September 5, 2025 • 46 mins
Marc Vandermeer and John Harris preview the Houston Texans' 2025 season opener against the Los Angeles Rams with Hall of Fame football writer John McClain. The trio analyzes DeMeco Ryans' defensive schemes, C.J. Stroud's protection concerns with the revamped offensive line featuring rookie Aireontae Ersery, and Matthew Stafford's back injury impact. McClain breaks down key matchups including Will Anderson Jr. vs the Rams' pass protection, Nico Collins' target share with Christian Kirk's hamstring injury, and Nick Caley's new offense. Plus NFL predictions on the Bills, Jaguars, Ravens vs Chiefs, most overrated/underrated teams, and injury updates from Houston Methodist's Dr. Jason Awero. Essential listening for Texans fans ahead of the 3:25 PM kickoff at SoFi Stadium.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello Texans. Here it is week one, our first Thursday
night show of the NFL regular season. It's upon us
as the Texans take on the Rams Sunday afternoon, three
twenty five, live right here and on the Bowl one
hundred point three FM, and on the Odyssey app and
a whole lot of places. And joining us, it's Mark
Vandermin and John Harris with you. Joining us is the General,
(00:22):
the Hall of Famer John McClain, to preview this matchup,
to talk about other NFL matchups. Because there's a game tonight.
As you might have heard, there's a Brazilian game tomorrow.
I call it the Brazilian Brazilion with the Chargers and
the Chiefs. And we've got all the action on Sunday
and college football too, So general, good evening. How are
(00:43):
you feeling with the game three days away?
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Well, I'm bored up about it, as everybody is. The
season college is started with the most watched weekend I
think in the history. Maybe it's just the opener you
you ten Ohio State was the ies grated opener in history.
I think the NFL will pick right up with this
game with the Eagles and Cowboys. No telling what the
(01:08):
ratings will be, especially if the Cowboys manage to keep
it close and competitive. But I can't wait to see
the Rams, and the Texans can't wait to see Nick
Cayley's offense now that he doesn't have to be Vanilla anymore.
You know, the running game in the offensive line is
what everybody's going to be watching to see. Number one,
(01:29):
how the line improves and number two, how the running
game works without Joe Mixon for at least the first
four games. Is for the defense. You know, they got
a great defense, and I'm guessing that Matthew Stafford is
going to take a lot of three step drops. He's
going to run draws, He's going to run screens, He's
going to run quick turnaround passes, anything except dropping back
(01:54):
and holding the ball and running the risk of getting
obliterated by Will Anders or Daniel Hunter. Can you imagine
everybody listening, I'm sure has had a back issue. I've
had back surgery, and I can't imagine having a back
injury that required me to get shots and not practice
(02:15):
except lightly for two weeks. And then how in the
world would you survive ahead by Anderson or Hunter or
any of the other pass rushers. So I'm looking for
Sean mcvay's game plan to be running a lot with
darn Williams, but get rid of it quick when Matthew
(02:36):
Stafford has to pass.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
General in this game, what's one advantage you think the
Texans have over the Rams? What's one advantage the Rams
have over the Texans.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
I think the Texans advantage over the Rams is their
overall defense going against a quarterback who who has not
been able to participate orly at all through the offseason
program because of it his back injury.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
And even though.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Matthew Stafford has been incredibly durable unless it was a
major injury. Yeah, he's a tough guy. We saw him
take a beating, including a couple by the Texans when
he played for Detroit. But I would think the Texans
defense against their passing game, you know, they've got problems
up front. And I think the biggest thing about the
(03:27):
Rams is Karen Williams in a running game. You know,
Williams is a very underrated running back. I've tried to read,
watch and listened everything I can recently to see what
people I respect are picking about the NFL. All of
them picked the Texans to win the AFC's out for
(03:48):
a third time. I've only seen one who picked him
to win that first game, Sharene Williams of the Athletic
I mean of NBC and Pro Football talk, and people
forget how the Texas just pound teams in that opening round.
But I'm very excited, you know, seeing a return game.
(04:11):
How it might be affected with Barrios not practicing because
of a hamstring injury. As you guys know, hamstrings have
to be one hundred percent so you don't risk aggravating them.
And so Frank Ross looks like I'll have to have
another return guy. And then if Christian Kirk can't play,
(04:34):
that looks like a whole lot more action from a
second rookie. Jalen Nol to go along with Jay Niggins.
Speaker 5 (04:41):
How do you think C. J.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
Gardner Johnson fits in as he's available opening day and
looks to make a dynamite debut if at all possible.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
It's interesting I listened to a long interview this morning
with south Allantonio, who's covered who's just signed a contract
re up with ESPN, the longest running reporter thirty years,
and he covers the Eagles. He's always been based there
and he said, the Eagles have don't have a plan
that everybody recognizes to replace their two starting safeties, and
(05:12):
he was talking about how much he thought they were
gonna miss Gardner Johnson, And I think that's good. You know,
the guy had he hadn't been able to get out
there since you guys were at the Greenbrier and everybody
held their breath when he went down. Now is he's
back starting in this game. I think his experience, his
(05:33):
leadership will be good. He almost got beat by Matthew
Stafford in the playoffs last year in the cold at
Laying Snow and ice at Lincoln Financial feel the Rams
gave the Eagles their toughest game in the playoffs, so
he knows what Stafford's all about. They game planned for
(05:53):
them in February, I mean in January. So I'm guessing
he's done a lot of helping coach and prepare the
secondary for what's coming with Stafford. And I look for
him to be rusty, of course, but one of the
things he's got a dynamic second year of safety, Kaylyn
(06:13):
Bullock to go with him. And you think about the
front three guys with Derek Stingley Junior and Kamari Lassiter
and Jalen Petree to go along with Bullock and Gardner Johnson.
There can't be another team in the NFL that can
put together five starters in the secondary as good as
they are. And of course, so much depends on the
(06:36):
pass rush. And not many teams have better defensive line
than the Texans do.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
One of those teams that doesn't have a better defensive line,
but it's got a very good one, the Los Angeles Rams.
Whether it's Byron Young, Kobe Turner, Poona Ford, or it's
Jared Versu Braden Fisco's two both came out of Florida
State last year.
Speaker 6 (06:56):
General, you kind of alluded to it earlier, and I
knew we would get to it.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
How confident are you feeling about this offensive line going
against Jared versus Byron Young? Those guys in particular, the
two guys that presumably are on the edge is Titus
Howard at right tackle in the rookie Arianta Ersery and
left tackle.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Well, let's be honest, how could anybody be confident about
this offensive line when they haven't seen them together? True,
but when it counted and if they and it just
makes sense. You put ted us back in his old position,
but he played left guard last year, and then you
have four new starters, including a rookie left tackle. They're
going to have growing pains. This is a great test
(07:39):
for them right off the bat because they're going to
get one of the best defensive lines that is in
the NFL. And we talked about the game plan that
Sean McVay would have for Matthew Stafford. I would imagine
it is the same for CJ. Stroud. Nick Kayley knows
them very very well. I watched a Sean McVeigh interview
(08:01):
a while ago and he was talking about how talented
that the Texans offense is. He said, now I need
to call Kayley and find out what his audibles are
so we'll be better prepared. Of course everybody laughed about it,
but the idea has got to be to protect CJ.
So even though they've got a running back back committee,
(08:22):
they're going to try to run. And how well they
run depends on how well the offensive line does. And
I would imagine we see Stroud rolling out both ways
because he's got to avoid that pass rush. I saw.
Let's see what was the stat when he's been sacked
four or more times. I can't remember if this last
(08:46):
year or the year before. I guess his the last
two years they're three and ten, so you don't want
to give up four or more sacks. So great strategy
by both play callers. Sean McVay and Nick Cayley have
been together for the last two years about keeping their
quarterback upright, trying to keep the defense off balance with
running games, and right now, the Rams got to feel
(09:09):
really good about their running game, and the Texans they
want to feel good about it. They may say they
feel good about it, and maybe they do, but boy,
you talk about being under the microscope, the running game
and the pass protection are under it general.
Speaker 5 (09:25):
I want to zoom out for just a moment.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
Then we'll get into all the action this weekend other
than the Texans and more on the Texans Rams game.
But this is related to the Rams, of course, who
are back in Los Angeles. Of course they've been that
way for a while. This is the second meeting the
Texans have had with the Rams in LA. They lost
there in twenty seventeen at the Coliseum. But had Bob
McNair not gotten the Texans in Houston as the thirty
(09:48):
second franchise and LA won that battle. Where are the
Rams today? Are they in Houston? Is there some other
weird development as we turn back the clock and reverse
the rotation of the earth and take a look at
what might have been?
Speaker 2 (10:02):
Bob told me one time he had several inquiries from
the NFL because he had already submitted all of his
finances to them several years before. He pursued the Texans
because he wanted to own an NFL team, and they
loved everything about bobbing there, including the money he had,
the money he was willing to invest. They talked to
(10:26):
him about buying the Dolphins. He looked into it, but
Wayne Eizinga wanted to keep the stadium. He had no interest.
They talked to him about the expansion teams in Carolina
in Jacksonville, and then they talked to him about the Rams,
and he said, and imagine how history would be different.
He told me. The only team I would have sincerely
(10:49):
considered buying his Washington Redskins. And one reason was he
spent so much time in Washington, and a lot of
that was because at one point he was the largest
Republic contributor in the country, and I thought, man if
Bob ming there had bought them, and nobody had ever
heard about Dan Sneyder. How that could have changed the
(11:11):
history of that franchise. But because the league wanted a
team in LA and was desperate to get the team
in LA and did everything they could to get it
in there. And Bob always told me, we're going to
get it because we have our ducks in a row.
He said, I've got spies out there and they can't
(11:32):
decide where it goes, who's going to pay for it,
and we've got all those ducks in a row. But
the league sure wanted to have a team in LA,
and it got to general.
Speaker 6 (11:42):
I don't know if we've had a chance to talk
to you.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
I don't know about the Michael Parsons trade to the
Green Bay Packers, who was announced today. I don't announce,
but it was revealed that the Eagles apparently were interested.
You know, Jerry was not going to trade him within
the division, but he did trade him within the conference,
sends him green Bay. The Cowboys get two first round
picks back and Kenny Clark your thoughts about the Gambler
(12:07):
and his Cowboys making a move from Michael Parsons going
to green Bay.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
Everybody in Texas gets the Texans Rams game and this
on Sunday, and one small area Dallas for Worth, gets
the Packers game. And that's of course for obvious reasons.
And it depends everything, depends on what they do with
(12:34):
those draft picks. You got to figure the Packers are
going to be drafting low in the twenties, maybe closer
to thirty and and the Cowboys, you know, they may
have if Dak Prescott stays healthy. Every year he's been
healthy then or played most of the games they've been
in the playoffs. So that's the key. He's got to
(12:54):
stay healthy. You know, one guy pass rusher doesn't put
you in a super Bowl. You know, a quarterback Tom
Brady puts you in the Super Bowl, like he did
with the Buccaneers. But I think the Cowboys, no way,
anybody can think they're better. This year. Kenny Clark, their
defensive tackle statistically, had his worst season. Well the reason
(13:15):
was he was hurt. He had a big toe injury.
