Under Review's Division Preview Series: Which AFC South Team is the Bills' Biggest Threat? | UR - Under Review

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:14):
Previous play, We'll go under Review. What's going on? Everybody

(00:44):
Happy Tuesday evening. Thank you so much for tuning into
this week's episode of Under Review. My name is Joda Rosa.
You can find me on Twitter slash x at show
Underscore DeRosa And we are continuing on into this offseason.
As the schedule starts to ramp up, all that discussion
starts to ramp up. We are getting into another apex

(01:05):
of the offseason before we hit a little bit of
a low. And on this show, I thought it would
be a good idea to kind of give some glimpses
into what's going on outside of the Bills world, where
we can look at the other divisions in the AFC
and see really how these teams have reshaped themselves this
offseasons from a lot of questions that they had to
answer with all the draft needs they had, free agency

(01:26):
needs they had, and some lingering coaching staff questions. And
I thought it'd be fun to start with the AFC South.
Now the Bills do only play one team this season, however,
it's still good to keep tabs on what's going on,
and I wanted to do that, and of course I
can never do one of these episodes alone, I had
to bring a representative of the division onto the show,

(01:46):
and he is someone who has joined me before. I
had a great time speaking to him about the Jaguars
when they matched up back in September in week three,
and that is mister Travis D. Holmes. Travis, welcome back
to the show. I appreciate you being here. I appreciate
your time. How are you doing in this fine Tuesday evening, bro,
I'm doing wonderful.

Speaker 2 (02:05):
Bran I am.

Speaker 3 (02:06):
I am just a humble media serpent living in Travis
Hunter's the ball count.

Speaker 1 (02:14):
Travis Hunter, known, friendly passenger of airplanes, double academic grad.
I believe it was, which is awesome, just truly a
seemingly wonderful presence to the NFL world and to the
world in general, and a wonderful presence for Jags fans
who saw a very aggressive trade up in the draft

(02:34):
to go get the prolific two way athlete and a
lot of fun when I saw that go down, Travis,
because I remember just again a it was a lot
of whispers, do the Browns move out? What are the
Browns going to do? And I think it was so cool,
not only to see the Jaguars get him, just because
that offense with him opposite of Brian Thomas Jr. Is
just a really fun thought to have if you're just

(02:56):
a fan of football in general, but also for the
fact that you have you know this, you gm come
into town, a new coach come into town, and what
a way to make a statement by making that move.
So to pitch it back to you, I just want
to ask you as we start this discussion really with
the Jacksonville Jaguars, what are your thoughts on this Liam
Cohen and James Gladstone pairing. I mean, just so far

(03:17):
the impression that they've given you relative to the last
administration that obviously didn't go as expected. How are you feeling,
as someone who covers this team extensively about that duo?

Speaker 3 (03:27):
So this feels, I mean, there's I can't undersell how
different it feels between the pairing of Doug Peterson and
Trin Bulky.

Speaker 2 (03:36):
This is just something different.

Speaker 3 (03:38):
And I say pairing of Doug Peterson and Trient Balky
because let's be clear, they weren't brought in at the
same time. The Jaguars hired Trent Balky at a time
would probably no other general no other NFL team would
have hired him as.

Speaker 2 (03:50):
Their general manager. And then he gets you know, Urban fire.

Speaker 3 (03:54):
Urban Meyer gets fired, and then Trent Balke is then
on the hiring committees for hiring Doug Peterson. That is
not necessarily the match made in heaven, if you know
what I mean, Like, there are not two guys who
are being brought in on the same wave, like they're
just trying to figure out how to make this thing work. Again,
Doug Peterson already coming up being fired in Philadelphia, super
Bowl Champion, but he was being fired in Philadelphia.

Speaker 2 (04:16):
Let's just be clear about that.

Speaker 3 (04:19):
So at the end of all of it, it's like
this is different because well Liam Cohen hired James Gladstone,
Like they are in sync in all the way. They
came up both under you know, Sean McVay under Less
Need and the you know, Los Angeles RAMS organization with
the same philosophy, same thought process as all that. So

(04:40):
I am just happy to have that the fact that
both of these guys are just in sync with each
other like starting there, so that whatever is built, whether
it's great, whether it's terrible, whatever it may be, at
least these guys are on the same page, and they're
being bold as all can be in that and they're
kind of leaning into this little, you know, youth movement.

Speaker 2 (04:59):
I'm kind of I'm in on it.

Speaker 1 (05:01):
Yeah. I really think that when you look at some
of the past coaching and GM pairings for the Jags,
it was only right that they just went into this
with what felt like the correct format, which is, we
have to take a really like not even just a
young pairing, but just someone who we see as a

(05:21):
forward thinking offensive mind in this league, and then let's
go get someone from a really proven front office and
just put them together and someone that has familiarity with
the other as you alluded to. And that's exactly what
you get in Jacksonville. And it's why I think that
this regime is a totally different one for Jaguars fans.
It's one that I think we're going to see a

(05:41):
different era of Jaguars football. And I as just again
a fan of football because these episodes, obviously this is
a Bills Lens show. I am a Bills fan, but
I am a football fan before anything else, and I'm
excited to see a team that seems to have otherwise
apart from the Saxonville year just kind of hit hard
times and never really seem to that direction where they
can get out of it and be able to be

(06:02):
a contending team. And it feels like now we're getting
to that point where, just given some of these moves,
again it's still very early and it's still very much
on paper, they're making what many NFL fans can kind
of unanimously say are the savvy, correct moves, especially when
you look at what they needed to do for Trevor Warrence,
who had a lot of question marks for the upcoming season,
while we went and got him an offensive coach that
just basically resurrected Baker Mayfield's career, and then we talk

(06:26):
about getting him weapons and we have plenty. We have
two insanely talented boundary threats, and also which we'll get
to when we talk about the roster, a really deceptively
awesome running back to go in a room that's going
to have questions about the future of the running back
room with Etn potentially being on the out and out
going and getting Rout and Tuton and getting him to
really pair with them and having a lot of explosive elements,

(06:48):
and then of course retooling a defense that, while didn't
perform to the best of expectations last year, it has talent,
it has things to build off of. So I'm a
fan of pairing and this duo, and I think that
for Jags fans, they should be quite excited because they
are are, in my opinion, entering not to you know,
make a joke about it being affordable like an age
of sunshine, like an age of we're finally going to

(07:10):
be able to watch something, be proud of it and
also contend for the years to come.

Speaker 3 (07:14):
Right, I think I'm fully on board with that. Like,
I don't want to make this thing sound like I'm
just raving. I'm raving and building the parade for Liam
Cohen and James Gladstone because I'm not there yet. But
at the same time, I am absolutely saying that this
is competent general managing.

Speaker 2 (07:32):
This is a confident the competent leadership.

Speaker 3 (07:35):
From you know, Tony Bacelli, Hall of Fame offensive tackle
for the Jaguars, who's kind of over this whole thing
of football operations, and Liam Cohen. Like the fact of
the matter is they're making smart I say, smart basic
NFL moves, and I don't mean that in a demeaning way.
I do mean that simply as like I've always I've

(07:56):
often said often if general managers just draft based on
the consensus board, they're probably gonna win more often than not. Like,
and the general managers just make smart financial moves as
far as free agency is concerned, they're more they're often
gonna win more often than not.

Speaker 2 (08:09):
That's the Pittsburgh Steelers all day.

Speaker 3 (08:11):
Like, so i'd say that when I say competent, I'm
simply saying I'm just happy to see the Jacksonville Jaguars
have a leadership group that just makes basic smart Like
if you're just a fan of your average football fan
with your average football intelligence and just saying, hey, that
was a smart move, and you're probably right, Like that's
what the Jacksonville Jaguars are doing right now. They're not
over selling and over leveraging themselves in free agency. They're

(08:35):
just trying to build the depth there. And then they're
just saying we're going to be a draft and developed team.

Speaker 1 (08:39):
Allah.

Speaker 3 (08:40):
The Pittsburgh Steelers, Allah, the Greenmay Packers, Allah, the Las Vegas,
the Las Vegas goodnesscrations of the Los Angeles Rams, I'm
here for that, So I'm here for all the smart
football moves. Again, they haven't won a game on the
grass this this is still up in the air. How
it's going to go with this could be to go terribly,
but I wanted to be make sure I clearly.

Speaker 2 (08:59):
Say I am here for the process, and the process looks.

Speaker 1 (09:04):
Yeah, that's Jet's kiss and that's all we can base
it off of right now. And it's okay because I mean, again,
we don't have the body of work yet. Maybe this
age as well. Maybe this age is like milk in
a hot car on the sun. But regardless, we're still
talking about just what the outlok is for the team,
and I think it's fair to be optimistic about it
and for football fans to say, hey, they're building something

(09:25):
good over there. But now just taking it into the
team build itself. Because we talked a little bit about Hunter,
a little bit about the draft, but this is a
Jaguars team coming off a year again just of disappointing results.
When you go into just total EPA, when we're talking defense,
they're sitting there at I believe I have it at
thirty first in the league, and then just I had
this pulled up, and of course I switched tabs in
the middle of me making this point for whatever reason,

(09:48):
nineteenth total EPA offense and you look at the construction
and there's at least going into it. When we had
our episode back in week three, you know, there was
a lot to like about the Jaguars defense because again,
I think they have a talented front with some really
key pieces that are going to be staples of them
for a long time. And you talk about some prolific
young talent you know in the secondary and some linebackers.

(10:09):
But it seemed like it just simply didn't come together.
And whether it was a scheme issue, whether it was injuries,
which I know played a large role into what ended
up happening for the defense, it didn't go as you
wanted it to. But now in the offseason, it seems
like they've addressed a lot of these head first as
best as they could. But you are the expert on
this team, and I want to turn it back to you.
Give me your thoughts just basically from when the season

(10:31):
ended to now on how you think the Jaguars did
in building this roster and what you think, you know
it could look like this upcoming season. I mean just
really anything you want to say about it.

Speaker 2 (10:41):
All right, cool, So let's start with the elephants in
the room.

Speaker 3 (10:44):
If you're talking about the Jaguars thirty second you know,
passing defense, you kind of have to talk about the scheme.
You have to talk about the previous coaching staff the
Jacksonville Jaguars for thirty second and blist percentage in twenty
twenty four, they were thirtieth in stunt percentage. They were
thirty first in past Russia at defensive tackle, and they
had Eric Armstead, the gree technique that they brought in

(11:06):
from San Francisco, who made a career off being a
great three technique as far as pass rushing, only played
thirty nine percent of this snap set defensive tackle. And
that screams to me that this is not a roster issue.
As far as your defensive front, this is not a
roster This is the Hey, you are badly scheming of
this thing, You are badly coaching this thing. You are

(11:27):
not making this hard for an NFL offense to kind
of just counter what you're doing on defense. They know
when you line up exactly where you're going to be
and kind of how to beat this, that's unfortunate. So
the Anthony Capanelli, while being a first year defensive coordinator,
doesn't have some crazy, some crazy bar to kind of hit,
like if they end up being a fifteenth passing defense

(11:50):
in the league, they're probably gonna win a boatload of
games and be in a playoff somewhere. Like I truly
believe that, simply because if you just make this hard man,
just don't be predictable. So just based on the fact
that there are they've already said, hey, Eric Armstead is
going to be playing defensive tackle this year.

