November 21, 2025 • 32 mins
Who needs offense when you can have dominant defense? The Houston Texans bested the Buffalo Bills 23-19, on a night when the Houston defensive unit made clutch plays, forced Josh Allen to the ground eight times and catapulted the team back into playoff contention. NIck Shook and Jourdan Rodrigue provide all of the news, analysis and storylines from the Week 12 edition of Thursday Night Football on the latest episode of NFL Daily!
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Warbit Mos, Shakir Alan back to throw Allan airing it
out Alan pep up by pull up. It's over the Texans.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
They're gonna do it.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
There's a flagged out of the secondary.
Speaker 3 (00:14):
What is this?
Speaker 4 (00:15):
It's a gutst the pills.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
The Texans pull it off. They're gonna knock off Buffalo time.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Oh.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
For those who are fans of a pass happy NFL
who like points on the scoreboard, the Houston Texans have
a message for you, and that message is defense can
be fun too. The Texans take down the Buffalo Bills
on Thursday Night Football twenty three to nineteen in a
(00:42):
thrilling contest. I'm Nick Schuck sitting in for Greg Rosenthal
and joined by my favorite, the superstar herself, Jordan Rodrig Jordan,
what a game.
Speaker 5 (00:53):
We got a Monsters Inc. Twenty three nineteen, twenty three nineteen.
I'm so excited.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
I was telling Patrick and Greg that this was gonna
happen all season. We were going to get a score.
Greg Rosenthal has never seen Monsters Inc. I feel the
fans need to pressure him, the listeners need to pressure him.
Speaker 5 (01:09):
He must now watch it as.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Penance for not believing in the Houston Texans. Like we
were talking about Nick all week with this defense. This
game was so so fun. If you love defense, if
you love weirdness, if you love games that get really
really crazy with slow periods in between and flurries of competence.
Speaker 5 (01:28):
It was so much fun all around. This was amazing.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Oh flurries of confidence. What a way to describe the
Houston Texans offense tonight. I mean it didn't start with
competence necessarily, because they ended up in a goal to
go situation and settled for three. But they did find
some openings and they capitalized late in this game. And
I think that's probably where we should start. Because earlier
in this game, the Bills put together your typical touchdown drive.
Speaker 4 (01:50):
It ends up in a long James Cook touchdown run,
pretty status quo.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
But the Texans claw their way back into this game,
and really where things turned is just before or halftime
when they force a turnover and they cover seventy five
yards and they finish it.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
And this is a six play drive, mind you, This is.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
A two minute drill executed to perfection by none other
than the man himself, Davis Mills. And when it looks
like they're gonna come up short again on the goal line. Instead,
Mills finds Jayden and Higgins for a touchdown, and suddenly
the Texans have a twenty to sixteen lead going into halftime,
and if you listen to the final score, it's twenty
three to nineteen, which tells the rest of the story
(02:28):
because there weren't that many points in the second half
thanks to this fantastic Houston Texans defense. Jordan, I know
that you love watching great defenses play, and we got
one tonight.
Speaker 5 (02:39):
Yeah, this was so much fun, you know.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
To that point when the Texans started putting together actual
drives on offense, Davis Mills had only completed his second
pass of the game with like nine and a half
minutes left in the second half, which tells you we
say flurries of competence, we mean flurries of competence, because
in the last three minutes ish of the second quarter,
(03:02):
the Texans scored seventeen points and took a twenty to
sixteen lead, and from their their defense went to work. Nick.
The Texans defensive line sacked Josh Allen eight times tonight.
That is I believe a career high for Josh Allen.
Kaylin Bullock, who iced the game. That was his second interception,
and he also forced to fumble. I mean, this pressure
(03:26):
that the Texans defense got didn't just alter the game.
And obviously the Russian coverage was so complimentary because Josh
Allen turned the ball over pretty uncharacteristically. In fact, that
he was being pressured so voraciously from play to play,
the pressure was coming from the outside, it was coming
from the inside. It was such a smart sequencing of
(03:50):
design and tenacity. And these defensive linemen they also they
were getting their arms free of the offensive linemen. They
were batting Josh Allen's arm all the time to force
him to tuck and pull the ball so he didn't
want to make the throws. And the secondary and the
linebackers were swarming behind it. It was artful, artful defense.
And I have to say it's this defense is magnificent.
(04:13):
So often during this game, nick, I found myself thinking,
this Texans defense is truly beautiful to watch. It is magnificent.
If only they had an offense. And over and over again,
you just kept thinking this because they kept giving the
Bills chances to come back into this. But this defense
they have Josh Allen's number. He plays his worst football
(04:36):
against the Houston Texans defense.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Yeah, yeah, although I do think back to that one
time when he took off for a run early in
his career and blooded up his arm. That was also
in Houston, but that was years ago. That was a
different Josh Allen. There's so many topics that you could
drill down on it within this defensive performance, Like you
could talk about the fact that that Josh consistently had
nowhere to go, and the reason that he had nowhere
to go wasn't just the pressure, it was also the
(04:58):
way that Houston played coverage. Now next Gen Stats has
it pretty even there's actually more zone than man. But
in the second half, especially, all I saw was one
safety of high man coverage across the board and the
Bills are trying to run crossers and everything else. They
ran mesh a couple of times, and the Texans properly
picked it up, even though usually their cause is traffic
that loses a defender no problem for the Texans, and
(05:20):
the easy layups that Alan is so used to getting
were not there.
Speaker 4 (05:24):
So that was the first part.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
He had no quick decisions until that final drive when
the Texans were playing a little softer. The other part
of it was it's not just the usual suspects in
pass rushing. And yes, of course Will Anderson and Daniel Hunter,
they definitely did their part. Will Anderson with two and
a half sacks, Daniel Hunter with two, But there were
other players that came up in key spots throughout this
game where Alan might escape the pocket to the right
(05:46):
and there's Henry Toto to meet him behind the line
of scrimmage.
Speaker 4 (05:49):
For a sack. He wasn't the only one.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
There was a number of other guys, Tim Settle getting
a sack up the middle. What it was was Alan
trying to navigate the pocket looking for exit routes, and
every time he thought he found one, there was a
Texans defender. It was an incredible display of discipline, both
on the back end and in the pass rush, and
it neutralized the Bill's offense that folks probably thought were
going to put up a lot of points. They put
up with forty two, forty four last week. Nope, nineteen today.
(06:13):
Because when you run into a defense that has talent
at all three levels, and especially a safety in Kaln Bullock,
who had a hell of a night, and you have
a defense that plays disciplined football as well coached, then
it's going to make everything real difficult for you. And
like you said, if the Texans had an offense, this
would be a legit Super Bowl contender, because this defense
is elite, it's special. It's one that we're going to
remember for a while.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Yeah, I'm curious if you saw the same thing as
me too, Nick, because it was like when this group
was pass rushing. And when I say that, it's not
just their front that does it. I know that sometimes
the broadcast in the pregame, like had some fun with
Debiko Ryans and his swarm catchphrase and what does it mean?
And I'm like, watch the game, that's what That's what
it means, Sue, Because it was because what they were
(06:56):
doing as a collective, This wasn't just the front interier
next tierer, which was amazing, but also every single layer
they were almost reading the inverse of Josh Allen's own
reads when they were looking When Josh Allen was looking
for places to go, it's like they were also looking
for the same lanes to either run or to throw
(07:18):
that Josh Allen himself was looking at. That is incredible
film study. That is instinctive football. That is smart scheme
that from Matt Burke, the defensive coordinator. That is also
just a tenacious, exquisitely talented group of players that even
when things got so crazy at the end, Nick so
(07:38):
crazy at the end again in one of these Texans games,
and you just had confidence that they were going to
make a goal line stand, even when we saw one
of the most unbelievable plays I think we've seen in.
Speaker 5 (07:50):
A game all season.
