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What they're saying in Baltimore about Bills vs Ravens with Shawn Stepner
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A
In the time it takes you to actually board a flight from Group 8.
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Now boarding Premier Altitude Elite Club members.
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You could have bought a Hyundai on Amazon. Visit HyundaiUSA.com or call 562-314-4603 for more details. Limited availability pick up through participating Hyundai dealer and select markets. You know, look, this Sunday's matchup is gonna be the two time and reigning MVP against the favorite after three weeks for NFL mvp. I mean, what Josh Allen is doing is spectacular.
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B
Everybody. Welcome Back to the Buffalo Plus YouTube channel, presented by Connors and Ferris. Please make sure to like, comment and subscribe. We thank all of our subscribers. It's been a big year for us so far. It's a big game coming up on Sunday. Sunday. And we have our guest finding out what they're talking about in Baltimore with WMAR sports reporter and a former reporter in Buffalo who's covered the Bills and the Sabers. A guest of the Buffalo plus channel before and he is back, Sean Steppner. Sean, thanks for being with us.
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A
You got it, Mike. Great to see you.
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B
Yeah, this is going to be fun. Bills and Ravens games are always a lot of fun. Probably leading up to it, a little more fun in Buffalo than it is in Baltimore, even though they're coming off a win. I've watched, gotten a chance to watch basically every game with the Ravens. You know, the Chiefs on the opening night Vegas while the Bills had already played on Thursday. And the same thing with the Dallas game when the Bills played on Monday. So a lot of fans have seen the Ravens play. I don't know what to make of them. I, I think they're still good, but something's been a little off. Where do you think they are after three games?
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A
I think they are in a lot better place than they would have been if the Cowboys had one or two more possessions on Sunday. I mean, the only thing that saved the Ravens on Sunday in Dallas was the clock at the end of the fourth quarter because they gave up another fourth quarter lead, you know, this time, you know, 19 points over the past or over the final nine minutes. Where are the Ravens? I mean, I, they're, they're finding their identity right now. You know, over the first couple of games. They, I mean, they've always been a running team. John Harbaugh always likes to, you know, kind of lead or lean on the run per se. And then they, they bring in Derrick Henry and you're thinking that they're really going to just ride that back. I mean, a future hall of Famer, one of the best of a generation. Maybe the best of a generation. And you know, he, he really didn't stand out over the first couple of weeks. They went into Dallas saying, look, we cannot fall to 0 and 3. They game planned, obviously against that, that Cowboys run defense and you know, Henry popped off for 151. And as a team, they had a fantastic game on the ground. So I think right now where they are is, I think that they want to lean on that a little bit. I think John Harbaugh wants to go into the rest of the season, especially after this game against the Cowboys, saying, look, this is where we're gonna, you know, where we're gonna succeed on the ground. Derrick Henry leading the way now.
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B
Yeah, it's. Yeah, I was gonna say it makes sense because he's been effective. What does that do for Lamar?
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A
Yeah, so, you know, Lamar, I think was 12 for 15 in the Dallas game. He, over the years has tried to develop his game as a passer. You know, in public he says he wants to be known as a passing quarterback more than a running quarterback. Can you win in today's NFL running like they did against the Dallas Cowboys? Long term? I don't think so. In, in the game right now, I don't think you can just pound your running back all season long and expect to win games, especially when you're trailing from behind. So, yeah, I mean, Lamar, I, I think that he's the best athlete on the field whenever he takes the field. I think a lot of people agree with that. As a passer, he still has room to grow and, you know, will he make that growth now that the Ravens have figured out maybe, maybe the best chance at winning is riding Derrick Henry a little bit more.
- [04:58]
B
It is funny when you say room to grow for a guy who's won two most valuable player awards. And the reason I bring it up as, you know, for somebody used to work at Channel 7 in Buffalo, you know about Josh Allen and Bill's fans and what they think. You know, last year Josh had a really good season. The team not as much in the regular season. Lamar wins the MVP again. Now we're in the press conference on Monday night and Josh not taking a shot at anybody. I'm not pretending that. But he did reference Lamar as two time MVP Lamar Jackson. I got a kick out of it because, you know, Josh doesn't say anything without thinking about it. It's a compliment, right? But it's also like, yeah, this guy's won two MVPs and a little bit of I'm pretty good myself. Does the two time MVP thing hang over Lamar a little bit, like, almost like a weight on him?
