With the season on the brink at 1-4 and the defense getting decimated first by injury and then by opposing quarterbacks and running games, Luke Jones and Nestor discuss the Ravens’ current operation and the job security of Zach Orr and the entire staff. And how will it improve given the current cast of healthy players and injured veterans?
Nestor Aparicio and Luke Jones discussed the Baltimore Ravens’ dismal performance, highlighted by a 44-10 loss to the Houston Texans. They noted the team’s offensive struggles, particularly the running game, which managed only 44 yards on 19 carries. Luke highlighted the defensive issues, noting the team has allowed more points in 16 games than the 2000 Ravens. They also discussed the impact of injuries to key players like Lamar Jackson and Ronnie Stanley, and the need for better offensive line play. The conversation concluded with concerns about the team’s prospects, especially with the upcoming game against the Rams.
- [ ] Evaluate the roster and consider potential trades or roster moves to address the team’s issues.
- [ ] Instill a sense of urgency and accountability within the team to respond to the current situation.
- [ ] Analyze the offensive line play and identify ways to improve the run game.
- [ ] Determine Lamar Jackson’s status for the Rams game and plan accordingly.
Ravens’ Performance and Injuries
- Nestor Aparicio discusses the Ravens’ poor performance against the Texans, resulting in a 44-10 loss.
- Nestor mentions the importance of depth and coaching, particularly with key players like Lamar Jackson and Derek Henry injured.
- Luke Jones highlights the Ravens’ defensive issues, noting they have allowed more points in 16 games than the 2000 Ravens.
- Luke points out the lack of positive qualities in the offense, with the only redeeming quality being a solid opening drive.
Offensive Line and Running Game Issues
- Luke Jones criticizes the offensive line, particularly the lack of performance without Ronnie Stanley and Patrick McCaffrey.
- Nestor and Luke discuss the struggles of the running game, with the Ravens managing only 44 yards on 19 carries against the Texans.
- Luke mentions the importance of Derek Henry, but notes the team’s inability to run effectively even with him.
- Nestor and Luke discuss the impact of injuries on the offensive line and the need for better blocking and run-blocking.
Quarterback Situation and Future Outlook
- Luke Jones discusses the potential impact of Lamar Jackson’s injury on the team’s future performance.
- Nestor and Luke talk about the possibility of Cooper Rush starting games if Lamar Jackson remains injured.
- Luke highlights the importance of getting Lamar Jackson back to full health before returning to the field.
- Nestor and Luke discuss the potential for the Ravens to tank the season to get a better draft pick if Lamar Jackson remains injured.
Defensive Struggles and Injuries
- Nestor and Luke discuss the defensive struggles, with the team allowing more points than the 2000 Ravens.
- Luke mentions the impact of injuries on the defense, with key players like Roquan Smith and Marlon Humphrey out.
- Nestor and Luke talk about the need for better depth and coaching on the defensive side of the ball.
- Luke highlights the importance of getting key defensive players back to improve the team’s performance.
Coaching and Leadership
- Nestor and Luke discuss the role of John Harbaugh and Eric DeCosta in addressing the team’s issues.
- Luke mentions the need for better coaching and leadership to help the team improve.
- Nestor and Luke talk about the importance of accountability and making necessary changes to the coaching staff.
- Luke highlights the need for better game planning and adjustments to improve the team’s performance.
Future Prospects and Trade Deadline
- Nestor and Luke discuss the possibility of the Ravens making trades at the trade deadline to improve the team.
- Luke mentions the importance of addressing the offensive and defensive line issues through trades or free agency.
- Nestor and Luke talk about the potential for the Ravens to make significant changes to the roster to improve their chances of winning.
- Luke highlights the need for better planning and execution to ensure the team’s success in the future.
Impact of Injuries on Team Morale
- Nestor and Luke discuss the impact of injuries on team morale and performance.
- Luke mentions the importance of keeping key players healthy to improve the team’s chances of winning.
- Nestor and Luke talk about the need for better communication and support among players and coaches.
- Luke highlights the importance of maintaining a positive attitude and focus despite the challenges.
Public Perception and Media Coverage
- Nestor and Luke discuss the impact of media coverage and public perception on the team’s performance.
- Luke mentions the importance of maintaining a positive image and message to the fans.
- Nestor and Luke talk about the need for better communication with the media to provide accurate information.
- Luke highlights the importance of addressing public concerns and maintaining transparency.
Community and Fan Support
- Nestor and Luke discuss the role of the community and fans in supporting the team.
- Luke mentions the importance of maintaining a strong connection with the fans and community.
- Nestor and Luke talk about the need for better engagement and support from the fans to improve the team’s performance.
- Luke highlights the importance of community events and initiatives to build stronger relationships with the fans.
Looking Ahead to Future Games
- Nestor and Luke discuss the upcoming game against the Rams and the challenges the team will face.
- Luke mentions the importance of preparing well and making necessary adjustments to improve the team’s performance.
- Nestor and Luke talk about the need for better execution and focus to win the game.
- Luke highlights the importance of maintaining a positive attitude and belief in the team’s ability to succeed.
