Four hours before the start of April’s NFL draft, Eric DeCosta and his staff gathered in a circle inside the Ravens’ Owings Mills war room. Per tradition, team chaplain Johnny Shelton led a group prayer. DeCosta has contributed to the organization’s draft process since he arrived as a fresh-faced intern in Baltimore the same year the franchise did. Now, as he prepared for his fifth draft as the team’s general manager, he was more emotional than usual during this annual ritual.

“I basically said, ‘If you have faith, you keep working, you trust people, there is always going to be hope,’” he recalls.

Minutes later, a cacophony of ringtones and phone vibrations filled the room, and the reason for DeCosta’s sentiment became clear: Lamar Jackson was signing a five-year contract extension with the team.

For the public, the superstar quarterback’s contract status had been a season-long melodrama simmering with the kind of juicy ingredients that the sports zeitgeist feeds on: trade demands and franchise tags, sprained ligaments and bruised egos, cryptic Tweets and mysterious memes. But behind the scenes, DeCosta navigated the two-year saga with a measured, drama-free steadiness that one person in particular seemed to appreciate.

“I didn’t have to learn anything about Eric,” Jackson said at the press conference announcing his extension. “He’s a businessman…he was professional the whole process. I was cool with it.”

DeCosta’s level-headedness and dogged determination—along with a keen eye for talent—have fueled his ascent from a 25-year-old personnel intern with an “office” in the hallway, a card table for a desk, and a salary south of $20,000 to one of the most prestigious positions in the NFL. Those are among the qualities that caught owner Steve Bisciotti’s eye more than a decade ago, when he told the then-little-known DeCosta that he wanted him to succeed legendary GM Ozzie Newsome and they’re what kept DeCosta in Baltimore even as ambition gnawed away at him.

Eventually, his patience was rewarded. Now, the kid who dreamed of running a team has a corner office with the only franchise he’s known in his professional life, in the city where he met his wife, Lacie, and where they’re raising their three kids. After an off-season in which he drafted receiver Zay Flowers in the first round, signed coveted (if mercurial) free agent wideout Odell Beckham Jr., and secured his All-Pro quarterback to throw to them, he believes he’s positioned the team for both short-and long-term success.

You could say that he’s cool with all of it.

He keeps the rejection letters in a bottom drawer of his desk, not out of anger or spite, but as a reminder that in a sea of nos, all it takes is a single yes. They came from virtually every NFL team, a cascade of, Thanks but no thanks and Don’t call us, we won’t call you.

And really, who could blame them? NFL bigwigs don’t come from places like Taunton, Massachusetts, the blue-collar town south of Boston where DeCosta grew up. As a kid, he played baseball, basketball, and hockey, but he was also drawn to the wonkier side of sports. After watching Dallas win Super Bowl XII in 1978, he became a Cowboys fan. For six-year-old Eric, that meant more than just watching the games.

“I studied the roster, I studied the front office, I studied the coaches, I studied their drafts,” he says, a hint of his New England accent still poking through. “The Cowboys built their team differently. They had a guy named Gil Brandt who was their scouting director. He was known for unearthing great football players at every level. That resonated with me.”

DeCosta’s father, Joe, who made bolts that were used for Navy subs, and his late mother, Donna, a bank manager, stressed academics. DeCosta has always been a voracious reader. He would devour The Boston Globe sports section and The Sporting News, examining mock drafts and creating his own. He didn’t play organized football until ninth grade, and although he found success on the field, he was lightly recruited in large part due to his slight stature. At 5-foot-9, 180 pounds, he was no one’s idea of a menacing defensive end or a punishing fullback, his two high school positions. Still, Colby College coach Tom Austin found a roster spot for him at the Division III program in Maine.

“We’re interviewing him and this young sprout from high school asked me, ‘Knowing that you’re in the process of rebuilding the program, is the college committed to football?’” Austin says. “It really took me back, because you don’t get those kinds of questions from a prospective.”

At Colby, DeCosta became a team leader, showing up for practice early, watching tape in the coaches’ offices, and calling out teammates who gave less than maximum effort.

“He was respected because he lived it,” teammate Gregg Suffredini told Colby News. “The kid could barely bench his weight, yet he was in the locker room every day…trying to get better, faster, stronger.”

“I LIKE URGENCY…SOMEBODY THAT PLAYS LIKE IT’S THEIR LAST PLAY EVERY TIME. ”

DeCosta’s football class at Colby was the first to graduate with a winning record in 33 years, but he was too savvy to fool himself into thinking he could play pro ball. So he decided to pursue coaching and landed a graduate coaching fellowship at tiny Trinity College, where he earned a master’s degree in English.

He thought he might be a writer until one day he ran into a friend who had just finished an internship with Washington’s NFL team. That inspired DeCosta to send letters and his resumé to every team. It wasn’t long before the floodgates of rejection opened. The responses ranged from businesslike to bizarre.

“While we appreciate your motivation, we do not have any openings at the present time nor do we anticipate any in the near future,” wrote Green Bay Packers GM Ron Wolf.

“Presently there are no positions available, nor are there any future changes contemplated,” the New York Giants put it. “We will keep your resumé on file and notify you if things change.”

Then, lest DeCosta had missed the screamingly obvious: “The thrust of this letter is one of pessimism…”

Twenty-eight of the league’s then-30 teams blew him off—but one that didn’t changed the arc of his life. Washington hired DeCosta as a training camp intern, and instantly, he was hooked. Wheeling TVs into meeting rooms, setting up phone lines—whatever the task, he attacked it with vigor. When the gig ended, DeCosta headed back to Trinity. He thought his NFL dreams were dead. He applied to law school at the University of Connecticut and was awaiting a decision when he got a call from the new NFL team in Maryland. His bosses in Washington had recommended him. Was he interested in a position?

“The day they offered me the job I remember I got the acceptance from UConn,” he says. “My mom wanted me to go to law school. My dad and I were playing tennis, and my dad said, ‘Eric, if your heart tells you to do this, you gotta do it.’ And he hesitated and said, ‘But don’t tell your mother I told you that.’”

DeCosta was Baltimore bound.

As an area scout for the Ravens, DeCosta was responsible for evaluating college players in 17 Midwestern states. He’d hop into his Pontiac in August and return in November with 30,000 more miles on the odometer. Early in his tenure, he brought tape of cornerback Duane Starks to Newsome, who ended up drafting the future stalwart in the first round.

“He has a passion for scouting,” Newsome says. “He’s not afraid to voice his opinion, but he’s able to listen to others and change his mind.”

DeCosta, who was named the team’s director of college scouting in 2003, has a distinct philosophy when it comes to analyzing players.

“I like urgency. Twitchiness. Guys that get from point A to point B quick and with anger,” he says. “I like guys that are physical and productive players. I don’t want to bet on guys. Sometimes I don’t have time for development—I’m looking for instant gratification. I want somebody that plays like it’s their last play every time, is quick to the ball, sudden, and plays with an element of physicality that others don’t play with.”

In 2007, DeCosta attended a party for Ravens front office staff and coaches at Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills. Toward the end of the night, someone grabbed his arm. It was Bisciotti. The owner asked the scout to stick around for a drink. DeCosta didn’t know Bisciotti well and was “nervous as hell.”

DeCosta assumed other scouts would be there as well, but when he showed up to the bar, he found just Bisciotti and his wife, Renee. Over a bottle of wine, they discussed DeCosta’s future.

“He said, ‘You know, you remind me of me. I want you to be my general manager,’” DeCosta recalls, a hint of disbelief still registering in his voice even 16 years later. “He said he didn’t know when it will be but when Ozzie retires, you will be my next GM.” Then he pauses. “I didn’t expect to wait 12 years.”