Speaker 3 (07:51):
Yeah, you know, when Houston was kind of I wouldn't
say playing with their food, but allowing the Bills to
stay in the game in the fourth quarter, I thought,
oh no, this is going to be our heartbreak happens,
And when they cut it to a four point lead,
I thought, oh no, here comes the heartbreak. But that
defense gives you the confidence as a viewer, and if
you're a Texans fan that if they're gonna lose, they're
going to make it really difficult for the other team
to break their hearts, Like you're not just going to
(08:13):
get a free shot at them. You're gonna have to
really work for it. And the Bills were working for it,
and their only lifeline in the passing game, especially in
the fourth quarter was finding Khalil Shakir. You know you
had no Dalton Kin Kate out there. Keon Coleman inactive
for a second straight week, so his options, Josh Allen's
options are limited, and it ended up being thrown to
Shakir in the flat in a little bit of open
space and make guys miss. And he did a lot
(08:33):
down the right sideline in that fourth quarter, which is
really what put them in a position to potentially win
this game. But ultimately it was the same things that
we just talked about, Alan being under duress often really
just never feeling comfortable in the pocket, and a player
like Kayln Bullock stepping in to make the game ceiling
interception that we listen to. Just a phenomenal play, but
(08:54):
not the only play and not the only contribution from
a defender on the Texans defense. We think about Aziz
Als like this guy has a bit of a reputation
after what he did to Trevor Lawrence last year. Right,
he plays hard, He plays a million miles an hour,
He hits players hard, and he brought that to the
field tonight to the point where I think there was
a fumble at one point and an offensive Lineman picked
it up. It may I think it was one of
(09:15):
the tackles, and he went to tackle him just to
make sure that he was down, and you see him
stand up in like Patti's helmet, like, hey man, I
just had to make sure you were tackled. Well, that
was him being peaceful, being, you know, extending an olive branch.
He was not peaceful for most of this game. He
tips a pass early in this game that ends up
in the arms of Kaylan Bullock for the first interception
that really started to swing the game in their favor.
It was another example of how they're not just their stars.
(09:37):
They're not just Derek Stingley. They are a full unit
that comes through in the biggest spots. But you're right,
one of the craziest plays we've seen all season on
that final drive. It's fourth and twenty seven. I know
there's an old play and Eagles lore that Donovan McNabb converted,
but this one stands right up there, even though it's
not in the playoffs. It's a hook and ladder, all
hook and ladder, depending on what your terminology is. It
(09:57):
worked regardless. It caught the Texans where playing a bit
of a prevent look playing very soft back toward the
line to gain gave them space underneath to make the play,
and of course Joe Brady digs into the bag of
tricks and calls it the perfect time and it catches
the outside corner on the right side off guard, opens
up another lane for Shakir to make a big game
down the sideline, which it felt like he was doing
the entire fourth quarter, and that's really what put us
(10:19):
in this position for this game to come down to
a final defensive stand, a thrilling play. I have to
ask you, Jordan, before we move forward, which term do
you use to describe this, because I've always been confused
or at least conflicted on which one I want to use.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
I just say, Chris Peterson, you know, jas state by state,
That's what I say. Yeah, And I posted this too
as like Chris Peterson online one, because that is one
of those plays I think. I'm I'm pretty sure that
you and I are the same age as Joe Brady Nick.
Speaker 5 (10:46):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, which is wild to think about.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
It's a lot of responsibility, but also but it's like
we grew up with that lore, right, Like we grew
up knowing you know about the Boise State upset and
the Fiesta Bowl and the hook and Ladder, and I
call it the hooking ladder, And I know it's a
you know, you can go either way, but like it
was one of those plays that you run. You really
don't want to show that at any other point other
(11:10):
than a moment of pure and absolute desperately.
Speaker 4 (11:12):
Unless unless you're Ben Johnson with the Lions last year.
Speaker 5 (11:14):
But please do it whenever you want.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
I thought that it was special for Khalil Shakir that
he had an opportunity to possibly win the game just
days after he and his wife had a baby girl.
And so there was all this poetry setting up for
this Josh Allen, you know, multiple turnovers and getting hit
so much and shaking his hand out because he kept
landing on his hand because he's trying to protect the
(11:38):
football underneath his body every time he would get hit.
And there was just this feeling that you're like, Okay,
if Josh Allen is going to go into the same
kind of god mode we saw last week, then this would.
Speaker 5 (11:51):
Be the moment that he does it.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
But it's it's a an unstoppable force meeting and a
movable object and the immovable object wins in this case,
the Texans defense. I can't speak highly enough for you
mentioned some of the little details you saw about just
how technically sound they are in some of the little moments,
like Daniel Hunter at one point on a sack unclenched
(12:15):
his arms from around Josh Allen's legs because his body
was getting turned by alignman who was rolling backwards. And
if Daniel Hunter would have still stayed holding on to
Josh Allen's legs, he probably would have gotten flagged for
a hip drop. And instead he unclapses his arms and
the second that Josh Allen's feet are clear of the role,
he claps back on. So it's like those little things
(12:37):
that this is like the smartest freaking defense.
Speaker 5 (12:39):
It's why I picked them.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
I know it's embarrassing, but because of this offense. But
I picked them to be Super Bowl contenders at the
beginning of the season because this defense has just this
elite professionalism and this athleticism. For Will Anderson Junior to
miss the sack on Josh Allen diving and stretching out
the first time run fifty one point seven yards according
(13:01):
to NextGen Stats, to then get to Josh Allen and
take him to the turf. That is some Aaron donald
S man, and I wrote it out in my notes.
I'm not gonna make Chris Babona edit it tonight, but
that is some crazy, crazy stuff, and that is what
this defense can be. I'm glad they got to show
it on primetime. Sure, I wish they had an offense,
(13:22):
but you know, it's fits and starts.
Speaker 5 (13:25):
You know, we take a week and.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
Get yeah, and the Texans will take what they can
get for sure, because they're in this bit of they're
in a process right now where they're trying to climb
out of the deficit in the hole that they dug
themselves early in this season. And as we got to
the fourth quarter of this game tonight and I contemplated
the idea of the Bills coming back and winning, I thought,
if the Bills are going to win, it's going to
be a culture win, and it's going to be just
a red mark on the Texans resume as a team
(13:48):
that has.
Speaker 4 (13:48):
A good defense but isn't good enough to beat teams
like this.
Speaker 3 (13:51):
But now that it's that we watched it conclude in
the fashion that it did, I'm almost tempted to say
that it's a culture creating or a establishing win for
these Texans, because if we back up a little bit,
before Houston takes a twenty to sixteen lead into halftime,
they had just put up a ten points in a
matter of minutes.
Speaker 4 (14:12):
Right it's thirteen to nine.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
They had to settle for three after the turnover on
the goal line, can't convert all the time. Buffalo gets
it right back with a fantastic kick return touchdown.
Speaker 4 (14:24):
By Ray Davis. And one that I want to take
a listen to.
Speaker 3 (14:27):
Here it one.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
Fifty six left in the hand.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
Kick is going to go to Davis, who fields it
at the two, out to the ten. Fifteen coming off
the middle, twenty five, bounces off a tackle, spins head,
he's out to the forty, cuts it back fifty He's
gonna go the distance. Happy birthday, Ray Davis all the
way for a flip into the end zone.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
For a touchdown. Now that is a massive play that
could take the soul from a team that had just
clawed its way into the lead. You know, you think,
all right, we're playing great defense, got something out of
our offense for once. All the momentums in our favor boom,
punched to the gut. Just like that, you're trailing again.
And I think at that point I was settled in
(15:10):
for a title contender type of fight, a heavyweight bout
for twelve rounds, four quarters. Here we go back and forth.
Some weird stuff's happening. Ray Davis runs into his own
blocker and that's what frees him up to take it
ninety seven yards for a touchdown kick return. And yet
the Texans weren't really bothered by that. They responded, and
that's why I think that, yes, their defense defines their team,
(15:32):
but it's the ability to fight back. Yes, you have
full home field advantage, you're wearing your fancy sparkly when
it comes to the helmet, all red jerseys. You're on Primetime,
it's a special night. But this is like where this
team is why I'm starting to believe in them. And
shout out to Davis Mills for doing a good enough
job to move the football with this team. He's come
through in the clutch a couple of times. Now, that win,
that comeback went over Jacksonville, that two minute drive tonight
(15:55):
to put points on the board before halftime. I'm kind
of a believer that I like the trajectory of this
text because of how they performed in a game like that.
