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OPPOSITION TERRITORY: Eagles vs. Ravens, Week 13 Pregame Preview · The Philadelphia Sports Table | Philly Sports News & Views

0:00
Speaker 1: What's going on, everybody. It's Jeff here. I wanted to
0:02
Speaker 1: let you know. We recorded this Opposition Territory podcast and
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Speaker 1: Eagles preview show on Wednesday, November twenty seventh, twenty twenty four.
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Speaker 1: So by the time you hear this, some things may
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Speaker 1: have changed here or there, but we hope you enjoy
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Speaker 1: the show. Welcome to Opposition Territory here at the Philadelphia
0:33
Speaker 1: Sports Table podcast show, the longest running weekly Philly sports
0:36
Speaker 1: podcast show in the world, that's right over eleven and
0:39
Speaker 1: a half year strong. We've got a great discussion coming
0:42
Speaker 1: your way, as we always do here on this podcast platform,
0:45
Speaker 1: specifically this week, talking about this upcoming Eagles Ravens game.
0:50
Speaker 1: This is going to be, I think a very intriguing game,
0:54
Speaker 1: a fantastic game. We're gonna get into some of the
0:56
Speaker 1: details of what we're going to be seeing, but look too,
0:59
Speaker 1: amazing running in the NFL. Gonna be going head to head.
1:02
Speaker 1: Two really incredible quarterbacks are gonna be going head to
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Speaker 1: head this coming Sunday. And look, both of these teams
1:10
Speaker 1: are two of the better teams in the NFL. It's
1:14
Speaker 1: gonna be fun to see how this game ends this Sunday.
1:17
Speaker 1: But we're gonna preview it right now. Let's get to
1:20
Speaker 1: this great discussion joining us this week to get into
1:23
Speaker 1: what we're gonna see this coming Sunday, we have from
1:27
Speaker 1: the Baltimore Beatdown great SB Nations site Baltimore Beatdown dot Com.
1:31
Speaker 1: We've got the one and only Josh Reed. Hey you doing, buddy,
1:35
Speaker 1: I'm doing great, man.
1:35
Speaker 2: How you feeling.
1:36
Speaker 1: I'm feeling all right? I mean i'd like to where
1:38
Speaker 1: the Eagles season is going. It's been interesting to watch
1:40
Speaker 1: the Ravens season and where things have gone with them,
1:43
Speaker 1: for sure. And we got a lot of great topics
1:45
Speaker 1: we're gonna be getting into. But first, folks, real quick,
1:47
Speaker 1: if you're not following Josh on the Twitter slash x,
1:50
Speaker 1: he's a great, great follow at Josh Reid nine oh
1:53
Speaker 1: seven again at Josh Reid nine oh seven. Great great
1:56
Speaker 1: follow And yeah, let's get into this, buddy. Let's get
1:58
Speaker 1: into this because I think this is gonna be a
2:00
Speaker 1: real interesting game here this Sunday where you have two
2:03
Speaker 1: offenses who their identity is the rushing attack. Both Derek
2:08
Speaker 1: Henry and Saquon Barkley are the best running backs in
2:11
Speaker 1: the NFL, and we're gonna see a lot of trench
2:14
Speaker 1: warfare coming this Sunday. It's gonna be really interesting. But
2:18
Speaker 1: you know, I think sometimes we have seen and you
2:21
Speaker 1: certainly watched the Ravens more, which is why I have
2:23
Speaker 1: you on here want to talk about this. You've seen
2:25
Speaker 1: the Ravens at times kind of abandoned that run first
2:28
Speaker 1: philosophy and they become a bit unbalanced at times. Not
2:32
Speaker 1: a lot, but at times this does happen with the offense.
2:35
Speaker 1: Do you have any concern this could happen this week
2:37
Speaker 1: against a very prolific Eagles defense. What are your thoughts here?
2:42
Speaker 2: Well, I mean so, yeah, yeah, So there's two sides
2:44
Speaker 2: of this argument. Okay, there's the game flow part of
2:47
Speaker 2: it where people like I guess the Steelers, how does
2:49
Speaker 2: Derek currently not touch the ball on the fourth quarter? Well,
2:52
Speaker 2: he did touch the ball on the fourth quarter. He
2:53
Speaker 2: had a fifteen yard pick up on the screen, but
2:55
Speaker 2: it got negated by penalty, right. Penalties really is what
2:57
Speaker 2: killed the Ravens in that Steelers game. And really like
3:00
Speaker 2: kind of look at it from ten thousand foot view.
3:02
Speaker 2: They only had two drives in that game. You know,
3:04
Speaker 2: Steelers did a great job of holding on to the ball.
3:06
Speaker 2: The first draft they had. You know, it ends in
3:08
Speaker 2: that crazy pick by by Peyton Wilson that Lamar drops
3:12
Speaker 2: it in the bucket to Justice Hill and he happens
3:14
Speaker 2: to like le let the ball rip rip away from
3:17
Speaker 2: him before he tak hissed the ground. I thought he
3:19
Speaker 2: was down before Peyton Peyton Wilson got the ball out
3:22
Speaker 2: and they clear looked like his hip and his knee
3:23
Speaker 2: were down. But you know, it is what it is.
3:25
Speaker 2: And then then they didn't get the ball back again
3:27
Speaker 2: until it was that final drive where you can't really
3:30
Speaker 2: you know, you need your best pass catching, pass protecting
3:33
Speaker 2: back in on those situations that that that's not necessarily
3:35
Speaker 2: Derrick Henry. You know, you weren't in a position you
3:37
Speaker 2: were short on time. You needed to tie the game
3:39
Speaker 2: and get and get it and get a two point
3:41
Speaker 2: to force overtime, and they weren't able to do that.
3:44
Speaker 2: So you know, it is, it is what it is
3:46
Speaker 2: and there but I do agree that there are times where,
3:49
Speaker 2: like had the Ravens just established the run earlier, you know,
3:52
Speaker 2: because like I don't like games where Derek henrylyn which
3:55
Speaker 2: is the ball a handful of times in the first half.
