Happy New Year! Bowl Games Are Underway! Friends Join the Show

Happy New Year! Bowl Games Are Underway! Friends Join the Show

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Is the Matt Thomas Show with Ross.

Speaker 2 (00:06):
Like, can I wake up the strippers? Can I do
all of that? And you know, do all the things
that Matt usually does. That's a Friday Show thing, say
show you know, like to like lead you to believe
that we're talking about certain businesses, but not say the
actual business, like trying to think all of the other
benchmarks that The Matt Thomas Show with Ross has. Oh yeah, hey,

(00:27):
by the way, we're the guys who just talked with
you for the last four hours. We're with you here
for this hour. And then Adam Wexler is coming in
from eleven to one. I'm Dan Matthews. He's Cole Thompson
and we've swapped chairs behind the scenes because now you've
got Jonathan Allen in with you. So that's what you
got here on The Matt Thomas Show with Ross. We
started off with the guests immediately because we're gonna get

(00:50):
ready for a Sunday's game between the Texans I Colts
at NRG Stadium. And he is our Sports Talk seven
ninety Texans insider and also too you can see him
on kPr two. He is Aaron Wilson. He's hopping on
with us here for a few minutes. Aaron, Happy New
Year to you man. Let's just go ahead and get
it started with the first practice of the week. We've
seen Wednesday be used as a strong designated rest day.

(01:14):
Do you expect that we're going to see a huge
injury report today, not necessarily for people to be concerned about,
but just Amiko Ryan saying, hey, take the day off.

Speaker 3 (01:26):
Yes, I do. I think that a lot of players
will not practice today. I sentil candids because don't have
the list yet. Would include Derek Stingley junior Obleague glory
last knee and previously foot. I would think Trent Brown
with his knee and ankle. Barriott Richard did practice a

(01:47):
little bit last week on a limited basis, so I
could see them. No, maybe they're using him in maybe
they're not, you know, with his no film injury, it's
already been broken and dislocated and repaired, so I could
see him practicing. And then I would imagine Sheldon Rankins Knie,
Nico Autrey Knie who missed two practices last week and

(02:09):
then played in the game, hit very well. And I'm
sure there's others. Dalton Schultz has been dealing with stuff. Oh,
you know, there's just different things like that.

Speaker 4 (02:19):
Aaron, let me ask you when you're talking about this
upcoming game against the Indianapolis Colts.

Speaker 5 (02:24):
You want to win.

Speaker 4 (02:24):
Everyone wants to win. But I'm looking at at the
standpoint of is there a point in the game where
you feel comfortable with that backups maybe coming on in?
What would that be because Jacksonville is absolutely beating the
brakes off of Tennessee, or you're putting BTA on a
Colts team that has nothing left to really play for
outside of maybe seeing if Riley Lannon could be the future.
Do you expect on Sunday to be a game where

(02:46):
you're gonna see Davis Mills and you're gonna see a
couple of backups make their debut.

Speaker 3 (02:50):
I do if it's going that way, and I think
halftime it's a good time. They kind of take the
temperature on that. I don't know if it's SS like
the first quarter, but remember Damico Ryans orchestrated again last
year where TJ. Stroud and it didn't have these sorts
of stakes, played one series and I believe it was
five for five before giving away to Davis Mills. So

(03:11):
do I anticipate something like that, Yeah, because he's showed
that he might say we're playing everybody and then technically
not you know, like kind of half step it that way.
There's a certainly Steakes. I mean, you can't, you know,
give up a chance to win the division title. Imagine

(03:31):
how some people would be that weren't arresting everybody and
then you had a chance to have a home playoff game.
I think his logic is fine. It's just you have
to evaluate whether some guys can play and still be
okay for the playoffs. I'm sure Derrick Ston Jinior can
keep playing with the oblique injury, and you know, Kamorrow

(03:51):
last I went back in the game, played within knee injury.
So I'm just not sure there as many candidates as
people think, other than the obvious the two offensive tackles
rest for the playoffs. I wouldn't play of those guys
this week. I would go with Blake Fisher and Tyus Howard.

Speaker 2 (04:05):
Again offensively for this game. Do you think they do
anything different? I mean, we saw an offense that really
came out firing in that last game, and you know,
stretching the field. I mean, you know, some huge downfield throws.
Do you do you feel like that's something that maybe
they try to really shore up before you head into
the playoffs.

Speaker 3 (04:23):
They'd love to do it again. I think those guys
are have the speed to strike deep against most coverages.
They identified something in the way the Chargers went the
shell coverage that allowed them to have those players and
then they adjusted. So Mike lou and Aroumo noticed that
and had his own adjustments with his corners. I could

(04:44):
see it. Yeah, I mean, I think they're not done
trying to throw deep though. I mean it's one of
the things I think they should do more of because
CDs drow goes it very well. That's his strength. Sometimes
it's story deep. He likes to do that, So more
of that will be great. I just wonder if they're
and be able to logistically because people have seen it now.

Speaker 4 (05:04):
Aaron, when you look at this offense, the thing that
has been very tiresome is that the Texans they're called
a Texans game. I mean, outside of those two early
touchdown passes jaydon Hagen's Jalen Nole, it was very much
a quiet day at the office out in Los Angeles.
There is going to be a weakness of Houston going
into the playoffs. I don't know what it is. I mean,
it could be lack of a running game, It could

(05:25):
be bad play calling, could be turnovers. In your opinion,
what's the thing that's going to keep Houston from finally
reaching their first safety title game.

Speaker 3 (05:34):
I think turnovers could hurt them.

Speaker 6 (05:35):
You know.

Speaker 3 (05:36):
I'm concerned that there have been twony interceptions, sometimes some
really avoidable ones. That's the possibility. I think they are
not as stout against the run as you would hope for.
There was a recent Ashontent game to worry about. I
think it does help that they switched out safeties, putting
in Kamon Wallace is now first on the depth chart,

(05:58):
ahead of Mouth Bryant and in terms of other Achilles
Heels and special teams. I think they've got things rolling
pretty good, especially Tamy Fairburn. You know, if the offensive
line was to regress, they're playing pretty well. Though we
have no sacks bast couple of games. I think a
lot of it's on Stroud. He's got to stand in

(06:20):
there and just throw a football deliberate the way he can,
and be a little more judicious about throws over the middle.
I don't think there's a ton of like real danger
points in the team into their just like real deficiencies.
I do think the end of the first half. The
management has been poor for the majority of the season.

(06:44):
Some of the decisions there, you could second guess a
bit of the strategy there, what are they doing? What
are they trying to do? Hasn't always worked out. Some
of it's play though, It's not always the strategy. But yeah,
a couple of times I think they've just including at
the end of the half week that was well just
I think a little too aggressive.

Speaker 2 (07:05):
He is our Sports Talk seven ninety Texans insider as
well as you can see his work part of KPRC two.

Speaker 5 (07:10):
He's Aaron Wilson.

Speaker 2 (07:11):
He joins us every single week here on Sports Talks
seven to ninety. Aaron defensively on the front, I mean,
once Tim Settle Junior and also Mario Edwards Junior both
went down for the season, it seemed like there was
a little bit of a void there on the inside.
But how about the job that Sheldon Rankins and Tommy
tog I have been able to do with their absences.

Speaker 3 (07:32):
Those guys are very good, I mean, and I think
with Togi, this was someone that they identified and they
were talking about even before training camp, and so Will
that you know, really stuck out to me in terms
of what he did. O Howse state that he had
potential month half potential with Sheldon, and I think Sheldon

(07:53):
would like to come back. He's a free agent. I
think they're interested too, which things on both they can
work out, so he might be back for more of
this kind of strong play. He gets a lot of
the push and does a lot of the dirty work,
and so does Autrey. It allows Will and Daniel to
Will Anderson's Neil Hunter to collapse the pocket and you

(08:14):
hit the quarterback so often. So he's very valuable and
a very smart player. Backups, I felt like he gave
him something as a elevation. I would imagine he'd be
up again. He did well, and they haven't gotten a
lot from the previous kick, Marlon Davidson. They've had a
couple of plays from Nikwon Jones, but not probably as many.

(08:37):
And just Botwo is just a big, big, massive guy
in the middle there. It pushes the pocket. So they
like what he did. So a couple of guys are
new to the defense. Botwo and Wallace were making some
play Wallas to safety.

Speaker 4 (08:51):
Aaron, I'm just going to come out straight and say it.
Do you think that the Texans are going to be
playing at home next week in the wild card round?
Are they going to be on the road? What happens
down in Jacksonville.

Speaker 3 (09:00):
I think they're going to Baltimore or Pittsburgh. I think
that's what's gonna happen. They're gonna wind up as a
five seeds and they're gonna play the four seed on
the road in the wild card round, and they'll be
favored to win, even though they're not the division champion,
they're the lower seed. They will be the favorites. And
it could be on a Sunday too. It's possible. Hasn't
happened very often, but it's possible, especially you know some

(09:24):
of these other teams. They might want to have them
on television on a Sunday and it could be Baltimore.
We're gonna see what happens today with Lamar Jackson and
Lamar gonna practice today after this back contusion that sounds awful.
Can need in the back and I hav gonna throw back,
but I'm sure he'll step up. I mean, he's pretty tough,
and he's done it before. I'm kind of thinking that's

(09:48):
what will happen and the Ravens will beat the Steelers.
Steelers are really bad right now going down that way.

Speaker 2 (09:55):
Yeah, and Aaron, I mean we've seen, you know, in
the past with the Texans that it seem like a
road playoff was death for them. If that happened, it
wasn't going to go their way. But with the way
this defense is and getting just enough offense, I mean,
do you feel like it's them where you get that game,
you win that game, you move on, you take on
Denver that no matter the path, this is a team
that feels like that they can make a deep run

(10:17):
in the playoffs.

Speaker 3 (10:19):
Yeah, they're confident. I think there's a lot more confidence
within the locker room and the building than perhaps outside,
where obviously fans and media raised a lot of, you know,
legitimate points. I don't think that they worry about it.
And you can kind of sense from the tone of
Demiko Ryans on Monday on the Zoom and it feels

(10:40):
probably like there are people are nitpicking them a bit.

Speaker 7 (10:43):
You know.

Speaker 3 (10:43):
Ablins in a row is very impressive, and I think
it's certainly been celebrated and respected, and you know, the
praise is obviously rightfully going to the defense and all
those things, but.

Speaker 6 (10:55):
Just as a team winning is winning.

Speaker 3 (10:57):
I mean, they've won a bunch of games in a row,
so I would say confidence is extremely high. And I
talk to these guys all the time, and you know,
I was in LA for the game, and after the game,
it wasn't like they were who didn't hollering because we're
in the playoffs. They expected the playoffs. That's the three standards,

(11:17):
three years in a row, and I think they're While
it was humbling the only three, it's been a while,
it's been a few months.

Speaker 6 (11:25):
And now they're on a roll.

Speaker 3 (11:27):
So yeah, they're turning themselves. Not cocky, but I think
with the appropriate amount of confidence. I mean, I can't
imagine they see like to win eight games.

Speaker 8 (11:35):
In a row pretty good, or if I I've had
to have them before, you know, maybe I get like
it's cut day and I get fifteen twenty cuts in
a row, I break them all. I guess what, I
feel pretty good when I think it's a weird comparison there.

Speaker 3 (11:50):
But you know, if I get a bunch of stories,
I'm like, oh man, I gotta keep getting them. I'm
in a row. I think it's the same thing for
football in a way that you know, you just you
get to mention go he can go on kind of
business you're in and you's feel good about it. You're
very confident.

Speaker 2 (12:06):
Well, Aaron, Hey, buddy, have a happy New Year's tonight,
and we'll see you up in the Yeah, same team, man,
and we'll see you up in the press box on Sunday.

Speaker 3 (12:15):
Big plans for you, guys. What are you gonna.

Speaker 2 (12:17):
Doh dinner and hanging out at a friend of mine's house.

Speaker 5 (12:20):
Nothing too serious?

Speaker 4 (12:21):
Oh not yet, probably trunk.

Speaker 2 (12:24):
There you go, you do the same, Aaron Wilson again
our Sports Talk seven ninety Texans Insider as well as
kp r C two. All right, from the Texans side,
we go to the Colts side of things. Derek Schultz
locked on Colts. He's gonna hop on with us. Here again,
it's Dan, Matthews, Cole Thompson in for Matt and Ross.
Here it is the Matt Thomas Show with Ross. Right here,
Sports Talk seven ninety, It's the Matt Thomas Show with Ross,

(12:49):
Dan Matthews.

Speaker 5 (12:50):
And Cole Thompson.

Speaker 4 (12:52):
I'm not Ross.

Speaker 2 (12:53):
No, you're not Rosst. I'm not mad either. No, I mean,
at least Ross you can deal with being Ross. But
Matt eh, maybe not. He's fine, he is, He's all right. Anyway,
it's us with you for this hour. And then also
you're gonna have Adam Wesler coming your way from eleven
to one, gonna catch up with Derek Schultz locked on

(13:15):
Colts hopping on with us here in just a few
As you know, the Texans and Colts final regular season game.
I mean we just talked about a little bit with
Aaron Wilson where I mean it's gonna be just kind
of maybe like a series by series thing with them
of just seeing how it all goes. But from the
Colts side of things, we know there's not gonna be
Philip Rivers.

Speaker 5 (13:36):
It's going to be a Riley Leonard.

Speaker 2 (13:38):
And as promised, Derek Schultz locked on Colts topping all
of this here for a few minutes.

Speaker 5 (13:43):
Derek, Kay, appreciate it.

Speaker 3 (13:44):
Man.

Speaker 2 (13:44):
You got myself, Dan Matthews, got Cole Thompson with you
this morning. Just Riley Leonard. I mean, I gotta believe
that expectations are pretty low from Colts fans in terms
of not really expecting a you know, four touchdown, three
hundred yard performance out of the guy and saying, hey,
we got our guy for the future.

Speaker 9 (14:03):
What you mean the Colts in a game tomorrow? Is
that where you're coming up here on Sunday? Is that
why you're trying to tell me that's the room.

Speaker 5 (14:09):
That's what I've been told. Unable to confirm just yet.

Speaker 4 (14:12):
I mean, they might as well not show up in
my opinion, but apparently they got to play for Warre
quarters of football.

Speaker 7 (14:17):
Yeah.

Speaker 9 (14:17):
Now, guys, you know all kaying aside.

Speaker 10 (14:19):
Yes, to say that the expectations are low or the
baseline is low, I think would be an understatement. I mean,
here's a guy in Riley Leonard that I think a
lot of people nationally know because of the runs in
the National Championship Game last year.

