It took the Todd Monken offense and Lamar Jackson seven weeks of getting healthier and more aligned. It finally all came together on Sunday against the once 5-1 Detroit Lions. Dennis Koulatsos and Nestor heap praise on the Ravens operation after burning the paper Lions.
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
lamar, team, ravens, lions, nestor, car, play, win, day, week, healthy, quan, ball, wide receivers, good, fans, throw, nfl, selling, field
SPEAKERS
Dennis Koulatsos, Nestor Aparicio
Nestor Aparicio 00:01
WNST castle Baltimore, Baltimore positive we are positively into a fun week here where we donโt have anything to fix we complain about. Even my columnists was complimentary of the great John horrible and the scouting of Eric de Costa and the acquisitions of Davian clowny and Kyle van Noy and the settling of getting Lamar Jackson not just signed, not just healthy, but on the field in a way where the team can be productive. That is Co Ops is joins us now. He will be here on Thursday, from three to five driving you home as well as on Sunday morning. He will be happy to sell you new or pre loved car attitudes Baltimore Ford security Boulevard anytime but away a week. You know, Iโm just trying to clear the air here of baseball and World Series and little college football and concerts we had good John Mayer was in last week all thing. The Ravens go to London. The ravens are on the road. The Ravens havenโt played at home. Youโve been away you. Everybody gathers down there, everybodyโs wearing this blue like the Honolulu blue. There was more Lions fans in the stadium and the upstart lions. I canโt imagine Dennis a script. And weโre going back through the history of the team where theyโve had this kind of defining win in the middle of the season, not to save their season to save face or any of that just to prove the last eight months of them talking about how good they can be that they can actually put it out on the field one day.
Dennis Koulatsos 01:34
Well, I think it underscore once again, Nestor the fact that the NFL is a week to week League. We saw the Patriots upset the bills. We saw the Ravens have their way with the lions and be the first four drives were textbook that the Ravens executed. I was a little concerned about the officiating, the crew had a bit of reputation for calling a lot of a lot of penalties. But it was surreal. And you have to believe that Lamar Jackson has once again inserted himself into the MVP conversation.
Nestor Aparicio 02:05
Oh, thereโs no doubt about that. And that play to Beckham. And that sort of deep that heโs going to run now. mahomes more of that. I donโt know that everybody buys that mahomes is going to run mahomes isnโt going to run for a touchdown, right mahomes is going to run and get a first down and hook slide if he takes you heโs gonna run and chase him out probably gonna run out of bounds mahomes looks to get out of bounds and not gonna hit right Lamar didnโt do that than used to do that. didnโt play last December didnโt play the December before that. Itโs now October we have this healthy version of him. Literally, heโs been waiting on everybody else to get healthy around him. So that he has these weapons, but Iโm not calling that an RPO Iโve got a new word for that Iโm coining this dentist weโre gonna get this out on the internet. Okay RP throw the RP throw like
Dennis Koulatsos 02:54
you know weโre thrown was effective.
Nestor Aparicio 02:57
Yeah and Ricard. Whether itโs record whether itโs Gus, better nappies a flowers because youโve get him the ball out there. Thatโs better than get Lamar double it that point to field, right. So getting weapons with the ball in space, and I look the lions, whatever they were doing defensively to overcompensate for Lamar. And that is clearly an NFC issue. Right. Like Lamar has dominated teams that never see him. Itโs like seeing a left handed pitcher when you ainโt seen left handed pitching, you know, like it really is very, very difficult to prepare the speed for him. And I talked to Luke about this. Iโm trying to find every benefit in the world to a billionaire trying to wreck my career in my life, and chats still taking my press credential away. But one of the things that I do is I sit on Sunday morning now and I see the pregame shows, and I specifically, I donโt really care that theyโre talking about Lamar wedding crashing and whatever. I want to hear what experts have to say. And Rex Ryan, who has been a guest on the show, and a friend of mine, his dad, the whole deal set and Rex usually says a lot of ish. And Iโm not. Iโm not a big fan of any of those shows by by a wide stretch. Iโm a fan of people. Iโm a fan of Kurt Warner. Iโm a fan of Michael Irvin. Iโm a fan of certain elements of the show, right? But rec said, when he had to prepare for this kind of game, he didnโt have a player to run scout. And they would get the punt returner or the kick returner to show that speed. But then they couldnโt throw the football. And heโs like, so you canโt prepare for it. And heโs NFC teams, and thatโs the best bet in football right now than the Giants game last year they gave away. Like when you donโt see Lamar, you canโt prepare for it.
