General Manager Rick Smith Interview
(on the loss to Green Bay and wanting to change things) "Yeah, obviously, when you don't play your brand of football, and I don't think we did that last week. We did things that were uncharacteristic; we made mistakes in big points in the game, we turned the ball over, we didn't take care of the football, we didn't play up to our standards. And when that happens, it's a bad taste in your mouth. The only thing you can do about it is put it behind you, learn from it and we've corrected the mistakes and had a good day of practice. We've got to continue to have that so we go and play our brand of football this Sunday."
(on the rivalry and history with the Baltimore Ravens) "I think that's where it generates from. First of all, to have a rivalry, you got to have some sort of competition. They've beaten us every time we've lined up to play them. I think that factors into it, I think the fact that we lost in the playoffs last year at their place factors into it. I think the way that we lost the game here at home at Monday night plays into it. So, we've got a history with this group, well respected. There's not a front office in the business that I respect more than the Baltimore Ravens. Ozzie Newsome and the way that he runs his organization, and Harbaugh's an outstanding football coach. They do have a few players that have been here, so it's just a whirlwind organization. We have not had success against them, both of us are 5-1, we have a chance to go a leg up on them going into our bye week. All those factors are things that make this an important game for us on top of the fact that we didn't play well last week."
(on what impresses him the most about David Hunter) "I was impressed with the way he just came in and put his head down and worked. And, obviously, playing at U of H and being a college free agent, he was fighting an uphill battle. He recognized that and knew that and just continued to get better. He's a stout player; I think he is a guy who can hold the port. He's got to work on some pass rush stuff and some of his movement stuff, but he has continued to progress. It was unfortunate what happened to Tim Jamison, obviously, but we do think that with Hunter's addition and with Earl maybe playing a little bit at the end and moving around, that we'll be OK in the rotation."
