The Ravens defense has made major strides since being the worst unit in the league through the first month of the season. Luke Jones and Nestor discuss the additions of Alohi Gilman and Dre’Mont Jones and better health and an emerging young core that has allowed the Ravens to put four wins in a row together to get back to .500, as the Jets and Bengals visit Baltimore next week.
Luke Jones and Nestor Aparicio discussed the Baltimore Ravens’ defensive improvement and recent wins. They highlighted the contributions of defensive players like Chidobe Awuzie, who has performed well despite a rocky start and injuries. The conversation also touched on the Ravens’ upcoming games against the Jets and Bengals, expressing optimism about their defensive performance. They noted the team’s recent four-game winning streak and the need for offensive line improvements. The discussion also covered the potential for young defensive players like Malaki Starks and Teddy Buchanan to make impact plays in the future.
Ravens’ Recent Victories and Upcoming Games
- Nestor Aparicio discusses the Ravens’ recent victories, mentioning their 5-5 record and the upcoming game against the Jets.
- Nestor highlights the Maryland crab cake tour and the Maryland lottery scratch-offs, noting the excitement of seeing $20 winners.
- The conversation touches on the Thanksgiving week schedule, including two games in five days.
- Nestor expresses optimism about the Ravens’ performance, despite a near-fatal experience in Cleveland.
Defensive Improvement and Key Players
- Luke Jones discusses the defensive improvement, mentioning the signing of Jair Alexander and Adobe Woozi in June.
- Luke highlights the contributions of Nate Wiggins and Adobe Woozi, noting their solid performances despite injuries.
- The conversation covers the impact of Marlon Humphrey’s injury and the emergence of Adobe Woozi as a key player.
- Luke credits Eric DeCosta for the signing of Adobe Woozi, despite the disappointing performances of other free agents like Cooper Rush and Jair Alexander.
Challenges and Opportunities for the Defense
- Luke Jones talks about the challenges faced by the defense, including the absence of key players like Marlon Humphrey.
- The conversation covers the performance of opposing quarterbacks, noting the easier schedule compared to facing top-tier quarterbacks.
- Luke mentions the importance of the defense in recent games, highlighting their role in securing victories.
- The discussion includes the potential challenges ahead, with upcoming games against the Jets and Bengals.
Offensive Line Concerns and Team Performance
- Nestor Aparicio and Luke Jones discuss the offensive line’s performance, expressing concerns about its ability to hold up against tougher opponents.
- The conversation touches on the Ravens’ potential to win the Super Bowl, with Nestor expressing confidence in their ability to do so.
- Luke highlights the importance of the defense in the Ravens’ recent success, noting their improvement over the past few weeks.
- The discussion includes the potential impact of upcoming games against the Jets and Bengals, with Nestor expressing optimism about the team’s performance.
Dynamic Players and Future Prospects
- Luke Jones discusses the dynamic players on the defense, including Kyle Hamilton and Draymond Jones.
- The conversation covers the potential for young players like Malachi Starks and Teddy Buchanan to make impact plays.
- Luke highlights the importance of the defense in the Ravens’ success, noting their role in securing victories.
- The discussion includes the potential challenges ahead, with upcoming games against tougher opponents.
Special Teams and Game-Changing Plays
- Luke Jones talks about the special teams’ performance, noting their better performance compared to last year.
- The conversation covers a key play in a recent game, highlighting the importance of game-changing moments.
- Luke mentions the role of the defense in securing victories, noting their contributions in recent games.
- The discussion includes the potential challenges ahead, with upcoming games against the Jets and Bengals.
Team Dynamics and Player Development
- Nestor Aparicio and Luke Jones discuss the team dynamics, noting the importance of player development and performance.
- The conversation covers the potential for young players to emerge and make impact plays.
- Luke highlights the importance of the defense in the Ravens’ success, noting their role in securing victories.
- The discussion includes the potential challenges ahead, with upcoming games against tougher opponents.
Impact of Injuries and Player Rotation
- Luke Jones discusses the impact of injuries on the defense, noting the importance of player rotation and depth.
- The conversation covers the potential for young players to step up and fill key roles.
- Luke highlights the importance of the defense in the Ravens’ success, noting their role in securing victories.
- The discussion includes the potential challenges ahead, with upcoming games against tougher opponents.
Offensive Line Improvement and Team Strategy
- Nestor Aparicio and Luke Jones discuss the offensive line’s improvement, noting the importance of consistent performance.
