The Houston Texans Need C.J. Stroud to Keep the Winning Going!

The Houston Texans Need C.J. Stroud to Keep the Winning Going!

Hey everybody, welcome in to a Monday evening edition of the Texans Collective. Here to talk Texans football with you on a uh on a Monday night. Um still have a lot to dig into from that Buffalo Bills game last Thursday. some leftovers from that. A look ahead to the Colts and especially now, not knowing officially, but knowing functionally, it is back to being the CJ Strad show, especially given the fact that Davis Mills went 3 and 0 as his replacement. There’s a lot to dig into with that as well. So, let’s get right to it. Um, a reminder to give us a like, give us a subscribe. We always love that. We thank our presenting sponsor, Prize Pix, promo code Texans, if you want to get in on that. We’ll talk a little bit more about that uh as we get into the show, but let’s make the introductions here. I’m Sean Pendergast, one half of Pain and Pendergast on Sports Radio 610, 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. weekdays. Uh next to me is Landry Locker of the Locker Room with Landry Locker and of course of SNL with Cody Stouts who’s right there below me on the screen. Houston football with Cody Stouts is where you can find him. And then down diagonal, Caddyy Corner, Reggie Adatula in the loop 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sports Radio 610. Um it’s Thanksgiving week, so very happy Thanksgiving to everybody as well. So, let’s get into it, fellas. The four of us have not had a chance to chop it up collectively amongst the four of us. Um that huge win over Buffalo on Thursday, biggest biggest win of the year, and I think kind of culminating a three-game stretch where um Davis Mills certainly established that he’s a high functioning backup in the league, the best you can do, three-0 over that stretch. The biggest thing that stood out to me, especially after the game on Thursday going into Friday, is how quickly the narrative has changed nationally on the the Texans to where you see a lot of people talking about the Texans now. They’re the team that nobody wants to play. How far can the defense take the Texans? How much pressure is there now on CJ Stroud? In your guys’ mind, what’s the biggest leftover? What’s the biggest I I guess in the aftermath of the Buffalo game, the the biggest feeling or the biggest things that you guys are seeing? I think you kind of dodged a bullet because I think that uh an elite defensive effort was almost wasted by the offense. And I think that’s I think that’s something that’s going to have to that’s going to have to pick up. That was that was my biggest takeaway is that the defense was able to win a football game for you. And they were going against the special teams and they were going against the offense specifically in the second half. So that’s that’s really kind of where I’m at. It feels like we’re kind of where we were at the end of last season where you, you know, you think you’re good enough to perhaps get into the playoffs, but the offense has to be a lot better, which is why they made the changes that they did. So, that’s that’s kind of how I looked at that game. I I was very pleasantly pleased with Demo Ryan and how he talked about the offense today because I think it was I think I think it’s time to take the kitty gloves off and and see what they’re made of. And I think it’s good that they got uh an opportunity now to get back in the in the division race. Uh but the offense is going to have to be better because I I feel like they basically did a group project and one person contributed and three people didn’t show up and they still got an A. And I’m I’m a petty person to where if I when I was in college, if I did a group project and I did all the work and there were three jackasses that got uh A’s, I was a little bit upset with them regardless of what the grade was. So, that’s just kind of how I looked at what we saw uh on Thursday. I’m glad I thought you were going to say that you would go snitch about how nobody else did the work. Uh I’m glad I’m glad to know that. Uh I think that you cover some of the good things some of that within that. I think one of the things I was encouraged by in a weird way was it felt like a sink or swim game for one um Jaden Higgins. It felt like they were like, “Hey man, um especially because of the way that the defense is is playing this, we going to give you a whole bunch of a run.” And especially in the red zone, we are going to see how much of an answer you can be for us in this way. And I don’t think that he aced it by any means, but I thought there was positive progression to the point where I was like, “Okay, this is the thing that you brought in Jaden Higgins for was to be some level of foil to uh to Nico Collins.” And it looks like there might be a little something there. like does that develop fast enough for you to have something that is a real threat going through the rest of the season? Like I thought that was kind of an interesting development to the point that Landry makes which is the offense clearly didn’t do enough. I don’t know that you can depend on the run game in the way that it happened in this game. So did you find something or did you maybe start developing something that can be a boost when you get your better quarterback back on the field and that can maybe help you that that side of the football produce a little bit more? It was a great job by Davis Mills to turn this thing uh over to CJ Strad with three straight wins and in a good spot. And I just love knowing that this defense creates a very solid floor and a very clear ceiling of you’re in every game when they’re playing really well. It just along the lines of what Landry said, I just worry that the offense is that contractor that’s going to come in and destroy so much that the defense has put together and built with this Texans team. So it it’s it’s got to be better on offense. It’s got to be better uh from a consistency standpoint. They have to go out there and and give this defense a fighting chance to close out games and and to take care of business because they did almost nothing in the second half. And the defense still was able to get it done and and closed out the game. And we understand where this defense can go and what level of talent they are, but you’ve got to see more from this offense and you’ve got to get more out of this offense. And hopefully CJ Strad provides that coming back after this Buffalo game. Do you guys take anything away from the offensive line not giving up any sacks in that game that encourage you that now that CJ is coming back that he’ll be able to take advantage of? Because I’m with you. The offense especially, I mean, Davis did for a backup quarterback. He’s being graded on a curve. Obviously, you got you got your money’s worth from Davis Mills. He was the steward of three wins in a row and he it felt like he had like one good quarter in each game, you know, like it wasn’t it wasn’t bell-to- bell good. Um, but he had one he he did enough in each of these games to win the games, especially in in the in the Buffalo game where he’s three for 12 or something like that to start the game. I was almost keeping Reggie knows I showed I I was keeping a list of Okay, these are the throws that I think CJ would have made in this situation, you know, like the the one not the one that Schultz bobbled, but the one earlier in the game where Schultz was kind of spaced in between a couple defenders and CJ loves making that throw like back across and I thought he would have dropped that in the bucket. Obviously, there were a couple to Higgins that I think um that would have been completions with CJ Strad. Are you guys encouraged at all that the offensive line seems to be protecting much better this year? And did you see things that okay, hey, it was Davis. If CJ’s in this situation, it would be better or were there things that Davis was doing that would, you know, that maybe he he might even do better than CJ? Well, first of all, Davis Mills lied to me last week because he said he wasn’t nervous for this game. He was he was clearly a little bit nervous and and understandably so. Was by far the biggest football game of of his entire career. So, it felt like he was missing some throws. I can’t unequivocally say yes, CJ Stra would make those throws because I felt like CJ was missing some of those throws uh early in the year if I’m being uh completely honest. I I I do think there’s potential for CJ to make more plays. I