December 16, 2024 • 9 mins
Interesting conversation today on The A-Team with Adam Wexler and Chris Gordy. Is Nico Collins entering into the conversation of best wide receiver in the NFL? We know about Ja'Marr Chase, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Justin Jefferson and other receivers in the league. But, Nico Collins has shown he is an absolute offensive weapon for CJ Stroud and this Houston Texans offense.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Best receiver in the NFL conversation certainly is one that
has had every year. Jamar Chase would be in it.
A mon Ross, Saint Brown would be in it. He
had a pretty impactful game yesterday. Jefferson also had a fumble. Yeah,
justin Jefferson would be in the game. Of course, he
would be in the conversation. His quarterback Sam Darnol. Of
course you'd be posting unbelievable numbers when he's not throwing
(00:21):
the ball to Jordan Addison and Nico Collins should have
been in the conversation to begin the season.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
I don't think he was.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
He has to be in the conversation as we continue
this season, even with the games missed. He was immediately
put on ir with a hamstring injury that he suffered
on a long touchdown against the Buffalo Bills early in
the game, played only seven plays and then missed four
Texans games that followed, and has been at the top
of the chart in terms of yards receiving per.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Game definitely took a hit yesterday.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
He only had seventeen yards, but he sure made the
most of those catches, turning two of those four catches
into touchdowns. Because the chemistry between he and CJ. Stroud
almost from the moment they hit the field together in
a game for the first time ever last season. Certainly
there was practice time before the season during Stroud's rookie season,
but it sure seemed to click very very very quickly.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Touchdown yesterday sounded like this, Oh Kombo is a running back.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Third down and four blocked by tunsul On all Buck
Stroud ends on touchdown pems.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
I'm a cash on, I'm the fumble by Tumbo Baloo.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
So Nico Collins catches touchdowns number five and six in
yesterday's game, puts some sixth in the AFC. And mind you,
he has not been on the field for four of
their fourteen games so far this season. That definitely impacts
that a sixteen yards per carry a second among all
the players with at least six touchdowns. His yards per game,
(02:02):
like I said, took a little bit of a hit,
but it still sits there right with Jamar Chase.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
And it's all about how do you well do you
know your quarterback?
Speaker 1 (02:10):
How did Tom Brady always manage to have so many
receivers he could count on, whether it was Welker or
Ammondola or Edelman underneath, or it was obviously Randy Moss
or Gronk or even Aaron Hernandez at a time. Well,
it's because they they saw the same things, they knew
what was coming, they would react the same way.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
And I think Nico Collins and CJ. Stroud do the
very same thing.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
And something Nico a little bit talked about yesterday was
how it's kind of how they expected to be after
they put in the work.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Finding the open boy, you know, who were scummers every
day in practice. You know that that's how we pick
up our practice and you know we did, you have
to work off schedule, and that's what we've been doing
no since they want, you know, so we do that
out I practice, so on Sundays it's as easy, you know.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
So that's what we've been.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Doing, you know, just trusting, trusting the tom and trusting seven.
You know, y'all guys are downfield ready to make a play.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
Homrism to say Nico Collins begin belongs in this group
or yeah, he belongs in that group.
Speaker 4 (03:05):
I think it's wild when you look at he's played
nine games, he's twenty second league in receiving yards, but
those five games he missed when you you brought up earlier,
you bring you look at le yards per game, it's
Shamar Chase one and Nico Collins is two yep, ninety
four yards a game.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Yeah, Jefferson is the only other receiver at ninety or better.
Nico's ahead of him and behind you, mar Chase.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
He's in that conversation.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
I mean, again, you're only as good as your your
best ability, as your availability. He has missed games, yes,
but when he's out there, he is still he is
an elite wide receiver.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
And again I'm happy.
Speaker 4 (03:40):
To say that because sometimes when these guys get their
big payday, you know, we see sometimes that they feel like,
oh I've arrived, and the production starts to drop off
a little. Nico seems to be getting better game by game.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
And in his case he got a three year extension.
Well that means a massive new contract is in his future.
I mean, it's nice to get the money. He earned
the money. I think it was a really reasonable contract
from both sides. It was very well put in the marketplace.
But it's also a short term deal. He's only a
young enough player, a productive enough player. If he's a
(04:13):
healthy enough player to go bank big time when this
contract runs out, so there'd really be no reason for
him to say I got my money. And most receivers
are like that, they're gonna get a second contract, can
most most of them can be good for at least two.
