Most oddsmakers have the Baltimore Ravens’ playoff chances at less than 10% heading into Christmas weekend and a Saturday night “stay alive” game with the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Luke Jones and Nestor discuss the reality that the franchise is far from “one player away” from a real Super Bowl run with this roster. The offseason is coming soon…
Nestor Aparicio and Luke Jones discussed the Baltimore Ravens’ playoff chances, noting they have an under 10% probability according to various metrics. They highlighted the need for the Ravens to win at Lambeau Field with backup quarterback Tyler Huntley and the Browns to upset the Steelers. Despite a disappointing season, they acknowledged the Ravens’ recent wins and the intriguing AFC playoff picture. They also discussed Aaron Rodgers’ impressive performance and the potential impact of his leadership on the Packers. The conversation concluded with reflections on the Ravens’ defense and the need for significant offseason changes.
Ravens’ Playoff Hopes and Holiday Reflections
- Nestor Aparicio discusses the Ravens’ playoff chances, mentioning they have an under 10% chance according to various metrics.
- Nestor shares his recent experiences, including spending time with family and friends, and attending events like the Maryland Lottery’s Candy Cane Cash scratch-offs.
- Nestor talks about his wife’s trip to New England to watch the Patriots game, highlighting the cold weather in Quebec.
- Nestor reflects on his favorite people he has had on the show, including Calvin Stadium and George Shulman, and mentions his love for local crab cakes.
Ravens’ Playoff Scenarios and NFL Weekend Recap
- Nestor and Luke Jones discuss the Ravens’ playoff scenarios, including the need to win at Lambeau Field and the possibility of Tyler Huntley starting.
- Luke highlights the exciting NFL weekend, mentioning the Thursday night game between Seattle and LA, and the late afternoon game between the Steelers and Lions.
- Nestor shares his personal experience of watching the NFL games with friends and family, including a memorable night at Costa’s.
- Luke and Nestor discuss the intriguing playoff scenarios in the AFC, including the potential impact of the Browns and Steelers games.
AFC Playoff Picture and Ravens’ Performance
- Luke Jones discusses the AFC playoff picture, mentioning teams like Denver, New England, Jacksonville, and Pittsburgh.
- Nestor and Luke reflect on the Ravens’ disappointing season, despite some recent wins, and the potential changes the team might need to make.
- Nestor expresses his admiration for Aaron Rodgers’ performance and the impact he has on the Packers’ team.
- Luke and Nestor discuss the potential outcomes of the Ravens’ upcoming games, including the possibility of hosting a playoff game with Lamar Jackson.
Ravens’ Defense and Offense Issues
- Nestor and Luke discuss the Ravens’ defense, highlighting the issues with player performance and the lack of consistency.
- Nestor mentions the poor performance of the defense in crunch time, including the failure to tackle Derrick Henry.
- Luke and Nestor reflect on the Ravens’ offense, mentioning the lack of production from players like Bateman and the running game.
- Nestor expresses his frustration with the team’s overall performance and the need for significant changes in the offseason.
Potential Playoff Scenarios and Team Changes
- Nestor and Luke discuss the potential playoff scenarios for the Ravens, including the need for the Browns to beat the Steelers.
- Nestor expresses his hope that the Ravens can win their upcoming games and make the playoffs, despite the long odds.
- Luke and Nestor reflect on the potential changes the Ravens might need to make, including changes to the roster and coaching staff.
- Nestor shares his thoughts on the impact of Aaron Rodgers on the Packers’ performance and the potential impact on the playoffs.
Final Reflections and Holiday Wishes
- Nestor and Luke wrap up the discussion, reflecting on the Ravens’ season and the potential outcomes of their upcoming games.
- Nestor expresses his hope for a successful holiday season and wishes listeners a Merry Christmas.
- Luke and Nestor discuss the importance of staying positive and supporting the team, despite the challenges they have faced this season.
- Nestor shares his excitement for the upcoming holiday season and the opportunity to spend time with family and friends.
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
Ravens, NFL, playoffs, Lamar Jackson, Tyler Huntley, Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, Drake May, defense, offense, season outlook, holiday fare.
