January 9, 2026 • 10 mins
Entering the postseason now as we look to tomorrow's Wild Card weekend to kick off in the NFL, many begin making their predictions on who they believe advances on to the next round. Evaluating the Texans' probability of rolling into Pittsburgh and marching out as victors despite weather factors playing a role amongst others, Texans Insider Aaron Wilson joins, hashing out a few scenarios that could pan out in Houston's favor, helping them further their tenure in the postseason.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, the Texans side of things. We do it every
single Friday with them. He's our Sports Talk seven to
ninety Texans insider. Also at KPRC two, he's Aaron Wilson.
Aaron appreciate the time. As always, we've been talking about
at least the news that came out yesterday. I know
it was a d MP for Kamari Laster, but at
least I know you guys caught up with them. I
guess the thumbs are up. He's going to be out
(00:21):
there on Monday night for the Texans.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Right, Yeah. I reported that before practice too. I know
that he was going to play, and he could have
played against the Colts. They were trying to really get
him feeling better for the playoffs. He's been dealing with
knee and ankle injury. Anklan jury's probably the more serious
of the two situations. But this guy's not very normal.
I mean that in a good way. Just ask Kirry
(00:47):
Smart or Jimmia Ryans or his teammates and Colude calem Bullet.
He said, yeah, there's just no way the guy doesn't
miss games. He broke his scapula as that kept him out,
and he had a broken bone in his back. But
other than that, yeah, the guy's going to be out
there and it's just very tough. Tough as nails is
(01:10):
what you would hope for at any defensive position, but
especially for a corner. He's just unusually tough and hard
hitting and you know, ninety one tackles this year. He
loves to be in the action. Yeah, he's all good.
And that was not like a surprise to me or
in anything. So the fact that he let him talk
(01:31):
is pretty much all you need to know. They wouldn't
if he wasn't gonna play, he wouldn't even doing interviews.
It's not any kind of gamesmanship. He's gonna be fine.
He'll practice at some point, whether it's today or tomorrow,
and then he'll play on Monday Night. And Matt Twitz
with Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
Aaron, let's just go and talk about Aaron Rodgers. Both
Tamiko Ryans and CJ. Stroud had a lot of positive
things to say about the forty one year old quarterback.
CJ called him top three player at the position all time.
I mean, and the bottom line is that or not
you say he's forty one, He's had his way with
the Texans highest passer rating of his careers against Houston.
He was able to beat them with the Jets a
year ago. When you look at this matchup, is there
(02:11):
a reason to believe that Rogers still has one more
left in him against Houston to make this a pretty
big upset in the eyes of the public.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Well, right, his recent body at work, including what he did.
I know, the Baltimore Evens gonna have the kind of
defense and the Texans too, but he's still chilling ninety
three yards. It's still a clutch game. It's still a
bunch of touchdowns, and he's still completing passes at a
sixty five percent rate, so he's still accurate. It's just
a matter of can they protect him. And that's the
big X factor because no one, including the Ravens, as
(02:44):
the kind of pass rus and the Texans do with
mil Anderson Juniors and Neil Hunter and company, and that's
a different kind of heat. And like Aaron or Tom
Brady or any these quarterbacks have covered games like that
where he can be rendered ordinary if you hit, and
that's true for any quarterback, how great they are. But yeah,
for Aaron, he still can throw a great football. He
(03:08):
beat them last year with the Jets. We're up there
on the meadowlands and he's throwing darts to Devonte Adams
and Garrett Wilson. He doesn't have receivers like that. He's
got DK metcalf back and DK's explosive. But I'm big,
but it's not like those guys. I think he's got
a chance to mean, it's just a matter of can
they protect long enough for him to throw some darts,
(03:28):
because he can, and he's also very good at finding
the weakness here defense. So what if he's thrown underneath
at the Jaylen Reed, if Jalen's activated, what if he's
going after her at to Hote, what if he's trying
to do some things against Jalen Pecher. He's had a
great year, but you know he's had some covered lapses
in the past. There's things there and he'll try to
find them again.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
Aaron Wilson, he's our sports Sox seven ninety Texans inside
are also a KPRC two. He joins us every single
Friday here on the morning Drive with Dan and Cole.
