January 12, 2026 • 10 mins
With the Wild Card round in the NFL almost complete, we now anticipate tonight's Monday Night kickoff between our very own Houston Texans, traveling up to Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh to take on Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Taking one last look at tonight's kickoff, Houston's own professional sports reporter for the Houston Chronicle, Sam Warren, joins Dan and Cole ahead of tonight's battle with a few interesting predictions regarding tonight's game and Houston's possible postseason future.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Let's head to the hot line. Let's catch up with
Sam Warren, Houston Chronicle jumping on with us here for
a few minutes. Sam, appreciate your time this morning. I'm
gonna go ahead and let you predict the future. Sam
can see the future and the headline for this game tomorrow.
What do you think it's going to read? Win or
lose for the Texans?
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Thanks guys for having me on headline for tomorrow. I think,
you know, win or lose. I think this defense is
going to be able to handle this Steelers offense. I
know Aaron Rodgers has had some success against against this
team in the past, but I just don't really see.
You know, they're getting DK that gap back, but I
(00:41):
don't really see this the Steelers offense having the firepower
to compete with what we've seen from this Texans defense
kind of this entire season.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Sam, when you look right now at CJ. Stroud and
really just the offense in general, the line has a
lot of stack. In three games, they're playing with a
little bit more of a consistency in the first half
of matchups. Do you think that's gonna be the game
plan for Houston and I to be able to jump
up to say ten nothing lead and kind of feel
confident that their defense can play just good enough to
keep this at arms reach where it doesn't feel like
(01:12):
this is the moment where Pittsburgh's gonna turn the corner. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Absolutely, I think this game is gonna be kind of
won or lost by the Texans offense and what they're
able to do. I think, you know, as I just said,
like this defense, I think it's gonna be able to
handle Pittsburgh. But you know when when this offense, when
this offense isn't really able to produce much like, that's
when Texans kind of gets stuck in these uh in
(01:36):
these close games. So whatever whatever seed they can do,
they've been playing well uh kind of recently here. You know,
the line hasn't caved in. They've given him time to
be able to go out and do what he wants
to do. So keeping him upright, keeping the offense moving,
keeping them ball in the air and have having some
(01:57):
success downfield is definitely a big key for this Texans
team if they want to get out to a win again.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
Sam Warren from the Houston Chronicle hopping all with us.
You can find him on Twitter at Sam Warren Underscore
three and me and you are pretty much you know,
lockst up in terms of how we see this. You know,
with the Texans defense going up against this Steelers offense tonight,
who do you think is going to be the key
for the Texans defense to be able to do what
(02:24):
we expect that they can do against this Pittsburgh offense.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Yeah, So interestingly enough for me, I think it's Kamari Lassiter,
you know, coming back in this game or coming back
after not playing against the Colts kind of for a
twofold reason. You know, we saw against the Colts, We've
seen in previous weeks that that teams have been able
to maybe hit some big shots on this Texans defense,
(02:49):
especially last week when you know Kamari Kamari's backups were in.