I’m hesitant to say and just simplify, well, the offensive line was better for Davis Mills, so does that happen with CJ Stra? Because all I’ve heard is, you know, there’s more pre- snap responsibility. The quarterback helps with the protection. So, I don’t know. I I will say I do like personnel-wise. I do like what this offensive line looks like and it feels like they’ve perhaps found their best five. So, we all know CJ Strad’s better than Davis Mills. We all know even if CJ Strad’s getting sacked more than Davis Mills, there’s times where he can make plays that are just so phenomenal that they can it’s worth taking a couple sacks or whatever. But I’m I’m a little bit hesitant to just say, “Well, they didn’t allow sacks for Davis, so they’re not going to allow sacks for CJ.” Yeah, I I I think actually, yeah, I am I am encouraged because they found five that seems to logically from the outside looking in look like a best five. Like I I am encouraged by that. Uh and one of the things because I’m a sicko, like I’ve just been uh there’s times in my free time, I’ll just hop on FTN and just kind of dig into some numbers. Um there’s a lot of things, right, that you can look at and various different ways. Uh, no matter how you cut it, CJ Strad, even with the the way that this season started and it was less than stellar, better than Davis Mills, man, and even including like quarterback fault sacks, uh, Davis Mills percentage is higher. Like I I I encourage I know that at times you see CJ and you go, that was a bad sack to be taken. Davis had a couple of those in there. And not to like blame Davis, but just to say if you can get this offensive line to protect Davis to have no sacks against a Buffalo Bills uh front line that is maybe not the best, but also is not the worst by any means, I’ve got very good hope that CJ Stout can come do that assuming that he comes in and has like a willingness to to operate in the way that the the offense wants to operate. And then um just if he continues to trust the process like because clearly Davis had no willingness or no uh reason to go outside of the process. I think CJ at times maybe the the death by a thousand cuts can kind of indicate that at times he might have some questions as to what’s happening. If he comes in and embraces it, we know he has the talent, the capability, the mobility to uh to operate this well, step up to the line, be able to handle this and uh it should go probably about as well if not better uh under CJ. And one of the things that I hope CJ carries over from Davis Mills is just not panicking when there is a little bit of heat, when there is a little bit of pressure. Davis Mills, he does not let one failed throw affect another one. Even though it looked like that might have been the case early on in Buffalo, but then he got going and one of the better quarters the quarterback’s had all season long. Uh with that second quarter against the Bills, like yeah, this offensive line, I like this crew. I hope they keep this crew out there for as long as they can. Uh it was a shuffle that I was actually intrigued to see, not one of those like what the hell are they doing shuffles where it was like, oh, City So’s on the field. Oh, what the hell are they doing? Oh, Lake Thomas is back starting. What the hell are they doing? Like, no. I was like, okay, Titus at left guard. Interesting. Ed Ingram at right guard. Okay, well, he’s probably been the best right guard for you. Oh, Trent Brown at right tackle. He’s a mountain of a man. He actually gets some stuff done. So, I I like I like the that offensive line combination. And I hope that when CJ gets in there, one of the things that he freaked out and panicked about playing football was he couldn’t trust the offensive line. Hopefully he can trust that offensive line and they can settle down some of the happy feet that we’ve seen this season from CJ Stout. Yeah, I I hope the like I I I like this combination. I want it to work. It’s the best they can put out there right now. I obviously there’s still I don’t think it’s the the improvement’s going to come hopefully in the offseason if they spend money or draft picks. The crazy thing about it is Jake Andrews is your starting center. you picked him up off the street and there were two guys you drafted, one with a second round pick and one with a sixth round pick to play center and then your left your right tackle is Trent Brown on a veteran minimum deal and you used a second round pick on Blake Fischer. It’s just they’ve arrived at something that seems to be working okay. It’s working much better than what they had out there last year. Ironically, that unit last year had a Pro Bowl left tackle. This is working much better. But there is part of me that watches that when I watch that unit out there and as long as they’re winning games, I don’t really give a [ __ ] But if they start losing again, I’m going to get angry about the fact that Jake Andrews like two two guys you basically picked up at the bus stop are playing center and right tackle for you and you spent high draft capital at those at those two positions. You think Trent Brown fits on a bus? I don’t know about that. He is the bus. Yeah, he is the bus. That is a mountain of a man. But, um, shut Joey Bosa down, you know, if you believe the, uh, if you believe the advanced stats. The artist formerly known as Joey Bosa. It’s not like he’s taken out. Bosa on the back of his jersey. All right. Yeah. I’m not so sure that Nick Bosa with his banged up knee couldn’t have gone out there and given a better game. His name’s Joey Bosa. I saw it on his birth certificate. Um, so you birth certificate? Yeah. Where’d you get his birth certificate at? It’s uh, that’s truearch.com. So, uh, yeah. No, I’m just joking. I’m just kidding. Uh, so, um, Landry, that had to be a dream game for you because you got the, uh, not just Denil Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. getting sacks in the same game, multiple sacks in the same game. Eight and two now when that happens. And it it’s it’s amazing when both these guys eat and it’s it’s kind of a recipe for their for their success. Denil Hunter, you know, we talk about, you know, CJ being out. Denil Hunter has seven sacks in the in the three wins that they’ve had. And you know, I I I kind of roll my eyes when I hear Matt Burke say, “Well, it’s not all about sacks.” Yeah. When they’re sacking the quarterback, it seems like there’s better the whole team plays better. And it it’s it’s nice to see them both get home. I think this has been a really good stretch for Will Anderson. I think it’s been a really good stretch for Denil Hunter. Um and yeah, when they both eat, they win. like unless something crazy happens. Like the two times they’ve lost, one of them was when Baker Mayfield got loose on a fourth and 14 uh to to win the game. And the other one was Green Bay where Bobby Slick just completely wet the bed. When the ch there’s very good chances that when they both eat, when they both get sacks, they’re going to win. And I think it it’s almost especially given what we know about the offense, it’s almost like the recipe for success with this team. Yeah. I mean, I think also one of the things with that is the coverage sacks that allowed this to happen. I think there’s also uh what part of what helped this happen is that uh you have Joe Brady with insistence upon uh having having that man drop back there and do that and then the Superman complex or as I like to call it sometimes the bozo gene that hits uh Josh Allen sometimes and feeling that he needs to stay up there and try and do this like he has one of the longest times to throw in the league and some of that is what allows Will Anderson and Denil Hunter after that first uh displacement of him to go back and pull him down. But the fact that it was able to happen and it came all together that’s fantastic. I’d be interested to see how other teams and maybe uh coordinators who are a little bit more savvy than Joe Bra Joe Brady uh handle that. But yes, uh the opportunity that it both comes together, you see how explosive it can be. So I was very happy to see it. It’s a great job by De Mo Ryan, too, just to have the the the game plan that he had and have those guys ready on that short week for Josh Allen. And yet again, Allen in a blender versus Demo Ryan’s uh coach defense. So, that’s a that’s two feathers that do Ryan could put in his cap as the defensive mastermind for this team. And, uh, something we’ve seen a couple of times in the in the past two weeks is