December 1, 2024 • 28 mins
Team insiders Ryan Mink and Garrett Downing discuss the Ravens' 24-19 loss, including what's going on with Justin Tucker, why the offense fizzled out, a strong defensive showing, what this loss means big-picture, and more.
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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 to give you our takeaways from
the Ravens twenty four to nineteen loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Ravens fall to eight and five. The Eagles have
now won eight straight games and are ten and two. Garrett,
this was a tough loss for the in a game
that you know, it didn't mean a ton standings wise,
(00:27):
but it was definitely a measuring stick game. Yeah, right,
this was These are two of the best teams in
their respective conferences. Some people were calling this the game
of the year, a potential Super Bowl preview. Well, if
that was the case, Ravens fans aren't gonna be happy
in February because I thought the Eagles just kind of
flat out beat the Ravens in this one.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Yeah, I think that from a big picture standpoint, You're right,
NFC team Ravens are still in pretty good position, especially
for a wild card spot, and the division's not gone either.
But this is a game that you want to see,
how did the Ravens sack up against one of the
best in the league. They're red hot, They're coming out
this game they were winners of seven straight and they
it was a frustrating game, and I think that you
(01:06):
could really sense the frustration from the team afterwards and
talking to players, especially Lamar Jackson, like there was a
frustration because I think that the Ravens. The Ravens felt
like it was not the exact same of other games,
were like you feel like Maine, you had that one
right in your fingertips. But there were so many things
that there were things that happened. We're going to talk
through all of them that the Ravens are not used
(01:29):
to doing, relatively uncharacteristic, and they hurt them in this game.
And I think that the starting point is probably the
kicking game with Justin Tucker.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Yeah, I think that's certainly the biggest storyline coming out
of this game. Two field goal misses from Tuck from
forty seven and fifty three, and he also missed an
extra point. You know, you end up losing by five
points and he left seven on the board, right, And
so he said after the game he felt.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
Like this loss was on him.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
John Harball said after the game that basically asked the
question for the reporter, Yeah, and said, if you're asking
me if we're going to move on from Justin Tucker. No,
I don't plan on doing that, and I don't think
it would be wise that he still believes that Justin
Tucker can make every kick. So the Ravens are at
this point. You know, he's missed ten field goals this season.
He hasn't gotten over him yet, and there's not a
whole lot of time left in the season. The Ravens
(02:17):
have been steadfast behind him in their confidence, but there's
there's really not a lot that.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
You can do. You know, what do you do?
Speaker 1 (02:23):
What does bringing in a kicker for a tryout do
for you? You don't have to send a message to
Justin Tucker. There's no message, no message.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
He feels it.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
Nobody feels worse about the missus than him, And I'd
be hard pressed to think that there's a kicker just
sitting out there on his couch right now that's a
better kicker than Justin Tucker.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
Clearly there's something.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
Going on in his head. I think that is causing
these problems. I don't know what the answer is. Nobody does,
or they would have fixed it by now, But there's
not a simple solution. Maybe the buye, maybe just some
time off. Sometimes it just kind of catch your breath
and I don't know, maybe that helps.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
Yeah, I don't know what the answer is, Like, I
don't know enough about kicking mechanics to fully be able
to diagnose what's all been going on. He missed two
more wide left today and then miss one wide right.
All of the misses up until that wide right one
had been wide left in this game and or in
this in this season for Tucker. And I'm sure that
there's a mental component here. You feel that pressure and
(03:25):
you can just see it as he goes out there
to kick and you miss him, and there's like this
face of agony for a guy that's we're used to
see and do celebrations after his kicks, and like there's
anguish in his face.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
We should we.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
Should note that he also made two field goals, made
a fifty yard field goal and on the Ravens opening
drive made a field goal then too.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Yeah he did, so it's not like everything is bad,
and that's part of the challenge, I hear.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Yeah, he missed three kicks for Justin Tucker. It's the
first time in his career he's ever missed three kicks
in a game. Including extra points, So like I'm not
saying that to pretend like, hey, it's not that bad, Like, yeah,
he missed three kicks.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
He missed three kicks. That's not that's not cool.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Yeah, it's it's not like an acceptable level for him
or for the Ravens. And I don't. I don't, as
I was saying, like, I don't know the mechanics of
kicking to be able to diagnose exactly what is going
wrong with his swing with the operation. I do think
when I watch it, it seems far less natural just
watching it to me than it seems and watching him
(04:15):
for the last decade, it just looks different to me.
It almost looked like he was trying to punch the
ball today. It just looked different to me. And that's
like to the naked eye, what am I seeing? I
don't know. I have no idea why that is. If
that's part of him trying to adjust the swing because
he's not kicking as well, if he's not getting as
much on it, if he's pulling it to the left
because he's trying to overkick it at times, like I don't,
(04:36):
I don't know. But to me, when I watch him kick,
it does not look as natural as it has throughout
his entire career.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
I'll say two things, one being that earlier this year,
you know, when he kept missing left, he said, hey, hey,
I just started aiming fur the right right. That was
like the in game solution that he made, and he
made that unilaterally. Yeah, he said, I'm just gonna aim
right because the ball keeps hooking left. That's not that's
the band aid. That's not what you want right. That's
(05:04):
like me golfing and I can't hit it down the
fairway and I say, I'm gonna aim at that house
over there, and I hope that it lands in the fairway.
It's not a good solution, right. You want to be
kicking the ball straight, and that's what the Ravens have said,
like you want to keep the ball straight.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
Now?
Speaker 1 (05:18):
Was he aiming further right on the one that he
missed right and then it actually just went straight. It
didn't curve left like he's been playing it. I don't know, right,
but you know that that's one component I think is
like it keeps moving left and he doesn't know why,
and he's trying to compensate for that. Secondly, I think
(05:39):
that what's going on is for the first time in
his career, Justin doesn't know where the ball is going
when it leaves his foot right, like for his entire career,
he's known when I kick this ball, it's going straight.
I like the guy aims for one light bulb on
the at one light bulb on the scoreboard, like his
aiming points are minute, yeah, right, And and he often
(06:01):
hits it there like he knows where the ball is
going when he kicks it.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
And I see a kicker that doesn't know anymore.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
And that is a difficult thing I would think to
deal with mentally and for your.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
Confidence when you just don't know.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
Even on the fifty yard field goal that he made,
when I looked at his face after that, I mean,
it's eyes wide and he's wondering where's this ball going?
Speaker 3 (06:23):
Like is this going in or not?
Speaker 1 (06:24):
And I've seen Justin Tucker hit fifty yard field goals
that are three quarters the way up the uprights with
no problem he has.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
He knows he's making that kick. Yeah, I don't.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
He doesn't know that he's making the kick, and he
doesn't know how the ball is gonna play off his
foot anymore. And that is I would think a difficult
thing to deal with as a kicker.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
Well, the point that you just made, I think is
true as well. Today was a cold day during the game.
The temperatures they were in the high twenty so it
was a cold day. So you're not probably getting as
much on the football as you would for a game
in August, right, But I'm not seeing him. I'm used
to seeing him drill like fifty yard field goals deep
into the net. You're like, oh, that would have been
good from seventy And that's like the joke. The field
(07:03):
goals left or right, they just didn't have as much
on them as I'm used to seeing from him. I
don't know if that's part of the weather and it's
later in the season the ball doesn't travel far as
in December, but still it just is not getting as
much leg on the ball.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
The yard looked like it might be short.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
Yeah, And I used to see him fifty yard, you know,
for a guy who set has the record for the
longest field going a game.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Six sixty.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
I used to honestly both on the fifty yard field goals,
I was like, is that gonna make it? Is that
gonna make it? Okay? And so that's just a total change.
