Lamar Jackson sat down with team insider Shelby Lasso for a one-on-one interview. Plus, Ryan Mink and Garrett Downing discuss the Jackson-Josh Allen matchup heading into Sunday's divisional playoff game in Buffalo.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcome into Lounge presented by DraftKings. I'm Ryan Mink here
with Garrett Downing, and we are going to talk about
the biggest talking point this week, and that is the
Ravens Bills Lamar Jackson versus Josh Allen storyline that you know,
this is a matchup that you dream about in the
(00:24):
NFL playoffs. Two quarterbacks in their prime and at the
top of their game squaring off in a huge playoff
game for the right to play in the AFC Championship.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
It doesn't get any better than this, Garrett.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Yeah, this is what you want as a football fan,
and you hope that. I think a lot of football
fans are looking at these playoffs thinking like, this would
be awesome if these two teams, particularly with these two
quarterbacks who are playing so well, who are both chasing
their first Super Bowl, if they were to match up
like that's awesome, that would be great. And now we
get it, and this game has the making of what
a iconic NFL playoff matchup could be like when you're
(01:00):
in the NFL films twenty years from now and you're
looking back on the twenty twenty four to twenty twenty
five playoff run this game really could this could be
the centerpiece of that conversation. Potentially, We'll see how the
game goes. But with these two quarterbacks who are both
chasing that first ring, I think that that is something
that's just so exciting as a football fan.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
Yeah. Absolutely, And I think these two guys, the parallels
between them are are numerous. You know, I mean they
both come out in the twenty eighteen draft. There's big
questions about both of them. Josh Allen coming out of Wyoming,
You're like, all right, this is Wyoming here. You know,
he's got this huge arm, but can he kind of
dial it in? He's running, he's taking all kinds of
(01:41):
chances and all this stuff, Like, eh, can Josh Allen?
Can that work in the NFL? He is not your
traditional pocket passer.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
And then you have Lamar Jackson.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
Obviously all Ravens fans know all the questions about him
over his career and can that work it in the NFL?
Both guys, I can tell you spoil alert, it's working.
It's working. And you know, I think also just the
trajectory that they've had to get to this point, right,
Like both have had high individual honors they've won a
(02:12):
whole lot of games. They've elevated their teams to be
perennial contenders. These the Bills and the Ravens, that are
just they're in it every year, right, and yet they
haven't gotten over that hurdle, right, they haven't reached that
Super Bowl. So like this is just a huge game
for both of them. Who's going to kind of stomp
that narrative? Now, of course you don't get the super
Bowl by winning this game, but you give one step closer, right,
(02:33):
And and let's be frank about it, the top three
quarterbacks in the AFC have been pretty darn clear here.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Now for a while.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Mahomes, Well for Burrow, Burrow, and yeah, it's really four. Yeah,
I mean Mahomes, Lamar Burrow and Josh Allen. And to
have two of them square off in this way for
the right to move on and potentially likely face Mahomes,
it's pretty awesome.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Well.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
The other thing too, is these two quarterbacks are connected
and probably will be throughout their careers, particularly considering they
were drafted in the same class. But they've only played
one time in the playoffs, and so it's not like
there's a there's not really a rivalry that exists between
these two teams or these two quarterbacks, and in order
to have that type of billing, you need to have
(03:19):
big games against each other in the postseason. They've played
once in the playoffs. It was a twenty twenty season,
and neither of them put up big numbers in that game.
It was a crazy windy night in Buffalo and the
Bills ended up winning that. But so you have these
two quarterbacks who have basically made their team perennial playoff contenders,
but they've only matched up once in the playoffs in
their career. Both teams kind of have both the Bills
(03:43):
and the Ravens, and Allen and Lamar more so have
a rivalry with the Chiefs like towards the season, because
the Chiefs have been the one that have dominated the
AFC and has knocked out have knocked out both teams
from the postseason and crushing fashion in their own right.
And so I think that like more of that is
dire to Kansas City. But now you get these two
players who again are both searching for the same thing.
(04:04):
I actually was just watching before we started the Kelsey's
on their podcast. They had Lebron James on there and
they were talking about with Lebron this game and just
like the excitement, and you have basically Lebron and Jason
Kelcey and even Travis a little bit talking about the
excitement of seeing these players, these teams and quarterbacks face
off with each other and how they're like gushing over that.
(04:25):
So like these are the best. Well, I mean, there
are some of the best athletes in the world talking
about I can't wait to watch those guys, and I
think that everybody can feel that going to this game.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Yeah, absolutely, I think it's going to be electric, and
those quarterbacks are going to be obviously at the center
of it all, and how well they play will go
a very long way into dermoting who this winner is.
You know, whenever you ask Lamar about going the head
to head matchup against another quarterback, he's just crushed that
narrative throughout his career and he says, I'm playing against
(04:56):
their defense. I'm not playing against Josh Allen or you know,
Patrick Mahomes or whatnot. But the rest of us outside
you know that that is the kind of matchup that
will be talked about for a long long time. And
so I think that. Uh, it's interesting to hear how
Lamar thinks about this as well.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
Yeah, I think that like it. I think that that
mindset like serves him well in the game. And you're
not making it more than it is and you're not
going up against like the quarterback, and I think that
that helps the player. But from a fans standpoint of course,
So you're looking at this like Lamar, this is what
when you look at like big games, big big playoff games,
big championship type games, and really all sports like it's
(05:37):
billed as this. It's like when it's the Warriors against
the Cavs, it's Lebron vus Steph Curry, it's magic versus
Bird in the end.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Well, I think the players that are involved in it,
and part of the reason why they answer, why they
look at it that way and why they answer the
question is like literally, I mean Lamar so dialed in
on on the Bills and watching film of the Bills defense,
like he's not thinking about Josh Allen.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Yeah, probably much, if at all.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Right, he's an honest answer.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
I think it's an honest answer. Yeah, I honestly do.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Like, I don't think he's just like whatever, just poo
pooing it because he doesn't want to add to the
hype of that billing. Like I think he's honestly, like, look,
all my thoughts are on how to beat the Bills defense,
like not thinking about Josh Allen, but.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
He will have to outscore Josh Allen.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
Yeah. Well, and then the other factor this year is
like the MVP race. These two guys are going to
be one to two in the MVP race, and there's
been lots of opinions about that. And look, my honest
take is that I think Lamar has the edge there,
but I and I think that the AP indicates that
when they came out with the AP All Pro list
last week and Lamar is the first team quarterback, Josh
(06:40):
Allen's the second team quarterback. It's the same group of
voters that ultimately vote for the MVP Award. And so like,
I think Lamar has the edge there, but I think
that both players had terrific seasons. But I've got some
of them.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Let me just interject on that for one second.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
One of the silliest arguments that I think I've heard
out there is.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Like what valuable? How valuable you are to your team?
Are you kidding me.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
You're gonna act like Lamar Jackson isn't valuable to the Ravens.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Like take Lamar out of the equation and it all
falls apart. I mean, get out of here.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
It's like such an like value of such an abstract thing.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
That's just so silly.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
Yeah, he has Derrick Henry in the backfield. Dereck Henry's
been great A lot of it's just based on the
preseason expectations of what the Bills are going to be
because they lost Stefan Diggs and you know, so Josh
Allen has been working with a receiver corps without its star. Okay, Well,
the Bills also have one of the top three probably
offensive lines in the league. Right, and he has a
(07:36):
pretty darn good running back in his own right, James Cook.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
He hasn't had the season. Dereck Henry. He's not Dereck Henry, but.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
He's pretty darn good. He's got a first round tight
end in Dalton Kinkaid. He's got a high I think
it was like the first very high second round picking
Kean Coleman wide receiver.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
Oh, by the way, they traded for Amari Cooper heard
of him.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
He's got a Marii Cooper still like, I just think
that's a that's bunk.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
Yeah, I think I think that you can go back
and forth on this debate, and of course, like I'm
always going to go with like when I'm looking at this,
of course I think Lamar is leading the way there.
