What a wild holiday weekend and big finish ahead for the AFC North crown! Luke Jones and Nestor discuss all of the trappings of a Ravens at Steelers game on Sunday night at The Confluence with the loser going home and the winner hosting a playoff game.
Nestor Aparicio and Luke Jones discuss the Ravens’ upcoming game against the Steelers, emphasizing the importance of winning to secure a home playoff game. They highlight the Ravens’ recent win against the Browns, Lamar Jackson’s back contusion, and the potential impact of DK Metcalf’s suspension on the Steelers. They note the Ravens’ mediocre 8-8 record and the Steelers’ 4-1 record against teams under 500 in the last five years. They also discuss the Ravens’ reliance on Derrick Henry and Tyler Huntley, and the Steelers’ struggles with their wide receivers. The conversation ends with optimism for the Ravens’ chances in Pittsburgh.
- [ ] @Nestor Aparicio – Drive Luke Jones to Pittsburgh on game day and drop him off at the venue/front door prior to the Sunday night game.
- [ ] @Nestor Aparicio – Plan and discuss Ravens-vs-Pittsburgh game coverage across the week on the show (prepare segments, analysis and talking points leading up to Sunday night).
- [ ] Attend the Pittsburgh Sunday night game with press credential and represent as the on-site press member for the show (travel to Pittsburgh for the game).
- [ ] Represent the company while on-site at the Pittsburgh Sunday night game when entering the venue and during coverage.
Ravens’ Season and Upcoming Game Against Steelers
- Nestor Aparicio discusses the Ravens’ season, mentioning the team’s purple gear and the recent win against the Browns.
- Nestor and Luke Jones talk about the NFL’s unpredictability and the excitement of the upcoming game against the Steelers.
- Nestor expresses optimism about the Ravens’ chances, despite the Steelers’ recent win against the Browns.
- They discuss the importance of the game for both teams, with Nestor emphasizing the significance of winning to secure a home game in the playoffs.
Lamar Jackson’s Injury and Team Dynamics
- Nestor and Luke discuss Lamar Jackson’s injury and his potential return for the upcoming game.
- Nestor mentions the impact of Lamar’s injury on the team’s performance and the need for a backup quarterback.
- They talk about the team’s reliance on Derrick Henry and the importance of a strong running game.
- Nestor highlights the challenges faced by the team, including the need for a consistent offensive strategy.
Steelers’ Struggles and Team Performance
- Luke Jones discusses the Steelers’ recent struggles, including their loss to the Browns and the impact of DK Metcalf’s suspension.
- They talk about the Steelers’ mediocre performance and the challenges they face in moving the ball.
- Nestor and Luke discuss the Steelers’ reliance on specific players and the impact of injuries on their team dynamics.
- They highlight the importance of the upcoming game for both teams and the potential outcomes based on the teams’ current performances.
Ravens’ Defense and Key Players
- Nestor and Luke discuss the Ravens’ defense and its performance in recent games.
- They highlight the importance of key players like Marlon Humphrey and Mark Andrews for the Ravens’ success.
- Luke mentions the challenges faced by the defense in covering receivers and the need for better performance.
- They discuss the potential impact of specific players on the game’s outcome, including Derrick Henry and Tyler Huntley.
Pittsburgh’s Offensive Strategy and Player Injuries
- Luke Jones discusses the Steelers’ offensive strategy and the challenges they face without key players like DK Metcalf.
- They talk about the Steelers’ reliance on specific players and the impact of injuries on their performance.
- Nestor and Luke discuss the potential impact of player injuries on the game’s outcome, including the importance of having a strong backup quarterback.
- They highlight the importance of the Steelers’ offensive performance in determining the game’s outcome.
Ravens’ Playoff Hopes and Team Goals
- Nestor and Luke discuss the Ravens’ playoff hopes and the importance of winning the upcoming game against the Steelers.
- They talk about the potential impact of the game on the team’s playoff chances and the importance of securing a home game.
- Nestor emphasizes the need for the team to perform well in the playoffs to be considered successful.
- They discuss the challenges faced by the team in the playoffs and the importance of a strong performance to achieve their goals.
NFL’s Unpredictability and Team Dynamics
- Nestor and Luke discuss the unpredictability of the NFL and the challenges faced by both the Ravens and the Steelers.
- They talk about the importance of team dynamics and the impact of player performances on the game’s outcome.
- Nestor highlights the importance of staying optimistic and believing in the team’s potential.
- They discuss the potential impact of specific players and the importance of a strong performance to achieve success.
Ravens’ Road Performance and Team Strengths
- Luke Jones discusses the Ravens’ performance on the road and the importance of their road games.
- They talk about the team’s strengths and the importance of a strong running game.
- Nestor highlights the importance of the team’s performance in road games and the potential impact on the playoffs.
- They discuss the challenges faced by the team in home games and the importance of a strong performance to achieve success.
Steelers’ Offensive Challenges and Player Injuries
- Luke Jones discusses the Steelers’ offensive challenges and the impact of player injuries on their performance.
- They talk about the importance of having a strong backup quarterback and the potential impact of player injuries on the game’s outcome.
- Nestor highlights the importance of the Steelers’ offensive performance in determining the game’s outcome.
- They discuss the potential impact of specific players and the importance of a strong performance to achieve success.
Ravens’ Playoff Chances and Team Performance
- Nestor and Luke discuss the Ravens’ playoff chances and the importance of winning the upcoming game against the Steelers.
- They talk about the potential impact of the game on the team’s playoff chances and the importance of securing a home game.
- Nestor emphasizes the need for the team to perform well in the playoffs to be considered successful.
- They discuss the challenges faced by the team in the playoffs and the importance of a strong performance to achieve their goals.
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
Ravens, Steelers, AFC North, Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, Tyler Huntley, Pittsburgh, Super Bowl, NFL, defense, offense, playoffs, division championship, injury.
