January 9, 2026 • 11 mins
Friday on The A-Team, Sam Warren from the Houston Chronicle gets you ready for Texans-Steelers on Monday night.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
We have a visit from Houston Chronicle Texans writer and
Rockets writer at times, Sam Warren joins us here on
Sports Talk seven ninety on the A Team. Saw Sam
earlier today over at Texans as I usually do over
the course of the week, although today was the Texans Thursday,
even though it's every other human's Friday. Tomorrow they'll be
back on the practice field again and then off to
(00:21):
Pittsburgh Sunday. One of the things we noticed today, Sam,
was the addition to the practice field after yesterday's missed
practice by Titus Howard. He was back out there. Trent
Brown has been out there this week. Let's get to
what you wrote about specifically first, because I had a
chance to run through it or I was talking I
heard you talking about a little bit this morning and
(00:42):
knew the gist of it even before I had read it.
Having covered Titus Howard all these years. His career here
is beyond remarkable for a number of different reasons, and
it was all on display this season, starting at three
different positions on this offensive line much improved. You had
a chance to talk to this week and wrote about it.
How does How's his viewpoint on both his career to
(01:04):
date with this team and this team as they head
into another postseason.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Yeah, Adam, Adam, thanks for having me on first. But yeah,
I had the chance to speak with Titus yesterday kind
of just about what this this season has meant for him,
how it's kind of been different for past seasons and
why he's been able to play so well at so
many different positions this year, and just talking with him,
I mean, we we kind of all knew that Titus
(01:30):
moving around wasn't his preferred thing to do. You know,
at points last year when he had to make the move,
he was pretty pretty adamant about wanting to stay at tackle,
saying that he was a tackle and that's the position
that he wanted to play and that was the position
that he felt pretty natural at. But in speaking with him,
you know, he was honest about not wanting to make
(01:52):
those moves. I mean, he told me that he was
pissed off every single time that that coaches asked him
to make the move, and he was kind of blindsided
whenever he did have to make the move. But the
approach that he's taken to that this season has really improved.
He's kind of you know embraced his versatility, so to speak,
with him being able to do things that kind of
(02:12):
the typical offensive line they can't do, with playing multiple positions,
playing inside, outside, and having his play.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
Not really drop off.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
He's really embraced that and felt like that's something that's
made his game more valuable other than you know, being
averse to moving around. So he also said that, you know,
with that, with kind of that embrace of him moving
around has it's allowed him to play with more confidence
and this allowed him to play better. So by him
(02:41):
kind of buying into cult Popovic's what he's doing and
moving him around and kind of having that that foresight
of this is something that could have possibly happened going
into the season, Titus has.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
Really embraced kind of that role.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
It's made his teammates respect him a lot and kind
of the value that he brings that offensive lid room,
and it's helped him have probably what he's described as
his best season in his tenure as a Texan. So
he's a really versatile piece for this team that we've
seen this year. Very valuable piece to this team and
(03:16):
kind of the biggest reason that this offensive line has
been able to hang together throughout seventeen eighteen weeks here.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
Well, thanks to the Colts owner Carly Ursa Gordon and
now you and Titus, we've really driven home the word
pissed on this show. And I want to read the
direct quote that you got from him, that's in your article.
Howard said in the past, I ain't gonna lie. I
was pissed. I was mad, younger me was mad. I
was moving around, didn't understand why I was moving I
didn't want to do it. And as you just described,
(03:43):
embracing it more, allowing him to accept it more, thus
allowing to play the positions a whole lot more effectively.
Now take that into this matchup if you could. This
is a good defensive front. This is a sac happy
defensive front. It's not a great defense, but up front
they are a lot to handle. Hayward and Herbig and
Watt and high Smith. How do you think this matchup
(04:06):
in the trenches when the Texans offense is on the
field looks like how do you think it plays out?
Speaker 3 (04:12):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (04:12):
I think that's probably one of the biggest matchups going
into this game, just knowing you know, the difficulties that
we've seen from this Texans offensive line and past playoff games.
Like if if we go back to that Chiefs game
last year, that was probably the main reason that they lost.