defenders actually getting their hands up and and batting passes down, which not everybody’s going to give you three, four seconds to go back there and go get the quarterback. A lot of teams here down the stretch are going to try to get rid of that rock fast. And to finally see that defense start throwing their big paws up and start knocking the ball down. Uh certainly a lot with Cam Moore, but saw against Josh Allen as well. Uh that’s a good element to see because I gotta imagine when you see a performance like what the Texans had going into the next game when it’s a great offensive mind like Shane Stiken, he’s probably telling Daniel Jones, you can’t hold on to this thing or they’re going to get you. So get rid of the rock and you got to get that defense, you get those hands up, get that uh defense rolling early to kind of disrupt the opposing offense. Speaking of throwing paws up, can I ask you guys if you’ve experienced this the same way that I feel like I have? It feels like Aziz Shaier has been significantly better in in coverage than he had previously been. Like he he’s obviously contributed to interceptions in this game and previous games. Like it it feels like he has been significantly better in that middle, which is part of what has helped them be really good. He he said that that was a point of emphasis and it was unsolicited. I asked Demo about it uh and I asked him about it. I mean, let’s be honest, that game against Travis Kelce was bad. Uh, I mean Travis Kelce looked washed pretty much all last year except when he was going against the Texans in the playoffs. Big part of that was both your Nicholls were out in Petri and Ward and Aziz was probably asked to do a little bit more, but that was a point of emphasis. You saw it in camp. Um, and it has been better. Uh, I will say as Cody has so astutely uh pointed out, they’re going to be facing some pretty effing good tight ends in the next few weeks. So, it’s not going to get any easier. But that was an emphasis for Aziz given the way that the season ended. Um, and Demo had brought it up as well. Then in West Virginia, I mean, I probably told this story when we mentioned Aziz before, but in West Virginia, I was doing a one-on-one. We all were after practice every day. Then one day it was Aziz and I had to I had to wait like an hour cuz he was out there in the middle of the field doing a drill where he had his back to the guy throwing him the ball and he’s he had to he he he had to turn after the ball was released. So he because he he’s working on his hands. Obviously there’s more that goes into it into coverage and just his hands. But to back up what Landry was saying like he’s working on he was working on every aspect of that in training camp, not just the film work and the coverage itself. But he dropped a couple. He dropped a couple against Josh Allen last year in week five when Josh Allen had zero interceptions going into that game. Aziz Al Sher could have had a couple of them. I think the other big thing too is this team’s gotten way better this year defensively against play action. They’re not nearly as overly swarmmy on play action as they were. You know, we Seth and I call it swarm run a muck when they when they overplay on things. That particular play uh the the Kalin Bullock interception. Seth actually pointed this out in a video on Twitter. Josh Allen, you know, runs play runs a play fake there. And the the the Texans defense is like whatever. You know, they the linebackers all literally stayed at the level they were at. And that’s how Aziz was able to get his hands up, you know, get his hands up and get his hands on the ball and then insteps Kale Bullock and um and gets what, you know, probably should have been a pick six if Derek Barnett didn’t didn’t shove that lineman to the ground. But there there are certain they were a good defense last year, but there there are certain things that they, you know, that they they didn’t do well. That was a big reason they gave up so many big plays last year is they bite on play action all the time. They got way better at that. They don’t they don’t give up nearly as many big play. I They gave up a couple in the game to Khalil Shakir, but generally speaking, over the aggregate of the year, they they’ve gotten much better with that. Yeah, they have. And I again, I I just want to say this is going to be their biggest challenges coming up uh in in that area. So, it’s it’s it’s been good, but the the toughest is is definitely ahead for them, and it starts this week. I I I think this is I don’t I don’t know if we want to jump to the Colts or not, but I I think this is the most underrated group of offensive weapons that they’re going to face. I know everybody talks about Jonathan Taylor, but I think from a receiver standpoint, from a tight end standpoint, I I don’t know that there’s I mean, it there’s a lot of challenges there uh for them. So, it it will be hopefully that strength travels to Indianapolis because it’s going to be tough and then you got the Chiefs and you’re going to have the Colts again. It’s going to be it’s going to be a tough a tough stretch for them. Well, to your point to your point on the tight ends and we’ll get to the Colts. I want to hit CJ here, but to your point on the tight ends, Tyler Warren, Travis Kelce, Trey McBride, Brock Bowers the next four games, right? That’s the And then the the Chargers rookies row the Chargers rookie is good and then you get Warren again. Yep. Yeah, that’s right. Yeah. So there’s So that threat’s there every game the rest of the year pretty much. Yeah. So let’s let’s see how good Aziz’s coverage has gotten. Well, let’s see. Let’s see if the Greenbryer worked for him. Um it looks like CJ Strad set to return. I he can’t return from protocol today because there was no practice. He’s got to come back. What does he need? One more practice. What’s the You guys are over there in the building. I’m sure that that was a chatter amongst all the media there. One more. He’s back. Like they just can’t say it. There’s like strict rules where coaches you can’t predict or anticipate guys returning before they’re out of protocol. So that’s why it was a little bit awkward for Demo, but I mean he’s he’s back. He’ll clear. Um even being on the sidelines is kind of a thing like where it’s it’s a little bit more of a step in the process. That’s why we saw Titus Howard two games ago and then we saw him back. So he’s going to be back. It’s uh it’s just a matter of uh them clearing the the the protocol and and figuring that out. So, he’s he’s definitely back. It’s just coaches are in weird positions when you ask him that when they can’t really say it. Yeah, that’s that’s a that’s a few thousand dollars out of the Miko’s pocketbook if uh he answers that the wrong way. So, yeah, he’s cheap, too. I don’t think the MO’s way I bet I bet a little bit I bet the Miko’s a little bit cheap, too. He he has had plenty of opportunities in his head coach tenure to rip into some zebras and he has avoided it and been very clear that he’s avoiding it. And uh I think that’s a direct correlation to the amount of money that might come out of his paycheck if he does. So you think there’s a better chance that Demo Ryan is cheap, not classy? Like it’s, you know, it’s it’s it’s you think it’s the money that’s keeping him from ripping into the referees. Where you say cheap, I say discipline, guys. I feel like that’s the that’s what he’s trying to instill with these fellas. Be disciplined. Right. There you go. Yeah. He’s executing in a materole. That’s right. Yeah. Yeah. Um that when CJ came back from concussions or his concussion, I should say, in 2023, um it was in week 17, they played Tennessee. They won 26-3. He didn’t have a great game, but he was fine. I mean, they they won in a blowout. They kicked four field goals in that game and they had a defensive touchdown. Um then the then I I would submit the next two games after that, the Indianapolis game, which was essentially a playoff game and then the actual playoff game against Cleveland, were probably two of the best five or six games he’s had as a pro. Do we read anything into that or I mean I don’t think there’s any neurologists on this here stream that we’re doing here. But I are we encouraged by the fact that when he came back from the concussions the last time he played some of his best football. Uh I I don’t know man. I I I feel like coming back from one and then coming back from two just I I mentally I can’t really I can’t really say how how that makes someone feel like I