Speaker 9 (14:32):
But a guy that was a very late round draft pick.

Speaker 10 (14:34):
He was brought here to be the third string quarterback,
and because of circumstances somewhat beyond the Colts control here,
Hea is being thrust into a starting role here. You know,
they scrambled to replace him with a forty four year old.
So that tells you all you need to know about
where they feel like Riley Leonard is right now at
this portion of his career. But the team is, you know,
on a positive side of things. And as far as

(14:57):
his his IQ, he's obviously a great leader. I think
that was a parent when he was a collegiate player
and a guy that they feel like they can groom
into eventual a QB two level player. But really this
is just the situation that the culture in right now,
playing a meetingless game Sunday with a quarterback who, under
normal circumstances they would never throw out there under center.

Speaker 9 (15:17):
I don't think Keric.

Speaker 4 (15:18):
I just gotta ask you out of curiosity. You're throwing
out Riley Leonard. You bring back Philip Rivers. He's a grandpa.
He's trying to go ahead and probably prove that there's
still enough left in the tank. He's impressing in front
of his high school team. But you're going up against
the Texans defensive line that features two all Pro talents
and daneil Hunter and Will Anderson Junior. Just just just
humor me for a second. Did Shane Sychin make this
move because of his respect for Philip Rivers? He didn't

(15:40):
want him to die on a football field on Sunday.

Speaker 10 (15:44):
You know what, Honestly, I think if he was worried
about Philip Rivers perishing on a football field, he wouldn't
have thrown him out there Game one at in Seattle, right,
And he did that so and Philip Rivers survived like
he normally does. But yeah, you know, I do think
that there is there's an element of Okay, we tried,

(16:05):
you did us as solid you being Rivers, we appreciate it.

Speaker 9 (16:09):
You gave it a go.

Speaker 10 (16:10):
Let's just go ahead and call this what it is
and move on to the next thing. And I think
essentially that's what they're doing here with Leonard. They know
that there's nothing to play for it. They're not saying that,
of course publicly, but teams no deep down that you
know what this game is and what it means for
the future, and a forty four year old does not
factor in, whereas a twenty two or twenty three year
old might.

Speaker 2 (16:30):
Again, Derek Schoult's locked on Cold Top and alys this
here for a few minutes on the Matt Thomas Show
with Ross Derek, Let's look forward to this offseason.

Speaker 5 (16:38):
It's gonna be an interesting one up there. In Indy.

Speaker 2 (16:41):
Is Chris Ballard going to be making the personnel decisions
or is carly ersa gonna say your services are no
longer needed.

Speaker 9 (16:50):
Yeah, I mean it's an million dollar question.

Speaker 10 (16:51):
It's the biggest question facing the Colts and offseason, more
so than I would argue guys that it's an even
bigger question than what they do a quarterback, because obviously
Daniel Jones is not out of cod track at all.
That you know, here's a general manager and Chris Ballard
that it's hard to believe has been.

Speaker 9 (17:05):
Here nine years.

Speaker 10 (17:06):
And while Ballard has often talked about like he is
one of the top level executives in football, or at
least has been in the past, the results certainly.

Speaker 9 (17:15):
Don't bear that out.

Speaker 10 (17:16):
I mean, we're talking about a guy that will be
five years removed from his last postseason appearance, seven years
removed from the last postseason win, if you guys can
believe it, that was all the way back wild Card
Weekend in Houston in twenty eighteen at the end of
that season, when the Colts came in and beat the
Texans and Deshaun Watson.

Speaker 9 (17:33):
So, I mean, you know that's agent history.

Speaker 10 (17:35):
I mean Houston's remade itself at least once and not
twice Jacksonville's remade itself. Tennessee has gone through some cycles
with Ryan Tannehill and then cam Ward and here are
the Colts. No division titles under Ballard and one playoff win,
and those results just aren't good enough. But the problem
that they're facing is that they just traded their next
two first trump picks. They don't have quarterbacks solved. Most

(17:57):
of the core players of this team are signed for
twenty twenty six. It's never a good time to fire
your general manager, but it's particularly a bad time for
the to fire their general manager. But the problem is here, guys,
is that there has to be accountability. There has to
be consequences, and this team has been stuck in the
muck for way too long. You know, the Colts problem
isn't that they're bad. They're not bad. They're just done
any good. And that's the way that they've been now

(18:18):
for the last decade. And fans are tired of it.
And I'll be honest, even as a media member, I'm
tired of watching it. I'm sick of the worst place
to be in the NFL is eight and nine nine
and eight. It's the absolute worst place to be and
that's where the Colts just seem to be permanently stuck
here with Ballard.

Speaker 4 (18:31):
I got to ask that out of curiosity when you
when you look at this team, I mean no quarterback
solution right now. Dan Jones is gonna take forever to
get back from a torn achilles.

Speaker 7 (18:40):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (18:40):
You have Jonathan Taylor. You got t I mean you
got Tyler Warren. You you have Josh Downs, who's a
really decent number two wide receiver in Michael Pittman Jr.
But with no direction at the most important position and
no first round picks and still so many other problems
to solve. Is the is this gonna be the worst
team in the AFC over the next two years?

Speaker 7 (18:57):
Yeah?

Speaker 10 (18:57):
You know, I'm I'm hesitant, guys to speak in absolutes
because we've done that before. Remember when when Manning got
hurt and then they drafted Luck. It's like, oh, yeah,
they're going to be like the worst team in the league,
and they won eleven games and went to the playoffs.

Speaker 7 (19:09):
Right.

Speaker 10 (19:10):
I think this year that the expectations were really low
and they jumped out to a seven and one star.

Speaker 9 (19:14):
They had an historic offensive start with Daniel Jones.

Speaker 10 (19:17):
So, you know, the the NFL is one of those
things where you know, we thought, you know, Trevor Lawrence
and the Jags were just going to take over the
division for the next decade, and yeah, they're good again,
but they went back into the tank. I mean, there
were four team last year, So I think some of
these things can be sort of sort of topsy turvy.
But to get back to, like, you know, the crux
of your question, the big problem with the Colts is

(19:37):
that you listed some good players like John Pantator is
a really good player, Quinton Nelson's a really good player.
Left guard doesn't matter, But leftguard is not an impact position.
It doesn't it doesn't change the game. A running back,
it's nice to have a running back in a lot
of ways, isn't an impact player in the sense that
you can get somewhat decent level production out of somebody
who's way cheaper. Where the Cults have really struggled is

(19:59):
they just lack dynamic playmakers at receiver, at corner, at edge,
at quarterback, the positions that truly impact winning and losing.
The Colts under Chris Ballard have struggled to find players there.
They're great finding interior defensive linemen. They're great at finding
guards and centers and and things like that, and you know,

(20:19):
off ball linebackers and slot corners.

Speaker 9 (20:22):
But that's not what wins in today's NFL.

Speaker 10 (20:24):
And I think that that continues to be the big,
like long term problem for the Colts and solving those issues.
I mean, guys, they've burned, you know, I want to
say five or six at this point. Day one and
day two picks on Edge and they've got a collection
of guys like Quitty Pay and Layout.

Speaker 9 (20:39):
To Latsu who are just guys.

Speaker 10 (20:40):
I mean, they're they're just average football players, and that's
not good at all.

Speaker 2 (20:44):
Got about a minute left again with Derek Schultz. You
can find his work on Locked on Colts. Joining us
here on the Matt Thoms Show with Ross when Black
Monday comes. I know he asked you about Chris Ballard,
but Shane Steiken save.

Speaker 9 (20:58):
No one's safe right now.

Speaker 10 (21:00):
I think if you're asking me what I think is
the most likely solution, or a solution is presented in
the wrong away the most likely outcome, I do think
that they decide to move on from Ballard and maybe
give Shane Stipen another chance and bring in a new
general manager and have him decide to do what he
wants to do with Psyching. I mean, there's no questions
Stichen's a gifted offensive mind. But the problem is again
results business, and right now, in the three seasons, understand Ssyching,

(21:23):
the Colts are twenty five and twenty five, and that's
about as middling. In fact, mathematically it's as middling as
it gets. But I think a lot of these guys
you mentioned, know, Michael Piman Junior, Kenny Moore, Grover Stewart,
these guys that have been long time side here Franklin
that have been long time Colts, I think are going
to be cut candidates because they're out of guaranteed money
and you know some change is going to happen here. Guys,

(21:44):
they can't possibly just continue to keep running it back
over and over and over and expecting a different result.

Speaker 2 (21:50):
Gonna be an interesting offseason, no question about it. Again,
Derek Schoultz locked on Colts topping on with us here
for a few minutes. Derek, Kay, really appreciate your time.
I'm sure we'll catch up with you again sometime next season.
Happy to your fellows. Thanks the same to you again,
Derek Schultz hopping on with us. All right, so from
the Texans and Colts. You got college football playoff gams
coming up tonight, so we'll get into that and much

(22:10):
more with Trey Wallace oukick dot Com. He's gonna hop
on with us again. You got Dan Matthews, Cole Thompson
in for Matt and Ross. It is the Matt Thomas
Show with Ross Sports Talk seven ninety's the Matt Thomas
Show with Ross. Of course I'm not Matt and Cole
Thompson's not Ross. I'm Dan Matthews.

Speaker 4 (22:27):
Well, actually have this group, I would be actually Matt Thomas,
he would be Ross.

Speaker 2 (22:30):
Because you're sitting in mass That's yeah, there you go,
so that's that's all true. But anyway, Jonathan Allen's still
hanging out with us, so at least one guy from
their show can show up. But anyway, we've been talking
a lot of Texans and Colts. Now it's time to.

Speaker 5 (22:43):
Get in a little bit of the college football playoff.

Speaker 4 (22:46):
Trey Wallace from OutKick dot Com joins us. Ride here, Trey,
Happy New Year, my friend. Let's get started off on
tonight's game Miami, Ohio State Arlington. There's a lot of
people that are starting to turn on Ohio State a
little bit. They weren't impressed with how the offense looked
in the matchup against Indiana Big Ten Championship and even
though it was a very limited performance from Mark Fletcher,

(23:06):
I mean from the offense, Mark Fletcher Junior went off
for Miami. Well, what are your overall takeaways going into
the night's matchup?

Speaker 6 (23:13):
Yeah, good morning, guys, and happy New Year too.

Speaker 7 (23:16):
You.

Speaker 6 (23:16):
I just man, I look back and see what Miami's
front seven did against Texas A and M and I
think that should give some Miami folks some hope going
into tonight. I watched this Ohio State defense for the
entire season, and look they they continue to get better.

(23:37):
I know what happened against Indiana in the Big Ten
title game, but I still feel like this is a
matchup that that does favorite house state. Now, where it
gets interesting to me is is how the Ohose State
defense play somebody like Jeremiah Smith or Carnell Tait on
the outside and you know, if they can force them
into you know, and and look it would depend on it.

(23:58):
They're playing man, you know where they're trying to double
up one side. If you're trying to double up one side,
that means one of them is going to be playing
man to man, and so.

Speaker 9 (24:07):
How do you prevent that deep ball.

Speaker 6 (24:09):
I look at Ohio State and I do think that
they are, in my opinion, or one of the three
teams that can win a national championship. Miami, to me
is just they've been so hot and cold when it
comes to the offensive side, cold that it gives me
a little bit of nerves. But then again, you know,
I see that, and I was talking with somebody last night,

(24:29):
a coach assistant coach last night here in New Orleans
and stan it it wouldn't surprise me if if Miami
comes out and Carson Beack throws for two seventy five
two touchdowns and they're able to run the football like
I just this one. I understand white folks want to
kind of look at this and think maybe Ohio State
is going to take them on the defensive side. But

(24:50):
I think this is more of a game tonight. I'm
looking forward to seeing what kind of wrinkles Miami has
done over the last week or two when it comes
to offense and trying to attack Ohio State Trey.

Speaker 2 (25:01):
Which are the other three games? Do you think is
gonna be the most competitive?

Speaker 6 (25:06):
Paul Man, I hope it's the one I'm at Uh
that would be great.

Speaker 9 (25:10):
Uh if if we.

Speaker 6 (25:11):
Got something like we got in Athens and then you know,
besides the seventeen oh run that that Georgia went on.
To be honest with you, Alabama Indiana's gonna be very
interesting because first off, I want to see what the
weather looks like. Actually on game day, I know people
are freaking out right now, Uh at the rose ball
thinking it might be a slop, but Alabama not being

(25:33):
able to run the ball much that gives me a
little bit of trepidation. Uh. And even thinking Alabama could
do this, I'm gonna go with the one in Miami.
I'm gonna change things like even though I hope it
happens here, No, I'm gonna go to one Miami. I
I think Oregon in Texas Tech is going to be
a handful. You've got both offenses that can score points

(25:53):
very quickly. I think Texas deck has proven this year
defensively that that they can rise for the challenge. And
look at and I get with Texas dec that it's
hard to take away when you're looking at what two
games against BYU that are really your marking points for
the entire season. But I think there's something about this
Texas Tech squad and and and so when when we

(26:15):
break it down and when we're looking back, I hope
it comes through. I do think the Texas dech Oregon
game is gonna be a fun one. I think there's
gonna be a lot of points scored in that one.
But mayn if Old Miss boys can figure out a
way to get off the field a little bit, stop
Gunner Stockton from you know, going on these you know,

(26:37):
tim play drives with Georgia. This really does open up
an opportunity for Old Miss to come out of here
with a win. And I'm telling you, if they do,
it's gonna be pure craziness because of everything else surrounding
this game, which has been probably the most awkward thing
that I've covered during my college football career.

Speaker 4 (26:56):
I mean, Trey, you're currently in New Orleans and so
is apparently lang Kiff and hanging out with Governor Jeff Lantry,
and he's gonna be watching his team that he got
to the Sugar Bowl. Now inside of a suite. He's
gotta have nothing to do with it. But part of
the reason why also, and crediting my co host for
being quiet on this part that that Ole Miss has
gotten to this point is because of who they have
a quarterback and trade Ad Shambliss. And I'm must say

(27:17):
the quiet part out loud. If you give me one
quarterback to trust in the college football playoffs, I'm going
number six from Farris State. I just think that the
way he plays games and the way that he's able
to make these highlight plays left and right, that's what's
gonna take to beat a team like Georgia.