It's giving up all those stacks to t K. Shroud
and then you're playing against you know, like you Gus said,
do you have Alex high Smith, you have t J.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
Watt, you have.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Cameron Hayward named her big like all these guys that
are able to rest the passer. That's gonna be something
that's gonna be really interesting for this Texas team. I
think they'll be able to handle it a lot better
than they have been able to in the past. And
I think Titus, you know, we've seen Trent Brown back
on the practice field. The thought is is that they'll
probably return to that same offensive line configuration that we've
(04:53):
seen in the past with with Trent Brown going to
right tackle, Titus Howard going to the left guard. And
I think that's going to really help them, especially on
the interior handling like a Connor Hayward uh or Cam Hayward. Sorry,
I think Connors's brother and also plays on the team,
so he's gonna mix that up. But yeah, I think
you know, that's going to really help them with with
(05:13):
having that interior presence of Titus Howard and adding Trent
Brown back in there, that's just kind of sharing.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
Up their offensive lind group, and I think.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
They will be able to manage it a lot better
than what we've seen in the past and keep this, uh,
this thing that they have going on up.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
Front kind of rolling here talking to Sam Warren of
the Houston Chronicle Texans Steelers Wild Card Action Monday night.
So this this might be a tough question. Who of
a litany of names you could say here is gonna
end up having the biggest impact defensively for the Texans,
Because we know what these Steelers are gonna want to do,
(05:50):
uh with Aaron Rodgers and getting the ball out quickly
and all that. We know all the good things that
the Texans defense is capable of doing both up front
in the second area. But what's the one name you
look to have. I mean, because Derek Stingley was the guy,
you know a year ago, maybe you say that in
the in the postseason against the Chargers. Who's the guy
you think is going to make the biggest impact of
the Texans defense. Of all the names that.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Could, I'm gonna give you two and they're both in
the secondary.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
I think first, Jaleen.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Petrie's gonna be big for this defense.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
If we remember last year he didn't.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
Play in the playoffs because of his his injury, there
so a lot, you know, he adds so much to
this defense in terms of, you know, just being able
to play inside the box and do a lot of
things there, playing as as the nickel and Megan plays,
you know, as a as a run defender, but also
just being able to cover you know, both the slot
(06:42):
defender or both the slot receiver and the tight end.
The Stewarts like to do a lot of stuff at
their tight end. So his impacts both in the run
in past game is gonna be huge. And then I
also throw out Tomorrow last year. I mean, it looks
like he's gonna be coming back this week from some
injuries that he was dealing with. And although he said
that he felt like he could have played against the
(07:04):
Colts and that in that Week eight team game, I
think the Texans held him out. I was a little
bit of precaution, but just given the things that he's
able to do from the corner position, not only in
coverage with them getting dk metcat back and trying to
get him aligned on are getting DK aligned on him
instead of Derek Stingley, but also just the things that
(07:25):
he can do in terms of making tackles and playing
aggressively from that corner position.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
You know, the Steelers like to get the ball out
in the past to.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
Their their running backs, kind of getting it out in
the flat, and when you have a cornerback who can
tackle like that, make plays kind of out in the
open space against the Kennets gain well against the Jaleen Warren.
That's really an X factor for this defense that not
a lot of defenses have.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
So having the physicality of.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Kamari Lasseter back, having the physicality of jale and Petrie,
those I think are going to be two big players
for this Texas defense coming up.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
The team's been on the road in the playoffs twice.
This team, obviously the franchise, been on the road a
few more times than that, and the results have been
the same every single time, with this particular group having
lost in Baltimore and Kansas City, and there are two
previous postseason road games and now opening on the road
against a totally different dynamic of a team in the
Pittsburgh Steelers, albeit still with a quarterback like Aaron Rodgers.
(08:19):
From a mentality standpoint, from a believing maybe this year
is different the way we got here, the kind of
defense we have. Do you sense that they're heading into
this game truly believing we're going in there and we're
getting a win and we're going to keep winning this postseason?
Speaker 3 (08:34):
Absolutely?
Speaker 2 (08:35):
I think good confidence wise this team is you know,
if you winn the non straight games to end the year,
I don't know how you can't be top of it
going into this playoff game. You know, they have a
better record than the Steelers. The Steelers had to play
a win and get in game to get to this point.
And to be honest, I feel like, you know, from
all the playoff backups in the SPA for the Technles,
like this is the one that you want. In the Steelers,
(08:57):
they have a lot of, you know, weaknesses to their game.
