After the narrow win over the Steelers in Pittsburgh with third-string quarterback Anthony Brown, Luke Jones and Nestor discuss the suddenly-getting-healthier (well except for Lamar) Ravens and the road ahead to playoffs.
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
game, running, points, week, talking, ravens, ball, year, dobbins, passing, locker room, sunday, yards, play, lamar jackson, score, long, gus, win, element
SPEAKERS
Luke Jones, Nestor Aparicio
Nestor Aparicio 00:01
W and S T Towson Baltimore and Baltimore positive freshly back from Pittsburgh and ready to celebrate 31 years Baltimore radio on Tuesday will be the anniversary this week but we’re gonna celebrate on Thursday at costus itself brought to you by the Maryland lottery as well as our friends at Goodwill and window nation I got my window nation gear on 866 19 A should do what I did this summer order some new windows by two you get two free and 0% financing. That’s when donations they all be given away some rabid scratch offs as well as some holiday scratch offs in the Maryland lottery at Costas on Thursday we have Gina shock from the Go Go stopping by my dude John Allen will be with me the hammer Jack’s crew will be there the old beyond words and the current milkshake group will be there as well. We talk in old school, rock and roll, Eastside magic and the legend of Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Tina shock from the Go Go’s, that’s all Thursday at Costas and Dundalk probably asked for crab Imperial to make me feel like a king felt like a king driving back from Pittsburgh. I was allowed to have immediate past for the first time in a long time, Pittsburgh Steelers made sure that I was made hospitable, and the Ravens were less than hospitable guests in beating the Steelers 16 to 14 Luke Jones joins us now after a long ride up the mountain and then back down the mountain and through Breezewood. My column this will be available out at Baltimore positive.com as well as Luke’s work in Owings Mills all week long and I guess the big question is health. And you and I talked a little bit about me being in the locker room after the game and seeing the whole team other than Bateman I mean, guys are coming back guys are a part of this. Maybe it’s not perfect in the case of JK Dobbins health and Lamar was not limping around, but walking around, there is a vibe that they’re at least not where they were last year, which was a shell of what they wanted to be as the team was assembled. There’s a piece of Eric the cost and Ozzie Newsome watching this thing from three feet behind me in the press box go falling and all going and go get it and you know, cheering and all the things that they do that at least they’re had is well, this is the team We put together in the offseason for the most part way way unlike where they were last time December. Yeah, and even
Luke Jones 02:15
before December I mean, they lost Marcus Peters Gus Edwards, JK Dobbins before the season even started, go down the list of some other guys Derek Wolfe, LJ Ford, I mean, and then as the year went on, it was just a case of trying to hold on whereas this year, they’ve had some injuries. It’s not as though they’ve been the healthiest team in the league. They also haven’t been the most injury riddled team in the league, although it’s felt like it at various points, but you knew that whether you were talking about a Marcus Williams, you know who goes down in week five with a dislocated wrist comes back and has an interception. While he has four interceptions in six games as a raven, that’s, that’s what the Ravens wanted when they signed him. Maybe not to that extreme that you’re going to expect that but it shows the range he has on the back end. And we saw that on Sunday picking off Mitch Trubisky at the one yard line. But for me, I think you look at someone like JK Dobbins, for example, and we’ve talked about this since before training camp started when NFL network had the report out in mid July that Dobbins was questionable for week one and he went on social media kind of went on the attack. He shouldn’t have done it, but I also understood his passion in we’ve seen this kid along the way, come back from a really brutal injury. And this wasn’t just a run of the mill ACL I mean he tore multiple ligaments. I tore his hamstring off the bone in that injury in the 2021 preseason finale. Sui know how long the road has been for him to get back and even to undergo the arthroscopic knee surgery back in late October to clear up some of the scar tissue because he thought it was really impacting his range of motion. For me what was impressive is not just the production, I mean runs for under 20 yards on 15 carries had what I think three carries of 10 plus yards in the game scored the touchdown. But you saw him on that 44 yard run. He still has a little hitch in the giddy up. I mean, I don’t think there’s any question about that. But that’s not to say that he shouldn’t be out there. That’s not to say that he’s running risk of re injury. It’s just he’s not 100% yet in terms of pre injury for him in the same way that we talked about that with say Quan Barkley, you know, being two years removed and how much better he’s looked in 2022 Compared to last year.
