December 4, 2025 • 12 mins
Following a lot of talk surrounding Sunday night's showdown between the Texans and the Chiefs, Bleacher Report NFL Insider James Palmer weighs in on Sunday's duel, along with a few other big game matchups on the slate to be on the lookout for this Week.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Talking that right now. Bleacher Report, NFL insider, host of
Scoop City with the Athletic, and also a co host
of the eighty nine podcast with Steve Smith. He is
say God that we know well around these parts from
the old Comcast Sports Houston days, James Palmer, James appreciate it, Buddy.
Good to hear from you again. Let's just jump right
(00:21):
into Sunday nights in Kansas City. You've seen a lot
of the Chiefs over the last few years. Is this
a situation where desperation can pull them over or is
this just a bad matchup with Houston.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
I never really used the term desperation with the Kansas
City Chiefs at any point. When you're quarterback, when the
statistics somehow at certain games they've had heart monitors on them,
and his heart rate is lower in clutch situations in
the postseason than it is during pregame. Desperation doesn't really
coincide with the way the Chiefs play, but the record
(00:58):
and what they have to do the rest of the
way out. They understand the situation they're in. I just
think it's a different feel in that building than it
has been before. They've had slower starts, before. They've had
seasons where I've covered them, and I've been at games
where they're off to the most historically worst start in
yards per play allowed as a defense through two months
(01:18):
of a season than anyone ever and then they, you know,
find a way second half of the year. That's usually
what's happened, specifically on defense. But when I talk to
people there this season, it was never a panic, never
a desperation, but a different feel at times. And I
think that's for a few reasons, honestly, and it's the
ability to close out games with your defensive fronts has
(01:40):
not been there like it's been in a year's past.
We can get into that, but they're just not as
deep there and Chris Jones is playing more snaps and
it's impacting him. And at the same time, obviously they've
had some injuries, but you know, there's a variety of
things that have happened in the big moments, and we
know the swing of the one score games that has
dramatically changed. The one thing I could say has really
in their reception across the NFL. Talking to people you
(02:03):
know over the last several weeks and cover their game
in Denver, the fear factor appears to be gone a
little bit late in games against them. You know, there
was always a thing and players wouldn't admit it publicly
or on the record, but when I talked to them,
it would be late in the game. It's close. Mames
is going to make a play. Chiefs are going to
find a way to win. That's just what happened. That
thought process isn't really there anymore right now with a
(02:25):
lot of teams, and that, to me is the biggest
change James.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
When you look at the Texans going into this matchup,
their winners are the last four, but most of their
losses have come to playoff teams, whether it be Denver,
whether it be to Tampa, whether it be to even
Jacksonville on the road. What does a win mean for
Houston in the grand scheme of where they rank in
the packing order of what feels to be a wide
open AFC this year.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Yeah, I mean I think it changes a lot. I mean, like,
they're not in the position. I just put something out
on the athletic this morning, like they're not in the
position to play spoiler right now with this game. Like
if you look at what happens when they win this game,
like if they do, they jump from a sixty percent
chance of making the postseason to an eighty five percent chance.
(03:08):
Like they're in the group. They're in an AFC that
I think we have a lot of questions about. And
I think if you're going to make a run, if
you're a team like Houston, you're a team that's sitting
kind of on the outside looking in. But job, if
you have the best defense in football and you have
an offense that's kind of turning the corner a little bit,
this is the year to sneak in. It really is
(03:28):
because when you look at you know, the I always
joke about like the four Horsemen of the NFL, of
four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, and everybody else's mind it's
Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow. Well,
those teams aren't what we're used to seeing this year,
and you look at the AFC and it's like, all right,
I don't have that like once in a generation type
(03:50):
quarterback I might have to go through. Right, So you're thinking,
is a little bit different now the AFC. I think
the entire group has flaws from from number one at
New England through Denver through Indy and everybody has these
warts in a sense, and I think if you are
playing really good defense and you can find ways to
run the football late in the season, this year is
(04:12):
different than years pass in the AFC. So I think
if you beat Kansas City in Kansas City, you're definitely
right in the mix seriously of making a run because
the AFC landscape is so different than what we're used
to seeing over the last several years.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
James Palmer joining us here on the Morning Drive with
Dan and Cole and speaking of CJ. Stroud, I mean
he even talked about it last week. James where knocking
off a little bit of rust but still decent enough
performance two hundred and seventy six yards. Texans win this
game on Sunday. Are we talking more about what CJ
did or about what the defense was able to do?