By the time DeCosta became assistant general manager in 2012, the word was out in the NFL: He was a hot commodity. Seattle, Chicago, and Green Bay were among the teams that pursued him for a front office position, but DeCosta sat tight. He and his family were immersed in the community. Lacie is a Baltimore native, and he’s served on the board of the Maryland SPCA (where he’s still an ambassador) and the Irvine Nature Center.

Finally, in February 2018, Newsome made it official—he would be stepping down at the end of the season. Bisciotti announced that DeCosta would become the team’s new GM. The owner said “everything” about DeCosta made him confident that he was ready for the job.

“I think he has learned from Ozzie,” Bisciotti said at the time. “I think he’s a great leader of the scouts. It’s Ozzie’s department, but most of the interaction with all the scouts is with Eric. I’ve seen the way he goes about the business, I’ve seen the way he’s embraced technology and analytics and I like working with him. There are people that are running other franchises because Eric wouldn’t take it.”

But the mentor and his protégé still had work to do. Before Newsome’s departure, DeCosta advocated for a quarterback whom he described as a “magician.”

“Every year he would be ahead of me in evaluating college prospects,” Newsome says. “He was doing a corner from North Carolina. He came to the office and said, ‘I want you to take a look at this.’ I said, ‘Okay,’ so he pulled up the play. It was Lamar Jackson throwing this post pattern…it was Louisville versus UNC. He said, ‘Did you think Lamar could make that throw?’ And I said, ‘I do now.’”

The Ravens did their homework on Jackson, interviewing him, bringing him to Baltimore, and soliciting opinions about him from their own coaches and others outside the organization. When the 2018 draft arrived, he was on their board—meaning, among the players they coveted—but they felt they could get him with a pick lower than the 16th, which they held. After trading down several times, they drafted tight end Hayden Hurst with the 25th pick. At that point, a Ravens official came into the war room and asked Newsome and DeCosta to go downstairs for the traditional press conference.

What transpired next seems like a scene straight from the Kevin Costner movie Draft Day. DeCosta looked at Newsome and said that they should probably stay upstairs. Philadelphia had the final pick of the first round, and he wanted to ask Eagles’ GM Howie Roseman about trading for it. Newsome gave him the green light.

“So I called Howie and said, ‘If our guy is there, we might want to trade back into the first round,” DeCosta says. “I said, ‘What are you guys looking for?’ He said, ‘We’ll take your second round pick this year and we’ll take your second round pick next year.’”

“IT’S HARD TO NEGOTIATE WITH A FRIEND OR SOMEONE THAT YOU REALLY RESPECT. ”

The men waited nervously while the remaining six teams selected. Had any other team seen the same potential in Jackson that they did? Finally, Philadelphia’s pick—the last of the first round—came. DeCosta quickly called Roseman back and consummated the trade. Lamar Jackson was a Raven.

The Ravens have gone 53-29 since that day; Jackson’s record as a starter is 45-16. He’s thrown for 12,209 yards and 101 touchdowns. Still, another number looms large: zero. That’s the number of Super Bowls the Ravens have been to with Jackson at QB.

DeCosta is undeterred. Signing Jackson to an extension that works for the quarterback and the franchise had been a top priority for years. Most players want to communicate via text these days, DeCosta says, but he also negotiated with Jackson face-to-face, one-on-one many times. (In an unconventional move, Jackson served as his own agent.)

“It’s hard to negotiate with a friend or someone that you really respect,” DeCosta says. “Anybody that’s been married knows that. It’s hard to be honest and truthful sometimes with people that you love because you think it might hurt them. I tried to be humble and honest and as transparent as possible. I tried to look at it from Lamar’s point of view, too. If you can do that, sometimes it makes it a lot easier to meet halfway or find a common ground. We all get so wrapped up in our own positions that we think it’s about us and them and we make it a competitive, confrontational thing. A negotiation doesn’t have to be that. It took a long time and there were many hurdles, but we got there.”

DeCosta’s office is a bit fancier than his original workspace in the hall. There’s a sitting area, a bookshelf (Blink, The Extra 2%, and Finding the Winning Edge are among the titles), and a Peloton in the corner. The bike, along with a new pastime—pickleball—are two of his post-pandemic obsessions. Lacie says hobbies are not her husband’s thing.

“Eric works seven days a week most of the year,” Lacie says. “He’s extremely devoted to giving all of his time to the team and to our kids. He really doesn’t have any other pastimes except pickleball.”

On the wall hangs the typed rejection letter the 23-year-old DeCosta got from the Packers’ Ron Wolf. Also framed is a handwritten note Wolf sent to DeCosta a quarter-century later, congratulating him on becoming the Ravens’ general manager.

“You are a testament to pa- tience and perseverance,” he wrote.

After the draft room erupted that momentous day in April, DeCosta retreated to his office, where he was soon joined by Ravens coach John Harbaugh, who brought a bottle of whiskey. The two took small celebratory sips.

“Alright,” DeCosta said after briefly savoring the spirit, “it’s time to get to work.”

A 13-time Pro Bowler, two-time defensive player of the year, Super Bowl 35 MVP, and the only player in NFL history to produce at least 40 sacks and 30 interceptions is none other than Baltimore Ravens’ Ray Lewis. He also holds a Ravens’ franchise-record of 2,643 career tackles, including a single-season best of 225 stops in 2003. With a resume like that, it’s only fitting to celebrate his induction into the 2018 NFL Hall of Fame with a parade through the city.

“For 17 years, we could point to No. 52 and tell the other players, ‘Follow his lead,” said Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome, who drafted Lewis. “It was our privilege to have him as a Raven. We are all better for having him here. His play on game days speaks for itself. When you talk about the great players of all time, no matter the position, he is among the greatest of the great.”

On Saturday, September 22, Mayor Catherine Pugh will hold a parade to honor the Ravens’ latest inductee. Beginning at 10 a.m. on Key Highway near Rash Field, the parade will travel through downtown and end at City Hall where both Pugh and Lewis will speak.

The team that Lewis called home for nearly 20 years will honor him during Sunday’s game against the Denver Broncos. Prior to the game, too, fans will get the chance to snap a few pics with his Hall of Fame bust on RavensWalk. There’s also a giveaway of a commemorative Ray Lewis Hall of Fame coin upon entry.

Just before kickoff and after player intros, Lewis will take the field—perhaps we will get to see the squirrel dance at M&T Bank Stadium one last time? At halftime, Lewis will be presented with his Hall of Fame ring in an on-field ceremony. No long speeches this time though, the game must go on.

The only thing that would make this weekend better is if the Ravens get a win. After last week’s game—they struggled on both sides, especially defensively when linebacker C.J. Mosley was carted off the field—the fans could use a W. An iconic, inspirational locker room speech from Lewis might just do the trick.

Football season is finally here, and the biggest question—aside from “Who’s going to win?”—is “What am I going to wear?” Whether you’re cheering on your favorite team from the stadium or from home, show off your team spirit with these sporty and trending trappings.

Clockwise from top right: Black baseball hat ($12.99) at Target. Route One Apparel Natty Boh football scarf ($25) at Baltimore in a Box. Compagine De Provence hand cream ($9) at South Moon Under. DL1961 Margaux instasculpt jeans ($188) at Sassanova. Holly transparent mini backpack ($47) at Tobi. NFL sneakers ($39.99) at Target. Plastic Solo cups ($6.49) at Target. SPF 30 original sunscreen lotion ($9.99) at trustthebum.com. Route One Apparel Ravens, Bohs, Crabs, and O’s shirt ($27.99) at Route One Apparel. Sunglasses ($20) at South Moon Under. Iridescent card lanyard ($7.99) at Target.

