ESPN NFL LIVE | Dan Orlovsky STUNS, Houston Texans Can Make A TRUE PLAYOFF RUN

ESPN NFL LIVE | Dan Orlovsky STUNS, Houston Texans Can Make A TRUE PLAYOFF RUN

88% chance to make the playoffs. The Texans, get this, had just an 11% chance prior to their current fivegame winning streak. Dan, the defense gets most of the attention, understandably so. They are nasty. What have you seen that you like from the offense as well of late? So, last week it was the pocket movement by CJ and this is not just last week, but it’s been their trend for a couple weeks now. It’s their sixth offensive lineman offense. Okay, so it’s not just their run game, but I do like the fact that it’s allowing them to be somewhat efficient in their run game. Six offensive linemen, Blake Fischer, the secondyear player from Notre Dame, comes in for the tight end position. I think it allows the double teams to be a little bit more sound, them to at least get the run started. That’s been a huge deal. This past week, they implemented a little bit more of the play action stuff. Why does that matter? Because then one, you can block a defensive end one-on-one with the tight end. That sixth tackle, and then that shores up the five offensive linemen, essentially blocking only three defensive linemen. Gives you the chance to push the ball downfield. Six offensive linemen again down in the the goal line, the red zone, the inside the 5 yd line area where so often defensive lines slant. Tight ends get beat on the inside. Having the body presence just confirms the win at the line of scrimmage. And this is an offense that doesn’t need to be explosive all the time. It doesn’t need to create a ton of big plays. It just can’t be negative play dominant. I think that kind of core part of who they are offensively at least gives plays the chance to get started and then some shots down the field. CJ’s a good enough player to make up for the other parts. I I think their offense is good enough to make a playoff run. Yeah. The best part of this conversation that we having now is that we’re not talking about the interior of the offensive line getting devastated and they’ve created that with to your point Dan I like his nonbuiltin quarterback movement as well. There were several times when he was able to evade pressure, step up in the pocket and make plays pushing the ball down the field. And if you guys remember coming out of college, this was the question that he had until he played late in the playoff game, I believe, and he showed some of this movement. But this is what it’s going to have to be at times for the Houston Texans. You love that he’s back healthy. Play breakdown. He’s able to get outside of the pocket. Chris Jones at times should have had CJ dead to rights, but his athleticism bailed him out on a lot of plays. And these are the type of plays that we all know you going to have to make if you want to make a playoff run, like you mentioned, Dan. So, I was very impressed by that. his his poise, but also his mobility and ability to go above and beyond the X’s and O’s and extend plays and make plays down the field with his own. Yeah. No, it’s um Dan Orlowski took what I was going to say about the negative plays. Like that’s what it does. It takes away those negative plays. And as the Philadelphia Eagles, those negative plays are just crushing. You’re just constantly in these second and third and longs. And it’s just it forces you to be, you know, extra predictable. But CJ in that game really made some awesome throws. Um really impressive throws and and I agree also with the movement. Um you know, evading the pressure. I mean, he was pressured a ton in that game. He was actually pressured more than Patrick Mahomes was in that game. He dealt with the pressure better. The Texans as a whole dealt with the pressure better. Uh you know, CJ was was under duress. No doubt about it. Um, and you know, in those moments, you saw I don’t want to say glimpses because that’s too strong of a word or maybe even too weak of a word. It’ll make sense when I say it out loud. Um, you really saw what makes what can make CJ Stout special. You can see why people were so hyped on what he can do uh for a football team as a quarterback. And you you really did see those moments. And that’s why when you when we don’t get enough of that enough momentum and and I’m not blaming him, I’m just talking about the team, the construction of the team, the coaching, you know, whatever it may be. Like it’s so frustrating because you’re like, I see I see greatness there. I see greatness there. And I see someone who’s unmoved by the moment as well. I mean, this was a huge game and a huge moment for this team. And it was just like nothing like him. like he just had the same facial expression the entire game. Like it was just it was just nothing. I mean you could see Patrick Mahomes screaming at the refs. Mahomes got like