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A
No, no. His personality covering him over his career and especially over the last couple of years? No, I don't. I don't think so. You know, look, this Sunday's matchup is gonna be the two time and reigning MVP against the favorite after three weeks for NFL mvp. I mean, what Josh Allen is doing is spectacular. I mean, that game on Monday night, precision at its finest. And look, I'm gonna pick the Bills to win on Sunday night. I mean, I don't think, I don't see how this defense stops Josh Allen if he's rolling like that. And given what you just said about what he referenced in the press conference, I think there's a little tiny chip on that shoulder coming into Baltimore on prime time, another game in front of the nation and the football world really, to say, look, I mean, there's another MVP on this field and is he on a mission? I mean, you tell me. I mean, do you think Josh is. That is a motivation for, for Josh Allen this year?
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B
I think in one way it is. I think first and foremost he wants them to win. And if you win, the other stuff comes with it. I mean, Lamar and the Ravens had the best record in the NFL last year, so that's how they ended up with the top seed. That's in part how he ends up getting the accolades that go with it. But for Allen, yes, I think he wants that. I don't think he focuses on it all the time, but I think he wants to show who he is, lead this team to wins. I will tell you this, watching him, he has not looked this comfortable offensively since the Brian Dabel days, especially at the end there, and maybe even in some ways a little more comfortable than he ever was playing. Now it's three games and I don't think the Dolphins are very good. I don't think the Jags are good at all, honestly. I think the Cardinals are the best team the Bills have played so far. But that being said, Josh is pretty good. When I go back to Lamar and this is what I want to ask you about, you say about, you know, they, they'd like him to throw, they're leaning on the run game. I look at the wide receivers and I wonder what they have. I think Zay Flowers is a talented guy. Nine yards per catch, it's got a touchdown. You know, they've got likely who has come around, you know, this year with Mark Andrews not doing as Much. Where are his pass catchers through three games?
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A
Right. So that's, you know that, that's a complicated question because Zay Flowers is obviously, he has chemistry with Zay. You know, aguilar had a 56 yard catch the other day. The, the, the complication comes with the offensive line. In my belief, you know, in the past, especially last year, I mean that offensive line provided him all sorts of time to do whatever he needed to do. This year they replaced three starters on that line. Talking to general manager Eric Dacosta before the season, he admitted, I mean he chose to go younger at that specific area to go younger and cheaper. So you know, they, they, they replaced three starters there through the first couple of games. It was a huge topic around Baltimore with the team John Harbaugh defended. His guys got a little snippy in the press, in his press conferences when people kept asking him about the offensive line. You really saw it at the beginning of the season, that opener against Kansas City, I mean they schemed it up so Lamar would just almost throw it immediately. I mean quickly, short passes, try to get some yak because he, and then at some point he knew he didn't have the time to drop back, let plays develop, throw it a little deeper. Against the Cowboys it improved dramatically. Their run blocking, especially their pass blocking. I still don't think Harbaugh and the offense, Todd Monk in the offensive coordinator, trust the offensive line as pass blockers. So it's kind of a double edged sword there. It's a complicated question. I mean they're all capable. Rashad Bateman, first round pack, first round pick from a few years ago. He's come on as of late. I mean he, he, he's reliable. He's made some big catches already this year. If you're watching that Kansas City opener, he made a huge catch late in the ball game, you know, stretched out, got, you know, got it, got it. Hauled one in to allow them to have those three opportunities from, you know, goal to go at the end that they didn't convert. But Zay Flowers still is number one. And the tight ends, it's really shocking to see Mark Andrews, you know, six catches, I wrote this down, six catches, eight targets, eight targets through three games. I mean you don't see that from Mark Andrews who has stored, who has historically been old reliable for Lamar Jackson. That's the safety blanket. But look, when Mark Andrews was out late last year, after that hip drop tackle, Lamar really developed some, some good chemistry with Isaiah Likely and you know, we saw what likely did in that opener against the Chiefs, so. Still a work in progress, Mike.