And I go back to what I said where it
looks like he's almost punching the ball and it's not
coming off his foot the way that I'm used to
seeing throughout his career. So it's it definitely costs the
Ravens in this game. And as you mentioned, John Harball
(07:47):
made the point afterwards, we're not looking to replace Justin Tucker,
the planning to stick with him. Also, multiple players in
the locker room, especially Lamar Jackson, so stood up for
Tucker said. Lamar said, I still think he's a goat
and I have. When he was asked, you still have calm,
he can get back to the level of kicking the
used to seeing, he said, hell yeah, I absolutely have
that confidence. So I do think in the locker room
(08:08):
there's still his confidence in Tucker, and it sounds like
he's gonna be the guys continued, continue to be the
guy moving forward. That's what John Harbaugh said.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
I don't think.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
I don't think anybody's gonna say otherwise. Also, right, like
who's gonna be like, nah, I've lost confidence. Nobody's gonna
say that, Yeah, right, And but like the fact of
the matter is, like you have a pit in your
stomach now, you know, you go out there and you're
at the thirty thirty thirty five and you're like, ah,
do you go for it here?
Speaker 3 (08:34):
Do you go for it on fourth down? Do you not?
You kicking this? You know? Now?
Speaker 1 (08:39):
Like also they know he's a professional, and and like
I do think that that confidence is rooted in something real.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
Yeah right, but like, yeah, they're gonna.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
Always have their guys back, like nobody's gonna you know
what I mean. So, but the fact that that doesn't
change the fact of the matter that the Ravens legitimately they.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
Have a problem. They have a problem on their hands.
Is the problem, and don't I don't know.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
There's just not an easy solution to the problem other
than Justin working his way out of it.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
Yeah, that I see. I mean, do you I think
that's when you see another solution.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
I think that that's basically what it is. Justin has
to work his way out of it. As I said,
I don't know the mechanics are the kicking, but he
has to be the one to fix it. Him and
the whole operation mcmore, Jordan Stout and unless the Ravens
are bringing in another kicker. But I agree with you.
I don't know that there's necessarily somebody out there that
you can just come in here and be better than Tucker,
(09:33):
even though he's struggling right now. Tucker has obviously a
long history of being great, has not been great this season,
and today was a really tough day for him. But
the Ravens I still think, I think that their confidence
in him is more than lip service because they're sticking
with him. They're putting the money where their mouth is
and they're saying and John Harples saying, our plan is
(09:54):
to move forward with Justin.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
Tucker is our kicker.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
We're not looking to move on from him. So that
confidence is still there and he just has to figure
it out. And to be honest, the special teams unit
as a whole today did not have a good day.
It was it was Tylan Wallace had a tough day
as a punt returner. He muffed, He muffed one, fumbled another.
He got both those backs, so they didn't actually hurt
the Ravens really other than field position. But you don't
(10:17):
like to see your put your punt return and put
the ball on the ground and then separate and apart
from from coughing the ball up. He also let too
many drop and that pinned the Ravens back either at
the five and the one yard line on different drives,
and those are not things you want to see on
special teams. Jordan Stout had a shank today that ended
up rolling and being not a terrible punt, but you
don't want to see the ball come off the side
of your foot.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
Yeahs there.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
And there was another one that was a forty seven
yard line drive, yeah, where they had a ten or
eleven yard return.
Speaker 3 (10:42):
I mean, that's not a good punt at all.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
Yeah, just as a whole, really tough day for the
special teams unit.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
Yeah, yeah, I mean, and that's honestly, it's been a
theme too often this season. It just has that, you know,
whether it be penalties, whether it be you know that
back you up on returns. It it just has not
been a good special team's year quite frankly, you know,
for the Ravens have set a very high bar special
teams wise, as a unit, they have not played up
to that standard this year.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
Now. Also today, the offense kind of a weird game
because we all came into it saying if the offense
can start fast. That's the recipe to get this thing rolling.
That's that's been the problem. All they need to do
is start getting the ball rolling downhill and then there's
no stopping the group. Well, they came out this game.
They scored on the first two possessions. Tucker missed the
extra point of the second one touchdown right, and so
(11:29):
it's nine to nothing and the defense is playing well.
The offense scores on the first two drives, and you're like, Okay,
here we go. There's the fast start we've been waiting for.
Like the Ravens are in control of this game. Early on,
it honestly felt like that they're stopping Saguon Barkley. The
defense is playing was balling.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
Like it was like, all right, it's time to run
away with this thing, and and they just didn't. You know,
it really came down to kind of two sloppy drives.
Lamar and Isaiah likely look like they just had some
kind of miscommunication. Likely was wide open. Lamar threw it over,
you know, overthrew them yep. For whatever reason, whether that's
(12:03):
on Isaiah.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
Or Lamar, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
Then you know, Lamar's kicking himself for that one. Very
next snap, he kind of fumbles the snap the you know,
it doesn't get in Derrick Henry's stomach, fumble balls on
the ground.
Speaker 3 (12:14):
Okay, that drives done, yep.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
You know, next drive, Ravens are backed up deep against
their own end zone. But it looks like they had
a chance to work their way out of it. But
Lamar throws the ball at Zay Flowers feet. Right, So
now you're punning again quick three and out and you're
putting from your own end zone instead of potentially moving
the chains. And even if you just get out of
the shadow your own end zone for field position for
some confidence, but you ground one at his feet. Now,
(12:39):
all of a sudden, Lamar in the offense is kind
of in a funk.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
Yeah, and the in the second quarter was just not good.
They again, they they opened the game nine to nothing.
You're feeling you're feeling pretty good.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
You know, it's their first time scoring on their opening
drives since I believe Week five.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Yeah, but then they only get three points basically the
rest of the game until that Isaiah likely touchdown with
three seconds left in the game. So you get nine
points the first two drives and then basically three points
the rest of the way and that's not going to
be good enough. Even though the defenses we're going to
talk about had a much better day and I think
that they're looking better, but you need to put up
more points. And I think, well, and.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
Part part of it, obviously for the offense. They would
have put up more points had it not been for
the miss field goals. Yes, have six of those.
Speaker 3 (13:20):
But you could tell.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
I thought it was a kind of interesting press conference
from Lamar Jackson after the game. We all know that
he is his own toughest critic and gets mad when
the team loses, like that's been the case throughout his career,
but to me, it just seemed he seemed really frustrated
and he took accountability himself, but you could feel his frustration,
and I thought it was an interesting point when someone
(13:42):
asked him about how do you feel about where the
Steelers are and where you rank, and he's like, we
don't need to worry about the Steelers. We need to
worry about what we got going on. We need to
fix the things that are bothering us right now. We
need to clean up these issues. That's what we need
to focus on. We don't need worry about anybody else.
And I thought that was a pretty strong statement from him,
and you could sense his frustration in the press conference.
(14:02):
But I thought it was like, is if there's good
frustration And honestly felt that way to me that it
felt like this is he's a leader of the team,
and he's taking accountability as an individual and from a
team standpoint. I thought that frustration spoke to the way
that the expectations that he and this team have and
I liked it. I liked his press conference.
