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 don’t 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, I’m 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 haven’t played at home. You’ve been away you. Everybody gathers down there, everybody’s wearing this blue like the Honolulu blue. There was more Lions fans in the stadium and the upstart lions. I can’t imagine Dennis a script. And we’re going back through the history of the team where they’ve 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, there’s no doubt about that. And that play to Beckham. And that sort of deep that he’s going to run now. mahomes more of that. I don’t know that everybody buys that mahomes is going to run mahomes isn’t going to run for a touchdown, right mahomes is going to run and get a first down and hook slide if he takes you he’s 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 didn’t do that than used to do that. didn’t play last December didn’t play the December before that. It’s now October we have this healthy version of him. Literally, he’s been waiting on everybody else to get healthy around him. So that he has these weapons, but I’m not calling that an RPO I’ve got a new word for that I’m coining this dentist we’re gonna get this out on the internet. Okay RP throw the RP throw like
Dennis Koulatsos 02:54
you know we’re thrown was effective.
Nestor Aparicio 02:57
Yeah and Ricard. Whether it’s record whether it’s Gus, better nappies a flowers because you’ve get him the ball out there. That’s 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. It’s like seeing a left handed pitcher when you ain’t 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. I’m 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 don’t really care that they’re 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 I’m not. I’m not a big fan of any of those shows by by a wide stretch. I’m a fan of people. I’m a fan of Kurt Warner. I’m a fan of Michael Irvin. I’m a fan of certain elements of the show, right? But rec said, when he had to prepare for this kind of game, he didn’t have a player to run scout. And they would get the punt returner or the kick returner to show that speed. But then they couldn’t throw the football. And he’s like, so you can’t prepare for it. And he’s NFC teams, and that’s the best bet in football right now than the Giants game last year they gave away. Like when you don’t see Lamar, you can’t prepare for it.
Dennis Koulatsos 04:46
That’s true. True. And I did have a concern about the team’s 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 couldn’t 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 wasn’t 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 we’re gonna draft say flowers to be this we’re going to pay Odell Beckham obscene money. To do that. We’re going to have now the JK Dobbins thing. I think they’ve been toweling off from that from the beginning. I think they’ve 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 can’t 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 they’re 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, they’re not getting by on they’ve been good for a week or two or three. They’ve 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 you’ve been talking all this ish for eight months about we’re 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 don’t know that Humphreys really like what he’s 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. They’re gonna have the same issues with Lamar, but there’s so much talent here. Detroit brought talent in. We haven’t seen that other than the Bengals team. Maybe the Colts defensively. They’ve haven’t 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 they’ve 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 don’t think he just elevated the defense. He’s elevated the entire team
Nestor Aparicio 08:39
and the speech that the cost and making the team better whether it’s Vannoy whether it’s 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, don’t 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 wouldn’t 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, wasn’t a quarterback guy, but you can find that kind of player late. It’s 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 we’re not paying 60 million to a pass rusher will rent a 32 year old guy who will only come in You’re on third down will cost us very little. And they’ll be happy to be here because we’ll 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 we’ll 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 you’re seeing from Van Noy and Jadeveon Clowney, that’s 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 hasn’t even been on the team a year. He’s only been on a team 49 weeks. And as I’ve said he’s their best football player. Lamar out here, Lamar, Lamar fumbles, Lamar is not a great, but Lamar has an incredible skill set. And when it’s turned on and goes in a phone booth, he’s special. He’s an MVP, but week to week, Brooke wants Mr. best football player.
Dennis Koulatsos 11:07
Yeah, consistency sideline to sideline, and I’m planning to become a more vocal some of the things he said I wouldn’t recommend. But you know what, he backs it up, so you can’t and he says if you need bulletin board material to get yourself fired up, you don’t belong in the NFL. He’s talked the talk, but he’s also walked the walk. It’s great to see him in the huddle pregame, getting the guy jacked up. But you’re right. When he gets on the field, he’s sideline to sideline and it’s a good thing that the NFL rules rules have changed because he’d 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 it’s 28, the nothing to say, I’m a they’re not gonna win, we’re gonna we’re not gonna let them win. But this is a high powered offense, they got a great wide receiver, they’re missing them missing Montgomery, I would think with a Campbell got on the plane, he’s like, man, that kid is important, you know, to what we’re trying to do to set the tone to be in second and four. So we can operate, you know, because that’s 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 it’s 28 to nothing, you would think they’re going to have a drive, they’re 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 didn’t, they didn’t 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, there’s a tradition of this year, and when you’re winning 28th Enough, and it’s not just good enough to say, well, we’re going to win, we’re going to be okay. You want to pitch a shout out and that they were on the road to doing that. And I’m sure there’ll be talking all week about we let them score. We’re 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 that’s 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, that’s the thing we’ll we’ll crush back on because as I wrote my column this, they’re probably going to go out to Arizona this week. Make mistakes, probably have a couple of penalties. I don’t think they’re gonna go out there and win 48 The three maybe they do. I mean, the year that Lamar caught fire, I didn’t 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 I’ve ever seen. Like, I mean, literally just sitting up there that one night, the only NFL game I’ll 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 shouldn’t 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 don’t 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. I’ll hear that they’re 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. Don’t let anyone out until we tell you to right. That’s the kind of mindset that’s 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 don’t know where they’re 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 it’s also very favorable for the Ravens going forward.