Now this, this might make your head spin. Gordy might
make it sound pretty sad. Jefferson, Chase and Nico the
(04:34):
only three receivers at ninety yards per game are better,
and they're clear number one.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
That's not it.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
That would not make your head spin, that would make
you puff out your chest to Nico Collins plays with
clearly the worst quarterback slash offense by a lot.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
Offense.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
I'll go I can't say quarterback come on, based on
twenty twenty four. Oh no, but there's Lamar Jackson number
one rated quarterback, followed by Golf Donald and Burrow. Donald
and Burrow throw passes to Justin, Jefferson and Burrows. Chase
Burrow's fine on that list, But Sam Donald, Come on,
(05:18):
you don't like what he's doing this year?
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Can we not?
Speaker 1 (05:22):
We're doing the same thing with CJ. We're dismissing his
spectacular rookie season like we're dismissing all of Sam Donald's
awful football before this year, just twenty twenty four. Just
the offenses that they're in, the Kevin O'Connell offense versus
the Bobby Slok offense, and the results that you're seeing
from them.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Sam Donald's playing better quarterback than CJ.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
We all know the reasons why, Like, give me a
pie chart of the Texans faults.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Why is their offense so bad?
Speaker 1 (05:48):
You'd put five percent on this, You'd put eleven percent
on that, you'd put eighty four percent on the offensive line.
I get it, But this is what we have. This
is who the Texans are in twenty twenty four. CJ's
not going to light the world on fire the next
three weeks or in the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (06:04):
If we drove over to the gallery and pulled one
hundred people, it said, pick which quarterbacks galleria tourists. There's
a lot of people from out of town. It's a
pick one. I went to America. What if we went
to target the through out? Yes, they're of course, yes,
put it that way, clearly comical. I'm I'm a I'm
(06:24):
a comedian right now trying to spin that. But based
on the way they've played this year, because of all
the reasons, and you know, it just is what it is,
and that's why the Texans are what they are this year.
CJ's regression, I do believe that is a fact, but
it's such a small factor in how they're playing football
(06:45):
this year. If the offensive line was playing well, if
they got a consistent running attack, and if his group
of targets was healthy throughout the year, I think there
probably would be a small regression. While he would have
twenty five touchdowns and seven interceptions instead of seven touchdowns
and nine interceptions, I still think I would look at
it even as he would have set a new personal
(07:06):
best in touchdowns. There are things he's done this year
that I really can't remember him doing at all last year.
And clearly, you've got happier feet, you expect the rush
to be coming, you have a little bit less you know,
there were times this year where his best receiver was
a guy he had never played with before, and Stefan
Diggs obviously when Eko was out, and then when Nico
like look at where Tank Dell's numbers are. Tech Dell's
(07:27):
a secondary target no matter what. As long as Dell
was playing with Digs and or Collins or both he's
a secondary target or the third option, and his numbers
his ability to be a target for CJ. And I'm
not putting blame on anybody, but you can't ignore the numbers.
The role he played yesterday for the Texans great early
catch and had one other impactful catch. He played a
(07:49):
bigger role of returning punts than he did on their offense.
And yeah, he garners some attention because he's always capable
of getting behind the defense and making a play. But
those that literally has not happened even one time this
year where he's gotten behind the defense and made it
play Tank de Yeah, and see again, I'm not placing blame.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
I was just saying it hadn't happened this year many times.
Has he been the punt returner this year? Not very often.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
Yeah, but I do like that they're trying it. I
think it is a worthwhile risk from a health standpoint.
They basically have two options. The I'm never going to fumble,
hopefully Robert Woods who's not going to get very far,
although he had a huge one late in one game,
or someone who's dynamic, and they went with someone who's
dynamic with going to Tank Dell prior to yesterday as
(08:33):
a punt returner. Tank Dell had three punt returns all season.
He had three more yesterday.
Speaker 4 (08:41):
I think he's just such a good talent, Like, yeah,
it makes sense, we got it. He was so good
last year. We haven't seen that yet this year. Put
him in more spots to try to take advantage of
do something.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
It's an acknowledgment that he is a special talent and
if you haven't been able to put it on display.