SPEAKERS
Nestor Aparicio, Luke Jones
Nestor Aparicio 00:01
Welcome home. We are W, N, S T. Am 1570 Towson, Baltimore, and we’re still alive. It’s still Raven season around here. I still got my purple curio gear on here, and as I tweeted out as the Steelers got the brown and orange noose of something other than miles Garrett around their neck in Cleveland, they can still win the Super Bowl. So we are on it. We have no crab cake tours this week because it’s New Year’s Luke and our piling in the old family roadster head back up to the Burg agains and that Luke manna. We did radio all last week through Christmas. Christmas Eve afterward, Lamar the back, the contusion, Snoop Huntley, all of that, I was bullish from the beginning, that I thought they play well somehow Saturday night, and they would just give the ball to Derek Henry, that even would go well or wouldn’t go well, but it would go as it went. And what a story, huh, that they’re going to be the Sunday night game. You and I are going to charge the Pittsburgh you’re going to have a press credential, I’m not, and we’re going to witness this end of the season NFL fireworks to get a really mediocre team, I don’t know which one, yeah, yeah, into the tournament to host the bills, right? Like, you know. So I don’t know what to say, but it’s getting me and you in the car, and it’s not because we want to, like, you know, go up and see the waterfall place, you know, up in Pennsylvania. We’re, you know, it’s a business trip, as Mike Tomlin or John Harbaugh would say, but what up? Odd, odd, odd weekend of all of it. And Merry Christmas to you. And I saw you having fun with your family. That’s the most
Luke Jones 01:49
important thing. Yeah, belated, Merry Christmas to everyone out there, and I’ll remind everyone send your belated Christmas cards to the Cleveland Browns, 76 Lou Groza Boulevard in bereo, 4017, I mean, like, what else do you want me to say about that part of it? But the NFL is crazy, right? I mean, starting to come up with it. We’ve, we’ve talked a lot about the NFL, the No Fun League, right? Or not for long. How about no freaking logic to what happens in the National Football League this. It’s fun and they’re alive, and we’re gonna see what happens Sunday night. And even
Nestor Aparicio 02:25
with, like, Josh Allen’s arm is this Pinky Winky from the like, I’m I’m watching this, and I said to my wife, I’m like, there are a lot of people who gamble on this who think it’s fixed. And I’m like, It’s too bizarre to be fixed. You know what I mean? Like, in a general sense, it is, it’s, I guess it’s why we all watch, right? It’s why I don’t give up on them, and it’s why I don’t shovel dirt on Har ball, Tomlin, Renegade, Lamar, Aaron Rodgers, and we’re shoveling dirt on him right now, or Jim Schwartz, or like, like any of these cast of characters that have come to play. I I stand in Marvel of all because, you know, honestly, I had a lot of stuff I wanted to get done this weekend, and all I did was wind up watching football, whether it’s a Texans defense, reminds me the o1 ravens a little bit in some sort of nasty way that they could win. It is, it’s the best theater in the country, and that’s why they make billions of dollars, and that’s why we’re going to Pittsburgh on Sunday night, really. I mean, it’s, it’s crazy, yeah,
Luke Jones 03:28
well, how about the fact, I mean, they’re eight and eight, I mean, that’s the epitome of mediocrity, right?
Nestor Aparicio 03:34
They’re still win the Super Bowl. You get long not going to get money on them the way you would because you’re the ravens, and he’s Lamar playing this week. That’s the big story, right?
Luke Jones 03:45
I mean, that’s the big story on the Raven side. The big story on Pittsburgh side is, how the heck are they going to move the ball? I mean, I think I texted this to you and anyone else in my life who, who give a you know, what? About the Ravens or the Steelers, where it feels like the DK Metcalf suspension is has a really good chance here of flipping this division from where it was as Pittsburgh was knocking off Detroit on the road and the Ravens were going to lose to the Patriots a few hours after that. I mean, what was the first
Nestor Aparicio 04:12
question Tomlin heard, right? You know, in the press conferences, did you miss him? And, you know, like, course, they did, yeah, three times in the corner of the end zone to a guy that’s on his third team for the year, right? And, I mean,
Luke Jones 04:23
Valdez scantling has been with a lot of teams over the last five years, so it’s, I mean, it’s wild. It’s absolutely wild. What did you hear me say three, four weeks ago when we were talking about this? I said at that point in time, and I still, I don’t have much belief in the Ravens. I don’t. I’m not changing my tune based on Saturday night. But I also said to you a month ago what I believed even less than the Pittsburgh Steelers. So while this wasn’t the likeliest outcome, I can’t sit here and say I’m stunned. I mean, I don’t know if you came across this, but this is a stat that’s wild that I didn’t come up with this. This was a researcher for CBS Sports. Pittsburgh in their last five games, playing a team that’s eight plus games under 500 they are oh four and one. Now that’s going back the last five years, but holy cow. I mean, that speaks to speaks to why Mike Tomlins on the hot seat in Pittsburgh. It speaks
Nestor Aparicio 05:19
to the fact that they’re mediocre, and they’ve been, they’ve been mediocre forever, and in bad teams can beat them. And I, you know, I don’t want to say I never saw it coming with the browns, because the defense is always sneaker every week, right? I mean, it’s not just about miles, Garrett or Jim Schwartz or the back end or, you know, it’s just in general, they’ve played great defense over the course of the body of work, despite the fact that shador Sanders or Joe Flacco or whoever their quarterback was going to be at the beginning of the year, that they there is potentiality for their defense, and they were playing for something, and it’s the vision game, and they’ve won that game. What five out of six years like going into that in Cleveland. So I don’t think Pittsburgh can ever feel good about them. So it’s like, like, the poor Jacksonville Jaguars. It’s a Jaguar helmet, right? Like, How good can you feel about yourself? You know, it’s just there’s and I feel like the Steelers are feeling that way about the roster, and I think the Ravens fan base is feeling sorry for itself, but i Dude, we’re going to Pittsburgh. They’re supposed to win, right? They’re favored, right? They’re supposed to win with Snoop Huntley. They’re supposed to win on Sunday night, which, as we speak here, I guess he’s playing, right? I mean, you know, like until further notice. So you wake me up later in the week, and maybe you wake me in 2026 and and let me know that Lamar is practicing later in the week. But it feels to me like they can win with Snoop Huntley in Pittsburgh, the DK Metcalf thing, but all of that. But then I think, like I watch buffalo play, they’re not very good, and Derek Henry running the ball here two weeks from now against that might play probably gonna be Houston, by the way. Okay, Houston’s the five seed, right? Well, that’s worse. That’s a worse matchup. It’s gonna say,
Luke Jones 07:11
I mean, I think the Texans, I think New England’s the best team in the AFC. I mean, that’s my opinion right now, which look, what’s
Nestor Aparicio 07:17
that worth? Back to that, could Derek Henry go up there with Lamar two weeks from now or three weeks from now? And when they need
Luke Jones 07:25
to get in first? Though, like, Okay, I understand your your whole thing that they can win the Super Bowl in the same way that any of the 14 teams that are in the playoffs.
