July 9, 2025 • 47 mins
John Harris and Marc Vandermeer play "Either/Or" covering tough September matchups, surprise starters, and which defense is scarier between Baltimore and Kansas City. TE Irv Smith Jr. joins the studio to discuss learning Nick Caley's offense, his versatile role, and playing with elite quarterbacks throughout his career. Then the guys break down major NFL news including Tristan Wirfs' knee surgery that could sideline the All-Pro tackle for the Texans' Week 2 Monday Night Football matchup against Tampa Bay.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
But taping. Everybody.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
Welcome to Wednesday and Isha Texans All Access from Monday
Texans Radio Studio.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
John and Mark are with you. Mark, good evening. How
are you doing, Johnny doing great.
Speaker 3 (00:11):
We're two weeks away, buddy, two weeks exactly, because two
weeks from now this morning, we will host our first
Texans Training Camp live show from the humid tundra of
Houston Methodist Training Center. Now, I know that's an oxymoron.
Somebody wants pouring out when I said that that tundra
literally means frozen ground. I don't care. It's just the
(00:33):
whole effect of it for the season, the frozen tundra.
We all remember that with the Packers. It's the humid
tundra here in Houston because it's gonna be you know,
ninety five whatever. When we get out there, it'll be great.
It'll be training camp. It means football season is here.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Yeah, it definitely is going to be here. The weather
is working its way into a ladder. So that is
always a I say, it's an element of course, whether
it's elements, et cetera, but it is definitely an element
of training camp. I've done so many interviews and a
lot of people talk to me about training camp and
they asked me about literally, how hot is it going
(01:11):
on in Buffalo? Went on in Buffalo earlier today, and
that was one of the things they want to know,
like how hot is I'm like, the last fifteen twenty
minutes are literally just survival instincts kick in, even just
standing watching practice, much less being involved having pads on
helmets all that kind of stuff. So there's a lot
of stuff going on, speaking, a lot of stuff going on.
We got a lot to get to tonight and we will,
(01:32):
but IRV Smith is going to join us a little
bit later. It's our first time I think that we've
had an opportunity to catch up with Texas tight end
IRV Smith in the Hunda Texas Radio studio, so he
will join us. We had a really good time talking
to him, and it always kind of hits me in
particular because Erth Smith Senior was one of my favorite.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
Players, is a big old tight end at Notre Dame.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Back when I was playing, we had the same i think,
graduation years, so when Earth's when the junior walks in,
it's just kind of a little different. But it was
great to catch up with him. So we'll have IRV
Smith a little later in the show. But I figured
we kick off the show Mark with a little either or.
I know you like either or. Because I put you
(02:16):
on the spot, you have to decide which of the two,
and I try to make it as tough as possible.
Some are easy, some maybe not as much. Some about
your texts, some about the NFL. So here we go
number one. Now, number one is attached a little bit
to one of the stories of the day. So either
(02:37):
or tougher September game at the LA Rams week one
or home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night
in week two. Now, take note the news that came
out of Tampa today not good if you're a Tampa
Bay Buccaneer fan. Tristan Wurf's all Pro tackle will missed
(03:00):
the beginning of the season. The Buccaneers will now have
to face Will Anderson and Daniel Hunter.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Without their all Pro tackle.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
I don't know how much that plays into your thought
process here, Mark, but what's the tougher September game at
the Rams in the opener, where you know everybody's all
gassed up ready to go, or Week two at home?
Now feel a little pressure. The Monday Night situation against
the Buccaneers.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
You know, they both had the same amount of wins
last year, the Bucks and the Rams. And a lot
of people might look at this face value and think, oh,
the Rams are better than the Bucks?
Speaker 1 (03:33):
Are they are the Rams better than the Bucks? I
don't know.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
I know, big loss wurfs, But with the Buccaneers, Baker Mayfield,
Monday Night magic, I still say it's the Rams, though, Johnny,
it's the Rams.
Speaker 4 (03:46):
They're on the road.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
You got those pass rushers.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
You have no new tape on how much they've improved,
and they were really good last year. Stafford is not
getting any younger.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
We all know that. How is that offense going to
be well?
Speaker 3 (03:58):
I think the Texans defense is going to be better than
they were last year, so I think on the road
you got a good chance to do some damage there.
The Rams don't really have a home field advantage, as
we know. It's funny how there are two markets in
this country that can really say they're not They are
NFL towns, no doubt, but that certain other sports might
(04:18):
dominate more than the NFL the general sports stream of consciousness,
and that would be LA in New York because in
New York I liking it too, And New Yorkers have
told me this, it's a baseball town with the Yankees
and the Mets, mostly the Yankees as large as the
NFL is.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
There's just something about baseball in New York.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
Okay, fine, And in LA it's Lakers and Dodgers and
then the Rams and the Chargers. Right, they don't really
get into the conversation. They do get into the conversation,
but not as heavily as maybe the Dodgers and the
Lakers heritage teams, and the Rams are a heritage team too.
But my point is this, they don't have a home
field advantage and traveling Texans.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
I think there will be enough of them there.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
But I still say it is gonna be the Rams
as the tougher game than the Bucks. You're gonna be
at home, Liberty White, Johnny Monday Night, everyone all lathered up.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
I don't care.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
I mean I do care, But if you lose or
win the Rams game, doesn't matter that buccaneer Monday Night
or everyone is.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
Going to be sky high for that Diddy.
Speaker 4 (05:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
And like I said, no worfs for Tampa Bay.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
And we are a long way from the starting line,
but to not have Tristan Wurf's he's gonna going arthroscopic surgery.
He is gonna play in twenty twenty five, but he's
one of the best in the league.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
I mean this, I was.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Gonna say this would be like the Texans missing Laramy Tunseel.
But we're gonna find out what missing Laramy Tunseel is
all about in twenty twenty five. But that's how important
he is to that offensive line for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
He will not be there and Baker Mayfield might be
running for his life that night, which.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
Would be very, very fun.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Okay, I know how you feel about one of these
next people I'm gonna ask you about, so I'm here
is how you'll answer this. One biggest reason for Baltimore's
success in twenty twenty five. Texans will play them Week
five in Baltimore, where there are a lot of never was,
(06:13):
never wors never beaten, Lamar Jackson, never beating the Ravens
in Baltimore. Haven't beaten the Ravens with Lamar and Dereck Henry.
So bigs me to this biggest reason for Baltimore's success
in twenty twenty five, Lamar or Derrick Henry.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
All Right, so this year, look, it's fus year, anything
away from a quarterback. But last year you have Derrick
Henry running for almost two thousand yards and Lamar throwning
for over four thousand yards. Just think about that for
a moment, boys and girls, and Lamar threw for over
forty touchdowns last year. That's crazy. That's sick. That's sick
offensive production. And they didn't make it back to the
(06:52):
AFC Championship game. That shows you everything you need to know.
You could have a bang up regular season. You could
be putting up ratospheric numbers. This offense this year could
take off of the Houston Texans. It's still about winning
on that given weekend or two in January, the ability
to break through, survive in.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
Advance, and all of that.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
I know I'm using an NCAA tournament cliche there, but
the biggest reason is always going to be Lamar. I
just think Henry is such a huge factor on this
Ravens team that if Henry were to go down, right,
I believe, Look, there's no question they're gonna be weakened
by that. It becomes I can't call it one dimensional,
(07:34):
because even Lamar Jackson by himself is not one dimensional.
But I'm gonna say Lamar, It's definitely Lamar. But Henry
is such an addition. Johnny Henry is an MVP candidate
in the same backfield as an MVP candidate quarterback. That's
how strong this backfield is with that quarterback and that
running back. I don't know how we ever let this
(07:56):
thing happen those two get together. I guess a lot
of people thought Henry was not going to be Henry.
He was Henry, and then some last year. It can't
last forever. Maybe this is the year that it drops
off a bit. But I said that about Tom Brady
during each of the last five offseasons of his career.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
Right, it can't last forever.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
It's got a slowed out at some point, and it
really never did so with Derrick Henry until further notice.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
He's the man.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Okay, number three, surprise, Starter, are you starting quotes? Because
we know, with especially defense, what I'll ask you about,
you don't have to be out there for you know,
you might start one snap and then not play the
rest of the game.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
But when I'm.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
Thinking about Starter, I'm thinking about a player making significant contributions,
playing seventy five percent of the snaps any given week,
et CETERA surprise starter on the Texans defense in twenty
twenty five, either third round rookie Jalen Smith or free
agent siny EJ.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Speed.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
Oh, it's gonna be all right, Jalen Smith, Han, Johnny,
you went Smith on me? I did, And this this
is a good topic for tomorrow or maybe Friday. We
talk about this a little bit more. And that secondary.
We know they wanted depth in the secondary. We know
they needed other options. We saw what happened last year
(09:22):
when everybody got hurt, when Jimmy went down, Petrie went down,
and how difficult that was to be the same.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
Yet they were still pretty good. Uh.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
Surprise starter, though, I'll be more surprised. See if Speed starts,
that means it's because of health, right, Christian Harris henry
Z's somebody's nicked up. I think the bigger surprise would
be Smith as a starter. Absolutely. I think either guy
(09:52):
is not getting in there unless their injuries. As a
starter as what you're talking about, not just like a
guy's out there for some kind of subpackage art the game,
like playing significant starter minutes snaps. I would say, the
bigger surprise is Smith, are you with me there? You know,
we did not see Harris in the OTA's mini camp period.
We did not see Henry in the OTA's mini camp period.
(10:15):
Now I didn't even know what they've got. I'm assuming
or presuming that they're gonna be okay for training camp
or at least into training camp, good to go at
some point. But maybe that's why they signed DJ Speed
because they're thinking, what if something happens, What if one
of these guys is not healthy enough to go one?
(10:37):
Let's get stronger there, and Speed makes you a lot
stronger there. But I'm saying the bigger surprise is Smith,
are you with me on that one?
Speaker 1 (10:44):
A little bit? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (10:45):
I think that you know Speed because he has started
and started and played at a high level. Is if
he just you know, stepped in next to that of
Franklin and you know, Franklin.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
Made all the plays and Speed was just occupying space.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
Speed was tremendous last year and has been very very
good the last couple of years. So I think it's
it's easier to see him as a kind of a
regular starter. But I got a feeling about Jalen Smith
that they're gonna be very very happy with Smith, and
they're gonna find a way the way he competes, the
(11:18):
way he plays. I think they may not see exactly
Kamari Laster, but they see Kamari's mindset in Jalen Smith.
And I think Jalen can cover a little bit, and
I think that's really gonna help his chances to be
a cover nickel where you can use Petrie as kind
(11:39):
of on third downs, you can use him as more
of a linebacker type next to these potentially, and then
you can put Jalen as the cover guy in your
nickel or dime situations. I just think there's a lot
that you can do with Jalen Smith. So I wouldn't
be surprised if Jalen Smith ends up being that guy.
But I feel like that's that's why I kind of
(12:00):
constructed the question that way, because initially you go, oh,
ej speed, but then you're like, wait a second, hold on,
let me think about this. Jalen Smith and Jalen Smith
and OTAs I thought was for a rookie.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
I thought he adapted and it just died very very well.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
So I would really wouldn't be surprised. Okay, number four,
call your shot. Okay, in Indianapolis, either Anthony Richardson or
Daniel Jones.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
Daniel Jones.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
Daniel Jones, because when they get into camp in these
controlled situations, Jones will behave well enough. Behave by that,
I mean not turn the ball over and make just
enough plays where they say, you know what, We're gonna
be good with Daniel Jones. We're gonna run the ball
with Jonathan Taylor Jones. It's gonna make enough throws to
this receiver group, which is pretty good. It's not great,
(12:47):
but it's pretty good, pretty solid, and it's gonna look
good in camp, and coaches are gonna say, listen, I'm
gonna get fired, Shane Steichen, I'm gonna get fired if
we don't produce this year. I got hired the same
offseason is Demico Ryans, and I had a lot going
for me coming into this gig and the Colts good organization.