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
Ravens operation, depth, coaching, season spirals, Texans disaster, offensive line, injuries, Cooper Rush, Lamar Jackson, defensive issues, running game, health insurance, charity events, Rams game, playoff chances.
SPEAKERS
Luke Jones, Nestor Aparicio
Nestor Aparicio 00:01
Welcome home. We are W, N, S, T, am 1570 Towson, Baltimore. We are Baltimore, positive, positively, taking the Maryland crab cake tour back out on the road. I will have Raven scratch offs to give away. We were at fadeleys last week. Had a great conversation with Councilwoman Felicia Porter from the 10th district. Enjoyed that. Matt Gallagher and I got together with Jamie Hahn and had these delicious catfish sandwiches with the coleslaw on it, no french fries on it, not a Pennsylvania thing, Baltimore thing, coleslaw, hot honey and some catfish on there on a delicious brioche bun. Get down to fade these and grab yourself one of those. Also our friends at Maryland Health Connection talking about open enrollment and the very, very important need for our government to open back up and make sure your health insurance is there. Maryland Health Connection. I’ll have all that stuff up by the end of the week, and then a lot of charity stuff here for we have a dog walk coming up. We’ve got kidney walks coming up. We got all sorts of things happening this month, but we’ve got a lousy football team, and Luke Jones is here to, I guess, put a bow on a 44 to 10 annihilation stadium emptied out. I’ve talked about hardball. You’ve talked about Zach Orr, we’ve talked about Eric DeCosta. We’ve talked about the actual backup players who are out there and injuries and all of that. But I think the one thing we haven’t talked much about is, all right, what happens when things go wrong and players get hurt, and who’s going to fill in? And the first thing you think, and you would say, well, if Lamar gets hurt, they’re screwed. And based on what I saw with Cooper rush, if I got nine or 10 more games of Cooper rush, were screwed, I would agree with that. But that would also be said for where the offensive line is right now, without Ronnie Stanley, without Pat Ricard, where Derek Henry is in all of this, we talked about Kyle van Nestor and Henry, and their only real reason to be here is to be competitive. You know, two and seven is not going to cut it for them. And then the rams are coming in this week. And it certainly kind of feels like Cooper rush will play this week, I don’t know, but that’s for you to find out. For the wnst tech service, brought to you by Cole roofing and Gordian energy to report later on this week. But that was just not good enough in any way. I don’t think on its best day that was going to be good enough. Luke, really?
Luke Jones 02:21
No, it wasn’t. And I mean, we’ve talked so much about the defense and its issues and the volume of injuries on that side of the ball that we’ll continue to talk about that. And as I pointed out, these 2025 Ravens have already allowed more total points allowed than the 2000 ravens in 16 games. So it speaks to different, different era. I get all that, but they’re problems. But, yeah, you look at this offense, and it’s funny. It struck me, Nestor, we’ve done multiple pieces here, multiple segments here, talking about this game. You and I have talked very little about the details of the game, because what redeeming qualities were there. I mean, they had a solid opening drive. They didn’t run the ball great on the opening drive. But you get, you get a couple big plays there, the Hopkins play and Cooper rush makes a couple throws. You know, it wasn’t bad, right? The problem is that was the, you know that was the apex of how they you know, not counting the touchdown drive when they’re already down 30 plus points, right? I mean, latent later in the third quarter. So, you know, when you sign Cooper rush, when you sign any backup quarterback, and you made the point. I mean, if, if Lamar Jackson had suffered a season ending injury last week in Kansas City. I mean, I don’t even know what we’re talking about, right? I mean, you’re talking about a complete preseason mode, right? You’re not nothing matters, right? You’re talking about, should this team just tank and get a better draft pick? Right? I mean, that’s the conversation you’re having, because you know that you have no chance of winning. You have no chance of you know, even if you make the playoffs, it’s not anything that has a chance to be meaningful going deep into January, right? They’re not in that position. I’m in agreement with you. I mean, there’s if Lamar Jackson wasn’t healthy enough to play against Houston, and he wasn’t, he was rolled out, didn’t practice all week. There’s very little reason to think that he’s going to be ready to the degree that you feel comfortable understanding that even after this Sunday’s game, you have the bye week, you have 11 games to go after that, mathematically, the season is not over at one in five, even though, my goodness, it sure feels like it in every way, in terms of how It feels and how it looks and how it sounds and how players are talking about it behind closed doors and all that, right, but you know that that’s also not the case, and that mathematically, it’s still possible, if you can get get yourselves a healthy and circle the wagons. But man, I was hoping to see more out of Cooper. Rush, but it also goes back to mean they ran for 44 yards on Sunday. They can’t run the football. You look at their rushing totals the last four weeks, okay, the the Kansas City game, it’s deceiving. Why? Because Justice Hill busted a long run in that game, right? I mean, really changed the average. I mean, if not for that play, you’d be talking about a team that has rushed for under 100 yards in four straight games.