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B
Yeah. And there's no doubt about it. I wanted to mention for Bill's fans, you have Deontay Hardy, who Bill's fans know mostly as a returner. Yeah. Yes, that's true. And I don't think he has much of the role in. In the offense, but we'll see him as a return guy. Let's go to the defense a little bit. You know, the names, the big names there. I'm a huge Kyle Hamilton fan. I wanted to see the Bills pick him that year in the draft. We were in Vegas for the draft. I got a chance to talk to him. He just felt like that kind of player. And, Sean, as you know, I've been doing this for 100 years. I remember. I remember being in Orchard park, they brought in players for draft visits, and one of them years ago was Ed Reed. And I remember talking to Ed Reed, thinking, man, every time I watch Miami play, this guy makes a play. Now, what do I know? I'm not the scout, but I loved seeing Ed Reed. I thought maybe the Bills make a play for him. They don't. He goes to the Ravens. Yeah. Hall of Fame. I'm not saying Kyle Hamilton's gone to the hall of Fame. I think he's a hell of a player. I think he makes plays. Am I right? Is he the best player on this defense now?
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A
Absolutely. I mean, by far and away, I mean, he's. He's the second best player on the team behind Lamar. We. You know, against the Cowboys, he. He showed up in a big way. It's almost like he took it upon himself to just say, look, we are not gonna fall to Owen 3 by any means. So he was hitting people. He was flying around. He was the old Kyle Hamilton. The first couple weeks, you're almost thinking, like, is he battling an injury that we don't know about? Like, what's going on? They're dealing with a new defensive coordinator. Maybe that's working itself out. You know, Zach or young guy, former player, former all Pro with the Ravens, had. Was forced to retire because of some health issues. So. But, yeah, Kyle Hamilton, I mean, he's just a Swiss army knife freak of a guy. And a good guy, too. I mean, talking to him in the locker room, you know, he's won the media good guy award for the Ravens, so he's a guy you root for, and he's fun to watch. But, yeah, he is the best player, no doubt, on that defense.
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B
Roquan Smith. It paid Him a lot of money, right, For a linebacker. He's this whole time in the league. Is he still elite? Is he still that kind of player?
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A
Yeah, yeah, for sure. You know, but it's funny, along with a lot of guys you're asking questions about, through these first three weeks with the Ravens, it looks like he lost a little bit of a step, a little bit of speed. I mean, he looks a little. A little heavier maybe. I don't. Yeah. You know, a lot. A lot of people are talking about it around here, like, what's up with Roquan? We're not kind of seeing him. You know, in the past, it was easy to watch Ravens games and just spot Roquan Smith because the big plays he made and, you know, the just flying around type of guy on defense, he doesn't really jump out through three games, but again, maybe it's this defense working itself out. I. I don't think he's. He's really lost a step long term, but he's definitely the core quarterback of that defensive unit.
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B
So I noticed in the Dallas game, he drops into coverage. He had to think. Not in the meeting room, had to think he had help behind him, and it was an easy touchdown. I think it was Tolbert, whoever scored for Dallas, and he's looking around like, where was my. Whether it was safety, corner, whatever it was. It looked like it. And I'm wondering, you mentioned about. Or. I mean, McDonald did a hell of a job with the defense. He's now 3. 0 in Seattle. So there's probably some. Even with these veteran guys, some thinking, not just reacting because they got so used to what they were doing on defense, even though. Or has been around. Right.
