that's all that matters."
(on feeling comfortable with the defense) "It's definitely comfortable with Karl [Joseph] out there. Even in OTAs and training camp, we've always been gelling together, and we still have a lot to grow on and feel each other out. I just can't wait until Monday to see the film."
(on the statement of this win) "It's big, it's a big win for us. To come into someone else's house and win this game, especially against the Ravens. [Joe] Flacco does a good job of leading this team. It's all about the win today, and I just can't wait til Monday to see the film and see what we messed up on and get it fixed. So it won't occur again."
(on Raider football) "It's nail biting. It shouldn't be like that. We put together a complete game today."
**DE Khalil Mack
**
(on the defense) "We played this game to win, and that's what you saw at the end. We stepped up and got a stop. It's slowly getting there. We still have a long way to go."
(on getting the win on the road) "That was very important to us. We were coming in against a great team; a championship-caliber team; a championship-level quarterback. It was big for us."
(on pressuring the quarterback) "We had coverage and the rest working together. It put us in a situation where we could hold the ball."
(on what the win says) "It says we are a contender anytime, no matter home or away. So that's going to be big for us down the road."
(on getting his first sack of the season) "Everybody wants to talk about the sacks and the sacks, but all those things come when you're playing good defense."
(on Derek Carr's last drive) "DC [Derek Carr], the chosen one. He did it again. He pulled it out for us. Defensively, we wanted to be sure we held it out for them at the end."
WR Seth Roberts
(on his touchdown catch) "It was set up for 15 [Michael Crabtree]. But I just kept playing through it and made a play. It's definitely a play we practiced. It's supposed to go to Mike, but DC [Derek Carr] led me out there, and I just went out there and got it."
(on the offense) "We won. I think the offense came through. We never stopped. We kept progressing. We kept our foot on the gas. I think this is going to be a really big win for us, to let people know that we're on the fray, and we can play against great defenses like Baltimore. We stayed strong and kept fighting."
LB Cory James
(on the defense) "We played great today, and it was a great stand at the end. The whole D-line was getting great pressure on [Joe] Flacco. It made our job easier. I thought I played great. I made some mistakes out there, but I feel like I'm getting better every week."
WR Amari Cooper
(on getting the win) "We're turning in the right direction. We're happy we got the W. We just want to keep getting better. It was a stressful fourth quarter having the lead, losing the lead and getting it back. What sticks out to me is that we showed we could go out there and make plays and make things happen."
(on the offensive line protection) "These guys work really hard. It doesn't matter what they go through, they are ready to fight for the team. As receivers and running backs, we want to make plays for those guys. It doesn't make sense for them to have a clean pocket for Derek [Carr], and we don't make plays."
RB Jalen Richard
(on protecting QB Derek Carr) "We spent time this week making sure to protect [Derek Carr]. The Ravens, when we watched film, it was a no-brainer that they were going to try to get after the quarterback. The last three games they've done a great job of getting to the quarterback and hurrying the quarterback, sacks or just mess with him mentally. We felt like we [protected him] very well. At the end of the day, we did enough to come away with the 'W'."
(on his 47-yard punt return in the first quarter) "I take that with pride. I look to those opportunities to get the team fired up so that when they get ready to take the field on offense, they feel the vibe. It's good to get everybody hyped up on the sideline, especially in a road game like this. We're our own crowd sometimes, and for me to be able to get everybody into the game with that [return], it was real cool."
(on the particulars of his 47-yard punt return) "I knew the gunner was coming close, but I didn't know how he was blocked. The gunner came free, and I ended up side-stepping him. From there it turns into being a running back. I set up one guy and jumped out and was able to slip past him. I saw another guy coming, but he was going to get blocked, and I knew he wasn't going to touch me. From there I reversed field, and I wish I would've outrun the kicker, but he had an angle on me. To get the team a spark like that and change field position, which is a big part of the game, was good. Then we got the touchdown out of that, so I did my job."
**CB Sean Smith
**
(on defending the Ravens' failed two-point conversion in the third quarter) "I saw a basic route concept, and I'm a veteran player. When I recognized it, I got some depth and tried to help my teammate out."
(on playing the final Ravens' drive) "It was really no pressure. We definitely practice those situations. We have a defense full of playmakers. We actually love those situations when the clock is ticking, and they're trying to get a field goal to win. You might feel that pressure on the outside, but for us, it's just us coming to work and doing our job. If you don't love those situations on defense, then you can't play on this defense."
(on covering WR Steve Smith Sr.) "It's fun. I've known Steve since my days in college, so growing up and seeing the guy in the NFL making plays had me looking up to him. Now I get a chance to play against him and see how good he is on the field. It was a tough challenge. It was good to see him back out there and making plays. It was fun."
(on the fourth quarter) "It was a boxing match. You're going to take your licks, and you might even be down for a five-count. We had to come back and come out swinging. We have some great coaches and great leaders on defense that made sure our minds were right. Our backs were to the wall. We put our dukes up and started swinging and came away with the win."
