June 18, 2025 • 47 mins
WIth minicamp in the rearview mirror, Marc and John talk about how they feel the season might play out, plus Jonathan Alexander from the Houston Chronicle talks about his article on the Texans practice facility.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello, tech sans, Welcome to the show. Settle in. You're
on the way home, or on the way to work,
or on the way wherever you are going to. Mark
Vandermaer and John Harris with you, and we'll keep you
company for the next hour. Jonathan Alexander of The Houston
Chronicle is joining us, coming up in segment number two
to talk about stories he has written or is writing
(00:20):
regarding your Houston, Texans and some things coming up in
the future. Cal and Hannah McNair will be on a
future show this week fully Fountacasi on the Wednesday night program,
John mcclan on Thursday Night. So busy week, lot going on,
and here we go. I've got a lot to get to, Johnny,
and I'm going to go in no particular order. Okay,
I thought I could steal that name for a podcast,
(00:42):
but I think someone's already using it in no particular
order because I'd like to do things in no particular order.
Why order things, keep it interesting that way, Just go
with whatever you want to go with, right, Yeah, absolutely,
it's a podcast. No, I think it is. I thought
I searched this thoroughly.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
It is.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
See, I think it's a lame one too. Yeah, you
don't even want to know. I don't want to know. Okay,
you don't even I do. It's something political. Let's get
a divice. No, no, no, I don't want that. No, I
do not want no.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Here this the last episode, well, the last episode is
twenty twenty. Oh, the hardest thing I have ever done.
And throw away your negative internal chatterbox. Oh and then
the next previous episode is life Coaching kicking the big
seat and those eyebrows.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Oh gosh, that's in no particular order. I could steal it.
Because apparently you can write a book and copy a
title absolutely no problem. Why is that so? Though I
don't know, I could write a book called The Sun
Also Rises and Ernest Hemingway's estate is not going to
get a set about that? I guess not.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
I mean you changeing youtwo and oh and it's totally different,
totally okay, you can go with it. I guess I
don't know. I didn't want to name I didn't want
to name anything. A book, go website anything over something.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
I'd see you. But I don't think it's any problem.
You wrote a book called Times on our Side, But
it's time apostrophees, so time is abbreviated. You didn't want
to go Time is on our side? No, I don't
know that's a good point. I don't know.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
I just that's what I came up with. It was like, literally,
what hit me? That's what I was.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
That's what I was going with, because time is on
my side? Is my side? Is a rolling Stone song,
one of their very Oh yeah, I had no idea.
I had no idea. Mick Jagger posted a pic of
himself at a polo match. No, it was a cricket match. Cricket.
They're very different, Johnny, very very very different. One animals
(02:36):
one yeah, not but they're kind of up skitped Well,
he was in a suite or something. Of course he's
Mick Jagger's not sitting in the bleachers of a cricket match. Okay,
that ain't happening. Hey, where's Mick? He's up there? And
he was here. When were they here? Like a year ago?
It was last year, I think, right, and we just
had Metallica here they were setting up and now Morgan
(02:57):
Whaleen is setting up holy very different, very different crowd
setting up each of these last two shows.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
But this setup is so intriguing for Morgan just just
either set up both of them.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
I means, like, oh my god, that's a mitch. Yeah,
you don't, you don't even realize.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
I mean, I don't even know if the band realizes
everything that goes into putting on one of their own shows,
I wouldn't.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
I mean, I would just thank everybody.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
But I mean it's incredible the number of thick wires
that run next to one another down that are plugged
into something, that are plugged into something else.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
It's just my word, it's unbelievable to kind.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Of show that has, you know, goes with one of
these performers. And I mean, I just think of all
the different performers we've had. I mean, you know, Beyonce
when she performed here on Christmas Day at halftime, just
looking up in the and we actually talked to Toro
about this because Andrew was talking about Andrew Johnson.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
Who is who is.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Toro was like, you know, there were certain things they
were going to try and do for that Christa Day game,
and they're like nope, They're told no because Beyonce had
lights set up and different fixtures that were up in
the hanging. Yeah, hanging and all that, and they're like,
uh no this, you're not doing them because of that.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
So the whole setup that went with it was well,
that Beyonce show, obviously that was a game to forget.
But when the halftime show started, I just looked at
it on the monitor when she's walking down the hallway,
I thought, oh, this is recorded. This is not an
RG stadium. I don't care what you do. It doesn't
look like this. There's not that much of White Hallway
to walk down. Used walking down at least fifty yards
(04:35):
of White Hallway. We don't have that here. I don't
care what you did. Anyway, let's get to this. I'll
start right here. Everyone is asking me, and everyone is
asking you, what do you think? So here you simply
put here we are. It's June seventeenth. And this will change,
This will evolve, different information comes out. People get healthy,
(04:59):
people don't get healthy. Things happen. We see things in
camp that change our mind or alter thoughts about aspects
of the game, phases, position, groups, whatever. But right now,
let's take the temperature. What are you thinking? How how
you feeling? Johnny?
Speaker 2 (05:16):
So I know there were some there were obviously some
guys hurt, rehabing, coming back from some things.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
But everybody was here.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
And that says something to me, Like everybody was here,
even if they were just working out, rehabbing, whatever the
case might be.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Even in the building or whatever.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Even in the building, they're here, even here before or
during OTAs when they didn't didn't have to be. I mean,
I I saw I saw Joe mixing. I don't know
how many times during you know, April in May, like
even before conditioning started and through that period, even though
you didn't practice, it wasn't wasn't out there practicing the
(05:57):
fact that everybody was here, there's something about the vibe here,
the vibe and the building, and guys have talked about it,
and we've we've kind of we've mentioned it and talked
about the coaches talk about it a lot, and for
good reason. And I think it's that sort of chemistry
that you want to try and build guys that want
to be around each other. And look, it's a very competitive.
(06:19):
This is gonna be as competitive a training camp as
we've ever had, right, I mean, I can't remember the
last time where you go every other quarterback unless something
up with the CJ, which hopefully does not. Every position's
got some sort of competition element for it. You think
about wide receivers, I mean, I think you're gonna carry
(06:40):
six Holy cow, how are you gonna fit all that
into six?
Speaker 1 (06:42):
Running back?
Speaker 2 (06:43):
Same thing, How are you gonna get all those guys
into four spots? Maybe maybe even three? I mean, how
tough is that gonna be? Offensive line? We already know,
we talked about that forever. How do you get reps
for everybody? Interior? Defensive line, then defensive end? I mean,
what do you do with a Nico Autry? Like, how
do you got?
Speaker 1 (07:02):
How do you get him?
Speaker 2 (07:03):
I mean, probably doesn't need a lot of reps to
get ready, but my god, you go five six deep
at defensive end linebacker. If Christian and Henry are back
for training camp and healthy, man you got you gotta
have a lot of reps during today to get him
out to your guys in the secondary, you know we
there is I won't say as much a competitive element
(07:23):
there for spots and position in playing time, et cetera.
Feels like we know what's gonna happen back there for
the most part. But beyond staying and Kamari, who's gonna
be that third corner, you know, back in the in
the safety. What happens with Jimmy is is he gonna
be part of this? Is he healthy enough to be
(07:44):
part of this? With legal situation owithstanding, every single position's
got some sort of competitive.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
Element to it.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
And I don't know that we could say that every
year that I know I've been in a building, And
I think that just makes every everybody that much. I mean,
obviously the show aren't sharpens iron. There's a reason for that,
and so you get best on best. Guys are competing,
they're competing for everything. And the most competitive dude you
(08:13):
probably have in the building is the one really that
there's no competition. He's the bona fide a one leader
your team, the Alpha and CJ. Stroud and he's probably
the most competitive dude we have in this building. So
I just I like that the fact that everybody was here.
There's a certain camaraderie with this team. I see it
with the staff.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
You see the weight room photo, Yeah, the weight room photos, good,
that's a good one. The weight room photo, that's good
one to keep. Yeah, I know, not everybody necessarily will
make the team. Who's in that pick but I love
that pick. I love that they took a pick. I
don't even know what inspired it. I just saw the
popped up on my feet and I was like, yo,
(08:51):
it was my reaction, like I like my vibe when
I saw that was Oh, they're together, Yeah, they're together.
CJ's in it in the foreground, sitting down in the
front this.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
I know fans will sit there and go, well, if
the off Finch line is very good, that's not gonna matter.
It does matter because the groups, the units that have
to perform together on the field have to be that
much closer and that much more in tune with what's
going on with one another. So they do go out
there and because of that, they'll play well. And I
(09:26):
think and Titus is one of those guys. In fact,
we're gonna have Jonathan Alexander on tonight, and I got
the question for both y'all and the KOI I'm gonna
let you think on it. Now, what one player on
offense in particular has to have that kind of year
that has to play out of his mind? Not CJ,
(09:49):
anybody but CJ. Which guy has to play out of
his mind? And if that guy does, then that really
leads to big things for the offense.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
My guy's Titus Howard. I've said this for a couple
of years now.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
I feel like Titus has and I noticed this last
year after the Dolphins game. I went to the locker room,
and we've got to know Titus over the years, seen
Titus grow up. Titus got here, wasn't married, he got
married that offseason, then he's had kids. I mean, it's
amazing to have seen that young man grow up into
what he is now. And I remember, and we've talked
(10:23):
about a lot of things over the years, and I said,
what you did today for the team is incredible and
that will be remembered and you should be thankful that
and I thank you for that. As a ployee of
the Texans, a Texas fan, thank you. And I said,
I know you may not want to hear it, but
you're a pretty damn good guard. And I know that
(10:45):
wasn't what it was, but just listening to him talk
this offseason, you can tell he's up for that challenge
or move or whatever you want it to be, to
be an offensive guard going forward. And I think if
he and he is meant to ready for that, and
he knows how much value there is in playing that
position for this team, and he plays at that high
(11:06):
level and that takes care of in some of the
interior problems you've had the last few years. Just think
about that, those three positions, one of them is just
locked down, done, no issues, no problems whatsoever.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
You feel that much better, don't you? Well? With Titus
playing at the highest level possible to his full potential outstanding,
think of it like this too. Titus gets drafted, they
go through camp, then Laramie gets traded four Laramie comes
into the building elite offensive lineman. What does that do
to Titus as a rookie? Should help? Right, we had
(11:43):
a good year. It was a good year. Yeah, ten wins, YEP,
won a playoff game. We know the drill. Really good year.
Go to the division round doesn't work out so well.
But I don't know if Titus, and look, this is
not impossible to become a great leader with Laramie in
the building, but it might not be as easy as
you think it could because Titus has Laramie in front
(12:04):
of him as the elder statesman elite player. Can Titus
really flourish as a leader? You can certainly flourish as
a player, but as a leader with Laramie right there.