If there’s one thing that can bring us together in 2017, it has to be the celebration of gluttony on Thanksgiving, right? Like the rest of us, Ravens players will enjoy devouring all sorts of food this Thanksgiving. So for The 15 this month, we asked Baltimore Ravens players one very simple question. 

“What’s on your Thanksgiving menu this year?”

1. Offensive Lineman Luke Bowanko
“I just learned what dressing is last year, so a bunch of dressing. Sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, all the casseroles. Or dressings! That’s what’s on my menu. For dessert, I’ll probably go with some more dressing, sweet potato casserole with some ice cream on it. [Laughs] No, I’m a big pie guy. Apple pie, blueberry pie, not a big pumpkin pie guy. But Thanksgiving is pie season. I’m all in on pies.”

For more on what makes up the Thanksgiving spread for these Ravens players—including Justin Tucker, C.J. Mosley, and Lardarius Webb—read the full story at PressBoxOnline.com. 

“Sure, luck means a lot in football. Not having a good quarterback is bad luck.”
—Don Shula, Hall of Fame head coach

The success of an NFL head coach often depends upon the player in charge of running the offense. A quarterback’s proficiency, in turn, can be greatly enhanced by the guidance of an outstanding coach.

Bill Walsh and Joe Montana. Vince Lombardi and Bart Starr. Tom Landry and Roger Staubach. Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. Chuck Knoll and Terry Bradshaw.

Each formidable pairing combined to win multiple Super Bowls, as did Shula and Bob Griese. Shula also got to the Super Bowl with Johnny Unitas and Dan Marino.

In case you didn’t notice, every person listed in the previous paragraph has been inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame, except Belichick and Brady, who will certainly join them in Canton, Ohio, one day.

This brings us to John Harbaugh and Joe Flacco, who have been at it together for 10 years with the Baltimore Ravens, going back to the 2008 season when the head coach and quarterback were both rookies. Though this tandem’s viability as Hall of Fame material is open for debate, there’s no arguing the Harbaugh-Flacco combination is a winner—as evidenced by 10 postseason victories, including Super Bowl XLVII in February 2013.

And they’re not done yet.

For more on Harbaugh and Flacco’s relationship from draft day through the Super Bowl, read the full story at PressBoxOnline.com.

When you ask Dr. Leigh Ann Curl about her most memorable moments as the head orthopedic surgeon with the Baltimore Ravens, she doesn’t talk about Dennis Pitta’s hips or Marshal Yanda’s knees or Joe Flacco’s back.

“I remember the excitement of the first NFL season,” Curl said, recalling 1999, when she was added to the Ravens’ staff by their then-head orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Claude T. Moorman. “Certainly, I had self-doubts. I was young and didn’t have much experience. I remember the two Super Bowl years [2000 and 2012 seasons]. It is what they play the games for. Whatever minute role you had in it, you certainly appreciate as a team physician what it takes to get there. So many never get there.”

During the course of a football season, Curl, 53, gets to know everyone—players, families, agents and coaches. And she gets to see how hard they work, how much the game means to them. 

For more from Dr. Curl, including her days on the UCONN basketball team and becoming the first female orthopedic surgeon in the NFL, read the full story at PressBoxOnline.com.

Browns at Ravens, Sunday Dec. 28, 1:00 p.m., M&T Bank Stadium, CBS

After four months, 15 games, and countless consumed calories and adult beverages, both the Ravens’ regular season and this column are coming to an end. Whether or not they continue into January is the question, and Baltimore can begin to answer it by beating the Browns. The Ravens also need some help from Kansas City, which must beat San Diego (the Chiefs are 2 1/2 point favorites). Sunday won’t lack drama—or good food and drink.

What to Eat: When I was in Cleveland last month, I spent some time roaming through the West Side Market. It has fewer prepared food vendors than our Cross Street or Lexington markets, but far, far more sausage for sale. Polish, Italian, Slovenian, Hungarian—if you’re in the market for eastern European sausage, the West Side Market has you covered. In Baltimore, Binkert’s in Rosedale is a treasure trove of German sausage. It sells some of the best bratwurst around (rumor has it that the German Embassy in Washington is a customer), and I’ll be using some of it to make this bratwurst stew-type dish. (Note: the market is closed on Sundays, so stop in on Saturday.)

• 3 pounds uncooked bratwurst
• 3 pounds small red potatoes, cut into wedges
• 1 pound baby carrots
• 1 large red onion, sliced and separated into rings
• 2 jars (4-1/2 ounces each) whole mushrooms, drained
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1 envelope onion soup mix
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
For each of two foil packets, arrange a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 17 by 15 inches) on a flat surface. Cut brats into thirds. Divide the brats, potatoes, carrots, onion and mushrooms evenly between the two double-layer foil pieces. Dot with butter. Sprinkle with soup mix, soy sauce and pepper. Bring edges of foil together; crimp to seal, forming two large packets. Seal tightly; turn to coat. Grill, covered, over medium heat for 23-28 minutes on each side or until vegetables are tender and sausage is no longer pink.

What to Drink: Great Lakes Brewing Company has been making some of the best craft beer in the country since 1988. I visited the brewery in the Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood (not the most creative name) and came away even more impressed by its numerous offerings. You can’t buy Great Lakes in Maryland, but you can get it in Virginia and D.C., and I have to say, the Christmas Ale is worth the drive. Brewed with honey, ginger, and cinnamon, it’s spicy but eminently drinkable. It’s seasonal, but the Eliot Ness Amber Lager, Dortmunder Gold Lager, Burning River Pale Ale, and Edmund Fitzgerald Porter are brewed year round. They’re all excellent.

If you can’t get your hands on any of them, I’d suggest a nice German beer to go with your brats. Total Wine stocks more than 100, including Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier, Hofbrau, and Warsteiner Premium Dunkel.

Ravens at Texans, Sunday Dec. 21, 1:00 p.m., NRG Stadium, CBS

Baltimore heads to the Lone Star State this week to play a reeling Houston team in the season’s penultimate regular season game. The Texans lost their starting quarterback for the season in a loss at Indianapolis last week, so they’ll be playing a backup against the Ravens. They are, however, mathematically still alive for a playoff spot. I’m a bit surprised that Baltimore is only a 4½-point favorite. I plan on betting on the Ravens, devouring a boatload of barbecue, and watching what offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak has in store for the team that fired him as its head coach after last season.

What to Eat: Texas loves its barbecue, and down there beef is the favored meat. Of course, true barbecue is smoked, which is notoriously tough to do at home without the right equipment. I found this recipe for Texas oven-roasted beef brisket that’s a worthy non-smoked substitute.

• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons dry mustard
• 1 bay leaf, crushed
• 4 pounds beef brisket, trimmed
• 1 1/2 cups beef stock

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Make a dry rub by combining chili powder, salt, garlic and onion powders, black pepper, sugar, dry mustard, and bay leaf. Season the raw brisket on both sides with the rub. Place in a roasting pan and roast, uncovered, for one hour. Add beef stock and enough water to yield about a half inch of liquid in the roasting pan. Lower oven to 300 degrees, cover pan tightly and continue cooking for three hours, or until fork-tender. Trim the fat and slice meat thinly across the grain. Top with juice from the pan.