8
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 this, all of this is brought to you by friends at the Maryland lottery. Have candy cane cash scratch offs. I proudly say we had $100 winner and Dundalk at Costas over the weekend. On Thursday, don’t know if anybody won on Friday? I had some people say I didn’t win anything to be at gertrude’s, but I was a big winner gertrudes because I got to hang out with my cousin John shields. We had former major league baseball player, Casper wells, great guy. He works for Heller kowitz, doing insurance. And we talked some baseball. We talked some holidays. He had some idea for some Dunkle in the in the sauerkraut, which I was all about beer and a sauerkraut. Leave it to a baseball player from Schenectady to tell me about those kinds of things. But it’s going to be a great week of holiday fare around here. If you’re driving someplace, going someplace, please do it safely. Love your family. Up listen to wnsta in 1570 here and there. We have great conversations with you know, my wife’s been out of town last couple weeks. She she’s in New New England watching, actually, she was in Montreal with her sister watching the New England Patriots and the Ravens play the other night. And I haven’t been with my wife the last couple weeks because she’s been off doing family stuff and ice skating through this park in Quebec, and all the it’s even colder there, which that’s why she’s there, and I’m here, I go to Quebec in the summer, I would say, for the, you know, the month and all of this that’s going on, I’ve just been with people I really like, and my favorite people have been on the show this month. So for that, including Calvin stadium and George Shulman, your science teacher, buddy Luke, who came back this week. And we didn’t sing a lot of songs, but we told the story, and that was all well and good. John Allen stopped by. So if you’re listening in, you’re going to hear just me with my favorite people. I you know, it’s like that. These are a few of my favorite things. These are a few of my favorite people at Baltimore positive so go out and get it, get some crab cakes. Stop and see Marcel over Koco’s, or run down to fadeleys and get some local crab cakes for yourself. Or hit me acostas in either place, and we’ll take good care of everybody around here. There will not be a Festivus here, Luke, although chances are still alive for the Ravens here this week, I just, I’ll throw it out to you. We’ve already fired. Harbaugh, we’ve wondered about the whole roster. Lamar, this, that’s new. Puntley, Derek, Henry didn’t touch the ball, but all that being said, they will play the game on Saturday night with an opportunity to be a playoff dude. They’re not eliminated, even though it feels that way.
Luke Jones 02:31
Yeah. I mean, you kind of look at I think the athletic has them at 9% I think the ESPN power index has them at was it i i had it in front of me there. I mean, down it right around the same. I mean, you’re talking an under 10% kind of proposition at this point in time. I mean, it’s,
Nestor Aparicio 02:50
8well, the proposition is, can the Browns beat the Steelers? Let’s start with probably the hardest thing. No, that’d be, it said the Ravens win in lambe is another thing too.
Luke Jones 02:58
Yeah. I mean, that’s where you look at it. I mean, you have to win at Lambeau, which, hey, I mean, I’m not sure Jordan loves going to play, although I certainly am not sure Lamar Jackson is going to play either. So it could be Tyler Huntley against Malik Willis, which I’m sure, I’m sure peacock is thrilled about that with their games. Not on real TV. It’ll be on real TV local. It’ll be local, yeah, but it’s on Peacock, I think so. Man, I’m trying to keep track of all these games right here, yeah, but so you have that, and if you get the win, look, I mean Green Bay. I mean, first of all, let me just say this before I dive into that. It’s a shame that locally, what happened Sunday night happened and even the late afternoon with the Steelers beating the lions in Detroit, because, objectively speaking, what a freaking weekend around the NFL, starting with the Thursday night game, you know, Seattle and LA, which was incredible, and then you get the finish of just what you saw with the bears.