Speaker 2 (12:05):
Oh my gosh, that's so crazy.

Speaker 3 (12:09):
Like this, this is not but we're going to be
having to say this out loud, like the guy that
was brought in to be a three technique is going
to be playing three technique. Ray job guys like this,
This is what I mean when I say, like basic,
basic NFL moves and that we may actually blitz more
than the last team in the league. We may actually
stunt and move guys around more than the you know,
the last two teams in the league moving guys around

(12:32):
and using all your guys.

Speaker 2 (12:33):
So just on that, I think we're going to be better.
But then when you.

Speaker 3 (12:37):
Look at the people that left Jacksonville and the people
that came. Even looking at it from that perspective, it
seems like this team got better every step of the way.
Like people were ringing their fingers over the Jaguars losing
Christian Kurt then they got Travis Hunter, Like, I mean,
what are we doing there to pair with Brian Thomas
Junior to lose Dave Davis. But you have Diammy Brown

(12:58):
at worst case scenario that is a push because Yabe
Davis hasn't been healthy basically since he came into Jacksonville
after his PCL injury.

Speaker 2 (13:06):
The lows have been Ingram. But you have Britain strange
in the corner.

Speaker 3 (13:09):
And in this Leam Cohen scheme, you have to be
able to block in Britain and Evan Ingram just wasn't
a blocker in line like that. So it's again your
worst case scenario is to push, lose Brandon Shurf, lose
Mitch Morris. As far as the old line is concerned.
You bring in Patrick McCary from Baltimore and White Mili
out of West Virginia. You bring in Robert Hainsey from
Tampa Bay and Jonah Maheim out of the USC you

(13:33):
got two to three guys like in the mid to
early rounds of the draft and free agency for every
loss that you lost on the offensive line, and you're
bringing guys who are better run blockers than the guys
who left. This in all the ways makes feel more
efficient offense. And I just can't I can't see how
any of this doesn't say the arrow is at minimum
pointing up, if not for twenty twenty five, absolutely for

(13:56):
twenty twenty six. And that's before we even get to
the defense. Like we talked about the bad scheme from
Ryan Nilsen twenty four. But then you lose by the way, Yeah,
is he really.

Speaker 1 (14:08):
He came on as an assistant he's uh, I actually
have to find his former formal title, but yes, he
came on as an assistant coach.

Speaker 2 (14:16):
Well, Niggain, I can't see that.

Speaker 1 (14:19):
Okay, he's not a defensive coordinator, so you could be.

Speaker 2 (14:21):
Honest, solid And then Jessonville and just did nothing And
I don't know what. I don't know what that's about.
I honestly just don't.

Speaker 3 (14:30):
Uh. But they lose. Robert Ronald Darby obviously got Travis
Hunter playing some cornerback. Also got Jordan Lewis from the
Dallas Cowboys, one of the best slock corners in the
NFL if you're looking at Pro Football Focus got Jarry
and Jones was also going to be complete competing inside
and outside. You lose Andre Cisco, who had a really
down year and that was really disappointing. But then you

(14:52):
add Eric Hurry from the Texans, and you add Caleb
Ransoll from Tulane, and both of those guys might end
up being starting to safet these watch out Donnelle Savage.

Speaker 2 (14:59):
We'll see what is there.

Speaker 3 (15:01):
Uh and Baisehall Suton and Leaquin Allen both added to
the running back room with Travis CTN and Tan Bixby,
and one of those guys are absolutely gonna be in
the cold. Like I just don't know which one it's
gonna be. Kind of have to think it's gonna be
Travis TN on that fifth year option. But we'll see what.

Speaker 2 (15:17):
You know, we'll see what happens there when they get
on the grass, but you know, when the veterans truly
get on the grass and kind of see where that lands.
But overall, I just went down list by list by
list every player that was brought in is either equal
to or absolutely like without question better than the guys
who was previously there. And then you have the elephants
in the room, which is the scheme just being better

(15:38):
from William Cole versus Doug Peterson or Anthony Kapellen versus
Ryan Nilsen. I don't think this is even close, like
they have to be one of the top two teams
in this AFC South or I think it's a failure
even in year one.

Speaker 1 (15:49):
Yeah, we like watching Jaguars games. Last year the offense
was so frustrated because it was almost like a constant
telegraphing of what they wanted to do. And I feel
like people mix the results with their own person valuations
of Trevor Warrence, who I have defended because I do
think Trevor Warrence has the ability and has just been
hamstrung by just again like predictable play calling, unimaginative offense.

(16:10):
And it hasn't been most so a lack of talent,
because there have been options there. But again there's been
flashes from him where you're like, Wow, this guy really
is it, and then he gets kind of people will
say you're making excuses for him. But I do think
when you look at what defenses are able to do
when it's I could sell out against you because I
know exactly what you're going to do. Hello, this second
and long screen, so nice to see you again for
the fifth time in the game. It's things like that

(16:32):
where I'm like, man like, how can we even say
it's a fair game for the quarterback when all he's
doing is getting kind of put in these terrible third
and long situations, and of course he's going to have turnovers.
And what I like about pairing him with Lion Cohen
is again Leon Cohen will run that rock in a
variety of ways. He'll use motion to get it done,
and he believes in the talent of his room. He's
not unwilling to rotate backs. Granted he did kind of

(16:54):
lean on Bucky Irving towards the end of the year,
but there was a lot of a Shod White usage.
There was a lot of a Shod White as a
pass catcher, and I think that same thing is going
to happen this year, whether it's a mix of truly
et and it bigsby with two kind of rotating in
as the third back, or maybe they really believe in
the home run hitting ability of two and to be
able to kind of have him come in as more
of like a primary back or an alternate back, or

(17:15):
even if they want to put a two back on
the field, you know, a package there and run something there.
All I'm saying, fy, yeah, and and all that to
say with Liam Cohen, I think it's just the perfect
pairing with Trevor Lawrence. And now you're adding in, yes,
you lost gave Davis Rip, You'll lost Christian Kirk Rip.

(17:37):
But like, I don't think the drop off from losing
those receivers is so unimaginably like impossible to recruit from
considering that Diamie Brown came off a really nice year, again,
nice by the standards of how you evaluated him the
year prior. And then you talk about adding Travis Hunter,
which again, like I think people have kind of gotten
fatigued by the discussion of him where it's kind of

(17:58):
just like, yeah, Travis Hunter, like he's really good, he's
gonna be good whatever, Like this is the clear cut
best receiving prospect in the class who plays two positions,
and he's also you can make a case to clear
cut best quarter prospect in the class. And even if
the ratio of receiver to quarter is like eighty twenty
seventy thirty something along those lines, seventy percent of Travis
Hunter snapshare on the wide receiver room is still an

(18:19):
unbelievable impact if he projects to where or if he
lives up to the projection you have set for him. Now,
let's take that and pair it with the best rookie
receiver in the class last year, because he it just
based off the stats and how he performed. I would
argue Brian Thomas Junior was the best rookie receiver in
the class last year. And you have an explosive threat
in an offense that cannot only well in theory, cannot

(18:43):
only run on you, but now sets up the thread
of the run to pair with play action with two
unbelievably explosive vertical threats. And we haven't even talked about
the change of Evan Ingram to Breton Strange, which you
alluded to earlier, which I'm bullish on Breton Strange. He
had a good showing in the limited time he played
like that as a player. And it's not because I
have him in Dynasty, Okay, it's partially because I have

(19:04):
him in Dynasty, but it's not the only reason. I
actually think there's a lot to like about Breton Strange.
I like the frame, I like the post catchability. I
think when you talk about a conventional tight end and
an offense where he Willam Cohen is going to feed
his tight end. Look at Kate Otten last season. This
is a player that's going to benefit from this. And
I think that you have a really special thing brewing.

(19:24):
As far as skill positions and if offensive line might
be a concern for people because maybe it's unproven, I
would understand that, but it's not from a lack of effort.
They're addressing the room. They're trying to fortify the room.
Even if the pass row has to develop with some
of these rookies, but the run blocking prowess is there
to start. That's an offense you've got to respect, and
it's an offense that I'm just saying, I'm really glad

(19:45):
we're not facing this season because if again, like I'm
I get very bullish on offenses, but really fun rooms,
but this is one with you talk about the quarterback
and the quarterback being able to throw to all three
levels of the field now being paired with an offensive
mind that isn't outdated, able to kind of throw like
a lot of different things that the defense schematically, a
lot of different motion misdirection paired with just again explosive

(20:07):
downfield weapons. Right, there's a lot to like. There's a
lot to like with the Jags offense, and I think
you should be bullish.

Speaker 3 (20:13):
It's the first time that Trevor Lawrence has had an
offense that actually, I would say if Trevor Lawrence is
not quarterbacking that offense and you just set them up
and you just set this offensive scheme or this roster
up against to anyone else, they'll be like, all right,
that's a scary roster.

Speaker 2 (20:28):
Like I think they No one's ever said that.

Speaker 3 (20:30):
No one said that when Christian Kirk was brought in,
because they were like, yoh, you overpaid Christian Kirk and
blah blah blah.

Speaker 2 (20:36):
It was fine, but greatest gut right. Like, so at
the end of all of that, even when they had Calvin.

Speaker 3 (20:42):
Ridley and Christian Kirk, like, it wasn't like, oh, it's
going to be incredible, but you're just hoping that it's
going to be an average middle of the pack bide receiver.

Speaker 2 (20:48):
For you can't say that. Now.

Speaker 3 (20:50):
Again, their weakness might be, and that's a strong might
is the offensive line. When they brought in six new
guys this offseason, two in the draft and for a
free agency that's it. Like, So we'll see what that
develops into. We'll see what that, you know, matures into
as the season goes on. And to your point, like, hey,
it may take Whye Millon some time to kind of

(21:10):
get acclimated to things. But again, he's a really strong
run blocker, so that's kind of why I think he
might have to edge in, you know, either getting that
spot over Patrick McCary or getting that other left guard
spot over Exra Cleveland.

Speaker 2 (21:23):
So we'll see what happens there.

Speaker 3 (21:24):
But at the end of all of it, I trying
my best not to be hopeful, because again I don't
just cover the team. I am a fan of the
team and I have been since inception, just blessed enough
to be able to cover them, So I don't generally
do hope, but I'm trying to.

Speaker 1 (21:39):
I have to.

Speaker 3 (21:40):
It's it's it's again, just watching competent NFL moves being
made is stark because we haven't seen a legitimately good
general managing and ownership and coaching take place since probably
Tom Coughlin like and even then it wasn't exciting all offensively,

(22:00):
So at the end of all of it, I'm looking
forward to seeing kind of how these guys, how these
guys move moving forward and seeing if they can and
kind of keep this up or if they're going to
change it up within their second season.