sacked one time and he was like he he cried and yelled really the entire time to the officiating like and it was just like I’m just like what like what are you what are you doing right now? What are you carrying on about right now? And you know CJ takes very much almost kind of like a Jaylen Herz mentality. a little bit different because CJ looks like he’s a has a little bit lighter of a of a mentality than than Jaylen Herz. Like Jaylen Herz is very stoic and serious and and and CJ I would say is a is a couple notches below that and where it’s just a little bit looser but like still very much like this. Uh no panic, no no not getting too high, not getting too low. Um, and you know, there was that moment when uh it was like, you can’t take a sack. You can’t take a sack. And and he didn’t, you know, the pressure kind of got to him and it was just like, oh my god, don’t take that sack. And it’s like it it’s it’s one of those tricky things though because it’s it is where it’s like if you get away with it and you don’t take that sack, you’re a hero. You’re amazing. It’s like, how’d you just pull that off? But if you do, if you try to extend yourself a little too much and now you do take that sack and now you are out of field goal range, it’s just like you just did the one thing you can’t do. And that’s like an extension of the negative plays. Uh not exactly how Arloski meant it, but now like how I definitely mean it where it’s just like as long as you minimize that damage and your defense is controlling the game, you’re going to do damage, right? You’re going to you’re going to come away with these wins. what I would like to be able to see the Texans do and they had the opport opportunity against the Kansas City Chiefs and again you can credit the Kansas City Chiefs um for getting after CJ. There was there was a moment there were a couple moments throughout the course of the game where the Texans could have put the Chiefs away. They they could have just been like this game is over now. Like we are 100% in the driver’s seat. Um and that wasn’t the they didn’t they were unable to do that. uh there that’s always going to make you a bit uncomfortable and especially if you’re talking about going on a serious playoff run, you just want to be able to see them uh close the door because if if you give anyone any type of breathing room, teams often find ways, right? They they they find ways. Uh the Texans have found ways, you know, so other teams certainly can find ways as well. Um and and I’m so curious because the Texans are such a unique team. Uh, so are teams like the 49ers, like with all their injuries and how they’ve been able to stay afloat. And I asked the 49ers fans like right off the bat. Um, I wish I did this at the top of this clip where I’m just like, you know, how do you feel? Like, do you feel you can go on a legitimate run? Like, do you believe that you’re a legitimate Super Bowl contender? Uh, are you just like, hey, this is pretty cool that we’ve been that we found ways to win games, we can get to the playoffs, maybe win a playoff game, you know, like like what what what are the expectations? And I’m asking Houston Texans fans like straight up like what are the expectations? What do you believe the Texans can do? What do you think is realistic? Like not what you hope for, but like what do you think is realistic? And it’s like, would you be upset if you wanted won a playoff game and then lost the next round or you know just like or are you like fed up with that kind of like win one lose one win one lose one or and you’re just like no like we got to get to an AFC championship game or something or you know um we got to be at least competitive in the divisional round or no like this this defense is good enough. the offense is obviously defense is elite but like the offense is good enough and you know we should be able to slow down these other teams and get to a Super Bowl right or you know AFC championship game what whatever it may be. So I’d really love to hear uh Texans uh fans thoughts on that one because I don’t at this point like I don’t I don’t have a strong reference point to how the fans feel because the season had the way how it’s unfolded is so wild, right? like they they they said like they had like a like a 10% chance or whatever it was to get into the playoffs and they rip off this winning streak and it’s like now they got an 80% 88% chance and you’re just like what like how did that you know CJ Shroud goes down and and he misses games and then their win they’re beating the Bills and you’re just like are these flukes like is this sustainable like what’s actually you know did Josh Allen just have a bad game you just like you’re trying to like like wrestle with it and try to figure out like what what am I actually seeing here um and that’s why going up against the Chiefs with such a big game. And again, I know the