During the season, we will always look back at the most recent Ravens game with Pats on the Ass or Slaps to the Helmet, and in case you’re new, here at Glenn Clark Radio, we always try to reflect on the most recent Ravens game in a more convivial manner. In retrospect, we like to choose five players on the team who — depending on the outcome of the game — deserve a Pat On The Ass or Slap To The Helmet.
The rules are simple: pick two players on defense, two players on offense, and one “wild card” (an offensive player, defensive player, special teamer or coach) who stuck out from the pack.
The Ravens season came to an unfortunate end Sunday night Buffalo, which means we’re putting together our end of season Pats/Slaps list a little earlier than we would’ve liked, but Glenn and Griffin will share their five Ravens most deserving of praise for the successes of the 2024 season and the five Ravens most deserving of scorn for the 2024 Ravens shortcomings.
They will count down in sequential order, we’ll start with the Slaps to the Helmet first:
Glenn’s 2024 Slaps to the Helmet:
5. WR Diontae Johnson
He was barely a Raven so he can’t really be any higher on this list. But in the end, the Ravens needed receiver depth and he wasn’t able to provide it because of his own shenanigans.
4. C Tyler Linderbaum
Tyler Linderbaum is an All-Pro caliber offensive lineman. But by that standard, the constant snap issues-which played out in the season ending loss-are impossible to ignore.
3. K Justin Tucker
He could have easily been higher on the list. We can only hope he truly solved his problems late in the season.
2. CB Brandon Stephens
It was not surprising that Eric DeCosta essentially told us he would be gone during the end of season press conference yesterday.
1. S Marcus Williams
One upon a time, this one of the best free agent signings the Ravens had made.
Griffin’s 2024 Slaps to the Helmet:
5. C Tyler Linderbaum
For being a guy that we blindly believe deserves an extension, which he does, this was not his best showing. The snapping issues being the main culprit for the concern, and rearing its ugly head in the biggest game of the season Sunday night.
4. LG Patrick Mekari
The penalties. It got better later in the season, but still took three months to really nip in the bud. And I recognize illegal man downfield calls are part of the style of play with Lamar Jackson, but not every single one of those calls were created equal, and for a team who’s offensive line was their biggest issue early in the season, he was definitively their worst offensive lineman.
3. CB Brandon Stephens
I’ve never thought Stephens was a good corner, the rest of the NFL caught up with that
2. Safety Eddie Jackson
He was the team’s worst defensive player in 2024.
1. K Justin Tucker
Every loss was a one-score game and he missed kicks in each and every single one. There’s nobody else I’d rather head into 2025 with but Tucker cost them this year.
Now to end on a high note! The boys’ 2024 Pats on the Ass lists:
Glenn’s 2024 Pats on the Ass:
5. WR Zay Flowers
You can’t help but wonder how different things might have been if he had stayed healthy.
4. EDGE Kyle Van Noy
REMEMBER WHEN HE FRACTURED HIS ORBITAL BONE???
3. S Kyle Hamilton
Everything about the defense changed because of him.
2. RB Derrick Henry
Somehow even better than advertised.
1. QB Lamar Jackson
As disappointing as the ending is, he’s still the best player in football.
Griffin’s 2024 Pats on the Ass:
5. WR Zay Flowers
A 1,000-yard season. Pro Bowler–the first of his kind in franchise history–not a whole lot more to ask of him. And man, is it a bummer not to have had him available in the playoffs.
4. Safety Kyle Hamilton
He’s so freaking good.
3. CB Marlon Humphrey
There were a lot of question marks surrounding Marlon at the beginning of the year, what level of play does he still have left? Is it worth the amount of money he’s being paid? He answered with an All-Pro season. Plus, he made some of the biggest and most memorable plays of the season.
2. RB Derrick Henry
I’ve always been in the camp of ‘do not to pay running backs’, especially 30-year-old running backs. Derrick Henry was not your normal 30-year-old running back because holy shit was this guy worth every penny.
1. QB Lamar Jackson
Thanks for making Sundays fun, even though he’s so good they only played on like one Sunday each of the last two months of the season.
You can list and the guys break down their lists on the show by hitting play below:
And a look at the final tally of Glenn and Griffin’s Pats and Slaps list:
Photo Credit: Kenya Allen/PressBox