Nestor Aparicio 04:02
And I fell asleep on that game Thursday night. And John Allen and I from stone horses, you know, my best friends, we had dinner, and my my son and daughter in law, we spent three and a half hours at the bar at Costa’s, drinking orange crushes and having a good time and doing all the celebratory thing. I woke up at like, three in the morning. I had a text from John alley. He’s like the NFL was fixed. What the hell happened? What happened now? But it was just crazy,
Luke Jones 04:27
like you think of the Thursday night, Saturday night game Pittsburgh and Detroit in the late afternoon wind window, which was basically nationally televised. I think most the country got that game and then again, resolve aside in how in Baltimore feels about it, objectively, quite a football game of quite a final 10 minutes in Baltimore Sunday night for, you know, the NBC game. I mean, just a crazy weekend, and it’s just, it’s such a hollow and. D cruddy feeling seeing what the A F C is. And let’s be clear, I think we need to stop with the whole Well, the A F C, there’s no great teams like New England showed something on Sunday night, right? I mean, Drake May is a heck of a quarterback. They were banged up to all heck. I mean, they were banged up on defense going into the game, and then they lose more guys. They lost their talented run rookie running back and Henderson, I mean, and they, they manned up. You know, they got a win there. I mean, Jackson, you mentioned Jacksonville one of our previous segments. I mean, look at the Jaguars winning in Denver. I mean, that’s, it’s an impressive win. I mean, the Jaguars not ready to write punch their ticket to the Super Bowl, let’s be clear. But man, you talk about a team that’s really come on the last five or six weeks, you go down the list. I mean, it’s such an intriguing wide open kind of feel for the A, F, C, and you know, I know buffalo didn’t have a great game in Cleveland on Sunday, but it feels like the bills. I mean, obviously the bills are the experience team that’s in that tournament, not counting Aaron Rodgers experience, but Pittsburgh collectively doesn’t have that playoff experience, at least of any success. But, man, it’s just a cruddy feeling, because you look at this and the Ravens now being in the position they’re in which 6% 7% 8% to make the playoffs, whatever it is, knowing that you have one have to find a way to win, potentially with your backup quarterback at Lambeau Field two days after Christmas. And then, even if you do that, you’re counting on the freaking Cleveland Browns to beat Pittsburgh, just to keep you alive, just to create a week 18 scenario. That means something so but you look at it and you say, all right, Denver, New England, Jacksonville, Pittsburgh, rather than Baltimore, chargers, the bills, the Texans. I mean, it’s sitting right there for I mean, if Josh Allen doesn’t do it this year, much as we’ve you and I have done our post mortem on the ravens, and what’s going to happen now, and are they going to make drastic changes? What are they going to do with their roster, all those things. I mean, if buffalo doesn’t do it this year, Nestor, then those poor Bills fans like it may never happen for them, because this feels like the year that they need to do it, because no mahomes, very likely, no Lamar, no Joe burrow. I mean, it’s sitting right there. I mean, and people, you know, the skeptics, will say all it’ll be an asterisk without Holmes. It’s like, you’ll take that, you know, you’ll take that, if compared to nothing. But it’s just, you know, for the ravens, you look at this thing, and it’s just, just, what a colossal missed opportunity. Disappointing, terrible season. I’m going to call it 2025 has been a terrible season for the Baltimore Ravens relative to expectations and even where they were a month ago. You know what? The being in the position they were in, and to do what they’ve done here over the last month? I mean, bad, bad football, but you know, the rest of the league, hey, they’re gonna, they’re gonna have a tournament, and I think it’s gonna be really intriguing. I mean, I talked about the AFC, the NFC. I think there’s a little more high quality at the top of that conference, but even that, you know, look at the bears. Who would have thought that? I mean, who would have thought the bears win that the Ravens had, without Lamar Jackson would have turned out to be such a great win that it that, you know, that it aged in being so, you know, there’s plenty of fun that’s going on elsewhere, but,