Chiefs are not the Chiefs, but still, you’re just like, “This bubble could be popped if this is a Texans bubble. Like, the Chiefs are clearly good enough to pop it.” And they didn’t. And you’re just like, “Okay, that’s interesting right now.” Like that, you know, that’s that’s certainly interesting. I mean, you know, here’s the standings. Um, realistically, well, let me do it. Let me do it this way. I mean, they’re the seven seed. They’re eight and five. Um, the Bills have to play the Eagle. The their two toughest games are the Eagles, maybe. And that might not be a tough game. Who really knows what’s going on with the Eagles? Uh, and the Patriots. And so, it’s just like hopping up to the to the seven to the six seed is obviously very realistic, especially because you have the tiebreaker with them. And then same thing with the Chargers. Chargers are playing the Chiefs. They play the Broncos. So like even getting all the way up to the five seed is completely realistic obviously. Um and even obviously getting the division and now you know the highest would be the would be the three seed because I just you know you’re not going to catch the Patriots or the Broncos. So you you can skyrocket up to the three to the three seed. Now you’re now you’re the three three seed and again based off of that it’ll be a little bit hard to predict. you know, you assume the Jags will still be there. Uh so you you could in a face the Jags, you know, at home uh first round of the playoffs three and six, but um could find yourself in also like a four and five spot where now you’re either going up against the Steelers or the Ravens, like all games that you’re clearly in a position to win, like clearly in a position to win. and the Cardinals. I mean, you know, I don’t know, man. Going up against Jacobe Brassette, uh, that defense, I I think Jacob’s going to see better days. Uh, and then the Raiders, I mean, come on. And then the Chargers, like maybe that O line is legit for for Justin Herbert by then and his, you know, his uh his uh hand should definitely be a lot more healed, but like I don’t know, man. you you should be able to cause him a lot of trouble. And then the Colts, maybe they’re fighting for a playoff spot or maybe like season’s over, they’re done. It’s done. It was like kind of cool that they tried to bring in Philip Rivers, but it’s just like it’s not doing anything. So, there’s a ton to play here for the for for the Texans. Like, they’re not in the direct driver seat necessarily. um a little bit because then you uh you know play the Chargers as well and so if you beat them right again you that you you still have some of these uh tiebreaking scenarios and and whatnot uh for the head-to-heads but you know it’s uh it’s interesting they they could really find themselves go all the way up to the three seed and then if you’re the three seed um you’re just you’re in a heck of a spot there. You’re you’re you’re in a heck of a spot to um you beat the Bills before. So, let let’s just say you you just straight up switch spots with the Jags. And again, it’s obviously not going to be that clean where everyone else just stays exactly where they are. But let’s just say for the sake of argument, you have to play the Bills. Um or the or the Chargers again. And again, two teams that under under this scenario, you would have beaten. Uh, and maybe even the Chiefs sneak in and it’s like, well, you also beat them, too. And so, like, now you’re at the three seed, you play the, you know, you you you you play the six seed, now you beat them. Um, you know, that that next round, you’re you’re you’re now looking at either New England or Denver. Uh, depending on, you know, where where you’re at in terms of that, you’ll you’ll most likely play the the two seed there. And then then you’re you’re talking about going up against a young team, a young quarterback, Bo Knicks or or Drake May and two quarterbacks that I believe in for sure, but it’s just I don’t know. And and I got news for you. Defenses travel pretty well. So, you know, even if you’re on the road mile high or or or um you know, you know, at in New England, like it’s just a cold, windy, ugly game. snowy, you know, like the Texans defense will thrive in that will thrive in that. How will their offense go? Don’t know. But it’s just like there there is a path. Last year, I’d say being the Chiefs feels like a bit of a stretch. Beating the Bills feels like a bit of a stretch, right? Like there was there was enough teams when you’re like, ah. And again, it’s not like I’m saying that they they can easily beat any of these other teams because I just I think it’s going to be really competitive, but it was it was hard for me to see last season. You’re you’re not going to beat the Chiefs. Like, I I just didn’t see it happening. And it didn’t happen, obviously. And it was like, you know, do do I really think you can beat