Not that Laramie's holding them down, but it's just kind
of weird. Older brother's still there right now. He's still
not the most experienced or oldest offensive lineman in this building,
but he's certainly one of the older guys and twenty
(12:26):
nineteen drafted, so maybe something flourishes in him that hasn't
had a chance to before. And it's no fault of Laramie.
It just happens now and we'll see. So it's not
just playing well, it's the whole psychological thing of everybody
fitting together now that has to happen. This group needs
to come together. We don't know how it's gonna happen,
(12:47):
when it's gonna happen, We don't even know if it's
going to happen, but it's got to happen. They got
to become the best version of themselves. And I said
it last week. They trotted two different lines out there
in the final day of mini camp, but I think
thought I could almost see either line starting, you know,
with injury here and there, but yeah, I can almost
see it, And I thought, oh, maybe they're not as
(13:08):
shallow as a lot of people are saying as far
as you know, the depth, shallow death whatever, as far
as depth is concerned. But I'm gonna go here, what
about defense? Who's the most indispensable the guy who If
this guy has a huge year, that means they're having
a huge year. And look, this is a good defense.
This should be a defense that's good to go. So
you tell me who do you think who's the player
(13:31):
for you on the defense?
Speaker 2 (13:33):
I'm gonna give you one that it may shock you.
My initial instinct was to say Sting. That was my
initial That was my initial thought, because I mean, just
amount of turnovers, how goods just how good he is.
I mean, he's so damn good. I mean, he's the
best I've ever seen in person. I mean ever, I mean,
(13:55):
I just he's incredible. But I'm gonna give you one
that I feel like, I feel like we missed him
in the playoffs severely, and that's Jalen Petrie.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
That's good one.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
I feel like if Petrie is playing, so take his
twenty twenty four season and then amp it up that
much more and what he brings. And think about that
Chiefs game. We struggled doing what covering Kelsey, knowing where
Kelsey was just being a pest being around. We didn't
(14:30):
have really, uh an answer for Kelsey. Jalen Petrie's playing.
There's a couple of things. Number One, he can be
in on coverage on Kelsey. Kelsey's not one to run
away from you, and covering Kelsey's different than covering Demonte
Adams so slow down, but just being there to help
on Kelsey and coverage, being able to help them in
zone coverage. I remember the touchdown Kelsey caught where Mahomes is,
(14:53):
you know, is getting tackled and he throws at Kenny
Stabler style.
Speaker 1 (14:56):
And Kelsey's there.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
That could have been a play where Jalen is in
zone coverage where he's able to help on that play.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
You know, he's able to.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Recognize what's going on because every guy that I'm watching
him right there at the goal on I'm watching them
on they're all pointing at Kelsey, are all pointing it
because they all knew he was there. But nobody can
make a play on them based on the route and
all that kind of stuff.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
I think Petrie helps you in that way.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
He helps against the run, he ends up helping against
tight ends, he ends up blitzing. That's one of the
other things that Jalen does really really well.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
He blitzes.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
So I think in what was proven last year was
you had Will Anderson have a really good year. You
had Daniel Hunter have a really good year. Sting was
incredible and had an All Pro year. But you didn't
have Petrie in the playoffs. Yeah, you did not, And
I think had you had Jalen in the playoffs, I'm
gonna guarantee it's a different story. But I think the
(15:49):
way the Chiefs were going to beat you that day
was gonna have to be different.
Speaker 1 (15:54):
You didn't have Jimmy in the playoffs either.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
That's right exactly, and having you know Jalen, we you know,
obviously we had in the Ravens game the year before,
and he had an opportunity to make a couple of plays,
and I think those are the kind of things that
spread him on a twenty twenty four to make those plays.
And then when he goes out of that Titans game,
I think that was that was tough. So I'm gonna say,
Jalen Petrie, it's a little bit not what people would
(16:15):
expect because you think Will or Stingley or Dneil. I'm
gonna say, Petrie, what would you say?
Speaker 1 (16:21):
So my thought was before you mentioned Petrie, was whoever's
playing safety other than Bullock? Yeah? Right? Whoever has that
Eric Murray role? Jimmy's not available? Now you have who CJ.
Gardner Johnson? Is it him? Is it somebody else? How
much would it shock you if Petrie all of a
sudden goes back to safety maybe and they stick Jalen
(16:44):
Smith in there and Nickel and Petrie's spot or something
like that. They might totally shock us here. And I
don't think they know that quite yet, because they want
to see these guys playing.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
You know what I I've been really I feel like
this defense and I think about the pieces that they have,
and I'm not sitting here saying I know what it is.
I mean I wish I did, but I feel like
there's something unique it can do. And I don't know
the right way of phrasing that, Like, I feel like
(17:16):
there's something that well, you know, this is Nickel, this
is Dime.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
Well maybe Dime looks totally different and maybe.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
There are ways that they can be I would say
innovative is not really the right word but they can
be creative with the pieces they have, so they can
make sure that more often than not, they've got the
best eleven guys out on the field.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
For the roles that are needed on that play.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
Look on third and one fully fought Acasi, Mario Edwards,
Tim Seller are much more important than Kylen Bullock and CJ. Gardner,
Johnson and Jayla Petrie. But I'm third and eleven. Yeah,
those guys become that much more important. So how do
you how do you find the creerve mix to make
sure you've got the best eleven on the field for in,
(18:06):
for in, for different teams and different offenses. What's the
best eleven against Lamar Jackson? What's the best eleven against
Patrick Mahons?
Speaker 1 (18:13):
Very well put?
Speaker 2 (18:13):
What's the best eleven against third down running situations? What's
the best eleven against third and long passing situations?
Speaker 1 (18:21):
Very well put? Because you've got a lot of ammunition. Yeah,
because Lamar Jackson, I mean you have Derek Henry in
the backfield's right. So now as completely different deal, totally different.
That nickel guy has got to be a tackler. He's
got to be blasted to the Backfield's got Petrie in
this and who do we not have against the Ravens?
Jalen Petrie. That's a big deal. That's a big deal
right there. So what were they doing that game? What
(18:42):
were they doing that game without Petrie, Murray, Bullock.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
It's so it's so strange asking about that, because Mark,
you know how much that whole game is a blur.
I remember Lamar throwing the football at the wall after
he scored a touchdown, and I just thought, man, this
is not going well for us today. I remember us
not getting in the end zone when it was ten
to two, and I remember Kamari's tackle. Other than that,
(19:08):
I really don't remember anything about that game. I just
remember us not playing well at all and thinking, okay,
three games in eleven days or whatever it ended up
being is just in Iota too much.
Speaker 1 (19:21):
You know what they list here as starters for the
Texans that game. It's base baby, it's three linebackers. Because
you're playing you're playing Derrick, Henry and Martinello's it's Neville
hewittt Christian Harris and Henry Tote. I forgot Harris was
even playing in that game, Lassiter, Stanley Bullock, Eric Murray.
That's what it is yeah, Murray, because you got to
(19:41):
be able to tackle Henry, and they tried that. Here's
here's what's interesting to me. But the year before, when
you're playing the Titans, you go with Desmond King at
that nickel and he's playing linebackers, so you get this
means the right kind of guy to play against a
guy like Derrick Henry so physical. Derrek Henry id forty
seven yards on Christmas. The year before, he had a
(20:03):
historically horrible running back performance against the Texans in both games,
and then prior.
Speaker 2 (20:08):
To those two games he had had historic performances the
other way.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
How many carries one hundred and forty seven yards on
make cares it felly seven and a long of twenty.
It was bludget it it was It was not like
an eighty yard run. Skewed the number. It was a
steady diet of hell and reached his jab J batters
jab to make matters worse. Lamar Jackson forty eight yard
run and three others for what thirty nine yards? How
(20:35):
about that? I mean, that's just that just adds to it.
He only threw for one sixty eight. They were just
dealing all day long.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
I mean they yeah, they when we didn't score when
we had the ball after the safety. I got lout
when when Kamir Madet play but we didn't score to
make it ten ten or ten nine whatever it was
going to be. After we scored a touchdown but we
didn't score there, I was like, uh oh. And then
shortly thereafter Lamargo's and the endzone, Yeah, here it comes.
And look, you know we talked, that's a lot of
(21:05):
football to play in a short amount of time. The
Ravens had to do it too. The Ravens were that
Gray definitely better suited. But in a game against the Ravens,
and think about it, we did not have We did
not have Petrie for three quarters against the Ravens and
the opener of twenty three because he got that whatever
that was he got need in the pelvis, in the
chest or whatever it was that he had eternal bleeding
(21:28):
and missed like three or four games to start twenty
twenty three. So we don't have him in that game.
We had him in a playoff game. We didn't have
him in this last game. So look, I think against
the Ravens in particular because to me, if you can
walk out on the field and go toe to toe
physically with the Ravens. You could beat anybody in this
league on any givens.
Speaker 1 (21:46):
And this is true.
Speaker 2 (21:47):
I think you could beat anybody in any given Sunday.
You have that team to be able to do that.
But it's going against the Ravens to walk out there
and say, you know what, I'm tired of you big
bully pushed us around. I'm tired of you running around
Lamar Jackson and doing the things you do. It's time
that we shut all that down. And the Ravens start
looking at you as you know what, these are some
bad boys on the other side. This is going to
(22:08):
be a tough ball game. Whereas now I think I
look at it and go, we got.
Speaker 1 (22:12):
This all right? So ask me the first question I
asked you to get this whole thing started. What player defensively? No, no, no,
even before that, okay, like, how how's it going? What
do you think? What do you think? What do you think?
Speaker 2 (22:25):
Because that's the question that when you walk in the
grocery store somebody say, hey, Vos the Texans, what do
you think? It's the question you get, you know, all
the time.
Speaker 1 (22:33):
For the first time, I don't even think I said
this last year, but for the first time in a
long time, I think we're going to be pretty good.
I think we're going to be pretty and by pretty good,
we should be able to win any game we play.
Right now, We're not going to win every game we play,
but we should be able to win the possibilities there. Now.
You could say that about any NFL team in the
(22:55):
NFL game. I get it any given Sunday, like you
just said moments ago. But I feel like this team,
and I know we don't know exactly what the offensive
line is going to look like, and I just know
how they played last year, and I think they'll play
better than that collectively. And I think CJ. Stroud year three,
(23:17):
turning twenty four years old, let's go. Let's go. Last year,
high expectations, real tough schedule, didn't handle it as well
as they could, got off to a great start actually
record wise, and then it started to really sort of erode.
But I believe this year they'll have a good year.
And last year was a good year. I think they
(23:39):
could have a better year. I think they can get
to eleven twelve wins, but a lot of things have
to happen. We all agree on that. I just really
see the potential in this bunch. They know the pitfalls,
they know what expectations bring, they know the kind of
game they're going to be getting from other opponents. They're
a little more seasoned, a year more season than they
(24:01):
were last year. I think they'll handle it a lot better.