Nestor Aparicio 07:34
I just want to bring that out from the beginning, that they’re not like the Steelers can’t win the Super Bowl. They don’t have good enough players. The Ravens got some players. They got some guys like Marlon Humphrey and Mark Andrews, who think they’re players, or used to be players, and maybe, but, but i Dude, I mean, what I saw in Green Bay the other night was what I expected. And you picked against them. And I sort of picked four of them, even with Snoop puntley, not really thinking or knowing much about Malik Willis one way or another, even Josh Jacob’s knee or, you know, how that would play out on a cold night. It played out to me like I just thought they’d run the ball and I thought the defense could show up against a backup quarterback
Luke Jones 08:14
and show up. I mean, their defense had nothing to do with that game. I mean, it was all Derrick Henry and the Ravens offense. I mean, I hear your your general point. I agree about Derrick Henry, but ravens defense was horrible on Saturday night. I mean, they made one stop the entire game. I mean, I’m not count a bad fumble off the quarterback’s helmet or that’s not something the defense did. I mean, they they fell on the ball. I mean, but you know, it was all about Derek Henry. It was all about their offensive line, and Patrick Ricard and their tight ends blocking, and Snoop Huntley playing a very clean, crisp, safe version of football and and the other big takeaway about that, and that’s where it is interesting as we get back to Lamar, because obviously Lamar is going to be the big story this week, whether he’s practicing or not, whether he plays or not. I know Mike Florio on NBC, late Sunday night. You know, it sourced someone telling him that it’s a shade under 5050 who knows? I mean, how many times have we heard things
Nestor Aparicio 09:10
like thinking, probably not, but maybe that’s a shade under 50%
Luke Jones 09:16
you know, it’s, it’s a contu. It’s a back contusion. Now, anyone who understands sports medicine and sports doctors the explanation, you know it’s out there. You know whether you’re talking about David Chow or others who’ve tried to explain it. I mean, no, this isn’t just like you know someone, you know you bump your back onto the corner of your coffee, you know, on the tour of your dinner table or something like that, and and, you know, you’ve got a little bruise now. I mean, like, a contusion can be a really painful, debilitating thing, and I think it’s something that clearly kept him out of a game and a half now, at this point, and until we see him even practicing this week, I think it’s a moot point, right? I mean, that’s the amazing
Nestor Aparicio 09:58
thing about the medical system. Outside of this, of what they’re trying to do to get a $50 million player on the field for a game like this, like, in a general sense, whatever ice, take this, take this shot, you know, whatever it’s going to be that you go back out there like a, like a, like a racehorse, quite frankly. And I the pressure on him to play this week, and the stakes and his contract, and the fact that Mike Preston wrote last week from whatever the sources were, and I don’t even know who reads it, because I haven’t even read the damn thing. I mean, it’s behind the paywall that I’m not paying the Sinclair family to read, quite frankly. So I haven’t read it. Read it, so I didn’t want to judge it, other than what other people have said about it, but the notion that there’s some contention in the building that might get the mike Preston’s ears, or might be between his ears, like thoughts about me once were publicly but like the notion that anybody in the building would go to Mike Preston and say, maybe we don’t love Lamar as much as we do, or Maybe he has some growing up to do, or maybe weren’t. Maybe the owners not in for 200 million over the next three years, I don’t know, but like That was last week, in the same way that billing renegade fire, Mike Tomlin, all of that kind of went away because the wind blows. And I’m telling you, if they’re playing a home game here next week, I don’t want to say it’s been a successful season, but it’s it has come from the ashes of despair to at least put the thing back together, to keep hardball his job and keep Eric his job. And we played a home game. I saw they were serving ads in the middle of football all day for plenty of tickets available. And I’m like, they don’t have a game but, and they’re playing these ads, but I’d say for the franchise to be playing a game next week, big picture, freaking purple miracle of the new year, and you and I are going to Pittsburgh expecting to witness it, right?