Speaker 2 (22:10):
But five, I'm liking the moves man and and it's.

Speaker 1 (22:14):
It's a proven year for Warrence, I think more so
than ever because erase the doubt by being able to
deliver with this offensive group. But also, I mean, if
we want to keep going with the whole like scheme, scheme, scheme,
and maybe like things were not as set up as
they could possibly be. It is first year, maybe there's
growing fans, but I believe in the player being able

(22:34):
to excel in the scheme, and if he doesn't, I mean,
then you have those questions to answer. But I have
a hard time believing that with the way Cohen's going
to try and help him and put him in more
favorable spots, it won't at least pan out to a
marginal level. As the driver goes off. Excuse me, I
don't know if you just heard that loud one. I
was like when I forgot to ask you before we

(22:55):
went live if you could hear it. So I don't
know if anyone heard, like trade track say.

Speaker 3 (22:59):
This, because I've often had this philosophy or this thought
process that if you're going to be good in an offense,
your best opportunity to be good in that office is
going to be in your rookie season right there, as
a reason they call it a sophomore slump. So like
if they are a time that you want to bet
high on someone in an offense, or you want to
bet high on someone like this sight unseen, like that's
the time most that you're doing it in the year

(23:20):
one of the offense, because you don't often see someone
play badly in an offense in year one and then
they're like incredible in year two. Like it's normally the
exact opposite where they catch people off guard in year
one and they haven't had the whole off season to
watch that film and figure out how to count these guys,
and then they just kind of explode out of nowhere.

Speaker 2 (23:37):
So I'm actually a little bit higher right now where.

Speaker 3 (23:40):
Vegas might have the Jag or the seven and a half,
and I'm just like, yeah, this team could have looked
absolutely be a eight win team or they could be
an eleven win team, and you just don't they are.
They are in very many ways the early Buffalo Bills
and it being bitcoin, and you don't know if they're
gonna explode or I they're gonna bust.

Speaker 2 (23:56):
It's just gonna be able to see what it becomes.

Speaker 1 (23:58):
Yeah, this conversation is early investment talk. It's I see
potential and I think it could live up to it.
And you talked about like you know that first year
to second year. I mean you could look at what
happened with Houston, not all on CJ. Stroud. I don't
think it was a CJ. Stroud completely.

Speaker 3 (24:15):
I called it though entire I called it in like
late January, like I'm like, God, he's going to have
double the amount of interceptions.

Speaker 2 (24:21):
It's not going to work out.

Speaker 1 (24:22):
And you can see what well the turnover look SAT
was a big point to that, and the offensive line
getting banged up and regressing. I think a lot of
that had to do with it. But yeah, that's a
great example too, just within your own division past season,
and you know, Texans were still successful. They still got
to the divisional round, like they still were a good team.
But there definitely wasn't as it seemed it was going
to be when you looked at Stroud's work a year

(24:44):
and the weapons they paired there. But I think for
this Jags team with a new offensive mind at the helm,
there's a lot of potential. But moving on to the defense,
and this defense again, I think there's bodies here that
I'm just I could see making it, you know, making waves,
Like I really like the position of this defensive line.
I think Travon Walker has developed very in a more
steady pace than people had anticipated for a first overall pick,

(25:06):
but still good as a player. You know, racked up
at double digit sax season. Josh Heinz Allen the band
of our existence, as I've told you when we did
our Jack's preview episode, who terrifies me? Moving Armstead back
to that true Detackle position as he should be. And
then some of the young depth that I liked last year,
like Mason Smith and Jordan Jefferson behind them, and then
you look at the secondary and again like Tyson Campbell,

(25:27):
really talented player, bringing in Jared you know, I'm sorry,
Jordan Lewis, and then Darnell Savage still at the helm,
Jerry and Jones also being there. There's a lot to
see from this defense and say that if they can
get corrected, you know, maybe a mix of I guess,
just more disguising and not really being Azralano's man, not
because you can't rely on man, but because you want
to add some versatility. I think it could be fun.

(25:49):
But you are the expert here, give me your thoughts
on this defense.

Speaker 2 (25:53):
This is going to be slipped. They played us.

Speaker 3 (25:55):
They went from being a nearly exclusively zone defense under
my defensive coortinator Mike Callwell in twenty twenty three uh,
to almost exclusively man in twenty twenty four under Ryan
Nilsen uh. And now they're going back to closer to
that big Fangio mostly zoned maybe sixty to seventy percent zone,

(26:18):
which is what I expect. On the Anthony Campanella, he
says he takes most of his most of his philosophies
from vic and from Brian flora As and such. Then
I'm having to assume that that's what you're gonna That's
kind of what you're going to get Tyson. Campbell's a
significantly better zone corner than he is a man corner,
so I look forward at seeing him kind of ascend
this upcoming season. The same thing could be argued for Well,

(26:40):
I mean pretty much all those guys like Jari and
Jones is kind of actually middle of the pack. He's
solid in both man and zone, so I don't think
it's going to be a downgrade for him. When you've
got Caleb Bransaw, who's the second fastest safety in NFL
history shout out to Dan Griffiths for posting that one
four three three forty.

Speaker 2 (26:59):
Are dash. And they're moving him from corner to safety
because he played a lot of that.

Speaker 3 (27:03):
I guess we'll call it buck roll, where you can
play corner and safety depending on how you deal him
play at Tulane. So yeah, he's going to be I
expect him to be a starting safety for the Jaguars.
And with that being said, then yeah, you got a
s guy who can truly roam the field while you're
playing eyes on the quarterback and you're actually just blitzing
guys and stunting guys and all those things that we

(27:25):
kind of just need for NFL front, for a competent
NFL coaching. So from that perspective, I'm just saying I
am happy with I'm a formatives the bat. I'm heavy
with any support you're going to give those guys on
the back end because they haven't had much to date.
And I can't even blame the guys up front because
you're just lining up and just rushing every freaking snap.

Speaker 1 (27:46):
So yeah, versatility in the defense is key. Again, so
many situations like just looking at some of their matchups
and then our matchup last year where it was like
telegraph what they were going to do on third ground again,
that same predictability, and it was vacated space because it
was man coverage. They sent someone deep and there was
just a wide open lane where either Josh Allen Ran
or a receiver would just leak out to and get

(28:07):
like twenty yards after the catch because it was just
unoccupied space. And adding in some variants is going to
help them, just in my opinion on its own, whether
you even have questions that think this defensive personnel is
just not well built at all, which I'm sure there's
jag fans somewhere in the set that think that because
every fan base has them, we have them, everyone does.
But I think just the ability to kind of bait

(28:29):
and switch and be able to bring pressure and be
able to stunt as you alluded to, that's going to
help them in their own right. But also the strength
of this defense to me is the front. It is.
It's just when you talk about the prolific pass rusher
they have in Josh heinz Al and you talk about
an ascending player in Trayvon Walker and now hopefully some
stability on defense, I think what you have if you're
adding in new if you want to talk about wrinkles

(28:51):
to how they're going to rush the passer and blitz
and use their linebackers downhill and maybe still bring some
of those man coverage chops but not as often. I
think that's just going to be more of a trickle
down effect to your defensive line and in turn going
to make the pass rush threat all the more viable,
which I think again, when you talk about how explosive
the offense could potentially be, this is a means to

(29:11):
get there. You could create turnover opportunity, you could create
negative plays, and then from doing so you have your
defense helping you have another team eat out of the
palm of your hand, because you're gonna wind up being
able to just go downfield. Whether that's again being able
to kind of start at midfield from a turnover and
go play action, or being able to go power control
the clock and force teams to press and then pass.

(29:31):
Rush situations become all the more likely. It's what I'm
hoping for with the Bills, given some of their moves.
I buy into it a bit more. I see the
exact same thing happening for you guys, especially with the
defensive coordinator who cites some of his kind of like
mentors influences as guys that just bring hell on. I
mean talking about Brian for as Brian Fores wants to
put you in hell, he wants to put you in

(29:52):
complete chaos, NonStop, and he will disguise and he will
make you hold the ball. There's an opportunity to do that,
even if it's not, you know, as polished as it
could be, because maybe the defense is in transition this year,
and maybe they move on from other players towards the
end of next season and they decide to retool it
in the draft a bit. I think it's fair to
say that just having the coach and shift alone could
be a big help. And I think just to kind

(30:13):
of bow it for the Jags, like this is a
team because you know, I titled this episode biggest Threat
for the Bills, because we have to know who the
threats are, right, We've got to keep tabs on people,
and a lot of people are going to just sit
there and say, it's Houston. It's Houston. It's Houston. They
want it. They're in the divisional round, and Houston's a
threat absolutely, like they've proven they are the past two seasons.
I'm not sleeping on this team, Like I'm just not.
I think when I look at all the improvement they

(30:35):
made and kind of the the hey, we've corrected, at
least on paper, the mistakes that we have made in
the past, and we're making savvy decisions. And the talent
we're adding is like not no name people, but rather
like really good or at least like heavily speculated to
be good prospects to kind of compliment our defense and
this offense with a lot of explosive potential. It's a

(30:57):
team I could see within your division and within the conference,
especially with the schedule, you're gonna have making noise at
being a threat. So I'll ask you just final thoughts
on your team before we move on.

Speaker 2 (31:08):
Well, I mean, I think I'm in agreement with you.

Speaker 3 (31:11):
I expect them, at the bare minimum, just based on
the roster, just based on the scheme changes for offense
and defense, to at least be second in the division
fighting for a wildcar spot.

Speaker 2 (31:22):
I don't know if I don't know that they're going
to get it or not. I don't know what's going
to happen with injury, luck in all those kinds of things.

Speaker 3 (31:27):
But I'm expecting them to be, hope, hovering around that
five hundred mark and fighting for that wildcar spot at
bare minimum. I think that's a reasonable expectation. But also
I absolutely don't think that Houston's has this AFC South
bag in hand, Like I don't believe that it's a

(31:47):
coin flip bit whether or not CJ. Strauss going to
be able to kind of stack another good season from
his rookie season after the down year last year with
a different offensive coordinator. Because there's a few pieces of
that will get into when we talk about the Texans,
but the gist of it being is. I think the
Jaguars should a minimum be competitive, if not truly like

(32:10):
leading this division. And I don't think that's me being optimistic.
That's just me looking at the rosters and looking at
the scheme changes and the coaching changes.

