With the Baltimore Ravens perched high atop the AFC and playoffs and Festivus purple dreams ahead, Luke Jones and Nestor discuss the magic of Tylan Wallace and a huge OT sudden special teams walkoff victory over the Los Angeles Rams in the rain.
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
talked, ravens, game, team, sunday, year, wallace, january, point, special teams, play, win, lamar jackson, offense, happen, coach, week, feel, great, luke
SPEAKERS
Luke Jones, Nestor J. Aparicio
Nestor J. Aparicio 00:01
What about w n s t tassel Baltimore and Baltimore positive we got so much good stuff going on here. Maybe stadium, maybe a new baseball owner. It’s been a little while since I got together with this guy since the last time I got together with this guy. I’ve been touched by Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson and the ghost of Neil Pierre Luc Jones joins us now I gotta tell you I’ve been out on the road and I have my I have all these new lottery tickets. Look don’t even have any of these. I didn’t give any of these away on Friday night when we were all gathering holiday oriented over to BMA gertrudes and seeing Dan Rodricks peppermint pay out multipliers I got Oh snaps we have in purple even though we have my gold as well. And we have the unwrap the cash. lottery tickets we’re gonna give him his way on Friday. A curio I am wearing my I am a blunt person. We’re going to be foreign daughter on Friday Gina shot Rock and Roll Hall of Famer is gonna be with us. We’re going to be giving these away and I have a mystery crabcake I’m going to be talking about a friend of winter nation 866 90 nation I’m going to wear the floppy hat the fun hat with which you can shock on Friday foreign daughter between two and five as well. And our friends Jiffy Lube, multi care, take care of us my my oil light just went on again the other day I’m doing too much driving. Most of it all that back and forth with Tommy Conwell up to Philadelphia, Luke the the ravens are 10 Three, I’ve known you a long time. We’ve shared highs and lows shall we say you know whether it was Ray Rice or breaking off runs in Foxborough in the early days. By the way Joe Flacco says hola we exchanged pleasantries on Sunday evening. I came a little Dundalk to, you know, East Philly via Jersey love. But, boy, the seasons were tough. Something had ended. I mean, I was talking to Bill Cole. Last week we did the crabcake torch, they failed to my gratitude in the holidays. We talked a lot of football. And I guess when it’s this good. Read dollar ticket to game time aside. I’ll point that out. I’ll continue to point that out. And the fact that there were 20,000 empty seats. It was a hell of a day for football game. And I guess you witness something and you’ve witnessed a lot of games and championships and all that. I thought you were rather a Boolean in your praise Baltimore positive in regard to it was a very memorable game. I you know, and I don’t know what it’s going to lead to or where it is. But tylan Wallace is right up there with Tito Landrum and Anthony Mitchell. And it was it was a good one on Sunday. No
Luke Jones 02:28
question about it. And we talked about this a lot during baseball season. And you would bring it up when we would reconvene on Monday mornings recapping the weekend Orioles baseball that there would be unexpected heroes and guys that would come out of the woodwork and help you in a baseball game. And of course that’s going to happen over 162 Right. But even in the course of a football season 16 games now 17 games, of course. And if you’re going to do more than that and make a January run, you go back to the 2000 ravens you mentioned Anthony Mitchell 2012 Different things that happened over the course of that season like the when in San Diego,
Nestor J. Aparicio 03:06
Jacoby Jones, a friend of mine sat and watched the game which Kobe Jones on Sunday. And I’m thinking to myself, there’s a guy that was kind of tossed out he got here it was damaged to some degree. He was even damaged here. He wasn’t like a great player. You’re at all points, especially as a wide receiver. But he made moments, man. I mean, like the biggest, biggest moments in the history of the franchise. Jacoby Jones had his hands on the ball. And yeah, that was able to ball that much in the scope of things right.