3:57
Speaker 2: My old thing is like people, oh, Dereck Henry, you
3:59
Speaker 2: know he's a SECONDHD. No, he's not. If anybody is
4:01
Speaker 2: the second half back in this in this matchup, it's
4:05
Speaker 2: one suon. Just his second half rushing yards alone would
4:09
Speaker 2: be like think fourth most in the league as far
4:11
Speaker 2: as like is rushing totals, which is you know, crazy.
4:14
Speaker 2: But Dereck Henry is the kind of guy if you
4:15
Speaker 2: can get him going early. Not only is he a
4:17
Speaker 2: tone setter, but he kind of helps you dictate the
4:19
Speaker 2: pace of the game, which we saw on Monday night.
4:21
Speaker 2: So what the Ravens, like I tweeted out on Monday night,
4:24
Speaker 2: like after the Ravens first touchdown drive, look just Rinson
4:27
Speaker 2: repeating Ravens win. And that's what they did. You know,
4:29
Speaker 2: So like, if you get him going early, like you
4:31
Speaker 2: know I said, they like Lamar was kind of sailing
4:32
Speaker 2: some passes earlier in that game, you know, like, you know,
4:34
Speaker 2: you know what, let's lean on Derrick Henry. Let's do
4:36
Speaker 2: what we do best. You know, we brought this guy
4:38
Speaker 2: in here paying them eight million plus dollars. Let's you know,
4:40
Speaker 2: let's let let's give him a try to start out.
4:42
Speaker 2: You know, the Ravens were down what ten zero before
4:45
Speaker 2: they could blink, right, they were outscored like like it
4:47
Speaker 2: was like one hundred and twenty three to twenty in
4:50
Speaker 2: the first quarter. They just couldn't get out their own way.
4:52
Speaker 2: Penalties although that that leg what penalty on patrick O
4:54
Speaker 2: card was total bs. The guy was just trying to
4:57
Speaker 2: make a bock and he whipped on the block and
4:59
Speaker 2: he kind of rolled over and it's leg happened the
5:01
Speaker 2: grace of defender. How is that a leg web? I
5:03
Speaker 2: don't know. But at Torpedo the Ravens first drive and
5:06
Speaker 2: you know, penalties, penalties, penalties, right, But my whole thing
5:08
Speaker 2: is like take you can you can do a lot
5:11
Speaker 2: of of dictating the pace and like they kind of
5:13
Speaker 2: taking the officiating out of the game a little bit
5:15
Speaker 2: when you kind of keep things simple, right, a lot
5:17
Speaker 2: of times you're trying to do some of these more
5:18
Speaker 2: exotic things, dial up screens, r pos, you know, the
5:21
Speaker 2: rest really cracking down on that illegal man. As you
5:24
Speaker 2: guys know in Philadelphia, they're when it comes to RPOs,
5:26
Speaker 2: they're cracking down on an eligible if you're if you're
5:29
Speaker 2: caught loafing or kind of floating down field five yards
5:32
Speaker 2: before the ball is caught the rest cracking down in
5:34
Speaker 2: that hard.
5:35
Speaker 1: They're gonna get that called. Yeah, absolutely, yeah.
5:37
Speaker 2: Yeah, So that that's hurt the Ravens several times this year.
5:40
Speaker 2: And my whole thing is like this, don't even mess
5:43
Speaker 2: with that. Just give the ball to Derek.
5:44
Speaker 1: Henry man exactly the gap right, Let's just let.
5:48
Speaker 2: Him run again. That's what I'm saying. So if the
5:51
Speaker 2: Ravens just kind of rinse to repeat their for their
5:53
Speaker 2: winning formula for forgets the Chargers, and the Chargers had
5:55
Speaker 2: a really good run defense come I mean, they were
5:57
Speaker 2: the best scoring defense coming into that game. But what
6:00
Speaker 2: I tell people that, you know, like going against the Ravens,
6:02
Speaker 2: like you may have had the best run defense or
6:03
Speaker 2: the best this parts of the Ravens game, but you've
6:06
Speaker 2: ever faced an offense like this. We never faced the
6:08
Speaker 2: offense with with with two MVP candidates in the backfield
6:12
Speaker 2: like this. I mean, the Ravens have never had an
6:13
Speaker 2: offense like this. The yeah, that twenty nineteen nineteen offense
6:16
Speaker 2: was really prolifical, record breaking, but they didn't have Dereck Henry.
6:18
Speaker 2: You know, no dispect to mark Ingram. I mean, Derek
6:21
Speaker 2: Henry is a different beast man and the element that
6:22
Speaker 2: he brings to this off to this offense is just
6:25
Speaker 2: I mean unmatched. We haven't had anything like this since
6:27
Speaker 2: like Jamal Lewis in the early two thousands, right, And
6:30
Speaker 2: these guys are real game changer pays dictating game changing back.
6:33
Speaker 2: So as long as they kind of nse to repeat
6:35
Speaker 2: their formula for Monday Night where they kind of like
6:37
Speaker 2: get out of their own head to a little bit
6:38
Speaker 2: and kind of keep thing simple. Now, if you want
6:40
Speaker 2: to air things out a little bit towards the end
6:41
Speaker 2: of the half, towards end of the game when you
6:43
Speaker 2: need to, then by all means, but you know, for
6:45
Speaker 2: the most part, you're winning. Formula has been Derek Henry,
6:48
Speaker 2: Lamar Jackson, Derek Knry, Lamark Jackson. You Dereck Henry to
6:50
Speaker 2: set up to play action pass. You could open up
6:52
Speaker 2: the passing game a little bit more instead of the
6:54
Speaker 2: mark because sometimes the market is so amped up at
6:57
Speaker 2: the beginning of these games. He's trying to prove so
6:59
Speaker 2: so much. I mean, the guy's an elite passler. We
7:01
Speaker 2: know you're elite passer now, man, there's no need for
7:03
Speaker 2: you to kind of get amped up. He ends up
7:06
Speaker 2: sailing some over some open receivers at times because he's
7:09
Speaker 2: like so amped up. Settle him down, settle everybody else down.