They gave us some big plays at downfield to Alec
Pearce and a couple other guys. So M sure that
Kamari's healthy and those those backups don't have to come in,
don't have to spell him at all, that will be
super big for this Texans Texans defense because so you
(03:09):
know they're not making plays downfield the DK Metcalf or
anything like that. But also the way that the pactor,
I mean the Steelers kind of use their running backs
in the past game and trying to get the ball
out in the flat with Jalen Warren and Kenn's Gamewell
the perimeter, tackling. The physicality that Camaro Laster brings to
this game from the corner position, like, he's gonna be
(03:32):
really key in stopping those running backs. So having him
back will be a big thing for this Texas defense,
and he's going to be a very important player just
with the way that the Steelers kind of want to
run their offense to get the ball out.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
Sam, if I were to tell you that Jalen Petrie
is the most important player in this game, your reaction.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Would be what, I wouldn't be surprised at all. I
wouldn't be surprised to see Petrie, you know, make some
of those highlight reel hits, have have a turnover, turnover,
have a forced fumble, have a have an interception, something
like that. So you know, he's he's really been an
X factor for this defense this year. And you know,
(04:11):
remembering last year he wasn't available for this team, and
especially in that Chiefs game when they lost, he was
definitely definitely missed very much. So having him back in
the playoffs this year, it could be huge for the
Texans defense. And yeah, I could definitely see him, you know,
being the most important player for this group.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
Against Sam Warren Houston Chronicle hopping on with us for
a few minutes on the morning draw with Dan and
Coles Sports Talk seven to ninety. With this Steelers offense,
I mean, we saw the last couple of games of
the regular season no DK metcalfs. It's gonna be his
first game back. How much of a difference is he
going to make, even with Kamari Laster being on the field,
in this Texan secondary win there being what they can be.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
Yeah, I think he makes a big difference to that team.
I mean they, you know, watching that that Ravens Steelers game,
like they weren't really able to get much going on
downfield and Rodgers didn't really have all that many people
to throw to. So having DK back, he's definitely their
top receiver. He's the guy that they want the ball
going to on you know, as much as they can.
So he's definitely gonna be somebody you know, that the
(05:16):
Texans will have to stop. I had kind of confidence
that they will be able to stop them between Derrick
Stingley and Tomorrow lass Ter. But he definitely gives an
aspect to the Steelers offense that you know, without him
on the field kind of in that Ravens game like
they were they were definitely missing him until the end
when when Calvin Austin was able to make a big play.
(05:36):
So he's he's definitely gonna be a difference baker for
the Steelers offense.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
There's there's always a double entendre when it comes to
what happens in football games, and usually it's either a
team finds a way to pull itself together and have
a miraculous comeback of all comebacks, or the team that's
really good and is supposed to be a dominant force
and is viewed as a favorite ends up having too
(06:01):
many self inflicted wounds in this game and that ultimately
leads to a loss. In your opinion, which is the
more likely outcome for Houston, That Pittsburgh finds a way
to be able to put together an incredible second half,
or that the self inflicting wounds, the bad play designs,
the miscommunication on the back end of the secondary miss
fueld goal attempts that ultimately sours and lets Houston go
(06:22):
out as a wild card team.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Yeah. I think it's definitely the latter. We've seen at times,
you know, early on in this season, we've seen a
lot of times where the penalties and the mistakes and
the turnovers would affect the Texans, and you know, if
that happens, I think I think they could possibly lose.
But I think that's definitely the way that I would
see them, you know, falling to the Steelers. I see
(06:46):
them beating themselves. I don't think, you know, Aaron Rodgers
still has you know, the ability to make some plays.
He's definitely, you know, the most veteran quarterback in these
playoffs and he you know, has been there before and
it can make some plays and can come up in
big times. But I don't I just don't see the
Steelers having the talent the players to compete and keep this,
(07:11):
you know, super close with the Texans. So I see
them kind of and the Texans having to beat themselves.
It's better to end up falling in the wildcard round.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
Sam, Yeah, a chance to catch up with Danielle Hunter.
And as you pointed out in your story. He just
got a lot of experience going up against Aaron Rodgers,
just you know, the past success he's had against him,
but also too, how much of a help has he
been to the rest of the guys who don't have
as much experience going up against this quarterback.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
Yeah, I think he's been a big help to a
lot of these guys. You know, the Texans did play
Rogers last year, so they have, you know, of this
younger group, they do have some experience going against him
and what he tries to do. But I think it
was Matt Burke who was saying, you know, he's been
a huge help in terms of the stuff that that
Rogers does pre staff, with his hard counts, with kind
(08:02):
of his checks and all the things that he's doing
at the line of scrimmage. So I think the Neil
has been a big factor in what they're able to,
you know, use and practice and figure out some of
those things that you know, Rogers does so well and
is so different from what the prototypical quarterback does at
the line of scrimmas.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Say, let me ask you there's been a conversation that's
gone on for months now about the overall status of
Nick Kayley long term, and then it doesn't get any
easier when you have a guy that wears glasses and
a relationship with to Miko Ryans and his call maybe
on the sidelines, it's now fired and looking for a
new opportunity. And much like we have with this conversation
last year, Chip Kelly or Bust, Chip Kelly or Bust,
(08:44):
is there any scenario to where Nick Kaylee is not
back with the Texans in twenty twenty six.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
I really don't feel that way. I think they've been
very pleased with the way that Kaylee has grown over
this season. Obviously, you know, if there's a complete collapse
in the playoffs, like maybe we're having a different conversation.