Speaker 2 (04:46):
I'd probably say the defense, honestly. I mean, that's the
way this team is built. I mentioned Denver earlier. It's
probably a little bit similar sense, and that's what you know,
that's how they beat the Chief. So there's a comp
in that in sense because there's been some up and
down moments of Boat Nicks in Denver. And but what
was the constant is the defense makes big plays in
big moments. And that's, like I mentioned, that's usually what
you see from Kansas City. That's what happened in that
(05:08):
Denver game. From Denver. They made big plays in big moments.
And I think obviously with you know, the way that
that Kansas City's banged up on the offensive line, and
the way that Houston gets after the pass rusher, and
the way that we've seen a different Patrick Mahomes guys
this year, like this is his worst season under pressure
and in terms of passer rating, touchdown interception ratio of
(05:29):
his career, this is the worst season of his career.
On third down those are money plays, right, those are
money situations. And I think I see much more of
Houston making those plays in those moments and changing the
course of the game than maybe CJ does. I do
think this offense is turned a corner like I mentioned,
and he has, you know, the opportunity, and I think
(05:50):
against Kansas City has to make a player two when
it really counts and it got to have it moment,
and he obviously has the ability to do that. I
think Nick's done a better job with this offense. I
think talking to people around the league, he's kind of
put in their sense, you know, CJ. Much more of
a rhythm, which is really really important for your quarterback.
But I think, really, if it comes down to it,
(06:12):
I see, with the way Mahomes has played in those
things I mentioned, in the way that Houston has played,
that we might see a big defensive play changing the
course of this game than a play that CJ. Makes.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
Many of people have brought this up in recent weeks,
and so I want to get your opinion on this.
Has the Houston Texans offensive line gone from being a
liability to a strength for the personnel, not just in
the rushing attack, but whoever's lined up back there, CJ. Stroud,
Davis Mills. It does feel like that they have more
time than in years pass to be able to connect
down field with their targets.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
Yeah, I think I think, you know, a personnel change
in that certainly helps. I mean, you know, when they
started going to six offensive lineman a little bit more.
I mean in the last four weeks, I think they
do it almost at a higher rate than anybody else
in football. It's kind of in vogue in the league.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
Right now.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
But it's definitely made them run the football a little
bit better. It's protected the quarterback better, it changes your
play action game. You know, this stuff takes a while
to come and gel together. It certainly does. I know
nobody in Houston wanted to hear that or have the
patience to allow all of the changes that they did
upfront to kind of come to fruition. But you know,
when you find the right mix oftentimes, and you know,
(07:19):
I've had this conversation with some of the best offensive
line coaches and football, whether it's Dante Skarnikia or you know,
it's any of those guys, or you know, it's it's
the group as a whole is sometimes more valuable than
maybe some of the individual talent you have once you
start getting them playing together. And I think you've seen
that when they've gone into bigger personnel, and I think
you've seen that and changing you know, the course of
(07:41):
the run game, and you know CJ doesn't have to
sit there and er it out. It was just like
last year when I would talk to people in Use
and it was you know, if you have a weak
part of your offensive line, you can usually equate for
that and you can usually give extra help there, and
the quarterback oftentimes knows that the pressure is coming from there. Well,
when he has no clue which part of the offensive
(08:02):
line is going to break down on a given play,
that's really difficult on a quarterback. I just don't think
that feeling that cj had last year is the same
one that he's playing with right now.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
James. Is this offensive line I mean, I know you
just touched on it there at the end, but is
this offensive line improved enough where you can maybe even
start to believe that, hey, they're kind of capable.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
Yeah, I totally think you can. And I think the
play calling plays a big part of that. I think
Nick has done a better job in terms of you know,
design and things like that. I think what you really
find out is is can they get into the red
zone and can they score? That's massive and I think
that changes everything because they're what near the bottom of
the league if I'm not mistaken as a red zone
(08:43):
offense and third down, those two things, if your offensive
line can help you be more balanced to make sure
that you can have the threat of being in third
and manageable and your offense works better on first and
second down to put you in that position. Yeah, I
think they can be a service full enough offensive line
with the amount of talent they have at the skill
positions that CJ has the ability to get the football out.
(09:06):
That's that's really it. But I think what really needs
to happen, and I think I brought up earlier, you
got to play it kind of similar to Denver, like
make big plays as an offense in big moments. When
you got to make plays in the fourth quarter, you
make them and let your defense carry you through most
of the game. And you don't hurt your defense by
giving them short fields, by giving them, you know, difficult
(09:27):
situations to deal with. You've got to play fine as
an offense in the AFC right now to get yourself
into the postseason.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
From a standpoint from the greater picture of the AFC
in general, it does feel like that with there being
so much openness that you don't really have that front runner.