I think that the Technics, you know, I feel like
they should be favored in this backup and I think
they have the competence to prove it. So in terms
of previous maculos, I don't think that really, you know,
I think that can motivate them, but I think they're
just have that competence by himself and what they've been
able to do this season going into pittorgh.
Speaker 4 (09:19):
UI's talked a little bit about kind of an anomaly
with regards to the stadium that this game is going
to be played in. Do you buy in, especially in
light of what happened last weekend? Do you buy into
the swirling wins at the Artists formally known as hinz Field.
I was caught that just because that's where all those
those kicks happened that got shanked, and Chris Brown famously
(09:40):
was there before coming to play for the Texans and
he had a lot of difficulties. I wonder how much
that's going to be a factor if any on a
on a cold Monday night in January.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
Yeah, absolutely, I think it has to be a factor
if we If we look back at that Cheaps game
last year too, there were so many speculties mistakes by
the Texans that hurt them so and the Frank Ross
has said as much, it's gonna taste a little bit
more preparation just given the stuff that has happened at
uh AT. You know, I still call it Hinsfield as well.
I think it's Akracher stadium whatever it is now, but
(10:15):
he's said as much. Tamika Ryz has said as much.
I think it definitely comes into play in terms of
their preparation, and they're pretty confident in their special teams
unit and what Kenny Fairburn has been able to do
this year though so Tommy Townsend has also improved his
game as well. So I think as much as the
past has been an issue at that field, I think
(10:37):
they're they're pretty confident their skills well.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
Out asking for a score. You and Brett and Jonathan
and Matt all out of Texans this week. Will you
guys be covering the Texans game next week?
Speaker 3 (10:48):
Also?
Speaker 1 (10:49):
Will there be one?
Speaker 3 (10:52):
If there is one, I think we will be.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
So. I think I think that the Texans I have
plans so far right now to be working next week.
Speaker 3 (11:01):
So that's a very good prediction.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
Very well said Sam. We appreciate you joining us, great
article on Titus in the Chronicle today, great stuff throughout
the year, and we look forward to booking you next
week in advance of their divisional round game.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
Awesome, guys, Thank you so much, appreciate it.
We have a visit from Houston Chronicle Texans writer and
Rockets writer at times, Sam Warren joins us here on
Sports Talk seven ninety on the A Team. Saw Sam
earlier today over at Texans as I usually do over
the course of the week, although today was the Texans Thursday,
even though it's every other human's Friday. Tomorrow they'll be
back on the practice field again and then off to
(00:21):
Pittsburgh Sunday. One of the things we noticed today, Sam,
was the addition to the practice field after yesterday's missed
practice by Titus Howard. He was back out there. Trent
Brown has been out there this week. Let's get to
what you wrote about specifically first, because I had a
chance to run through it or I was talking I
heard you talking about a little bit this morning and
(00:42):
knew the gist of it even before I had read it.
Having covered Titus Howard all these years. His career here
is beyond remarkable for a number of different reasons, and
it was all on display this season, starting at three
different positions on this offensive line much improved. You had
a chance to talk to this week and wrote about it.
How does How's his viewpoint on both his career to
(01:04):
date with this team and this team as they head
into another postseason.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Yeah, Adam, Adam, thanks for having me on first. But yeah,
I had the chance to speak with Titus yesterday kind
of just about what this this season has meant for him,
how it's kind of been different for past seasons and
why he's been able to play so well at so
many different positions this year, and just talking with him,
I mean, we we kind of all knew that Titus
(01:30):
moving around wasn't his preferred thing to do. You know,
at points last year when he had to make the move,
he was pretty pretty adamant about wanting to stay at tackle,
saying that he was a tackle and that's the position
that he wanted to play and that was the position
that he felt pretty natural at. But in speaking with him,
you know, he was honest about not wanting to make
(01:52):
those moves. I mean, he told me that he was
pissed off every single time that that coaches asked him
to make the move, and he was kind of blindsided
whenever he did have to make the move. But the
approach that he's taken to that this season has really improved.