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A
Couple things. One is, you know, if you. If you look back a couple years ago when Mike McDonald started, you'd think, like, covering Mike McDonald, you'd get Mike McDonald and Mike McDaniels, like, straight all the. I never do when I'm talking about them. It's like, oh, it's always one or the other. Anyway, you'd think that a couple years ago, you know, you know, Mike McDonald, if you look. If you look back, he actually did have a. Over the first kind of half of the season. He had some struggles when he jumped from Michigan to the Ravens to coordinate that defense. I mean, he had history with the Ravens, but now he was in charge. He's a young guy as well. In. In football coaching terms. Coordinating terms. Yeah. I think Zach Orr is working through that as well, like I said. But also, you look at that difference from last year to this year, they. They didn't only lose McDonald, they lost Anthony Weaver, who's in Miami. They lost Denard Wilson, who I believe went to the Titans. So they lost some brain trust in that defensive room. And they just have to come up with their ways, get comfortable, get the chemistry, get the communication going on, on. On game day, and I think they'll work it out. But, but, but doing it against the Bills on Sunday night, not the game that you want to have some mistakes. Right. With that communication.
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B
All right, let's. I want to ask you about the kicker and then a couple of bigger picture things. So Justin Tucker, when you're not paying attention weekly, you're like, Justin Tucker, he's Hall of Fame kicker, one of the best to ever kick ever. And you see him. Trot him out there and you're like, Justin Tucker. And then you see him miss and you miss. Miss from distance when he used to be as close to automatic as you ever get in the NFL. Yeah, they talk a lot in Buffalo about Tyler Bass and him holding on to his job because he has struggled and he, he had some good moments, but he certainly doesn't have the resume of tucker. But man, 50 plus, where he used to be the best in the league is. Is. I mean, his numbers are bad for the last few years. What's going on?
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A
Yeah, I think it's 1 for 7 from beyond 50 over the last couple of years. Yeah. Any on Sunday he missed a under 50. Where is it? 46. 46 yarder. That's a chip shot for him in the Cowboys stadium. That's not. Yeah, that's dope.
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B
In that game where the Cowboys kicker made what, a 66 yarder, whatever it was.
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A
Well, I think. No doubt. I mean, I think that guy's come. That guy's taken over as the best kicker in the league.
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B
Yeah.
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A
Or if not the best, one of the best. So with Tucker, it's. It's very odd. It's very bizarre. Look, father times undefeated, right? That's what, that's what you always say. But it's not like he's missing short. I mean, these kicks have distance, right? I mean, they, they.
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B
So he has the leg.
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A
Yeah, he has the leg. The leg is still there. On Monday, the day after the win against the Cowboys, John Harbaugh said it was a quote technique issue that he's working through. Okay. So maybe he has diagnosed it and he's working through it, but I think it's fair to say it's in his head. Yeah, but Again, this is one of the best kickers in, in the history of the National Football League. You know, Ravens fans are hoping that he works through it. You know, we'll see. I can tell you there was no inkling of this coming on at training camper in the preseason. Yeah, I mean, being at the training camp practices, he was booming them like, like usual, like he's done over the years. And no one kind of batted an eye really at, at what was to come for Justin Tucker. Very bizarre. Look, you're going to need all the points you can get against Josh Allen and, and the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. They're hoping they're not lining up for field goals. They're hoping for six every time.
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B
Yeah.
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A
That Tucker's kicking an extra point, not a field goal. But they're going to need them on Sunday. So it's going to be, it's going to be a storyline.
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B
Yeah, it's been wild because it's just like I said, automatic and now it's not. And in the NFL they don't have a lot of patience even for the greatest of the great. They move on from players. But we'll see if Tucker gets it straightened out.
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A
But he's different. I mean, yeah, they'll, they'll have patience with Justin Tucker. It's going to take a lot to move on from Justin Tucker. I remember when I, when I went to, when I came to Buffalo in 2007, I, I always found it, I didn't find it odd. It was just, it was kind of funny to me that Brian Mormon was like the biggest player on the team. I mean, yeah, I was a Brian Mormon supporter. Right. I found it from an outsider coming in at that point. I found it funny that the punter was on billboards and the punter was a go to guy to talk in the locker room. Right. I mean, remember those days?
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B
Oh, yeah.
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A
When you, when you talk about Justin Tucker, he has that kind of Brian Mormon aura. As far as like seeing him on commercials. He's all over commercials here. He's one of the best. He's on billboards. They're going to be patient with him. It's going to take a lot to not see Justin Tucker in a Ravens uniform.