7:13
Speaker 2: Run the boss they take because nobody wants to tackle
7:15
Speaker 2: Derek Henry in the first half, let alone the second half.
7:17
Speaker 1: Well, it's a great segue, Josh into the next topic,
7:21
Speaker 1: which is Lamar Jackson, because I mean, we're gonna be
7:24
Speaker 1: seeing two really, really great quarterbacks in Lamar Jackson Jalen
7:27
Speaker 1: Hurts facing each other on Sunday, and Lamar Jackson, as
7:30
Speaker 1: you were talking about. I mean, he's just he's performing
7:33
Speaker 1: at such a high level this year. It makes me
7:36
Speaker 1: nervous as an Eagles fan, even given the fact that
7:39
Speaker 1: the Eagles have the number one defense in the league.
7:41
Speaker 1: Right now, I'm still wondering, like, how have you seen
7:44
Speaker 1: Lamar Jackson continue to grow as a quarterback this season.
7:48
Speaker 1: He's no spring chicken at all, by the way. You know,
7:50
Speaker 1: he's been in the league now for quite some time.
7:52
Speaker 1: He is a veteran, but I think he is continuing
7:54
Speaker 1: to grow. What do you think we're gonna see from
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Speaker 1: him this coming Sunday.
7:57
Speaker 2: The crazy thing is Lamark Jackson only twice years old. Yeah,
8:00
Speaker 2: and he's still just now entering the prime. I mean,
8:03
Speaker 2: for the longest time we wondered what Lamar Jackson looked
8:06
Speaker 2: like in the modern night offense. We got a taste
8:08
Speaker 2: of that last year in the first year and a
8:09
Speaker 2: Todd Monkin and he won the second MVP right and
8:11
Speaker 2: people were like, oh, man, like, you know, this is
8:13
Speaker 2: the greatest we've ever seen Lamar. But people don't realize this.
8:16
Speaker 2: This is that was only the first year in a
8:18
Speaker 2: new offense. The first year in new offense, you're getting
8:20
Speaker 2: a jester. You're still not you know, you still have
8:21
Speaker 2: full ownership of the offense. This this this time around,
8:24
Speaker 2: Lamar is full ownership of the offense. I mean, that's
8:25
Speaker 2: his offense out there. He's calling checks, killed calling plays,
8:29
Speaker 2: diagnosing defenses and all that kind of stuff. I mean,
8:32
Speaker 2: he's really taking this game to another the next level
8:34
Speaker 2: as far as like from the cerebral part of the
8:36
Speaker 2: game and put that in with the more modernized offense
8:38
Speaker 2: with Todd Monkin man and and this when when this
8:41
Speaker 2: team doesn't get in their own way with penalties and
8:43
Speaker 2: stuff like that, I mean, they're a nonstoppable unit. And
8:47
Speaker 2: it starts, and it starts with Lamar he's the engine
8:48
Speaker 2: that makes that thing go. Him and Derreck Henry co piloting,
8:51
Speaker 2: but Lamar and man it is he opened up things
8:54
Speaker 2: for not just Dereck Henry before you know, receivers in
8:56
Speaker 2: the passing game and tight ends over the middle of
8:58
Speaker 2: the field. Every blade of grass has to be defended
9:00
Speaker 2: when Lamar Jackson's on the field because he could attack it,
9:02
Speaker 2: whether with his legs or by getting the ball to
9:05
Speaker 2: other people. And he's been even less reluctant to run
9:08
Speaker 2: this year, outside of in the first game of the
9:10
Speaker 2: season against the Chiefs where he was just trying to
9:12
Speaker 2: beat them so bad. Yeah, he's been real reluctant to
9:15
Speaker 2: run this year, sometimes to his own detriment. I mean,
9:17
Speaker 2: there have been times where we're like, dude, you're Lamar Jackson.
9:19
Speaker 2: You can be your own checkdown if the guy's not open,
9:21
Speaker 2: instead of trying to buy a time and all that
9:23
Speaker 2: kind of stuff. If you if you have all you
9:26
Speaker 2: need is like gail stayers and inch of daylight. It's
9:28
Speaker 2: all he needs. It's all he needs in daylight, and
9:30
Speaker 2: Lamar Jackson will go pick up five six stards and
9:31
Speaker 2: instead of being third and nine, third and eight, you
9:34
Speaker 2: got third and two or a first down. So I'd
9:36
Speaker 2: like to see Lamar, you know, like that not be
9:38
Speaker 2: as reluctant to take take off and scramble, like not
9:41
Speaker 2: just scramble to pass, but actually scramble to you know,
9:43
Speaker 2: pick up you know, positive yards. He's had so many
9:45
Speaker 2: sacks like of zero yards of him kind of waiting
9:48
Speaker 2: too long to leave the pocket and then trying to
9:49
Speaker 2: get some. But like when you have defenses that like
9:52
Speaker 2: the Steelers who are kind of used to playing you,
9:54
Speaker 2: they do a great job of keeping wrestling integrity and
9:56
Speaker 2: doing that cage rush where they can you know, contain
9:59
Speaker 2: guys like Lamar because you know, teams like the Steelers
10:01
Speaker 2: they know they're going to play Lamar Jackson twice a year,
10:03
Speaker 2: so they kind of formulate their defense and their game
10:05
Speaker 2: plans and their rosters really to try to you know,
10:08
Speaker 2: contain mobile quarterbacks. Yeah, so that's why they've been so
10:10
Speaker 2: good at like defending the guys like Jaydeon Daniels another
10:13
Speaker 2: mobile quarterbacks this year. As far as this this this
10:16
Speaker 2: Sunday goes Man, I mean, I think that both teams
10:18
Speaker 2: have the work cut out for him. But the Eagles,
10:20
Speaker 2: like I said, they haven't seen a quarterback with Lamar Jackson,
10:22
Speaker 2: you have to play Jenians. But as Mike Thomas said,
10:26
Speaker 2: hold on with the comparisons with to mister Jackson. That's
10:28
Speaker 2: mister Jackson over there. Okay, mister Jackson different beasts, you know,
10:31
Speaker 2: he's he's Jaydon Daniels five this year from now, not
10:34
Speaker 2: Jadon Daniels now right right, He's on the different level.