Luke Jones 11:58
Literally, yeah. I mean, you always want to win rather than lose. And that’s, I mean, there was talk in Cleveland about that. Some of the players were asked about that. As far as you know, this time of year, you know, the raiders and the Giants played, for example. And there’s all the talk about the number one pick, or top five pick, top 10 pick, etc. But players and coaches aren’t wired that way. The front office might think that way a little bit. Fans certainly think that way. But Cleveland, Pittsburgh was a perfect example of, you know, a Browns team that, first of all, miles Garrett going for the record. I thought it was interesting to hear his comments and some of the post game commentary that it it felt like Pittsburgh was almost more just focused on Garrett not sacking Rogers that. It’s like they forgot that. Oh, you actually still need to be able to make some plays in the process, which, you know, it’s kind of counterintuitive, because clearly miles, Garrett sacking the quarterback prohibits you from doing anything offensively. But I kind of understood where he was coming from, because
Nestor Aparicio 13:00
it blew my mind when they threw that, that flare on fourth and one down in the end zone,
Luke Jones 13:04
about when they ran, how about they’re running the ball like on third and five and then they punted for midfield. I mean, like, what is that? I mean, you’ve heard me talk about Mike Tomlin a lot when it comes to in game, hunt, not pot, punt, throw, not throw in certain situations. I mean, I think he for all the great that he is as a head coach, that is an area that has really cost them. Dude, he might be getting fired Monday morning if they’re booing Renegade, you and I are there to witness it. On Sunday, they choke away the division. I mean, keep in mind they had a lead in December last year in this division and and you know that one for me was the Ravens also bowed up and really took it from them big time. But I mean, that division was locked up. I mean, what the Ravens were 5% 7% 10% whatever, whatever Analytics site you you’ve subscribed to, as far as you know, your your your belief and probability and whatnot. But I mean, that’s pretty wild. I mean, it absolutely is to lose to a three and 12 football team the way they did. I mean, for all the talk, all the complaining about John Harbaugh and the Ravens beating themselves and blowing fourth quarter leads, it’s a short list of teams they’ve lost to that have been that bad, right? I mean, even the browns, typically, when the Browns have beaten them, it’s, you know, either the Ravens have been banged up or the Browns have been a slightly better version of themselves. It’s not often, like I said that stat where the Steelers are oh four and one again in their last five games against the team that was eight games or more, under 500 I mean, that’s, that’s wild. I mean that that says a lot. I mean, that’s why they
Nestor Aparicio 14:47
didn’t get the ball to gain well, at any point at the end of the game, when he’s their best player, you know? I mean, he’s just our best player, literally, and like, I’m, I’m blown. Way by that. And I think there’ll be something different on Sunday night in regard to how they’re going to have to use him, and you and I are going to do X’s and O’s and Jimmy’s and Joe’s as we we get into 2026 here and go to Pittsburgh. But, I mean, I don’t even know where to start, like, there’s the Green Bay game, there’s the running of Derek Henry, there has been the crucification of John Harbaugh that if they go to Pittsburgh and somehow lose Derek Henry and run the ball, or the kicker misses a kick, or, I don’t even know what can go wrong on Sunday night, because it feels like the winds blowing in the purple direction, right. Everything went right for the Ravens for an hour on Saturday night, and everything went wrong for the Steelers for an hour of football on Sunday called three hours, but it’s an hour football. You may just a small sample size, and Pittsburgh doesn’t have very good players. Dude like, I mean, I keep going back to that, the Ravens have zay flowers over there, and what used to be Mark Andrews over there. What is Derek Henry here? And what is Patrick record there? And what is the promise of linderbaum and rosengarden and Ronnie Stanley got good players. I mean, I correct me if I’m wrong. And then there’s roquan Smith making tackles and Marlon Humphrey and a number one in Wiggins and a number one in Starks. And like Steelers, best player, like on the field the other night might have been Patrick queen, and he was our player. We gave him away. We didn’t want him. So, like, I don’t, I look at the Steelers and think about what a 37 year old version of Cameron Hayward, or whatever the hell it is, and like, where they’re playing watts, not on the field for them, I the Metcalf thing. You’re as always, dead on, spot on about that being crippling for them, and it certainly felt like it crippled the playbook for them late in the game when, and I know it was brought up even on Sunday night football and all that about the three plays into the corner and trying the corner back and but I don’t know. Man, the fact that this game exists this week, shame on the Steelers, sure.
Luke Jones 17:03
I mean, and good for the browns, right? Who also went to social media, made it clear that they weren’t doing it for the ravens, which is kind of a funny back and forth, but, I mean, it’s, it’s the NFL. I mean, for everything you just said, Pittsburgh has a better record than the Ravens right now. I mean, like so and I think it’s, I mean, they, they have good players. I mean, let’s, let’s not oversimplify this thing. But at the same time, I think you look at the reality of where they are, Metcalf’s not playing. Darnell Washington fractured his forearm. I assume he’s not playing unless it’s the tiniest hairline fracture, and he’s gonna put a cast on his gonna catch a ball with a broken arm. Well, I mean, they miss his blocking big time too. I mean, you know, you’re talking about a 300 pound tight end, and you know, I mentioned, you know what Sunday night football, you know Florio being on there, and his reporting on TJ watt was, it’s, it’s a long shot that he’s going to play on Sunday night. So not, not to say that they don’t have other edge guys. I mean, Alex Highsmith, we’ve seen him make plays against the ravens, for example. But so they’re not devoid of good players, but when you look at what they are lacking right now at the wide receiver position, it’s wild. I was thinking back as I watched that game. It was striking to me that 10 years ago, 15 years ago, what did we always talk about in terms of comparing the ravens to the Steelers? The Steelers always had good wide receivers. They would have, you know, Mike Wallace, Antonio Brown, Emmanuel Sanders, go down the list. I mean, they would have a solid they’d bring in a solid wide receiver via the draft, just like several years. I mean, well, that’s going way back, but, yeah, in the Tomlin era, but, but, and the Ravens would always be bringing in the next veteran player that that they’re trying to squeeze another year times it was their guy, like Wallace, but, but you look at it, and not to say that the ravens are amazing at the wide receiver position, but
Nestor Aparicio 18:58
I saw the Marcus Robinson catching balls, and I’m like, Holy hell, still in the league. Look at that man, Devin DuVernay Brochet, was going, like, literally, all within 20 minutes on Sunday. And I’m like,
Luke Jones 19:10
wow, yeah. I mean, that’s not to say that most of those guys you mentioned are Rashad
Nestor Aparicio 19:15
Perryman, still in the league too. I know.