- The conversation covers the team’s strategy in recent games, highlighting the role of the defense in securing victories.
- Luke mentions the potential for the offense to improve, noting the importance of player development and performance.
- The discussion includes the potential challenges ahead, with upcoming games against tougher opponents.
Future Outlook and Team Goals
- Nestor Aparicio and Luke Jones discuss the future outlook for the Ravens, noting the importance of continued improvement and performance.
- The conversation covers the team’s goals for the rest of the season, including potential playoff runs and Super Bowl aspirations.
- Luke highlights the importance of the defense in the Ravens’ success, noting their role in securing victories.
- The discussion includes the potential challenges ahead, with upcoming games against tougher opponents.
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
Ravens defense, Jair Alexander, Adobe Woozi, Marlon Humphrey, Nate Wiggins, Kyle Hamilton, Eric DeCosta, Lamar Jackson, offensive line, special teams, playoff contender, Super Bowl potential, defensive improvement, quarterback performance, injury impact.
SPEAKERS
Nestor Aparicio, Luke Jones
Nestor Aparicio 00:02
Welcome home. We are W, N, S, T, am 1570 Towson, Baltimore. We are Baltimore, positive. It is a another victory week here. We’re mediocre. We’re 500 the Jets are coming, and who knows. Luke Jones will be here all week long. We’re going to be there on the Maryland crab cake tour. I’ve Raven scratch offs to give away. It’s been a lucky batch. Love seeing $20 winners and people dancing and getting all happy. We’re going to be getting happy in some new places in December, going back to some old places and great friends of ours for a cup of soup or bowl in early February. Be talking more about that as we get up onto it. But it is a Thanksgiving, long Thanksgiving week here. We got two games in five days next week, one of them here on the the aftermath of dinner, save me a slice of pumpkin pie, please. But we have a real football season, Luke, and at one in five, you know, it was us being optimistic, and the Vegas community’s optimistic, and Lamar coming back was being optimistic and all of that. I know we’re going to beat him up. I know we’re going to talk about how it was a near fatal experience in Cleveland on Sunday afternoon, but it wasn’t. And you know, there were certainly some signs of life, certainly for the secondary night, it’s hard for me to judge it when you’re playing such an awful quarterback, or set of quarterbacks, in the case of the browns on Sunday, below the bar, doesn’t begin to talk about that, but in saying that there were some shining moments for this team,
Luke Jones 01:36
there were, and it’s been that way for the defense For a while now, they certainly been trending up. And I said to you, as we were kind of getting ready to begin this segment, there was a guy that I mentioned to you that we haven’t talked about, maybe we’ve mentioned a couple times in passing, really, since mid June, I would say, from the time that the Ravens signed Jair Alexander, the fact that they signed Adobe Woozi, a in, I think it was late March, so one year, $1.255 million contract, you know, basically a vet, minimum kind of deal, a guy who had gotten a nice payday in Tennessee and injuries and, you know, which has kind of been the story of his career, a lot like Jair Alexander, but he was kind of forgotten from that point, almost to the point where he was, want to say, discarded, but was someone that was not on the radar. You know, everyone talked about, obviously, Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins and and Jair Alexander coming over from Green Bay and all that quietly, Adobe Woozi ace had a really solid year for them. And it’s been interesting, because going back to June, when Alexander arrives, you’re kind of thinking, okay, who’s probably going to be, you know, the number four corner. And then obviously we saw how training camp played out, and who’s he a was banged up in training camp, just like Jair Alexander was, but the season starts and Woozi a was playing, and we know that their defense, collectively wasn’t playing well. But if you go back to the first few weeks of the season, the bright spot was probably Nate Wiggins and a Woozi a on the outside. Then a Woozi A gets hurt in the Kansas City game, played through a hamstring, didn’t play well in that game. Misses a couple games, they pivot to their three safety defense, Marlon Humphrey, moves to the outside, and suddenly a woozy A is a backup. And you know, you’re not not saying that he’s not valuable as far as depth, but you’re kind of not talking about him. Then last week, plays well, make some good plays in that game, and then on Sunday, gets the start with Humphrey out, and go back and look at that third and five play. I mean, that was a touchdown, if he doesn’t have his hand knock that ball out. That was one of the few good passes that should or Sanders threw in that second half. And who’s he makes a big play there. So I wanted to take