Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn addressed the media before practice on Oct. 9. Here is a full transcript of the press conference.

Opening Statement:
"Good to see you guys. As we get started today, I thought, I discussed a little bit about competition being the central theme of our program. I thought pretty appropriate to talk and honor Pat Fischer's family and that is a true competitor and a ball hawk. 17 seasons as a 17th round selection, so I thought if you ever want to talk about competing and what it would probably look like, pretty amazing career. But all that said, I'm excited to be back at it with the guys today. I'm glad to get rocking with you guys and get started."

On the defensive challenges in facing Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson:
"It does a lot. And I had this conversation yesterday with somebody, when you can extend the plays, that obviously changes how you go about things. And so, some quarterbacks need extra people for spy, sometimes you want to have zone where there's vision to go and it's the second play usually that can be the most challenging. A first play may begin as a pass, then as the second one begins outside the pocket, and he has just had remarkable success with his arm and with his legs. And so yeah, he's absolutely a threat."

*On the hesitation QB Jayden Daniels causes in opposing defenses and his ability to create big plays: *"Yeah, it's both things I was pleased to see with [WR] Terry [McLaurin] specifically on the deep ball that we had to him and remaining a passer, staying alive and then absolutely throwing a dime on the run. That is, to me, when the whole thing comes together. Because I think early in the season that may have been one where he got outside the pocket and made somebody miss and gained some yards, but not 55 of them. So, that kind of opens up in what we were looking for and we had talked about it early in the season. So, he's gaining that and after the first quarter or so of the season, where's the things that we're finding our way about and that's one of them."

On how they practice a broken play like the deep pass to McLaurin:
"Yeah, the best way is sometimes you may have a play twice in practice and you don't want to let the offense's other players know that this might be something to go because then you can kind of half ass it on the first part of it to go. So, it's way more authentic to get outside on this one and now going to convert and go that. But the guys do work hard at that, and it takes work. But the best of the best can do that when those kinds of explosive plays come. But best to not say it to anybody other than the quarterback."

On how to stop Baltimore Ravens RB Derrick Henry:
"Well, I think first off, you better have like a really good tackling plan, and that's part of his success through the years. Not only sometimes you see a big back and you just think he's just going to run people over and he has that part of his game, but he can also stiff arm. We've seen that. And he also has like a really good jab step. So, when you're thinking, 'Hey, I'm going to go take my shot at him', he puts a foot in the ground to make you miss. And so that's to me what makes part of his superpower, the ability to have all three ways to stiff arm you, lower a shoulder and then make you miss. Most, not all the time, but a lot of times the big guys may have, I'm going to run you over, stiff arm, and just play that powerful style. But when you put all ingredients together, you better have a really good tackling plan. And against a player like that and any good running back, you want to make sure you're having as few a one-man tackles as you can."

On if the defensive strategy includes avoiding Henry's stiff arm:
"Yeah, you have to work that technique just like any other where you have to break a stiff arm down before you enter into the tackle. But that is one of the things that he does really well, is going through the scout teams and going through the week and evaluating tape and how do you drill it? Is it the same as playing him live? Hell no. There's no one that we have on our team that can simulate him for practice. Yeah, so nobody, to put it very bluntly. But you can work the technique and that's what you have to do."

On if he considers Washington and Baltimore rivals:
"For me, first kind of getting here and getting started, I didn't naturally think of that coming in because of the division and the history of what the NFC East has been so much with the teams that way. So that was probably the first thing I thought. With rivalries, with Washington, of the NFC East, I think there's always a connection when cities are closer by. But the fact that we're not in the same division, in the same conference, for me, my first time playing Baltimore as a Commander, my first thought was the [NFC] East first."
* On if there is any extra energy in the building for the potential rivalry: *"I think it's awesome for the fans, but not for the team. It's honestly just, it's not something that we play. You play them every four years, so it's not like every season twice a year where we just know each other so well. So, I think it's really cool for the fans, it's close by. But past that, for us it's right back to it again."

On the advantage in not having long distance road games until December:
"I think there's, looking on it now, it was unusual, and I don't know how many road games I got to go on a bus to the game. So that's a pretty good gig. We're not flying from Dulles over to BWI. So, going into that and having your time zones into the same spot for a while, I don't know if it's an advantage, but it is certainly not a disadvantage. When you go on the road and coming back and getting your body clock back into order, that's a big deal, but it helps you on the next week. Sometimes those late nights, 1:00 a.m., 2:00 a.m. arrivals make it more challenging."

On the challenges presented by the Baltimore Ravens defense to a young quarterback:
"Yeah, I think what you're probably referring to is they've got a real identity, and they have for a long time. The way they've played defense and selected players from Ozzy all the way through Derrick. And it's been really, really effective. What's happened more through the last few years, it's probably more you're seeing simulated pressures where sometimes it's four-man rush, looks like a blitz, and Baltimore and others and ourselves included incorporate some of that to show a blitz but then play a coverage behind it. And I think as good as the offenses are, you're trying to find every advantage you can. But one thing that's been sure, [Baltimore Ravens Defensive Coordinator] Zach [Orr], he's on it, and as a first-time coordinator, just there's a real standard about how they play defense. And not only has he upheld that he lived it, so there's different understanding of that I would think from his point of view."

On the similarities between Jackson and Daniels:
"I would say if I had to pick one, that both of these two are elite competitors at the highest level. And that shows on the tape, the way they extend plays, the way they finish, the way they lead their group. So that's the part if I was to make a comparison, it would be something intangible like that. Both of them have their own unique ways about them, but in this game, there's all these guys are fantastic competitors and then, like In most professions, there's the elite and these two guys are elite at it."