I should be able to do some damage here, and
(13:09):
I haven't been able to get into the postseason. I
had a nine and eight and I backed it up
with what were they eight? Nine last year?
Speaker 1 (13:16):
Yes?
Speaker 4 (13:17):
Eight?
Speaker 3 (13:18):
So yeah, it hasn't been a total disaster, but at
that quarterback position it.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
Kind of has.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
Well.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
Last year was last year was because Flaco didn't play
as well as Gardner Minshew the year before. We all
know what happened with Anthony Richardson some fifty percent completion percentage.
I think they go with Daniel Jones. Now, I know
you feel differently. You think richardson his ceiling, his potential,
will convince them that they have to play them.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
But here's one thing that's missing. Jim Errsay.
Speaker 3 (13:47):
Jim Mersay passed away and I remember when he passed away,
which wasn't long ago, and rest in peace. And look,
everybody liked them. And I'm not saying anything bad about
him at all here, but a lot of people saying,
even McLain, he never interfered with the football.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
Part of things. He hired Jeff Saturday.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
You know, Chris Ballard is not hiring Jeff Saturday as
a head coach, right, Chris, I.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
Don't care if, yeah, you got to make a move.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
Even if Ballard, let's just assume Ballard wanted to get
rid of Frank Reich. He's still not hiring Jeff's Saturday
to replace Frank Reich. He's not gonna do it. So
that was a Jim Mersay move. Jim Mersey is not
around to make a Jim Mersay move here and say
you gotta start Richardson. I want to see the kid play.
I want to see Willie Beaman. I know it's your three,
but I want to see the young guy play. So
(14:34):
I believe it'll be Daniel Jones because he probably gives
you the best high percentage or safe high percentage chance
to win. I'm pretty improperly, but you understand my rationale there.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
Yep, yeah, I do.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
And I think there's a part of me that I
think the Colts just want this the circus out of town,
and at least with Daniel Jones there will be no circus.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
It just won't be. And this quarterback play, I think
it'll just be you know, he'll.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Throw, you know, he'll complete eleven of nineteen for one
to eighty seven and a touchdown and it's not gonna
be sexy and.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
It won't be great, but it won't kill the Colts either.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
And I got a feeling that in that building they
look at it as man, if we have a quarterback
that just doesn't kill us, we can win ten games
and potentially win this division. I looked at their schedule yesterday,
and their schedule is not It kind of feeds into
that thought process. Starts with Miami and Denver at home.
(15:34):
Then it's Tennessee, La both them on the road. Then
it's Las Vegas Arizona at home. I mean, four out
of six, you get Daniel Jones started and kind of
get him into working into a ladder.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
He's got a really good receiving.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
Corps at in Tyler Warrenant tight end, and you're like, oh,
you know, this could end up being kind of okay.
If Daniel Jones just does twelve of twenty for two
twelve and a touchdown, doesn't turn the ball over, doesn't
make that backbreaking pick, I could see their.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
Thought process being Daniel Jones.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
I just feel like Anthony Richardson scares everybody, but for
how long?
Speaker 4 (16:13):
You know?
Speaker 1 (16:14):
Can he be scary for four quarters or can he
be scary for four plays?
Speaker 2 (16:18):
And that I think is that I think ends up
being the biggest difference. And I do think in the end,
the more I've thought about, the more I think they'll
go with Jones. But I don't know that Richardson's so tantalizing, Like, man,
did you see that seventy five yard throw he just made?
Speaker 1 (16:36):
Yeah? Did you see the three that he just threw
into the stands? Right? You know that he missed Josh
downs wide open.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
I mean, so I think with Jones they'll think that
they can mitigate that. Oh my god, what are we
gonna do? Every single play is a roller coaster. I
think Jones just brings a little bit more consistency the
whole thing that they all want.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
I know what you're drawing from, because in the old
our last year, it was still a very close game
at the end.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
You still had to make a stop at the end
to win the game.
Speaker 3 (17:05):
And then you look at Week two in twenty twenty
three when Richardson ran for the two touchdowns, and before
you knew it, you were down and you're thinking, what
the heck is going on here? How are we going
to stop this guy today? He's just doing this with
his legs. Wait till he starts throwing him, then he
gets hurt. Minshew plays well the rest of the way.
They stiff arm you and get the win. I think
that the Minshew performance has as much to do with
(17:30):
this as anything, it's going to indicate to them that
if they just get solid play there, solid solid average, good,
politely above average play with the running game, they can
win football games. And that plays into your schedule theory
as well. But you know, you can make a case
for both in that not easier but more manageable schedule
(17:53):
that you laid out for them in the early going.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
Yep, okay, Next one.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
Bigger bounce back for your Texans in twenty twenty five,
either Christian Harris or Christian Harris.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
Uh christ all.
Speaker 3 (18:13):
Right, you know, let me let me add one to
you to that one, Okay, okay, because we don't know
what it is with Christian Harris, right, it's always a mystery.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
Right and been as Yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:25):
We love to see him play because when he's out there, great. Yes,
we'ut the playoff game against the Browns fantastic. Other items,
how about twenty twenty two pick against the Tennessee Titans
when you're beating them again in Nation, so satisfying, And
that was before Dimico got here. Of course, that was
the Lovey Smith defense. When Harris, who was injured a
(18:47):
lot of that year but late in the year, came
on yep, would which would surprise you more. I'm gonna
throw this one back at you. I'm gonna love it
right back on style, which one would surprise you more.
Down the stretch into the playoffs, Tank Dell is back
Christian playing full time, which is more surprising.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
I think Tank being would be a little bit more surprising.
But I mean, look the guy, you know, Tank got
injured into Denver Broncos game and broke his leg, broke
his ankle, whatever it was, then got shot and came.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
Back and started the year. Wow.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
So I'm not putting anything past him at all. And
I've seen him on the anti gravity machine in the
training room, just kind of walking by doors open, people
are popping out, and there he is, and that thing
is right by the door.
Speaker 1 (19:42):
Here a lot, here a lot.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
That said, I can't in my right mind at all
think he's gonna come back at twenty twenty five. And
I'll put it this way. I'm not hoping. I'm not
even thinking about it. It's so far on my back
burner that if it does happen, and I think I
would be so happy and so surprised, but I don't
want to put.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
Well, you know, hey, we could get tanked.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
Later, Like, no, I don't even want to think that way,
but I wouldn't put it past the guy to be
ready to go in December in some way, shape or form,
And it would be the story of all stories, considering
the scene in Kansas City that day, of how long
he was down and the mental anguish that we were
all going through, in particular CJ Stroud watching his buddy
(20:30):
just writhing in pain and CJ and tears on the
field during that moment, guys pounding the.
Speaker 1 (20:36):
Ground down in that end zone.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
To see him come back in twenty twenty five would
be just incredible. But I think Christian Harris can bounce back.
This defense suits him, it suits his skills. We saw
that in twenty twenty three when he was dialed in
on this defense. At the end of the year, you
could argue he might have been the best defensive player
(21:00):
over the last five to seven weeks of the twenty
twenty three season.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
He was unbelievable.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
And I think that's why twenty twenty four is so frustrating,
because you're like, man, we got a zas, we got Christian, damn,
let's go. Thankfully, Henry stepped into that role, and maybe
I don't even want to say he played it as well.
I think he played it better. I think Henry was incredible,
which leads me to one of my either ors I'm
getting to in a second, But I think Christian being ready, available, healthy,
(21:30):
and that's the thing we're it's gonna be one of
those you know, like you just play. He just had
twelve tackles and a pick and two sacks against Baltimore
in week That's not a great example because we got
to buy after that. But he has that in Week
eight and then week nine ends up on the injury
report and we're like, ah, you know, and that's the
kind of feeling you don't want, and I know he
(21:51):
doesn't want it either.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
Christian Harris wants to get out there and play ball,
be on the field.
Speaker 3 (21:55):
So yeah, I don't mean to be negative about it.
It's just based on his history, no exactly, and I
love to seeing him out there. But could you imagine
this for one moment here it's NRG Stadium, You're playing
the Raiders December twenty first oh, well, first game back,
because let's say you're nicked up at receiver here or there.
Speaker 1 (22:16):
But it's not a disaster, but Tank, it will come back.
Speaker 3 (22:19):
So you get him on the field and he makes
a big play for a touchdown.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
Oh the crowd, I mean, the building is going to
come down. It's unbelievable.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
I've said this, I told him this, and I believe
this wholeheartedly. And I'm not totally sure what it is.
He's from Florida, and I know he played at University
of Houston, but I know that our Texas fan base
isn't all Houston Cougar fans.
Speaker 1 (22:44):
But whenever Tank does.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
Something in our building big our fans go crazy.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
He's a little nuts.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
He is such a lovable guy and he's such a
great dude.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
And I don't know, maybe it's because he's a little
bit shorter or whatever it is. I don't know, but
it is.
Speaker 2 (23:02):
They could be a training camp practice and Tank will
take a break from you know, they run raps, and
then he'll take a break.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
He'll be sitting on the sidelines.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
Fans will be screaming his name, Tank, Tank sign this,
Tank sign this, and.
Speaker 1 (23:14):
They it's unbelievable.
Speaker 2 (23:17):
The reaction to Tank when he makes a play that situation.
NRG Stadium would fall down, It would absolutely fall down.
Now I mentioned Henry Toatoa, so I've called this one
the Henry Toatoa Award. In other words, uh huh, I
(23:37):
know where you're going a former Day three draft pick.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
Oh, I got to go there, maybe under the radar.
Speaker 2 (23:47):
That then turns into one of your key components on
either offense or defense, either Cade Stover or Damian Pierce.
The Henry Toatou Award. The Day three pick kind of
off the radar a little bit, but then turns into
(24:08):
a guy that's maybe one of your top three or
four contributors on outside of the ball, either Kate Stover
or Damian Pierce.
Speaker 1 (24:15):
Well, it had you not.
Speaker 3 (24:16):
Given me anybody, I know it's either or so you're
gonna give me options, but I was gonna say Pierce,
I think in our interview with Damian Pierce, which aired already, right,
but it's up on Yes.
Speaker 1 (24:27):
Well, Seth made a really creative edit with it.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
Seth Payne, Right, you put Damien's catches from twenty twenty
two as Damien's talking about being a receiving running back,
and he said, well, that's how everybody's introduced to football,
catching the football.
Speaker 1 (24:42):
He's absolutely right.
Speaker 3 (24:43):
Flag football already plays into that as well, and then
is big factor in this organization's drive. Anyway, I like
Pierce because he gets back to camp healthy. He gets
the kickoff returns is one thing. But look at the
running back situation. We still don't know about Joe. We
(25:03):
presume he's gonna be okay, we don't know how good
Nick Chubb can.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
I can't believe Nick Chubb's on this team. This is
a wild thing.
Speaker 3 (25:10):
I mean, Nick Chubb is on this Texans roster. We
still don't know about him either. I mean we know
he's healthy, but how good is he gonna be? There's
room for Pierce to make some noise here, and yeah,
what he marks is on the team, and Darry I
get it.
