What happens Monday morning if Ravens lose in Pittsburgh on Sunday night?

It’s such a significant game because it will define what has been a confounding, deflating and defeated season for the Baltimore Ravens. After a 1-5 start, fumbles and mistakes and blown defenses – not to mention an injured version of Lamar Jackson for much of the season – John Harbaugh and the men in purple have a chance to fix it all in Pittsburgh. Luke Jones and Nestor discuss what happens if they’re not discussing a playoff game in Baltimore next weekend.

Nestor Aparicio and Luke Jones discussed the upcoming Pittsburgh game, predicting a close contest with potential turnovers and defensive lapses. They debated the future of Lamar Jackson and John Harbaugh, considering the possibility of coaching changes and Jackson’s potential trade. Jones highlighted the importance of finding a suitable quarterback replacement and the challenges of maintaining fan support if Jackson leaves. They also noted the Steelers’ recent struggles and the potential impact of their performance on coaching decisions. Both agreed that the outcome of the game and the subsequent offseason would be crucial for both teams’ future strategies.

Action Items

• [ ] @Nestor Aparicio – Research Venezuelan restaurant in Pittsburgh and select a place to take Luke for sandwiches before the Sunday night game
• [ ] @Nestor Aparicio – Obtain candy cane scratch-off tickets to give away once the crab cake tour starts
• [ ] Write the column about the hypothetical scenario where Lamar Jackson is gone but John Harbaugh remains (the column Nestor assigned)

Outline

Pittsburgh Game Preview and Expectations

• Nestor Aparicio and Luke Jones discuss their plans to attend the Pittsburgh game, with Nestor in the press box and Luke in the stands.
• Nestor outlines potential scenarios for the game, including the possibility of a close loss with turnovers and missed opportunities.
• They discuss the historical context of the Steelers’ and Ravens’ performances, noting the Steelers’ recent struggles and the Ravens’ inconsistency.
• Nestor emphasizes the importance of Lamar Jackson’s performance and the defense’s ability to hold up in critical moments.

Potential Outcomes and Reactions

• Nestor speculates on the reactions if the Ravens lose, including potential changes in the coaching staff and the impact on Lamar Jackson’s future with the team.
• They discuss the broader implications for the organization, including the business side and the potential for turmoil within the franchise.
• Nestor mentions the importance of winning the next game against Houston to maintain momentum and avoid a negative narrative.
• They touch on the potential for a collective team effort in the game, rather than relying on individual performances.

Coaching Changes and Candidate Speculation

• Luke Jones brings up the topic of coaching changes around the league and the potential for new candidates to emerge.
• They discuss the possibility of the Ravens and Steelers making bold moves, including potential replacements for John Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin.
• Luke mentions various coaching candidates, including Brian Flores and Jim Schwartz, and the challenges of finding a suitable replacement.
• They reflect on the historical context of coaching changes and the impact on team performance and fan reactions.

Lamar Jackson’s Future and Team Dynamics

• Nestor and Luke delve into the potential future of Lamar Jackson with the Ravens, including the possibility of him being traded or leaving the team.
• They discuss the complexities of Lamar’s contract situation and the challenges of finding a suitable replacement.
• Nestor expresses concerns about the team’s ability to maintain stability and success without Lamar, given his significant impact on the offense.
• They consider the broader implications for the organization, including the potential for a rebuild and the challenges of maintaining fan support.

Steelers’ Performance and Playoff Hopes

• Nestor and Luke discuss the Steelers’ recent performance, including their struggles and the importance of their upcoming game against the Ravens.
• They reflect on the Steelers’ history of success and the challenges they face in maintaining their position in the division.
• Luke highlights the importance of the Steelers’ defense and the need for a consistent quarterback to lead the team.
• They consider the potential outcomes of the game and the impact on the Steelers’ playoff hopes, including the possibility of a wild card spot.

Ravens’ Season Review and Future Plans

• Nestor and Luke review the Ravens’ season, including their highs and lows and the impact of injuries on the team’s performance.
• They discuss the potential for changes in the coaching staff and the importance of addressing defensive issues.
• Luke emphasizes the need for the Ravens to find a consistent quarterback and the challenges of maintaining success without Lamar.
• They consider the broader implications for the organization, including the potential for a rebuild and the challenges of maintaining fan support.

Potential Scenarios and Fan Reactions

• Nestor and Luke discuss various potential scenarios for the Ravens and Steelers, including the impact of coaching changes and player performances.
• They reflect on the potential reactions from fans and the media, including the possibility of a mutiny if Lamar is traded and John Harbaugh remains.
• Luke emphasizes the importance of maintaining stability and continuity within the organization to ensure long-term success.
• They consider the broader implications for the league and the potential for other teams to make similar moves in the offseason.

