Tony Lombardi: The results of the preseason are by no means an indication of what might happen during the regular season ahead. Two of the last three Super Bowl Champions were 1-3 during the preseason. What do the coaches and players hope to accomplish during these games?
Germome Sapp: Coaches and players for the most part look at preseason as a period of time that allows the vets to get back into a rhythm of playing with the guys around them. This involves making calls and checks as well as getting back into game-time shape. Probably the biggest advantage of preseason is the chance it gives younger players to impress coaches and scouts. So the biggest thing we all hope to get accomplished is to come out of it healthy and with questions answered about the young guys.
TL: With all of the OTA's and with all of the conditioning that you engage in during the offseason, do you think that four preseason games are necessary?
GS: I think about 9 out of 10 players would agree that the preseason is way too long! And I would argue that the same percentage of coaches would feel the same. We go through OTA’s and off-season conditioning to get us mentally and physically prepared for hell… better known as training camp. And once we get to training camp we basically take about two weeks to get our bodies back in hitting shape and work out any mental kinks that every team has to deal with.
So to play four, or in some tragic cases, 5 preseason games is pretty unnecessary. Most coaches and scouts can figure out if a guy is going to be a solid player after two weeks of banging in practice. Did he know what to do? Did he do it? How well did he do it and can he continue to do it well? Sounds simple right? No, the problem is that the business side of it makes it complicated because of things like ticket sales.
TL: What would you think if the league went to two preseason games and 18 regular season games?
GS: I think 2 or at most 3 preseason games is enough, and the thought of making an already 17 week season 19 weeks would be almost counter productive. I don’t feel that shortening the preseason to expand the regular season is an answer. By week 15 there are some guys that physically can’t practice during the week because of the toll the season has already put on them.
TL: The Ravens don't seem to play very well in wet weather. Is that something the team thinks about? Can you explain it or is it merely coincidence?
GS: I think it’s a coincidence that the Ravens don’t play well in the rain. I think most teams at some level struggle when the ball and gloves get slippery.
TL: The team came out flat against the Giants and the Redskins and there seemed to be a lack of focus particularly when compared to how sharp you were against the Eagles. How can the Ravens prevent that in the future?
GS: Yes, compared to how we looked and played at some positions we did appear to be flat against the Giants and the Redskins. This is actually odd because we felt like we had a well-focused week going into these games. But when your team has multiple false starts and jumps off sides then those are signs of lacking in focus. Now that’s not to say that that players weren’t focused throughout the game, that simply means on that play he was concentrating on the small things.
TL: Your opening night is less than a week away. At what point did you start game planning for the Bengals?
GS: Ha-ha, I think we have honestly been prepping and game planning for the Bengals since the first day of OTA’s… at least defensively we have! Rex and crew did a great job of putting in a defense that had nothing to do with a preseason opponent but would work extremely well against lets just say a team like the Bengals, ha-ha coincidence right!
TL: Last year during the Thursday night game against the Bengals, the defense seemed to adopt the credo, "Bend but don't break." Save for a gadget play, you held Carson Palmer in check. What did you guys learn in that game against the Bengals?
GS: Our defense hates giving up points, field goals, TDs, any type of point! As a matter a fact, we all take it personally when a team is able to find a way to put points on the board. So we all play with the mind set that big plays may happen but we will regain our composure and keep you out of the end zone, or bend and not break. But along with that attitude we’re also looking to punish an offense for getting lucky enough to get yards on us! That punishment may come as a big hit, a pick or both for a defensive TD. In that last Thurs night game against the Bengals we learned that even in extreme weather circumstances and road conditions we can still dominate.
Germome Sapp: Coaches and players for the most part look at preseason as a period of time that allows the vets to get back into a rhythm of playing with the guys around them. This involves making calls and checks as well as getting back into game-time shape. Probably the biggest advantage of preseason is the chance it gives younger players to impress coaches and scouts. So the biggest thing we all hope to get accomplished is to come out of it healthy and with questions answered about the young guys.
TL: With all of the OTA's and with all of the conditioning that you engage in during the offseason, do you think that four preseason games are necessary?
GS: I think about 9 out of 10 players would agree that the preseason is way too long! And I would argue that the same percentage of coaches would feel the same. We go through OTA’s and off-season conditioning to get us mentally and physically prepared for hell… better known as training camp. And once we get to training camp we basically take about two weeks to get our bodies back in hitting shape and work out any mental kinks that every team has to deal with.
So to play four, or in some tragic cases, 5 preseason games is pretty unnecessary. Most coaches and scouts can figure out if a guy is going to be a solid player after two weeks of banging in practice. Did he know what to do? Did he do it? How well did he do it and can he continue to do it well? Sounds simple right? No, the problem is that the business side of it makes it complicated because of things like ticket sales.
TL: What would you think if the league went to two preseason games and 18 regular season games?
GS: I think 2 or at most 3 preseason games is enough, and the thought of making an already 17 week season 19 weeks would be almost counter productive. I don’t feel that shortening the preseason to expand the regular season is an answer. By week 15 there are some guys that physically can’t practice during the week because of the toll the season has already put on them.
TL: The Ravens don't seem to play very well in wet weather. Is that something the team thinks about? Can you explain it or is it merely coincidence?
GS: I think it’s a coincidence that the Ravens don’t play well in the rain. I think most teams at some level struggle when the ball and gloves get slippery.
TL: The team came out flat against the Giants and the Redskins and there seemed to be a lack of focus particularly when compared to how sharp you were against the Eagles. How can the Ravens prevent that in the future?
GS: Yes, compared to how we looked and played at some positions we did appear to be flat against the Giants and the Redskins. This is actually odd because we felt like we had a well-focused week going into these games. But when your team has multiple false starts and jumps off sides then those are signs of lacking in focus. Now that’s not to say that that players weren’t focused throughout the game, that simply means on that play he was concentrating on the small things.
TL: Your opening night is less than a week away. At what point did you start game planning for the Bengals?
GS: Ha-ha, I think we have honestly been prepping and game planning for the Bengals since the first day of OTA’s… at least defensively we have! Rex and crew did a great job of putting in a defense that had nothing to do with a preseason opponent but would work extremely well against lets just say a team like the Bengals, ha-ha coincidence right!
TL: Last year during the Thursday night game against the Bengals, the defense seemed to adopt the credo, "Bend but don't break." Save for a gadget play, you held Carson Palmer in check. What did you guys learn in that game against the Bengals?
GS: Our defense hates giving up points, field goals, TDs, any type of point! As a matter a fact, we all take it personally when a team is able to find a way to put points on the board. So we all play with the mind set that big plays may happen but we will regain our composure and keep you out of the end zone, or bend and not break. But along with that attitude we’re also looking to punish an offense for getting lucky enough to get yards on us! That punishment may come as a big hit, a pick or both for a defensive TD. In that last Thurs night game against the Bengals we learned that even in extreme weather circumstances and road conditions we can still dominate.