But I think you know from all reports that we've
gotten back, whether it's from Tabiko Ryance, whether it's it's
from CJ. Stroud, they're really pleased with, you know, how
(09:14):
Kayley has grown as a play caller, how he's grown
with his play designs over the season, how he's been
taking kind of player and Coke feedback and implementing that
into his game plans. I'm kind of really tailoring it
to what the strength of his players are during c J. Stroud,
So I think they're really pleased with kind of his
process that's gone gone out through those eighteen regular season weeks,
(09:37):
and I think they're they're pretty confident with him going
into the playoffs. So I don't really see a scenario
where you know, that's you know, a Bobby's flow of
situation where they make it, you know, win a playoff
game and just things don't you know, pan out and
uh and where they're looking for another another offensive coordinator
in the offseason. But obviously McDaniel they is, I think
(10:01):
who you were hinting at, and I think he's an
attractive candidate both for head coaching and offensive coordinated positions.
But I think the Texans are pretty set with who
they've got.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
Again, he's Sam Warren Houston Chronicle. He can find his work,
including that Daniel Hunter story that we talked about here
just a couple of questions ago, right there at Houston
Chronicle dot com. And he's also got one of the
best mustaches in the game. Sam, you're the best man.
Appreciate the time as always, and hopefully we're catching up
with you again here in the coming weeks, because that
means that Texans are still playing football.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
Yep. Awesome guys, thanks so much for having me on
Let's head to the hot line. Let's catch up with
Sam Warren, Houston Chronicle jumping on with us here for
a few minutes. Sam, appreciate your time this morning. I'm
gonna go ahead and let you predict the future. Sam
can see the future and the headline for this game tomorrow.
What do you think it's going to read? Win or
lose for the Texans?
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Thanks guys for having me on headline for tomorrow. I think,
you know, win or lose. I think this defense is
going to be able to handle this Steelers offense. I
know Aaron Rodgers has had some success against against this
team in the past, but I just don't really see.
You know, they're getting DK that gap back, but I
(00:41):
don't really see this the Steelers offense having the firepower
to compete with what we've seen from this Texans defense
kind of this entire season.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Sam, when you look right now at CJ. Stroud and
really just the offense in general, the line has a
lot of stack. In three games, they're playing with a
little bit more of a consistency in the first half
of matchups. Do you think that's gonna be the game
plan for Houston and I to be able to jump
up to say ten nothing lead and kind of feel
confident that their defense can play just good enough to
keep this at arms reach where it doesn't feel like
(01:12):
this is the moment where Pittsburgh's gonna turn the corner. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Absolutely, I think this game is gonna be kind of
won or lost by the Texans offense and what they're
able to do. I think, you know, as I just said,
like this defense, I think it's gonna be able to
handle Pittsburgh. But you know when when this offense, when
this offense isn't really able to produce much like, that's
when Texans kind of gets stuck in these uh in
(01:36):
these close games. So whatever whatever seed they can do,
they've been playing well uh kind of recently here. You know,
the line hasn't caved in. They've given him time to
be able to go out and do what he wants
to do. So keeping him upright, keeping the offense moving,
keeping them ball in the air and have having some
(01:57):
success downfield is definitely a big key for this Texans
team if they want to get out to a win again.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
Sam Warren from the Houston Chronicle hopping all with us.