Dennis Koulatsos 04:46
Thatโs true. True. And I did have a concern about the teamโs travel. They were of course, crossed upon the week before, but it looked like the lions were jet lagged. Right. I mean, there were a bunch of three and outs on offense. A Swiss cheese defense couldnโt stop a nosebleed so I what five rhythms whatever you want to call it. The Ravens showed a big time against a very good team. I think the lions are going to be there at the end of the year but hopefully the Ravens have several notice to the the rest of the NFL are here. It was great to see the offensive line the defensive lines come to life though Nestor the the play by that was gonna call Michael or it wasnโt Michael or play but Ronnie Stanley driving the defensive back out of the endzone. I felt like I was watching The Blindside The Blindside in that moment,
Nestor Aparicio 05:28
or or the scene in Fast Times at Ridgemont High I think. Yes. Well, to see the offense operate the way it was drawn up right like weโre gonna draft say flowers to be this weโre going to pay Odell Beckham obscene money. To do that. Weโre going to have now the JK Dobbins thing. I think theyโve been toweling off from that from the beginning. I think theyโve been telling off from Linder bomb Stanley Moses Andrews Beckham, Bateman, all those guys have been hurt all of those guys have been hurt and hurt wide receivers you give me a wide receiver the canโt run worthless. I mean you give me big fat guys in the middle who have shoulder problems arm problems push all problems any problem at backprop any problem theyโre not going to be effective. And Lamar has been the one healthy guy out there knock on wood right for all of them. And to see it all kind of come together and mungkin this was a great defense. This was a number one defend that this is this was a no joke kind of a game where go back and put the pregame on for everybody. Not just picking the lions and three points and whatever your gambling habits might be, but just the lines for 13 Three in their last 16 games. I mean, theyโre not getting by on theyโve been good for a week or two or three. Theyโve been good for a season jarred. Gossman good for a season that defense has been good for a season and to see them just wilt away in the first quarter of the game. A lesson for the Lions but also I think an awakening for our fan base to say youโve been talking all this ish for eight months about weโre gonna have this and that and this tool and that tool. But at some point you got to they got to get out in the field play and they got to run around they got to be healthy defense the working on that with Marcus Williams you know, I donโt know that Humphreys really like what heโs been in the past row Quan Smith, the front line. Patrick Queen Kyle van Noy to Davian clowny Mata BK is getting paid. They are their best players are beginning to play well and play at all playing and playing well. And that should be scary. I mean, Arizona, Seattle. Theyโre gonna have the same issues with Lamar, but thereโs so much talent here. Detroit brought talent in. We havenโt seen that other than the Bengals team. Maybe the Colts defensively. Theyโve havenโt seen very good teams really?