As I wrote about in the fall, Baltimore is an up and coming barbecue city. Big Bad Wolf (5713 Harford Rd.) serves beef ribs, as does Midtown BBQ and Brew (15 E. Centre St.). Blue Pit BBQ (1601 Union Ave.) has been open since the summer, but just started serving a full menu, which includes Zeke’s-coffee-rubbed brisket, which I can’t wait to try.

What to Drink: One of the country’s most beloved beers comes from a little town of 2,069 residents about two hours west of Houston. Shiner Bock is a dark lager brewed with roasted barely malt and German specialty hops. It was originally a seasonal beer, but its popularity convinced the company to begin producing it year round in 1973.

If You Go: Houston is a sprawling metropolis of more than 2 million citizens, making it the country’s fourth-most populous city. Spread over nearly 600 square miles, it’s not the most walkable of cities. No matter how you get there, definitely check out the Saint Arnold Brewing Company. Texas’ oldest craft brewery offers tours on Saturdays between noon and 2 p.m., and its beer hall is a great place to sample Fancy Lawnmower, a German-style Kölsch.

In a city full of great barbecue restaurants, Gatlin’s stands out. If you make the pilgrimage, be prepared for lines out the door and some of the best ribs you’ve ever had.

Jaguars at Ravens, Sunday Dec. 14, 1:00 p.m., M&T Bank Stadium, CBS

The Jacksonville Jaguars may be the most nondescript city/franchise combination in the NFL. Quick—name the most talented player on the Jags. Now think about some of the city’s famous landmarks. Its famous native sons? You get the idea. One thing I can tell you definitively is that no one in the NFL possesses a better mustache or boat than Jags owner Shad Khan.

The Jags and their hometown don’t generally get a lot of attention outside of north Florida, but that won’t matter when the Ravens play the AFC South’s cellar dweller. Baltimore is a big favorite (14 points) against one of only three teams in the league without a win on the road this season. Still, with only three games left and the playoff picture uncomfortably crowded, the Ravens can’t afford to overlook anyone, no matter how insignificant they might be.

What to Eat: Jacksonville isn’t known for any one food item or cuisine. It’s hardly New Orleans. How do I know this? The Florida Times-Union’s food editor said so in the lead of a story he wrote on the subject in the days before the city hosted Super Bowl XXXIX in 2004. Buried at the bottom of the article is a mention of the one Jacksonville original—a Lubi sandwich. You can only get an authentic one at one of the three Lubi’s locations in Jacksonville, but I’m going to attempt to create one in my kitchen:

• Lean ground sirloin
• Kraft American Cheese
• Onions
• A sub roll.

Directions:
Load the cooked sirloin onto the sub roll, top with cheese and onions (peppers can be added as well), and steam. This is the key step. Lubi’s are steamed, which can make them messy to eat. Most people use a knife and fork. (I know what I’ll be eating isn’t a true Lubi sandwich, but it sounds gooey and delicious, doesn’t it?)

If you’re heading out, a plate of alligator bites at Abbey Burger Bistro in Federal Hill is sufficiently Floridian. They’re battered and fried, and served with a spicy honey mustard sauce.

What to Drink: Stick with me here. Each year one of college football’s most cleverly-nicknamed games is staged in Jacksonville, where Florida meets Georgia in “The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.” This season the Gators upset the Bulldogs. Eight days later, the Jags played the Dallas Cowboys in London. Since it’s scheduled to play one game there each year through 2016, Jacksonville is unofficially England’s NFL team. Thus, on Sunday I’ll be drinking British Bulldogs:

• 1 ounce butterscotch schnapps
• 1 oz coffee liqueur
• 1 oz vodka
• 2-3 oz half cream

Directions:
Measure one-ounce shots of the butterscotch schnapps, coffee liqueur, and vodka into a highball glass filled with ice cubes. Stir in the half and half to top off drink. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.

Chargers at Ravens, Sunday Nov. 30, 1:00 p.m., M&T Bank Stadium, CBS

Monday felt positively San Diegan here. The temperature topped 70, the sun shined brightly, and the Ravens did their part to preserve the beautiful day by beating the Saints in New Orleans. By Wednesday, the weather turned downright nasty, which hopefully will be the case when the Chargers come to town Sunday for a critical game between 7-4 teams. If you’ve never been to San Diego, imagine a place where it’s always sunny and you don’t need a thermometer that goes above 90 or under 50. Weather-wise, it’s paradise, which is why the Chargers often struggle in cold-weather locales late in the season. This year they’re 2-3 on the road.

What to Eat: California’s second-largest city (by population) is known for its fish tacos, which are as popular on bar and restaurant menus there as crab cakes are in Baltimore. Unfortunately for tacos de pescado lovers here (and crab cake aficionados there, for that matter), the dish seems to fizzle on the opposite coast. There are a few places around town that offer their take, including Captain Larry’s in Locust Point, Little Havana in Federal Hill, and Riptide by the Bay and Papi’s Tacos in Fells Point, all of which use mahi mahi. Holy Frijoles in Hampden favors beer battered cod. For my money, the best fish taco in Baltimore can be found at Tortilleria Sinaloa in Fells, which uses tilapia with an Old Bay butter sauce. The difference maker is its fresh tortillas, which you can buy and use to make your own version.

Speaking of which, this is the intriguing recipe I’ll be using to make tuna, goat cheese, and spinach tacos on Sunday.

• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 2 ounces room-temperature goat cheese, crumbled
• 1 1/2 pounds (1/2-inch-thick) tuna steaks
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 4 cups baby spinach
• 4 tortillas

Directions:
Combine sour cream and goat cheese in a bowl, stirring until blended. Set aside.

Sprinkle tuna steaks with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add tuna, and cook two minutes per side. Remove from skillet, and set aside.

Add tomatoes to skillet, and remove from heat. Cook tomatoes with residual heat for one minute, stirring constantly. Add spinach; stir one minute or until slightly wilted. Remove from skillet.

Warm tortillas according to package directions. Slice tuna across the grain into 1/4-inch strips. Place strips on half of each tortilla. Top with spinach and tomatoes, and drizzle with goat cheese mixture.

What to Drink: Like many cities, San Diego has undergone a craft-beer revolution in recent years. The best to migrate east, in my opinion, is Stone Brewing Co. (located in nearby Escondido), which brews the tremendous (and tremendously hoppy) Stone IPA. Mixed 12-packs, the devilish Ruination IPA (8.2 percent ABV), and other varieties are available at Total Wine in Towson and other liquor stores in the area.

If you’re thinking cocktail, look no further than this one, inspired by the man who delivered the most memorable line in the history of local news The Ultimate Ron Burgundy Scotchy Scotch Scotch Cocktail, created by Nate Howell, head bartender at Cusp Dining & Drinks in La Jolla, just outside of San Diego:

• 2 cups brown sugar
• 2 oz. Scotch (Howell uses Famous Grouse)
• ½ oz. fresh lemon juice
• ½ oz. fresh grapefruit juice
• 2 dashes peach bitters
• 2 dashes angostura bitters
• 1 orange or lemon peel, for garnish

Directions:
In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat brown sugar and one cup water. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a shaker with ice, combine the Scotch, lemon and grapefruit juices, half-ounce of brown sugar simple syrup, and bitters. Shake vigorously and strain into a short glass with large ice. Garnish with an orange peel.

Ravens at Saints, Monday Nov. 24, 8:30 p.m., Mercedes-Benz Superdome, ESPN

By the time Monday Night Football kicks off, 15 days will have elapsed since the Ravens last suited up. So you can bet the players—and certainly the fans—will indeed be ready for some football. Baltimore returns to the city of its last title triumph for a game that could affect each team’s hopes of getting to this year’s Super Bowl. Remarkably, the Saints are tied for first place in the woeful NFC South division with a 4-6 record. But they still have Drew Brees, one of the league’s outstanding quarterbacks, and a rabid fan base that will be lubed up and ready to explode. I have a feeling that will describe a lot of Ravens fans watching in Baltimore as well.