10:37
Speaker 1: Absolutely, he has been playing at a different level for sure.
10:40
Speaker 1: And it's gonna be interesting to see if the Eagles
10:41
Speaker 1: are gonna be able to from a defensive perspective, have
10:45
Speaker 1: any sort of contained with regard to Lamar Jackson in
10:48
Speaker 1: the pocket. If they do, then it's Eagles are relying
10:52
Speaker 1: on their linebackers and the Kobe Dean and Zach Bond
10:54
Speaker 1: to make sure he doesn't isn't getting those first downs.
10:57
Speaker 1: I don't know how successful Eagles defense is going to
10:59
Speaker 1: be with regard to that, because, like you said, Lamar
11:02
Speaker 1: Jackson just performing at a high, high level this year.
11:04
Speaker 1: But I want to move over to the defense right now, Josh,
11:07
Speaker 1: because like this past week, you know, Rokwan Smith being
11:10
Speaker 1: out of the line up, there were a lot of
11:12
Speaker 1: questions about how the defense can handle the Charger, especially
11:16
Speaker 1: on the road. But Malik Harrison, man, he was he
11:20
Speaker 1: was playing with some purpose as I was watching that game,
11:23
Speaker 1: and he just didn't seem to miss a beat. So
11:25
Speaker 1: I'm wondering as we're looking here to what is this
11:28
Speaker 1: week thirteen here coming up here? What does Malik Harrison
11:31
Speaker 1: actually bring to the table, to the defensive side of
11:35
Speaker 1: the ball. Even if and when Rokwan Smith does come back,
11:38
Speaker 1: can we see these guys really wreaking some havoc with
11:41
Speaker 1: regard to the Eagles offense.
11:43
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, Leeke Harrison was dumping on Monday night.
11:46
Speaker 2: I mean after that, the first the first drift kind
11:48
Speaker 2: of got me nervous, right, he was out of. He
11:50
Speaker 2: was out of. He didn't shoot some gaps and then
11:52
Speaker 2: led some big chunk runs by JK. Dobbins. But after that, man,
11:55
Speaker 2: they put the clamps down. He was leading the charge.
11:57
Speaker 2: How mean? He finished with the career high thirteen thirteen tackles,
12:00
Speaker 2: led the team most he's ever had since his rookie year.
12:02
Speaker 2: I think we gave his Rooki year when they played
12:04
Speaker 2: the Colts he had eleven tackles. Since then, he's been
12:06
Speaker 2: kind of a hybrid. But the cool thing about Malie
12:08
Speaker 2: Harrison is, like, you know, he's not just an off
12:10
Speaker 2: the ball linebacker. He's a guy so if you actually
12:13
Speaker 2: watch the game, he started the game at at outside linebackers.
12:15
Speaker 2: He's a guy that plays inside it and outside for
12:17
Speaker 2: the Ravens, So a lot of time he lines up
12:19
Speaker 2: as their outside linebacker on early downs because he's a
12:21
Speaker 2: great edge set against the run. So even even when
12:24
Speaker 2: Roqwan comes back, there's there's there're gonna be times where
12:27
Speaker 2: they're both on the field at the same time because
12:29
Speaker 2: Leak is a guy that can set the edge of
12:31
Speaker 2: early downs and then he can play off ball, on
12:33
Speaker 2: on on on later downs. Now, he's not as a
12:36
Speaker 2: depth and coverage as as you know as Roquan or
12:39
Speaker 2: even Tritton Simpson, but like he's he's still a guy
12:41
Speaker 2: that plays really physical downhill and he's gonna have a
12:44
Speaker 2: role in this defense no matter no matter who's in
12:46
Speaker 2: the lineup.
12:46
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's gonna be interesting to see if Rokwan is
12:49
Speaker 1: back this week. Do we know if he's going to
12:50
Speaker 1: be coming back. I mean, I know it's kind of early.
12:52
Speaker 1: It's midweek here Wednesday when we're recording this. Do you
12:55
Speaker 1: think he's gonna be back this Sunday.
12:57
Speaker 2: I mean there's definitely a chance. I mean he almost
12:58
Speaker 2: went on Monday night. The guy I was out there
13:00
Speaker 2: working at Hamstring. You kind of want to be more
13:03
Speaker 2: safe than sorry. So against the team like the Chargers,
13:05
Speaker 2: where yeah, they attacked the middle of the field and
13:07
Speaker 2: you kind of might you were a little bit nervous
13:09
Speaker 2: about Millie Harrison and coverage a little bit, you know,
13:12
Speaker 2: But I guess against the team like like like Philadelphia,
13:14
Speaker 2: who you know, to Jalen Hurts his credit. You know,
13:16
Speaker 2: he's he's great, great quarterback, and but you know he
13:18
Speaker 2: doesn't really pepper to the middle of the field as much.
13:20
Speaker 2: You know, I'd be a little bit more afraid of
13:22
Speaker 2: Dallas Goddard heading into this game had had had Jalen Hurts,
13:25
Speaker 2: you know, been a guy who likes targeting over the
13:27
Speaker 2: middle of the field. He's a guy like pushed the
13:28
Speaker 2: field down outside the ashts vertically. So I'd be a
13:31
Speaker 2: little bit more nervous if, you know, like God, I
13:34
Speaker 2: was more of a threat over the middle. And he's
13:35
Speaker 2: still gets he still gets his But I just think
13:38
Speaker 2: that Rokwan definitely has a chance to play. He almost
13:41
Speaker 2: played on Monday Night and he wasn't like he was
13:43
Speaker 2: limping around out there. He tried to give it a go,
13:45
Speaker 2: and they just rather be safe than sorry, especially with
13:47
Speaker 2: the bye week coming up next week.
