SUNDAY HOT TAKES: For Those at The End of The Bar

Take The Bate

From the moment I first observed Rashod Bateman on the practice field in 2021, it was hard not to be impressed. He ran razor sharp routes; accelerated out of breaks to create separation; possessed a level of suddenness that left defenders a bit unsure; and when the ball hit Bateman’s hands – the sound was like that of a basketball plunging through the nylon chords attached to the rim, only the net had no opening. “Maybe”, I thought, “the Ravens got it right with Bateman”.

But then injuries got in the way. The time and work invested to develop chemistry with Lamar Jackson was derailed. Confidence in Bateman weaned while criticisms grew. Despite it all, 2024 looked like it might be time for a healthy Bateman to shine after he signed a team friendly contract extension which represented a commitment by Rashod and the Ravens organization to work through the doubt, to overcome the obstacles that impeded the talented receiver’s path to success.

There have been signs that the brass ring representing success was within reach. And then Cleveland happened. Catchable passes bounced off the hands of Bateman and even more embarrassingly, his face. To his credit though, he continues to fight through the adversity and seemingly, his All-World quarterback has maintained a level of faith in Bateman that suggests sunny skies lie in wait for this pitch-and-catch tandem.

During Week 10 against the Bengals during key moments in the game, Lamar looked to Bateman to make a play. And he did, including this eventual game winner on 3rd-and-goal from the 5-yard line. Bate’s gift to separate was on full display. Perhaps this day at the office represents the turning point we all waited for, that we all hoped would happen for 2021 first-round pick Rashod Bateman.

pic.twitter.com/6PIVSIJVis

— (@SimplyAS10) November 9, 2024

Zebra Zealots

Here’s something you won’t hear said anywhere in America: “NFL officiating is good!” What you will hear from John Harbaugh’s men at the end of the bar and beside water coolers across the country is that the men dressed as zebras who litter NFL fields are flat out awful. And their inadequacies inevitably are on full display during pivotal moments in tightly contested games. Thursday night was no exception.

Clete Blakeman’s crew missed calls for both the Ravens and Bengals and the officiating gaffes were spread equally between the teams. But the ones we’ll remember most, particularly Bengals fans, are the missed calls at the very end of the game when the Bengals opted to go for two to earn the all-important divisional win on the road. Despite defensive holding, despite Joe Burrow getting knocked in the noggin, the failed two-point attempt stood, and the Ravens were (7-3).

But what will be overlooked, is the fact that the Bengals should never have been in position to tie the game. Down 35-28, the Bengals faced a 4th-and-10 from their own 30-yard line. Burrow connected with Andrei Iosivas on a crosser that after a review, gave the Bengals a new set of downs at the 40 with 1:15 to go in the game.

The play was reviewed to make sure the spot on the field was correct. But it was unconscionable that the pass wasn’t ruled incomplete. Clearly, Iosivas never completed the catch. See for yourself in the video clip below. The game, for all intents and purposes should have ended right there and all the succeeding drama should never have unfolded. But it did thanks to yet another officiating blunder.

Commissioner Roger Goodell often goes off on his “fan experience” tangents and how the NFL is always looking to heighten it. Just more lip service from a snake oil salesman who cares nothing about the fan experience other than how to take an extra dollar out of their pocket.

Refs currently reviewing if this catch was a 1st down or not. #CINvsBAL pic.twitter.com/T0oolV4viP

— Rate the Refs App (@Rate_the_Refs) November 8, 2024

A Good Soldier

When Tylan Wallace came out of college as a 2021 fourth-round pick from Oklahoma State, the NFL.com scouting report on the Fort Worth, TX native went like this:

“Wallace is slightly undersized as an outside receiver, but has the swagger, toughness and ball skills to get the job done. He’s a crisp route runner with the ability to handle more complicated patterns with good fluidity in his transitions to separate. His initial upfield charge is just average and big press corners have some success detouring his scheduled departure. He will be at his best on the second and third levels. His leaping, focus and timing make him a likely candidate to continue winning downfield jump balls as a pro. Wallace’s competitive nature has helped create a history of making big plays on big stages and he has the skill level and mental makeup to become a good starter as a plus WR2.”

Things probably haven’t gone the way Wallace had hoped. Now in his fourth NFL season, the former OSU Cowboy has just 12 career catches for 213 yards, 115 of those yards courtesy of a Thursday night breakout game including this 84-yard catch-and-run TD, his first NFL receiving tuddy. Just listen to the roar of the crowd.

The Bank was so loud when this happened bro so glad i seen it in person pic.twitter.com/VKhvmsxpAL

— ð™•ð™–ð™˜ð™® (@NewEraZach) November 8, 2024

Tylan is in the final year of his four-year rookie contract that pays $4.2M, $1.055M this season. He’s never wavered from his commitment to the team. Once a first-team All American, he was drafted by an organization where the careers of many receivers have gone to die. Wallace will be a free agent in 2025.