But here's some numbers just from from this year that
speaks to the excellent season. Lamar had passer rating yards
per past attempt, past touchdown percentage, touchdown to interception differential
(08:22):
drop drop back EPA, overall rushing yards per carry, average
quarterback rushing yards, and then passing plus rushing touchdowns. Lamar
is first alone or tied for first in all those categories, right.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
Oh, I mean there's no doubt that a statistical standpoint,
There's no doubt that from a statistical standpoint, Lamar Jackson's
been the best quarterback in the league this year, best
best player in the league this year, without a doubt.
It's just comes back to this whole what is valuable.
How you go turn on watch the watch the Ravens
Steelers playoff game and tell me how valuable Lamar was
(08:55):
in that game because he set up everything.
Speaker 3 (08:57):
Yeah, totally, totally, so and as I look at this, like,
I think Lamar, We've talked a lot about it over
the course of his career, and I feel like this
week and this playoff run is showing it. Like, I
just think that he has matured and learned from the
experiences and the discippointments of the past that like, all
(09:18):
of that has built him to this moment where I
just think that like approach wise, he's been he's been great,
and I think that that has helped him. Like, I
think the game against the Steelers was the best playoff
game that he's played. It definitely was like question right,
and so he that's the best he's ever played in
the playoffs and I don't think that that is going
to change. I think that he's just playing at that
(09:38):
level right now. I think that that's how good he's playing.
Oh yeah, everything has helped build to this point where
he is playing at his best in the playoffs when
the team needs him.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
I mean, if you look at the past month and
a half, I mean, all of Lamar Jackson's performances have
been awesome. I mean, he's got a he has a
collective score over that span of like ninety two PFF grade.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
Yeah, you know, so elite.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
He is playing at an elite level right now, and
Josh Allen is playing at an elite level right now
right extending plays, running, scoring, you know, touchdowns, throwing in
passing or throwing in running. I mean, he's playing an
extremely high level. So like all that and all my
valuable talk and the MVP case acidely just so everybody
(10:22):
knows out there, if Bill's Mafia is out there listening,
I think Josh Allen's awesome and he's having a great year,
and that's what makes this such an awesome game. You know,
you have two quarterbacks who are really good, who are
also at the top of their game.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Right So as we're.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
Talking about Lamar, we also want to hear from him,
and he sat down with Shelby Lasso for an interview
that we're going to use on Ravens Report and Ravens Wired,
and of course make sure that you're checking out Ravens
Wired every single week. We've got the full episode from
that game against the Steelers on our YouTube channel, dropped
Wednesday night, and it's just an awesome look at this team.
And again we're dropping those Wired episodes every week after
(10:58):
these games. So there's a lot of sitement, some really
cool stuff in there, so make sure you're checking out
Wired every week. But we wanted to play this conversation
with Lamar just so that you have a chance to
hear from him. Mate, we're talking about this, but we
also wanted to play this conversation with Lamar just so
you have a sense of his mindset and his approach
going into that game, going into this game. So here's
that conversation with Lamar.
Speaker 4 (11:18):
Hey, Lamar.
Speaker 5 (11:19):
So, it was a historic year for this offense, setting
franchise records, NFL records. How much have you seen this
team grow in year two under Todd Monkin.
Speaker 6 (11:30):
I've seen our team grow tremendously. Gods just joining in
and wanting to get better. It's like our chemistry hasn't
left really from last year. You know, some new auditions, love,
no additions here and there. But God just joined in
and he's like, man, we know what, we know how
close it was last year to Ben, you know, to
the ultimate goal.
Speaker 7 (11:50):
God just hit the ground running.
Speaker 4 (11:53):
One of your weapons.
Speaker 5 (11:54):
This year, Rashad Bateman set career highs and receiving yards
and receiving touchdowns scored his first post season touchdown last
weekend against the Steelers.
Speaker 4 (12:02):
And he's a guy.
Speaker 5 (12:04):
Who has been doubted by people, but you and this
organization have always believed in Bait. How rewarding was it
for you this season? It hasn't been for you to
sit back and see all the success that Bait's having.
Speaker 7 (12:16):
Man, To be honest, I'm sitting back and I'm enjoying.
Speaker 3 (12:18):
You know.
Speaker 6 (12:19):
I felt like throughout this whole season it has been
opportunities for him to have even more, you know, of
a breakout season.
Speaker 7 (12:25):
But you know, he's only one football on the field,
you know.
Speaker 6 (12:28):
But man, he's just a guy who's always stayed with it,
you know, a battle injuries early on, you know, but
always stayed with it, always was wanting to get better,
always wanted better himself. Doubt then and it's shown on
the field.
Speaker 5 (12:41):
And then Derrick Henry, Man, it would take the rest
of our interview time to list everything he accomplished this season.
Two touchdowns for nearly two hundred yards last weekend against
the Steelers. How does Derrick Henry change the postseason for
the Ravens.
Speaker 6 (12:56):
Man just his dynamic ability to run football. You know,
we had it a little bit last year, you know,
but we didn't have.
Speaker 7 (13:04):
A dere Hearrt.
Speaker 6 (13:04):
You know, we didn't have one of the top running
running backs of all time on our team last year.
But this year we have him, And like you said,
I can't even think about all the things he's done
this year and how he helped us in so many ways. Man,
from past game to just ability to run the ball, blocking,
you know, out the backfield. This man, it's been a
whole world with him being on our team. So it's
(13:26):
just great to have great to have.
Speaker 7 (13:28):
A guy like him.
Speaker 5 (13:29):
When you hand the ball off to twenty two, at
what point in the play do you realize, Yep, he's gone.
Speaker 6 (13:36):
Uh if he if he makes it to the secondary,
if he get past the linebackers in the secondary and
it's just one guy in front of him, I'm like, yeah,
that's probably six he gonna step for him a guy
And it's like it's hard to stop them still from
because he's like, you know what's gonna happen. It's like
it's gonna happen, Like you can't stop it, nothing can
help you.
Speaker 7 (13:54):
Like it's crazy. It's like when he gets to that secondary,
I know it's a touchdown too.
Speaker 5 (13:59):
This offense was so balanced this season, over four thousand
passing yards, over three thousand rushing yards. Twelve different offensive
players scored a touchdown for the Ravens this year. How
did that change the game for you?
Speaker 7 (14:15):
H How did it change the game for me? Man?
I don't know.
Speaker 6 (14:19):
I guess like you you you get better with age,
I say, you know, me just being in the system
another year and all the guys, well, a lot of
lot some of.
Speaker 7 (14:31):
Our guys came back.
Speaker 6 (14:33):
It was like, man, I feel like I go back
to the same same answers, Like we knew what we
had last year, and it's like on into this season.
Speaker 7 (14:41):
We got most of the guys back.
Speaker 6 (14:42):
It was like, we're gonna dial in and we're gonna
bust out behind and get back in the same situation
and hopefully turn out to be different.
Speaker 5 (14:49):
So what is different than this season making it to
the divisional round back to back years? What's different this year?
Speaker 7 (14:56):
We got Dereck Henry. We got Dereck Henry.
Speaker 6 (15:00):
And just just been in the system another year, you know,
just just a getting very familiar with the system, building
a chemistry along with it, and it's just helping all
the pieces just get together and work out well.
Speaker 5 (15:12):
It seems like post Eagles game was kind of a
gathering point for this team.
Speaker 4 (15:18):
You guys had the bye week.
Speaker 5 (15:19):
And came back and everyone was, you know, this is
a new season starting in week fifteen. What changed after
the Eagles game?
Speaker 7 (15:31):
I believe we see we see what we was capable of.
Speaker 6 (15:33):
Like we battered all the best teams, and it was like,
all right, we got everybody best shot.
Speaker 7 (15:39):
So now it's time to turning up the notch.
Speaker 6 (15:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (15:41):
Going off of that, it hasn't been smooth all smooth
sailing this year. This team started out oh and two.
There have been highs and lows. How did all of
that forge this team to be ready for these big moments?
Speaker 6 (15:56):
I guess that's that's just how God had our season
to go. You know, ups and downs, but just have faith,
and I believe that's all we have. We kept depending
on faith, and now we're in the spot battling to
be on the road to.