Speaker 6 (27:37):
I am fascinated by Trinidad Chambliss. I am, and and
the way he handles himself with the media, the way
that you look at him being got like everybody thought
this was going to be the Austin Simmons show. Guys,
and he comes in and I think it was the
second week pretty much, and he comes in and he's
taking over. And for a young man that was playing

(27:59):
at fair of State and now you're on the big
time and you're going up against in the SEC every
single week, and you know, and also it's the leadership
thing to me, it's you're when you're the new guy
coming in and trying to to be that leader and
trying to rally the locker room. It takes some time, man,
he but he's been able to come in and earn

(28:19):
the trust of these guys, and I'm telling you, like,
there's an opportunity for him tomorrow night. I understand how
much Georgia has gotten better, uh since that lost to
Alabama early in the season in Athens. But I look
at I look at Ole Miss and and I know
people want to kind of write them off because it's
Georgia and it's Kirby Smart and you know, Gunner stocked

(28:42):
and then they got Kobe Young coming back. But man,
I'm just saying, you know, with with Trinidad Chambless, they
got a wide receiver Ole Miss does named Trey Wallace.

Speaker 9 (28:51):
They actually do.

Speaker 6 (28:51):
It was weird interviewing him yesterday. I I just I
just think this could be an opportunity where Trinidad Chambliss
really says, hey, guys, I'm here type of deal. And
so you know, will it go in old missus favor?
I don't know, but I promise you from a financial standpoint,
the guy that might be potentially sending in a suite

(29:13):
tomorrow night with Guvern Landrys hoping so because they'll collect
a half a million dollar paycheck if that's the case.
So this whole thing is just weird, and I wrote
about it today. It's just awkward when you've got assistant
coaches who are technically working for LSU but also technically
working for Old Miss. They're in the room, you know,
the media availability, which was on Tuesday, and they're all

(29:36):
sitting around, but then they know, you know, you're going
to hang out with other LSU staff members at night,
or you're getting on calls and you're handling recruiting, and
then when you're in the Ole Miss facility, you know
you're breaking off after all your work is done with
the Rebels to go work for the Tigers. Guys. I've
just I've never seen something like this before. I know
it's happened. I know defensive cordators is kind of like

(29:59):
stuck around or ill Square leaders are stuck around, but
I'm talking about six seven coaches, you know. So this
whole thing has been weird. It's been awkward, and I'm
just telling if they win Thursday night and the transfer
portal opens up. What Friday at midnight? Guys, this is
going to be an awkward week from what's going down
in Oxford and Baton Ridge.

Speaker 2 (30:19):
Real quick here Trey Wallace again OutKick dot Com hopping
on with us for a couple more minutes. The Alabama
Indiana game, the Rose pol I mean a lot of
people thinking that Alabama's got a real shot here, and
if they do pull this off, does all of a
sudden the narrative about Kaylen de bor and Tuscaloosa change.

Speaker 6 (30:37):
Probably from a fans perspective, you know, when you when
you look at it, from you know, our our perspective,
you know, and all perspective. I think that there have
just been certain times where Kaylin de Boor, I think,
has made a few decisions that aren't Nick Saban. Well,
here's the problem. He's not Nick Saban. He doesn't want
to be Nick Saban. He's trying to change this program

(30:58):
around where it doesn't really look like Next Dayban, but
still keeping the same attitude as Alabama. I think that
once they beat Oklahoma what was in a week and
a half ago, I think the narrative minors shifted a
little bit around Tuscaloosa in the state of Alabama when
it comes to the fans. But you know, this is

(31:20):
something that he's still building. That's the thing. Like we
we we've seen it.

Speaker 9 (31:26):
Forget it, I do it.

Speaker 6 (31:27):
Sometimes it's not gonna be I mean honest with you guys,
Like you know, he's still trying to put together a program.
I get where we're in the transfer portal and how
everybody wants to quick fix. But to really establish your culture,
I think you need more than two seasons to do it.
But I give credit to Caitlin Depoor. He has fought
through some noise, all that Michigan nonsense that was brought

(31:49):
up all was he gonna leave for Penn State as well?
Like he just kind of kept things rolling there. And
I understand what happened in the SEC Championship game, and
I'm not trying to diminish any it from Georgia, but
Alabama was playing without about ten players, and so I
just I think that he has changed the mentality of
some Alabama fans. But I'll say this, and you guys

(32:11):
both know it. Go out there to Pasadiena and lose
by fourteen to seventeen points to Indiana, and it's going
to be a very very long offseason for killing the
bor and ughs salution.

Speaker 4 (32:20):
Yeah, it's not the fact that it's losing in the
Rose Bowl. It's the fact of losing to Kirk Signetti,
the losing his program in college football history, and you're.

Speaker 5 (32:27):
Supposed to be the standard of the sport. That's the
entire reason people it's losing.

Speaker 6 (32:32):
It's like the I said this the other day, it's
the opposite David versus Goliath in this one, because if
we really look at it, Indiana is Goliath here, uh,
and Alabama we looked at it as David, and you're like,
wait a minute, really good five years ago?

Speaker 5 (32:48):
Ray, right exactly.

Speaker 6 (32:50):
And that's just the changes that are going on in
the sport. And I give so much credit to Kurt
Signetti and what he has done. Man, he has turned
Indiana into a monster and they're going to be a
massive problem for Alabama tomorrow. But I also, you know,
think to myself, you know, five years ago, you know,
here's the funny part. Five years ago, we were sitting

(33:12):
around covering Jimbo Fisher going off on Nick Saban, you know,
following some Uh. I think it was a special Olympics
event in Birmingham that Nick Table was speaking about Nil
and Jimbo Fisher and that carried over into SEC Spring
meetings and it was the tall But you look at
where we're at five years later, and it's like everything's legal,

(33:33):
you know, and if it's not legal, they're going to
figure out ways to do it. And what I what
I mean by that is, you know, building up these
rosters in a in a very very short period of time.
It's just how we are right now in college football.
And so when you have Curtain Chicknetti coming along with Indiana,
and that guy is just a winner wherever he goes,
He's just a winner. And I think I think it

(33:54):
took a minute for Alabama to kind of get rolling
in this era and no pun inten I just it
is fascinating to me. And I think that you're right
if nobody's going to be able to get in the
state of Alabama, in that fan base, nobody's going to
be able to get over the fact that they lost
to Indiana. But if you're looking at it from the

(34:16):
outside and you look at the Indiana Hoosiers, that's a really,
really good football team and there's a reason why the
rank number one in the country, and Fernando Mendoza is
so stellar a quarterback and their defense, so you know,
that part is kind of curious to me to see
how Alabama fans will react because I think Indiana is
going to beat Alabama tomorrow and so the fallout from
that game is going to be very, very fascinating, to

(34:38):
say the least.

Speaker 2 (34:39):
Trey Wallace again al kick copping on with us for
a few minutes. Trey, Hey, appreciate it, buddy. Make sure
our boss Chris Gordy behaves himself there in his hometown
in New Orleans and returns back to us in one piece.

Speaker 5 (34:50):
Can you make us that deal?

Speaker 4 (34:50):
Actually, don't, don't make us that deal. Let it have fun,
Let let me go crazy.

Speaker 6 (34:54):
I'm trying.

Speaker 7 (34:55):
I'm trying.

Speaker 6 (34:56):
Chris has done a good job. He's controlling himself. We'll
see what happens tonight to what kind of trouble we
can get into. But no, it's uh. We'll keep tabs
on him. And I appreciate you guys having me. I
hope you have a wonderful New Year and enjoy the
games today.

Speaker 2 (35:09):
Happy to hear you too, Jay, Same to you, Trey,
I appreciate it, buddy, all right.

Speaker 4 (35:13):
Hate him, I hate him. I can't believe he would
do that to me. I bring him on for what
final interview? And now he's going to say Alabama's losing?

Speaker 5 (35:20):
How dare he?

Speaker 7 (35:21):
Well?

Speaker 2 (35:21):
Anyway, so we got the college football playoff, got some
final thoughts on the Texans, and then of course Adam
Wexler are going to be hopping in with you here
for the next couple of hours. But it still is
The Matt Thomas Show with Ross, Dan Matthews, Cole Thompson
in with you here on this New Year's Eve morning.
A few more minutes with you here with Dan Matthews,
Cole Thompson in for Matt and Ross on The Matt

(35:42):
Thomas Show with Ross. Adam Wexler coming in here in
about five minutes. Take you for the next couple of hours,
and we got Texas football. Jeez, it's Citrus Bowl coming
your way with Texas taking on Michigan in set games,
so their final game of the twenty twenty five season.

Speaker 5 (35:58):
And we ring in the New year tonight.

Speaker 4 (36:00):
Gotta bring this up. It's been bothering me for the
last two hours. Jonathan's in here now, so I got
to make sure that everyone can be on the same page. Jonathan,
our friend Dan Matthews here did not know that there
were multiple flavors of cheese. Its what exactly? He thought
there was one flavor of cheese it's And I'm losing
my and I almost went across the table and need
to strangle him and make sure that he was indulged

(36:22):
in all the cheese of flavors, because if he's acting
like there's just one flavor, there's extra toasty, there's extra cheesy,
there's spicy hobbinero, there's there's white cheddar, there's there's Charlett
parmers On. I mean, brother, how have you not had any.

Speaker 2 (36:35):
Other flavor of cheese besides regular cheese? Hey, I'm sorry
when it comes to the cheesy snacks. I mean, I'm
team Goldfish over team Cheeses.

Speaker 4 (36:43):
But then you compared it to Doritos, and then it's like,
how were you saying that Doritos are all the same?

Speaker 5 (36:48):
Well, I didn't say that they're all the same.

Speaker 2 (36:50):
I just said that they have one actual like brand
that is them.

Speaker 5 (36:54):
They just have a few off shape.

Speaker 4 (36:56):
They have one actual brand that is cheese It's and
every single one is a different flavor, just like the
franchio spicy buffalo. You have chili liman, you have sweet taco.

Speaker 5 (37:04):
I mean you got.

Speaker 4 (37:05):
You got honey mustard, the only all flavor of cheese.
It's man.

Speaker 2 (37:08):
The only duredo that I was really disappointed in was
the flaming hot dorito. I thought it was going to
be a lot better. Kind of like it sucked, kind
of like flaming hot because like flaming hot Cheetos. You know,
when I was in my fat game, like really into
my fat game, flaming hot Cheetos were my thing.

Speaker 4 (37:21):
Okay, Jonathan, what is the best flavored cheese it? Because
it's not regular cheese and flavor.

Speaker 5 (37:27):
Isn't there extra cheesy.

Speaker 4 (37:28):
There is extra cheese, and there's extra toasty, and.

Speaker 5 (37:31):
You can wake up feeling the cheesiest today.

Speaker 4 (37:33):
I'm gonna when Texas ends up kicking the crap out
of Michigan and they finished the year ten and three
and they get to brag over both Oklahoma and Texas
A and M for beating them and then winning their
actual bowl game, They'll be did see Tarcisian will get
Dallas in the best flavored Cheese It, which everyone can
agree with is Tabasco white Cheddar. It is the number
one flavor.

Speaker 5 (37:51):
Now there, you might have me. I actually might have
to try that one out.

Speaker 4 (37:54):
I'm telling you. It is a delectable treat. It is fantastic.
It is exactly what is necessary on a cold wintersday.
You know what New Year's resolution for you? You were
trying every flavor to cheese it before we get back
in the studio next week.

Speaker 5 (38:07):
I'll get I'll get through like a couple of them.
I'm not seeing you.

Speaker 4 (38:10):
I'm not saying you have eighteen boxes. I'm saying you
go to the store, you buy eighteen boxes, have one
flavor of every single one, and then afterwards you just
give the boxes to me.

Speaker 2 (38:19):
The only regret that I have is that with us
being in these chairs for the Matt Thomas Show with Ross,
is that we didn't turn it into at least a
one hour roast of each other like they do for
four hours every single day. And then in turn two,
I mean in the process, it seems like Jonathan gets
some strays as well. So I apologize to you in
the audience for that. But good news, Adam Wexler is
going to carry the weight for the next couple of hours,

(38:41):
so I think that he can probably do that. So
fantastic here we got through one out there, just to go.
He's Cole Thompson, I'm Dan Matthews. We're part of the
Morning Drive every single weekday morning six to ten am.

Speaker 5 (38:51):
Everybody.

Speaker 2 (38:52):
Have a happy and safe New Year's Jonathan, You do
the same, buddy.

Speaker 5 (38:56):
We will talk to you all next week.

Speaker 2 (38:58):
Adam Wexler hopping in with you extright here on The
Matt Thomas Show with Ross.

Speaker 1 (39:03):
Is The Matt Thomas Show with Ross.

Speaker 5 (39:20):
As you know, no MT, no RV.

Speaker 11 (39:22):
Just a little wax for you the rest of the afternoon,
and it's not even a full rest of the afternoon.
So we have college football coming your way, beginning with
one o'clock coverage of the two pm kickoff from Florida,
where the Longhorns and Wolverines will get together part of
a very long and super exciting, hopefully day of college football,

(39:43):
with the culminating game of the day, the playoff game,
the first of the four tonight with Miami and Ohio State.

Speaker 5 (39:50):
Three more coming tomorrow.

Speaker 11 (39:51):
Host of bowl games between now and the rest of
the college football playoffs, we'll focus in on those couple
of games for the next two hours or so, along
with a little focus on the NFL weekend ahead. Teams
hitting the practice field today those that aren't playing on Saturday.
There are a couple teams of it are, but those
teams that are not, like the Texans and the Colts,

(40:15):
they're hitting the practice field for the first time this week,
so a little bit more intel on what we might
see this weekend. There's a lot of seeding left to
determine around the NFL. The number one seeds have not
been clinched in either conference. The last remaining playoff seed
for the AFC will come Sunday night when the AFC

(40:38):
North has decided between Baltimore and Pittsburgh. Very likely the
winner of that game will host the Texans. Can't tell
if it'll be Saturday, Sunday or Monday of the following week.
But in the postseason, as the four meets five game,
we got the Carolina Tampa game coming up on Saturday,
which again can't be a winner take all games Saturday

(41:00):
because there could be three teams in that division that
finish eight and nine. That happens if Tampa wins and
Atlanta wins, the following day, so it becomes the opposite
of a winner take all game. If those results happen.
If Tampa wins to get to eight and nine to
drop the Panthers to eight and nine, and then the
Falcons beat the Saints on Sunday to get to eight

(41:22):
and nine, well then the winner of Saturday's game, Tampa
stays home and Carolina gets to also stay home. But
Carolina gets to stay home to host a playoff game
because the Falcons win in that scenario would eliminate the
Bucks via a divisional tiebreaker. Kind of ridiculous stuff on
that front, but that's one of the things that could

(41:44):
play out. And obviously the NFC number one seed coming
to a head with the game between San Francisco and Seattle.
It is official now that Shane Steiken has met with
the media today, they will be starting Riley Leonard. I
told you yesterday that that was going to happen, as
did many that the Colts or was obviously headed to
that direction. Philip Rivers will obviously still be with the team.