8Nestor Aparicio 08:32
well, I mean, it’s interesting to me in that Aaron Rodgers has a couple of players around. We talked about Bateman earlier being a bust, and we even talked about Flacco in that era when Perryman doesn’t work out and the running game doesn’t get going, and you pay your quarterback 22% of your cap, that’s where you are. The Aaron Rodgers thing walking off the field with Mike Tomlin. That’s such an un likely pairing. I go back to making Tomlin laugh with the original yogic, you know, two shirtless AI edition back in the spring of them pulling it together. I mean, Harbaugh da Costa, this whole operation, should be embarrassed that they’re going to be the ones marching on if things align. Now, that being said, let me play sugar plums here. Let me play Santa Claus. Lamar doesn’t get right, and neither does love and our backup quarterback beats their backup quarterback on Saturday night. Not impossible, and they not impossible at all. Not packers. Packers are banged up big time. I mean, they lost Micah Parsons. They’ve got other guys banged up. I mean, Josh Jacobs, their feature back, has been playing on a bad knee for about a month now, and knows me, know that Weasley here one of my senior Yeah, I hear Josh Jacobs guy, but so the Ravens win. And then Sunday, somehow, I don’t know, they forced three turnovers. Miles Garrett blows the game up. Somebody misses a kick. It Snow sideways. I don’t know. What I mean, Pittsburgh’s no sure thing to be Cleveland, I guess. I mean, and Cleveland gave buffalo all they could handle. So I don’t, I don’t know. I don’t like we might wake up here next Monday after reading rights on this whole team and still have a playoff game here two weeks from now, even though Isaiah likely went on Instagram and said something very disparaging about the organization on the way out of the stadium after the game, in regard to it’s not getting done here, it’s not happening. I love leaks. So freaking weird as we start to talk about everything that happened late into the night, that the fact that the Ravens play before they play and can keep it interesting just by going to bed Saturday night and beating, to your point, a half baked team on a cold night with two backup quarterbacks. And the Ravens need the game more than they do. So I don’t I don’t know. I You, you tell me, but tell me, I’m not crazy that next Monday we couldn’t gather here, and the Ravens would still have to go to Pittsburgh and win. I’m not that whatever that 9% is, or whatever that is. I’m not holding out hope, but it’s been so strange that they might still host a playoff game with Lamar Jackson two weeks from here, from now. That would tell you how low the bar is in this division, as well as wherever that Carolina, Tampa Bay slop was over in the NFC side too, that all of these really good teams, Seattle, San Francisco, the Rams, and these certain divisions and then, like the NFC East is just trash beyond, beyond the Eagles, it’s going to make for an interesting tournament. Jacksonville, coming on, Denver, looking awful patriots looking good enough to steal a game in Baltimore, even though that, you know, would have been nice to see him try to tackle Derrick Henry in the fourth quarter.
Luke Jones 11:48
Yeah, heck of a quarterback. I mean, I came away very impressed with Drake May I mean, he made some great throws. I mean, he made some mistakes too. I mean, there’s no question about that. But you kind of see what the league, you know, all the all the hype for him. You kind of saw it. And, like I said, it’s kind of crazy that five years removed from saying goodbye to Tom Brady, they might have another guy that’s going to be there a decade plus. The way, it’s early, you know, I don’t want to crown him that you know hasn’t won anything yet, hasn’t even played a play you know, hasn’t played in the playoffs. But by
Nestor Aparicio 12:19
the way this goes back to our previous segment, but this is why, as I have some delicious Christmas cookie in my tea. Thank you. This is why, when I talked about Lamar, and I’m not looking to disparage Lamar, I’m looking at Lamar as a $64 million cap number next year, whatever, I don’t know me, tell me it’s a $64 million question. What’s that? My parents used
Luke Jones 12:42
870 it’s what 74 before they but which is why they got to, they got to do something.