Luke Jones 19:19
Here’s check what making plays still for the 40 Niners all these years later, which, by the way, that Sunday night game was fantastic. I mean, that’s where I look at that, and I see that kind of game being played. And that’s where I say, I don’t know if the Ravens really have a shot at the Super Bowl. Like ravens aren’t playing games like that with teams, but, but hey, you give them credit for what they did. I mean, the good thing is, Derek Henry ran a career high 36 times, and he’s got an extra day to to recover here, right? Because they played Saturday night and they’re going to play Sunday night. Because even Derek Henry, when you’re talking about a career high for carries, you need to take it easy on him this week and let him recover and and be at his absolute best. But, but, yeah, I think, think about this. If the Ravens had been the team that was two games up going into week 17, and was in a position where a Steelers loss, or a Ravens win over the browns, or whatever lousy team you want to put into that position, if the Ravens had, if this had been flipped, you know that no one be been would be talking about winning in week 18. They’d be talking about firing whoever they want to fire, right? I mean, that’s how it is. And look, Pittsburgh fans have every right to be ticked off about what happened on Sunday. That was pathetic, how they how their offense played. So, I mean, it’s, yeah, you look at this thing on paper. I mean, Vegas is back on the Ravens bandwagon. I mean, not
Nestor Aparicio 20:41
that they ever really tried to be today, not even as an optimist, but as a realist, sure, evaluating on it. All they do is gamble. You and I never talk about gambling on this stuff, because we know better. But like, if I were gambling on it, and they’re a long shot, I can make a case in a lot of ways for the Ravens right now, aside from Lamar and contusion and his ability to play next week, that if they could survive this week and they get a home game against Houston,
Luke Jones 21:11
I’d rather play on the road. This team has been terrible at home. They’ve won five straight road games. I say I obviously, I say it in jest, but well, you’re
Nestor Aparicio 21:20
getting, you’re getting a Texas team into a cold environment here, whatever.
Luke Jones 21:25
Nestor, I’m just, I hate to cut you off, but like they’ve got to make it on Sunday night. Like, let’s not act like, let’s not do what everyone did back in August, which was crowned the Ravens of Super Bowl champions, like they’ve got to go win. Like, I hear what you’re saying. For me, it’s not at all about the ravens and it’s all about the rest of the AFC, if you, if you’re going to talk in those terms, I mean, like, I’ve got to see them go do it like they
Nestor Aparicio 21:52
I mean, it’s one thing to sit here and defecate upon teams that have won 1213, games and say, well, they’re Jacksonville, or their Denver, or their quarterback hasn’t done this, but there is a point where this team was designed to play and win these games. And they went to Green Bay the other night, and they had an NFL head coach twice at halftime and again in the post game. Say, we got big Boyd. They big Boyd an NFC team on the road the other with their freaking backup quarterback. So that being said, I’m not leapfrogging them beating Pittsburgh. We’re going to spend the whole week, but I’m trying to say is beating Pittsburgh worthless to some degree to be the division champ, because you’re just a tick above 500 at nine and eight, and you’ve had a rough go, and your quarterback’s been hurt, and you got all sorts of excuses about this and that, because they you know, I, I’m not living in September or October when it’s January, right? New it’s a new year. You even get my planet fitness hat. I got to do that. Get to get my funny hat out for you, because I got, I got it up here, but it’s a new year. I’m going to wear it in the next segment, because we’re going to be talking about this all week. But I week. But, I mean, if they’re looking for a fresh start, and it starts with a home game against a dome team that hasn’t ever won anything, now they, I mean, listen, I’m, I’m on a Texans bandwagon for their defense. See it coming in here? I’m a Damico Ryan’s guy. I’ve become a CJ Stroud believer. I mean, they will be better with a route they better with Derek Henry. But I said that about this outfit before, and now that this outfit has Derek Henry, the fans are uppity. Harbaugh got his whatever he got in the I mean, they won the game and all people could talk about what an idiot The coach was for losing the week before because he didn’t do it like literally, that’s what I got out of horrible so I think the world’s coming around to the fact that, you know, he might not be the genius he’s purported to be. But that being said, I fully expect to drive back from Pittsburgh Monday morning with him being the division champ and seeing Pittsburgh in the rear view mirror on fire with Mike Tomlin in the middle of it, you know, literally, because Aaron Rodgers is going to lose his job either way. So you know, for me, if the Ravens go up there and lose, well, we’ll have a long, long time to talk about that, but they better win. And if they win, do they really have any chance of punching a little bit here, making it interesting, and going to Jacksonville in two weeks, or going to Denver. And you said, New England, New England, all right, you know. I mean, go up there and play, you know, and see if the defense moves, and see, and see if Lamar has got his his swivel back in a little bit. But I know one thing, you got Derek, Henry, and you got some weapons, and you got a backup quarterback that, quite frankly, looks a lot more capable than he looked five years ago. And I don’t just mean his smile and his demeanor just looks like a like Tyrod Taylor did when he got out of here in year seven, and when he knew what he was doing, because he. Hanging out and Snoop had a chance to play play playoff games, you know? I mean, I did. I give that kid a boatload of credit, a boat, man,
Luke Jones 25:10
I played Tyler Huntley more than most for years now. I mean, I think you have to understand what he is. He’s a backup quarterback in this system. He’s a backup quarterback. And let’s be clear, I’ve seen some of the some of it on social media and its silliness. If Lamar Jackson’s healthy, of course, you want Lamar Jackson out there, and Lamar Jackson has way more upside. Lamar Jackson throws the ball way better than Tyler Huntley. I mean, if you notice, Tyler Huntley doesn’t push the ball down the field. I mean, he doesn’t really have the capability. He doesn’t really have the arm. Now, I think his shoulders healthier than it was a few years ago, when he literally was on the injury report with a bad shoulder. But Tyler Huntley is the epitome of a perfect understudy for Lamar Jackson, and the epitome of, in my opinion, is what you want in a backup quarterback, which is if your starter is going to miss an unspecified, but still relatively short period of time. He gives you a chance to win a couple your starter
Nestor Aparicio 26:08
is missing week 17 after you’ve been getting your ass kicked and you have to go to Green Bay and win on national television and play well enough to do that. Check, check all the way through check. I mean, for me, after seeing where the kid came from five years ago, that’s I mean, I mean, I we aren’t even debating whether Lamar is going to play on Sunday night, as to its relevance for their potentiality of winning. We think they can go to Pittsburgh, currently, given all Pittsburgh’s issues, and win with the backup quarterback, with the season on the line, they do that’s, that’s balls out. I don’t know that we would have said that three years ago, or felt that way even in Cincinnati, when they were on the goal line with a chance to win and after having witnessed it, you know, a couple of years ago. But, you know, I look they’re not winning the Super Bowl with Snoop, right? For all the points you brought up about not pushing the ball down the field, you don’t have to push the ball down to feel if you’re in second and two all day, because you’re getting eight yards on first down. Sure, literally, right? I mean,
Luke Jones 27:13
that’s what they that’s what they did Saturday night. I mean, it’s, you know, if the formula is going to be that Derek Henry carries it 35 times a game, and that continues to work, then, okay, I think, I think a team like Houston might be able to stop that enough, enough that you’re forced into getting out of
Nestor Aparicio 27:32
that well, then your defense has to make a play, go get the ball,
Luke Jones 27:35
of course, of course. But, you know, yeah, can they win with Tyler Huntley in Pittsburgh? Of course, they can. I mean, Pittsburgh’s not that good. I mean, this is what I keep coming back to this. You know that this crown is for the least mediocre team, you know, the least bad team, right?