You can find him on Twitter at Sam Warren Underscore
three and me and you are pretty much you know,
lockst up in terms of how we see this. You know,
with the Texans defense going up against this Steelers offense tonight,
who do you think is going to be the key
for the Texans defense to be able to do what
(02:24):
we expect that they can do against this Pittsburgh offense.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Yeah, So interestingly enough for me, I think it's Kamari Lassiter,
you know, coming back in this game or coming back
after not playing against the Colts kind of for a
twofold reason. You know, we saw against the Colts, We've
seen in previous weeks that that teams have been able
to maybe hit some big shots on this Texans defense,
(02:49):
especially last week when you know Kamari Kamari's backups were in.
They gave us some big plays at downfield to Alec
Pearce and a couple other guys. So M sure that
Kamari's healthy and those those backups don't have to come in,
don't have to spell him at all, that will be
super big for this Texans Texans defense because so you
(03:09):
know they're not making plays downfield the DK Metcalf or
anything like that. But also the way that the pactor,
I mean the Steelers kind of use their running backs
in the past game and trying to get the ball
out in the flat with Jalen Warren and Kenn's Gamewell
the perimeter, tackling. The physicality that Camaro Laster brings to
this game from the corner position, like, he's gonna be
(03:32):
really key in stopping those running backs. So having him
back will be a big thing for this Texas defense,
and he's going to be a very important player just
with the way that the Steelers kind of want to
run their offense to get the ball out.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
Sam, if I were to tell you that Jalen Petrie
is the most important player in this game, your reaction.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Would be what, I wouldn't be surprised at all. I
wouldn't be surprised to see Petrie, you know, make some
of those highlight reel hits, have have a turnover, turnover,
have a forced fumble, have a have an interception, something
like that. So you know, he's he's really been an
X factor for this defense this year. And you know,
(04:11):
remembering last year he wasn't available for this team, and
especially in that Chiefs game when they lost, he was
definitely definitely missed very much. So having him back in
the playoffs this year, it could be huge for the
Texans defense. And yeah, I could definitely see him, you know,
being the most important player for this group.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
Against Sam Warren Houston Chronicle hopping on with us for
a few minutes on the morning draw with Dan and
Coles Sports Talk seven to ninety. With this Steelers offense,
I mean, we saw the last couple of games of
the regular season no DK metcalfs. It's gonna be his
first game back. How much of a difference is he
going to make, even with Kamari Laster being on the field,
in this Texan secondary win there being what they can be.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
Yeah, I think he makes a big difference to that team.
I mean they, you know, watching that that Ravens Steelers game,
like they weren't really able to get much going on
downfield and Rodgers didn't really have all that many people
to throw to. So having DK back, he's definitely their
top receiver. He's the guy that they want the ball
going to on you know, as much as they can.
So he's definitely gonna be somebody you know, that the
(05:16):
Texans will have to stop. I had kind of confidence
that they will be able to stop them between Derrick
Stingley and Tomorrow lass Ter. But he definitely gives an
aspect to the Steelers offense that you know, without him
on the field kind of in that Ravens game like
they were they were definitely missing him until the end
when when Calvin Austin was able to make a big play.
(05:36):
So he's he's definitely gonna be a difference baker for
the Steelers offense.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
There's there's always a double entendre when it comes to
what happens in football games, and usually it's either a
team finds a way to pull itself together and have
a miraculous comeback of all comebacks, or the team that's
really good and is supposed to be a dominant force
and is viewed as a favorite ends up having too
(06:01):
many self inflicted wounds in this game and that ultimately
leads to a loss. In your opinion, which is the
more likely outcome for Houston, That Pittsburgh finds a way
to be able to put together an incredible second half,
or that the self inflicting wounds, the bad play designs,
the miscommunication on the back end of the secondary miss
fueld goal attempts that ultimately sours and lets Houston go
(06:22):
out as a wild card team.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Yeah. I think it's definitely the latter. We've seen at times,
you know, early on in this season, we've seen a
lot of times where the penalties and the mistakes and
the turnovers would affect the Texans, and you know, if
that happens, I think I think they could possibly lose.