He played hurt. You know how hard it is you
can't push off if your big toes hurt. And I
think he had it surgically repaired after the season. He's
one hundred percent ready to go, and boy, Saquon Barkley
better not rush for two hundred yards when they kick
off shortly because Jerry said, oh boy, I run defense
(13:38):
is going to be so much better. And one other thing,
I was listening to Rob Demovski, who has covered them
forever and is on the Pro Football Hall of Fame
selection committee with me, and he said that when the
Packers played at AT and T Stadium in the playoffs
two years ago, their game plan was to run the
ball at Michael Parsons and it worked. But the Packers
(14:01):
know that and they still paid. You know, the price
of two ones that should be low is not that
big a deal. But giving him five million more, what
was he going to say? No, I'm not going to
play for a mirror forty two million a year.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
Yeah, general, the E word came up with Parsons epidural.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
Ooh.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
When I heard that, I thought, maybe Jerry's crazy like
a fox here because Parsons limited again in practice, Doctor
VanderMeer says he probably is not going to play on Sunday.
Speaker 5 (14:31):
I'm just I just have that feeling.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
How do you play if you're limited with a back
injury and you're with a brand new team and you
haven't done anything all preseason. But maybe he does. But
what are your thoughts on that long term injury? Long
term health back injury for a pass rusher, or for
anybody in this league for that matter.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
Go and his agent both said he was planning to
play for the Cowboys in the first game Thursday night.
So I think that he's wanting people to be biting
their fingernails and then all of a sudd he plays
and he's Superman. What if he doesn't play and everybody
in the metro plagues has got to watch the Packers
(15:07):
win out. Micah Parsons those ratings, I'm guessing won't be
real good, but I'm guessing he'll play if you can
risk Matthew Stafford standing up to punishment from Will Anderson Junior,
Danil Hunter and all their other pass rushers. I think
a guy can rush the pass, or if it's not
full time, at least in obvious passing situations.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
Okay, general, you need to rate my hot take. Here's
my hot take. Well, there's two of them. The first
one that's really not a hot take. I thought hard
Knocks with the Buffalo Bills was probably the most blah
I've ever seen. Absolutely, So here's the second one. I
think the Buffalo Bills are vulnerable. I see a lot
of people putting them in the super Bowl. I think
(15:51):
the Bills win AFC East, but they do it going
ten and seven and get knocked out in the first
round of the playoffs.
Speaker 6 (15:57):
That's my hot take about the Buffalo Bills.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
I thought it was the worst Hard Knocks I've ever seen.
I've seen them all is. HBO knew it was bad
because they made it thirty seven minutes. They didn't have
enough good material. Well, I think since teams get final editing,
we didn't see guys getting cut. I think after what
the Giants did last year and before leading up to
(16:21):
the draft scared everybody off. And most truth is, most
teams want their in house people doing things like Hard Knocks,
which a lot of them do, because they'll be better.
And I felt bad for the HBO people because it
was terrible. They had something last night with Josh Adams,
(16:43):
Josh Adams Josh Allen handing hot different hot sauces to
two people from their production team and they're pouring sauce
on it and eating wings and answering his questions, and
I thought that may be the worst, the worst kitkit
whatever I've ever seen a hard knocks and I don't
(17:05):
know if it'll come back again because it was terrible.
As far as the Bills get knocked out, I've got
the Bills and Lions in the Super Bowl. I know
it's on ESPN today. One of the guys as the
Rams winning the Super Bowl and the Lions not even
making the playoffs after they went fifteen and two because
they lost their coordinators. But it's easy for everybody to
(17:29):
pick Baltimore, Kansas City, or Buffalo. And I know one thing,
I can't wait till Buffalo comes in here again after
the way that Texans treated Josh Allen to the worst
game of his career last season.
Speaker 3 (17:44):
So I guess my take is pretty hot. Then General's
got him going to the Super Bowl. My take is hot,
scorching hot take. That's for I just worry about the
secondary for them. I worry about them repeating Josh's got
to put the cape on.
Speaker 5 (17:57):
Well, they're still the best team in the ANFC East
untill further.
Speaker 6 (17:59):
Now that's true.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
So I agree with that, And look, I understand that
because in the AFC South.
Speaker 6 (18:04):
The Texans are that team. Yeah, all right, let's get
to some of the.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Games that I have seen all off season. Was two
last week when Mike Tannenbaum, former GM picked the Titans
to win the AFC South and tried to justify it
on ESPN's Get Up, and they just just eviscerated him
because cam Ward was going to have a great season,
(18:30):
and he talked about Jade Daniels and they pointed out
all the talent he had around him that I don't
know if that's a hot take, that's just a terrible take, okay.
And if he wins it, if the Titans win the division,
he'll be a genius. And if they don't, well know
why he's not a GM.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
Okay, you'll eat the newspaper. If the Titans, no, you're
not gonna do that again.
Speaker 6 (18:55):
Test is doing that one, all right.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
So let's get to some of the games here. The
Colts and the Dolphins. Indeed, the Horseshoe in action and
a one and a half point favorite against Miami. Look,
Miami getting a lot of negativity this preseason, and for
good reason. Are the Colts up of the task to
win at home with Jonathan Taylor running the rock and
(19:17):
Daniel Jones at least they hope doesn't turn the ball over.
Speaker 5 (19:21):
What do you think happens.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
If Jonathan Taylor runs it thirty times, they'll win. But
I'm going with Miami being ridiculed like crazy. They still
have a dynamic offense, and I think Miami is gonna
be explosive. I think they're gonna win nine or ten
games and compete, but not earn a wild card birth.
Speaker 6 (19:40):
Okay, see, I'm not my hot take. I don't know.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
I just there's something about Miami that I'm not like. No, No,
the pre pants could be, it could be.
Speaker 6 (19:51):
Part of it, but I just I don't know.
Speaker 3 (19:53):
I like Weave as an Even's coordinator, so I don't
want to see him do horrible even. Plus we're not
playing them, so you don't care at that point. But
I just there's something about them that that bothers me.
Here's the other one that's bothering me general, the Travis
Hunter is gonna win eight MVPs in the Rookie of
the Year all in his first year. It's driving me crazy.
This hype train that's going on to Jacksonville. Jacksonville's got
(20:15):
the Panthers anyway. The Panthers could pull the upset.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
Uh, they could, but I don't expect it. I think
the Jaguars are gonna be second to the Texans because
I think Liam Cohen is finally gonna do a good
somebody's gonna do a good job with Trevor Lawrence and uh.
I just a lot of people are picking the Panthers
to win seven or eight games. I just don't see it.
(20:39):
You know, we didn't see anything here with the joint
practice or the game. Now I know that's what it was,
but I just don't see it. Maybe maybe next.
Speaker 1 (20:49):
Year, Okay, all right, we'll see how that shakes out.
So you like the Jags over the Panthers, I don't
have to ask you who you're picking. With the Titans
visiting Denver, this is a tough place for them to
begin their season the cam Ward era. But you mentioned
this earlier with the tantabamb pick. Cam Warrick can have
a really good season, but they could win only five
(21:11):
six games. It could turn out that way for the Titans.
They could have that hope for the future. If he
has a statistically good season and they have some moments.
I'll put that in their quotes along the way. Is
that what you anticipate out of them?
Speaker 2 (21:23):
Yeah, they'll they never admit this, but if they could
win six games with a rookie quarterback in double last
season's victories, they would know that they're on their way.
Remember and Gary could be that game in here and
won six games after two, people are like, wow, they're
on their way. And I do think this. A lot
(21:44):
of people are picking Denver to win the AFC West
and Kansas City was fifteen and two last year. And
I don't think Chiefs are going to the super Bowl
for the Super Bowl loser to go back to the
Super Bowl. And Denver's got a great defense at bo
Niggs's going into this, I can hear, and Sean Payton
is a great coach, and they should just annihilate the Titans.
(22:06):
But I'm sure not picking them to dethrone the Chiefs
until they actually do it.
Speaker 3 (22:11):
All Right, this is always a tough, tough one at
the beginning of the year. So this is for both
of you. Okay, there's all this hype, so all this
talk about teams, blah blah blah. This team's got this,
this team's got that, this team's gonna be the most
improved team.
Speaker 6 (22:25):
In the league.
Speaker 3 (22:26):
This team made a lot of signings, et cetera. What team, general,
you go first? What team right now is the most
overrated team in the NFL? Which team do you think
is the most underrated team in the NFL? Mark you
get to consider that too. Most overrated team is most
underrated team.
Speaker 2 (22:47):
Is well, I'll say the underrated and I'm not the
only one saying it because I like Mike Brabo. You know,
he took the Titans to THEFC championship game. He had
a great running game. He's gonna have a great running game.
He's got a really good quarterback in Drake May. It's
got Josh McDaniels, who was a terrible head coach but
(23:07):
a great coordinator. I think that the Patriots are going
to have the most improvement. And this sounds terrible, but
I just can't. A lot of people are picking the
Chargers to do big things. I saw people having Just
Herbert as the third best quarterback in the NFL, ahead
(23:30):
of Lamar Jackson, and I just I don't see it.
I could see the Chargers being overrated. With Jim Barball,
They've They've got injury issues, and I can't help thinking
the last time we saw the Chargers, the Texans just
embarrassed them. So I'm going to say the team that
everybody's HIPing up being better in Harbaugh's now that he's
(23:55):
had time with them, I'm thinking they're going to take
a step back.
Speaker 1 (23:58):
Underrated the rate, Oh, I like it. I think the
Raiders are gonna do some things here, But I do
some things. I mean with nine or ten maybe right,
because I think this is one of the best coaches
of our era, there's no question about it. And Gino
is a pretty good quarterback. He's always underrated, he's always overlooked,
and all he does is win games. He had ten
wins last year in Seattle. They didn't make the playoffs,
(24:19):
but they won ten games with McDonald as the head coach.
Last time he was with Pete, they won nine in Seattle.
Now they're together in Raiderville and they've got genty run
of the rock for them, and.
Speaker 2 (24:30):
He's gonna be the offensive rookie of the year.
Speaker 5 (24:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (24:33):
I like Raiders are gonna have.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
The offensive rookie the year, not the Jaguars.
Speaker 1 (24:37):
I don't have as much scientific evidence for this overrated pick,
but I'm really hopeful Denver. I hate Denver. Like Sean Payton.
I don't want to see that thing working. If anybody's
right for a sophomore slump is bo Nicks, who's a
thirty seven year old sophomore whatever age he's at right
now in his life. I want to see that thing
(24:57):
go down the tubes in the AFC West. But I
don't want to see the Chiefs benefit either. So I
don't know what Raiders, Chargers, Chiefs, Broncos.
Speaker 6 (25:06):
Let's go. Yeah, that's my order. Man.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
You guys picking the former Oregon Duck quarterbacks too, both
of you on the overrated bo Nix and Justin Herbert.
Speaker 6 (25:16):
I'm with you with Devers.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
The Broncos need to be overrated. When they come in
here and Janis McNair is going up into the rafters.
Speaker 1 (25:26):
Well, her name is yes, Yes, she's not gonna go
up to herself. She might be standing up to be like, yeah,
she'll be up there with Toro Rick, s.
Speaker 3 (25:37):
Uffing the placard off and showing her name, but no,
I think she's gonna be next to Mark.
Speaker 1 (25:41):
I think, yeah, well, I hope to be down on
the field. You know, I'm gonna go down there right
before the half, and you guys are gonna done that
before the Cats away, and you guys are gonna be
calling the game and having a great time doing it, Yeah,
doing play by play.
Speaker 3 (25:53):
My underrated. I'm gonna go with the New York Jets.
I think there's a lot unknown about the Jets.
Speaker 6 (25:58):
I'm gonna go with the Jets. Underrated, underrated.
Speaker 1 (26:01):
I think, wait, the left tackles out, I know, but still,
you got Justin Fields a quarterback round.
Speaker 3 (26:07):
I just I like leaving your guy a g I look,
I just think they're gonna get to seven, eight wins,
and people are gonn look up and go man, AG did.
Speaker 5 (26:14):
It was seven? Two years ago?