Speaker 1 (25:24):
I get it.
Speaker 3 (25:25):
But Pierce healthy can still be Pierce in this offense.
In this Nick Cayley, I got a fresh look for you, Damien.
Speaker 1 (25:34):
I've looked at all the tape.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
This is how you can best be used and flourish
in an offense. Here you go, here are a few carries,
and all of a sudden, wow, and Damien makes the
kind of impression that you want to see him make,
that you longed for since twenty twenty two.
Speaker 1 (25:50):
I'm down for it, Johnny and Kate's do over.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
To me, I'm assuming Kate takes a year one to
year two jump. He was already really effective in his
rookie seat.
Speaker 1 (26:00):
I expect them to be used a lot more.
Speaker 3 (26:02):
I'm not talking about eighty catches, but I think Kate
Stover is going to be a real important cog in
this offensive machine.
Speaker 2 (26:08):
Agreed, Agreed, Okay, last one, there are two teams back
to back weeks. Actually wasn't in back to back weeks,
it was within five days. Basically, they gave the Texans issues.
They're to the best in the AFC, scarier defense to
face in twenty twenty five, and I'll give you the
(26:30):
particulars on each side. Baltimore or Kansas City. Baltimore has
added my god, Malachi Starks in the secondary. They've added
Jaiir Alexander, So that makes their secondary Nate Wiggins, Kyle Hamilton,
Malachi Starks, Jaiyir Alexander, Marlon Humphrey. They have ro Quantit linebacker.
(26:56):
They have Mattabique inside, not a ton of edge rush.
The Chiefs defense also features a solid secondary led by
Trent McDuffie. They also have Christian Fulton. They brought over
from the Chargers. They lost Justin Reid. They have a
studded linebacker, Nick Bolton, not quite real qualm, but really good.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
But their front might be even better.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
Chris Jones inside, Mike Pennell the underrated guy, and George
karloftis the future star.
Speaker 1 (27:25):
Mike Danna the underrating outside.
Speaker 2 (27:27):
Scarier defense to face at twenty twenty five, the Chiefs
are the Ravens.
Speaker 3 (27:31):
I'm always gonna say the Ravens because they have that
defensive brand, but maybe I shouldn't. You know last year
and I know they're different. You just outlined those differences.
In additions, last year the Chiefs finished better in points
per game than the Ravens defensively, and they were neck
and neck in yards per game surrendered.
Speaker 1 (27:51):
The Texans were actually.
Speaker 3 (27:52):
Better than both in yards per game surrendered, but less
in points. The Texans allowed twenty one point nine per game.
In points per game is always a field position kind
of thing too, that factors and is in everything. But
I always feel weird about facing the Ravens because the
brand of playing great defense, or at least very good defense,
(28:13):
has been there since they moved from Cleveland and rebranded
the team. You know, you go back to Ray Lewis
and you get Ed Reid in there, and now look
at this era and you and I've talked about this
a lot. Roquan Smith, I hate him and respectful hate
sports hem. Yeah right, she's such a Raven and Kyle Hamilton,
my gosh, it's gonna be the Ravens because you've never
(28:37):
won in that building. At least you've beaten the Chiefs
in their building. I know it's been a while nineteen
and teams very different, of course it is, it's completely different.
But who's the only player left? Titus? Is that it Titus?
That's it from nineteen that beat the Chiefs And it
still feels like the Chiefs are exactly the same, but
they've overhauled the whole thing, pretty much the whole thing.
(28:59):
So I'm going to say the Ravens. But they're equally scary, Johnny.
They're both really tough places to play. They both have
great quarterbacks who know how to grind that clock on
the other side of the ball, how to keep the
ball moving, how to keep points getting scored, and they're
both frightening.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
So it's basically a tie. But I'll go Ravens.
Speaker 2 (29:20):
Yeah, I think the Ravens. I think, to me, the
secondary makes the difference. That PFF did a ranking of
the top four secondaries. They put a brat graphic up
and they put the four and obviously the Texans are
in there. Then they ranked the Texans fourth behind the Chiefs.
I thought, that is the biggest bunch of bs.
Speaker 1 (29:35):
Ever. I think the chief secondary is good, and you know,
I love McDuffie, but.
Speaker 2 (29:40):
Yeah, they lost Justin Reid. Brian Cook isn't really all
that at safety anyhow. I disagreed with that. But they
had the Ravens number one secondary and I was like, oh, yeah,
the secondary of the Ravens could trot out there is
just unbelievable with Wiggins, Jay r Alexander, Marlon Humphrey. And
then your safeties are Malachi Starks, the top safety of
the bunch this last draft, and Kyle Hamilton the best
(30:03):
player twenty five years and under in the league apparently,
So that to me was kind of the difference.
Speaker 1 (30:08):
I do think the Ravens still have trouble getting to
the quarterback.
Speaker 2 (30:11):
They have to create ways to get to the quarterback
because their edge guys aren't that great. And I think
that's gonna end up being a problem for them down
the road. Hopefully it's a problem in week five when
the Texas facing button throwing against that secondary. That's not
going to be fun at all. Facing IRV Smith Junior
down into trenches is not fun.
Speaker 1 (30:30):
But mean studio. He's a real sweetheart.
Speaker 2 (30:32):
He joined marking on. He's gonna be up next right
here at Texans All Access.
Speaker 1 (30:36):
What's up, everybody?
Speaker 2 (30:37):
Welcome back this Wednesday edition at Texans All Access from
the Texans Radio Studio.
Speaker 1 (30:41):
I am your host, John Harris, football analyst.
Speaker 2 (30:44):
Sideline reporter for your Houston Texans and we had a
chance during media Days catch up with tight end IRV
Smith Junior, a guy that did some good things the
last half of the year in twenty twenty four and
then eventually signed to come back later in your offseason.
Glad he's back IRV Smith Junior. We had a blast
talking to him for the very first time at Texans
(31:06):
Radio Studio. Take a listen to IRV Smith Junior with
Mark and myself.
Speaker 3 (31:11):
IRV Smith with us in the Hyundai Texans Radio studio
for the first time. I can't believe this. This is
the first time and welcome. So how's this offseason going.
I know that you haven't been here forever. You've been
around the league for a long time since twenty nineteen,
but it's great to have you here.
Speaker 1 (31:26):
How's it going on earth Sair?
Speaker 4 (31:27):
Is great?
Speaker 5 (31:27):
Thanks for having me. Glad to be here first time
on the show. It's gonna be fun.
Speaker 1 (31:31):
So this is you? So seven?
Speaker 4 (31:34):
Seven?
Speaker 1 (31:34):
You're seven? Holy cow? I mean yeah, we were talking beforehand.
I when I was in college, your dad was at
a Notre Dame. One of my favorite players of Notre Dame,
No Brady four. I used to watch them all the time.
Speaker 4 (31:44):
Is that?
Speaker 1 (31:44):
I mean? I would say, you're following your father's footsteps.
Speaker 2 (31:49):
If you play football, if you go if you get
to the NFL, but you actually play the same position.
Were you always destined to be a tight end at
some point? I'm following your dad's footsteps totally.
Speaker 5 (32:00):
It's pretty funny because my uncle he actually played in
the NFL too and play tight end.
Speaker 1 (32:04):
So who's your uncle?
Speaker 4 (32:05):
Ed Smith? Oh? Okay, yeah yeah yeah.
Speaker 5 (32:08):
So I feel like growing up I wanted to be
a receiver, just kind of watching the Calvin Johnson Yeah,
you know, t O and and a lot of those guys,
and obviously watching my dad play tight end, and once
I started playing football in the eighth grade, my dad
he was like, man, he was like, You're gonna be
too big to play receiver.
Speaker 4 (32:24):
And I'm like, we'll see, we'll see.
Speaker 5 (32:26):
And then he was like he could either be a fast,
fast tight end or a slow receiver.
Speaker 4 (32:30):
And you know, I'm with the tight end. Run.
Speaker 3 (32:33):
What's the job description like here in this offense this
year versus last year for your position or.
Speaker 4 (32:40):
From my position.
Speaker 5 (32:41):
You know, they asked a lot of us coach coach
Kayley and the whole staff. You know, they want us
the tight ends. They have a high expectation for us.
So you know, first off, you know, gotta be tough,
gotta be able to you know, seeck your nose in
there in the run game and in the past game.
Be explosive. You know, we want to be explosive offense,
put points on the board and you know, put a
(33:01):
lot of pressure on the defense.
Speaker 4 (33:03):
So as a tight end, we got to.
Speaker 5 (33:04):
Be able to you know, block, move around, go in motion,
and you know, make plays in the past game, the
run game, and help our team anyway we can.
Speaker 2 (33:12):
So if last year one offense, this year new offense.
You've been around the league, so you've probably been in
different systems, You've heard different things.
Speaker 1 (33:21):
Do you ever get to a point where you're practice.
Speaker 2 (33:23):
And you hear something You're like, oh, wait, I gotta
correlate that to oh, yeah, we used to call that
bomber over here, but over here we call thunder or
whatever the case might be. How does it How does
it go for you, like learning a new offense, especially
the fact that last year was one now it's a
different one with the achlle taking over.
Speaker 5 (33:39):
Yeah, totally, it's I mean it's been throughout my career.
I've had to learn a lot of different offenses. Just
in college alone, I had to learn four offenses in
three years, so you know, different coordinators and in the
league and I've had probably three or four different coordinators.
So for me, it's it's been a blessing because this offense.
I've had some some nuances with, uh with coach Dave
(34:01):
Ball he was in Alabama with the Patriots stuff, and uh,
you know coach O'Connell was was in Minnesota with me
with the Rams, so you know some of that stuff.
Speaker 4 (34:10):
It kind of correlates and it plays over.
Speaker 5 (34:12):
But in terms of like hearing the plays that you've
heard before, you just got to like turn it off. Yeah,
just compartmentalizing your brain.
Speaker 4 (34:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (34:20):
So, and that was Alabama where you had all those
coordinators in college and they're still doing that. Where they
were doing that with until Saban left, right, it felt
like a new guy every year.
Speaker 1 (34:29):
Almost crazy.
Speaker 5 (34:31):
A lot of these guys, you know, they they're there
for a year and then they get a head coaching.
Speaker 4 (34:34):
Yeah, we're a better opportunity.
Speaker 3 (34:36):
They cleanse themselves in the waters of Nick Saban and
then off to a head coaching. That's my comment. Not
you're a New Orleans guy. So tell me when you
come to Houston and you try Houston food. Can you
get good New Orleans food in Houston? And is that
what you like? Or have we changed your mind about
some things? How do you see that? I love Houston food?
(34:58):
I mean being from New Orleans is I mean?
Speaker 5 (35:00):
And it's they knocking at the door neck and neck,
I feel like, But in the world in Houston, you
can get some good New Orleans food.
Speaker 4 (35:06):
My cousin actually is a chef.
Speaker 5 (35:07):
He help in the restaurant's up in August called Augustines
Care a ward.
Speaker 1 (35:11):
Nice. All right, so yeah, here we go. That's very cool.
How how tough is it? Because we know New Orleans food,
we know Houston food?
Speaker 2 (35:22):
How tough is it when you go to a restaurant
or you're going it's time to eat, you have Lad
like on your shoulder, like, man, I don't know that
I should be eating this? How tough is that? Or
is one of situations where you need to add weight?