Speaker 5 (16:07):
It's super interesting to me.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
I argue with Greg about this constantly, and we did
so even over text tonight because he before he went
into the family event that he was going to tonight, Nick,
he was texting me about Davis Mills, who he just
can't quit. He can't quit Davis Mills. He loves him.
And when Davis Mills makes a throw to get the
(16:30):
Texans in scoring position again right before halftime, He's like,
we are so back, and then it goes dark because
he goes into this event right, and I'm like, Greg's
it's spurts right. It's like he does things in highly
productive flashes. He's like the calmest guy ever, and yet
his play is like high functioning anxiety personified, because it's
(16:54):
like you're just still for most of it, and then
all of a sudden, you produce, like frantically right, and
then you're good. And I think it's a testament though,
because even when he's not producing, and again they're in
the second half, they're just giving the bills. Their possessing
possessions are so short they're just giving the Bills bite
after bite after bite after bite at the Apple. Davis
(17:17):
Mills was calm, He was not rattled his offensive line.
Once again, I think this was their seventh different line
offensive line combination that they entered the game with the Texans,
and their offense has not looked good with CJ.
Speaker 5 (17:29):
Strouder without c J. Stroud.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
And you know, like I mentioned at the top of
the show, he didn't complete his second pass until deep
into the second quarter. But he stays calm, and I
think as sometimes maybe too calm. Al on the broadcast
pointed this out when he was like, man, we haven't
seen him like frown or show any emotion at all,
(17:53):
good or bad on his face at any point. And
I think that's really what you need for these Texans
to climb out of the hole that they had dug themselves.
Is this calmness. Now you hope CJ. Stroud gets back.
It sounds like he's close to making his return to
the field. But to have sort of this steadiness in
the meantime when you are trying to figure out ways
(18:14):
to win games and this defense is really carrying you
through that like a Demico Ryan's team will I do
think that it was important for Davis Mills to be
this backup quarterback for this team right now.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
Yeah, And you know, I think when you have a
defense as good as Houston's, it takes a little bit
of the pressure off just naturally because you think, all right, well,
the game's out entirely on my shoulders. If I don't
convert this third down, the defense is still going to
give us a chance, which is the first feather in
his cap that he can kind of.
Speaker 4 (18:40):
Lean on in this situation. But it's also I mean,
you think back to when he was drafted.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
He came out of Stanford with very limited college experience,
and that was the big knock on him. And then
they throw him into the fire and he gets two
seasons worth of starting experience with a bad team and
doesn't do well, and then they pull the plug and
go to CJ. Stroud and we know what happened from there.
But it's a testament to how you can develop and
grow even if you're not quite on the feel. Over
the course of an NFL career, he spent the last
couple of years behind CJ. Stroud, two and a half
(19:05):
seasons on the bench in anonymity to the point where
when he came in for Stroud a couple of weeks ago,
folks probably forgot that he was still on the roster.
But they know he is now because of the comeback
that he led over Jacksonville, because of the way that
he's kept this offense competitive, and how he was able
to do his job in some of the biggest spots night,
like on his touchdown past the Christian Kirk where they
go up tempo, they hand the ball off and it
(19:27):
looks like they're just going to hand it off again
right on the goal line. No little play action defender bites.
He finds Kirk wide open in the corner of the
end zone. That was a play that lesser quarterbacks who
are not as calm as him simply don't make. They
don't handle that situation properly. They don't handle some of
the other situations, like the two minute drill just before halftime, properly.
And that is part of why the Texans have been
(19:48):
able to continue to build even without their quarterback, is
that they have exactly what you want in a backup quarterback,
somebody who can keep you afloat and guide you forward.
He doesn't have to be a superstar. He doesn't have
to be the one on the oars paddle in for you.
He's just got to direct you in the right way.
And that's exactly what I think he's done so far.
And again it encourages me about the outlook for this
(20:10):
team right now.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
Yeah, I do like that you brought up that tempo play,
by the way, because I want to shout out Nick
Kayley for something like that. Because this very embattled offensive
coordinator for the Houston Texans, he's also had to have
his learning moments and his learning curves, and they haven't
been able to run the ball very well. And even
after games where they look like Woody Marx is about
to break out and really become like this dominant back,
(20:33):
they're having to spell him out a lot too.
Speaker 5 (20:36):
With Nick Chubb.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
And in that case, I thought that it was a
really smart play by a play call by the offensive
coordinator to show the same almost the same exact look
as the carry by Nick Chubb, but then move to
the ball very very quickly to freeze the defense. Run
a tempo play and then it's actually a pass play.
I think what's also good about this sort of adversity
(20:59):
that this team is facing on offense with a steadiness
in a capable backup and like a really really really
really floor lifting defense, is that it does force the
offensive coordinator to think about his own process differently and
think about how he's setting up and sequencing plays. Specifically
(21:19):
a lot of the guys that come out of the
McVay Shanahan tree, that's one of the things that you
really learn is how to sequence plays, how to put
together play calls one and two to set up parts
to a whole. Well, Nick Kaylee wasn't really calling plays
ever other than the preseason with McVeigh, and the bulk
of his experience comes from when he was in New England,
and so you have to still learn those things as
(21:42):
a play caller. You're not just going to be like
ready out of the box. And he certainly showed that
earlier this year in that very simple yet extremely thoughtful
and well executed play at the goal line there because
they could not get the ball into the end zone previously.
I thought that that showed real growth for the entire unit,
especially a team that knows how to execute in those
(22:05):
very slim situational margins like that.
Speaker 4 (22:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
Absolutely, And since we're showering him with so much praise
for a well called couple of plays. Let's listen to it.
Speaker 5 (22:14):
Two good plays.
Speaker 1 (22:16):
Here's the snap from Andrews Mills takes to give Bros.
White shot cut Touchcown Frish Jed Kirk the Texad score.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
They tie it up.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
They could take the lead with the extra point. Davis
Mills TD passed to a wide oldpen Aggy Christick Kirk.
Speaker 3 (22:35):
What is the formula of taking down a team that
seems to be the favorite on the road, a team
that has Super Bowl aspirations executing in spots like that?
And you know, we've talked about him a little bit again,
But since we're running through some bright spots in this game,
let's give a shout out to Kaylin Bullock.
Speaker 4 (22:50):
Why not.
Speaker 3 (22:50):
Let's go listen to his first interception of this game.
It was a big spot.
Speaker 4 (22:55):
Allan digs in.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
He's gonna throw Alan fires downfield and to Dad, it'll
stepped it across the forty Bullock thirty twenty and escapes
another tackle off to the right side, fifteenth Pullock to
the ten, Bullock five and so touchdown, flag down on
the plane kill into the house. Is it gonna come
(23:18):
back or is it gonna stand during your return?
Speaker 4 (23:21):
First of all, leave a mind side block and get
hitting her.
Speaker 5 (23:24):
Seventeen team number ninety five, fifteen yard county.
Speaker 1 (23:27):
From the stone tiles, bullet up picks it up. And
that's too bad.
Speaker 4 (23:35):
It is too bad.
Speaker 3 (23:35):
And you know, Jordan, you and I were always focusing
on the pauses or trying to lift people up.
Speaker 4 (23:39):
But I'm gonna put it on your plate right now.
Speaker 3 (23:40):
Call out the man who is responsible for wiping out
that highlight.
Speaker 5 (23:44):
Oh and yeah, you saw it. It could have been
a touchdown.
Speaker 2 (23:47):
It could have been I think the first pick six
that actually was returned interception returned for a touchdown that
Josh Allen has thrown. And I think they said on
the broad has over three thousand passes, which is crazy,
and someone please check me on that. I should definitely
have that. But Derek Barnett and I texted you. I said,
freaking Derek Barnett, because.
Speaker 5 (24:06):
You saw it. It was so blatant. It was right there.
It wasn't even.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
Away from the play at all. The block in the
back was so blatant. Derek Barnett got his moment back.