Speaker 1 (32:16):
And this division plays each other tough, regardless any division does,
but really indicative of the AFC South too. I mean
even last year you look at this jack scene that
was given the Texans run in a couple of games,
and the Texans dropping a game I think it was
to Tennessee later on in the season with Will Levis
and his insane style of play. To put it nicely,
this is a division that feeds off each other, but

(32:37):
in like the worst way possible in that all their
games are close, obnoxiously close, which is very hard to predict.
And I think when you look at that over the
past couple of seasons, and not only do this team
again in transition, but having familiar pieces, it's not like
it's all new people like Tennessee who are about I'll
go to next is going into a really major change, right,
A new quarterback franchise guy Jacksonville has familiar basis Trevor Lawrence,

(33:01):
who has seen these coaches, but now has a coach
of his own to kind of enhance the ability with
explosive pieces like that is a reason I would be
bullish about the team is because it's not like rookie
feeling himself out. It's now, this guy's been in the league,
he's taking league reps, and now we're going to see
what it looks like with someone who can actually creatively
kind of attack a defense, really try to do everything

(33:21):
he can to set this quarterback up for success. And
I look at Baker Mayfield as someone who I never
truly hated, but but truly hated acting like I ever
once did. Like I don't hate Baker Mayfield, but like
people were down on him, they were out on him.
And look at what that offense looked like last year
with him at the Helm. It was inconsistent at times.
I think there was times where Baker just didn't have
a good performance, but when that offense was clicking, it
was unstoppable and just so much talent to boot so

(33:43):
many explosive weapons. And look at what they're building here.
So bullish on the Jags, I could see them being
a threat. I think competitive at the minimum is what
I expect division winner. That division's hell, like I could
see it. You know, I think I'll always align with
who's won it recently, especially if they've done it twice
in a row, just because again, what have you done
for me lately? It's no shade. But like I could
see the team being the one to overthrow Houston is Jacksonville.

(34:07):
That is where I'll leave it. I want to move
on to a team that is young, perspective, hungry, making
some changes. One that I will kind of spoil and say,
I don't think they're competing for the division. I don't
think they're going to be an AFC threat. I think
they had a nice draft. I think the direction they're
going in is one that they needed to go in.
I believe in the player they took in cam Ward
and that's the Tennessee Titans. And when you will get

(34:29):
this offense again, you know, they've made investments into their
offensive line with some high picks used on Scarronski and
lath them, you will get their defense. And even though
there are I would argue holes, there's also some really
nice pieces we could talk about the front with Debandre
Sweat and Jeffrey Simmons and even though they moved on
from Landry, they got my guy Femio Odae, who I
really wanted on the Bills, and they ended up taking him,
which pissed me off because I thought he'd be that.

(34:52):
I want to say this, Travis, and then I'll turn
it back to you. I had a tweet Day two
of the draft and said, I predict the Bills are
taking Odeo and they did neither of those things. I
will never tweet that again, but I'm going to turn
it back to you as someone who now is talking
about arrival. You know, you're contemporary in the division, A
team under a lot of transition. What are your thoughts
about the roster changes Tennessee and really your thoughts on

(35:15):
cam Ward and what he could look like in your one.

Speaker 3 (35:18):
I mean, I don't think it's breaking news to say
that Will Levis was kind of an anchor that held
the Titans offense down twenty four, So cam Ward joining
the Tennessee Titans obviously should help them significantly. And just
staying on schedules, staying you know, staying on the field
on those downs and distances where you kind of gotta
make the basic NFL throws like that's where I think,

(35:38):
all right, let's just start the conversation there. Like Will
Levis was just missed the simple layups, where Ward at
least seemed to be able to a minimum stay on schedule,
hitting the slants, hitting the house, hitting the gimme throws.
That Levis just was very very very inconsistent and capitalizing
on cool like. But even with the cam Ward edition,
kind of to your point, I still think Tennessee is

(35:59):
probably another year from realistically competitive competing, uh, assuming everything
goes to plan even this year, you know, as far
as injuries and things of that nature. But they you know,
they solidify their interi office of blind. They added you know,
Kevin Zeitler, former Baltimore Raven and short Lion guard uh
Van Moore in free agency farm Pittsburgh Stiller. They also

(36:19):
added Tyler Lockett to pair him with Calvin Ridley. That's
not a bad like, that's not a bad addition.

Speaker 2 (36:25):
With with adding you know, el h A. M More and.

Speaker 3 (36:31):
Xavier respctro Spreakball, so you know, got cam Moore, He's
got a little safety blanket, you know, adding to the roster.

Speaker 2 (36:39):
That's not a that's not a bad situation. That all
just taking a step back looking at this.

Speaker 3 (36:43):
Uh, they moved on from Harold Landry, but then they
replaced them with the Oladeo. So I got I love
their draft plass like I legitimately did, because I can't
just b s U and say I don't like their
draft class because of the Tennessee Titans when I'm literally
arguing for like four or five four out of the
five of these players like Jackson Slater, like I like
that pig. Also, Yeah, so I'm just gonna be real

(37:06):
about you, but I still think they need a little
bit more upfront, and it's still gonna be a question
mark of what that's going to look like and how
quickly can Ward can develop because he's still a workie.
I mean, you've got to assume he's gonna have some issues,
but we'll see, because again, this might just turn into
a dog fight. But I think you need a little
bit more supposed to exposed to this from that wide
receiver room because I still think teams are going to

(37:27):
play a lot of press man against them and make
make locket and make Ridley beat them off the line quickly,
and that's neither of their games at this stage. So
I'm kind of curious of what that's really gonna look
like when teams get down to the needy gritty in
these asc South games and just say, hey, we're gonna
make you beat us and see how that goes.

Speaker 2 (37:45):
And I don't know that they're necessarily ready to dominate
that just yet.

Speaker 1 (37:48):
I agree with you. I think it's a roster in
transition and it's going to be at least you know,
from the perspective I've seen from Titans fans, it's just
let's see what we got in Ward, right, Like these
are the years where you kind of feel like you
can watch football little stress free, not because you don't
love your team, but because hey, we know we got
a rookie. We know this roster isn't complete. There's a
lot to be built, so let's just see what happens.
Let's keep the game is exciting and close, like that's

(38:09):
all we can ask for. And again, you know, this
entire discussion is with the room to say that if
they end up being a super Bowl champion, like, good
for them. You know, nothing is impossible, but just for
the prediction I have, like looking at Ward and what
you've given him, you know, Calvin Ridley coming off a
year that you know, it started out where he was
barely getting targeted and then they tried forcing things, but
it was hard to get the ball down field. Webvis

(38:30):
just wasn't consistent, wasn't accurate. There were times where at work,
but it was like fewer and far between, and it
just needed to end because it just was not going well. Also,
when you have the new coach inherit and that wasn't
his guy, Like you know how that always goes. It
always ends up being if you show any signs of
regression like that, that leash is short. And you could
see that by Mason Rudolph getting real starting snaps, including

(38:52):
the game they played in Buffalo, which that was fun
and you know, like not even to make a pass.
But I at this offense and I see some potential.
Like again, I like the way they kind of constructed
moving Scarancei over to guard or having Scarozzi played guard
and bringing in the addition of Dan Moore laid them
in their Zeitler Leven Like, it's an offensive line that
I think could be good enough for cam Wore to

(39:13):
start this year. The running back room I've never been
high on. I thought like the pairing of Poward and
Spears was weird to begin with, and it feels like
I just I don't know if there's enough there to
like offset some of the stress and like that downhill
presence for the Titans, I don't know if they did
enough to improve that. So that's a major question mark
I have. But the receiving room again, like Ridley's fine,

(39:35):
Van Jefferson's an interesting that to bring in the player
I really liked that they drafted. I mean, a Yomanor
is kind of a project, but he's fine. Rashtripo obviously
has the rapport with cam Ward and that could be
fun and getting the slot presence as good. But Decan
is the one I really like. I don't if I'm
pronouncing that correctly, but from Florida, he was a vertical speedster.
He's an explosive threat. I think a little underrated in

(39:57):
receiver evaluations. You could say something of a one trick pony.
But even then, like for a rookie quarterback, a downfield
threat that's really fast and just a fifty to fifty
or at least a go get her a separator, that's
a good thing to have in your year one Like
I think a lot about Allen with Robert Foster from Alabama,
and that's all they asked him to do. Hey, run

(40:17):
straight and let's see what happens, and we're just gonna
air it out and there's not much tape on us,
and we could get you away with some of these
like predictable downfield shots at times. And I think that's
a player that I'm actually really interested to watch for them,
because you also have Tyler Lockett who's conventionally been that
deep threat, but like I'm wondering if that's like the
mentor to the successor type thing and you wind up
seeing that explosive component of their offense happen sooner than later.

(40:40):
And that's something in their offense that I'm really fun
pumped to watch, but kind of boeing the offense. Excited
to see Ward, believe in the player, think he's a
ton of fun. Definitely not optimistic about the running room. Again,
Spears and Pollard are like, not bad, but I just
don't think they have an elite room offensive line I
have questions about, but the deep threat could be fun.

(41:01):
That's kind of where I leave it for their offense,
at least as far as I have do you have
anything else before we move to their defense.

Speaker 3 (41:06):
Now, I think they set this thing up exactly how
they set it up in twenty twenty four. They set
it up for Will Levis to know immediately whether or
not they have the guy, a lot of older guys
that they can immediately move off of. But the guys
you know will be in the right spots. That's whether
that's you know, that's Calvin Ridley, that's titled locket. Like
you sure know you have a good you know, two
guys as far as your outside receivers or maybe you know,

(41:28):
setting them on the same side. Nevertheless, like you know,
you're going to have your quarterbacks set up for success
and then you sprinkle your rookies in and kind of
just get them the snaps wherever they may fall. But
to your point, the running back room is not look great.
To your point, the offensive line is still going to
be a question mark. And when you pair that with
the running back room, that's not the greatest. I mean,
it can be as supposed to if you get him

(41:49):
in space, but I'm talking about straight running the ball,
trying to be downhill, not just trying to do that
wide zone. Yeah, you got, you got questions there, but
you will at least at men know that you have
the guy in cam Ward. He has enough to kind
of just be successful and to give you those glimpses.
So from that perspective, that's why I say they could
be competitive. But also I don't expect them to actually

(42:11):
compete in that way.

Speaker 1 (42:13):
Yeah no, And I don't think it's you know, a
league wide idea either that they would, But again room
to be wrong. Maybe they are explosive. Maybe cam Ward
just leaps right in his rookie year and all of
a sudden you get a really explosive offense. But I
also want to point out they got gunner Helm, and
I like gunner Helm in the draft too, just another
addition to that tight end room that could be fun
to go behind on conquo and just like, uh, there's

(42:34):
pieces there, like there's things to build off of. And
I really hope Ward can get it going quickly because
he's a player I don't want to see fail. Like
first overall picks, I don't like seeing fail in the league,
and someone that I've defended and just really rooted for,
watched him at Miami, saw what he could do, especially
off script, not the fastest guy in the world, like
not not the most like physically gifted, but just like
someone that when you go and need him to go

(42:56):
make that z axis play, that offscript play, Like I
love some of the throws he's made there. I think
that could be something you see from him too, where
it's you know, in structure is not consistently working, but
he keeps drives alive and that's a great indicator of
what you've gotten the guy too. For the following year,
we could add more. But defensively, I mean again like
Sebastian Joseph Day along in the tooth Vet that someone
that I think is a quality player who I actually was,

(43:16):
you know, optimistic the Bills might make a run four
in the off season this year. I love their interior
defensive line so much, and I was down ont Andre Sweat,
but he's proven himself as just a true menacing run
defender and has some pressure juice. But Jeffrey Simmons one
of the best interior defensive linemen in the league. And
then again, like I could just look at so many pieces,
Femeo Adejo is someone I love and I think is
going to slot in as a starting edge for them.