Speaker 3 (14:23):
Yeah, I liked it too.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
I mean, I think also you can tell the frustration
by the fact that his press conference was held much
much later than it usually is. He took it some
extra time to kind of shower, get right, get his
thoughts together, talk to some players, you know.
Speaker 3 (14:36):
So I'm talking to Mark Andrews for a.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
While after the game in the locker room, just the
two of them. Yeah, I mean, I think he also
talked about his mom accountability. He's getting getting it from
his mother, who he said cust him out after.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
The game for not running enough.
Speaker 1 (14:50):
That he had more running WANs he should have taken
advantage of and didn't, and so he's getting it from
all sides you're getting from mom after the game. And so,
I mean, nobody takes losses harder than Lamar Jackson and
certainly is frustrated by Yeah, I mean the offense. It's
been the number one offense in the league. So there's
(15:11):
not a whole lot to nitpick here. But the past
three games if not been clean by any stretch. You know,
the Steelers game was not a good offensive day at all.
Got off to a slow start against the Chargers. Eventually
kind of got it going and exploded, but slow start.
And then today you get off to a good start
and then it completely fizzles. I mean I shouldn't say completely,
(15:32):
because they were moving the ball somewhat.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
Yeah, right, It wasn't like it was just it was.
It really wasn't.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
So the challenge part of it was some really bad situations.
Lamar took two sacks to push him back in field
goal opportunities, which are really tough plays and you're trying
to extend plays and make something happen and look down
the field. But he took two sacks that were not
great sacks, and then that made long field goal attempts
and you end up being in these situations where you
get nothing on these pretty long drives.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
Right, yep.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
And the third quarter, third quarter was crazy where it's
like the Ravens had the ball the entire third quarter,
it felt like, and they got nothing out of it.
And you're like, wait, how did that happen? You just
completely dominated the third quarter from a yards and time
possession standpoint, and you and it's goose eggs on the scoreboard.
That makes no sense. And so they didn't they in
the second quarter. It was basically those drives sputtered by
(16:24):
some of the miscues that they had that you went through.
And then the third quarter they didn't finish the drives.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
Yep, and and took some bad sacks.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
Yes, and so.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
All of that combined led to this this offensive showing.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
I mean, it certainly looked like Lamar Jackson did not
have a lot of confidence in his protection. Today we've talked,
you know, we talked this week about how good the
offensive line has been, and it has been not you know,
this this game, I think is a step backwards in
a little bit in a way for the offensive line
because Lamar just didn't have he was just not confident back.
(16:58):
There wasn't stepping and throwing was kind of scrambling around.
I mean the interior pressure of the Eagles. And you
got to give the Eagles credit. I mean, they have
a really, really good defensive line. This was a tough assignment,
and I thought the Eagles won that assignment.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
Yeah, they won the last scrimmage and they came into
the game with the best defensive football and they looked
like it today. They looked like a dominant defense. They
were physical, they were getting pressure on the quarterback, they
were tackling well up there.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
I mean, you got like even the plays, a number
of the plays the Ravens made. I mean the touchdown
catch by Mark Andrews was a phenomenal throw, phenomenal catch tight.
I mean you're in the middle of three defenders, right,
that was not easy by any stretch. That was a
phenomenal play on Lamar and Mark's part. Catch by Isaiah
likely in garbage time at the end of the game,
(17:44):
just a perfect throw, perfect catch.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
Yeah. Right.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
So like the Eagles secondary, I thought played well without
Darius Slay, one of their best cornerbacks, a six time
Pro bowler, and and uh, yeah, they're tough.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
They're they're a tough defense.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
But that's the disappointing part of this game was you
went into it to say, we're a good team.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
We know they're a tough team.
Speaker 1 (18:04):
They're a good team too, who's gonna win And the
Eagles were the better team and so that that's what's frustrating,
And that's what I think is leading this team to
be like we.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
Got our own stuff.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
We got stuff to take care of here, Like we
gotta get better because put Steelers aside, winning the AFC
North aside, all that stuff, Like even if we make
the playoffs, we're gonna have to win beat teams like this. Yeah,
you got have to win games like this. And like,
you know, you already lost the Steelers. That's another good team.
You beat the Chargers last week. So let's like not
(18:33):
get carried away and say the Ravens haven't had a
good win. They've had a number of them, beat the
Bills early in the year, all that stuff. But like,
this was a sobering game when you think about, all right,
is this team destined for a super Bowl?
Speaker 3 (18:46):
This was kind of a sobering one.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
Yeah. I think that with this team, just based on
where they've been. Part of the part of the every
game goes through the the prism of can you get
it done in January and February. That's just based on
where this team has been, and so when you lose
a game, especially against a good team, the narrative becomes
maybe you can't get it done in those situations. I
(19:09):
don't necessarily think that what happens today is going to
be an indication of what happens in January, but I
think that there are issues that the team has to
clean up in all three phases if they're going to
be a team that makes a deep playoff.
Speaker 3 (19:22):
Fine, yeah, I agree.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
You know me, I'm gonna get in the dance guy, Well,
of course I'm gonna get in the dance to see
what happens kind of guy. Right, But I think the
conversation is all fair, right, and I think it's definitely
fair to say that Ravens have to get better if
they're gonna be teams like this, they have to. And
the sad part is like, the defense is getting better. Yeah,
I think the defense is getting better, and they just.
Speaker 3 (19:43):
Haven't put it together.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
Really early in the game. The first two drives they
put it together.
Speaker 3 (19:47):
Both were playing well. At the same time.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
We were like all right, here we go.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
But they like have not.
Speaker 1 (19:51):
Consistently been able to put it together on both sides
of the ball. So we're gonna take a break and
when we come back, Hey, let's talk about that defense.
I'm starting to get hot a little bit.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
All right, Yeah, you're listening to the Lage podcast. We
are coming chief in the Sekiek studio. We also want
to mention our partners with Draft Kings Sportsbook. They are
an official sports betting partner of the Baltimore Ravens Draft
Kings Sportsbook. The Crown is yours. So the defense, I
do think that they have turned a corner. You go
back the last three games, it has been a much
different story compared to what we saw in the first
half of the season, and that's that is encouraging. And
(20:22):
I thought that today's test was really the best of
the bunch because this offense, led by Saquon Barkley, was
the best offense of the last three games Steelers Chargers
and now this offense, and so I think it was
kind of a question mark, are we gonna is what
we saw in the last two games a mirage or
(20:43):
is that here to stay? And I think that the
defense did show some really good strides. Marlon Humphrey talked
about this after the game. He said he really pointed
to the mindset aspect and basically said the players and
the coaches had to take a tough look in the
mirror and basically look at how they were playing. Then
said that they had and if you weren't playing up
to snuff and you weren't playing with the right mindset,
(21:03):
you were gonna be standing on the sidelines, so Marlon said,
And the Ravens have made some changes, particularly in the
secondary from a playing time standpoint, and I think that
that is help the Sea. And they cut Eddie Jackson,
so they've made some significant changes and I think it's
working out well. And that's the thing. Like the Chargers
in this the Chargers the Eagles in this game, they
aren't doing much of anything. In the first quarter. They
(21:24):
got they didn't even get a third a first down
in the third quarter, and you're like, the and Saquon
Barkley really had not much room to work.
Speaker 1 (21:31):
Eagles punned on their first four offensive possession.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
Yeah, first four punts and the place three plays, three plays,
four place and you're like, you're feeling really good about
it in this game.