In the passing game, he has a thirty nine yard
reception and a fifty yard reception. Those are just two
longest plays of the year. He's been in the end
zone twice. Neither came on those two plays. There is
more to see, hopefully over the final three regular season games,
and they are in the postseason. There will be at
(09:13):
least one playoff game, at least one home playoff game.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
There certainly could be more depending on where they finish.
Best receiver in the NFL conversation certainly is one that
has had every year. Jamar Chase would be in it.
A mon Ross, Saint Brown would be in it. He
had a pretty impactful game yesterday. Jefferson also had a fumble. Yeah,
justin Jefferson would be in the game. Of course, he
would be in the conversation. His quarterback Sam Darnol. Of
course you'd be posting unbelievable numbers when he's not throwing
(00:21):
the ball to Jordan Addison and Nico Collins should have
been in the conversation to begin the season.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
I don't think he was.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
He has to be in the conversation as we continue
this season, even with the games missed. He was immediately
put on ir with a hamstring injury that he suffered
on a long touchdown against the Buffalo Bills early in
the game, played only seven plays and then missed four
Texans games that followed, and has been at the top
of the chart in terms of yards receiving per.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Game definitely took a hit yesterday.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
He only had seventeen yards, but he sure made the
most of those catches, turning two of those four catches
into touchdowns. Because the chemistry between he and CJ. Stroud
almost from the moment they hit the field together in
a game for the first time ever last season. Certainly
there was practice time before the season during Stroud's rookie season,
but it sure seemed to click very very very quickly.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Touchdown yesterday sounded like this, Oh Kombo is a running back.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Third down and four blocked by tunsul On all Buck
Stroud ends on touchdown pems.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
I'm a cash on, I'm the fumble by Tumbo Baloo.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
So Nico Collins catches touchdowns number five and six in
yesterday's game, puts some sixth in the AFC. And mind you,
he has not been on the field for four of
their fourteen games so far this season. That definitely impacts
that a sixteen yards per carry a second among all
the players with at least six touchdowns. His yards per game,
(02:02):
like I said, took a little bit of a hit,
but it still sits there right with Jamar Chase.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
And it's all about how do you well do you
know your quarterback?
Speaker 1 (02:10):
How did Tom Brady always manage to have so many
receivers he could count on, whether it was Welker or
Ammondola or Edelman underneath, or it was obviously Randy Moss
or Gronk or even Aaron Hernandez at a time. Well,
it's because they they saw the same things, they knew
what was coming, they would react the same way.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
And I think Nico Collins and CJ. Stroud do the
very same thing.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
And something Nico a little bit talked about yesterday was
how it's kind of how they expected to be after
they put in the work.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Finding the open boy, you know, who were scummers every
day in practice. You know that that's how we pick
up our practice and you know we did, you have
to work off schedule, and that's what we've been doing
no since they want, you know, so we do that
out I practice, so on Sundays it's as easy, you know.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
So that's what we've been.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Doing, you know, just trusting, trusting the tom and trusting seven.
You know, y'all guys are downfield ready to make a play.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
Homrism to say Nico Collins begin belongs in this group
or yeah, he belongs in that group.
Speaker 4 (03:05):
I think it's wild when you look at he's played
nine games, he's twenty second league in receiving yards, but
those five games he missed when you you brought up earlier,
you bring you look at le yards per game, it's
Shamar Chase one and Nico Collins is two yep, ninety
four yards a game.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Yeah, Jefferson is the only other receiver at ninety or better.
Nico's ahead of him and behind you, mar Chase.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
He's in that conversation.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
I mean, again, you're only as good as your your
best ability, as your availability. He has missed games, yes,
but when he's out there, he is still he is
an elite wide receiver.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
And again I'm happy.
Speaker 4 (03:40):
To say that because sometimes when these guys get their
big payday, you know, we see sometimes that they feel like,
oh I've arrived, and the production starts to drop off
a little. Nico seems to be getting better game by game.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
And in his case he got a three year extension.
Well that means a massive new contract is in his future.
I mean, it's nice to get the money. He earned
the money. I think it was a really reasonable contract
from both sides. It was very well put in the marketplace.
But it's also a short term deal. He's only a
young enough player, a productive enough player. If he's a
(04:13):
healthy enough player to go bank big time when this
contract runs out, so there'd really be no reason for
him to say I got my money. And most receivers
are like that, they're gonna get a second contract, can
most most of them can be good for at least two.