Nestor Aparicio 05:30
This is trying to run, by the way, you know, yes, yeah, this is
Luke Jones 05:35
the Ravens. I mean, this is the team that famously ran their quarterback on the last play of the game in Denver to continue a streak. This conjured streak that no one was real. Anyone that paid you know even pays most attention, mostly Bay’s attention, had any clue, but was meaningful enough to John Harbaugh and the Ravens that they ran Lamar and on the last play against Denver, just to continue their streak of 100 yard rushing performances as a team, so for four straight games, taking out the Justice Hill, garbage time playing. And I know, in the grand scheme of things, you don’t actually do that, but humor me. I mean, who are these guys? And that’s where you look at it through the lens of, how did you not How can’t you run How can you not be able to run the football better than you did against the Cleveland Browns in week two, when you have Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, how could you not run the football more effectively than you did against Detroit when you have Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, how can you not run the football, even against Houston on Sunday, when you have Derrick Henry run it a little bit when you absolutely must, when you need to, and you had 44 yards on 19 carries. I mean, that’s alarming, that that that’s concerning. And look, I don’t think it’s because Derek Henry’s lost a step. You know, some people have had, kind of observed even before Lamar left the game against Kansas City, kind of maybe saying that he hasn’t looked, hadn’t looked quite as explosive the last couple weeks, which maybe, maybe not. I mean, I’ll hear, I’ll entertain that, right? I mean, was he a little banged up? You know, what? Was there something that happened during training camp? And he’s kind of nursed it a little bit here or there, I don’t know. I mean, that it’s conjecture right there. It certainly would be news to me. I mean, you know, I’ve been asked about, you know, did Lamar have this injury during training camp? I’m there 90% of the time, 95% of the time during training camp, and I don’t recall seeing anything that would be, you know that first of all, that he would be, you know, if Lamar gets hurt during training camp, they’re keeping them out as long as they can, right? I mean, you’re not playing through an injury during training camp, right? So, so I don’t know, but it just comes back to, why has this gone off the rails in terms of not being able to run the football. And I think you have to look at the offensive line, and I get it, they don’t have Patrick McCary, but you have four of your other five starters back, Stan Stanley the last two weeks aside. I mean, the run game was already going south, kind of like the defense, right? I mean, the run game was already going south, and I’ll buy it against Cleveland, but now, when you’re talking about, really the last four weeks, not being able to run when you’ve needed and wanted to run again, the the outlier in the in the Kansas City game, the long run that skewed the stats more favorably. Where I look at this and say, You’re not moving people, and I look at this whole line and say, you know, where are the where is the guard play? Why is Roger Rosengarten not taking a step forward? I mean, you know, Ronnie Stanley hasn’t been as good as he was last year. I’m not sitting here saying he’s been terrible, but like, collectively, it’s been diminished from where it was last year. And man, think about the phrases we were offering that group, not so much right now a year ago, but understanding what they had gone through with the tragic loss of Joe d’alesandros and George warhop coming in on the fly, and kind of just trying to basically coach in someone else’s way of coaching, rather than It truly being his own, because you’re not going to make these wholesale changes on the fly right when you’re getting ready to start a football season. But the way that came together after the first few weeks, and how well they blocked and how well they played, and despite all the scrutiny every week, the fact that, you know, as I pointed out there, you know, the standard that we hold offensive line play to in general, and I’m not trying to pick on Ravens fans here. I think this, this happens everywhere that, save for a couple exceptions around the league, you have even good offensive lines have one or two guys where you’re kind of questioning it, right? But this. Hasn’t been nearly good enough. I mean, whether we’re talking about pass protection or run blocking, and you know Todd Monckton, you know the play calling, it’s lacked rhythm. You know, we’ve talked about times where the Ravens have short yardage and not only do they not give the ball to Derrick Henry, which you can’t do that every single time, but the idea that you take him off the field entirely, and you basically tell the the opposing defense, we don’t even have to think about Derek Henry, because he’s standing on the sideline drinking water right now. So and on a day when it screamed being able to run the football, at least at a at a bare minimum of functional level that you can just stay on schedule. They couldn’t do that at all. I mean, they averaged 2.3 yards per carry. So, yeah, you look at it through that lens and look Cooper rush didn’t play well. I mean, even though that the Andrews interception, you know, goes off his hands and but he threw two legitimate picks, right? I mean, it wasn’t good enough. But at the same time, if you’re going to tell me, if you told me Nestor on Sunday morning, you know, before I’m driving to the stadium, that the Ravens average 2.3 yards per carry and have 44 net rushing yards, I’m going to tell you, man, probably not a good day for Cooper rush. Then, I mean just not, I mean not expecting him to be Dan Marino back there by any stretch of the imagination. So what does that look like with another week of practice, if we’re going to make the assumption here early in the week that Lamar Jackson is going to be held out again with the idea that you need to get that hamstring 100% because if it’s two weeks, it’s really three weeks because of the bye week then. And you know, from that standpoint, you’re kind of looking at it from Okay, he got hurt on September 28 and then the next game that he would play, presumably would be October 26 he’s essentially had a month to get that hamstring right. So I’m guessing that’s what we see. I don’t know that for certain, but you heard the same reporting that I heard from NFL Network and places like that over the course of the week, that and we just common sense when it’s a hamstring, generally, if it’s it’s enough to miss one game, it’s usually enough to miss two games, right? And then you get into, you know, is it more serious than that? You know, I don’t think so, but you’ve got to it. There’s no playing through a hamstring injury when you’re Lamar Jackson or Derek Henry, you know, someone who’s really relying on speed in their legs and their mobility, right? I mean, you just can’t do that shoulder, sure. Sore ribs, yeah, put a, put a flat jacket on, you know, quarterbacks used to wear when they’d have a cracked rib and play through pain. You know, you can do it for certain injuries like that, but can’t really do that for a hamstring, you know, a soft tissue injury like that. I mean, that’s, at the very least, you’re not explosive. And even worse, there’s a high setback rate for something like that. If you come back, try to play through it and come back too soon. So, man, by the way, had
Nestor Aparicio 13:04
Sean Merryman on last week, and you know, he played in the league a little bit. He’s, you know, pretty good athlete. He said, he said, I always say, when a hamstring gets healthy, give it one more week. Yeah, after it gets healthy, give it one more week.