Speaker 3 (21:40):
This game is built.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
It's like the running back resurgence game. And the Ravens
and Henry had a relatively quiet game too, But the
Ravens held Saquon Barkley and Check up until that fourth
quarter where we ripped off a twenty five yard run
and that was one, Yeah, twenty five yard touchdown run
that really put the game, made it a two score game,
and based on the way the offense is played, it
felt like that was kind of the nail on the
(22:02):
coffin a little bit.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
Yeah, it did.
Speaker 1 (22:04):
Yeah, I think it's a shame because I agree with you.
I do think the defense played better. You know, there's
spurts where AJ Brown kind of got loose and they
really had.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
A tough time stopping him.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
He caught five balls for sixty six yards on six targets.
But like, all right, if I'm going in this game,
you say a J. Brown gets five for sixty six
and no touchdowns, Yeah, sign young, I'll take that right.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
Honestly, the yard you look at him like Jalen hurts
one hundred eight eteen right exactly. And honestly, when you
told me Saquon runs for one oh seven, I'm like
all right, Like, yeah, I'm kind of okay with that, right,
Like Saquon Barkley, I agree that the twenty five yard
touchdown was nail on the coffin, but he didn't kill
the Ravens. No, Like, you know, Empty Bank Stadium there,
(22:49):
the MVP chances were for.
Speaker 3 (22:51):
Saquon in this stadium, you know.
Speaker 1 (22:53):
And and I think he was the best offensive player
probably on the field tonight. You know, he outshined Lamar
and the outshine Derrick Henry.
Speaker 3 (23:03):
You know.
Speaker 1 (23:03):
So, but I do think that the Ravens defense, for
the most part, did a pretty darn good job against them.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
Yeah, And that's part of the thing that's so frustrating
when you go through those stats and you're like, I
take that. I take that. The Ravens out gained the
Eagles three hundred and seventy two yards to two hundred
and fifty two yards. They had seventy one plays compared
to them, like they.
Speaker 1 (23:24):
Were turning the ball over. They didn't have a huge
penalty problem.
Speaker 3 (23:27):
So you're like, where what happened?
Speaker 2 (23:28):
How did you lose this game? You outgained them by
one hundred and twenty yards and you had twenty more
snaps than them like what happened here, right, And basically it.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
Was the ball and then the team had a turnover.
It was and the Eagles had four more penalties.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
Yeah, and it basically was the miss field gals and
not being able to punch it in. They settled for
fieldals and then you didn't make them. Yeah, that's that's
what it really came down to for the Ravens and
this loss.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
Yeah, yeah, definitely, and that it is frustrating when when
you move the ball into scoring range and you just
you know, the Raves have been their best red zone
team in the league.
Speaker 3 (23:58):
It wasn't really a red their own problem the first drive.
Speaker 1 (24:01):
They settled for a field goal instead of touchdown once
they got down there. But mostly it was you kind
of sputter between the fifty and the twenty.
Speaker 2 (24:08):
Yeah, it was like the mid that mid that mid
twenty to forty range.
Speaker 1 (24:12):
It just didn't go well, which when you have a
kicker that's kind of struggling, is a recipe for disaster.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
Yes, and that's what hurt the Ravens in this game.
But I do just moving forward, I think that this
I'm encouraged by what this defense, the way this defense
is playing and we were saying earlier this year the
defense which was like the third which was the thirty
second best defense against the pass, if you could just
be a middle of the road defense. The Ravens have
the offense that they could they could win the whole thing.
And I still feel that way, evenail the offense didn't
(24:37):
have the best days today, So I am encouraged by
what we're seeing from the defensive side of the ball.
A couple other notes here. One is Rashad Bateman. He
left the game with a knee injury, and John Harbaugh
did not have anything more to say on that timeline. Sure,
he said his knee was sore, but did not have
any specifics on what the injury is or timeline or
(24:58):
anything like that. Yep, if it's a really major injury,
typically that gets now after a game. But who knows.
I'm not sure what the status of that is.
Speaker 3 (25:07):
Yeah, I mean, he.
Speaker 1 (25:07):
Didn't play, wasn't stopped for an injury, you know where
trainers came out. I think he limped off the field
in the third quarter was ruled out soon thereafter. So
usually you don't have a guy limp off the field
if it's a major, major knee injury. Right, but that's
right all conjecture exactly. We don't know what the nature
of that is.
Speaker 2 (25:26):
And then the other interesting note of the receiver position,
So Bateman Lee is but Deontay Johnson did not play
in this game. He was suited up, but he never
took any snaps in this game. And John Harball was
asked about that after the game and said that I'm
gonna have more of a comment on that later on.
I need to get more information. So it did not
really provide specifics as to what was going on there,
(25:48):
but sounded like there could be more on that front
on the horizon.
Speaker 1 (25:51):
Yeah, and Lamar Jackson said, you know, we need Deontay,
so we don't know. That's another one that's a question
mark coming out of this game.
Speaker 2 (25:59):
Yeah, and just big picture wise, I said it off
the top. I know it's disappointing. You don't want to
lose this game, and this isn't just glass half full.
I still think the Ravens are in good position when
it comes to the playoff picture.
Speaker 1 (26:11):
They have their their their playoff chances did not decrease
really much at all. Yeah, by virtue of this loss,
they're still.
Speaker 3 (26:18):
I think in the mid nineties.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
Yeah, they're they're They're a really good position from a
wildcard standpoint. Look, the Steelers look pretty darn good today.
They put up a ton of points. They had their
best offensive game of the season. So they're looking up
at the The Ravens are looking up at the Steelers
right now. Of course, still have that game here a
few weeks a few weeks from now, but they've got
to work. As as Lamar Jackson said, they need to
worry about themselves. And I do think talking about THEE,
(26:39):
I do think that the bye week it's been when
you have a buy this late in the season, which
is such a late buy, I think this team just
needs it. I think they need it.
Speaker 1 (26:48):
Of course it felt like that late in this game.
It felt like the Ravens they need to buy.
Speaker 3 (26:51):
They need to buy. And you know.
Speaker 2 (26:55):
Everyone always says the buye comes at a perfect time,
whether it's week one or week seventeen.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
I think it was all so. I think it was
also difficult. You're coming West Coast Monday night game, coming
back flying from LA and you haven't had your buy yet.
Like this is a team that's already pretty physically exhausted
and you're coming back from that trip now at the
end of the day, Like, that's not really an excuse
that's gonna hold much water, Like is it real?
Speaker 3 (27:20):
Sure?
Speaker 1 (27:20):
Yeah, that's a that's a factor. Is that the factor
that beat them tonight?
Speaker 2 (27:24):
No Eagles did the same thing that a day in advance,
but they made the same trip on Sunday night and they.
Speaker 3 (27:29):
Were on one.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
Yeah, they had one extra day, but they came back
Sunday night right from.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
From the same place, the same stadium, same place. So
I think I do again. I think that the seam
is in good position. The buye I think is really needed, mentally, physically,
all those things just you need to buy. I think
this team needs to take a week away reset and
then get ready for the stretcher perfect Everyone says it.
Everyone says it every year, no matter when it is.
(27:54):
But this this team felt like they need a bye week,
and I think that's going to be good for this team.