Sports Talks seven ninety. Well brought up to this point
earlier Aaron about the Texans keeping C. J.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Stroud clean.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
It's been all the way since early November was the
last time that he got sacked. So with all that
being said, I mean, you know, how is this Texans
offensive line even with all the injuries progressed as the
last couple of months have gone.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
You know a lot of leadership from Titus Howard, but
you have a leader at the offensive line coaching position
now called Papovitch. And I was talking about Cole you know,
at this time last year when they were signing an
extension fire E Strauser from winning. Papovich recentally pushing all
the chips in the middle of the table with him
making a run game coordinator. And he's Nick Hayley's brow
(04:42):
from New England. And they speak the same language because
they both were working with Dante s Karnakia and Belichick.
And these guys are you know, tight and Papovich you
you learned West Virginia were watching with the Greenbrier and
I could hear a lot of the coaching just from
standing near by. And these guys really respond to him.
(05:03):
Everybody brings them up, whether it's CJ, whether it's all
the offensive linemen. Uh, there's a big buy in factor
now they like this guy kind have a tough love
situation with him because you know he's gonna get on them,
he's the coach mahar but he's also going to you know,
encourage them and be positive. He's a former offensive linement
at Friendsviolle State. He's very highly thought of, and I think,
(05:25):
you know, for them to with no Pro Bowl guys
put out these good performances and they deserve the criticism
they're getting early in the year, but they got it
together and this is a good alignment for them. Uh.
You know, it'd be even better if Trent Brown could play.
Trent still working his way back to the knee injury.
But I think that you know, Titus deserves a lot
of the credit for the flexibility he's shown the knees
(05:48):
and the MVP of a much improved offensive Lion.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
Aaron It's not a big, big, big season for him,
but he did step on strong towards towards the end
of the year. Jayden Higgins, people talking about him as
a prominent face you're moving forward for the Texans. Just
what is his impact in this game, especially when you
know there's gonna be double teams against thinkco Collins, Recedius
try to find him open downfield.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
He could be really important. It's a good point because
you look at Jaden size, improved route running skills, pretty
good hands, and he's got a lot of you know,
you can kind of see why they drafted him in
the second round. I know the numbers aren't gigantic, but
you know, six touchdowns there's nothing. This seems that as
a rookies time for the second most with Own Daniels
(06:29):
in franchise history. I look at Jayden and I could
see him getting the mismatches. He's six y four. There
are very few corners that can match up with that.
And it's not just Nico, it's you know, you've got
Higgins and you've got Schultz. Solt's got easy catches, so
he's got a few weapons. And I think that the
(06:50):
touchdowns kind of emblematic of the improved timing and chemistry
against the Colts on the rollout, and you know, he's
making some good plays in traffic. He's an improving young player.
He's very young, and his best footballs ahead of him.
He's played good football right now and I think he
can be a factor in the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Absolutely spending a couple more minutes again. Aaron Wilson, our
Sports Talk seven to ninety Texans insider KPRC two. He
joins us every single Friday here on the show during
Texans season with the run game. You know, Jawar Jordan
missing practice yesterday, but we did see a little bit
more of British Brooks. I mean, if he can't go,
you feel like the Texans would feel comfortable running with
(07:30):
a backfield that has obviously woody marks. First don't know
about Nick Chubb, but also Darry Goombalwalle and Brooks.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Right don't have to be and George Jordan is a
complimentary player and he's had a high ankle spring, so
per sources, he is not going to be available to them.
So it will have to be those other guys. British
opened some eyes for them with the sixty three yards
he ran hard. I think primarily though, it's Jawar and
it you know, having Nick Chubb, and you know they
(08:03):
rested Chubb last week, not injured. They're just gonna you know,
roll him out there some I just don't think it's
gonna be as many touches. They're gonna ride the hothand
and that's obviously you know, Woody marks and I think
Woody he'll play him a lot. And there's no saving
guys right now. You gotta win each game and advance
(08:24):
or whatever it takes. I think it would help them
if they could get Woody involved more in the passing game,
because he's very good at that. But they just haven't
done as much as I thought they would withdrawing to him.