(42:06):
He's on the roster, but he also probably isn't even
going to be their backup quarterback, and who knows with
Riley Leonards starting his first NFL game against the Houston Texans,
who by all evidence so far, will be playing their starters.
I don't know if they'll be playing their starters throughout
the game because there is another game or two or

(42:27):
three that will impact their playoff seeding. One of them
will be played at the same time. That's the game
between Jacksonville and Tennessee. Tennessee wins that game and the
Texans win their game, well, now the Texans bump up
to the three seed, win the division, and will host
a playoff game. Very unlikely that the Titans are able
to come up and end the Jaguars seven game winning streak.

(42:49):
Nobody's beaten the Jaguars since before November, and that was
the Texans their last loss early in November, I should say,
and I don't see that happening. So if that doesn't
happ happen, well, then the Texans can do whatever is
they're going to do on Sunday, and when the game ends,
if they win, they know all they need to know.
They are the five seed and they can await the

(43:11):
winner of Sunday Night Football to see where they are traveling.
If they don't beat the Riley Leonard Colts on Sunday afternoon.
Then they have to wait and see if the Trey
Lance led Chargers can beat the Broncos. Broncos are playing
for the number one seed. Chargers are resting at least
justin Herbert, if not more players, And the other game

(43:32):
that obviously impacts them is the game between the Bills
and the Jets. The Bills are at home, it appears
that Josh Allen will play. The Jets are an embarrassment,
and it probably stands to reason that the Bills will
win their game. The Chargers will lose their game, So
if the Texans also lose their game on Sunday, they
would end up as the sixth seed, with a Buffalo

(43:54):
bumping all the way up from seven to five. I
said this yesterday, and I phone don't really believe it.
Nothing's gonna change on this front, other than maybe injuries
for other teams or your own. The Texans best case
scenarios are with them winning. You win to give yourself
a chance to win the division. You win to keep
yourself in the five spot. Want to be as high
a seed as possible, because you never know what other

(44:15):
upsets could play in your favor considering the quality of
the AFC postseason and the lack of an obvious best
team in the AFC.

Speaker 5 (44:25):
As seven people who the best team in the AFC.

Speaker 11 (44:27):
Is, you probably get one or two teams said more
than once, because nobody's gonna say Pittsburgh or Baltimore. That
leaves the other six teams. The records of those six
teams currently eleven and five, twelve and four, or thirteen
and three. They're all good. They've all kind of beaten
one another over the course of the season. The Texans

(44:48):
are sitting at eleven and five. The two other wild
card teams, they've beaten both of them, two of the
three top seeds they've played. They've beaten Jacksonville and lost
to Jacksonville. They've played the Denver bronc lost to them
by three on the last play of the game here
in Houston, while playing more than half the game without CJ.

Speaker 5 (45:05):
Stroud. It was the game that.

Speaker 11 (45:06):
He got hurt in and went in a concussion protocol,
and they began an eight game winning streak immediately after that,
won three games with Davis mill starting in the one
in the last five with CJ. Starting point being if
you're the fifth seed, and New England loses a home
playoff game in the first ever playoff game for Drake
May and Jacksonville loses a home playoff game because they're

(45:31):
not better than the Chargers or the Bills, who they
get to play. Well, then guess who hosts a game
in the next round, the divisional round. Well, the winner
of the Texans game would host again the following week.
It'd be again if it's the team that wins their
division Baltimore Pittsburgh, and it would be well for the

(45:51):
first time, Texans will be on the road if they
don't win the division. But if they're the five seed
and the six and seven seeds win their playoff games, well,
then they get to host a division around playoff game
against one of the two of those other remaining teams. Obviously,
if you're in the three seed, it's an even easier
path to hosting potentially a second game and again after
the into the divisional round, because you now need one

(46:14):
upset of either the two or the number one seed,
and you could potentially have an opportunity to host after that.
So obviously something that you would want to play for.
That's why I think Demiko is approaching it like this,
but I have a strong belief that they will probably
keep an eye on what is going on in Jacksonville
with the Jags and the Titans.

Speaker 5 (46:35):
Mentioned the college football playoffs.

Speaker 11 (46:36):
Chris Gordy is going to join the program from New Orleans,
the site of the Sugar Bowl, where it's all SEC
all the time. One of them will advance, Georgia and
Ole Miss getting together, so we'll talk about each of
the four playoff games. That's one of the three tomorrow,
obviously Bama playing tomorrow and this evening Miami and Ohio State,
Indiana and Alabama the middle game of the day. And

(46:59):
we'll get things started early with Texas Tech and Oregon
State early in twenty twenty six.

Speaker 5 (47:06):
So looking forward to that conversation.

Speaker 11 (47:07):
You guys are always welcome on The Matt Thomas Show
with Ross via social media of course via the phone line.
So I'd love to get your questions, comments and thoughts
about the things we're discussing here today at seven one three, two,
one two five seven ninety our final appearance on the
airwaves here in twenty twenty five. Don't worry, I'll be
back with you tomorrow. Rockets are playing the nets tomorrow

(47:31):
five o'clock tip, So I'll join you along the network
at four thirty for that. But anything in between, we
got lots to get to. There is some other NBA
news to discuss obviously, a lot of NFL news around
the league with the fourteen teams where I should say
sixteen teams trying to reach the playoffs this weekend, and
everything else on the table.

Speaker 5 (47:50):
All fair game.

Speaker 11 (47:51):
We might as well get started on the phones early
and get James here in on the program this afternoon.
A very great morning to you, James. What do you
have for us today?

Speaker 12 (48:01):
Yeah?

Speaker 13 (48:01):
Did you have them to catch? The Music City Bowl
or the Alimo Bowl last night?

Speaker 11 (48:04):
Well, if you tell me who played in them, because
I look at the teams rather than the name of
Illinois in the Music Bowl.

Speaker 13 (48:11):
Yeah, and then a TCU and the USC played in
the album.

Speaker 6 (48:15):
Yeah.

Speaker 11 (48:16):
I did games last night, Oh my, I mean yeah,
I have this trouble every year, James. And you know,
the games themselves very exciting. The players obviously are playing
to win. You're gonna see some great football obviously. The
way that TCU won that game on third and twenty
with a dump off in the flat thirty five yards
from the end zone, down three and scored, not to

(48:37):
mention how they outscored or got ten points in the
fourth quarter to get there. The games themselves are great usually,
and I don't mind anything about that. But do we
really care if a team lost or won a game
five six weeks after their regular season ended, with the
players that are no longer there or the coaching staffs
that are no longer there there, I don't. I don't

(48:58):
know the value in all that, but I don't. I'm
not usually disappointed in watching them. The games themselves are fine.

Speaker 7 (49:05):
You know.

Speaker 3 (49:05):
You know, we almost saw a Music City miracle last night.

Speaker 7 (49:08):
I don't know if you saw that one where.

Speaker 13 (49:09):
You turn that kickoff for a touchdown, but they couldn't
know the league.

Speaker 11 (49:13):
That's That's exactly what I'm saying that like, the product
is entertaining, and I think the game that we'll have
for you here on the air today will be the
very same.

Speaker 5 (49:21):
But I don't know that.

Speaker 11 (49:22):
I mean, Texas shouldn't be beating their chest that they
won a tenth game this year. They should be disappointed
that they only won nine in the regular season, because
a tenth win in the regular season would have put
them in the playoffs.

Speaker 13 (49:34):
Well, that's that's the next question I was going to
ask you, do you think there's the Bowl games are
kind of like who really cares?

Speaker 3 (49:41):
Or do you think that Like, h that was a
big deal for me. Yeah, h fan, But.

Speaker 11 (49:48):
It's just hard to I don't want to make the
statement for them. Do the fans care? It's funny when
their team loses they say they don't care, and then
some in ther you know, whether it's players or whoever else,
they say the same thing. I don't really believe that.
I mean, you're playing a football game, your university is
in it. You want to win. Now from a university standpoint,

(50:09):
We've got a lot of discussion James about the u
of HLSU game for obvious reasons, and that we have
their games right here on Sports Talk seven ninety or
over on nine to fifty. I was in the booth
for the Cougar radio broadcast for that game as well,
like I was for about half their games this season.
There's no doubt that game means something. It meant something
to the players on the field, it meant something to

(50:30):
the coaching staff, it meant something to the university, It
meant something to the athletic department. It meant something for
their future. That's why I think you saw them do
what they did. Happened to be one of their best
games of the year offensively without any mistakes, with a
four touchdown performance from Connor Wegman. And all indications are
that he will be back. I yes, he agreed to return.

(50:52):
We'll see if that stays true when the portal opens
on Friday. But they're trying to build something. They're trying
to build support. They're trying to build a base that
will regularly attend their games. And announced attendants of sixty
four thousand for their Bowl game here in Houston, when
obviously they well they can't draw sixty four thousand for
a home game at TDECU Stadium, but they can fill

(51:14):
the building. They didn't and they would like to. Don't
want it to be based on who's coming in. It's
great that they're in the Big twelve, so now you
get visits from Big twelve caliber programs. They will also
bring some of their fans. Was there for the Texas
Tech game over at TDECU and there are lots of
Red Raider fans there. It's good that you're bringing very

(51:34):
good and worthwhile opponents. They will also bring fans. Both
of those things are different than what it's been for
so many years before they got into the Big Twelve.
The conference play or their conference opponents in each of
the conferences they were in over the years, which it's
just uninteresting teams with they's just nowhere near Houston to

(51:56):
begin with, nowhere near Texas. They don't bring any fans, support,
they don't bring any rival, really don't bring anything, and
that will change, and it already has changed a little
bit in the Big Twelve. And you flip over the
LSU side of things, you got Frank Wilson, an interim
head coach who not only is not going to be back,
he already knows where he's headed.

Speaker 5 (52:12):
He's going to Ole Miss.

Speaker 11 (52:14):
Ironically enough, the players there that opted out, the players
there that wanted to enter the portal, so they obviously
weren't playing players that are declaring for the draft, and
some other schools have that. Pretty much all of the
Bowl game teams that don't play playoff games will have
a lot of that. We'll see that this afternoon with
Texas and Michigan. But the quality of the team they

(52:35):
were even though they only went seven and five, was
still not even the quality of the team they were
for this game because many of those players just they're
just not playing. Cougar's had almost everybody that was available
to them during the season available to them in this
bowl game, and LSU just didn't. And it's the same
story for most every other bowl game, whether it was
Tennessee's game last night or SC's game last night. You know,

(52:56):
some teams have more, some teams don't. If it's a
regular season game and you have five or six days
to prepare for it, and you've got to travel out
there after three days, and you're dealing with classes in between,
it's just not the same. I don't even consider these games,
these non playoff games that are bowl games, I don't
even consider them part of the season. You got different
players on campus, you've got different coaches running things. You

(53:18):
have practice time to work on things that have nothing
to do with your game or your opponent.

Speaker 5 (53:22):
They have to do with next season.

Speaker 11 (53:24):
But that's the way the system is right now, and
it is going to be exciting on Friday when the
portal opens. The games themselves. Like I said numerous times,
I watch them because they're usually entertaining. It doesn't mean
I base a whole lot of it on what they
did during the season, or if I think it's gonna
matter at all for the upcoming twenty twenty six season.
But I expect the games today of the game we

(53:45):
have in the playoff game tonight to be wonderfully entertaining,
and I certainly hope that that continues. We got to
continue here on the Matt Thomas Show with Ross Adam
Wexler here in with you. We'll hear from a couple
of the Texans about what they've done and what lies
ahead of them when we come back. Just give it

(54:12):
going here on Sports Talk seven ninety wex here with you,
MT and RV. I'll take you up until Longhorns football
coverage begins at one o'clock.

Speaker 5 (54:20):
Talk a lot of football.

Speaker 11 (54:21):
In between now and then a little bit about the
NBA and the Rockets, who will open up the new
year with a game in Brooklyn tomorrow, game in Dallas
two days later, and then back home for one home
game before back out on the road. Hard to believe it,
Rockets have only played twelve of their thirty games at
home and five of their next six will also not

(54:42):
be at home. Obviously at the end of the year,
it's going to be forty one here and forty one there,
but definitely imbalanced at this point in time, and I
think it shows a little bit in their record and
that they are so good at home. They're ten and two,
so eight of the ten games that they are overall
over five hundred have come thanks to their eight games
over five at home. If that continues to play, they

(55:02):
currently have the fourth best home record in the NBA.
They will probably have a very good record when the
season ends. The news on Nikola Jokic yesterday coming down
that it's probably four weeks minimum that he is out
of action with the knee injury, probably ends up being
a little bit more. Will be a reevaluated in four weeks.
They're one of the teams ahead of them, Spurs are
one of the teams ahead of them, but both of

(55:24):
those teams still only have one fewer loss than the Rockets,
So an opportunity to take care of business and get
back to where they probably should have never left, which
is the second or third best record in the Western Conference.
I imagine that they will get there in short order.
Mentioned I want to hear from a couple of Texans.
They get ready for Riley Leonard and the Indianapolis Colts.

(55:46):
The Colts are among the worst teams in the NFL.
And I'll tell you why this is. I've said it
probably you guys remember the Andy Dalton era of Cincinnati
Bengal football. It's like the worst place to be. You
have Andy Dalton. You know you could play better football

(56:07):
without him, but you're really not sure how you're gonna
find that quarterback. You know you'd be significantly worse without
him because he's a competent starting quarterback, but you're not
gonna win anything.

Speaker 5 (56:17):
Ever.

Speaker 11 (56:18):
They made the playoffs couple times. Obviously, we saw them
here in Houston. He had a couple of nice seasons,
but they weren't gonna be challenging for anything. For the
most part, they were just an average football team. Well
the Colts are Nobody knows average football quite like the Colts.

Speaker 5 (56:32):
And over the.

Speaker 11 (56:32):
Last eight years they made the playoffs couple times. They
weren't gonna win anything this year. No matter what the
result is on Sunday, they're gonna have for the third
time in four years, they're gonna finish with an eight
win or eight loss season eight and eight, eight, nine,
nine to eight, as you go from sixteen to seventeen
games during that time period. Because they're an average football team.