So we're going to continue to bring you the content
over the course of this week, so stay tuned for
more to come over the next few days. Thank you
so much for listening. You can email us at the
lounge at Ravens dot NFL dot net and we will
bate back with you again soon
Welcome into the Lounge presented by DraftKings. I'm Ryan Mink
here with Garrett Downing to give you our takeaways from
the Ravens twenty four to nineteen loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Ravens fall to eight and five. The Eagles have
now won eight straight games and are ten and two. Garrett,
this was a tough loss for the in a game
that you know, it didn't mean a ton standings wise,
(00:27):
but it was definitely a measuring stick game. Yeah, right,
this was These are two of the best teams in
their respective conferences. Some people were calling this the game
of the year, a potential Super Bowl preview. Well, if
that was the case, Ravens fans aren't gonna be happy
in February because I thought the Eagles just kind of
flat out beat the Ravens in this one.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Yeah, I think that from a big picture standpoint, You're right,
NFC team Ravens are still in pretty good position, especially
for a wild card spot, and the division's not gone either.
But this is a game that you want to see,
how did the Ravens sack up against one of the
best in the league. They're red hot, They're coming out
this game they were winners of seven straight and they
it was a frustrating game, and I think that you
(01:06):
could really sense the frustration from the team afterwards and
talking to players, especially Lamar Jackson, like there was a
frustration because I think that the Ravens. The Ravens felt
like it was not the exact same of other games,
were like you feel like Maine, you had that one
right in your fingertips. But there were so many things
that there were things that happened. We're going to talk
through all of them that the Ravens are not used
(01:29):
to doing, relatively uncharacteristic, and they hurt them in this game.
And I think that the starting point is probably the
kicking game with Justin Tucker.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Yeah, I think that's certainly the biggest storyline coming out
of this game. Two field goal misses from Tuck from
forty seven and fifty three, and he also missed an
extra point. You know, you end up losing by five
points and he left seven on the board, right, And
so he said after the game he felt.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
Like this loss was on him.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
John Harball said after the game that basically asked the
question for the reporter, Yeah, and said, if you're asking
me if we're going to move on from Justin Tucker. No,
I don't plan on doing that, and I don't think
it would be wise that he still believes that Justin
Tucker can make every kick. So the Ravens are at
this point. You know, he's missed ten field goals this season.
He hasn't gotten over him yet, and there's not a
whole lot of time left in the season. The Ravens
(02:17):
have been steadfast behind him in their confidence, but there's
there's really not a lot that.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
You can do. You know, what do you do?
Speaker 1 (02:23):
What does bringing in a kicker for a tryout do
for you? You don't have to send a message to
Justin Tucker. There's no message, no message.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
He feels it.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
Nobody feels worse about the missus than him, And I'd
be hard pressed to think that there's a kicker just
sitting out there on his couch right now that's a
better kicker than Justin Tucker.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
Clearly there's something.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
Going on in his head. I think that is causing
these problems. I don't know what the answer is. Nobody does,
or they would have fixed it by now, But there's
not a simple solution. Maybe the buye, maybe just some
time off. Sometimes it just kind of catch your breath
and I don't know, maybe that helps.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
Yeah, I don't know what the answer is, Like, I
don't know enough about kicking mechanics to fully be able
to diagnose what's all been going on. He missed two
more wide left today and then miss one wide right.
All of the misses up until that wide right one
had been wide left in this game and or in
this in this season for Tucker. And I'm sure that
there's a mental component here. You feel that pressure and
(03:25):
you can just see it as he goes out there
to kick and you miss him, and there's like this
face of agony for a guy that's we're used to
see and do celebrations after his kicks, and like there's
anguish in his face.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
We should we.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
Should note that he also made two field goals, made
a fifty yard field goal and on the Ravens opening
drive made a field goal then too.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Yeah he did, so it's not like everything is bad,
and that's part of the challenge, I hear.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Yeah, he missed three kicks for Justin Tucker. It's the
first time in his career he's ever missed three kicks
in a game. Including extra points, So like I'm not
saying that to pretend like, hey, it's not that bad, Like, yeah,
he missed three kicks.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
He missed three kicks. That's not that's not cool.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Yeah, it's it's not like an acceptable level for him
or for the Ravens. And I don't. I don't, as
I was saying, like, I don't know the mechanics of
kicking to be able to diagnose exactly what is going
wrong with his swing with the operation. I do think
when I watch it, it seems far less natural just
watching it to me than it seems and watching him
(04:15):
for the last decade, it just looks different to me.
It almost looked like he was trying to punch the
ball today. It just looked different to me. And that's
like to the naked eye, what am I seeing? I
don't know. I have no idea why that is. If
that's part of him trying to adjust the swing because
he's not kicking as well, if he's not getting as
much on it, if he's pulling it to the left
because he's trying to overkick it at times, like I don't,
(04:36):
I don't know. But to me, when I watch him kick,
it does not look as natural as it has throughout
his entire career.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
I'll say two things, one being that earlier this year,
you know, when he kept missing left, he said, hey, hey,
I just started aiming fur the right right. That was
like the in game solution that he made, and he
made that unilaterally. Yeah, he said, I'm just gonna aim
right because the ball keeps hooking left. That's not that's
the band aid. That's not what you want right. That's
(05:04):
like me golfing and I can't hit it down the
fairway and I say, I'm gonna aim at that house
over there, and I hope that it lands in the fairway.
It's not a good solution, right. You want to be
kicking the ball straight, and that's what the Ravens have said,
like you want to keep the ball straight.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
Now?
Speaker 1 (05:18):
Was he aiming further right on the one that he
missed right and then it actually just went straight. It
didn't curve left like he's been playing it. I don't know, right,
but you know that that's one component I think is
like it keeps moving left and he doesn't know why,
and he's trying to compensate for that. Secondly, I think
(05:39):
that what's going on is for the first time in
his career, Justin doesn't know where the ball is going
when it leaves his foot right, like for his entire career,
he's known when I kick this ball, it's going straight.
I like the guy aims for one light bulb on
the at one light bulb on the scoreboard, like his
aiming points are minute, yeah, right, And and he often
(06:01):
hits it there like he knows where the ball is
going when he kicks it.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
And I see a kicker that doesn't know anymore.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
And that is a difficult thing I would think to
deal with mentally and for your.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
Confidence when you just don't know.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
Even on the fifty yard field goal that he made,
when I looked at his face after that, I mean,
it's eyes wide and he's wondering where's this ball going?
Speaker 3 (06:23):
Like is this going in or not?
Speaker 1 (06:24):
And I've seen Justin Tucker hit fifty yard field goals
that are three quarters the way up the uprights with
no problem he has.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
He knows he's making that kick. Yeah, I don't.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
He doesn't know that he's making the kick, and he
doesn't know how the ball is gonna play off his
foot anymore. And that is I would think a difficult
thing to deal with as a kicker.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
Well, the point that you just made, I think is
true as well. Today was a cold day during the game.
The temperatures they were in the high twenty so it
was a cold day. So you're not probably getting as
much on the football as you would for a game
in August, right, But I'm not seeing him. I'm used
to seeing him drill like fifty yard field goals deep
into the net. You're like, oh, that would have been
good from seventy And that's like the joke. The field
(07:03):
goals left or right, they just didn't have as much
on them as I'm used to seeing from him. I
don't know if that's part of the weather and it's
later in the season the ball doesn't travel far as
in December, but still it just is not getting as
much leg on the ball.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
The yard looked like it might be short.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
Yeah, And I used to see him fifty yard, you know,
for a guy who set has the record for the
longest field going a game.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Six sixty.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
I used to honestly both on the fifty yard field goals,
I was like, is that gonna make it? Is that
gonna make it? Okay? And so that's just a total change.