(43:38):
And then like with Jerry Snead had a really weird year,
but you know, something of a resurgence to be expected.
Maybe I don't really know what to make at this defense.
What are your thoughts on it, Travis?

Speaker 3 (43:48):
I did not know what to think of Sneezier either,
just being honest, like I because I'm, you know, a
dB guy, so all of them always want to pay
extra attention to the secondary in most teams, especially around
the AFC South, And I just didn't know what to
think of that man, like because he was so good
for the Kansas City Chiefs and then he was just like,
I won't say bad, but he would absolutely just disappear

(44:11):
way more often than you'd expect for the Titans. But
they also teams didn't have to take risks against them
because it was playing against the Titans offense that wasn't
very good. So in that way, yeah, him disappearing and
not making his presence known is simply could be a
byproduct the fact that teams don't feel that need to
be a little bit risky because they know who they're playing.

Speaker 2 (44:33):
So I have a little bit of that kind of.

Speaker 3 (44:35):
Thought as far as the defense is concerned, because I
do believe that this defense is really paying good. Like
I always hated the fact that they have Jeffers Simmons
and to add sweat to that lineup, it's just not there.

Speaker 2 (44:48):
I'm just gonna be honest, it's not it's not right
like that don't seem they don't see the.

Speaker 1 (44:53):
Star Wars group. Man, it's what you build around on
that interior a really good defense.

Speaker 3 (44:58):
And because of that, I I don't view it very
different than I view twenty twenty fours. It depends on
what their offense is going to give them, to give
them more opportunities, because I think even in the few
games that they won in twenty twenty four, it was
often games where it's like you know, seventeen to fourteen
or you know, twenty to sixteen, there was something just
ugly like them because the defense is keeping them in.

(45:19):
So I don't have very many doubts about the Tennessee
Titans defense.

Speaker 2 (45:22):
Honestly.

Speaker 3 (45:23):
It's certainly going to come bound down to that offense
because I actually, unfortunately do believe that they're going to
be as good as they were at twenty twenty four,
if not better.

Speaker 1 (45:32):
Yeah, and you know, the passing defense, I remember going
into that Bills game, they were one of the top
rated defenses in the NFL and they had a bit
of a skid, and any team will, but they showed
potential and I think that really the crux of it
will lie in interior pressure, but also now if they
have a true edge threat, because again it's just forcing
teams to hurry up and getting the opportunity to kind
of have some of the talented members of your secondary

(45:54):
make a play. There's one pick they had in this
draft that I really like, and it's Kevin Winston Junior. Again,
just the safety that I think is physical, Like it's
just it's a great addition to their secondary of physical,
really rangy safety again like I think probably does better
towards the box in the NFL, at least in my opinion,
But someone that I think will help the back end

(46:14):
of your secondary too, and just be someone who could
be a plus run defender, maybe even positioned as a
you know, if you want to have him as a
blitzer occasionally. Like he's got the chops to do it,
he's got the violence to do it. Like there's a
lot to like about that player. They got him at
a pretty reasonable spot and I think just again, if
he's healthy, Like I think if he was healthy this
past season, he would have had way more draft stock

(46:35):
go into them. There was obviously concern, but that to
me is the player that like, in addition to Oladeho,
like I look and I say, even if it's not
all right now for this team, like this is year
one of cam Ward, I think they have a long
window plan and I think next offseason, unless they have
a great year this year, but if it's like six wins,
seven wins whatever, next offseason, I'm going to be paying
close attention to them because that's when I think you're

(46:55):
going to see that year two. Like we got money
to spend, we got draft picks to burn, like let's
really try to fortify this roster. But a lot of
noise to be made for them. But I think again
it starts up front. That's what I'm excited to see.
And for Lugarious Need, I mean, it was a different defense.
You know, it's a new team. There were injuries involved.
That can create a lot of uncertainty, That can create

(47:17):
some changes for a player. It can create a regression
of kinds. We've seen it around the league with some
really talented players. I wonder what that next year looks like,
because if they get something out of him now all
of a sudden, like that boundary corner spot set, like
you got a guy who can do both, and you're
going to end up being a team that with better
coverage leads to coverage sex, maybe not as reliant on

(47:38):
a blitz, maybe more for man and you have the
personnel in the interior to win with four, especially if
you have a home run hitter on the edge. So
I could see them making noise. I definitely see them
being a thorn in the side, like for sure for
Tea and Titan stands for thorn. It's a team that
wants to be a pain in your ass, and I
think to start with a prospective rookie quarterback, even if
they're not a team that I predict to compete, is

(48:00):
the team that I think will be a fun team
to watch for Titans fans and one that I think
a lot of teams should be paying or a lot
of people should be paying attention to as someone that's
going to build up a really fun, young, hungry team
that could could be for the division in a couple
of years. Any final thoughts on them raft.

Speaker 3 (48:16):
No, man, I think I think I'm generally in agreement
with you, and I don't like to see it. I
want I want the easiest division ever. I want no issues.
I want to make sure that this is a guaranteed
playoff spot for the Jacksonville.

Speaker 2 (48:32):
Jaguars and Tennessee Titans.

Speaker 3 (48:33):
Even being close to five hundred with the Coats being
around five hundred with the Titan, with the Texans being
who they are, either leading a division or being a
plus five hundred team, does not spell this is going
to be easy.

Speaker 2 (48:46):
This is going to be this is spelled. This is
going to be sweating bullets all day.

Speaker 3 (48:49):
And unfortunately, I kind of think that's what this Tennessee
Titans team will be closer to that might five hundred
plus team.

Speaker 1 (48:56):
Right, A team that's gonna play you close. The roster
might not be the pt on paper, but it's one
that will at the very least keep them competitive. It's
not a team that I've heard of getting dog walked
very often. And again, Cam Wored is someone I buy into,
like that's that's a player that I think Titans fans
are gonna really love and probably take the taste of
Will Levis's play, you know, out of their mouths, but
maybe not in his rookie season as much. We'll just

(49:18):
have to see. But I want to move on now
to the Houston Texans, who that was a that was
an interesting draft for them and not a bad one.
I don't think it was a bad draft at all,
because I like Jayden Higgins, I like Jalen Noel. I
feel like this is kind of the same thing I
said when it was like, did you make for the
Titans when it came to the running back room or
for their offensive line? Like the offensive line is is

(49:40):
the literal thing that I feel like took this team
from being like what we saw, you know, just on paper.
Well me because I know you were saying that you
expected it, but you know your too regression. They take
the step back and the pass pro is just really
not good and CJ. Shroud's under duress and he's not
seeing the field cleanly. It's putting him in minds he's
making mistakes. Again, I think the player's phenomenal, but this
is what it ended up being, was a team with

(50:02):
a lot of pressure, and I just I don't know
if they did enough. And again, maybe they're bullish on
some of their previous picks, some of their younger players.
Maybe they feel that they believe in their development enough
or the new OC believes in the development enough to
get something out of the room. I'm very curious though,
because again, like what is it going to look like?
Is Stroud gonna stay upright? Does the explosive vertical potential

(50:24):
of this offense is it going to come into fruition?
And if they can't run block for you know, mix
in or if they they take the that they still
have peers like some of the members of the running
back room, are they going to be facing really disadvantageous
positions on offense where all of a sudden, like those
pass rush situations are rearing their ugly head again and
this offense doesn't live up to its potential again, I mean,
what do you think about this? Really? The roster overhaul,

(50:47):
you know, the offensive line, Like your thoughts on this
team and their potential this year?

Speaker 3 (50:52):
I mean they brought in in free agency, they brought
in a bunch of role players, you know, guys that
kind of solid by their depth and rebound the plow
up their roster, revamp their offensive line. They knew what
they absolutely knew what their their issues were. And again
this is a lot like the Tennessee Titans, where I
don't like when teams that I don't like, uh make
good moves. And I actually did think that they they

(51:14):
the smart moves and knowing what the issues were. There
are still questions whether or not they resolved those issues
or whether or not this is a multi year bill
that kind of just being forced.

Speaker 2 (51:23):
But the bigger moves they had they got Christian Kirk
from the Jaguars via trade.

Speaker 3 (51:28):
When he was going to be released, and he went
back home because he's you know, he's from Texas school.
And the biggest move they you artist mentioned it Jaden
Jaden Higgins and Jalen Noel, two guys I wanted the
Jacksonville Jaguars that before they ended up getting you know,
Tack Shunter uh for talking pre draft.

Speaker 2 (51:47):
So I was happy for them.

Speaker 3 (51:49):
Like that's a solid addition to the wide receiver room
when you don't tink Dell's want likely be out. Yeah,
you didn't get say the oppos attackle out of Minnesota
and there's a solid olt option, Like I don't think
he's gonna necessarily start early, which is kind of wat
you're when you're referencing how this is going to work
out for twenty twenty five, because he's maybe someone who

(52:09):
develops into something.

Speaker 2 (52:10):
But yeah, we'll see. Uh.

Speaker 3 (52:13):
Trent Brown you got and Cam Robinson both bought in
a free agency. Trent Brown missed most of the twenty
twenty four season with an injury, and he just turned
thirty two. Cam Robinson is Cam Robinson and he just
started thirty and he'll turn thirty in the season. Man
maybe will walking that man every time they play and

(52:33):
I'm sorry, Sade, And he's coming off multiple kind of
mediocre seasons. He's going to be a starting level tackle,
but he's not the guy who's going to stop me
from drafting a guy, if that makes sense. So whether
he's a true upgrade over Larma Reton Soul kind of
remains unclear.

Speaker 2 (52:53):
Yeah, I don't know how exactly how to feel about that.

Speaker 3 (52:55):
So they did get you, you know, Jalen Reed at
safety State and he was a illid pick up to
replace Eric Murray at safety after you left for safety
to be a safety and Jackson building free agency and.

Speaker 2 (53:08):
Uh was it the ed Ingram? They got h Ingram?

Speaker 3 (53:11):
They traded for ed Ingram from Minnesota. But he was
also PFF's one hundred bets guard. That that's almost sasted
four starting guards. So that don't sound like that's that's
moving the needle in that way.

Speaker 1 (53:25):
Offense too, like a downfield explosive O'Connell offense too, Like
you got a pass pro in that offense like and
to have those reps like yeah, yeah, that's a problem.

Speaker 3 (53:37):
I mean, but Nick Kayley, like we you know, former
he was with the Patriots, with Brady and the Patriots,
he was with Stafford for the Rams, He's gonna have
more checks, the more line adjustments, you know, which will
be totally different than the Bobby Slogan offense, which generally
didn't have very many checks in there at all. And
you kind of just run what it's called. Uh that's
a good thing and a bad thing. Like a good

(53:58):
example is a veteran MaTx stat for the bad example
will be the veteran you know, Russell Wilson.