When they have done it, they've had great success, you know.
But overall, Yeah, the backfield, you're just generally not getting
to some of these third and fourth options, except in
(08:47):
mop up time and Brooks when they wanted to rest Woody,
he stepped up and YE had nothing about him. Surprised me.
He's a tough, tough guy. Yeah, they're gonna have to
look at other options because he had j'ar. He's not
available well because he is hurt. He is an illegal
hip drop tackle. They didn't call it, but I would
imagine there'll be a fine coming over the weekend.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
Hey, Aaron, let.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
Me just ask you and throw this out here. Yours
texts is sitting at twelve and five. They're in the playoffs.
It's best records in twenty twelve. People can plain and
want to gripe on the offensive play calling and Nick
Cayley being an overrated OC and a former friend of
Demico just got fired from a job out of Miami,
And now there is people coming in saying, well, why
(09:28):
don't we just go ahead and see what happened at
the end of the season, because you can't rule out anything,
because if you know, hey, that relationship with that pencil
pusher who was maybe Vapan on the sidelines is they're
gonna be a really good fit for the team. Can
you just put can you just end the narrative that
Nick Kyley's gonna be the play caller next season might
be and Daniel's not gonna be running the show at
on Erchie Stadium.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
I don't see it happening. I think he's gonna have Detroit,
will have an options for Mike if Michael wants to
get back in, and I think he will. I think
that's probably Taylor made for him. I don't really see
this as the best will see position for him, and
I also don't see them firing Nick Kayley. So yeah,
I think it's a bit of a non starter. Really,
(10:08):
the Mike McDaniel talk, it's a great conversation piece but
it's just not based on a lot of reality. Unfortunately
for people that want Mike McDaniel, I don't think it's happening. There.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
You go straight from Aaron Wilson, a man who is
all over the Texans and for good reason here at
Sports Talk seven to ninety because these are Texans insider,
and he joins us every single Friday here on the show. Aaron, Hey,
always appreciate your time, man, and save travels up to
Pittsburgh and hopefully we're talking with you again next Friday.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Appreciate you guys. Yeah, I think it could happen. I
think the Texans will take your business. We'll see what happens.
Well, the Texans side of things. We do it every
single Friday with them. He's our Sports Talk seven to
ninety Texans insider. Also at KPRC two, he's Aaron Wilson.
Aaron appreciate the time. As always, we've been talking about
at least the news that came out yesterday. I know
it was a d MP for Kamari Laster, but at
least I know you guys caught up with them. I
guess the thumbs are up. He's going to be out
(00:21):
there on Monday night for the Texans.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Right, Yeah. I reported that before practice too. I know
that he was going to play, and he could have
played against the Colts. They were trying to really get
him feeling better for the playoffs. He's been dealing with
knee and ankle injury. Anklan jury's probably the more serious
of the two situations. But this guy's not very normal.
I mean that in a good way. Just ask Kirry
(00:47):
Smart or Jimmia Ryans or his teammates and Colude calem Bullet.
He said, yeah, there's just no way the guy doesn't
miss games. He broke his scapula as that kept him out,
and he had a broken bone in his back. But
other than that, yeah, the guy's going to be out
there and it's just very tough. Tough as nails is
(01:10):
what you would hope for at any defensive position, but
especially for a corner. He's just unusually tough and hard
hitting and you know, ninety one tackles this year. He
loves to be in the action. Yeah, he's all good.
And that was not like a surprise to me or
in anything. So the fact that he let him talk
(01:31):
is pretty much all you need to know. They wouldn't
if he wasn't gonna play, he wouldn't even doing interviews.
It's not any kind of gamesmanship. He's gonna be fine.
He'll practice at some point, whether it's today or tomorrow,
and then he'll play on Monday Night. And Matt Twitz
with Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
Aaron, let's just go and talk about Aaron Rodgers. Both
Tamiko Ryans and CJ. Stroud had a lot of positive
things to say about the forty one year old quarterback.
CJ called him top three player at the position all time.