Speaker 3 (26:15):
Was Zach Wilson. They couldn't get to seven? I know,
but I don't. I don't know if they have that
kind of talent anymore.
Speaker 5 (26:21):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (26:22):
We'll see, but I would say Jets. Nobody's really talking
about the Jets.
Speaker 6 (26:25):
It's just weird.
Speaker 5 (26:25):
I think it's fine.
Speaker 6 (26:26):
It's just and I love AG.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
Yeah, yeah, but I still don't understand why he didn't
go to New Orleans rated.
Speaker 3 (26:32):
Go ahead, Jacksonville Jaguars. I'm done listening to this, they're
gonna win the division. They got Travis Unter playing both ways.
I am done with that.
Speaker 5 (26:40):
Jack Jarvis Hunter on your where was Travis' Oh?
Speaker 6 (26:44):
I had him as guy.
Speaker 3 (26:45):
I hadm number two, number two, number two behind Abdual Carter. Yeah,
because your jit player. Look, don't get me wrong.
Speaker 1 (26:50):
I'm just so you're not projecting him two way player,
superstar that kind of thing.
Speaker 5 (26:56):
Right now.
Speaker 1 (26:56):
He's by the way check because he had that abdominantly
shot in the preseason. But he's clear of that now,
so he's not on their practice status reports.
Speaker 6 (27:05):
I just know what's gonna happen. General, you know what's
gonna happen. Mark, you know what's gonna happen.
Speaker 3 (27:08):
He's gonna make one catch, make somebody miss, and it'll
be like a twenty five yard game in Week one
and all of a sudden.
Speaker 6 (27:15):
Rookie of the year, Rookie of the year.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
Do you see that, He's gonna make a viral Odale
Beckham type catch and he's gonna be overrated.
Speaker 6 (27:23):
You're not gonna hear the end of it.
Speaker 5 (27:24):
Who do you double team there in Jacksonville? Nobody.
Speaker 6 (27:28):
I don't a double team either one of them with
the two corners we got.
Speaker 2 (27:31):
Yeah, you got. I'm just talking about generally.
Speaker 6 (27:34):
Generally, I would take away Brian Thomas.
Speaker 2 (27:36):
That should be two great receivers.
Speaker 3 (27:38):
I would probably double Brian Thomas Junior right now. That's
where I would start it, and then see what Travis
does and then kind of kind of play it, you know,
play by year at that point.
Speaker 6 (27:47):
But Brian Thomas Junior is legit. Don't don't get your secondary.
Speaker 5 (27:51):
They're not gonna want to double anybody.
Speaker 1 (27:52):
They're gonna say, go after them, pass rush because we
want these picks. When these errant throws launch from the backfield.
Speaker 6 (27:59):
Twelve at the quarterback, we got the rest back here.
That's that they don't care.
Speaker 1 (28:03):
All right, General, Hey, how's the documentary going? Give us
the latest on your documentary and the integration of Texas
high school football.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
In two weeks, we are headed to Canton to I've
got the Hall of Fame to let us shoot after hours,
to shoot the bus of the players, and we can't
wait to make that trip to Kenton.
Speaker 5 (28:22):
General, thanks a lot for being with us.
Speaker 6 (28:24):
Thank you guys.
Speaker 2 (28:24):
Have a safe and fun trip to La Oh.
Speaker 1 (28:27):
Yes, we're looking forward to it very much, and we're
also looking forward to More Likely to Happen first regular
season edition coming up next year on Texans Radio. Back
here in the beautiful brand new Hyundai Texans Radio studio.
And nothing like a beautiful brand new Hyundai by the way,
(28:47):
from your Houston area Hyundai dealers, including Sterling McCall where I.
Speaker 5 (28:50):
Go a lot. Anyway, how about that for a plug?
Johnny got that in there.
Speaker 1 (28:54):
Yeah, and you've seen the studio by the way, folks listeners,
you see it on YouTube and on Texans Playbook, our
weekly TV show ten thirty five Saturday nights on ABC thirteen,
and the YouTube VIDs the Demico Ryan's vid up. I
think Nick Cassari is up there, Dari and whiley all
the stuff taught to Frank Ross. Also, that's gonna be
up soon enough, if it's not already. But let's get
(29:15):
to the game that swept the nation years ago and
still is sweeping. It rivals Jeopardy and Let's Make a
Deal and all the classic game shows. It's called more
Likely to Happen, Let's go Yes, and we're the only
too who play it. But we think it's as popular
all right, more likely to happen? Okay, I don't want
to be negative here, and I'm not going to be
(29:36):
Christian Kirk with the hamstring injury on the injury report
if he can't go, Johnny, who's second on the team
in catches this week, this week, never mind the year,
this week. If Christian Kirk cannot go, well.
Speaker 3 (29:48):
It's not as if Adam Schefter is the end all
be all, but Schefty reporting that the straight hamstring for
Kirk is expected to sideline him for at least Sunday's
opener against the Rams and possibly longer. He says the
source estimates it to be a two week injury for Kirk,
but the Texas will be cautious with him, and they
typically are, especially with hamstrengths. So should be should be
(30:11):
so at that point? Dalton Schultz or are you for
a receiver?
Speaker 1 (30:17):
No, I'm looking for whoever has the second most receptions.
Speaker 3 (30:20):
I think Dalton Schultz, and I think the next is
Kate Stover. I think it is going to be very
easy to forget about the tight ends. I do think
they're gonna be times where one of the tight ends
has got to stay in and block and help at
least be there initially to help Ariante in particular Titus
if needed. You know, some guys, sometimes tackles don't like
(30:42):
having help because once the rusher sees the help, Like,
for instance, if you're facing Daniel and you go to
chip on him, they've got rules.
Speaker 6 (30:51):
Texas do have rules for what they should do.
Speaker 3 (30:54):
And I don't think tackles as much as they don't
like facing Daniel, I think they hate it because once
they get the chip, then Denio kind of goes spinning crazy,
and it's like, I don't want to see that.
Speaker 6 (31:06):
I'd rather just take him one on one. So we'll see.
Speaker 3 (31:08):
But I think that Dalton and Kate are gonna get
involved in this game. Have probably eight to nine completions
between the two of them. Okay, I think Nico's gonna
get his targets, and I don't mind force feeding his
targets to Nico. I'm good with that. It's Nico Collins.
He's one of the top five receivers in the league.
Force feeding the targets, that's good. I do think out
of the backfield, I think you're gonna have Nick with
(31:29):
a couple of catches. You're gonna have Damien with a
catcher too. You're gonna have Woody potentially with three or
four catches.
Speaker 1 (31:34):
So now tell me who the next receiver on the
statuet is gonna be.
Speaker 5 (31:38):
Besides Nico, I think.
Speaker 6 (31:39):
Gonna rise up.
Speaker 3 (31:40):
I think it's Jalen Knowle, Okay, because you know those
little push past things. Yeah, you know when he goes
in motion and you CJ's kind of flips it two,
that's a reception.
Speaker 6 (31:49):
So I'm sure a little bit.
Speaker 3 (31:50):
And I'm not saying that those that those little push
pass you know situations, you get that.
Speaker 6 (31:55):
But I just think.
Speaker 3 (31:56):
Jalen Nol more than likely step into the void of
Christian not being there.
Speaker 6 (32:02):
Now.
Speaker 3 (32:03):
I do think that if they're in twelve personnel to start,
which I would I'm expecting, which is one back, two
tight ends, leaving two receivers, I think Jadan Higgins is
gonna be that other wide receiver.
Speaker 6 (32:14):
And I do think Jade's gonna make a play.
Speaker 3 (32:16):
I feel like Jayden's due for like three for eighty
five and he's gonna have a big play.
Speaker 6 (32:21):
One of them is gonna be a big play by
this week.
Speaker 5 (32:24):
Yeah, oh three for eighty five.
Speaker 3 (32:26):
Yeah, because one of them is gonna be like a
forty five fifty sign me up, who are you gonna double?
If you're the Rams, who are you gonna double? You
can double somebody who All right, you're gonna make the
rookie prove it. So I don't even think the Rams
secondaries that could. So if you get the ball off,
I think you've got an opportunity to hit Higgins with
at least one deep ball. Adding a couple other catches,
(32:47):
it's very easy to get to eighty five.
Speaker 1 (32:48):
At that way. I like talking to you. This is fun, Okay, fun,
Let's catch to the next one here. So more likely
to have more passing yards in this game. It's not
a who wins question. It's a fantasy football type question. Really,
Matthew Stafford or c. J. Stroud, Who's gonna have more
yards at the end of the day. And you could
say the quarterback who's down will have to throw it more,
he might have more yards. So it doesn't mean that
(33:10):
this information leads you to believe who's gonna win or lose.
Speaker 5 (33:14):
But I just want to know your thoughts.
Speaker 3 (33:17):
Stafford's gonna have more passing yards because I think what
ends up happening.
Speaker 6 (33:23):
I know the one to run the ball, but I.
Speaker 3 (33:24):
Think it's gonna be tough to run the ball against us,
just like I think it's gonna be very tough to
run the ball against them. But our linebackers are much
better than theirs, and I think it's gonna be ultra
difficult for Kyrin Williams to get going the way they
would like to.
Speaker 6 (33:37):
Now they use Williams in a lot different ways.
Speaker 3 (33:39):
I think he's one of more underrated players, not just
running backs, already players in the league. And I love him,
love him. The Ram's gotta steal with him day three
and then resigning him. I mean, they got to steal,
but I think the Texts is gonna shut him down.
I think you're gonna force Stafford to have to throw,
and there's gonna come a point, hopefully in the second
half of the Texans have that lead, and Stafford's gotta throw, throw, throw, throw,
(34:00):
and the Texans eventually are gonna go They're gonna go
find it.
Speaker 6 (34:03):
They're gonna go find the football once or twice.
Speaker 5 (34:06):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (34:06):
And that kind of takes a game that's close and
puts it in front for the Texans, and that Stafford's
gonna throw and pile up some yards in the fourth quarter,
and I don't think it's gonna They're gonna.
Speaker 6 (34:15):
Be hollow yards. So I think, and I think the
Texans have a lot of success.
Speaker 3 (34:19):
They gotta run for one to twenty five CJ's gotta
throw for two fifty.
Speaker 6 (34:22):
I think Stafford will.
Speaker 3 (34:23):
Be over that because he's gonna have to because they're
not gonna be able to run it against those Okay,
I like that. Would you take that run for one
to twenty five CJ for two fifty no turnovers?
Speaker 5 (34:33):
Right now? Over what's behind door number two?
Speaker 3 (34:36):
That's what you get. One twenty five CJ, two fifty
no turnovers. That's all you one one hundred.
Speaker 5 (34:43):
All you know about this.
Speaker 1 (34:44):
You don't have to ask me twice. Yes, I'll sign
up for all that one twenty and two fifty and
no two.
Speaker 6 (34:49):
Five fifty no turnover.
Speaker 5 (34:50):
That's a victory. Okay, that's a victory.
Speaker 6 (34:51):
That's with this defense.
Speaker 5 (34:53):
It's a victory I might take. Let you could have
gotten me for less.
Speaker 6 (34:56):
How many points will it take? How many do you
have to have to win?
Speaker 5 (35:00):
I got it twenty four and a half.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
I think you need twenty four plus to win this one,
because I think I do think that it's week one
you're gonna get some maybe a turnover issue here, not issue,
but like maybe one.
Speaker 5 (35:14):
So that's a problem.
Speaker 1 (35:15):
I'm gonna have to get it twice or at least
even up in that category, and I'll play them the
rest of the way.
Speaker 5 (35:20):
It's so strange. Week one is always weird.
