OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Marlon Humphrey's approach to football — and really his approach to life — has changed a bit this year.
“Trying to eliminate unknown stress,” the Baltimore cornerback said. “If I show up to the team plane 10 minutes before we take off, or if I show up an hour (before), which one would be less stressful? So, I actually got to the team train this past weekend before we could get on the train — which was a first. I was like, ‘Well this is better than being almost late.’”
Baltimore's 35-14 road win over the New York Giants last weekend was Humphrey's 13th start of the season, a mark he has reached twice in the last four years. More than just being available, the former All-Pro has produced a career-high five interceptions, and the Baltimore defense is showing signs of improvement heading into Saturday's game against Pittsburgh.
This is after Humphrey played only 10 games last season and looked like a liability at times amid calf problems.
“Last year, with the injuries, it was a lot, mentally,” Humphrey said. “I just came into the season (thinking) you never really know what’s going to happen.”
Humphrey said training camp only reinforced the notion that he should take nothing for granted. Offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris died in August after stepping away from his coaching duties because of an illness. Around that same time, tight end Mark Andrews was in a car accident on the way to the team facility.
“I really try to treat every day like it’s my last, and I try to treat every practice (like it’s my last),” Humphrey said. "I journal a lot more, and I basically just write whatever I’m writing, and I write usually, ‘Just treat today. Enjoy today. Do what you can.’”
This is also Humphrey's first season with Zach Orr as defensive coordinator. Orr's own playing career was cut short by a spinal condition.
“You really just never know when your last play of football is going to be, and I think that’s not a reality that a lot of us think of as football players. I think that’s not a reality that people think in life,” Humphrey said. “We had people that could have been in tragic car accidents, a coach pass — there’s so many things that you can think about. I’m just very grateful to just wake up today, wake up hopefully tomorrow (and all the other) days I get it. And it’s helped me just be more calm as a player.”
Humphrey has been opportunistic, at times making plays that shifted games that were going in the wrong direction for Baltimore. His fourth-quarter interception at Cincinnati with the Ravens down by three helped save that game. He picked off two more passes in a win at Tampa Bay, including one in the end zone when the Buccaneers had a second-quarter lead.
Baltimore still has a lot to prove on defense, but in the past four games, the Ravens have allowed an average of only 269 yards.
And as the season nears its conclusion, Humphrey seems happy.
“Just really enjoying life has been the biggest thing, and it’s just so easy here. This organization, these coaches — I’m just grateful,” he said. "All of those little things have really helped me just take stress off the body. And you put that in, and you can just be able to play more free, and I feel like it’s shown up this year.”
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Noah Trister, The Associated Press
