We don’t play the Tennessee Titans as often as we used to around here but lifer Nashville sportswriter Jim Wyatt returns from the Music City for a realistic and current state of the former Houston Oilers franchise and the debate about those Luv Ya Blue threads they’re sporting and selling. But, about the winning…
The discussion previewed the Titans–Ravens matchup, emphasizing Tennessee’s struggles, defensive strengths, and the Ravens’ potential despite offensive line issues.
Titans Outlook
- Jim said Tennessee is improved but remains 0–3 after repeatedly failing to close out games; the team is 12–49 over its last 61 games.
- The defense, led by Jeffrey Simmons, consistently competes, but the offense must improve its first downs, scoring, and overall execution.
- Can rookie quarterback Cam Ward and the Titans’ offense produce enough against Baltimore?
Ravens Matchup
- Derrick Henry’s return to Tennessee is a major storyline, alongside Lamar Jackson and Zay Flowers.
- Jim viewed Baltimore as a legitimate AFC contender, while noting Buffalo as the conference favorite.
- The teams’ historical rivalry, Oilers throwback uniforms, and Tennessee’s planned 2027 stadium move were also discussed.
- Arrange for Jim Wyatt to get a Fadeley’s crab cake at Fishmonger’s Daughter in Catonsville during his Baltimore visit. (@Nestor Aparicio)
Titans Performance
- Tennessee entered the matchup 0–3 after close losses and inconsistent offensive execution.
- The defense has been the team’s most reliable unit, with Jeffrey Simmons setting the tone.
- Cam Ward’s decision-making and the offense’s inability to sustain drives were identified as major concerns.
Ravens Assessment
- Baltimore was described as talented enough to contend for the AFC’s top spots.
- Offensive line injuries and inconsistent early-season performance could create an opening for Tennessee.
- Derrick Henry, Lamar Jackson, and Zay Flowers were highlighted as key players for the Titans to contain.
Franchise History
- The conversation covered Henry’s departure, the Titans–Ravens rivalry, and the debate over Oilers throwback uniforms.
- Nashville’s current stadium is scheduled to be replaced by a new venue in 2027.
Nestor Aparicio 0:01
Welcome home. We are WNST AM 1570 Towson, Baltimore. It’s all Baltimore positive all week long. Baseball all day, football all weekend. Little rock and roll at night. It’s our 28th anniversary. I’m giving a kiss to all of the bands of my musical memory bank. It’s all brought to you by our newest sponsor, Rosedale Bank. Also, our friends at the Maryland Lottery send me with the Kiss Face Bird on Friday to Pizza John’s in Essex. I’m wearing my Pizza John’s gear, my doggy puppy love here, my kitty love, and all that stuff. We’re also gonna have Kevin Benson from Rosedale Bank over, as well as some other friends at Pizza John’s. French fries and gravy for all of my friends, and the Tennessee Titans are coming into town. They’re wearing my Houston Oilers gear. Don’t get me started. Jim Wyatt does work for the Titans of Tennessee. He is a longtime real journalist, and I’ve talked to Glennon and Kaharski. All you, all you old Trotsy guys, as they’re putting Trotsy into the Hall of Fame down there, all coming together. Tough times for the Titans, and here comes Derrick Henry. Right, like I got to think Derrick Henry’s looking at the Oilers uniforms over there and feeling a little vibe here this week, right?
Speaker 1 1:12
I would think so. Can you see me Nestor? I don’t know what’s going. I
Nestor Aparicio 1:15
see you perfectly, man. I see that you’re a Dodger fan still.
Speaker 1 1:18
Well, I got my Vince Scully on the wall because I’ve lost you, but I’ll keep on talking. If you can see me,
Nestor Aparicio 1:24
I got you loud and clear.