Speaker 7 (16:08):
The super Bowl.
Speaker 5 (16:09):
Yeah, and to get to the super Bowl you have
to beat the best teams with the best quarterbacks. How's
the team feeling head into Buffalo this weekend?
Speaker 6 (16:17):
I feel like we are pushing every game the same way.
You know, as the still is the first playoff game.
We are pushing every game the same way. But it's
gonna have to be a level up each and every week.
Speaker 4 (16:29):
How does this team level up?
Speaker 7 (16:31):
I had to find our Sunday.
Speaker 5 (16:34):
You and Josh Allen were in the same draft class,
and you two were kind of considered the riskier quarterbacks.
It wasn't the traditional quarterback that this league has seen,
but we've seen everything you two have accomplished so far
in your young careers, and despite some passionate fan bases,
it has always seemed like you and Josh have a
mutual respect for each other.
Speaker 4 (16:55):
What's your relationship like with Josh Allen?
Speaker 6 (16:57):
I don't really have a relationship with him or any
other quarto you know in our class, but uh man,
he's just like what he does on what he does
on the field, It's like, it's how is he that
tall doing stuff like that? You know, a guy with
a strong arm making guys miss, slapping guys off him
like he a running back, and then he do it
(17:18):
with such a great pause about himself, you know, and
I believe any organization would want to quarter a back
like that.
Speaker 5 (17:24):
We talked before the interview started about the cold weather
and it's gonna be cold in Buffalo on Saturday night.
Speaker 4 (17:30):
How's this team been preparing for that this week?
Speaker 7 (17:33):
What today?
Speaker 6 (17:34):
We was indoors, but we kept we we know, we
had the gates and stuff open, so the cold was
definitely rushing in. But uh same same as last week
because it was pretty cold last week. Uh, but we
can kind of kneico to get us right our equipment.
Speaker 7 (17:47):
Guy Guy's would be.
Speaker 4 (17:48):
Good, Lamar.
Speaker 5 (17:50):
What has been the most enjoyable part of this season
for you?
Speaker 6 (17:56):
The most enjoyable part just saying my guys have so much,
says you know, whether it's individual guys just having reaching
their goals and just been around my guys, that's all.
Speaker 4 (18:07):
Have you had a favorite moment on or off the field?
Speaker 3 (18:11):
Uh?
Speaker 6 (18:13):
See on I had a few on on the field
when I'm when I seen uh Mark break the record
for the yard I mean the touchdowns, tight end Zay
getting a thousand yards, they're hearing breaking the breaking the
record with the Russian, just seeing him break all those
records and then Bateman getting like seven hundred yards this year,
Just sharing my guys just get get what they wanted
(18:35):
to get man, I'm and it's still more like I
feel like gods still have more to you know, they
wanted to reach, but just to see them get some
of it.
Speaker 7 (18:43):
Like I was just hype about that. I was hype
about those situations.
Speaker 6 (18:46):
And Dafe getting ten sacks. I was hype about that
because I've been talking to him.
Speaker 7 (18:50):
Yes, so that was dope seeing that.
Speaker 5 (18:52):
Yeah, what I mean, how do you celebrate those moments
with those guys? We've seen you on the bench. You
still seem very intense and very serious, locked into the game.
So how do you celebrate those milestones with your teammates?
Speaker 6 (19:04):
I feel like once we win, Like, once the game's over,
we won, celebration right there, Like who we celebrate withness win,
you know, all the accolades we all get individually, individually
and man, like.
Speaker 7 (19:17):
We make it happen this season, definitely have to celebrate.
Speaker 5 (19:20):
Okay, Well, Lamar, thank you so much for your time,
No problem, should I appreciate you.
Speaker 3 (19:24):
You're listening to the last podcast We're coming to you
from the Sea Geek studio. We also want to mention
Draft King Sportsbook. They're an official sports betting partner of
the Baltimore Ravens Draft Kings sportsbook, The Crown is Yours. Also,
don't fumble your safety. It's never smart to play around
train tracks. CSX remind you to be aware of railroad
tracks south of the stadium and remember to obey all
(19:45):
train crossing signals because trains don't take a time out.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
Does it count? Does Derrick Henry coming downhill on you?
Does that count as getting on the being on the
trailroad the railroad track?
Speaker 3 (19:55):
I know there's a lot of people that don't want
to be on the other end of that one.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
Get all those tracks too.
Speaker 3 (19:59):
Yeah, I think so. Just going back to Lamar, I mean,
in the conversation he had with Shelby, like a couple
things stand out. One of them is Derick Henry. And
when she asked him, like, what's different about the team,
that was the first thing that he pointed to was
Derrick Henry. And it's clear that Henry's influence on this
(20:19):
team is significant, both from lay hey it's great to
give him the ball and watching him run eighty five
yards on the first play of the game like he
did last time against Buffalo, but also I think his
mindset and the way it kind of brings a calm
about everybody.
Speaker 1 (20:32):
The way he carries himself, and that's been evident since
he first arrived, and he hasn't changed it all during season.
Speaker 2 (20:38):
He's the same guy all year long.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
And I think you know to a degree, he knowing
that you have that guy, that horse in the backfield
in cold weather games, in the playoffs, you know you
have a stud back there.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
It changes everything about this offense.
Speaker 1 (20:54):
And you know in the interview, Lamar doesn't want to
take away from the other running backs that have been here,
right the Ravens have.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
I've had very good running backs.
Speaker 1 (21:01):
JK.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
Dobbins.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
Had he not gotten hurt, who knows what he could
have become Gous, the bus beloved figure here, all that stuff,
Denny Derek Henry is a different cat, right And knowing
that you have that monster who nobody wants to see
coming downhill get off the tracks, like I said, right like,
having that weapon in the backfield is an absolute game
changer this time of year. And I've from a mentality standpoint,
(21:26):
I've been so impressed with just the way Derrick Henry
goes about his business every single day and keeping his
body right. I mean, think about all the hits he's
taken over the course of the year right and keeping
his body right and still running the way he is
hitting twenty one miles per hour. You know, like this
dude is a professional and he's just a monster, and
knowing you have that on your side in the playoffs
(21:46):
is a difference maker.
Speaker 3 (21:48):
I totally agree, And like the whole is going to
be cold, the whole notion of like turn to give
the ball to twenty seconds, that's real. That is real.
But I also think that Marlon Humphrey talked this week
about like the poise that he has and the way
he carries himself and how that kind of has a
calming effect on everybody. And I think that that's that's
real as well. Like when you get in these playoff
(22:08):
games and the stakes are high and the pressure is there,
and it's they're close games because both teams are really good,
and like there's just kind of a calm. I think
that comes from knowing that you have that in your
back pocket. You can give the ball to him and
he can generally get you a yard, ten yards, fifty yards.
Speaker 2 (22:29):
Yeah, it's not I think.
Speaker 1 (22:30):
I think to me, it's it's you know that he's
going to wear down on your opponent because that is
one hundred percent going to happen, right, And you also
know that he's going to break one at some point, right,
like like you could be trailing, things could not be
going right, and you're just like, just keep feeding that
guy and we're gonna pop one, you know, And like
(22:50):
I I can't. I don't know how many long touchdown
runs he's had this year, a lot, And it feels
like every game he's made, some had some big run
forty plus yard run. And that is comforting knowing that
you have that in your backfield.
Speaker 3 (23:07):
And when you it's easy for us to say it.
But when Lamargus asked, like, well, what's different about this
team and he points to Derrick Henry is like okay
that like he's aware of it, he's taking out Yeah.
Speaker 1 (23:16):
I mean, I go back to some of the free
agent signings that the Ravens made before they won the
Super Bowl. I go all the way back to two thousand.