- [21:16]
B
Well, we will see him on Sunday night. And speaking of a guy we always see is John Harbaugh. You know, gone through some ups and downs with the team when Lamar, they've been usually been very good. Got hurt that year. All the stuff that went on bounces back last year. Great year. And then not great in the championship game and the team wasn't. They could have beaten Kansas City. Much as Bill's fans always know, it's. I look around the league and I see guys, Sean McDermott is not there yet because he hasn't won a Super Bowl. I'd say it's the same with a guy like Mike Tomlin, who has won a Super Bowl. So he is looked at certainly differently. Where's Harbaugh with Baltimore fans? I mean, he's still one of the top coaches in the NFL, but he's been there a long time and they've failed in some big moments. Where are they with him?
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A
When they lose, they want a new coach. When they win, it's. Fans usually don't think it's because of Harbaugh. That's where that goes to.
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B
Lamar goes to the team. Right, right.
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A
So look, I mean, and I think, frankly, that's what you get with a coach that's been there for a long time.
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B
Yep.
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A
Has won and has not gotten it done over the past few years. Right. I mean, I think that's a normal kind of chain of events in the lifespan of any coach, really. I mean, when you're talking baseball, hockey, football, look, if they would have fallen to 03, there would have been some. A lot of noise. A lot of noise. But I'll tell you, it wouldn't have been from inside the. The Ravens facility. I think he has the support of owner Steve Bishotti, general manager Eric Dacosta. But it's funny because, you know, they're one and two. But if you look around the division, the AFC north, historically one of the most brutal divisions in football, certainly one of the toughest over the years. But you know how every year there's one division that is just like the pits? It's usually the AFC South. Is this the year the AFC north is. Is just the worst division in football? It's hard to say that with, with the quarterback play and the talent around the division, but The Bengals are 0 and 3. The Ravens are 1 and 2 and a half flaws. The Browns. The Browns. Right. I mean, they, they.
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B
Steelers for 3 and 0. Yeah.
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A
The Pittsburgh's 3 and 0. But you know, who are the Steelers? You know, when you're talking, when you're talking coaches, Tomlin, they never have a losing record. But can you trust Justin Fields and Russell Wilson to, to bring them, you know, to. To the light at the end of the season with that defense? Maybe. But when you're talking Harbaugh and, and. And this team is this the year that someone wins the division with just a sub.500 record or. You know what I mean? Like.
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B
Yeah, I, I guess when I look at it, I think, I don't think.
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A
He'Ll be safe if that happens. He'll be safe.
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B
I don't think the Steelers success is sustainable. Big picture, could they win 10 games? Sure. They already had threes. That's a great start. I think the Browns are really a mess. Watson can't play. I think the Bengals will or the Ravens will figure it out. Sunday's huge. For them to get a bump, get to two and two, beat the Bills would be huge. I think the Bengals right now are just a bad football team. I know they get off to tough starts, but they've had a lot of internal issues. Burrow put up some numbers. He started to throw the ball better, but they're in trouble a little bit I think there. So that's why I think it's so big. This game is for the Ravens to get a win, get back to two and two, beat a really good team and see where they go. So I always ask this when we talk to a reporter who covers the team that the Bills are playing. What's the game plan for the Ravens on Sunday night to knock off the Bills?
- [25:28]
A
The. For the Ravens to knock off the Bills, they need certainly some better play from their, their past defense, specifically the defensive backfield. They are dead last in the league in past defense are the Ravens. That is not a stat that you want heading into a game against the Bills offense. And Josh Allen, we saw what he did against Sunday. I mean that. I think that's, that's it. I mean, I think run the ball like you did against Dallas because if you fall behind and you know you, I mean you got to keep Josh Allen off the field. You got to keep that offense off the field. You got to burn clock because they'll put in the end zone. This defense, this Ravens defense has weaknesses. Right. And another thing, another thing to keep an eye on is if you get a lead, if you're the Ravens, you better keep Josh off the field even more so because we know what they are when they have the league. The Bills will never be out of it. The Bills will never be out of it on Sunday night. Okay.
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B
Yeah.