Nestor Aparicio 12:47
They’re gonna do something with it, right? Yeah, that’s what I’m saying. It’s gonna be in the 60s. Is where it’s gonna be, right? Yeah, it’s gonna be $60 million quarterback next year. And I’m not would you rather have Drake May the next three years, because that’s how quarterbacks are quarterbacks aren’t what you know. Aaron Rodgers is good enough right now. He is a top eight quarterback in this league right now, right this minute,
Luke Jones 13:12
he can win a game. Okay? It’s
Nestor Aparicio 13:15
because he comes up to the line of scrimmage and identifies things. That’s how he’s winning. I’m watching it. I’m, I’m literally watching it. He is literally coming up, and he’s a 43 year old ball coach. He’s 10 years older than Zach or and he’s and he’s out thinking Zach Orr next week, and he’s so much smarter than Zach Orr about football. I mean, he just is. He’s Tom Brady smart. They’re very few people as smart as about football as Aaron Rodge, all the knucklehead stuff and all the mushrooms and going on with the white beater t shirt guy and being a jackass and getting paid in line like He’s not a guy of ethics. He’s a guy of apparently good mushrooms, if I were looking for that sort of thing. But I tell you what, I watch his act, and I’m telling you, he’s a grown ass man, and he comes up to the line of scrimmage and he’s getting them into plays, getting him into positive plays. And that includes, Hey, first down didn’t work, all right, so we’re in Second and nine. Second down didn’t go great. We’re in third and seven. It’s okay. We’re in third and seven. They’re gonna put nickel on we’re gonna go or dime, and we’re gonna go this, or why, whatever we’re gonna do. And I’m gonna come to the line of scrimmage, I’m gonna identify your mic, I’m gonna figure out whether you’re blitzing, how you’re blitzing, based on your cover, one, two, what are you doing? And then he literally is just touching something, doing something, and he’s got a hot read and he’s going to get the first down, or have a chance to get the first down. And I watched him do this all day, and I’m thinking to myself, that is a dangerous thing. And his calm, no matter how chaotic it gets, as you said. When it gets chaotic, John Harbaugh forgets to put Derek Henry in the game like I would be where smart, healthy, ish motivated quarterback. And the other thing with Rogers, which blows my mind, are bringing in these remnant Adam Thielen, Valdez, scandaling, guys who know where to stand, and Arthur Smith can coach them up. They’re grown ups, and they just figure out the seam on third and seven like they just they know the plays. They’ve been doing this 15 years there. There really is some calm that comes with it that I would love to see the Ravens get through this weekend. I’d love to see the Steelers fall on their face and have a ball game, have a shootout. Have you have to drive through Somerset and, you know, bring me back some meat and park chili from Pittsburgh next weekend. I mean, I, I don’t. I want to make sure that I’m on the record as if that happens on Monday, and that would be a detriment to Aaron Rodgers. I’m just watching Aaron Rodgers. And I never liked Aaron, you know, like not a packer guy, and watching him and all the antics and the Diva and like all of that, tell you what I almost said, rather have him than Lamar right now. Rather have him than broken Lamar. I’d rather have him at this point, with this weird cast of characters that he has on the field now that he didn’t have in week five. Oh, I just saw a little something in them. Made me think, like, oh, you know, they’re going to have the smartest quarterback in the tournament next month. You know, like, if they, if they make the tournament. I just saw that as being a little bit scary, a little bit weird. I haven’t thought about Aaron Rodgers like that when they signed him, it was a joke to me. He got hurt with the Jets. Blab blab blab the Jets suck. They don’t have Mike Tomlin that, you know, sure. I don’t know whether they’re going to get any of their players back or not, but I think he makes the whole thing feel a little calmer, and gives them an opportunity to think they can win two weeks from now, when they’re playing at home or playing against us. I love to have the game mean something next week. But I just wanted to give a minute to Aaron Rodgers to sit and watch and play football for three hours on Sunday at 42 and I thought, they can’t win a Super Bowl, but they can win a cup. They they can hurt some feelings for sure.