Final Thoughts and Predictions

• Nestor and Luke share their final thoughts on the upcoming game and the potential outcomes for both teams.
• They discuss the importance of winning the next game and the impact on the team’s momentum and fan support.
• Luke emphasizes the need for the Ravens to address defensive issues and find a consistent quarterback to maintain success.
• They consider the broader implications for the organization and the potential for changes in the offseason, including coaching moves and player acquisitions.

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

Lamar Jackson, John Harbaugh, Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, coaching changes, playoff game, defense, quarterback, Super Bowl, offseason, fan reaction, contract negotiations, team performance, division title, future plans.

SPEAKERS

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Nestor Aparicio, Luke Jones

Nestor Aparicio  00:00

Luke Jones is here. He’s Baltimore. Luke, we will both be in Pittsburgh on Sunday night. Jensen, that Don and the Burg, I am researching a Venezuelan, a rape, a place to take you for proper sandwiches. So you get some proper guacamole and chicken in you prior to cheese too, some Venezuelan cheese in you. So we’re going to Pittsburgh. We will be at the game. Luke will be in the press box. I will be wherever Mike Tomlin puts me. So I have no idea. I’m a guest of the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night, but I will not be in the locker room after the game. Whether anybody runs in, runs out, but we will be Chad steel told me on Wednesday, you could ask all the questions on our behalf. You can be in both sides so as they run guys out the back door if they happen to lose. So, um, have you thought much about what happens if they happen to lose? Because if they lose, you know what this is going to be. It’s going to be a field goal, 2624 at the buzzer, and there’s going to be a couple turnovers. Some bad things are going to have. Lamar is going to play well, but not well enough. Defense is not going to hold its water at the end in some way. And we know the formula for them to lose. They’ve lost a lot this year. You know what I mean? We know the formula for them to lose close games, fumble the ball, take the ball down to the eight yard line and either try to kick a field goal or squander the ball in some way, or get your balls out on fourth and two and not be able to move it and give the ball up, right? So have these empty possessions, and that’s not even about punting. Punting happens when a whistle gets blown and there’s a holding on first and whatever. Now we’re in first and 20, and now you really can’t run Derek hammer. You got him off the field, and you’re trying to throw a swing pass, and then you’re in second and 12, and then you’re in third and seven, and then you’re off the field and you’re punting. So there was a lot of that this year too, right? There wasn’t a whole lot of that in the years where they’re 15 and two and whatnot. But I don’t know what we’re going to see on Sunday night. But to your point, if it’s a horse race and you’re reading the form, and the the gamblers have read the form and decided this is a three and a half point Road Dog favorite against a Hall of Fame Super Bowl champion coach and quarterback depleted roster on their home turf, with their honor on the line, with their age on the line, with their jobs on the line, in some cases, in the minds of the fans, or their legacy. In some way, lot more legacy going on for Aaron Rodgers than there is for Lamar Jackson on Sunday night, I think, given their age and given where the Steelers are and how much closer they are to wanting They booed Renegade, as much as this place here is a mess, and I will be the first to say, since Sashi Brown got here, the business is maybe running worse than the football not is running worse not maybe is running worse than the football team. And that’s not saying much, because you’ve seen the football team, and I evaluate the business, but the turmoil that’s bubbling below both of these franchises, let’s just play out here, because we might not do this again before Sunday. We’ll do it in the car somewhere around Somerset, I’m sure. Yeah, on the way up. But what happens if they lose a garden variety, not a bad beat, not a hardball eating a timeout and the kicker shank in a 23 yards. Not like Billy Cundiff, yeah, not, not some tragic we can point at Mark Andrews for dropping the ball and it gets played slow motion, and there’s a real goat, and I don’t mean a hero goat, I mean a bad guy, but let’s say it’s a collective team. Couple mistakes here, a couple mistakes there, bad punt, bad kick, fumble, this fumble, but they lost. What? What happens here on Monday? Because I think the hardball Lamar thing, the fact that the cat got out last week, and that hardball has texted me years ago, and how they all how bishadi, who is Mr. Buttoned up? Image, Image, I have to have the image of Shashi Brown and Chad to the image of the jaw of John Harbaugh, like he’s all imaged up. I don’t know how he feels about Lamar. I really don’t, and I don’t know he won’t speak, but it’s gonna be real loud whatever they’re doing in the offseason, whether it’s giving Lamar whatever he wants, giving John Eric, they’re not drafting high. I mean, they have all the old guy issues that we talk about every week here, with overpaid middle linebacker, cornerback that’s got a cap number tight end that they just reset. I mean, they go back into that mode the minute they lose. And to your point, they might lose next that. We think they’re not going to win the Super Bowl, so we think there’s not going to be a happy ending here. But it becomes very, very unhappy if the first step is not doing what we’ve just talked about them doing, which is whitewashing all the bad things and saying, We have a home game next Sunday. Come on out. Let’s beat Houston. Because I’m down to sell that on Monday. No matter what, you know, if they win on Sunday night, I don’t need any style points. I don’t need him to get lucky. If it’s a bad call that screws. Mike Tomlin, I’ll remind everybody about the trip of Jacoby Jones and like to say, hey, tough pub skis Pittsburgh. We’re on to Houston, you know. So I’m not going to make any excuses. Wins a wins a win, even if it’s crooked. I don’t care. But a lot. Us in any way, put you and me in a strange place over a coffee in Monroeville Monday morning? Yeah.