Nestor Aparicio 04:26
Well you can see he didn’t have the breakaway speed even right right the fact that he got caught but but the but the
Luke Jones 04:32
idea that he still produced in the way that he did and gained yards after contact and still was able to be explosive and you know, he gives them a different element at running back as much as guys like me have hammered the table talking about the passing game and lack of wide receivers for a running game to really make a difference. You do need someone who can be more of a home run hitter and he gives them an element that frankly, and I say this with no disrespect to Kenyan Drake who’s got a really nice job for them. I say this with no disrespect to Gus Edwards because we know when he’s right what he means in terms of short yardage and yes, that physicality. But JK Dobbins just, he’s different when he’s out there. And he’s at least as healthy as he was on Sunday, as opposed to what he looked like the last time we had seen him up at the Meadowlands, you know, kind of not looking great on that turf against the Giants. And then he decides to get his knee scoped after that. But he just he gives them a little more of a home run hitter element. And if you’re going to be a team that is going to rely on its running game, to the degree that the ravens are right now, which they’ve been that way for a few years, but we haven’t seen the same level of passing efficiency that they’ve had in the past when they’ve been at their best offensively, you need that kind of guy, you need that element of someone that can bust a long run. And for him to do that, in his first game back since late, you know, since October, mid October.
Nestor Aparicio 05:54
You know, that’s, that’s impressive.
Luke Jones 05:56
It really was against the defense that knew the Ravens wanted to run the football with an offensive line that Yes, got Ronnie Stanley back, but was missing Kevin Zeitler. And we know how important he is that the right guard position. So for Dobbins to do what he did for this running game to do what it did, that was encouraging. Now, moving forward, you just you hope he wakes up Monday morning and is feeling good, you always feel it continues to feel good practicing. I’m sure they’ll give him some vet days here and there when need be as far as to get them off his feet. But he just gives them a different element that sure we know wide receiver is what it is, again, I’ve talked about that as much as anyone. But to get a little more upset upside back with that running game. And I thought Gus Edwards looked better this past week than he had in his previous games coming back from the hamstring. Right before a week, you get those two guys on the field. And keep in mind, this was the first time we’ve seen those two, play in a real game not counting preseason in 2021. But first time those two had played together in a real game that counts since the buffalo playoff loss two years ago, it’s been a minute so to have them both on the field and contributing in the way they did it. Gus Edwards 66 yards himself. He had a couple of wild runs where he broke some tackles and got 10 plus yards. That was good to see. It really was and I get it. It’s not it’s not your typical great Steelers team and in some of the best years of this rivalry, but the Ravens be in a short handed as they were specifically at quarterback to get those contributions from those two guys knowing what they’ve been through and the physical challenges they’ve gone through. That was really encouraging. And that’s something that if you want to point to be optimistic here over the final, a four game stretch and then into January, it’s having JK Dobbins and Gus Edwards on the field and producing the way they did against the Steelers,
Nestor Aparicio 07:51
well, no one’s gonna confuse this passing attack here with, you know, the, the 99, rams or anything, right? I mean, they’re not going to pass the ball particularly well. And I know you need to believe that they’re going to do that in January. The running game is the foundation for all of this. And I would even say as much as you praised the running backs. And we talked about Dobbins, and he had sort of a home run at one point, Gus Edwards was at least available. Ronnie Stanley being upright in the locker room, and I wound up talking to him for a couple of minutes at the end of the game. I still go back to that there was not a point. And it struck me as a guy that’s done this for 27 years, right? That I haven’t been next to Ronnie Stanley in three years, right? Like I’ve been in the locker room, whatever. And here I am, and he was around for a long, long time before the plague and you know, I’ve been in a locker room with Ronnie Stanley. I know the sound of his voice and you know all of that but seeing him in there. I started to think to myself Wow, that couple years ago when he went down and I’m like they can’t win without him than last year. Obviously the mess. This year, the fact that he’s upright in December in the locker room, and they’re running the ball a little better. They ran the ball a little better and and you could talk about the Steelers defense all you want as well. But Ronnie Stanley being a part of this too, and I know Zeitler we’re questioning him but