He's kind of you know embraced his versatility, so to speak,
with him being able to do things that kind of
(02:12):
the typical offensive line they can't do, with playing multiple positions,
playing inside, outside, and having his play.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
Not really drop off.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
He's really embraced that and felt like that's something that's
made his game more valuable other than you know, being
averse to moving around. So he also said that, you know,
with that, with kind of that embrace of him moving
around has it's allowed him to play with more confidence
and this allowed him to play better. So by him
(02:41):
kind of buying into cult Popovic's what he's doing and
moving him around and kind of having that that foresight
of this is something that could have possibly happened going
into the season, Titus has.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
Really embraced kind of that role.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
It's made his teammates respect him a lot and kind
of the value that he brings that offensive lid room,
and it's helped him have probably what he's described as
his best season in his tenure as a Texan. So
he's a really versatile piece for this team that we've
seen this year. Very valuable piece to this team and
(03:16):
kind of the biggest reason that this offensive line has
been able to hang together throughout seventeen eighteen weeks here.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
Well, thanks to the Colts owner Carly Ursa Gordon and
now you and Titus, we've really driven home the word
pissed on this show. And I want to read the
direct quote that you got from him, that's in your article.
Howard said in the past, I ain't gonna lie. I
was pissed. I was mad, younger me was mad. I
was moving around, didn't understand why I was moving I
didn't want to do it. And as you just described,
(03:43):
embracing it more, allowing him to accept it more, thus
allowing to play the positions a whole lot more effectively.
Now take that into this matchup if you could. This
is a good defensive front. This is a sac happy
defensive front. It's not a great defense, but up front
they are a lot to handle. Hayward and Herbig and
Watt and high Smith. How do you think this matchup
(04:06):
in the trenches when the Texans offense is on the
field looks like how do you think it plays out?
Speaker 3 (04:12):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (04:12):
I think that's probably one of the biggest matchups going
into this game, just knowing you know, the difficulties that
we've seen from this Texans offensive line and past playoff games.
Like if if we go back to that Chiefs game
last year, that was probably the main reason that they lost.
It's giving up all those stacks to t K. Shroud
and then you're playing against you know, like you Gus said,
do you have Alex high Smith, you have t J.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
Watt, you have.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Cameron Hayward named her big like all these guys that
are able to rest the passer. That's gonna be something
that's gonna be really interesting for this Texas team. I
think they'll be able to handle it a lot better
than they have been able to in the past. And
I think Titus, you know, we've seen Trent Brown back
on the practice field. The thought is is that they'll
probably return to that same offensive line configuration that we've
(04:53):
seen in the past with with Trent Brown going to
right tackle, Titus Howard going to the left guard. And
I think that's going to really help them, especially on
the interior handling like a Connor Hayward uh or Cam Hayward. Sorry,
I think Connors's brother and also plays on the team,
so he's gonna mix that up. But yeah, I think
you know, that's going to really help them with with
(05:13):
having that interior presence of Titus Howard and adding Trent
Brown back in there, that's just kind of sharing.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
Up their offensive lind group, and I think.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
They will be able to manage it a lot better
than what we've seen in the past and keep this, uh,
this thing that they have going on up.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
Front kind of rolling here talking to Sam Warren of
the Houston Chronicle Texans Steelers Wild Card Action Monday night.
So this this might be a tough question. Who of
a litany of names you could say here is gonna
end up having the biggest impact defensively for the Texans,
Because we know what these Steelers are gonna want to do,
(05:50):
uh with Aaron Rodgers and getting the ball out quickly
and all that. We know all the good things that
the Texans defense is capable of doing both up front
in the second area. But what's the one name you
look to have. I mean, because Derek Stingley was the guy,
you know a year ago, maybe you say that in
the in the postseason against the Chargers. Who's the guy
you think is going to make the biggest impact of
the Texans defense. Of all the names that.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Could, I'm gonna give you two and they're both in
the secondary.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
I think first, Jaleen.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Petrie's gonna be big for this defense.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
If we remember last year he didn't.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
Play in the playoffs because of his his injury, there
so a lot, you know, he adds so much to
this defense in terms of, you know, just being able
to play inside the box and do a lot of
things there, playing as as the nickel and Megan plays,
you know, as a as a run defender, but also
just being able to cover you know, both the slot
(06:42):
defender or both the slot receiver and the tight end.