Nestor Aparicio 15:21
Well, yeah, I saw the lions scheduled to they’re gonna win plenty football games. They’ll tell off after this effort. Yeah, but you’re never as good as you look when it’s perfect. But now it’s the building blocks are saying all right, we’re 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 can’t write that and say that when they’re kicking the ball around when all their old men are injured when they’re not getting the players on the field, right. Like when they’re 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 didn’t 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 Harbaugh’s religion, right? Those close losses, I look back and say well, they were clearly the better team. I don’t question whether the Colts are better than them or Gardner Minshew, or No question whether Kenny pickets any, any good or not. And I’m 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 they’re above 500 They stink, they’re 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 don’t need to be good. They don’t 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 I’m 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. They’re fortunate. Well,
Dennis Koulatsos 17:43
they were they’ve been down for such a long time. It’s been such an awful downtrodden franchise and the narrative there was if they make Lamar throw the ball versus run the ball, they’ll win. Well, guess what they made Lamar throw the ball.
Nestor Aparicio 17:56
And he was wiped out. There’s no doubt about that. But seeing how good they can be to your point that that’s the takeaway. The takeaway is that they’re that much better than everybody else in the league. It’s that all the promises made of the offseason. And smart football guys like you and me, right? Like we’re pretty smart football guys, we sit here we talk about this all day every day. Believe it or not, they’ll tell Chad’s deal. But this is what I do professionally. I’m pretty good at this. So bow in my picture pretty good too. And Hollywood casino this week, but I’ll say, looking at the roster, looking at the pedigree of the players they have. Nobody thought Kyle van Noy wasn’t 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? He’s a one one. I mean, he’s he’s a true talent. How can you get that out of him? And ro Quan Smith is in Chicago. He’s a loser. They’re all losers out there. He got drafted into it. They got you know, they bring him into a building where all they’ve really done is win around here. And a year later, they’re 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 you’re then you’re losing to the Steelers, you’re losing to the Colts, you’re having 10 penalties, you’re getting punts blocked, your your your your coach is going for fourth in blue in the red zone and they can’t make it and they eat the ball in the red zone. They’re kicking six field goals. I mean, like, that’s what all this was before one o’clock on Sunday. But as coach pillock would say your potential is gonna get me fired. And there was a lot of potential here. And I’ve seen the cost of hanging out next to horrible on the sidelines, like, what’s that about? I mean, like I, what it’s about is we’re foreign to football team and we came a blink. We, we didn’t play well. We should be six in a row, and they’re not. And then Sunday happens. And it’s like a snowshoe. acre, everything’s 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 don’t think it’s gonna run that way every week, they’re gonna fumble, they’re gonna kick the ball around, they’re gonna make the same mistakes they made the first six weeks, hopefully less of them, but they’re going to make those kinds of mistakes. They’re going to lead a team in the game that they shouldn’t 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 we’re me. You look at all these and say, well, when when when when we’re, you know, like we do when the schedule comes out. They’re gonna be in a game where they’re going to need talk or they’re going to make mistakes. They’re 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. I’m good now they don’t 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, they’re 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, it’s 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, let’s face it. Sunday was a decent day. A little windy, A little gusty, and he threw the ball well, but it wasn’t cold. It wasn’t wet. It wasn’t 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 guy’s fantastic. But I still think the jury’s out.
Nestor Aparicio 21:49
The minute you criticize Lamar around here, you notice a hater. Hater. I’m a he’s won one playoff game. He hasn’t been on the field after Thanksgiving. And I have concerns. That’s all I don’t think it’s 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 that’s why I’m glad he’s pulling up instead of running for eight to 10 yards and throwing the ball for eight to 10 yards. I’m 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. Let’s see what happens against the Cardinals Sunday, let’s enjoy the victory against the lions a dominant victory. But to me, it’s still a week to week League and anything can happen if they don’t show up. But if they’re 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. I’m not sure that I’m going to be a part of the efforts here this week. But he will be here he’ll do double time with Luke talks and baseball. It’s a World Series as well. He’ll be here on Sunday as well. Sunday morning from eight until noon. getting you ready for football and four o’clock football for the Ravens here this week, Luke will be out in Owings Mills. All week long. We’re 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. Let’s not beat him up too much. They still make cars there, right? Well,
Dennis Koulatsos 23:33
no, not right now. They’re 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 we’re 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 what’s going to make it different from I feel like sort of like football helmets are better than they’ve 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 you’re buying, you’re just buying a better car, right? Like the car you’re selling there. No offense, the car you sold five years ago or 10 years ago. It’s like this computer. It’s like this phone. Like, in some ways. It’s 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 they’re gonna be driving themselves. Yeah, I just turned 55 By the time I’m 65 and like have to worry about senior citizen driving the car is gonna drive me.
Dennis Koulatsos 24:48
Yeah, there’s a lot of that going on right now Nesta, but they’re really computers on wheels. I’m glad you mentioned cellphones, but that’s 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 I’ll be around to see the day when these things are fully autonomous and you just say hey, take me downtown and boom we’re 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, I’d be honest we put the put the air in the tires. I mean, I’m terrible about all that you know what I mean? Like it’s just I don’t understand the science of it. I’d had to put gas in it and even then I’ll rent the car this week. Oh, where’s the gas can where the keys and on the dash is it under the seed when where’s the magic button at all that you know show up that is this year he’s 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. I’ll get your orange. Oh, we’ll get your black belt. We’ll get you blue, dark blue. And we’ll go from there purple of course to
Nestor Aparicio 25:59
well, maybe some chirps red that’s 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. It’s all it’s all good stuff. All great. Didn’t make
Nestor Aparicio 26:14
you want to root for the Titans last week and it never wears they put the Derrick’s on though but they’re gonna do that soon. It’s happening around here. All right, it is Eric. We’re on to Arizona as Luke would say, Randy. Luke’s gonna be out knowing smells all week long. You can find him you can find me at Baltimore positive.com