Speaker 1 1:26
Then we’re good, and I got Vin Scully over here, just over my right shoulder. I am a Dodger fan, but you’re right. You know, I’m sure Derrick Henry. You know, Derrick Henry’s ready for every game. He doesn’t need to play the Titans to get him ready to play a football game. He’s gonna be ready no matter what. So it’s gonna be weird to see him in another uniform. This is the first time since he’s left here. The fans here love Derrick Henry. He’s one of the most popular players ever to play for this franchise. He’s still going strong after leaving here, and and and the Ravens coming after an emotional win on Sunday night. A game I watched on the plane back from New York, after the Titans came off of gut wrenching loss to the Giants, so these two teams are meeting, going in different directions, and certainly Derek wants to remind everybody that saw him with the Titans just that hey, I still got
Nestor Aparicio 2:15
it. Well, let’s talk about his exit there because it always felt like for a year or two before it felt like he was going to go somewhere. I know in the broadcast it felt like Jim Nance was very sorry he didn’t wind up with the Cowboys at one point. Maybe you know him growing up a Cowboy fan or his dad, and I know he grew up in the Jacksonville area. But in a general sense, I thought all along adding him to this would make this championship stock. I think people still believe that. If you watch the game in Rio, you’d still say, “I could see Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson winning a Super Bowl this year. But it has to come together. But this is a great spot for him. But I think everybody still wonders. Like, he could still be doing this for you, right?
Speaker 1 2:57
He could be, and and and if things were gone differently, this could have been a Super Bowl team here. Like he was a part of two teams that were that were in a position to win Super Bowls, good enough to do it. That 2021 teams, the team that had the number one seed in the AFC, blew that game against the Bengals in in the first round of playoffs. And
Nestor Aparicio 3:20
was that a Tannehill year? Is that correct?
Speaker 1 3:22
Tannehill year, you had two three picks in that game, and and I thought they had the best team in the in the NFL that year. They had beaten the Rams in the regular season convincingly out there. They would have been playing that game against the Rams again, and and but they it didn’t take care of business, and that and that game in the playoffs, they lost an AFC Championship game to the Chiefs one year when Derek was here. He could have had two rings here, but the Titans didn’t get it done, and now here he is in Baltimore trying to achieve that. And why is he not here anymore? I mean, I know Titans fans never wanted to see him leave. Yeah, he could still be doing it here. I think, you know, decision was made that they wanted to go in a different direction. They were going through a rebuild at the time. Me personally, glad Derek hadn’t had to go through this the last several years. It’s been rough around here. Teams won. Well, I’m an
Nestor Aparicio 4:19
Oriole fan. You’re a Dodger fan, so we know. You know what I mean? Like we’re we’re going through rebuild 500 here with the Orioles, and I mean it doesn’t feel good. It’s terrible, and you know, and talking about your team at length this week, I’m not sure, but you roll out of bed. The Ravens lost the Saints two weeks ago. I mean, on any given Sunday, and I know they built something there. You’re going to tell me about that. You probably believed in more three weeks ago than you do today, right?
Speaker 1 4:44
Well, I mean, I still, you know, you look at the team. The team is better than it was last year, but it still can’t figure out a way to win games. You know, this time last year, I don’t. I’ve got all my schedules here on the board next to me. Last year they lost games. They lost the. Opener at Denver, and then they got blown out against the Rams. They got blown out against the Colts team and finished in three and 14. This year’s team looked terrible in Week One against the Jets, but then played well enough to win against the Eagles. But lost that game on a touchdown with nine seconds left. They go to the Giants and pretty much were abysmal for three quarters of that game. Had a chance to win late. Cam Ward throws an interception in the end zone on a first and goal from the seven. He could have won that game. It could be two and one right now. But team has not figured out a way to win games, and because of that, even though things are improving, the the narrative stays. You know, this is the team that has continued to find ways to lose, and until you can shake that, that’s that’s what you are. You’re you’re an 0-3 team, not not could be two and one. No one wants to hear that when you when you’ve lost when you’re 12 and 12 and 49 over your last 61 games.
Nestor Aparicio 5:55
12 and 49, huh?
Speaker 1 5:57
That’s what it is.
Nestor Aparicio 5:58
Well, in that sense, Derrick Henry sort of kind of exited or was a part of the early part of that to come here and play. I would. What are the strengths for the tight? Like, what would recommend them this week as an 11 and a half point underdog? By the way, at least in the early part of the week, that they can win a game, that they could come to Baltimore and and beat that team that had the fly all night, needed a 56-yard field goal. Was first and goal with its back passes to the wall, and somehow won in regulation. I mean, it was an incredible ending of a game. I know you’re watching a plane coming back, but I’m thinking like the usual thing in the hardball era around here, and I know you just saw the the other hardball, the real hardball up in New Jersey. But the thing here would be a letdown. You know that this game would be somehow 21 to 19 with three minutes left to go, and that wouldn’t shock me. And based on the way they played against the Eagles two weeks ago, wouldn’t shock you, right?