You can eat what you want because you need to
put on pounds. I don't know how it is, but
which one of those is it? Kind of for you?
Speaker 4 (35:40):
It's it's a it's a balance. You know.
Speaker 5 (35:42):
My cousin she was actually a dietician, so she in
high school, she kind of put me on. I used to,
you know, come home eating canes or something practice and
she'll be on me. So slowly, you know, you kind
of develop a better diet and stuff like that.
Speaker 4 (35:55):
But Lad and the nutrition staff they do a great
job with it. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (35:59):
Yeah, that's not difficult for you to quote eat right,
not that hard.
Speaker 4 (36:05):
It depends.
Speaker 5 (36:06):
I mean, you know, you have your your your cravens
and stuff. You little things that you want to get.
But I don't really have too much of a sweet tooth, thankfully,
so I.
Speaker 4 (36:13):
Can kind of lock that out.
Speaker 1 (36:14):
Lucky youton.
Speaker 5 (36:15):
I've been trying to take away to fry food, so
it's like really once a week maybe do some like
a pub boy or something or something like that. But
I try to keep it balanced, especially in an offseason.
Speaker 2 (36:25):
So herb a tight end. I feel like tight end
is probably the worst position moniker there is because at
tight end you can be h back. You could be
y online guy, be you tight end, you could be
a f tight end full back, you could be a
six offensive lineman. In some sense. For some tight ends,
it feels like tight end is way too encompassing for
(36:47):
the many different things that tight ends are.
Speaker 1 (36:50):
Asked to do.
Speaker 2 (36:51):
So when people ask you, like I'm about to where
do you kind of fit into that? I'm more a
y in line guy. I'd like to move what where?
And how do you kind of fit into the tight
end mix? If that makes sense?
Speaker 4 (37:03):
You know, that's a great question.
Speaker 5 (37:04):
I feel like throughout my career I've had to be
in different spots. Yeah, you know, I first started out
kind of I was a basketball player, so I was
a little skinnier kind of more of a receiver. Right then,
I kind of started getting more weight in high school,
getting bigger, started being like more of a move tight end,
H back type of guy.
Speaker 4 (37:21):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (37:21):
Then when I got to Alabama, it was kind of
similar to that, but you know, put some more weight on,
got bigger, so you know, helped me with my blocking,
and you know each year it's just a different a
different process.
Speaker 4 (37:31):
So uh.
Speaker 5 (37:33):
You know, as a tight end, like you said, you
got to do so many different things inline, h back,
split out, do a lot of motions. So for me,
I feel like I've kind of put myself in a
position where I've done all of those different things and
I feel comfortable with that. So, you know what they said,
the more you can do, more versatile. That's that's why
I try to put my game on.
Speaker 3 (37:52):
Or prior to training camp, how are you going to
spend the time. I know you gotta work out and
stay in shape. You also want to maybe get a
little R and R go on vacation.
Speaker 1 (38:00):
I don't know. You tell me how you're gonna spend
the time.
Speaker 4 (38:02):
Yeah, I was just in Arizona with my dad. My mom.
Speaker 5 (38:05):
She wants to take a vacation at Jamaica and my grandma.
So I think we might do that, get to the
islands or something and just rest recovered, spend the time
with the family trained down in New Orleans, getting that
heat and get ready.
Speaker 1 (38:18):
Does Dad put the pressure on, like, come on, let's trade.
Speaker 4 (38:22):
No, honestly, he never.
Speaker 5 (38:24):
He never really was too much hard on me when
it comes to sports and stuff like that. More on
my grades and just making sure I'm, you know, a
good man and doing the right things. He always knew,
you know, I was kind of talented. I was talented
and stuff, you know, putting that work ethic and wanting
to be the best.
Speaker 2 (38:40):
So during training camp, because we'll be on a training
camp sooner than later.
Speaker 1 (38:44):
Or what's your body feel like? Is it just awful? Hell?
Like three or four weeks into training camp? I mean,
what's what's it?
Speaker 2 (38:52):
What's it like when you go back to the hotel
to your house after practice? Like seven eight nine, we
haven't played a preseason game yet. What's the body feel
at that point?
Speaker 4 (39:00):
Yeah, it's a grind.
Speaker 5 (39:01):
I mean, you got to have a team of people
to help with your body.
Speaker 4 (39:05):
You know, you got to have a full routine.
Speaker 5 (39:09):
You know, when you get up in the morning, you know,
throughout the day when you get home at night. I
mean it's a grind, especially you know about week ten
or practice ten eleven. Yeah, and it's like, you know,
you don't have a couple of days off, it's.
Speaker 1 (39:23):
Like ninety five degrees out.
Speaker 4 (39:24):
Yeah, I mean it's a grind. But it's why you
do what you do.
Speaker 5 (39:27):
It's why you love the game because it helps you
move forward in the season. You all those late late
weeks in the season, you can fall back on training
camping in that mindset mentality.
Speaker 3 (39:38):
So or if you've caught passes from Kirk Cousins, Joe Burrow,
Patrick Mahomes, c J. Stroud, I mean, this is pretty
strong stuff right here. All right, You've had some good
quarterbacks in your career, no doubt. I know in twenty
three Burrow got hurt, so you have to go browning
the rest of the way. We guess still had a
winning season and everything totally, So what can you tell
(39:59):
us about that? It's kind of an embarrassment of riches.
I gotta be honest. I mean, there are guys in
this league who don't get to play with great quarterbacks,
Like yeah.
Speaker 5 (40:06):
No, it's amazing I mean going back from college playing
with two in Jalen and Mac Jones to you know, CJ.
Speaker 1 (40:13):
And you should write a book.
Speaker 4 (40:15):
I mean, yeah, I've seen.
Speaker 5 (40:17):
Some great quarterbacks, great players, a lot of great talent.
I mean you can see why these guys are how
they are and how they operate, and you know it's
a reason that they getting pay them big bucks. The quarterbacks,
I mean they set the show, They set the set. Yeah,
they set everything. And for us to have CJ is
a big blessing because you know, you know you have that,
(40:38):
you had that dog, you had that guy out there
that can make anything happen at anytime.
Speaker 4 (40:43):
Sounds good.
Speaker 2 (40:44):
Truos Alabama, I'm just gribed be very. Was it literally
just a success? Why did you go to Alabama?
Speaker 5 (40:52):
Honestly, it was after I took my visit Coach Burns.
Coach Burton Burns, he crud to me. He's from New
Orleans guy as well, and you know how they just
went about the whole process. It was just different than
any other team. I feel like coach Burns was real
old school. He came with a camera recorder and filmed
me my whole practice like spring practice really, and brought
it back to Saban and they ended up offering me
(41:13):
like a couple of days later. And you know some
of these schools. I was from Louisiana, so LSU and
then no schools was knocking on the door. But in
terms of just what I wanted for my career and
the best thing for myself and my family, it was
a no brainer. Once I took my visit, Coach Saban
laid everything out on the line, expectations and stuff like that.
Speaker 3 (41:34):
I have a lot of questions about him, but that's
a whole other show. Thanks so much for joining us.
Best of luck, Sir, I appreciate So.
Speaker 1 (41:40):
There we go a little time with IRV Smith Junior.
Speaker 2 (41:43):
That was that was some fun stuff. Really get a
chance to know IRV Smith Junior. Kind of quiet, soft
spoken guy, but really fun introspective interviews, really good stuff
with IRV. Appreciate him being around. All Right, we get
back we go around the NFL. The biggest piece of
news does leus impact your Texans. We'll get into that next.
(42:04):
I mentioned in the first segment, but it bears repeating
as we go around the NFL.
Speaker 1 (42:08):
Next right here in Texas AUXSS.
Speaker 2 (42:10):
We got one final segment this initiative Texans All Access
from the Honday Texans Radio studio. John Harris here your
host footballs sideline reporter for your Houston Texans.
Speaker 1 (42:20):
Glad to be with you all right.
Speaker 2 (42:23):
Going around the NFL, the biggest piece of news does
have an impact on your Texans. As we mentioned in
the first segment, All Pro Pro Bowl tackle Tristan Wurf's
Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Keep in mind to Texans play the
Bucks week two, Monday night at home, start at the
(42:44):
Rams Sunday afternoon, fly back to take on the Bucks
on Monday night at home, and our g opener, Tristan
Wurf's underwent knee surgery yesterday, being on Tuesday, will likely
start the season on physically unable to perform list aka
(43:04):
the pup list that would knock him out for the
first four weeks. As I said, second game of the
year against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Now that's Will Anderson
anthonil Hunter getting after Baker Mayfield with no Tristan Worf's
one of the best offensive linemen in the entire league.
(43:27):
So first couple of weeks and look, it's not as
if the Rams are bringing a bunch of all pro
tackles to the party. But these edge players for the Texans,
and look, it's not just Will Anderson, Daniel Hunter. It's
Nico Autry, It's Darryl Taylor, it is Derek Barnett, it
is Dylan Horton.
Speaker 1 (43:45):
It is a load of.
Speaker 2 (43:46):
Guys that can get it off the edge. And now
they're facing a Tampa Bay team without Tristan Wurf's La
Rams team really without two bona fides on the outside.
They have to they have to get after those two
games and be difference makers. So Wurfs apparently dealt with
(44:07):
a right knee issue during the twenty twenty four season,
only missed a game. He's been limited in each offseason workout.
When a brace on the knee decided to have the
surgery arthroscopic surgery should put him on the pup list.
That will mean the first four games of the year
he misses. Now Baker Mayfield benefits from that. How so well,
(44:31):
here's a stat in twenty twenty four, Worfs allowed zero
sacks and just thirteen quarterback pressures. That means he wasn't
even giving up like a full quarterback pressure per game.
Last year, Having missed just the one game. This is
a massive blow to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and a
(44:54):
gift from the football gods that the Texans won't have
to face one of the best in the league in
Week two, so Tristan Wurf's will likely likely start the
season on the pup list. Two teams unveiled new UNI
slash helmets. The Washington Commanders are going back to their
(45:17):
nineteen eighties look with a change in the helmet. They
will not have the Artists formerly known as the Redskins
on their helmet. They'll have the Washington Commanders W but
they will have the nineties Redskins unis, which I think
are sharp when teams have gone back to seventies, eighties
nineties Unis creamsicles for Tampa Bay, the Falcons black with
(45:40):
the red helmet, the Kelly green of the Eagles, the
Lions eighties and Washington Redskins uniforms of the eighties were
just classic, so classic. So the helmet will be their normal,
well what's been normal lately is the maroon with the
stripe and then the gold w's on each side. So
(46:02):
they're going back to the Super Bowl era uniforms. They
where those week nine against the Seattle Seahawks. Well closer
to home, the New Orleans Saints may have done the
best thing I've seen in a long time. They have
revealed a new white helmet, a new alternate white helmet, and.
Speaker 1 (46:21):
It is sharp. It looks really really good.
Speaker 2 (46:26):
Now, the NFL has been allowing teams to increase obviously,
that's why we've got the H helmet, the H Town helmet.
We've got the various combinations of jerseys and helmets. Each
team will have an opportunity each division. I should say,
over the next I think four years, four to six years,
I think they can incorporate another alternate jersey. So this
(46:49):
is just maybe a step in that direction. And this
white helmet for the Saints is absolutely cool as hell.
It's got black flake in a paint, just like for us.
We've got that red in the blue of the helmet,
which if you look close you can see the glitter.