Dennis Koulatsos 08:00
No. But again, it gets to me gets down. Not only the health of the wide receivers, Nestor, but the the trenches are dotted. Oh, he came back and he pressured the quarterback. I believe he had a sack. When you can put pressure on that quarterback as theyโve done consistently the season. It makes your secondary stickier and makes you a secondary better. Right. And how about Geno stone, leaving the NFL with four interceptions? You have great storylines all over the place. But it does begin an end on defense. With one Mr. Ro Quan Smith, right. He puts it out there. He gets those guys moving. He he elevates he just now. I donโt think he just elevated the defense. Heโs elevated the entire team
Nestor Aparicio 08:39
and the speech that the cost and making the team better whether itโs Vannoy whether itโs clowny. I mean, you and I in April the day after the draft wooed and drafted good and drafted Rooney, not you and me were like, no, no, no, donโt tell Justin Houston. You know, even if they miss on an in Gok way or they, you know, they figure out some do Merville or some old Dwight Freeney, you know, I mean, they were honoring Suggs. I wouldnโt honor Terrell Suggs because I knew him. But but God bless them they gave a purple jacket they had a good time but but his style of play and the kind of player he was for getting after the quarterback and setting that tone that he was that guy to Kansas City wanted at the end that those kinds of guys the modpack of you know, wasnโt a quarterback guy, but you can find that kind of player late. Itโs almost the biggest rip off in the NFL decide of running backs, right? Like for what they get and what their value is that the Ravens win. How many of these guys have the Ravens chased out of here? Okay, Krueger, sit Darius Smith. All these guys got priced out because the Ravens said weโre not paying 60 million to a pass rusher will rent a 32 year old guy who will only come in Youโre on third down will cost us very little. And theyโll be happy to be here because weโll be a good enough team that Justin Houston will find this attractive and want to come in maybe play for a little less money because they got their bag. And weโll put them in a position to succeed, maybe have 12 sacks and really help our football team. And Belichick did this with Chad Brown and a bunch of guys 15 years ago, setting the template for how to do this. But what youโre seeing from Van Noy and Jadeveon Clowney, thatโs an organizational strength. That is one one, right? Row, Quan Smith, not a one one but a one single digit. And the ravens are never bad enough to get those kind of football players in their prime or to be able to pay them in their prime. The row Quan Smith acquisition then is he hasnโt even been on the team a year. Heโs only been on a team 49 weeks. And as Iโve said heโs their best football player. Lamar out here, Lamar, Lamar fumbles, Lamar is not a great, but Lamar has an incredible skill set. And when itโs turned on and goes in a phone booth, heโs special. Heโs an MVP, but week to week, Brooke wants Mr. best football player.
Dennis Koulatsos 11:07
Yeah, consistency sideline to sideline, and Iโm planning to become a more vocal some of the things he said I wouldnโt recommend. But you know what, he backs it up, so you canโt and he says if you need bulletin board material to get yourself fired up, you donโt belong in the NFL. Heโs talked the talk, but heโs also walked the walk. Itโs great to see him in the huddle pregame, getting the guy jacked up. But youโre right. When he gets on the field, heโs sideline to sideline and itโs a good thing that the NFL rules rules have changed because heโd be hurting a lot of a lot of running backs and wide receivers and tight ends these days.
Nestor Aparicio 11:39
Dennis, I thought there was an ideological part of this when itโs 28, the nothing to say, Iโm a theyโre not gonna win, weโre gonna weโre not gonna let them win. But this is a high powered offense, they got a great wide receiver, theyโre missing them missing Montgomery, I would think with a Campbell got on the plane, heโs like, man, that kid is important, you know, to what weโre trying to do to set the tone to be in second and four. So we can operate, you know, because thatโs the one thing with Lamar in these chunk plays on first, you know, second and two second in one, moving the ball, 12 yards at a clip all of that, that oil starts to grease that engine, and it never got started for the lions at all. But itโs 28 to nothing, you would think theyโre going to have a drive, theyโre going to make some plays. And the defense when you knew they could only throw the ball, pin their ears back, cover their asses off. And they didnโt, they didnโt pay a drop, really, I mean, and the six points they got, God bless them, they got it. And I think that that was the biggest defeat of the day for ro Quan Smith and all those guys. And you know, it reminded me seeing Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs, and hello Dnata all there, you know, in their their purple jackets, that you know, thereโs a tradition of this year, and when youโre winning 28th Enough, and itโs not just good enough to say, well, weโre going to win, weโre going to be okay. You want to pitch a shout out and that they were on the road to doing that. And Iโm sure thereโll be talking all week about we let them score. Weโre not gonna do that next time.
Dennis Koulatsos 13:19
And I think the encouraging thing for the entire Ravens fan base Nester is the fact that the version of the Ravens that we saw Sunday can win a Super Bowl, if thatโs the team that shows up. And you know, first week of February, whenever the Super Bowl is, if this is who they can be at that time, they have a legitimate chance, not only to be there, but also to win the championship.