Now this, this might make your head spin. Gordy might
make it sound pretty sad. Jefferson, Chase and Nico the
(04:34):
only three receivers at ninety yards per game are better,
and they're clear number one.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
That's not it.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
That would not make your head spin, that would make
you puff out your chest to Nico Collins plays with
clearly the worst quarterback slash offense by a lot.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
Offense.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
I'll go I can't say quarterback come on, based on
twenty twenty four. Oh no, but there's Lamar Jackson number
one rated quarterback, followed by Golf Donald and Burrow. Donald
and Burrow throw passes to Justin, Jefferson and Burrows. Chase
Burrow's fine on that list, But Sam Donald, Come on,
(05:18):
you don't like what he's doing this year?
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Can we not?
Speaker 1 (05:22):
We're doing the same thing with CJ. We're dismissing his
spectacular rookie season like we're dismissing all of Sam Donald's
awful football before this year, just twenty twenty four. Just
the offenses that they're in, the Kevin O'Connell offense versus
the Bobby Slok offense, and the results that you're seeing
from them.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Sam Donald's playing better quarterback than CJ.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
We all know the reasons why, Like, give me a
pie chart of the Texans faults.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Why is their offense so bad?
Speaker 1 (05:48):
You'd put five percent on this, You'd put eleven percent
on that, you'd put eighty four percent on the offensive line.
I get it, But this is what we have. This
is who the Texans are in twenty twenty four. CJ's
not going to light the world on fire the next
three weeks or in the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (06:04):
If we drove over to the gallery and pulled one
hundred people, it said, pick which quarterbacks galleria tourists. There's
a lot of people from out of town. It's a
pick one. I went to America. What if we went
to target the through out? Yes, they're of course, yes,
put it that way, clearly comical. I'm I'm a I'm
(06:24):
a comedian right now trying to spin that. But based
on the way they've played this year, because of all
the reasons, and you know, it just is what it is,
and that's why the Texans are what they are this year.
CJ's regression, I do believe that is a fact, but
it's such a small factor in how they're playing football
(06:45):
this year. If the offensive line was playing well, if
they got a consistent running attack, and if his group
of targets was healthy throughout the year, I think there
probably would be a small regression. While he would have
twenty five touchdowns and seven interceptions instead of seven touchdowns
and nine interceptions, I still think I would look at
it even as he would have set a new personal
(07:06):
best in touchdowns. There are things he's done this year
that I really can't remember him doing at all last year.
And clearly, you've got happier feet, you expect the rush
to be coming, you have a little bit less you know,
there were times this year where his best receiver was
a guy he had never played with before, and Stefan
Diggs obviously when Eko was out, and then when Nico
like look at where Tank Dell's numbers are. Tech Dell's
(07:27):
a secondary target no matter what. As long as Dell
was playing with Digs and or Collins or both he's
a secondary target or the third option, and his numbers
his ability to be a target for CJ. And I'm
not putting blame on anybody, but you can't ignore the numbers.
The role he played yesterday for the Texans great early
catch and had one other impactful catch. He played a
(07:49):
bigger role of returning punts than he did on their offense.
And yeah, he garners some attention because he's always capable
of getting behind the defense and making a play. But
those that literally has not happened even one time this
year where he's gotten behind the defense and made it
play Tank de Yeah, and see again, I'm not placing blame.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
I was just saying it hadn't happened this year many times.
Has he been the punt returner this year? Not very often.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
Yeah, but I do like that they're trying it. I
think it is a worthwhile risk from a health standpoint.
They basically have two options. The I'm never going to fumble,
hopefully Robert Woods who's not going to get very far,
although he had a huge one late in one game,
or someone who's dynamic, and they went with someone who's
dynamic with going to Tank Dell prior to yesterday as
(08:33):
a punt returner. Tank Dell had three punt returns all season.
He had three more yesterday.
Speaker 4 (08:41):
I think he's just such a good talent, Like, yeah,
it makes sense, we got it. He was so good
last year. We haven't seen that yet this year. Put
him in more spots to try to take advantage of
do something.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
It's an acknowledgment that he is a special talent and
if you haven't been able to put it on display.
In the passing game, he has a thirty nine yard
reception and a fifty yard reception. Those are just two
longest plays of the year. He's been in the end
zone twice. Neither came on those two plays. There is
more to see, hopefully over the final three regular season games,
and they are in the postseason. There will be at
(09:13):
least one playoff game, at least one home playoff game.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
There certainly could be more depending on where they finish.
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