I maybe there’s some sort of trend there. I I I think if the one thing I will take from it is that the rest was more or at least similar to where you can figure that out. But I I don’t know if it’s like some sort of trend or anything like that. And I also don’t know what he’s going to be like mentally when he goes out there now. I mean, this is this is two concussions now and he was already kind of hesitant to run. So I I I don’t look at that as like any any sort of trend that I point to and say, well, you know, he can piggy back off this. But I am glad he got four weeks this time after three weeks last. Yeah. Yeah. I can give you a strong I don’t know like that’s that’s about what I got for you is that there Yeah, I think Landry hits it right there. I don’t know how the symptoms hit for him. I don’t know if the symptoms were the same as that time, right? Like I don’t know uh it’s a different circumstance when you talk about the system that he’s running. I guess in theory more cerebral than that time. So does that factor in? I mean are we even going to talk about the competition that he’s facing that how changes that? Like I have no idea. You just hope uh that’s the thing that I’ve been hoping on is that you know him sitting back getting to watch this system be executed from a different vantage point gives him a little bit more insight into what he’s doing and that gives him an opportunity to perform better. Like that’s all I’m working off of right now. That’s what that’s part of my hope too is is the learn from Davis. Not super dissimilar, not totally the same from 2014. Fitzpatrick’s playing. They bench Fitzpatrick and then Ryan Mallet who had been in the system runs it for two games. He ultimately gets hurt. They put Fitzpatrick back in. What does Fitzy do right when he gets back in there after watching the guy run it the way it’s supposed to run? He had like six touchdowns against Tennessee. Like when he got back in there, I hope there’s something for CJ Strad to have picked up from Davis Mills watching and observing and and picking up the film and watching it and and going back and paying attention to it with the team. I’m not so much worried about the, you know, the between the ears, the the the concussion worry, if you will, is if I’m CJ Strad and look at these next six games, there’s some big money in store for me if I take care of business in these next six games. I go out there and I ball out in the next six games. Big payday coming my way. Yeah. I I think in in 2023 when he got hurt, it was week 14, so this was week nine. So he and that was against that was behind an offensive line. It wasn’t as bad as the 2024 offensive line, but I they they weren’t protecting him as well as he’s been protected this year so far. So there was probably an element back in 2023 where his body actually got to get a little bit of a you know, he’s he’s sitting off to the side. So he actually some other things got to heal up a little bit while he’s in the concussion protocol. I don’t know if that matters as much. Landry, as you point out, it was an extra week this time around. I’m with you guys. I hope that there were certain things he was watching, certain things that maybe that that Davis, as a veteran guy or somebody who’s been in the system before, was doing better in terms of setting protections, using motion, whatever it may be. Um, I’m hoping that, you know, the the Texans seem to have figured some things out in the red zone a little bit, you know, more more so than when CJ went out. So maybe, you know, maybe there’s there’s something about that. I do wonder he was starting to use his legs a whole lot more since the postseason last year and it had actually become a nice weapon for him. It had become a way to move the chains a little bit. There there’s a few plays that he had where I think we were all like, “Wow, didn’t know he had that extra gear, that kind of thing.” I mean, he’s some of the bigger plays he’s made, I mean, hell, one of the biggest plays he made in that playoff game against the Chargers was with his legs. It was almost like he discovered some sort of magic trick and he started using it a whole lot more. I I like him getting hurt on that slide. Notwithstanding, I like the way he had been using his legs. I think he’d largely been pretty good in in terms of decision-m as to when to do that. I’m hopeful that that this injury doesn’t curtail that at all because I it’s the offensive line has improved, but I don’t think it’s improved to the point where he feel he he he should feel like he can sit back there. He’s not going to need to to use his legs at some point. Yeah, he needs to use him and he just needs to get down. Uh that that was a just it wasn’t it wasn’t a smooth slide. He he talked about how he’d learned to slide this off season, so he he needs to use the legs and he needs to he just needs to get down. He needs to protect himself. But they they definitely need that element. They need all they need all they can get uh with this offense and we’ll see what it looks like. I mean, this is I don’t want to say this is like a make or break type of game, but if you lose this, you’re not you’re not winning the division. And unfortunately for them, they didn’t get any help this weekend in the AFC uh wild card picture. It it really would have been better for Kansas City uh to lose that game. Um but that’s just kind of where they are. So it there is no to to go back to what you said, Sean, about him coming back last time. I think you can kind of feel it out against the Titans. Uh I this is not this is not a field out situation against the Colts or anything. Yep. It’s it’s a it’s a it’s a big one. So, we’ll see how it handles it. It’ll be fun. Yeah, you gota hope that the familiarity of knowing some of those Colts players and what happens there helps you with the uptick there, though. But, yeah, you’re right. It’s it’s got to be I think the coaching point can’t be don’t use your legs. The coaching point’s just got to be use your legs, don’t use your body, per se. I always think back to like uh Lamar Jackson coming in and everybody be like, “Oh, he’s going to get hurt.” and he has this un this uncanny ability to just like get hit good. You know what I mean? Like he gets hit but he never gets uh hit hard so to say. And I like it’s not something that you’re going to import to CJ per se, but like the general idea of hey man, you could use your legs and not take the hits, right? And if that is being a little bit more conservative and going ahead and sliding early or getting yourself taking that angle slightly away from that contact, I think that’s what it’s got to be. But yeah, absolutely. The legs are going to be necessary. I think that that is one of the advantages that you have in having CJ over Davis Mills, right? Is is the ability to uh create something else against that defense with his legs, right? They have to guard Eleven in those circumstances. So, no, he absolutely needs to utilize that. You got to use all your weapons available to you. And yeah, I’m with you, Landry, watching that. I very much was I would have preferred uh uh I understand Kansas City winning there uh is not necessarily what you wanted. That’s not what I wanted because I think the wild card is probably more viable, but now you’re locked into the space where hey, try and go and win that division, but you got to get this win versus the Colts if you want opportunity to do that. Did you guys were at the press conference today? I’m curious at the very beginning when De Mo addressed, you know, CJ and Jaylen Petri both still in concussion protocol and when CJ’s back, he’s going to be our starting quarterback. Was that actually part of the question or did Demo voluntarily offer up that he’s the starting quarterback? Yeah, the question was, “Is CJ your starting quarterback this week?” Okay, so it was asked. Okay, that was the question. Christy Ricanin asked, “Is is CJ your uh starter this week?” So that’s what that was where he Okay. Okay. I’m like, “God, is Demo Seo spending time in the same horrible nefarious corners of Twitter that we are seeing these these vocal minority of [ __ ] that are campaigning for David I I haven’t been there. I haven’t I haven’t I haven’t been in that corner. I haven’t seen Man. I No. Yeah. Like the algorithm’s been pretty kind to me, but I boy, there’s certain people I talk to that talk they they talk about it like these Davis Mills people are running up onto their front lawns with big sharp objects like Game of Thrones or something. It’s I’m