Luke Jones  05:07

I mean, look, anyone who’s going to sit here and say definitively that there’s going to be change, I don’t think, is living in reality. I think these are very tough, complicated conversations to have. And I was having a conversation with someone very recently who isn’t the general manager or the, you know, like someone that’s that high up, but someone brought up, brought up the point to me, and really kind of brought it up, not just for the ravens, but for Pittsburgh. Look, we know black black. Monday’s imminent for whoever around the league. We know a couple coaches are already

Nestor Aparicio  05:49

fired in the car on the drive home. It literally

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Luke Jones  05:52

be a couple coaches fired before the ravens and Steelers kick off on Sunday night. I mean, that’s just how this works. Maybe not officially announced, but it will be reported that so and so is out. So my question, and again, this is, I’m not putting you on the spot here, but I kind of am, who’s the Hot Shot coaching candidate this, this, this offseason. I mean, Ben Johnson was last year, Liam Cohen, I think was not quite at Ben Johnson’s level, but was certainly talked about. And obviously, two years ago, Mike McDonald was one of the ones. I mean, you know, you hear Brian Flores. I’ve heard some naggy talk which, you know, I mean, I guess I know he’s with Kansas City, but he’s been a head coach. Flores has been a head coach. We know how that went, fair or unfair. Of you know whether

Nestor Aparicio  06:41

you want to coach or not, whether you want Jim

Luke Jones  06:43

Schwartz, and that’s kind of my the kind of the point I’m making here

Nestor Aparicio  06:48

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is, and somebody’s going to be available. Some of these guys that have jobs are going to be out on shore,