we won’t be questioning him in January, getting the health of this thing and I saw Leanne curl and Dr. Randy Tucker in the locker room for the first time in a while. Nice beer for Dr. Tucker there as well. Holding the Humpty Dumpty part of this thing together in the aftermath of what happened last year, and quite frankly, again, being in that locker room and every person I walked around the locker room and put a microphone microphone flag in front of all of those people miss time this year. All of these guys had been hurt at various points. Not that that should be shocking. It’s the NFL, but you need them all to be right so you can have a running game to give Lamar a chance. You need a healthy Mark Andrews you did a healthy Lamar you did a healthy Ronnie Stanley did a healthy cost averaging and a healthy JK Dobbins. We’re talking about the whole Infirmary the cost in the year. Last year, yeah,
Luke Jones 10:01
I mean, there’s no question about it. And if you’re looking to, for reasons for optimism that the passing game can be better can be as good as it’s capable of being understanding, you don’t have great talent at the wide receiver position, it does come back to the offensive line protecting, it does come back to play action. Obviously, it comes back to Lamar Jackson coming back and looking like Lamar Jackson. And knowing the threat to run what that means for the passing game as well. All those elements are still there, other than the wide receiver thing, which I’m not diminishing, and I won’t, I’d want to miss
Nestor Aparicio 10:33
they never get in third and 12. They don’t have to give the ball right, if they’re moving the ball forward with the running game, that’s their jam, like, literally, they would never pass the ball. If they don’t have to the second one, they run it again, they get first down, they run it again, they’re in second three, they’ll run it again, like if that that was 2019. I’m not saying that’s realistic that that’s going to happen, but better happened in January down a distance, whether their inability to throw the ball and they’re just, they don’t want to throw the ball like that they don’t want to throw the ball 38 times and buffalo or Cincinnati or Kansas City. And in order to do that, you better run the ball very effectively, because the minute the running game stops being effective. They’re on their heels, they really are. They’re not going to win those kinds of games in January. Throwing miracle passes. I just I don’t believe that. I believe it has the slobberknocker I believe it’s down in distance. And I believe it’s the running game, the running game and the running game. The past game plays off of that. And that needs to work too. They need to hit Mark Andrews and and make plays move sticks when they’re not in those down at distances. But the pet pre snap penalties, the things that were killing him six, eight weeks ago. Feels like they’re cleaning things up. I mean, it feels like driving down the mountain from Pittsburgh. They got a puncher’s chance they got a chance, I don’t think they’re the better. I think they’re the fourth or fifth best team in the conference right now even completely comprise because of the passing game issues. But they on any given Sunday, they can run the ball, you’re not going to beat them. Yeah,
Luke Jones 12:01
I mean, I think the difference what we saw on Sunday, and again, let’s they scored 16 points, you know, and they didn’t have Lamar Jackson. And we know that this was an incomplete ravens team, but still with what they were able to do running for over 200 yards. That’s what you’d like to see. I mean, and again, the element of doing it when a team knows you not just want to do it. They had to do it on Sunday, because you weren’t going to put the ball on Anthony Browns hands. Yeah, I mean, there are people in this town who, you know, continue to don’t want to see Lamar Jackson throw 38 passes, or 40 Plus passes, which, you know, again, I’ve never said that that’s what this needs to be, you know, when I’m talking about passing the passing game be more productive. But it does give you that that element and with all these other pieces, being on the field being relatively healthy getting Ronnie Stanley back now having JK Dobbins back and looking as productive as he looked Gus Edwards looking better this week. I think we we saw very plainly what this offense look like, looks like when they’re not really running the ball, as well as they need to be. They scored 10 points against Denver. You know, they weren’t moving the ball against Denver, even before Lamar Jackson got hurt. We saw them score 13 points against Carolina and that their lone touchdown was set up on a short field by their defense. Yeah, but you’re struggling to score points against non contenders like that. Yeah, that’s not going to translate well, to January. So I think even those those of us that are skeptical about how this team projects to be able to make a long term playoff run. Certainly, the running game is important. I’ve never said it’s not you know, and I think anyone who talks about the passing game, they understand that yeah, the running game continues to anchor this. So get that right. Keep guys on the field, get Zeidler back, obviously Lamar comes back, you