like, “No, I think it’s just like five people who they exist. They exist. They exist. I’m not going to say that they’re like boogeyman. There’s not a giant horde of them. They exist. They exist. That’s an interesting That’s an I wonder what color the sky is in their world. I just that’s uh that’s crazy. I don’t know. But uh speak to bring up Lamar Jackson way too many times on this podcast. This is one thing that I would always shout out like Eric Costa and the RA and the rather the Ravens. They got themselves a blackup, you know what I mean? Like and uh that that’s why teams do that is they get themselves a black quarterback on the backside to so that uh if that is a a a factor and people calling for the backup as opposed to the starter, take that right out of there. Yeah, man. Like look, and I’m happy to have Davis Mills. Davis Mills comes in with a level of uh veteran savvy and he was able to execute get you three three victories by just doing what he’s supposed to do. I will say we would avoid ourselves a little bit of a headache if there was a blackup. Fair enough. Yeah, maybe Trod Taylor can come back at some point. Maybe. I don’t know. I’m good. I’m good. Yeah, I’m good. Good. And then you got Davis Mills who’s like the whitest guy of all time. Dave Davis could be the He’s white. He’s super white. Davis could be the backup as long as Davis wants to be the backup. That’s He keeps winning games. Hell yeah. I ain’t mad at it. I’m just saying that that that is one of the slight things with Davis Mills as opposed to a blackup. Yep. Um All right, let’s talk a little bit about the Colts and the AFC and how things are unfolding here. I was thinking about this today. The schedule so far this year has been obviously really tough for the Texans. I think the combined record of the five teams they’ve lost to is 39 and 16 and they’ve only lost by a combined total of 24 points. So this is a super competitive football team. Cody, you put it best I thought earlier where the defense provides a really high floor for this team. Like there, you know, you see some of these scores 40 to9. You know this and like Carolina six and five. They’re on Monday Night Football. They lost a game 40 to9 a couple weeks ago. Like I I don’t think the Texans are going to lose the game 40 to9 maybe, but who knows? I I’m with you. I think the defense provides a high floor. I also think the schedule has been brutal for the first 10 or 11 games. You get Buffalo as you know, you get to stay home on Thursday night football. I think that helped. That’s number one. Um it eases up in the last month of the season here. I don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves, but three out of the last four are at home and two of them are against teams that seem to be getting ready to go to Cancun. The biggest thing to me is especially looking at how Daniel Jones has started to play over these last three games. I mean, this offense is not the machine that it was for the first eight or nine games of the year where we would be sitting there at NRG Stadium and we’d all be sitting there in the press box and I’m, you know, looking at our laptops, hey, Colts scored again. Colts scored again. It felt like they scored every five minutes. Daniel Jones has started to do some more Daniel Jonesian things over the last few weeks. How big is it in your guys’ mind that that the Texans are catching the Colts both times here at this chunk of the season as opposed to having caught them in say the first, you know, 8 to 10 weeks? I I mean I I would say that they’re they’re lucky that the Texans are for as fortunate as anything because I think if they played the Colts the two times they played the Jags, I think there’s a chance they lose them both with the way the Colts are playing. So yeah, I would I would agree with that. I I don’t I I I don’t look at the the loss to the Chiefs and say that I feel any worse about the Colts. I I I do think that it’s probably like something teachable, but I I do I do agree with you. They’re very fortunate to to get the Colts now as opposed to to early on. But I really don’t know how I feel about the Texans offense at this point. So that’s kind of that’s kind of where it is. But yeah, 100%. if if if they played him earlier in the year, I don’t I don’t think that too many people would think that the Texans would have gotten the best of them. I Yeah. No, I’m actually very fond of it because I think that the the Chiefs did give you a little bit of a blueprint, particularly defensively in that uh and it’s not it’s not wild to have imagined this. I think we all could have said this, right? Daniel Jones with the buttressing of a good run game and obviously the weapons that he has available to him is what makes him successful. The Chiefs were like, “Hey, bleep all that first down run stuff. it’s dead. And then once you end up with that in the case, uh, he had to be in some circumstances that were not advantageous and you see him kind of, uh, you know, fall away a little bit. I think that that is something that’s going to be very interesting to be able to, uh, try and try and replicate to some degree. Like, and I I’m intrigued to see how the Texans are capable of doing it because at times I I am intrigu I’m interested in them leaning forward into trying to stop the run while also keeping track of all of the people that’ll be running around downfield at times. And then we also talked about their their, you know, their discipline in play action. Like all those things kind of come together, especially once that becomes a point of focus. I think that that was one of the things that was wild about the Monday night game is that you could see them kind of leaning forward and then that kind of ended up being a whole uh sow of sorts. So I I do think that that’ll be interesting to see. But I do think that Kansas City has also shown you not just that in theory this is something that you could do, but in practice it is. So I appreciate I appreciate the fact that you’re happening getting happening upon them at this time. It helps the defense because it gives you a lot more of, oh, this has not worked for them, force them into this situation, make them uh be in a tough spot from the way that they operate their offense. It it doesn’t help. I mean, you could play them at the end of the year, the beginning of the year. Right now, you know, the offense has has its questions. I guess you get a tiny bit of a break because there’s no DeForest Buckner and I feel like, you know, regardless of who the interior guys are, he’d be having a big day. Uh, so there’s no DeForest Buckner in that, but I tell you what, Grover Stewart against a much better interior than you have yesterday. Looked like a pretty nasty individual that you have to prepare for. And, uh, they seem to be a little bit better defense uh, from a pass rush standpoint than they were, you know, earlier in the year and then even from last year’s standpoint when they were a little disappointing as a defense. So it helps the it helps the Texans defense because there’s there’s more on Daniel Jones with the Colts so you can prepare for it and you know with with a couple extra days to put it together. I mean Nico Ryan I said you know we say short week but De Mo Ryan is thinking about Josh Allen. Yeah. A week ahead. You know he’s not just oh we finished up the Titans game. Let’s go get ready for Josh Allen. That’s not what he’s doing. You know but with 10 days to get ready for Daniel Jones coming off of that that short weekend that win against Buffalo. You gotta imagine Demiko Ryan’s got a pretty good setup for his defense for Daniel Jones. I just don’t know if Nick Kayley with 10 days is, you know, what kind of what’s he done with the crayons in that time? The crayons. He can’t use pens. Nose erasable markers. I wouldn’t even give him a crayon. He’s got that. He’s got the erasable ones that only work on the paper. I well to your point about Taylor 16 carries, 58 yards. He had 27 yards on one carry. So he’s the other car other than that one long run, he’s averaging two yards a carry. And that did seem to be like that’s the head of the snake with this whole thing. If you don’t if Jonathan Taylor doesn’t get out of first gear, that’s the way to shut them down. There’s some I mean there’s some matchups in this game I’m super excited about. Like I want Nico Collins to make the entire city of Indianapolis feel really shitty about the sauce gardener trade. That would be awesome if we came out of that game with, you know, Nico because Nico’s had