He had a big sack and a hit on Josh
Allen and crunch time. Obviously late in the game, but
we were texting the group and we were like, Wow,
we've got a really fun game. And then on the
previews show, we had been talking about how I'm like,
the Texans defense is going to score and they probably
(24:30):
have to in order to win this game, and there
it was, Nick, it was happening, and I was finally
right about one thing in my life. And then Derek
Barnett goes and hits the crap out at Dawson Knox
and wipes it out, so close.
Speaker 3 (24:42):
To being Nostra Jordan instead, you just have to settle
with almost accurate with your prediction.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
It was.
Speaker 4 (24:48):
I tweeted about this late in the game.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
It's just I'm so happy to see a player like
Bullet gets some shine on a national stage because he's
such an instinctive player, and he also, you know, another
part of the formula of beating a favorite that you
know comes into your place and is expected to win,
winning the turnover margin. And the Texans won that three
to nothing tonight because of the two interceptions by Bullock,
but also because of the force fumble by Bullock on
(25:12):
a pass to Khalil Shakir that stopped the Buffalo drive
dead in its tracks. So just a great performance, a
complete performance all around by the defense that leads to
this victory and Detectionans six to five. Threatening they're right there.
They were entered tonight at the same you know, level
record wise as the Chiefs and the Ravens, and they
keep winning.
Speaker 4 (25:31):
Right now. This is three straight victories for them.
Speaker 3 (25:33):
They got a big AFC South matchup coming up against
the Colts in week thirteen, ten days from now, and
then they play Kansas City Arizona, the Raiders, the Chargers
and the Colts. It is not crazy to say that
they could win three or more of those games and
potentially finished with nine or ten wins and b right
on the cusp of getting in the playoffs is perhaps
(25:55):
the six or seven seed. What a turnaround that would
be for a team that seemed dead water just a
few weeks ago.
Speaker 2 (26:01):
Yeah, it's pretty incredible, and I think it speaks again
to Demiko Ryans and the culture that he's built. There's
no quid in this team. This defense knows and believes
that it is the most professional unit on the field
in every game that it plays, and you saw that
right out of the gate in these losses, regardless of
what struggles the offense was having, They're going to start
(26:23):
all of this and this crazy ride that will be
the latter part of their season by watching this weekend
Chiefs Colts, and I think they probably you don't ever
want to be rooting for any any of your AFC opponents,
but I think they've got to be kind of rooting
for the Chiefs in this one.
Speaker 3 (26:39):
Nick, Yeah, I mean they if they really have aspirations
of climbing back into the AFC South race, they need
the Colts to lose and then they need to beat
that next week to get the little twofer and really
get back into it. So you're right, and you're absolutely right.
And on the other side of the field with the
Buffalo Bills, they drop to what is it now, seven
and four, and look, this is totally fine for them.
(27:00):
I mean, they're they're not the team that we thought
they might be. They're not the powerhouse team that we
saw from previous years, but they're still right in the
thick of it. The downside is that you are two
games buying the Patriots, Yes, the Patriots in the AFC
East in a climb that is becoming steeper and steeper
with performances like this.
Speaker 4 (27:17):
I think my biggest.
Speaker 3 (27:18):
Concern with them is that you just don't know who
you're going to get from week to week. Yeah, whether
it's a team that just gets outperformed on the road
in Miami or a team that wins a shootout over
Tampa Bay. I just don't know who they are right now.
But on their side, the outlook for them going forward
is they have Pittsburgh, which is going to be another test.
It's in Pittsburgh, and they're going to have to play
better than they did tonight. Pittsburgh doesn't know a defense
as good as the Textans, pretty much nobody does in
(27:39):
the NFL. Then you get Cincinnati, you get the Patriots,
big divisional game, you get the Browns, the Eagles, and
the Jets. So there's still a path for them to
you know, I mean, I think the next gen probability
of them making the playoffs was going to be like
eighty seven percent if they lost tonight. So it's not
a panic mode for them, but it is an example
of a team that's just pretty inconsistent and continues to
get banged up. Had multiple injuries the defensive side of
(28:00):
the ball tonight that undoubtedly hurt them. So you're hoping
that some of those guys can get healthy in time
for them to make this stretch run. And most importantly,
we do have to keep our eyes attuned to Josh
Allen stats because he got banged up tonight.
Speaker 5 (28:14):
Yeah, I mean he was.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
He took a beating and like we mentioned, he was
shaking his hand out. You could tell it was bothering him.
He had like some pretty gnarly turf burn on his
arm at one point as well too, that had to
get wrapped up. You know, it was you started to
really feel for the Bills, and I think you have
really all season because every game it's like multiple people
that are exiting the game with injuries.
Speaker 5 (28:37):
To El Bernard, that was a really tough one to see.
Speaker 2 (28:40):
And then he was on the sideline with a sling,
and you know, the concussion tent line had a lot
a waiting line. The concussion tent had a waiting line
because of how many unfortunately guys were having to get
checked out and in and out of the you know,
the checkups and the spotters were definitely on it for
(29:02):
them tonight and I just feel like and then you also,
the play clock was not working. We need to mention
this because otherwise, Nick, we are gonna get angry Bills
fans in our comments sections. It with two in the
two minute warning at the end of the game, needing
a touchdown and driving down the field down four the
play clock goes out.
Speaker 5 (29:22):
That sucks.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
I mean, I'm not there's no part of me that
will ever dwell in conspiratorial whatevers, but like that just
flat out sucks that you can't see it on the screen.
You have to do it mentally in your head or
you're doing it at least until fifteen seconds with the
coach in the headset before that cuts off. And then
when it did come back on, it was the wrong
play that it was the wrong count on.
Speaker 5 (29:44):
The play clock. It was just very odd.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
I hope we get a pull report or something out
of that tonight from those great local reporters on both
sides for those beats. But yeah, it just the Bills
could not catch a break. They certainly ran into an
absolute hurricane, but they could not catch a break.
Speaker 5 (30:02):
Just some like lucky bounces were not going their way.
Speaker 3 (30:05):
Yeah, definitely, I mean, it was a weird night because
at one point they tried to restart the play clock,
but it seemed like it was starting at like sixteen.
Josh Allen had to hurry a snap on one play
thinking that the clock was accurate. It goes down again,
they announced that they're tracking it on the field again.
We really need a deep dive, and like, what's the
protocol here, Like who decides to turn off the communications
from coach to quarterback if there's no active play clock working,
(30:26):
because that happens upstairs in the booth, So like there's
a whole chain of chain reaction that could happen when
the play clock goes out.
Speaker 4 (30:32):
And then even I saw it.
Speaker 3 (30:32):
I don't know if this was a glitch with the
broadcast or what, but after the play clock goes down,
the game clock, at least on the score bug is
like skipping seconds. Like it goes from like fifty and
then like there's like an extended pause and it's forty
eight and there's extended posse and there's forty six.
Speaker 4 (30:45):
And they iron that out quickly. But some weird stuff.
Speaker 3 (30:47):
A referee got hurt tonight and got carted off. Just
a weird, crazy night, But that is what Thursday night
football provides us with craziness, and that's why the NFL
is so popular, because people love to sit down and
watch it all unfold. You know, it wasn't weird doing
this show with you. The kids charge again again and
you know what I feel like, now we're getting privileges,
(31:09):
like now we can make the pizza roles in the
oven and we can use the microwave, don't turn the
stove on.
Speaker 4 (31:14):
We haven't gotten stove privileges yet, but we're getting there. Jordan.
It was It was a great, great time with you
doing this show tonight.
Speaker 5 (31:21):
Yeah, this was a blast.
Speaker 2 (31:22):
We also got a fun game, which not all of
these have been like our very specific type of weird,
crazy fun, Nick, So I'm glad that we got one
of these good ones to talk about. If the if
the broadcast does not sound excited, at least we are
freaking jacked about this entire game tonight. And I always
look forward to getting to do these shows with you.
Greg kicks us out now when he has you on
(31:44):
for the for the recap, So I appreciate that I
got to speak with you today. Nick.
Speaker 3 (31:50):
Well, you know he likes his one on one time, right, Yeah,
and we got thirty minutes to one on one, time
to right, and the Sins got one more win in
their ledger. Texan's beat the Bills tonight again, twenty three
to nineteen for Nick Schuck, for Jordan Rodrige.