On if LB Frankie Luvu and LB Bobby Wagner's physicality is reflective of the whole team:
"Yeah, I think, yeah, collectively as a defense we're making progress, and you go through this process to make progress. And that is part of what the whole group is doing. And so that linebacker, defensive end and this team they're going to challenge us. No secret that Baltimore's got a good team, and they challenge you in lots of different ways. So, I'm pleased with the progress that we're making. We're not getting the ball and turning it over at the rate that we need to yet, but we're making progress, we're tackling better, I felt our speed more. And those are things that may not show up on the stat sheet, but for sure I know what that looks like and I felt more of that."

On how to temper the rivalry felt in the building between Baltimore and Washington:
"I think what I try to do all the time is really as often as we can, we try to make it about us and our improvement and just being absolutely obsessed with trying to get better and how do we play. So, going into the game, what are the things specifically we want to do better and how do we go after it? And knowing that it does come down to us first, that's how we dig in right away. Because there's so many things to do before we even get to the game. So, we got to get to today great and through a hell of a Wednesday and then we'll get into tomorrow and all the process. But I do like the process for every day. Today's about our competition, what we do tomorrow, we talk about the ball. We did a big push on tackling today, breaking tackles, and in last game we saw that trajectory going in the right way in terms of our times we were able to make somebody miss and how many tackles we missed. And so, when that number goes in the ratio that we like, we're making progress and so we got to continue to do that with the ball. So, to be in the minus for a game is not what we're looking for. So, we got plenty of work to do but we just try to make it about this time, how do we get better and then we'll take it into the next. And then by the time we get to the game day, man, we'll absolutely let it rip. And it's going to be an awesome environment, but much to do before we get into that environment. So, a lot of work to do before it's go time."

On if this game is a measuring stick game:
"No, we don't talk in those terms of measuring stick. Like honestly, just you've heard us say there's so many things for us to attack and get better at, so we're not trying to use this game as a measuring stick. Hey, it's no secret, Baltimore's a really good football team, but we're not using it as a measuring stick of where we're at. Like every time we go, we're here to get down and go for it. So, it has no bearing on a measuring stick or any of that. We know how good they are and we're ready to go fight too. So yeah, but not a measuring stick game for us."

On if he wants QB Jayden Daniels to embrace the storyline of him going against Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson:
"Yeah, they're not playing against each other. Both of them would be great cornerbacks, there's no question about it, but they're not playing against each other. Both of them are fantastic players and cause all sorts of problems for defensive coaches, but both of them would probably tell you they got to control what they can and how well they can play in going to do that. So, I respect the storyline for you, but at the end of it, man, like he's got to absolutely do his thing and playing the position. And that's what's really cool for us to see, the development at the position. Sometimes that doesn't show up on just a throw. It's checking into a play against a blitz. It's checking into a third downplay on a screen to [RB] Austin [Ekeler] to convert, it's using your legs. So, playing the position and throwing it well, doing all that, that's where the focus is for him. And I know he has great regard for Lamar, like a lot of us do, but yeah, they're not playing against each other and so they're playing their groups against the re respected defenses. They would both be good corners. I would say that for sure."

On what impresses him about the Baltimore Ravens organization as a whole:
"Yeah, that is it. And the consistency sometimes doesn't sound like a sexy word, but it's really important because they've shown remarkable consistency as an organization. And so, seeing how they do their business and how they do things, and they just always seem to be a team that's tough. They got a real identity about them and the way they play and compete. So yeah, we've got a lot of regard for them as far as standards go. And when we're talking about our own identity, I said it wasn't formed over two or three weeks. So, for these guys we're talking about years and it's really impressive to see from a coach on the other side of it."

On how Daniels and Jackson are unique from one another:
"I would say the second play to begin for both of them, when they can get outside the pocket on a drop back pass that to me, both of them have incredible traits to do that. So, the same 50-yard pass that we saw from Jayden to [WR] Terry [McLaurin] we've seen that, both of them had the same long runs in that same space. So, is the coverage stand back? Are they coming up? Both of them can process things really quickly to get in the right play into the right spot. Offensive, they're both different in the systems that they're in. But I thought both teams really feature them on the things that they do best. And I think that's the name of the game. So, adding every year different weapons and how they feature guys into it, we got a lot of regard for them."

On preparing for a dynamic offense like Baltimore's:
"Yeah, it's for sure like a legit threat. And sometimes you may see it at two receivers and sometimes it's this tight end and other players. So, when you have multiple players and oh, by the way, they got like some really good tight ends and [Baltimore Ravens WR] Zay [Flowers] and some other guys as well. So, it's not a two man show. So, you have to be really disciplined in the calls and have your eyes on the people to go. And even when you do that, it's still hard. So, games like this comes down to tackling and ball hawking and playing your style really well. Because if you just focus on one person, all in the run game, they'll rip you throwing it too. So, you have to be really disciplined in your approach. But that's kind of part of the fun of being in the NFL, man. Every week, how to go win the game may change, it may change some in the game. And I think the best of the best teams are able to adjust and do that. And so that's also a sign of a group that, 'Hey, this didn't, and they're playing us differently, we got to go in another way. And so, from our offense, we've certainly seen that and how do we have to change and go about it? And I've seen that growth from our group as well."

On how well the defense is prepared for this weekend:
"Well, we knew we had some things that we wanted to get exactly right and tackling was right up at the top of the list for me. The best teams that you see defensively, you hear them before you see them. And I think the communication has certainly ramped up. So that, the tackling, the speed, the energy, the hitting, all of that you put into a whole thing and that's what causes the really cool defenses. So, we got a long way to go, but in terms of them playing together and knowing the energy that we're looking for, the physicality that we want, we're definitely taking steps. We're just getting warmed up and we got a lot of work to do but the energy, the toughness, their connection together, those are real traits that are happening."