Nestor Aparicio 27:48
You know, telling me that, because I want to drive up there, if you don’t tell me, the stakes aren’t large. That’s what I keep telling you. They are mediocre teams. They’re lousy. They’re all of that. One of them’s going to have a game next week. It better be the ravens, for John’s sake, like all of that, and totally
Luke Jones 28:03
agree with that. I mean, they should win. I I’m probably picking the ravens to win because of what I said. No, I don’t have much belief in the Ravens. I have less belief in the Steelers even, which, again, that’s where I am with these two teams, specifically. But that said I’m also not going to sit here with bravado about it, because I know the history of this rivalry and how many times we’ve seen I mean, the Ravens last year, they were better than Pittsburgh. They went to Pittsburgh and lost two years ago. They were better than Pittsburgh. They went there and lost three years ago. They went there with Tyler Huntley and then Anthony Brown playing quarterback, and they won right. Didn’t think you’re going to get a Anthony Brown reference in this segment.
Nestor Aparicio 28:45
Josh Johnson throw the ball this weekend, right? 2021
Luke Jones 28:49
Lamar was healthy and played in that game, and they lost, right? I mean, so to sit here and act like I have any idea what’s going to happen. I mean, I’m, I’m done acting like I know what’s going to happen. I mean, I’m going to pick up a winner and a loser the rest of the way, just because we do that, and it’s, you know, it’s for entertainment purposes. I’m not asking, not telling anyone to bet based off of what Luke Jones thinks about.
Nestor Aparicio 29:11
If you took my five star selection this weekend, you would have been a winner.
Luke Jones 29:15
Yeah, yeah, yeah. But, but, you know, that’s why I’m so reluctant to even look ahead, because Lucy’s pulled the ball away from Charlie Brown a lot this year when it comes to the Baltimore Ravens
Nestor Aparicio 29:27
well, and that happening on the sacred confluence of Pittsburgh. I mean, come on, Sunday night records aren’t going to matter. I hate to be Jim Nancy and all that where you can say that, right? I mean, like, yeah, there’s no reason I’m getting in the car and just going up and having the spirit of the whole thing while you walk in and represent our company. It there. There is something very poetic about this season, because there have been plenty of 11 and fives and 12 and fours that have slobber knocked up there. There have been plenty of Heinz wards and, you know, Ray Lewis’s and Ben. Roethlisbergers And, you know, Ed reads and like all of that, the stakes for this are big. The reward is a home game next week and a passageway to making it a successful season as opposed to a dismal failure, which is what it will be for either one of these teams. And you talk about the Charlie Brown thing, this team was supposed to win the Super Bowl, and they looked the part until 10 minutes into the third quarter of the first night, and then it all fell apart, and then it all came back, and then it fell apart, came back, fell apart, then the quarterback and the quarterback, and is the quarterback playing in the quarterback, and there still can be upright playing a home game next week in a playoff environment with, as you and I have debated over the last two or three years, a running back that at least can show up and give them a fighting chance of getting 10 yards if they give them the ball four times in a row. Maybe, yeah, you know, if they could do anything, right? Because if they can’t do that consistently for five drives in the first half to do anything, they’re not going to do much of anything anyway. And I don’t know that Lamar is going to be fully healthy. Oh, you know, I mean, two weeks from now is a long time to me, and then that’s when he really needs to be healthy. If they can survive this this week, and you’re going to keep going back to they got to win this week, and I’m 100% with you, but I saw that trash with the Steelers, and I’m like, what is that? And to your point, once the purple shows up up there, the ghosts rain down. The wind blows a certain way. Yeah, it stranger. Things have happened. Then a Steelers team that embarrassed itself against the Cleveland Browns would somehow man up, and Aaron Rodgers, with his career on the line, and Mike Tomlin and Renegade and the interesting dude right now, as we get in here, when they when they play Renegade, what’s the weather in Pittsburgh, that moment When Renegades played at 1015, 11, three, or whatever, like, what, what does the game look like, and how does it play out? Sloppy, yeah. I mean, that’s it, right.
Luke Jones 32:11
We’re gonna see how they do stop and Derek Henry, right? I mean, they, they did not do that at all last year in December and January and the two, two times they played now those, both of those games were in Baltimore, and we’re going to see if they do a better job of it. I mean, when they, when these teams played back in, what was it week 14, Derrick Henry, 25 carries, 94 yards. I mean, not it, not a bad game, but not at a game where he took over.
Nestor Aparicio 32:39
It’s containing him. Yeah, 25 carries for 94 yards, and Snoop Huntley is the quarterback. On Sunday night, they lost the game, 23 to 17 like that, that if they’re not
Luke Jones 32:54
making a mistake and score 23 points at this point, unless, unless they’re turning, you know, unless the Ravens turn the ball over, unless there’s a special teams play, which, there can be those types of things, right? We’ve seen that.