Luke Jones 13:17
I’ve heard others. I’ve heard players. I’ve heard coaches. I’ve heard, even, you know, sports medicine types, utter that same sentiment. So, yeah, I’m not expecting Lamar to play this week based on the fact that he didn’t play this, you know, this past Sunday and and, yes, no, no matter how devastating one in five feels compared to the hope of him playing Sunday and being two and four, you know what’s more devastating? If he pulls up on the third drive of the game and is being helped off the field and he’s got a grade two slash three hamstring and he’s out the next seven weeks, then your season is totally cooked, right? Then there is no coming back from that mathematically, even. So it’s not great, but you just have to as a coaching staff, as an offense, go back to the drawing board. You know, you hope Ronnie Stanley can play. I mean, he practiced Thursday and Friday. Now, based on what we saw in the limited viewing window that media can see, it didn’t look like he was doing a whole lot. So I can’t say I’m completely stunned, even though I thought he’d give it a go on Sunday, but he tried to give it a go in Kansas City, and we saw that turned out. But you’re hoping you get him back at least, although the same principle could apply. Do you need to shut him down for one more week? But the idea that he’s 100% you know, for the Bears game in week eight, but maybe, maybe you do. But man, whoever’s out there, you’ve got to find a way to run the ball better than that, because, because if it’s all about Lamar Jackson, then that that validates the point that I made to you over a year ago of why I wasn’t like jumping up and down on the table, that you need to sign Derek Henry, because if you can’t run, if it’s truly all about Lamar and that’s it, then. You know, Derek Henry’s Not, not the valuable commodity that you think he is then. And let me be clear, that’s not, I don’t actually you know that. That’s not me taking a shot at him. It’s just, you know, this is the systemic part of this, where, really I’m calling out the offensive line block. So, I mean, this is, this isn’t just, oh well, you know, hey, that the brown sold out to sell the run. You know, these teams are doing this, and they’re doing it with a high degree of success, and you’re not adjusting one way or the other, right? I mean, anything, any great defensive coach will tell you that there is a way. There is always a way to take something, some element of an offense, away, you know, the opponent’s offense away, but you’re making concessions elsewhere. So whatever is happening on that front, we’re not seeing the Ravens take advantage there. And, man, they’ve got to find, got to find a way here, because, you know, the rams are coming to town and okay, you know, I’ll buy Houston being a better defense, but rams, you know, with their running game and that quarterback and those weapons. I mean, you thought this past Sunday was ugly. I mean, this game can be, I don’t know if it can be much uglier, because it doesn’t get much worse than that in NFL terms. But, man, you’ve got to be able to score points. You can’t do that and have any hope to win when you consider the state of affairs with this defense right now. So Todd monkins Got that. They’ve got to go into the lab, and they’ve got to, got to find a few more answers. I mean, Cooper rush found a way to win some games in Dallas over the last few years, when, when he was backing up Dak Prescott. So it can be done by somebody the Ravens got to, they got to find a way to get more offensive production than they got Sunday. Because, I mean, that wasn’t stating the obvious. That wasn’t nearly good enough.
Nestor Aparicio 16:58
Well, I mean, here come the Rams. And I just think to myself, all right, if what was out there will be out there in five days, four days, whatever it is, and there is no Lamar and there’s no Ronnie Stanley. And, I mean, Stanley practiced the other day, right? I mean, so there’s some thought that this week you’re going to have the injury report for everybody all week. If you’re on the wnsd tech service should get it. But like, I don’t even know what it means on Friday when you made a prediction, nobody knows more than you. I’d say, who knows more? You’re in the locker room, Stanley and Humphrey. You would have you bet a nickel they’d be in the game, because you put the Ravens the whale, Hamilton.