(56:54):
That's why they were the worst football team in the NFL.
The Giants, the Raiders, the Titans. They stink, but they're
going to be able to get something in the draft
if they know what they're doing to help them not stink.

Speaker 5 (57:07):
And you know the.

Speaker 11 (57:08):
Patriots last year, they were four and thirteen the year
before that, obviously they were in position to draft Drake May.
So they can go from four to thirteen to a
twelve win, thirteen win, fourteen win team in two seasons.
How are the Colts going to do that?

Speaker 5 (57:24):
They're not.

Speaker 11 (57:25):
This is the eighth consecutive season the Colts are going
to have a different quarterback lead them in passing yards.
Eight straight years of saying hey man, you're our guy
this year, and then the next year saying, hey, you're
our guy this year, which means they don't have a guy.
It all start in an Andrew Luck's final season and
then the seven that have followed without him. They just

(57:46):
they've only put the least amount of effort possible. Would
be never drafting a quarterback. They've drafted a quarterback once,
so they put almost the least effort possible into finding
their next great quarterback. They drafted Anthony Richardson a couple
of years ago, same draft as CJ. Stroud and same
draft as Bryce Young. Bryce Young is one win or

(58:08):
loss away from reaching the playoffs this year with a
bad football team, and he's played bad football.

Speaker 5 (58:13):
CJ.

Speaker 11 (58:14):
Stroud's already made the playoffs in three consecutive seasons, has
played good enough football to have teams that have won
ten to ten twelve games, maybe eleven right now, and
has a couple of postseason wins with the Texans under
his belt. Anthony Richardson's team has played competitive football since
he's been there.

Speaker 5 (58:31):
So has Matt Ryan's team.

Speaker 11 (58:32):
So is Carson Wentz team, so is Jacobe Prissett's team,
so has Daniel Jones team. Competitive football, eight or nine
win football. Every single year they move on to a
new quarterback who isn't the answer, and every single year
they keep their general manager in place, which, as I've
said on our show, the eighteen two to six weekday
Afternoons has been phenomenal for the rest of the AFC South,

(58:56):
most notably the good teams in the AFC South the Texans,
because they're not trying. They're literally not trying to win
big in Indianapolis. They're trying to put a competitive football
team on the field that I guess keeps him getting
paid by the Ursa family, and his deal that he
made in season this year is going to help cripple
them moving forward. Traded for Sauce Gardner, and Sauce helped

(59:18):
them win one time after his arrival. Granted not on
Sauce's shoulders that they lost all their games to close
out their season, obviously not having their quarterback and already
beginning the spiral downward before Daniel Jones got hurt and
left the field. It's gonna look like an awful deal.
Their pick got better the whole time that they gave
away to the New York Jets, and their pick in

(59:40):
the future could be really good as well, because we
don't know what their quarterback situation is going to be
next year either. So it's awesome to have them in
this division. It's been awesome to have Tennessee in this
division for most of their time together the Texans and Titans,
and we'll see about Jacksonville. Jacksonville at least has figured
one thing out, and I think, unfortunately that that's the

(01:00:00):
toughest thing for them to get figured out. That's the
front office. James Gladstone their new GM. This is year one,
Liam Cohen, they're a new head coach this is year one,
and Tony Boselli's now part of their basically three man
front office making all the important decisions for the franchise.
I mean, you can act like they didn't do things right.
You can act like it's a fluke that they're twelve
and four, and then you know, Trevor Lawrence still isn't

(01:00:22):
very good. I don't put him in the elite caliber,
but I'm not going to disrespect the football that they're playing.
Trading for Jacoby Myers, the Colts traded for Sauce Gardner,
the Jaguars traded for Jacoby Myers in season One of
them was unbelievably good, and we thought it at the time.
One of them was very questionable because of how much
it cost to get Sauce Gardner. And while it's great

(01:00:45):
they have him under control technically, I mean contractually, he's
making an incredible amount of money. He's being paid like
he's the best cornerback in football. He definitely is not.
He's good, he's definitely not one of the best, and
he got hurt. So that's what you decided to do.

Speaker 7 (01:01:02):
Well.

Speaker 11 (01:01:03):
The Jaguars decided to trade for a very reasonable cost
player and he's their new number one wide receiver and
they've rewarded him with a three year, sixty million dollar deal.
This is what's changed Trevor Lawrence more than anything else
in season. Liam Cohen is what's changed Trevor Lawrence overall.
I think he's playing for a competent coach with a
competent offense. I think they have weapons now because obviously

(01:01:25):
they're running back a duo of Ettien and Twoton mostly
at ten has been very good. Brenton Strange is a
perfectly capable tight end, and now that you no longer
have to rely on Brian Thomas Junior to be your
number one or hope that Travis Hunter can become that.
He's obviously missed most of the season now at this point,
so he hasn't even been out there. You had Parker
Washington on the roster. He's emerged as a legitimate target

(01:01:47):
for you, So all of a sudden, this is a
pretty good football team. It definitely looks like the future
is only between these two teams. Jonathan Taylor is a
great player. They have a couple of nice players on
their Rosterless, they're not a factor in this division unless
they have a quarterback who plays great football. They did
have it for a few games this year with Daniel Jones.

(01:02:08):
Who knows if that would have continued all year. Who
knows if that will pick back up again next year.
He's not even under contract for next year. This is
a and I'm giving Jacksonville a lot of credit for
some staying power that we don't know that they necessarily
will have. But that's who the Texans get to finish
their season with. Look to go two and zero against
the Colts. Look to go to five and one in

(01:02:29):
the division, same record as likely the Jaguars will have
this year. These two teams are likely to finish five
and one in the division and ten and two against
the AFC, respectively. The ten and two mark will be
the best in the AFC as they head into the postseason.
We will table the comments from CJ and Demico until
after we pay a visit to Chris Gordy. He's going

(01:02:52):
to join us from the Sugar Bowl right here on
the Matt Thomas Show with Ross. Next, let's dig in
on some college football conversation. Adam Wexler here with you
on the Mat Thomas Show with Ross without either one
of them, but with me and Chris. Gordy, who's been
our college football insider throughout the season, joined us on
the show throughout the year, and the season is not
yet complete until seven more college football playoff teams get eliminated.

(01:03:16):
The first of those seven will come tonight, with the
first of the four quarterfinal games coming your way tonight,
Chris joining us from the Sugar Bowl one of the
three games tomorrow. I guess we should start there since
that's the game you have been covering throughout the week.
We've had some conversation about that on our air earlier
this morning on what it could look like if Ole

(01:03:38):
Miss walks off the field and has another football game
in their future. Do you think there's a possibility that
that will happen?

Speaker 7 (01:03:47):
I mean, it's it's possible X. I mean Ole Miss
is a super talented team, and you know they played
Georgia within what one score, couple of weeks ago. In fact,
you know, they were leading for a good part of
that game and you felt like, oh, they have a
chance to beat Georgia in Affens. So it really the
only thing that's changed now is there's no Lane Kiffen,
And uh, you know, on other teams, losing a head

(01:04:09):
coach would be a big deal. But I just think
the way that this team is formulated with Charlie Weiss
Junior taking over play calling duties from Lane last year
at Ole Miss, he's still sticking around a running the
offense before he leaves for LSU. You know, they've been
able to keep most of this staff intact for this
playoff run. And so I do think you're gonna get

(01:04:29):
Ole Miss's best effort. Being around town here in New Orleans,
there was a tumble Miss stands that have made this trip,
and I almost think it might be sixty to forty
Old Miss fans in the Sugar Bowl. So it's gonna
feel like a home game. They're gonna have the crowd
behind him, and uh, they've kind of become the darlings
of the country, right, Big bad Lane Kiffin has become

(01:04:50):
the villain, and how dare he leave this playoff team,
and so, uh, they're almost kind of playing with house
money with nothing to lose, and so that there is
a chance Ole Miss can pull it off. Lying if
I said it wasn't awkward as hecht next, when you
know we're talking to Charlie Weish yesterday, who was the
LSU offensive coordinator, still lending his duties to ole Miss.

(01:05:11):
When you have Kevin Smith, the running backs coach for LSU,
who is still working at ole Miss. It's just it's
all very strange.

Speaker 5 (01:05:18):
No question about it.

Speaker 11 (01:05:19):
Well, let's take it maybe from from the fans standpoint,
because so many of them have traveled for this game.
Do they want to win this game for the ole
Miss program and their future or do they want to
win this game to show Lane Cliff Kiffen who needs you?

Speaker 7 (01:05:35):
Oh? They want both, I mean the they It's an
interesting dynamic, right, It's it's the jilted lover ex lover syndrome.
It's like you you hate Lane Kiv. Every ole Miss
fan you talked to it wants to diminish what he
actually did there. Oh, he he didn't do much for us.
We were a good program before we got here. A
news flash, you weren't. Ole Miss was basically a five

(01:05:56):
hundred team in the SEC sub five hundred really under
Matt Luke. And you know, Lane Kiffin brought them back
to a standard of respectability and can win an eleven
win seasons that they never had. But the minute he
leaves for a school, and not just another school, but
a rival school in your conference, yeah, you're gonna villainize

(01:06:17):
him even more. And oh he you know, diminishes his accomplishments.
Oh he didn't really do this for us and all that,
and even easier when you have Pete Golding who's already
on the staff and you just promote with him and say, oh.

Speaker 5 (01:06:27):
He's the guy now.

Speaker 7 (01:06:28):
So there's no doubt. There's a lot of that. I mean,
we saw it last week in Oxford at their home
playoff game. They had signage saying, you know, bleep Lane
Kiffin and all that kind of stuff. And you know
Lane likes making stuff awkward. And the latest reports are
the Louisiana Governor, who's going to be at the Sugar
Bowl tomorrow night, may invite Lane Kiffin as his honored
guest to join him at the Sugar Bowl. Just to

(01:06:50):
make this all this whole thing even more weird.

Speaker 5 (01:06:53):
It's going to be awesome if that's the case.

Speaker 11 (01:06:54):
Let me ask you a quick ole Miss college football
coaching trivia question. In the last fifty years, since Ken
Cooper was coaching ole Miss and they had a one
loss season in nineteen seventy five, how many ole Miss
coaches have coached their team to a a one loss
conference season? How many ole Miss coaches have coached ole

(01:07:17):
Miss to a one loss SEC season in the last
fifty years.

Speaker 7 (01:07:24):
It's just going off the top of my head, I
would say maybe one of those ELI teams under David Cutcliffe.

Speaker 11 (01:07:28):
Well, you got it right, Lane Kiffin did it this year,
and coach Cutcliffe did it once during his run there.
Nobody else has done that. And if they think that,
and I could have gone ten win seasons, which Lane's
had four of them, and there's no question he did
something for the program. Look where they are. They're in
the playoffs, there are eight teams playing, You're in it
and this is just the latest year. Look it looked

(01:07:51):
like this was where they were headed for each of
the last several years. So yeah, saying he didn't do
anything for the program is comical. The fact that they
were in a position financially to be in the running
to keep him this whole time also shows you where
the support for the program was. So it's fine to
call him a villain, it's fine to despise the manner
in which he left, but recognizing where the program is

(01:08:13):
and you hope. I think the real issue is they
know that they're not going to be able to stay here,
and I think that's the real issue. On this last
item for this team, Chamblas is going to play tonight
in any future playoff game? Is he going to play
college football next year?

Speaker 5 (01:08:28):
For Lane Kiffin, I would say right now.

Speaker 7 (01:08:33):
Know the latest reports we heard is that the NCAA
is not going to grant him that six year of eligibility.
They the board that decides eligibility in all this. Basically
what he is trying to push forward. When he was
at Division two Faris State, he had a season where
he did not play because he had I think it
was tonsilitis or a tons electomy and then you know

(01:08:57):
was sick because of it. Well, the reality was he
got out that year too, he just wasn't the starting quarterback.
But they're trying to use that as a medical red
shirt year for him to say that he was injured
and that's why he couldn't play. So it's a long
shot for it, but you know, Wax, I mean these days,
look at what they've pushed with Diego Pavi in the
JUCO ruling last year. I mean, at the NCAA, you

(01:09:19):
never know, it's a fifty to fifty crap shoot with them.
So if he does get an extra year of eligibility,
I do think he's gonna wind up bat LSU with
Lane Kiffen. I think that there have been rumblings behind
the scenes for a while now that he would follow
Lane over there because he likes Lane Kiffin. That was
the reason he chose ole Miss. If he gets the
sixth year, does he decide to stay at ole Miss?
I would put that as kind of a long shot

(01:09:40):
at this point, but right now I'd say it's probably
more sixty forty. He's gonna be playing in his last
college football game tomorrow night.

Speaker 11 (01:09:48):
We know one SEC team will reach the semifinals because
Almost and Georgia play each other. Will a second SEC
team reach the college football semifinals?

Speaker 7 (01:09:59):
It's interesting. I mean, look, this is a it's a
talent at Alabama team. They have their flaws. They can't
run the football, the offensive line has not played great
the last couple of weeks, and yet man to fall
in a hole like they did in Norman, Oklahoma, and
you know, play come back and play such a great
second half like they did against Oklahoma and get the

(01:10:20):
win in a rock and atmosphere. Who knows. I mean,
this is almost kind of like, you know, I like
using the Worthhouse money. I've heard that from a couple
of people in Duscalusive that they feel like Caitlyn de boor. Look,
the goal was they wanted him to make the playoffs
in your two because he missed it in your one. Okay,
he's done that and he's even won a playoff game.
So if he loses to Indiana. Look, there's gonna be

(01:10:40):
some of the fine bomb caller, die hard Bama fans
are gonna say fire him, but most level headed Alabama
fans feel like, Okay, you achieved you know what we
came to do. We won a playoff game. We made
it to the playoffs, and Indiana is a really good team.
But it would not shock me at all if Alabama's defense,
led by Kane Wallma gives Fernanda Mendoza some fits and

(01:11:03):
some different looks that they haven't seen all year. So yeah,
it's to me like, if I'm picking somebody, I'm probably
gonna still lean Indiana. I know they're the favorite team,
but would not shock me at all if Alabata finds
a way to win this game.

Speaker 11 (01:11:15):
If I'm picking Texas Tech tomorrow morning in Ohio State
this evening, will I be correct?