New England's eleven and two to playing a fourth place schedule,
and they've also had the benefactor of having a good
quarterback with Drake bay Denver. Denver's been one of the
better defensive teams in the NFL. They come back after
comeback after comeback from Boenick to be able to win.
(09:56):
Who is the team right now that you feel Houston
matches up best with it? They were to make it
to the playoffs to where it does feel like home away,
they are adding enough on both sides of the batim
where they should feel like that they're coasting into the
next round.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
M I don't know, that's a that's a good question.
I like, I wouldn't want to play one of these
star quarterbacks, like I would prefer to play Drake May.
I would prefer to play bo Nix. I wouldn't want
to go to Foxborough. I think that's going to change
the landscape of the AFC if New England gets the
(10:32):
number one seed and teams have to go into Foxborough
in December. I know, I've covered games when I was
working in US going there in the postseason. It's it's
just it's just such a favorable matchup for New England
and how they match up. I think if you have
some of these quarterbacks that play up and down, whether
it's say you match up against Daniel Jones or sticking
(10:54):
with the division honestly in Trembor Lawrence, like I would
fear like I would feel Lamar getting in, which there's
there's a decent chance he's playing terrible right now. But
like the herculean performance against your strength, right that's what
you don't really want to match up with because that's
the strength of your team and there are very few
(11:16):
people that could pick it apart. You saw what they
did to Josh Allen the other day. But at the
same time, like there's very few people that could perform
at a high level against his defense. That's who I
would avoid.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
He's the co host of Scoop City with the Athletic
can I fill Insider, Bleacher Report, co host of eighty
nine with Steve Smith, also NFL Insider with one oh
four three the fan there in Denver. He is James Palmer.
James appreciate it, man. It's always great to catch up
with you, and hopefully we'll do so again here very soon.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
I'm excited, guys. I'm excited to see this game. I
was at the last one and narrow ahead, and you know,
Use was pretty shorthanded and still gave him a run.
I think this is gonna be a you know, much
different type of feel of the game for sure.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
Great in great Wit in the weekend, no doubt about it.
We'll catch up soon. Thanks James.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
Subject
Talking that right now. Bleacher Report, NFL insider, host of
Scoop City with the Athletic, and also a co host
of the eighty nine podcast with Steve Smith. He is
say God that we know well around these parts from
the old Comcast Sports Houston days, James Palmer, James appreciate it, Buddy.
Good to hear from you again. Let's just jump right
(00:21):
into Sunday nights in Kansas City. You've seen a lot
of the Chiefs over the last few years. Is this
a situation where desperation can pull them over or is
this just a bad matchup with Houston.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
I never really used the term desperation with the Kansas
City Chiefs at any point. When you're quarterback, when the
statistics somehow at certain games they've had heart monitors on them,
and his heart rate is lower in clutch situations in
the postseason than it is during pregame. Desperation doesn't really
coincide with the way the Chiefs play, but the record
(00:58):
and what they have to do the rest of the
way out. They understand the situation they're in. I just
think it's a different feel in that building than it
has been before. They've had slower starts, before. They've had
seasons where I've covered them, and I've been at games
where they're off to the most historically worst start in
yards per play allowed as a defense through two months
(01:18):
of a season than anyone ever and then they, you know,
find a way second half of the year. That's usually
what's happened, specifically on defense. But when I talk to
people there this season, it was never a panic, never
a desperation, but a different feel at times. And I
think that's for a few reasons, honestly, and it's the
ability to close out games with your defensive fronts has
(01:40):
not been there like it's been in a year's past.