Luke Jones 17:36
I wasn’t Stanley. I absolutely thought was going to play. Now, how? What level that’s certainly up for debate. What level he was going to play. I mean, we Hey, he played against Kansas City. You saw how it looked the first two series, and then he was out. I mean, it didn’t go well, I think surrendered five pressures and two series, right? But, you know, Hamilton, I wasn’t quite as Sure. Look, I was trying to give the Ravens the benefit of the doubt, which is kind of silly, because I wrote the previous week that the benefit of the doubts wearing thin. So, like I said, That’s my bad, right? I was wrong. No one was picking a blowout, though, right? I mean, did anyone really think that the Texans were going to blow out the Ravens on Sunday? That was, again, that goes back to my overall point here in this being as jarring as it was to not lose, but lose in the manner in which they lost. But, you know, will you get Stanley back this week? You know, like, if not, then I kind of question why you’re even having them out there, like in these limited practices, just shut them down if you need to shut them down, right? I mean, that seems a little, you know, a little counterintuitive. If you feel it’s a couple week kind of injury, then don’t be on the practice field. Go get treatment. Right, in the same way with Lamar, like, if the hamstrings not good enough, I don’t want them on the practice field. Get treatment round the clock, you know. So that way you’re 100% golden for the Bears game in a cup in a few weeks. So, you know, will you get Stanley back? Maybe? Will you get Hamilton back? I mean, you know, it was a groin injury that John Harbaugh said didn’t prop up or pop up in practice. He said it was lingering from the Kansas City game. But you you look at the injury report, he went from limited on Wednesday to DNP, DNP Thursday and Friday. That sounds like whatever issue we had, mate was made worse on that Wednesday. And I’m, you know, I’m not accusing the Ravens of anything reckless. I mean, injuries can occur in practice as well. We know that. So will you see him? A woozy, a it’s a hamstring, you know, didn’t practice all week, as we said. If it’s a one game hamstring injury, it’s usually a two game, right? I mean, you know roquan, that’s, you know that that’s kind of already been reported. He’s out until after the buy. Same with Humphrey. So you’re going to be a diminished version of yourselves once again. So you can do two things, you can throw your hands up, which kind of how it kind of feels like how they played on Sunday, if we’re calling. Spade a spade. You know, we can use whatever semantics about effort or quitting or not putting a much fight or whatever. I mean, they they did not play like a team that had any meaningful belief that they were going to win that football game on Sunday. So if you’re in a similar spot with your injury report this week, maybe it’s a little bit better, maybe not. How are you going to respond? Are you going to go back to work and try to find some answers to, you know, to make this more of a football game? And also, I’ll point out, because I love pointing out these scheduling quirks, because I I talked about this with one of the reasons I picked Kansas City to win was the Ravens were coming off a short week on a Monday night game. The Rams extra rest, but West Coast team playing a 1pm kickoff on the East Coast, that’s a thing. It has been a thing. It doesn’t mean it’s 100% but it’s absolutely a thing. But you’ve got to find more answers on offense. I mean, you’ve got to find a way to run the ball. I don’t expect Cooper rush to throw for four touchdowns. I’m not I’m not some purple Kool Aid drinking. You know, La La Land kind of expectation there.
Nestor Aparicio 21:07
But he does have wide receivers that should be able to win battles and get openly
Luke Jones 21:11
Exactly, I mean, you know, they’re, they’re offense. I know these are huge names here, but their offense was intact, other than Lamar and Ronnie Stanley. By the way, the rams are seven and a half point. Favorite. Sounds about right. That sounds about right, assuming Lamar is not going to play, if Lamar is practicing Wednesday, then I think you see that line go down rapidly, in the same way that the line flipped pretty quickly when it was apparent that Lamar wasn’t going to play, right? I mean, so against the Texans, but man, if you’re Todd Monckton in this offense, you’ve got to figure this out to, you know, there was, I know, they ran that end around play to Keaton Mitchell, and there was, that was an uninspiring
Nestor Aparicio 21:53
dude. They were favorited last week in Kansas City, eight days ago.
Luke Jones 21:59
But I just, you know, Jiminy, I’ve never seen a line move like that, man, yeah, so, I mean it’s, but I mean that, but that speaks to the
Nestor Aparicio 22:09
lines move 14 Points,
Luke Jones 22:11
but that speaks, but that speaks to the quarterback, right? I mean, same thing if Patrick mahomes were 14 Points on the spread. I mean, it’s on on any given week. I mean, is it for is 14, right? No, but it’s a lot. Peyton Manning might have been more fat back in the day, but I don’t know, 80 in his prime. Yeah, yeah. I mean, you know? I mean, that’s why the quarterbacks are making 50 plus billion dollars now. I mean, they are very, very important. So, you know, Joe, ask the Ask the Bengals who look like maybe the worst team in football without Joe burrow. I mean, the ravens are looked like one of the worst teams in football on Sunday. I mean, the record is what it is, but the eyeball test, well, I’m trying to think of
Nestor Aparicio 22:51
backup quarter Marcus Mariota ran around for the commanders two weeks ago. Looked okay for a minute, okay
Luke Jones 22:56
for a week, and then the next week, not so much. Yeah. I mean, that’s kind of how Joe
Nestor Aparicio 22:59
Flacco looked okay for a week.