They got that on the Saints helmet as well. It
is just a cool helmet and I'm glad the Saints
(47:10):
are doing that. So Saints fans and Saints players really
really excited about all of that. All Right, that's gonna
do it for the show. Appreciate you guys being with me.
As always, we'll be back tomorrow. Got the General on
with us, John McClain. We'll see that everybody, and as always,
go Texans.
But taping. Everybody.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
Welcome to Wednesday and Isha Texans All Access from Monday
Texans Radio Studio.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
John and Mark are with you. Mark, good evening. How
are you doing, Johnny doing great.
Speaker 3 (00:11):
We're two weeks away, buddy, two weeks exactly, because two
weeks from now this morning, we will host our first
Texans Training Camp live show from the humid tundra of
Houston Methodist Training Center. Now, I know that's an oxymoron.
Somebody wants pouring out when I said that that tundra
literally means frozen ground. I don't care. It's just the
(00:33):
whole effect of it for the season, the frozen tundra.
We all remember that with the Packers. It's the humid
tundra here in Houston because it's gonna be you know,
ninety five whatever. When we get out there, it'll be great.
It'll be training camp. It means football season is here.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Yeah, it definitely is going to be here. The weather
is working its way into a ladder. So that is
always a I say, it's an element of course, whether
it's elements, et cetera, but it is definitely an element
of training camp. I've done so many interviews and a
lot of people talk to me about training camp and
they asked me about literally, how hot is it going
(01:11):
on in Buffalo? Went on in Buffalo earlier today, and
that was one of the things they want to know,
like how hot is I'm like, the last fifteen twenty
minutes are literally just survival instincts kick in, even just
standing watching practice, much less being involved having pads on
helmets all that kind of stuff. So there's a lot
of stuff going on, speaking, a lot of stuff going on.
We got a lot to get to tonight and we will,
(01:32):
but IRV Smith is going to join us a little
bit later. It's our first time I think that we've
had an opportunity to catch up with Texas tight end
IRV Smith in the Hunda Texas Radio studio, so he
will join us. We had a really good time talking
to him, and it always kind of hits me in
particular because Erth Smith Senior was one of my favorite.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
Players, is a big old tight end at Notre Dame.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Back when I was playing, we had the same i think,
graduation years, so when Earth's when the junior walks in,
it's just kind of a little different. But it was
great to catch up with him. So we'll have IRV
Smith a little later in the show. But I figured
we kick off the show Mark with a little either or.
I know you like either or. Because I put you
(02:16):
on the spot, you have to decide which of the two,
and I try to make it as tough as possible.
Some are easy, some maybe not as much. Some about
your texts, some about the NFL. So here we go
number one. Now, number one is attached a little bit
to one of the stories of the day. So either
(02:37):
or tougher September game at the LA Rams week one
or home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night
in week two. Now, take note the news that came
out of Tampa today not good if you're a Tampa
Bay Buccaneer fan. Tristan Wurf's all Pro tackle will missed
(03:00):
the beginning of the season. The Buccaneers will now have
to face Will Anderson and Daniel Hunter.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Without their all Pro tackle.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
I don't know how much that plays into your thought
process here, Mark, but what's the tougher September game at
the Rams in the opener, where you know everybody's all
gassed up ready to go, or Week two at home?
Now feel a little pressure. The Monday Night situation against
the Buccaneers.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
You know, they both had the same amount of wins
last year, the Bucks and the Rams. And a lot
of people might look at this face value and think, oh,
the Rams are better than the Bucks?
Speaker 1 (03:33):
Are they are the Rams better than the Bucks? I
don't know.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
I know, big loss wurfs, But with the Buccaneers, Baker Mayfield,
Monday Night magic, I still say it's the Rams, though, Johnny,
it's the Rams.
Speaker 4 (03:46):
They're on the road.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
You got those pass rushers.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
You have no new tape on how much they've improved,
and they were really good last year. Stafford is not
getting any younger.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
We all know that. How is that offense going to
be well?
Speaker 3 (03:58):
I think the Texans defense is going to be better than
they were last year, so I think on the road
you got a good chance to do some damage there.
The Rams don't really have a home field advantage, as
we know. It's funny how there are two markets in
this country that can really say they're not They are
NFL towns, no doubt, but that certain other sports might
(04:18):
dominate more than the NFL the general sports stream of consciousness,
and that would be LA in New York because in
New York I liking it too, And New Yorkers have
told me this, it's a baseball town with the Yankees
and the Mets, mostly the Yankees as large as the
NFL is.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
There's just something about baseball in New York.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
Okay, fine, And in LA it's Lakers and Dodgers and
then the Rams and the Chargers. Right, they don't really
get into the conversation. They do get into the conversation,
but not as heavily as maybe the Dodgers and the
Lakers heritage teams, and the Rams are a heritage team too.
But my point is this, they don't have a home
field advantage and traveling Texans.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
I think there will be enough of them there.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
But I still say it is gonna be the Rams
as the tougher game than the Bucks. You're gonna be
at home, Liberty White, Johnny Monday Night, everyone all lathered up.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
I don't care.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
I mean I do care, But if you lose or
win the Rams game, doesn't matter that buccaneer Monday Night
or everyone is.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
Going to be sky high for that Diddy.
Speaker 4 (05:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
And like I said, no worfs for Tampa Bay.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
And we are a long way from the starting line,
but to not have Tristan Wurf's he's gonna going arthroscopic surgery.
He is gonna play in twenty twenty five, but he's
one of the best in the league.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
I mean this, I was.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Gonna say this would be like the Texans missing Laramy Tunseel.
But we're gonna find out what missing Laramy Tunseel is
all about in twenty twenty five. But that's how important
he is to that offensive line for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
He will not be there and Baker Mayfield might be
running for his life that night, which.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
Would be very, very fun.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Okay, I know how you feel about one of these
next people I'm gonna ask you about, so I'm here
is how you'll answer this. One biggest reason for Baltimore's
success in twenty twenty five. Texans will play them Week
five in Baltimore, where there are a lot of never was,
(06:13):
never wors never beaten, Lamar Jackson, never beating the Ravens
in Baltimore. Haven't beaten the Ravens with Lamar and Dereck Henry.
So bigs me to this biggest reason for Baltimore's success
in twenty twenty five, Lamar or Derrick Henry.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
All Right, so this year, look, it's fus year, anything
away from a quarterback. But last year you have Derrick
Henry running for almost two thousand yards and Lamar throwning
for over four thousand yards. Just think about that for
a moment, boys and girls, and Lamar threw for over
forty touchdowns last year. That's crazy. That's sick. That's sick
offensive production. And they didn't make it back to the
(06:52):
AFC Championship game. That shows you everything you need to know.
You could have a bang up regular season. You could
be putting up ratospheric numbers. This offense this year could
take off of the Houston Texans. It's still about winning
on that given weekend or two in January, the ability
to break through, survive in.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
Advance, and all of that.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
I know I'm using an NCAA tournament cliche there, but
the biggest reason is always going to be Lamar. I
just think Henry is such a huge factor on this
Ravens team that if Henry were to go down, right,
I believe, Look, there's no question they're gonna be weakened
by that. It becomes I can't call it one dimensional,
(07:34):
because even Lamar Jackson by himself is not one dimensional.
But I'm gonna say Lamar, It's definitely Lamar. But Henry
is such an addition. Johnny Henry is an MVP candidate
in the same backfield as an MVP candidate quarterback. That's
how strong this backfield is with that quarterback and that
running back. I don't know how we ever let this
(07:56):
thing happen those two get together. I guess a lot
of people thought Henry was not going to be Henry.
He was Henry, and then some last year. It can't
last forever. Maybe this is the year that it drops
off a bit. But I said that about Tom Brady
during each of the last five offseasons of his career.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
Right, it can't last forever.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
It's got a slowed out at some point, and it
really never did so with Derrick Henry until further notice.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
He's the man.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Okay, number three, surprise, Starter, are you starting quotes? Because
we know, with especially defense, what I'll ask you about,
you don't have to be out there for you know,
you might start one snap and then not play the
rest of the game.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
But when I'm.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
Thinking about Starter, I'm thinking about a player making significant contributions,
playing seventy five percent of the snaps any given week,
et CETERA surprise starter on the Texans defense in twenty
twenty five, either third round rookie Jalen Smith or free
agent siny EJ.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Speed.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
Oh, it's gonna be all right, Jalen Smith, Han, Johnny,
you went Smith on me? I did, And this this
is a good topic for tomorrow or maybe Friday. We
talk about this a little bit more. And that secondary.
We know they wanted depth in the secondary. We know
they needed other options. We saw what happened last year
(09:22):
when everybody got hurt, when Jimmy went down, Petrie went down,
and how difficult that was to be the same.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
Yet they were still pretty good. Uh.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
Surprise starter, though, I'll be more surprised. See if Speed starts,
that means it's because of health, right, Christian Harris henry
Z's somebody's nicked up. I think the bigger surprise would
be Smith as a starter. Absolutely. I think either guy
(09:52):
is not getting in there unless their injuries. As a
starter as what you're talking about, not just like a
guy's out there for some kind of subpackage art the game,
like playing significant starter minutes snaps. I would say, the
bigger surprise is Smith, are you with me there? You know,
we did not see Harris in the OTA's mini camp period.
We did not see Henry in the OTA's mini camp period.
(10:15):
Now I didn't even know what they've got. I'm assuming
or presuming that they're gonna be okay for training camp
or at least into training camp, good to go at
some point. But maybe that's why they signed DJ Speed
because they're thinking, what if something happens, What if one
of these guys is not healthy enough to go one?
(10:37):
Let's get stronger there, and Speed makes you a lot
stronger there. But I'm saying the bigger surprise is Smith,
are you with me on that one?
Speaker 1 (10:44):
A little bit? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (10:45):
I think that you know Speed because he has started
and started and played at a high level. Is if
he just you know, stepped in next to that of
Franklin and you know, Franklin.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
Made all the plays and Speed was just occupying space.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
Speed was tremendous last year and has been very very
good the last couple of years. So I think it's
it's easier to see him as a kind of a
regular starter. But I got a feeling about Jalen Smith
that they're gonna be very very happy with Smith, and
they're gonna find a way the way he competes, the
(11:18):
way he plays. I think they may not see exactly
Kamari Laster, but they see Kamari's mindset in Jalen Smith.
And I think Jalen can cover a little bit, and
I think that's really gonna help his chances to be
a cover nickel where you can use Petrie as kind
(11:39):
of on third downs, you can use him as more
of a linebacker type next to these potentially, and then
you can put Jalen as the cover guy in your
nickel or dime situations. I just think there's a lot
that you can do with Jalen Smith. So I wouldn't
be surprised if Jalen Smith ends up being that guy.
But I feel like that's that's why I kind of
(12:00):
constructed the question that way, because initially you go, oh,
ej speed, but then you're like, wait a second, hold on,
let me think about this. Jalen Smith and Jalen Smith
and OTAs I thought was for a rookie.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
I thought he adapted and it just died very very well.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
So I would really wouldn't be surprised. Okay, number four,
call your shot. Okay, in Indianapolis, either Anthony Richardson or
Daniel Jones.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
Daniel Jones.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
Daniel Jones, because when they get into camp in these
controlled situations, Jones will behave well enough. Behave by that,
I mean not turn the ball over and make just
enough plays where they say, you know what, We're gonna
be good with Daniel Jones. We're gonna run the ball
with Jonathan Taylor Jones. It's gonna make enough throws to
this receiver group, which is pretty good. It's not great,
(12:47):
but it's pretty good, pretty solid, and it's gonna look
good in camp, and coaches are gonna say, listen, I'm
gonna get fired, Shane Steichen, I'm gonna get fired if
we don't produce this year. I got hired the same
offseason is Demico Ryans, and I had a lot going
for me coming into this gig and the Colts good organization.
