Ravens LB Roquan Smith prior to snap in playoff matchup vs. Texans.
Most teams like to embrace the underdog role or have the support of the country as they make a run for the championship. However, it seems the Baltimore Ravens are content with embracing the villain role according to Ravens LB Roquan Smith.
Smith spoke with CBS Sports’ NFL insider Josina Anderson after the Ravens’ 34-10 Divisional win over the Houston Texans.
Anderson asked Smith about his thoughts on the next opponent, either the Buffalo Bills or Kansas City Chiefs, and the LB responded, “I love Buffalo wings & I love BBQ. So whoever it is, line ‘em up.”
Smith’s warning to the two teams effectually shows the Ravens have no fear of whoever is put in their way on the path to the Super Bowl.
“We coming. At the end of the day, we coming. It has to go through the [M&T] Bank,” Smith warned towards anyone in their way.
The winner of the Chiefs and Bills will have to travel to M&T Bank Stadium to play the AFC championship game. The Ravens are 7-3 this year at the Bank (with one of the losses coming at the end of the season against the Pittsburgh Steelers while resting their starters).
The Bills struggled on the road going 4-4 this season, while the Chiefs played well going 6-2.
Smith told Anderson, “Every story has a villain.” She dug deeper to ask who the villain was with Smith responding, “I don’t think you have to look too far. This locker room, every single guy in here.”
Smith laughed when asked if he was a villain and said, “I’m one of them.”
Roquan Smith Praises the Ravens’ Defensive Play Style
The Ravens will face a difficult test with both the Chiefs and Bills offense. They will need to contend with either Josh Allen of the Bills or Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs.
However, they are not scared of any team and was superb against the Texans during the Divisional round. The Texans have now played eight quarters of football against the Ravens’ defense and have scored 0 offensive touchdowns.
Smith talked about the defensive performance saying, “At the end of the day they [Texans] did a great job of protecting him, but at the end of the day we got what we needed to get done.”
The Texans have a powerful offense with the presumptive Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud leading a young team. The Texans destroyed a strong Cleveland Browns‘ defense 45-14 in the Wildcard round of the playoffs.
The Texans could not get anything going on the ground or through the air and when they were able to get on the Ravens’ side of the field, they constantly were moving backwards it appeared.
“It’s about what we do, not what they do,” Smith said. Smith believes that if the defense plays their style of football, they will eventually impose their will on any opponent.
M&T Bank Stadium Has the “Best Fans” According to Roquan Smith
Hosting the AFC Championship in Baltimore comes with a home field advantage that is the rowdy Ravens’ fans. Baltimore fans have been one of the loudest and best fan groups in the NFL.
Smith told Anderson, “With a hostile environment and the best fans in the land, can’t really ask for much more.”
The Ravens X (formerly Twitter) account described their fans as, “The Ravens Flock is the secret weapon.” The Texans had 5 false starts and 1 delay of game in the Divisional round.
During the season, visiting offenses suffered 19 false starts and 9 delay of games, which were both the most in the NFL, according to the Ravens account.
Speaking to the media after the game fellow linebacker Patrick Queen said, “It got loud, it got loud a few times…. That’s how we need the Bank, need it rocking like that every time.”
The winner of the Chiefs and Bills will be walking into one of the most hostile environments in the league where the red-hot Ravens will be waiting for them.
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