two minutes, just as we talk about the defense collectively, but for as much as we’ve talked about how much of a flop Jair Alexander was, and, you know, not piling on with him, he stepped away from the Eagles. Who knows if he’s going to play football again? You know, who knows what’s going on with him beyond the physical so not going to belabor that point, but for as disappointing as that signing was, Uzi has been a really nice signing, and I’ll give Eric to Costa credit there, because let’s face it, what we’ve talked about it, we talked about about it a lot leading into the trade deadline. This was not Eric’s finest offseason in terms of you know what they did with the cap resources that they had to sign some outside free agents, you know, with Cooper, Rush and Alexander, but yeah, we’re hoping for better from Mike Elias in the next coming weeks. Well, sure, sure, yeah, but, but a Who’s he? I mean, for a little over a million dollars, they’re happy to have them. I mean, I asked John. And Harbaugh about him last week, and it was funny. It’s one of those times where I basically asked the question, because we knew that Humphrey wasn’t going to play, and you’re thinking, Well, it’d be nice to get a quote on the guy about the guy who’s going to replace him and all that, and hardball flat out, said, Look, he’s played really, really good football for us. And you know, you guys haven’t asked about him a whole lot, and that’s fine, but we’ve noticed how well he’s played so, I mean, that was big for them. I mean, who knows what happens there? I mean, they scored. Does Cleveland go for the win and go for two or, you know, we’re talking about overtime, who knows what’s going to happen? But I just, you know, he’s someone that I’ve mentioned, mentioned in passing, maybe two or three times, but think quietly, he’s played pretty well. And for what it’s worth, you go look at pro football focus grades. And I know people feel a certain way about that. I’m not saying it’s gospel by any stretch of the imagination, but he’s been one of their highest graded defenders this year, you know, according to Pff, so just speaks to what he’s done. And when you’re missing a player like Marlon Humphrey on your defense, even if it is against the browns, that’s not ideal. So a Woozi a to step in and do what he did that was nice to see. I mean, we’ve talked about it, Wiggins. You know, when you’re talking about players on the defense who’ve taken a step forward, Wiggins certainly qualifies for that, in my mind. So, but if starch is on the field, yeah, Starks is playing better, there’s no doubt about that. So you do have guys trending upward, and I think it’s fair to fully acknowledge you played JJ McCarthy last week. You played Dylan Gabriel and shadur Sanders this week, right? I mean, tua is not playing anywhere close to where he was a couple years ago overall, and so, you know, they played him so they they’ve had a more forgiving run of opposing quarterbacks and opposing
Nestor Aparicio 06:41
Tyrod Taylor this week. What are we getting this week here? I don’t know.
Luke Jones 06:44
I mean, just him or Justin fields. I mean, I mean it’s the Jets. Are, you know, Garrett Wilson’s on IR now. I mean, they traded away their two best defensive players
Nestor Aparicio 06:54
at the dead one of the Joe’s 10 days from now, too, right?
Luke Jones 06:57
Yeah, yeah. I mean, that’s that. That’ll be a step, step up. But since you mentioned it, and I know, you know, we’re going to talk about the Ravens defense here, but watching that Pittsburgh, Cincinnati game, I don’t know if Joe’s shoulders healthy. There was not a lot of zip on the ball, and it was windy in Pittsburgh. But as as well as he played the previous game where he had that AC joint shoulder injury, and he still threw for over 400 yards. He didn’t look good throwing the football. And Pittsburgh had something to do with that. I understand that, but that that was just something, you know, since you mentioned Cincinnati and Joe burrow, or Joe, well, they’re around the corner, we’ll see him next week, yeah, I mean, it might be Joe burrow, although at this point, with with the Bengals taking another loss, you know, you start to wonder, I mean, is, is the juice worth the squeeze in terms of burrow trying to come back? Is he going to be anywhere close to 100% all that? But in the meantime, to bring it back to the ravens and this defense, they’re doing exactly what if they wanted to prove everyone wrong that the end of or the beginning of the season was more the aberration. They were better than that. They made adjustments. They got healthier. The Matta BK hole aside, right, which you’re not replacing a player like that easily. They’ve gotten better. And I don’t know if this means they’re a great defense, right? I mean, I don’t know that based on the slate of recent opponents, but it’s certainly way better than it was early in the year, when, I mean, through five games, it was 1996 ravens defense, bad. And you know exactly
Nestor Aparicio 08:30
what that well, this is good enough to beat bad teams. We’ve figured that out.