A couple of things.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
Number One, last year, it felt like we had to
win games with the defense playing out of its mind,
the offense doing just enough. Special teams, like I think
about the Miami game last year, obviously plagues absolutely well,
but it did enough special teams has an extraordinary day,
and then defense, you know, dominates the second half. In particular,
(24:26):
I think what this team has to prove, and I
think it has the potential of doing it, as long
as a guys stay healthy, be offensive line comes together
like we want and we expect. They have to be
able to win games different ways. We have to be
able to win a shootout like we did against Tampa
Bay in twenty three. We have to be able to
win defensive, you know, grinded out kind of games. We
(24:49):
have to win the Pham Booth fist fights with the Ravens,
with the Niners.
Speaker 1 (24:56):
When we get in those fist fights. We got it.
We've got to win those. We got a land punch.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
But we have to win games in different ways, I think,
and I know this. Our bye week is week six, right, Yeah,
I'll use last year's World champs.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
And I'm not saying where the Eagles or anything.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
But they had a new offensive coordinator and they were
breaking in Vic Fangio really as the full time defense coordinator,
even though he had kind of helped them a couple.
Speaker 1 (25:20):
Of years prior.
Speaker 2 (25:21):
But they were breaking in two new coordinators and Sakwan Barkley.
They go two and two out of the gate. People
are panicking Week fives, bye week, so they're going on
to the They're going to the bye week two and two.
Speaker 1 (25:33):
Everybody thinks you're just an ordinary football team. Nothing to
see here after just the previous year's finished. Especially right
they're two and two. People are calling for Sirianni's job
and what they do. They won like thirteen in the
next fourteen or whatever it was fourteen or fifteen or something.
Speaker 2 (25:49):
And they they found himself. I wouldn't be surprised with
a new play caller, new offensive generator, new offensive line
coach breaking in roughly a new offense line across the board.
It wouldn't surprise me if we did. Out of the
shoot sort of struggle a little bit to find our footing.
(26:09):
But week six by we come out of that and
all of a sudden, it's like it's on now. Get
it going, yeah, get it going, all right, Jonathan Alexander,
we'll get it going with him next from the Houston Chronicle.
He's writing about the facility, other things from many camp leftovers.
From there, let's get into it with Jonathan from the
Chronicle next year on Texans Radio. Back from the break
(26:31):
here in the Hundai Texans Radio studio, Mark Vandermere and
John Harris and on the line with us right now,
Jonathan Alexander from the Houston Chronicle. Jonathan, great to have
you visit Happy Desert of the off season so far,
how's it going.
Speaker 3 (26:45):
I'm telling yeah, this is the one time where wee
can It's the dead period, so we can take as
many vacation days as we want because nothing is happening during.
Speaker 1 (26:53):
This time, it feels like it. But you had a
big story about the Texans practice facility, so tell us
about that. What you learn. Mike Toman, the president of
the Texans, hard at work trying to put it together.
We read some of the piece, but what can you
share with the listeners, Jonathan.
Speaker 3 (27:08):
Yeah, you know, talking with Mike Toeman, you know, he
says things are coming pretty quickly and faster than what
they were initially expecting, so fast that they reorganized the
business department and moving a couple of people in different positions,
(27:30):
and and because they think this deal could happen fairly soon.
So you know, I wrote about that and and what
could come of it, and obviously we talked about it
in the past, but you know, they want to build
a world class facility, one that rivals other ones, and
one that keeps getting brought up is the one in Dallas,
(27:53):
and they'll have Jerry Angel who will focus solely on
that on that project.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
I think it's fascinating in this discussion because I know
a lot of people are like, well, they're.
Speaker 1 (28:03):
Gonna build a new state No, this is not the
new stadium.
Speaker 2 (28:05):
This is the new facility that houses coaches, staff, business shops,
football ops, everybody, and where the Texans would practice. It
is not energy stadium. So I think it's always interesting
to kind of put that out there. Make sure fans
understand we're talking two different things here, Jonathan, did you
there's always the when and then there's the where when
(28:29):
you kind of just address. Not really sure, but it's
moving a little bit faster than maybe thought. How about
the where? Are there any ideas about where this might
end up?
Speaker 1 (28:39):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (28:39):
I think there are a couple of places that it
could end up. One, of course, Harris County, who probably
told us that they're trying to keep the headquarters in
the county limits. But I think there are also other
counties where you could see the Texans go, and they've
(29:00):
been pretty vocal about it. They're not opposed to doing that.
You know. Obviously, what is the county that encomes to.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
Proland got zil Oh, Brazoria.
Speaker 3 (29:10):
Yeah, Brazoria Fort Bend is an option. Montgomery County. You know,
I think what they're in particular focusing on is trying
not to be too far from NRG Stadium, but also
be around where their players mostly live. And obviously players
live different areas. But you know, I think from what
(29:32):
Mike Toman told me, he didn't give any specifics of who,
even though I know of a couple, but I'm just
not ready to kind of confirm them. He told me
a variety of entities have reached out to them and
they're serious about those inquiries.
Speaker 1 (29:49):
Well, I know that Froburg's farm is in Brazoria County
and that is a cool place with strawberries and stuff.
You can go pick fresh strawberries there. Yeah, it's an
awesome place. Bergs. Yeah, So if it's near that strawberry farm,
that would be awesome. Oh. All I know is yeah,
there are a lot of different possibilities, So we'll find
out soon enough. Hopefully we'll find out soon enough. Jonathan
Alex had it for the Chronicle joining its Okay, in
(30:11):
between last time we got together. In this time, we
did talk about one day of mini camp practice, but
we didn't talk about the next day of mini camp
practice because that was on a Wednesday. So any other
takeaways from mini camp? You left the Texans on the
practice field feeling what Jonathan?
Speaker 3 (30:28):
Yeah, I'm the left feeling that they're going to have
a legitimate defense. You know, we saw early on how
dominant Will Anderson was and then you add on Danil
Hunter and the two of those guys are going to
recavoc on opposing quarterbacks having said that, you look on
the opposite side, I think there's still much to be
(30:51):
learned about the Texans offense, particularly the offensive line, as
they continue to figure out these offensive line combinations, who's
going to start where. It was interesting to see J.
Andrews running with the first team in many camp, and
you know, I think that's significant because obviously the Texans
want to get somebody who has great chemistry with CJ. Stroud,
(31:13):
and Andrews wasn't running with the first team before. And
you know, obviously nothing has been decided yet, but I
thought that was significant.
Speaker 1 (31:22):
And uh, you know.
Speaker 3 (31:24):
I think it's a work in progress. But they have
a different mindset Titus that I were telling me they
want to be nasty, and then they've got new players
in a new coach who's leading them. So I think
there's a chance that this offense line could turn around
in the right direction. I think that's key to the
offense being as good as it is.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
Jonathan I, I can't remember the timing of Nick Chubb's
signing with the Texans, whether we had a chance to
talk to talk about it last week or not, But
now that we've had a chance to let it digest
a little bit like, Okay, Nick Chubb is in this backfield,
So what does it mean your opinion?
Speaker 1 (32:01):
What does it mean? Who do you think?
Speaker 2 (32:04):
It's now a big competition at this point, we don't
know when Joe's exactly going to be back. We hope
he's back to being in a training camp. Let's say
everybody's healthy. How do you think this competition goes at
running back? And what as you've thought about it, what
do you see as the positives of having Nick Chubb
in this backfield?
Speaker 3 (32:23):
Yeah, first of all, I think they made the move
because you know, Damian Pierce and Joe Mixon's injury and
they needed to sure run a proven running back. Now,
obviously Nick Chubb has an injury history. But if all
of them are healthy, then I think that presents a
little bit of a conundrum with some of the guys
(32:44):
because they're probably only going to keep or guys five
maximum and you got obviously Joe Mixon is gonna make it.
I'd expect if Nick Chubb is anywhere close to where
he was before the injury, he would make it. With
Marx is gonna make it. Dara is huge on special teams.
I don't want to say it's a guarantee, but I
(33:05):
think he's likely to make it. And then you got
a question whether Damian Pierce makes it in that case.
And I think given the fact that Nick Chubb is
a little bit more of a guy who you wouldn't
mind running, Damian Pearce has seen his carry numbers drop
and not you know, Damien does do kick returns. I
think he'd likely be the oyd man out if everybody
(33:27):
was healthy. But it's still a long way to go,
and we'll see how that plays itself out. Then again,
you know, I don't exactly know where Damian Pierce is
injury wise. He might begin to yet on the pup
list and they might.
Speaker 1 (33:37):
Have extra spot Jonathan right now, And we're gonna hold
you to this. No, we want who's gonna have the
second most receptions on the team. I would assume that
you would pick Nico number one. But who's gonna have
the second most receptions on the team. I'm not talking
about yards. I'm talking about number of catches on this squad.
Speaker 3 (33:57):
Yeah, I'm glad you said that, not your yards, because
I do think Higgins will have the second most yards.
But I think Christian Kirk will have the second most catches.
I think Christian Kirk may even battle Nico. You know,
a lot of guys in the slide, you know, get
a lot of short catches, and I see Christian Kirk
as long as he stays healthy. Obviously he had the
injuries the last couple of years, but as long as
(34:19):
he stays healthy, he can be effective. He was explosive
in many camping OTAs and even that second day seem
to have like an established connection with c J. Stroud
as a security blanket. So you know, I definitely seen
Christian Kirk being a weapon, especially when you got those
two guys on the outside and Nico Collins and Jenn
Higgins being huge threats. That up the opportunities for Christian Kirk.
Speaker 1 (34:41):
Okay, this one's for both of you. Take c J.
Speaker 2 (34:44):
Stroud out of the conversation. What one offensive player one
has to have either a career year or Pro Bowl
year or fining year for this offense in this team
to get to eleven plus wins. Like this player, you
(35:07):
look at and go, this guy had a career year
and as a resist, the offense went to a different
level and that made this a better team.
Speaker 1 (35:15):
Get to eleven twelve wins John, then you go first.
Speaker 3 (35:21):
As far as on the offense, you know, I almost
want to say Nico Collins because of how important he
is to the offense, But I'm gonna go with Cam Robinson.
You know, I think the offensive line has to be
for the Texans to be as good as they want
to be. I think the offensive line has to be
(35:42):
on point, and you lose a little bit of talent
when you go from Laramy tumpsl to Cam Robinson. So
I think Cam Robinson has to have, you know, the
best year of his career for them to go as
far as they want to go. That's one of the
more important positions on the offensive line.
Speaker 1 (35:57):
Nice answer. I like that one. I'm gonna go with
Joe mix. I think Joe Mixon has to have a
huge year because last year you get over one thousand
thousand yards. Great, I want to see thirteen fourteen hundred yards.