I mean, you brought in Shennon Sharp, you brought in
Sam Adams, you brought in Rod Woodson before that team,
you know, as part of assembling that team, Like there's
a history of adding difference makers in free agency and
those guys getting you over the hump. I mean twenty twelve,
(23:38):
I'm trying to remember Burke. Matt Burke was a big addition.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
He was there, but he was there on the twenty
eleven team as well, So it wasn't like they didn't
have the marquee I guess free agent acquisition in twenty
twelve the way they did, but they had players that
were veterans that came in that like made a big
difference in that run, like in Ankwon Bolden, like Matt Burke,
who like veteran players who helped the team get over
the hump that had been here for a few years.
(24:02):
So there wasn't like.
Speaker 2 (24:03):
Yeah, I'm trying to think of a big one here.
Speaker 3 (24:05):
Honestly, was Corey Graham, who was a veteran player who
ended up being really important in that the visual round
of the playoffs, had two picks in that game, and
so he he had a really big posted in by
Kerby Jones. Of course, Jones was the other big free
agent acquisition. Yeah, but like different type of player in
the stages of their career. But like, but yeah, if
(24:25):
you're gonna I think the I think your points real,
like if you end up winning a Super Bowl, you
end up like signing these players in free agency that
you look back, you're like, wow, that was a massive signing.
That was huge, That was different.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
Saker, Derek Henry could go down as that guy totally.
I thought it was really cool to hear Lamar talking
to Shelby about what his highlights of the season were
this year, and it was just the records that his
teammates have gotten, right, Like, it's just so funny, you know,
Lamar breaks record after record at the end of the season.
It just felt like every single week I was writing
(24:56):
a story Lamar Jackson makes history.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
It was like, seriously every week.
Speaker 1 (25:00):
And and then you see his reactions on the bench, you know,
in our Ravens Wired segment and h He's always like, Okay, cool, Yeah,
that's that's that's great, you know.
Speaker 7 (25:12):
And but when it.
Speaker 1 (25:13):
Comes to his teammates and those guys getting the individual
honors and accolades that they were looking for and hoping for.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
Uh, it's cool to see Lamar really revel in that.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
And I think it's one of the reasons that his
teammates like him some much exactly think that he that's
genuine and players look at him, teamates look at him,
and that is a huge reason why he's so well
liked on this team. The other thing that stands out
to me two other points. One is man he is
still driven if he had any doubt, Like he's still
driven by coming so close last year when she's asked
(25:44):
about like the success of this team, and and he
points to it all started back in the spring, basically
being driven by being so close last year, and then
that carrying this team like that, that is still very
much a driver.
Speaker 1 (25:55):
And then well, and I hate to keep making these
Super Bowl comparisons, but I mean, gosh, the similarities between
twenty twelve in this year in terms of what you've
gone through to get to this point or are crazy?
Speaker 3 (26:06):
Right?
Speaker 1 (26:07):
I Mean, you lose in the AFC Championship to the
team that then was your nemesis, the Patriots. You losing
I'm sorry, the twenty eleven AFC Championship, and then you
got to come back and you got to slay them
again in their place. Like that's what it's setting up
to be, right. You're going up to Buffalo this year
similar to going out to Denver cold weather game against
a really good team, really good quarterback, got to slay
(26:27):
them in their place, got to beat all the giants
to get there. Yeah, it's kind of looking very similar.
Speaker 3 (26:32):
Yeah, there's a lot of similar through lines, and it
is interesting in the division round, like another cold game
against a great team for a great quarterback. You're like, Okay,
I've seen this story before. Hopefully it plays.
Speaker 2 (26:44):
How high can Lamar throw the ball?
Speaker 3 (26:46):
Yes? Seriously, yes, seriously, and so so I do think that,
like there's there's been driven by that. And even on
podium today, Lamar was asked about the last playoff game
in Buffalo, the twenty two twenty game where the Ravens
loss he threw that pick six and then and then
got a concussion and didn't finish the game, and like,
(27:06):
whether that's a driver. Before the reporter could even get
the question out of his mouth, he was like.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
Yeah, yeah, you bet your butt.
Speaker 3 (27:12):
Yeah, it definitely is. And he was like, that's all
I'm really going to say about that. He didn't want to.
He's seen the post that people bring up of that
that pick six, and he's like, I've seen that little
post that people put out there, and uh, but that's
really all I'm going to say about that, but it's
clear that he's driven by that game too, very very Chhich.
I didn't even realize he never talks about that game,
but it's clearly still fresh on his mind.
Speaker 7 (27:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:33):
Oh, I'm sure he remembers all of his playoff losses vividly,
and he's just the guy that is driven towards excellence
and those things sit with him and and I don't
think in a bad way. Like I also, at the
same time really sense from Lamar this kind of you know,
he talked last week about being antsy and all those things,
(27:55):
and I think he just wants to play the games
really really badly. That's where a lot of that antony
antsy comes from. But I sense a guy that is
just like also being patient and just really locked in
and not like I don't know, he's just a more
mature guy. And I think those experiences and the losses
in the playoffs before have made him more mature and
(28:16):
ready for whatever it's going to take to win in
these playoffs. I thought it was really interesting also hearing
about the mindset after that Eagles loss as the Ravens
went into their buy and how that's been a driver
and Lamar saying that after that Eagles game, everybody basically
was like, all right, we've seen the best of the
best around the league and we've gotten their best shots,
(28:37):
and we know what it's going to take to be
the best. And they beat a bunch of those teams.
They didn't win all of them, but they beat a
bunch of them. And then you had three games in
eleven days coming out of that and that whole stretch,
and the Ravens haven't lost the game since, and they've
kind of been like, you know what, if we play
our best game, we think we can beat everyone, and hey,
(28:58):
they're fixing to prove it.
Speaker 3 (29:00):
I feel like the Ravens came out of that bye
week in playoff mode and they were like, all right,
it's time for the playoffs. We are officially in the playoffs.
They start right now. And they've been playing that way
from a focus standpoint, and it's been going well obviously
for this team. So the last thing that stood out
to me in the conversation, like I thought, it's always
interesting whenever he goes up against a big time quarterback,
(29:20):
the connection between them people always ask about, and Lamar
is pretty honest. He even said on podium today, like, yeah,
I don't have I'm not friends with any of these quarterbacks.
Like we don't hang out in the offseason. Like I'm
cool with you if I see you in an event,
but like I'm not buddy buddy with you. I'm not
trying to laugh with you. I'm trying to beat you.
And so like when it's all said and done, maybe
we can be boys, but like not really now.
Speaker 1 (29:40):
He's like, when we're old, we can look back on
this and like laugh about it and all that stuff.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
But I ain't trying to laugh with you right now.
Like you see the competitor that Lamar is. He's like,
it's real. Yeah, it's very real.
Speaker 1 (29:51):
And you know it's different, like maybe there's a cornerback
or some defensive back that he knows from Florida, his
Florida roots, that's different, but like just some quarterback quarterbacks.
Speaker 2 (30:01):
He's like for the quarterback, yeah, I'm not no.
Speaker 3 (30:03):
And the hanging out with the other quarterbacks, yeah, like
that's not his thing. And like but I will say
with despite that, like I think there is a definite,
clear mutual respect that he and Josh Allen have for
each other. Like he talked about that. Josh Allen has
talked about that this week, and Lamar was pretty effusive
in his praise for Josh as well. So I think that,
like he looks at him, they're always gonna be lanked.
Both came out of the same draft class and so
(30:25):
there's like this mutual respect and admiration there. But I
don't think they're gonna be like getting dinner after the season.
Speaker 1 (30:30):
Yeah, that twenty eighteen draft class for quarterbacks is pretty
darn good, huh. In the first round all for of
those guys in the playoffs, Baker Mayfield, Yeah, Lamar Jackson,
Josh Allen, Sam Donald, I mean Sam Donald obviously, you
know he his mouth bounced.
Speaker 2 (30:43):
Around a little bit, but gosh, he had a good
year for the Vikings.
Speaker 1 (30:46):
Yeah, led them to the playoffs and Baker's resurgence so
pretty darn good.
Speaker 3 (30:50):
Yeah, totally. So it's gonna be fun. It's gonna be fun.
So we're gonna do our full preview podcast coming up
on Friday, So say tuned for that. Thank you so
much for listening. As always, you can email us at
the Lounge at Ravens dot NFL dot net. Thanks for listening.