What to Eat: Stop into Sláinte in Fells Point for a big ol’ bowl of seafood gumbo (recently featured, and rightly so, on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives), or pick up a bucket of spicy fried chicken (and dirty rice) from Adam Jones’ beloved Popeye’s. (Washington Post food critic Tom Sietsema consistently lists it among his guilty pleasures.) If you don’t want to leave the house or even “cook,” grab a box of McCormick-owned Zatarain’s jambalaya mix, some smoked sausage and de-shelled oysters, chop up an onion and a bell pepper, and dump it all into a pot of boiling water. Reduce the burner to low, cover, and 30 minutes later douse with hot sauce. I guarantee it’s the easiest (only?) Cajun meal you’ve ever made.

What to Drink: Abita has been brewing excellent beers 30 miles north of New Orleans for nearly three decades. Its Jockamo IPA, Purple Haze, and Turbodog (a dark brown ale) are staples throughout the city and can be found in many liquor stores in Baltimore. I’ll be having Restoration Pale Ale, sales of which has raised more than $550,000 for hurricane relief. Brewed with pale, caramel, and carapils malts, it has a “rich body, mild bitterness, and a snappy citrus hop flavor and aroma.”

The Sazerac Company has been producing spirits in New Orleans for nearly a century. The Sazerac cocktail has been a favorite in the Big Easy for even longer. Here’s how to make one at home.

• 1 cube sugar
• 1 1/2 ounces (35ml) Sazerac Rye Whiskey or Buffalo Trace Bourbon
• 1/4 ounce Herbsaint
• 3 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
• Lemon peel

Directions:
Pack an Old-Fashioned glass with ice. In a second Old-Fashioned glass place the sugar cube and add the Peychaud’s Bitters to it, then crush the sugar cube. Add the whiskey to the second glass containing the Peychaud’s Bitters and sugar. Empty the ice from the first glass and coat the glass with the Herbsaint, then discard the remaining Herbsaint. Empty the whiskey/bitters/sugar mixture from the second glass into the first glass and garnish with lemon peel.

If You Go: Please, please wander off Bourbon Street. With plenty of chain restaurants and bars, crappy strip clubs, and drunken revelers who think they’re in the “real” New Orleans, most of Bourbon Street is not unlike Harborplace and The Block rolled into one. There are exceptions of course (the venerable restaurant Galatoire’s, blues bar The Funky Pirate, and touristy-but-still-worth-at-least-one-trip Pat O’Brien’s and Lafitte Blacksmith Shop Bar being a few), but would you want an out-of-towner to judge Baltimore based on a trip to Hooters or the Hard Rock?

The soul of this beautiful and other-worldly city lies in the narrow brick-lined streets of the greater French Quarter, in the music clubs that line Frenchmen Street (The Spotted Cat is always hoppin’), in the nouveau restaurants of the Warehouse District (Donald Link’s Cochon executes Cajun cooking brilliantly), and in the magnificent mansions of the Garden District.

For every must-hit like beignets at Café du Monde, mix in a trip to a place like Miss Mae’s (an Uptown dive bar near the legendary music club Tipitina’s). The best way to enjoy New Orleans, however, is to have no plan at all. Stroll through the city at a leisurely pace (if you’re in the quarter you can even sip an adult beverage so long as it’s in a plastic cup), stopping into a restaurant that lures you with the smell of boiling shrimp, or a bar from which the sweet wail of a saxophone proves irresistible.

The Ravens have reached their bye week with a record of 6-4, which perhaps unjustly—but definitely unambiguously—has them tied for last place in the AFC North. Since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, this is the latest in the season that every team in one division has been at least two games over .500.

But in the NFL, circumstances can change quickly: if the other three teams in the division lose this week, the Ravens will find themselves tied for first place. Regardless of what happens, Baltimore has some work to do if it’s going to make it to Arizona for Super Bowl XLIX. (That’s 49 for the Roman numerically-challenged.)

With six games left in the regular season, let’s take a moment to review the highlights, lowlights, and consider the future.

We’re No. 11!

Both Baltimore’s offense and its defense are ranked 11th (out of 32 teams) in the NFL. QB Joe Flacco’s best game came on Oct. 12, when he threw five touchdown passes in a little over a quarter in a rout of hapless Tampa Bay. The defense has been inconsistent, especially in the secondary. Case in point: It held Pittsburgh to six points in Week 2, but surrendered 43 points to those same Steelers on Nov. 2.

A two-point win over Cleveland and two close losses to Cincinnati shows how razor thin the margin is between making the playoffs or playing golf after the regular season ends.

Best Served Cold
Revenge. New wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. swore he’d exact it on his former team, and when the Carolina Panthers came to town on Sept. 28, he made good on his promise. Smith caught seven passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns in the Ravens’ win.

Running back Justin Forsett has been another welcome addition. An obscure Jacksonville Jaguar (aren’t they all?) last season, when he rushed for a total of 31 yards, he was thrust into a starting role following Ray Rice’s suspension and subsequent release. He’s responded in a big way, racking up 721 yards already. Mark Dec. 14 on your calendar; I’m sure Forsett has. That’s when the Jaguars visit Baltimore.

Steel Rollercoaster
Pittsburgh remains the Ravens’ archrival, and the two games between the two were, as always, quite memorable. When the Steelers visited M&T Bank Stadium on Thursday, Sept. 11, the Ravens were reeling. Not only had they lost their opener to the Bengals, the Ray Rice situation had exploded onto the national consciousness the Monday after. In the midst of the firestorm the team rallied to a 26-6 victory in which Flacco threw two touchdown passes.

About two months later, the script was flipped when the Ravens travelled to Heinz Field for a nationally televised Sunday night game. After jumping out to a 7-0 lead, Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger threw six touchdown passes in the Steelers’ 43-23 rout. The loss prompted the Ravens to make wholesale changes in their secondary.

John Harbaugh Speaks—Were We Supposed to Listen?
When Baltimore prepared to play Tennessee a few days after Roethlisberger shredded their defense, the coach jokingly said of Titans QB Zach Mettenberger, “He’s No. 7 and his last name ends in ‘berger,’ so there’s a similarity there with a guy we just played.” Not quite. The Ravens held the Titans and their rookie quarterback to seven points in a 21-7 win.

After that Tennessee victory, the Steelers were on Harbaugh’s mind yet again. “That team beat us last week…then they went and
got their ass kicked this week,” he told his team in the locker room. CBS’s cameras captured the speech and broadcast his comments, much to the entire organization’s ire. The network quickly apologized.

Looking Ahead
The three teams (Cincinnati, Indianapolis, and Pittsburgh) that have beat the Ravens own a winning percentage of .607 (17-10-1). The six Baltimore has defeated are 21-30-1 (a .403 winning percentage). At .600 percent, the Ravens are right in the middle.

Baltimore’s six remaining opponents own a record of 25-30 (.454), which bodes well for their chances the rest of the way. Its biggest more challenging test may be a Monday night trip to New Orleans on Nov. 24 to play the Saints, who are always tough at the Superdome. Playoff fates, and perhaps even the division title, could be decided on the final Sunday of the season, when the Cleveland Browns come to town.

Bookmakers in Vegas have the Ravens listed as 40-1 to win the Super Bowl. Twelve teams have better odds, including the favored Denver Broncos at 7-2.