know whether it’s against Atlanta, whenever it is, he’s going to be back. And you have all those elements in place, and then see if you can find that and improve level of efficiency with your passing attack at that point. But if you’re not going to be able to run the ball, yeah, I don’t think anyone’s sitting there saying, as great as Lamar Jackson is and can be when he’s at his best. I don’t think anyone’s sitting there with an expectation that, that they’re just going to somehow find a way to find a more productive passing game. If it’s not all anchored to the running game being great. And we’ve seen the running game be really good for stretches this year. And you still look at how it ranks it’s still top five in in a lot of categories. But that consistency, that explosiveness, which I kind of waned a little bit since the bye week, you know, even though it seemed to be finding its way before the bye week for them to do what they did Sunday. I think that’s that’s just it’s critical. It’s key and health is it’s very fleeting, as much as you look at it. The postgame locker room as you as you assess, you know, after Sunday’s game, all it takes is one or two injuries at the wrong spot and the conversation changes dramatically but that is what’s encouraging about this that they don’t have this long list of guys that are already on IR and not coming back. I mean, they’ve lost some guys, you know, not just Bateman, Michael Pearce you know, we forget about him because that was week three. Yeah, absolutely Fuller, which you know, we’ve talked about how that’s kind of impacted their cornerback depth and
Nestor Aparicio 15:30
Marcus Williams coming back made it better JK Dobbins, come back, make an impact. Ronnie Stanley back, it made an impact. I mean, so slowly, these are impact players. That’s why their first round draft picks. That’s why they make the big bucks. That’s why the team draft these guys in April and scouts him up and goes out in the free agency and spends a bunch of money saying this is a weakness, we need to help on the back end. You’ve talked about slot corner and who’s gonna play back there and not having bodies and certainly on a Sunday when Humphrey was very good. Marlon Humphrey was not good on Sunday. And Marcus Peters hasn’t hasn’t been good since before. I mean, really an elite player since before, he’s an elite mouth runner, he’s an elite, you know, troublemaker. He’s all he’s, uh, you know, he, he’s the bad guy you want back there, you know, running it. But if you can’t play it can’t play at that level, then. I mean, I love the leadership. But they got to be better on the back end, especially against Josh Allen, Marcin, and especially when mahomes is throwing underhand spirals, 15 yards, and wouldn’t you know, when he games that way? Right, right.
Luke Jones 16:37
And that’s where you do look at I mean, Marlon Humphrey has been overall great this year, Sunday was and even to, to his credit, I mean, he even tweeted, and you know, we talked about a little bit in the postgame. I mean, he flat out said I was a liability and coverage, you know, and that’s something we haven’t said this year. Now. Last year is a little more up and down. And I think that was a big product of he had to do so much for their for their defense last year. I mean, just considering the injuries they had. They’re kind of asking him to do a lot, which Hey, he’s a number one corner yeah, that that goes with the job and I think he would even acknowledge that but yeah, that was I think for for the Ravens fans who were clamoring for a pic ins. And you know, I mean, George Pickens was taken after David the job L. And look, David a job. Oh, could still be the next Terrell Suggs, but right now he’s not contributing for this team. He’s not even active on game day, even though he’s practicing fully and has for weeks. So you see, you see that kind of talent? Yeah, it is a little bit frustrating there. But, you know, in the case of Peters, up and down, you know, at times, he looks like Marcus Peters, at times, it looks diminished. And he’s 29. And coming off of major knee injury. I don’t think that’s shocking. I think the big question is going to be, how does that project with him becoming a free agent now or so but that’s, that’s beyond January, that’s after January, that’s after the playoffs. So you look at it, getting Marcus Williams back is huge. Kyle Hamilton give us gives up the touchdown at the end. And I noticed that something he talked about, he showed some accountability there that hey, I can’t give up that touchdown to Freimuth in that spot. But by and large, he’s been a plus at that nickel spot because they really haven’t had anyone else. It’s great to see you can put Marlon Humphrey there and they do that on occasion. But then who’s playing outside corner? Brandon Stevens hasn’t been able to do that job. You know, we saw Jalen armour Davis earlier in the season, he couldn’t do that job. So their their cornerback depth is really not in a position where even on paper where it’s been in previous years, you know, having a Jimmy Smith having a brand in car
Nestor Aparicio 18:40
next month who’s got you know, I mean? Who’s gonna who’s gonna guard all the Bengals weapons, you know, when we see them in a couple of weeks.