I mean, and the bottom line is that or not
you say he's forty one, He's had his way with
the Texans highest passer rating of his careers against Houston.
He was able to beat them with the Jets a
year ago. When you look at this matchup, is there
(02:11):
a reason to believe that Rogers still has one more
left in him against Houston to make this a pretty
big upset in the eyes of the public.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Well, right, his recent body at work, including what he did.
I know, the Baltimore Evens gonna have the kind of
defense and the Texans too, but he's still chilling ninety
three yards. It's still a clutch game. It's still a
bunch of touchdowns, and he's still completing passes at a
sixty five percent rate, so he's still accurate. It's just
a matter of can they protect him. And that's the
big X factor because no one, including the Ravens, as
(02:44):
the kind of pass rus and the Texans do with
mil Anderson Juniors and Neil Hunter and company, and that's
a different kind of heat. And like Aaron or Tom
Brady or any these quarterbacks have covered games like that
where he can be rendered ordinary if you hit, and
that's true for any quarterback, how great they are. But yeah,
for Aaron, he still can throw a great football. He
(03:08):
beat them last year with the Jets. We're up there
on the meadowlands and he's throwing darts to Devonte Adams
and Garrett Wilson. He doesn't have receivers like that. He's
got DK metcalf back and DK's explosive. But I'm big,
but it's not like those guys. I think he's got
a chance to mean, it's just a matter of can
they protect long enough for him to throw some darts,
(03:28):
because he can, and he's also very good at finding
the weakness here defense. So what if he's thrown underneath
at the Jaylen Reed, if Jalen's activated, what if he's
going after her at to Hote, what if he's trying
to do some things against Jalen Pecher. He's had a
great year, but you know he's had some covered lapses
in the past. There's things there and he'll try to
find them again.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
Aaron Wilson, he's our sports Sox seven ninety Texans inside
are also a KPRC two. He joins us every single
Friday here on the morning Drive with Dan and Cole.
Sports Talks seven ninety. Well brought up to this point
earlier Aaron about the Texans keeping C. J.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Stroud clean.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
It's been all the way since early November was the
last time that he got sacked. So with all that
being said, I mean, you know, how is this Texans
offensive line even with all the injuries progressed as the
last couple of months have gone.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
You know a lot of leadership from Titus Howard, but
you have a leader at the offensive line coaching position
now called Papovitch. And I was talking about Cole you know,
at this time last year when they were signing an
extension fire E Strauser from winning. Papovich recentally pushing all
the chips in the middle of the table with him
making a run game coordinator. And he's Nick Hayley's brow
(04:42):
from New England. And they speak the same language because
they both were working with Dante s Karnakia and Belichick.
And these guys are you know, tight and Papovich you
you learned West Virginia were watching with the Greenbrier and
I could hear a lot of the coaching just from
standing near by. And these guys really respond to him.
(05:03):
Everybody brings them up, whether it's CJ, whether it's all
the offensive linemen. Uh, there's a big buy in factor
now they like this guy kind have a tough love
situation with him because you know he's gonna get on them,
he's the coach mahar but he's also going to you know,
encourage them and be positive. He's a former offensive linement
at Friendsviolle State. He's very highly thought of, and I think,
(05:25):
you know, for them to with no Pro Bowl guys
put out these good performances and they deserve the criticism
they're getting early in the year, but they got it
together and this is a good alignment for them. Uh.
You know, it'd be even better if Trent Brown could play.
Trent still working his way back to the knee injury.
But I think that you know, Titus deserves a lot
of the credit for the flexibility he's shown the knees
(05:48):
and the MVP of a much improved offensive Lion.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
Aaron It's not a big, big, big season for him,
but he did step on strong towards towards the end
of the year. Jayden Higgins, people talking about him as
a prominent face you're moving forward for the Texans. Just
what is his impact in this game, especially when you
know there's gonna be double teams against thinkco Collins, Recedius
try to find him open downfield.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
He could be really important. It's a good point because
you look at Jaden size, improved route running skills, pretty
good hands, and he's got a lot of you know,
you can kind of see why they drafted him in
the second round. I know the numbers aren't gigantic, but
you know, six touchdowns there's nothing. This seems that as
a rookies time for the second most with Own Daniels
(06:29):
in franchise history. I look at Jayden and I could
see him getting the mismatches. He's six y four. There
are very few corners that can match up with that.