And I go back to what I said where it
looks like he's almost punching the ball and it's not
coming off his foot the way that I'm used to
seeing throughout his career. So it's it definitely costs the
Ravens in this game. And as you mentioned, John Harball
(07:47):
made the point afterwards, we're not looking to replace Justin Tucker,
the planning to stick with him. Also, multiple players in
the locker room, especially Lamar Jackson, so stood up for
Tucker said. Lamar said, I still think he's a goat
and I have. When he was asked, you still have calm,
he can get back to the level of kicking the
used to seeing, he said, hell yeah, I absolutely have
that confidence. So I do think in the locker room
(08:08):
there's still his confidence in Tucker, and it sounds like
he's gonna be the guys continued, continue to be the
guy moving forward. That's what John Harbaugh said.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
I don't think.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
I don't think anybody's gonna say otherwise. Also, right, like
who's gonna be like, nah, I've lost confidence. Nobody's gonna
say that, Yeah, right, And but like the fact of
the matter is, like you have a pit in your
stomach now, you know, you go out there and you're
at the thirty thirty thirty five and you're like, ah,
do you go for it here?
Speaker 3 (08:34):
Do you go for it on fourth down? Do you not?
You kicking this? You know? Now?
Speaker 1 (08:39):
Like also they know he's a professional, and and like
I do think that that confidence is rooted in something real.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
Yeah right, but like, yeah, they're gonna.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
Always have their guys back, like nobody's gonna you know
what I mean. So, but the fact that that doesn't
change the fact of the matter that the Ravens legitimately they.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
Have a problem. They have a problem on their hands.
Is the problem, and don't I don't know.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
There's just not an easy solution to the problem other
than Justin working his way out of it.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
Yeah, that I see. I mean, do you I think
that's when you see another solution.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
I think that that's basically what it is. Justin has
to work his way out of it. As I said,
I don't know the mechanics are the kicking, but he
has to be the one to fix it. Him and
the whole operation mcmore, Jordan Stout and unless the Ravens
are bringing in another kicker. But I agree with you.
I don't know that there's necessarily somebody out there that
you can just come in here and be better than Tucker,
(09:33):
even though he's struggling right now. Tucker has obviously a
long history of being great, has not been great this season,
and today was a really tough day for him. But
the Ravens I still think, I think that their confidence
in him is more than lip service because they're sticking
with him. They're putting the money where their mouth is
and they're saying and John Harples saying, our plan is
(09:54):
to move forward with Justin.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
Tucker is our kicker.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
We're not looking to move on from him. So that
confidence is still there and he just has to figure
it out. And to be honest, the special teams unit
as a whole today did not have a good day.
It was it was Tylan Wallace had a tough day
as a punt returner. He muffed, He muffed one, fumbled another.
He got both those backs, so they didn't actually hurt
the Ravens really other than field position. But you don't
(10:17):
like to see your put your punt return and put
the ball on the ground and then separate and apart
from from coughing the ball up. He also let too
many drop and that pinned the Ravens back either at
the five and the one yard line on different drives,
and those are not things you want to see on
special teams. Jordan Stout had a shank today that ended
up rolling and being not a terrible punt, but you
don't want to see the ball come off the side
of your foot.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
Yeahs there.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
And there was another one that was a forty seven
yard line drive, yeah, where they had a ten or
eleven yard return.
Speaker 3 (10:42):
I mean, that's not a good punt at all.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
Yeah, just as a whole, really tough day for the
special teams unit.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
Yeah, yeah, I mean, and that's honestly, it's been a
theme too often this season. It just has that, you know,
whether it be penalties, whether it be you know that
back you up on returns. It it just has not
been a good special team's year quite frankly, you know,
for the Ravens have set a very high bar special
teams wise, as a unit, they have not played up
to that standard this year.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
Now. Also today, the offense kind of a weird game
because we all came into it saying if the offense
can start fast. That's the recipe to get this thing rolling.
That's that's been the problem. All they need to do
is start getting the ball rolling downhill and then there's
no stopping the group. Well, they came out this game.
They scored on the first two possessions. Tucker missed the
extra point of the second one touchdown right, and so
(11:29):
it's nine to nothing and the defense is playing well.
The offense scores on the first two drives, and you're like, Okay,
here we go. There's the fast start we've been waiting for.
Like the Ravens are in control of this game. Early on,
it honestly felt like that they're stopping Saguon Barkley. The
defense is playing was balling.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
Like it was like, all right, it's time to run
away with this thing, and and they just didn't. You know,
it really came down to kind of two sloppy drives.
Lamar and Isaiah likely look like they just had some
kind of miscommunication. Likely was wide open. Lamar threw it over,
you know, overthrew them yep. For whatever reason, whether that's
(12:03):
on Isaiah.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
Or Lamar, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
Then you know, Lamar's kicking himself for that one. Very
next snap, he kind of fumbles the snap the you know,
it doesn't get in Derrick Henry's stomach, fumble balls on
the ground.
Speaker 3 (12:14):
Okay, that drives done, yep.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
You know, next drive, Ravens are backed up deep against
their own end zone. But it looks like they had
a chance to work their way out of it. But
Lamar throws the ball at Zay Flowers feet. Right, So
now you're punning again quick three and out and you're
putting from your own end zone instead of potentially moving
the chains. And even if you just get out of
the shadow your own end zone for field position for
some confidence, but you ground one at his feet. Now,
(12:39):
all of a sudden, Lamar in the offense is kind
of in a funk.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
Yeah, and the in the second quarter was just not good.
They again, they they opened the game nine to nothing.
You're feeling you're feeling pretty good.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
You know, it's their first time scoring on their opening
drives since I believe Week five.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Yeah, but then they only get three points basically the
rest of the game until that Isaiah likely touchdown with
three seconds left in the game. So you get nine
points the first two drives and then basically three points
the rest of the way and that's not going to
be good enough. Even though the defenses we're going to
talk about had a much better day and I think
that they're looking better, but you need to put up
more points. And I think, well, and.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
Part part of it, obviously for the offense. They would
have put up more points had it not been for
the miss field goals. Yes, have six of those.
Speaker 3 (13:20):
But you could tell.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
I thought it was a kind of interesting press conference
from Lamar Jackson after the game. We all know that
he is his own toughest critic and gets mad when
the team loses, like that's been the case throughout his career,
but to me, it just seemed he seemed really frustrated
and he took accountability himself, but you could feel his frustration,
and I thought it was an interesting point when someone
(13:42):
asked him about how do you feel about where the
Steelers are and where you rank, and he's like, we
don't need to worry about the Steelers. We need to
worry about what we got going on. We need to
fix the things that are bothering us right now. We
need to clean up these issues. That's what we need
to focus on. We don't need worry about anybody else.
And I thought that was a pretty strong statement from him,
and you could sense his frustration in the press conference.
(14:02):
But I thought it was like, is if there's good
frustration And honestly felt that way to me that it
felt like this is he's a leader of the team,
and he's taking accountability as an individual and from a
team standpoint. I thought that frustration spoke to the way
that the expectations that he and this team have and
I liked it. I liked his press conference.