Nestor Aparicio 13:40
Well, thatโs the thing weโll weโll crush back on because as I wrote my column this, theyโre probably going to go out to Arizona this week. Make mistakes, probably have a couple of penalties. I donโt think theyโre gonna go out there and win 48 The three maybe they do. I mean, the year that Lamar caught fire, I didnโt think they were gonna go out to the LA Memorial Coliseum and do what they did that night. Right. Like, I mean, that is still the most impressive thing Iโve ever seen. Like, I mean, literally just sitting up there that one night, the only NFL game Iโll ever see there. You know, I mean, it was a special memorable night they were selling them our T shirts in the streets of Los Angeles, right? They were selling Steelers shirts there the other day too, but they shouldnโt have one franchise, let alone two out there, as it were, my charge was blue here for courtesy crews for security Boulevard. I would just say for for what they are and what they did to your point. They donโt need to look that good the next three weeks, four weeks, five weeks to know that they can get off the plane in Kansas City or Buffalo and have the capability of doing that in January. Iโll hear that theyโre a snare contender, you know is as good as it gets. It really was
Dennis Koulatsos 14:47
broke once Mr. Said he told us security staff locked the building lock the doors. Donโt let anyone out until we tell you to right. Thatโs the kind of mindset thatโs a championship mindset Nestor and what a different narrative we have now versus two weeks ago. Without up you lost with the Steelers, you went across a pond against the Titans. You destroy a good a solid Detroit Lions team and the narrative just like that overnight changes. I donโt know where theyโre going to be ranked in terms of power rankings, but this team should be way up there. And the way the schedule sets up Nestor itโs also very favorable for the Ravens going forward.
Nestor Aparicio 15:21
Well, yeah, I saw the lions scheduled to theyโre gonna win plenty football games. Theyโll tell off after this effort. Yeah, but youโre never as good as you look when itโs perfect. But now itโs the building blocks are saying all right, weโre healthier. We had our way with, you know, a really good team in our place. Now. We they have three West Coast trips, the Ravens still right. I mean, so So after London, and getting all the AFC North stuff out of the way earlier in the schedule. But as I said, the loop, they have Cleveland Cincinnati, coming in here within four days of each other. And being healthy then and playing well then, and pocketing more victories and showing up against Seattle at home, getting off the plane on a business trip out in the desert this week. The Pittsburgh loss and the Indianapolis loss and I would have said this or wrote this earlier. But I think you canโt write that and say that when theyโre kicking the ball around when all their old men are injured when theyโre not getting the players on the field, right. Like when theyโre running games not going right like what all those things were problems, just how they lost the Pittsburgh how they lost the Indianapolis and they made mistakes and they let inferior teams hang around and the defense played well enough but they dropped an interception. They didnโt land on a fumble. They they had punts blocked I mean they they add stuff, crazy stuff that happened special teams breakdowns which is against Harbaughโs religion, right? Those close losses, I look back and say well, they were clearly the better team. I donโt question whether the Colts are better than them or Gardner Minshew, or No question whether Kenny pickets any, any good or not. And Iโm still waiting to see him cross the first down barrier. And that LA game because it was not first down on Sunday, but and in all due respect to the Steelers, they always find a way theyโre above 500 They stink, theyโre awful. Well, if they come in here and beat us, they can be in first place by the time they get here. Because Watch out. Because they donโt need to be good. They donโt need to install points. They just went out to LA and one in front of 50,000 or their fans. And by the way, the Ravens quieting the Lions fans, Lions fans came ready. Of course, they were making noise on on on when the Ravens were in the huddle. And Iโm like Chad Steele should be careful what he wishes for throwing people like me and my wife out of our seats, because they were far too many Lions fans. Theyโre fortunate. Well,
Dennis Koulatsos 17:43
they were theyโve been down for such a long time. Itโs been such an awful downtrodden franchise and the narrative there was if they make Lamar throw the ball versus run the ball, theyโll win. Well, guess what they made Lamar throw the ball.