Luke Jones 03:33
All the the Houston Texans didn’t want him to have his hands on the ball because he put it on the turf. And that’s the reason why he wound up in Baltimore. But the point is, if you’re going to have a special season, if you’re a great team, you have to find ways to win different ways to win over the course of a full season over the course of a three or four game run in January and what we saw on Sunday, let’s face it, and you’ve talked at length about this. You’ve sung the praises of row Quan Smith, I saw at one point you said he’s the best player the Ravens have had since Ray Lewis, certainly on the defensive side of the ball. I know a couple other guys come to mind, but he’s right on that very short list. But their defense was bad on Sunday, and the defense has led the way this year right. defense points allowed. Okay, they gave up a little bit more against Cleveland in the week 10 loss but keep in mind that that included a pick six that Lamar Jackson had thrown off that weird deflection. 410 yards allowed season high 5.6 yards per play allowed season high they only allowed more than five yards per play once all season and they allowed 5.6 on Sunday. 282 net passing yards allowed season high so this was not
Nestor J. Aparicio 04:44
an awful day to throw the football on an awful way just in general like the fact that all this offense happened and it didn’t happen because the ball was skirting around. It happened on productivity but really breakdowns on both sides of the ball. I mean, the Ravens had huge plays because of breakdowns. I mean it. And there were a lot of mistakes on the X’s and O’s of the jimmies. And Joe’s on Sunday. There were but, I mean,
Luke Jones 05:08
that’s also how the NFL works, right? I mean, at some point in time, we need to recognize that this is a heck of a football team. I mean, this is one of the very best teams in the NFL. Just the best team in the AFC right now. Now, Patrick mahomes In January, we’ll see what that looks like. Chiefs aren’t looking very good right now. And they’re whining about an offside call that I don’t know what they’re whining about. That
Nestor J. Aparicio 05:30
was embarrassing. Do ya? Um, yeah. So like, I’m a mahomes. Guy. I’m a homie. He’s a likable guy. And like all that even the way Peyton Manning was likable, and the way Tom Brady really wasn’t likable in the way that Brett Farve maybe would only appeal to certain people, you know, I’m thinking about quarterbacks. But here’s a guy that like one. And like Michael Jordan, when he was winning in the early days, you didn’t root against Jordan, you rooting for him? He was a good he was the he was the babyface. You know what I mean? And what was that that was roasted? You know,
Luke Jones 06:01
I think that was the symptom of much greater levels of frustration with how that offense has operated, not nearly as explosively as the past, not as good at the wide receiver position, they certainly have had their issues, I think his reaction, there was probably more of a cumulative impact of things just not weren’t working as well for Kansas City. And that’s not to say that, I mean, they’re gonna be in the playoffs, they’re still going to be the team that everyone’s going to be saying, you know, if they’re coming to Baltimore, it’s Patrick mahomes. And Andy Reed and the chief still, and that’s going to be something to be reckoned with. And if you will
Nestor J. Aparicio 06:38
be shocking, if the Ravens somehow get out, it’s 23 to 21, an awful colts like 2006 chiefs, that would not be a shock, and it wouldn’t be shocked for the pills, you know, any of these teams that have a Corbin and maybe Jake Browning or Joe Flacco doing it maybe a little more shocking. And we’re sort of setting up you know, in that, what, what a conference though, I know, we want to talk about the game and all that maybe this is the segment we just talked about the conference, because all the seven and six, all this uncertainty and all these teams that I don’t think you feel great about anybody coming to Baltimore playing a playoff game in January, on that pathway and saying, Well, we got this, we’re nine point favorite and they can’t play I think whoever makes this is going to have a quarterback and, and to your point, maybe pedigree or coach, because it’s not going to be the Chargers this year, or the Titans this year, it’s going to be a team that earns their way into this tournament. The next force, including the ravens, who had the toughest schedule, I see core Anakee doing all of this core Anakee isms of his screen and all this nerd isms and percentages that you love so much on the math side and the gamblers love. But I see all those teams and I’m like, you know, okay, the ravens are three point favorites, I’ll have to go out and play well, they want to kick the ball around. And then Sunday happens. They played poorly enough at various points. And we’re gonna do a whole segment on my friend John Harbaugh, and his decisions in the game and gay man, that’s its own animal. But that’s it this tournament and the way it’s setting up on the play into the tournament the next couple of weeks. And the kinds of games the Ravens have and primetime this week and Christmas night primetime next week, and oh, the Steelers are gonna be waiting around the Oh, the dolphins, they score 70 on you. All of that’s over the hill. So these feel like playoff games, and I love that Lamar talked about that Sunday. He
Luke Jones 08:32
did. And I mean, he talked about the emotions of that he acknowledged okay, it’s not a championship, but he said it was like a playoff atmosphere. And it was. Yeah. And I heard what you said, yeah, there were no shows. Yeah, the rain kept some people away. But I also had multiple people messaging me that they were at the game. And it’s the first time their voice has been hoarse in quite some time. I mean, it was that kind of a game. And look, I get it. I’m not gonna sit here and say that this is the same rams team from two years ago. But I will also say they’re better than a six and seven record. And they played better than that for about a month. So I don’t want to I don’t want to dis be dismissive of this when, like, is it the best win of the season? In terms of quality of opponent? No, but is this the kind of game that I think you can draw some confidence from? If you’re faced with a similar situation in January, and you’ve got a back and forth game? And okay, it’s not going to be Matthew Stafford. But hey, Matthew Stafford’s, one of the few acts of quarterbacks in the NFL as a Super Bowl under his belt, and we’ve said this about Lamar Jackson and this ravens offense for years now. Can you go toe to toe with another elite quarterback with another potent offense in January and I get it? It’s December, but it’s the closest thing you can get to January, right. So they did that on Sunday, Lamar threw for over 300 yards. He had three touchdown passes. They came back. They right I mean, they’ve led all year long even their three losses this year. Nestor they lead in most of those games. They trailed at halftime. They trailed at the end of the third quarter. they tread with under five minutes to go and they kept coming back. Now it wasn’t this massive deficit. It wasn’t a 10 point deficit.