I should be able to do some damage here, and
(13:09):
I haven't been able to get into the postseason. I
had a nine and eight and I backed it up
with what were they eight? Nine last year?
Speaker 1 (13:16):
Yes?
Speaker 4 (13:17):
Eight?
Speaker 3 (13:18):
So yeah, it hasn't been a total disaster, but at
that quarterback position it.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
Kind of has.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
Well.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
Last year was last year was because Flaco didn't play
as well as Gardner Minshew the year before. We all
know what happened with Anthony Richardson some fifty percent completion percentage.
I think they go with Daniel Jones. Now, I know
you feel differently. You think richardson his ceiling, his potential,
will convince them that they have to play them.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
But here's one thing that's missing. Jim Errsay.
Speaker 3 (13:47):
Jim Mersay passed away and I remember when he passed away,
which wasn't long ago, and rest in peace. And look,
everybody liked them. And I'm not saying anything bad about
him at all here, but a lot of people saying,
even McLain, he never interfered with the football.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
Part of things. He hired Jeff Saturday.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
You know, Chris Ballard is not hiring Jeff Saturday as
a head coach, right, Chris, I.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
Don't care if, yeah, you got to make a move.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
Even if Ballard, let's just assume Ballard wanted to get
rid of Frank Reich. He's still not hiring Jeff's Saturday
to replace Frank Reich. He's not gonna do it. So
that was a Jim Mersay move. Jim Mersey is not
around to make a Jim Mersay move here and say
you gotta start Richardson. I want to see the kid play.
I want to see Willie Beaman. I know it's your three,
but I want to see the young guy play. So
(14:34):
I believe it'll be Daniel Jones because he probably gives
you the best high percentage or safe high percentage chance
to win. I'm pretty improperly, but you understand my rationale there.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
Yep, yeah, I do.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
And I think there's a part of me that I
think the Colts just want this the circus out of town,
and at least with Daniel Jones there will be no circus.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
It just won't be. And this quarterback play, I think
it'll just be you know, he'll.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Throw, you know, he'll complete eleven of nineteen for one
to eighty seven and a touchdown and it's not gonna
be sexy and.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
It won't be great, but it won't kill the Colts either.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
And I got a feeling that in that building they
look at it as man, if we have a quarterback
that just doesn't kill us, we can win ten games
and potentially win this division. I looked at their schedule yesterday,
and their schedule is not It kind of feeds into
that thought process. Starts with Miami and Denver at home.
(15:34):
Then it's Tennessee, La both them on the road. Then
it's Las Vegas Arizona at home. I mean, four out
of six, you get Daniel Jones started and kind of
get him into working into a ladder.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
He's got a really good receiving.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
Corps at in Tyler Warrenant tight end, and you're like, oh,
you know, this could end up being kind of okay.
If Daniel Jones just does twelve of twenty for two
twelve and a touchdown, doesn't turn the ball over, doesn't
make that backbreaking pick, I could see their.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
Thought process being Daniel Jones.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
I just feel like Anthony Richardson scares everybody, but for
how long?
Speaker 4 (16:13):
You know?
Speaker 1 (16:14):
Can he be scary for four quarters or can he
be scary for four plays?
Speaker 2 (16:18):
And that I think is that I think ends up
being the biggest difference. And I do think in the end,
the more I've thought about, the more I think they'll
go with Jones. But I don't know that Richardson's so tantalizing, Like, man,
did you see that seventy five yard throw he just made?
Speaker 1 (16:36):
Yeah? Did you see the three that he just threw
into the stands? Right? You know that he missed Josh
downs wide open.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
I mean, so I think with Jones they'll think that
they can mitigate that. Oh my god, what are we
gonna do? Every single play is a roller coaster. I
think Jones just brings a little bit more consistency the
whole thing that they all want.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
I know what you're drawing from, because in the old
our last year, it was still a very close game
at the end.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
You still had to make a stop at the end
to win the game.
Speaker 3 (17:05):
And then you look at Week two in twenty twenty
three when Richardson ran for the two touchdowns, and before
you knew it, you were down and you're thinking, what
the heck is going on here? How are we going
to stop this guy today? He's just doing this with
his legs. Wait till he starts throwing him, then he
gets hurt. Minshew plays well the rest of the way.
They stiff arm you and get the win. I think
that the Minshew performance has as much to do with
(17:30):
this as anything, it's going to indicate to them that
if they just get solid play there, solid solid average, good,
politely above average play with the running game, they can
win football games. And that plays into your schedule theory
as well. But you know, you can make a case
for both in that not easier but more manageable schedule
(17:53):
that you laid out for them in the early going.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
Yep, okay, Next one.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
Bigger bounce back for your Texans in twenty twenty five,
either Christian Harris or Christian Harris.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
Uh christ all.
Speaker 3 (18:13):
Right, you know, let me let me add one to
you to that one, Okay, okay, because we don't know
what it is with Christian Harris, right, it's always a mystery.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
Right and been as Yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:25):
We love to see him play because when he's out there, great. Yes,
we'ut the playoff game against the Browns fantastic. Other items,
how about twenty twenty two pick against the Tennessee Titans
when you're beating them again in Nation, so satisfying, And
that was before Dimico got here. Of course, that was
the Lovey Smith defense. When Harris, who was injured a
(18:47):
lot of that year but late in the year, came
on yep, would which would surprise you more. I'm gonna
throw this one back at you. I'm gonna love it
right back on style, which one would surprise you more.
Down the stretch into the playoffs, Tank Dell is back
Christian playing full time, which is more surprising.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
I think Tank being would be a little bit more surprising.
But I mean, look the guy, you know, Tank got
injured into Denver Broncos game and broke his leg, broke
his ankle, whatever it was, then got shot and came.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
Back and started the year. Wow.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
So I'm not putting anything past him at all. And
I've seen him on the anti gravity machine in the
training room, just kind of walking by doors open, people
are popping out, and there he is, and that thing
is right by the door.
Speaker 1 (19:42):
Here a lot, here a lot.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
That said, I can't in my right mind at all
think he's gonna come back at twenty twenty five. And
I'll put it this way. I'm not hoping. I'm not
even thinking about it. It's so far on my back
burner that if it does happen, and I think I
would be so happy and so surprised, but I don't
want to put.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
Well, you know, hey, we could get tanked.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
Later, Like, no, I don't even want to think that way,
but I wouldn't put it past the guy to be
ready to go in December in some way, shape or form,
And it would be the story of all stories, considering
the scene in Kansas City that day, of how long
he was down and the mental anguish that we were
all going through, in particular CJ Stroud watching his buddy
(20:30):
just writhing in pain and CJ and tears on the
field during that moment, guys pounding the.
Speaker 1 (20:36):
Ground down in that end zone.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
To see him come back in twenty twenty five would
be just incredible. But I think Christian Harris can bounce back.
This defense suits him, it suits his skills. We saw
that in twenty twenty three when he was dialed in
on this defense. At the end of the year, you
could argue he might have been the best defensive player
(21:00):
over the last five to seven weeks of the twenty
twenty three season.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
He was unbelievable.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
And I think that's why twenty twenty four is so frustrating,
because you're like, man, we got a zas, we got Christian, damn,
let's go. Thankfully, Henry stepped into that role, and maybe
I don't even want to say he played it as well.
I think he played it better. I think Henry was incredible,
which leads me to one of my either ors I'm
getting to in a second, But I think Christian being ready, available, healthy,
(21:30):
and that's the thing we're it's gonna be one of
those you know, like you just play. He just had
twelve tackles and a pick and two sacks against Baltimore
in week That's not a great example because we got
to buy after that. But he has that in Week
eight and then week nine ends up on the injury
report and we're like, ah, you know, and that's the
kind of feeling you don't want, and I know he
(21:51):
doesn't want it either.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
Christian Harris wants to get out there and play ball,
be on the field.
Speaker 3 (21:55):
So yeah, I don't mean to be negative about it.
It's just based on his history, no exactly, and I
love to seeing him out there. But could you imagine
this for one moment here it's NRG Stadium, You're playing
the Raiders December twenty first oh, well, first game back,
because let's say you're nicked up at receiver here or there.
Speaker 1 (22:16):
But it's not a disaster, but Tank, it will come back.
Speaker 3 (22:19):
So you get him on the field and he makes
a big play for a touchdown.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
Oh the crowd, I mean, the building is going to
come down. It's unbelievable.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
I've said this, I told him this, and I believe
this wholeheartedly. And I'm not totally sure what it is.
He's from Florida, and I know he played at University
of Houston, but I know that our Texas fan base
isn't all Houston Cougar fans.
Speaker 1 (22:44):
But whenever Tank does.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
Something in our building big our fans go crazy.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
He's a little nuts.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
He is such a lovable guy and he's such a
great dude.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
And I don't know, maybe it's because he's a little
bit shorter or whatever it is. I don't know, but
it is.
Speaker 2 (23:02):
They could be a training camp practice and Tank will
take a break from you know, they run raps, and
then he'll take a break.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
He'll be sitting on the sidelines.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
Fans will be screaming his name, Tank, Tank sign this,
Tank sign this, and.
Speaker 1 (23:14):
They it's unbelievable.
Speaker 2 (23:17):
The reaction to Tank when he makes a play that situation.
NRG Stadium would fall down, It would absolutely fall down.
Now I mentioned Henry Toatoa, so I've called this one
the Henry Toatoa Award. In other words, uh huh, I
(23:37):
know where you're going a former Day three draft pick.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
Oh, I got to go there, maybe under the radar.
Speaker 2 (23:47):
That then turns into one of your key components on
either offense or defense, either Cade Stover or Damian Pierce.
The Henry Toatou Award. The Day three pick kind of
off the radar a little bit, but then turns into
(24:08):
a guy that's maybe one of your top three or
four contributors on outside of the ball, either Kate Stover
or Damian Pierce.
Speaker 1 (24:15):
Well, it had you not.
Speaker 3 (24:16):
Given me anybody, I know it's either or so you're
gonna give me options, but I was gonna say Pierce,
I think in our interview with Damian Pierce, which aired already, right,
but it's up on Yes.
Speaker 1 (24:27):
Well, Seth made a really creative edit with it.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
Seth Payne, Right, you put Damien's catches from twenty twenty
two as Damien's talking about being a receiving running back,
and he said, well, that's how everybody's introduced to football,
catching the football.
Speaker 1 (24:42):
He's absolutely right.
Speaker 3 (24:43):
Flag football already plays into that as well, and then
is big factor in this organization's drive. Anyway, I like
Pierce because he gets back to camp healthy. He gets
the kickoff returns is one thing. But look at the
running back situation. We still don't know about Joe. We
(25:03):
presume he's gonna be okay, we don't know how good
Nick Chubb can.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
I can't believe Nick Chubb's on this team. This is
a wild thing.
Speaker 3 (25:10):
I mean, Nick Chubb is on this Texans roster. We
still don't know about him either. I mean we know
he's healthy, but how good is he gonna be? There's
room for Pierce to make some noise here, and yeah,
what he marks is on the team, and Darry I
get it.
Speaker 1 (25:24):
I get it.
Speaker 3 (25:25):
But Pierce healthy can still be Pierce in this offense.