8Luke Jones 17:16
Yeah, it’s funny. I was having this conversation with a couple people in the press box. You know, hours before, as we were obviously watching the Pittsburgh game, it’s wild to think what they and what he looked like, specifically in that Buffalo game. Remember, nose bloodied. He’s got the bigger cast on his left wrist. And, you know, I saw a couple people even make the comparison. Obviously, comparisons have been made between him and Brett Farve for decades now, right? I mean, he was the heir apparent in the same way that Brett Favre went to the Jets. Aaron Rodgers goes to the Jets didn’t work out for either guy, but I saw a lot of people make the comparison of how Rogers looked sitting on the bench when he had his nose bloodied against buffalo three, what, four weeks ago now, and people said that that kind of reminded them of what Brett Favre looked like at the end of year two with the Vikings, when it was abundantly clear it was over. And to see him and and more, and collectively, to see Pittsburgh do the exact opposite of what the Baltimore Ravens have done over the last month, and blow up and win some big games, a couple big wins on the road. Mind you. I mean, it is
Nestor Aparicio 18:33
impressive look. And without what with, you know, they don’t have to play either,
Luke Jones 18:37
and let’s see what’s going to happen with DK Metcalf, with the fan thing. I mean, we haven’t even gotten into that. I mean, how ugly that is. I mean,
Nestor Aparicio 18:43
8dude, I just think to myself, like, but how stupid Could you be to punch a fan? But then I think how what Dan might have dropped an embalm on him and or said something about his mother or, like, and it’s, and it’s one
Luke Jones 18:55
of those things where you you still the position that you’re in with how much you have to lose, and it’s, believe me, and I’m not going to excuse anyone for saying if that proves to be the case, I mean, you kind of get what you deserve, but from his position, when
Nestor Aparicio 19:13
you’re not a public figure here 30 years, my wife has heard people say things to me,
Luke Jones 19:18
but you have to, you have to have The restraint to understand that you have so much more to lose than that individual in that context, in that scenario. However, that aside, I wanted to at least acknowledge that that because, as people are listening that NFL might have already suspended DK Metcalf, but, but you look at where they are, what they’ve done the last two weeks without TJ watt, mind you and his his return, still seeing their seeming seems to be very foggy in terms of when that’s going to happen, which, by the way, even more incentive for them to beat Cleveland on Sunday and lock it up that week 18 is a Bible rest day. Yeah. So. But Mason, Rudolph, that. Okay, but if you assume, and I’m making an assumption here, because we don’t know, because we’re talking about a lung injury, and I don’t want to make light of that in the same way that I wouldn’t make light about a concussion, but if he is able to return, they’re going to get the the emotional lift and the lift on defense of having him come back for the playoffs. Yeah, I’m with you, from the standpoint of, don’t get me wrong, at the end of the day, I don’t think they’re good enough to win three straight. Who the
8Nestor Aparicio 20:27
hell is Jacksonville, right?
20:30
I mean, pub at Buffalo, and I’ll hear buffalo, which, by the way, Buffalo might be on the
Luke Jones 20:35
road the entire time, because, you know, they still, they haven’t taken down New England to this point, right? I mean, New England’s still leading that division, so Jacksonville might get a week off, for crying out. But, yeah, but I, I’m much more of the thought that Pittsburgh looks like a team that they could at least get to the divisional round weekend and then, and then you see, right? I mean, that’s look you. And I’ve been saying that’s how we’ve talked about the Ravens for years. Now, I think they’ll get to the divisional round, and then we’ll see what the heck happens after that. We’ll see if they break through or do they choke again, right? And but they’re not even barring a miracle, not even going to get that far. But to go back to you were talking about it, and look, it is true. They have a, whether you want to call it a 6% chance, a 7% 8% 9% 10% you know, somewhere in that vicinity of still having a chance to make the playoffs, still having a chance to play a meaningful week 18 game for the division, but, and I hear that, and you’re not wrong, but I also part of me also feels like, my gosh, I mean this season, think about how this season Started, Nestor, and now we’re talking about that being the scenario. I mean, that’s your scenario for week 17, that you need that much to go your way just to have a chance to play Pittsburgh at the place formerly known as Heinz Field. Man. I mean, you do kind of step back and it’s like for what, what has this team done all year to make you think at all that they can do any damage in the playoffs, right? I mean, okay, I give them. They played their butts off in Cincinnati last week, and then they come home and played like that, right? And did that. I mean, so I hear you and you’re not wrong. I agree with you. And no, I don’t think the right approach is just a, you know, for anyone that’s just ticked off at the Ravens or ticked off wanting horrible fired, or wanting this guy fired, or this player cut, or or whatever, the solution isn’t to actively root against them, but I certainly understand the sentiment of just, you know, I heard someone make the comment, you know, in the aftermath of Sunday’s loss, where, you know, it’s kind of just like Old Yeller at this point, where it’s just like, just put them out of their misery. I mean, this, this season’s just not been fun in a Baltimore sports year that has not been fun, and it’s just,
Nestor Aparicio 23:03
8you know, I think Shane bass is going to save us.