Luke Jones  06:52

sure, but port of part of the point I’m trying to make here is, if you are a team like the Ravens or the Steelers, I mean, they are different than anyone else that we’re talking about right now in terms of making a change. These guys have been the head coach of their respective teams for nearly two decades now. Both these guys have won a Super Bowl. Both of these guys have been very successful looking at it from a long term perspective now short term Pittsburgh, not as much they’ve been. They’ve gone nine years without a playoff win. The Ravens have had so much regular season success, and it hasn’t translated to the same degree of success in January, in the Lamar Jackson era. But the point that this individual just kind of brought up to me, and it’s fair, is, if you’re going to be bold to the point where you feel you really have to make a change right now, not like talking about it, not considering it, not kicking the can one more year down the road and seeing what, who the Hot Shot candidates are then, like, who is the guy out there that gives you the conviction that that’s better for us? Yeah, we need to go do that, because the crazy part about this, and look, I’m not going to sit here and say that I clamored for this in any way, even privately, necessarily. But when you kind of looked at where the Ravens were two years ago, with how Mike, Mike McDonald was perceived, and the interest he was drawing and understanding that John Harbaugh, at that point was 16 years into his career, and on the other, you know, just on the other side of 60 and and you’re asking the question of, okay, how long, realistically, is he going to coach? Right? Is he going to be someone like Belichick who’s going to coach into his 70s? Or is it, you know, a pretty finite timeline in terms of how much longer he’s going to go, you know, if you were thinking about that, you know, you could have made an argument that the Ravens could have made a really bold move at that point and said, We think Mike McDonald’s the best guy for our next guy that’s going to be the coach for 15 years, right? So in the absence of, and they clearly don’t, I don’t think they have anyone on staff that you would identify at you know, maybe two years ago, they’re hoping Zach work might have been the next Mike McDonald. You certainly can’t make that argument right now based on the lack of success defensively. So again, this is kind of a win. You know, long winded way of if you’re replacing John Harbaugh and you’re and you’re figuring out a way to say goodbye, and it’s a mutual parting of ways, which is, I think would be the way it would happen if it were to happen. And I think it’s similar for Pittsburgh, right? I don’t think the Rooney family is calling Tomlin in and just saying you’re fired, you know, like, like it’s Donald Trump on the apprentice 20 years ago, or anything like that. It would be something where they’re trying to be respectful, and they’re trying to make this appear in a way that both sides can win. Something coming out of this, I’ve said to you the scenario if the Ravens were to decide, you know, with horrible that maybe a change is warranted, that I could see them trading him to a team that he wants to let where he wants to land, and the Ravens can get a pick out of it, right? So, but there has to be someone you want to hire, right? And maybe these, maybe the ravens and the Steelers. Is very privately behind, you know, backdoor channels. Just save time a little bit. It’s time to do a whole maybe, but maybe they’ve done a little bit of homework. And maybe there is some candidate. Maybe there’s some guy coaching at the college level. The Ravens absolutely love right now. You know, again, it’s, I’m speaking in hypotheticals here. But if you’re going to make the bold decision that you need to make a change there. Who are you going to hire? And, you know, at least at face value, this doesn’t look like a an incredible bunch of coaches in the way that. I mean, Ben Johnson was talked about for the better part of two or three years, right? I mean, go back, obviously it was a it didn’t turn out that way. But how long were people talking about the enemy in Kansas City? You know, regardless of whether that ever came to fruition or not, right, there isn’t necessarily a candidate that everyone’s just like over the moon, over at least from what I can perceive Now, that said, Once upon a time, you hired Jim Harbaugh’s older brother to be your head coach, at a time when everyone wanted them or and they wanted to hire Jason Garrett. So let me be clear, that’s not an excuse to never make a coaching change. To say, well, we’re not going to find anyone better, right? That’s that would be a lazy way of looking at it. That said, and this kind of goes back to even with Lamar, you know, it’s in a vacuum. You can say, like, oh, well, we want to do this, or we want to do that, but then you have to actually go do it. And that’s why I’ve said, like, with the like, the Lamar thing is he, is he perfect? You know, does he have things about him that, you know, have been reported that you’d like to be a little bit different? Sure. Same thing could have been said about Ed Reed, or Terrell Suggs, or lots of Hall of Fame, Lawrence Taylor and with the Giants. I mean, famously, would be sleeping in the back of the room when belichick’s drawing up the defense on the chalkboard, they’d wake him up. He’d come up and he’d write it, and he’d go back to sleep. I mean, that story’s been talked about on the record, so reporting that he falls asleep in meetings, man, the fact that Mike Preston got a hold of that. So that’s a hit on Lamar. But my point with that is, okay, like, all right, fine. Get rid of Lamar Jackson. Then what are you going to do? And the same thing that does apply. Maybe it’s not quite, I wouldn’t say it quite as brazenly as that, but the same applies if you decide you’re going to part with John Harbaugh or on the Pittsburgh side. And look, let’s, I’ve said this to you. I mean, from the Steelers perspective, going into week 17, they had a two game lead in the division. They’re playing the last place team in the division, albeit on the road, but still the last place team in the division that had, what, three wins at the time, and you lost to them, and then you’re going to come home and still have a chance to win the division, beat the team that’s right on your heels and understanding the Ravens with a couple of weeks ago, if they lose to the ravens, then, man, that two week sequence, I’m not sure there’s anything that’s happened in John Harbaugh’s tenure. That’s as bad as that two week sequence for the Steelers if they lose on Sunday night. So that’s but. But even so, if you’re Pittsburgh, you’re still having that same conversation. Who’s the guy that we want to go get that we that we have the conviction that we’re going to be better off without Mike Tomlin and better with that guy. And the thing that I would say, and look, I’ve been critical of Mike Tomlin over the years, I I think the way he handles fourth downs, I think he punts way too much. I think he’s kind of caught in the stone age and some game management elements like that, not necessarily that you need to be Dan Campbell.

Nestor Aparicio  13:26

He’s also lack confidence in the offenses ability to actually do it

Luke Jones  13:29

and but I would say, in defense of him, like, why don’t they have, why can’t they find a quarterback? Like, you need to go get a quarterback. And I don’t mean a one year Band Aid like Aaron Rodgers. Like you need to go get your guy. Like, well,

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Nestor Aparicio  13:43

they built this team to win a game on Sunday night, on a cold night, on their defense, right? They did. They spent a lot of money on the defense, and that’s kind of how they thought about it. Their defense better go out and perform in that fashion and give them a chance to win, right? But that’s but, but

Luke Jones  13:56

even looking at it in a big picture sense, and this is the difference between the ravens and the Steelers. If I had told you back in week one, Pittsburgh would be nine and seven and playing week 18. Now, let’s say before the schedule came out, and I just said they were nine and seven and playing to get in the playoffs in week 18. If I told you that before the schedule came out, you had no idea the Ravens record, any of that just set a playoff spot, not the division. I think you would have believed that as being a very realistic outlook of what the Steelers were going to be, and it’s what they’ve been in recent years. They’re kind of barely above 500 and because there’s seven playoff spots in each conference, they’ve got a chance to make the playoffs, and they’ve made the playoffs more often than not in recent years. That wasn’t the expectation for the ravens, right? I mean, the ravens, it was not necessarily to go 15 and two, but they were overwhelmingly the favorite to win the division. They’ve been the favorite to be the, you know, the representative in the AFC, and you said eight and eight for them. So I guess with Pittsburgh, where they are right now. Know is probably about what people expected them to be back in week one.