I know they picked up Chubb, I know they have Damien,
I know they have Dare, but we all know that
Mixon is the one guy, if healthy at this stage
(36:18):
of his career, can really do these things. I'd love
to see Pierce able to do those things the way
he did in twenty twenty two. I'd love to see
Chubb get back to being Nick Chubb. I don't know
if I'm going to see that, but I feel pretty
good about Mixon being able to be mixing if he's upright,
so you need that. And it kind of goes along
with Jonathan's point. If Mixon's getting thirteen fourteen hundred yards,
the old line is probably playing pretty well. And it's
(36:41):
not that he's more important than the wide receivers, but
I feel like you can get your receiving yards or
you get that passing yard that you need if Mixon's
running the ball well. Jonathan, talk to me about this.
AFC teams contending for playoff berths and or more. We
have three double digit win teams from last year that
did not win their division. Two of them made the
(37:04):
player actually three of them made the playoffs. They all
three made the playoffs, the Broncos, the Chargers, and the Steelers.
Which one of those teams Steelers now with Aaron Rodgers.
Of course, are you buying stocking to soar and upset
people and maybe even make it to the AFC Championship game. Broncos, Chargers,
Steelers double digit win teams from twenty twenty four that
(37:27):
did not win their division. Who's it going to be?
Speaker 3 (37:30):
You know, part of me wants to say the Broncos,
but I do believe there's something to the second year curse.
Not necessarily a curse, but I do think you get
more film on quarterbacks in their second year and they
start to struggle. I think Bonis could struggle, but I
think the Chargers and given the fact that you have
a veteran quarterback, there, a really good defense, and Jim Harbar,
(37:55):
who's approving coach, who's really turned around every program he's
been to. You get him a year two with that team,
I think they have the best chance. I'm not saying
that will happen, because I don't think it'll happen, but
I think they have a better chance than the Broncos
and the Steelers.
Speaker 1 (38:10):
Johnny, you address that, Okay.
Speaker 2 (38:12):
I think Broncos because of the defense.
Speaker 1 (38:16):
All Right, If I threw the Bengals in with that
group because they had nine wins, would they replace No? No,
not for me, Jonathan, not for me.
Speaker 3 (38:23):
No. I love Joe Burrow, but I think they have
some issues elsewhere, in particular defense. I'm not convinced about
their defense.
Speaker 2 (38:31):
Okay, the flip side of that question is the Texans
will play three teams that drafted in the top six
this year. They were the Titans, the Jaguars, the Raiders.
Which of those three makes a bid for the playoffs?
Be it wild Carter.
Speaker 1 (38:49):
Win a division, Titans, Jacks are Raiders, Titans, Jags Raiders.
Our guest goes first, Johnathan goes first.
Speaker 3 (38:56):
Yeah, I think it's the Raiders. You know, they get
a quarterback Gino Smith who's familiar with Pete Carroll's system,
a good coach, and playing the last place schedule. You know,
they won't win the division, but I think they could
with the easy schedule, they could win the wildcard.
Speaker 1 (39:14):
Yeah, I'm with you there on the Raiders. Yeah, you
have Gino Smith playing quarterback. Now, Pete Carroll's a completely
different culture situation. I think that's gonna be pretty healthy
for them. But they play in a tough division where
the other three teams made the postseason. I think it's
a tough call almost between Jags and Titans. And you
might say, oh, come on, Vandy, Well, Jags won four games,
Titans won three with Will Levis, so I think the
(39:36):
Titans two or three games. I think Titans with cam
Ward can upset some people. And I'm not convinced that
Jags are bouncing all the way back. I'm not convinced
they are in a tail spin. And I know they
have a new staff, but they are in a tail
spin that dates back to twenty twenty three. So you
have that to deal with. Yeah, you just hate Travis Hunter.
Don't hate Travis Hunter. I like Travis Hunter. I just
(39:58):
don't like AFC opponents, that's all.
Speaker 3 (40:01):
I was talking to a good guy, Everett, and he said,
and you know obviously he's now biased, but he was saying,
Cam Woard looked really good in practice.
Speaker 1 (40:09):
Okay, yeah, cam Wore can make plays, so and practice
he's gonna look really I mean that ball comes out
of his hands.
Speaker 2 (40:15):
I mean it'll it'll grab you a little again, like
Will Levis, he will throw you one during the game.
You have to take advantage of it and make him
pay for doing things that.
Speaker 1 (40:27):
He's got a little bit of Yolo in his game.
I'll just say that Yolo. And Jonathan's talking about Everett Geerlings,
who was with Texans PR who's now going to be
VP of PR. I don't know if that's his exact title,
but he is a VP with the Tennessee Titans organization,
so congratulations to him starting up there. I think first
full week is probably this week for him. Very good, Jonathan.
(40:48):
What do you have going on to the Houston Chronicle
for us?
Speaker 3 (40:51):
Yeah? I might have something a little bit later on
Mike Tilman related. I can't exactly give you the full ooh,
but I'll have something coming out later on in the weekend.
And today has something on Titus Howard and how the
offensive line has changed his mindset this this offseason.
Speaker 1 (41:10):
Sounds great, Jonathan, Thanks a lot for being with us,
Thanks for having me coming up on the show. Huge
anniversary in sports? What is it? Find out? It's Texans
All Access. Final segment here on the show. Not enough
time to get into everything we discussed with Jonathan Alexander,
but if you miss some of that, it'll show up
in podcast form soon enough. So do you know what
(41:33):
this day is? Today is June seventeenth.
Speaker 2 (41:37):
Thirty one years ago? What happened on this day? It's
the greatest sports day of all time. It's Game five, right,
and it's the OJ Chase. Yeah, but there's something else
that happened. A couple of other things.
Speaker 1 (41:51):
You had.
Speaker 2 (41:51):
You had Arnold Palmer playing for the last time in
the US Open. I think I think it was US Open. Yeah, yeah,
so it was US Open. So he was playing for
the last time US Opened. Ken Griffy hit three home runs.
Okay on this day, nineteen ninety four, June seventeenth, This
is OJ day.
Speaker 1 (42:09):
It was also the parade day for the New York Rangers.
Speaker 2 (42:13):
They got the Stanley Cup for the first time in
fifty four years.
Speaker 1 (42:16):
That was a big deal. I remember that that NHL year.
Speaker 2 (42:20):
That was my last year of Brown, so a lot
of hockey fans and so kind of watching it intently
and get home watch them beat the Canucks. The parade
was that day, June seventeenth, nineteen ninety four, thirty one
years ago.
Speaker 1 (42:32):
What was the call, I don't know who the announcer was,
one more hill to climb when they won the game
that got them within a game of clinching the cup.
One more hill to climb. Oh the Rangers of that. Yeah,
that's a big good call. I gotta get that name. Yeah,
they Marv. They end up it's not Marv. They end
up beating the Canucks. They had the big parade that
takes play. Don't know. Marvi used to call Rangers games
(42:53):
like way before.
Speaker 2 (42:54):
That, and so I'll never forget. We're watching game five Rockets.
They're in the finals. It's to two, they split the
first two, Sam Cassel. It's a big shot in game three,
so we're just looking to get out of there. We've
got to win that the Rockets needed. But it's game five.
If you can win this one, all you got to
do is win one of the two at home. And
(43:15):
you and you got a chance, yeah and you you don't.
But in the third quarter ish, all of a sudden
they break into the action and you see this white
Bronco speeding down LA Highway with cops behind and a
bunch of twenty somethings at the time, and there it
(43:36):
is just silence.
Speaker 1 (43:38):
It's silenced.
Speaker 2 (43:39):
We're just stunned, like we're watching a Rockets game and
we're like what, And then all of sudden we see
it's OJ and all of sudden, everybody just shut up,
and like we wanted to hear every single word they
were saying.
Speaker 1 (43:48):
We all know what we thought was going to happen.
When he was in the car. Yes, in the Broncos.
Speaker 2 (43:53):
Yes, and all the minds all went to the worst
case scenario, like, oh this is this is bad.
Speaker 1 (43:58):
Ford Motor Company, the official trucks and SUVs, the Houston
Texans uh I advocated for the return of the Bronco
way before they returned it, I said, this is a
classic vehicle, oh would and you should bring back the
white one too. Yes. Now, the new designs are awesome.
I see them everywhere. I love them. I love the
Bronco I love them. Oh, I love them, But I
(44:19):
also love the old one. I think the old one
is super cool. Like I think most car manufacturers should
bring back their classic old designs, but with brand new
technology inside. But keep the old shell except modernized, if
you will, whatever you have to do to reinforce it,
because people would drive that stuff all day long.
Speaker 2 (44:37):
There are companies out there that they renovate, and that's
the right way. They renovate, retro fit, retro fit like
late sixties, early seventies.
Speaker 1 (44:47):
Broncos. Bring back the old Mustang like the mark They're beautiful. Yes, like,
oh my god, I love these things. Why yeah, White
Bronco bring it back. Bring it back exactly the way
we sell like nobody's been. It would sell like crazy,
would sell huge, and no one thought we were going
to go in this direction with this segment. But that's
I mean, it's an anniversary.
Speaker 2 (45:06):
It annis thirty one years ago today Rockets Knicks Game
five and the OJ Simpson chase.
Speaker 1 (45:14):
Same tis what I passed out before it happened. And look,
I wasn't in Houston yet. Yeah, I passed out for
some reason. I was really tired that night. Yeah, and
I woke up and it was over. The game was over,
the chase was over. But CNN Headline News actually used
to do the news, so I joined it at the
top of the hour I forget what hour ten or eleven,
(45:35):
whatever it was, and they recapped the whole thing and
I'm like, oh my gosh. And they they used to
do such a good job every half hour of recapping
all the news and it was a beautifully done newscast.
So I saw the whole thing unfold. I thought, this
is amazing. And my boss was upset because they the
station was trying to call me and they wanted to
(45:57):
get me on the air to talk about what was happening.
Just have a radio passed outside thirty one years ago today.
That was Yeah, that's amazing. What a day that way,
I mean just and they're not real nature of that day.
Speaker 2 (46:11):
And it started off with Rangers and US open and
then Griffy and okay, Rockets Knicks were locked in game
five man, and we knew it was kind of there
was We knew stirring stuff was going on.
Speaker 1 (46:22):
Like, yeah, we knew all that was a fugitive. We
didn't happen earlier in the day. It happened earlier in
the day is declared a fugiative.
Speaker 2 (46:29):
But by the time the Rockets game started, we're like, okay,
we're focused on Rockets. When they broke into an NBA
Finals game with it, we're like, okay, this is for
real story.
Speaker 1 (46:36):
How many documentaries there's another out right now? There's the
whole thirty for thirty series. There's at least three that
I know of, and they're all three. They're all watchable
because they're all very very good.
Speaker 2 (46:46):
By someone, I watched one of them from beginning at
to thirty for thirty, but a different one I need
to watch it.
Speaker 1 (46:51):
He loved it. He didn't know anything about it, really,
he knew it, but he didn't really know. It was awesome.
He loved every second of it. It's really good, huge story. Okay,
that's it for the show tonight. Tomorrow night, Foley Faicassi
joins us. Thursday. It's John McClain the mcnairs this week
as well. Big week on Texans All Access and we're
gonna have Area forty five coming your way next. Have
(47:14):
a great evening, Go Texans.