Luke Jones 08:33
And I would say, I would feel confident enough in saying this is what we’re seeing now, I at least feel it’s more competitive, even against better teams, like, like, I’m not necessarily expecting, as you step up and weight class, that that that means anyone hang 45 points on them either, right? Doesn’t mean they’re going to hold
Nestor Aparicio 08:54
them to have a formidable offense. Other than that. I mean, if Flacco, it burrows back, certainly, yeah, flack goes injury and whatever that is. But, I mean, the Steelers could be shelled themselves without Aaron Rodgers. So, you know, I look at it and say, New England, Green Bay, where they’ll get tested, we’re really tested in weeks, where I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt, they’re going to be favored in all these games, and I expect them to win them.
Luke Jones 09:20
Well, I mean, it’s, yeah, Drake Bay is playing really good football. I mean, I will say that. I mean, that’s a month from now, though, and it is right, exactly. I mean, you’ve got some time, and who knows what’s going to happen. I mean this, I keep
Nestor Aparicio 09:32
waiting for them to look like a playoff team, a better team. Right now they look like still a team with a lot of potential that feels unfulfilled and that there’s some level of disappointment when you’re losing to the freaking browns and you need a miracle fourth in one play from your tight end to run, you know? And at least I’ll give horrible. He lies enough. Least. He was honestly saying, Look, I was just looking to get a yard. I was just looking to keep it driving. I mean. They were going to give field goal to win the game. They wind up winning it. Good for them, but it far from an impressive effort. I mean, I would say far from having us take the leap of faith to think like, hey, they’re on to something here. This thing’s coming together. I don’t know. I don’t know that it’s coming together. I think they’re slapping it together. And I think the fronts offensively and defensively. This is what it’s going to be. I don’t know how it’s going to look a whole lot better. I don’t know who they’re going to go out and slap around if they’re not going to go out and slap around the browns. They’re great defense aside,
Luke Jones 10:31
right, right? I’ll give their defense more credit than that, their defense, and I’ll push back a little bit on what you said over the last four games. Do they look like a playoff team? I mean, 14 teams in the NFL make the playoffs, right? I mean, I think they look like that. I They look to me. They look like the best team in the AFC. They look like a four and oh team the last month is what they look like. And they are four and oh team the last one. So now that said, do they look like a team that’s rounding into serious Super Bowl contender form? No, but I’ll continue to say, who does look like that right now? I mean, I’ll give you a couple teams in the NFC that I think look that way. I mean, and they played each other on Sunday. I think the rams and the Seahawks look really, really good in the NFC, I think Philadelphia is still the defending champs, and as much as the AJ brown thing, you know, but in the AFC, I see really intriguing new teams at the top of the conference right now. I think Denver deserves a lot of credit for what they did Sunday, and their defense. I mean, man, look how many sacks they have. I mean, that front is really impressive. And that’s the kind of team where you say, okay, ravens, if they’re playing that team and they’re playing that team on the road, assuming they’re going to win the division, and maybe they’re, they might be the number one seed before it’s all said and done, that’s where you look at it and say, Is your offensive line going to hold up against that group on the road? And Bo Nix is not, you know, he’s still chasing consistency, but he’s someone that, even going back to last year, can play at a high level for at least spurts. So, you know, we talked about New England, Indy has the best running back in football this year, and Jonathan Taylor. But Are any of those teams like do you view any of those teams like we viewed Kansas City or Buffalo the last five years? No that, but that said, if they keep winning, then, you know, Denver just beat Kansas City on Sunday. I mean, maybe it’s, maybe this is the year that, you know, it’s a new class, so to speak. So lot of football left. But it is, it this? This this AFC. We talked about it last week in the aftermath of that Vikings game. It feels very not in terms of necessarily the records, because, I mean, at this point, Kansas City is not winning that division the way it’s looking. I mean, they Denver’s gonna have to collapse for Kansas City to to win that division, and that’s not even accounting for the chargers and what could happen there. But in terms of like the eyeball test, in terms of like, they look like a Super Bowl team, I don’t know who that is in the AFC right now, I thought Kansas City, three or four weeks ago, I would have said the Chiefs kind of look like back to being peak chiefs, and they keep losing close games. So you can’t win close games. How? How can you be considered a great team, right? So they have the same record as the Ravens. So it, it really is a case right now of week to week, and stack wins, add wins
Nestor Aparicio 13:32