Luke Jones 18:48
And that’s where I go back to that point of, you’re not going to stop them. But what they were able to do Sunday, what they were able to do in that New England game back in week three, which that’s why Sunday’s performance reminded me a little bit of that is can you get those high variance splash plays, you know, those turnovers now those turnovers changed the game. I mean, they really do go and look at the look at the statistical evidence of if you are plus two in the turnover margin in the game, the number of games you percentage of games, you win. I mean, it’s through the roof. And you know, that’s it’s not exactly counterintuitive, saying that. I think it’s common sense just thinking about that, but it really does speak to how important it is. So you look at that game. And yeah, statistically they gave up over six yards per play. They gave up nine yards, 9.2 yards per passing attempt to Mitch Trubisky. I mean, that’s not very good. But what was great was row Quan Smith picking the ball off inside the 20 yard line. Patrick queen with a highlight acrobatic interception that would have been impressive for a safety or a corner, let alone an inside linebacker. And as we mentioned, Marcus Williams, which was almost served as an arm punt from Mitch Trubisky He kind of reminded me of that. But the great range that that Marcus Williams showed and making the catch while he’s wearing a, whatever that thing is a splint soft cast, whatever it is on his wrist, you get those plays, Josh Allen, and the bills are gonna get, there’s Patrick mahomes, and the chiefs are gonna get there, you’re not going to hold them to 10 points, I mean, you’re just not. But if you can hold them in the 20s. And you can make a couple game changing takeaways, then you’ve got a shot, then assuming your offense is gonna score points and you’re gonna run the ball and you’re gonna use play action passing. So
Nestor Aparicio 20:32
I’d say this, the only way they’re gonna win in January, if they take the ball away. If they can’t take the ball away, it’s not gonna force enough punts. And they’re not going to score enough points. Like I think that that that’s just the bottom line. They’re going to be playing better teams with better weapons. Their defense needs to do what it did on Sunday, which we need to be talking on Monday morning after a road win winning Kansas City or buffalo or wherever they’re going to have to go and play. It’s going to be about oh, Williams got a pic Peters brought one back. You know, Patrick queen or one of these guys that every time they’re punching the ball punching a ball, chuck, chuck Clark punching the ball that they punch it out and fall on it at the 18 yard line. And Lamar gets a cheap touchdown out of it. I mean, that’s gonna swing January for them. If they don’t take the ball away in January. I don’t think they’re gonna win. I really don’t.
Luke Jones 21:24
Yeah, well, I mean, this isn’t the offense of 2019. That led the league in scoring, I mean, talk, talk, what you want about whether it’s running or passing the ball, he scored a boatload of points that year, you know, and even 2020. They were scoring a lot of points. You know, what we’ve seen this year, by and large, early in the season. Yeah, they were scoring a ton of points. They scored 38. against Miami, they scored 37 against the Patriots. But since then, they’ve been scoring in the 20s. And teens, you know, it hasn’t been this explosive, overwhelming kind of offense that can just bolt race you. We just haven’t seen that this year. And at this point, I don’t I don’t see any evidence that suggests that you’re going to be able to do that. I mean, even what we’re talking about on Sunday, where they ran the ball, so well, over 200 rushing yards, 5.1 yards per carry, what did that equate to? 16 points, right. And that’s I’m not saying that as a knock, I’m just saying that when you’re running the ball like that, but you’re really not getting much from your passing game. You’re not going to score a ton of points. So yeah, their formula for if you’re laying out a path for how they beat a Kansas City, how they beat a buffalo, how they beat a Cincinnati, it’s scoring into the 20s. You still got to score and limit. Yeah, make a couple stops, get a couple turnovers. And if you can hold those teams, you know, in the low to mid 20s, then I think you’ve got a shot. That’s but make them kick field goals, too.
Nestor Aparicio 22:45
That’s another problem. That’s right. I
Luke Jones 22:47
mean, that’s the thing. I mean, you can Sunday was a great example of this. I mean, you know, Mitch Trubisky, 276 yards through the air 9.2 yards per pass attempt. I mean, they they made some plays in the passing game, even even though the Ravens
Nestor Aparicio 22:59
very, very capable, other than the pits, right. Well, and that’s right. I mean, yeah, like, and the second pick that the Queen pick was, I can’t even blame him on that. You know what I mean? That was an NFL serious lottery pick from the bears pass, right, that just a first round draft pick made a hell of a play. I mean, he really did. And so I, I don’t, Mitch Trubisky should have won. I mean, he should have won the game. I mean, like the Steelers were favored. They were playing a third string quarterback. I mean, this was really a rabbit out of out of the hat. I thought I mean, and I think the organization feels that I think the celebration after the game felt that way. I think nine and four feels really heavy for this team. But I think the most important thing for the team is they’re trending in the right way. Health wise. I’m standing next to Ronnie Stanley. I’m standing next to JK Dobbins. I’m standing next to Gus Edwards. Even though Lamar is not there, but I’m standing next all the rest of these guys and I’m thinking, Okay, this I feel a little more October worry about this than I do. The way I felt the last couple of weeks where it felt like they can’t win without these guys, and I don’t think they could win without these guys.
