With a Wild Card weekend on the couch watching all of the other AFC teams go sixty minutes with their season on the line, Luke Jones and Nestor discuss the Ravens’ path to the Super Bowl and how “rust vs. rest” will be the story until it’s not.
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
team, ravens, play, game, year, kansas city, good, baltimore, pittsburgh, week, joe flacco, miami, buffalo, josh allen, chiefs, talking, interesting, afc, houston, weekend
SPEAKERS
Nestor J. Aparicio, Luke Jones
Nestor J. Aparicio 00:01
Welcome home we are wn S T am 5070 attached to Baltimore we are Baltimore positive and celebrating a Festivus. For the rest of us in a week down here, we’ve watched plenty of football around. We are planning the biggest radio row week that is Super Bowl week. And we’re gonna call it Super Bowl week, I promise you that beginning of February 5. I’ll be teaching that all month long. Once I get it all organized, I’ll let Luke know what we’re doing because he doesn’t even really know what we’re doing. But he will be in Las Vegas for all things, ravens festivities, if they can make it through the next two hours of football, and we’re here to talk about how treacherous this little tournament is going to be on both sides. AFC and NFC side. Look, the schedule comes out. I you know, I don’t really care whether you play early Saturday, late Sunday, Monday night, whatever it is, Monday might be an issue. I would think the Monday game will be the Sunday game the following week. At some point, we’ll find out whether we’re playing early or late on Saturday and Sunday next weekend. But this is this is a fascinating week, I think this might be the best week, it would say March Madness. So you’d say the day the baseball playoffs for baseball nerd like you. This is one of the great weekends to sit on the couch and watch football. And I know traditionally, the division round games have been the better games when there’s four games over the course of the body of the lifetime of all of us. But six games this weekend, they’ve willed it into this position where only one team as a buy. We win that that prize this year. We’ll see whether that’s a booby prize or not two weeks from now for still in the tournament or not. But three games this weekend beginning on Saturday, good matchups. These are these are good football teams. I don’t know when we start getting these eight nines and nine and eights in and when we have these lousy division winners like we’ve had in the south on both sides in the NFL this year. Somebody’s got to make the playoffs you know at some point they inlet Tampa Bay or one of those teams in Houston gets in against all odds against the Colts and and Jacksonville is the weekend began. But good games and a real chance here for underdogs. I mean, these are not chalk games usually. Yeah, I
8
Luke Jones 02:11
mean, in all truth since they’ve gone to the this format with a seven team and extra wildcard in each conference. I mean, some some some of these wildcard weekend games have actually not been great. But I think when you look at these matchups, they’re certainly intriguing. I mean, I love that we’re not going to waste any time seeing Houston versus Cleveland right off the bat. I mean, I think that has the potential to be maybe the game of the weekend. I think you look you know, Joe Flacco that story has been talked about at length now for a month. But I also think Houston and I agree with you as far as the universal sentiment of the AFC South. I mean, Jacksonville, what a collapse over from Thanksgiving on. They were a team, we were talking about being the number one seed or at least in that conversation. Certainly before they lose five of their last six Indianapolis you know, Gardner Minshew. Nice story this year, but I don’t think anyone really thought they pose the threat. But I do think the Texans especially considering CJ Stroud missed some time late in the year. They’re, they’re a team to be to be mindful of. I’m not saying that I would be overly worried about them coming into Baltimore. But when you have a young quarterback and a team that has some of the talent that they have, now that that’s a team that you need to be ready to play.
Nestor J. Aparicio 03:27
I’m worried about playing the browns and I am them. You know, if if you get Houston, I think you feel better about that and draw on the Browns defense for me. Yeah,
Luke Jones 03:35
fair enough. Fair enough. I would just say of those lesser teams, for lack of a better description. I think Houston is a team you gotta watch out for because I do think CJ Stroud can play. I mean, I really do. And I think even going back to week one, when the Ravens played the Texans understanding that was his first start in the NFL, understanding this defense ended up being what it was this year. Yeah, I think you’d look at that a little bit differently and say he he competed in that game. I mean, they didn’t, you know, they lost by two scores. I get it. But you know, that’s a team that I think when he’s been right, they’ve looked much more formidable. Now, he missed a couple games at the concussion. You saw they weren’t very good that so. So I think the record is a little deceiving in that way. But I mean, it’s the Browns team with their defense, you know, with Joe Flacco throwing no Amari Cooper and David and Joe KU, certainly. Very, very interesting. You know, I think you look the other two games. I’ve just, Miami hasn’t been anyone all year. Yeah, they’ve beaten the cowboys and the Cowboys have been very mediocre on the road. They beat the Cowboys in Miami a couple weeks back, but look at their strength of victory. This is who they are. They’re talented. They have elements of their team that are good, but now at this point, their defenses banged up to all heck and I think to a tongue of Allah, who is talented. I think he can take you so far, but I’m really having questions about how far he can take you at this point in time, because they haven’t beaten anyone of note and they still wanted a golden opportunity on Sunday night. So, you know, Kansas City playing at home the early indications on the forecast there, it sounds like it’s gonna be bitterly cold. In Kansas City. The Chiefs look their offense Who the heck knows at this point, but it’s still Patrick mahomes. Still Andy Reid calling plays. But I think their defense, you know, is really where I’m looking for them to have the edge in that one. And buffalo over against the Steelers likely know TJ watt. I get it. I mean, I don’t think Pittsburgh is very good. But they won their last three, they did enough, albeit against the Ravens JV to to give themselves a chance to qualify. And the bills. Look, I’m the guy that’s been talking, even when the bills were at 500. I was saying Don’t, don’t throw dirt on them yet. But you still saw on Sunday night within a 60 minute game, the things that they do that frustrate you to all heck I mean, Josh Allen, as talented as he is, he turns the ball over. And that’s, that’s something that in the playoffs, it’s gonna burn you. So it’s an interesting field, there’s no doubt about it, the ravens are by far the best team on paper, and have earned that right as the number one seed and will be favored against any of these teams coming into Baltimore. But it’ll be interesting to see how this plays out and knowing that they won’t get Kansas City or Buffalo in the next round. Will it be one of them coming to Baltimore? And in a few weeks, we’ll see. But certainly, you look at this thing if you’re the Ravens. I’m not going to sit here and say that any of those six teams pose a threat to them because I just don’t believe that. But there are a few and certainly talking about buffalo talking about Kansas City pedigree. We’ve talked about the browns, and of those three other teams, you know, talking Houston, Miami, Pittsburgh, I still I think Houston is interesting, at the very least if you’re looking for a Cinderella, not that I say not that I would say they upset the Ravens. But yeah, they’re the kind of team that if you start slow with with Stroud throwing the ball and Nikko Collins, as we saw on that Saturday night game, you know, they can make some big plays offensively. So it’ll be interesting to see how these teams respond. And, you know, you’ve kind of I don’t want to call them the old guard, because Patrick mahomes and Josh Allen aren’t old and you know, Josh Allen in the bills aren’t that accomplished in the way that you would think in those terms, but is interesting, couldn’t be interesting to see how these other teams kind of respond, you know, either a younger team or in the case of Joe Flacco completely unexpected at this point in his career. So certainly going to be interesting to see how it plays out here with wildcard weekend. Well,
Nestor J. Aparicio 07:37
8in year after year, when these teams spend $250 million dollars on quarterbacks and all of them have, you know, I, I’m wondering whether Trevor Lawrence will rise again, you know what I mean? And I think about the pedigree of what he had, and I said to my wife was watching the game really, he looks like a shell of what he looked like, at Clemson. Right. So I look at that, and then I say, Joe burrows out of the tournament, probably a lot of the way people felt last year when Lamar got hurt. It’s like, all right, they can’t win. Let’s get rid of that. You know, how many teams can win? And I think a healthy Josh Allen a healthy Patrick mahomes Despite their the cast around them, maybe not being as good. I guess I’m more impressed with buffalo the last five or six weeks that I’d rather I’d rather see Kansas City than buffalo here in the championship game if that matters, and they’re gonna play each other and they’re gonna play each other in Buffalo I guess right? If buffalo wins now, because of what happened on Sunday. You talk about Miami squandering an opportunity. Do the last home field advantage in home, and now they have to go like just everything about the dolphins feels like they’re the weakest team in the tournament to me.
Luke Jones 08:46
Pittsburgh, especially if they don’t have TJ watt. I’m not a big believer in Pittsburgh going on the road, but we’ll see. I mean, hey, they’ve won the last three. They beat they beat the Ravens. TJ
Nestor J. Aparicio 08:57
thanks. Brutal, though. You’re right. Patrick mahomes FDJ. Well, I
Luke Jones 09:00
just I mean, look, has Mason Rudolph given them a little bit of a lift compared to what they were getting, which was such a low bar. Sure. Do I think that they’re do I would I bet on them being able to go into buffalo unless Josh Allen kicks the ball around which he kicked the ball around early in the game against Miami. And that’s why the dolphins had a lead in that game. I mean, look how many times they went into the red zone and came away with nothing. So all these all these teams were talking about including Yes, Kansas City, they have words whereas you look at the Ravens. The Ravens don’t have any warts, the Ravens have a couple relative elements that you could talk about, like the run defense, but you know, it’s not like the run defense is like worst in the league or anything like that. So, so yeah, you’re looking at these teams. I mean, yeah. Pittsburgh, they got in, you know, that as the number seven seed Miami. I think the big thing for Miami as much as the focus will be on to ah, and their offense kind of fizzling in the second half of that game and the turn Over late, their defenses just decimated at this point, they lost a couple more edge rushers on Sunday night. You know, in addition to having lost Chubb against the ravens and some other guys and most of
8Nestor J. Aparicio 10:11
water, they’re a different offense without them. I mean, that’s a different football game on Sunday. If, if, if they’re healthy, we could say, right, Miami, I like Miami a whole lot more six weeks ago when they were healthy, right? Yeah, I think that’s fair. And I like Pittsburgh a lot less we can look at Miami. Yeah, well, I
Luke Jones 10:33
don’t know. Right. I mean, Pittsburgh, whoever’s a quarterback. You’re just not a big believer in. But yeah, with Miami. I just when we saw it against the ravens, right, the first 20 minutes of that game, or so they competed. I mean, you know, it was a close game early on, and they just can’t play 60 minutes. I mean, they’re just not, whether it’s in their DNA, whether it’s the injuries on defense now, you know, whatever it is, I just, I don’t I’m not buying them going into Kansas City, even against the Chiefs team that is a lesser chiefs team than we’ve seen in recent years. I think that’s obvious, whether they end up making a run or not. I just don’t see them going in there and playing 60 minutes, to the degree that you need to play to win on the road in the playoffs. I mean, they just haven’t done it all year. Look at their strength of victory. As I said, they’ve beaten one team with a winning record all year. It’s a Cowboys and the Cowboys have not been very good on the road has been chronic chronicled, so, you know, I mean, Buffalo and Kansas City should and I emphasize should get through to the divisional round, and there’ll be facing off against each other if that happens. So that’s where I think if you’re the ravens, yeah, you got to prepare for Miami stuff to prepare for Pittsburgh, because you never know what’s going to happen. You play the games and the weather’s weird as it was Saturday in Baltimore. Another reminder there that if you get bad weather that can neutralize some things. But I think most fans are probably going to be most heavily focused on Cleveland versus Houston. Yes, because of the Joe Flacco element but because I think that has the potential to be the game of the weekend in the AFC anyway, so
Nestor J. Aparicio 12:02
and we’re gonna take them winter on I mean, I’m watching that game. It looks like Saturday, likely right saying like without a miracle, I mean, my God, Pittsburgh or Miami roll in your next weekend with Mason Rudolph or to a tongue below without all of these players. That would be dreamier than having to see Joe Flacco or CJ Stroud for sure. Well, well, I
Luke Jones 12:23
8mean, I don’t want to be too dispiriting to Miami because they did do some good things this year. And they do have talent. I mean, you see, to your point. Now, if Jaylen waddle and Raheem Mostert are both back then they are a different offense. But, boy, if Miami goes into Kansas City, then the chiefs are worse than I even think they are, which, you know, I don’t think they’re bad. Let’s be clear, but it’s clearly not the same chiefs team of last year. 234 years ago. You know, I think you’ve seen that with them offensively. Now defensively, they’ve been much more formidable. But yeah, it’s, I guess, if Miami goes in there, and they beat the chiefs, then hey, the dolphins have done something then and then you do take a little more notice. So that’s supposed to be four
Nestor J. Aparicio 13:09
degrees in Kansas City, right?
Luke Jones 13:11
It’s gonna be crazy. Four
Nestor J. Aparicio 13:13
minus eight. So that’s, that’s what you’re drawing when you go to Kansas City on Sunday. Yeah, so
8Luke Jones 13:18
I mean, and again, that dolphins defense you know, with the edge guys decimated, I mean, the chiefs when Pacheco has been healthy, they can run the ball. So you know, it’ll be interesting. Miami can run the ball, especially if they have most or if you have most hurt and a chain as a one two punch. I mean, they, they can run the rock. But yeah, I mean, you look at those two games, talking buffalo, Pittsburgh, and Kansas City.
Nestor J. Aparicio 13:43
It’s gonna be a night game, and it’s gonna be below zero is brutal. It’s gonna be sub zero. In Kansas City. Yeah,
Luke Jones 13:53
I mean, barbecues. Not
Nestor J. Aparicio 13:54
8that good. Look, I ain’t going out there for getting into Miami. Let’s do maybe
Luke Jones 13:59
the maybe the forecast will change a little bit between now and then as you and I are talking maybe it’ll get up to single digits. Yeah, so I mean, that’s, that’s gonna be it’s gonna be better. There’s no doubt about it. told
Nestor J. Aparicio 14:09
me about that. I don’t even look at the weather forecast. What’s the weather forecast in Buffalo on Sunday? Can’t be nice.
Luke Jones 14:16
I didn’t see the specifics, but not as bad as Kansas City, which is surprising, right? Because it’s buffalo January. I mean, so so well,
8Nestor J. Aparicio 14:24
that’s just gonna be on his couch with you or, you know, hanging out over Costas or something. You know? Yeah. Yeah. So
Luke Jones 14:29
but look, I mean, it’s the playoffs, right? It’s a single elimination tournament. Oh, it’s gonna be in the 20s and windy and buffalo to be perfect. No problem. Right. So when, when? Pittsburgh Pittsburgh trying to slow slow down buffalo without TJ watt. I mean, it’s, you know, sounds like you know, they say what a grade two they were saying a grade three MCL sprain, I think a grade two. That’s, that’s at least a three or four week injury. I mean, maybe, maybe I’ll take an injection and try to play but I can’t see it. I don’t know. When
Nestor J. Aparicio 15:00
Dr. Jones shows up, and you’ve been, you know, how many weeks injuries you’ve been doing this to law?
Luke Jones 15:05
8I mean, let’s be clear. I’m not. I’m not diagnosing. I’m not I’m not like Dr. David shower or anything like that. But when you hear like a great two MCL, that’s, you know, that’s usually on the best case scenario, that’s three or four weeks, if not a little longer. So. But we’ll see how this plays out again, I, all of these teams have warts. I mean, they do I mean, the ravens are the team in the AFC that doesn’t really have any warts per se, they have relative weaknesses if you want to use that term. But there’s nothing that I point to with the Ravens that is a fatal flaw that I’m overly concerned about other than just, Hey, you gotta go out, start fast and be sharp and can’t get any key players hurt. I mean, the things that can happen to any team. So all these other teams, I mean, like I said, with buffalo, Josh Allen has turned the ball over. I think Josh Allen’s a terrific football player, and does some incredible things, as we saw, even as the game went on Sunday night, but he’s turned the ball over a lot this year. And you do that. I don’t care who you’re playing in the playoffs. Even if it’s a seven seed like Pittsburgh, you do that? Give yourself a chance to lose. I mean, that’s how buffalo got themselves in the position. They were where they were, what six and six. And looking like they weren’t even going to make the playoffs, you know, back around Thanksgiving. So Kansas City, we’ve talked about them? Yeah, I mean, is that chiefs offense going up, find some, you know, a pulse. I mean, it’s been pretty, pretty bad at times. So I get it. It’s Patrick mahomes. It’s Andy Reid. They have more pedigree than anyone including the ravens, but at some point in time, that’s got to show up. Is it going to show up against Miami? Is it going to travel the following week? If they’re going to Buffalo in the divisional round? I mean, who knows? We’ve kind of been waiting for that all year, you know, just talking as football fans kind of waiting for Kansas City to figure it out. And it’s now or never for them. So, yeah, well, those are kind of the those are the long term. You know, looking ahead to the AFC Championship. In the meantime, this Browns Texans game, I think it’s gonna be really interesting. I think it’s got a chance to be an outstanding football game. So the Browns rested their starters, you know, including Joe Flacco, which is kind of wild who would have thought six weeks ago we’d be talking about Joe Flacco being rested in week 18. Just
Nestor J. Aparicio 17:23
saying, Man, the minute the Flacco thing happened, I can this is like that TV commercial. I could couldn’t play drop the red flag on you and go back and rewind it. You said something like, look if it works out he’s not gonna play at all and sign him to have it play. They signed him that battle body. Yeah, you know that to have somebody stand there look good look like it used to be a Super Bowl champion.
Luke Jones 17:47
But even you didn’t see this happening for them. I mean, no one saw this. I saw
Nestor J. Aparicio 17:54
so much, right. And if you don’t love Joe, shame on you. That’s all if you’re a raving fan, you know love Joe. Oh, I thought you’re saying you don’t love Joe. So when Joe played on that day, I put it on. And I watched him roll out and his legs move faster. Like it took me five minutes to look at him and say, Yeah, this isn’t the same guy that was in the jet uniform, you know, a year and three months ago that he has gotten I mean, listen, at some point, I’m gonna go share an iced tea with him up an ottoman, it will go to flyers game or something together. I don’t know your Phillies game or something. But I really the story to me that I haven’t learned and they’ve had fun with him in Cleveland, all the I mean, radio stations are singing songs about him. And like, all of that wacky stuff that he can probably handle pretty well is probably very, very being used by if not amused by. But I don’t know that anybody’s really, if I had him on the show for 15 minutes, I’d say do what were you doing this summer to get ready to play? When you called me in August. And we talked like you said you wanted to play? You didn’t let me know that. Like you were training differently. Because it’s very, very clear. He’s trained differently. And I thought, you know, Dennis came on with the same flippancy last week that other people? Well, you Mike Preston, you didn’t care this much. When you were here, we didn’t see this fire out of you. Well, he didn’t take the game away from him. You know, let’s let’s he went home and sat around and I think you take my radio show away from me and bring me back on the air I might be better. may think about it differently. The second time I did. I lost the radio station one time many, many years ago. And I thought about it differently. When I got it back. You see having given up a second time. It worked 2526 years into that now. But when something’s taken away from you, but I think also Joe with all the kids and stuff like I talked to him in August and he was giving me the names and the ages of all of his kids and I’m like trying to keep score. And I’m like how you know cuz he doesn’t seem like a guy that even with a billion dollars with higher babies, he’s not that way. He’s like, he raises his kids, right? And I thought to myself, where are you finding the time to do this and I’m thinking to myself, he must have a Every morning got up and just pretended he was still playing. I mean, he’s got $200 million in the bank. He said his wife, hey, I’m going to the gym and I’m going to try to be a football player. Again, we’re going to give this one last go, I really want to see because this is a fascinating comeback. If he wins a playoff game, if he wins, just one playoff game, and he makes it back to Baltimore next week. It’s one of the great Baltimore sports stories if he comes back here and plays after not playing after being given up for dead for years, for years, but five years since Harbaugh said, You’re not even good enough to go in there when this kid can’t even do it. We know he can’t win, but we’re gonna let them run around instead of having you come into a playoff game for what was your team? And he gets thrown out that next week sets up to be how can you not refer Joe? How can you not want Joe Flacco to unless you’re afraid of losing to him? But how? How could you get a juicy your story that Joe Flacco coming back here next week? You can’t?
8Luke Jones 20:55
Well, and let me frame it in the way that I think more Ravens fans are interested in at this point. From Lamar Jackson’s perspective, we think back to Joe Flacco when the Ravens made their run in 2012. I mean, think about who we beat. Okay. Andrew lock. It was the Colts in the first round, right. I mean, and that meant something it was raised last home game.
Nestor J. Aparicio 21:14
So that looks like he was going to the Hall of Fame at that point. He really did. I
Luke Jones 21:18
mean, he was he was a rookie that year. I mean, he had had a great year. Right. And the chuck pagano thing that year. I mean, it was but but that was a lesser game in terms of the narrative for Joe Flacco specifically, but after that, Peyton Manning, you know what? I mentioned the old guard a few minutes ago talking about, you know what it is in the AFC now that put the old guard at that point was Peyton Manning and, of course, Tom Brady. So I think if you’re talking in terms of Lamar Jackson and the Ravens and acknowledging Joe Flacco but hey, no Browns fans here in Baltimore, you know, that we’re, we’re talking about this from the Ravens perspective. What better way for Lamar Jackson, if the Ravens story is to get to Las Vegas and to finish the story and, and get to the top of the mountain? If you’re Lamar Jackson, you take down the guy whose job you took, you know, who you replaced here in Baltimore? Who, whom you’re compared to constantly by fans and guys like you and me? Right? Because that’s ultimately January’s where legacies are defined a
Nestor J. Aparicio 22:20
8bunch of, we still piss on and as a community, he’s just wasn’t good enough.
Luke Jones 22:24
I don’t care about your right now. I’m talking about the bar. I’m talking about the legacy
Nestor J. Aparicio 22:27
legacy Joe won, and it’s like he didn’t win. Lamar wins. It’s going to crown Lamar in a way that maybe it didn’t, Joe. That’s all.
Luke Jones 22:40
I don’t know. I mean, right. And I don’t I don’t want to get in to too much like that. But I think for Lamar Jackson, the narrative for him the story where it sets up like flax, Flacco had to take down Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, for Lamar Jackson, it’s taking down Joe Flacco and who coming into Baltimore, Patrick mahomes. And the chief. So I mean, if we’re, you know, if you’re writing the the Hollywood script for this, right, the most enticing way that this can happen, that’s what happens. Right.
8Nestor J. Aparicio 23:09
And being a man,
Luke Jones 23:10
you gotta beat the man. Right. Yeah. Right. Exactly. So and I think the ravens, if you tell Lamar and John Harbaugh and company that this is how it plays out, I think they’re okay with that. Right. I mean, you don’t, they shouldn’t be afraid of anyone right now. I mean, they’re the best team in football, and have been for a while now. You know, they prove that in the month of December. So they got the week off against Pittsburgh, and, you know, lost that game, who cares? Doesn’t mean any didn’t mean anything. And now it’s time to go. But, boy, if you’re trying to envision how this is going to play out from a narrative standpoint, it doesn’t get any better than that. So we’ll see if it plays out. I mean, you still have something to say about that. And buffalo have something to say about that. If it’s buffalo, Kansas City in the divisional round, but, boy, this is exciting. And this is fun, and we’ll see how it plays out this week. But for the ravens, I mean, we talked about it in our previous segment, but we didn’t really get into it in the specifics, but I mean, not just the rest of the field but looking at how the ravens are set up and knowing that the Ravens have quite a few free agents you know, going into this offseason you know some guys that are gonna be moving on guys like Patrick queen, you know, what’s going to happen with just a matter BK? Do they get him signed long term or is he a franchise tag candidate, and then you’re dealing with that you have other guys that are gonna move on? I mean, I bet
Nestor J. Aparicio 24:29
the cost to spend some money appears over the weekend. That was an interesting signing. I’d say that was we think he’s important. Yeah,
Luke Jones 24:34
8I mean, that two year deal. That’s probably a one year deal in practical terms, but certainly, you know, with Michael Pearce, I mean, played all 17 games played a career high in snaps. I mean, this is a guy who, the previous three years could not stay healthy, you know, was hurt early last season was hurt and his last year in Minnesota, he opted out, you know, the COVID year which obviously was his right and perfectly understand Well to do that, but he played so little football for three years, and you’re talking about someone who’s 31 and a nose tackle, you know, listed at 350 pounds. And it’s probably been way more than that at times. You
Nestor J. Aparicio 25:11
know, you get that and Harbaugh’s doghouse at one point. Right early on. Yeah,
Luke Jones 25:14
I mean, I was there the day that he showed up for mandatory minicamp and they pulled him off the field, because they were worried about him that he was that overweight and just not ready to practice. Yeah, that was. Well, I mean, that was four or five years ago at this point, you know, I’m not not trying to bring it up, bring it up bringing it up other than just it’s part of his story.
Nestor J. Aparicio 25:33
But he that’s a very unlikely thing for hardball, who holds a grudge and I’m sure to hold one against me the rest of my life, which is fine. I like it that way. But in regards appears, hardball had had, you know, to bring him back and that that’s not that doesn’t happen often in the hardball doghouse. To your point. Right? Like literally, he’s really played himself into something he get himself a $7 million deal.
8Luke Jones 25:55
Yeah, it doesn’t. But at the same time, John Harbaugh likes being able to stop the run and is really good at doing that. And he’s actually done a nice job low key. I mean, he hasn’t, you know, let’s be clear. I’m not saying he’s racked up the sacks. But he has actually played a low key interesting role in their pass rush with some of the things that he’s done. You know, Mata BK gets all the attention as he should, you know, when talking about a guy who’s, you know, top five, top six all time and as far as single season sack seasons, for the ravens, but Michael Pearce played a part in a lot of that as well and did a really nice job for them this year. So yeah, it was interesting to see them make that investment from
Nestor J. Aparicio 26:34
both of them, but at least have one of them and that’s kind of how they looked at it. Right.
Luke Jones 26:38
I mean, sure. I mean, let’s be clear. You want Justin Mata BK? I mean, he’s a unicorn, you know, you’re inside pass rushers are unicorns around the NFL
Nestor J. Aparicio 26:46
8$20 million cap number him next year, right? If they want to keep, it’s gonna be
Luke Jones 26:51
a lot. I mean, you’re talking about a guy who could get $100 million contract from somebody. I mean, that’s, you know, that’s just
Nestor J. Aparicio 26:57
a franchise tag. And that’s gonna be, that’s what they’re gonna do. Right? They’re not gonna have the money to give him that kind of money. Well, I mean,
Luke Jones 27:04
I can’t fathom that they let him get to market. So yeah, I mean, that, and I can’t fathom at this point, after the season he had that he’s going to sign before trying to get to market. So yeah, I mean, it feels like the franchise tag. I don’t want to say inevitable, because you never know. And he does love it here. And they do love him. But you would think that, if you’re asking me to predict how it’s going to play out, yeah, I would think the franchise tag and then we’ll see how it goes from there. And it might even be a case of, hey, you’ll get to play on the franchise tag number, which will be a very handsome salary for one year. And we’ll see if you can do this again. Because this, this was his contract here has been the best season of his career by far not that he wasn’t good before then. But, you know, are you going to be a 14 Sack kind of defensive tackle every year like Aaron Donald, you know, or was this a career year and, you know, you’re not going to be you know, you’ll go back to being what you were in previous years, which was good, but not special. So, you know, what, we’ll see how it plays out. But the point is, they’ve got that’s the toughest call, but they’ve got guys that are gonna have to figure out, you know, Patrick, Queens presumably going to leave and probably get an $80 million contract somewhere, with him making the Pro Bowl that makes that even more likely now, what are they going to do what you Davey on? clowny? I mean, I’m guessing cloud, he’s gonna be in higher demand.
8Nestor J. Aparicio 28:25
He’s gonna get a one year 10 or 12. Right, like literally well, but is is that going
Luke Jones 28:29
to be the Ravens? Or is it gonna be someone else that throws more upfront money to him? I mean, we see how Eric Acosta has, has operated as it pertains to these veteran pass rushers. And it’s worked out nicely for him. I mean, Justin Houston, worked out nice slam late and cheap. You know, Kyle van Noy, who we haven’t even mentioned in this segment. Look what he’s done this year. I mean, it’s, you have so long story short, they’ve got some I don’t want to sit here and say that they’re losing sleep over it, because obviously, they have the Super Bowl run ahead of them that they’re envisioning. But, you know, this goes back to what we said, this year, it sets up perfectly in terms of matchups. Other teams in the in the conference and where the ravens are going to be it’s going to be a tighter cap picture moving forward for them. Because you have a $260 million dollar quarterback, you know, who is an MVP for a second time in five years, who’s going to make a lot of money and you’re going to have to be a little more judicious, a little more responsible with how you spend your money, because it is going to be a smaller margin for error. So we’ll see how it plays out. But in the meantime, lots of excitement and very interested in seeing how this wildcard weekend’s gonna play out in the AFC is
Nestor J. Aparicio 29:38
it Saturday yet? I can’t wait. Luke Jones is here. You can find him at Baltimore, Luke. You can find me Ness at Baltimore. positive.com. We’re both out on social media, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, all of those great places. We are putting together the biggest promotion we’ve ever done. It’s going to be radio row week, the week of February the fifth hopefully the ravens are in the Super Bowl. We have huge, huge broadcasting plans that week. including some charity, including some crab cakes, including some crab soup, and including doing some good turns. For other folks here in the community that needed especially in the cold winter months. We talk about coal, it’s gonna be a Kansas City this weekend. Stay warm here this week. Get ready. We got six football games here this week. Stay in Shape stay focused on the prize of football next week and probably for the week end of the week, we’ll have a time and a date for the Ravens divisional round game next week. Luke’s gonna have all of the breaking news for you on the WNS T tech service if you’re into that, and I’m going to be here plotting crabcake tours, plotting charity things and watching football. I’m a very available individual you will you can find us at a Baltimore positive.com And of course at wn st am 1570 We are Baltimore positive.com Stay with us