But I think that's definitely the way that I would
see them, you know, falling to the Steelers. I see
(06:46):
them beating themselves. I don't think, you know, Aaron Rodgers
still has you know, the ability to make some plays.
He's definitely, you know, the most veteran quarterback in these
playoffs and he you know, has been there before and
it can make some plays and can come up in
big times. But I don't I just don't see the
Steelers having the talent the players to compete and keep this,
(07:11):
you know, super close with the Texans. So I see
them kind of and the Texans having to beat themselves.
It's better to end up falling in the wildcard round.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
Sam, Yeah, a chance to catch up with Danielle Hunter.
And as you pointed out in your story. He just
got a lot of experience going up against Aaron Rodgers,
just you know, the past success he's had against him,
but also too, how much of a help has he
been to the rest of the guys who don't have
as much experience going up against this quarterback.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
Yeah, I think he's been a big help to a
lot of these guys. You know, the Texans did play
Rogers last year, so they have, you know, of this
younger group, they do have some experience going against him
and what he tries to do. But I think it
was Matt Burke who was saying, you know, he's been
a huge help in terms of the stuff that that
Rogers does pre staff, with his hard counts, with kind
(08:02):
of his checks and all the things that he's doing
at the line of scrimmage. So I think the Neil
has been a big factor in what they're able to,
you know, use and practice and figure out some of
those things that you know, Rogers does so well and
is so different from what the prototypical quarterback does at
the line of scrimmas.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Say, let me ask you there's been a conversation that's
gone on for months now about the overall status of
Nick Kayley long term, and then it doesn't get any
easier when you have a guy that wears glasses and
a relationship with to Miko Ryans and his call maybe
on the sidelines, it's now fired and looking for a
new opportunity. And much like we have with this conversation
last year, Chip Kelly or Bust, Chip Kelly or Bust,
(08:44):
is there any scenario to where Nick Kaylee is not
back with the Texans in twenty twenty six.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
I really don't feel that way. I think they've been
very pleased with the way that Kaylee has grown over
this season. Obviously, you know, if there's a complete collapse
in the playoffs, like maybe we're having a different conversation.
But I think you know from all reports that we've
gotten back, whether it's from Tabiko Ryance, whether it's it's
from CJ. Stroud, they're really pleased with, you know, how
(09:14):
Kayley has grown as a play caller, how he's grown
with his play designs over the season, how he's been
taking kind of player and Coke feedback and implementing that
into his game plans. I'm kind of really tailoring it
to what the strength of his players are during c J. Stroud,
So I think they're really pleased with kind of his
process that's gone gone out through those eighteen regular season weeks,
(09:37):
and I think they're they're pretty confident with him going
into the playoffs. So I don't really see a scenario
where you know, that's you know, a Bobby's flow of
situation where they make it, you know, win a playoff
game and just things don't you know, pan out and
uh and where they're looking for another another offensive coordinator
in the offseason. But obviously McDaniel they is, I think
(10:01):
who you were hinting at, and I think he's an
attractive candidate both for head coaching and offensive coordinated positions.
But I think the Texans are pretty set with who
they've got.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
Again, he's Sam Warren Houston Chronicle. He can find his work,
including that Daniel Hunter story that we talked about here
just a couple of questions ago, right there at Houston
Chronicle dot com. And he's also got one of the
best mustaches in the game. Sam, you're the best man.
Appreciate the time as always, and hopefully we're catching up
with you again here in the coming weeks, because that
means that Texans are still playing football.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
Yep. Awesome guys, thanks so much for having me on
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