Hello, tech sans, Welcome to the show. Settle in. You're
on the way home, or on the way to work,
or on the way wherever you are going to. Mark
Vandermaer and John Harris with you, and we'll keep you
company for the next hour. Jonathan Alexander of The Houston
Chronicle is joining us, coming up in segment number two
to talk about stories he has written or is writing
(00:20):
regarding your Houston, Texans and some things coming up in
the future. Cal and Hannah McNair will be on a
future show this week fully Fountacasi on the Wednesday night program,
John mcclan on Thursday Night. So busy week, lot going on,
and here we go. I've got a lot to get to, Johnny,
and I'm going to go in no particular order. Okay,
I thought I could steal that name for a podcast,
(00:42):
but I think someone's already using it in no particular
order because I'd like to do things in no particular order.
Why order things, keep it interesting that way, Just go
with whatever you want to go with, right, Yeah, absolutely,
it's a podcast. No, I think it is. I thought
I searched this thoroughly.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
It is.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
See, I think it's a lame one too. Yeah, you
don't even want to know. I don't want to know. Okay,
you don't even I do. It's something political. Let's get
a divice. No, no, no, I don't want that. No, I
do not want no.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Here this the last episode, well, the last episode is
twenty twenty. Oh, the hardest thing I have ever done.
And throw away your negative internal chatterbox. Oh and then
the next previous episode is life Coaching kicking the big
seat and those eyebrows.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Oh gosh, that's in no particular order. I could steal it.
Because apparently you can write a book and copy a
title absolutely no problem. Why is that so? Though I
don't know, I could write a book called The Sun
Also Rises and Ernest Hemingway's estate is not going to
get a set about that? I guess not.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
I mean you changeing youtwo and oh and it's totally different,
totally okay, you can go with it. I guess I
don't know. I didn't want to name I didn't want
to name anything. A book, go website anything over something.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
I'd see you. But I don't think it's any problem.
You wrote a book called Times on our Side, But
it's time apostrophees, so time is abbreviated. You didn't want
to go Time is on our side? No, I don't
know that's a good point. I don't know.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
I just that's what I came up with. It was like, literally,
what hit me? That's what I was.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
That's what I was going with, because time is on
my side? Is my side? Is a rolling Stone song,
one of their very Oh yeah, I had no idea.
I had no idea. Mick Jagger posted a pic of
himself at a polo match. No, it was a cricket match. Cricket.
They're very different, Johnny, very very very different. One animals
(02:36):
one yeah, not but they're kind of up skitped Well,
he was in a suite or something. Of course he's
Mick Jagger's not sitting in the bleachers of a cricket match. Okay,
that ain't happening. Hey, where's Mick? He's up there? And
he was here. When were they here? Like a year ago?
It was last year, I think, right, and we just
had Metallica here they were setting up and now Morgan
(02:57):
Whaleen is setting up holy very different, very different crowd
setting up each of these last two shows.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
But this setup is so intriguing for Morgan just just
either set up both of them.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
I means, like, oh my god, that's a mitch. Yeah,
you don't, you don't even realize.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
I mean, I don't even know if the band realizes
everything that goes into putting on one of their own shows,
I wouldn't.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
I mean, I would just thank everybody.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
But I mean it's incredible the number of thick wires
that run next to one another down that are plugged
into something, that are plugged into something else.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
It's just my word, it's unbelievable to kind.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Of show that has, you know, goes with one of
these performers. And I mean, I just think of all
the different performers we've had. I mean, you know, Beyonce
when she performed here on Christmas Day at halftime, just
looking up in the and we actually talked to Toro
about this because Andrew was talking about Andrew Johnson.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
Who is who is.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Toro was like, you know, there were certain things they
were going to try and do for that Christa Day game,
and they're like nope, They're told no because Beyonce had
lights set up and different fixtures that were up in
the hanging. Yeah, hanging and all that, and they're like,
uh no this, you're not doing them because of that.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
So the whole setup that went with it was well,
that Beyonce show, obviously that was a game to forget.
But when the halftime show started, I just looked at
it on the monitor when she's walking down the hallway,
I thought, oh, this is recorded. This is not an
RG stadium. I don't care what you do. It doesn't
look like this. There's not that much of White Hallway
to walk down. Used walking down at least fifty yards
(04:35):
of White Hallway. We don't have that here. I don't
care what you did. Anyway, let's get to this. I'll
start right here. Everyone is asking me, and everyone is
asking you, what do you think? So here you simply
put here we are. It's June seventeenth. And this will change,
This will evolve, different information comes out. People get healthy,
(04:59):
people don't get healthy. Things happen. We see things in
camp that change our mind or alter thoughts about aspects
of the game, phases, position, groups, whatever. But right now,
let's take the temperature. What are you thinking? How how
you feeling? Johnny?
Speaker 2 (05:16):
So I know there were some there were obviously some
guys hurt, rehabing, coming back from some things.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
But everybody was here.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
And that says something to me, Like everybody was here,
even if they were just working out, rehabbing, whatever the
case might be.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Even in the building or whatever.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Even in the building, they're here, even here before or
during OTAs when they didn't didn't have to be. I mean,
I I saw I saw Joe mixing. I don't know
how many times during you know, April in May, like
even before conditioning started and through that period, even though
you didn't practice, it wasn't wasn't out there practicing the
(05:57):
fact that everybody was here, there's something about the vibe here,
the vibe and the building, and guys have talked about it,
and we've we've kind of we've mentioned it and talked
about the coaches talk about it a lot, and for
good reason. And I think it's that sort of chemistry
that you want to try and build guys that want
to be around each other. And look, it's a very competitive.
(06:19):
This is gonna be as competitive a training camp as
we've ever had, right, I mean, I can't remember the
last time where you go every other quarterback unless something
up with the CJ, which hopefully does not. Every position's
got some sort of competition element for it. You think
about wide receivers, I mean, I think you're gonna carry
(06:40):
six Holy cow, how are you gonna fit all that
into six?
Speaker 1 (06:42):
Running back?
Speaker 2 (06:43):
Same thing, How are you gonna get all those guys
into four spots? Maybe maybe even three? I mean, how
tough is that gonna be? Offensive line? We already know,
we talked about that forever. How do you get reps
for everybody? Interior? Defensive line, then defensive end? I mean,
what do you do with a Nico Autry? Like, how
do you got?
Speaker 1 (07:02):
How do you get him?
Speaker 2 (07:03):
I mean, probably doesn't need a lot of reps to
get ready, but my god, you go five six deep
at defensive end linebacker. If Christian and Henry are back
for training camp and healthy, man you got you gotta
have a lot of reps during today to get him
out to your guys in the secondary, you know we
there is I won't say as much a competitive element
(07:23):
there for spots and position in playing time, et cetera.
Feels like we know what's gonna happen back there for
the most part. But beyond staying and Kamari, who's gonna
be that third corner, you know, back in the in
the safety. What happens with Jimmy is is he gonna
be part of this? Is he healthy enough to be
(07:44):
part of this? With legal situation owithstanding, every single position's
got some sort of competitive.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
Element to it.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
And I don't know that we could say that every
year that I know I've been in a building, And
I think that just makes every everybody that much. I mean,
obviously the show aren't sharpens iron. There's a reason for that,
and so you get best on best. Guys are competing,
they're competing for everything. And the most competitive dude you
(08:13):
probably have in the building is the one really that
there's no competition. He's the bona fide a one leader
your team, the Alpha and CJ. Stroud and he's probably
the most competitive dude we have in this building. So
I just I like that the fact that everybody was here.
There's a certain camaraderie with this team. I see it
with the staff.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
You see the weight room photo, Yeah, the weight room photos, good,
that's a good one. The weight room photo, that's good
one to keep. Yeah, I know, not everybody necessarily will
make the team. Who's in that pick but I love
that pick. I love that they took a pick. I
don't even know what inspired it. I just saw the
popped up on my feet and I was like, yo,
(08:51):
it was my reaction, like I like my vibe when
I saw that was Oh, they're together, Yeah, they're together.
CJ's in it in the foreground, sitting down in the
front this.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
I know fans will sit there and go, well, if
the off Finch line is very good, that's not gonna matter.
It does matter because the groups, the units that have
to perform together on the field have to be that
much closer and that much more in tune with what's
going on with one another. So they do go out
there and because of that, they'll play well. And I
(09:26):
think and Titus is one of those guys. In fact,
we're gonna have Jonathan Alexander on tonight, and I got
the question for both y'all and the KOI I'm gonna
let you think on it. Now, what one player on
offense in particular has to have that kind of year
that has to play out of his mind? Not CJ,
(09:49):
anybody but CJ. Which guy has to play out of
his mind? And if that guy does, then that really
leads to big things for the offense.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
My guy's Titus Howard. I've said this for a couple
of years now.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
I feel like Titus has and I noticed this last
year after the Dolphins game. I went to the locker room,
and we've got to know Titus over the years, seen
Titus grow up. Titus got here, wasn't married, he got
married that offseason, then he's had kids. I mean, it's
amazing to have seen that young man grow up into
what he is now. And I remember, and we've talked
(10:23):
about a lot of things over the years, and I said,
what you did today for the team is incredible and
that will be remembered and you should be thankful that
and I thank you for that. As a ployee of
the Texans, a Texas fan, thank you. And I said,
I know you may not want to hear it, but
you're a pretty damn good guard. And I know that
(10:45):
wasn't what it was, but just listening to him talk
this offseason, you can tell he's up for that challenge
or move or whatever you want it to be, to
be an offensive guard going forward. And I think if
he and he is meant to ready for that, and
he knows how much value there is in playing that
position for this team, and he plays at that high
(11:06):
level and that takes care of in some of the
interior problems you've had the last few years. Just think
about that, those three positions, one of them is just
locked down, done, no issues, no problems whatsoever.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
You feel that much better, don't you? Well? With Titus
playing at the highest level possible to his full potential outstanding,
think of it like this too. Titus gets drafted, they
go through camp, then Laramie gets traded four Laramie comes
into the building elite offensive lineman. What does that do
to Titus as a rookie? Should help? Right, we had
(11:43):
a good year. It was a good year. Yeah, ten wins, YEP,
won a playoff game. We know the drill. Really good year.
Go to the division round doesn't work out so well.
But I don't know if Titus, and look, this is
not impossible to become a great leader with Laramie in
the building, but it might not be as easy as
you think it could because Titus has Laramie in front
(12:04):
of him as the elder statesman elite player. Can Titus
really flourish as a leader? You can certainly flourish as
a player, but as a leader with Laramie right there.
Not that Laramie's holding them down, but it's just kind
of weird. Older brother's still there right now. He's still
not the most experienced or oldest offensive lineman in this building,
but he's certainly one of the older guys and twenty
(12:26):
nineteen drafted, so maybe something flourishes in him that hasn't
had a chance to before. And it's no fault of Laramie.
