Q. Kellen, traditionally the Ravens have a tough, physical defense. That is something you see this year still on tape?
KELLEN MOORE: No question. I think these guys are doing a nice job. I think like any team, they are always making adjustments throughout the season. I think they have done some nice stuff. Playing really good ball. They challenge you during your preparation with all the things they do.
So, yeah, be a great challenge.
Q. What are the unique things that a Ravens defense does to stop the run, which has been kind of the way it's been under John for many years?
KELLEN MOORE: Yeah, I think first and foremost, they're really sound. You can tell they're all coordinated, they're all working together. They understand their assignments. Gap sound. Backers do an excellent job of fitting the run game.
DNs do a good job setting the edges. It's all tied together really, really well.
Q. Strength versus strengths with your running game against their run defense, at least on paper. When you have a team that's struggling a little bit defending the pass but you run it so well, how does that affect your thought process going into the week?
KELLEN MOORE: Yeah, obviously we prepare every week with the understanding that we navigate games depending on how the flow of it goes. Certainly we've been able to run the football successfully the last few weeks and certainly we've leaned on that.
Do you love that formula? Absolutely. But games take different terms and you have to navigate and adjust accordingly throughout the season. We'll be ready for that.
Q. What are you seeing in the discrepancy between their run defense and their pass defense, which I think is second worst in the NFL? I mean, do you see like a reasoning there?
KELLEN MOORE: Yeah, certainly I think when you watch it I think there is big plays in both elements of it. Obviously they played some premier pass offenses the past few weeks. When you play Cincinnati twice the last couple weeks and you play some of those teams, and some teams fell behind a little bit earlier in it the season, so there was a lot of attempts being thrown from a pass game perspective.
I think this is a really will are good defense that does a variety of things and they stress you.
Q. When you're facing a defense that is ranked so highly against the run, is there sometimes an element that's not translatable because of the uniqueness that Jalen brings to your running game?
KELLEN MOORE: Certainly we feel like we have some advantages, especially with the run game. Certainly there is a lot of confidence with it.
By no means are we stubborn to that point, but we understand it'll be a challenge. Just liking every week. There is challenges for every opponent we face. These guys have done a really good job against the run game.
We would like to run the football, but we understand sometimes the pass game becomes more viable in certain situations, so we're ready to make those adjustments.
Q. A sentiment in the locker room after the game was that those explosive runs in the second half were a by-product of sticking to it and kind of working things out as you go. As a playcaller, how do you determine whether to stick to the run or get away from it?
KELLEN MOORE: Certainly there is a lot of conversations that go into that throughout the game. I think when you see the small marginal progress going you anticipate eventually the big opportunities will present themselves.
We felt like we were close in the first half in a number of those runs; felt like they were positive runs that were leading to some 6-, 7-, 8-yard games.
These are close, and if they miss one tackle or get one missed assignment, we got an explosive opportunity.
So credit to our guys hanging in there.
Q. You started to use Saquon more in the passing game the last few weeks. What do you like about him in that aspect of the game?
KELLEN MOORE: Any time Saquon gets the ball, touches, obviously it's awesome. I think credit to Jalen. He's done an excellent finding Saquon in some of these.
There was a few screens and also just finding him in check down situations. Two weeks ago against Washington I thought Jalen did an excellent job. Found him on a check down and turned into an explosive play.
I think the more we keep working through those progressions, I think Jalen has done a really nice job of that.
Q. Is that the most five-man front you saw this year in the game against the Rams? If so, how much confidence does it give you that you're able to put up that many yards against that many five-man fronts?
KELLEN MOORE: Rams did a good job. Just like any team they have their own flavor, and so they have their five-down front structure that we anticipated, and then going to do some different things within. I thought our guys did a really good job hanging in there.
Like I said, some of run plays we felt like they were close with those particular looks, and we felt like if we can hang in there, we'll have some more opportunities as the game progressed.
And so credit to our guys for adjusting, seeing how they were moving. There was a lot of line movements, and so our guys did a good job.
Q. You talk about getting some unscouted looks from these teams. Do you ever try to anticipate those? How do you go about that?
KELLEN MOORE: Yeah, a lot of the process -- every week is going to have different flavor. Every week teams prepare just like we prepare. They're going to give you something that's different than you've seen on film. Certainly we do our best to create rules that always apply to -- have an answer in-game.
And within the game there is always the ability to make adjustments, whether that's players to players, coaches to players, those adjustments within the game.
So our guys do a really good job of it I think making those quick adjustments and applying what we need to apply based off the defense.
Q. Is there any difference in Saquon's yards from the first half and second hard. I think 400 in the first and 900+ in the second. Is there a reason? Why do you think there is such a big disparity there?
KELLEN MOORE: That's a great question. I don't know if I studied it analytically to evaluate why, but I do think there is an element of -- you know, we pride ourself on being a really physical run game, and those things wear on you as the game goes on when you get the opportunities we get. And the way the games have played out, you can kind of keep grinding it out as the second half progresses and those big plays finally pop.