13:48
Speaker 1: Absolutely, I think I think, I think we're gonna see
13:50
Speaker 1: Rokwan this coming uh this coming Sunday, for sure. But
13:53
Speaker 1: I still wanted to talk about this defense a little
13:55
Speaker 1: bit here with you, Josh, because when we look at
13:57
Speaker 1: this Ravens defense overall, certainly ups and downs throughout their
14:01
Speaker 1: performance on this season thus far, but you know, recently,
14:05
Speaker 1: I mean, I think they from what I've seen and
14:07
Speaker 1: been able to watch, they've certainly been making some positive strides,
14:11
Speaker 1: certainly against Chargers on Monday Night and then two weeks
14:13
Speaker 1: ago against the Steelers they really had this bend, but
14:17
Speaker 1: don't break performance and mentality where they were able to
14:20
Speaker 1: get it done. So, how how do you characterize where
14:23
Speaker 1: the defense is today from say, maybe back when they
14:27
Speaker 1: were in October where the defense was how do you
14:30
Speaker 1: characterize where the defense is today?
14:32
Speaker 2: So they they've made a couple of adjustments not just
14:34
Speaker 2: to the to the to the lineup, but also the
14:36
Speaker 2: coaching staff. So they brought in former Ravens defense coordinated
14:38
Speaker 2: to Dan ps who you know who who Zach Or
14:41
Speaker 2: kind of came into this league underneath, and he's helped
14:44
Speaker 2: them because Dean Piece. The thing has always been, but
14:46
Speaker 2: don't break right right being being peace was always like, yeah,
14:49
Speaker 2: you might be able to move the ball on this
14:50
Speaker 2: between the twenties where we're gonna clamp down on the
14:51
Speaker 2: red zone. We're gonna force you to kick field goals
14:53
Speaker 2: or turn you over. That's exact what the Ravens have
14:55
Speaker 2: been doing the past past two weeks. That in addition
14:58
Speaker 2: to the elevation of Various Washington into the starting lineup,
15:02
Speaker 2: and then that the essential benching of Marcus Williams, which
15:05
Speaker 2: is kind of sad because like a guy, Marcus Williams,
15:07
Speaker 2: he's been one of the better free safeties since he's
15:09
Speaker 2: been came into the league in twenty seventeen with the
15:11
Speaker 2: Saints and he was really the Ravens Prize free age
15:14
Speaker 2: in addition back in twenty twenty two, and then he
15:15
Speaker 2: had to hit the ground running with like three picks
15:18
Speaker 2: in his first four games, and then he struggled injuries
15:20
Speaker 2: that year and the struggled with injuries a little bit last year.
15:23
Speaker 2: With the Peck injury, but he's still kind of played.
15:25
Speaker 2: But this year he's been fully healthy, but in such
15:28
Speaker 2: a liability and coverage, whether it's miscommunication, blown assignments, mistackles,
15:33
Speaker 2: just just not being in the right spot. You know,
15:35
Speaker 2: they benched him a couple of times and then he's
15:37
Speaker 2: basically been even though he's been dressed, he's been all
15:39
Speaker 2: but a healthy scratched these past two weeks. And all
15:42
Speaker 2: that just to say that ar Darius Washington had formed
15:44
Speaker 2: un Jacksih Fraser twenty twenty one at the TCU. He's
15:47
Speaker 2: a guy that struggled injuries early on in his career,
15:50
Speaker 2: but every time he's played, he's played well. And for
15:52
Speaker 2: the most part he's been been like a backup safety
15:55
Speaker 2: last starting Nickel. But since the past two weeks they've
15:58
Speaker 2: had him started a deep after you alongside Kyle Hamilton,
16:02
Speaker 2: and that's just kind of solved all. I wouldn't say
16:04
Speaker 2: all the Ravens coverage issues, but it's it's brought us
16:08
Speaker 2: a modica of not a modica, a lot of stability
16:10
Speaker 2: and soundness. You're not seeing those blown coverages and miss
16:13
Speaker 2: as simons and miscommunication leading to guys running wide open
16:16
Speaker 2: in the middle of the field or down the field
16:18
Speaker 2: on the Ravens defense anymore, because Ardarius is communicating with guys,
16:21
Speaker 2: getting guys in the right position him Col Hamilton performed
16:24
Speaker 2: have formed quite the formidable safety deal back there. But
16:27
Speaker 2: that's really been the key to their defensive turnaround is
16:30
Speaker 2: the element the insert insert of Ardarius Washington and then
16:34
Speaker 2: Dean pieces influence on this defense overall. So they held
16:36
Speaker 2: the Steelers out of the end zone, held them the
16:39
Speaker 2: six field goals out of the end zone entirely after
16:42
Speaker 2: getting up the opening drive touchdown against the Chargers, they
16:45
Speaker 2: really clammed down and didn't let them in the end
16:47
Speaker 2: zone again until there was like forty six seconds left
16:49
Speaker 2: in the game. I mean to me, the Ravens won
16:51
Speaker 2: that game thirty thirty to sixteen. You know, if it
16:54
Speaker 2: wasn't for it wasn't for a tickie tack DP, I
16:57
Speaker 2: call on our third fourth string cornerback at that point,
17:01
Speaker 2: the Ravens that pulled most of their starters, right, So
17:03
Speaker 2: you got Jaillen Armer Davis, you know, getting called for
17:06
Speaker 2: a DPI the end zone. Put the ball at the
17:08
Speaker 2: one Gus Edwards plunges it into one yard and now
17:10
Speaker 2: the score looks like it's closer than actually was.
17:13
Speaker 3: The Ravens won.
17:13
Speaker 2: That the Ravens were in firm control of that Chargers game.