Nestor Aparicio  15:04

If we won, you would have said you’re going to be playing a winner take all. Host get in. Loser leaves town on the last game of the season. It’s going to get flexed into eight o’clock in Pittsburgh with Aaron Rodgers healthy enough to play. And you know, you’re going to get there. You’re he’s going to make it through the year. He’s 42 years old, and you’re going to be playing against the Ravens. Mike Tomlin would have taken that deal right on opening day in a heartbeat, if you’d have given the deal to John and said, John, here’s the good news, still make the playoffs. You can still win the Super Bowl. The bad news is, your quarterback is going to be heard. You’re going to stink. Everybody’s going to stink. The whole thing is going to stink. The fans are going to leave early. You’re going to blow leads. All these awful things are going to happen. But the good news, you’re still going to play for division title and a lower seed home game. You’re going to have a chance to do that. You’re so, John would say, so let me get this straight. We’re gonna have a chance to win in Pittsburgh last game and get in the playoffs. I’ll take that. I’ll take that deal.

Luke Jones  16:00

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I mean, you would but, but you would also ask, what the heck has gone wrong this year then, or, or, let’s say you didn’t tell them, expectation

Nestor Aparicio  16:06

that you were going to hang the cleats up in December and have a three game lead a division, this

Luke Jones  16:11

division, going into the season, in this division, I would have, I would have said, that’s way more likely than being eight and eight and playing for your lives. I felt

Nestor Aparicio  16:18

better about Cincinnati than you’re letting on. At least I did. I never thought Cincinnati was a five win team. Addie was more likely to be an 11 win team than Pittsburgh to be an 11 win team. I thought Cincinnati would be the other team.

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Luke Jones  16:33

That’s fair. But I would also say, but their defense stunk on paper going into the year too. I agree about the five win thing, of course, right? But I guess for me, you know, and this, you know, I was just saying how this would look so much worse for Pittsburgh, just based on the last two weeks. But yeah, in a big picture, like looking at the season, kind of way

Nestor Aparicio  16:54

you win nine, right? But if you win 1011, the next two weeks after that, everything gets deodorant. I just I think if they, even if they lose a playoff game next week, you know, most people would say they gave it a good run. They made it into the playoffs, they won their division, and they ran into CJ Stroud, or they ran into a tough defense, or they made a bunch of door states and hid in the aftermath and ran out the back door. I mean, I don’t know, but I still think the Lamar har ball thing is the bigger, bigger picture, that if they’re not going to win the Super Bowl, and if they’re not going to go on some run that deodorizes all this, which would include them winning this week, winning next week, and then playing a following week. You and I thinking about it, we have to fly divisional round. Let’s say, right? I mean, Jacksonville, whatever it would be, New England, Denver, that’s what, that’s who it would be, right? So, all winnable games, to me, you have a hard time if they win against Houston and they’re playing that game, I like their chances to win so well Vegas, because Lamar will be upright. They’re not winning two more games with Snoop. Bluntly, at least, I don’t think they are. Yeah, so, so, I mean, where are they? Which they just did four days ago. They were in Green Bay. I mean, so these weeks feel really long, these holiday weeks in between these games, where it feels like there might be more time for Lamar to be healthier. Dude. He couldn’t play the other day. You’re flat jacketing him, and now you got him standing in the winner’s circle. You know, being a normal quarterback on Sunday night on a 20 degree night again. You know, I don’t think that. I don’t know. We’re gonna get the best out of Lamar Sunday night. We’re gonna get something out of Lamar, and it might not be good enough, and he might be pounding the ground, and he might be too hurt to perform in the way he can. But all that weighs down when a guy like you ask those tough questions in the post game because they lost. And the Lamar hardball thing, I think, is, me, it’s a kerosene thing in Owings Mills, I think. And you know, we’re, we’re not going to talk at length about it, but, boy, we could, and we shouldn’t right now, because it’s New Year’s Day and we’re all feeling good, or whatever. But if Lamar is unhappy, or John’s unhappy, or they’re unhappy with him, or they’re not 62 million deep, or he wants out, or, man, we’re about, about to go into that ugliness, no matter what, I think, you know what I think, you know what I mean, because I don’t think they’re winning the Super Bowl. I think there’s going to come an end to this in a couple of weeks, and we’re going to find out who loves who long time and who doesn’t. And the worst thing that could happen would be Lamar not playing well Sunday night and then losing. That would be really, really that’s the worst case scenario for all of this, is Lamar coming back and not looking great and getting hurt, you know, like, what? Just them losing and Lamar not looking great. If Lamar doesn’t look great and he still win, that’s okay. We’re playing a playoff game, but if they lose, it’ll be lamar’s fault if he plays. I think,

Luke Jones  19:34

I mean, I don’t know that. I mean, they’re doing the minds on their defense was, you know, I’ll continue, as much as their running game was incredible against Green Bay, their defense stunk, you know, I mean their defense plays like that. I mean DK Metcalf or not, Pittsburgh will move the ball some. I mean, they will so, oh, by the