the Bills? It’s like, no. Uh the Ravens, especially if they were full strength with, you know, when Zay got back or something like like I just I just don’t I just don’t see it. I just I just see those teams firing at all cylinders. A lot of experience there. They’ve been there. um whether they’re at home on the road, whether whether the weather’s great or not, it was just those are just teams that are going to show a level of resiliency and versatility that I think some of these current teams right now like that. I don’t see that with the Jags right now. I don’t see that with the Chargers right now. I don’t see it with the Colts right now. And again, even though like the the the the biggest the most difficult teams that you would potentially face, Buffalo, New England, Denver, again, you you have already beaten Buffalo, so you’ve shown that you can slow down that offense. And that is the most dangerous. Like, that’s what you have to do, right? You have to slow down Josh Allen. Like, that’s how you win those games. And it’s like, then it’s just like, well, if you you follow that logic, you’re like, well, if you can slow down Josh Allen, you can slow down Patrick Mahomes. Like, why can’t you slow down Bo Knicks? Why can’t you slow down Drake May, right? Like it should should just all be on the table. And you and you’ve played Bo Knicks obviously and you did do a great job of slowing down that offense. So it’s just it’s just kind of all there, you know? I mean it it really is. So um I I I think the Texans are in such a fascinating spot. I really really really really do. Their seating can be all over the place. They literally can jump from uh three f I see it more as three, five, six, seven. Four probably feels like that’s pretty solidified with the Steelers or the Ravens. So, you know, you can be the three as high as a three- seed, drop down to the seven seed. Um, which you know, I don’t know, maybe first playoff game, like it it is kind of interesting where if like you’re the seven seed and you go up against the Patriots. Um, I mean, heck, even the way depending on who wins like the it could still be like a team like the uh like the Patriots in their first ever playoff game with Drake Maine. It’s like then you have to go up against a Texans defense. Like I don’t know. some some of the some of the uh possibilities I think are genuinely favorable for the Houston Texans that it’s just you can’t just as easily dismiss nah they don’t have enough fire their offense eh like I agree with like there there is a legitimate playoff run that can happen um I I think you definitely have to play more perfect football and the margin of error will be you know smaller than say like the New England Patriots or the Denver Broncos or whatnot or even the Buffalo Bills for that matter just because you do have Josh Allen who in any given moment can take off and you know to be fair even the Pittsburgh Steelers if it is like an Aaron Rogers who’s like going to just be going for broke in the playoffs or even a Lamar Jackson like if they now find themselves in the puffs that means like they kind of wrote the ship a little bit and maybe Lamar’s kind of a little bit back to who he was you know earlier on in the season. So um but yeah the Texans have the schedule right now. They have they they they have the tie breakers. Um they’re they’re in the position. They are they are in the position. And I do not see this as a team that it’s like, oh yeah, they limped into the playoffs and it’ll be kind of interesting to see what they can do, but like n I don’t know. Like you’re going to watch the Texans play some playoff games and genuinely feel they can win this game. They can win this game. Uh and I think at the end at the end of the day, that’s all you can ask for. But those are just my thoughts. I’d absolutely love to hear yours. What do you guys all think about the Houston Texans? Um, how this defense has been able to really save the day and now how the offense is starting to slowly but surely carry more of their weight, especially in these key moments, in these got to have it moments. Uh, let me know your thoughts in the comments below. I read every single comment, so you agree with me or disagree with me. Either way, let’s get in some discussions. Let’s get in some fights, but ultimately let’s just have some fun. And please do consider subscribing. We’re building an amazing community here and absolutely love to see part of it. I want to build something that we all generally feel connected to, something that we’re really excited to be part of. I think we’re well on our way to doing it. Please don’t forget to give this video a thumbs up as it really does help with the visibility and the algorithm. Thank you so much. See you next time.

ESPN NFL LIVE | Dan Orlovsky STUNS, Houston Texans Can Make A TRUE PLAYOFF RUN
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