Speaker 3 (14:23):
Yeah, I liked it too.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
I mean, I think also you can tell the frustration
by the fact that his press conference was held much
much later than it usually is. He took it some
extra time to kind of shower, get right, get his
thoughts together, talk to some players, you know.
Speaker 3 (14:36):
So I'm talking to Mark Andrews for a.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
While after the game in the locker room, just the
two of them. Yeah, I mean, I think he also
talked about his mom accountability. He's getting getting it from
his mother, who he said cust him out after.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
The game for not running enough.
Speaker 1 (14:50):
That he had more running WANs he should have taken
advantage of and didn't, and so he's getting it from
all sides you're getting from mom after the game. And so,
I mean, nobody takes losses harder than Lamar Jackson and
certainly is frustrated by Yeah, I mean the offense. It's
been the number one offense in the league. So there's
(15:11):
not a whole lot to nitpick here. But the past
three games if not been clean by any stretch. You know,
the Steelers game was not a good offensive day at all.
Got off to a slow start against the Chargers. Eventually
kind of got it going and exploded, but slow start.
And then today you get off to a good start
and then it completely fizzles. I mean I shouldn't say completely,
(15:32):
because they were moving the ball somewhat.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
Yeah, right, It wasn't like it was just it was.
It really wasn't.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
So the challenge part of it was some really bad situations.
Lamar took two sacks to push him back in field
goal opportunities, which are really tough plays and you're trying
to extend plays and make something happen and look down
the field. But he took two sacks that were not
great sacks, and then that made long field goal attempts
and you end up being in these situations where you
get nothing on these pretty long drives.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
Right, yep.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
And the third quarter, third quarter was crazy where it's
like the Ravens had the ball the entire third quarter,
it felt like, and they got nothing out of it.
And you're like, wait, how did that happen? You just
completely dominated the third quarter from a yards and time
possession standpoint, and you and it's goose eggs on the scoreboard.
That makes no sense. And so they didn't they in
the second quarter. It was basically those drives sputtered by
(16:24):
some of the miscues that they had that you went through.
And then the third quarter they didn't finish the drives.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
Yep, and and took some bad sacks.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
Yes, and so.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
All of that combined led to this this offensive showing.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
I mean, it certainly looked like Lamar Jackson did not
have a lot of confidence in his protection. Today we've talked,
you know, we talked this week about how good the
offensive line has been, and it has been not you know,
this this game, I think is a step backwards in
a little bit in a way for the offensive line
because Lamar just didn't have he was just not confident back.
(16:58):
There wasn't stepping and throwing was kind of scrambling around.
I mean the interior pressure of the Eagles. And you
got to give the Eagles credit. I mean, they have
a really, really good defensive line. This was a tough assignment,
and I thought the Eagles won that assignment.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
Yeah, they won the last scrimmage and they came into
the game with the best defensive football and they looked
like it today. They looked like a dominant defense. They
were physical, they were getting pressure on the quarterback, they
were tackling well up there.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
I mean, you got like even the plays, a number
of the plays the Ravens made. I mean the touchdown
catch by Mark Andrews was a phenomenal throw, phenomenal catch tight.
I mean you're in the middle of three defenders, right,
that was not easy by any stretch. That was a
phenomenal play on Lamar and Mark's part. Catch by Isaiah
likely in garbage time at the end of the game,
(17:44):
just a perfect throw, perfect catch.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
Yeah. Right.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
So like the Eagles secondary, I thought played well without
Darius Slay, one of their best cornerbacks, a six time
Pro bowler, and and uh, yeah, they're tough.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
They're they're a tough defense.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
But that's the disappointing part of this game was you
went into it to say, we're a good team.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
We know they're a tough team.
Speaker 1 (18:04):
They're a good team too, who's gonna win And the
Eagles were the better team and so that that's what's frustrating,
And that's what I think is leading this team to
be like we.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
Got our own stuff.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
We got stuff to take care of here, Like we
gotta get better because put Steelers aside, winning the AFC
North aside, all that stuff, Like even if we make
the playoffs, we're gonna have to win beat teams like this. Yeah,
you got have to win games like this. And like,
you know, you already lost the Steelers. That's another good team.
You beat the Chargers last week. So let's like not
(18:33):
get carried away and say the Ravens haven't had a
good win. They've had a number of them, beat the
Bills early in the year, all that stuff. But like,
this was a sobering game when you think about, all right,
is this team destined for a super Bowl?
Speaker 3 (18:46):
This was kind of a sobering one.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
Yeah. I think that with this team, just based on
where they've been. Part of the part of the every
game goes through the the prism of can you get
it done in January and February. That's just based on
where this team has been, and so when you lose
a game, especially against a good team, the narrative becomes
maybe you can't get it done in those situations. I
(19:09):
don't necessarily think that what happens today is going to
be an indication of what happens in January, but I
think that there are issues that the team has to
clean up in all three phases if they're going to
be a team that makes a deep playoff.
Speaker 3 (19:22):
Fine, yeah, I agree.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
You know me, I'm gonna get in the dance guy, Well,
of course I'm gonna get in the dance to see
what happens kind of guy. Right, But I think the
conversation is all fair, right, and I think it's definitely
fair to say that Ravens have to get better if
they're gonna be teams like this, they have to. And
the sad part is like, the defense is getting better. Yeah,
I think the defense is getting better, and they just.
Speaker 3 (19:43):
Haven't put it together.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
Really early in the game. The first two drives they
put it together.
Speaker 3 (19:47):
Both were playing well. At the same time.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
We were like all right, here we go.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
But they like have not.
Speaker 1 (19:51):
Consistently been able to put it together on both sides
of the ball. So we're gonna take a break and
when we come back, Hey, let's talk about that defense.
I'm starting to get hot a little bit.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
All right, Yeah, you're listening to the Lage podcast. We
are coming chief in the Sekiek studio. We also want
to mention our partners with Draft Kings Sportsbook. They are
an official sports betting partner of the Baltimore Ravens Draft
Kings Sportsbook. The Crown is yours. So the defense, I
do think that they have turned a corner. You go
back the last three games, it has been a much
different story compared to what we saw in the first
half of the season, and that's that is encouraging. And
(20:22):
I thought that today's test was really the best of
the bunch because this offense, led by Saquon Barkley, was
the best offense of the last three games Steelers Chargers
and now this offense, and so I think it was
kind of a question mark, are we gonna is what
we saw in the last two games a mirage or
(20:43):
is that here to stay? And I think that the
defense did show some really good strides. Marlon Humphrey talked
about this after the game. He said he really pointed
to the mindset aspect and basically said the players and
the coaches had to take a tough look in the
mirror and basically look at how they were playing. Then
said that they had and if you weren't playing up
to snuff and you weren't playing with the right mindset,
(21:03):
you were gonna be standing on the sidelines, so Marlon said,
And the Ravens have made some changes, particularly in the
secondary from a playing time standpoint, and I think that
that is help the Sea. And they cut Eddie Jackson,
so they've made some significant changes and I think it's
working out well. And that's the thing. Like the Chargers
in this the Chargers the Eagles in this game, they
aren't doing much of anything. In the first quarter. They
(21:24):
got they didn't even get a third a first down
in the third quarter, and you're like, the and Saquon
Barkley really had not much room to work.
Speaker 1 (21:31):
Eagles punned on their first four offensive possession.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
Yeah, first four punts and the place three plays, three plays,
four place and you're like, you're feeling really good about
it in this game.