We'll talk with you again soon.
Speaker 6 (31:07):
M
Welcome into Lounge presented by DraftKings. I'm Ryan Mink here
with Garrett Downing, and we are going to talk about
the biggest talking point this week, and that is the
Ravens Bills Lamar Jackson versus Josh Allen storyline that you know,
this is a matchup that you dream about in the
(00:24):
NFL playoffs. Two quarterbacks in their prime and at the
top of their game squaring off in a huge playoff
game for the right to play in the AFC Championship.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
It doesn't get any better than this, Garrett.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Yeah, this is what you want as a football fan,
and you hope that. I think a lot of football
fans are looking at these playoffs thinking like, this would
be awesome if these two teams, particularly with these two
quarterbacks who are playing so well, who are both chasing
their first Super Bowl, if they were to match up
like that's awesome, that would be great. And now we
get it, and this game has the making of what
a iconic NFL playoff matchup could be like when you're
(01:00):
in the NFL films twenty years from now and you're
looking back on the twenty twenty four to twenty twenty
five playoff run this game really could this could be
the centerpiece of that conversation. Potentially, We'll see how the
game goes. But with these two quarterbacks who are both
chasing that first ring, I think that that is something
that's just so exciting as a football fan.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
Yeah. Absolutely, And I think these two guys, the parallels
between them are are numerous. You know, I mean they
both come out in the twenty eighteen draft. There's big
questions about both of them. Josh Allen coming out of Wyoming,
You're like, all right, this is Wyoming here. You know,
he's got this huge arm, but can he kind of
dial it in? He's running, he's taking all kinds of
(01:41):
chances and all this stuff, Like, eh, can Josh Allen?
Can that work in the NFL? He is not your
traditional pocket passer.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
And then you have Lamar Jackson.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
Obviously all Ravens fans know all the questions about him
over his career and can that work it in the NFL?
Both guys, I can tell you spoil alert, it's working.
It's working. And you know, I think also just the
trajectory that they've had to get to this point, right,
Like both have had high individual honors they've won a
(02:12):
whole lot of games. They've elevated their teams to be
perennial contenders. These the Bills and the Ravens, that are
just they're in it every year, right, and yet they
haven't gotten over that hurdle, right, they haven't reached that
Super Bowl. So like this is just a huge game
for both of them. Who's going to kind of stomp
that narrative? Now, of course you don't get the super
Bowl by winning this game, but you give one step closer, right,
(02:33):
And and let's be frank about it, the top three
quarterbacks in the AFC have been pretty darn clear here.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Now for a while.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Mahomes, Well for Burrow, Burrow, and yeah, it's really four. Yeah,
I mean Mahomes, Lamar Burrow and Josh Allen. And to
have two of them square off in this way for
the right to move on and potentially likely face Mahomes,
it's pretty awesome.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Well.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
The other thing too, is these two quarterbacks are connected
and probably will be throughout their careers, particularly considering they
were drafted in the same class. But they've only played
one time in the playoffs, and so it's not like
there's a there's not really a rivalry that exists between
these two teams or these two quarterbacks, and in order
to have that type of billing, you need to have
(03:19):
big games against each other in the postseason. They've played
once in the playoffs. It was a twenty twenty season,
and neither of them put up big numbers in that game.
It was a crazy windy night in Buffalo and the
Bills ended up winning that. But so you have these
two quarterbacks who have basically made their team perennial playoff contenders,
but they've only matched up once in the playoffs in
their career. Both teams kind of have both the Bills
(03:43):
and the Ravens, and Allen and Lamar more so have
a rivalry with the Chiefs like towards the season, because
the Chiefs have been the one that have dominated the
AFC and has knocked out have knocked out both teams
from the postseason and crushing fashion in their own right.
And so I think that like more of that is
dire to Kansas City. But now you get these two
players who again are both searching for the same thing.
(04:04):
I actually was just watching before we started the Kelsey's
on their podcast. They had Lebron James on there and
they were talking about with Lebron this game and just
like the excitement, and you have basically Lebron and Jason
Kelcey and even Travis a little bit talking about the
excitement of seeing these players, these teams and quarterbacks face
off with each other and how they're like gushing over that.
(04:25):
So like these are the best. Well, I mean, there
are some of the best athletes in the world talking
about I can't wait to watch those guys, and I
think that everybody can feel that going to this game.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Yeah, absolutely, I think it's going to be electric, and
those quarterbacks are going to be obviously at the center
of it all, and how well they play will go
a very long way into dermoting who this winner is.
You know, whenever you ask Lamar about going the head
to head matchup against another quarterback, he's just crushed that
narrative throughout his career and he says, I'm playing against
(04:56):
their defense. I'm not playing against Josh Allen or you know,
Patrick Mahomes or whatnot. But the rest of us outside
you know that that is the kind of matchup that
will be talked about for a long long time. And
so I think that. Uh, it's interesting to hear how
Lamar thinks about this as well.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
Yeah, I think that like it. I think that that
mindset like serves him well in the game. And you're
not making it more than it is and you're not
going up against like the quarterback, and I think that
that helps the player. But from a fans standpoint of course,
So you're looking at this like Lamar, this is what
when you look at like big games, big big playoff games,
big championship type games, and really all sports like it's
(05:37):
billed as this. It's like when it's the Warriors against
the Cavs, it's Lebron vus Steph Curry, it's magic versus
Bird in the end.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Well, I think the players that are involved in it,
and part of the reason why they answer, why they
look at it that way and why they answer the
question is like literally, I mean Lamar so dialed in
on on the Bills and watching film of the Bills defense,
like he's not thinking about Josh Allen.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Yeah, probably much, if at all.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Right, he's an honest answer.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
I think it's an honest answer. Yeah, I honestly do.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Like, I don't think he's just like whatever, just poo
pooing it because he doesn't want to add to the
hype of that billing. Like I think he's honestly, like, look,
all my thoughts are on how to beat the Bills defense,
like not thinking about Josh Allen, but.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
He will have to outscore Josh Allen.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
Yeah. Well, and then the other factor this year is
like the MVP race. These two guys are going to
be one to two in the MVP race, and there's
been lots of opinions about that. And look, my honest
take is that I think Lamar has the edge there,
but I and I think that the AP indicates that
when they came out with the AP All Pro list
last week and Lamar is the first team quarterback, Josh
(06:40):
Allen's the second team quarterback. It's the same group of
voters that ultimately vote for the MVP Award. And so like,
I think Lamar has the edge there, but I think
that both players had terrific seasons. But I've got some
of them.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Let me just interject on that for one second.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
One of the silliest arguments that I think I've heard
out there is.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Like what valuable? How valuable you are to your team?
Are you kidding me.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
You're gonna act like Lamar Jackson isn't valuable to the Ravens.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Like take Lamar out of the equation and it all
falls apart. I mean, get out of here.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
It's like such an like value of such an abstract thing.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
That's just so silly.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
Yeah, he has Derrick Henry in the backfield. Dereck Henry's
been great A lot of it's just based on the
preseason expectations of what the Bills are going to be
because they lost Stefan Diggs and you know, so Josh
Allen has been working with a receiver corps without its star. Okay, Well,
the Bills also have one of the top three probably
offensive lines in the league. Right, and he has a
(07:36):
pretty darn good running back in his own right, James Cook.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
He hasn't had the season. Dereck Henry. He's not Dereck Henry, but.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
He's pretty darn good. He's got a first round tight
end in Dalton Kinkaid. He's got a high I think
it was like the first very high second round picking
Kean Coleman wide receiver.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
Oh, by the way, they traded for Amari Cooper heard
of him.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
He's got a Marii Cooper still like, I just think
that's a that's bunk.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
Yeah, I think I think that you can go back
and forth on this debate, and of course, like I'm
always going to go with like when I'm looking at this,
of course I think Lamar is leading the way there.