Speaker 1 (35:23):
You don't know what you've got yet, you don't know
how they're gonna be with Stafford with the back issue.
Speaker 3 (35:29):
Unscouted looks you get, You're like, oh, in the Rams
are the Rams are like the Dolphins, Like the Dolphins
always have like some goofy motion thing they're doing. It
kind of throws off your reeds and your rules trying
to adapt to that.
Speaker 5 (35:40):
They knows Kaylee Keley knows McVeigh.
Speaker 3 (35:43):
But I know you know, Chris that you know that
I know we.
Speaker 1 (35:47):
Got all that stuff happening. All right, Next one, all right,
bear with me on this one. Jacksonville's playing Carolina, and
you have two number one overall picks at quarterback facing
off here, Bryce Young and Trevor Lawrence more likely to
not be with his team next season, Trevor Lawrence or
Bryce Young. Now, Trevor's got the contract, but if things
(36:08):
don't go well at all this year, what are you
gonna do? And Bryce Young? If things don't go well
at all this year, what are you gonna do? So
you could have that question facing both of them. You could,
I'm not saying you will, but you could so more
likely to not be with his team next season.
Speaker 5 (36:22):
Trevor Lawrence or Bryce Young.
Speaker 6 (36:25):
I think it's Bryce Young, and I think you said it.
Speaker 3 (36:28):
I think the contract is gonna be this albatross that
hangs over Jacksonville unless Trevor turns it around. Now, Trevor's
been in the league four years. Twenty twenty one, he
got Urban mired. Twenty twenty two. He was good for
half a season, twenty twenty three, he was decent for
half a season. In twenty twenty four, he wasn't good
(36:50):
really at all. So and they gave him a lot
of money. So I'm I just I don't. I mean,
I thought Trevor was gonna be that guy for them.
Andre thought it.
Speaker 6 (37:01):
You did, and You're like, let's just let it play out,
and you were right, let it play out.
Speaker 5 (37:04):
And they didn't let it play out because they gave
him the money four year four exactly have.
Speaker 6 (37:09):
To They thought they had their guy and they.
Speaker 1 (37:12):
Didn't want to be impolite. That's rude to not give
him the money before year four, right, And.
Speaker 6 (37:16):
I think it is going to nip them in.
Speaker 3 (37:18):
The backside because I think Trevor would have been a
kind of guy like, yeah, I didn't deserve it, I
should have played better, and I maybe he's not that guy.
But I don't think he would have held out. I
don't think he would have been a problem. He would
have tried to prove it last year. It didn't work, Okay,
well he's going into year five. Well you won in
a year five and better himself Joe Flacco in twenty twelve,
(37:41):
and it paid off in a major way. He got
a massive deal to come back to the Ravens after
winning a Super Bowl. Not not saying Trevor's won a
super Bowl, but maybe he should have maybe the Jacksonville
Jaguars not maybe. I feel like the Jacksonville Jaguars should
have definitely let that one play out.
Speaker 6 (37:56):
He was not pick up the fifty.
Speaker 3 (37:58):
Year option, that's fine, but don't give him a contract
that is going to be in albatross for years to come.
Speaker 5 (38:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (38:04):
I just don't see it.
Speaker 3 (38:05):
So but but I think the contract keeps him there
with Bryce, even though I do think Bryce will have
a better year. I think it's in the Just using
those twos, I can just see them saying, no, yeah,
it's not there yet. We got to go find somebody
else in Temper getting really antsy, going out and getting
(38:28):
some hot name or whoever it might be out there
and trying to convince such and such to go there.
I don't know who that would be, but I could
see him trying to do that and moving on from Bryce.
Speaker 5 (38:36):
Okay, let's get to the final one.
Speaker 6 (38:38):
More likely to happen, more likely.
Speaker 1 (38:40):
To have a better season, the Baltimore Ravens, who opened
up Sunday Night against Buffalo on the road, the Sunday
Night primetime showdown.
Speaker 5 (38:49):
Boy, the league knows how to do this, Yep, they
know how to schedule these babies.
Speaker 1 (38:53):
Or the Kansas City Chiefs playing in the Brazilian as
I call it, the Brazilian Game against the LA Chargers.
Who's gonna have the better season this year? Baltimore or case.
Speaker 6 (39:07):
I think the Ravens now.
Speaker 3 (39:09):
Part of that is because I always picked the Ravens,
and in some sense, from a prediction standpoint, they always
let me down. They always get that divisional playoff round.
But I was convinced after we saw them Christmas Day.
I remember talking to people afterwards like holy crap. Like
in my mind, I'm like, yeah, I We'll go play
anybody anywhere, anytime. But I'm like, oh, go to Baltimore
(39:31):
and face that. And then they lose to Buffalo because
they stepped all over themselves. They dropped passes at the
end of the game, lamar fulm the ball that they
returned for a long score, like they just shot themselves
in the foot. But Baltimore is the more talented group
of players. I think Kansas City is the better team
(39:53):
right now, but I think Kansas City is vulnerable, and
I think that Baltimore maybe not beating Kansas City all that,
but I just think Baltimore's be a tough nut to crack.
Speaker 6 (40:01):
There are some that think the Bengals are going to
take that division. I don't see it.
Speaker 3 (40:04):
I don't see it because when you look at that
secondary in Baltimore, you look at the offensive line growing together,
eight and twenty two together.
Speaker 6 (40:12):
Come on, man, are you kidding me? Now?
Speaker 3 (40:13):
You throw Hop in there, the ultimate at this point
possession receiver. Yeah, I mean, say, Flowers as good as
he is, Andrews has still got a little left in
the tank. You's just got to get over that game
against Buffalo last year. I think this, and they may
start slow. They might start slow. They start slow a lot,
then they get hot. But again, nobody's really gonna care
there in Baltimore talking about the Ravens until you get
(40:36):
until you get to the playoffs and what they do
in the playoff situation. So I just think that Baltimore
is that much more talented than a lot of teams
around the league.
Speaker 1 (40:46):
What do you think if Pittsburgh can stay healthy for
the bulk of the season, Quarterback TJ.
Speaker 5 (40:54):
Heyward.
Speaker 1 (40:55):
You know, if those guys can stay healthy, they could
do some damage.
Speaker 6 (40:59):
I'll tell you that.
Speaker 3 (41:00):
I think in Pittsburgh that Aaron Rodgers, DK metcalf all that,
whatever you want to say about the Pats whatever, I
think it's Jalen Warren. I think Warren is a running back,
gives them kind of Bucky Irving like impact, like Bucky
Irving did last year with the Buccaneers. I think that's
(41:20):
why they went away from Naji Harris because they're like, look,
we got this guy in the fifth round.
Speaker 6 (41:24):
This dude could play.
Speaker 3 (41:25):
He is really tough to tackle and he epitomizes us
as a Steeler even more than Nag does. So I
think if that guy stays healthy and they lean on
him a little bit more, I think Pittsburgh ends up
being a tough out again. Can you keep all those
thirty somethings and even a forty something healthy?
Speaker 6 (41:44):
Can you do that? And that's a That's that's a stretch,
very tough.
Speaker 5 (41:49):
That's a stretch, very tough.
Speaker 6 (41:50):
I know that happens.
Speaker 5 (41:51):
Yeah, it's all.
Speaker 1 (41:52):
Gonna be very much worth watching, and it all starts
tonight with the Eagles and the Cowboys.
Speaker 5 (41:57):
Gonna be fun.
Speaker 6 (41:58):
Yeah, it's gonna definitely be fun.
Speaker 3 (41:59):
But to that Pittsburgh point, how many of those guys
in the staying healthy?
Speaker 1 (42:04):
I know that's why I said if that's a huge
if for them. But I've always had problems. Yeah, Okay,
coming up injury report Houston Methodist minutes, first one of
the season. Let's get into it next here as we
wrap things up prior to the opening game of the
NFL season, Eagles and Cowboys here on Texans Radio. On
the way out here on Texans Radio. Tonight, let's talk
(42:25):
about some injury situations as the hamstring bug has been
biting a bit with Christian Kirk and Braxton Barrios and
Johnny read the report by Adam Schefter. I didn't even
need that report. I know it's trouble if you have
a hamstring week one on a Wednesday and you miss practice,
I mean that cannot be good. Doctor Van Drmer does
not like this at all. But you have a lot
of players for a reason. You have guys who can
(42:48):
fill in the gaps. And Christian Kirk, I think, leaves
a big gap. I know you haven't played a real
game with him yet, but this is an important player
for your team. But you have these youngsters, and you
have Justin Watson and you have Xavier Hut So we'll
see how they go. Of course, Nico Collins is the
star of the show, and we'll see about putt returns
if Barrios is a non factor as well, because that
(43:08):
is a key key element. And maybe it's no, maybe
it's somebody else because a lot of guys took their
turns in training camp at returning punts. Good to see
Cam Robinson getting better from an illness as well. All right,
let's get to this Houston Methodist Minutes. We're going to
do ankle injuries today with doctor Jason Awero of Houston Methodist.
Speaker 5 (43:29):
Doctor, how's it going. I'm doing well, Mark, how are
you doing well?
Speaker 1 (43:33):
Here we go with the twenty twenty five season. Let's
talk foot and ankle injuries. We'll start with ankles and
tell me what's the most common ankle injury.
Speaker 5 (43:42):
Let's say for lay people, not just athletes. What do
you see? Doctor?
Speaker 4 (43:46):
Overwhelmingly? Mark, you know, lateral ankle sprains are going to
be the most common injury that presents to my office.
I mean, it is the number one muscle sculltle injury
that occurs. You know, almost nearly everybody's point in their
lives is going to probably have a lateral sprain. And
you know, thankfully a lot of those do well. But
you know, we know now that probably up to forty
(44:07):
percent of these can have some long term issues with them.
Speaker 1 (44:10):
All right, So when you see these, what is the
standard treatment?
Speaker 5 (44:14):
Usually?
Speaker 1 (44:15):
Because I know you have different degrees of ankle sprains,
tell us about.
Speaker 4 (44:18):
That, correct, Yeah, So there's so grade one sprains are
really just a stretch of the lateral ligaments these are
caused and all of these are caused by sort of
an inversion, so basically inward twisting of the ankle you
have pain on the outside. Grade two is going to
indicate kind of more of a partial tear of the ligament,
and Grade three is more of a complete tear of
the later ankle ligaments. And you know, the more the
(44:41):
higher the grade, the more instability of the ankle there is,
the more uh, it's the higher risk for more long
term issues with those.
Speaker 1 (44:49):
Is Grade three a surgery requirement or can you recover
without that?
Speaker 4 (44:54):
All right? So not, you know, not an absolute surgery requirement.
I mean, most lateral sprains we try to treat conservatively
through initial a mobilization and a boot or a brace
followed by rehab. And you know a lot of these
will you know, the ligaments will scar back together and
do fine, you know, not not like an ACL rupture
where most people that are active are going to need
to have that reconstructed.
Speaker 5 (45:17):
All right.
Speaker 1 (45:17):
So for athletes in general, stretching does help, does it not?
There is some prevention possibility here, right, correct?
Speaker 4 (45:24):
I think I think you know, good warm up as
well as doing a lot of work in the gym
on their balance and prop reception using these various you
know bosoue balls and wabble board apparatus when they're lifting
to help really strengthen their lateral you know muscles as
well as work on their balance and you know position
(45:45):
sense of their foot.
Speaker 1 (45:46):
Doctor Jason Awero of Houston Methodist. It's the official healthcare
provider of the Houston Texans. Houston Methodist leading medicine. And
don't forget three twenty five start on Sunday as the
game will be live here, It'll be live on the
one hundred point three on the Odyssey app and all
over the place around the Lone Star State and beyond.