17:16
Speaker 2: And yeah, man, ur Darius Washington, he's a guy that
17:19
Speaker 2: they really put in his time and grinded elver came
17:21
Speaker 2: those injuries and he's playing the best football of his
17:23
Speaker 2: career right now. He really deserves it, and he's really
17:26
Speaker 2: kind of been the one to bring stability to the
17:28
Speaker 2: back end.
17:28
Speaker 1: We gotta keep our eyes on him for sure. Eagles
17:30
Speaker 1: Nation and again, folks, talking to Josh Reed from Baltimore
17:34
Speaker 1: Beatdown dot com. Great esp nations site. Josh and his
17:37
Speaker 1: colleagues do great work over there, and make sure you're
17:40
Speaker 1: following Josh on the Twitter slash x at Josh Reid
17:43
Speaker 1: nine seven. Great great follow And let's get to some
17:47
Speaker 1: matchups here, buddy, and what your thoughts are here, because
17:50
Speaker 1: we'd like to ask our opposition territory guests every week
17:53
Speaker 1: about their concerns, both from an offensive and defensive standpoint.
17:56
Speaker 1: So let's first start with what's your biggest concer earn
18:00
Speaker 1: with any of the Ravens offensive matchups against this Eagles
18:04
Speaker 1: defense against again, the number one defense in the league.
18:09
Speaker 1: What's your what's your biggest concern with the offensive matchups
18:13
Speaker 1: that the Ravens may have against the Seagles defense.
18:15
Speaker 2: So the biggest the biggest roadblock for the Ravens this
18:18
Speaker 2: year in games that they've lost, outside of self inflicted wounds,
18:22
Speaker 2: but especially early on, was dealing with the elite pass rushers,
18:25
Speaker 2: especially like like you know, like the week one was
18:27
Speaker 2: Chris Jones, he was reckon shop. You know, he was
18:30
Speaker 2: really taking advantage of the right sid the offensive line
18:32
Speaker 2: that was, you know, pretty much brand new. You got
18:34
Speaker 2: a first time starting right guard and Daniel Fole, and
18:37
Speaker 2: we were rotating right tackles at that point with Patrick
18:39
Speaker 2: McCarry and and rookie Roger rosen Garden. Now, since then,
18:42
Speaker 2: the Ravens offensive want to solidified. Rosen Gardens is the
18:45
Speaker 2: starting right tackle and McCarey's starting left left guard, and
18:48
Speaker 2: they've really been one of the better units in the league,
18:50
Speaker 2: both runn bocking and past walking. But as we've seen
18:53
Speaker 2: from time to time, when they go against an elite
18:55
Speaker 2: pass rusher, interior pass rusher, exterior pass rusher who kind
18:58
Speaker 2: of loop around do stunts like that, it can give
19:00
Speaker 2: there's some issues now Jalen Carter is public enemy number one.
19:03
Speaker 2: Ye man, I mean that that guy. He's really kind
19:04
Speaker 2: of been leading to charge for you guys, and he's been.
19:06
Speaker 2: He'll be double team a lot in this game too.
19:08
Speaker 2: Always he's gonna he's gonna see a lot of tyle
19:10
Speaker 2: nd Obaum and Daniel. I know he's gonna try to
19:12
Speaker 2: take advantage of a little bit he's been stepping up. Man,
19:15
Speaker 2: he's been. He's especially this pass giving it is the Chargers.
19:18
Speaker 2: He was the guy a lot of time the Raves
19:19
Speaker 2: were pulling to to spring Derreck Henry some of those
19:21
Speaker 2: big runs. I think it'll be an interesting matchup. I mean,
19:24
Speaker 2: jale Jalen Carter is a beast of an introduce at
19:26
Speaker 2: the tackle, but uh, DaLie Follo is three hundred and
19:29
Speaker 2: seventy pounds of mountain. So it's gonna be He's the guy.
19:33
Speaker 2: I'm really worried about most on that. On the Eagles defense.
19:36
Speaker 2: It sucks the Brandon Grahams out for you guys for
19:38
Speaker 2: the rest of the year, yes it does, but you
19:39
Speaker 2: still have some good pass rushers. I'm a big Josh
19:42
Speaker 2: sweat guy, and not just because my name is Josh.
19:43
Speaker 2: I just like like Josh Sweat, but yeah, you got
19:47
Speaker 2: no One Smith of the stud too. I'm not I'm
19:50
Speaker 2: not so much concerned about about the matchups on the
19:52
Speaker 2: edge more so than I am up up up the middle.
19:54
Speaker 2: This guy Jalen Carter can really wreck shot for you guys.
19:57
Speaker 2: Hit him. I guess Quentin Quin Quentin Quin on.
20:03
Speaker 1: The corner, the best corner, best rookie cornerback in the NFL. Yes,
20:08
Speaker 1: I mean they wakens no starts either. Now, yeah, I
20:11
Speaker 1: know maybe I'm a little biased.
20:14
Speaker 2: I do love you clean and he really kind of
20:16
Speaker 2: he clearly kind of screwed me a few weeks back
20:18
Speaker 2: by Terry McLaurin. I had Terry mclorran I on my
20:20
Speaker 2: fantasy team. Yeah, that was the only time Larry mclaur and, like,
20:24
Speaker 2: I don't think he had recorded a single catch in
20:26
Speaker 2: that game. It was. It was all that. But I'm
20:28
Speaker 2: not sure who Quinyon will be following this game or
20:30
Speaker 2: lined up with this game, but there's there'll definitely some
20:33
Speaker 2: interesting matches between him and Jay Flowers. And I mean
20:35
Speaker 2: the Ravens really have some route running technicians in the
20:37
Speaker 2: in their on their U Between Jay Flowers and Rosade Bateman,
20:41
Speaker 2: and and Deantony Johnson, who hasn't really found his footing
20:43
Speaker 2: in office just yet. He's a guy we all know
20:45
Speaker 2: they can get separation the drop of the dime. So
20:46
Speaker 2: the Ravens have some guys that can separate and they'll
20:48
Speaker 2: definitely be challenging those Eagles corners.