But here's some numbers just from from this year that
speaks to the excellent season. Lamar had passer rating yards
per past attempt, past touchdown percentage, touchdown to interception differential
(08:22):
drop drop back EPA, overall rushing yards per carry, average
quarterback rushing yards, and then passing plus rushing touchdowns. Lamar
is first alone or tied for first in all those categories, right.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
Oh, I mean there's no doubt that a statistical standpoint,
There's no doubt that from a statistical standpoint, Lamar Jackson's
been the best quarterback in the league this year, best
best player in the league this year, without a doubt.
It's just comes back to this whole what is valuable.
How you go turn on watch the watch the Ravens
Steelers playoff game and tell me how valuable Lamar was
(08:55):
in that game because he set up everything.
Speaker 3 (08:57):
Yeah, totally, totally, so and as I look at this, like,
I think Lamar, We've talked a lot about it over
the course of his career, and I feel like this
week and this playoff run is showing it. Like, I
just think that he has matured and learned from the
experiences and the discippointments of the past that like, all
(09:18):
of that has built him to this moment where I
just think that like approach wise, he's been he's been great,
and I think that that has helped him. Like, I
think the game against the Steelers was the best playoff
game that he's played. It definitely was like question right,
and so he that's the best he's ever played in
the playoffs and I don't think that that is going
to change. I think that he's just playing at that
(09:38):
level right now. I think that that's how good he's playing.
Oh yeah, everything has helped build to this point where
he is playing at his best in the playoffs when
the team needs him.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
I mean, if you look at the past month and
a half, I mean, all of Lamar Jackson's performances have
been awesome. I mean, he's got a he has a
collective score over that span of like ninety two PFF grade.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
Yeah, you know, so elite.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
He is playing at an elite level right now, and
Josh Allen is playing at an elite level right now
right extending plays, running, scoring, you know, touchdowns, throwing in
passing or throwing in running. I mean, he's playing an
extremely high level. So like all that and all my
valuable talk and the MVP case acidely just so everybody
(10:22):
knows out there, if Bill's Mafia is out there listening,
I think Josh Allen's awesome and he's having a great year,
and that's what makes this such an awesome game. You know,
you have two quarterbacks who are really good, who are
also at the top of their game.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Right So as we're.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
Talking about Lamar, we also want to hear from him,
and he sat down with Shelby Lasso for an interview
that we're going to use on Ravens Report and Ravens Wired,
and of course make sure that you're checking out Ravens
Wired every single week. We've got the full episode from
that game against the Steelers on our YouTube channel, dropped
Wednesday night, and it's just an awesome look at this team.
And again we're dropping those Wired episodes every week after
(10:58):
these games. So there's a lot of sitement, some really
cool stuff in there, so make sure you're checking out
Wired every week. But we wanted to play this conversation
with Lamar just so that you have a chance to
hear from him. Mate, we're talking about this, but we
also wanted to play this conversation with Lamar just so
you have a sense of his mindset and his approach
going into that game, going into this game. So here's
that conversation with Lamar.
Speaker 4 (11:18):
Hey, Lamar.
Speaker 5 (11:19):
So, it was a historic year for this offense, setting
franchise records, NFL records. How much have you seen this
team grow in year two under Todd Monkin.
Speaker 6 (11:30):
I've seen our team grow tremendously. Gods just joining in
and wanting to get better. It's like our chemistry hasn't
left really from last year. You know, some new auditions, love,
no additions here and there. But God just joined in
and he's like, man, we know what, we know how
close it was last year to Ben, you know, to
the ultimate goal.
Speaker 7 (11:50):
God just hit the ground running.
Speaker 4 (11:53):
One of your weapons.
Speaker 5 (11:54):
This year, Rashad Bateman set career highs and receiving yards
and receiving touchdowns scored his first post season touchdown last
weekend against the Steelers.
Speaker 4 (12:02):
And he's a guy.
Speaker 5 (12:04):
Who has been doubted by people, but you and this
organization have always believed in Bait. How rewarding was it
for you this season? It hasn't been for you to
sit back and see all the success that Bait's having.
Speaker 7 (12:16):
Man, To be honest, I'm sitting back and I'm enjoying.
Speaker 3 (12:18):
You know.
Speaker 6 (12:19):
I felt like throughout this whole season it has been
opportunities for him to have even more, you know, of
a breakout season.
Speaker 7 (12:25):
But you know, he's only one football on the field,
you know.
Speaker 6 (12:28):
But man, he's just a guy who's always stayed with it,
you know, a battle injuries early on, you know, but
always stayed with it, always was wanting to get better,
always wanted better himself. Doubt then and it's shown on
the field.
Speaker 5 (12:41):
And then Derrick Henry, Man, it would take the rest
of our interview time to list everything he accomplished this season.
Two touchdowns for nearly two hundred yards last weekend against
the Steelers. How does Derrick Henry change the postseason for
the Ravens.
Speaker 6 (12:56):
Man just his dynamic ability to run football. You know,
we had it a little bit last year, you know,
but we didn't have.
Speaker 7 (13:04):
A dere Hearrt.
Speaker 6 (13:04):
You know, we didn't have one of the top running
running backs of all time on our team last year.
But this year we have him, And like you said,
I can't even think about all the things he's done
this year and how he helped us in so many ways. Man,
from past game to just ability to run the ball, blocking,
you know, out the backfield. This man, it's been a
whole world with him being on our team. So it's
(13:26):
just great to have great to have.
Speaker 7 (13:28):
A guy like him.
Speaker 5 (13:29):
When you hand the ball off to twenty two, at
what point in the play do you realize, Yep, he's gone.
Speaker 6 (13:36):
Uh if he if he makes it to the secondary,
if he get past the linebackers in the secondary and
it's just one guy in front of him, I'm like, yeah,
that's probably six he gonna step for him a guy
And it's like it's hard to stop them still from
because he's like, you know what's gonna happen. It's like
it's gonna happen, Like you can't stop it, nothing can
help you.
Speaker 7 (13:54):
Like it's crazy. It's like when he gets to that secondary,
I know it's a touchdown too.
Speaker 5 (13:59):
This offense was so balanced this season, over four thousand
passing yards, over three thousand rushing yards. Twelve different offensive
players scored a touchdown for the Ravens this year. How
did that change the game for you?
Speaker 7 (14:15):
H How did it change the game for me? Man?
I don't know.
Speaker 6 (14:19):
I guess like you you you get better with age,
I say, you know, me just being in the system
another year and all the guys, well, a lot of
lot some of.
Speaker 7 (14:31):
Our guys came back.
Speaker 6 (14:33):
It was like, man, I feel like I go back
to the same same answers, Like we knew what we
had last year, and it's like on into this season.
Speaker 7 (14:41):
We got most of the guys back.
Speaker 6 (14:42):
It was like, we're gonna dial in and we're gonna
bust out behind and get back in the same situation
and hopefully turn out to be different.
Speaker 5 (14:49):
So what is different than this season making it to
the divisional round back to back years? What's different this year?
Speaker 7 (14:56):
We got Dereck Henry. We got Dereck Henry.
Speaker 6 (15:00):
And just just been in the system another year, you know,
just just a getting very familiar with the system, building
a chemistry along with it, and it's just helping all
the pieces just get together and work out well.
Speaker 5 (15:12):
It seems like post Eagles game was kind of a
gathering point for this team.
Speaker 4 (15:18):
You guys had the bye week.
Speaker 5 (15:19):
And came back and everyone was, you know, this is
a new season starting in week fifteen. What changed after
the Eagles game?
Speaker 7 (15:31):
I believe we see we see what we was capable of.
Speaker 6 (15:33):
Like we battered all the best teams, and it was like,
all right, we got everybody best shot.
Speaker 7 (15:39):
So now it's time to turning up the notch.
Speaker 6 (15:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (15:41):
Going off of that, it hasn't been smooth all smooth
sailing this year. This team started out oh and two.
There have been highs and lows. How did all of
that forge this team to be ready for these big moments?
Speaker 6 (15:56):
I guess that's that's just how God had our season
to go. You know, ups and downs, but just have faith,
and I believe that's all we have. We kept depending
on faith, and now we're in the spot battling to
be on the road to.
Speaker 7 (16:08):
The super Bowl.