to the whole idea is when the ravens and the chiefs and the bills win divisions, stack their schedule, have the, you know, the draft work against them, you know, like literally, to knock them back a little bit. There have been long stretches where that didn’t happen to the Patriots. It didn’t do the Ravens for long stretches. Didn’t have to the Steelers and the in the Eagles and some of the franchises, the Atlanta Braves in baseball, you know, where it just feels like it went on for a decade or a decade and a half, that you’re a playoff team, you’re a double digit win team. You know, this is the year that that Buffalo and Kansas City and the Ravens are having to scrape a little bit more, and also teams like the commanders that went and showed up in a championship game last year get kicked in the teeth and have to come back and figure it out again. And even the upstarts, the chargers, had their, you know, they had a dog day on Sunday. I haven’t seen the dog day yet for New England and for Denver, where they gets go out and stink and get beat by some team, like the browns. But there’s a lot of football left. Man, there really is a lot of football left. And for the Josh Allen’s and the Patrick mahomes and the Lamar Jacksons. They’ve proven so much that the bo nixes and, you know, these guys are the Drake made. They’re gonna they’re seeing it all for the first time. And here’s Lamar seven, eight years into this. Josh Allen, same. Thing, trying to just get to a Super Bowl burrows, trying to get back on the field next week. So for the quarterbacks and for the leadership, for these franchises, the tectonic plates are moving a little bit in this season, and it’s a fascinating NFL season. I’ll just flat out. But can the Ravens go to the Super Bowl and win it absolutely, absolutely they can and for that. And they have the jets coming this week in the Bengals next week, this is, this is going to be as good as good a December as you want it to be, if you’re a fan. Yeah.
Luke Jones 15:37
I mean, I’ll say this as their offensive line has looked what their offensive line has looked like all year, that’s where I’m hesitant to say they can do that, but where I will say they can is because of how wide open it is. Right? It’s sitting, to quote Brian Billick, once upon a time, it’s sitting right there for someone, someone six years ago, crazy and but that’s also where, at the same time, you have to give Denver credit, you have to give New England credit, you have to give Indianapolis credit. I mean, they’re winning games regardless of whether they look like they’re going to be the next chiefs or even the next bills, or even the next ravens, for that matter, in terms of, like, regular season success and shiny record. And you know, number one seed or number two seed, whatever. You know they’re there right now. And you know they’re gonna have a chance to get better too. They’re gonna be tested too. I mean, New England, if they come into Baltimore a few days before Christmas and beat the Ravens in Baltimore, then boy, the Patriots you’re talking about, by the way, my early prediction a month a month out, I predict that game is going to be a Sunday night game. I think that game is going to get flexed. I looked at the schedule too, because what Bengals dolphins, I think, is the current Sunday night game that we I don’t think Joe burrow is saving that being a Sunday night game, whether he’s, you know, assuming he’s back playing by then. So, but, but there you go, like the opportunity there on the flip side, if New England, I don’t know, whatever the record is at that point, let’s say it’s 11 in you know, maybe they’re 12 and 12 and three at that point. I guess they think that’d be what, yeah, 12 and three at that point, or 12 and two at that point the Ravens win that game, then you’re thinking about them differently and saying, hey, they just knocked off the top team in the conference, right? I
Nestor Aparicio 17:27
mean, that only gets them to eight or nine wins. Yeah, yeah, sure.
Luke Jones 17:31
So you know? I mean, it’s that’s the thing here. I mean, yes, you need to win games, but you’re also trying to get better in the process. And we’ve seen their defense get better, their offense, and specifically their offensive line. It still has a ways to go. I mean, I just, I’m not going to shy away from that in the same way that five years ago, when you made the comment when Ronnie Stanley, you know, wrecked, his ankle was wrecked, and you said at that point, I don’t think they can win a Super Bowl now, I don’t think the way, the way their offensive line is playing right now. I have my doubts about their ability to make a truly deep run in January. That said they’ve got seven weeks to to get better, right? We’ll see if they do. And I at this point, I’m not holding my breath for a lineup change or anything like
Nestor Aparicio 18:16
that, yeah, because it feels like these are the guys. I mean that they’re for sure,
Luke Jones 18:19
for worse, yeah? I mean, maybe Emory Jones at some point. I know fans have talked because he’s a third round pick and he’s been practicing now for about a month, but you know, he missed the entire spring and summer. I just don’t know how much you can expect out of a third round rookie who missed his entire set of OTAs and training camp to really develop, right So, but maybe, maybe he’s the guy that maybe he moves into left guard for Voorhees or for file a lay at some point, I don’t know. Point is, you’re not, you know, Kevin Zeitler is not walking through that door. Martial Gander is not walking through that door. Morgan Moses or Orlando Brown, or take your pick, whatever, lineman of recent it’s hard
Nestor Aparicio 18:56
when you’re not winning battles on every play, right every play, you have less time, less time to react. There’s no hole for the running. It’s just and then you’re in a bad D and D, and then I’ll say this, the penalty thing hasn’t been as pronounced as I mean, that would really that would make it a lot more detrimental if they were having that problem? Yeah.