It just happens now and we'll see. So it's not
just playing well, it's the whole psychological thing of everybody
fitting together now that has to happen. This group needs
to come together. We don't know how it's gonna happen,
(12:47):
when it's gonna happen, We don't even know if it's
going to happen, but it's got to happen. They got
to become the best version of themselves. And I said
it last week. They trotted two different lines out there
in the final day of mini camp, but I think
thought I could almost see either line starting, you know,
with injury here and there, but yeah, I can almost
see it, And I thought, oh, maybe they're not as
(13:08):
shallow as a lot of people are saying as far
as you know, the depth, shallow death whatever, as far
as depth is concerned. But I'm gonna go here, what
about defense? Who's the most indispensable the guy who If
this guy has a huge year, that means they're having
a huge year. And look, this is a good defense.
This should be a defense that's good to go. So
you tell me who do you think who's the player
(13:31):
for you on the defense?
Speaker 2 (13:33):
I'm gonna give you one that it may shock you.
My initial instinct was to say Sting. That was my
initial That was my initial thought, because I mean, just
amount of turnovers, how goods just how good he is.
I mean, he's so damn good. I mean, he's the
best I've ever seen in person. I mean ever, I mean,
(13:55):
I just he's incredible. But I'm gonna give you one
that I feel like, I feel like we missed him
in the playoffs severely, and that's Jalen Petrie.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
That's good one.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
I feel like if Petrie is playing, so take his
twenty twenty four season and then amp it up that
much more and what he brings. And think about that
Chiefs game. We struggled doing what covering Kelsey, knowing where
Kelsey was just being a pest being around. We didn't
(14:30):
have really, uh an answer for Kelsey. Jalen Petrie's playing.
There's a couple of things. Number One, he can be
in on coverage on Kelsey. Kelsey's not one to run
away from you, and covering Kelsey's different than covering Demonte
Adams so slow down, but just being there to help
on Kelsey and coverage, being able to help them in
zone coverage. I remember the touchdown Kelsey caught where Mahomes is,
(14:53):
you know, is getting tackled and he throws at Kenny
Stabler style.
Speaker 1 (14:56):
And Kelsey's there.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
That could have been a play where Jalen is in
zone coverage where he's able to help on that play.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
You know, he's able to.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Recognize what's going on because every guy that I'm watching
him right there at the goal on I'm watching them
on they're all pointing at Kelsey, are all pointing it
because they all knew he was there. But nobody can
make a play on them based on the route and
all that kind of stuff.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
I think Petrie helps you in that way.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
He helps against the run, he ends up helping against
tight ends, he ends up blitzing. That's one of the
other things that Jalen does really really well.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
He blitzes.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
So I think in what was proven last year was
you had Will Anderson have a really good year. You
had Daniel Hunter have a really good year. Sting was
incredible and had an All Pro year. But you didn't
have Petrie in the playoffs. Yeah, you did not, And
I think had you had Jalen in the playoffs, I'm
gonna guarantee it's a different story. But I think the
(15:49):
way the Chiefs were going to beat you that day
was gonna have to be different.
Speaker 1 (15:54):
You didn't have Jimmy in the playoffs either.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
That's right exactly, and having you know Jalen, we you know,
obviously we had in the Ravens game the year before,
and he had an opportunity to make a couple of plays,
and I think those are the kind of things that
spread him on a twenty twenty four to make those plays.
And then when he goes out of that Titans game,
I think that was that was tough. So I'm gonna say,
Jalen Petrie, it's a little bit not what people would
(16:15):
expect because you think Will or Stingley or Dneil. I'm
gonna say, Petrie, what would you say?
Speaker 1 (16:21):
So my thought was before you mentioned Petrie, was whoever's
playing safety other than Bullock? Yeah? Right? Whoever has that
Eric Murray role? Jimmy's not available? Now you have who CJ.
Gardner Johnson? Is it him? Is it somebody else? How
much would it shock you if Petrie all of a
sudden goes back to safety maybe and they stick Jalen
(16:44):
Smith in there and Nickel and Petrie's spot or something
like that. They might totally shock us here. And I
don't think they know that quite yet, because they want
to see these guys playing.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
You know what I I've been really I feel like
this defense and I think about the pieces that they have,
and I'm not sitting here saying I know what it is.
I mean I wish I did, but I feel like
there's something unique it can do. And I don't know
the right way of phrasing that, Like, I feel like
(17:16):
there's something that well, you know, this is Nickel, this
is Dime.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
Well maybe Dime looks totally different and maybe.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
There are ways that they can be I would say
innovative is not really the right word but they can
be creative with the pieces they have, so they can
make sure that more often than not, they've got the
best eleven guys out on the field.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
For the roles that are needed on that play.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
Look on third and one fully fought Acasi, Mario Edwards,
Tim Seller are much more important than Kylen Bullock and CJ. Gardner,
Johnson and Jayla Petrie. But I'm third and eleven. Yeah,
those guys become that much more important. So how do
you how do you find the creerve mix to make
sure you've got the best eleven on the field for in,
(18:06):
for in, for different teams and different offenses. What's the
best eleven against Lamar Jackson? What's the best eleven against
Patrick Mahons?
Speaker 1 (18:13):
Very well put?
Speaker 2 (18:13):
What's the best eleven against third down running situations? What's
the best eleven against third and long passing situations?
Speaker 1 (18:21):
Very well put? Because you've got a lot of ammunition. Yeah,
because Lamar Jackson, I mean you have Derek Henry in
the backfield's right. So now as completely different deal, totally different.
That nickel guy has got to be a tackler. He's
got to be blasted to the Backfield's got Petrie in
this and who do we not have against the Ravens?
Jalen Petrie. That's a big deal. That's a big deal
right there. So what were they doing that game? What
(18:42):
were they doing that game without Petrie, Murray, Bullock.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
It's so it's so strange asking about that, because Mark,
you know how much that whole game is a blur.
I remember Lamar throwing the football at the wall after
he scored a touchdown, and I just thought, man, this
is not going well for us today. I remember us
not getting in the end zone when it was ten
to two, and I remember Kamari's tackle. Other than that,
(19:08):
I really don't remember anything about that game. I just
remember us not playing well at all and thinking, okay,
three games in eleven days or whatever it ended up
being is just in Iota too much.
Speaker 1 (19:21):
You know what they list here as starters for the
Texans that game. It's base baby, it's three linebackers. Because
you're playing you're playing Derrick, Henry and Martinello's it's Neville
hewittt Christian Harris and Henry Tote. I forgot Harris was
even playing in that game, Lassiter, Stanley Bullock, Eric Murray.
That's what it is yeah, Murray, because you got to
(19:41):
be able to tackle Henry, and they tried that. Here's
here's what's interesting to me. But the year before, when
you're playing the Titans, you go with Desmond King at
that nickel and he's playing linebackers, so you get this
means the right kind of guy to play against a
guy like Derrick Henry so physical. Derrek Henry id forty
seven yards on Christmas. The year before, he had a
(20:03):
historically horrible running back performance against the Texans in both games,
and then prior.
Speaker 2 (20:08):
To those two games he had had historic performances the
other way.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
How many carries one hundred and forty seven yards on
make cares it felly seven and a long of twenty.
It was bludget it it was It was not like
an eighty yard run. Skewed the number. It was a
steady diet of hell and reached his jab J batters
jab to make matters worse. Lamar Jackson forty eight yard
run and three others for what thirty nine yards? How
(20:35):
about that? I mean, that's just that just adds to it.
He only threw for one sixty eight. They were just
dealing all day long.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
I mean they yeah, they when we didn't score when
we had the ball after the safety. I got lout
when when Kamir Madet play but we didn't score to
make it ten ten or ten nine whatever it was
going to be. After we scored a touchdown but we
didn't score there, I was like, uh oh. And then
shortly thereafter Lamargo's and the endzone, Yeah, here it comes.
And look, you know we talked, that's a lot of
(21:05):
football to play in a short amount of time. The
Ravens had to do it too. The Ravens were that
Gray definitely better suited. But in a game against the Ravens,
and think about it, we did not have We did
not have Petrie for three quarters against the Ravens and
the opener of twenty three because he got that whatever
that was he got need in the pelvis, in the
chest or whatever it was that he had eternal bleeding
(21:28):
and missed like three or four games to start twenty
twenty three. So we don't have him in that game.
We had him in a playoff game. We didn't have
him in this last game. So look, I think against
the Ravens in particular because to me, if you can
walk out on the field and go toe to toe
physically with the Ravens. You could beat anybody in this
league on any givens.
Speaker 1 (21:46):
And this is true.
Speaker 2 (21:47):
I think you could beat anybody in any given Sunday.
You have that team to be able to do that.
But it's going against the Ravens to walk out there
and say, you know what, I'm tired of you big
bully pushed us around. I'm tired of you running around
Lamar Jackson and doing the things you do. It's time
that we shut all that down. And the Ravens start
looking at you as you know what, these are some
bad boys on the other side. This is going to
(22:08):
be a tough ball game. Whereas now I think I
look at it and go, we got.
Speaker 1 (22:12):
This all right? So ask me the first question I
asked you to get this whole thing started. What player defensively? No, no, no,
even before that, okay, like, how how's it going? What
do you think? What do you think? What do you think?
Speaker 2 (22:25):
Because that's the question that when you walk in the
grocery store somebody say, hey, Vos the Texans, what do
you think? It's the question you get, you know, all
the time.
Speaker 1 (22:33):
For the first time, I don't even think I said
this last year, but for the first time in a
long time, I think we're going to be pretty good.
I think we're going to be pretty and by pretty good,
we should be able to win any game we play.
Right now, We're not going to win every game we play,
but we should be able to win the possibilities there. Now.
You could say that about any NFL team in the
(22:55):
NFL game. I get it any given Sunday, like you
just said moments ago. But I feel like this team,
and I know we don't know exactly what the offensive
line is going to look like, and I just know
how they played last year, and I think they'll play
better than that collectively. And I think CJ. Stroud year three,
(23:17):
turning twenty four years old, let's go. Let's go. Last year,
high expectations, real tough schedule, didn't handle it as well
as they could, got off to a great start actually
record wise, and then it started to really sort of erode.
But I believe this year they'll have a good year.
And last year was a good year. I think they
(23:39):
could have a better year. I think they can get
to eleven twelve wins, but a lot of things have
to happen. We all agree on that. I just really
see the potential in this bunch. They know the pitfalls,
they know what expectations bring, they know the kind of
game they're going to be getting from other opponents. They're
a little more seasoned, a year more season than they
(24:01):
were last year. I think they'll handle it a lot better.