Speaker 2 (54:04):
Let Russ Cook kind of territory, So what is where
is this going to land? Is this going to be Russ?

Speaker 3 (54:11):
You know the end of Pete Carroll's kind of kind
of regime or are we is this going to be
truly like a C. J. Strout looking like the veteran
quarterback making these checks. Because as much as we say
he was good in his rookie season, he was good
in Bobby Slogan's offense, just running the offense the same
office he was bad in last year. We just haven't
seen this in the NFL from him. So this is

(54:34):
closer to that drop pretty you know Shanahan offense that
kind of rests on the run game in minimal checks.

Speaker 2 (54:40):
That was what he was coming from. And now he's
going to I'm truly going to run this thing.

Speaker 3 (54:43):
And if he does try to cook a little too
much and not trust his running game or his makeshift
offensive line, do you see them getting off schedules simply
because he's not doing the right things, you know manually there.

Speaker 1 (54:56):
I love that point because that's that's the question I
think they have to answer, because You're biggest pain point
last year was your protection for Stroud, And what you
have kind of said to the quarterback is we're putting
our faith in you to be able to make it
work with the personnel we've given you be able to
read and react on the field, accordingly, adjuster protection accordingly,
and be able to stay upright in the pocket and deliver.

(55:16):
But where I worry about that is kind of the
mentality of playing behind a shoddy offensive line. Like that's
such a real thing when you talk about how it
just drastically alters decision making and comfort, and you could
see it with like a lot of college quarterbacks that
played behind all lines like bad O lines, like I
talked about Caleb Williams when like last year he was
obviously as talked about, and it was, yeah, I believe

(55:39):
in the player and the talent. That ole line gave
up insurmountable amount of pressures to a point where the
clean pockets weren't cleaned for him because he would sit
there and he'd have proper protection and he'd bail and
you're like, dude, like what are we doing? Like you know,
Sner Sanders, it was kind of a similar top conversation
because he had a very poor protective O line and
he had to make a lot of things happen on
his own and then you know breaks down and it's

(56:00):
like you don't got to bail out on this one man,
Like this pocket's cuick. So for CJ. Stroud. Now if
the onus is on him, the question I have is
does that year three leap lead to him being so
good at adjusting his protections that even if there isn't
the biggest talent, you know, there's more of a talent
valley that he can overcome it just by being savvy
enough to redefenses and being in better positions and then

(56:23):
getting the ball out quickly if he needs to. Is
this offensive line going to do a good enough job
at run blocking while you still have Joe Mixon and
the juice he has, And then are you going to
be able to read and react well enough to take
advantage of those vertical threats who have because Tank Dell
is probably not walking through that door of this season,
and there's questions if he ever walks through that door again.
So you get Christian Kirk, who's a very viable slot option.

(56:44):
I think Jaalen Knowle is an awesome pickup for them.
I think Jayden Higgins is an awesome pickup for them
to pair with Nico Collins, who I've seen people even
liking him to and then of course still having Dalton Schultz.
Like the skill is there on the offense, it's a
matter of just being able to keep the structure alive. CJ.
Stroud falters and can't adjust correctly and has issues with it.
Are we seeing more of the same thing from last

(57:06):
year now again? Like you know, if a Texans fan
finds this and is pissed off, like I want to
make it clear, like I have seen the team win
the division two years in a row. I think the
defense is just stout. It's one of the best in
the league. It's going to be very good in my opinion,
So I think that alone propels them. And then even
like half baked offense still got them a division last year,
I could see it happening again. But those are the

(57:28):
questions I have. That's where I sit and say, like,
is Houston, like, can we make it so that even
if these additions aren't elite talent, if Stroud takes that leap,
I think that gets them to a point where they
can be comfortable and be able to deliver on offense
and stay on script. But if not, or even if
Stroud's reading it correctly, is the talent discrepancy just so
big that it doesn't matter, Like, Hey, I set the

(57:50):
protection correctly, but someone got blown up and the play
is dead. I got to move out of it. So
that's where I sit on offense for that. The additions
in the draft were good. Like again, I think the
receiving corps, even after last year, this year is fun,
it's explosive. There's a lot of talent there. But how
do they keep Stroud upright? And if they do, I
think it's going to be good for them. That's where
I'm at with their offense. I mean, any final thoughts

(58:10):
before we go to defense and then eventually Indianapolis.

Speaker 2 (58:14):
No, I mean, I'm I'm think I'm pretty much in
lockstep with you right now. And it's like I just
I they have to be favored, because of course they do.
But at the end of the day, this is there's.

Speaker 3 (58:26):
A large there's a huge range of outcomes as far
as this team is concerned, and it kind of starts
and stops with that offensive line and is impact on CJ.

Speaker 2 (58:37):
Stroud.

Speaker 3 (58:37):
So at the end of all of it, like the
defense is going to be what it is to your point,
and the wide receiver room looks like it's probably going
to be really dang good, if not better than last year,
and you have a different offensive coordinator coming from that
Sean bay Ram system that you kind of have to
assume is going to be good. So how does CJ.
Stroud mesh with this new scheme? That's the question mark.

(59:01):
And he's going to be good in it, then everything's
going to be great for them. And yeah, Jacksonville will
be fighting for that number two spot because it's going
to probably just go to Houston, but not then you're
going to be in some dogfights, not only in twenty
twenty five, but also in the future years that come
because now all the teams kind of helped caught up
at that point.

Speaker 1 (59:17):
And that same conversation about will Trevor Lawrence got a
new offensive mind and that could propel him, It's the
same one you could have for Stroud too. Hey, new
oc in the building. This could absolutely work and we
could have very minimal tape on what Stroud can accomplish
in the system, and that just gets him a huge
head start on the season and that could be a
great thing for them. So I want to like reinforce this,
like I think Stroud's phenomenal. I believe in his potential

(59:38):
to be a top flight quarterback in this league. I
think he's very close to being there already. Obviously year
two was a bit more underwhelming than what expected. But
I think that those are just simply the questions I have.
But it's not to say that's going to happen. And
maybe it's all from remote point, and they believe in
this room, believe in the quarterback enough where it's going
to work just by play calling, play design alone and

(59:59):
Stroud could take care of the west the rest and
that's where But you.

Speaker 2 (01:00:02):
Don't have Yeah, but you don't have to apologize for
saying the obvious.

Speaker 3 (01:00:05):
Right now, if you're a Texans fan who was concerned
about the offensive line and you use that as an
excuse and or crutch for CJ Strout in twenty twenty four,
then you have to be aware of the fact that
it's obviously the way that this twenty twenty five season
could go wrong is if the offensive line has not improved.
And I don't think just looking at just personally me

(01:00:25):
just looking at that roster in twenty twenty four and
looking at the offensive line roster in twenty twenty five.

Speaker 2 (01:00:31):
I don't know that they necessarily improve.

Speaker 3 (01:00:33):
I think it's just it could easily just be different guys,
right and you're just yeah, you just switch the guys out,
but you still having the same kind of issue. So
that's still gonna be a question that they're going to
have to answer early on and probably often.

Speaker 1 (01:00:44):
Yeah, and there's a real possibility that you know, moving
down from Dunsel was as bad as it seemed, and
that really does bite them in the butt and will
have to see it's it's very like I said, even
going into it, it's very weird decisions with the offensive line.
They did address it, but do you feel comfortable with that?

(01:01:05):
And that's a question I would ask for our Texans
fan and maybe they do, but maybe they don't. And
just throwing this one up, do you think Houston's moves
wide receiver suggests they think there's a chance Dell is
done from low Buffe. I will pick after the show's over,
I promise guys. I mean he was already an older prospect.
That injury is brutal. I think he comes back. I
just wonder about the effectiveness of what he looks like

(01:01:25):
when he comes back. But you know, Kirk coming in
as being like a slot patch for them, and then
maybe Noah, like I know Noel could play both, but
like I I don't know. I don't know. That injury sucked. Man.
I felt so bad for him, especially working back from
the knee injury he already suffered. And I'm hoping the
player can play because he's exciting to watch. But I
can't answer that one. I have no idea as much

(01:01:47):
as I think they just needed something to fill the
void now. But I want to move on to Yeah,
I want to move on to this defense again. It's
just so talented. It's so freaking talented that the pass
rush is there. The interior defensive line, I am like,
I do have some questions about it because it's a
little more patchwork than their edge rushing room, which is

(01:02:08):
just unbelievable. And then of course their secondary just has
some absolute dogs. They took a safety I loved last
year in Kalen Bolock. But even looking at like Stingley,
who I know, they just ink to Petrie Lassiter, CJ
like or cjg jesus, I can't even say it Gardner Johnson. Sorry,
I'm stuttering. I knew I was gonna do that when
I said his name, Like, this is just this defense.

(01:02:29):
I don't expect any drop off with I think Ryan's
has this unit firing and all cylinders they get after you,
the pressure they bring, their ability to cover in the
back end with man wit zone. They're fun. There's no
I don't expect regression for the Texans defense. I think
that's going to be apart from strout potentially, the strength
of this team and that front is just something that
you have to deal with and just it's a nightmare.

Speaker 3 (01:02:50):
I unfortunately agree with you, but it's a nightmare that
some teams in the AFC South have become at adept
at playing against. Because again, this Texans team, even when
they beat Jacksonville in the twenty twenty four season, wasn't
as dominant as you'd expect them to be because there's

(01:03:11):
just certain teams, like like you say in Indivision, those
those games in Division, those teams know you best.

Speaker 2 (01:03:16):
They just kind of know how to play you.

Speaker 3 (01:03:18):
So as much as I do agree with you actually
that this defense is dominant, it's really dang good.

Speaker 2 (01:03:23):
Like from from the from the front to the back.

Speaker 3 (01:03:27):
There's not a true weakness that I would like one
position group that I was just saying that that's really weak,
Like the addition of the C. J. Gartner Johnson just
in general is a dog because I love to see
anybody who's fighting like that. And then you have Jalen Petrie, like,
if he doesn't get injured last year, they probably are
doing better, and that what was a three game stretch thing.
And when he got hurt in twenty twenty four, get

(01:03:50):
Stingley and you just pay them this year. He's already
this era's been pointing up these last two seasons, like,
I again, dB guy, I love the secondary. I wish
I didn't because us again, this is the Texans, but
it is what it is, Like it was just objectively speaking,
this is a great unit for Ryan's to kind of have.
And the only true question is how well they're going

(01:04:10):
to be able to stop the run. Like they brought
Mario Everis Junior back, they brought full Rerenzo to Patsukasi back.

Speaker 2 (01:04:16):
But these are those guys. Yeah, neither of those guys
were truly good good like And I'm a Patsukasi guy.