Luke Jones 23:01
I mean, two, two weeks ago, he was kind of the or two years ago, he’s kind of the toast to the NFL in December, right? I mean, you
Nestor Aparicio 23:06
know, but, well, he had protection a running game, and guys to throw the ball to, so but, and if Cooper rush had that protection a running game, he’s got Derek Henry and guys to throw the ball to, it probably comes down to Cooper rush, and it comes down to the offensive line not being, yeah, good enough at any level right now. Where are you with linderbaum? Where are you with Rose and go? Where Layla and
Luke Jones 23:30
yeah, look, I and full disclosure, as you, as you asked me this, I haven’t had a chance to go back and re watch the game I’m watching from the corner of the press box, right? I mean, even coaches would tell you right after the game.
Nestor Aparicio 23:42
Kevin little press box, I haven’t heard from Kevin Byrne lately. Hi Kevin.
Luke Jones 23:46
My overall assessment would be, I think Linder bomb has mostly played well to to very well. Has it been his best season? Maybe not. You know Ronnie Stanley, you know he’s been hurt now the last two games. You know the guards. I will say this, file Lele is the whipping boy on social media, right? I mean, he’s the one who gets the brunt of the criticism from fans. Voorhees has been worse than him. And that’s not to say File Layla has been great, but their guards are a problem. There’s no doubt about it, their guards are a problem. Is there? You may solve the net dog. And that’s the thing. I mean, Ben Cleveland’s been here five years now. If you want to throw Ben Cleveland out there, God bless it. And look, it might get to a point where you do need to just try some things, just for the sake of doing it. And that’s kind of my point.
Nestor Aparicio 24:38
Well, they had to do that on defense at every position this week, he didn’t work out so good, huh? Yeah. But, I
Luke Jones 24:43
mean, they’re, you know, Rosengarten has been disappointing to me. I It feel, you know, I was waiting for him to take a step forward. It feels like he’s taking a step back at best. You know, that’s not good. And they miss Patrick McCary from a versatility standpoint, whether he was going to be the. Starting left guard again or not. I keep going
Nestor Aparicio 25:02
back to Ricard dude, and look that’s coming through a whole barons, absolutely pure linebackers, a different thing than whatever they have now, absolutely it’s different than just this hill waiting to get hit. It’s absolutely
Luke Jones 25:13
part of it. But I will also acknowledge, you know, Patrick Ricardo also wasn’t on the field every single snap either, and there were plenty of runs successful runs without him on the field. So that’s but it’s part of it, just in general. And I know we’re focused on the offense, but offense and defense, their line play needs to be way better on both sides of the ball. Or I do have my doubts about not that the Ravens won’t get healthier and be better than one in four moving forward or one in five moving forward when they get guys back, but when you are one in four in danger of being one in five coming out of the bye week, the level of play that’s required to go on, the kind of run that they’re going to need to go on to get Back in the playoff race, and all of that. That’s where I do look at the line play and say, Are you going to be able to stop the run well enough? Are you going to be able to get enough pressure on quarterbacks? Are you going to be able to block and opening up running lanes and protect your franchise quarterback to the degree that you need to, week in and week out to go on a kind of run of winning six of seven, winning Seven of Nine. You know, what? Whatever, whatever benchmark you want to throw out there, when, if, if you know, being one in four now and what they need to be, or being one in five at the buy and doing the math and looking at the schedule, right? You know, in the same way we did this with the Orioles, right, when they were, you know, 18 under 500 you’re thinking, wow, they’ve got to go 28 over the rest of the way just to get to 86 wins, which maybe is enough to be the third wild card, right? I mean, you start doing that kind of stuff, but you forget that just because you started off very poorly doesn’t mean that the law of averages say you’re going to be fantastic after that, generally, you’ll kind of settle into what your level is. And you know, the Orioles are a great example of that. The Orioles, from early June on, basically played 500 ball the rest of the way, and that’s what I think their true talent level was. But obviously that wasn’t going to be nearly enough to have any shot of getting them back in the playoff race. Ravens, have a much higher baseline than that, and I’ll still say that even being one in four, right? I think their true talent level when they’re playing at their best, is certainly better than a 500 team or anything like that. But if you’re one in five, let’s, let’s say 10 and seven, because, you know, I still think there’s skepticism about just how good Pittsburgh actually is there. You know, hey, the record, they’re in first place, and they deserve that, and they played well enough, and they’ve earned that right, and the Ravens are one in four. This isn’t but if I’m trying to assess from an eyeball test standpoint and project out what the rest of the way needs to look like, let’s say you need to get to 10 wins. If you’re one and five, you need to go eight and two. You know, you need to go nine and two the rest of the way just to get to 10 and seven. Do you have the offensive line to play that kind of football week in and week out? Do you have the defensive line to play that kind of football week in week out? So, man, they’ve got, they’ve got to find some answers, whether it’s shuffling some things, making some adjustments internally, putting, you know, trying some different guys in different spots, or, yeah, Eric da Costa going out and making a deal. I and when you’re one in five, are you going to make deals at the trade deadline? Right? I mean, you get to the point where you’re kind of like, you know, we talked about the trade deadline with the Orioles that, you know, buyer or seller. I mean, they never played good enough football to even consider or good enough football, good enough baseball, to even consider being buyers at the trade deadline, right? I mean, that would have been foolish at that point. You’re just throwing away assets then, unless it was someone you could get that’s going to help you next year, right? And maybe there’s a deal like that out there. I mean, you know, people have talked about the Ravens trading for a defensive lineman, especially if Matt A, B, K’s career is in jeopardy, right? I mean, could you sign or could you trade for someone that you absorb a contract and say, hey, you know, it may not save our season this year, but we’re going to love having that guy next year. And, you know, that’s kind of what they did with roquan Smith, right? I mean, they extended them and they kept them long term, then kind of what the Orioles did with Zach Eflin, although, yeah, they did that last year. So, but, but the point is, if any of this is going to matter for them to get back on track, man, their offensive line and their defensive line, man, you’ve got to, you’ve got to find some answers, because this is not, this is not going to be tenable to to be able to go, even when they get the guys back that are hurt right now, that are coming back, to go on the kind of run that’s going to be required to get to 10 wins?