Titans at Ravens, Sunday Nov. 9, 1 p.m., M&T Bank Stadium, CBS

The Tennessee Titans are one of the NFL’s four alliterative teams, and also one of the 32-team league’s four worst. At 2-6, the tiny Titans are just the type of sacrificial lamb the suddenly struggling Ravens need to feast on to turn their fortunes around. I could tell you how Tennessee’s opponents have outscored them by 65 points (by comparison, the Ravens have outscored theirs by 66), or how the Titans have won just one game on the road. I could tell you how they’re ranked 27th in offense and 23rd in defense, or how Vegas oddsmakers think so little of them that they’ve installed Baltimore as a huge, 10-point favorite. But really, all you need to know is this: Three weeks ago the Titans lost to the Washington Redskins. That tells the whole story.

What to Eat: The Titans are based in Nashville, a rapidly-growing vibrant city of musical and increasingly culinary acclaim. Seventy-five miles south of the country music capital sits Lynchburg, home to the Jack Daniel’s distillery. Mind-bogglingly, the town is located in a dry county, meaning the whiskey is not available for consumption at stores or restaurants there. Luckily, it is here.

I’ll be using it to make Oven BBQ Tennessee Pork Tenderloin:

• ¼ cup Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup ketchup
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 pounds pork tenderloin

Directions:
Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Combine all ingredients except the pork tenderloin in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer until slightly thickened, about five minutes. Place the tenderloin on a foil-lined baking or roasting pan. Brush with the sauce. Roast for about 30 minutes until the internal temperature is 150 degrees. Remove from the oven and let the meat rest about 10 minutes before slicing. Makes six servings.

Nashville’s Monell’s fries some seriously delicious chicken in its legendary skillets. While I generally prefer to consume my fried chicken behind drawn blinds in the privacy of my own home, I make an exception for the Cardinal Tavern (901 S. Clinton St.), which serves some of the best golden, crispy chicken I’ve found in Baltimore. It also has a nice whiskey selection and some big TVs to watch the game.

What to Drink: There is seemingly no limit to the number of ways one can self-administer a Jack Daniel’s-induced hangover. I will be choosing Tennessee Tea as my delivery method.

Combine two ounces of Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7, one ounce of triple sec, one ounce of sweet and sour mix, and an ounce or so of Coke. Pour into a rocks glass filled with ice, garnish with a lemon or lime if you so wish, and enjoy.

Ravens at Steelers, Sunday Nov. 2, 8:30 p.m., Heinz Field, NBC

When these two teams played back in Week 2, I swallowed hard and wrote that it was “as close to a must-win situation as I’ll ever declare in September.” The Ravens won, so although this matchup is important, it’s not a must-win. Let’s call it a would-be-damn-comforting-to-win. Pittsburgh opened as 1 1/2 point favorites.

I always chuckle when I hear Ravens fans declare their hatred not only for the Steelers (understandable), but for the entire city of Pittsburgh (less so). The Steel City is not unlike Baltimore in its working-class roots, love for its sports teams, proximity to water (rivers vs. harbor), and occasionally less-than-sterling national reputation. I’m a fan of the place, its people, and its culture—just not its football team.

What to Eat: One of Pittsburgh’s signature dishes is the chipped chopped ham barbecue sandwich. Originally made in 1933 at Isaly’s, a local family chain of dairy/convenience stores, you can now buy the packaged deli meat at certain Walmarts here in Maryland. (Really you can use any ham, just make sure it’s shaved razor thin.)

Place the meat in a skillet and cook over medium heat until it breaks into small pieces. Add some ketchup (Heinz, of course) and barbecue sauce to the skillet, then simply pile as much of the concoction onto a bread of your choice (most people seem to use a standard hamburger bun or Kaiser roll).

What to Drink: This being the conclusion of Halloween week (by the way, when did Halloween become an entire week/month/season?), a black and gold martini seems particularly appropriate for Sunday. First, add a few drops of blue, red, and green food coloring to a bottle of vodka. Shake the bottle well and the booze should darken. Pour two ounces into a shaker, add one ounce of Goldschlager Cinnamon Schnapps, shake well and pour into a cocktail glass.

If You Go: Much like Baltimore, Pittsburgh is a city of neighborhoods. The Strip District is filled with bars and restaurants, the original location of the famous/notorious Primati Bros. (46 18th St.) among them. (There’s also a location inside Heinz Field.) People seem to get very worked up about this place. Opinions vary from the “putting fries and cole slaw on the sandwich is the kind of revolutionary thinking that made America great” to “it makes the sandwich a soggy, gross mess.” I fall somewhere in the middle. My Primanti Bros. sandwiches have been tasty, but I have to say, I find the concept a bit gimmicky. Regardless, if you’ve never been, you need to decide for yourself.

In the Oakland, near the University of Pittsburgh, the Original Hot Dog Shop (3901 Forbes Ave.) is an institution. A greasy spoon popular with students, drunk people (they’re not always one and the same) and everyone in between, it’s known for huge portions, cheap prices, and some of the best cheese dogs and cheese fries around.

Downtown, Braddock’s Pittsburgh Brasserie (107 6th St.) in the Renaissance Hotel features a deep lineup of bourbons, mixes some of the city’s best cocktails, and serves local-inspired dishes like braised short rib pierogies and grilled Strip District kielbasa.

Wherever you go and whatever you eat, wash it down with an ice cold Iron City, the Natty Boh of the ‘burgh. (I say that both as a compliment and a, well, have one and you’ll understand.)

Ravens at Bengals, Sunday Oct. 26, 1 p.m., Paul Brown Stadium, CBS

The Ravens can apply a sleeper hold (if not quite a death grip) to the AFC North on Sunday with a win in Cincinnati, which for the geographically unacquainted, is located stunningly close to Kentucky (when I traveled there in college we stayed in Covington, KY, just across the Ohio River from the Queen City). Thirty or so towns stake claim to the nickname “Queen City,” but Cincinnati is probably the best known. According to the Cincinnati Museum Center, the name is derived from the city’s former status as the “the Queen of the West.” At 0-2-1 in their last three games, the Bengals are heading south. They need a win desperately, which is part of the reason oddsmakers have made them 1 1/2-point favorites.

What to Eat: When the Bengals came to Baltimore last month I passed along a Cincinnati-style chili recipe that I made and can confirm is delicious. I still have black beans from that Sunday (I decided not to deviate from the recipe), which I plan to use this weekend when I make this vegetarian chili from Epicurious.com.

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 1 2/3 cups coarsely chopped red bell peppers (about 2 medium)
• 6 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 15- to 16-ounce cans black beans, drained, 1/2 cup liquid reserved
• 1 16-ounce can tomato sauce
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Sour cream
• Grated Monterey Jack cheese
• Chopped green onions

Directions: Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions, bell peppers, and garlic; sauté for about 10 minutes until onions soften. Mix in chili powder, oregano, cumin, and cayenne; stir two minutes. Mix in beans, 1/2 cup reserved bean liquid, and tomato sauce. Bring chili to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until flavors blend and chili thickens, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

For a Saturday warmup, head to Duda’s Tavern, an often-overlooked Fells Point neighborhood bar at the corner of Bond and Thames streets. Although it’s closed on Sundays, it serves tasty chili in a variety of ways, including on the Raven Manic, a 12-ounce grilled burger topped with homemade chili, cheddar cheese, and jalapeños.

What to Drink: The Cincinnati Cocktail is a half-beer, half-soda water concoction that would strike most people as insane to make. But if David Wondrich, the all-knowing cocktail correspondent for Esquire (and fan of Fells Point’s Rye), says it’s refreshing, then it’s refreshing. Use a pint glass, split your two liquids equally, and enjoy.

