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RAVENS SAFETY ED REED
(on how he is feeling coming to Nashville after such an emotional win in week one)
We have already forgot about that and we are preparing for Tennessee this week.
(on what stands out about Tennessee on tape)
It's the athletes that they have over there, the explosiveness with of course Chris Johnson over there man, that guy there always possess problems. They got some young guys over there playing running back also that they ground and pound with a little bit. They look decent on tape, they didn't come out with the win last week in Jacksonville, but it was a close game.
(on if he expects Chris Johnson to improve this week after another week of work)
Yeah, definitely. It's hard to get in football shape when you are not carrying around your pads running and everything. I know Chris (Johnson) is a professional though and he is definitely a hard worker so I know that what happened on this past Sunday with nine carries, that's probably not going to happen again.
(on if their goal is to shut down Chris Johnson)
Our goal is to shut down their team, our goal is to come in and win. We know it's going to be emotional for them too, it's their home opener. It's a big game for them too, after starting where they started they don't want to go two down in the AFC, but we're coming in and our goal is to win.
(on how they have been so strong against the run over the years)
That's out main focus is to stop the run. We talk about it constantly, we have a great D-line and a great linebacking core with Ray (Lewis) still leading the group. Those guys pride themselves on making sure that guys don't run the ball on us but of course it happens sometimes.
(on if he is surprised that since the last time these two teams met, the Titans are where they are and the Ravens are still on the top)
It's the nature of the league man, coach's change and stuff like that. I know losing (Jeff) Fisher was big in that town and he has been there for so long and has just been a great part of the city I think with his whole presence. When you switch coaches and you bring in a whole other mentality, things tend to go down a little bit, or they stay the same. It's not a rebuilding process, but you got to feel your way out of it and players figure your coaches out but figure out what they want out of you.
(on if this rivalry still has the same feeling as it used to)
We will see. We will see. We still know about those rivalries, I was part of some of those games. We still definitely have that feeling and we still got some stuff out here to prove.
(on how they were able to put the pieces back together so quickly when they made the coaching change to John Harbaugh)
We had an offseason, I think it's going to be hard on those guys because they didn't have an offseason. They didn't have OTAs or mini-camps, so just coming into training camp and trying to get to know coaches mentality is tough. We had an offseason with Coach Harbaugh and took a couple years still feeling him out getting his mentality and what he wanted out of his players.
(on how Joe Flacco has improved each year since starting as a rookie on opening day)
Joe has gotten better every year. We have only played one game this year and the better the guys around him are, the better he will be. You give him a decent O-line to start the season off without any big breaks or what not, you got guys in there blocking for him. You got Ray Rice, you got Anquan Boldin, you got Lee Evans and you got those young receivers so with all of the weapons we have around him, that makes him comfortable. With any quarterback, if you have the weapons around him and some blocking he can do some things. But, if you don't have those things around him it's going to be hard.
(on if it was best for Joe Flacco to start as a rookie or would he have benefited from sitting for a while)
That was a coach's decision and I always think that's going to deal with how much has he taken in mentally, how does he look on tape, how is he controlling the game, and how is he controlling the offense. I was thrown into the fire and Joe (Flacco) was too, so it's all on the player. Joe has played a lot of football up to this point so he has shown that he is going to grow and as the years pass by.
(on what he thinks of Kenny Britt and his potential)
I have always been a fan of him. He is a great player, explosive, great guy, he is a guy who you would love to play football with. He is very impressive. If you got the players around him, which he does in Chris Johnson and (Matt) Hasselbeck as a vet man, he can make some plays. You always have to be conscious where he is at and those guys and those other receivers too.
(on how Matt Hasselbeck had some great games against the Ravens in the past)
I just remember catching passes, just reception after reception. You got somebody on him, you got to make sure you got eyes on him but when you got other treats on the football field, you got to be conscious of those guys too.
(on how to stop Kenny Britt with his size and athletic ability)
You just got to be physical with him, but like you said, he is a big receiver, so how can you be physical with him. You just got to cover him close and play your techniques and he is going to win some and you are going to win some, you just got to win more.
(on Dawan Landry in Jacksonville )
I still talk to Dawan (Landry) occasionally man. I talked to him a little bit after the game to see how he came out physically. I know he is going to be a great player because Dawan is a professional. He studies tape and he knows how to read offensive formations and stuff like that. He is going to put himself in the right place in the scheme to make sure he is able to make a play.
(on if Dawan Landry will get some notoriety out from underneath his shadow)
Yes, yes I think so and I hope so. He definitely deserves it. He helped hold this secondary together just as well as I did. Dawan (Landry) was a very important piece of our defense. It's just the nature of the business that sometimes you got to make decisions for your family and he understood that and he made the best decision for his family and himself and he is in a good place in Jacksonville.
(on how Ray Lewis has been able maintain his status as an elite player for 16 seasons)
His work ethic man, Ray has a tremendous work ethic. In the offseason he takes care of himself and he does whatever he needs to do to help himself stay just above the curve and stay physically fit to grind out a season.
(on if he is going to retire when Ray Lewis does, or play a lot longer after that)
When I ride off into the sunset, I will be by myself for sure. I don't know how much longer Ray (Lewis) is going to play, I can only speak for myself right now. I'm trying to make it through this season and go from there. You just never know what happens
(on much of the old-school defensive attitude he tries to instill in the younger players)
We just try to lead by example, that's something the coaches talk about a lot. We just try to lead by example and to help those guys be professionals, to be pros. At the end of the day that's what it's about, you have a job, and you do it to the best of your ability. When you practice, you practice as if you are going to play and you are going to be in a game. You put yourself in a game at practice and you make it a lot easier for yourself.
(on how Shaun Smith would rank among the trash-talkers on the Ravens)
We got a bunch of guy's man including myself. We all say something at some point. I'm sure he could fit right on in, but it's all out of fun and all out of respect but when that ball snaps and that whistle blows…it stops after that whistle blows and it's in between the whistle and that's how it's got to be. There has still got to be some type of respect factor in there
(on why trash-talk)
It's to let him know that I'm going to be here all day. That trash-talking is always going to be there.
(on if he ever hears Shaun Smith from the sidelines)
Yeah I always listen to those guys man. They get funny man, because I'm not a big trash-talker, I ain't got time for that stuff, I would rather focus on the game. Some guys can do it, some guys can talk trash in-between the line and do it constantly. I have always been a fan of guys who just play the game because if all else fails, you got to play the game. You can say what you want to say out there and use all that extra energy to do something different like an interception return for a touchdown.
(on what he remembers about the play than knocked Chris Johnson out of the playoff game)
I just remember some big guy falling on his ankle man. Anytime you get a guy like Chris Johnson and his size and then one of those D-lineman fall on it, it's going to be tough.
(on if he bent Chris Johnson backwards on that play)
Chris didn't get hurt on that play, he got his back stretched out a little bit, but that wasn't the play that hurt his ankle.
(on when he thinks Chris Johnson got hurt in that playoff game)
He got hurt on another play, I want to say it was Brandon McKinney fell on his ankle, I want to say on the sideline.
(on if they may have intentionally taken Chris Johnson out of the game)
No man, I talked to Chris (Johnson) after that and everything was in-between the whistle. It's never intentional to take any guy out. My game has never been like that I know these guys don't play like that either.
(on if Chris Johnson understood that it was a clean play)
Yeah, I would hope so.
(on what he expects out of Chris Johnson on Sunday)
I expect him to be at his best.