Q. Vic just made the notion that the NFL is slanted to the pass now versus 20, 30 years ago if you look at the numbers. But yet teams are definitely running it more this year. What have you seen and what has been behind that evolution our change?
KELLEN MOORE: That's a great question. Probably something when you step back maybe someone has a better perspective than me from a league perspective, but I think obviously structurally you can navigate how defenses are constantly flowing. We can all see the trends over the last few years, how defenses kind of adjust and then offenses adjust and you go back and forth. And that's the battle this thing always is.
I think a lot of top offenses right now are running the football and doing a really good job of it. You've seen that. Doesn't diminish the importance of the pass game in any way. You need that in all those critical situations and there will be games that we're going to have to lean on the pass, and that's just how the league is.
Q. You mentioned the flow of the game, personality of the game. Generally run heavy recently. With Jahan Dotson, didn't get a ton of opportunities. How do you evaluate that in that type of situation?
KELLEN MOORE: Yeah, a lot of positives from Jahan's work, just obviously the production. He hasn't had as many opportunities as probably we or he anticipated. That's sometimes how the games go.
As we keep progressing they'll present themselves. When we had those chances he's capitalized and done a really nice job.
Q. With DeVonta out, AJ got quite a bit more attention. What did you see from his game?
KELLEN MOORE: Yeah, AJ did an excellent job winning one-on-ones when he had the opportunity and being physical. After the run after the catch was really impressive.
Q. What makes him so good at creating yards after catch?
KELLEN MOORE: Probably just mentality. You know, I think he's really physical with the football. Does an excellent job. I think he does a good job with ball security still within that, and then other guys getting into the perimeter blocking is a big emphasis of ours of guys getting downfield.
Getting that extra block is, hey, he breaks that tackle and now you get to the safety and now we're gaining even more. So guys are all involved in it.
Q. ... what is the intention of -- how can you tell whether it can turn into an explosive run or how much of that is just Saquon sticking to the run?
KELLEN MOORE: I mean, run designs, obviously we're trying to block as many guys. There are only ten. Someone is going to be unblocked at some point. We are trying to design plays to give ourself the most success.
Some runs are dirty runs that we anticipate being grinded out runs, and some are maybe a little bit more of the explosive opportunities.
I think our guys do an excellent job. The beauty and the big importance of the run game is it takes everyone. Takes Jalen being a run threat and his ability in the play-action game. Takes the receivers on the perimeter blocking, Covey, AJ, explosive blocks that created those big long touchdowns.
When we go through the run game it's about everyone. Then we know once Saquon gets in space what he can do. Obviously takes everyone.
Q. Ravens don't stay in base a lot. They use as much nickel and dime as any defense. Yet, they're still great at stopping the run. How is that?
KELLEN MOORE: Yeah, I think, again, it's a very sound defense. They're very gap sound. Their base numbers have maybe trickled up a little as of late, but seasons take ebbs and flows.
I think this defense just does a really good job working together. You don't see people misaligned, screwed in the run game. Very sound. Backers do an excellent job fitting the gap so you don't get to the second level.
It's good. And then the safeties come in and fill.
Q. The yards after the catch a function of play design?
KELLEN MOORE: Good question. We're trying create one-on-one opportunities and when you create one-on-one opportunities and we have the guys that we feel like can make plays beyond that, that's where the beauty is.
Like we were saying, we emphasize the component that it takes everyone. Those guys that turn around and flip and find is a term we use a lot. They can go find a DB, find a safety. Because when we break a tackle, now we got big plays.
Q. (Indiscernible.) Is that what you're...
KELLEN MOORE: All the other receivers. You run a route and you're looking for the ball to be thrown your way, and when it doesn't get thrown your way, you flip and find the DB so you can go block.
Q. When you have a player as productive as Saquon, do you get more anticipating of the team sending you a look you haven't seen before?
KELLEN MOORE: Just like any season, we're going to get a lot of different looks, a lot of structures. You know, I think certainly the last two weeks are good examples. Teams are going to have their flavor. That's what the NFL is. I don't think it's anything new or unique per se to us.
Obviously they're going to do what they feel like can stop the run in some of those situations and make it challenging for us. That's the back and forth battle of the NFL.
Q. The run game coordinator aspect of Jeff Stoutland's role, what stands out and makes him so effective in that role?
KELLEN MOORE: Yeah, Stout does an excellent job of the preparation aspect. He is obviously one of the best in the league as far as preparing us and putting us in a situation that come Mondays, Tuesdays we are teaming up on this thing. It's a really fun, collaborative effort.
Stout does an excellent job of tying it all together. And Jason is a part of it, TJ, Jemal, everyone on our staff. That's the cool part. Everyone works on it and then we work on it together collectively to make sure it's all tied together and complements the pass game and everyone is coordinated.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports