September 25, 2025 • 48 mins
Ravens WR Devontez Walker joins team insiders Ryan Mink and Garrett Downing to talk about his unreal touchdown streak, how he improved this offseason, what he's learned from each of the Ravens' other wide receivers, and much more. Plus, Mink and Downing break down the key factors in Sunday's game in Kansas City.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcome into the lounge presented by DraftKings. I'm Ryan Mink
here with Garrett Downing and we are thrilled to sit
down with wide receiver Davontes Walker. And uh, I'm going
to start with a trivia question. Okay, what Baltimore Ravens
wide receiver had three touchdowns on their first three NFL receptions?
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Toys? I feel I would have got it.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
I did.
Speaker 4 (00:28):
I watched the Ravens going up, okay, and I feel
like I remember that game. But I mean it's also
been everywhere obviously since, like I did it right, people
have been putting it everywhere.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
The Torys Smith is like those are right right? Who
did it? Yep? Yep?
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Now there's two. The other sues You'll forever be part
of Ravens trivia. I feel like twenty years from now,
I'll be in a bar doing Ravens trivia and I'll
just be We'll be dominating.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Obviously, we'll be asking, we'll be asking the next guy
who doesn't twenty ish now right here in the seat.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Maybe, yeah, I mean, will there be another guy twenty
years That's it's pretty crazy and it's like happened twice.
Speaker 5 (01:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Oh, Yeah, that's pretty wild. What does it feel like
to just, you know, be in that company with Tory
and to be a part of Raven's Trivia forever now?
Probably Nah, it's.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
A it's a great it's a great feeling. You know
how historic this organization already is, you know, being able
to be part of that and then following the footsteps
of a grave receiver like Toys Myth, somebody I watched
growing up. So it's a great feeling.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
Then it's also good, you know, coaches trusted me, put
me out there and go make plays, knock it out there.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
So it's been it's been good.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
I remember I was at that game, that Tory Smith
game in Saint Louis when he went off. I think
it was his third NFL game, and everybody was just
kind of looking at HL like, WHOA, this is crazy, dude,
because it was a seventy four yard or forty one
yard or eighteen yarder, right, But I don't know which
one is more impressive, yours or his, because you did
(01:54):
it in three different games, well, two different games against
different secondaries.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
Right.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
His was like he just kept torching the same secondary
over again. I don't know what do you think which
one's more impressive of yours or tories.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
I'm gonna give it to him. Like one, it's hard
to know score three touchdowns in one game. It's so
I'm gonna I'm I'm gonna get that, damn for sure.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
I'm such a modest guy.
Speaker 5 (02:15):
That's the modest answer right there.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Like he did some job. I won't scoring three touchdowns
in the game. You got it in? Oh, yeah, for sure. Definitely.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
Well, there's the old quote from Buddy Ryan talk about
Chris Carter where he said, all he does catch touchdown passes.
Speaker 5 (02:27):
So have you have anyone brought that quote up to you?
Speaker 2 (02:30):
They did?
Speaker 4 (02:31):
Somebody did either yesterday day before. I forgot who did,
but I have heard about it.
Speaker 5 (02:35):
Yeah, there you go. All right.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
So there's all sorts of references to the start that
you're having here. So I just, in all seriousness, like
what does it mean just the way that you've opened
this season and how well you were playing and being
able to get in the end zone as much.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
As you have.
Speaker 4 (02:50):
I just think you mean, like I said, I can
be another value as said for Lamar, like I feel
like we've done, you know, a well enough job coming
together and being there for him, like going up, no
side conversations with him, you know, let him know, ask
him like what he needs, like where he needs us
to be, and vice versus. He asked us the same thing.
So we all on one page and we get out there. Then,
like I said, coaches trusting me to go out there,
(03:12):
you know along time zay and bait stuff like that.
So I think that's all what it is, just being
ready for that opportunity, you know, present it.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
So so you had two touchdowns against the Browns and
then of course the reference here just let in case
viewers listeners don't recall, like you had one catch last year,
one touchdowns. So then first three catches again all touchdowns,
and that game against the Browns this year in week two,
when you when you get those we score two touchdowns,
Like what are the emotions like that you're feeling in
that moment, knowing that you're just building and really it's
(03:43):
kind of a coming coming out party to a certain degree.
Speaker 4 (03:46):
Yeah, really, just you know, letting letting everyone know that
you know that I'm in this league for reading you
know that, uh, you know, Baltimore seeing something even coming
out and you know, like I said, one post game
proven right, you know, and then me personally, like, it's
an amazing feeling, Like I've dreamed of playing this league
my whole life.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
Like I told her.
Speaker 4 (04:06):
I remember telling my grandmother when I was four, like
that's what I want to do. I want to go
play in the NFL. So her being able to watch
that and see that, you know, see her grandson live
live out your dream.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
You know, it's an amazing feeling.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
It's really cool. What were some of the coolest messages
or phone calls that you got after your your two
touchdown game against the Browns.
Speaker 4 (04:24):
Yeah, my high school coach, you know, even him blowing
up my phone.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
He like all hype. Uh.
Speaker 4 (04:30):
You know my grandma, like I said, like her like
just her telling me. She's telling me every game, but
just her telling me. You know, I seen you on
the TV screen. You know, she probably don't know what
she watched. Well, you know anyone you know, those messages
always you know, very hard felt. Then my mom, you know,
she was she was at work, but she said she
was watching everybody, you know, her coworkers, you know, they
were they were hype around and stuff. So I like
(04:53):
all that stuff be amazing. When I you know, when
I go and look at.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
It, where's where's your grandmother live?
Speaker 2 (04:57):
But she just she's back in Charlotte.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
She's back. She watches every game on TV.
Speaker 5 (05:01):
HM.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
That's pretty cool. Does she hit you up like every
before every game, after all the games or what before
and after?
Speaker 4 (05:07):
Yeah, Sundays it's rare. I'm gonna get it before. It
depends on she out of church or not. But I
usually get a message after the game for.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
Yeah, that's awesome. So you had another long catch here
against the Lions, and I think when we all saw
Lamar launch that pass for you deep, we were like,
is he gonna do a good four for four? Unfortunately
punched out about to the three yard line. Uh. You know,
what did it feel like to catch a pass not
in the end zone? I guess it's the question.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
I mean, honestly, it felt the same to me, like shoot,
big play, you know, get the get the offense going,
and like like we said, it's closer the en zone,
let's punch it in the score.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Ye.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
So I mean it was you know, it was nothing
different from me. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
So, but I mean I was like, you know, like dang,
I could have maybe reached or something. When I realized
how close I was to the pop line. Yeah, but
you know, like I said, it was the same feeling,
you know, just letting them not can go out there
and make make a big play in the moment.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
I'm getting a little old, So you're gonna have to
explain the celebration to me that you did after that catch.
Can you break that down for me?
Speaker 4 (06:05):
So it really it like y'all watch basketball. Yeah, Jaylen Bronston,
you know, hit a three. He is still like that's pretty,
you know, don't look like a little like smile or
something like with his fingers. So I was like, maybe
I'll do that first down celebration.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
I kind of just throw it out for him.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
Okay, it's like it's like a three, but I mean
you're a deep ball receiver, big player receiver, so it
is kind of like you're hitting the three.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Yeah, I mean, we can look at it like that. Okay,
So y'all seen him do it last season.
Speaker 4 (06:31):
I'm like, yeah, that's cool. I might probably have to
do that first down celebration. I'm trying to get the
rest of the receivers to do it. I don't think
they messing with it, but you know, I probably, I'll
probably continue with it.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
I think it's it's been pretty cool to watch you
these last two years because you had to be a
little bit patient.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
You know.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
There's just a lot of talent in the receiver room,
a lot of talent on this offense. One ball to
go around, and it's like everyone's always wondering who's going
to be the guy this week because there could be
so many different players that can make an impact on
this offense. How have you handled that the patient's aspect
and waiting for your opportunity and then when you get
the opportunity, making the most of.
Speaker 4 (07:03):
It, right, just preparing like you know, like I'm going
out there first, you know, keeping my routine or you
know being in and play with being died, and because
I mean you still have to know everything, you know,
Like like I said, like they can throw you out
there at any time. So being able to go out
there and execute what we're trying to do, you know,
they look at stuff like that. And then also like
learning from those guys like Zay bay d hob Tie
(07:26):
then like taking a little thing from baby that I
see them doing, trying to add it to my bag.
You know, evolved my game and being a complete receiver.
So I think, like you know, they've they've helped me tremendously.
Then you know this organization has done a good job
and embracing like competition and competing. So knowing I'm in
a room full of guys, like that's like you know,
like like I said, I'm here for a reason too,
(07:46):
Like you know, I'm up there on that pedestal with
these guys too. So and then just having a room
like that, like I feel, like I said in one
of the interviews the other day, like I feel like
we have the dream receiver room, like everything you will
want as a receiver room, any skill set, like we
have a love it.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
Yeah, I agree with everyone kind of does something a
little bit different too, which I think is speaking to
the point that you're making, Like there's there's lots of
different I mean skill levels and experience and all that,
but everyone kind of just brings a different skill set
to the table. I'm curious, Like this off season for you,
I was I would be watching OTA's mini camp and
then of course into training camp, and like you were
(08:21):
a guy that consistently jumped out there at practice, like
you were a guy that everybody was talking about he's
standing out, he's making plays, and you just consistently did
that over the course of the off season into training camp.
How big was it for you to put together a
really good off season and to show everybody like, hey,
I'm here too, don't forget about me in this mix.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
Yeah, that you know what I got out of that?
Speaker 4 (08:44):
Like that was my mindset going into the off season,
Like even you know, that's howart breaking as was. We
finished Buffalo, like I went straight home, started training. I
probably took nobody three four days off, went home talking,
told my trainer, I work with Hakeem Nicks out home
and former NFL players. Okay, So I told him what
I was trying to accomplish, what I was trying to do,
and then you know, we hit like we hit it
right away. So I went into told him I wanted
(09:07):
to be a complete receiver. I wanted, you know, to
get comfortable with the route tree. So by the time
we hit the OTA training camp, like you know, like
I'm able to go out there, you know and produced.
So that was my mindset going tall season. I feel
like that's why the outcome of training camp OTA and
all that was what it.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
Was I was curious about what you did this offseason,
so working with the key Nix? Was that also in
North Carolina or where?
Speaker 2 (09:30):
Well?
Speaker 4 (09:30):
North hit me about like two and a half three
years ago. I want you to, you know, come trying
with me. You know, told him like, let's lock in.
Then you know we hit the ground run with that.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
So you've been training with him since then for a while, okay,
and so so can you take me through like what
your routine was like during the off season with him?
Speaker 4 (09:49):
Yeah, so I get up six seven, know, you breakfast
and then you know, we straight to the field. You know,
we do our warm up footwork stuff, then we straight
straighten the routes. We will have a quarterback some time,
but it was a straight route tree probably go through
every route, redzon, middle of the field, backed up, like
we tried to hit on everything and get give me
as much as comfortable as possible, you know, running every
(10:11):
route from every spot, whether it was X, F ZE wherever.
So I can be you know, versatile whenever they need
me in wherever they need me in his offense.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
So it was my every day.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
So interesting. Were there any other like big time ride
receivers NFL Rogers with.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Him or Brown he plays for Jacksonville. Now yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
it was just me and him.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
So I'm interested that he hit you up he wanted
to train you. What was it the other way around?
How does that often happen or what?
Speaker 4 (10:39):
Noah, I don't think it does, Like I mean knowing
it's just me, me and Diami with him, like it
just it told me like you know how he operates,
how he works, and you know, he just he just
knows grind so and that's the type of guys I
like to be with, you know, not all the limelight
and stuff.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
You just just work.
Speaker 1 (10:54):
And was it did he explain to you how he
came to find you? Like what was it about you
that he saw where he was like I want to
work with that guy.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
Yeah, he just seen you know, like my work at
it and then also like my process at you know, Carolin,
my college process obviously, like just seeing you know how
Zenion I was and then like how I wasn't like
scared to work and stuff like to get to what
I get to where I wanted to be.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
So you know, he broke all that down to me.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
Got so you mentioned that you wanted to just have
the full route tree down.
Speaker 5 (11:24):
Did you feel like coming out of your.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
Rookie year, like obviously you showed ability, but you just
needed to add like more elements to your to your
route running. Like what was your thought process as the
season ended in terms of how you needed to attack
your game?
Speaker 2 (11:37):
Yeah? So O like what you mean by that?
Speaker 3 (11:39):
Like basically did you feel like, Okay, it was good start,
but I need to I need to add elements.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
To adding to your route tree.
Speaker 4 (11:48):
Because I felt I feel like I could do I
had the you know, ability to do everything, but it
was like, you know, probably lack of experience. Like college,
I didn't run full route tree then like last year
I wasn't running you know that. I mean like when
I got hurt up my first time seeing like being
having to be able to run the route so, you know,
seeing how detailed guys like Bait and they are, you know,
in their route runners, it was like, you know, I
want to want to be like that, so you know,
(12:11):
honing in on like that top of the route, getting
out of you know, driving out of those breaks, you know,
releasing off the ball and stuff like that, and being
a little more physical. That was you know, that was
my thought process like going into the.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
I remember talking to you last year going into the
season and you talked about how in college it was
like they just had you run deep. You were like,
I'm the fastest guy in the field. They're just like,
all right, just go deep and we're gonna throw it
to you and see if you can make some big
plays and and so like was that that was kind
of a process of adding to the equation that like
I'm not just a deep ball receiver.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
And then it's also you know, taking that mindset and
putting it to like those other routes. So as far
as like coming out of my break, like knowing that
you know, I'm a fast guy, Like I'm gonna run
away from a lot of those guys. So being able
to like limit my footsteps at the top and then
driving out of it, and like I said, like I'm
gonna run away for most those guys.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
So adding that to it, like taking my.
Speaker 4 (12:58):
Speed and then you know, evolving and putting it towards
you know a lot of those other routes.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
Like it's really helped me out.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
That's what I noticed in your two touchdowns against the
Browns was when you got a step on both those
guys and they don't have to be deep. You know,
your second touchdown catch was a long catch, but your
first one was a shallow crosser in the back of
the end zone. But it was like once you got
a step on that guy, you were just running away
from h And So, I don't know if you've seen
(13:25):
this stat yet, but among all NFL receivers with at
least three targets so far, you have the highest average
speed on your routes run this season, seventeen point two
seven miles.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
You saw that, Yeah, I ran across it this morning,
is okay.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
So, I mean that's that's pretty darn impressive. How much
of that do you feel like is natural born speed
and how much of it is this route running kind
of perfection or crafting that you've done this offseason.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
Uh, I feel like about half and half now, Like
you know, I feel like probably a little more guy given,
but also you know, just like know working that craft,
you know, like that all that work I put in
just get to you know, you know, something like that.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
And also give a lot of credit to like coach p.
Speaker 4 (14:09):
And Glu, like you know, those little conversations with them
and them telling me, you know, like I said, like
you a fast guy, Like like I said, you putting
putting that ability into like the details of the rod runner,
Like you know, you're gonna be scary in this league.
So you know, putting all that together and then seeing
the outcome like those routes in the back end zone
of that corner route, like you know, seeing it all
(14:29):
come together.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
Right.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
There are a lot of fast cornerbacks in this league. Yeah,
do you feel like you can run away from any
of them?
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Oh? Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 4 (14:37):
Like I mean, it's definitely harder in the league, which
what I've seen that was, you know, my thing on
why I wanted to hone end, you know, on the
route running being better.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
But I think I can.
Speaker 5 (14:47):
One of the questions we always get is like who's
the fastest guy on the team?
Speaker 3 (14:50):
And you are in that mix, like you Wiggins, uh
Zay is in the mix. Mar's never been timed, Lamar's
never He's always someone that you mentioned. But Lamar actually
gives it to other guys. He says, like, I don't race,
I'm not that guy. So if we were just lining
everybody up and have them race, where would you fall
on that?
Speaker 5 (15:09):
How far are we going let's say forty yard dash.
I feel like.
Speaker 4 (15:13):
I'm I'm gonna get out the nate. Oh if you
said anything over like fifty sixty is me.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
Okay, you're gonna pull away? Okay, yeah, okay, all right.
I like, well, they had the fastest forty. I think
at the combine he was four to eight. I think
you were four.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
Three six, that's correct. I feel like, like, did you
feel like you were going to run a faster forty
at the comb.
Speaker 4 (15:32):
Yea, And I feel like I should have. It was
my start, and it was it was crazy. My draft
down there by Rideaus. He was like, like your start,
Like with your start, it's like most guys would run
like a four seven eight, but it's like your back end,
it's like crazy, like he's never seen it before.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
Interesting.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
So I just think if I had a better start,
I definitely could have ran.
Speaker 5 (15:49):
Did you slip them out of the gate or what?
Speaker 2 (15:52):
On the first one? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (15:53):
The second one was I was a pride and run
fast on the second one. But the second one was
like the probably the best start I ever had. Okay,
but yeah, interesting.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
So it's with you you really feel like it's almost
like your fifth gear. It's like once you get to
fifth gear, it's late ten.
Speaker 4 (16:09):
Not feel like people see like when a ball is
in air, like you know, I just feel like the ball.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
I just naturally just like right, like I gotta gotta
get it.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
So interesting. I want to go back to something that
we talked about before, which is patients and the patients
you've had to you've had to or that's been required
here I should say because of all the weapons. But
this is really something over your career, I mean your
college career. Right, So for listeners who don't know, you
start in North Carolina Central, but your freshman year was
(16:37):
canceled because of COVID, So then you went to Kent State.
You had a big second season there, nearly a thousand
receiving yards, eleven touchdowns. Then you transferred to North Carolina,
but pause and the NCAA descermines that you were a
two time transfer and denied your eligibility for twenty twenty three.
So you had to sit out the first four games
(16:58):
of that season, and it was a whole big thing
whether you were going to be eligible or whatnot. And
you kept practicing with the team like you could have
just gone home or whatever. Right, But you were like,
I'm going to stay with the program, I'm going to practice,
do all that even though I can't play in the games.
How much did that build your patience that whole process
(17:20):
and kind of prepare you for what you were going
to see in the NFL?
Speaker 4 (17:22):
Yeah, you pretty much like hit it on the head,
like you know, last year, like it was like I
was in this spot before, like I've had the way
you know, then going back to Carolina, just sawing like
how much of a good teammate I'm being beat there
for those guys like you know, and it was people
on that team going through worse than I was. So
it was like, you know, just sawing it wasn't about me,
Like I'm still here for y'all and you know, I'm
(17:44):
still practice trained just in case. You know, you never
never know which it ended up happening, right, But you know,
fast forward to last year, like I said, like I've
been in that spot before, and then you know, just
you know, being able to learn off of guys like
you know, Newon Nelson was here to learn off of him,
and then like I said, watching guys like Bait, you know,
and I feel like that helped me, you know, to
(18:05):
you know, be where I am.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
Now, are you a naturally patient person?
Speaker 2 (18:09):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (18:09):
I am in your everyday life, okay, because I would
think like somebody who had four years old you said,
said I want to go to the NFL that also
requires face years ago until you were gonna get there.
So like, how how have you been so patient over
your life?
Speaker 2 (18:23):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (18:24):
So you know my family, no, I missed my grandma
a church, like a big church family, you know, big
no Christians, so you know, reading no scriptures and like
a lot of those scriptures talk about patients.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
You know.
Speaker 4 (18:36):
You know, God is you know, preparing you for you know,
whatever He's preparing you for. And then like you know,
he said He's gonna walk with you, but like he
ain't gonna really ain't gonna do it for you. So
it's like, you know, just meet him halfway, you know,
just staying down, doing grinding, you know, you know, doing
doing work.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
So then you know he gonna you know, it's just
like he gonna have life for you.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
And do you do you feel like you lean on
your faith? You know, to this day is a you
going through the set of hell journey?
Speaker 4 (19:02):
Yes, I feel like I've you know, come closer with it,
you know where I am now?
Speaker 1 (19:07):
Nice you talk, you talk about all these receivers in
your room, you know Jay Flowers or shab and DeAndre Hopkins,
Tallen Wallas. Can you take me and we talked about
how they're all different guys. Can you take me guy
by guy and tell me, like something that you've taken
from them or some piece of advice, like because they
all play the game differently, so like what what have
(19:28):
you taken from from Zay? What piece of advice or
something you've taken from him?
Speaker 4 (19:32):
Yeah, is like you know, like his like intensity, you know,
like in and out of his breaks and like how
he's able to just snap down get out of her quick.
Then Bates a guy you know he plays like with
a lot of patients, you know, setting up his routes,
you know, playing with like different tempos. And then de
Hopp is the guy, like bigger physical guy, you know,
(19:52):
Seaball Gearball.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
Is his when it's in the area.
Speaker 4 (19:55):
Then Talent's you know a guy like you know, he's
like like the grimy guy, like you know he's watching
one of them contested catch got ball in there, but
he also you know, getting there dig somebody out, you know,
just being more physical. Yeah, I feel like, you know,
I've took a piece from like each and every one
of those guys.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
That's awesome.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
How would you describe your own game at this point
in year two?
Speaker 4 (20:17):
At this point, I say, now, like, you know, when
I'm going back towards my film, like smooth, like being
able to you know, like maintain that speed, you know,
break like you know those Chris Angeles, Like I maintained
that same speed. So I just say, like, my game's
pretty pretty smooth this point.
Speaker 5 (20:33):
I agree watching it.
Speaker 3 (20:34):
What's it like being in the same room as DeAndre Hopkins?
I think I think you were twelve when he came
into the league. Shade at him, you know, as the
older guy in the room. I know you guys probably
give a hard time about that, But what's it like
being in the same room with him?
Speaker 4 (20:46):
Man, It's crazy. It's it's a dream come truy, you know,
like he was in that era.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
Guys. You know, I loved watching like him, the A. J.
Speaker 4 (20:53):
Greens, Calvin Johnson's, Andrew Johnson's like, you know he when
I seen we signed him, it's like, dang, like it's
somebody I watched it even before I was twelve, Like
I was watching he.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
Was at Clemson.
Speaker 4 (21:02):
You know, Clinton's pretty close to Charlotte, so I was
pretty familiar with with him, so, you know, and it
didn't really hit me until, like I look to my right,
were coming out tongue to the Bills game.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
He's like, dang, Like DeAndre Hockey is my teammate. That's crazy.
Speaker 4 (21:16):
You know, I've I've enjoyed you know, being alongside of
him since he's been then you know, he's he's been
there for me since since he's got her.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
Yeah, he seems like he's brought an edge, Like I mean,
his it's hard to tell, like how much he trash
talks or not on the field.
Speaker 5 (21:30):
I think he was doing a little bit.
Speaker 1 (21:31):
Too smoled somebody.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
Yeah, but like he does a little bit. But like
it seems just like he's brought an edge like that.
That the mentality you mentioned, the sea ball get ball mentality,
How was that kind of rubs off on everybody?
Speaker 4 (21:43):
Man, It's just like, you know, you see him do it,
it's like and then you think about like everything, he's
a Compton the league, and it's like, you know, we're
trying to get to that.
Speaker 2 (21:51):
So I think it also brings that.
Speaker 4 (21:53):
You know, competitive you know nature we have in our
room and almost our team, like you know, we all
we all trying.
Speaker 2 (21:58):
We gotta we gotta be like that. So I feel
like he is that bar is up there.
Speaker 4 (22:02):
He's when he since he's been there, like he's put
that bar out there, and it's like, you know, like
that's where we're striving to be at. And I feel
like that's why we've had so much success in these
first three weeks in the passing game because of you
know what he's brought.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
Yeah, how important has it been kind of building your
relationship with Lamar and growing that relationship, because that was
one thing I noticed this summer was it seemed like
the more plays that you made, the more Lamar also
invested in you and saying like all right, we didn't
make this play, and I'm going to walk down the
field and I'm going to walk all the way back
(22:34):
with the Vintas and we're going to talk through this together.
It felt like that relationship kind of hit another level.
Speaker 4 (22:41):
Yeah, it just goes back while I said, you know,
just being you know, making him as kumble as possible
out there, you know, the quarterback they have on a
hard out in the field, so you know it's on
us to you know, be a farm you know, whenever
he needs to. So you know, just going up to him,
you know, seeing what he's thinking, how he's thinking, so
we can have that you know chemistry out there days
like you know, just asking those little small questions or
(23:02):
do you need me here here, like going me to
run this route like this, and then vice versa. You know,
he's asking those questions like do you want to hear
you're gonna take your angle here or whatnot. Just being
on the same page, you know, so you know, we
ain't out there playing like slobby football or you know,
he and he's able to you know, trust me when
I'm out there, just like he does the other guys.
Speaker 3 (23:21):
I'm curious how Lamar has kind of helped set a
tone this week going into a big game. Obviously you
and she's sposed one or two, you're coming off a
tough loss Monday night football. Just how how he has
helped set the tone and what the mentality is going
into this game.
Speaker 2 (23:36):
Yeah, it's like you know his mentalities.
Speaker 4 (23:38):
You know what happened Monday happen you know, flush it
you know, we gotta we got a big game this week.
You know, chief is opponent that we respect very well,
so he you know, he knows what we're up against.
You know, he's probably played this team the most. So
and then you know, Lamar is like the most competitive
person in that locker room. Like you know, he don't
let nothing. You know, I just like what I've seen
(23:59):
about him i've been here, Like nothing like really moves him,
you know, nothing texts him out of his game, Like
he's pretty even killed everything. So that's somebody you know,
I know, like I like, I trust to go out there,
you know, lead us. So you know, I just feel
like he's had that mentality since I've been here. So
you know, I have no worries about Sunday.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
So yeah, it is last one for me. Is there
any kind of extra motivation when you're on the field
with with Xavier Worthy the Chiefs, both secondary receivers, both
very fast guys, any kind of extra motivation? Like, all right,
who's gonna make the bigger play here among the two
of us?
Speaker 2 (24:35):
Oh? Yeah, most definitely. And I've always been like that.
Speaker 4 (24:37):
It's like all right, you know, you know, I got
a lot of respect for his game. You know, first
round guy did it all in college, you know, making
plays over there. So but you know, see another guy
out there, it's like, you know, let me go out here,
try to you know, I'll do him make a play
for he does so. But nah, it's definitely you know
when I see other people who was in my draft class, like,
(24:57):
it's definitely a little motivation there, you know.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
So it's gonna be real fun.
Speaker 1 (25:02):
Right awesome, Well, can't wait for it? About say, man,
how about we go get another touchdown here? We can
start right start another streak.
Speaker 5 (25:09):
So I appreciate you.
Speaker 3 (25:12):
Thanks man, you're listening to the Lage Podcast. We are
coming to you from the Seat Geekstudio. We want to
mention our partners at Draft King sports Book. They are
an official sports betting partner of the Baltimore Ravens Draft
King sports Book. The Crown is yours.
Speaker 5 (25:24):
Thank you to Tess.
Speaker 2 (25:25):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (25:25):
He's he's I think easy got to root for his
story when he was in college generated a lot of
buzz nationally. And uh, of course he ultimately ended up
being able to play and had a great season in
North Carolina. And and I think that he's got a
lot of talent and he's showing it and like he's
impressed me because all throughout his off season in training camp,
(25:46):
I'm like, Tess looks great, but it's just it's hard
to know where the snaps are going to come because
the Ravens have a really good receiver room, as we
talk to him about, but even in the midst of
that crowded group, he's he's risen above I think what
a lot of people expected from him, and I give
him a lot of credit for carving out a nice
role for himself.
Speaker 1 (26:03):
I think part of the reason why the Ravens offense
has been so good through the first three weeks is
not only are the Stars playing well, you know lamar
Ze right, those guys now, Derek obviously the fumbles have
been tough, but he's you know, ran the ball extremely
well against the Buffalo Bills. Been a little tough for
the past two games. But not only because of the Stars,
(26:25):
but it's because some of these role players like a
Devontes Walker, I mean, DeAndre Hopkins is a star but
not getting like a ton of snaps. Yeah, Tylan Wallace,
like those guys are also playing really well. In terms
of the Ravens skill position guys, like they're making the
most of their opportunities. Yeah, and they're not a ton
of opportunities, but they're getting in the end zone.
Speaker 5 (26:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
I mean Teszan Hopkins are the perfect examples of that. Like,
those guys are basically sharing the wide receiver three role
and so neither of them are getting a ton of snaps,
but when they get on the field, they're basically like, Okay,
every time it could combine it, one of those guys
is gonna score a touchdown every three players are on
the field.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
Crazy combined it, and those guys have four touchdowns in
three games. Four touchdowns and three games.
Speaker 3 (27:11):
It's pretty darn good. Yeah, and then Ted has almost
got another one exactly and.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
Almost had another one should have been ruled a touchdown.
So it's it's crazy the production that when you talk about, Okay,
look at the Ravens number three wide receiver basically, what's that?
What do those numbers look like? Yeah, it's pretty crazy.
Speaker 3 (27:29):
Yeah, it's It's been impressive start for for those guys.
So I'm encouraged by that, and I just think it
really budes well for Tz and his role in this
offense this year and long term. Like I think that
like he's shown, he's showing that he's more than just
a guy that can can run fast and run deep.
Like he that's and and he knew like that was
I thought what stood out to be and talking with him,
like he knew that was a perception that of him,
(27:51):
like you're just a fast guy that could run deep.
And so then what he do He went to work
this offseason. I'm becoming a complete wide receiver. And the
results speak for themselves.
Speaker 2 (27:59):
Yep, yep.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
You know, another little trivia question for you.
Speaker 5 (28:02):
How many how many trivia questions you got here?
Speaker 1 (28:04):
I'm just I've got them all here? You got the rollodex?
Speaker 3 (28:07):
Uh?
Speaker 1 (28:08):
How did the Ravens get the pick that they used
to draft davontees.
Speaker 5 (28:12):
Walker fourth round pick not compick or not no no compic.
Speaker 1 (28:18):
That was acquired in the trade of Morgan Moses. Oh okay,
that's how they got that pick, which you know, I
remember at the time, everybody's like, man, how do we
trade away Morgan Moses? Like he's so good? You know,
now he didn't particularly have a great year last year
for the Jets. The Ravens got davontees Walker in return. Yeah,
as of right now, it's looking like a pretty good trade.
Speaker 3 (28:40):
Yeah, and then of course they drafted ro Rosegarten exactly
exactly and placed him in the lineup. So yeah, that's
that's part of that, is that dance that Eric's costs
in the front office play in terms of acquiring picks
and making those types of moves.
Speaker 1 (28:53):
That's just like file that one away when when like
sometime in the future, you know, there's a trade to
get a pick and you're like, what are we doing
getting a Day three pick for that guy? Well, it
turned into devontees Walker, who, let's we'll see you know,
Zay Flowers hopefully will be here for a very long time.
You know, I'm sure there'll be a lot of talks
in the years to come about extensions for him. Rashaan
(29:14):
Bateman's locked in here for a long time. Like DeAndre
Hopkins is on a one year deal. Devontees Walker is
he the long term kind of up number three, you
know guy in this wide receiver course, certainly could be. Yeah,
and that would be a big role for him.
Speaker 3 (29:28):
Well, before the Ravens worry about long term deals, they're
worried about this Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs here.
This is a big game. Obviously, we do want to
break that down in a little bit more detail. Both
these teams are coming into it. It's it's crazy to
think that one of these teams is leaving this game
at one and three.
Speaker 1 (29:43):
Yeah, wild.
Speaker 3 (29:44):
These are two perennial playoff teams. I've obviously met in
the postseason, They've met in the regular season. There's some
history here between these two teams, and it's a massive
game as both these teams are are looking to write
the ship a little bit early in the season.
Speaker 1 (29:59):
Yeah, absolutely, I think that, you know, for both these teams,
they're coming into this one a little bit frustrated. You know,
the Ravens are coming off a loss. The Chiefs just
got their first win of the year. But I don't
think really a lot of that matters, to be honest,
when these two two teams square off, like they know
each other very well because they've played a lot over
(30:20):
the years, and quite frankly, the Ravens feel like they
they want to get some payback. You know, past six games,
the Chiefs have won five of them. Lamar Jackson's never
beaten Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City last year week one
game to open the NFL season in Kansas City in
which the Ravens lost by a toe and so I
(30:42):
think that there's a lot of this one. This one's
been circled on the calendar for a while, obviously since
the schedule came out for the Ravens, but considering the
increased stakes of your going into it one and two, huge,
huge game.
Speaker 3 (30:55):
Yeah, it's interesting because it feels like last year was
the revenge game angle.
Speaker 5 (31:00):
Coming off the AFC Championship going to this one.
Speaker 3 (31:02):
But then Buffalo kind of took the revenge game storyline
early in this season, and so this one almost like
hard to believe it, but to some degree, kind of
flies under the radar in that sense because there was
just so much built up. The Ravens have had a
tough start to this season. I'm not just talking about
the outcomes. I'm talking about the opponents. I mean, these
are difficult opponents. You opened the season in Buffalo. Now
(31:24):
you got to go to Kansas City play a Monday
night game against Detroit, who might be you know, they're
one of the best teams in the NFC. So it's
a tough stretch to open the season and to be honest, like,
I feel like going into this game, the history stuff,
just the feeling that I have like takes more of
a back seat compared to most times the Ravens had
(31:45):
played the Chiefs in past years, because it's just like this.
Speaker 5 (31:48):
Team is one and two and they just got to
get back on.
Speaker 3 (31:50):
Track, and so like the history stuff is there, like
there's no doubt about that, but to me, it feels
less significant than if I compare it to a year
ago when these two teams face off in there.
Speaker 1 (32:00):
Yeah, absolutely absolutely, and it's a big game for the
Ravens defense. Right now, ranked thirty second in the league,
you're at the bottom. And unfortunately this is a similar
there's the same spot that the Ravens were in last
year at this time. And of course you have to
take into context, all Right, the Ravens have faced some
pretty darn good offenses so far. You know, the Buffalo
Bills have one of the best offenses in the league. Obviously,
(32:22):
we we saw what the Lions can do on Monday
Night Football. So the Chiefs are no slouch offensively obviously
with Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes, Kelsey all those guys. Now,
they haven't gotten off to a super fast start. They're
seventeenth in the league, and I think the Chiefs have
kind of been seemingly trying to find their way. They
haven't been running the ball well to again the season
at all and drop some mistakes things like that. It
(32:45):
hasn't been smooth sailing for the Chiefs. But they're gonna
be looking for a get right game here against this
Baltimore defense.
Speaker 3 (32:52):
Yeah, but both of these the Ravens defense is looking
for a get right opportunity after having a tough game
against Detroit. The Chiefs all looking for a get right
game offensively, as it's been kind of a slog for
them coming out of the gates, and we'll see who
ends up getting the better of it. And talking with
the Raven's defense has been a big talking point this
week based on how they performed against Detroit, particularly as
(33:16):
it relates to the run defense. It just wasn't good
enough in that game. Everybody has said it. They said
it right after the game, and that has been consistent
throughout the week. They need to improve the run defense.
But I also get the sense that like they have
confidence that in their ability to do that, and John
Harwall has made that point, like we're going to be
a good defense, and we know what we need to correct,
we're going to do it. Basically, been a good defense
(33:37):
for a long time and that's going to continue, and
we're going to we're going to play really good football
on that side of the ball.
Speaker 5 (33:43):
Really an offense is already playing really good football.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
I think it's a very different challenge between the Lions
and the Chiefs when it comes to the run games.
You know, the Lions have one of the best backfield
tandems in the league, which mir gives in David Montgomery.
The Chiefs, it's been running the ball has really kind
of been their weakness over the over recent years. When
they've been clicking offensively, it's because they've been running the
(34:06):
ball well. But when they haven't it, that's a major
part of it. Yes, it's because they just haven't run it. Officially,
Pacheco Kareem Hunt. You know, it's a different challenge for
this Ravens defense. And and honestly, though, the Ravens defense
is shorthanded on the defensive line, so anything right now
is going to be a pretty darn big challenge if
the Ravens aren't healthy in the trenches. But I think
(34:29):
that a lot of this comes down to Patrick Mahomes,
which is which is no surprise, and honestly, him running
the ball I think is a big challenge. Who has
more rushing yards right now? Patrick Mahomes or Lamar Jackson.
Speaker 3 (34:43):
Well, I'm going to guess, based on the way you're
asking that question, that is Mahomes.
Speaker 1 (34:46):
Yes, just crazy crazy. I mean he is scrambling so far,
has been kind of what's kept their offense afloat. And
I talked to a Dafeoway in the locker room on Wednesday,
and the challeng of defending him as a runner is daunting,
very different challenge from Lamar. Obviously he's significantly slower than
(35:09):
Lamar Jackson, but he's such a crafty runner Patrick Mahomes,
because he'll get defenders to leave their feet with his
pump fake, which he's very good at. And then also
when he starts going to that sideline, now there's a
seat of doubt in defender's heads on how do I
handle this guy? Because he doesn't just run out of
bounds like the normal quarterback, which putting his shoulder down
(35:29):
this year, well that's he's generally trying to draw a flag.
So he'll slow down there and try to get touched,
and then he'll flop and he'll try to get a flag.
That's what he does. And then if a defender starts
to slow down because they're basically thinking, well, I don't
want to hit him late and get cause a fifteen
yard penalty, now he'll truck you. He'll drop his shoulder
(35:51):
and truck you on the sideline just to try to
fire up his team. So it's you're in a tough spot.
And I asked a Dafoe about that, and he's so like,
we got to hit him legally within the rules, but
we just got to run through him, Like you got
to show him I'm not afraid to I'm gonna hit you.
I'm not letting you come over there and bully meal
on the sideline. You're getting hit. Yeah, Now you got
(36:14):
to do it legally.
Speaker 3 (36:15):
Yeah, And that's the tough part for defenders whenever you
got to you know, star quarterback running and and it's
easier said than done. Like I think that probably when
the Chiefs have played every team this year, that's been
kind of a common refrain from defenders, like just hit him,
get him down, run through him, and like it's been tough.
Speaker 5 (36:35):
He's been able to.
Speaker 3 (36:36):
I mean, he's he is really good at at getting
outside the pocket and extending plays when they with his feet,
when the opportunity presents itself like it is.
Speaker 5 (36:45):
He's not a.
Speaker 3 (36:46):
Design runner in the same way that Lamar has been
in his career, but he's he's really good at at
extending drives well.
Speaker 1 (36:52):
I think that teams obviously have to respect his ability
to make plays with his arm when he's outside the pocket.
We've seen that Manny many times, and so teams off
and end up all right, I gotta plaster my guy right,
and you don't have eyes on the quarterback, and he'll
take advantage of that. And he he's just got this
(37:12):
knack about him as a runner, Like he's not particularly fast,
but you know he's a big guy and like he
takes the right angles and he can he can beat you.
Adaf said, you can't chop your feet with him because
he'll start dancing with you. Once he gets you dancing,
you're you're kind of in trouble with him. Yeah, you
got to run through them. It's like a b line
to the quarterback. And you you can't hesitate with him
because he'll he'll Djukia and so I think that is
(37:36):
really the Ravens' biggest challenge when facing the Chiefs.
Speaker 3 (37:41):
Well, if you go back to Week one against Buffalo,
part of the conversation coming out of that game was
like rush lane integrity and Josh Allen getting outside the
pocket and extending plays.
Speaker 1 (37:49):
Similar thing with the Homes exactly.
Speaker 3 (37:52):
And adding to the challenge there is that the Ravens
maybe best all around pass rusher nom Madibike is out
this game. He's dealing with a neck injury and the
severity of it is not clear at this point. John
Harbu said he's not going to play it this week
and he's concerned about it long term and.
Speaker 5 (38:10):
What that looks like.
Speaker 3 (38:11):
I don't want to speculate, but we know that he's
not going to be on the field this week. Did
not play a Monday against Detroit and just just really big.
That's a huge blow for this team. I don't want
to minimize that at all, like not being bad. K
is one of the best players on this team. Yeah,
and not having him in the lineup is difficult to overcome.
Speaker 1 (38:30):
Absolutely is I mean from a run defender standpoint, pass
rusher standpoint there's a reason why the Ravens made him
one of the top paid defensive tackles in the league.
You know, paid him alm with some one hundred million
dollars in that contract. So he's an awesome player. When
you lose awesome players, it takes a bite out of you.
Speaker 2 (38:51):
You know.
Speaker 1 (38:51):
And and now, of course there's always the next man
up mentality, and that's how you have to think as
a team. And the Ravens have a history of players
stepping up in the defensive line and like still rallying
right And I think that at the end of the day,
they're gonna be better than what they are on paper
right now, and they're gonna be a better run defense
(39:13):
than they were against the Detroit Lions. And there's also
we've talked all off season about how the depth of
this team and how talented this roster is. Even without
Nominee Matabik, the Ravens still have a lot more talent
on this roster and on this defense than a lot
of teams too. They do like it's a big it's
(39:33):
a big loss, but you cannot play the victim. You
cannot just be like, we lost Nomdy, what are we
gonna do? We're already struggling. Oh my gosh, you know
what you got. You got enough talent on this defense
to be good. And you don't have to. You don't
have to be the number one defense in the league
with the way this offense is playing right now. To
win a whole lot of games, you gotta be a
good defense.
Speaker 3 (39:51):
Yeah, I think I think this defense will. We'll get
back on track. The depth piece is interesting because I
think the area where they probably have the least depth
is on the defense. That's correct, and that's been even
further challenged. In addition to the injury to Mattabike, Travis
Jones and Broderick Washington have also missed practice time this week.
Speaker 1 (40:08):
And Services with a knee and Proderick Washington with an ankle.
Speaker 3 (40:12):
So we'll see what their status is for Sunday's game.
But like in addition to losing Matabik, you also have
just a banged up defensive front.
Speaker 1 (40:20):
When you don't see your entire starting defensive line on
the field practice starts on Wednesday, it's not a good feeling.
Speaker 2 (40:26):
Well.
Speaker 3 (40:27):
The Ravens then added two players to the practice squad,
two veteran players, Josh Tupo and Tavian Bryant to the
practice squad, and so they're veteran players who could I mean,
depending on the situation with Washington and Travis Jones, those
guys might step into the lineup this week if the
Ravens need him. Brand Urban is also, of course a
veteran player currently out of practice squad. He was activated
(40:47):
last game. Would not surprise me at all if he's
activated again.
Speaker 1 (40:50):
And activate everybody from the practice quack.
Speaker 3 (40:52):
Right, So it's like, so the Ravens are dealing with
some challenges in the trenches, absolutely, and like that that
is something that they've got to overcome. And then if
you're shorthanded there he also need everybody behind those guys
to play better too, and not to allow some of
the issues that hurt them against Detroit mistackles, you know,
(41:13):
bad angles, those types of things.
Speaker 2 (41:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (41:15):
Well, and there's injuries beyond that for the Ravens. Ronnie
Stanley misspractice on Wednesday. Pat Riccards still isn't back, which,
by the way, I think we've all kind of undersold
the impact that that has had on this team, especially
on the running game. I mean, you talk about, all right,
we need to punch the ball in from the one.
We need to be physical right up there. Who's your guy?
Speaker 5 (41:36):
Yeah, it's your guy.
Speaker 1 (41:37):
Yeah, And you know, not enough running lanes for Derek Henry.
How many times do we see pat Riccard clearing the
way last year?
Speaker 5 (41:44):
I mean, I know a guy that thought he was
that called him the straw man. That's John Gruden.
Speaker 3 (41:47):
He knows the thing or two about football, and he
said that he's the straw man because he's the straw
that serves a drink on this offense.
Speaker 1 (41:53):
This drink needs a little stirring.
Speaker 5 (41:55):
Yeah, so it's like in.
Speaker 1 (41:57):
The run game at least.
Speaker 3 (41:58):
Yeah, Ricard Is he's not been practicing, so you know,
the Ravens need him back as well. I'm not sure
when that's going to happen. That there The positive on
Isaiah l is Isaiah likely. The Ravens did not put
him on injured reserve to open the season, and that
was an If they had done that, he would have
been out the first four weeks. The decision not to
(42:20):
put him on IR was always and Eric DeCosta even
said this, The hope was to get him back within
those first four games, or else you just would have.
Speaker 5 (42:28):
Put him on IR and he would have been out
four games.
Speaker 3 (42:30):
This is a fourth game, so you think that there's
you know, John Harbaugh indicated that he's hopeful that Isaiah
likely is going to be able to play in this game,
and so that would be a big time piece to
get back in this offense. And likely had a huge
game against the Chiefs last year in Week one, almost
had an even bigger game at the very end, was
(42:51):
a tow away from having a monster game against Kansas City.
So having him back in the lineup would definitely give
this team another piece.
Speaker 1 (42:58):
Yeah, absolutely, and they're gonna need. I mean, this is
a healthy Chiefs team. When you go down the injury
report here for the Ravens, it's lengthy. The Chiefs are
totally healthy. Savior Worthy suffered a shoulder injury in Week one.
He's expected to be back for this game. So the
Ravens are facing some challenges early in this season, obviously
(43:20):
with their record right now, and then also with injuries
and Namdi losing one of your best players here for
who knows how long, and so this but as John
Harball said, this is kind of when you're still forging
your team, and this feels like an early season crossroads
to a degree. I don't want to overstate it because
(43:42):
there's still long ways to go, but it's one of
those weeks against an opponent that you really want to
beat in their place and you need to and so big, big,
big game for the Raves.
Speaker 3 (43:56):
Well, look, last year, the Ravens started season zero and two,
then they became one and two, and then we four.
They played the Buffalo Bills and had that was a
home game, of course, but they blew them out and
then and then they were kind off to the races
and things were settled and if things felt bad, things
felt really bad at zero to two, and so things
feel bad at one and two for the Ravens this year.
But like I do think that that experience from last
(44:16):
year does provide some good perspective. And Lamar Jackson even
talked about go back to twenty nineteen. They were two
and two that season, then they rattled off what twelve
straight wins that year to go fourteen and two. So
like they've they've come out of the gate slow at
times and been able to get back on track and
have really good seasons. And so like that's that's the
big picture view I think of his team. But for
(44:38):
this week, like they just know they have to they
have to take care of business. One other point I
want to mention before we go is another big talking
point this week has been Derrick Henry and he's had
three fumbles in three games. He talked with the media
this week and he's like he's wearing it heavily. Like
he even said, like, yeah, my feelings around this really
haven't changed since after the game when he was so Yeah,
(45:00):
he was distraught after the game and during after that
play and was still fired up when he talked to
reporters on Wednesday. I think that's going to stick with
him probably until kickoff, you know, of this game and
maybe even beyond, Like he'll probably be mad about this
on Wolds forever. But like he talked about, he is
addressing it head on. I give him a lot of
credit to be honest for statting up and taking accountability,
(45:22):
answering a bunch of questions about it. Said he's working
on it and just knows like point blank he can't fumble,
Like you can work on the ball security and you
can do little things. But like at the end of
the day, like he's like, I'm kind of embarrassing with
talking about this. Like it's never been an issue in
his career and he knows that it's just not something
that can continue.
Speaker 2 (45:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (45:41):
Absolutely, I wouldn't want to be a defender facing an
angry Derrick Henry.
Speaker 3 (45:44):
No, I wouldn't want to face a happy, happy Derrick
Henry an angry Derek Kenny.
Speaker 1 (45:48):
Is any version, any versions, especially angry? Yeah, that's a
recipe for an angry run. Yeah, shot out Kyle, That's right.
So yeah, I think running the all is gonna be
very important. The Ravens need to block it better too.
Quite frankly, you look at all three. Really, two of
the three fumbles for Derrick Henry the fourth quarter kind
(46:09):
of backbreakers. Both when he's going laterally he just did
not have a really much room to run and defender
got him one from behind, one in front of him.
But Derek Henry running downhill, I'm less worried about him
fumbling the ball, to be honest. Yeah, so let's get
Derek Henry running downhill. I'd like to see that happen.
I think it's gonna be a big part of this
game plan. And then for the Ravens offensively, they need
(46:32):
to be They need to beat the blitz and Lamar
Jackson has done a very good job of it. We
all know Steve Spagnolo and we all know that in
those critical third down situations, he's gonna he's gonna pull
out some exotic blitz. He's gonna be Safety's corners. There's
gonna be something exotic, and he's gonna be bringing the heat.
The Ravens need to have answers for the Chiefs blitz
in critical situations. Lamar Jackson has done well with it,
(46:54):
but he's coming off a game in which he got
sacks seven times. So the Ravens need to be able
to handle that blitz very well. They need to have
good pass protection, better pass protection than they had some
of those sacks. I think we're Lamar, you know, trying
to make run around the backfield and trying to make
things happen and all that. They're not all on the
offensive line, but the O line needs to play better.
Speaker 3 (47:13):
Well, just quickly, when you mentioned the offensive line, like
a big piece of that that's unknown right now is
Ronnie Stanley mispractice on Wednesday, and so like, yes, the
protection has to be better, but that assignment gets even
tougher if Ronnie Stanley weren't able to play in this
game or is hindered in any way, So you know,
fingers crossed that he's able to be out there and
be himself.
Speaker 1 (47:31):
Yeah, and I think another thing to watch in this
game from offensive perspective is how much do the Chiefs
try to replicate what the Lions did defensively that spy
Drew Trank. Will you know they have some unheralded but
good inside linebackers and how effective are they with that
spy Because the Lions obviously executed it very well. It
(47:53):
wasn't anything the Ravens had never seen before, but they
executed it really well. And you just wonder how much
are the Chiefs going to try to replicate that?
Speaker 3 (47:59):
Yea, So four twenty five kickoff on Sunday. It's gonna
be a big game and this team knows that they
need to put their best best foot forward in this
matchup and we are excited to see this thing kickoff
and Arrowhead. So thank you so much for watching and listening.
Also make sure you email us at the lounge at
Ravens dot NFL dot net let us know your thoughts
questions that you have.
Speaker 5 (48:19):
Thank you again for watching. We'll see you again on Sunday,
Welcome into the lounge presented by DraftKings. I'm Ryan Mink
here with Garrett Downing and we are thrilled to sit
down with wide receiver Davontes Walker. And uh, I'm going
to start with a trivia question. Okay, what Baltimore Ravens
wide receiver had three touchdowns on their first three NFL receptions?
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Toys? I feel I would have got it.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
I did.
Speaker 4 (00:28):
I watched the Ravens going up, okay, and I feel
like I remember that game. But I mean it's also
been everywhere obviously since, like I did it right, people
have been putting it everywhere.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
The Torys Smith is like those are right right? Who
did it? Yep? Yep?
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Now there's two. The other sues You'll forever be part
of Ravens trivia. I feel like twenty years from now,
I'll be in a bar doing Ravens trivia and I'll
just be We'll be dominating.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Obviously, we'll be asking, we'll be asking the next guy
who doesn't twenty ish now right here in the seat.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Maybe, yeah, I mean, will there be another guy twenty
years That's it's pretty crazy and it's like happened twice.
Speaker 5 (01:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Oh, Yeah, that's pretty wild. What does it feel like
to just, you know, be in that company with Tory
and to be a part of Raven's Trivia forever now?
Probably Nah, it's.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
A it's a great it's a great feeling. You know
how historic this organization already is, you know, being able
to be part of that and then following the footsteps
of a grave receiver like Toys Myth, somebody I watched
growing up. So it's a great feeling.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
Then it's also good, you know, coaches trusted me, put
me out there and go make plays, knock it out there.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
So it's been it's been good.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
I remember I was at that game, that Tory Smith
game in Saint Louis when he went off. I think
it was his third NFL game, and everybody was just
kind of looking at HL like, WHOA, this is crazy, dude,
because it was a seventy four yard or forty one
yard or eighteen yarder, right, But I don't know which
one is more impressive, yours or his, because you did
(01:54):
it in three different games, well, two different games against
different secondaries.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
Right.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
His was like he just kept torching the same secondary
over again. I don't know what do you think which
one's more impressive of yours or tories.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
I'm gonna give it to him. Like one, it's hard
to know score three touchdowns in one game. It's so
I'm gonna I'm I'm gonna get that, damn for sure.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
I'm such a modest guy.
Speaker 5 (02:15):
That's the modest answer right there.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Like he did some job. I won't scoring three touchdowns
in the game. You got it in? Oh, yeah, for sure. Definitely.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
Well, there's the old quote from Buddy Ryan talk about
Chris Carter where he said, all he does catch touchdown passes.
Speaker 5 (02:27):
So have you have anyone brought that quote up to you?
Speaker 2 (02:30):
They did?
Speaker 4 (02:31):
Somebody did either yesterday day before. I forgot who did,
but I have heard about it.
Speaker 5 (02:35):
Yeah, there you go. All right.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
So there's all sorts of references to the start that
you're having here. So I just, in all seriousness, like
what does it mean just the way that you've opened
this season and how well you were playing and being
able to get in the end zone as much.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
As you have.
Speaker 4 (02:50):
I just think you mean, like I said, I can
be another value as said for Lamar, like I feel
like we've done, you know, a well enough job coming
together and being there for him, like going up, no
side conversations with him, you know, let him know, ask
him like what he needs, like where he needs us
to be, and vice versus. He asked us the same thing.
So we all on one page and we get out there. Then,
like I said, coaches trusting me to go out there,
(03:12):
you know along time zay and bait stuff like that.
So I think that's all what it is, just being
ready for that opportunity, you know, present it.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
So so you had two touchdowns against the Browns and
then of course the reference here just let in case
viewers listeners don't recall, like you had one catch last year,
one touchdowns. So then first three catches again all touchdowns,
and that game against the Browns this year in week two,
when you when you get those we score two touchdowns,
Like what are the emotions like that you're feeling in
that moment, knowing that you're just building and really it's
(03:43):
kind of a coming coming out party to a certain degree.
Speaker 4 (03:46):
Yeah, really, just you know, letting letting everyone know that
you know that I'm in this league for reading you
know that, uh, you know, Baltimore seeing something even coming
out and you know, like I said, one post game
proven right, you know, and then me personally, like, it's
an amazing feeling, Like I've dreamed of playing this league
my whole life.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
Like I told her.
Speaker 4 (04:06):
I remember telling my grandmother when I was four, like
that's what I want to do. I want to go
play in the NFL. So her being able to watch
that and see that, you know, see her grandson live
live out your dream.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
You know, it's an amazing feeling.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
It's really cool. What were some of the coolest messages
or phone calls that you got after your your two
touchdown game against the Browns.
Speaker 4 (04:24):
Yeah, my high school coach, you know, even him blowing
up my phone.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
He like all hype. Uh.
Speaker 4 (04:30):
You know my grandma, like I said, like her like
just her telling me. She's telling me every game, but
just her telling me. You know, I seen you on
the TV screen. You know, she probably don't know what
she watched. Well, you know anyone you know, those messages
always you know, very hard felt. Then my mom, you know,
she was she was at work, but she said she
was watching everybody, you know, her coworkers, you know, they
were they were hype around and stuff. So I like
(04:53):
all that stuff be amazing. When I you know, when
I go and look at.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
It, where's where's your grandmother live?
Speaker 2 (04:57):
But she just she's back in Charlotte.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
She's back. She watches every game on TV.
Speaker 5 (05:01):
HM.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
That's pretty cool. Does she hit you up like every
before every game, after all the games or what before
and after?
Speaker 4 (05:07):
Yeah, Sundays it's rare. I'm gonna get it before. It
depends on she out of church or not. But I
usually get a message after the game for.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
Yeah, that's awesome. So you had another long catch here
against the Lions, and I think when we all saw
Lamar launch that pass for you deep, we were like,
is he gonna do a good four for four? Unfortunately
punched out about to the three yard line. Uh. You know,
what did it feel like to catch a pass not
in the end zone? I guess it's the question.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
I mean, honestly, it felt the same to me, like shoot,
big play, you know, get the get the offense going,
and like like we said, it's closer the en zone,
let's punch it in the score.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Ye.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
So I mean it was you know, it was nothing
different from me. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
So, but I mean I was like, you know, like dang,
I could have maybe reached or something. When I realized
how close I was to the pop line. Yeah, but
you know, like I said, it was the same feeling,
you know, just letting them not can go out there
and make make a big play in the moment.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
I'm getting a little old, So you're gonna have to
explain the celebration to me that you did after that catch.
Can you break that down for me?
Speaker 4 (06:05):
So it really it like y'all watch basketball. Yeah, Jaylen Bronston,
you know, hit a three. He is still like that's pretty,
you know, don't look like a little like smile or
something like with his fingers. So I was like, maybe
I'll do that first down celebration.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
I kind of just throw it out for him.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
Okay, it's like it's like a three, but I mean
you're a deep ball receiver, big player receiver, so it
is kind of like you're hitting the three.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Yeah, I mean, we can look at it like that. Okay,
So y'all seen him do it last season.
Speaker 4 (06:31):
I'm like, yeah, that's cool. I might probably have to
do that first down celebration. I'm trying to get the
rest of the receivers to do it. I don't think
they messing with it, but you know, I probably, I'll
probably continue with it.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
I think it's it's been pretty cool to watch you
these last two years because you had to be a
little bit patient.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
You know.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
There's just a lot of talent in the receiver room,
a lot of talent on this offense. One ball to
go around, and it's like everyone's always wondering who's going
to be the guy this week because there could be
so many different players that can make an impact on
this offense. How have you handled that the patient's aspect
and waiting for your opportunity and then when you get
the opportunity, making the most of.
Speaker 4 (07:03):
It, right, just preparing like you know, like I'm going
out there first, you know, keeping my routine or you
know being in and play with being died, and because
I mean you still have to know everything, you know,
Like like I said, like they can throw you out
there at any time. So being able to go out
there and execute what we're trying to do, you know,
they look at stuff like that. And then also like
learning from those guys like Zay bay d hob Tie
(07:26):
then like taking a little thing from baby that I
see them doing, trying to add it to my bag.
You know, evolved my game and being a complete receiver.
So I think, like you know, they've they've helped me tremendously.
Then you know this organization has done a good job
and embracing like competition and competing. So knowing I'm in
a room full of guys, like that's like you know,
like like I said, I'm here for a reason too,
(07:46):
Like you know, I'm up there on that pedestal with
these guys too. So and then just having a room
like that, like I feel, like I said in one
of the interviews the other day, like I feel like
we have the dream receiver room, like everything you will
want as a receiver room, any skill set, like we
have a love it.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
Yeah, I agree with everyone kind of does something a
little bit different too, which I think is speaking to
the point that you're making, Like there's there's lots of
different I mean skill levels and experience and all that,
but everyone kind of just brings a different skill set
to the table. I'm curious, Like this off season for you,
I was I would be watching OTA's mini camp and
then of course into training camp, and like you were
(08:21):
a guy that consistently jumped out there at practice, like
you were a guy that everybody was talking about he's
standing out, he's making plays, and you just consistently did
that over the course of the off season into training camp.
How big was it for you to put together a
really good off season and to show everybody like, hey,
I'm here too, don't forget about me in this mix.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
Yeah, that you know what I got out of that?
Speaker 4 (08:44):
Like that was my mindset going into the off season,
Like even you know, that's howart breaking as was. We
finished Buffalo, like I went straight home, started training. I
probably took nobody three four days off, went home talking,
told my trainer, I work with Hakeem Nicks out home
and former NFL players. Okay, So I told him what
I was trying to accomplish, what I was trying to do,
and then you know, we hit like we hit it
right away. So I went into told him I wanted
(09:07):
to be a complete receiver. I wanted, you know, to
get comfortable with the route tree. So by the time
we hit the OTA training camp, like you know, like
I'm able to go out there, you know and produced.
So that was my mindset going tall season. I feel
like that's why the outcome of training camp OTA and
all that was what it.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
Was I was curious about what you did this offseason,
so working with the key Nix? Was that also in
North Carolina or where?
Speaker 2 (09:30):
Well?
Speaker 4 (09:30):
North hit me about like two and a half three
years ago. I want you to, you know, come trying
with me. You know, told him like, let's lock in.
Then you know we hit the ground run with that.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
So you've been training with him since then for a while, okay,
and so so can you take me through like what
your routine was like during the off season with him?
Speaker 4 (09:49):
Yeah, so I get up six seven, know, you breakfast
and then you know, we straight to the field. You know,
we do our warm up footwork stuff, then we straight
straighten the routes. We will have a quarterback some time,
but it was a straight route tree probably go through
every route, redzon, middle of the field, backed up, like
we tried to hit on everything and get give me
as much as comfortable as possible, you know, running every
(10:11):
route from every spot, whether it was X, F ZE wherever.
So I can be you know, versatile whenever they need
me in wherever they need me in his offense.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
So it was my every day.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
So interesting. Were there any other like big time ride
receivers NFL Rogers with.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Him or Brown he plays for Jacksonville. Now yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
it was just me and him.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
So I'm interested that he hit you up he wanted
to train you. What was it the other way around?
How does that often happen or what?
Speaker 4 (10:39):
Noah, I don't think it does, Like I mean knowing
it's just me, me and Diami with him, like it
just it told me like you know how he operates,
how he works, and you know, he just he just
knows grind so and that's the type of guys I
like to be with, you know, not all the limelight
and stuff.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
You just just work.
Speaker 1 (10:54):
And was it did he explain to you how he
came to find you? Like what was it about you
that he saw where he was like I want to
work with that guy.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
Yeah, he just seen you know, like my work at
it and then also like my process at you know, Carolin,
my college process obviously, like just seeing you know how
Zenion I was and then like how I wasn't like
scared to work and stuff like to get to what
I get to where I wanted to be.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
So you know, he broke all that down to me.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
Got so you mentioned that you wanted to just have
the full route tree down.
Speaker 5 (11:24):
Did you feel like coming out of your.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
Rookie year, like obviously you showed ability, but you just
needed to add like more elements to your to your
route running. Like what was your thought process as the
season ended in terms of how you needed to attack
your game?
Speaker 2 (11:37):
Yeah? So O like what you mean by that?
Speaker 3 (11:39):
Like basically did you feel like, Okay, it was good start,
but I need to I need to add elements.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
To adding to your route tree.
Speaker 4 (11:48):
Because I felt I feel like I could do I
had the you know, ability to do everything, but it
was like, you know, probably lack of experience. Like college,
I didn't run full route tree then like last year
I wasn't running you know that. I mean like when
I got hurt up my first time seeing like being
having to be able to run the route so, you know,
seeing how detailed guys like Bait and they are, you know,
in their route runners, it was like, you know, I
want to want to be like that, so you know,
(12:11):
honing in on like that top of the route, getting
out of you know, driving out of those breaks, you know,
releasing off the ball and stuff like that, and being
a little more physical. That was you know, that was
my thought process like going into the.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
I remember talking to you last year going into the
season and you talked about how in college it was
like they just had you run deep. You were like,
I'm the fastest guy in the field. They're just like,
all right, just go deep and we're gonna throw it
to you and see if you can make some big
plays and and so like was that that was kind
of a process of adding to the equation that like
I'm not just a deep ball receiver.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
And then it's also you know, taking that mindset and
putting it to like those other routes. So as far
as like coming out of my break, like knowing that
you know, I'm a fast guy, Like I'm gonna run
away from a lot of those guys. So being able
to like limit my footsteps at the top and then
driving out of it, and like I said, like I'm
gonna run away for most those guys.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
So adding that to it, like taking my.
Speaker 4 (12:58):
Speed and then you know, evolving and putting it towards
you know a lot of those other routes.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
Like it's really helped me out.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
That's what I noticed in your two touchdowns against the
Browns was when you got a step on both those
guys and they don't have to be deep. You know,
your second touchdown catch was a long catch, but your
first one was a shallow crosser in the back of
the end zone. But it was like once you got
a step on that guy, you were just running away
from h And So, I don't know if you've seen
(13:25):
this stat yet, but among all NFL receivers with at
least three targets so far, you have the highest average
speed on your routes run this season, seventeen point two
seven miles.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
You saw that, Yeah, I ran across it this morning,
is okay.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
So, I mean that's that's pretty darn impressive. How much
of that do you feel like is natural born speed
and how much of it is this route running kind
of perfection or crafting that you've done this offseason.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
Uh, I feel like about half and half now, Like
you know, I feel like probably a little more guy given,
but also you know, just like know working that craft,
you know, like that all that work I put in
just get to you know, you know, something like that.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
And also give a lot of credit to like coach p.
Speaker 4 (14:09):
And Glu, like you know, those little conversations with them
and them telling me, you know, like I said, like
you a fast guy, Like like I said, you putting
putting that ability into like the details of the rod runner,
Like you know, you're gonna be scary in this league.
So you know, putting all that together and then seeing
the outcome like those routes in the back end zone
of that corner route, like you know, seeing it all
(14:29):
come together.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
Right.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
There are a lot of fast cornerbacks in this league. Yeah,
do you feel like you can run away from any
of them?
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Oh? Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 4 (14:37):
Like I mean, it's definitely harder in the league, which
what I've seen that was, you know, my thing on
why I wanted to hone end, you know, on the
route running being better.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
But I think I can.
Speaker 5 (14:47):
One of the questions we always get is like who's
the fastest guy on the team?
Speaker 3 (14:50):
And you are in that mix, like you Wiggins, uh
Zay is in the mix. Mar's never been timed, Lamar's
never He's always someone that you mentioned. But Lamar actually
gives it to other guys. He says, like, I don't race,
I'm not that guy. So if we were just lining
everybody up and have them race, where would you fall
on that?
Speaker 5 (15:09):
How far are we going let's say forty yard dash.
I feel like.
Speaker 4 (15:13):
I'm I'm gonna get out the nate. Oh if you
said anything over like fifty sixty is me.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
Okay, you're gonna pull away? Okay, yeah, okay, all right.
I like, well, they had the fastest forty. I think
at the combine he was four to eight. I think
you were four.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
Three six, that's correct. I feel like, like, did you
feel like you were going to run a faster forty
at the comb.
Speaker 4 (15:32):
Yea, And I feel like I should have. It was
my start, and it was it was crazy. My draft
down there by Rideaus. He was like, like your start,
Like with your start, it's like most guys would run
like a four seven eight, but it's like your back end,
it's like crazy, like he's never seen it before.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
Interesting.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
So I just think if I had a better start,
I definitely could have ran.
Speaker 5 (15:49):
Did you slip them out of the gate or what?
Speaker 2 (15:52):
On the first one? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (15:53):
The second one was I was a pride and run
fast on the second one. But the second one was
like the probably the best start I ever had. Okay,
but yeah, interesting.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
So it's with you you really feel like it's almost
like your fifth gear. It's like once you get to
fifth gear, it's late ten.
Speaker 4 (16:09):
Not feel like people see like when a ball is
in air, like you know, I just feel like the ball.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
I just naturally just like right, like I gotta gotta
get it.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
So interesting. I want to go back to something that
we talked about before, which is patients and the patients
you've had to you've had to or that's been required
here I should say because of all the weapons. But
this is really something over your career, I mean your
college career. Right, So for listeners who don't know, you
start in North Carolina Central, but your freshman year was
(16:37):
canceled because of COVID, So then you went to Kent State.
You had a big second season there, nearly a thousand
receiving yards, eleven touchdowns. Then you transferred to North Carolina,
but pause and the NCAA descermines that you were a
two time transfer and denied your eligibility for twenty twenty three.
So you had to sit out the first four games
(16:58):
of that season, and it was a whole big thing
whether you were going to be eligible or whatnot. And
you kept practicing with the team like you could have
just gone home or whatever. Right, But you were like,
I'm going to stay with the program, I'm going to practice,
do all that even though I can't play in the games.
How much did that build your patience that whole process
(17:20):
and kind of prepare you for what you were going
to see in the NFL?
Speaker 4 (17:22):
Yeah, you pretty much like hit it on the head,
like you know, last year, like it was like I
was in this spot before, like I've had the way
you know, then going back to Carolina, just sawing like
how much of a good teammate I'm being beat there
for those guys like you know, and it was people
on that team going through worse than I was. So
it was like, you know, just sawing it wasn't about me,
Like I'm still here for y'all and you know, I'm
(17:44):
still practice trained just in case. You know, you never
never know which it ended up happening, right, But you know,
fast forward to last year, like I said, like I've
been in that spot before, and then you know, just
you know, being able to learn off of guys like
you know, Newon Nelson was here to learn off of him,
and then like I said, watching guys like Bait, you know,
and I feel like that helped me, you know, to
(18:05):
you know, be where I am.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
Now, are you a naturally patient person?
Speaker 2 (18:09):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (18:09):
I am in your everyday life, okay, because I would
think like somebody who had four years old you said,
said I want to go to the NFL that also
requires face years ago until you were gonna get there.
So like, how how have you been so patient over
your life?
Speaker 2 (18:23):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (18:24):
So you know my family, no, I missed my grandma
a church, like a big church family, you know, big
no Christians, so you know, reading no scriptures and like
a lot of those scriptures talk about patients.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
You know.
Speaker 4 (18:36):
You know, God is you know, preparing you for you know,
whatever He's preparing you for. And then like you know,
he said He's gonna walk with you, but like he
ain't gonna really ain't gonna do it for you. So
it's like, you know, just meet him halfway, you know,
just staying down, doing grinding, you know, you know, doing
doing work.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
So then you know he gonna you know, it's just
like he gonna have life for you.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
And do you do you feel like you lean on
your faith? You know, to this day is a you
going through the set of hell journey?
Speaker 4 (19:02):
Yes, I feel like I've you know, come closer with it,
you know where I am now?
Speaker 1 (19:07):
Nice you talk, you talk about all these receivers in
your room, you know Jay Flowers or shab and DeAndre Hopkins,
Tallen Wallas. Can you take me and we talked about
how they're all different guys. Can you take me guy
by guy and tell me, like something that you've taken
from them or some piece of advice, like because they
all play the game differently, so like what what have
(19:28):
you taken from from Zay? What piece of advice or
something you've taken from him?
Speaker 4 (19:32):
Yeah, is like you know, like his like intensity, you know,
like in and out of his breaks and like how
he's able to just snap down get out of her quick.
Then Bates a guy you know he plays like with
a lot of patients, you know, setting up his routes,
you know, playing with like different tempos. And then de
Hopp is the guy, like bigger physical guy, you know,
(19:52):
Seaball Gearball.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
Is his when it's in the area.
Speaker 4 (19:55):
Then Talent's you know a guy like you know, he's
like like the grimy guy, like you know he's watching
one of them contested catch got ball in there, but
he also you know, getting there dig somebody out, you know,
just being more physical. Yeah, I feel like, you know,
I've took a piece from like each and every one
of those guys.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
That's awesome.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
How would you describe your own game at this point
in year two?
Speaker 4 (20:17):
At this point, I say, now, like, you know, when
I'm going back towards my film, like smooth, like being
able to you know, like maintain that speed, you know,
break like you know those Chris Angeles, Like I maintained
that same speed. So I just say, like, my game's
pretty pretty smooth this point.
Speaker 5 (20:33):
I agree watching it.
Speaker 3 (20:34):
What's it like being in the same room as DeAndre Hopkins?
I think I think you were twelve when he came
into the league. Shade at him, you know, as the
older guy in the room. I know you guys probably
give a hard time about that, But what's it like
being in the same room with him?
Speaker 4 (20:46):
Man, It's crazy. It's it's a dream come truy, you know,
like he was in that era.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
Guys. You know, I loved watching like him, the A. J.
Speaker 4 (20:53):
Greens, Calvin Johnson's, Andrew Johnson's like, you know he when
I seen we signed him, it's like, dang, like it's
somebody I watched it even before I was twelve, Like
I was watching he.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
Was at Clemson.
Speaker 4 (21:02):
You know, Clinton's pretty close to Charlotte, so I was
pretty familiar with with him, so, you know, and it
didn't really hit me until, like I look to my right,
were coming out tongue to the Bills game.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
He's like, dang, Like DeAndre Hockey is my teammate. That's crazy.
Speaker 4 (21:16):
You know, I've I've enjoyed you know, being alongside of
him since he's been then you know, he's he's been
there for me since since he's got her.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
Yeah, he seems like he's brought an edge, Like I mean,
his it's hard to tell, like how much he trash
talks or not on the field.
Speaker 5 (21:30):
I think he was doing a little bit.
Speaker 1 (21:31):
Too smoled somebody.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
Yeah, but like he does a little bit. But like
it seems just like he's brought an edge like that.
That the mentality you mentioned, the sea ball get ball mentality,
How was that kind of rubs off on everybody?
Speaker 4 (21:43):
Man, It's just like, you know, you see him do it,
it's like and then you think about like everything, he's
a Compton the league, and it's like, you know, we're
trying to get to that.
Speaker 2 (21:51):
So I think it also brings that.
Speaker 4 (21:53):
You know, competitive you know nature we have in our
room and almost our team, like you know, we all
we all trying.
Speaker 2 (21:58):
We gotta we gotta be like that. So I feel
like he is that bar is up there.
Speaker 4 (22:02):
He's when he since he's been there, like he's put
that bar out there, and it's like, you know, like
that's where we're striving to be at. And I feel
like that's why we've had so much success in these
first three weeks in the passing game because of you
know what he's brought.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
Yeah, how important has it been kind of building your
relationship with Lamar and growing that relationship, because that was
one thing I noticed this summer was it seemed like
the more plays that you made, the more Lamar also
invested in you and saying like all right, we didn't
make this play, and I'm going to walk down the
field and I'm going to walk all the way back
(22:34):
with the Vintas and we're going to talk through this together.
It felt like that relationship kind of hit another level.
Speaker 4 (22:41):
Yeah, it just goes back while I said, you know,
just being you know, making him as kumble as possible
out there, you know, the quarterback they have on a
hard out in the field, so you know it's on
us to you know, be a farm you know, whenever
he needs to. So you know, just going up to him,
you know, seeing what he's thinking, how he's thinking, so
we can have that you know chemistry out there days
like you know, just asking those little small questions or
(23:02):
do you need me here here, like going me to
run this route like this, and then vice versa. You know,
he's asking those questions like do you want to hear
you're gonna take your angle here or whatnot. Just being
on the same page, you know, so you know, we
ain't out there playing like slobby football or you know,
he and he's able to you know, trust me when
I'm out there, just like he does the other guys.
Speaker 3 (23:21):
I'm curious how Lamar has kind of helped set a
tone this week going into a big game. Obviously you
and she's sposed one or two, you're coming off a
tough loss Monday night football. Just how how he has
helped set the tone and what the mentality is going
into this game.
Speaker 2 (23:36):
Yeah, it's like you know his mentalities.
Speaker 4 (23:38):
You know what happened Monday happen you know, flush it
you know, we gotta we got a big game this week.
You know, chief is opponent that we respect very well,
so he you know, he knows what we're up against.
You know, he's probably played this team the most. So
and then you know, Lamar is like the most competitive
person in that locker room. Like you know, he don't
let nothing. You know, I just like what I've seen
(23:59):
about him i've been here, Like nothing like really moves him,
you know, nothing texts him out of his game, Like
he's pretty even killed everything. So that's somebody you know,
I know, like I like, I trust to go out there,
you know, lead us. So you know, I just feel
like he's had that mentality since I've been here. So
you know, I have no worries about Sunday.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
So yeah, it is last one for me. Is there
any kind of extra motivation when you're on the field
with with Xavier Worthy the Chiefs, both secondary receivers, both
very fast guys, any kind of extra motivation? Like, all right,
who's gonna make the bigger play here among the two
of us?
Speaker 2 (24:35):
Oh? Yeah, most definitely. And I've always been like that.
Speaker 4 (24:37):
It's like all right, you know, you know, I got
a lot of respect for his game. You know, first
round guy did it all in college, you know, making
plays over there. So but you know, see another guy
out there, it's like, you know, let me go out here,
try to you know, I'll do him make a play
for he does so. But nah, it's definitely you know
when I see other people who was in my draft class, like,
(24:57):
it's definitely a little motivation there, you know.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
So it's gonna be real fun.
Speaker 1 (25:02):
Right awesome, Well, can't wait for it? About say, man,
how about we go get another touchdown here? We can
start right start another streak.
Speaker 5 (25:09):
So I appreciate you.
Speaker 3 (25:12):
Thanks man, you're listening to the Lage Podcast. We are
coming to you from the Seat Geekstudio. We want to
mention our partners at Draft King sports Book. They are
an official sports betting partner of the Baltimore Ravens Draft
King sports Book. The Crown is yours.
Speaker 5 (25:24):
Thank you to Tess.
Speaker 2 (25:25):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (25:25):
He's he's I think easy got to root for his
story when he was in college generated a lot of
buzz nationally. And uh, of course he ultimately ended up
being able to play and had a great season in
North Carolina. And and I think that he's got a
lot of talent and he's showing it and like he's
impressed me because all throughout his off season in training camp,
(25:46):
I'm like, Tess looks great, but it's just it's hard
to know where the snaps are going to come because
the Ravens have a really good receiver room, as we
talk to him about, but even in the midst of
that crowded group, he's he's risen above I think what
a lot of people expected from him, and I give
him a lot of credit for carving out a nice
role for himself.
Speaker 1 (26:03):
I think part of the reason why the Ravens offense
has been so good through the first three weeks is
not only are the Stars playing well, you know lamar
Ze right, those guys now, Derek obviously the fumbles have
been tough, but he's you know, ran the ball extremely
well against the Buffalo Bills. Been a little tough for
the past two games. But not only because of the Stars,
(26:25):
but it's because some of these role players like a
Devontes Walker, I mean, DeAndre Hopkins is a star but
not getting like a ton of snaps. Yeah, Tylan Wallace,
like those guys are also playing really well. In terms
of the Ravens skill position guys, like they're making the
most of their opportunities. Yeah, and they're not a ton
of opportunities, but they're getting in the end zone.
Speaker 5 (26:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
I mean Teszan Hopkins are the perfect examples of that. Like,
those guys are basically sharing the wide receiver three role
and so neither of them are getting a ton of snaps,
but when they get on the field, they're basically like, Okay,
every time it could combine it, one of those guys
is gonna score a touchdown every three players are on
the field.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
Crazy combined it, and those guys have four touchdowns in
three games. Four touchdowns and three games.
Speaker 3 (27:11):
It's pretty darn good. Yeah, and then Ted has almost
got another one exactly and.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
Almost had another one should have been ruled a touchdown.
So it's it's crazy the production that when you talk about, Okay,
look at the Ravens number three wide receiver basically, what's that?
What do those numbers look like? Yeah, it's pretty crazy.
Speaker 3 (27:29):
Yeah, it's It's been impressive start for for those guys.
So I'm encouraged by that, and I just think it
really budes well for Tz and his role in this
offense this year and long term. Like I think that
like he's shown, he's showing that he's more than just
a guy that can can run fast and run deep.
Like he that's and and he knew like that was
I thought what stood out to be and talking with him,
like he knew that was a perception that of him,
(27:51):
like you're just a fast guy that could run deep.
And so then what he do He went to work
this offseason. I'm becoming a complete wide receiver. And the
results speak for themselves.
Speaker 2 (27:59):
Yep, yep.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
You know, another little trivia question for you.
Speaker 5 (28:02):
How many how many trivia questions you got here?
Speaker 1 (28:04):
I'm just I've got them all here? You got the rollodex?
Speaker 3 (28:07):
Uh?
Speaker 1 (28:08):
How did the Ravens get the pick that they used
to draft davontees.
Speaker 5 (28:12):
Walker fourth round pick not compick or not no no compic.
Speaker 1 (28:18):
That was acquired in the trade of Morgan Moses. Oh okay,
that's how they got that pick, which you know, I
remember at the time, everybody's like, man, how do we
trade away Morgan Moses? Like he's so good? You know,
now he didn't particularly have a great year last year
for the Jets. The Ravens got davontees Walker in return. Yeah,
as of right now, it's looking like a pretty good trade.
Speaker 3 (28:40):
Yeah, and then of course they drafted ro Rosegarten exactly
exactly and placed him in the lineup. So yeah, that's
that's part of that, is that dance that Eric's costs
in the front office play in terms of acquiring picks
and making those types of moves.
Speaker 1 (28:53):
That's just like file that one away when when like
sometime in the future, you know, there's a trade to
get a pick and you're like, what are we doing
getting a Day three pick for that guy? Well, it
turned into devontees Walker, who, let's we'll see you know,
Zay Flowers hopefully will be here for a very long time.
You know, I'm sure there'll be a lot of talks
in the years to come about extensions for him. Rashaan
(29:14):
Bateman's locked in here for a long time. Like DeAndre
Hopkins is on a one year deal. Devontees Walker is
he the long term kind of up number three, you
know guy in this wide receiver course, certainly could be. Yeah,
and that would be a big role for him.
Speaker 3 (29:28):
Well, before the Ravens worry about long term deals, they're
worried about this Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs here.
This is a big game. Obviously, we do want to
break that down in a little bit more detail. Both
these teams are coming into it. It's it's crazy to
think that one of these teams is leaving this game
at one and three.
Speaker 1 (29:43):
Yeah, wild.
Speaker 3 (29:44):
These are two perennial playoff teams. I've obviously met in
the postseason, They've met in the regular season. There's some
history here between these two teams, and it's a massive
game as both these teams are are looking to write
the ship a little bit early in the season.
Speaker 1 (29:59):
Yeah, absolutely, I think that, you know, for both these teams,
they're coming into this one a little bit frustrated. You know,
the Ravens are coming off a loss. The Chiefs just
got their first win of the year. But I don't
think really a lot of that matters, to be honest,
when these two two teams square off, like they know
each other very well because they've played a lot over
(30:20):
the years, and quite frankly, the Ravens feel like they
they want to get some payback. You know, past six games,
the Chiefs have won five of them. Lamar Jackson's never
beaten Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City last year week one
game to open the NFL season in Kansas City in
which the Ravens lost by a toe and so I
(30:42):
think that there's a lot of this one. This one's
been circled on the calendar for a while, obviously since
the schedule came out for the Ravens, but considering the
increased stakes of your going into it one and two, huge,
huge game.
Speaker 3 (30:55):
Yeah, it's interesting because it feels like last year was
the revenge game angle.
Speaker 5 (31:00):
Coming off the AFC Championship going to this one.
Speaker 3 (31:02):
But then Buffalo kind of took the revenge game storyline
early in this season, and so this one almost like
hard to believe it, but to some degree, kind of
flies under the radar in that sense because there was
just so much built up. The Ravens have had a
tough start to this season. I'm not just talking about
the outcomes. I'm talking about the opponents. I mean, these
are difficult opponents. You opened the season in Buffalo. Now
(31:24):
you got to go to Kansas City play a Monday
night game against Detroit, who might be you know, they're
one of the best teams in the NFC. So it's
a tough stretch to open the season and to be honest, like,
I feel like going into this game, the history stuff,
just the feeling that I have like takes more of
a back seat compared to most times the Ravens had
(31:45):
played the Chiefs in past years, because it's just like this.
Speaker 5 (31:48):
Team is one and two and they just got to
get back on.
Speaker 3 (31:50):
Track, and so like the history stuff is there, like
there's no doubt about that, but to me, it feels
less significant than if I compare it to a year
ago when these two teams face off in there.
Speaker 1 (32:00):
Yeah, absolutely absolutely, and it's a big game for the
Ravens defense. Right now, ranked thirty second in the league,
you're at the bottom. And unfortunately this is a similar
there's the same spot that the Ravens were in last
year at this time. And of course you have to
take into context, all Right, the Ravens have faced some
pretty darn good offenses so far. You know, the Buffalo
Bills have one of the best offenses in the league. Obviously,
(32:22):
we we saw what the Lions can do on Monday
Night Football. So the Chiefs are no slouch offensively obviously
with Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes, Kelsey all those guys. Now,
they haven't gotten off to a super fast start. They're
seventeenth in the league, and I think the Chiefs have
kind of been seemingly trying to find their way. They
haven't been running the ball well to again the season
at all and drop some mistakes things like that. It
(32:45):
hasn't been smooth sailing for the Chiefs. But they're gonna
be looking for a get right game here against this
Baltimore defense.
Speaker 3 (32:52):
Yeah, but both of these the Ravens defense is looking
for a get right opportunity after having a tough game
against Detroit. The Chiefs all looking for a get right
game offensively, as it's been kind of a slog for
them coming out of the gates, and we'll see who
ends up getting the better of it. And talking with
the Raven's defense has been a big talking point this
week based on how they performed against Detroit, particularly as
(33:16):
it relates to the run defense. It just wasn't good
enough in that game. Everybody has said it. They said
it right after the game, and that has been consistent
throughout the week. They need to improve the run defense.
But I also get the sense that like they have
confidence that in their ability to do that, and John
Harwall has made that point, like we're going to be
a good defense, and we know what we need to correct,
we're going to do it. Basically, been a good defense
(33:37):
for a long time and that's going to continue, and
we're going to we're going to play really good football
on that side of the ball.
Speaker 5 (33:43):
Really an offense is already playing really good football.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
I think it's a very different challenge between the Lions
and the Chiefs when it comes to the run games.
You know, the Lions have one of the best backfield
tandems in the league, which mir gives in David Montgomery.
The Chiefs, it's been running the ball has really kind
of been their weakness over the over recent years. When
they've been clicking offensively, it's because they've been running the
(34:06):
ball well. But when they haven't it, that's a major
part of it. Yes, it's because they just haven't run it. Officially,
Pacheco Kareem Hunt. You know, it's a different challenge for
this Ravens defense. And and honestly, though, the Ravens defense
is shorthanded on the defensive line, so anything right now
is going to be a pretty darn big challenge if
the Ravens aren't healthy in the trenches. But I think
(34:29):
that a lot of this comes down to Patrick Mahomes,
which is which is no surprise, and honestly, him running
the ball I think is a big challenge. Who has
more rushing yards right now? Patrick Mahomes or Lamar Jackson.
Speaker 3 (34:43):
Well, I'm going to guess, based on the way you're
asking that question, that is Mahomes.
Speaker 1 (34:46):
Yes, just crazy crazy. I mean he is scrambling so far,
has been kind of what's kept their offense afloat. And
I talked to a Dafeoway in the locker room on Wednesday,
and the challeng of defending him as a runner is daunting,
very different challenge from Lamar. Obviously he's significantly slower than
(35:09):
Lamar Jackson, but he's such a crafty runner Patrick Mahomes,
because he'll get defenders to leave their feet with his
pump fake, which he's very good at. And then also
when he starts going to that sideline, now there's a
seat of doubt in defender's heads on how do I
handle this guy? Because he doesn't just run out of
bounds like the normal quarterback, which putting his shoulder down
(35:29):
this year, well that's he's generally trying to draw a flag.
So he'll slow down there and try to get touched,
and then he'll flop and he'll try to get a flag.
That's what he does. And then if a defender starts
to slow down because they're basically thinking, well, I don't
want to hit him late and get cause a fifteen
yard penalty, now he'll truck you. He'll drop his shoulder
(35:51):
and truck you on the sideline just to try to
fire up his team. So it's you're in a tough spot.
And I asked a Dafoe about that, and he's so like,
we got to hit him legally within the rules, but
we just got to run through him, Like you got
to show him I'm not afraid to I'm gonna hit you.
