Big Ben Speaks With The Ravens Media.

Sun reporters coverage of the Baltimore Ravens

October 31, 2007

Big Ben talks

A transcript of Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger's conference call with Baltimore reporters:

On how much healthier and happier he is this year compared to 2006: ”Obviously being healthy and feeling good, it’s good to back out on the football field and feel like you’re having fun again.”
On his improvisational ability: “It’s just, when things break down, you’ve got to have that emergency exit door, and try and find it when you need to, and just be patient, try not to do it too much, and make plays. But a lot of the credit when you do that goes to the offensive line, because they’ve got to hold their blocks longer, and I go downfield. So it’s kind of a combination of everybody when I have to do that.”
On forgetting the hit he sustained from LB Bart Scott last year: “You have to. You have to forget about it. You have to have short-term memory loss, because every game you get hit. You have to be able to put things behind you and move on.”
On film from last year’s games against Baltimore being motivation: “Actually, as quarterbacks, we haven’t even watched last year’s game yet. We’ve watched all this year’s stuff that they’ve done. We know that they put a hurting on us twice last year pretty bad.”
On the Ravens’ defense being less intimidating than it once was: “Well, I know you guys are going to try to get me to say something, but I’m a little smarter than that. You know what? Their defense is unbelievable. We anticipate them having everybody back full strength – obviously they don’t have Adalius Thomas. You can go right down the list and every guy is a threat, every guy is someone that you need to keep your eye on. And you can’t say that about any defenses in the NFL. So, I’m trying to hurry up and get off the phone with you guys so I can go watch some more film, because the things that they do, it’s pretty intense and pretty crazy.”
On working with a new coaching staff: “It’s been great. I think the new coaches, all the way from the head coach to the coordinators to the quarterback coach – it’s been great. I think we’ve all meshed pretty well.”
On bonding with new coach Mike Tomlin during the offseason: “No, more of that was Bruce Arians and I. We play a lot of golf together, so I think that was more of the off-the-field stuff.”
On working with a new center this season: “It’s been good. I think Sean [Mahan] has done a great job. Having Jeff [Hartings], the same center for three years, you get used to a guy like that. But Sean has done a great job of stepping in. I think Sean and I have developed a rapport and a relationship, and have done a great job together.”
On the health of WR Hines Ward: “Well, Hines is one of those guys that’s going to come out and give you his all every time, whether he’s healthy or not. He looks healthy to me. He’s playing well and I’m happy to have him out there.”
On what is enjoyable about playing a defense like the Ravens’: “I don’t know if there is anything enjoyable while playing a defense like this. They bring pressure, they do a lot of different things. They throw things at you. There’s nothing enjoyable about the preparation about the actual game.”
On the difference DT Trevor Pryce makes for Baltimore: “They’re a great defense with or without him. He may be considered by many as their best pass rusher. So, obviously they’re going to be better when he’s in there. But they’re a pretty good defense regardless of who’s in there.”
On what he learned from last season: “Just that you have to have a short-term memory. You have to be able to move on, to learn, and to not hold things in your memory bank too long.”
On how tough last season was: “Obviously, it was tough. You want to win games, you feel like you let guys down, you’re disappointed. But, like I said, it’s a learning tool.”
On the difference for him this year: “I think it’s gotten to the point where I’m more comfortable with the offense and I’m understanding what’s going on. Therefore, I think you’d have to say my decision-making has been a little better.”

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 5:26 PM