some big games against the against the Colts in that stadium in that state. They they played CJ Strad’s played two games in that stadium and he’s played really well in both of those games. Well, and I I also like that there’s a Saw Stingley like tangible look at thing that we’ve been talking about for for four years now. We get to look at that a couple year. Yep. That’s a good matchup. I think uh this is this is the best AFC South team that De Mo Ryan has faced in his uh three years. I don’t even think it’s close. Like I don’t even think I I don’t even think you can bring anyone to the ring uh against this. This is by far and away the best AFC South team that they’ve that they’ve faced. I think there’s that. Um maybe I like Tyler Warren too much. I I just think Tyler Warren is just a a a physically imposing freak show of a football player. Uh, so I’m kind of intrigued to see what that looks like. Whether it’s Petri, whether it’s the linebackers, that’s going to be a hell of a matchup. I feel like Demo and Jonathan Taylor, obviously, they’ve had back and forths uh with with the defense. That’s going to be I mean, it’s going to be there’s a there’s a lot of really really intriguing matchups here. I’m with you, Sean. But the thing that I like is that we get to watch and they’re not on the field at the same time. The Sauce and Stingley stuff, we get to we get to see it. And I’m and I’m glad that I’m actually glad that Sas Gardner’s on a good team to where we can actually like see him on somewhat of a big stage, too. So, that that excites me a lot, the fact that we get to see those two. Yeah. Um, you’re right. Just seeing Nico saw us like that’s going to be that’s going to deliver, especially if we get more men. It seemed like the Colts were willing to kind of put him on an island. So, yeah, go ahead and do that for me because it felt like uh the Bills weren’t willing to do that. The Bills were like, “Hey, we’re shading over there. Go ahead and put a sauce out there and see what happens.” because I I talked about it. I love seeing Higgins get more shine and opportunity to develop him. Ain’t no development with Nico. He here. So, if you want to let him go one-on-one, we can do that. Uh but yeah, I’m going to be very simple. One of the matchups I want to see is I want to see this reconstructed offensive line. I want to see if this five is actually something because those those boys over there can do something on that defensive line. Watching them against the Chiefs, it was very evident. Oh, those boys are nasty and tough, right? And that’s those are the words that you would use if you were looking at the Texans, talking to them in training camp, what they wanted from this offensive line. I want to see if you are also nasty and tough. Let me see it. And I also think this is a nobody’s talking about um and I I want to ask him about it a little later on in the in the week. Um Jaylen Reed, he’s he’s your uh starting safety now. I’m I’m I’m sure that him and Tyler Warren have had some battles uh like him practicing like I am I am 100% certain that whether they’ve had to get separated, whether there’s been there’s got to be some sort of competitiveness there between those two guys. So, I kind of want to ask him about that, what his thoughts are because I I I I am sure that they have probably wanted to hit each other a little bit more than they’re allowed to and they’re finally going to be able to to do it. So, that’s that’s another one that I’m kind of just nerdy ass like behind the scenes. That’s a good one, Landry. That’s a good one. I I I’m very interested to see if the if the Will Anderson deal Hunter show uh continues on the road because the two games prior to this Chiefs game, David Jones didn’t get sacked yesterday. He he got pressured a couple of different times and he was running for his life a few times, but he didn’t get sacked. But the two games before that, two defenses that are not as savvy at getting to the quarterback as the Texans put it on the Indianapolis Colts. Atlanta had seven sacks against them and forced them to overtime. Pittsburgh had five sacks against them. And it’s like, okay, if those teams get to Daniel Jones, the Texans are surely getting to Daniel Jones. And so, like, let’s see what that vaunted Indianapolis offensive line that everybody just drools about week in and week out. Let’s see what they can do both in opening things up for Jonathan Taylor, but also protecting Daniel Jones. They did a decent enough job and didn’t and kept it pretty clean against the Chiefs, but still had some leaky moments. The Texans have got to be able to to get after Daniel Jones and and and make him super uncomfortable. Okay. So, where are you guys at with this race right now then in the AFC South? While the the Chiefs losing would have really helped solidify things in the wildard race, they didn’t. They won. And so now the side benefit to that is you’re a game closer in the division. I’ll point out in 2023 after the Texans lost to the Jaguars in week 12 on the Matt Amandola boinker off of the crossbar to tie the game. After the the records after that game was Jacksonville 8-3, Texans 6 and5 with the Colts also 6-5 at that point with Gardenner Mchu at quarterback. So, we’re in a similar situation. I mean, the only difference record-wise is that the six-5 team tied with the Texans back then is now seven-4 and Indie and Jacksonville are, you know, they’ve they’ve they’ve switched roles in this thing here. But you’re you’re you’re you’re the same margin back that you were two years ago when you won the division. Granted, there was a monumental collapse by Jacksonville to help facilitate that, but the Colts have a schedule that is set up for a monumental collapse. These last six games, it’s two Jacksonville, two Houston, um, and then San Francisco and Seattle, which I mean, those are all those are all teams that are above the line of being good teams. Not all great teams, but they’re all good teams. So there’s a there there’s a trend and a record and a momentum for Indianapolis to very much come back to the the pack here. The difference, I guess, is you got Jacksonville kind of sitting in between the two and their schedule is super easy. Their their schedule is, you know, they they would have to lose one of the Jets or the two Titans games to not win double digit games this season. They’re capable of doing that. They probably should have lost to Arizona yesterday, but how are you guys feeling about the overall race right now? Are you feeling like, okay, we’re back in this thing in the division or is it wild card or bust or somewhere in between? Can I answer in a week? Um, I mean that it’s really it really just comes down to this Sunday. I’m not trying to be tr. I’m not trying to be sarcastic. It really it really just comes down to this Sunday. Like you either you either play your way into possibly winning the division and staying afloat the wild card and and perhaps a week from now we feel better about the wild card stuff like maybe Dallas gets Kansas City or something like maybe something happens to help you out. But like I if you lose this game Sunday, you’re you’re you’re pretty much out of the division. Like if if we’re being honest with you with each other. 100%. Yeah. You’re pretty much out of the division and then you and then you start looking at Jacksonville and how easy they have things. So I I think when it comes to when it comes to the division, I I you’re obviously in control of your own destiny, but it’s it’s a tough path um in order to control that destiny. But if you lose, you’re out of it. So, I I guess I I guess I’ll say they’re in it because they have a chance to win on Sunday, but am I overly confident that that’s going to happen? Eh, not really. Um, so yeah, it all depends on Sunday. Yeah, I mean, it’s viable. Like, it’s in a place where I’m like, “Oh, okay. I can see it, right?” Like, I can see through the end of it. And thankfully, I guess, uh, fittingly, we got Thanksgiving coming up because it depends on who all who all is going to actually cook. I mean, I feel like the defense is on turkey and ham duty, and those things are going to be fantastic. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I’m not talking about me. In fact, I might be the defense right now, baby. Or the offense right now, baby. Like, I’m on mac and cheese and stuffing duty. Is that going to be any good? That is the question that we’re asking ourselves. Like, is the offense going to come out and look like a viable offense, or are they going to wilt under the pressure of these circumstances? Because if they are, that’s a lot to ask of the defense to carry you over, as you’ve stated, a lot of good teams here. It’s going to need to be the offense coming through. And let’s be honest, I know that we all we’re asking the special teams to do is bring the cranberry sauce, but they look like they be forgetting. You know what I mean? So like Oh yeah, right. Like who who all is going to actually bring something to the metaphorical table here to make sure that this team can eat? They’ve actually been bringing cranberry sauce cuz cranberry sauce sucks. Oh, get the hell out of here, man. That’s what they’ve been bringing. Ain’t no way. No wonder your Christmas tree. No wonder your tree. They’ve been bringing cranberry sauce. Unbelievable. When it comes to the division, Landry said it. This game this weekend matters. Uh you can go five and one, lose to KC, win the rest of the games, and you win the division. Obviously, if you win out, unlikely, but possible, if you win out, you’re going to win the division, and you might be even be a conversation for, you know, one of the two best or three best records in the AFC. Uh but you know any any designs on the division and really some important games like you you can’t afford to to slip against the Colts more than once and you certainly can’t afford to slip against the Colts and the Chiefs if you want to have any designs on the playoffs because tiebreers and AFC record and common opponents and all that kind of crap’s going to matter uh if if you’re a 10- win team and there’s two, three, four other 10- win teams and you’re all looking around at each other, pointing the finger at each other going, who’s making the playoffs. Like these tiebreaker scenarios when you’re involving more than just a head-to-head matchup, it gets very complicated. And most of the time, you’re going to end up screwed if you don’t take care of your business. But the the the division, it’s on because the Chiefs gave you the the window. If you don’t get through the window this weekend, don’t worry about the division. Get back to the wild card. Yeah. One of the things that’s also we cannot forget, we’re making this a two team race. Even though the Jags are some dopes, the rest of their schedule is, I mean, relatively breezy, you know what I mean? So, like if you if you’re not careful, you might do all this fighting with the Colts only to see the Jags swoop in and take that thing. So, yeah, man. It’s it it’s tight. Yep. Um, all right. Let’s talk about prize picks, Cody. Prize picks. Let’s get the give the people away to put some money in their pocket for the holiday season here. I like that. I like that. Sean, let’s take a look at uh last week’s entry. Oh no. What did we do here? Oh my god. Oh no. The only person that got it right last week was me. As if he didn’t know this was coming. I’ve been doing prize picks for a few weeks and you didn’t put up the This is the first week you’ve done this. Oh man, look at the entry from last week. Wow, we were so close except for you guys didn’t do anything to help out the people. I want to noted though of the people who did not uh come prepared. I was the closest to actually coming prepared. I was only what two and a half yards off. I was close. Yeah. Not not horseshoes, not hand grenades. Almost doesn’t count. Reggie, I thought I was set. They gave it to Chup like three times in the first quarter. I’m like, “Oh, I’m going to be laughing.” Nope. 16 yards. Price picks his daily fantasy and you’re just making a couple of predictions. You’re putting them together, you know, from pass yards to touchdowns to rush yards to even field goal situations, more or less in various situations. The Texans game, not a lot of options up just yet. That will populate throughout the rest of the week. So, we’ll put it on the YouTube community page. We’ll each have a pick and put it together here in a prize pick entry so you can follow along. Hey, the prize fix folks, they know CJ Stout’s going to be back in there and they know that he’s had some impressive performances in the uh Colts Stadium. So, you’re just put more or less and use that code Texans when you get signed up. You’re going to play your first five, you get $50 headed your way thanks to our friends at Prize Pick. So, when you get signed up, use the code Texans. Play your first five, you’ll get 50 headed your way thanks to our friends at Prize Pick. So, there you go. Awesome. Um, did we have some of the comments we wanted to get? Yes. Some of the folks decided to uh send in some super chats like Nomad Scott says, “Always a joy of victory Monday. Happy Thanksgiving to y’all and the fam.” And he followed it up with, “Wait, I mean, happy Thanksgiving to Landry and the fam, to Stuts and Mama Studs, to Sean and Amy, and to Reggie and the hoes.” Oh, nice. Nice. I’ll make sure to relay the to the hose 100%. Okay. Well, and we actually have a studio audience here at my house. That’s my older son, James, laying on the couch after four pieces of Star Pizza. He’s laying on the couch back there. Good taste. Good man. There you go. There you go. Teamman’s also weighed in on the super chat. It says Chiefs don’t have a defense close to the Texans and they completely shut down the Colts in the fourth. We could do that as well. I I will say my thought process after Buffalo and certainly watching some of these other teams is well, if the Texans could do that to Josh Allen, why can’t they do that to insert rest of the teams that are left on the schedule? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I’m with you. I I do think the uh the Chiefs defense did a good job of knuckling up uh against the Colts. I don’t think it’s like a terrible defense. I also think they have obviously they’re the Chiefs, so they just don’t really go away. But yeah, I mean, the Texans can the Texans can make any offense look bad. I I think that we we all agree with that. It’s just it’s just that goes back to the cooking all that the complimentary football. Like, are you going to be an obstacle or are you going to be a compliment? And that’s that’s really what what’s what’s going to matter because we know the defense will be will be ready to go. Just hopefully you don’t ask him to bring too much like somebody bring something. Frank Ross by the way too. He’s getting a free pass. Frank Ross, brother get a free pass with you. Well, yeah. I mean, yeah. I Frank’s Frank’s got some uh he’s been bad ever since he tried to mansplain the uh Jaylen Null berios thing to me. He’s gone from Hey, I I said Frank, I I I tried to tell him the other day, “Hey, Frank, you have Sunday off. Go to all three services in the morning and and and you might have your karma gone.” Ever since he tried to unnecessarily mansplain to one of his boys, uh they’ve gone from second in special teams in DVOA to now they’re 18th. So, hey, I don’t make the rules. I don’t make the rules here, Frank. Landry. Landry. Landry sending the guy sending the guy to triple mass to get out from underneath the curse. Man, I I I think I think Landry and Frank Ross should break the special teams curse by having Frank Ross give Landry a haircut. Oo. Oh, he might whiff and cut my ear with how they tackle him. Well, at least there’s going to be one lane that’s unaccounted for. I’ll tell you that for damn sure. Uh, I appreciate you throwing some DVOA out there, too. That was nice. I like that. Um, talking about like Kansas City’s defense, and obviously we all feel good after that Thursday night game. Have we ex Have they exercised the demons of letting a big play happen when you need it the most? Do we feel like that’s the case? Oh, God. I I’ll say yes because they won. But God, man, the the most frustrating thing for me watching that is number one, that was Stingley’s fault on the on on the lateral. There’s no doubt about it. And Demo Ryan even went out of his way to say because they said that that surprised you said, “No, it we’ve seen them do that.” So that was like that they clearly were prepared to do that. the the the thing for me is I I was really going to go over the top if they did lose that game to not blame the defense and and that’s that’s what that’s what I was happy for because all we all that would have been talked about would be oh they gave up the fourth down and the third down and I’m just like man they had eight sacks they made Josh Allen look pedestrian and and so on so forth so I I I they are vulnerable in that area Reggie but I was I I I think the fact that they were able to