If You Go: Cincinnati has deep German roots, which means its residents revel in drinking great German-style beer. The Moerlein Lager House (115 Joe Nuxhall Way) pours its signature Christian Moerlein Over-The-Rhine Ale along with another dozen or so brews made by the Christian Moerlein Brewing Co. at a riverfront restaurant that’s close to the football stadium.

BrewCity Gastropub (2062 Riverside Dr.) features local craft beer and serves New Orleans-inspired dishes like po’ boys and muffalettas from the kitchen of chef Michael Shields, who worked under Emeril Lagasse.

If you’re feeling nostalgic for Maryland, hit O’Malley’s in the Alley (25 Ogden Place) downtown. It’s Cincinnati’s second-oldest bar, trailing only Arnold’s (210 E. 8th St.), which was established in 1861.

Falcons at Ravens, Sunday Oct. 19, 1 p.m., M&T Bank Stadium, Fox

Has Joe Flacco stopped throwing touchdown passes yet? If so, it likely won’t be long until he starts again. Atlanta comes limping into town this week with a 2-4 record and a defense with an aptitude for folding. The Falcons are giving up an average of 277 yards passing per game, fourth worst in the NFL, and they’re surrendering 28.3 points per game, third worst in the league. They’re 0-3 on the road, which makes the Ravens a solid bet even as 7-point favorites.

What to Eat: I spent part of last weekend in suburban Atlanta hanging out with more than one native Georgian. When I asked what special food is associated with “Hotlanta,” their faces looked as dumbfounded as the Buccaneers’ defenders did last week. Soul food seems to be the city’s signature, so for lunch I’m heading to the appropriately named Georgia Soul Food (102 E. 25th St.) for some fried catfish, candied yams, collard greens, and peach cobbler.

But before that, a trip to the venerable
Miss Shirley’s Cafe (513 W. Cold Spring Lane and 750 E. Pratt St.) seems to be in order. Does it get more southern than Dixie cornbread squares, southern fried deviled eggs, chicken ‘n waffles, or the southern fried slammer sandwich, an artery-busting combination of fried green tomato, applewood-smoked bacon, smashed avocado, cheddar cheese and fried egg on pumpernickel?

If you’re staying in, this
Savannah-style crab soup recipe seems like the perfect marriage of Georgia and Maryland. (It even has Old Bay!)

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Cooking spray
• 2 cups chopped carrots
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon Old Bay
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 cups clam juice
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 1 pound lump crabmeat, shell pieces removed
• 1/3 cup dry sherry

Directions:
Place flour in a cast-iron skillet; cook over medium heat 15 minutes or until brown, stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat. Melt the butter in a Dutch oven coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add carrot and the next five ingredients (carrot through garlic), and sauté five minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add Old Bay seasoning, salt, black pepper, dried thyme, and bay leaf; cook for one minute. Sprinkle the browned flour over vegetable mixture, and cook one minute, stirring frequently. Stir in clam juice, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until mixture is slightly thick, stirring frequently.

Stir in the milk and half-and-half; cook four minutes. Stir in crabmeat and sherry; cook five minutes or until the soup is thoroughly heated. Discard bay leaf before serving.

What to Drink: Georgia, of course, is known as the Peach State, and folks down south are now using that juicy fruit to make beer. RJ Rockers is a brewery out of Spartanburg, SC, but its Son of a Peach is an unfiltered American wheat ale that’s Georgian at its core. It’s available at Total Wine in Laurel.

I was drawn to this
peach margarita recipe because of the site it’s on, ABeautifulMess.com. That’s often how I feel after drinking a few margaritas.

• 1/2 cup peach puree
• 1 lime
• 1.5 ounces tequila
• 1/5 ounce of triple sec
• 1 tablespoon simple syrup
• Sea salt and a peach slice to garnish

Directions: Skin and puree two white peaches. This should yield enough peach puree. Combine the puree, lime juice, tequila, triple sec, and simple syrup. Stir to combine. Rim your glass by placing the rim in a shallow amount of water and then dipping it into coarse sea salt. Add ice and pour the mixed drink over ice. Garnish with a peach slice.

Ravens at Buccaneers, Sunday Oct. 12, 1:00 p.m., Raymond James Stadium, CBS

As a former resident of Tampa, allow me to clear something up: there’s no such city as Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay is, like our Chesapeake, a big body of water forming an indentation of the shoreline, larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf. It’s also a term used to describe the entire region, which includes the cities of Clearwater and St. Petersburg.

Tampa conjures fond memories for Ravens fans. It was at Raymond James Stadium in the lightning capital of the country (or is it?) that Baltimore beat the Giants in Super Bowl XXXV (Jermaine Lewis might still be running). But the team that usually occupies RayJa? No one would call the Bad News Bucs super. During its inaugural season in 1976, Tampa Bay failed to win a single game. How much better are they now? Not much. The Buccaneers struggled to a 4-12 record last year, and this season they’ve managed just one win of their five games.

What to Eat: The Cuban sandwich, a delicious layering of ham, roast pork, salami, swiss cheese, mustard, and pickle on Cuban bread, is Tampa’s official sandwich (take that Miami). It’s hard to find one in Baltimore. Little Havana on Key Highway has a serviceable version, but for a truly authentic taste you’ll need to drive about a half hour south to the fabulous Cuba de Ayer in Burtonsville (15446 Old Columbia Pike).

If that’s too far, make your own. This is how Chef Gerardo Gonzales of Tapas Adela and Anastasia in Fells Point honors the Cuban sandwich tradition: “Use thin-sliced smoked ham and sliced roasted pork, swiss and provolone cheeses on ciabatta bread. Add sliced pickles and a healthy portion of both mojo (see below) and mustard, then warm it in a Panini press or on the grill until the cheese begins to ooze out.”

Mojo recipe:

• 1 cup olive oil
• ¾ cup and two tablespoons of fresh lime juice
• ¾ cup of orange juice
• ½ cup of chopped fresh cilantro
• 8 minced garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon of grated orange peel
• 1 tablespoon of dried oregano
• 2½ teaspoons of ground cumin
• 1½ teaspoons of salt
• 1½ teaspoons of pepper.

What to Drink: Gasparilla is an annual parade and Mardi Gras-like celebration of debauchery that takes place each winter in Tampa. People dress up like pirates, elbow one another out of the way to catch beads thrown from floats, and drink copious amounts of alcohol. Pandora’s Punch packs that requisite alcohol, and it actually tastes good. (Recipe from the Tampa Bay Times.)

Ingredients:

• chablis or chardonnay
• vodka
• lemon-lime soda
• pineapple juice
• club soda
• pineapple, lemon and lime garnishes

Fill a tall glass with ice. Fill halfway with white wine, one shot of vodka, a splash of lemon-lime soda, and a splash of pineapple juice. Garnish with a lime wedge or a pineapple wedge.

If You Go: Raymond James Stadium is located on the outskirts of Tampa on a Route 40-like stretch of road jammed with chain restaurants and strip clubs. If a mediocre steak from Outback and a lap dance at Mons Venus is your thing, then hey, more power to you. If not, head to Columbia Restaurant (2117 E. 7th Ave.) in the Ybor City neighborhood. I can’t validate its claim as Florida’s oldest restaurant, but I can assure you that it serves a delicious Cuban sandwich in a delightful old-school environment. The main stretch of Seventh Avenue is crowded with bars, restaurants, shops, and boutique cigar houses that sell hand rolled sticks. Downtown, Hattricks (107 South Franklin St.) is a sports bar housed in a three-story brick building that dates back to 1907. TVs and sports memorabilia are everywhere. The Hub (719 N. Franklin St.) pours the stiffest drink you’ll ever have.