Luke Jones 23:06
I like Shane boss. I you know, I like him, if he’s not the only starting pitching move left to be made, right? I mean, are we already talking baseball? Have we moved on? Yeah, oh. I mean, I think you kind of have to.
Nestor Aparicio 23:19
No, no, no, we got Santa Claus this week. Oh, in
Luke Jones 23:23
that context, yeah, I’m not wishing away the holidays. I mean, it’s like I said to you when we first started breaking down,
8Nestor Aparicio 23:29
this game still matters on Saturday night, and until they lose if they win Saturday, and I think they can. I think if it’s Snoop puntley playing their best, they can. I think the
Luke Jones 23:40
Packers aren’t that right? The Packers, as presently constructed, aren’t that good, but I don’t know. Are they going to get off the mat again
23:50
and fine, and
Luke Jones 23:51
8for what you know, for what? No, but that’s what I mean. Like, even if they somehow things break right for them this coming weekend. Are you happy Pittsburgh put them out of their misery, right? Are you really confident that they’re going to go to Pittsburgh? Interesting? No, I just want a guy. I hear you, I hear you story, then I hear you loud and clear. I’d much, you know, I’d much rather be in a position where I’m excited about go. You know, it’s not often I would say this, but I’d be excited about driving up the Pittsburgh two weekends from now. But, man, it just, it just felt that that felt that was so demoralizing and just such, such a defeated post game. I mean, and how could it not be? I mean, you’re at a point now, like I said, about
Nestor Aparicio 24:34
took a half an hour to get into, into so the little inside poker for everybody out there that has Chad steel side. And I have no idea, if you ever met Chad steel, you would not have his side. And if you listen to me, and I’ve been doing this work for 35 years, they’re a disgrace. I mean, they are a disgrace. Top to bottom, the Baltimore Ravens are a disgrace. And the half an hour wait and throwing me out of. The locker room. That’s exactly how zay flowers runs out the back. That’s exactly how you don’t get a chance to talk to Derek Henry because you’re sitting with every other journalist waiting for the head coach to come in. I fell asleep three times waiting for that press conference to begin with Facebook and my cat on my lap and my phone open, that’s what kind of journalist I’ve become. Instead of being down there, they’re they’re a disgrace, and I hope their offseason gets worse on the Justin Tucker side, because there’s a lot of the Justin Tucker story that hasn’t been told, and I’m telling you that as somebody that knows it, and that’s just a fact this offseason, har ball offense, Lamar disappointment, renegotiating with lamar’s mother, where they’re going to draft, all the holes, all of that, all that being said, they can win Saturday, Pittsburgh, Sunday. We could be talking about real football next week. You could be going to Pittsburgh again. I absolutely think there’s a greater chance than 9% of that happening this week, that that they that next week’s game. Could I put that at 30 or 40% okay, so the Browns could that the Browns could pull off a miracle and win. I don’t think that that’s outrageous. And I don’t think it’s outrageous at all, that the Ravens could win on the road with two backup quarterbacks
Luke Jones 26:23
playing, okay, but, but you look at the simple so what are we putting ravens packers as is that a coin flip? I mean, what are you putting it as well?
Nestor Aparicio 26:31
I don’t you know what. I’m just not even I want to see if it’s even online, because it was quarterbacks last I don’t think you can bet on it, right? I saw it was off the board some places and that other places I saw, Green Bay is a two and a
8Luke Jones 26:43
half point. Two and a half point favorite is what? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I supposed to lose. You know, that was the extent of my interest in sports betting conversation.
Nestor Aparicio 26:51
We would like the Ravens if Lamar isn’t playing on the pro, right? So, I mean, that’s the thing so, and I might like Snoop Huntley more than the world, but if you look at it, but, but this is where you get you come Steelers favorite, what? What would you give Pittsburgh’s chance? Like, what’s their chance of winning Sunday’s game? Well, the money line would be, you know, whatever it is, it’s their, their four and a half point favorite on the road in Cleveland.