Speaker 4 (32:06):
I'm Nick Schuck. We'll see you then,
Warbit Mos, Shakir Alan back to throw Allan airing it
out Alan pep up by pull up. It's over the Texans.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
They're gonna do it.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
There's a flagged out of the secondary.
Speaker 3 (00:14):
What is this?
Speaker 4 (00:15):
It's a gutst the pills.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
The Texans pull it off. They're gonna knock off Buffalo time.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Oh.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
For those who are fans of a pass happy NFL
who like points on the scoreboard, the Houston Texans have
a message for you, and that message is defense can
be fun too. The Texans take down the Buffalo Bills
on Thursday Night Football twenty three to nineteen in a
(00:42):
thrilling contest. I'm Nick Schuck sitting in for Greg Rosenthal
and joined by my favorite, the superstar herself, Jordan Rodrig Jordan,
what a game.
Speaker 5 (00:53):
We got a Monsters Inc. Twenty three nineteen, twenty three nineteen.
I'm so excited.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
I was telling Patrick and Greg that this was gonna
happen all season. We were going to get a score.
Greg Rosenthal has never seen Monsters Inc. I feel the
fans need to pressure him, the listeners need to pressure him.
Speaker 5 (01:09):
He must now watch it as.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Penance for not believing in the Houston Texans. Like we
were talking about Nick all week with this defense. This
game was so so fun. If you love defense, if
you love weirdness, if you love games that get really
really crazy with slow periods in between and flurries of competence.
Speaker 5 (01:28):
It was so much fun all around. This was amazing.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Oh flurries of confidence. What a way to describe the
Houston Texans offense tonight. I mean it didn't start with
competence necessarily, because they ended up in a goal to
go situation and settled for three. But they did find
some openings and they capitalized late in this game. And
I think that's probably where we should start. Because earlier
in this game, the Bills put together your typical touchdown drive.
Speaker 4 (01:50):
It ends up in a long James Cook touchdown run,
pretty status quo.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
But the Texans claw their way back into this game,
and really where things turned is just before or halftime
when they force a turnover and they cover seventy five
yards and they finish it.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
And this is a six play drive, mind you, This is.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
A two minute drill executed to perfection by none other
than the man himself, Davis Mills. And when it looks
like they're gonna come up short again on the goal line. Instead,
Mills finds Jayden and Higgins for a touchdown, and suddenly
the Texans have a twenty to sixteen lead going into halftime,
and if you listen to the final score, it's twenty
three to nineteen, which tells the rest of the story
(02:28):
because there weren't that many points in the second half
thanks to this fantastic Houston Texans defense. Jordan, I know
that you love watching great defenses play, and we got
one tonight.
Speaker 5 (02:39):
Yeah, this was so much fun, you know.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
To that point when the Texans started putting together actual
drives on offense, Davis Mills had only completed his second
pass of the game with like nine and a half
minutes left in the second half, which tells you we
say flurries of competence, we mean flurries of competence, because
in the last three minutes ish of the second quarter,
(03:02):
the Texans scored seventeen points and took a twenty to
sixteen lead, and from their their defense went to work. Nick.
The Texans defensive line sacked Josh Allen eight times tonight.
That is I believe a career high for Josh Allen.
Kaylin Bullock, who iced the game. That was his second interception,
and he also forced to fumble. I mean, this pressure
(03:26):
that the Texans defense got didn't just alter the game.
And obviously the Russian coverage was so complimentary because Josh
Allen turned the ball over pretty uncharacteristically. In fact, that
he was being pressured so voraciously from play to play,
the pressure was coming from the outside, it was coming
from the inside. It was such a smart sequencing of
(03:50):
design and tenacity. And these defensive linemen they also they
were getting their arms free of the offensive linemen. They
were batting Josh Allen's arm all the time to force
him to tuck and pull the ball so he didn't
want to make the throws. And the secondary and the
linebackers were swarming behind it. It was artful, artful defense.
And I have to say it's this defense is magnificent.
(04:13):
So often during this game, nick, I found myself thinking,
this Texans defense is truly beautiful to watch. It is magnificent.
If only they had an offense. And over and over again,
you just kept thinking this because they kept giving the
Bills chances to come back into this. But this defense
they have Josh Allen's number. He plays his worst football
(04:36):
against the Houston Texans defense.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Yeah, yeah, although I do think back to that one
time when he took off for a run early in
his career and blooded up his arm. That was also
in Houston, but that was years ago. That was a
different Josh Allen. There's so many topics that you could
drill down on it within this defensive performance, Like you
could talk about the fact that that Josh consistently had
nowhere to go, and the reason that he had nowhere
to go wasn't just the pressure, it was also the
(04:58):
way that Houston played coverage. Now next Gen Stats has
it pretty even there's actually more zone than man. But
in the second half, especially, all I saw was one
safety of high man coverage across the board and the
Bills are trying to run crossers and everything else. They
ran mesh a couple of times, and the Texans properly
picked it up, even though usually their cause is traffic
that loses a defender no problem for the Texans, and
(05:20):
the easy layups that Alan is so used to getting
were not there.
Speaker 4 (05:24):
So that was the first part.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
He had no quick decisions until that final drive when
the Texans were playing a little softer. The other part
of it was it's not just the usual suspects in
pass rushing. And yes, of course Will Anderson and Daniel Hunter,
they definitely did their part. Will Anderson with two and
a half sacks, Daniel Hunter with two, But there were
other players that came up in key spots throughout this
game where Alan might escape the pocket to the right
(05:46):
and there's Henry Toto to meet him behind the line
of scrimmage.
Speaker 4 (05:49):
For a sack. He wasn't the only one.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
There was a number of other guys, Tim Settle getting
a sack up the middle. What it was was Alan
trying to navigate the pocket looking for exit routes, and
every time he thought he found one, there was a
Texans defender. It was an incredible display of discipline, both
on the back end and in the pass rush, and
it neutralized the Bill's offense that folks probably thought were
going to put up a lot of points. They put
up with forty two, forty four last week. Nope, nineteen today.
(06:13):
Because when you run into a defense that has talent
at all three levels, and especially a safety in Kaln Bullock,
who had a hell of a night, and you have
a defense that plays disciplined football as well coached, then
it's going to make everything real difficult for you. And
like you said, if the Texans had an offense, this
would be a legit Super Bowl contender, because this defense
is elite, it's special. It's one that we're going to
remember for a while.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Yeah, I'm curious if you saw the same thing as
me too, Nick, because it was like when this group
was pass rushing. And when I say that, it's not
just their front that does it. I know that sometimes
the broadcast in the pregame, like had some fun with
Debiko Ryans and his swarm catchphrase and what does it mean?
And I'm like, watch the game, that's what That's what
it means, Sue, Because it was because what they were
(06:56):
doing as a collective, This wasn't just the front interier
next tierer, which was amazing, but also every single layer
they were almost reading the inverse of Josh Allen's own
reads when they were looking When Josh Allen was looking
for places to go, it's like they were also looking
for the same lanes to either run or to throw
(07:18):
that Josh Allen himself was looking at. That is incredible
film study. That is instinctive football. That is smart scheme
that from Matt Burke, the defensive coordinator. That is also
just a tenacious, exquisitely talented group of players that even
when things got so crazy at the end, Nick so
(07:38):
crazy at the end again in one of these Texans games,
and you just had confidence that they were going to
make a goal line stand, even when we saw one
of the most unbelievable plays I think we've seen in.
Speaker 5 (07:50):
A game all season.