The community of Davis Island is located in Hillsborough Bay. It’s an eclectic mix of middle class houses and mansions (including Derek Jeter’s, dubbed “St. Jetersburg”), and its cute little main stretch reminds me of a more laid back Canton Square. Yeoman’s Road Pub (236 E. Davis Blvd.) has a huge selection of international beers and microbrews, and often great live music.

Ravens at Colts, Sunday Oct. 5, 1:00 p.m., Lucas Oil Stadium, CBS

Hard to believe the Colts have played in Indianapolis for as many seasons as they did in Baltimore. While most of the players who will be on the field Sunday weren’t even born when legendary meanie Robert Irsay ordered those Mayflower moving vans packed 30 years ago, for Baltimore football fans of a certain age it’s still weird to watch a game and root against the guys in blue with horseshoes on their helmets.

One of those young Colts, quarterback Andrew Luck, is off to a magnificent start this season. Through the first four games he’s tossed 13 touchdown passes, breaking the franchise record previously held by some guy named Peyton Manning. The Ravens are about three-point underdogs, but underdogs have a history of surprising people in this state.

What to Eat: I’m a lifelong Marylander, but I took a four-year hiatus to attend college at Indiana University. While in the idyllic college town of Bloomington (located about 40 miles south of Indianapolis), I worked as a sandwich artist long before Subway hijacked the term. (Quick aside: Jared the Subway Guy started his Subway diet in Bloomington.) After each shift at Dagwood’s Deli and Sub Shop (motto: “Under 55 Billion Served”), I’d make myself a fat Dagwood Supreme. It’s easy to replicate. The sub has healthy portions of turkey, roast beef, ham, Colby and provolone cheeses, lettuce, tomato, onion, and Dagwood’s special sauce. (If I told you the recipe I’d have to kill you, but if you mix ketchup, mayo, and add a little paprika you’re on the right path.)

You can create your own version of the sandwich here at Attman’s (1019 E. Lombard St.). Its Eileen the Queen allows you to choose any three meats and one cheese (you’ll have to forgo the Colby) for $13.59.

What to Drink: People from Indiana are known as Hoosiers, and no one knows why. Really. I can guarantee, however, that if you have more than a few Hoosier Cocktails, you’ll come up with some crazy theories of your own (recipe from Shaunthebartender.com):

• 2 ounces vodka
• 1 ounce light rum
• dry vermouth

Pour about an ounce of dry vermouth into a chilled martini glass and set it off to the side. Take a shaker tin filled with ice, and add the vodka and rum to it. Shake well until you feel the cold on the outside of the tin. Before pouring the contents out of the shaker, swirl out the dry vermouth, which will leave a residue on the inside of the glass. Finally, strain the contents of the shaker into the lined cocktail glass.

If You Go: Downtown Indy is known for its walkability, cleanliness, and in my opinion, general staleness. To discover the true heart of Indiana’s capital city, take a cab to the Broad Ripple neighborhood on the north side of town.

Among the many bars and restaurants, Flatwater (832 E. Westfield Blvd.) stands out. Located on a canal with plenty of outdoor seating, it has an inventive menu, several craft beers on tap and often features live music. Triton Tap (915 Broad Ripple Ave.) serves its own beer for $4 a pint. Railsplitter India Pale Ale and Fieldhouse Wheat are my favorites.

In the Sobro neighborhood (South of Broad Ripple), The Aristocrat (5212 N. College Ave.)has a handsome wooden bar, a great selection of local and European beers, and serves Indiana’s staple dish: pork tenderloin. The last time I was there my friends Hoosiered me into ordering the fried version of the sandwich. The massive breaded patty dwarfs the bun and hangs off the plate.

Douse it with hot sauce and make sure you don’t have any big plans for the rest of the night.

Ravens at Browns, Sunday Sept. 21, 1:00 p.m., FirstEnergy Stadium, CBS

For the first time this year the Ravens hit the road, and their destination is their old home. By some odd stroke of fate (luck? bad luck?) I’m friends with lots of native Clevelanders who, make no mistake about it, view Baltimore, from a football franchise-stealing perspective at least, in the exact same unflattering light as Baltimoreans do Indianapolis. Couple that with the fact that this is the Ravens’ third-straight division game, against a Browns team that looks much improved this year, and we should have ourselves one outstanding game.

What to Eat: Cleveland’s a heavily ethnic city with large populations of people with Slavic roots. They, like I, love pierogies. This recipe comes from my friend Lisa’s Polish family.

Dough:

• 2 tablespoons of melted butter
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups flour

Whisk together all liquid ingredients, then add salt and flour and knead until dough is formed and elastic.

Filling:

• 1 pound potatoes
• 1 lb. grated cheddar cheese
• 1 small onion, minced
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Salt & pepper to taste

Boil potatoes until soft, then mash until smooth. While potatoes boil, sauté onions in butter until translucent. Mix mashed potatoes, sautéed onions, cheese, and salt and pepper together. Roll dough to about 1/8 inch thick. Cut into 2-3 inch circles. Put about 1/2 tablespoon of filling in center, then fold in half and pinch edges to seal. Drop into boiling salted water. Watch and periodically loosen from the bottom. When they float to the top, they’re done (about 10 minutes). Makes 24-30.

If you want someone else to do the cooking, Ze Mean Bean Café in Fells Point (1739 Fleet St.) prepares a mean pierogi. Try the Slavic sampler, which includes one holupki, three pierogi, one potato pancake topped with homemade applesauce, and a side of Polish kielbasa.

What to Drink: Wash down those delicious dumplings with a Cleveland Rose cocktail, invented by Cleveland bartender Hilary Tennaro.

• 1 1/4 ounces gin
• 1 1/4 oz. blanco tequila
• 1/2 oz. yellow Chartreuse
• 2 1/4 tsp. fresh lime juice
• 2 1/4 tsp. Lillet Rouge
• 1 tsp. ginger syrup

Combine all ingredients in mixing glass over ice and stir until chilled. Strain into chilled glass and garnish.

If You Go: Despite its inability to shed its underwhelming national reputation (“The Mistake by the Lake,” where the Cuyahoga River once caught fire), Cleveland’s actually a great town with a vibrant food and drink scene. Sample Great Lakes Brewing Company’s fine array of beer at its brewpub, at 2516 Market Avenue. The Westside Market (1979 W. 25th St.), the city’s oldest, has more than 100 vendors who sell everything from fresh produce to homemade Slovenian sausage.

In the Warehouse District, Holy Craft! (1276 West 6th St.) has 40 beers on tap, including local selections like Fat Head’s Spooky Tooth, a 9 percent imperial pumpkin ale. Melt Bar and Grilled in Cleveland Heights (13463 Cedar Rd.) features grilled cheese offerings ranging from the kindergarten (plain old bread and cheese) to the Cleveland cheese steak (flavorful braised pulled beef brisket, garlic mushrooms, sautéed onions and peppers, rosemary onion aioli, and provolone). If you’re feeling bold or stupid, take on the Melt challenge. Finish a monster sandwich with 13 different cheeses, three slices of bread and a pile of hand-cut fries and slaw (it’s more than five pounds of food) without any help or trips to the bathroom, you win a T-shirt or pint glass, a $10 gift card, and a spot in the Melt Challenge Hall of Fame.

Attempting the challenge could be the true mistake by the lake.