The Stewarts like to do a lot of stuff at
their tight end. So his impacts both in the run
in past game is gonna be huge. And then I
also throw out Tomorrow last year. I mean, it looks
like he's gonna be coming back this week from some
injuries that he was dealing with. And although he said
that he felt like he could have played against the
(07:04):
Colts and that in that Week eight team game, I
think the Texans held him out. I was a little
bit of precaution, but just given the things that he's
able to do from the corner position, not only in
coverage with them getting dk metcat back and trying to
get him aligned on are getting DK aligned on him
instead of Derek Stingley, but also just the things that
(07:25):
he can do in terms of making tackles and playing
aggressively from that corner position.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
You know, the Steelers like to get the ball out
in the past to.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
Their their running backs, kind of getting it out in
the flat, and when you have a cornerback who can
tackle like that, make plays kind of out in the
open space against the Kennets gain well against the Jaleen Warren.
That's really an X factor for this defense that not
a lot of defenses have.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
So having the physicality of.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Kamari Lasseter back, having the physicality of jale and Petrie,
those I think are going to be two big players
for this Texas defense coming up.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
The team's been on the road in the playoffs twice.
This team, obviously the franchise, been on the road a
few more times than that, and the results have been
the same every single time, with this particular group having
lost in Baltimore and Kansas City, and there are two
previous postseason road games and now opening on the road
against a totally different dynamic of a team in the
Pittsburgh Steelers, albeit still with a quarterback like Aaron Rodgers.
(08:19):
From a mentality standpoint, from a believing maybe this year
is different the way we got here, the kind of
defense we have. Do you sense that they're heading into
this game truly believing we're going in there and we're
getting a win and we're going to keep winning this postseason?
Speaker 3 (08:34):
Absolutely?
Speaker 2 (08:35):
I think good confidence wise this team is you know,
if you winn the non straight games to end the year,
I don't know how you can't be top of it
going into this playoff game. You know, they have a
better record than the Steelers. The Steelers had to play
a win and get in game to get to this point.
And to be honest, I feel like, you know, from
all the playoff backups in the SPA for the Technles,
like this is the one that you want. In the Steelers,
(08:57):
they have a lot of, you know, weaknesses to their game.
I think that the Technics, you know, I feel like
they should be favored in this backup and I think
they have the competence to prove it. So in terms
of previous maculos, I don't think that really, you know,
I think that can motivate them, but I think they're
just have that competence by himself and what they've been
able to do this season going into pittorgh.
Speaker 4 (09:19):
UI's talked a little bit about kind of an anomaly
with regards to the stadium that this game is going
to be played in. Do you buy in, especially in
light of what happened last weekend? Do you buy into
the swirling wins at the Artists formally known as hinz Field.
I was caught that just because that's where all those
those kicks happened that got shanked, and Chris Brown famously
(09:40):
was there before coming to play for the Texans and
he had a lot of difficulties. I wonder how much
that's going to be a factor if any on a
on a cold Monday night in January.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
Yeah, absolutely, I think it has to be a factor
if we If we look back at that Cheaps game
last year too, there were so many speculties mistakes by
the Texans that hurt them so and the Frank Ross
has said as much, it's gonna taste a little bit
more preparation just given the stuff that has happened at
uh AT. You know, I still call it Hinsfield as well.
I think it's Akracher stadium whatever it is now, but
(10:15):
he's said as much. Tamika Ryz has said as much.
I think it definitely comes into play in terms of
their preparation, and they're pretty confident in their special teams
unit and what Kenny Fairburn has been able to do
this year though so Tommy Townsend has also improved his
game as well. So I think as much as the
past has been an issue at that field, I think
(10:37):
they're they're pretty confident their skills well.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
Out asking for a score. You and Brett and Jonathan
and Matt all out of Texans this week. Will you
guys be covering the Texans game next week?
Speaker 3 (10:48):
Also?
Speaker 1 (10:49):
Will there be one?
Speaker 3 (10:52):
If there is one, I think we will be.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
So. I think I think that the Texans I have
plans so far right now to be working next week.
Speaker 3 (11:01):
So that's a very good prediction.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
Very well said Sam. We appreciate you joining us, great
article on Titus in the Chronicle today, great stuff throughout
the year, and we look forward to booking you next
week in advance of their divisional round game.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
Awesome, guys, Thank you so much, appreciate it.
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