Nestor Aparicio  19:53

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way, I want just for Jim Schwartz and all my friends in Arbutus, because I have Schwartz family members who list, Hi Andy, Hi Mark. I got real Schwartz is that, listen, he’s the reason they have a chance to make the playoffs. What kind of coach Jim Schwartz, he he put the Cleveland Browns on the field last week and served a donut up to Aaron Rodgers with that team, you know, has a hell of a coaching job too. So I just want to tip the cap to that the John Harbaugh may say, schwartzie, you’re the reason we’re playing where it matters this week, because if that defense had buckled under once or twice, if you and I are going to Pittsburgh this week, and I didn’t have to get on the phone with Chad steel to end my year,

Luke Jones  20:31

yeah, we’re talking about, you know what changes are coming, right? We’re talking about is this John Harbaugh’s last game as Raven’s coach

Nestor Aparicio  20:39

Cleveland the other day, literally, right? Sure, sure. Well,

Luke Jones  20:42

not to mention about six other things that Pittsburgh got squandered, or even some things that could have gone even worse for them. They had some pretty good fumble luck in that game, falling on the ball, you know, to keep possession a couple times. But I don’t know. I mean, I hear what you’re saying, and I believe that for the Ravens at large. But if Lamar doesn’t play well, I mean, am I going to sit here and say that that means, oh, well, they need to move up. Tell you. What’s not going to get you any closer to winning games in January is trading a two time MVP quarterback either, right? I mean, again, it’s one of those things that maybe sounds great in a vacuum, but if you’re going to tell me, and you know, I don’t think it’s going to play out this way. If you’re going to tell me that Lamar Jackson goes and John Harbaugh stays, man, I then I don’t have much confidence in this organization moving forward, right? I mean, I just don’t because that.

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Nestor Aparicio  21:32

Oh, so

21:36

if, if I’m

Nestor Aparicio  21:38

coach on April 1 and Lamar is the quarterback of the dolphins or the saints or the all, I don’t even pick a

Luke Jones  21:45

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team, not him. I’m not very confident in this organization at this point, right? Because I think, I think that’s a, I think that’s and

Nestor Aparicio  21:52

look, your confidence level be if Lamar just doesn’t want to be here, if Lamar is gonna go NBA, and to say,

Luke Jones  21:59

hypothetical, that’s a hypothetical. Well, Mark Jackson’s, I mean, okay, I get it. He made a trade request a couple years ago. I get that.

Nestor Aparicio  22:08

But that’s all it takes for an immature young guy who sleeps weird, eats weird, all that, who’s expressed all sorts of immature things over the last 10 years. So for Mike Preston, the right lands, and

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Luke Jones  22:19

amazingly, has won two MVPs and should have had a third. And the Ravens

Nestor Aparicio  22:23

have been simply saying, getting into the minds of young athletes who have two $50 million in the best thinking, I

Luke Jones  22:29

just think it’s a laughable thing to talk about until there’s actually some substance to it. Because, like, What the hell is your what are you going to do? Okay, Trey Lamar Jackson, what are you going to do? Like, what you like the point. Indiana doesn’t love it here anymore.

Nestor Aparicio  22:44

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He’s not happy in the marriage. I’m just being okay. Just like, Okay, your scenario is going to happen. Harbaugh will be the coach. Lamar won’t be the quarterback. They’ll they’ll this. They’ll dress this up the way they dress Justin Tucker up last off season, and just say, you know, I mean, Lamar didn’t love us enough. Okay, fair enough. We’re gonna go, we’ve won plenty without Lamar. We won before him or one after him. And we’ll take ours and take his and, you know, and then they’ll, they’ll leak some information about what happened this year and, like, that’s, I’ve called them sleazy. You’re in the press box, and I’m not reminder this week, this Sunday, biggest game of the year, I’ve called him. They’ll dress this up. They will not get a there’s no way that they’ll get a black eye out of this or a purple eye out of this. They will get a couple of draft picks and dress it up as he was banged up. He didn’t play much, you know, like, literally, that’s the direction that their legal team will take if they wind up squandering the two time MVP who should have been the three time MVP they didn’t keep him happy enough, like if that really is the case. And John Harbaugh is not the coach of this team April 15, and Lamar is not the quarterback, because I’m convinced hardball is going to be the coach. I am absolutely convinced that he’s not going anywhere because he can’t find a better circumstance and an owner who loves him more than Steve. And maybe I’m wrong about that relationship at this point, but I don’t think I am. I don’t think I am, and I think he and Eric, his neighbors and friends and just all of that. I don’t I think that’s a solid front, and I think the front is to go to Lamar and say, Do you really want to be here or not. You know what I mean? Because, like, we can’t do this again. We’re not gonna, we’re not gonna go to war again where you’re holding signs up. Amy, negotiate with mom in the off season. Luke and Nestor have to do radio four times a week, and guess on the tea leaves as to like because that’s what they’re that’s the negotiation. That’s what a negotiation feels like. The Lamar feels like war. I saw it here. I saw how Lamar and his mom negotiate. It’s not it’s not friendly, and it’s not peace time and trade me he’s already streamed that once fans forget like so I’m not here to denigrate Lamar, but I’m here to basically say he’s the king forget. I mean, I’ll be wearing my Derek Henry jersey. And Pittsburgh on Sunday night, but he the real kings, Lamar. Lamar is going to decide the future of the organization, win, lose, hurt, fumble, pound the ground, walk out of a hero Sunday night. Lamar is going to decide where Lamar wants to play football at this because one 50 million he know all of these coaches and scouts that came to him eight years ago and told him, you’re a wide receiver, you run back. He’s got two $50 million in the bank. He’s got trophies. He’s got a statue his name on the building out in Louisville next to Johnny like, if he doesn’t feel like he can win here anymore because he’s unhappy that I want to say shame on everybody in the building. I don’t know what more you could. They’ve done everything they can do to coddle him, which is what I think the story was last week. And now it’s like, all right, dude, you’re going to be healthy, you’re going to play we’re paying you $50 million you want to make 75 next year. Like I do think that there’s a lot of business to be done here that will open up wounds if they don’t win the division on Sunday night.