A couple of things.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
Number One, last year, it felt like we had to
win games with the defense playing out of its mind,
the offense doing just enough. Special teams, like I think
about the Miami game last year, obviously plagues absolutely well,
but it did enough special teams has an extraordinary day,
and then defense, you know, dominates the second half. In particular,
(24:26):
I think what this team has to prove, and I
think it has the potential of doing it, as long
as a guys stay healthy, be offensive line comes together
like we want and we expect. They have to be
able to win games different ways. We have to be
able to win a shootout like we did against Tampa
Bay in twenty three. We have to be able to
win defensive, you know, grinded out kind of games. We
(24:49):
have to win the Pham Booth fist fights with the Ravens,
with the Niners.
Speaker 1 (24:56):
When we get in those fist fights. We got it.
We've got to win those. We got a land punch.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
But we have to win games in different ways, I think,
and I know this. Our bye week is week six, right, Yeah,
I'll use last year's World champs.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
And I'm not saying where the Eagles or anything.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
But they had a new offensive coordinator and they were
breaking in Vic Fangio really as the full time defense coordinator,
even though he had kind of helped them a couple.
Speaker 1 (25:20):
Of years prior.
Speaker 2 (25:21):
But they were breaking in two new coordinators and Sakwan Barkley.
They go two and two out of the gate. People
are panicking Week fives, bye week, so they're going on
to the They're going to the bye week two and two.
Speaker 1 (25:33):
Everybody thinks you're just an ordinary football team. Nothing to
see here after just the previous year's finished. Especially right
they're two and two. People are calling for Sirianni's job
and what they do. They won like thirteen in the
next fourteen or whatever it was fourteen or fifteen or something.
Speaker 2 (25:49):
And they they found himself. I wouldn't be surprised with
a new play caller, new offensive generator, new offensive line
coach breaking in roughly a new offense line across the board.
It wouldn't surprise me if we did. Out of the
shoot sort of struggle a little bit to find our footing.
(26:09):
But week six by we come out of that and
all of a sudden, it's like it's on now. Get
it going, yeah, get it going, all right, Jonathan Alexander,
we'll get it going with him next from the Houston Chronicle.
He's writing about the facility, other things from many camp leftovers.
From there, let's get into it with Jonathan from the
Chronicle next year on Texans Radio. Back from the break
(26:31):
here in the Hundai Texans Radio studio, Mark Vandermere and
John Harris and on the line with us right now,
Jonathan Alexander from the Houston Chronicle. Jonathan, great to have
you visit Happy Desert of the off season so far,
how's it going.
Speaker 3 (26:45):
I'm telling yeah, this is the one time where wee
can It's the dead period, so we can take as
many vacation days as we want because nothing is happening during.
Speaker 1 (26:53):
This time, it feels like it. But you had a
big story about the Texans practice facility, so tell us
about that. What you learn. Mike Toman, the president of
the Texans, hard at work trying to put it together.
We read some of the piece, but what can you
share with the listeners, Jonathan.
Speaker 3 (27:08):
Yeah, you know, talking with Mike Toeman, you know, he
says things are coming pretty quickly and faster than what
they were initially expecting, so fast that they reorganized the
business department and moving a couple of people in different positions,
(27:30):
and and because they think this deal could happen fairly soon.
So you know, I wrote about that and and what
could come of it, and obviously we talked about it
in the past, but you know, they want to build
a world class facility, one that rivals other ones, and
one that keeps getting brought up is the one in Dallas,
(27:53):
and they'll have Jerry Angel who will focus solely on
that on that project.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
I think it's fascinating in this discussion because I know
a lot of people are like, well, they're.
Speaker 1 (28:03):
Gonna build a new state No, this is not the
new stadium.
Speaker 2 (28:05):
This is the new facility that houses coaches, staff, business shops,
football ops, everybody, and where the Texans would practice. It
is not energy stadium. So I think it's always interesting
to kind of put that out there. Make sure fans
understand we're talking two different things here, Jonathan, did you
there's always the when and then there's the where when
(28:29):
you kind of just address. Not really sure, but it's
moving a little bit faster than maybe thought. How about
the where? Are there any ideas about where this might
end up?
Speaker 1 (28:39):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (28:39):
I think there are a couple of places that it
could end up. One, of course, Harris County, who probably
told us that they're trying to keep the headquarters in
the county limits. But I think there are also other
counties where you could see the Texans go, and they've
(29:00):
been pretty vocal about it. They're not opposed to doing that.
You know. Obviously, what is the county that encomes to.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
Proland got zil Oh, Brazoria.
Speaker 3 (29:10):
Yeah, Brazoria Fort Bend is an option. Montgomery County. You know,
I think what they're in particular focusing on is trying
not to be too far from NRG Stadium, but also
be around where their players mostly live. And obviously players
live different areas. But you know, I think from what
(29:32):
Mike Toman told me, he didn't give any specifics of who,
even though I know of a couple, but I'm just
not ready to kind of confirm them. He told me
a variety of entities have reached out to them and
they're serious about those inquiries.
Speaker 1 (29:49):
Well, I know that Froburg's farm is in Brazoria County
and that is a cool place with strawberries and stuff.
You can go pick fresh strawberries there. Yeah, it's an
awesome place. Bergs. Yeah, So if it's near that strawberry farm,
that would be awesome. Oh. All I know is yeah,
there are a lot of different possibilities, So we'll find
out soon enough. Hopefully we'll find out soon enough. Jonathan
Alex had it for the Chronicle joining its Okay, in
(30:11):
between last time we got together. In this time, we
did talk about one day of mini camp practice, but
we didn't talk about the next day of mini camp
practice because that was on a Wednesday. So any other
takeaways from mini camp? You left the Texans on the
practice field feeling what Jonathan?
Speaker 3 (30:28):
Yeah, I'm the left feeling that they're going to have
a legitimate defense. You know, we saw early on how
dominant Will Anderson was and then you add on Danil
Hunter and the two of those guys are going to
recavoc on opposing quarterbacks having said that, you look on
the opposite side, I think there's still much to be
(30:51):
learned about the Texans offense, particularly the offensive line, as
they continue to figure out these offensive line combinations, who's
going to start where. It was interesting to see J.
Andrews running with the first team in many camp, and
you know, I think that's significant because obviously the Texans
want to get somebody who has great chemistry with CJ. Stroud,
(31:13):
and Andrews wasn't running with the first team before. And
you know, obviously nothing has been decided yet, but I
thought that was significant.
Speaker 1 (31:22):
And uh, you know.
Speaker 3 (31:24):
I think it's a work in progress. But they have
a different mindset Titus that I were telling me they
want to be nasty, and then they've got new players
in a new coach who's leading them. So I think
there's a chance that this offense line could turn around
in the right direction. I think that's key to the
offense being as good as it is.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
Jonathan I, I can't remember the timing of Nick Chubb's
signing with the Texans, whether we had a chance to
talk to talk about it last week or not, But
now that we've had a chance to let it digest
a little bit like, Okay, Nick Chubb is in this backfield,
So what does it mean your opinion?
Speaker 1 (32:01):
What does it mean? Who do you think?
Speaker 2 (32:04):
It's now a big competition at this point, we don't
know when Joe's exactly going to be back. We hope
he's back to being in a training camp. Let's say
everybody's healthy. How do you think this competition goes at
running back? And what as you've thought about it, what
do you see as the positives of having Nick Chubb
in this backfield?
Speaker 3 (32:23):
Yeah, first of all, I think they made the move
because you know, Damian Pierce and Joe Mixon's injury and
they needed to sure run a proven running back. Now,
obviously Nick Chubb has an injury history. But if all
of them are healthy, then I think that presents a
little bit of a conundrum with some of the guys
(32:44):
because they're probably only going to keep or guys five
maximum and you got obviously Joe Mixon is gonna make it.
I'd expect if Nick Chubb is anywhere close to where
he was before the injury, he would make it. With
Marx is gonna make it. Dara is huge on special teams.
I don't want to say it's a guarantee, but I
(33:05):
think he's likely to make it. And then you got
a question whether Damian Pierce makes it in that case.
And I think given the fact that Nick Chubb is
a little bit more of a guy who you wouldn't
mind running, Damian Pearce has seen his carry numbers drop
and not you know, Damien does do kick returns. I
think he'd likely be the oyd man out if everybody
(33:27):
was healthy. But it's still a long way to go,
and we'll see how that plays itself out. Then again,
you know, I don't exactly know where Damian Pierce is
injury wise. He might begin to yet on the pup
list and they might.
Speaker 1 (33:37):
Have extra spot Jonathan right now, And we're gonna hold
you to this. No, we want who's gonna have the
second most receptions on the team. I would assume that
you would pick Nico number one. But who's gonna have
the second most receptions on the team. I'm not talking
about yards. I'm talking about number of catches on this squad.
Speaker 3 (33:57):
Yeah, I'm glad you said that, not your yards, because
I do think Higgins will have the second most yards.
But I think Christian Kirk will have the second most catches.
I think Christian Kirk may even battle Nico. You know,
a lot of guys in the slide, you know, get
a lot of short catches, and I see Christian Kirk
as long as he stays healthy. Obviously he had the
injuries the last couple of years, but as long as
(34:19):
he stays healthy, he can be effective. He was explosive
in many camping OTAs and even that second day seem
to have like an established connection with c J. Stroud
as a security blanket. So you know, I definitely seen
Christian Kirk being a weapon, especially when you got those
two guys on the outside and Nico Collins and Jenn
Higgins being huge threats. That up the opportunities for Christian Kirk.
Speaker 1 (34:41):
Okay, this one's for both of you. Take c J.
Speaker 2 (34:44):
Stroud out of the conversation. What one offensive player one
has to have either a career year or Pro Bowl
year or fining year for this offense in this team
to get to eleven plus wins. Like this player, you
(35:07):
look at and go, this guy had a career year
and as a resist, the offense went to a different
level and that made this a better team.
Speaker 1 (35:15):
Get to eleven twelve wins John, then you go first.
Speaker 3 (35:21):
As far as on the offense, you know, I almost
want to say Nico Collins because of how important he
is to the offense, But I'm gonna go with Cam Robinson.
You know, I think the offensive line has to be
for the Texans to be as good as they want
to be. I think the offensive line has to be
(35:42):
on point, and you lose a little bit of talent
when you go from Laramy tumpsl to Cam Robinson. So
I think Cam Robinson has to have, you know, the
best year of his career for them to go as
far as they want to go. That's one of the
more important positions on the offensive line.
Speaker 1 (35:57):
Nice answer. I like that one. I'm gonna go with
Joe mix. I think Joe Mixon has to have a
huge year because last year you get over one thousand
thousand yards. Great, I want to see thirteen fourteen hundred yards.
I know they picked up Chubb, I know they have Damien,
I know they have Dare, but we all know that
Mixon is the one guy, if healthy at this stage
(36:18):
of his career, can really do these things. I'd love
to see Pierce able to do those things the way
he did in twenty twenty two. I'd love to see
Chubb get back to being Nick Chubb. I don't know
if I'm going to see that, but I feel pretty
good about Mixon being able to be mixing if he's upright,
so you need that. And it kind of goes along
with Jonathan's point. If Mixon's getting thirteen fourteen hundred yards,
the old line is probably playing pretty well. And it's
(36:41):
not that he's more important than the wide receivers, but
I feel like you can get your receiving yards or
you get that passing yard that you need if Mixon's
running the ball well. Jonathan, talk to me about this.