Nestor J. Aparicio 10:06
And it wasn’t their offense that won the game either. Lamar, they got the ball in overtime and they pay down their leg, right. So like, it is amazing. The special teams the John Harbaugh thing, and you talk about we talked about Jacoby Jones gets give Chang Liu some love to just got into the Hall of Fame. I saw Jermaine Lewis with big, you know, in those seasons, there are special teams plays and great and Justin Tucker making kicks in Denver, you know, just big, big things that happen with special teams. And that’s where hardball gets his hat. And that’s where Jason Garrett sits on TV as opposed coach watching our ball make 50 million a year and says great special teams coach.
Luke Jones 10:47
Yeah, well, and and let’s let’s face it, this hasn’t been a special year for the special teams relative to what you would come to expect under John hardball teams. I mean, you know, I’m not nearly as moved by the perceived struggles of Justin Tucker, when you really start to nail down and look at some of the mistakes made a couple blocked. You know, really long kicks not talking missing 47 yarders can say Look,
Nestor J. Aparicio 11:12
dude, it’s January 28. It’s 41 degrees. There’s a light rain. The game was 17 to 16. You need a 48 yard fields do you want?
Luke Jones 11:22
I mean, he’s he’s still got his stay. Right. But my point, the point I was making the overall though, their special teams have had more lapses this year. And I mean, Chris Horton even talked about that coming out of the bye week. So and by the way, I mean, Thailand, Wallace, no career touchdowns prior to Sunday. No career punt returns prior to Sunday. I mean, he replaced overnight who got hurt. So for that to happen, and yeah, they set up a nice return. But he also broke three tackles. I mean, just as book show, Walter would would describe it, just the one two that he had on that play was just mean, it’s impressive. And you feel good for him. I get it. his NFL career to this point three years in, hasn’t panned out in the way they envision when they drafted him out of Oklahoma State. But he’s been offside penalty aside earlier in the game. He’s been one of their more dependable special teams, contributors last few years. But this was something that was new to him in a game setting. And he did a great job with it. So
Nestor J. Aparicio 12:22
a by the way, is he exhibited, and I don’t can’t say that I talked to that kid, and I know you have in the past, you’re in the locker room a little bit more often. Those are the guys I always loved. Right? People would say to me, how do you know Mike Flynn all these years later? How did you know Ryan Jensen, and how did you have a relationship with Bart Scott? Even Matthew Jude on I tried when he was around the corner, I tried to be polite, and know everyone on the team because I thought that that was an important part as a media member that I didn’t, you know, I didn’t pick favorites. Black White first team second team special teams. Offense, they didn’t matter to me coaches I liked, I was interested in the sport. But guys like him are the most interesting to me that when they can make an impact, and even Anthony Mitchell all these years later coming back on the show a couple of weeks ago talking about his boy, and what that means, you know, Tyler Wallace has that moment. And for all of the Look at me, look at me, I see from wide receivers, all the rod Ted well, all that I’ve seen. I mean, I see Steve Smith still on TV. I mean, you know, when you and I’ve sat with Steve Smith, I mean, just the personality of wide receivers. And to have that, that Ted well moment where you walk off, you win on a 10 and three team on a one seat on a bad day, bailed out your quarterback
Luke Jones 13:38
bailed out your
Nestor J. Aparicio 13:40
I don’t wanna call him an idiot coach. But I mean, come on, and you win the game and to step up to the podium for the first time really, that I’ve ever heard your voice. He was an impressive young man. He showed some humility. It wasn’t rehearsed. It doesn’t feel like Chad Steele coached him up. It felt like a real moment for him. And I thought I am always pissed that I’m not in the room. I want to be really clear about that for my audience, and anybody that listens, and I have full right to be you were in the room. It’s one of those moments, I wanted to be in the room ask them a question, because I thought it was it was a poignant moment, I think, much more so than anything that ever happens on that podium with the lies of the coach or blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, you know, whatever it is that happens. Everybody, Pat and everybody on the back and John winking at the players. Like I see a lot of fraud in that room over the course of 25 years. What used to be very real always. I thought that that kid did a great job. And I mean, he was a hero, and made me want his autograph. And that’s, that’s good. That’s good.