Speaker 1 6:53
Well, I mean, I think at this point, it would be a big surprise to see the Titans go there and win just because they’re they’re facing a Giants team that was coming off a Monday night game in in Los Angeles where they lost their starting quarterback and had Jameis Winston starting on Sunday and and they come back on a short week and beat the Titans 12 to seven. So yeah, it would be surprising for me to see the Titans come to Baltimore win. But I do think what has to give you some hope if you’re the Titans, is that they’ve got a defense that shows up and plays every week. They didn’t get it done at the end of that game against the Eagles, but they’ve got guys that play hard, namely Jeffrey Simmons, who’s going to compete his butt off every week and rally guys around him to do the same. The defense has a chance to keep them in games. The question is, is the offense good enough to give yourself a chance, and the game I saw Sunday in New York five you know five three and outs to start the game had one first down at the end of the first half and 54 yards of offense didn’t really come alive until the fourth quarter and then by then it was you’re trying to play perfect football to win the Titans didn’t do it. So if they have any chance against the Ravens on Sunday, the defense is going to have to show up like it consistently does, and the offense is going to have to do something. And starts with Cam Ward. Obviously, he has to be better, but I think they got to be better across the board too. This is a better football team, or at least should be offensively to be where it stands now, where you’re struggling to score points and get first downs.
Nestor Aparicio 8:27
Well, you mentioned defensively. Thought the same thing about the Cowboys. You know, stopping the run would be a thing. Hey, Ravens offensive line’s a disaster, right? Like Ronnie Stanley backup tackle. You had you want a third string centering, and Simpsons, the guard they gave all the money to. I mean, this offense has not been great thus far this year, especially down and distance and first down, and the the type of chunk runs that they that was really sustaining MVP years for Lamar Jackson. Zay Flowers has also been something he didn’t play in the game in Rio. They wouldn’t have won. So this has been we needed Derrick Henry around here and still haven’t won anything, even though we had Derrick Henry here.
Speaker 1 9:11
Yeah, but you know you know how it is, Nestor. You got to get hot at the right time, and unfortunately for the Titans who who couldn’t get it done when Derrick Henry was here, the Ravens got to do the same thing when it is. It gets into January. I think the Ravens team is good enough to be really good, and I think Buffalo’s winning the AFC. But I think the Ravens are going to be there contending for one of the top spots, and and I think they’ll put it together. You know, can the Titans surprise them on Sunday? I don’t know. Jeff Jeffrey Simmons, I thought, said it best in the locker room on Sunday, and this is not a new phrase by any stretch. But you know, there’s been so much talk about turning the corner and growing pains, and the Titans finding a way and getting better. He kind of said we got to start saying less and doing more. So the tides are going to have to. Prove it before people take them seriously. And this is a this is a tall task going to Baltimore and beating the Ravens, coming out that that emotional win. And again, the guys you mentioned from Zay Flowers to Lamar Jackson to Derrick Henry that’s quite a threesome that the Tigers have to figure out a way to slow down and have to team hadn’t been scoring many points to be able to hang in games.
Nestor Aparicio 10:22
Jim Wyatt has been a longtime sports writer and coverer of all things Tennessee Titans. He is-you can find him out at the at the Titans website anywhere, podcast, conversations, anything about Titans history. Certainly up there, and I appreciate him making a little timer, especially in a week when you didn’t have any Dodgers getting in your way. You know, Dodgers-you don’t have to worry about playing the first round when you’re a Dodgers fan, right, Jimmy?
Speaker 1 10:44
Yeah, fortunately, I had to had to kind of squeak it out at the end of the season and got the 100 games. But it’s going to be a challenge this week. With I mean, not this week. It’s going to be a challenge this week when they start on Sunday, whether it’s against the Phillies or against the Braves. And then if you can get past that series, a Brewers team that won 103 games could be a tough out, but I am glad the I’m talking Titans. I am glad that the Dodgers are able to rest, get a little bit healthier, rest up, get ready for the next series, and hopefully can kind of find a groove in October.