Nestor Aparicio 33:04
We’ve also seen this team make huge, huge mistakes. Sure we can go through. Derek, Henry, fumble, Andrews, Lamar, like all snow, Snoop gave a playoff game away at the goal line. So like all of these guys, have had the Ypsi, Ypsi ipsies in big moments. And, I mean, I saw roquan Smith and Kyle Hamilton begin to gain point at each other in Lambeau Field the internet. I’m like, well, that’s not a good sign,
Luke Jones 33:31
you know? I mean, they gave up 8.3 yards per play against the
Nestor Aparicio 33:35
Packers like quarterback it was,
Luke Jones 33:38
by the way, Malik, Malik Willis, he’s gonna get money, and he’s gonna be playing somewhere next year. He he can play. It’s wild. What a commentary on the state of the Tennessee Titans, when they had Malik Willis in their building and had no showed no ability to develop him whatsoever, because he looked bad as a Titan, and they had Derek Henry in their building, and yet, Derrick Henry’s running against the Packers, and Malik Willis is making plays against the Ravens on Saturday night. So hey, they
Nestor Aparicio 34:08
had Mike Raybould in their building too. And I’m just, you
Luke Jones 34:14
know, like, I mean, they might be the worst organization in the league at this point. I don’t know. The Raiders, by the way, they have
Nestor Aparicio 34:19
the worst jerseys in the league now too. I looked at them like they’re wearing that they’re wearing the oiler blue, but I looked at it and they got those weird sort of Athenian design, like looking things with the numbers. And I looked at him, I’m like, my god, they don’t even dread No wonder they wear the Oilers throwbacks. Look at these things.
Luke Jones 34:38
Yeah, yeah, yeah. But, but, but, to bring it back to, I mean, what we saw Saturday night. I mean, the Ravens defense was horrible on Saturday night. I mean, absolutely terrible. They made, they made the fourth down stop. What else
Nestor Aparicio 34:50
you’re making your own case for gain well, and Rogers on Sunday night. But, well, the
Luke Jones 34:54
problem is, if you think back to when these teams played in week 14, who was huge in that game? Them. DK Metcalf, seven catches, 148 yards. I mean, caught the long ball in the very first play that set the tone right for Pittsburgh’s first offensive play. So that said, if the Ravens play past defense like they did on Saturday night against Pittsburgh, now doesn’t mean I think the Steelers are going to hang 30 points on them, let’s be clear. But I mean, you still have to cover guys. I mean, I know it’s Scotty Miller and it’s Valdez scantling, and you still You can’t let guys run down the field uncovered and I mean, that was a bad performance by the Ravens defense on Saturday night. I mean, Nate Wiggins. I mean, man for for as great as he looked the especially the first half of the season. And, you know, he hasn’t been as good down the stretch, but, man, he was really bad on him. But that said, I will also give Malik Willis credit. He threw some absolute times too. So can Aaron Rogers do that? Well, I mean, the Ravens don’t have a miles Garrett bearing down on him, right? So that’s, that’s going to be the big part there. But yeah. I mean, you go back to trying to size this thing up, and putting aside the weird Steelers, black magic, kind of voodoo, kind of weird things that happen in this game, and the Ravens, for that matter. I mean, Pittsburgh will tell you, the Ravens have had some weird things go their way at different times when they’ve won games. But if you’re just trying to look at the personnel, the players on the field, the x’s and the O’s, yeah, I kind of look at Pittsburgh right now, and I’m really wondering how they’re going to move the football consistently. I mean, it’s just they weren’t. They’re not a juggernaut with DK Metcalf, but you take him out of that equation, they’re right back to where they were last year when Pickens was hurt, right? I mean, that’s what’s kind of wild to me, that they made the they made that Metcalf trade, you know, they acquired him, and then you turn around and you trade Pickens, which was fine in a vacuum, and if you say, Well, we think he’s kind of, you know, we can’t trust him. He’s not dependable. He’s kind of a loose cannon. He’s a diva. All the things you hear about receivers that have that kind of personality
Nestor Aparicio 37:02
went into the stands in Detroit like, I
Luke Jones 37:06
mean, that’s why the memes going around that the MVP of the Baltimore Ravens is that Detroit fan. You know, you’re seeing a picture of him. I mean, that that’s what we’re talking about. But that said they never, they don’t really have a number two wide receiver. I mean, I guess Calvin Austin, I guess. I mean, he’s not great, but he’s hurt also, whether, whether he’s going to play. He was out with a hamstring, so they’re in a bad way. I mean, they really are in terms of their pass catchers right now. I mean, they are going to have to, you mentioned gain? Well, obviously, Jalen Warren can catch the ball out of the backfield as well, but they didn’t run the ball against the Ravens in the first meeting. You know that that they won. So are they gonna be able to run the ball at all? And for me, you’re really, you look at Jonah Smith and Pat fryer move. I mean, those are the guys that I I think they’re going to have to try to, you know, kind of have anchor their passing game. And, I mean, that’s they’re not bad players. Let me, let me be
Nestor Aparicio 38:01
clear, but Adam Thielen catches a 13 yard touchdown pass with two minutes and two seconds left to go, and Renegade comes on, and, you know, they’re down four points or whatever. Like, none of that would shock me, and I think we’ll spend the whole week talking about how bad Pittsburgh looked on Sunday, right, and how good the Derrick Henry thing looked, how capable Snoop look, how incapable the defense looks. But I keep going back to the defense and saying, Well, they’re mainly healthy. Matt a BK aside, and I know that’s you know, but um, and I’ll be Buchanan too, but I look at it and I see what happened to the lions at the end of the year, where the Steelers are without, what with, you know, I look at some teams here that are just the Packers were playing a shell. They had four starters out on defense. Really bad. Yeah, yeah. I mean defense so, so part of Derrick Henry running these safeties over is these guys. They don’t want them in the game. I mean, and the Ravens have been a benefactor of that. But that being said, Lamar and I, look, listen, I’m not going to talk about the Ravens good fortune and elf, when their $50 million quarterback is, yeah, I mean, it’s the story of the season. I mean, we beat him off at this point as being playing, and we haven’t talked about, what if Lamar plays? If, if Lamar, Lamar plays, they should win 40 to 14, right?