Speaker 3 (07:51):
Yeah, you know, when Houston was kind of I wouldn't
say playing with their food, but allowing the Bills to
stay in the game in the fourth quarter, I thought,
oh no, this is going to be our heartbreak happens,
And when they cut it to a four point lead,
I thought, oh no, here comes the heartbreak. But that
defense gives you the confidence as a viewer, and if
you're a Texans fan that if they're gonna lose, they're
going to make it really difficult for the other team
to break their hearts, Like you're not just going to
(08:13):
get a free shot at them. You're gonna have to
really work for it. And the Bills were working for it,
and their only lifeline in the passing game, especially in
the fourth quarter was finding Khalil Shakir. You know you
had no Dalton Kin Kate out there. Keon Coleman inactive
for a second straight week, so his options, Josh Allen's
options are limited, and it ended up being thrown to
Shakir in the flat in a little bit of open
space and make guys miss. And he did a lot
(08:33):
down the right sideline in that fourth quarter, which is
really what put them in a position to potentially win
this game. But ultimately it was the same things that
we just talked about, Alan being under duress often really
just never feeling comfortable in the pocket, and a player
like Kayln Bullock stepping in to make the game ceiling
interception that we listen to. Just a phenomenal play, but
(08:54):
not the only play and not the only contribution from
a defender on the Texans defense. We think about Aziz
Als like this guy has a bit of a reputation
after what he did to Trevor Lawrence last year. Right,
he plays hard, He plays a million miles an hour,
He hits players hard, and he brought that to the
field tonight to the point where I think there was
a fumble at one point and an offensive Lineman picked
it up. It may I think it was one of
(09:15):
the tackles, and he went to tackle him just to
make sure that he was down, and you see him
stand up in like Patti's helmet, like, hey man, I
just had to make sure you were tackled. Well, that
was him being peaceful, being, you know, extending an olive branch.
He was not peaceful for most of this game. He
tips a pass early in this game that ends up
in the arms of Kaylan Bullock for the first interception
that really started to swing the game in their favor.
It was another example of how they're not just their stars.
(09:37):
They're not just Derek Stingley. They are a full unit
that comes through in the biggest spots. But you're right,
one of the craziest plays we've seen all season on
that final drive. It's fourth and twenty seven. I know
there's an old play and Eagles lore that Donovan McNabb converted,
but this one stands right up there, even though it's
not in the playoffs. It's a hook and ladder, all
hook and ladder, depending on what your terminology is. It
(09:57):
worked regardless. It caught the Texans where playing a bit
of a prevent look playing very soft back toward the
line to gain gave them space underneath to make the play,
and of course Joe Brady digs into the bag of
tricks and calls it the perfect time and it catches
the outside corner on the right side off guard, opens
up another lane for Shakir to make a big game
down the sideline, which it felt like he was doing
the entire fourth quarter, and that's really what put us
(10:19):
in this position for this game to come down to
a final defensive stand, a thrilling play. I have to
ask you, Jordan, before we move forward, which term do
you use to describe this, because I've always been confused
or at least conflicted on which one I want to use.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
I just say, Chris Peterson, you know, jas state by state,
That's what I say. Yeah, And I posted this too
as like Chris Peterson online one, because that is one
of those plays I think. I'm I'm pretty sure that
you and I are the same age as Joe Brady Nick.
Speaker 5 (10:46):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, which is wild to think about.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
It's a lot of responsibility, but also but it's like
we grew up with that lore, right, Like we grew
up knowing you know about the Boise State upset and
the Fiesta Bowl and the hook and Ladder, and I
call it the hooking ladder, And I know it's a
you know, you can go either way, but like it
was one of those plays that you run. You really
don't want to show that at any other point other
(11:10):
than a moment of pure and absolute desperately.
Speaker 4 (11:12):
Unless unless you're Ben Johnson with the Lions last year.
Speaker 5 (11:14):
But please do it whenever you want.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
I thought that it was special for Khalil Shakir that
he had an opportunity to possibly win the game just
days after he and his wife had a baby girl.
And so there was all this poetry setting up for
this Josh Allen, you know, multiple turnovers and getting hit
so much and shaking his hand out because he kept
landing on his hand because he's trying to protect the
(11:38):
football underneath his body every time he would get hit.
And there was just this feeling that you're like, Okay,
if Josh Allen is going to go into the same
kind of god mode we saw last week, then this would.
Speaker 5 (11:51):
Be the moment that he does it.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
But it's it's a an unstoppable force meeting and a
movable object and the immovable object wins in this case,
the Texans defense. I can't speak highly enough for you
mentioned some of the little details you saw about just
how technically sound they are in some of the little moments,
like Daniel Hunter at one point on a sack unclenched
(12:15):
his arms from around Josh Allen's legs because his body
was getting turned by alignman who was rolling backwards. And
if Daniel Hunter would have still stayed holding on to
Josh Allen's legs, he probably would have gotten flagged for
a hip drop. And instead he unclapses his arms and
the second that Josh Allen's feet are clear of the role,
he claps back on. So it's like those little things
(12:37):
that this is like the smartest freaking defense.
Speaker 5 (12:39):
It's why I picked them.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
I know it's embarrassing, but because of this offense. But
I picked them to be Super Bowl contenders at the
beginning of the season because this defense has just this
elite professionalism and this athleticism. For Will Anderson Junior to
miss the sack on Josh Allen diving and stretching out
the first time run fifty one point seven yards according
(13:01):
to NextGen Stats, to then get to Josh Allen and
take him to the turf. That is some Aaron donald
S man, and I wrote it out in my notes.
I'm not gonna make Chris Babona edit it tonight, but
that is some crazy, crazy stuff, and that is what
this defense can be. I'm glad they got to show
it on primetime. Sure, I wish they had an offense,
(13:22):
but you know, it's fits and starts.
Speaker 5 (13:25):
You know, we take a week and.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
Get yeah, and the Texans will take what they can
get for sure, because they're in this bit of they're
in a process right now where they're trying to climb
out of the deficit in the hole that they dug
themselves early in this season. And as we got to
the fourth quarter of this game tonight and I contemplated
the idea of the Bills coming back and winning, I thought,
if the Bills are going to win, it's going to
be a culture win, and it's going to be just
a red mark on the Texans resume as a team
(13:48):
that has.
Speaker 4 (13:48):
A good defense but isn't good enough to beat teams
like this.
Speaker 3 (13:51):
But now that it's that we watched it conclude in
the fashion that it did, I'm almost tempted to say
that it's a culture creating or a establishing win for
these Texans, because if we back up a little bit,
before Houston takes a twenty to sixteen lead into halftime,
they had just put up a ten points in a
matter of minutes.
Speaker 4 (14:12):
Right it's thirteen to nine.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
They had to settle for three after the turnover on
the goal line, can't convert all the time. Buffalo gets
it right back with a fantastic kick return touchdown.
Speaker 4 (14:24):
By Ray Davis. And one that I want to take
a listen to.
Speaker 3 (14:27):
Here it one.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
Fifty six left in the hand.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
Kick is going to go to Davis, who fields it
at the two, out to the ten. Fifteen coming off
the middle, twenty five, bounces off a tackle, spins head,
he's out to the forty, cuts it back fifty He's
gonna go the distance. Happy birthday, Ray Davis all the
way for a flip into the end zone.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
For a touchdown. Now that is a massive play that
could take the soul from a team that had just
clawed its way into the lead. You know, you think,
all right, we're playing great defense, got something out of
our offense for once. All the momentums in our favor boom,
punched to the gut. Just like that, you're trailing again.
And I think at that point I was settled in
(15:10):
for a title contender type of fight, a heavyweight bout
for twelve rounds, four quarters. Here we go back and forth.
Some weird stuff's happening. Ray Davis runs into his own
blocker and that's what frees him up to take it
ninety seven yards for a touchdown kick return. And yet
the Texans weren't really bothered by that. They responded, and
that's why I think that, yes, their defense defines their team,
(15:32):
but it's the ability to fight back. Yes, you have
full home field advantage, you're wearing your fancy sparkly when
it comes to the helmet, all red jerseys. You're on Primetime,
it's a special night. But this is like where this
team is why I'm starting to believe in them. And
shout out to Davis Mills for doing a good enough
job to move the football with this team. He's come
through in the clutch a couple of times. Now, that win,
that comeback went over Jacksonville, that two minute drive tonight
(15:55):
to put points on the board before halftime. I'm kind
of a believer that I like the trajectory of this
text because of how they performed in a game like that.