Luke Jones 19:21
I mean, going into week 11, they were tied for fifth in the league in penalties and tied for seventh and penalty yardage, meaning on a positive in a good way. So which last year we know that that was a major issue. So yeah. I mean, you’re, you’re looking for any edge that you can find. And it’s funny to bring this up, because Sunday was not a good day for the special teams. Prior to Sunday, their special teams overall have been much better this year than they were a year ago. We talked a lot about the failures of their special teams. Well, Justin Tucker misses Tucker especially, but there were other elements that weren’t as good with them.
Nestor Aparicio 19:54
So I saw Devin DuVernay with a big return. He did Sunday. Yeah,
Luke Jones 19:58
absolutely did. Yeah. So. But you know, when you’re a flawed football team and you’re not the juggernaut that they’ve looked to be in the past in the regular season, not this year, but in previous years, then, yeah, you’ve got to find those edges. And on Sunday, their edge was they had a great play call, and they executed it really well, and a fourth and one when they absolutely needed it. I mean, go, look at that play. Derrick Henry and Lamar selling that to the left, Andrews with, like, spins out of it, and Patrick Ricard with the with the block to spring him, not just for a five yard gain and a first down, but, you know, Andrews to pick up speed to score a touchdown there. I mean, sometimes that’s what you need, right? I mean, I’ve cited this example so many different times. You know, when we were talking about whether it was last year or other times where they’ve gone through some some slower stretches or gone through some adversity. I mean, we know what that 2012 team look like. You know? I mean, they at this time in 2012 cam Cameron was still three and a half, three and a half weeks from being fired, right? I mean, we’re, we’re still a month out from Joe flank, Flacco planking, as Denver returns a, you know, pick six. So there’s a lot that can happen good or bad, right? This team experienced a lot of bad in the first six weeks of the season, and it’s been better since then, not perfect, not dominant, not elite, not looking like they’re rounding into form to be a juggernaut.
Nestor Aparicio 21:33
Well, I was gonna say rounding into form because they’re winning games. That rounding in form, to me is at least they’re surviving. I again, we started the whole thing by saying, No style points here this week, but we’re going to give them to them anyway, because we do want to see things look better than it looked on Sunday. I mean, I could throw the towel in and say, maybe they could have lost. They should have lost. There were plays. There was they would have taken the ball in the one foot line on that, that call that Stefan, see, threw the flag on Draymond Jones hit Chiro Sanders in the head, you know, after he threw the football. That could have been a 15 yarder, and that’s what they would have needed, because, like, that kid can’t play, the Dylan Gabriel kid can’t play. And yet, they were beating them at the end of the game, and you know, that’s the razor’s edge of the league. But that’s also not really where you want to be, and not where you want us talking about them for the next week, because they play the Jets next week there. Can they compete the Jets 42 to three, and we’re not going to learn much. The Browns were different, though, because the Browns bring a defense, the Browns bring a player might be the best player in the sport. All things aside. I mean, miles, Garrett, I, I don’t know the last time I saw anybody wrecking games like that, like Ray Lewis wreck games from a different position, but not like that,
Luke Jones 22:59
yeah, well, I mean, it’s just, it speaks to, when you have a Hall of Fame edge guy, you know, of someone rushing the passer from the edge who can do what he does, it’s, it’s pretty special that said he had four sacks and they lost, right? I mean, it also speaks to the team element of the game that maybe quarterback, you know, but we’ve even seen really
Nestor Aparicio 23:25
got beaten on a trick play by the title, sure, but, but,
Luke Jones 23:29