Speaker 3 (21:40):
This game is built.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
It's like the running back resurgence game. And the Ravens
and Henry had a relatively quiet game too, But the
Ravens held Saquon Barkley and Check up until that fourth
quarter where we ripped off a twenty five yard run
and that was one, Yeah, twenty five yard touchdown run
that really put the game, made it a two score game,
and based on the way the offense is played, it
felt like that was kind of the nail on the
(22:02):
coffin a little bit.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
Yeah, it did.
Speaker 1 (22:04):
Yeah, I think it's a shame because I agree with you.
I do think the defense played better. You know, there's
spurts where AJ Brown kind of got loose and they
really had.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
A tough time stopping him.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
He caught five balls for sixty six yards on six targets.
But like, all right, if I'm going in this game,
you say a J. Brown gets five for sixty six
and no touchdowns, Yeah, sign young, I'll take that right.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
Honestly, the yard you look at him like Jalen hurts
one hundred eight eteen right exactly. And honestly, when you
told me Saquon runs for one oh seven, I'm like
all right, Like, yeah, I'm kind of okay with that, right,
Like Saquon Barkley, I agree that the twenty five yard
touchdown was nail on the coffin, but he didn't kill
the Ravens. No, Like, you know, Empty Bank Stadium there,
(22:49):
the MVP chances were for.
Speaker 3 (22:51):
Saquon in this stadium, you know.
Speaker 1 (22:53):
And and I think he was the best offensive player
probably on the field tonight. You know, he outshined Lamar
and the outshine Derrick Henry.
Speaker 3 (23:03):
You know.
Speaker 1 (23:03):
So, but I do think that the Ravens defense, for
the most part, did a pretty darn good job against them.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
Yeah, And that's part of the thing that's so frustrating
when you go through those stats and you're like, I
take that. I take that. The Ravens out gained the
Eagles three hundred and seventy two yards to two hundred
and fifty two yards. They had seventy one plays compared
to them, like they.
Speaker 1 (23:24):
Were turning the ball over. They didn't have a huge
penalty problem.
Speaker 3 (23:27):
So you're like, where what happened?
Speaker 2 (23:28):
How did you lose this game? You outgained them by
one hundred and twenty yards and you had twenty more
snaps than them like what happened here, right, And basically it.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
Was the ball and then the team had a turnover.
It was and the Eagles had four more penalties.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
Yeah, and it basically was the miss field gals and
not being able to punch it in. They settled for
fieldals and then you didn't make them. Yeah, that's that's
what it really came down to for the Ravens and
this loss.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
Yeah, yeah, definitely, and that it is frustrating when when
you move the ball into scoring range and you just
you know, the Raves have been their best red zone
team in the league.
Speaker 3 (23:58):
It wasn't really a red their own problem the first drive.
Speaker 1 (24:01):
They settled for a field goal instead of touchdown once
they got down there. But mostly it was you kind
of sputter between the fifty and the twenty.
Speaker 2 (24:08):
Yeah, it was like the mid that mid that mid
twenty to forty range.
Speaker 1 (24:12):
It just didn't go well, which when you have a
kicker that's kind of struggling, is a recipe for disaster.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
Yes, and that's what hurt the Ravens in this game.
But I do just moving forward, I think that this
I'm encouraged by what this defense, the way this defense
is playing and we were saying earlier this year the
defense which was like the third which was the thirty
second best defense against the pass, if you could just
be a middle of the road defense. The Ravens have
the offense that they could they could win the whole thing.
And I still feel that way, evenail the offense didn't
(24:37):
have the best days today, So I am encouraged by
what we're seeing from the defensive side of the ball.
A couple other notes here. One is Rashad Bateman. He
left the game with a knee injury, and John Harbaugh
did not have anything more to say on that timeline. Sure,
he said his knee was sore, but did not have
any specifics on what the injury is or timeline or
(24:58):
anything like that. Yep, if it's a really major injury,
typically that gets now after a game. But who knows.
I'm not sure what the status of that is.
Speaker 3 (25:07):
Yeah, I mean, he.
Speaker 1 (25:07):
Didn't play, wasn't stopped for an injury, you know where
trainers came out. I think he limped off the field
in the third quarter was ruled out soon thereafter. So
usually you don't have a guy limp off the field
if it's a major, major knee injury. Right, but that's
right all conjecture exactly. We don't know what the nature
of that is.
Speaker 2 (25:26):
And then the other interesting note of the receiver position,
So Bateman Lee is but Deontay Johnson did not play
in this game. He was suited up, but he never
took any snaps in this game. And John Harball was
asked about that after the game and said that I'm
gonna have more of a comment on that later on.
I need to get more information. So it did not
really provide specifics as to what was going on there,
(25:48):
but sounded like there could be more on that front
on the horizon.
Speaker 1 (25:51):
Yeah, and Lamar Jackson said, you know, we need Deontay,
so we don't know. That's another one that's a question
mark coming out of this game.
Speaker 2 (25:59):
Yeah, and just big picture wise, I said it off
the top. I know it's disappointing. You don't want to
lose this game, and this isn't just glass half full.
I still think the Ravens are in good position when
it comes to the playoff picture.
Speaker 1 (26:11):
They have their their their playoff chances did not decrease
really much at all. Yeah, by virtue of this loss,
they're still.
Speaker 3 (26:18):
I think in the mid nineties.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
Yeah, they're they're They're a really good position from a
wildcard standpoint. Look, the Steelers look pretty darn good today.
They put up a ton of points. They had their
best offensive game of the season. So they're looking up
at the The Ravens are looking up at the Steelers
right now. Of course, still have that game here a
few weeks a few weeks from now, but they've got
to work. As as Lamar Jackson said, they need to
worry about themselves. And I do think talking about THEE,
(26:39):
I do think that the bye week it's been when
you have a buy this late in the season, which
is such a late buy, I think this team just
needs it. I think they need it.
Speaker 1 (26:48):
Of course it felt like that late in this game.
It felt like the Ravens they need to buy.
Speaker 3 (26:51):
They need to buy. And you know.
Speaker 2 (26:55):
Everyone always says the buye comes at a perfect time,
whether it's week one or week seventeen.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
I think it was all so. I think it was
also difficult. You're coming West Coast Monday night game, coming
back flying from LA and you haven't had your buy yet.
Like this is a team that's already pretty physically exhausted
and you're coming back from that trip now at the
end of the day, Like, that's not really an excuse
that's gonna hold much water, Like is it real?
Speaker 3 (27:20):
Sure?
Speaker 1 (27:20):
Yeah, that's a that's a factor. Is that the factor
that beat them tonight?
Speaker 2 (27:24):
No Eagles did the same thing that a day in advance,
but they made the same trip on Sunday night and they.
Speaker 3 (27:29):
Were on one.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
Yeah, they had one extra day, but they came back
Sunday night right from.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
From the same place, the same stadium, same place. So
I think I do again. I think that the seam
is in good position. The buye I think is really needed, mentally, physically,
all those things just you need to buy. I think
this team needs to take a week away reset and
then get ready for the stretcher perfect Everyone says it.
Everyone says it every year, no matter when it is.
(27:54):
But this this team felt like they need a bye week,
and I think that's going to be good for this team.
So we're going to continue to bring you the content
over the course of this week, so stay tuned for
more to come over the next few days. Thank you
so much for listening. You can email us at the
lounge at Ravens dot NFL dot net and we will
bate back with you again soon
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