Can't wait for that. Texans and Rams to kick off
(46:09):
their season.
Speaker 6 (46:10):
Let's go.
Speaker 1 (46:10):
It's finally time for regular season football as they start
the seventeen game campaign and tonight Eagles and Cowboys. It's
on Sports Radio six ten, the flagship stick around for that.
Have a great night, Go Texans,
Hello Texans. Here it is week one, our first Thursday
night show of the NFL regular season. It's upon us
as the Texans take on the Rams Sunday afternoon, three
twenty five, live right here and on the Bowl one
hundred point three FM, and on the Odyssey app and
a whole lot of places. And joining us, it's Mark
Vandermin and John Harris with you. Joining us is the General,
(00:22):
the Hall of Famer John McClain, to preview this matchup,
to talk about other NFL matchups. Because there's a game tonight.
As you might have heard, there's a Brazilian game tomorrow.
I call it the Brazilian Brazilion with the Chargers and
the Chiefs. And we've got all the action on Sunday
and college football too, So general, good evening. How are
(00:43):
you feeling with the game three days away?
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Well, I'm bored up about it, as everybody is. The
season college is started with the most watched weekend I
think in the history. Maybe it's just the opener you
you ten Ohio State was the ies grated opener in history.
I think the NFL will pick right up with this
game with the Eagles and Cowboys. No telling what the
(01:08):
ratings will be, especially if the Cowboys manage to keep
it close and competitive. But I can't wait to see
the Rams, and the Texans can't wait to see Nick
Cayley's offense now that he doesn't have to be Vanilla anymore.
You know, the running game in the offensive line is
what everybody's going to be watching to see. Number one,
(01:29):
how the line improves and number two, how the running
game works without Joe Mixon for at least the first
four games. Is for the defense. You know, they got
a great defense, and I'm guessing that Matthew Stafford is
going to take a lot of three step drops. He's
going to run draws, He's going to run screens, He's
going to run quick turnaround passes, anything except dropping back
(01:54):
and holding the ball and running the risk of getting
obliterated by Will Anders or Daniel Hunter. Can you imagine
everybody listening, I'm sure has had a back issue. I've
had back surgery, and I can't imagine having a back
injury that required me to get shots and not practice
(02:15):
except lightly for two weeks. And then how in the
world would you survive ahead by Anderson or Hunter or
any of the other pass rushers. So I'm looking for
Sean mcvay's game plan to be running a lot with
darn Williams, but get rid of it quick when Matthew
(02:36):
Stafford has to pass.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
General in this game, what's one advantage you think the
Texans have over the Rams? What's one advantage the Rams
have over the Texans.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
I think the Texans advantage over the Rams is their
overall defense going against a quarterback who who has not
been able to participate orly at all through the offseason
program because of it his back injury.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
And even though.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Matthew Stafford has been incredibly durable unless it was a
major injury. Yeah, he's a tough guy. We saw him
take a beating, including a couple by the Texans when
he played for Detroit. But I would think the Texans
defense against their passing game, you know, they've got problems
up front. And I think the biggest thing about the
(03:27):
Rams is Karen Williams in a running game. You know,
Williams is a very underrated running back. I've tried to read,
watch and listened everything I can recently to see what
people I respect are picking about the NFL. All of
them picked the Texans to win the AFC's out for
(03:48):
a third time. I've only seen one who picked him
to win that first game, Sharene Williams of the Athletic
I mean of NBC and Pro Football talk, and people
forget how the Texas just pound teams in that opening round.
But I'm very excited, you know, seeing a return game.
(04:11):
How it might be affected with Barrios not practicing because
of a hamstring injury. As you guys know, hamstrings have
to be one hundred percent so you don't risk aggravating them.
And so Frank Ross looks like I'll have to have
another return guy. And then if Christian Kirk can't play,
(04:34):
that looks like a whole lot more action from a
second rookie. Jalen Nol to go along with Jay Niggins.
Speaker 5 (04:41):
How do you think C. J.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
Gardner Johnson fits in as he's available opening day and
looks to make a dynamite debut if at all possible.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
It's interesting I listened to a long interview this morning
with south Allantonio, who's covered who's just signed a contract
re up with ESPN, the longest running reporter thirty years,
and he covers the Eagles. He's always been based there
and he said, the Eagles have don't have a plan
that everybody recognizes to replace their two starting safeties, and
(05:12):
he was talking about how much he thought they were
gonna miss Gardner Johnson, And I think that's good. You know,
the guy had he hadn't been able to get out
there since you guys were at the Greenbrier and everybody
held their breath when he went down. Now is he's
back starting in this game. I think his experience, his
(05:33):
leadership will be good. He almost got beat by Matthew
Stafford in the playoffs last year in the cold at
Laying Snow and ice at Lincoln Financial feel the Rams
gave the Eagles their toughest game in the playoffs, so
he knows what Stafford's all about. They game planned for
(05:53):
them in February, I mean in January. So I'm guessing
he's done a lot of helping coach and prepare the
secondary for what's coming with Stafford. And I look for
him to be rusty, of course, but one of the
things he's got a dynamic second year of safety, Kaylyn
(06:13):
Bullock to go with him. And you think about the
front three guys with Derek Stingley Junior and Kamari Lassiter
and Jalen Petree to go along with Bullock and Gardner Johnson.
There can't be another team in the NFL that can
put together five starters in the secondary as good as
they are. And of course, so much depends on the
(06:36):
pass rush. And not many teams have better defensive line
than the Texans do.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
One of those teams that doesn't have a better defensive line,
but it's got a very good one, the Los Angeles Rams.
Whether it's Byron Young, Kobe Turner, Poona Ford, or it's
Jared Versu Braden Fisco's two both came out of Florida
State last year.
Speaker 6 (06:56):
General, you kind of alluded to it earlier, and I
knew we would get to it.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
How confident are you feeling about this offensive line going
against Jared versus Byron Young? Those guys in particular, the
two guys that presumably are on the edge is Titus
Howard at right tackle in the rookie Arianta Ersery and
left tackle.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Well, let's be honest, how could anybody be confident about
this offensive line when they haven't seen them together? True,
but when it counted and if they and it just
makes sense. You put ted us back in his old position,
but he played left guard last year, and then you
have four new starters, including a rookie left tackle. They're
going to have growing pains. This is a great test
(07:39):
for them right off the bat because they're going to
get one of the best defensive lines that is in
the NFL. And we talked about the game plan that
Sean McVay would have for Matthew Stafford. I would imagine
it is the same for CJ. Stroud. Nick Kayley knows
them very very well. I watched a Sean McVeigh interview
(08:01):
a while ago and he was talking about how talented
that the Texans offense is. He said, now I need
to call Kayley and find out what his audibles are
so we'll be better prepared. Of course everybody laughed about it,
but the idea has got to be to protect CJ.
So even though they've got a running back back committee,
(08:22):
they're going to try to run. And how well they
run depends on how well the offensive line does. And
I would imagine we see Stroud rolling out both ways
because he's got to avoid that pass rush. I saw.
Let's see what was the stat when he's been sacked
four or more times. I can't remember if this last
(08:46):
year or the year before. I guess his the last
two years they're three and ten, so you don't want
to give up four or more sacks. So great strategy
by both play callers. Sean McVay and Nick Cayley have
been together for the last two years about keeping their
quarterback upright, trying to keep the defense off balance with
running games, and right now, the Rams got to feel
(09:09):
really good about their running game, and the Texans they
want to feel good about it. They may say they
feel good about it, and maybe they do, but boy,
you talk about being under the microscope, the running game
and the pass protection are under it general.
Speaker 5 (09:25):
I want to zoom out for just a moment.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
Then we'll get into all the action this weekend other
than the Texans and more on the Texans Rams game.
But this is related to the Rams, of course, who
are back in Los Angeles. Of course they've been that
way for a while. This is the second meeting the
Texans have had with the Rams in LA. They lost
there in twenty seventeen at the Coliseum. But had Bob
McNair not gotten the Texans in Houston as the thirty
(09:48):
second franchise and LA won that battle. Where are the
Rams today? Are they in Houston? Is there some other
weird development as we turn back the clock and reverse
the rotation of the earth and take a look at
what might have been?
Speaker 2 (10:02):
Bob told me one time he had several inquiries from
the NFL because he had already submitted all of his
finances to them several years before. He pursued the Texans
because he wanted to own an NFL team, and they
loved everything about bobbing there, including the money he had,
the money he was willing to invest. They talked to
(10:26):
him about buying the Dolphins. He looked into it, but
Wayne Eizinga wanted to keep the stadium. He had no interest.
They talked to him about the expansion teams in Carolina
in Jacksonville, and then they talked to him about the Rams,
and he said, and imagine how history would be different.
He told me. The only team I would have sincerely
(10:49):
considered buying his Washington Redskins. And one reason was he
spent so much time in Washington, and a lot of
that was because at one point he was the largest
Republic contributor in the country, and I thought, man if
Bob ming there had bought them, and nobody had ever
heard about Dan Sneyder. How that could have changed the
(11:11):
history of that franchise. But because the league wanted a
team in LA and was desperate to get the team
in LA and did everything they could to get it
in there. And Bob always told me, we're going to
get it because we have our ducks in a row.
He said, I've got spies out there and they can't
(11:32):
decide where it goes, who's going to pay for it,
and we've got all those ducks in a row. But
the league sure wanted to have a team in LA,
and it got to general.
Speaker 6 (11:42):
I don't know if we've had a chance to talk
to you.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
I don't know about the Michael Parsons trade to the
Green Bay Packers, who was announced today. I don't announce,
but it was revealed that the Eagles apparently were interested.
You know, Jerry was not going to trade him within
the division, but he did trade him within the conference,
sends him green Bay. The Cowboys get two first round
picks back and Kenny Clark your thoughts about the Gambler
(12:07):
and his Cowboys making a move from Michael Parsons going
to green Bay.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
Everybody in Texas gets the Texans Rams game and this
on Sunday, and one small area Dallas for Worth, gets
the Packers game. And that's of course for obvious reasons.
And it depends everything, depends on what they do with
(12:34):
those draft picks. You got to figure the Packers are
going to be drafting low in the twenties, maybe closer
to thirty and and the Cowboys, you know, they may
have if Dak Prescott stays healthy. Every year he's been
healthy then or played most of the games they've been
in the playoffs. So that's the key. He's got to
(12:54):
stay healthy. You know, one guy pass rusher doesn't put
you in a super Bowl. You know, a quarterback Tom
Brady puts you in the Super Bowl, like he did
with the Buccaneers. But I think the Cowboys, no way,
anybody can think they're better. This year. Kenny Clark, their
defensive tackle statistically, had his worst season. Well the reason
(13:15):
was he was hurt. He had a big toe injury.
He played hurt. You know how hard it is you
can't push off if your big toes hurt. And I
think he had it surgically repaired after the season. He's
one hundred percent ready to go, and boy, Saquon Barkley
better not rush for two hundred yards when they kick
off shortly because Jerry said, oh boy, I run defense
(13:38):
is going to be so much better. And one other thing,
I was listening to Rob Demovski, who has covered them
forever and is on the Pro Football Hall of Fame
selection committee with me, and he said that when the
Packers played at AT and T Stadium in the playoffs
two years ago, their game plan was to run the
ball at Michael Parsons and it worked. But the Packers
(14:01):
know that and they still paid. You know, the price
of two ones that should be low is not that
big a deal. But giving him five million more, what
was he going to say? No, I'm not going to
play for a mirror forty two million a year.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
Yeah, general, the E word came up with Parsons epidural.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
Ooh.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
When I heard that, I thought, maybe Jerry's crazy like
a fox here because Parsons limited again in practice, Doctor
VanderMeer says he probably is not going to play on Sunday.