Luke Jones 39:26
Literally, I would say, if Lamar plays, the game plan should still be, run Derrick Henry and run Derrick Henry and run Derek Henry, right? I mean, the the only you know, the caveat, would be, and this goes back to snoop Huntley, I mean, and this isn’t that Huntley is better at this than Lamar, but right now, he it feels like he is in terms of he ran. I mean, he he ran eight times for 60 yards. When’s the last time Lamar did that, beginning of the season, right? I mean, that’s, it’s been a long time since we’ve seen Lamar Jackson physically be that guy, right? Since like to be able to
Nestor Aparicio 39:58
capably pull that. That off. Let’s just talk about any quarterback, even in the modern era, eight rushes for 60 yards. Josh Allen doesn’t do that. I mean, you know, like most, 98% of the quarterbacks in the 99 in the history of the league, that’s an outlier number for Steve Grogan, for Steve Young, for Randall cunning, for anybody you think Steve McNair, who ran a little bit Cordell Stewart, maybe, you know, he ran out of the slot. But like, that’s a huge part of the equation of what this was going to look like to be successful. That to your point, Lamar was missing that for weeks and weeks and weeks. And weeks, and I don’t know that Lamar is ever going to be that guy again over 17, or should be that guy over this year at the very least. I mean, again, why is he ages too where, which becomes the reality of an eight year veteran now and negotiating with his mother, and when Mike Florio says there’s no buffer and there’s no spokesperson, when Mike Preston wants to write a takedown piece for Lamar that somebody inside the organization gives him a hot take that that he could put out last week to get his clicks. We always get accused of getting clicks. I can’t even give Mike Preston clicks. It’s a paywall, and I wouldn’t give him clicks anyway. But all that being said, the fact that this thing was Team Turmoil a minute and a half ago, and the quarterback who’s still hurt, who probably won’t play this week that we’re writing off and not even talking about, will become the biggest story, no matter what happens if they lose this week or next week or the week after that. You’re convinced they’re not winning the Super Bowl, I’m not yet, but they’re going to lose at some point, and the big story is going to move to the quarterback and to the money, and to the fact that he doesn’t have any, and the all the things that were in the news over the weekend, as well as if they somehow lose on Sunday night and they don’t run Lamar Derek, Henry enough, or he fumbles, or whatever happens, Harbaugh will be the village idiot on Monday morning, in a general sense that they should have won the Division. They should have had it wrapped. I don’t know, but you should have, could have, would if you don’t go to Pittsburgh and win this week, you know, and renegades playing in the wrong direction on Sunday night, and you and I are up early in Monroeville doing radio on Monday morning, and somehow, the Ravens aren’t the one hosting The Saturday night game against the CJ Stroud there. It feels optimistic this week, and I’m willing to live on that. You know, sure, I’m willing to eat on the optimism, because we’ve had plenty of the other but I’m dude, if this goes wrong on Sunday night, when they’re supposed to win, even with the backup quarterback, or if Lamar plays and loses, my God, you know, Lamar has got nothing to gain by coming back to making the playoffs, but especially if he’s hurt. So I
Luke Jones 42:47
Oh, he’s hurt. I mean, let’s let’s not. He’s too hard to play. I’m sure, sure, yeah, yeah. I mean, look, it comes down to this. It’s very this. This is simplistic, but it doesn’t mean it’s not true. If you lose on Sunday night, there’s no way that you can in any way classify this as a successful season if they win on Sunday night. I’m not fixes almost everything to me. No, I’m not going that far. It depends how bad they lose to Houston next week. You know their eventual My point is, I’m not lowering the bar to say that winning a division at nine and eight is a successful season, but you still have an opportunity to turn it into a successful season.
Nestor Aparicio 43:24
Dude off to be at 9% last week and trailing your ass to Green Bay with a backup quarterback, and then having the Browns do their business for you, and then all you have to do is go to Pittsburgh and win this week. That’s all you have to do. You couldn’t beat him two weeks ago, but that’s all you have to do is go to Pittsburgh and win on the road this week,
Luke Jones 43:43
and then they need to do more after that if I’m going to call it a successful season. I mean, I’m just, I’m not lowering the bar to say that it’s successful if they win the division at nine and eight.
Nestor Aparicio 43:51
I mean, if they beat Houston by a Pinky Winky next week and they go to Jackson, then we can start somehow by the team that’s going to be the Super Bowl team. I mean, this
Luke Jones 44:01
kind of goes back to where were we at the beginning of the season? I mean, everyone was Super Bowl or bust.
Nestor Aparicio 44:06
We’re not there now. Well, we’re just not, but, but how?
Luke Jones 44:10
But how much do you lower the bar, then, is my question. You know what I mean, like, how much are you it’s kind of like talking about the Orioles, like, okay, they they started 16 and 34 if they had finished 500 would we have deemed it a successful season? I don’t know.
Nestor Aparicio 44:22
It’s like, I look at the bills and I think they cannot win the Super Bowl right now, just based on quarterback with a bad wheel. Just all like all their Juju feels bad. I mean, I think
Luke Jones 44:34
it’s laughable to write off Buffalo and say the ravens to write off buffalo now, and to say that the rave you’re not writing the Ravens off now. I mean,
Nestor Aparicio 44:43
what’s Buffalo’s record? Writing the Ravens off because they could get a home game next week. I wouldn’t even write the Stevens off. The ravens are three
Luke Jones 44:50
and six at home this year. I’d rather, I’d rather the Ravens play on the road. One of the reasons I actually like, you know, another reason I like their chances a little bit better. On Sunday nights they. Been a better road team. They’ve been bad at home this year.
Nestor Aparicio 45:03
I don’t know why. Damn towels come out about 812 on Sunday night, and we have the backup.
Luke Jones 45:09
Everyone was yelling, Go, pack, go, pack, go on Saturday night, and it didn’t seem to stop. Derek Henry, so yeah, well, let’s
Nestor Aparicio 45:15
take a break. We got plenty to talk about here. Luke is here. He will be there in Owings Mills. He will be in Pittsburgh on Sunday night. I will be driving him to Pittsburgh and dropping him off at the front door and waving to him, and then driving home. We Happy New Year everyone. Hope everybody had a great holiday. It was a wonderful leftover weekend of pretty decent football to sit around and whatever drama that you want to get out of the NFL for all the time and energy we put into it and all the belt buckles I’ve been collecting lately, at least, we’ve squeezed some juice out of this thing. Moving into the new year, I am Nestor. He is Luke. We got plenty ahead. We’re Baltimore positive. Stay with us.