I'm not letting you come over there and bully meal
on the sideline. You're getting hit. Yeah, Now you got
(36:14):
to do it legally.
Speaker 3 (36:15):
Yeah, And that's the tough part for defenders whenever you
got to you know, star quarterback running and and it's
easier said than done. Like I think that probably when
the Chiefs have played every team this year, that's been
kind of a common refrain from defenders, like just hit him,
get him down, run through him, and like it's been tough.
Speaker 5 (36:35):
He's been able to.
Speaker 3 (36:36):
I mean, he's he is really good at at getting
outside the pocket and extending plays when they with his feet,
when the opportunity presents itself like it is.
Speaker 5 (36:45):
He's not a.
Speaker 3 (36:46):
Design runner in the same way that Lamar has been
in his career, but he's he's really good at at
extending drives well.
Speaker 1 (36:52):
I think that teams obviously have to respect his ability
to make plays with his arm when he's outside the pocket.
We've seen that Manny many times, and so teams off
and end up all right, I gotta plaster my guy right,
and you don't have eyes on the quarterback, and he'll
take advantage of that. And he he's just got this
(37:12):
knack about him as a runner, Like he's not particularly fast,
but you know he's a big guy and like he
takes the right angles and he can he can beat you.
Adaf said, you can't chop your feet with him because
he'll start dancing with you. Once he gets you dancing,
you're you're kind of in trouble with him. Yeah, you
got to run through them. It's like a b line
to the quarterback. And you you can't hesitate with him
because he'll he'll Djukia and so I think that is
(37:36):
really the Ravens' biggest challenge when facing the Chiefs.
Speaker 3 (37:41):
Well, if you go back to Week one against Buffalo,
part of the conversation coming out of that game was
like rush lane integrity and Josh Allen getting outside the
pocket and extending plays.
Speaker 1 (37:49):
Similar thing with the Homes exactly.
Speaker 3 (37:52):
And adding to the challenge there is that the Ravens
maybe best all around pass rusher nom Madibike is out
this game. He's dealing with a neck injury and the
severity of it is not clear at this point. John
Harbu said he's not going to play it this week
and he's concerned about it long term and.
Speaker 5 (38:10):
What that looks like.
Speaker 3 (38:11):
I don't want to speculate, but we know that he's
not going to be on the field this week. Did
not play a Monday against Detroit and just just really big.
That's a huge blow for this team. I don't want
to minimize that at all, like not being bad. K
is one of the best players on this team. Yeah,
and not having him in the lineup is difficult to overcome.
Speaker 1 (38:30):
Absolutely is I mean from a run defender standpoint, pass
rusher standpoint there's a reason why the Ravens made him
one of the top paid defensive tackles in the league.
You know, paid him alm with some one hundred million
dollars in that contract. So he's an awesome player. When
you lose awesome players, it takes a bite out of you.
Speaker 2 (38:51):
You know.
Speaker 1 (38:51):
And and now, of course there's always the next man
up mentality, and that's how you have to think as
a team. And the Ravens have a history of players
stepping up in the defensive line and like still rallying
right And I think that at the end of the day,
they're gonna be better than what they are on paper
right now, and they're gonna be a better run defense
(39:13):
than they were against the Detroit Lions. And there's also
we've talked all off season about how the depth of
this team and how talented this roster is. Even without
Nominee Matabik, the Ravens still have a lot more talent
on this roster and on this defense than a lot
of teams too. They do like it's a big it's
(39:33):
a big loss, but you cannot play the victim. You
cannot just be like, we lost Nomdy, what are we
gonna do? We're already struggling. Oh my gosh, you know
what you got. You got enough talent on this defense
to be good. And you don't have to. You don't
have to be the number one defense in the league
with the way this offense is playing right now. To
win a whole lot of games, you gotta be a
good defense.
Speaker 3 (39:51):
Yeah, I think I think this defense will. We'll get
back on track. The depth piece is interesting because I
think the area where they probably have the least depth
is on the defense. That's correct, and that's been even
further challenged. In addition to the injury to Mattabike, Travis
Jones and Broderick Washington have also missed practice time this week.
Speaker 1 (40:08):
And Services with a knee and Proderick Washington with an ankle.
Speaker 3 (40:12):
So we'll see what their status is for Sunday's game.
But like in addition to losing Matabik, you also have
just a banged up defensive front.
Speaker 1 (40:20):
When you don't see your entire starting defensive line on
the field practice starts on Wednesday, it's not a good feeling.
Speaker 2 (40:26):
Well.
Speaker 3 (40:27):
The Ravens then added two players to the practice squad,
two veteran players, Josh Tupo and Tavian Bryant to the
practice squad, and so they're veteran players who could I mean,
depending on the situation with Washington and Travis Jones, those
guys might step into the lineup this week if the
Ravens need him. Brand Urban is also, of course a
veteran player currently out of practice squad. He was activated
(40:47):
last game. Would not surprise me at all if he's
activated again.
Speaker 1 (40:50):
And activate everybody from the practice quack.
Speaker 3 (40:52):
Right, So it's like, so the Ravens are dealing with
some challenges in the trenches, absolutely, and like that that
is something that they've got to overcome. And then if
you're shorthanded there he also need everybody behind those guys
to play better too, and not to allow some of
the issues that hurt them against Detroit mistackles, you know,
(41:13):
bad angles, those types of things.
Speaker 2 (41:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (41:15):
Well, and there's injuries beyond that for the Ravens. Ronnie
Stanley misspractice on Wednesday. Pat Riccards still isn't back, which,
by the way, I think we've all kind of undersold
the impact that that has had on this team, especially
on the running game. I mean, you talk about, all right,
we need to punch the ball in from the one.
We need to be physical right up there. Who's your guy?
Speaker 5 (41:36):
Yeah, it's your guy.
Speaker 1 (41:37):
Yeah, And you know, not enough running lanes for Derek Henry.
How many times do we see pat Riccard clearing the
way last year?
Speaker 5 (41:44):
I mean, I know a guy that thought he was
that called him the straw man. That's John Gruden.
Speaker 3 (41:47):
He knows the thing or two about football, and he
said that he's the straw man because he's the straw
that serves a drink on this offense.
Speaker 1 (41:53):
This drink needs a little stirring.
Speaker 5 (41:55):
Yeah, so it's like in.
Speaker 1 (41:57):
The run game at least.
Speaker 3 (41:58):
Yeah, Ricard Is he's not been practicing, so you know,
the Ravens need him back as well. I'm not sure
when that's going to happen. That there The positive on
Isaiah l is Isaiah likely. The Ravens did not put
him on injured reserve to open the season, and that
was an If they had done that, he would have
been out the first four weeks. The decision not to
(42:20):
put him on IR was always and Eric DeCosta even
said this, The hope was to get him back within
those first four games, or else you just would have.
Speaker 5 (42:28):
Put him on IR and he would have been out
four games.
Speaker 3 (42:30):
This is a fourth game, so you think that there's
you know, John Harbaugh indicated that he's hopeful that Isaiah
likely is going to be able to play in this game,
and so that would be a big time piece to
get back in this offense. And likely had a huge
game against the Chiefs last year in Week one, almost
had an even bigger game at the very end, was
(42:51):
a tow away from having a monster game against Kansas City.
So having him back in the lineup would definitely give
this team another piece.
Speaker 1 (42:58):
Yeah, absolutely, and they're gonna need. I mean, this is
a healthy Chiefs team. When you go down the injury
report here for the Ravens, it's lengthy. The Chiefs are
totally healthy. Savior Worthy suffered a shoulder injury in Week one.
He's expected to be back for this game. So the
Ravens are facing some challenges early in this season, obviously
(43:20):
with their record right now, and then also with injuries
and Namdi losing one of your best players here for
who knows how long, and so this but as John
Harball said, this is kind of when you're still forging
your team, and this feels like an early season crossroads
to a degree. I don't want to overstate it because
(43:42):
there's still long ways to go, but it's one of
those weeks against an opponent that you really want to
beat in their place and you need to and so big, big,
big game for the Raves.
Speaker 3 (43:56):
Well, look, last year, the Ravens started season zero and two,
then they became one and two, and then we four.
They played the Buffalo Bills and had that was a
home game, of course, but they blew them out and
then and then they were kind off to the races
and things were settled and if things felt bad, things
felt really bad at zero to two, and so things
feel bad at one and two for the Ravens this year.
But like I do think that that experience from last
(44:16):
year does provide some good perspective. And Lamar Jackson even
talked about go back to twenty nineteen. They were two
and two that season, then they rattled off what twelve
straight wins that year to go fourteen and two. So
like they've they've come out of the gate slow at
times and been able to get back on track and
have really good seasons. And so like that's that's the
big picture view I think of his team. But for
(44:38):
this week, like they just know they have to they
have to take care of business. One other point I
want to mention before we go is another big talking
point this week has been Derrick Henry and he's had
three fumbles in three games. He talked with the media
this week and he's like he's wearing it heavily. Like
he even said, like, yeah, my feelings around this really
haven't changed since after the game when he was so Yeah,
(45:00):
he was distraught after the game and during after that
play and was still fired up when he talked to
reporters on Wednesday. I think that's going to stick with
him probably until kickoff, you know, of this game and
maybe even beyond, Like he'll probably be mad about this
on Wolds forever. But like he talked about, he is
addressing it head on. I give him a lot of
credit to be honest for statting up and taking accountability,
(45:22):
answering a bunch of questions about it. Said he's working
on it and just knows like point blank he can't fumble,
Like you can work on the ball security and you
can do little things. But like at the end of
the day, like he's like, I'm kind of embarrassing with
talking about this. Like it's never been an issue in
his career and he knows that it's just not something
that can continue.
Speaker 2 (45:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (45:41):
Absolutely, I wouldn't want to be a defender facing an
angry Derrick Henry.
Speaker 3 (45:44):
No, I wouldn't want to face a happy, happy Derrick
Henry an angry Derek Kenny.
Speaker 1 (45:48):
Is any version, any versions, especially angry? Yeah, that's a
recipe for an angry run. Yeah, shot out Kyle, That's right.
So yeah, I think running the all is gonna be
very important. The Ravens need to block it better too.
Quite frankly, you look at all three. Really, two of
the three fumbles for Derrick Henry the fourth quarter kind
(46:09):
of backbreakers. Both when he's going laterally he just did
not have a really much room to run and defender
got him one from behind, one in front of him.
But Derek Henry running downhill, I'm less worried about him
fumbling the ball, to be honest. Yeah, so let's get
Derek Henry running downhill. I'd like to see that happen.
I think it's gonna be a big part of this
game plan. And then for the Ravens offensively, they need
(46:32):
to be They need to beat the blitz and Lamar
Jackson has done a very good job of it. We
all know Steve Spagnolo and we all know that in
those critical third down situations, he's gonna he's gonna pull
out some exotic blitz. He's gonna be Safety's corners. There's
gonna be something exotic, and he's gonna be bringing the heat.
The Ravens need to have answers for the Chiefs blitz
in critical situations. Lamar Jackson has done well with it,
(46:54):
but he's coming off a game in which he got
sacks seven times. So the Ravens need to be able
to handle that blitz very well. They need to have
good pass protection, better pass protection than they had some
of those sacks. I think we're Lamar, you know, trying
to make run around the backfield and trying to make
things happen and all that. They're not all on the
offensive line, but the O line needs to play better.
Speaker 3 (47:13):
Well, just quickly, when you mentioned the offensive line, like
a big piece of that that's unknown right now is
Ronnie Stanley mispractice on Wednesday, and so like, yes, the
protection has to be better, but that assignment gets even
tougher if Ronnie Stanley weren't able to play in this
game or is hindered in any way, So you know,
fingers crossed that he's able to be out there and
be himself.
Speaker 1 (47:31):
Yeah, and I think another thing to watch in this
game from offensive perspective is how much do the Chiefs
try to replicate what the Lions did defensively that spy
Drew Trank. Will you know they have some unheralded but
good inside linebackers and how effective are they with that
spy Because the Lions obviously executed it very well. It
(47:53):
wasn't anything the Ravens had never seen before, but they
executed it really well. And you just wonder how much
are the Chiefs going to try to replicate that?
Speaker 3 (47:59):
Yea, So four twenty five kickoff on Sunday. It's gonna
be a big game and this team knows that they
need to put their best best foot forward in this
matchup and we are excited to see this thing kickoff
and Arrowhead. So thank you so much for watching and listening.
Also make sure you email us at the lounge at
Ravens dot NFL dot net let us know your thoughts
questions that you have.
Speaker 5 (48:19):
Thank you again for watching. We'll see you again on Sunday,
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