overcome it. I’ll say that the demons are gone. And the thing that I enjoy the most is we don’t have to hear any criticism of of that type of effort on defense. Well, we’re not subject we’re not subjected to because they won that game. We’re not subjected to what inevitably we would have seen on Twitter within minutes after the game, which is previously the record of teams that sacked the quarterback eight times. Oh god. allowed this third down conversion percentage, held the had a uh you know had plus whatever it was, plus three in the turnover margin. Yeah, the record of those teams in this situation is 682 and two. Now it’s 682 and three. I swear to Christ, the Texans have had like six games like that since the Green Bay game the middle of last year. Ironically, the last time they had that many sacks was one of those games and they lost that game to the Tennessee Titans. I can tell you I can tell you chapter and verse what it was. It was eight sacks and a pick six. The last the record of teams who’s who had eight sacks and a pick six in a game since like the merger is was 36 and three or something like that. And now it, you know, now it’s 36 and four because of Will [ __ ] Levis. So yeah, dude. For those at home, I I think we hit the over on the first Shan Fbomb, but Yeah. Yeah. I thought I’d have got here earlier, but maybe after a good game. I’m not getting cancelled. Am I right? No, I think you’re good. All right, good. I I’ll be the bad guy. Um I hear you, Landry, and you’re right. Like I always feel bad banging on the defense at all because they are clearly again the ones who are who are putting in the most. The problem is the dude in charge of the defense is the dude in charge of the team and they seemingly willingly went and built this team to be like this to where there’s a lot of stress on the defense. If that’s going to be the case, the times when you need it the most. I need that defense to come through. I am with you. I feel like all right, y’all did it. Cool. Um, don’t let this happen no more. I can’t tell you that I’m super confident that you won’t have those moments. And again, the the margins get thinner when you’re playing against the Colts and the Chiefs. Yeah. And I I I do agree with you. And I I don’t think I don’t think the middle of that defense has been as exposed as it possibly could be and and and a lot of that speaks to what’s going on on the side and what’s going on uh on the edge. But yeah, I I am I am with you. It’s just man, like let’s try to survive a little bit here with But but yeah, the the way that that went down was tough to watch. One one more comment I want to get here from super chat from Teeman. Uh he was saying about Davis Mills. Mills is the worst quarterback but tougher than CJ which is a big advantage. We’re doing we’re doing toughness rankings now between the quarterback. Is there like a diamond scale that we’re using? I don’t know what the t quarterback toughness meter is ranked on. I don’t Yeah. Does it mean physically tough, mentally tough? I don’t know if I agree with either on those. Um but I Oh, didn’t you see he cried that one time? Uh, I I would I would say B I would say that Davis Mills’s mentality of blankness is a positive compared to the roller coaster emotions of CJ, though. Yeah, I think they’re both I think they’re both physically tough. I think like I mean Davis Mills took some beatings the first two years and you know and and I think CJ CJ’s taken some beatings and he keeps coming back. So I think they’re both physically tough. Yeah, I I think Davis Mills has you probably maybe a capacity to uh flush things and move on to the next play maybe a little bit more. I don’t know. I hope that’s one of the things CJ takes from him. Yeah, the stoic nature. Yes, stoicism. Absolutely. Um are we making predictions on the Colts game here or have you guys uh started thinking about that yet or what what are we doing here? It’s tough, man. Um I know Cody’s going to pick the Texans, so go ahead. Here we go. here with you doing this [ __ ] again. Do it with Go ahead. Go ahead. Yeah, I am picking the Texans. They’re going to go to Indianapolis and they’re going to they’re going to hump Daniel Jones up and down the field. Will Anderson’s going to get two and Denil Hunter’s going to get two and Tommy Togei is going to get another sack and throw up the ass, baby. Oh, okay. See, he got there. Too hard. Didn’t have to twist his arm or anything. I just can’t wait to watch them hump Daniel Jones up and down the field. That’s going to be that’s gonna be something. It’s gonna be something. I’m gonna I I I gotta pick the Colts, man. I just don’t I I do not have faith in this offense. And it’s it’s it’s a shame that I don’t because there’s so much potential on this team. But I’m I’m going to take the Colts. Uh although I do think it would not shock me if the Texans win. But if you ask me right now, who do I think wins this game, I’m going to go with the Colts. I will go with the Texans against some of my better judgment. And I do think that the Colts secondary is a little bit less uh stellar than that front actually is. The problem is the Texans in order to win this game were able to run the damn ball. Not sure if that’s going to be available to you, but the Oh, yeah. does feel like the uh the advancement of some of the other guys, Christian Kirk actually getting the catches. I don’t know how much of that was him actually or just being booty butt neckaked open, but hey, maybe he gets maybe he liked the taste of actually catching a football. Who knows? Um, but yeah, like I feel like you get some of that, you get some Higgins, and you get some CJ back in here with hopefully a chip on his shoulder and an opportunity to prove uh people like some of these folks in the text right now that he is indeed the quarterback of this team. And maybe it’s not them. Maybe it’s just proven to the people that are going to ultimately determine what his paycheck is going to be, that he needs to get that big ass paycheck. But ultimately, I think that all those things come together and they have motivation and inspiration to be a better version of their offense. The defense going to show up. Boom. Get a victory. Texans will not let this season die. Ky Fairon last second field goal. Texans win this game. I like that. I hope you’re all right. Big time. It’s going to be fun. All right, boys. Um well, I got to take Numnuts to the airport here. So, uh so we’re gonna call it call it a night. Um where can they find everybody over the next uh several days here? locker room tonight 10:30 SNL Monday through Friday 4. Uh and that’s pretty much it at at NRG every day this week except uh Tuesday and Thursday. Going to be fun. Thanksgiving SNL. Hell yeah, man. Love it. Uh I will be on a couch somewhere, but up until then uh it’ll be uh obviously in the loop 10 to 2 uh Monday through Wednesday and then uh check out these fellas for sure. Yeah. Houston football on YouTube. Houston football uh the newsletter site and uh and SNL with Landry as well. There you go. All right. You guys do a great job covering stuff from the Texans locker room as well. So give give everybody a follow on uh social media as well uh for uh for the best in Texans coverage. I’ll be back out at 6 a.m. tomorrow on Pay and Pendergast in all this week other than Thursday. I will be in on Friday this week. So God, it’s Colts week, man. Got to be in there on Friday doing the thing. So um Yep. So that’ll be uh so this this should be a fun week, man. Hell week the at the Colts. And so we’re psyched for next Monday. Hopefully a victorious Texans collective next Monday here on YouTube. A reminder to give us a like, give us a subscribe if you haven’t already. We we really appreciate that. Tell a friend about it. Tell your Texans friends about it. We’re here uh by and large on Mondays at 6 p.m. And that’s where we’ll be back here Monday at 6 p.m. uh next week following the Texans and the Colts on Sunday, November 30th. You can hear that game on sports radio 610. Kickoff is at noon. Texans countdown 9:00 a.m. with me and Seth Payne and then Clint Sterner and I have you for postgame uh following the game all the way up until Sunday Night Football. So until then, a very very happy Thanksgiving to all you boys and a very happy Thanksgiving to all of you listening, everybody in the chat, everybody who uh who was uh in here tonight. We really appreciate all of you. Enjoy the holiday and we will see you all next Monday. End stream.

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