Speaker 5 (14:31):
I'm just I just have that feeling.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
How do you play if you're limited with a back
injury and you're with a brand new team and you
haven't done anything all preseason. But maybe he does. But
what are your thoughts on that long term injury? Long
term health back injury for a pass rusher, or for
anybody in this league for that matter.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
Go and his agent both said he was planning to
play for the Cowboys in the first game Thursday night.
So I think that he's wanting people to be biting
their fingernails and then all of a sudd he plays
and he's Superman. What if he doesn't play and everybody
in the metro plagues has got to watch the Packers
(15:07):
win out. Micah Parsons those ratings, I'm guessing won't be
real good, but I'm guessing he'll play if you can
risk Matthew Stafford standing up to punishment from Will Anderson Junior,
Danil Hunter and all their other pass rushers. I think
a guy can rush the pass, or if it's not
full time, at least in obvious passing situations.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
Okay, general, you need to rate my hot take. Here's
my hot take. Well, there's two of them. The first
one that's really not a hot take. I thought hard
Knocks with the Buffalo Bills was probably the most blah
I've ever seen. Absolutely, So here's the second one. I
think the Buffalo Bills are vulnerable. I see a lot
of people putting them in the super Bowl. I think
(15:51):
the Bills win AFC East, but they do it going
ten and seven and get knocked out in the first
round of the playoffs.
Speaker 6 (15:57):
That's my hot take about the Buffalo Bills.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
I thought it was the worst Hard Knocks I've ever seen.
I've seen them all is. HBO knew it was bad
because they made it thirty seven minutes. They didn't have
enough good material. Well, I think since teams get final editing,
we didn't see guys getting cut. I think after what
the Giants did last year and before leading up to
(16:21):
the draft scared everybody off. And most truth is, most
teams want their in house people doing things like Hard Knocks,
which a lot of them do, because they'll be better.
And I felt bad for the HBO people because it
was terrible. They had something last night with Josh Adams,
(16:43):
Josh Adams Josh Allen handing hot different hot sauces to
two people from their production team and they're pouring sauce
on it and eating wings and answering his questions, and
I thought that may be the worst, the worst kitkit
whatever I've ever seen a hard knocks and I don't
(17:05):
know if it'll come back again because it was terrible.
As far as the Bills get knocked out, I've got
the Bills and Lions in the Super Bowl. I know
it's on ESPN today. One of the guys as the
Rams winning the Super Bowl and the Lions not even
making the playoffs after they went fifteen and two because
they lost their coordinators. But it's easy for everybody to
(17:29):
pick Baltimore, Kansas City, or Buffalo. And I know one thing,
I can't wait till Buffalo comes in here again after
the way that Texans treated Josh Allen to the worst
game of his career last season.
Speaker 3 (17:44):
So I guess my take is pretty hot. Then General's
got him going to the Super Bowl. My take is hot,
scorching hot take. That's for I just worry about the
secondary for them. I worry about them repeating Josh's got
to put the cape on.
Speaker 5 (17:57):
Well, they're still the best team in the ANFC East
untill further.
Speaker 6 (17:59):
Now that's true.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
So I agree with that, And look, I understand that
because in the AFC South.
Speaker 6 (18:04):
The Texans are that team. Yeah, all right, let's get
to some of the.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Games that I have seen all off season. Was two
last week when Mike Tannenbaum, former GM picked the Titans
to win the AFC South and tried to justify it
on ESPN's Get Up, and they just just eviscerated him
because cam Ward was going to have a great season,
(18:30):
and he talked about Jade Daniels and they pointed out
all the talent he had around him that I don't
know if that's a hot take, that's just a terrible take, okay.
And if he wins it, if the Titans win the division,
he'll be a genius. And if they don't, well know
why he's not a GM.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
Okay, you'll eat the newspaper. If the Titans, no, you're
not gonna do that again.
Speaker 6 (18:55):
Test is doing that one, all right.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
So let's get to some of the games here. The
Colts and the Dolphins. Indeed, the Horseshoe in action and
a one and a half point favorite against Miami. Look,
Miami getting a lot of negativity this preseason, and for
good reason. Are the Colts up of the task to
win at home with Jonathan Taylor running the rock and
(19:17):
Daniel Jones at least they hope doesn't turn the ball over.
Speaker 5 (19:21):
What do you think happens.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
If Jonathan Taylor runs it thirty times, they'll win. But
I'm going with Miami being ridiculed like crazy. They still
have a dynamic offense, and I think Miami is gonna
be explosive. I think they're gonna win nine or ten
games and compete, but not earn a wild card birth.
Speaker 6 (19:40):
Okay, see, I'm not my hot take. I don't know.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
I just there's something about Miami that I'm not like. No, No,
the pre pants could be, it could be.
Speaker 6 (19:51):
Part of it, but I just I don't know.
Speaker 3 (19:53):
I like Weave as an Even's coordinator, so I don't
want to see him do horrible even. Plus we're not
playing them, so you don't care at that point. But
I just there's something about them that that bothers me.
Here's the other one that's bothering me general, the Travis
Hunter is gonna win eight MVPs in the Rookie of
the Year all in his first year. It's driving me crazy.
This hype train that's going on to Jacksonville. Jacksonville's got
(20:15):
the Panthers anyway. The Panthers could pull the upset.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
Uh, they could, but I don't expect it. I think
the Jaguars are gonna be second to the Texans because
I think Liam Cohen is finally gonna do a good
somebody's gonna do a good job with Trevor Lawrence and uh.
I just a lot of people are picking the Panthers
to win seven or eight games. I just don't see it.
(20:39):
You know, we didn't see anything here with the joint
practice or the game. Now I know that's what it was,
but I just don't see it. Maybe maybe next.
Speaker 1 (20:49):
Year, Okay, all right, we'll see how that shakes out.
So you like the Jags over the Panthers, I don't
have to ask you who you're picking. With the Titans
visiting Denver, this is a tough place for them to
begin their season the cam Ward era. But you mentioned
this earlier with the tantabamb pick. Cam Warrick can have
a really good season, but they could win only five
(21:11):
six games. It could turn out that way for the Titans.
They could have that hope for the future. If he
has a statistically good season and they have some moments.
I'll put that in their quotes along the way. Is
that what you anticipate out of them?
Speaker 2 (21:23):
Yeah, they'll they never admit this, but if they could
win six games with a rookie quarterback in double last
season's victories, they would know that they're on their way.
Remember and Gary could be that game in here and
won six games after two, people are like, wow, they're
on their way. And I do think this. A lot
(21:44):
of people are picking Denver to win the AFC West
and Kansas City was fifteen and two last year. And
I don't think Chiefs are going to the super Bowl
for the Super Bowl loser to go back to the
Super Bowl. And Denver's got a great defense at bo
Niggs's going into this, I can hear, and Sean Payton
is a great coach, and they should just annihilate the Titans.
(22:06):
But I'm sure not picking them to dethrone the Chiefs
until they actually do it.
Speaker 3 (22:11):
All Right, this is always a tough, tough one at
the beginning of the year. So this is for both
of you. Okay, there's all this hype, so all this
talk about teams, blah blah blah. This team's got this,
this team's got that, this team's gonna be the most
improved team.
Speaker 6 (22:25):
In the league.
Speaker 3 (22:26):
This team made a lot of signings, et cetera. What team, general,
you go first? What team right now is the most
overrated team in the NFL? Which team do you think
is the most underrated team in the NFL? Mark you
get to consider that too. Most overrated team is most
underrated team.
Speaker 2 (22:47):
Is well, I'll say the underrated and I'm not the
only one saying it because I like Mike Brabo. You know,
he took the Titans to THEFC championship game. He had
a great running game. He's gonna have a great running game.
He's got a really good quarterback in Drake May. It's
got Josh McDaniels, who was a terrible head coach but
(23:07):
a great coordinator. I think that the Patriots are going
to have the most improvement. And this sounds terrible, but
I just can't. A lot of people are picking the
Chargers to do big things. I saw people having Just
Herbert as the third best quarterback in the NFL, ahead
(23:30):
of Lamar Jackson, and I just I don't see it.
I could see the Chargers being overrated. With Jim Barball,
They've They've got injury issues, and I can't help thinking
the last time we saw the Chargers, the Texans just
embarrassed them. So I'm going to say the team that
everybody's HIPing up being better in Harbaugh's now that he's
(23:55):
had time with them, I'm thinking they're going to take
a step back.
Speaker 1 (23:58):
Underrated the rate, Oh, I like it. I think the
Raiders are gonna do some things here, But I do
some things. I mean with nine or ten maybe right,
because I think this is one of the best coaches
of our era, there's no question about it. And Gino
is a pretty good quarterback. He's always underrated, he's always overlooked,
and all he does is win games. He had ten
wins last year in Seattle. They didn't make the playoffs,
(24:19):
but they won ten games with McDonald as the head coach.
Last time he was with Pete, they won nine in Seattle.
Now they're together in Raiderville and they've got genty run
of the rock for them, and.
Speaker 2 (24:30):
He's gonna be the offensive rookie of the year.
Speaker 5 (24:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (24:33):
I like Raiders are gonna have.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
The offensive rookie the year, not the Jaguars.
Speaker 1 (24:37):
I don't have as much scientific evidence for this overrated pick,
but I'm really hopeful Denver. I hate Denver. Like Sean Payton.
I don't want to see that thing working. If anybody's
right for a sophomore slump is bo Nicks, who's a
thirty seven year old sophomore whatever age he's at right
now in his life. I want to see that thing
(24:57):
go down the tubes in the AFC West. But I
don't want to see the Chiefs benefit either. So I
don't know what Raiders, Chargers, Chiefs, Broncos.
Speaker 6 (25:06):
Let's go. Yeah, that's my order. Man.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
You guys picking the former Oregon Duck quarterbacks too, both
of you on the overrated bo Nix and Justin Herbert.
Speaker 6 (25:16):
I'm with you with Devers.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
The Broncos need to be overrated. When they come in
here and Janis McNair is going up into the rafters.
Speaker 1 (25:26):
Well, her name is yes, Yes, she's not gonna go
up to herself. She might be standing up to be like, yeah,
she'll be up there with Toro Rick, s.
Speaker 3 (25:37):
Uffing the placard off and showing her name, but no,
I think she's gonna be next to Mark.
Speaker 1 (25:41):
I think, yeah, well, I hope to be down on
the field. You know, I'm gonna go down there right
before the half, and you guys are gonna done that
before the Cats away, and you guys are gonna be
calling the game and having a great time doing it, Yeah,
doing play by play.
Speaker 3 (25:53):
My underrated. I'm gonna go with the New York Jets.
I think there's a lot unknown about the Jets.
Speaker 6 (25:58):
I'm gonna go with the Jets. Underrated, underrated.
Speaker 1 (26:01):
I think, wait, the left tackles out, I know, but still,
you got Justin Fields a quarterback round.
Speaker 3 (26:07):
I just I like leaving your guy a g I look,
I just think they're gonna get to seven, eight wins,
and people are gonn look up and go man, AG did.
Speaker 5 (26:14):
It was seven? Two years ago?
Speaker 3 (26:15):
Was Zach Wilson. They couldn't get to seven? I know,
but I don't. I don't know if they have that
kind of talent anymore.
Speaker 5 (26:21):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (26:22):
We'll see, but I would say Jets. Nobody's really talking
about the Jets.
Speaker 6 (26:25):
It's just weird.
Speaker 5 (26:25):
I think it's fine.