Speaker 7 (01:11:21):
Probably two good picks. Look, Miami is really good. I
mean seeing them up close to College Station two weeks ago.
The Bain guy is the real deal. I mean blocked
a field goal, he was running all over the field.
I mean it just felt like he was involved in
almost every play. That defensive front is gonna give Julians
saying Ohio State some trouble. Now, can Miami cover guys

(01:11:42):
like Jeremiah Smith one on one downfield? No, to me,
it all comes down to the run game, and we
saw how good they ran the football all over a
and m If they can do that to Ohio State
and take the pressure off of Carson Beck having to
be excellent, I think I think Miami's got a chance.
And then the other one, man, I'm for Tech. I'd
love to see it be a great story. And you know,

(01:12:04):
let's be real, Oregon doesn't really do anything when they
get to the postseason. Dan Lanning for as good of
a regular season coach as he is, man, he's done
a whole lot of nothing in the postseason and so
wouldn't shock me if Texas Tech is the hungrier team
and they beat an Oregon team that, like I said,
super talented. But Dan Lanning just the next time he

(01:12:24):
has a big postseason win will be the first time
he has one.

Speaker 11 (01:12:27):
Well, even if he gets one tomorrow morning, it will
be as the favorite. They're almost a field goal favorite,
still sitting at two and a half points, the only
poorer seeded team that is favored adding into these four
playoff games. Gordon, always appreciate the time, love talking college
football with you, and we'll still have a chance to
do that because we're nowhere near the end of the
line in college football. Not only the games, but we're

(01:12:50):
two days out from the portal opening up.

Speaker 5 (01:12:52):
Oh what fun it's going to be. Appreciate the time well.

Speaker 7 (01:12:57):
And just to give you a little caveat Wax, the
portal opens at midnight's Eastern time, that's eleven PM Central
on Thursday night, right around the time that ole Miss
might be losing a game to Georgia. It's gonna be
really awkward when those new LSU staffers are telling the
ole Miss players on the field, Hey man, I'm heading
bat Rugia. Coming with me gonna be very odd.

Speaker 11 (01:13:16):
So are you saying that the play caller in a
game they're losing will be running the ball at the
end of the game so it can end sooner?

Speaker 7 (01:13:25):
I think they're coaching to win. I'm just saying if
they lose, suddenly those guys at the strike of eleven
o'clock Central are now LSU employees and talking to ole
Miss players about coming to join them.

Speaker 5 (01:13:36):
Now.

Speaker 11 (01:13:36):
I hope they win and give the worst postgame interviews
postgame press conferences of all time because they just don't
have time for it.

Speaker 7 (01:13:44):
Oh, it's all, it's all. It's all awkward.

Speaker 5 (01:13:46):
Everything's weird college football. Gotta love it.

Speaker 11 (01:13:50):
Gordy, enjoy the game and we will check in with
you in twenty twenty six.

Speaker 5 (01:13:53):
Happy New Year.

Speaker 7 (01:13:55):
All right, Well, that's hook them horns. We need to win. Today.

Speaker 11 (01:13:58):
One o'clock coverage starts Longhorns and Wolverines right here on
Sports Talk seven ninety. Well, we're into our number two
of the Matt Thomas Show with Ross By. Now you
probably figure out neither one of them are here. Adam.

Speaker 5 (01:14:10):
We actually here with you.

Speaker 11 (01:14:11):
Great conversation with Chris Gordy about the college football postseason
playoff games on the horizon finally tonight and the three
games tomorrow, a bunch of other things for us to discuss.
I still have some more thoughts on those particular games.
We want to work some more of you in. You know,
you guys are out there so happy to hear from you,
and Roger has done that right here. So we joined
us here on the program this afternoon. All right, Roger,

(01:14:32):
what do you got for us?

Speaker 13 (01:14:34):
Hey, Adam, first time to talk to you, man. I've
been on the other shows plenty of times, glead.

Speaker 5 (01:14:40):
To hear from you.

Speaker 13 (01:14:41):
Bet So I know this is a scenario because it's
a game that's being played off at the end of
the schedule year with Jags and Titans, and there's no
way need you might as well just go ahead and
scratch that out. The Jaguars are going to just absolutely
probably have all been just cleared by the third quarter

(01:15:01):
with that game, I know there's a scenario out there
that we can that they can the times you can
beat them and then we can win the vision. Clearly,
people have to keep in mind that Amy Adams is
still there and probably send him memo to the players,
so like, we're not going to help this team win anything.
Uh So, yeah, just kind of clear that our I
wouldn't mind going to Pittsburgh at the ease of the

(01:15:24):
two Baltimore. It doesn't matter, it really matter how well
this defense travels this year. I just uh, I just
wouldn't mind. I just wouldn't mind if if you know,
the Colts, the Colts are gonna play a guy that
I've never seen play before us as a kid. I
don't know, but I just wish that they would have

(01:15:45):
let the Rivers play the last game because I would
like to play, you know, I like he can play again,
because I have a little respect for that old man.
I don't know why. I just I just not respect
for his game, you know, just I guess because I'm
older too, and it was pretty cool to see him
try to try to do something at that advanced stage.
But yeah, that was it. That's all I'd say. Please
please get that scenario audios head and then please just

(01:16:08):
know that the times you're not going to beat.

Speaker 11 (01:16:10):
I'll tell you what, Roger, I appreciate the call. Great
talking with you here and appreciate you listening to all
the shows here on Sports Talk seven to ninety. That's
an element that I bet you a lot of people
have thought about that the Titans are involved and Amy
Adams Strunk is involved.

Speaker 5 (01:16:25):
Now I don't know that.

Speaker 11 (01:16:26):
She held meeting with her team as they head into
week eighteen and game number seventeen during the rookie season
of cam Ward with interim coach Mike McCoy and said,
if you wouldn't mind, since I would love to stick
it to the Texans and we've got nothing else to
play for, can you go ahead and take a dive
in this game? I mean, I know we're a terrible

(01:16:47):
football team anyway, we have all of three victories this year,
and it would help us in the future with our
draft position obviously would hold firm there, So could you
do that for me? I think that's a fun el
to bring up, and I just think they're overmatched and
that's what we'll see. Jacksonville has something to play for
Jacksonville does not want to be falling into a Now

(01:17:09):
we have to go on the road for the playoffs.
Jacksonville just put together a seven game winning streak, and
if they don't make it eight, they're probably going to
not win the division. So I do think that they
realize what's at stake. I think that the position, you know,
the same thing I said about the Texans earlier, being
in the three spot, matters being at home to open
up the playoffs. It matters being in position to potentially

(01:17:30):
host more games in the playoffs. With all the upsets
that I think might happen in this year's AFC postseason,
there's too much on the line now. Tennessee's played better
football later in the year, but they also played Jacksonville
later in the year. It was just four weeks ago
when they met end of November, and Jacksonville just absolutely
slaughtered them. The Titans had three points. The Titans couldn't

(01:17:52):
do anything offensively against it. Probably still pretty underrated Jacksonville defense.
I like the Texans. They forced a ton of turnovers.
They've been x against the run. Cam Wardis engineered two
wins in their last four weeks, and Tennessee has started
to score pretty much ever since that Jacksonville game. They've
scored thirty one, twenty four, twenty six, and twenty six

(01:18:14):
in their last four weeks, so they're a little bit
more of a live dog, but they're also a very
significant dog in this game, so I wouldn't expect that
to happen either, Roger. Unfortunately, I think the Texans are
going to close the year on a nine game winning streak.
They're gonna go from three to five to twelve and five,
and it's gonna be two more wins than they had
in either of the last two seasons when they won

(01:18:34):
the division. But they're probably headed to a wild card
game on the road, and like you, I would agree
going to Pittsburgh is extremely unfrightening. Doesn't mean they're automatically
going to win, doesn't mean Pittsburgh isn't capable, but yes,
a lot less threatening than the equally uninspiring Baltimore Ravens.
Neither of those teams should beat the Texans in the playoffs,

(01:18:55):
but yes, I would agree that Pittsburgh is less likely
to beat the Texans.

Speaker 5 (01:19:00):
POS. That's one hour.

Speaker 11 (01:19:01):
We got another hour with you here until we get
you to Long Horns football. Halfway through this second hour
twelve thirty, we're gonna hear for Aaron Wilson on the Texans.
Texans about to hit the practice field at about an hour.
Little update on where things might be with some of
their players heading into this final game of the regular season.
All still on the horizon during the final hour here
on The Matt Thomas Show with Ross.

Speaker 5 (01:19:22):
I'm Adam Wexler.

Speaker 1 (01:19:24):
Is The Matt Thomas Show with Ross.

Speaker 11 (01:19:32):
Great to be with you here on the final day
of twenty twenty five, hanging out on The Matt Thomas
Show with Ross I'm Adam Wexler. They are both out.
MT will be with you tomorrow as will I. For
Rockets Basketball five do you have tip? Against the Brooklyn
Nets to kick off the final fifty two games of
the Rockets season. Looking forward to seeing if they can

(01:19:53):
continue what they've just started to do again, which is
bludgeon their opponents each of the last three games, going
back to the Christmas Day game where they, in my opinion,
broke the La Lakers. They have been in an absolute
spiral here really the whole month of December, but it
did seem to come to a head when their head
coach is saying, I'm not going to do this for
another fifty three games.

Speaker 5 (01:20:15):
Love it.

Speaker 11 (01:20:15):
Good news for the Rockets that they're taking care of
their own business. But a little added bonus, a little dessert,
a little topping on the dessert of what they've done.
If they can do that to the Lakers, They've got
the Nets and the MAVs to open up twenty twenty six.
We'll be back home next Monday for a game against
Jalen Green and Dylan Brooks Phoenix Suns, though looks like
only Brooks will be available for that game. Texans will

(01:20:37):
be done with their regular season by the time we
get back here with you on the air on Monday
of next week. They'll know if they finished twelve and five,
or if their winning streak has come to an end.
They will know if they are the division champions for
a third consecutive season, or if they are a wild
card team in the five, six or seventh spot, all
of which are still possibilities for the Texans coming up

(01:21:00):
this weekend. Imagine you know the schedule by now. Two
of those games that matter to Houston are at noon,
their game against the Colts, and the other AFC South
game the Jaguars and Titans. And then the other two
games that are impactful potentially to the Texans only if
the Texans lose, are the games between the Chargers and
Broncos in Denver with the Chargers sitting justin Herbert, and

(01:21:22):
the game between the Jets and the Bills in Buffalo
with the Jets playing the Jets are awful, the Jets
will have Brady Cook again, and the Bills maybe they
care to move to seven or five in the seedings
In the AFC, they are seven, they don't have tie breakers.
They need to have a better record than whoever the

(01:21:43):
wild card teams are, and if they don't, then they
won't be anywhere but seven. I would imagine they would
prefer not going to New England, even though they've beaten them.
I would imagine they would prefer not going to Jacksonville
or Houston. And I imagine they would love to go
to Pittsburgh or Baltimore of their remaining bad choices for
not winning the division for the first time in a while.

(01:22:06):
But again, all those games not having their kickoffs at
the same time this weekend a bit curious. Obviously, more
information you have going into your game, like if the
Texans played after the Jaguars.

Speaker 5 (01:22:20):
That's why the NFL didn't do that.

Speaker 11 (01:22:21):
The Jaguars had a new game and the Texans had
a three twenty five game, so they already knew if
they could still be playing for the division title versus
they can't. I would imagine that would impact what they
want to do. Demko Rians met with the media earlier
this week and indicated he's going for it. They're playing
their starters. I imagine that could change based on what
we see throughout the day. Menswell, hear from Aaron Wilson,
who covers the Texans for US here on Sports Talk

(01:22:44):
seven to ninety and for KPRC Channel two. We'll check
in with him around twelve thirty. He had a visit
earlier today and we'll share with you some of his
thoughts about what the Texans have on the line in
this game, some injury situations they have to be a
little bit concerned with, and some of the things going
into this game beyond the obvious. Because playing to win
is I'm all for it. I understand a healthy team

(01:23:06):
is a better team. I think putting your team in
the best position to win in the playoffs well, if
you can help yourselves by winning, then I think that's
what they should go out and try to do. And
I think that's what they are going to do. Granted
it is a Colts team who's playing Riley Leonard. Leonard
was officially announced as this starter for the Colts earlier
today by Shane Steiken. He has since met with the media,
so allless you hear from him. Also a little bit

(01:23:28):
later here during this hour, his thoughts on working with
Grandpa Philip Rivers. Also not the first time he's worked
with him some draft preparation this passed offseason, a little
bit of time spent with Philip, and also his first
ever NFL start. Riley Leonard, rookie quarterback, been with the
Colts all year, has seen the field a little bit,
coming in in relief of the injured Daniel Jones. Came

(01:23:49):
in last week to throw a Hail Mary. But now
he makes his first NFL start against the league's best
defense and certainly one of it's more ferocious. We'll see
if they are out there for sixty minutes of football.
Across the board, you know, the Texans rate very well
pretty much any statistic you want to look out to
grade out a defense there at the top.

Speaker 5 (01:24:08):
I always get a kick out of this.

Speaker 11 (01:24:10):
Each week when a couple people out there on social
media to cover the NFL will put together this chart
and updated on a weekly basis, it shows you what
teams like to do defensively, which team blitzes more, which
team is putting out different coverages more often, disguising things
more often, And they put it on this little graph

(01:24:32):
and then you chart it and you see which teams
do that combination the most, and which team does that
combination the least, those two different things as you plot
them on your graph, and every week it shows by
a wide, wide, wide margin, the Texans don't disguise their coverages,
and they blitz less than anybody in the NFL, and

(01:24:53):
yet they're still the best.

Speaker 5 (01:24:54):
Two reasons why that's awesome.

Speaker 11 (01:24:56):
It's awesome because they don't have to commit more players
to try to create a pass rush. Here's our four
man front. Here's who's rushing your quarterback. They're going to
beat you four on five or four on six, and
they're gonna get pressure on your quarterback, and your quarterbacks
is gonna make mistakes and they're gonna create turnovers and
they're gonna win football games, or you're looking at the

(01:25:17):
same coverage over and over and over and you're still
unsure of exactly what you are up against and where
are the holes in this defense.

Speaker 5 (01:25:24):
It helps a great.

Speaker 11 (01:25:25):
Deal that you have Kamari Lassner and Derek Stingley Junior
at corner and I think is the best cornerback do
on the NFL, and having them healthy for the playoff
game is extremely important. When the Texans hit the practice
field in a little under an hour, my best guess
is neither of them will be practicing today. It's been
pretty standard for the last couple of weeks for Lasser.