Speaker 5 (16:09):
Yeah, and to get to the super Bowl you have
to beat the best teams with the best quarterbacks. How's
the team feeling head into Buffalo this weekend?
Speaker 6 (16:17):
I feel like we are pushing every game the same way.
You know, as the still is the first playoff game.
We are pushing every game the same way. But it's
gonna have to be a level up each and every week.
Speaker 4 (16:29):
How does this team level up?
Speaker 7 (16:31):
I had to find our Sunday.
Speaker 5 (16:34):
You and Josh Allen were in the same draft class,
and you two were kind of considered the riskier quarterbacks.
It wasn't the traditional quarterback that this league has seen,
but we've seen everything you two have accomplished so far
in your young careers, and despite some passionate fan bases,
it has always seemed like you and Josh have a
mutual respect for each other.
Speaker 4 (16:55):
What's your relationship like with Josh Allen?
Speaker 6 (16:57):
I don't really have a relationship with him or any
other quarto you know in our class, but uh man,
he's just like what he does on what he does
on the field, It's like, it's how is he that
tall doing stuff like that? You know, a guy with
a strong arm making guys miss, slapping guys off him
like he a running back, and then he do it
(17:18):
with such a great pause about himself, you know, and
I believe any organization would want to quarter a back
like that.
Speaker 5 (17:24):
We talked before the interview started about the cold weather
and it's gonna be cold in Buffalo on Saturday night.
Speaker 4 (17:30):
How's this team been preparing for that this week?
Speaker 7 (17:33):
What today?
Speaker 6 (17:34):
We was indoors, but we kept we we know, we
had the gates and stuff open, so the cold was
definitely rushing in. But uh same same as last week
because it was pretty cold last week. Uh, but we
can kind of kneico to get us right our equipment.
Speaker 7 (17:47):
Guy Guy's would be.
Speaker 4 (17:48):
Good, Lamar.
Speaker 5 (17:50):
What has been the most enjoyable part of this season
for you?
Speaker 6 (17:56):
The most enjoyable part just saying my guys have so much,
says you know, whether it's individual guys just having reaching
their goals and just been around my guys, that's all.
Speaker 4 (18:07):
Have you had a favorite moment on or off the field?
Speaker 3 (18:11):
Uh?
Speaker 6 (18:13):
See on I had a few on on the field
when I'm when I seen uh Mark break the record
for the yard I mean the touchdowns, tight end Zay
getting a thousand yards, they're hearing breaking the breaking the
record with the Russian, just seeing him break all those
records and then Bateman getting like seven hundred yards this year,
Just sharing my guys just get get what they wanted
(18:35):
to get man, I'm and it's still more like I
feel like gods still have more to you know, they
wanted to reach, but just to see them get some
of it.
Speaker 7 (18:43):
Like I was just hype about that. I was hype
about those situations.
Speaker 6 (18:46):
And Dafe getting ten sacks. I was hype about that
because I've been talking to him.
Speaker 7 (18:50):
Yes, so that was dope seeing that.
Speaker 5 (18:52):
Yeah, what I mean, how do you celebrate those moments
with those guys? We've seen you on the bench. You
still seem very intense and very serious, locked into the game.
So how do you celebrate those milestones with your teammates?
Speaker 6 (19:04):
I feel like once we win, Like, once the game's over,
we won, celebration right there, Like who we celebrate withness win,
you know, all the accolades we all get individually, individually
and man, like.
Speaker 7 (19:17):
We make it happen this season, definitely have to celebrate.
Speaker 5 (19:20):
Okay, Well, Lamar, thank you so much for your time,
No problem, should I appreciate you.
Speaker 3 (19:24):
You're listening to the last podcast We're coming to you
from the Sea Geek studio. We also want to mention
Draft King Sportsbook. They're an official sports betting partner of
the Baltimore Ravens Draft Kings sportsbook, The Crown is Yours. Also,
don't fumble your safety. It's never smart to play around
train tracks. CSX remind you to be aware of railroad
tracks south of the stadium and remember to obey all
(19:45):
train crossing signals because trains don't take a time out.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
Does it count? Does Derrick Henry coming downhill on you?
Does that count as getting on the being on the
trailroad the railroad track?
Speaker 3 (19:55):
I know there's a lot of people that don't want
to be on the other end of that one.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
Get all those tracks too.
Speaker 3 (19:59):
Yeah, I think so. Just going back to Lamar, I mean,
in the conversation he had with Shelby, like a couple
things stand out. One of them is Derick Henry. And
when she asked him, like, what's different about the team,
that was the first thing that he pointed to was
Derrick Henry. And it's clear that Henry's influence on this
(20:19):
team is significant, both from lay hey it's great to
give him the ball and watching him run eighty five
yards on the first play of the game like he
did last time against Buffalo, but also I think his
mindset and the way it kind of brings a calm
about everybody.
Speaker 1 (20:32):
The way he carries himself, and that's been evident since
he first arrived, and he hasn't changed it all during season.
Speaker 2 (20:38):
He's the same guy all year long.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
And I think you know to a degree, he knowing
that you have that guy, that horse in the backfield
in cold weather games, in the playoffs, you know you
have a stud back there.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
It changes everything about this offense.
Speaker 1 (20:54):
And you know in the interview, Lamar doesn't want to
take away from the other running backs that have been here,
right the Ravens have.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
I've had very good running backs.
Speaker 1 (21:01):
JK.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
Dobbins.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
Had he not gotten hurt, who knows what he could
have become Gous, the bus beloved figure here, all that stuff,
Denny Derek Henry is a different cat, right And knowing
that you have that monster who nobody wants to see
coming downhill get off the tracks, like I said, right like,
having that weapon in the backfield is an absolute game
changer this time of year. And I've from a mentality standpoint,
(21:26):
I've been so impressed with just the way Derrick Henry
goes about his business every single day and keeping his
body right. I mean, think about all the hits he's
taken over the course of the year right and keeping
his body right and still running the way he is
hitting twenty one miles per hour. You know, like this
dude is a professional and he's just a monster, and
knowing you have that on your side in the playoffs
(21:46):
is a difference maker.
Speaker 3 (21:48):
I totally agree, And like the whole is going to
be cold, the whole notion of like turn to give
the ball to twenty seconds, that's real. That is real.
But I also think that Marlon Humphrey talked this week
about like the poise that he has and the way
he carries himself and how that kind of has a
calming effect on everybody. And I think that that's that's
real as well. Like when you get in these playoff
(22:08):
games and the stakes are high and the pressure is there,
and it's they're close games because both teams are really good,
and like there's just kind of a calm. I think
that comes from knowing that you have that in your
back pocket. You can give the ball to him and
he can generally get you a yard, ten yards, fifty yards.
Speaker 2 (22:29):
Yeah, it's not I think.
Speaker 1 (22:30):
I think to me, it's it's you know that he's
going to wear down on your opponent because that is
one hundred percent going to happen, right, And you also
know that he's going to break one at some point, right,
like like you could be trailing, things could not be
going right, and you're just like, just keep feeding that
guy and we're gonna pop one, you know, And like
(22:50):
I I can't. I don't know how many long touchdown
runs he's had this year, a lot, And it feels
like every game he's made, some had some big run
forty plus yard run. And that is comforting knowing that
you have that in your backfield.
Speaker 3 (23:07):
And when you it's easy for us to say it.
But when Lamargus asked, like, well, what's different about this
team and he points to Derrick Henry is like okay
that like he's aware of it, he's taking out Yeah.
Speaker 1 (23:16):
I mean, I go back to some of the free
agent signings that the Ravens made before they won the
Super Bowl. I go all the way back to two thousand.
I mean, you brought in Shennon Sharp, you brought in
Sam Adams, you brought in Rod Woodson before that team,
you know, as part of assembling that team, Like there's
a history of adding difference makers in free agency and
those guys getting you over the hump. I mean twenty twelve,
(23:38):
I'm trying to remember Burke. Matt Burke was a big addition.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
He was there, but he was there on the twenty
eleven team as well, So it wasn't like they didn't
have the marquee I guess free agent acquisition in twenty
twelve the way they did, but they had players that
were veterans that came in that like made a big
difference in that run, like in Ankwon Bolden, like Matt Burke,
who like veteran players who helped the team get over
the hump that had been here for a few years.