Speaker 3 (01:04:24):
Even when he was in Jacksonville, I thought he was great,
but he was just kind of the middle of the
pack president as far as the ability to stop the
run in twenty twenty four, So and they didn't really
bring in another guy to kind of just kind of
solidify that. So if there is an opening or an opportunity,
it's going to be there. You know, if other teams
are able to stay in the games against them, it's
going to be that running in the interior kind of

(01:04:46):
dominating those guys on the inside. They brought in Sheldon
Rankings and that maybe their best opportunity there, but we'll
see kind of how that lands. So the defense is
truly dominant, but there you can absolutely see just how
in the way that it's built that they're going to
be in a lot of dog fights and those games
if other teams can limit their offense.

Speaker 1 (01:05:04):
Yeah, if you have a team that I think is
just running with power, able to run through your interior,
I think that's where you could have success on the
Texans defense on the ground. But you just better hope
it works because any true pass situation is just going
to be disadvantageous. Again, it's it's not even just the secondary,
but their linebackers are so physical and fly to the
ball and are just aggressive tacklers. They can benefit you

(01:05:26):
in pass rush like they stack a box. It's like
putting yourself in a coffin made of nails. It's just
an absolute force on defense ran by again a brilliant
defensive mind that I just think has them really like
that alone elevates them to such a high degree and
even in a more competitive division like I just see
it as a team that I praise this defense so

(01:05:46):
much because I've just I watched what it did to
Josh Allen in an MVP season. Mind you nine for
twenty two like just an unbelievably group that I don't
expect really much drop off from. But if I had
to pick a weakness because just for the sake of picking,
want to be objective, because I want to know not
sit here and only sing their praise, Jags guy, I
gotta kind of stir the pot with the division a

(01:06:08):
little bit. It really would be that interior. You know,
Tim Settle for them played better ball. I don't think
he is a stalwart defensive tackle. What I do think
is if Derek Harmon dropped to them, or if Kenneth
Grant dropped to them, that might have been someone they
had their eyes on and maybe someone they would have taken.
And Derek Harmon in this defensive line would have given
me nightmares, So I'm almost thankful that he went to Pittsburgh.

(01:06:29):
Granted he's also on a really good defensive line, and
Kenneth Grant going here what also sucks. So to be
honest with you, as a Bills fan, I'm definitely happy
that didn't happen. But again, as a football fan who
loves good defense, it's a group that again with the
edge rushers, it's just so talented, so aggressive. It doesn't
even always live and die by Will Anderson and Daniel Hunter.
Sometimes it's just how Ryan's has it with the back

(01:06:53):
end coverage, and I love it. So again, I think
they win it again. I think it's to be proven,
but if that line play is a regression, that could
be a problem for them, especially with the team, like
I alluded to earlier, the Jags potentially knocking on the door.
But I want to move on to a team that
kind of gets lost in the mix a bit. Indianapolis
and another team that I thought had a pretty solid draft,

(01:07:15):
like a team that I was very bullish on last year,
but unfortunately they went through the growing pains with Anthony Richardson,
who I considered last year pretty much an extension of
his rookie year because he got hurt really early on
in his rookie year. He's coming in, he's still getting
game action. Like he's a very, very much a project.

(01:07:35):
And I have been really kind of irritated because when
you take a player like Anthony Richardson, who is not
only the youngest quarterback, but the literal definition of a
project just so unrefined. But with all the traits and
talent in the world, that kind of leads me to
believe that the whole entire conversation would be, well, we

(01:07:56):
have to give this a few years. We have to
give this a few years. And it feels like they've
always had like this is my perspective as an outsider,
Colts fans correct me. It feels like one foot has
been out the door the entire time, like that they've
had this like half baked commitment to development. But also
like I'm Shane Steichen, I don't want to get fired,
so I need to have backup insurance. Now, obviously it

(01:08:17):
gets hurt. Minschew comes in and Minchew almost takes him
to the playoffs, which is kind of wild. That's like,
and they got really close, but you know, looking at
the year three and bringing in Daniel Jones. It's like,
I just want to see Richardson win in camp. I
want to see them rock with him, and also I
want to see him develop because it's not all on
the coaching. Like Richardson's got plenty to work on. The

(01:08:38):
deep passing, accuracy has to improve, decision making has to improve.
It is I am not blind to what has to
improve from him, but this is the year he's got
to do it. And again, this is a Colts draft
class that I really like. Love the addition of DJ
Giddens to back up Jonathan Taylor. I think that's a
lot of fun. Love the addition of Tyler Warren because
again they just needed stability at the tight end position.
There's some quality receivers. I still believe in Adie Mitchell.

(01:09:00):
Like this Colts team is, in my opinion, Anthony Richardson's
leap away from actually being a viable division threat. But
that's so uncertain right now that I can't commit to
that prediction and I just need to see it.

Speaker 3 (01:09:14):
What do you think, Travis, Dude, this is an organization
that brought in Daniel Jones willingly brought in Daniel Jones
to back up your starting quarterback, Like at this point,
this might be a rap, Like that's it's called this
what it is like when a team willingly choose and
chooses to bring in a quarterback with a similar skill

(01:09:35):
set to your current quarterback, like Daniel Jones, someone who's
going to be really good at running the ball, really
good at throwing deep, but probably a little bit inconsistent
as far as hitting the underneath things and you know,
the timing routes, things of that nature.

Speaker 2 (01:09:48):
And they publicly confirmed you have an open competition.

Speaker 3 (01:09:51):
Indianapolis, we've got a problem, Like and I think I
don't think it's crazy to saying that, Like the supporting
cast in Indianapolis is not much of a conversation, Like
it's a great supporting cast defensively, offensively, et cetera.

Speaker 2 (01:10:03):
It truly does come down to that quarterback position.

Speaker 3 (01:10:06):
And they didn't do anything to kind of quiet that
noise again bringing in someone like Daniel Jones, Like what
the fact that people still have that belief in him?
Think that you know that it just went bad in
New York because they didn't have the supporting cast or
the right receivers or except know, whatever it may be.
So because there's going to be a lot of noise

(01:10:26):
of this entire offseason, and that's not obviously not going
to help AR fifteen. But Will Richardson developed in the
slightest just hitting basic short routes, just hitting intermediate timing
rouse those that's kind of the lingering questions. But that's
the kind of the same conversation that Will Levis was
happening in twenty twenty four. That's the same conversation that
AR fifteen is having right now. It's just, guys, can

(01:10:48):
you get a slam?

Speaker 2 (01:10:49):
Like just do just just give me that. Stop being
so volatile and just give me the basic throws the coast.

Speaker 3 (01:10:57):
On offense, they're kind of going to be what they
were in twenty twenty four, a run first offense, depending
on that quarterback and however that quarterback lands is, that's
where their ceiling is going to be.

Speaker 2 (01:11:06):
I agree with you.

Speaker 3 (01:11:07):
I do like the draft that they kind of put together,
but for the most part, like the biggest thing, the
biggest move that they made was moving on from Gus
Bradley on.

Speaker 2 (01:11:13):
Defense and replacing him with the Fencinnata Bingles DC lou
in the room. Yeah, because Gus Bradley that was a
homecoming game.

Speaker 3 (01:11:25):
Every time you play against the Coast, you just knew
he's gonna play that cut that Seattle Sea has covered
three and you know where the you know it's going
to be a career game for Trevor Lawrence.

Speaker 2 (01:11:33):
Like, you just know what this is going to be.

Speaker 3 (01:11:34):
So the fact that they're going to have a little
bit more of a variable defense is probably the biggest
thing that most people just aren't talking about. That's going
to help that team play a little bit closer to
the chest as far as how they run their offense.
But yeah, I like DJ Giddens as a rotational back.

Speaker 2 (01:11:50):
I thought that was a great pick for them.

Speaker 3 (01:11:53):
To your point, I like the Tyler Warren pick also,
like but I don't think that's going to move the
needle as much. Just depend on how you're gonna use them.
Depending on that you're gonna use that checkdown like that
brought in Cam binding them at safety, brought in Savarious Road.
It's that cornerback. Like again, you're adding with that a
new defensive coordinator and that was one of your biggest weaknesses.

(01:12:14):
Also as far as your secondary play, I can they
it feels like they short up a lot of their
issues as far as the defense were concerned, just between
coaching and roster as far as that's concerned. So I
don't see where they have this glaring weakness other than
the main one that you kind of can't have as
a weakness, the quarterback. So show the shrug. I don't

(01:12:35):
know where that's going to land. Like between Daniel Jones
and ar fifteen, who can hit the garbage can ten
yards away?

Speaker 2 (01:12:42):
Like, that's the quest.

Speaker 1 (01:12:45):
I just left that. You what you said it? Like
with David Jones, go, yeah, they brought up Daniel Jones
space willingly like just to double down on like, but
that's that's kind of what I'm getting at too, you know.
For his development curve, I think a part of it
has been just physical ability mechanical aspects which he has
been working on in the off season, which gives me
some hope that that can be refined because again, the

(01:13:06):
short field accuracy improving in itself is such a huge
boost to keep him on the field, to keep like,
to just keep this offense going and to be able
and like there were times last year for the Colts
where there were those flashes of brilliance, like the game
winning drive against the Jets, and I'm like, dude, there's
something here. This guy's throwing absolute lasers, Like this is

(01:13:28):
what it can be for them, but it's so inconsistent.
But I just think that they have to commit to
what they took, which is a massive project. Again, like
this is what you signed up for. You can't be
surprised that he's not hitting slants consistently. He's barely had
starting experience at Florida, Like he barely had experience at
the position, and you're getting him in and it's like,
what did you think was gonna happen in his rookie

(01:13:49):
year but he got hurt second year. I think that
it just again, it's so heavily the biggest variance for
any team in this division because of his development arc.
But if it pans out, like that's a scary thing
to think about because I think, like just your thoughts,
I'll even just blend this together. I won't wait for
the defensive thing. This defense has so much, so much talent,

(01:14:12):
kind of like how I was googling over Houston's I'm
looking at there is this defensive line. When you talk
about Buckner, your too Watu Grover Stewart Abu Kam as
a backup rotational edge to Quity Pie. Bringing in JT.
Tou Malau, like all of those additions, that pass rush
and the run defense is going to be so awesome.

(01:14:32):
But pairing that with lou An Arumo, who will drop
everyone and send free because it can hit pressure with three,
but also bring the blitz, like just a really good
creative defensive mind who was dealt such a bad hand
in last year in Cincinnati. That's a defense that I
could see them just on their own, even if Richardson's
still having hiccups keeping them in every game they play.
It's why I can sit here and say I don't

(01:14:54):
think they finished last I don't think they're gonna be
a bad team. But it's just so contingent on the
Richardson development arc. Man it is, and there's talent in
this offense. Josh Downs is awesome. I loved him coming
out of un see the slot presence he has, but
also some of the upfield chops he can play with.
He's a separator through and through. He's a great reliable
weapon for someone like Richardson, but like adding in Warren

(01:15:16):
to potentially be that short field guy could be awesome.
Line them up in the backfield potentially, Pierce is a
deep threat, Pittman is a solid option eighty. Mitchell's potential
year two leak, Like, it's all about potential for this
offense to carry them to a division title into the playoffs.
It's not impossible for it to happen, but it's just
something we gotta say, like, we just have to see
Richardson stabilize and if he doesn't, then your backup s

(01:15:39):
Daniel Jones. How good can that be? That's where I
think it's That's where I look at it, and I'm like,
if that doesn't work, it's not going to work, and
they're going to have to reevaluate. That's where I see it.