AFC teams contending for playoff berths and or more. We
have three double digit win teams from last year that
did not win their division. Two of them made the
(37:04):
player actually three of them made the playoffs. They all
three made the playoffs, the Broncos, the Chargers, and the Steelers.
Which one of those teams Steelers now with Aaron Rodgers.
Of course, are you buying stocking to soar and upset
people and maybe even make it to the AFC Championship game. Broncos, Chargers,
Steelers double digit win teams from twenty twenty four that
(37:27):
did not win their division. Who's it going to be?
Speaker 3 (37:30):
You know, part of me wants to say the Broncos,
but I do believe there's something to the second year curse.
Not necessarily a curse, but I do think you get
more film on quarterbacks in their second year and they
start to struggle. I think Bonis could struggle, but I
think the Chargers and given the fact that you have
a veteran quarterback, there, a really good defense, and Jim Harbar,
(37:55):
who's approving coach, who's really turned around every program he's
been to. You get him a year two with that team,
I think they have the best chance. I'm not saying
that will happen, because I don't think it'll happen, but
I think they have a better chance than the Broncos
and the Steelers.
Speaker 1 (38:10):
Johnny, you address that, Okay.
Speaker 2 (38:12):
I think Broncos because of the defense.
Speaker 1 (38:16):
All Right, If I threw the Bengals in with that
group because they had nine wins, would they replace No? No,
not for me, Jonathan, not for me.
Speaker 3 (38:23):
No. I love Joe Burrow, but I think they have
some issues elsewhere, in particular defense. I'm not convinced about
their defense.
Speaker 2 (38:31):
Okay, the flip side of that question is the Texans
will play three teams that drafted in the top six
this year. They were the Titans, the Jaguars, the Raiders.
Which of those three makes a bid for the playoffs?
Be it wild Carter.
Speaker 1 (38:49):
Win a division, Titans, Jacks are Raiders, Titans, Jags Raiders.
Our guest goes first, Johnathan goes first.
Speaker 3 (38:56):
Yeah, I think it's the Raiders. You know, they get
a quarterback Gino Smith who's familiar with Pete Carroll's system,
a good coach, and playing the last place schedule. You know,
they won't win the division, but I think they could
with the easy schedule, they could win the wildcard.
Speaker 1 (39:14):
Yeah, I'm with you there on the Raiders. Yeah, you
have Gino Smith playing quarterback. Now, Pete Carroll's a completely
different culture situation. I think that's gonna be pretty healthy
for them. But they play in a tough division where
the other three teams made the postseason. I think it's
a tough call almost between Jags and Titans. And you
might say, oh, come on, Vandy, Well, Jags won four games,
Titans won three with Will Levis, so I think the
(39:36):
Titans two or three games. I think Titans with cam
Ward can upset some people. And I'm not convinced that
Jags are bouncing all the way back. I'm not convinced
they are in a tail spin. And I know they
have a new staff, but they are in a tail
spin that dates back to twenty twenty three. So you
have that to deal with. Yeah, you just hate Travis Hunter.
Don't hate Travis Hunter. I like Travis Hunter. I just
(39:58):
don't like AFC opponents, that's all.
Speaker 3 (40:01):
I was talking to a good guy, Everett, and he said,
and you know obviously he's now biased, but he was saying,
Cam Woard looked really good in practice.
Speaker 1 (40:09):
Okay, yeah, cam Wore can make plays, so and practice
he's gonna look really I mean that ball comes out
of his hands.
Speaker 2 (40:15):
I mean it'll it'll grab you a little again, like
Will Levis, he will throw you one during the game.
You have to take advantage of it and make him
pay for doing things that.
Speaker 1 (40:27):
He's got a little bit of Yolo in his game.
I'll just say that Yolo. And Jonathan's talking about Everett Geerlings,
who was with Texans PR who's now going to be
VP of PR. I don't know if that's his exact title,
but he is a VP with the Tennessee Titans organization,
so congratulations to him starting up there. I think first
full week is probably this week for him. Very good, Jonathan.
(40:48):
What do you have going on to the Houston Chronicle
for us?
Speaker 3 (40:51):
Yeah? I might have something a little bit later on
Mike Tilman related. I can't exactly give you the full ooh,
but I'll have something coming out later on in the weekend.
And today has something on Titus Howard and how the
offensive line has changed his mindset this this offseason.
Speaker 1 (41:10):
Sounds great, Jonathan, Thanks a lot for being with us,
Thanks for having me coming up on the show. Huge
anniversary in sports? What is it? Find out? It's Texans
All Access. Final segment here on the show. Not enough
time to get into everything we discussed with Jonathan Alexander,
but if you miss some of that, it'll show up
in podcast form soon enough. So do you know what
(41:33):
this day is? Today is June seventeenth.
Speaker 2 (41:37):
Thirty one years ago? What happened on this day? It's
the greatest sports day of all time. It's Game five, right,
and it's the OJ Chase. Yeah, but there's something else
that happened. A couple of other things.
Speaker 1 (41:51):
You had.
Speaker 2 (41:51):
You had Arnold Palmer playing for the last time in
the US Open. I think I think it was US Open. Yeah, yeah,
so it was US Open. So he was playing for
the last time US Opened. Ken Griffy hit three home runs.
Okay on this day, nineteen ninety four, June seventeenth, This
is OJ day.
Speaker 1 (42:09):
It was also the parade day for the New York Rangers.
Speaker 2 (42:13):
They got the Stanley Cup for the first time in
fifty four years.
Speaker 1 (42:16):
That was a big deal. I remember that that NHL year.
Speaker 2 (42:20):
That was my last year of Brown, so a lot
of hockey fans and so kind of watching it intently
and get home watch them beat the Canucks. The parade
was that day, June seventeenth, nineteen ninety four, thirty one
years ago.
Speaker 1 (42:32):
What was the call, I don't know who the announcer was,
one more hill to climb when they won the game
that got them within a game of clinching the cup.
One more hill to climb. Oh the Rangers of that. Yeah,
that's a big good call. I gotta get that name. Yeah,
they Marv. They end up it's not Marv. They end
up beating the Canucks. They had the big parade that
takes play. Don't know. Marvi used to call Rangers games
(42:53):
like way before.
Speaker 2 (42:54):
That, and so I'll never forget. We're watching game five Rockets.
They're in the finals. It's to two, they split the
first two, Sam Cassel. It's a big shot in game three,
so we're just looking to get out of there. We've
got to win that the Rockets needed. But it's game five.
If you can win this one, all you got to
do is win one of the two at home. And
(43:15):
you and you got a chance, yeah and you you don't.
But in the third quarter ish, all of a sudden
they break into the action and you see this white
Bronco speeding down LA Highway with cops behind and a
bunch of twenty somethings at the time, and there it
(43:36):
is just silence.
Speaker 1 (43:38):
It's silenced.
Speaker 2 (43:39):
We're just stunned, like we're watching a Rockets game and
we're like what, And then all of sudden we see
it's OJ and all of sudden, everybody just shut up,
and like we wanted to hear every single word they
were saying.
Speaker 1 (43:48):
We all know what we thought was going to happen.
When he was in the car. Yes, in the Broncos.
Speaker 2 (43:53):
Yes, and all the minds all went to the worst
case scenario, like, oh this is this is bad.
Speaker 1 (43:58):
Ford Motor Company, the official trucks and SUVs, the Houston
Texans uh I advocated for the return of the Bronco
way before they returned it, I said, this is a
classic vehicle, oh would and you should bring back the
white one too. Yes. Now, the new designs are awesome.
I see them everywhere. I love them. I love the
Bronco I love them. Oh, I love them, But I
(44:19):
also love the old one. I think the old one
is super cool. Like I think most car manufacturers should
bring back their classic old designs, but with brand new
technology inside. But keep the old shell except modernized, if
you will, whatever you have to do to reinforce it,
because people would drive that stuff all day long.
Speaker 2 (44:37):
There are companies out there that they renovate, and that's
the right way. They renovate, retro fit, retro fit like
late sixties, early seventies.
Speaker 1 (44:47):
Broncos. Bring back the old Mustang like the mark They're beautiful. Yes, like,
oh my god, I love these things. Why yeah, White
Bronco bring it back. Bring it back exactly the way
we sell like nobody's been. It would sell like crazy,
would sell huge, and no one thought we were going
to go in this direction with this segment. But that's
I mean, it's an anniversary.
Speaker 2 (45:06):
It annis thirty one years ago today Rockets Knicks Game
five and the OJ Simpson chase.
Speaker 1 (45:14):
Same tis what I passed out before it happened. And look,
I wasn't in Houston yet. Yeah, I passed out for
some reason. I was really tired that night. Yeah, and
I woke up and it was over. The game was over,
the chase was over. But CNN Headline News actually used
to do the news, so I joined it at the
top of the hour I forget what hour ten or eleven,
(45:35):
whatever it was, and they recapped the whole thing and
I'm like, oh my gosh. And they they used to
do such a good job every half hour of recapping
all the news and it was a beautifully done newscast.
So I saw the whole thing unfold. I thought, this
is amazing. And my boss was upset because they the
station was trying to call me and they wanted to
(45:57):
get me on the air to talk about what was happening.
Just have a radio passed outside thirty one years ago today.
That was Yeah, that's amazing. What a day that way,
I mean just and they're not real nature of that day.
Speaker 2 (46:11):
And it started off with Rangers and US open and
then Griffy and okay, Rockets Knicks were locked in game
five man, and we knew it was kind of there
was We knew stirring stuff was going on.
Speaker 1 (46:22):
Like, yeah, we knew all that was a fugitive. We
didn't happen earlier in the day. It happened earlier in
the day is declared a fugiative.
Speaker 2 (46:29):
But by the time the Rockets game started, we're like, okay,
we're focused on Rockets. When they broke into an NBA
Finals game with it, we're like, okay, this is for
real story.
Speaker 1 (46:36):
How many documentaries there's another out right now? There's the
whole thirty for thirty series. There's at least three that
I know of, and they're all three. They're all watchable
because they're all very very good.
Speaker 2 (46:46):
By someone, I watched one of them from beginning at
to thirty for thirty, but a different one I need
to watch it.
Speaker 1 (46:51):
He loved it. He didn't know anything about it, really,
he knew it, but he didn't really know. It was awesome.
He loved every second of it. It's really good, huge story. Okay,
that's it for the show tonight. Tomorrow night, Foley Faicassi
joins us. Thursday. It's John McClain the mcnairs this week
as well. Big week on Texans All Access and we're
gonna have Area forty five coming your way next. Have
(47:14):
a great evening, Go Texans.
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