(24:02):
So there wasn't like.
Speaker 2 (24:03):
Yeah, I'm trying to think of a big one here.
Speaker 3 (24:05):
Honestly, was Corey Graham, who was a veteran player who
ended up being really important in that the visual round
of the playoffs, had two picks in that game, and
so he he had a really big posted in by
Kerby Jones. Of course, Jones was the other big free
agent acquisition. Yeah, but like different type of player in
the stages of their career. But like, but yeah, if
(24:25):
you're gonna I think the I think your points real,
like if you end up winning a Super Bowl, you
end up like signing these players in free agency that
you look back, you're like, wow, that was a massive signing.
That was huge, That was different.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
Saker, Derek Henry could go down as that guy totally.
I thought it was really cool to hear Lamar talking
to Shelby about what his highlights of the season were
this year, and it was just the records that his
teammates have gotten, right, Like, it's just so funny, you know,
Lamar breaks record after record at the end of the season.
It just felt like every single week I was writing
(24:56):
a story Lamar Jackson makes history.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
It was like, seriously every week.
Speaker 1 (25:00):
And and then you see his reactions on the bench, you know,
in our Ravens Wired segment and h He's always like, Okay, cool, Yeah,
that's that's that's great, you know.
Speaker 7 (25:12):
And but when it.
Speaker 1 (25:13):
Comes to his teammates and those guys getting the individual
honors and accolades that they were looking for and hoping for.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
Uh, it's cool to see Lamar really revel in that.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
And I think it's one of the reasons that his
teammates like him some much exactly think that he that's
genuine and players look at him, teamates look at him,
and that is a huge reason why he's so well
liked on this team. The other thing that stands out
to me two other points. One is man he is
still driven if he had any doubt, Like he's still
driven by coming so close last year when she's asked
(25:44):
about like the success of this team, and and he
points to it all started back in the spring, basically
being driven by being so close last year, and then
that carrying this team like that, that is still very
much a driver.
Speaker 1 (25:55):
And then well, and I hate to keep making these
Super Bowl comparisons, but I mean, gosh, the similarities between
twenty twelve in this year in terms of what you've
gone through to get to this point or are crazy?
Speaker 3 (26:06):
Right?
Speaker 1 (26:07):
I Mean, you lose in the AFC Championship to the
team that then was your nemesis, the Patriots. You losing
I'm sorry, the twenty eleven AFC Championship, and then you
got to come back and you got to slay them
again in their place. Like that's what it's setting up
to be, right. You're going up to Buffalo this year
similar to going out to Denver cold weather game against
a really good team, really good quarterback, got to slay
(26:27):
them in their place, got to beat all the giants
to get there. Yeah, it's kind of looking very similar.
Speaker 3 (26:32):
Yeah, there's a lot of similar through lines, and it
is interesting in the division round, like another cold game
against a great team for a great quarterback. You're like, Okay,
I've seen this story before. Hopefully it plays.
Speaker 2 (26:44):
How high can Lamar throw the ball?
Speaker 3 (26:46):
Yes? Seriously, yes, seriously, and so so I do think that,
like there's there's been driven by that. And even on
podium today, Lamar was asked about the last playoff game
in Buffalo, the twenty two twenty game where the Ravens
loss he threw that pick six and then and then
got a concussion and didn't finish the game, and like,
(27:06):
whether that's a driver. Before the reporter could even get
the question out of his mouth, he was like.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
Yeah, yeah, you bet your butt.
Speaker 3 (27:12):
Yeah, it definitely is. And he was like, that's all
I'm really going to say about that. He didn't want to.
He's seen the post that people bring up of that
that pick six, and he's like, I've seen that little
post that people put out there, and uh, but that's
really all I'm going to say about that, but it's
clear that he's driven by that game too, very very Chhich.
I didn't even realize he never talks about that game,
but it's clearly still fresh on his mind.
Speaker 7 (27:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:33):
Oh, I'm sure he remembers all of his playoff losses vividly,
and he's just the guy that is driven towards excellence
and those things sit with him and and I don't
think in a bad way. Like I also, at the
same time really sense from Lamar this kind of you know,
he talked last week about being antsy and all those things,
(27:55):
and I think he just wants to play the games
really really badly. That's where a lot of that antony
antsy comes from. But I sense a guy that is
just like also being patient and just really locked in
and not like I don't know, he's just a more
mature guy. And I think those experiences and the losses
in the playoffs before have made him more mature and
(28:16):
ready for whatever it's going to take to win in
these playoffs. I thought it was really interesting also hearing
about the mindset after that Eagles loss as the Ravens
went into their buy and how that's been a driver
and Lamar saying that after that Eagles game, everybody basically
was like, all right, we've seen the best of the
best around the league and we've gotten their best shots,
(28:37):
and we know what it's going to take to be
the best. And they beat a bunch of those teams.
They didn't win all of them, but they beat a
bunch of them. And then you had three games in
eleven days coming out of that and that whole stretch,
and the Ravens haven't lost the game since, and they've
kind of been like, you know what, if we play
our best game, we think we can beat everyone, and hey,
(28:58):
they're fixing to prove it.
Speaker 3 (29:00):
I feel like the Ravens came out of that bye
week in playoff mode and they were like, all right,
it's time for the playoffs. We are officially in the playoffs.
They start right now. And they've been playing that way
from a focus standpoint, and it's been going well obviously
for this team. So the last thing that stood out
to me in the conversation, like I thought, it's always
interesting whenever he goes up against a big time quarterback,
(29:20):
the connection between them people always ask about, and Lamar
is pretty honest. He even said on podium today, like, yeah,
I don't have I'm not friends with any of these quarterbacks.
Like we don't hang out in the offseason. Like I'm
cool with you if I see you in an event,
but like I'm not buddy buddy with you. I'm not
trying to laugh with you. I'm trying to beat you.
And so like when it's all said and done, maybe
we can be boys, but like not really now.
Speaker 1 (29:40):
He's like, when we're old, we can look back on
this and like laugh about it and all that stuff.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
But I ain't trying to laugh with you right now.
Like you see the competitor that Lamar is. He's like,
it's real. Yeah, it's very real.
Speaker 1 (29:51):
And you know it's different, like maybe there's a cornerback
or some defensive back that he knows from Florida, his
Florida roots, that's different, but like just some quarterback quarterbacks.
Speaker 2 (30:01):
He's like for the quarterback, yeah, I'm not no.
Speaker 3 (30:03):
And the hanging out with the other quarterbacks, yeah, like
that's not his thing. And like but I will say
with despite that, like I think there is a definite,
clear mutual respect that he and Josh Allen have for
each other. Like he talked about that. Josh Allen has
talked about that this week, and Lamar was pretty effusive
in his praise for Josh as well. So I think that,
like he looks at him, they're always gonna be lanked.
Both came out of the same draft class and so
(30:25):
there's like this mutual respect and admiration there. But I
don't think they're gonna be like getting dinner after the season.
Speaker 1 (30:30):
Yeah, that twenty eighteen draft class for quarterbacks is pretty
darn good, huh. In the first round all for of
those guys in the playoffs, Baker Mayfield, Yeah, Lamar Jackson,
Josh Allen, Sam Donald, I mean Sam Donald obviously, you
know he his mouth bounced.
Speaker 2 (30:43):
Around a little bit, but gosh, he had a good
year for the Vikings.
Speaker 1 (30:46):
Yeah, led them to the playoffs and Baker's resurgence so
pretty darn good.
Speaker 3 (30:50):
Yeah, totally. So it's gonna be fun. It's gonna be fun.
So we're gonna do our full preview podcast coming up
on Friday, So say tuned for that. Thank you so
much for listening. As always, you can email us at
the Lounge at Ravens dot NFL dot net. Thanks for listening.
We'll talk with you again soon.
Speaker 6 (31:07):
M
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