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A
So for Bills fans, don't who have early wake up times on Monday morning, I would suggest get your nap in during the 1 o' clock games or 4 o' clock games. You'll probably be tailgating at some point in the 4 o' clock out. Get your nap in around the 1 o' clock window, because you're going to want to stay up by some means. If the Bills are trailing. I think the Bills are going to win on Sunday. But if they're trailing in the fourth quarter, in the second half, late in the game, you're going to want to be up, you're going to want to be awake, because they're never going to be out of it.
- [27:17]
B
Yeah, well, the last time the Bills went there, they were down, I think, 20 to 3, and came back and knocked off the Ravens in Baltimore. And we've seen them blow the lead against Vegas and then nearly do it against Dallas. So your point is well taken. I think Bill's fans are going to want to know that. Hey, Sean, this was great, as always when we've had you talking. I know you always keep one eye on what's going on in Buffalo, so it's great that you have that perspective. And you're going to be busy with the Orioles real quick. Orioles, Yankees.
- [27:47]
A
We're going to have at least. We're gonna have at least two games.
- [27:50]
B
Right.
- [27:51]
A
They're definitely go. They're definitely gonna play next week. Well, they could. As of this recording, they could win the division. That's not going to happen.
- [28:00]
B
Right. They're gonna be a wild card. They were great for a while and then it just went south.
- [28:07]
A
Yeah. Look, you never want to blame injuries, but this team has definitely dealt with them all year long. At one point, their entire starting rotation was on the il. They're starting to get healthy, and you see it every year. Something about resetting that record to 0 and 0 and it being a little colder outside. Some teams thrive. Just that. That weight of chasing something, getting something, getting into a new season. The playoffs. We saw it last year with the Rangers and Diamondbacks. Certainly around here, people are hoping that the Orioles are that team this year. There's not a lot of confidence because of how the last couple months have gone, but once you get in the postseason, it's anybody's game.
- [28:57]
B
See, you heard it right there. Sean Sethepner saying that the Baltimore Orioles are going to make a run and go to the World Series. At least that's what I heard. I don't know.
- [29:06]
A
There's nothing more. There's nothing more that I would like than to cover a deep playoff run. I never did it with the Sabers, Mike.
- [29:16]
B
Yeah, I know.
- [29:17]
A
With the Bills.
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B
Right.
- [29:18]
A
I never did it with the Bills. The. The last time the. The Sabres were in the playoffs, I was covering the game in Philadelphia, Game seven. That is a long time ago.
- [29:29]
B
Yeah.
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A
Okay.
- [29:31]
B
You've been. Yes.
- [29:32]
A
That's.
- [29:32]
B
You've seen a. Yeah.
- [29:34]
A
It's a city and a region that I root for. I say it all the time.
- [29:37]
B
Yeah.
- [29:37]
A
I, I root for. For the. I root for the Sabers and Bills to have success for the people of Western New York. Rochester, Buffalo. Because I was one for so long.
- [29:53]
B
Yeah.
- [29:53]
A
I still have a lot of friends in the area. I'm up there once or twice a year. Always enjoy my time there. I started my family there, yada, yada, yada. But there is. I say this all the time. Once you live in Western New York, it gets its claws in you in the best way possible. Okay. That is. That is a, you know, that is a compliment. That is a compliment. So I'm rooting for some success, you know, maybe not on. On Sunday because of, you know, my allegiance to this region. But. But for sure, I'll root for. For Western New York. Buffalo. Rochester, for sure.
- [30:33]
B
Ah, that's awesome. Well, Sean, thanks again for being with us and we'll check back with you again soon to see what's going on with the Ravens. Who knows? We may have a playoff matchup between the Bills and the Ravens at some point. That's going to do it for us. Once again, please make sure to like, comment and subscribe a reminder that all of our content on the YouTube channel. You can also check it out wherever you get your audio podcast. We're going to be live Thursday night at 7:15 with our podcast. Jenna Cotrell and Dan Fates joining me for all of that. For Sean Steppner, I'm Mike Catalana. Thanks for watching again on Buffalo plus, and we will see you the next time.