but it’s, you know, that that’s a special talent right there. And you know, the Ravens don’t have anyone even close to that, you know, I mean, Kyle Hamilton is dynamic in different ways. And I’ll put Kyle Hamilton up there amongst, you know, the a pretty small group of the best defensive players in the league, you know, I I think he’s that kind of player, but he doesn’t do that right in the same way that Miles Garrett’s not making plays in coverage and doing the things that Kyle
Nestor Aparicio 23:56
Hamilton does. Kyle Hamilton does mess you up, though. Oh, no question. No question. I
Luke Jones 24:01
mean that. That’s why, from the moment that our Darius Washington got hurt in mid May, that’s why I was saying they need a third safety. They need a third safety, because you want to have Hamilton back in that kind of a position. And we know why they made the change last year. It’s because they had no one who could cover on on the back end of the defense, because Marcus Williams forgot how to play football, and Eddie Jackson couldn’t play anymore. I mean, they they were just hemorrhaging bad plays left and right, right. I mean, that was that bad that they needed Hamilton to do that. So it worked, but in a big picture sense, I mean, this is what you want him to do. It’s funny, Kyle Hamilton was asked this week by a reporter in the locker room what he would like if, if someone asked him, What position do you play? What would you say? And he still says, safety, right? I mean, I joked with a couple other reporters like they should just name it like the Hamilton, because Blitz is from the edge. It plays like a line. Backer can cover guys still. I mean, it does all those things. I mean, he’s such a dynamic player. But that’s, that’s what we’re talking about here when you’re talking about a miles Garrett or a Kyle Hamilton. I mean, these are dynamic players to your point. I mean, the Ravens had two of the all time best when you’re talking about Ray Lewis at the middle linebacker position, and Ed Reed in his prime, and Ed before the injuries later in his career, he was another guy that line up and blitz from the edge and block punts and all kinds of stuff when you have players like that. I mean, it’s incredible. So you know, for as much as the Ravens do have some deficiencies on defense in terms of like the rushing as a traditional four man front, or being able to have edge rushers that consistently win. I do like I do think Draymond Jones is has helped. There’s no question about that. I like him as we notice him for ships that gives them a little bit of inside, outside versatility. If you notice he slides in and rushes from a three technique or a four technique, and some of those better
Nestor Aparicio 25:58
player than a
Luke Jones 25:59
daffoway, yeah, yeah. I don’t disagree. He’s a different, different football player, but, yeah, better, I agree. So they’re better in that way. Do they still miss namdi Mata BK Of course they do. Are they still lacking a truly dynamic edge rusher in the way that Terrell Suggs was that for them a decade ago? Or or go back to Michael McCrary or Peter Boulware 25 years ago? Of course, they don’t have that, but their pass rush has been better the last couple of weeks. I know Cleveland doesn’t have a very good you know, their their tackles, especially, are not good. And they they even lost their left tackle during the during the game on Sunday, so that’s still a question. There’s no question about that, but it’s better. And early in the season, that was a defense looking so poor that you were starting to wonder, it’s like, even when Lamar comes back, is this defense going to ever be good enough to truly be able to trust this team to win enough games down the stretch to make the playoffs and come back from a one in five start and all that. I mean, there are major doubts. I feel better about the defense in that context. I don’t know if it’s a great defense, because I don’t know if they’re going to be able to get enough pressure on more dynamic quarterbacks, and they’ll get some, they’ll have some tests in December to kind of see what that
Nestor Aparicio 27:23
looks almost nice to see van Noy get a set, you know, like they built a little bit of confidence in the game. Yeah.