Speaker 6 (26:26):
It's just and I love AG.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
Yeah, yeah, but I still don't understand why he didn't
go to New Orleans rated.
Speaker 3 (26:32):
Go ahead, Jacksonville Jaguars. I'm done listening to this, they're
gonna win the division. They got Travis Unter playing both ways.
I am done with that.
Speaker 5 (26:40):
Jack Jarvis Hunter on your where was Travis' Oh?
Speaker 6 (26:44):
I had him as guy.
Speaker 3 (26:45):
I hadm number two, number two, number two behind Abdual Carter. Yeah,
because your jit player. Look, don't get me wrong.
Speaker 1 (26:50):
I'm just so you're not projecting him two way player,
superstar that kind of thing.
Speaker 5 (26:56):
Right now.
Speaker 1 (26:56):
He's by the way check because he had that abdominantly
shot in the preseason. But he's clear of that now,
so he's not on their practice status reports.
Speaker 6 (27:05):
I just know what's gonna happen. General, you know what's
gonna happen. Mark, you know what's gonna happen.
Speaker 3 (27:08):
He's gonna make one catch, make somebody miss, and it'll
be like a twenty five yard game in Week one
and all of a sudden.
Speaker 6 (27:15):
Rookie of the year, Rookie of the year.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
Do you see that, He's gonna make a viral Odale
Beckham type catch and he's gonna be overrated.
Speaker 6 (27:23):
You're not gonna hear the end of it.
Speaker 5 (27:24):
Who do you double team there in Jacksonville? Nobody.
Speaker 6 (27:28):
I don't a double team either one of them with
the two corners we got.
Speaker 2 (27:31):
Yeah, you got. I'm just talking about generally.
Speaker 6 (27:34):
Generally, I would take away Brian Thomas.
Speaker 2 (27:36):
That should be two great receivers.
Speaker 3 (27:38):
I would probably double Brian Thomas Junior right now. That's
where I would start it, and then see what Travis
does and then kind of kind of play it, you know,
play by year at that point.
Speaker 6 (27:47):
But Brian Thomas Junior is legit. Don't don't get your secondary.
Speaker 5 (27:51):
They're not gonna want to double anybody.
Speaker 1 (27:52):
They're gonna say, go after them, pass rush because we
want these picks. When these errant throws launch from the backfield.
Speaker 6 (27:59):
Twelve at the quarterback, we got the rest back here.
That's that they don't care.
Speaker 1 (28:03):
All right, General, Hey, how's the documentary going? Give us
the latest on your documentary and the integration of Texas
high school football.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
In two weeks, we are headed to Canton to I've
got the Hall of Fame to let us shoot after hours,
to shoot the bus of the players, and we can't
wait to make that trip to Kenton.
Speaker 5 (28:22):
General, thanks a lot for being with us.
Speaker 6 (28:24):
Thank you guys.
Speaker 2 (28:24):
Have a safe and fun trip to La Oh.
Speaker 1 (28:27):
Yes, we're looking forward to it very much, and we're
also looking forward to More Likely to Happen first regular
season edition coming up next year on Texans Radio. Back
here in the beautiful brand new Hyundai Texans Radio studio.
And nothing like a beautiful brand new Hyundai by the way,
(28:47):
from your Houston area Hyundai dealers, including Sterling McCall where I.
Speaker 5 (28:50):
Go a lot. Anyway, how about that for a plug?
Johnny got that in there.
Speaker 1 (28:54):
Yeah, and you've seen the studio by the way, folks listeners,
you see it on YouTube and on Texans Playbook, our
weekly TV show ten thirty five Saturday nights on ABC thirteen,
and the YouTube VIDs the Demico Ryan's vid up. I
think Nick Cassari is up there, Dari and whiley all
the stuff taught to Frank Ross. Also, that's gonna be
up soon enough, if it's not already. But let's get
(29:15):
to the game that swept the nation years ago and
still is sweeping. It rivals Jeopardy and Let's Make a
Deal and all the classic game shows. It's called more
Likely to Happen, Let's go Yes, and we're the only
too who play it. But we think it's as popular
all right, more likely to happen? Okay, I don't want
to be negative here, and I'm not going to be
(29:36):
Christian Kirk with the hamstring injury on the injury report
if he can't go, Johnny, who's second on the team
in catches this week, this week, never mind the year,
this week. If Christian Kirk cannot go, well.
Speaker 3 (29:48):
It's not as if Adam Schefter is the end all
be all, but Schefty reporting that the straight hamstring for
Kirk is expected to sideline him for at least Sunday's
opener against the Rams and possibly longer. He says the
source estimates it to be a two week injury for Kirk,
but the Texas will be cautious with him, and they
typically are, especially with hamstrengths. So should be should be
(30:11):
so at that point? Dalton Schultz or are you for
a receiver?
Speaker 1 (30:17):
No, I'm looking for whoever has the second most receptions.
Speaker 3 (30:20):
I think Dalton Schultz, and I think the next is
Kate Stover. I think it is going to be very
easy to forget about the tight ends. I do think
they're gonna be times where one of the tight ends
has got to stay in and block and help at
least be there initially to help Ariante in particular Titus
if needed. You know, some guys, sometimes tackles don't like
(30:42):
having help because once the rusher sees the help, Like,
for instance, if you're facing Daniel and you go to
chip on him, they've got rules.
Speaker 6 (30:51):
Texas do have rules for what they should do.
Speaker 3 (30:54):
And I don't think tackles as much as they don't
like facing Daniel, I think they hate it because once
they get the chip, then Denio kind of goes spinning crazy,
and it's like, I don't want to see that.
Speaker 6 (31:06):
I'd rather just take him one on one. So we'll see.
Speaker 3 (31:08):
But I think that Dalton and Kate are gonna get
involved in this game. Have probably eight to nine completions
between the two of them. Okay, I think Nico's gonna
get his targets, and I don't mind force feeding his
targets to Nico. I'm good with that. It's Nico Collins.
He's one of the top five receivers in the league.
Force feeding the targets, that's good. I do think out
of the backfield, I think you're gonna have Nick with
(31:29):
a couple of catches. You're gonna have Damien with a
catcher too. You're gonna have Woody potentially with three or
four catches.
Speaker 1 (31:34):
So now tell me who the next receiver on the
statuet is gonna be.
Speaker 5 (31:38):
Besides Nico, I think.
Speaker 6 (31:39):
Gonna rise up.
Speaker 3 (31:40):
I think it's Jalen Knowle, Okay, because you know those
little push past things. Yeah, you know when he goes
in motion and you CJ's kind of flips it two,
that's a reception.
Speaker 6 (31:49):
So I'm sure a little bit.
Speaker 3 (31:50):
And I'm not saying that those that those little push
pass you know situations, you get that.
Speaker 6 (31:55):
But I just think.
Speaker 3 (31:56):
Jalen Nol more than likely step into the void of
Christian not being there.
Speaker 6 (32:02):
Now.
Speaker 3 (32:03):
I do think that if they're in twelve personnel to start,
which I would I'm expecting, which is one back, two
tight ends, leaving two receivers, I think Jadan Higgins is
gonna be that other wide receiver.
Speaker 6 (32:14):
And I do think Jade's gonna make a play.
Speaker 3 (32:16):
I feel like Jayden's due for like three for eighty
five and he's gonna have a big play.
Speaker 6 (32:21):
One of them is gonna be a big play by
this week.
Speaker 5 (32:24):
Yeah, oh three for eighty five.
Speaker 3 (32:26):
Yeah, because one of them is gonna be like a
forty five fifty sign me up, who are you gonna double?
If you're the Rams, who are you gonna double? You
can double somebody who All right, you're gonna make the
rookie prove it. So I don't even think the Rams
secondaries that could. So if you get the ball off,
I think you've got an opportunity to hit Higgins with
at least one deep ball. Adding a couple other catches,
(32:47):
it's very easy to get to eighty five.
Speaker 1 (32:48):
At that way. I like talking to you. This is fun, Okay, fun,
Let's catch to the next one here. So more likely
to have more passing yards in this game. It's not
a who wins question. It's a fantasy football type question. Really,
Matthew Stafford or c. J. Stroud, Who's gonna have more
yards at the end of the day. And you could
say the quarterback who's down will have to throw it more,
he might have more yards. So it doesn't mean that
(33:10):
this information leads you to believe who's gonna win or lose.
Speaker 5 (33:14):
But I just want to know your thoughts.
Speaker 3 (33:17):
Stafford's gonna have more passing yards because I think what
ends up happening.
Speaker 6 (33:23):
I know the one to run the ball, but I.
Speaker 3 (33:24):
Think it's gonna be tough to run the ball against us,
just like I think it's gonna be very tough to
run the ball against them. But our linebackers are much
better than theirs, and I think it's gonna be ultra
difficult for Kyrin Williams to get going the way they
would like to.
Speaker 6 (33:37):
Now they use Williams in a lot different ways.
Speaker 3 (33:39):
I think he's one of more underrated players, not just
running backs, already players in the league. And I love him,
love him. The Ram's gotta steal with him day three
and then resigning him. I mean, they got to steal,
but I think the Texts is gonna shut him down.
I think you're gonna force Stafford to have to throw,
and there's gonna come a point, hopefully in the second
half of the Texans have that lead, and Stafford's gotta throw, throw, throw, throw,
(34:00):
and the Texans eventually are gonna go They're gonna go
find it.
Speaker 6 (34:03):
They're gonna go find the football once or twice.
Speaker 5 (34:06):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (34:06):
And that kind of takes a game that's close and
puts it in front for the Texans, and that Stafford's
gonna throw and pile up some yards in the fourth quarter,
and I don't think it's gonna They're gonna.
Speaker 6 (34:15):
Be hollow yards. So I think, and I think the
Texans have a lot of success.
Speaker 3 (34:19):
They gotta run for one to twenty five CJ's gotta
throw for two fifty.
Speaker 6 (34:22):
I think Stafford will.
Speaker 3 (34:23):
Be over that because he's gonna have to because they're
not gonna be able to run it against those Okay,
I like that. Would you take that run for one
to twenty five CJ for two fifty no turnovers?
Speaker 5 (34:33):
Right now? Over what's behind door number two?
Speaker 3 (34:36):
That's what you get. One twenty five CJ, two fifty
no turnovers. That's all you one one hundred.
Speaker 5 (34:43):
All you know about this.
Speaker 1 (34:44):
You don't have to ask me twice. Yes, I'll sign
up for all that one twenty and two fifty and
no two.
Speaker 6 (34:49):
Five fifty no turnover.
Speaker 5 (34:50):
That's a victory. Okay, that's a victory.
Speaker 6 (34:51):
That's with this defense.
Speaker 5 (34:53):
It's a victory I might take. Let you could have
gotten me for less.
Speaker 6 (34:56):
How many points will it take? How many do you
have to have to win?
Speaker 5 (35:00):
I got it twenty four and a half.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
I think you need twenty four plus to win this one,
because I think I do think that it's week one
you're gonna get some maybe a turnover issue here, not issue,
but like maybe one.
Speaker 5 (35:14):
So that's a problem.
Speaker 1 (35:15):
I'm gonna have to get it twice or at least
even up in that category, and I'll play them the
rest of the way.
Speaker 5 (35:20):
It's so strange. Week one is always weird.
Speaker 1 (35:23):
You don't know what you've got yet, you don't know
how they're gonna be with Stafford with the back issue.
Speaker 3 (35:29):
Unscouted looks you get, You're like, oh, in the Rams
are the Rams are like the Dolphins, Like the Dolphins
always have like some goofy motion thing they're doing. It
kind of throws off your reeds and your rules trying
to adapt to that.