We can get into that, but they're just not as
deep there and Chris Jones is playing more snaps and
it's impacting him. And at the same time, obviously they've
had some injuries, but you know, there's a variety of
things that have happened in the big moments, and we
know the swing of the one score games that has
dramatically changed. The one thing I could say has really
in their reception across the NFL. Talking to people you
(02:03):
know over the last several weeks and cover their game
in Denver, the fear factor appears to be gone a
little bit late in games against them. You know, there
was always a thing and players wouldn't admit it publicly
or on the record, but when I talked to them,
it would be late in the game. It's close. Mames
is going to make a play. Chiefs are going to
find a way to win. That's just what happened. That
thought process isn't really there anymore right now with a
(02:25):
lot of teams, and that, to me is the biggest
change James.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
When you look at the Texans going into this matchup,
their winners are the last four, but most of their
losses have come to playoff teams, whether it be Denver,
whether it be to Tampa, whether it be to even
Jacksonville on the road. What does a win mean for
Houston in the grand scheme of where they rank in
the packing order of what feels to be a wide
open AFC this year.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Yeah, I mean I think it changes a lot. I mean, like,
they're not in the position. I just put something out
on the athletic this morning, like they're not in the
position to play spoiler right now with this game. Like
if you look at what happens when they win this game,
like if they do, they jump from a sixty percent
chance of making the postseason to an eighty five percent chance.
(03:08):
Like they're in the group. They're in an AFC that
I think we have a lot of questions about. And
I think if you're going to make a run, if
you're a team like Houston, you're a team that's sitting
kind of on the outside looking in. But job, if
you have the best defense in football and you have
an offense that's kind of turning the corner a little bit,
this is the year to sneak in. It really is
(03:28):
because when you look at you know, the I always
joke about like the four Horsemen of the NFL, of
four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, and everybody else's mind it's
Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow. Well,
those teams aren't what we're used to seeing this year,
and you look at the AFC and it's like, all right,
I don't have that like once in a generation type
(03:50):
quarterback I might have to go through. Right, So you're thinking,
is a little bit different now the AFC. I think
the entire group has flaws from from number one at
New England through Denver through Indy and everybody has these
warts in a sense, and I think if you are
playing really good defense and you can find ways to
run the football late in the season, this year is
(04:12):
different than years pass in the AFC. So I think
if you beat Kansas City in Kansas City, you're definitely
right in the mix seriously of making a run because
the AFC landscape is so different than what we're used
to seeing over the last several years.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
James Palmer joining us here on the Morning Drive with
Dan and Cole and speaking of CJ. Stroud, I mean
he even talked about it last week. James where knocking
off a little bit of rust but still decent enough
performance two hundred and seventy six yards. Texans win this
game on Sunday. Are we talking more about what CJ
did or about what the defense was able to do?
Speaker 2 (04:46):
I'd probably say the defense, honestly. I mean, that's the
way this team is built. I mentioned Denver earlier. It's
probably a little bit similar sense, and that's what you know,
that's how they beat the Chief. So there's a comp
in that in sense because there's been some up and
down moments of Boat Nicks in Denver. And but what
was the constant is the defense makes big plays in
big moments. And that's, like I mentioned, that's usually what
you see from Kansas City. That's what happened in that
(05:08):
Denver game. From Denver. They made big plays in big moments.
And I think obviously with you know, the way that
that Kansas City's banged up on the offensive line, and
the way that Houston gets after the pass rusher, and
the way that we've seen a different Patrick Mahomes guys
this year, like this is his worst season under pressure
and in terms of passer rating, touchdown interception ratio of
(05:29):
his career, this is the worst season of his career.
On third down those are money plays, right, those are
money situations. And I think I see much more of
Houston making those plays in those moments and changing the
course of the game than maybe CJ does. I do
think this offense is turned a corner like I mentioned,
and he has, you know, the opportunity, and I think
(05:50):
against Kansas City has to make a player two when
it really counts and it got to have it moment,
and he obviously has the ability to do that. I
think Nick's done a better job with this offense. I
think talking to people around the league, he's kind of
put in their sense, you know, CJ. Much more of
a rhythm, which is really really important for your quarterback.
But I think, really, if it comes down to it,
(06:12):
I see, with the way Mahomes has played in those
things I mentioned, in the way that Houston has played,
that we might see a big defensive play changing the
course of this game than a play that CJ. Makes.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
Many of people have brought this up in recent weeks,
and so I want to get your opinion on this.
Has the Houston Texans offensive line gone from being a
liability to a strength for the personnel, not just in
the rushing attack, but whoever's lined up back there, CJ. Stroud,
Davis Mills. It does feel like that they have more
time than in years pass to be able to connect
down field with their targets.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
Yeah, I think I think, you know, a personnel change
in that certainly helps. I mean, you know, when they
started going to six offensive lineman a little bit more.