Luke Jones 24:04
Yeah, then it’s just a matter of hoping they stay on the field hoping JK Dobbins continues to feel better and better hoping Gus Edwards continues to feel better and better. I mean, we’ve Ronnie Stanley, come back and, and been lost again for a couple of weeks. I mean, you know, it’s that ankle, you’re just kind of holding your breath at anytime someone rolls into him anytime. I mean, that’s just the truth. You know, that’s gonna be the truth with someone who’s had multiple surgeries to a lower limb. I mean, he’s in the, he’s in the trenches, it’s a little tough to have an expectation to say that he’s never going to have someone roll into him. So you’re gonna hold your breath every single time
Nestor Aparicio 24:40
but you got four more games and then you hope to have four more, right like, you’re trying to get through eight games and get to Phoenix with these with with a cast of veterans. As I looked around that locker room yeah, there’s some kids at Tyler Lambert, Linda bond lady, she’s ever shaved. But for the most part, I looked around one Lunch and dancing veterans winning a game in Pittsburgh. And I thought, all right, they’ve got some. They’ve got the elements to win a championship in here. They do. They, they, you know that. But this is they’re not the best team and that that worries me.
Luke Jones 25:15
Well, they weren’t the best team in 2012. At this point, at this point in time in 2012. Joe Flacco was thanking cam Cameron was fired. We’re talking about Jim Caldwell know that at this point in time in 2012. And
Nestor Aparicio 25:29
dancing on the edge of chaos. There you go, Jason.
Luke Jones 25:31
That’s not not to say we’re gonna see a repeat of that. But it is a reminder, hey, look at the LA Rams at this point in time last year, no one was saying they were going to win the Super Bowl at this point in time last year. They were a team that. I mean, we saw them in Baltimore. Did anyone think at that point, they were winning the Super Bowl, and that was very late in the season, ravens almost beat them a very depleted, Baltimore Ravens football team nearly beat them. So I didn’t
Nestor Aparicio 25:55
even know the Bengals were allowed to go to the Super Bowl. And then they did. So this time.
Luke Jones 25:59
zactly. So and that’s, and that’s where we really go back to what we were talking about last week. let this play out. And we’re guilty of this. You know, we we talked about the big picture. Despite what John Harbaugh said, after the Broncos game, we talk about narratives. I mean, that’s that’s just what it is, right? I mean, that was one of the most
Nestor Aparicio 26:17
moronic things he’s ever said, you know, lots of media, and not having a narrative of why we hear it from not telling the story, stupid. I mean, it didn’t make any sense.