Luke Jones 27:12
So, like, what percentage wise, what would you say it would be? Um, 7575
Nestor Aparicio 27:18
8Okay, so, so I think if they play three four times, they win three of them.
Luke Jones 27:22
That that’s, yeah, okay. I mean, like, so if the ravens are a coin flip with Green Bay, and that’s that’s being very well, the
Nestor Aparicio 27:31
coin flip is just, if they win Saturday night, it makes Sunday more interesting for me. Oh, no, no, I understand.
Luke Jones 27:35
No, I understand. But I’m just, but in terms of what the numbers are, so if the ravens are a coin flip, and again, that’s kind especially on the road, if you’re talking backup or backup. And look, it’s not impossible that Jordan or that Lamar Jackson plays it’s not impossible that Jordan love clears concussion protocol. That doesn’t happen as often as it used to, in terms of being able to clear from concussion one week and then playing the following week, especially on short rest. Well, well, they they’re Saturday to Saturday. Remember, they played Saturday night. So, but that’s still, that doesn’t happen nearly as often as it used to. But let’s just say, but let’s say it’s two backups. So you know, if the ravens are say a 45% chance, and then you said Pittsburgh was a 75% chance, of course, I’m using my calculator, and I hit the wrong button.
8Nestor Aparicio 28:24
Oh, here we go. He’s, he’s, this is fifth grade. I mean, I mean that
Luke Jones 28:28
right there, that right there would put them, you know, it’s like 33% to get to week 18, right? That that 8% is also taking to an into account what they think the Ravens chances are of beating Pittsburgh,
Nestor Aparicio 28:40
40% chance that we could be talking next week about them being alive still, yeah, so I’m not so throwing the dirt, but to your point, they went in the Super Bowl. I mean,
Luke Jones 28:50
8like, and that’s my thing. Like, that’s where I’m just, I’m exhausted. Like, I’m so tired of this team at this point in time. We’re up all night, Sunday night. No, well, but I just mean in terms of, like, this, waiting right this, waiting that the the 2025 preseason expectations are suddenly going to manifest at some point and and
Nestor Aparicio 29:09
they haven’t, because we’ve watched the body of work of these players, and you and I did 40 minutes earlier, just on player to player, position to position, how nobody’s earned their money, and how few guys have been above the bar and versus their salary versus the expectation versus the collective, and that’s why people are going to get fired. Yeah.
Luke Jones 29:30
I mean, like, wrap it up, yeah, and I’ll wrap it up because it’s along those lines. I mean, it’s like, Look, I get it. Lamar Jackson didn’t play the second half. I totally get that. But Nestor, they had most of their starting defense, other than Matt a BK, they had their guys out there. And I get Okay, Woozi a was out at home. But you had our Darius Washington back, right? You had tavius Robinson back, like that defense, I mean, and you’re right. We spent so much time talking about the offense. You and I haven’t. Beaten up this defense nearly enough. So this is my 32nd I mean, let’s wait till Christmas Eve, seasonal pu on the defense on those last couple drives. And you know, Kyle Hamilton said, Well, it’s
Nestor Aparicio 30:11
all about Derek Henry not running the ball, but really, the complimentary defense has had, and that’s before Marlon Humphrey tackled the guy and got away with it.
8Luke Jones 30:19
I mean, it’s, it wasn’t complimentary. They were complimentary in Cincinnati, and you were hoping that was a sign that maybe it was coming together, and then they weren’t at all in crunch time on Sunday night, and they lost, and it’s another blown lead, and now their season circling the drain not over yet. To your point, and I agree, and we’ll talk about the Green Bay game, and everyone will still at least have in the back of their mind that it’s still a shot. But I’ll end with if you’re counting on the Cleveland Browns to do something to help you, your season probably hasn’t gone very well, and that says it all about the Baltimore Ravens
Nestor Aparicio 30:55
put me that Big Cheese Grater in for my head that they had in Chicago last week. He is Luke. I am Nestor. We are W, N, S, T, A M, 1570 Towson, Baltimore, have a great holiday. Everybody. Enjoy yourself. Merry Christmas.