Luke Jones 14:42
I mean, you have to feel good for him. I mean, putting aside everything else you said about the rest of it. But I mean, this is a guy who his career hasn’t gone the way he would have wanted it to to this point, you know, he was a big time productive wide receiver at Oklahoma State. Now there was talk at the time that the Ravens got They thought that he was gonna be better than a fourth round pair player. I mean, they had a higher grade than that, as teams always do when they take guys like that, right,
Nestor J. Aparicio 15:06
but they’re always trying to find that Antonio Brown, that guy, the Steelers find in the fourth round, that can be a productive six, seven year starter, right guy they want to give a contract to, they’ve never found that guy. And this is one of a long, long list that, you know, Eric de Costa has brought up
Luke Jones 15:22
before. Sure. But for every Antonio Brown, there’s every doesn’t want to hear 30 or 40 guys that are like this, but he’s been able to contribute as a special teams player. He’s dealt with injuries last couple of years, he was able to contribute. And does this mean this is going to propel Thailand Wallace to bigger heights as a member of the Baltimore Ravens, I’m guessing probably not other than through the lens of if do Bernays out, you know, multiple weeks here or whatever with the back injury, then Tyler Wallace might have a new role in this football team. But regardless, if you’re a great team, if you are a team that fancies itself on being a Super Bowl contender, and being a special kind of team, you’ve got to find different ways to win because not everything is going to click, we’ve talked about that at length about the offense this year, you know, as well as its played at times, they’ve also had some performances where you just say, Oh, that that wasn’t good, including the Chargers game a couple of weeks ago, and who want it. For them the defense, the defense has been the biggest, their biggest reason for the fact that they were nine and three going into Sunday’s game. But their defense was bad for the most part on Sunday. I mean, they clean things up in the second half until the fourth quarter. And then they gave up a couple of eight tribes there. So it was their offense, picking it up. And Lamar Jackson doing what he did on that last drive of regulation. And certainly their special teams coming up huge for them in overtime. And you’ve got to win in different ways. You’ve got to be able to play different styles of football. Yeah, you have your strengths on a week by week basis. But if you’re going to be a team that’s sitting there as the number one seed, the second week of January, and you have a buy, or if you’re gonna be that team that’s playing in late January or early February, chances are you’re gonna have some games that don’t go your way even as you’re trying to win even if as you do when things aren’t gonna go perfectly. So you’ve got to win in different ways. So that’s why I was so encouraged by what we saw on Sunday wasn’t that the Ravens played a perfect football game far from it, as you noted, but they they had their other phases of the game rise to the occasion when their biggest strength was not a strength on Sunday. And that to me was what was so encouraging about this game as the Ravens. Your point about the whole AFC is well taken there are remaining ahead of the pack there and we’ll see you know, pending the result of the dolphins game. But you know that that entire mess of seven and six and and even throw in eight and five there for Jacksonville and Kansas City. The ravens are there ahead of the curve. And they’re in the driver’s seat right now they have to keep winning. And as to your point, it’s a tough schedule. But boy, you find ways to win games like they did on Sunday, when you’re not playing at your best with even what you what you’re used to having in your bag, which is great defense. And finding a way now that that that told that told me something about this team in terms of what’s under the hood.
Nestor J. Aparicio 18:18
All right, we’re gonna take a break. Luke and I are going to be at this all week. We have all sorts of Maryland crabcake towards stuff we’re going to be at foreign daughter in Timonium from two of the five on Friday, maybe a little earlier, maybe staying a little later, Jean Jacques is going to be joining us. We’re going to be talking about gifting and all sorts of things. I’m going to be gifting Maryland lottery scratch offs and holiday scratch offs. To everybody that stops by we got a bunch of winners. I feel like Santa Claus when I give these out. It feels like whoa, whoa, whoa. So and they they do they do smell they all smell like gingerbread now. When donation 866 90 nation you buy two and you get two free 0% financing for five years all month long. Think about those windows especially snowing at my place on Monday morning as well. And our friends at Jiffy Lube multi care take care of your oil and so much more. Make sure you checking them out. There’s one in a neighborhood near you, Luke and I got tons of football this week. We got baseball information I’m writing Colin this Luke has been writing lots of stuff he’s going to be out in Owings Mills all week as the Ravens prepare for Jacksonville this week. Then San Francisco. We’re doing the show at wise markets next week. On Monday in the afternoon and honey go look you’re gonna like this. There’s a wise market manager who is a former professional wrestler. It’s true. We’re gonna be talking about that next month. He’s been all over the world. He even knows Dave the wave so all is well around here. The Ravens 10 Three we might have a stadium deal we definitely have a $13 million closer I haven’t even talked baseball with Luke about that. And you know I have a little pep in my step I a little Geddy Lee I get a leg nod from wise markets. Life is good. We are wn st am 1570, Towson Baltimore. And we never stopped talking tylan Wallace of all things and the tenants were The Baltimore Ravens stay with us