I mean in the last four weeks, I think they
do it almost at a higher rate than anybody else
in football. It's kind of in vogue in the league.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
Right now.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
But it's definitely made them run the football a little
bit better. It's protected the quarterback better, it changes your
play action game. You know, this stuff takes a while
to come and gel together. It certainly does. I know
nobody in Houston wanted to hear that or have the
patience to allow all of the changes that they did
upfront to kind of come to fruition. But you know,
when you find the right mix oftentimes, and you know,
(07:19):
I've had this conversation with some of the best offensive
line coaches and football, whether it's Dante Skarnikia or you know,
it's any of those guys, or you know, it's it's
the group as a whole is sometimes more valuable than
maybe some of the individual talent you have once you
start getting them playing together. And I think you've seen
that when they've gone into bigger personnel, and I think
you've seen that and changing you know, the course of
(07:41):
the run game, and you know CJ doesn't have to
sit there and er it out. It was just like
last year when I would talk to people in Use
and it was you know, if you have a weak
part of your offensive line, you can usually equate for
that and you can usually give extra help there, and
the quarterback oftentimes knows that the pressure is coming from there. Well,
when he has no clue which part of the offensive
(08:02):
line is going to break down on a given play,
that's really difficult on a quarterback. I just don't think
that feeling that cj had last year is the same
one that he's playing with right now.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
James. Is this offensive line I mean, I know you
just touched on it there at the end, but is
this offensive line improved enough where you can maybe even
start to believe that, hey, they're kind of capable.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
Yeah, I totally think you can. And I think the
play calling plays a big part of that. I think
Nick has done a better job in terms of you know,
design and things like that. I think what you really
find out is is can they get into the red
zone and can they score? That's massive and I think
that changes everything because they're what near the bottom of
the league if I'm not mistaken as a red zone
(08:43):
offense and third down, those two things, if your offensive
line can help you be more balanced to make sure
that you can have the threat of being in third
and manageable and your offense works better on first and
second down to put you in that position. Yeah, I
think they can be a service full enough offensive line
with the amount of talent they have at the skill
positions that CJ has the ability to get the football out.
(09:06):
That's that's really it. But I think what really needs
to happen, and I think I brought up earlier, you
got to play it kind of similar to Denver, like
make big plays as an offense in big moments. When
you got to make plays in the fourth quarter, you
make them and let your defense carry you through most
of the game. And you don't hurt your defense by
giving them short fields, by giving them, you know, difficult
(09:27):
situations to deal with. You've got to play fine as
an offense in the AFC right now to get yourself
into the postseason.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
From a standpoint from the greater picture of the AFC
in general, it does feel like that with there being
so much openness that you don't really have that front runner.
New England's eleven and two to playing a fourth place schedule,
and they've also had the benefactor of having a good
quarterback with Drake bay Denver. Denver's been one of the
better defensive teams in the NFL. They come back after
comeback after comeback from Boenick to be able to win.
(09:56):
Who is the team right now that you feel Houston
matches up best with it? They were to make it
to the playoffs to where it does feel like home away,
they are adding enough on both sides of the batim
where they should feel like that they're coasting into the
next round.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
M I don't know, that's a that's a good question.
I like, I wouldn't want to play one of these
star quarterbacks, like I would prefer to play Drake May.
I would prefer to play bo Nix. I wouldn't want
to go to Foxborough. I think that's going to change
the landscape of the AFC if New England gets the
(10:32):
number one seed and teams have to go into Foxborough
in December. I know, I've covered games when I was
working in US going there in the postseason. It's it's
just it's just such a favorable matchup for New England
and how they match up. I think if you have
some of these quarterbacks that play up and down, whether
it's say you match up against Daniel Jones or sticking
(10:54):
with the division honestly in Trembor Lawrence, like I would
fear like I would feel Lamar getting in, which there's
there's a decent chance he's playing terrible right now. But
like the herculean performance against your strength, right that's what
you don't really want to match up with because that's
the strength of your team and there are very few
(11:16):
people that could pick it apart. You saw what they
did to Josh Allen the other day. But at the
same time, like there's very few people that could perform
at a high level against his defense. That's who I
would avoid.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
He's the co host of Scoop City with the Athletic
can I fill Insider, Bleacher Report, co host of eighty
nine with Steve Smith, also NFL Insider with one oh
four three the fan there in Denver. He is James Palmer.
James appreciate it, man. It's always great to catch up
with you, and hopefully we'll do so again here very soon.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
I'm excited, guys. I'm excited to see this game. I
was at the last one and narrow ahead, and you know,
Use was pretty shorthanded and still gave him a run.
I think this is gonna be a you know, much
different type of feel of the game for sure.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
Great in great Wit in the weekend, no doubt about it.
We'll catch up soon. Thanks James.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
Subject
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Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
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The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!