Nestor Aparicio 17:56
And he was wiped out. Thereโs no doubt about that. But seeing how good they can be to your point that thatโs the takeaway. The takeaway is that theyโre that much better than everybody else in the league. Itโs that all the promises made of the offseason. And smart football guys like you and me, right? Like weโre pretty smart football guys, we sit here we talk about this all day every day. Believe it or not, theyโll tell Chadโs deal. But this is what I do professionally. Iโm pretty good at this. So bow in my picture pretty good too. And Hollywood casino this week, but Iโll say, looking at the roster, looking at the pedigree of the players they have. Nobody thought Kyle van Noy wasnโt a good football player in his prime. The question is, what are they going to get out of him? How can they utilize him? Can he stay healthy to Davian clowny and be world class? Heโs a one one. I mean, heโs heโs a true talent. How can you get that out of him? And ro Quan Smith is in Chicago. Heโs a loser. Theyโre all losers out there. He got drafted into it. They got you know, they bring him into a building where all theyโve really done is win around here. And a year later, theyโre now into something that says all right, I believe they could win 13 games this year. You believe that loop believe that every smart football and then youโre then youโre losing to the Steelers, youโre losing to the Colts, youโre having 10 penalties, youโre getting punts blocked, your your your your coach is going for fourth in blue in the red zone and they canโt make it and they eat the ball in the red zone. Theyโre kicking six field goals. I mean, like, thatโs what all this was before one oโclock on Sunday. But as coach pillock would say your potential is gonna get me fired. And there was a lot of potential here. And Iโve seen the cost of hanging out next to horrible on the sidelines, like, whatโs that about? I mean, like I, what itโs about is weโre foreign to football team and we came a blink. We, we didnโt play well. We should be six in a row, and theyโre not. And then Sunday happens. And itโs like a snowshoe. acre, everythingโs just perfect, you know, for the moment until it settles and then you gotta go play again. And for one day, I am glad that they got it out on the track. And we got to see Secretariat run once. And I donโt think itโs gonna run that way every week, theyโre gonna fumble, theyโre gonna kick the ball around, theyโre gonna make the same mistakes they made the first six weeks, hopefully less of them, but theyโre going to make those kinds of mistakes. Theyโre going to lead a team in the game that they shouldnโt in the next couple of weeks. Because all four of these teams come on man, Arizona, Seattle here, Cleveland Cincinnati here in Cincinnati, maybe but clues clearance quarterback, so weโre me. You look at all these and say, well, when when when when weโre, you know, like we do when the schedule comes out. Theyโre gonna be in a game where theyโre going to need talk or theyโre going to make mistakes. Theyโre not going to play perfect every week. But the fact that they have the potential to be that track meet team we saw a 19 out in LA or you know, to run a good team out of the building. That to see it once. Iโm good now they donโt have to play that way every week. They need to stay healthy and have that potential to be able to do that against the bills against the Jaguars, the chiefs, theyโre gonna need to win two or three or four football games in a row in January a long time from now.
Dennis Koulatsos 21:18
To me, itโs guys like clowny Odell Beckham, Jr. Ronnie Stanley, can they stay healthy? Can they hold up for the rigors of a 17 game regular season? Killer Mark Jackson played well in inclement weather. I mean, letโs face it. Sunday was a decent day. A little windy, A little gusty, and he threw the ball well, but it wasnโt cold. It wasnโt wet. It wasnโt snowy, right. So I want to see Lamar excel in a game where the conditions are less than perfect. Right. I want to see them not trying to be a naysayer, Nestor I think the guyโs fantastic. But I still think the juryโs out.