In this Nick Cayley, I got a fresh look for you, Damien.
Speaker 1 (25:34):
I've looked at all the tape.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
This is how you can best be used and flourish
in an offense. Here you go, here are a few carries,
and all of a sudden, wow, and Damien makes the
kind of impression that you want to see him make,
that you longed for since twenty twenty two.
Speaker 1 (25:50):
I'm down for it, Johnny and Kate's do over.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
To me, I'm assuming Kate takes a year one to
year two jump. He was already really effective in his
rookie seat.
Speaker 1 (26:00):
I expect them to be used a lot more.
Speaker 3 (26:02):
I'm not talking about eighty catches, but I think Kate
Stover is going to be a real important cog in
this offensive machine.
Speaker 2 (26:08):
Agreed, Agreed, Okay, last one, there are two teams back
to back weeks. Actually wasn't in back to back weeks,
it was within five days. Basically, they gave the Texans issues.
They're to the best in the AFC, scarier defense to
face in twenty twenty five, and I'll give you the
(26:30):
particulars on each side. Baltimore or Kansas City. Baltimore has
added my god, Malachi Starks in the secondary. They've added
Jaiir Alexander, So that makes their secondary Nate Wiggins, Kyle Hamilton,
Malachi Starks, Jaiyir Alexander, Marlon Humphrey. They have ro Quantit linebacker.
(26:56):
They have Mattabique inside, not a ton of edge rush.
The Chiefs defense also features a solid secondary led by
Trent McDuffie. They also have Christian Fulton. They brought over
from the Chargers. They lost Justin Reid. They have a
studded linebacker, Nick Bolton, not quite real qualm, but really good.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
But their front might be even better.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
Chris Jones inside, Mike Pennell the underrated guy, and George
karloftis the future star.
Speaker 1 (27:25):
Mike Danna the underrating outside.
Speaker 2 (27:27):
Scarier defense to face at twenty twenty five, the Chiefs
are the Ravens.
Speaker 3 (27:31):
I'm always gonna say the Ravens because they have that
defensive brand, but maybe I shouldn't. You know last year
and I know they're different. You just outlined those differences.
In additions, last year the Chiefs finished better in points
per game than the Ravens defensively, and they were neck
and neck in yards per game surrendered.
Speaker 1 (27:51):
The Texans were actually.
Speaker 3 (27:52):
Better than both in yards per game surrendered, but less
in points. The Texans allowed twenty one point nine per game.
In points per game is always a field position kind
of thing too, that factors and is in everything. But
I always feel weird about facing the Ravens because the
brand of playing great defense, or at least very good defense,
(28:13):
has been there since they moved from Cleveland and rebranded
the team. You know, you go back to Ray Lewis
and you get Ed Reid in there, and now look
at this era and you and I've talked about this
a lot. Roquan Smith, I hate him and respectful hate
sports hem. Yeah right, she's such a Raven and Kyle Hamilton,
my gosh, it's gonna be the Ravens because you've never
(28:37):
won in that building. At least you've beaten the Chiefs
in their building. I know it's been a while nineteen
and teams very different, of course it is, it's completely different.
But who's the only player left? Titus? Is that it Titus?
That's it from nineteen that beat the Chiefs And it
still feels like the Chiefs are exactly the same, but
they've overhauled the whole thing, pretty much the whole thing.
(28:59):
So I'm going to say the Ravens. But they're equally scary, Johnny.
They're both really tough places to play. They both have
great quarterbacks who know how to grind that clock on
the other side of the ball, how to keep the
ball moving, how to keep points getting scored, and they're
both frightening.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
So it's basically a tie. But I'll go Ravens.
Speaker 2 (29:20):
Yeah, I think the Ravens. I think, to me, the
secondary makes the difference. That PFF did a ranking of
the top four secondaries. They put a brat graphic up
and they put the four and obviously the Texans are
in there. Then they ranked the Texans fourth behind the Chiefs.
I thought, that is the biggest bunch of bs.
Speaker 1 (29:35):
Ever. I think the chief secondary is good, and you know,
I love McDuffie, but.
Speaker 2 (29:40):
Yeah, they lost Justin Reid. Brian Cook isn't really all
that at safety anyhow. I disagreed with that. But they
had the Ravens number one secondary and I was like, oh, yeah,
the secondary of the Ravens could trot out there is
just unbelievable with Wiggins, Jay r Alexander, Marlon Humphrey. And
then your safeties are Malachi Starks, the top safety of
the bunch this last draft, and Kyle Hamilton the best
(30:03):
player twenty five years and under in the league apparently,
So that to me was kind of the difference.
Speaker 1 (30:08):
I do think the Ravens still have trouble getting to
the quarterback.
Speaker 2 (30:11):
They have to create ways to get to the quarterback
because their edge guys aren't that great. And I think
that's gonna end up being a problem for them down
the road. Hopefully it's a problem in week five when
the Texas facing button throwing against that secondary. That's not
going to be fun at all. Facing IRV Smith Junior
down into trenches is not fun.
Speaker 1 (30:30):
But mean studio. He's a real sweetheart.
Speaker 2 (30:32):
He joined marking on. He's gonna be up next right
here at Texans All Access.
Speaker 1 (30:36):
What's up, everybody?
Speaker 2 (30:37):
Welcome back this Wednesday edition at Texans All Access from
the Texans Radio Studio.
Speaker 1 (30:41):
I am your host, John Harris, football analyst.
Speaker 2 (30:44):
Sideline reporter for your Houston Texans and we had a
chance during media Days catch up with tight end IRV
Smith Junior, a guy that did some good things the
last half of the year in twenty twenty four and
then eventually signed to come back later in your offseason.
Glad he's back IRV Smith Junior. We had a blast
talking to him for the very first time at Texans
(31:06):
Radio Studio. Take a listen to IRV Smith Junior with
Mark and myself.
Speaker 3 (31:11):
IRV Smith with us in the Hyundai Texans Radio studio
for the first time. I can't believe this. This is
the first time and welcome. So how's this offseason going.
I know that you haven't been here forever. You've been
around the league for a long time since twenty nineteen,
but it's great to have you here.
Speaker 1 (31:26):
How's it going on earth Sair?
Speaker 4 (31:27):
Is great?
Speaker 5 (31:27):
Thanks for having me. Glad to be here first time
on the show. It's gonna be fun.
Speaker 1 (31:31):
So this is you? So seven?
Speaker 4 (31:34):
Seven?
Speaker 1 (31:34):
You're seven? Holy cow? I mean yeah, we were talking beforehand.
I when I was in college, your dad was at
a Notre Dame. One of my favorite players of Notre Dame,
No Brady four. I used to watch them all the time.
Speaker 4 (31:44):
Is that?
Speaker 1 (31:44):
I mean? I would say, you're following your father's footsteps.
Speaker 2 (31:49):
If you play football, if you go if you get
to the NFL, but you actually play the same position.
Were you always destined to be a tight end at
some point? I'm following your dad's footsteps totally.
Speaker 5 (32:00):
It's pretty funny because my uncle he actually played in
the NFL too and play tight end.
Speaker 1 (32:04):
So who's your uncle?
Speaker 4 (32:05):
Ed Smith? Oh? Okay, yeah yeah yeah.
Speaker 5 (32:08):
So I feel like growing up I wanted to be
a receiver, just kind of watching the Calvin Johnson Yeah,
you know, t O and and a lot of those guys,
and obviously watching my dad play tight end, and once
I started playing football in the eighth grade, my dad
he was like, man, he was like, You're gonna be
too big to play receiver.
Speaker 4 (32:24):
And I'm like, we'll see, we'll see.
Speaker 5 (32:26):
And then he was like he could either be a fast,
fast tight end or a slow receiver.
Speaker 4 (32:30):
And you know, I'm with the tight end. Run.
Speaker 3 (32:33):
What's the job description like here in this offense this
year versus last year for your position or.
Speaker 4 (32:40):
From my position.
Speaker 5 (32:41):
You know, they asked a lot of us coach coach
Kayley and the whole staff. You know, they want us
the tight ends. They have a high expectation for us.
So you know, first off, you know, gotta be tough,
gotta be able to you know, seeck your nose in
there in the run game and in the past game.
Be explosive. You know, we want to be explosive offense,
put points on the board and you know, put a
(33:01):
lot of pressure on the defense.
Speaker 4 (33:03):
So as a tight end, we got to.
Speaker 5 (33:04):
Be able to you know, block, move around, go in motion,
and you know, make plays in the past game, the
run game, and help our team anyway we can.
Speaker 2 (33:12):
So if last year one offense, this year new offense.
You've been around the league, so you've probably been in
different systems, You've heard different things.
Speaker 1 (33:21):
Do you ever get to a point where you're practice.
Speaker 2 (33:23):
And you hear something You're like, oh, wait, I gotta
correlate that to oh, yeah, we used to call that
bomber over here, but over here we call thunder or
whatever the case might be. How does it How does
it go for you, like learning a new offense, especially
the fact that last year was one now it's a
different one with the achlle taking over.
Speaker 5 (33:39):
Yeah, totally, it's I mean it's been throughout my career.
I've had to learn a lot of different offenses. Just
in college alone, I had to learn four offenses in
three years, so you know, different coordinators and in the
league and I've had probably three or four different coordinators.
So for me, it's it's been a blessing because this offense.
I've had some some nuances with, uh with coach Dave
(34:01):
Ball he was in Alabama with the Patriots stuff, and uh,
you know coach O'Connell was was in Minnesota with me
with the Rams, so you know some of that stuff.
Speaker 4 (34:10):
It kind of correlates and it plays over.
Speaker 5 (34:12):
But in terms of like hearing the plays that you've
heard before, you just got to like turn it off. Yeah,
just compartmentalizing your brain.
Speaker 4 (34:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (34:20):
So, and that was Alabama where you had all those
coordinators in college and they're still doing that. Where they
were doing that with until Saban left, right, it felt
like a new guy every year.
Speaker 1 (34:29):
Almost crazy.
Speaker 5 (34:31):
A lot of these guys, you know, they they're there
for a year and then they get a head coaching.
Speaker 4 (34:34):
Yeah, we're a better opportunity.
Speaker 3 (34:36):
They cleanse themselves in the waters of Nick Saban and
then off to a head coaching. That's my comment. Not
you're a New Orleans guy. So tell me when you
come to Houston and you try Houston food. Can you
get good New Orleans food in Houston? And is that
what you like? Or have we changed your mind about
some things? How do you see that? I love Houston food?
(34:58):
I mean being from New Orleans is I mean?
Speaker 5 (35:00):
And it's they knocking at the door neck and neck,
I feel like, But in the world in Houston, you
can get some good New Orleans food.
Speaker 4 (35:06):
My cousin actually is a chef.
Speaker 5 (35:07):
He help in the restaurant's up in August called Augustines
Care a ward.
Speaker 1 (35:11):
Nice. All right, so yeah, here we go. That's very cool.
How how tough is it? Because we know New Orleans food,
we know Houston food?
Speaker 2 (35:22):
How tough is it when you go to a restaurant
or you're going it's time to eat, you have Lad
like on your shoulder, like, man, I don't know that
I should be eating this? How tough is that? Or
is one of situations where you need to add weight?
You can eat what you want because you need to
put on pounds. I don't know how it is, but
which one of those is it? Kind of for you?
Speaker 4 (35:40):
It's it's a it's a balance. You know.