Speaker 2 (01:15:48):
For the Golts.

Speaker 3 (01:15:49):
You're saying it right now, and that you know that
reevaluation that's going to happen in the twenty twenty six
draft loaded quarterback class.

Speaker 2 (01:15:57):
That's expected.

Speaker 3 (01:15:58):
But I mean, I'm just recently able to, like last week,
watched the highlight clip of like a three minute highlight
clip of a d Mitchell overthrows or you know, undergrows
terrible throws, and I'm just like, yo, this is wild
and just watching it, it was like, it's the best
rookie season from a receiver that did like barely anything
when you look at it, because it's like, oh my gosh, wow,

(01:16:19):
this was bad. How many of these underthrows or overthrows.
It's like our ear on this tape. And that's kind
of what I was referencing when I'm just talking about
Anthony Richardson and just his inability to kind of just
hit these throws when they're open. That's that's the ceiling.
That's the hell. I can't even say, it's just the ceiling.
That's the ceiling and the floor for this team. Unfortunately,

(01:16:42):
it's just like, hey man, can you just keep this
team on the field by not just doing not missing
the layups, not missing the basic throws. But to your point,
it's a loaded roster. That's kind of what I was
saying earlier with the supporting casts across the board. I thought,
I've always thought the Coats had one of the best
rosters in the AFC south top to bottom, and they
just didn't have a quarterback. And because you don't have

(01:17:02):
a quarterback in the NFL, you're probably not gonna do
well because eventually you're gonna go against a team that
can stop the run, they can kind of limit you
in that way, and they're gonna make you do the
thing that you don't want to do it for Anthony
Richard Richardson for purposes.

Speaker 2 (01:17:15):
I don't want to throw five yard outs. I don't
want to throw slats like it's just I don't want.

Speaker 3 (01:17:19):
To do these other things like if you want to
run with the RPO game, but they're gonna take that
away and just again, fortunate to beat them by pressuring you.

Speaker 2 (01:17:26):
That's what's going to happen. It's the same thing with
Daniel Jones in a lot of ways, but maybe a
lot few differences. At the end of the day, I
do appreciate the fact that they do have a really
good defense. I've always hated the Forest Bufflers because he's been.

Speaker 3 (01:17:38):
So dang good, Like he's just so dang dominant, Grover
Steward awesome, Like he helps them, he helps them in
their ability to stop the run and kind of portion
into those obvious passing down situations.

Speaker 2 (01:17:49):
Lot to he was okay, he was okay, but he
as a prospect. I loved him.

Speaker 3 (01:17:56):
I'm just trying, Yeah what he what he was and
the gust Bradley deeps is obviously not what he's going
to be and you know, and lose defense. So we'll
see what that's going to look like, you know, in
twenty twenty five. But over across the board, I have
no questions very similar to Houston as far as their
defense is concerned, because again, I thought the main, the
main issue with that defense was the fact that it

(01:18:16):
was just being coached by Gus Bradley. And you don't
have that anymore. You don't you're not lining up and
being so predictable with just playing cover three every down
and you know, barely glitzing like you're actually going to
move guys around and you know, to your point, blitz
eight guys or just blitz three and whatever's going to
happen happens. But yeah, so a little bit of variety
as far as that deepense is concerned. Is it's going

(01:18:37):
to come down to the quarterback. That's kind of what
I was getting at early man Ar fifteen, Daniel Jones
or Bus twenty twenty six a week come like, that's
that's the office for the coast right now.

Speaker 1 (01:18:47):
Yeah, I think that's what it boils down to, because
I really don't have questions about how good this defense
could be. Maybe like okay, we got Lou for the
first year. Changes to the scheme can breed some growing
pains that just happens in the NFL, but when it solidifies,
it's gonna be so fun. And just there's something about
like these older grumpy dude dcs that just like has
so much charm to them, like vic Fangio Spagnolo and

(01:19:09):
now you got in a rumo like you know, as
as someone who is Italian, and I believe all three
of those men are Italian. Like that that resonates with
me a little bit, you know, it's just like the
Staten Island vibes man. I don't know, maybe there's something
about being a defensive coren it or I don't think
they're all from Staten Island.

Speaker 3 (01:19:23):
Anthony Campanelli is also Italian, and I thought that was funny.
And but wait is wait is with Martindale Italian?

Speaker 2 (01:19:31):
I don't know what is he?

Speaker 1 (01:19:32):
I don't know, he's old and he's always well we
have that right there, but like it's it's to be
completely serious. I just think that Colt's defense is going
to be so much of a threat like turnovers are
gonna happen, the pressures are gonna come naturally, they're gonna
stop the run like. It's something that I think a

(01:19:53):
lot of fans of AFC South teams that aren't the
Colts should pay a lot of attention to as what
keeps them in their games, because I don't think they're
gonna ever get dog walked unless it's the offense is
just so hysterically bad because of bad quarterback play that
they just physically can't keep drives alive and the well breaks.
But with Richardson, you know, the offensive line underwent some
changes too, But I just like the young players that

(01:20:14):
are inheriting the role. Like Bortolini was a very versatile
offensive line prospect that I liked, and I think he's
finally poised to take a starting role. It's Alves more
of the same thing. Obviously, Quentin Nelson's still there and
he's a future Hall of Famer at this point, Ady mitchell, I,
just the separation has been there and the results were
not And I've never seen a player with that production
profile have everyone unanimously say no, it's not him, like

(01:20:37):
like it's not his fault, man, Like he's he's he's
doing what he's got to do. Like there were some
like mentality like I remember like he got frustrated on
the sideline in a game, but like you see the
overthrows and you're kind of like even then, I kind
of get it, man, Like we.

Speaker 3 (01:20:50):
Shouldn't have put some effort things where he wouldn't block,
or he was just like jogging on the route so
he wouldn't take contact on slants later in the season. Yeah,
I knew I saw some of the those kinds of things.
But again, if you're frustrated, then you understand it at
the on a personal level. But also you can't put
that on tape.

Speaker 2 (01:21:09):
So I get it.

Speaker 1 (01:21:11):
Yeah, I'm not saying do it. I'm not saying yeo.
But also like I wouldn't yell back at you, like
I kind of sit there and be like I get it, man,
I get it, Like let it out, let it up.
But no, I think the talent's there. It's just quarterback development.
But to put up all in the conversation, Travis, it's
going to be a fun division to keep up with. Again,
the Bills aren't seeing much of it this year, but
I still think it was a good exercise to just

(01:21:31):
see what's going on in the world outside of Buffalo.
And you were as always an awesome guest. Like last
time I had you here, I had to get you
back on you're here again. You brought great insight and
just someone that I appreciate hearing from. And I want
you with the floor now to what our community let
everyone know what you got going on, where they could
find you, what's up and coming for you.

Speaker 3 (01:21:52):
Well, what we got going on right now on the
do Ball Dive podcast is we're going through our mailbag
episode episodes series. Normally we do updail backs once a month,
but when we do get questions, we try our best
to make sure we answer all all of them that
are reasonable as they that are reasonable, because you get
some wild questions out here in these streets, but generally

(01:22:14):
we make sure we try our best to answer all
of them, and just in different packages. We'll say offense
for this one, defense for this one, and kind of
whatever the leftovers are for that final episode.

Speaker 2 (01:22:25):
So we're kind of going through that right now.

Speaker 3 (01:22:26):
So please like us and subscribe a doo Ball Dive
on YouTube, but also on Bigcatcountry dot com. If there
is a press conference from the coaching staff if there
is an OTAs in this case, we just have Ricky
Mini Camp. You know, last week I was on the scene,
getting all the pictures, getting all the videos, you know,
getting all these summaris and questions from Travis Hunter and

(01:22:48):
the coaching staff.

Speaker 2 (01:22:49):
So that was a fun experience.

Speaker 3 (01:22:51):
But also it allows me then to come back to
Bigcat Country dot com and give you guys the work
up of everything that's kind of happening on the scene,
give me my observations. So that's up on the side already,
the observations from Rooky Mini caamp, and we'll be doing
the same thing on I believe Monday the nineteenth is
the next public open up. They stay four of OCAs

(01:23:11):
I believe, So yeah, so that should be taking place
sometimes soon.

Speaker 2 (01:23:15):
So yeah, we're looking for some Gazambo Jaguars content. Bigac
Country dot com say it is your famous, so let's.

Speaker 1 (01:23:20):
Go absolutely and check out the work he's doing. I
followed Travis for a while and he's really just some
of the content he puts out, not some all the content,
but some is just the general term I use. I
don't want you to think this content I don't like
I apologize now. The work he's putting out is great
and like I say to any person, like, it's good
to look at the NFL world if you're a football
fan beyond just Bill's fandom and see what's going on,

(01:23:43):
and he's worth your follow if you're ever interested in
anything with the AFC South, with the Jags, or just
football in general. Like, I appreciate your perspective on things.

Speaker 2 (01:23:51):
The Travis Hunter baluz. If you want some find out
what's going on with Travis Hunter, give.

Speaker 1 (01:23:55):
Me a well, they'll probably they'll probably try and find you.
If the Bill's receiving corus any any discrepancies, any follow
off this year, that's for sure. But no, listen, Travis,
you're awesome. I appreciate you coming on the show again.
Super fun talking to you. Please go check out what
he has going on on Bigcatcuntry dot com, the douvald Dive.
For me, my name is Joe DeRosa. You can find

(01:24:15):
me on Twitter, slash x at show underscored to Rosa again,
these preview episodes are a ton of fun. I'm looking
forward to doing more as I plot the next AFC
division that I take on with the next guest I
bring on here, so stay tuned for that. But I
will say to all of you, thank you so much
for tuning in. Feel free to check out the description
for a link to the one Pass sign up where
you can become a one Past member. It is a

(01:24:36):
ton of fun, a great time to be a one
pass member, So go ahead and do that. If you're
a Bills fan, football fan, or someone who just likes
being a random discord servers for sixty dollars, I'm sure
you're out there, and stay tuned. If you were on YouTube,
if you're on Facebook, any of the cover one apps,
stick around. At nine pm, Anthony Prohaska is going a lot,
is going live while he is Alive, is going live

(01:24:57):
to discuss Dalton Kincaid's past year and the action for him.
It's one that I'm actually tuning into because I have
a lot of questions about dolal Ki Kid, and I'm
sure a lot of Bills fans do too, or football
fans in general. But for this conversation, we're putting a
bow on it. We are saying good night, have a
great rest here Tuesday. Thank you again, Travis, and as
always to the people that tune in Bill's fans alike

(01:25:17):
Go Bills, We'll see you soon.

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Under Review's Division Preview Series: Which AFC South Team is the Bills' Biggest Threat? | UR

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.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}Under Review's Division Preview Series: Which AFC South Team is the Bills' Biggest Threat? | UR