Nestor Aparicio 21:49
The minute you criticize Lamar around here, you notice a hater. Hater. Iโm a heโs won one playoff game. He hasnโt been on the field after Thanksgiving. And I have concerns. Thatโs all I donโt think itโs good that he runs in the linebackers I never have and I never will. And, and for that no
Dennis Koulatsos 22:08
argument here, no argument here. And thatโs why Iโm glad heโs pulling up instead of running for eight to 10 yards and throwing the ball for eight to 10 yards. Iโm glad to see that progression. And he wants to play 15 years versus five years and get another contract perhaps but I do have some concerns about this team. So look at the Week, the weekly. Letโs see what happens against the Cardinals Sunday, letโs enjoy the victory against the lions a dominant victory. But to me, itโs still a week to week League and anything can happen if they donโt show up. But if theyโre not sharp enough against the Cardinals week, one week from now, Dennis Colossus
Nestor Aparicio 22:40
will be here on Thursday three in the fight he is the CO lotto show. Iโm not sure that Iโm going to be a part of the efforts here this week. But he will be here heโll do double time with Luke talks and baseball. Itโs a World Series as well. Heโll be here on Sunday as well. Sunday morning from eight until noon. getting you ready for football and four oโclock football for the Ravens here this week, Luke will be out in Owings Mills. All week long. Weโre taking the Maryland crabcake Tour presented by our friends at the Maryland lottery in conjunction with window nation, and Schiff either MultiCare all out on the road later on in the month as well as our 25th anniversary. And that is for you with the automobile industry and selling vehicles at this point. Give me a little bit of a primer because I mean I hear so much I mean man war in Israel and things going on in the Middle East and and cars and this and that and where are we in this country? We We just beat Detroit up. Letโs not beat him up too much. They still make cars there, right? Well,
Dennis Koulatsos 23:33
no, not right now. Theyโre not the UAW has had the strike now gone. And week number six, I believe against the big three. But we have a lot of we have close to 300 brand new vehicles, cars, trucks, SUVs and stuck close to 200 pre law vehicles and stocked as well. So weโre doing well the deals are there the rates are there, but the industry right now is experienced some headwinds in general
Nestor Aparicio 23:54
in regard to like, what would what could whatโs going to make it different from I feel like sort of like football helmets are better than theyโve ever been shoulder pads are better sciences. Like when it comes to cars. I feel like the science has come so much further along that no matter what youโre buying, youโre just buying a better car, right? Like the car youโre selling there. No offense, the car you sold five years ago or 10 years ago. Itโs like this computer. Itโs like this phone. Like, in some ways. Itโs weird because it feels like indestructible. I hear about titanium phones and like all of this stuff. When you drop it, it would shatter into a million pieces and all of those that every day somebody is up in our society trying to make things better. And I think vehicles are one of those we take it for granted. We really do and theyโre gonna be driving themselves. Yeah, I just turned 55 By the time Iโm 65 and like have to worry about senior citizen driving the car is gonna drive me.
Dennis Koulatsos 24:48
Yeah, thereโs a lot of that going on right now Nesta, but theyโre really computers on wheels. Iโm glad you mentioned cellphones, but thatโs what they are. They do everything but hover above the earth like the Jetsons back in the day. So I take one away there and hopefully you and Iโll be around to see the day when these things are fully autonomous and you just say hey, take me downtown and boom weโre taking me to the Raven stadium. And there you go.
Nestor Aparicio 25:11
I had low air pressure my tires a little light came on last week my wife sent me to the ROFO and I should have just brought the car to you. I mean, Iโd be honest we put the put the air in the tires. I mean, Iโm terrible about all that you know what I mean? Like itโs just I donโt understand the science of it. Iโd had to put gas in it and even then Iโll rent the car this week. Oh, whereโs the gas can where the keys and on the dash is it under the seed when whereโs the magic button at all that you know show up that is this year heโs got cars for every season out there cruise bottom afford I have my coons a little bit booty you give me an orange shirt.
Dennis Koulatsos 25:47
You know, when prices change and companies now shirt providers or whatnot merchandise providers. Iโll get your orange. Oh, weโll get your black belt. Weโll get you blue, dark blue. And weโll go from there purple of course to
Nestor Aparicio 25:59
well, maybe some chirps red thatโs what you gave me last. There
Dennis Koulatsos 26:01
you go. There you go. Red Red. Is it good to have red? Hey, the
Nestor Aparicio 26:03
Oilers are going to put their jerseys we sold the Buccaneers right? The Eagles look good the other night the Giants, right? Yes, yes, the oiler cars are
Dennis Koulatsos 26:10
coming. I love the retro stuff. Itโs all itโs all good stuff. All great. Didnโt make
Nestor Aparicio 26:14
you want to root for the Titans last week and it never wears they put the Derrickโs on though but theyโre gonna do that soon. Itโs happening around here. All right, it is Eric. Weโre on to Arizona as Luke would say, Randy. Lukeโs gonna be out knowing smells all week long. You can find him you can find me at Baltimore positive.com