(01:25:48):
Although he was then dealing with a foot injury, he's
now added the injury he suffered in the game against
the Colts to that. So I would imagine he's probably
not on the practice field on Wednesday. Maybe he will
practice on a limited basis at some point. But if
he said Demiko that we're playing the starters, I bet
you he'll be healthy enough to go and they will
play him and with Derek Stingley Junior, as he's played

(01:26:09):
through and gotten over and tried to continue to play
through an oblique injury which was reinjured in the game
against the Colts. Probably not a Wednesday practice player either.
I would say, don't be too alarmed when later today
the Texans injury report comes out. I expect a lot
of players to be on it. I don't know that

(01:26:30):
all those players are gonna miss the game though, or
play the full game either, because by the time you
get to the third quarter you might have a pretty
good idea of what's going on in Jacksonville. You're not
gonna know anything about the Bills and Chargers. And remember,
if the Texans lose on Sunday, then they've opened the
door to fall back to the sixth seed or the
seventh seed if one of the teams Buffalo and La.

(01:26:53):
If one of them wins, then the Texans fall back
to six. If both of them win, then they fall
back to seven. Odds are pretty good that the Bills
beat the Jets, ards are not very good that the
Chargers beat the Broncos.

Speaker 5 (01:27:03):
Broncos are still playing for.

Speaker 11 (01:27:05):
The number one seed, so you may not see the
Texans care too much after the Jaguars are clearly going
to beat the Titans, because then they just know, well,
if we win, we get to play Pittsburgh or Baltimore
on the road. If we lose, we're probably going to
Jacksonville to take on a Jaguars team that beat us

(01:27:27):
in Jacksonville seventeen to ten in Week three, when when
they had two fourth quarter interceptions or fourth quarter turnovers,
Nico Collins fumbling the ball and then CJ Stroud late
in the game had his arm barely hit by Josh
Heines Allen and a pass intended for Christian Kirk at
the goal line was tipped and then ultimately intercepted, which
prevented them from potentially tying the game. I imagine they would

(01:27:50):
not have gone for two with the overtime rules. Going
for two to win a game on a final play
or thereabouts, it's not something a lot of NFL teams
feel the need to do.

Speaker 5 (01:27:58):
Buffalo felt the need to do last week.

Speaker 11 (01:28:00):
Might have been protecting Josh Allen from playing more football,
but for whatever reason they chose to do it, it ended
up not working, and so that's why the Texans were
able to pass them along with the Chargers last week.
Texans were seven going into Week seventeen with the ability
to pass the Chargers via tiebreaker, then out of the
same record, but head to head is in their favor,

(01:28:21):
and obviously the head to head similarly with the Bills
is already in the Texans favor. So those are among
the things that are sitting in front of them. I
wanted to go back for one thing before we hit
the brake here on a last week's game and what
it might mean moving forward, especially if the Texans are
working their roster a little bit in terms of health

(01:28:42):
and preparation for the postseason. They have seven active wide
receivers as we sit here today, with Justin Watson being
activated off of IR That's Watson, a couple of rookies,
and Higgins and Jalen Noel Braxon Barrios, who pretty much
doesn't play as an active every week. Could that change
so some other starting wide receivers won't see the field

(01:29:02):
nearly as much. If that's how it plays out, couldn't
tell you. But a look at what the rookies have
done to help this team as the season has moved on.
Here's Tomiko Ryans.

Speaker 14 (01:29:11):
I think both both guys, you know, Higgins and Nole,
they both are really confident guys. You know, they had
really good college careers and made a lot of successful plays,
and they're confident guys.

Speaker 9 (01:29:23):
I think for us, you.

Speaker 14 (01:29:25):
Know, they're still they're still gaining their confidence, they're still learning,
they still have room to grow, that they're still young players.
But I'm excited that they were able to make two
big plays for us to put us in position to
win the football game.

Speaker 5 (01:29:38):
Right out of the gate.

Speaker 11 (01:29:39):
First time all season, the Texans have scored touchdowns on
their first two possessions, obviously with the ball landing in
the hands of the awaiting rookie wide receivers the seven
a five yarder to open the game, four to three
yarder to Jalen Knowle to get them to that fourteen
to nothing lead. Just keep this in mind, in that
very same game, with Jaden Higgins and obviously CJ. Stroud

(01:30:01):
on the same page on that particular throw, there's a
play later in the game where he was expecting Higgins
to see what he was seeing, and he threw the
ball one place and Higgins just brand a go route
and he saw something different. I still think that they're
not quite on the same page. And I think the
same is true with Noel. I think the same is
actually true with Christian Kirk, who's not been on the

(01:30:21):
field nearly as much, and obviously was not here with
CJ a year ago, missed for the first seven games
of the season for the Texans. Curious to see if
that is something they still are working through. Higgins has
been on the field a ton this year, especially the
last eight weeks, and he's still only seen eight targets
in the last three games. He's still only caught four

(01:30:42):
passes in the last three games. And as much as
Jalen Nole showed up in the box score three catches
fifty four yards in that long touchdown this last week,
that was his second game with even a catch in
the last five games, and he still was only on
the field for sixteen snaps. He's not a huge part
of this offense. I don't think that's going to change

(01:31:04):
in the postseason. I think it should, but again, they
know more than I do. They're there at practice every day,
they're in the meeting rooms every day. I'm only at
practice for ten fifteen minutes or so, and I certainly
don't see them get to do the work. But it
looks like he can help this team a little bit
more than they've asked him to so far this season.
Here from CJ. Stroud coming back on the other side.

(01:31:24):
Here on the Matt Thomas Show with Ross, I'm Adam Wexler,
sitting in for both of them, who have taken the
rest of twenty twenty five off. A little bit after
noon on the final day of twenty twenty five, wex
here sitting in for MT and RV. Of course one
part of the Matt Thomas Show with Ross. Nice enough

(01:31:46):
to show up for work today. He got to work
with the most of the rest of the staff here today.
Jaya in the house today produced as per usual. I
gotta spend a little time with the Morning Drive who
filled in for the first hour for MT and RV.
I'm here for the final hour, but like those two guys,
no Ac, he's not working today. We also didn't have
a show today otherwise because we got Longhorn Football coming

(01:32:07):
your way. One o'clock coverage begins for the pregame of
their game against Michigan the Citrus Bowl.

Speaker 5 (01:32:13):
One thing I.

Speaker 11 (01:32:13):
Didn't ask Chris Gordy earlier when he was joining us
from New Orleans and the Sugar Bowl.

Speaker 5 (01:32:19):
It's a huge game. It's a playoff game.

Speaker 11 (01:32:22):
There are festivities around the game for the obvious reasons,
and you're in New Orleans, but it's also sponsored by
all State, as opposed to some of these other Bowl
games that are sponsored by baked beans or flavored cheese
crackers or wonderful breakfast delights that you can toast or not.

(01:32:42):
And because of that, there's usually some pretty ridiculous stuff
going on, whether it's what the handouts are for the players,
they're swag bag stuff for the media, stuff for the fans.
Mentioned yesterday that the cheese At Bowl had a ten
canister sampler of the ten different cheese It flavors for you,
and they had the cheese At Bowl helmet out there today.

Speaker 5 (01:33:05):
You know, see who wakes up the cheesiest.

Speaker 11 (01:33:07):
A lot of the bowl game sponsors get it kinders.
Another great example, they had the barbecue pit on the
stage during the postgame ceremony, handing Willie Fritz and the
Cougars their Texas Bowl Champion trophy and handing Connor Wegman
his MVP Cowboy hat and jacket, and then they gave

(01:33:28):
him some barbecue, brought out this honking slab of ribs
for him and they were able to hand that out
to take a big bite out of it. It was
there in the locker room as well, and obviously around
the stadium for the fans.

Speaker 5 (01:33:39):
It was there.

Speaker 11 (01:33:40):
HECKTT was in the press box as well. They had
all sorts of the Kinders seasonings up there for some
of the food. Clearly they served us barbecue and Kinders
barbecue sauce flavors. Had some hot Hunter and some Hickory
smoked flavored barbecue sauce for us. We appreciate that this
is your game. This is why you've spent the money

(01:34:00):
to have everybody, most everybody say the name of your
company before the bowl game.

Speaker 5 (01:34:05):
That's what you're supposed to do.

Speaker 11 (01:34:07):
Now, I guess I could do just credit to our
friends over relya Quest Iowa Vanderbilt going right now. I
don't know what fun stuff was a part of that
game with relya Quest. But Vanderbilt has three points. Maybe, maybe,
just maybe the SEC is going to lose another unimportant
bowl game, a we don't care game. Iowa fourteen Vanderbilt

(01:34:30):
three forty seconds before halftime. Told you last segment back
to the Texans that they scored touchdowns on their opening
drive and their second drive, first time all year that's happened.

Speaker 5 (01:34:41):
They led fourteen to nothing.

Speaker 11 (01:34:42):
I think they would love to be in that position
every single game, certainly this week, so maybe that can
impact how they play the rest of the game.

Speaker 5 (01:34:49):
CJ.

Speaker 11 (01:34:49):
Stroud obviously, and the rest of the offense, and Nick
Kayley and their head coach, and their team and their
fans all recognize that they were also done scoring touchdowns
for the day, and it's scored touchdown the rest of
the game. They had fifty plus minutes left of football
and multiple drives throughout the half and obviously in the
second half to score a touchdown last drive of the game.
They weren't intending to score a touchdown. What they were

(01:35:10):
trying to do was close it out, and they were
able to do that. So they closed out the game
with better than the three minute drive, got three first downs,
ran the clock out, but in between they managed just
two field goals, one of them coming off of a
turnover and the other one obviously helping to put them
ahead by two scores late twenty to ten in the
fourth quarter. CJ absolutely would like to keep the foot

(01:35:31):
on the gas offensively.

Speaker 15 (01:35:32):
They're playing too hot shale, you know, they're trying to,
you know, take away your best guy so we kind
of knew that, and you know, came up with some
good plays and designed some good plays just to pick
on that. And you know, got to just keep that going.
You know, it can't just be in the first quarter.
You know, it got to be throughout the whole game.
So the thin something we can learn from is, you know,
it was just keeping the gas on and making sure
you know, we're still calling it. I'm taking care of
the ball, and you know we're moving forward.

Speaker 11 (01:35:54):
You mentioned something there at the end, taking care of
the football. This team has been exceptional at taking care
of the foot ball. A two turnover game for the
Texans is very rare, and you look over the course
of this season, they're number two in the NFL in
a turnover margin. They're plus fourteen. They've also only turned
the ball over twelve times. That's the second lowest total

(01:36:16):
in the NFL. It's the lowest total in the AFC.
In fact, among AFC playoff teams, all of them have
at least fifteen turnovers. If Pittsburgh doesn't make the playoffs,
all of them have at least sixteen turnovers, except for Houston,
who again has just twelve. Now, looking deeper into that
that was a two turnover game. They've had only two

(01:36:39):
turnovers or more in a game four times in sixteen outings.
They did it against the Rams to open the season,
they lost. They did it to Jacksonville two weeks later.
They actually had three turnovers in his only other two
interception game. Obviously they lost. I ran through the two
of those turnovers in the last segment. They both came
in the fourth quarter late in the game, two of

(01:36:59):
the three that certainly could have flipped that game in
your favor. And the only other two turnover game before
last week was their second meeting with Jacksonville when they
trailed twenty nine to ten and were getting housed in
their house before the miracle comeback three touchdown fourth quarter
led by Davis Mills and then the fourth touchdown of
the fourth quarter when the defense scored on the final

(01:37:21):
play of the game. The rest of the year basically
almost no turnovers. They only have turnovers in three other
games period, and it's a total of three turnovers during
this eight game winning streak. Began with the Jacksonville two
turnover game and continued with the two turnover game against
the Chargers. The six wins in between one turnover, one turnover.

Speaker 5 (01:37:44):
CJ.

Speaker 11 (01:37:45):
Stroud threw a pick early in the Nnanapolis game and
that was it. They haven't turned the ball over and
didn't turn the ball over in any of those other
six games. You have a good defense, don't let the
other teams have the ball in good position. Certainly, don't
let the other teams score while their defense is on
the field, and they don't have to try to score
against your defense. It's pretty simple formula. It maybe makes

(01:38:08):
games a little bit more dramatic and close, because I
think it's pretty clear their quarterbacks, both Davis Mills and CJ. Stroud,
are not putting the ball in arm's way and in
turn not making as many risky throws and taking more
chances or being more aggressive offensively. It probably should easily

(01:38:29):
match up for you here. They also lead the NFL
in field goal opportunities. They've attempted more field goals and
made more field goals and every team in the NFL.
Maybe there's a fourth down situation here where I get
three points games over, we win, I get three points again,
we're up by seven, we're up by ten, and my defense,
our defense is gonna handle business. I don't need to

(01:38:50):
force it there. Other teams with other setups, with other
defenses might do things a little bit differently. I don't
think it's a factor of they don't trust the offense.
I think is a factor. He just doesn't feel the
need to go about it that way. Before we get
you to Aaron Wilson's thoughts on the Texans this matchup
in the NFL, which we'll do at the top of
the next segment. Here at the bottom of the hour

(01:39:13):
mentioned we would hear from Riley Leonard, quarterback of the
Indianapolis Colts. He will start this weekend against the Texans.
He spoke earlier this morning, spoke about how nice it
is to have Philip Rivers around. I had some really
nice things to say about their quarterback room. The veteran
starter Daniel Jones, the young player like him, Anthony Richardson,
and obviously Grandpa Philip have been very good for him.

(01:39:34):
He's very excited about his first start. He also recognizes
there's a little bit of balance between this is awesome
I get to start this game and he's getting to
start his first NFL game against the best defense in
the NFL.

Speaker 5 (01:39:47):
Some challenges, Yeah, yeah, they're.

Speaker 12 (01:39:49):
Really good football team. You know, we got great players
on the offense as well. But you know, I think
you know one opportunity, right, you play at this level,
you want to go against the best of the best.
They got great players, and you know, I think throughout
my career I've been able to you know, obviously a rookie,
but you know, last year in college was able to
play against you know, the best players at that level.

(01:40:10):
And now you know, this is a new stage. But
looking forward to it.

Speaker 11 (01:40:14):
You gotta love it throughout my career. He paused and
checked himself. I'm a rookie, so there basically hasn't been
a career. And he went back to his college football.
Now that's great. Excited for him that he did some
great things in college football, especially last year with how
Notre Dame advanced. He began his career at Duke and

(01:40:34):
finished out at Notre Dame. Look around the NFL starting quarterbacks,
especially the backups that have become starting quarterbacks too, they
all did that, all of them. All of them played
against great competition in college and succeeded.

Speaker 5 (01:40:48):
That's why they're in the NFL.

Speaker 11 (01:40:50):
Not all of them played against great competition in the NFL.