Luke Jones 26:27
I mean, I lots of coaches say things like that. And it’s just it is what it is. I mean, it’s an emotional time after a game. I think most of what coaches and players say immediately after a game serves, little value. You know, I know if I’m being totally honest, even though clearly, it’s something as media what we value. But, but that said, I think the overall message after the Denver game, and knowing that Lamar was going to miss some time, was let this thing play out. And also enjoy the ride a little bit. Now. That’s what I my big takeaway from Sunday was that just that was a lot more enjoyable, much more. I mean, it was a fun game. It was crazy. You don’t want to be down to your number three quarterback. I mean, that’s a nightmare scenario. But they still won. And they still did what they wanted to do, which was run the football and even though the defense from a yardage standpoint, it was a little cringe at times, they got three takeaways. I mean, what else can you ask for in that spot against your biggest historic rival, knowing you’re an underdog, knowing you don’t have the best, you know, your absolute best player on the field. And they won. I mean, it’s, it was 1614. It was, there’s nothing pretty about it, per se. But they got the job done. And that’s where this one feels different than the ugliness of Denver. The ugliness of the Carolina game. Obviously, the Jacksonville game where you blow up another fourth quarter lead, you know, there was a lot to not feel so good about since the bye week. Now, this is a game that 1614 I get it again, style points lacking eyeball test, it wasn’t anything overwhelming. But they got the job done. And that’s why I said for me, this was a win that was good for the soul, not just for the Ravens themselves as we waited in the interview room, and it was a longer than normal kind of postgame speech and game balls and celebrating and all that it’s longer than you typically see after an NFL game. So it speaks to the emotions and the excitement for the football team. But I think this one really helped the soul of the fan base as well beat the Pittsburgh Steelers for the first time since 2019. You know, a four game losing streak which had been their longest to Pittsburgh since Oh, one through oh three. You know that that was good. You know that that was a game that was good for the soul. And I think it renews some of the enthusiasm and optimism while also acknowledging that hey, you got another AFC North Road game coming up this week and not expecting to have Lamar Jackson. We’ll see if Tyler Huntley is out of concussion protocol. Sounds like they think he was in pretty good shape, but you just never really know it’s it’s the brain. You gotta see how the baseline tests and all those things do over the course of the week, but you’re feeling feeling pretty good about this football team after Sunday’s win. I don’t think there’s any question about that. Considering Yes, Anthony Brown was their quarterback for most of that second half.
Nestor Aparicio 29:29
He’s like Jones he is Baltimore Luke He will be in Owings Mills all week long. I am not going to Cleveland this Saturday. Just FYI. So don’t look for a Kevin Stefanski to leave me a media credential in Cleveland this week. Or me to have the leg lamp out. Or even my favorite breakfast place of all time and srimant this weekend if you’re going to Cleveland have a good time stop the run the Hall of Fame in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the football hall of fame and all that we’re gonna Rock and Roll Hall of Famers this week. She’s in Cleveland. She’s Jean Jacques from the gogo saw brought to you I pulled away a look. I have new scratch offs. Ross gave me these it fades away. As we the holiday cash drop we’re going to be given these weigh still on a handful of ravens scratch offs as well. Some of the grand prizes are gone from the Ravens but the 20 Grand is still out there. Make sure you’re checking that out. John Allen from Child’s Play. My childhood stone horses sr 71. Trump’s city devils. He’s been a lot of bands. He’s my dude. He’ll be there along with the hammer Jack’s documentary crew and as well as a band called beyond words back in the 80s. That morphed into a band called milkshake that had elements of genius shocks first band with my friend George can deal with. So we’re going to tell some old rock’n’roll stories. We’re going to eat crab Crab cakes, and we’re going to celebrate. Don’t tell anyone I know you guys think I’m turning 31 This year, 31 years on radio beginning on Tuesday, Kenny Albert dragged me into his smoky studio at five light street down into wi th 31 years ago. Tuesday, it’ll happen we’ll be celebrating on Thursday at cost this with our friends from the Maryland lottery conjunction with window nation, I got my window nation gear going on 866 90 nation is the way to order those windows, you buy two, you get two free. You mentioned me you get 0% financing. So I tell you that there’s a little discount that and our friends at Goodwill, and at least we’re sending is gonna join us this week talking about the holidays, I had Dan Rodricks on at fade lease, and he gave the greatest plug for goodwill that I could possibly give. We’re talking about his incredible show. He’s bringing it back in the spring. It’ll be airing this week. So if you want to hear just a great, great conversation, if you love Baltimore, you’ll love my piece with Dan Rodricks. This week from faithless last week on the crabcake tour. He said that for the holidays, Luke, his whole family has agreed that they’re not going to buy anything new. They’re only going to buy for the holidays, secondhand thing so that they’re not screwing up the environment, things aren’t being made. They’re buying things that are already out there. So goodwill is the King and Queen and the greatest place to do that. So make sure you’re taking care of our friends at Goodwill. And if you’re cleaning up, you want to give things away after the holidays, our friends at Goodwill will be there with their jobs program. So big shout out for them. We did the great thing that we did down there Thanksgiving time, feeding a bunch of families as well. So I’m very, very appreciative of all of our sponsors this time of the year. And the ravens are winning and they’re on to Cleveland, but we’re not on to Cleveland yet. We’re still gonna talk a little bit more Pittsburgh wrap things up around here I am Nestor we are wn sta and 1570 Towson Baltimore and we never stopped talking ravens football and Baltimore positive.com