Nestor Aparicio 11:18
Yeah, we’re trying to find our October groove for baseball around here, and watching the other teams, watching three other teams from our division play after watching the Blue Jays play in the World Series against you guys last year, it feels a little, it’s a little raw around here. Jim Wyatt is here; he’s in Nashville. All things tight. So, I the the the jersey thing. Can we discuss this? I mean, you you you were not an Oiler guy in any way, right? Like you grew up. I know you’re Dodgers. You have the Southern accent. I don’t know, like what your team was. It wasn’t the Titans or the Oilers, right?
Speaker 1 11:49
You’re right. It was the Buffalo Bills. I have to say, I grew up in Nashville, Tennessee, as the only kid in school that used to, you know, those old Sears jackets that you used to sell, and they had like a plastic sleeve. Everybody had Cowboys and Steelers and Redskins jackets back then. I had a Buffalo Bills jacket. I grew up in the ’70s and loved O.J. back then and the electric company. And so the Bills were my team because you know Nashville didn’t have a team. So I grew up cheering for the Bills against the Oilers back in those days.
Nestor Aparicio 12:24
Well, you know, I’m grabbing all my stuff off my my my my chart here, but you know, I I was just the world’s biggest Houston Oiler fan, so you know, I collect all sorts of old Oiler things and belt buckles and like weird stuff. This whole thing, and you can tell Amy. I don’t know her, and everybody’s you know that that in the organization speaks well. And Chip, my old buddy, that was the Oiler, John Mcclane, people from Houston, Pastorini-they’ve all been on. I don’t know, man. I don’t need to see them wearing that jersey here this week as much as. By the way, last game the Colts ever played was Royal Campbell, and the the Oilers were the last game in Memorial Stadium for the Baltimore Colts back in 1983. I just I feel like the Titans are their own thing, and I feel like when I look at you, I see Titans jerseys that remind me more of Frank Wycheck and the late great Steve McNair and Eddie George than I do like thinking about the trailers in Memphis when they were the Tennessee Oilers or playing for the five minutes over at Vanderbilt, it feels like you know they went to the Super Bowl as the Titans and looking like the Titans. I just I’m sort of shocked and and I I don’t know. It’s made me sort of denounce the Oilers stuff a little bit because it makes me look like a Titans fan. Like around here when I put a Derrick Emery jersey on, they think I’m rooting for you this week, not us, and that’s a problem for me because I own a Derrick Henry Oilers jersey that’s now a Titans jersey, kind of right?
Speaker 1 13:51
Yeah, I mean, well, it’s funny. I always get these questions when about the Oilers and the history. Whenever the Titans are getting ready to play the Texans, the Texans want nothing to do with the with this franchise when it left for Nashville, and they didn’t want anything to do really with any of the history that has to do with this Oilers Titans franchise. So it is this team’s in this team’s history those uniforms and those colors when the Titans wore those throwback uniforms, the Oilers throwback uniforms, people kind of fell in love with the color scheme here, and and so that’s kind of what led to.
Nestor Aparicio 14:28
I fell in love with it in 1973 when you were wearing an O.J. Simpson hat, you know, like I just I was an Oiler guy. So and it feels retired to me, and it really allowed me to heal and become a Raven fan. That I went down to Tennessee, and y’all didn’t look like the Oilers anymore. And it was like, good. I didn’t want you to look like the Oilers, you know, for me.
Speaker 1 14:49
So does this mean you’re part of you going to be pulling for the Titans on Sunday? I don’t
Nestor Aparicio 14:52
know. I’ve been bugging Chip to bring me down to one of those things. Just, but like now I look like one of you, and it’s sort of weird, you know. Even my Earl Cam. Throwback stuff that I love. I love my Pastorini. I love my Elvin Bethea. I love it all. But I’m, you know, I’m denouncing y’all as 11 and a half point underdogs this week. Just you know, we’ll see how it goes. But we’re worried around here because the teams, the Ravens, haven’t looked as good as advertised, right? I mean, almost losing this with just in a general sense that every game feels a little. We’ve got the Falcons next week. They look great the other night. So you guys look great against the Eagles, right? So I think in any given week, these games get to be fun, and I can’t be associated with being a Titans fan this week. Not here, anyway.