Speaker 5 (16:07):
It's super interesting to me.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
I argue with Greg about this constantly, and we did
so even over text tonight because he before he went
into the family event that he was going to tonight, Nick,
he was texting me about Davis Mills, who he just
can't quit. He can't quit Davis Mills. He loves him.
And when Davis Mills makes a throw to get the
(16:30):
Texans in scoring position again right before halftime, He's like,
we are so back, and then it goes dark because
he goes into this event right, and I'm like, Greg's
it's spurts right. It's like he does things in highly
productive flashes. He's like the calmest guy ever, and yet
his play is like high functioning anxiety personified, because it's
(16:54):
like you're just still for most of it, and then
all of a sudden, you produce, like frantically right, and
then you're good. And I think it's a testament though,
because even when he's not producing, and again they're in
the second half, they're just giving the bills. Their possessing
possessions are so short they're just giving the Bills bite
after bite after bite after bite at the Apple. Davis
(17:17):
Mills was calm, He was not rattled his offensive line.
Once again, I think this was their seventh different line
offensive line combination that they entered the game with the Texans,
and their offense has not looked good with CJ.
Speaker 5 (17:29):
Strouder without c J. Stroud.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
And you know, like I mentioned at the top of
the show, he didn't complete his second pass until deep
into the second quarter. But he stays calm, and I
think as sometimes maybe too calm. Al on the broadcast
pointed this out when he was like, man, we haven't
seen him like frown or show any emotion at all,
(17:53):
good or bad on his face at any point. And
I think that's really what you need for these Texans
to climb out of the hole that they had dug themselves.
Is this calmness. Now you hope CJ. Stroud gets back.
It sounds like he's close to making his return to
the field. But to have sort of this steadiness in
the meantime when you are trying to figure out ways
(18:14):
to win games and this defense is really carrying you
through that like a Demico Ryan's team will I do
think that it was important for Davis Mills to be
this backup quarterback for this team right now.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
Yeah, And you know, I think when you have a
defense as good as Houston's, it takes a little bit
of the pressure off just naturally because you think, all right, well,
the game's out entirely on my shoulders. If I don't
convert this third down, the defense is still going to
give us a chance, which is the first feather in
his cap that he can kind of.
Speaker 4 (18:40):
Lean on in this situation. But it's also I mean,
you think back to when he was drafted.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
He came out of Stanford with very limited college experience,
and that was the big knock on him. And then
they throw him into the fire and he gets two
seasons worth of starting experience with a bad team and
doesn't do well, and then they pull the plug and
go to CJ. Stroud and we know what happened from there.
But it's a testament to how you can develop and
grow even if you're not quite on the feel. Over
the course of an NFL career, he spent the last
couple of years behind CJ. Stroud, two and a half
(19:05):
seasons on the bench in anonymity to the point where
when he came in for Stroud a couple of weeks ago,
folks probably forgot that he was still on the roster.
But they know he is now because of the comeback
that he led over Jacksonville, because of the way that
he's kept this offense competitive, and how he was able
to do his job in some of the biggest spots night,
like on his touchdown past the Christian Kirk where they
go up tempo, they hand the ball off and it
(19:27):
looks like they're just going to hand it off again
right on the goal line. No little play action defender bites.
He finds Kirk wide open in the corner of the
end zone. That was a play that lesser quarterbacks who
are not as calm as him simply don't make. They
don't handle that situation properly. They don't handle some of
the other situations, like the two minute drill just before halftime, properly.
And that is part of why the Texans have been
(19:48):
able to continue to build even without their quarterback, is
that they have exactly what you want in a backup quarterback,
somebody who can keep you afloat and guide you forward.
He doesn't have to be a superstar. He doesn't have
to be the one on the oars paddle in for you.
He's just got to direct you in the right way.
And that's exactly what I think he's done so far.
And again it encourages me about the outlook for this
(20:10):
team right now.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
Yeah, I do like that you brought up that tempo play,
by the way, because I want to shout out Nick
Kayley for something like that. Because this very embattled offensive
coordinator for the Houston Texans, he's also had to have
his learning moments and his learning curves, and they haven't
been able to run the ball very well. And even
after games where they look like Woody Marx is about
to break out and really become like this dominant back,
(20:33):
they're having to spell him out a lot too.
Speaker 5 (20:36):
With Nick Chubb.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
And in that case, I thought that it was a
really smart play by a play call by the offensive
coordinator to show the same almost the same exact look
as the carry by Nick Chubb, but then move to
the ball very very quickly to freeze the defense. Run
a tempo play and then it's actually a pass play.
I think what's also good about this sort of adversity
(20:59):
that this team is facing on offense with a steadiness
in a capable backup and like a really really really
really floor lifting defense, is that it does force the
offensive coordinator to think about his own process differently and
think about how he's setting up and sequencing plays. Specifically
(21:19):
a lot of the guys that come out of the
McVay Shanahan tree, that's one of the things that you
really learn is how to sequence plays, how to put
together play calls one and two to set up parts
to a whole. Well, Nick Kaylee wasn't really calling plays
ever other than the preseason with McVeigh, and the bulk
of his experience comes from when he was in New England,
and so you have to still learn those things as
(21:42):
a play caller. You're not just going to be like
ready out of the box. And he certainly showed that
earlier this year in that very simple yet extremely thoughtful
and well executed play at the goal line there because
they could not get the ball into the end zone previously.
I thought that that showed real growth for the entire unit,
especially a team that knows how to execute in those
(22:05):
very slim situational margins like that.
Speaker 4 (22:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
Absolutely, And since we're showering him with so much praise
for a well called couple of plays. Let's listen to it.
Speaker 5 (22:14):
Two good plays.
Speaker 1 (22:16):
Here's the snap from Andrews Mills takes to give Bros.
White shot cut Touchcown Frish Jed Kirk the Texad score.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
They tie it up.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
They could take the lead with the extra point. Davis
Mills TD passed to a wide oldpen Aggy Christick Kirk.
Speaker 3 (22:35):
What is the formula of taking down a team that
seems to be the favorite on the road, a team
that has Super Bowl aspirations executing in spots like that?
And you know, we've talked about him a little bit again,
But since we're running through some bright spots in this game,
let's give a shout out to Kaylin Bullock.
Speaker 4 (22:50):
Why not.
Speaker 3 (22:50):
Let's go listen to his first interception of this game.
It was a big spot.
Speaker 4 (22:55):
Allan digs in.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
He's gonna throw Alan fires downfield and to Dad, it'll
stepped it across the forty Bullock thirty twenty and escapes
another tackle off to the right side, fifteenth Pullock to
the ten, Bullock five and so touchdown, flag down on
the plane kill into the house. Is it gonna come
(23:18):
back or is it gonna stand during your return?
Speaker 4 (23:21):
First of all, leave a mind side block and get
hitting her.
Speaker 5 (23:24):
Seventeen team number ninety five, fifteen yard county.
Speaker 1 (23:27):
From the stone tiles, bullet up picks it up. And
that's too bad.
Speaker 4 (23:35):
It is too bad.
Speaker 3 (23:35):
And you know, Jordan, you and I were always focusing
on the pauses or trying to lift people up.
Speaker 4 (23:39):
But I'm gonna put it on your plate right now.
Speaker 3 (23:40):
Call out the man who is responsible for wiping out
that highlight.
Speaker 5 (23:44):
Oh and yeah, you saw it. It could have been
a touchdown.
Speaker 2 (23:47):
It could have been I think the first pick six
that actually was returned interception returned for a touchdown that
Josh Allen has thrown. And I think they said on
the broad has over three thousand passes, which is crazy,
and someone please check me on that. I should definitely
have that. But Derek Barnett and I texted you. I said,
freaking Derek Barnett, because.
Speaker 5 (24:06):
You saw it. It was so blatant. It was right there.
It wasn't even.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
Away from the play at all. The block in the
back was so blatant. Derek Barnett got his moment back.
He had a big sack and a hit on Josh
Allen and crunch time. Obviously late in the game, but
we were texting the group and we were like, Wow,
we've got a really fun game. And then on the
previews show, we had been talking about how I'm like,
the Texans defense is going to score and they probably
(24:30):
have to in order to win this game, and there
it was, Nick, it was happening, and I was finally
right about one thing in my life. And then Derek
Barnett goes and hits the crap out at Dawson Knox
and wipes it out, so close.