Nestor Aparicio 29:50
Well, you’re asking of Eric to Costa. Now we did a whole segment on Har ball and his accountability. Now you’re asking about who’s doing, who’s buying the groceries, and how are we buying. In them, and what’s expired. And, you know, are we sour on Marlon Humphrey now with the Jair Alexander experiment, Ben Cleveland, you know, guys that they’ve had around that haven’t made it to the field, even through injury, or have made it to the field enough to say. Trenton Simpson, yeah, we got to do better than that, you know, and our Darius Washington coming back at some point next year. I look, dude, I’m not here to talk about next year one and four, but there are seven and a half point dog at home to be one in
Luke Jones 30:31
five. I mean, that’s that is. It’s not impossible, but, boy, that is a one heck of a climb the rest of the way just to get to 10 and seven, which you know, okay, I’ll buy 10 and seven giving them a puncher’s chance to win the division. Pittsburgh. They’ve got a 40 plus year old quarterback. Their defense hasn’t played great. I mean,
Nestor Aparicio 30:51
well, they can beat Pittsburgh twice, and
Luke Jones 30:55
of course, of course, right? So, but as much as you look at the schedule, okay, bears, dolphins, Vikings, browns, although those last
Nestor Aparicio 31:04
three, that’s four, you better go on a run there, dude. But four in a row, I better not do I
Luke Jones 31:09
agree. But those last three or three straight road games so you know. But after that, the Jets, Bengals, Steelers at home. Now we’re into early December at Cincinnati.
Nestor Aparicio 31:20
Well, the rams are the last good team. They’re gonna play till they see the Steelers. And we’re not even sure they’re good, yeah,
Luke Jones 31:26
but are we sure? We’re not sure. The ravens are not making that. No, no, I understand. And look, I mean, we’re we’re projecting out because
Nestor Aparicio 31:35
as constructed, they’re not very good. They’re missing $150 million worth
Luke Jones 31:39
of players, and their defense wasn’t playing very well with those guys, quite frankly. I mean, we’ve talked about that, but, but then you look to the last month of the season, home against Pittsburgh at Cincinnati, I don’t think Joe, I don’t think there’s any shot in whatsoever that Joe burrow is playing again this year, because they’re not going to be in a position that it’s going to matter. Quite frankly. I mean, why would you bring Joe burrow back on Christmas, if you’re out of the playoff race, he’ll him get him healed up for next year. But now December 21 New England, I don’t know about you patriots, don’t get me wrong, not sitting here saying that they’re the old patriots suddenly and like Tom, you know that Drake Mays Tom, Brady reincarnate. But go look at what they did against buffalo on Sunday night. Ravens couldn’t do that a month ago. Couldn’t beat them. It looked a little bit different, different kind of game that was played, but they won there. So that game looks different than someone would have how someone would have viewed it in May. And then you finish up the season, Nestor, these are the big two. You know, especially we’re talking one in five, and what you know to go nine and two over your last 11 games. Your last two games are at Green Bay and at Pittsburgh. I mean, so
Nestor Aparicio 32:58
you’re talking about, you need to be ahead of schedule by the time you get there,
Luke Jones 33:01
you’re talking about a Herculean climb that That’s ahead, if, if they indeed lose on Sunday, and they’re one in five, impossible. No, we’ve seen the Lamar Jackson era ravens go on. You know, they won 12 games in a row in 2019 we saw the run they went through. They went on to two years ago in 23
Nestor Aparicio 33:21
but, well, this is a circle the wagons for the head coach in the GM, as well as the quarterback himself, everyone you know who’s trying to get out on the field, and whether he can or can or will or won’t, time will tell. But you know, he’s a $50 million difference maker. He’s 20% of their of their cap numbers.
Luke Jones 33:39
I mean, yeah. I mean this, everything I just mentioned, is all contingent on Lamar Jackson being healthy, coming out of the bye week, and looking like Lamar and being the best version of himself, if he’s not, or if he has more injuries, or if they have more injuries at other significant positions, significant players going down, then yeah, this year will probably be like 2015 or 2021 where you just kind of say, Yep, the season
Nestor Aparicio 34:02
just got started. It’s over already. Dude. It’s almost like the Orioles or something, right?