20:50
Speaker 1: Flip side of the coin here, biggest concern with any
20:53
Speaker 1: of the Ravens defensive matchups going against this Eagles offense.
20:57
Speaker 1: What are your thoughts here?
20:59
Speaker 2: By far? It is Brandon Stevens on AJ Brown. Oh man,
21:04
Speaker 2: it's been been keeping me up on night. Brandon Stevens
21:07
Speaker 2: was so good last year, man, so good at contesting
21:10
Speaker 2: balls and not not a long did' a lot a
21:12
Speaker 2: single touchdown until I believe this their second match up
21:14
Speaker 2: against the Bengals on Thursday night last year and then
21:17
Speaker 2: this year. Man, I mean, the guy is still actually
21:20
Speaker 2: in coverage, but he just can't find the ball.
21:22
Speaker 3: He just can't find the ball all the time. And
21:26
Speaker 3: he's the he's the best to get. If you throw
21:28
Speaker 3: it up, that guy's coming down with it nine times
21:29
Speaker 3: out of ten. So that that matchup in particular, now,
21:33
Speaker 3: what now, what gives me some saving grace is is that,
21:35
Speaker 3: you know, since they just the Ravens acquired Tredrevius White
21:38
Speaker 3: from from the Los Angeles Rams, he's been playing more
21:40
Speaker 3: and more on the outside and kind of splitting some
21:42
Speaker 3: of those reps with Brandon Stevens and kind of long
21:44
Speaker 3: Stevens a kind of because Stevens was he came into
21:46
Speaker 3: the league as actually as a free safety, so he
21:48
Speaker 3: can play multiple spots in the Ravens defense. But just
21:52
Speaker 3: him on the outside against a J. Brown, He's be nightmares.
21:55
Speaker 2: Man. I mean, I've seen so many times when Randy
21:57
Speaker 2: Stevens has been in position and I know he's gonna
22:00
Speaker 2: cover a J. Brown tod, I know he's gonna be
22:01
Speaker 2: in the hip hoocket the entire time. But when the
22:03
Speaker 2: ball is in the air and it's got the catch point,
22:05
Speaker 2: the guy just, I don't know, he just he just
22:08
Speaker 2: loses it. I don't I don't understand what's that. But
22:11
Speaker 2: I'd love to see more of a rotation of him
22:13
Speaker 2: and your David White, especially on because Ravens don't don't
22:15
Speaker 2: they don't switch like, they don't move their corners around.
22:19
Speaker 2: They don't have the number one guy to follow their
22:21
Speaker 2: one moree guy. So as much as I'd like to
22:23
Speaker 2: see Marlon Humphrey versus AJ Brown exclusively. I know it's
22:26
Speaker 2: not gonna happen.
22:26
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, I know.
22:28
Speaker 2: I know that whenever A J. Brown lines up on
22:29
Speaker 2: the offensive left side and then the Ravens right side
22:32
Speaker 2: of the defense, that's gonna be him and Brandon Stephens
22:33
Speaker 2: from time to time. I just hope to God that
22:36
Speaker 2: that Jayla Hurst doesn't throw it there. But I know
22:38
Speaker 2: he's gonna throw it there because everybody's meant Because Brandon
22:40
Speaker 2: Stevens is the most targeted quarterback in the league this year,
22:42
Speaker 2: I know he's gonna test them. Oh I got twenty
22:44
Speaker 2: one on eleven. Yeah, I'm gonna try that, so I
22:46
Speaker 2: know it's gonna happen. I just hope that the Ravens
22:48
Speaker 2: are the position, you know that to I hope they
22:50
Speaker 2: double A J. Brown as much as possible. I'm not
22:53
Speaker 2: sure Devonte Smith is gonna be playing in this one
22:55
Speaker 2: or not, but AJ Brown public and number one him
22:58
Speaker 2: resus Vanda Stevens might be might might tilt to tilt
23:01
Speaker 2: tilt this game.
23:02
Speaker 1: I tell you, Josh, you're helping solidify where I may
23:04
Speaker 1: put some money down this week in terms of a J.
23:07
Speaker 1: Brown stats for sure, and my fandel, I'll tell you that.
23:10
Speaker 1: But buddy, before I let you leave, we always ask
23:13
Speaker 1: our guests on our opposition territory pods about, you know,
23:16
Speaker 1: some sneaky players for US Eagles fans to watch out for,
23:20
Speaker 1: uh on the on these preview shows. So let's start
23:22
Speaker 1: off with who's a sneaky player for US Eagles fans
23:26
Speaker 1: keep our eyes on with regard to this Ravens offense?
23:29
Speaker 1: Who do you think that is?
23:31
Speaker 2: I mean, it's like a couple of guys I got
23:33
Speaker 2: in mind, right, so I'm really there. There their backup
23:35
Speaker 2: running backs between Justice Hill and Keaton Mitchell. Now Justice
23:38
Speaker 2: people got a little flashy with Justice Hill this past
23:40
Speaker 2: Sunday with his fifty one yard touchdown. But he's a
23:43
Speaker 2: guy that's really been a great compliment to Derek Henry
23:45
Speaker 2: all season.
23:46
Speaker 1: He's been a great change of pace back. He really is.
23:49
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, and where he makes his bones the
23:51
Speaker 2: best is really those too many situations in past protection.
23:54
Speaker 2: I mean there are times he's saw on guys off
23:56
Speaker 2: at the knees man in fast protection, just blown dudes up.