And it's not just Nico, it's you know, you've got
Higgins and you've got Schultz. Solt's got easy catches, so
he's got a few weapons. And I think that the
(06:50):
touchdowns kind of emblematic of the improved timing and chemistry
against the Colts on the rollout, and you know, he's
making some good plays in traffic. He's an improving young player.
He's very young, and his best footballs ahead of him.
He's played good football right now and I think he
can be a factor in the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Absolutely spending a couple more minutes again. Aaron Wilson, our
Sports Talk seven to ninety Texans insider KPRC two. He
joins us every single Friday here on the show during
Texans season with the run game. You know, Jawar Jordan
missing practice yesterday, but we did see a little bit
more of British Brooks. I mean, if he can't go,
you feel like the Texans would feel comfortable running with
(07:30):
a backfield that has obviously woody marks. First don't know
about Nick Chubb, but also Darry Goombalwalle and Brooks.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Right don't have to be and George Jordan is a
complimentary player and he's had a high ankle spring, so
per sources, he is not going to be available to them.
So it will have to be those other guys. British
opened some eyes for them with the sixty three yards
he ran hard. I think primarily though, it's Jawar and
it you know, having Nick Chubb, and you know they
(08:03):
rested Chubb last week, not injured. They're just gonna you know,
roll him out there some I just don't think it's
gonna be as many touches. They're gonna ride the hothand
and that's obviously you know, Woody marks and I think
Woody he'll play him a lot. And there's no saving
guys right now. You gotta win each game and advance
(08:24):
or whatever it takes. I think it would help them
if they could get Woody involved more in the passing game,
because he's very good at that. But they just haven't
done as much as I thought they would withdrawing to him.
When they have done it, they've had great success, you know.
But overall, Yeah, the backfield, you're just generally not getting
to some of these third and fourth options, except in
(08:47):
mop up time and Brooks when they wanted to rest Woody,
he stepped up and YE had nothing about him. Surprised me.
He's a tough, tough guy. Yeah, they're gonna have to
look at other options because he had j'ar. He's not
available well because he is hurt. He is an illegal
hip drop tackle. They didn't call it, but I would
imagine there'll be a fine coming over the weekend.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
Hey, Aaron, let.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
Me just ask you and throw this out here. Yours
texts is sitting at twelve and five. They're in the playoffs.
It's best records in twenty twelve. People can plain and
want to gripe on the offensive play calling and Nick
Cayley being an overrated OC and a former friend of
Demico just got fired from a job out of Miami,
And now there is people coming in saying, well, why
(09:28):
don't we just go ahead and see what happened at
the end of the season, because you can't rule out anything,
because if you know, hey, that relationship with that pencil
pusher who was maybe Vapan on the sidelines is they're
gonna be a really good fit for the team. Can
you just put can you just end the narrative that
Nick Kyley's gonna be the play caller next season might
be and Daniel's not gonna be running the show at
on Erchie Stadium.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
I don't see it happening. I think he's gonna have Detroit,
will have an options for Mike if Michael wants to
get back in, and I think he will. I think
that's probably Taylor made for him. I don't really see
this as the best will see position for him, and
I also don't see them firing Nick Kayley. So yeah,
I think it's a bit of a non starter. Really,
(10:08):
the Mike McDaniel talk, it's a great conversation piece but
it's just not based on a lot of reality. Unfortunately
for people that want Mike McDaniel, I don't think it's happening. There.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
You go straight from Aaron Wilson, a man who is
all over the Texans and for good reason here at
Sports Talk seven to ninety because these are Texans insider,
and he joins us every single Friday here on the show. Aaron, Hey,
always appreciate your time, man, and save travels up to
Pittsburgh and hopefully we're talking with you again next Friday.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Appreciate you guys. Yeah, I think it could happen. I
think the Texans will take your business. We'll see what happens.
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