Wallace was the guy at OSU. He was a star in peewee leagues. A star in high school. To not be given the stage on a regular basis to be that star again and still put in the work, to still grind it out, to still put the team first, takes a special kind of person. Tylan’s teammates know. Here’s what they had to say about Wallace’s 84-yard catch and run TD.

“[Tylan Wallace] is just a dawg. He’s a dawg, and he makes big-time plays. Tylan doesn’t get a lot of love, but he should. He makes big-time plays, and he comes in clutch. That was just an amazing play; that’s all there is to it.” ~ Mark Andrews

“It felt good. Not even just myself – a lot of these guys put in countless hours just to feel that, and you never know when you’ll feel it again. To see Tylan [Wallace] go out there and have a career game – I love [stuff] like that. He works his [butt] off – he really does, so it feels good to see.” ~ Rashod Bateman

“Yes, Tylan [Wallace] too. He can do it all. Just last year, he did a walk-off punt return for us, and it was on the same sideline, and it was in purple. So, I believe it’s just his little magic uniform. He comes through when the lights are on [in] primetime. Shoutout to Tylan [Wallace] because that was wonderful. [That’s his] first 100-yard game. It’s great; he deserves it.” ~ Lamar Jackson

Like his teammates, Tylan was also asked about his electrifying catch-and-run:

“I’ve always been happy to be able to make a difference for the team, make a difference in the game, so to be able to do something like that [for] the first time in my career, it feels awesome. I feel like I’ve always known I’ve been able to make plays like that; it’s just waiting for the right moment to be able show everybody else.”

Every team needs good soldiers like Tylan. Hopefully, this soon-to-be free agent will stick around in Charm City and experience more moments like he did on Thursday. He deserves it.

[Related Article: Travis Jones Makes a Difference]

The Ambassador Quan

We’ve discussed it on these pages before – Roquan Smith just isn’t the same. So many times since his arrival in Baltimore, Roquan has been a big contributor to the Ravens’ success. He had swagger. He was excited about wearing the purple and black. He was having fun.

The swagger, the excitement and the joy are seemingly gone along with his Pro Bowl skillset. But 27-year-old linebackers with talents like Roquan’s just don’t watch their careers fall off a cliff unless there’s some extenuating circumstance undermining said career. And with Smith, I think he’s hurt. I think he’s playing hurt to do his best to help the team but playing at less than 100% is having the opposite effect. A major defensive weapon just a few months ago has morphed into a defensive liability. Last season, could you have ever envisioned in your wildest nightmare, a scenario during which a 200-pound running back could dominate a blitzing Roquan Smith like Chase Brown did on Thursday?

Bengals RB Chase Brown with the key block here on Roquan Smith leading to a Ja’Marr Chase reception. Football guy right here. pic.twitter.com/XwC6OMa4hk

— Arye Pulli (@AryePulli) November 8, 2024

In a league that in many ways emulates nature and its laws where the fittest survive, Smith has become the wounded prey that adversaries hunt because a successful kill is easier. Until Roquan heals or Zach Orr and his assistants adjust, opponents will continue to attack him in the passing game.

That’s just the way it is.

That’s just the natural order of the NFL.

Ravens MV3

Lamar Jackson is having a stellar season. Projections are just that – projections – meaningless numbers until they become reality. But they certainly make for interesting discussions, so let’s have one.

If Lamar continues at his current pace over the course of a 17-game season, he will throw for 4,537 yards, 41 TDs and 3 INTs and he’ll run for 915 yards and another 3 scores. But is that realistic? When the weather begins to turn affecting footing and passing accuracy, is it reasonable to expect the same week-in and week-out spectacular performances from Lamar? Time will tell but until then, let’s bask in the glow of his Thursday Night performance one more time.

Lamar Jackson’s 4 TDs
pic.twitter.com/RFfTrQd48R

— Sarah Ellison (@sgellison) November 8, 2024

ESPN 630

I had the privilege of recapping the Ravens win on Thursday Night with Andy Pollin. Andy is an accomplished journalist who worked at WFAN in New York at its inception; he’s been a colleague of ESPN’s Tony Kornheiser and now hosts a popular podcast that can be heard on all the major platforms. The topics we discussed during the first 12+ minutes of his Friday Ravens’ segment included:

• The Ravens decline as a defensive juggernaut
• An underperforming secondary
• The combo of Lamar & The King
• Concerns about Justin Tucker

You can listen in on any of the formats below.

Enjoy the games on Sunday, Flockers, particularly the Steelers at Commanders which should be a good one. Unfortunately, I don’t think it will end well for our neighbors in DC. I’ve got it 23-16 Steelers.

iTunes

Spotify

YouTube

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