Speaker 3 (24:42):
To being Nostra Jordan instead, you just have to settle
with almost accurate with your prediction.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
It was.
Speaker 4 (24:48):
I tweeted about this late in the game.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
It's just I'm so happy to see a player like
Bullet gets some shine on a national stage because he's
such an instinctive player, and he also, you know, another
part of the formula of beating a favorite that you
know comes into your place and is expected to win,
winning the turnover margin. And the Texans won that three
to nothing tonight because of the two interceptions by Bullock,
but also because of the force fumble by Bullock on
(25:12):
a pass to Khalil Shakir that stopped the Buffalo drive
dead in its tracks. So just a great performance, a
complete performance all around by the defense that leads to
this victory and Detectionans six to five. Threatening they're right there.
They were entered tonight at the same you know, level
record wise as the Chiefs and the Ravens, and they
keep winning.
Speaker 4 (25:31):
Right now. This is three straight victories for them.
Speaker 3 (25:33):
They got a big AFC South matchup coming up against
the Colts in week thirteen, ten days from now, and
then they play Kansas City Arizona, the Raiders, the Chargers
and the Colts. It is not crazy to say that
they could win three or more of those games and
potentially finished with nine or ten wins and b right
on the cusp of getting in the playoffs is perhaps
(25:55):
the six or seven seed. What a turnaround that would
be for a team that seemed dead water just a
few weeks ago.
Speaker 2 (26:01):
Yeah, it's pretty incredible, and I think it speaks again
to Demiko Ryans and the culture that he's built. There's
no quid in this team. This defense knows and believes
that it is the most professional unit on the field
in every game that it plays, and you saw that
right out of the gate in these losses, regardless of
what struggles the offense was having, They're going to start
(26:23):
all of this and this crazy ride that will be
the latter part of their season by watching this weekend
Chiefs Colts, and I think they probably you don't ever
want to be rooting for any any of your AFC opponents,
but I think they've got to be kind of rooting
for the Chiefs in this one.
Speaker 3 (26:39):
Nick, Yeah, I mean they if they really have aspirations
of climbing back into the AFC South race, they need
the Colts to lose and then they need to beat
that next week to get the little twofer and really
get back into it. So you're right, and you're absolutely right.
And on the other side of the field with the
Buffalo Bills, they drop to what is it now, seven
and four, and look, this is totally fine for them.
(27:00):
I mean, they're they're not the team that we thought
they might be. They're not the powerhouse team that we
saw from previous years, but they're still right in the
thick of it. The downside is that you are two
games buying the Patriots, Yes, the Patriots in the AFC
East in a climb that is becoming steeper and steeper
with performances like this.
Speaker 4 (27:17):
I think my biggest.
Speaker 3 (27:18):
Concern with them is that you just don't know who
you're going to get from week to week. Yeah, whether
it's a team that just gets outperformed on the road
in Miami or a team that wins a shootout over
Tampa Bay. I just don't know who they are right now.
But on their side, the outlook for them going forward
is they have Pittsburgh, which is going to be another test.
It's in Pittsburgh, and they're going to have to play
better than they did tonight. Pittsburgh doesn't know a defense
as good as the Textans, pretty much nobody does in
(27:39):
the NFL. Then you get Cincinnati, you get the Patriots,
big divisional game, you get the Browns, the Eagles, and
the Jets. So there's still a path for them to
you know, I mean, I think the next gen probability
of them making the playoffs was going to be like
eighty seven percent if they lost tonight. So it's not
a panic mode for them, but it is an example
of a team that's just pretty inconsistent and continues to
get banged up. Had multiple injuries the defensive side of
(28:00):
the ball tonight that undoubtedly hurt them. So you're hoping
that some of those guys can get healthy in time
for them to make this stretch run. And most importantly,
we do have to keep our eyes attuned to Josh
Allen stats because he got banged up tonight.
Speaker 5 (28:14):
Yeah, I mean he was.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
He took a beating and like we mentioned, he was
shaking his hand out. You could tell it was bothering him.
He had like some pretty gnarly turf burn on his
arm at one point as well too, that had to
get wrapped up. You know, it was you started to
really feel for the Bills, and I think you have
really all season because every game it's like multiple people
that are exiting the game with injuries.
Speaker 5 (28:37):
To El Bernard, that was a really tough one to see.
Speaker 2 (28:40):
And then he was on the sideline with a sling,
and you know, the concussion tent line had a lot
a waiting line. The concussion tent had a waiting line
because of how many unfortunately guys were having to get
checked out and in and out of the you know,
the checkups and the spotters were definitely on it for
(29:02):
them tonight and I just feel like and then you also,
the play clock was not working. We need to mention
this because otherwise, Nick, we are gonna get angry Bills
fans in our comments sections. It with two in the
two minute warning at the end of the game, needing
a touchdown and driving down the field down four the
play clock goes out.
Speaker 5 (29:22):
That sucks.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
I mean, I'm not there's no part of me that
will ever dwell in conspiratorial whatevers, but like that just
flat out sucks that you can't see it on the screen.
You have to do it mentally in your head or
you're doing it at least until fifteen seconds with the
coach in the headset before that cuts off. And then
when it did come back on, it was the wrong
play that it was the wrong count on.
Speaker 5 (29:44):
The play clock. It was just very odd.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
I hope we get a pull report or something out
of that tonight from those great local reporters on both
sides for those beats. But yeah, it just the Bills
could not catch a break. They certainly ran into an
absolute hurricane, but they could not catch a break.
Speaker 5 (30:02):
Just some like lucky bounces were not going their way.
Speaker 3 (30:05):
Yeah, definitely, I mean, it was a weird night because
at one point they tried to restart the play clock,
but it seemed like it was starting at like sixteen.
Josh Allen had to hurry a snap on one play
thinking that the clock was accurate. It goes down again,
they announced that they're tracking it on the field again.
We really need a deep dive, and like, what's the
protocol here, Like who decides to turn off the communications
from coach to quarterback if there's no active play clock working,
(30:26):
because that happens upstairs in the booth, So like there's
a whole chain of chain reaction that could happen when
the play clock goes out.
Speaker 4 (30:32):
And then even I saw it.
Speaker 3 (30:32):
I don't know if this was a glitch with the
broadcast or what, but after the play clock goes down,
the game clock, at least on the score bug is
like skipping seconds. Like it goes from like fifty and
then like there's like an extended pause and it's forty
eight and there's extended posse and there's forty six.
Speaker 4 (30:45):
And they iron that out quickly. But some weird stuff.
Speaker 3 (30:47):
A referee got hurt tonight and got carted off. Just
a weird, crazy night, But that is what Thursday night
football provides us with craziness, and that's why the NFL
is so popular, because people love to sit down and
watch it all unfold. You know, it wasn't weird doing
this show with you. The kids charge again again and
you know what I feel like, now we're getting privileges,
(31:09):
like now we can make the pizza roles in the
oven and we can use the microwave, don't turn the
stove on.
Speaker 4 (31:14):
We haven't gotten stove privileges yet, but we're getting there. Jordan.
It was It was a great, great time with you
doing this show tonight.
Speaker 5 (31:21):
Yeah, this was a blast.
Speaker 2 (31:22):
We also got a fun game, which not all of
these have been like our very specific type of weird,
crazy fun, Nick, So I'm glad that we got one
of these good ones to talk about. If the if
the broadcast does not sound excited, at least we are
freaking jacked about this entire game tonight. And I always
look forward to getting to do these shows with you.
Greg kicks us out now when he has you on
(31:44):
for the for the recap, So I appreciate that I
got to speak with you today. Nick.
Speaker 3 (31:50):
Well, you know he likes his one on one time, right, Yeah,
and we got thirty minutes to one on one, time
to right, and the Sins got one more win in
their ledger. Texan's beat the Bills tonight again, twenty three
to nineteen for Nick Schuck, for Jordan Rodrige.
Speaker 4 (32:06):
I'm Nick Schuck. We'll see you then,
Host
Gregg Rosenthal
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