Luke Jones 34:07
Well, did you see my when you have a game as as poor as Sunday’s was I made the comment in the fourth quarter. I said, now I’m just waiting for the Orioles position player to come in and finish this one out. I mean, that’s what it felt like. I mean, I mean, it’s 44 to 10 man. I mean, so, yeah, I mean, it’s we, you know, we talked about, we talked about this so many times this past baseball season. You know how you can’t win a pennant in April, but you can lose it. I mean, the rate the Orioles were completely cooked by Memorial Day. I mean, it was over,
Nestor Aparicio 34:41
and the Blue Jays, meanwhile, are playing who you and I walking around getting eggs in the morning in Toronto. To think that the Toronto Blue Jays would be and look at Getty. I mean, dude, Getty is signing books at the Negro Baseball library in Kansas City this weekend. Had I known? Had I just. Just give me a little just give me a little lead time. Getty. But it is, you know, I mean, at least, fingers crossed. I got a lot of baseball I can watch this week between now when the Ravens might lose to the Rams on Sunday.
Luke Jones 35:11
A lot of baseball this week. I mean, my birthday week too. Yeah, but, but you bringing up the Blue Jays? Maybe that’s the best when you’re talking about how down it feels for the Ravens right now, how down it felt for the Orioles all season. And, my goodness, you know, we’ll, we’ll have discussion
Nestor Aparicio 35:29
with five home runs for opening day. Or what was it? Oh, yeah, lets me hit two of them, right?
Luke Jones 35:35
But it’s also a reminder this too shall pass. They’re one in four right now. Yeah, it feels really bleak. I’m not ready to say the season’s over.
Nestor Aparicio 35:47
Oh, beat the Rams by a field goal, get Lamar back, you know, win a couple of games. You’re four and four. It’s Halloween. We’re all different here, yeah,
Luke Jones 35:55
but, but I am very concerned. I last week, I was much more of the Aaron Rodgers, R, E, L, A, X, relax. Remember, I even started off our conversation saying, everyone take a deep breath, still early, right? I I’d be disingenuous if I was that cavalier about it at this point. I mean, because I just didn’t like how this performance looked and smelled, I to lose. Of course, you’re banged up to all you know what to lose in that fashion where there wasn’t even a meaningful hint of a fight that was put up, that was that was disconcerting to me, that makes me wonder what’s going on under the hood and behind closed doors and between the ears for everyone, and where’s the trust level on this football team? So I don’t know. I cannot sit here with any conviction and say that I think it’s going to get better this week. It might feel worse. Well, not might. If they lose, regardless of how they lose, it’s gonna
Nestor Aparicio 36:58
feel seeing a better football team this week than the one that just beat them.
Luke Jones 37:01
That’s part of it, right? That’s why we said last week. That’s why I kept saying they’ve got to find a way to win this game, because I don’t feel like they’re going to win the next game without
Nestor Aparicio 37:09
Lamar tickets below 30 bucks, I’m a candidate to pay just to see because I love puking. One of
Luke Jones 37:16
my favorite players in the league, great player. He’s fun to watch. You know, it’ll be interesting to see how the Rams respond. Because, man, they were the team that they were facing, a 40 Niners team that was much like the Ravens this week, so banged up and lacking their starting quarterback and players on defense and all that, and they lost. They lost to a team on the road on a short week that was ravaged by injuries. There’s a bad looking loss from an eyeball test standpoint. So we’ll see how they respond having extra rest, flying across the country, playing at one o’clock East Coast time. And I would say it’s gut check time for the Ravens. I’ve said that now for two weeks now, and they’re just playing worse and worse. So, I mean, that’s the Captain Obvious. Like, show us something, guys. I mean, lots of, lots of talking in the post game about, you know, we’ve got to go out and do it well, we’re waiting at this point. And doesn’t feel any better in the process
Nestor Aparicio 38:10
coming to town. He has a good times this week. The Los Angeles Rams, never of St Louis, and certainly never of Anaheim any longer, will come in this week, and the Ravens are a seven and a half point underdog at home. It must have seen what the stands look like in the fourth quarter on Sunday, Luke can be found at Baltimore. Luke I can be found just about anywhere on the internet. Nestor, Baltimore positive.com we’re all out on the social channels. Luke is at Baltimore. Luke I will have a raven scratch offs to give away courtesy the Maryland lottery. On the Maryland crab cake tour. We were at faidley’s election in market last week. We had a great time down there. I have postponed Costas this week to get to my birthday. Next week, we’re going to be at Cocos in early November. I got a date on that, working that out with RA as well as some others as well. I’m watching baseball all week long. And I’m available. I’m a very available individual. We’ve been a little hard on John Harbaugh around here, one in four. You know, I think he’s underpaid and underappreciated. I am Nestor. We are W, N, S T am 1570 Towson, Baltimore, and we never stop talking Baltimore positive, even when it feels like all hope is lost. You.