Speaker 5 (01:40:54):
And succeeded.

Speaker 11 (01:40:55):
We'll see what Riley Leonard has in store for the
Texans coming up on Sunday after noon noon to get
the regular season concluded and make their way onto the postseason.
We're going to talk with Aaron Wilson about that game
and about this team and about this season when we
return here on the Matt Thomas Show with Ross what'x

(01:41:18):
sitting in for MT and r V. Wanted to share
with you a conversation that our Texans insider had with
the Morning Drive, who were also sitting in for MT
and RV a couple of hours ago on our airwaves
here on Sports Talk seven to nine.

Speaker 5 (01:41:32):
And that's none other than Aaron Wilson.

Speaker 11 (01:41:34):
You know the situation this weekend for the Texans and
the AFC South Crown. They will play at noon against
the Colts and the Jaguars will play hosting the Tennessee
Titans also at noon. A Texans winning a Jacksonville loss
will result in the Texans winning the AFC South for
a third consecutive season. Any other results will prevent that.
So not knowing specifically what they can do with a

(01:41:56):
win probably indicates what Demiko Ryan said the other day
is exactly what they're gonna do is play their starters,
play this game to win. They can ensure they're no
worse than the third or fifth seed if they win
their game, so regardless of the Jacksonville outcome, they will
be third or fifth. With the Jacksonville outcome, a loss
by Jacksonville makes them third. A win by Jacksonville would

(01:42:18):
then make them fifth, so they wouldn't have to worry
about possibly falling down to six or seven. Wouldn't have
to worry about paying any attention to the Chargers game
with the Broncos or the Bills game with the Jets.
They could just await the announcement of kickoff times after
the evening begins. They might even announce kickoff times before
the Baltimore Pittsburgh game Sunday night is concluded, because there's

(01:42:41):
really nothing else to determine. I don't think the NFL
cares a whole lot if they have a game hosted
by Pittsburgh against Houston or a game hosted by the
Ravens against Houston from which of these six slots they
put it in. Everything else in the playoffs will already
be determined by that point in time. And again that's
the only matchup that is impacted by that. So they
know all five other game matchups and they technically know

(01:43:03):
this one in the AFC North champ against the five seed.
Whether that turns out to be Houston or somebody else
obviously remains to be seen, but they would know it
by that point in time. Nonetheless, we'll start the conversation
you're part of the conversation you heard this morning with
Aaron Wilson. From that standpoint of the Texans intend to
play their starters, but could we see an instance in

(01:43:26):
the game where the scoreboard from Jacksonville indicates maybe it's
time to go ahead and move on from some of
the starters.

Speaker 3 (01:43:34):
I think halftime is a good time they kind of
take the temperature on that. I don't know if it's
like the first quarter, but remember Damiko Ryans orchestrated a
game last year where TJ. Stroud and didn't have these
sorts of stakes played one series. I believe it was
five for five before giving away to Davis Mills. So
do I anticipate something like that, Yeah, because he's sohold

(01:43:57):
that he might say we're playing everybody and then technically not,
you know, to like kind of half step it that way.
There's a certainly stakes. I mean, you can't, you know,
give up a chance to win the division title. Imagine
how some people would be that weren't been resting everybody

(01:44:17):
and then you had a chance to have a home
playoff game. I think his logic is fine. It's just
you have to evaluate whether some guys can play and
still be okay for the playoffs. I'm sure Derrickson Junior
can keep playing with the oblique injury and you know tomorrow.
Last I went back in the game, played within knee injury.
So I'm just not sure there as many candidates as

(01:44:38):
people think, other than the obvious the two offensive tackles
for Rest for the playoffs, I wouldn't play of those
guys this week. I would go with Blake Fisher and
Titus Howard.

Speaker 2 (01:44:47):
Again offensively for this game. Do you think they do
anything different? I mean, we saw an offense that really
came out firing in that last game, and you know,
stretching the field, I mean, you know some huge downfield throws.
Do do you feel like that's something that maybe they
try to really shore up before you head into the playoffs.

Speaker 3 (01:45:05):
They love to do it again I think those guys
are read the speed to strike deep against most coverages.
They identified something in the way the Chargers went of
their shell coverage that allowed them to have those plays,
and then they adjusted. So Mike lou and a Rumo
noticed that and had his own adjustments with his corners.

(01:45:26):
I could see it. Yeah, I mean, I think they're
not done trying to throw deep, though. I mean it's
one of the things I think they should do more
of because hes Droud does it very well. That's his strength.
Sometimes it is throwing deep. He likes to do that,
so more of that will be great. I just wonder
if they're going to be able to logistically because people
have seen it now.

Speaker 4 (01:45:47):
Aaron, when you look at this offense, the thing that
has been very tiresome is that the Texans they're calling
a Texans game. I mean, outside of those two early
touchdown passes Jay Hagen's Jalen Nole, it was very much
quite the office out in Los Angeles. There is going
to be a weakness of Houston going into the playoffs.

Speaker 9 (01:46:04):
I don't know what it is.

Speaker 4 (01:46:05):
I mean, it could be lack of a running game,
it could be bad play calling, could be turnovers, in
your opinion, what's the thing that's going to keep Houston
from finally reaching their first safety title game.

Speaker 3 (01:46:16):
I think turnovers could hurt them, you know. I'm concerned
that there have been too many interceptions, sometimes some really
avoidable ones. That's the possibility. I think they are not
as stout against the run as you would hope for.
There was a recent Ashontent game to worry about. I
think it does help that they switched out safeties, putting

(01:46:38):
in kame On Wallace is now first on the depth chart,
ahead of Mouth Bryant and in terms of other Achilles
Heels and special teams. I think they've got things rolling
pretty good, especially Tammie Fairburn. You know, if the offensive
line was to regress, they're playing pretty well. Though we'll
have no sacks basketball games. I think a lot of

(01:47:00):
its on Stroud. He's got to stand in there and
just throw a football deliberate the way he can, and
be a little more judicious about throws over the middle.
I don't think there's a ton of like real danger
points in the team, and so that are just like
real deficiencies. I do think the end of the first

(01:47:21):
half the management has been poor for the majority of
the season. Some of the decisions there, you could second
guess a bit of the strategy there. What are they doing?
What are they trying to do? Hasn't always worked out
some of its play though, It's not always the strategy.
But yeah, a couple of times I think they've just
in cleaning at the end of the half last week

(01:47:43):
that was well, just thinking a little too aggresses.

Speaker 2 (01:47:48):
He is our Sports Talk seven ninety Texans insider as
well as you can see his work part of KPRC two.

Speaker 5 (01:47:53):
He's Aaron Wilson.

Speaker 2 (01:47:53):
He joins us every single week here on Sports Talks
seven to ninety. Aaron defensively on the I mean, once
Tim Settle Junior and also Mario Edwards Junior both went
down for the season, it seemed like there was a
little bit of a void there on the inside. But
how about the job that Sheldon Rankins and Tommy Togi
I have been able to do with their absences.

Speaker 3 (01:48:15):
Those guys are very good, I mean, and I think
with Togi this was someone that they identified and they
were talking about even before training camp, and so Wim
that you know, really stuck out to me in terms
of what he did at House State that he had potentials.
Munthtap potential with Sheldon, and I think Sheldon.

Speaker 7 (01:48:36):
Would like to come back.

Speaker 3 (01:48:37):
He's a free agent. I think they're interested too. Cames
on what they can work out, so he might be
back for more of this kind of strong play. He
gets a lot of the push and does a lot
of the dirty work and stud as autry that allows
Will and Daniel to Will Anderson's Neil Hunter to collapse
the pocket and you hit the quarterback so often. So

(01:48:58):
he's very valuable and a very smart player backups. I
felt like he Bots gave them something as a elevation.
I would imagine he'd be up again. He did well,
and they haven't gotten a lot from the previous kick,
Marlon Davidson. They've had a couple of plays from Niklon Jones,
but not probably as many. And Boto is just a big, big,

(01:49:21):
massive guy in the middle there. It pushes the pocket,
so they like.

Speaker 8 (01:49:25):
What he did.

Speaker 3 (01:49:27):
So a couple of guys are new to the defense.
Botswu and Wallace were making some place with Wallas in safety.

Speaker 4 (01:49:33):
Aaron, I'm just gonna come out straight and say it.
Do you think that the Texans are going to be
playing at home? Next week in the wild card round?
Are they going to be on the road? What happens
down in Jacksonville.

Speaker 3 (01:49:42):
I think they're going to Baltimore or Pittsburgh. I think
that's what's gonna happen. They're gonna wind up as the
five seed and they're gonna play the four seed on
the road in the wildcard round, and they'll be favored
to win, even though they're not the division champion, they're
the lower seed. They will be the favorites. And it
could be on a Sunday too. Possible. Hasn't happened very often,

(01:50:03):
but it's possible, especially you know some of these other teams.
They might want to have them on television on a
Sunday and it could be Baltimore. We're gonna see what happens.
To say, with Lamar Jackson and Lamar goeing to practice
today after this back contusion, that sounds awful. You can
need in the back and having to throw back. But

(01:50:23):
I'm sure he'll step up. I mean, he's pretty tough
and he's done it before. I'm kind of thinking that's
what will happen and the Ravens will beat the Steelers.
Steelers are really bad, right now going down that way.

Speaker 2 (01:50:37):
Yeah, and Aaron, I mean we've seen, you know, in
the past with the Texans that it seemed like a
road playoff game was death for them. If that happened,
it wasn't gonna go their way. But with the way
this defense is and getting just enough offense, I mean,
do you feel like it's them where you get that game,
you win that game, you move on, you take on
Denver that no matter the path, this is a team
that feels like that they can make a deep run

(01:50:59):
in the play.

Speaker 3 (01:51:01):
Yeah, they're confident. I think there's a lot more confidence
within the locker room and the buildings than perhaps outside,
where obviously fans and media raised a lot of those
you know, legitimate points. I don't think that they worry
about it, and you can kind of sense from the
tone of Dmiko Ryans on Monday on the Zoom, you know,

(01:51:22):
it feels probably like the people are nitpicking them a bit.
You know, AB wins in a row is very impressive,
and I think it's certainly been celebrated and respected, and
you know, the praise is obviously rightfully going to the
defense and all those things. But just as a team
winning is winning, I mean, they've won a bunch of
games in a row, so I would say confidence is

(01:51:43):
extremely high. And I talk to these guys all the time,
and you know, was in LA for the game and
after the game, it wasn't like they were who didn't
holler him because we're in the playoffs. They expected the playoffs.
That's the new standard. There's three years in and I
think they're While it was humbling the only three it's

(01:52:06):
been a while, it's been a few months.

Speaker 7 (01:52:07):
And now they're on a roll.

Speaker 3 (01:52:09):
So yeah, they're turning themselves. Not cocky, but I think
it would be appropriate amount of confidence. I mean, I
play actually they feel like to win eight games.

Speaker 8 (01:52:17):
In a row pretty good. Or if I I've had
to have them before, you know, maybe I get like
it's cut day and I get fifteen twenty texts in
a row, I break them all. I guess what, I
feel pretty good when I think it's a weird comparison there.

Speaker 3 (01:52:32):
But you know, if I get a bunch of stories,
I'm like, oh man, I got to keep getting them.
I'm in a role. I think it's the same thing
for football in a way that you know, you just
you get your momntioned going and you can go on
every kind of business you're in and you're feel good
about it. They're very confident.

Speaker 11 (01:52:48):
They're very confident. If you caught that analogy there at
the end, the Texans are in line to do something
they've never done before in franchise history. We'll close out
the show next with a bunch of things that hopefully
make your new year's plans and end of twenty twenty
five that much more enjoyable.

Speaker 5 (01:53:08):
Coming up.

Speaker 11 (01:53:10):
Mentioned, there were a couple of things that I wanted
to leave you with, just some news and notes hopefully
brighten up your day. Texans related, Texans are about to
do something, are possibly going to do something they've never
done before in franchise history. You know, they've made the
playoffs eight times before, they've won the division eight times.
There's a possibility they will win on Sunday and they'll

(01:53:30):
make it nine times. But there's also a possibility that
the Jaguars beat the Titans or the Texans lose, and
in that scenario, the Texans will make the playoffs as
a wildcard team for the first time ever. Texans have
never made the playoffs as a wildcard team before. All
eight of their previous playoff appearances have been because they
won the AFC South. All eight of their previous postseason

(01:53:53):
trips have included a home game to open up the postseason.
All eight times they won six of those games. Two
wild card game losses probably very easy to remember for everybody,
not necessarily me. I actually forgot one about three weeks
ago when we were talking about it. Game against Kansas City,
the Brian Hoyer started. It was a disaster. He lost

(01:54:14):
thirty to nothing. He turned it over five times. And
then the first playoff game for Deshaun Watson as Texans quarterback.
They played the Colts and were awful offensively. They scored
seven points and loss. Those are the two lowest scoring
games in Texans' postseason history. Obviously they were both losses.
What it also should point out to you open up

(01:54:35):
the playoffs eight times at home, all eight times they
won six of those games. That means they've advanced in
the postseason six times. All six of those times their
division winning team advanced. They went on the road for
that next game, which they've lost all six times, which
means the Texans have never won a road playoff game.

(01:54:57):
Six road games all in the divisional round.

Speaker 5 (01:55:00):
Losses.

Speaker 11 (01:55:02):
This upcoming opening playoff game could be on the road,
and it will be if they are the wildcard team,
which is where they currently sit. They also have a
chance to tie their best regular season win total in
team history if they get a twelfth win. They've never
been better than a twelve win team. They've only been
a twelve win team once. That team also won their

(01:55:23):
opening playoff game and then lost in the divisional round.
Hat tip to Tommy Townsend becomes the fourth Texans player
this year to win a Player of the Week award
in the AFC, obviously the Special Teams Player of the Week,
four punts inside the twenty was enough to get him
his fourth career nod AS Player of the Week and

(01:55:44):
an even bigger hat tip to Brevin Jordan, who continues
to fight through things. Continues to attempt to continue his
career with Houston, but injuries have derailed much of it,
including this season. He's the Texans Ed Block Courage, a
War Award winner for this season, or the most prestigious
awards in the NFL, certainly among this team, any team,

(01:56:06):
so kudos to him for being their selection. We'll talk
to you again in twenty twenty six. I will do
that tomorrow in advance of Rockets nets. Matt and I
will have to call of the game for you, and
we'll have Rockets launch pad beginning at four up next
Longhorns Wolverines Bowl game football here on Sports Talk seven
to ninety.

Speaker 4 (01:56:27):
He's ready.