23:59
Speaker 2: So you can send you're Zack Bonds here and the
24:01
Speaker 2: Klobe Deans, but the forty three is in that game,
24:03
Speaker 2: he's gonna stone wall him. He's ei gonna stone all
24:04
Speaker 2: him or cut him off at the knees and by
24:06
Speaker 2: Lamar Jackson the next second, he needs to deliver the
24:09
Speaker 2: ball over the top of their heads. So a guy
24:11
Speaker 2: like Justice Hill then Keith Mitchell, wo's the guy who's
24:13
Speaker 2: he was a spark clug for the Ravens last years
24:15
Speaker 2: as an undrafted rookie coming out of ACU. But you
24:18
Speaker 2: know towards a cl and week. I think it was
24:20
Speaker 2: like a Week eleven or Week sixteen last year against
24:22
Speaker 2: the Jags, the kind of slow playing in the past
24:24
Speaker 2: few get he didn't even get a single offensive snap
24:27
Speaker 2: this past game. He had two of the week prior
24:29
Speaker 2: and to the prior before that. But he's primarily been
24:31
Speaker 2: used as a kick returner. He's been back, but this
24:33
Speaker 2: might be the week that he might finally get some carries.
24:35
Speaker 2: And he's a guy that I mean he that guy
24:38
Speaker 2: is a is a rocket man. He's he's super fast
24:40
Speaker 2: and I'm not sure if he's like has his speed
24:42
Speaker 2: all the way back and he's done some interviews we
24:43
Speaker 2: say he feels faster, then he has prior to the injury.
24:46
Speaker 2: But everybody who gets injured says that, right. He's a
24:48
Speaker 2: guy that he doesn't he doesn't need. He's not a
24:51
Speaker 2: Derek Henry where he needs, you know, to get several
24:53
Speaker 2: carries to get going. Keith Mitchell is the kind of
24:55
Speaker 2: guy if you get him on the edge and he
24:56
Speaker 2: has a pretty good contact bound for somebody who's underside.
24:58
Speaker 2: But he's a guy that you give him the ball one, two,
25:00
Speaker 2: three times, he can rip off for fifty yards, sixty yards,
25:03
Speaker 2: seventy five yarder. He's a guy. I'd love to see
25:05
Speaker 2: the Ravens get going more here down the stretch, maybe
25:07
Speaker 2: starting this week. But him and Justice Hill especially, man,
25:10
Speaker 2: those those two backup running backs. I know it's gonna
25:11
Speaker 2: be Deack Henry Saquan show, but the Raves backup running
25:14
Speaker 2: back can play vital role in them coming on top
25:15
Speaker 2: of this game.
25:16
Speaker 1: All right. And finally sneaky player for us to look
25:19
Speaker 1: out for on the Ravens defense. Who do you think
25:21
Speaker 1: that is?
25:23
Speaker 2: Oh, we're gonna talk about trench warfriend. Man, We're gonna
25:25
Speaker 2: see some some trench warfare now, I no nomine bad
25:27
Speaker 2: a k is the start of the show. For the
25:28
Speaker 2: Ravens and interior. You know, you know Pro Bowler, the
25:31
Speaker 2: second team All Pro last year. But Travis Jones, Man,
25:34
Speaker 2: when this dude is healthy, and he's had ankle injury
25:36
Speaker 2: bother him a little bit this year, but when he's
25:38
Speaker 2: just too his healthy, he is a people mover. Yeah,
25:42
Speaker 2: and he's a people mover, and he's the kind of
25:44
Speaker 2: guy that can just ragged all any offensive line he
25:46
Speaker 2: goes against. I mean, Zion Johnson from the Chargers. I mean,
25:49
Speaker 2: that guy probably has nightmares about what Travis Jones does
25:51
Speaker 2: on the regular basis. He's so strong, man, He's so strong.
25:54
Speaker 2: He can play so many different spots for the Ravens
25:56
Speaker 2: along the interior. So the battles between him and Lanard
25:59
Speaker 2: Dickinson and Jurgens, they're gonna they're gonna be great, man,
26:02
Speaker 2: They're gonna be epic, and I can't wait to see that.
26:04
Speaker 2: But Travis Jones is definitely a guy who can collapse
26:06
Speaker 2: that pocket on Jalen Hurts and make him because we
26:08
Speaker 2: all know Jalen Hurts like to run, likes the rollout
26:10
Speaker 2: to his right. Yeah, you know, so like like and
26:12
Speaker 2: if you do that, the Ravens have the kind of
26:14
Speaker 2: edd setters. We'll have to linch a guy like Kylvin Noy.
26:16
Speaker 2: He's great as far as the wrestling integrity and keeping
26:19
Speaker 2: guys from you know, getting around around the edge. So
26:20
Speaker 2: the Ravens have some good, great ed setters, and they
26:23
Speaker 2: have some great interior pass rushers that can really flush
26:25
Speaker 2: quarterbacks out of pocket with no nom be bad at
26:27
Speaker 2: Bking Travis Jones, Man, he's gonna be He's gonna be
26:29
Speaker 2: a guy to watch.
26:30
Speaker 1: All right, sounds good. I gotta tell you, I have
26:33
Speaker 1: been waiting for this matchup all season long. Folks. It
26:37
Speaker 1: is almost here and uh again, it is great to
26:40
Speaker 1: be able to talk to you Josh about this matchup
26:43
Speaker 1: and what we may see. Uh, buddy, it has been
26:46
Speaker 1: great talking to you. I love talking more NFL love
26:48
Speaker 1: talking more. Ravens. Talk with you at some point down
26:50
Speaker 1: the road. Come back and join us, my friend.
26:53
Speaker 2: Yeah, man, lovely the Battle of the Birds, Man, Battle
26:55
Speaker 2: of the Bird's. We be gonna see who comes out
26:56
Speaker 2: on top of Sunday.
26:58
Speaker 1: That's gonna do it for us here on Opposition Territory
27:01
Speaker 1: this week. Please share our podcast with your friends and
27:04
Speaker 1: family members who are Philly sports fans or sports fans
27:07
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27:10
Speaker 1: of this online community with us and within this space.
27:14
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27:17
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27:20
Speaker 1: our social sites. You can follow the show on Twitter
27:23
Speaker 1: at Philadelphia PST, on threads at Philadelphia Sports Table, and
27:27
Speaker 1: over on Instagram as well at Philadelphia Sports Table. Take care,
27:31
Speaker 1: we will catch you next Tad