Speaker 1 15:33
Well, these are definitely changing times. These are definitely definitely different from those old Titans days. I remember we used to talk about the Titans and Ravens back in the the early 2000s and and the great rivalry that they had. This team doesn’t look the same. The uniforms are different. This team’s moving out of that stadium and they’ve been playing in since. That’s right. Your guys are building
Nestor Aparicio 15:54
like a thing, right?
Speaker 1 15:55
Almost ready. It’s it’ll be ready in in just a couple of months. In fact, where’s
Nestor Aparicio 15:59
it being built? I haven’t been in. I was in Nashville last year around this time to see Sheryl Crow and Cameron Crowe right there at the Country Music Hall of Fame upstairs. Beautiful auditoriums, unbelievable. But I didn’t like come in to see where the stadium. Where is it?
Speaker 1 16:15
It’s on the east side of the current stadium. So you’ve got the you’ve got the river. You’ve got the current Nissan Stadium is on the other side of that, and it’s it’s almost finished. It’s going to be ready in February of 2027. Already got a concert scheduled there for for June, and another one in July. Going to be playing home games here. This current one’s they’re going to start the process of taking it down in April of 2027, so days are numbered in this stadium, and
Nestor Aparicio 16:45
made it how many about made about 30 years, about yeah,
Speaker 1 16:48
first one in ’99 and last one here in 2026.
Nestor Aparicio 16:53
Yeah, man, we’re just pumping money into ours and building bigger flocks and building more places where the perimeter has better hot dogs and colder beer and all that stuff. Jim Wyatt is here. He is a real sports fan. He is a Nashville resident and legend who covers the Tennessee Titans. They are in scuffling times as they come to Baltimore here this week. And I appreciate you making a little bit of time. Hey, I knew I wouldn’t find you after Saturday. Once the Dodgers get going, I’m not going to find you here. But hey, have a great week. Enjoy your trip in here. I owe you crab cake when you get to town this week, my brother. We can we can certainly hook that up. Just find me.
Speaker 1 17:26
Yeah, I need to do it. I wish we were staying closer to the downtown here. We’re staying kind of on the outskirts. I think closer to maybe close to the University of Maryland campus, somewhere over in that neck of the woods. So it’ll be tougher for me to get into the city. I remember you gave me a good, good. Well, you’re not going to get a good
Nestor Aparicio 17:43
crab cake if you’re on the D.C. Beltway. I’m going to tell you that right now.
Speaker 1 17:46
Used to go to Jimmy’s. I know that before, and I think you put me on a place maybe in the not the farmers market, but somewhere down in Baltimore that Lexington
Nestor Aparicio 17:54
Market. I sent you to Fadeley’s because Fadley’s is the best place downtown by far. Absolutely,
Speaker 1 17:58
Fadley’s there last time, so some good spots. I always love coming to Baltimore. Looks like it’s going to rain there. I look at the long-term forecast. We just can’t got out of through playing in a nor’easter on Sunday, and then I checked the forecast. It looked like it’s supposed to rain in Baltimore on Sunday.
Nestor Aparicio 18:12
All right. Well, I get you inside. Where Fishmonger’s daughter has the Fadeley’s Crab Cake, and they’re right by BWI in Catonsville. So I’m going to get you over there. Jim Wyatt has been my friend for a long, long time. He’s covered the National Football League. I have Barry Trotz visiting this week because I found out that John Glennon is undergoing a very precarious procedure this week. So I want to send my best to him. All of my Nashville friends, Teresa Walker’s coming on. So this is going to be a great, great week to catch up with. As you pointed out, Wyatt. I mean, we had some good fights around here back in the day, Ray Lewis and Eddie George and all that stuff. This Titans Ravens thing was always a really good time, and it’s always more fun when I get a trip to Nashville out of it. So that’s next time around. I am Nestor. We are WNST AM 1570 Towson, Baltimore. And speaking of crab cakes, Pizza John’s Friday. It’s all brought to you by the Maryland Lottery and GBMC and Farland and Derma and our newest sponsor for the Musik Memory Bank, Rosedale Bank. Stay with us. Our 28th anniversary, and the Titans are coming.