Luke Jones  26:04

Fair enough, I would just say the prospects of this team trying to sell season tickets if Lamar Jackson is not their quarterback next year and John Harbaugh is still the head coach. I mean, I’m just calling a spade a spade there. I mean, regardless of whether Lamar wants out or not, or any and again, so much of this is, I mean, there’s no chance

Nestor Aparicio  26:29

in hell, in freezing hell, in Pittsburgh on Sunday night, after midnight, freezing hell that Steve bishodi is going to pick Lamar Jackson over John Harbaugh and Eric dicostal, okay, there’s no chance. That’s that’s fanboy talk, that’s football talk, that’s people that don’t know billionaire talk. Well, then this conversation run the asylum we just find but then most

Luke Jones  26:53

of this conversation is a waste of time then, so John Harbaugh’s job isn’t in jeopardy whatsoever. Then, is what you’re telling me. He’s got job for life. I’ve said, Okay, no, I’m just look

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Nestor Aparicio  27:04

Monday Steve and five if he loses look, or the following Monday or the following Monday after that, because, if you’re, I mean, the week after that, they still haven’t fulfilled any destiny. To your point, it’s still a disappointment.

Luke Jones  27:15

That’s crazy, but that’s true. I mean, it’s, it’s a disappointment because of where they’ve been the last couple years. But look, I’m not going to sit here and you know, if you’re asking me to predict, is John Harbaugh gone after this season, if this season ends in disappointment, I got,

Nestor Aparicio  27:32

I got, I’m stoning right in here. That would put, put right on. I’m still going to

Luke Jones  27:35

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say, No. I’m guessing he’s, I’m guessing he’s still the Ravens head coach that said I’m going to, can I will continue to push back on the idea that that it’s going to go over well whatsoever with your fan base, like mutiny level kind of reaction if the outcome comes spring as Lamar Jackson’s no longer here, but John Harbaugh still is I? I think that’s, man, good luck selling tickets under that.

Nestor Aparicio  27:59

By the way. I’m now throwing that into my clone with your name on it, I’m going to have you write that column. I want to have you write that column. Oh, so Lamar is not going to be here, but John will be, and there hasn’t been a parade. Hold on. You know what I mean? Now that would be whether you win the division, lose the Houston, whatever it would be, just not win the Super Bowl, not get to an AFC

Luke Jones  28:20

Championship, because I just long from here. I just think it’s, I just think it’s, it’s such a naive thing to sit here and talk about trading a two time MVP quarterback, as though you’re gonna go find someone who’s better than him so easily. Like, like, you know, call up Cincinnati, see if, see if they’ll take Lamar off your hands and you get Joe burrow.

Nestor Aparicio  28:38

You are absolutely making Steve bishatis case over the cigar down in Jupiter. So we’re just going to let him run the place. You bought a football team, dude, if you bought a basketball team to be a lot

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Luke Jones  28:51

worse, yeah. And you know what? He’s also gonna have someone else in the room. It’s in Ozzie Newsome saying, yeah. We also remember what this was like, until Joe Flacco came along to be in a quarterback desert when we had multiple Hall of Famers on our defense, and how difficult things were when we didn’t have a quarterback even with multiple Hall of Famers on our defense. So I just, I don’t know, I

Nestor Aparicio  29:13

at least they have a strong brand man. Tone of this conversation feels like this crisis they could have. I just feel like the tone of this conversation feels like an eagerness to get rid of Lamar Jackson that I think is insane. No, no, no, I totally acknowledge I don’t have that feeling. I know. My feeling is they’ve done everything that comes across protecting you would admit that at every level. John Harbaugh, the organization, the shield and Chad, everyone, has done everything they can do to protect Lamar right. Other, other wakes up and still maybe, other than the hell this is the greatest place in the world for him, which would say that maybe possible, then none of that matters. Okay, you better make sure he loves it here. That’s all I’m saying. That’s that’s my that’s the storyline for me. It’s not. At whether he’s going to be or not. You better make sure he loves it here. Okay, because

Luke Jones  30:04

so you’re talking about this all through the lens of Lamar definitively wanting out. Okay. Well, then that changes everything. I just think beyond, beyond him feeling that way, any talk of trading him is crazy to me, fair enough, because I just, I would add, because I just think wouldn’t be their choice to get rid of Lamar. Well and Well, fine, okay, okay, the way you were talking about it, though, I wasn’t sure that that’s definitively what you know. I didn’t know if you’re talking about in terms of, okay, well, he’s getting hurt or we don’t like his work.