Speaker 5 (35:40):
They knows Kaylee Keley knows McVeigh.
Speaker 3 (35:43):
But I know you know, Chris that you know that
I know we.
Speaker 1 (35:47):
Got all that stuff happening. All right, Next one, all right,
bear with me on this one. Jacksonville's playing Carolina, and
you have two number one overall picks at quarterback facing
off here, Bryce Young and Trevor Lawrence more likely to
not be with his team next season, Trevor Lawrence or
Bryce Young. Now, Trevor's got the contract, but if things
(36:08):
don't go well at all this year, what are you
gonna do? And Bryce Young? If things don't go well
at all this year, what are you gonna do? So
you could have that question facing both of them. You could,
I'm not saying you will, but you could so more
likely to not be with his team next season.
Speaker 5 (36:22):
Trevor Lawrence or Bryce Young.
Speaker 6 (36:25):
I think it's Bryce Young, and I think you said it.
Speaker 3 (36:28):
I think the contract is gonna be this albatross that
hangs over Jacksonville unless Trevor turns it around. Now, Trevor's
been in the league four years. Twenty twenty one, he
got Urban mired. Twenty twenty two. He was good for
half a season, twenty twenty three, he was decent for
half a season. In twenty twenty four, he wasn't good
(36:50):
really at all. So and they gave him a lot
of money. So I'm I just I don't. I mean,
I thought Trevor was gonna be that guy for them.
Andre thought it.
Speaker 6 (37:01):
You did, and You're like, let's just let it play out,
and you were right, let it play out.
Speaker 5 (37:04):
And they didn't let it play out because they gave
him the money four year four exactly have.
Speaker 6 (37:09):
To They thought they had their guy and they.
Speaker 1 (37:12):
Didn't want to be impolite. That's rude to not give
him the money before year four, right, And.
Speaker 6 (37:16):
I think it is going to nip them in.
Speaker 3 (37:18):
The backside because I think Trevor would have been a
kind of guy like, yeah, I didn't deserve it, I
should have played better, and I maybe he's not that guy.
But I don't think he would have held out. I
don't think he would have been a problem. He would
have tried to prove it last year. It didn't work, Okay,
well he's going into year five. Well you won in
a year five and better himself Joe Flacco in twenty twelve,
(37:41):
and it paid off in a major way. He got
a massive deal to come back to the Ravens after
winning a Super Bowl. Not not saying Trevor's won a
super Bowl, but maybe he should have maybe the Jacksonville
Jaguars not maybe. I feel like the Jacksonville Jaguars should
have definitely let that one play out.
Speaker 6 (37:56):
He was not pick up the fifty.
Speaker 3 (37:58):
Year option, that's fine, but don't give him a contract
that is going to be in albatross for years to come.
Speaker 5 (38:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (38:04):
I just don't see it.
Speaker 3 (38:05):
So but but I think the contract keeps him there
with Bryce, even though I do think Bryce will have
a better year. I think it's in the Just using
those twos, I can just see them saying, no, yeah,
it's not there yet. We got to go find somebody
else in Temper getting really antsy, going out and getting
(38:28):
some hot name or whoever it might be out there
and trying to convince such and such to go there.
I don't know who that would be, but I could
see him trying to do that and moving on from Bryce.
Speaker 5 (38:36):
Okay, let's get to the final one.
Speaker 6 (38:38):
More likely to happen, more likely.
Speaker 1 (38:40):
To have a better season, the Baltimore Ravens, who opened
up Sunday Night against Buffalo on the road, the Sunday
Night primetime showdown.
Speaker 5 (38:49):
Boy, the league knows how to do this, Yep, they
know how to schedule these babies.
Speaker 1 (38:53):
Or the Kansas City Chiefs playing in the Brazilian as
I call it, the Brazilian Game against the LA Chargers.
Who's gonna have the better season this year? Baltimore or case.
Speaker 6 (39:07):
I think the Ravens now.
Speaker 3 (39:09):
Part of that is because I always picked the Ravens,
and in some sense, from a prediction standpoint, they always
let me down. They always get that divisional playoff round.
But I was convinced after we saw them Christmas Day.
I remember talking to people afterwards like holy crap. Like
in my mind, I'm like, yeah, I We'll go play
anybody anywhere, anytime. But I'm like, oh, go to Baltimore
(39:31):
and face that. And then they lose to Buffalo because
they stepped all over themselves. They dropped passes at the
end of the game, lamar fulm the ball that they
returned for a long score, like they just shot themselves
in the foot. But Baltimore is the more talented group
of players. I think Kansas City is the better team
(39:53):
right now, but I think Kansas City is vulnerable, and
I think that Baltimore maybe not beating Kansas City all that,
but I just think Baltimore's be a tough nut to crack.
Speaker 6 (40:01):
There are some that think the Bengals are going to
take that division. I don't see it.
Speaker 3 (40:04):
I don't see it because when you look at that
secondary in Baltimore, you look at the offensive line growing together,
eight and twenty two together.
Speaker 6 (40:12):
Come on, man, are you kidding me? Now?
Speaker 3 (40:13):
You throw Hop in there, the ultimate at this point
possession receiver. Yeah, I mean, say, Flowers as good as
he is, Andrews has still got a little left in
the tank. You's just got to get over that game
against Buffalo last year. I think this, and they may
start slow. They might start slow. They start slow a lot,
then they get hot. But again, nobody's really gonna care
there in Baltimore talking about the Ravens until you get
(40:36):
until you get to the playoffs and what they do
in the playoff situation. So I just think that Baltimore
is that much more talented than a lot of teams
around the league.
Speaker 1 (40:46):
What do you think if Pittsburgh can stay healthy for
the bulk of the season, Quarterback TJ.
Speaker 5 (40:54):
Heyward.
Speaker 1 (40:55):
You know, if those guys can stay healthy, they could
do some damage.
Speaker 6 (40:59):
I'll tell you that.
Speaker 3 (41:00):
I think in Pittsburgh that Aaron Rodgers, DK metcalf all that,
whatever you want to say about the Pats whatever, I
think it's Jalen Warren. I think Warren is a running back,
gives them kind of Bucky Irving like impact, like Bucky
Irving did last year with the Buccaneers. I think that's
(41:20):
why they went away from Naji Harris because they're like, look,
we got this guy in the fifth round.
Speaker 6 (41:24):
This dude could play.
Speaker 3 (41:25):
He is really tough to tackle and he epitomizes us
as a Steeler even more than Nag does. So I
think if that guy stays healthy and they lean on
him a little bit more, I think Pittsburgh ends up
being a tough out again. Can you keep all those
thirty somethings and even a forty something healthy?
Speaker 6 (41:44):
Can you do that? And that's a That's that's a stretch,
very tough.
Speaker 5 (41:49):
That's a stretch, very tough.
Speaker 6 (41:50):
I know that happens.
Speaker 5 (41:51):
Yeah, it's all.
Speaker 1 (41:52):
Gonna be very much worth watching, and it all starts
tonight with the Eagles and the Cowboys.
Speaker 5 (41:57):
Gonna be fun.
Speaker 6 (41:58):
Yeah, it's gonna definitely be fun.
Speaker 3 (41:59):
But to that Pittsburgh point, how many of those guys
in the staying healthy?
Speaker 1 (42:04):
I know that's why I said if that's a huge
if for them. But I've always had problems. Yeah, Okay,
coming up injury report Houston Methodist minutes, first one of
the season. Let's get into it next here as we
wrap things up prior to the opening game of the
NFL season, Eagles and Cowboys here on Texans Radio. On
the way out here on Texans Radio. Tonight, let's talk
(42:25):
about some injury situations as the hamstring bug has been
biting a bit with Christian Kirk and Braxton Barrios and
Johnny read the report by Adam Schefter. I didn't even
need that report. I know it's trouble if you have
a hamstring week one on a Wednesday and you miss practice,
I mean that cannot be good. Doctor Van Drmer does
not like this at all. But you have a lot
of players for a reason. You have guys who can
(42:48):
fill in the gaps. And Christian Kirk, I think, leaves
a big gap. I know you haven't played a real
game with him yet, but this is an important player
for your team. But you have these youngsters, and you
have Justin Watson and you have Xavier Hut So we'll
see how they go. Of course, Nico Collins is the
star of the show, and we'll see about putt returns
if Barrios is a non factor as well, because that
(43:08):
is a key key element. And maybe it's no, maybe
it's somebody else because a lot of guys took their
turns in training camp at returning punts. Good to see
Cam Robinson getting better from an illness as well. All right,
let's get to this Houston Methodist Minutes. We're going to
do ankle injuries today with doctor Jason Awero of Houston Methodist.
Speaker 5 (43:29):
Doctor, how's it going. I'm doing well, Mark, how are
you doing well?
Speaker 1 (43:33):
Here we go with the twenty twenty five season. Let's
talk foot and ankle injuries. We'll start with ankles and
tell me what's the most common ankle injury.
Speaker 5 (43:42):
Let's say for lay people, not just athletes. What do
you see? Doctor?
Speaker 4 (43:46):
Overwhelmingly? Mark, you know, lateral ankle sprains are going to
be the most common injury that presents to my office.
I mean, it is the number one muscle sculltle injury
that occurs. You know, almost nearly everybody's point in their
lives is going to probably have a lateral sprain. And
you know, thankfully a lot of those do well. But
you know, we know now that probably up to forty
(44:07):
percent of these can have some long term issues with them.
Speaker 1 (44:10):
All right, So when you see these, what is the
standard treatment?
Speaker 5 (44:14):
Usually?
Speaker 1 (44:15):
Because I know you have different degrees of ankle sprains,
tell us about.
Speaker 4 (44:18):
That, correct, Yeah, So there's so grade one sprains are
really just a stretch of the lateral ligaments these are
caused and all of these are caused by sort of
an inversion, so basically inward twisting of the ankle you
have pain on the outside. Grade two is going to
indicate kind of more of a partial tear of the ligament,
and Grade three is more of a complete tear of
the later ankle ligaments. And you know, the more the
(44:41):
higher the grade, the more instability of the ankle there is,
the more uh, it's the higher risk for more long
term issues with those.
Speaker 1 (44:49):
Is Grade three a surgery requirement or can you recover
without that?
Speaker 4 (44:54):
All right? So not, you know, not an absolute surgery requirement.
I mean, most lateral sprains we try to treat conservatively
through initial a mobilization and a boot or a brace
followed by rehab. And you know a lot of these
will you know, the ligaments will scar back together and
do fine, you know, not not like an ACL rupture
where most people that are active are going to need
to have that reconstructed.
Speaker 5 (45:17):
All right.
Speaker 1 (45:17):
So for athletes in general, stretching does help, does it not?
There is some prevention possibility here, right, correct?
Speaker 4 (45:24):
I think I think you know, good warm up as
well as doing a lot of work in the gym
on their balance and prop reception using these various you
know bosoue balls and wabble board apparatus when they're lifting
to help really strengthen their lateral you know muscles as
well as work on their balance and you know position
(45:45):
sense of their foot.
Speaker 1 (45:46):
Doctor Jason Awero of Houston Methodist. It's the official healthcare
provider of the Houston Texans. Houston Methodist leading medicine. And
don't forget three twenty five start on Sunday as the
game will be live here, It'll be live on the
one hundred point three on the Odyssey app and all
over the place around the Lone Star State and beyond.
Can't wait for that. Texans and Rams to kick off
(46:09):
their season.
Speaker 6 (46:10):
Let's go.
Speaker 1 (46:10):
It's finally time for regular season football as they start
the seventeen game campaign and tonight Eagles and Cowboys. It's
on Sports Radio six ten, the flagship stick around for that.
Have a great night, Go Texans,
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