Luke Jones 27:29
I mean, let’s face it, when was the last time you and I even mentioned Kyle van Noy? And I’m not, I’m not trying to pick on him, you know, he’s since well into his 30s. I mean, it might just be that he’s mostly out of juice, I don’t know, but that was good to see. There’s no question about that. Hopefully that gets him going a little bit more. I still think, you know, not just with Draymond Jones, I still have liked what I’ve seen from Mike Green over the last month or so. I think he’s looked better. You know, he again, had the ankle this week in practice. And, you know, I think that that’s a bummer, because you hope that doesn’t
Nestor Aparicio 28:02
slow his money. You want him to feel like he belongs, like Buchanan feels like he belongs. Yeah, right. Oh, I and I
Luke Jones 28:07
think Mike Green has put made more plays. I think he’s looked better. You know, I’m not, not predicting. That means
Nestor Aparicio 28:12
that have to go out on a cold night in January, make plays. There’s nobody else there. There is nobody else. These are the guys that are going to be in on third and long against Drake, May against you. Whoever it is that you’re going to be playing in big games, these are going to be the guys are going to have to make plays Sure
Luke Jones 28:31
And unlike most players on the field. Let’s face it, you know what Kyle van Noy is at this point in his career. Another guy want to mention he’s not as young as some of the guys we just mentioned. Think Travis Jones has been playing much, much, much better football over the last month. You go, go, look at the Havoc he’s wrecking or wreaking up compared
Nestor Aparicio 28:53
to where I see the young guys emerge. And that’s what we talk about, Buchanan and Starks and Wiggins and like, making impact plays. But but those are the guys
Luke Jones 29:02
that you know, if you’re, if you’re talking in terms of how this defense continues to get better, you kind of do look at the young guys, because they’re, they’re the unknown commodities, right? I mean, Malachi Starks, seen him make a couple interceptions in deep coverage over the last three weeks, right? You know, you mentioned Teddy Buchanan and how he’s looked better in coverage. Mike Green, you know, the last few weeks leading into Sunday had given them a little more juice. Had a couple sacks. I mean, those are the guys that not saying they become pro bowl players by the end of the year. But, you know, the young guys are the guys that you talk about sealing right upside. Kyle van Noy, I mean, you’re not necessarily expecting Kyle van Noy to be a better player come January 10 than what he is right now, because he’s in his 30s, right? I mean, most of those guys that are have been in the league, 4567, years and beyond. For the most part, they’re known commodities. And yeah. I mean, some you know, Van Noy is a good example of someone. Who has been way better as a pass rusher in Baltimore than his previous stops. But you understand the point I’m making, these young guys are the guys that you’re hoping are ascending players, is that, is it enough to think that the defense is going to be great or elite or special come January? You know, I still have my doubts about the get there first,
Nestor Aparicio 30:21
but yeah, exactly, if you’re playing in January, they have emerged. They have played
Luke Jones 30:25
well and but let’s face it, I mean, their offense didn’t win them the game on Sunday, their deep their defense is the group that did the heavy lifting. Their defense did heavy lifting last week, you know? I mean, go back to the Chicago game. I mean, yeah, Snoop Huntley, that was a commendable performance by him. But you know, their defense made some some big plays in that game. So you know, it needs to continue to get better. They need to be consistent. They’re certainly going to be tested more after the Jets game. You know, in the games to follow then they have been the last few weeks against some pedestrian at best quarterbacks, but they are getting better. You know, they need their offense to get better. There’s no doubt about that. But that’s where you you see Lamar and you see Derrick Henry, and you see Mark Andrews, and you have zay flowers, and you have Isaiah likely, and, you know, so you see dynamic skill players. It’s the question of the O line, but the defense, yeah, I’m I’m pleased with what I’ve seen from the defense, and this is where we haven’t mentioned his name. I will give a tip of the cap to Zach, or I get it. He was wildly unpopular in these parts, and people were calling for his head and and all that when they were one in five. But they are playing a much better brand of football on the defensive side, and you want to see that continue as they get closer and closer to December, knowing that they are going to be playing some tougher offenses again. But it’s it’s trending well, and it has for a while on defense, and boy, they absolutely needed it on Sunday, because certainly wasn’t the offense and the special teams that stood out in a good way on Sunday,
Nestor Aparicio 32:04
five wins, five losses, four wins in a row. Luke Jones will be in Owings Mills all week long. If you’re on the wnsd tech service, you’ll get all the breaking news first, as always, always brought to you by Cole roofing and Gordian energy. Also, it’s my big colonoscopy week. My Big thanks to GBMC for keeping me healthy. We’ve been talking about all sorts of things, hip replacement, knee replacement, all sorts of things that can go wrong and how they can help you get back to optimal health. And certainly for me, I’m looking for a clean bill of health. Every guy out there getting PSA numbers checked. I am now in line, and I will be reporting in also Maryland crab cake tour. I was at Costas over the weekend. We’re going to be back there. We’re going to be at Cocos. We were at Coco’s two weeks ago. We were at faidley’s Four weeks ago. We were pizza John’s two weeks ago. And the holidays are coming. It’s all brought to you by our friends at the Maryland lottery. I’ll have Raven scratch offs to give away, hopefully a lucky batch, as well as the candy cane scented versions for the holidays. Keep an eye on Luke all week, long as we get ready for the Jets and then a quick game against the Bengals on Thanksgiving, it is a week and a time to be thankful around here. And I’m thankful that our audience always stays with us. Luke and I will be back for more football and more other things we are W, N, S T am 1570 Towson, Baltimore, and we never stop talking Baltimore positive. Do.