Nestor Aparicio  30:29

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No, no, no. My thought is they’re getting together in Jupiter and saying, Can we still win with him, and is he worth $70 million a year? Not your point. Can we find another quarterback

Luke Jones  30:37

and where in the world? I mean, I just, I just feel it’s Is he the guy

Nestor Aparicio  30:41

to lead us, the guy falling asleep in meetings, the guy that plays video games is the guy we have to renegotiate with? Is he that the guy the next three years at 3031 32 is this the right play for us as an organ that’s the way bishad And those guys are going to talk about it, win or lose,

Luke Jones  30:59

win or lose. I guess my art, see, my argument, then would change with John Harbaugh in terms of it, you know, if Lamar wants out, and you’re totally like, he’s, like, done with you. And, you know, and again, you know, this is completely, we’re just talking about it out of our you know what I mean, like, we don’t know if Lamar actually feels anyway,

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Nestor Aparicio  31:18

that one the same is the time to find the time for pay, time for play, my

Luke Jones  31:21

argument, my argument at that point would be, then, then start over at Head Coach too, just, just then, then reboot this thing that that. And that would be a little that argument. That was billick’s argument, even after Harbaugh won the Super Bowl, which was, you throw the coach

Nestor Aparicio  31:36

in the quarter, you bring them in together. And that’s kind of the way you do it, you know. And that’s the argument for Pittsburgh. And we haven’t made that argument for, I mean, I did an hour of that with graves and with Charlie batch earlier, but that’s the same argument for Pittsburgh. All right. Luca Lafayette, we’re gonna, we’re not gonna talk at all.

Luke Jones  31:50

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It’s funny. We’re gonna talk about, we’ll be talking about this in some shape or form, because there’s either going to be some kind of change or there won’t be, and either way, it’s going to be spicy in terms of how fans react to that, how media reacts to

Nestor Aparicio  32:05

that, well, and the Chad steelization of that would be this, we have a coach that was capable. We had a quarterback that’s very capable. We’ve always believed in the coach. We’ve always believed in continuity. We’ve always believed in Lamar. That’s That’s our plan. There you go. Luke, report

Luke Jones  32:20

that, and I, I would still say, of all the different outcomes, that’s still the most likely to me, that you figure out something with lamar’s contract and John’s back, and you dust off and and you hopefully go out and get a legit edge rusher, and you go augment your offensive line, and you run it back, not not run it probably a couple assistant coach changes. And if you’re going to ask me, What’s the most likely outcome of all these right now, not knowing what’s going to happen Sunday night, I’m I would go with that, you know, and I

Nestor Aparicio  32:51

don’t know that stability becomes a lot easier if it’s the Steelers dusting off the feces Monday morning and you’re playing a playoff game. Because no matter what, if you’re playing a playoff game a you have a chance to win a one or two or three, right? And if you lose the playoff game at home next week, you can still come back and say, look, we got Lamar back. We got John back. We have the P the mark gonna find the left tackle. We’re gonna do this and that. And it’s we won our division. Man, we Hey, we had a shot. We were in that we had a shot. We it doesn’t had a shot. And that’s, that’s the huge victory for them on Sunday night. That is the water going down below their nose, for all of them, but then it turns right back up on when it’s just gonna say, it doesn’t back up, it doesn’t deodorize everything, but it deodorizes enough to kind of not maintain the status quo, because I think you still have to make changes. And look at your staff, look at the O line, go down the list of all the things we’ll talk about. But yeah, it it makes it more in the in the realm of we have to be better, but we don’t need to push the nuclear bomb button, you know what I mean, like and completely blow this thing up. All right, eat and park chili on the way home. Make sure break that down. All my favorite bakeries in Pittsburgh are closed on Monday, so I’m Sol, as my dad would say, sweet. Out of luck. But we’re gonna go up the hill, and it’s all brought to you, my friends at the Maryland lottery, I’ll have the candy cane scratch offs to give away once we get the crab cake tour going. I’m kind of like in holiday hiatus mode right now with my AI clone and all the fun that I’m having around here. He is Luke. I am Nestor. We’re going to Pitt. We are W, N, S, T am 1570 Towson, Baltimore. We never stop talking Baltimore. Positive. You.