Speaker 5 (35:42):
My cousin she was actually a dietician, so she in
high school, she kind of put me on. I used to,
you know, come home eating canes or something practice and
she'll be on me. So slowly, you know, you kind
of develop a better diet and stuff like that.
Speaker 4 (35:55):
But Lad and the nutrition staff they do a great
job with it. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (35:59):
Yeah, that's not difficult for you to quote eat right,
not that hard.
Speaker 4 (36:05):
It depends.
Speaker 5 (36:06):
I mean, you know, you have your your your cravens
and stuff. You little things that you want to get.
But I don't really have too much of a sweet tooth, thankfully,
so I.
Speaker 4 (36:13):
Can kind of lock that out.
Speaker 1 (36:14):
Lucky youton.
Speaker 5 (36:15):
I've been trying to take away to fry food, so
it's like really once a week maybe do some like
a pub boy or something or something like that. But
I try to keep it balanced, especially in an offseason.
Speaker 2 (36:25):
So herb a tight end. I feel like tight end
is probably the worst position moniker there is because at
tight end you can be h back. You could be
y online guy, be you tight end, you could be
a f tight end full back, you could be a
six offensive lineman. In some sense. For some tight ends,
it feels like tight end is way too encompassing for
(36:47):
the many different things that tight ends are.
Speaker 1 (36:50):
Asked to do.
Speaker 2 (36:51):
So when people ask you, like I'm about to where
do you kind of fit into that? I'm more a
y in line guy. I'd like to move what where?
And how do you kind of fit into the tight
end mix? If that makes sense?
Speaker 4 (37:03):
You know, that's a great question.
Speaker 5 (37:04):
I feel like throughout my career I've had to be
in different spots. Yeah, you know, I first started out
kind of I was a basketball player, so I was
a little skinnier kind of more of a receiver. Right then,
I kind of started getting more weight in high school,
getting bigger, started being like more of a move tight end,
H back type of guy.
Speaker 4 (37:21):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (37:21):
Then when I got to Alabama, it was kind of
similar to that, but you know, put some more weight on,
got bigger, so you know, helped me with my blocking,
and you know each year it's just a different a
different process.
Speaker 4 (37:31):
So uh.
Speaker 5 (37:33):
You know, as a tight end, like you said, you
got to do so many different things inline, h back,
split out, do a lot of motions. So for me,
I feel like I've kind of put myself in a
position where I've done all of those different things and
I feel comfortable with that. So, you know what they said,
the more you can do, more versatile. That's that's why
I try to put my game on.
Speaker 3 (37:52):
Or prior to training camp, how are you going to
spend the time. I know you gotta work out and
stay in shape. You also want to maybe get a
little R and R go on vacation.
Speaker 1 (38:00):
I don't know. You tell me how you're gonna spend
the time.
Speaker 4 (38:02):
Yeah, I was just in Arizona with my dad. My mom.
Speaker 5 (38:05):
She wants to take a vacation at Jamaica and my grandma.
So I think we might do that, get to the
islands or something and just rest recovered, spend the time
with the family trained down in New Orleans, getting that
heat and get ready.
Speaker 1 (38:18):
Does Dad put the pressure on, like, come on, let's trade.
Speaker 4 (38:22):
No, honestly, he never.
Speaker 5 (38:24):
He never really was too much hard on me when
it comes to sports and stuff like that. More on
my grades and just making sure I'm, you know, a
good man and doing the right things. He always knew,
you know, I was kind of talented. I was talented
and stuff, you know, putting that work ethic and wanting
to be the best.
Speaker 2 (38:40):
So during training camp, because we'll be on a training
camp sooner than later.
Speaker 1 (38:44):
Or what's your body feel like? Is it just awful? Hell?
Like three or four weeks into training camp? I mean,
what's what's it?
Speaker 2 (38:52):
What's it like when you go back to the hotel
to your house after practice? Like seven eight nine, we
haven't played a preseason game yet. What's the body feel
at that point?
Speaker 4 (39:00):
Yeah, it's a grind.
Speaker 5 (39:01):
I mean, you got to have a team of people
to help with your body.
Speaker 4 (39:05):
You know, you got to have a full routine.
Speaker 5 (39:09):
You know, when you get up in the morning, you know,
throughout the day when you get home at night. I
mean it's a grind, especially you know about week ten
or practice ten eleven. Yeah, and it's like, you know,
you don't have a couple of days off, it's.
Speaker 1 (39:23):
Like ninety five degrees out.
Speaker 4 (39:24):
Yeah, I mean it's a grind. But it's why you
do what you do.
Speaker 5 (39:27):
It's why you love the game because it helps you
move forward in the season. You all those late late
weeks in the season, you can fall back on training
camping in that mindset mentality.
Speaker 3 (39:38):
So or if you've caught passes from Kirk Cousins, Joe Burrow,
Patrick Mahomes, c J. Stroud, I mean, this is pretty
strong stuff right here. All right, You've had some good
quarterbacks in your career, no doubt. I know in twenty
three Burrow got hurt, so you have to go browning
the rest of the way. We guess still had a
winning season and everything totally, So what can you tell
(39:59):
us about that? It's kind of an embarrassment of riches.
I gotta be honest. I mean, there are guys in
this league who don't get to play with great quarterbacks,
Like yeah.
Speaker 5 (40:06):
No, it's amazing I mean going back from college playing
with two in Jalen and Mac Jones to you know, CJ.
Speaker 1 (40:13):
And you should write a book.
Speaker 4 (40:15):
I mean, yeah, I've seen.
Speaker 5 (40:17):
Some great quarterbacks, great players, a lot of great talent.
I mean you can see why these guys are how
they are and how they operate, and you know it's
a reason that they getting pay them big bucks. The quarterbacks,
I mean they set the show, They set the set. Yeah,
they set everything. And for us to have CJ is
a big blessing because you know, you know you have that,
(40:38):
you had that dog, you had that guy out there
that can make anything happen at anytime.
Speaker 4 (40:43):
Sounds good.
Speaker 2 (40:44):
Truos Alabama, I'm just gribed be very. Was it literally
just a success? Why did you go to Alabama?
Speaker 5 (40:52):
Honestly, it was after I took my visit Coach Burns.
Coach Burton Burns, he crud to me. He's from New
Orleans guy as well, and you know how they just
went about the whole process. It was just different than
any other team. I feel like coach Burns was real
old school. He came with a camera recorder and filmed
me my whole practice like spring practice really, and brought
it back to Saban and they ended up offering me
(41:13):
like a couple of days later. And you know some
of these schools. I was from Louisiana, so LSU and
then no schools was knocking on the door. But in
terms of just what I wanted for my career and
the best thing for myself and my family, it was
a no brainer. Once I took my visit, Coach Saban
laid everything out on the line, expectations and stuff like that.
Speaker 3 (41:34):
I have a lot of questions about him, but that's
a whole other show. Thanks so much for joining us.
Best of luck, Sir, I appreciate So.
Speaker 1 (41:40):
There we go a little time with IRV Smith Junior.
Speaker 2 (41:43):
That was that was some fun stuff. Really get a
chance to know IRV Smith Junior. Kind of quiet, soft
spoken guy, but really fun introspective interviews, really good stuff
with IRV. Appreciate him being around. All Right, we get
back we go around the NFL. The biggest piece of
news does leus impact your Texans. We'll get into that next.
(42:04):
I mentioned in the first segment, but it bears repeating
as we go around the NFL.
Speaker 1 (42:08):
Next right here in Texas AUXSS.
Speaker 2 (42:10):
We got one final segment this initiative Texans All Access
from the Honday Texans Radio studio. John Harris here your
host footballs sideline reporter for your Houston Texans.
Speaker 1 (42:20):
Glad to be with you all right.
Speaker 2 (42:23):
Going around the NFL, the biggest piece of news does
have an impact on your Texans. As we mentioned in
the first segment, All Pro Pro Bowl tackle Tristan Wurf's
Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Keep in mind to Texans play the
Bucks week two, Monday night at home, start at the
(42:44):
Rams Sunday afternoon, fly back to take on the Bucks
on Monday night at home, and our g opener, Tristan
Wurf's underwent knee surgery yesterday, being on Tuesday, will likely
start the season on physically unable to perform list aka
(43:04):
the pup list that would knock him out for the
first four weeks. As I said, second game of the
year against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Now that's Will Anderson
anthonil Hunter getting after Baker Mayfield with no Tristan Worf's
one of the best offensive linemen in the entire league.
(43:27):
So first couple of weeks and look, it's not as
if the Rams are bringing a bunch of all pro
tackles to the party. But these edge players for the Texans,
and look, it's not just Will Anderson, Daniel Hunter. It's
Nico Autry, It's Darryl Taylor, it is Derek Barnett, it
is Dylan Horton.
Speaker 1 (43:45):
It is a load of.
Speaker 2 (43:46):
Guys that can get it off the edge. And now
they're facing a Tampa Bay team without Tristan Wurf's La
Rams team really without two bona fides on the outside.
They have to they have to get after those two
games and be difference makers. So Wurfs apparently dealt with
(44:07):
a right knee issue during the twenty twenty four season,
only missed a game. He's been limited in each offseason workout.
When a brace on the knee decided to have the
surgery arthroscopic surgery should put him on the pup list.
That will mean the first four games of the year
he misses. Now Baker Mayfield benefits from that. How so well,
(44:31):
here's a stat in twenty twenty four, Worfs allowed zero
sacks and just thirteen quarterback pressures. That means he wasn't
even giving up like a full quarterback pressure per game.
Last year, Having missed just the one game. This is
a massive blow to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and a
(44:54):
gift from the football gods that the Texans won't have
to face one of the best in the league in
Week two, so Tristan Wurf's will likely likely start the
season on the pup list. Two teams unveiled new UNI
slash helmets. The Washington Commanders are going back to their
(45:17):
nineteen eighties look with a change in the helmet. They
will not have the Artists formerly known as the Redskins
on their helmet. They'll have the Washington Commanders W but
they will have the nineties Redskins unis, which I think
are sharp when teams have gone back to seventies, eighties
nineties Unis creamsicles for Tampa Bay, the Falcons black with
(45:40):
the red helmet, the Kelly green of the Eagles, the
Lions eighties and Washington Redskins uniforms of the eighties were
just classic, so classic. So the helmet will be their normal,
well what's been normal lately is the maroon with the
stripe and then the gold w's on each side. So
(46:02):
they're going back to the Super Bowl era uniforms. They
where those week nine against the Seattle Seahawks. Well closer
to home, the New Orleans Saints may have done the
best thing I've seen in a long time. They have
revealed a new white helmet, a new alternate white helmet, and.
Speaker 1 (46:21):
It is sharp. It looks really really good.
Speaker 2 (46:26):
Now, the NFL has been allowing teams to increase obviously,
that's why we've got the H helmet, the H Town helmet.
We've got the various combinations of jerseys and helmets. Each
team will have an opportunity each division. I should say,
over the next I think four years, four to six years,
I think they can incorporate another alternate jersey. So this
(46:49):
is just maybe a step in that direction. And this
white helmet for the Saints is absolutely cool as hell.
It's got black flake in a paint, just like for us.
We've got that red in the blue of the helmet,
which if you look close you can see the glitter.
They got that on the Saints helmet as well. It
is just a cool helmet and I'm glad the Saints
(47:10):
are doing that. So Saints fans and Saints players really
really excited about all of that. All Right, that's gonna
do it for the show. Appreciate you guys being with me.
As always, we'll be back tomorrow. Got the General on
with us, John McClain. We'll see that everybody, and as always,
go Texans.
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